AvantGo and Puma Technology Join Forces On Open Industry Initiative for Mobile Device / Corporate Enterprise Application Connectivity
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 2, 1998--
Mobile Application Link Initiative Lauded As
Key To Market Growth
Two key players in the world of mobile computing have joined forces to foster a new industry initiative that paves the way for uniform and open connectivity of Palm Computing platform, Windows CE-compatible, and other mobile computing and communications devices to enterprise data and applications.
AvantGo, Inc., the authority in managing mobile information, and Puma Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq:PUMA), the industry leader in Universal Synchronization Solutions(tm), will jointly deliver the Mobile Application Link development platform based on AvantGo's open source code and shaped by Puma's small device and enterprise application synchronization expertise.
Leading hardware and software application developers, including Symbol Technologies (NYSE:SBL) and Microsoft (Nasdaq:MSFT), have reacted enthusiastically to the proposed Mobile Application Link initiative which is intended to provide an easy-to-implement application programmer's interface (API) to streamline the connectivity of handheld and smart phone data with the vast stores of information found in corporate applications and databases.
"We at Microsoft are excited to see innovators like AvantGo and Puma Technology extend the Windows CE platform in new and compelling ways, making the platform even more connected, and consequently even more appealing for enterprise deployments," said Roger Gulrajani, group product manager, Microsoft Corporation. "This open technology will be a tremendous complement to the wide range of devices that run Windows CE."
THE NEW INITIATIVE: BUILDING BLOCKS, BENEFITS FOR MARKET GROWTH
The Mobile Application Link initiative will provide application developers, handheld vendors and cellular device manufacturers with open source, documentation, and APIs to develop an application enabling a "network conduit" from the handheld to their own server application. Developers can then incorporate and compile the Mobile Application Link code and deliver it as an integrated, finished product to their customers. The Mobile Application Link initiative will enable connectivity of any handheld data, including Palm OS, Windows CE-compatible, smart phone, and two-way or interactive paging devices and simplify device management by providing one server connectivity architecture for all applications. It will also eliminate the need for every handheld user to connect solely through a specific desktop PC.
"Customers and integrators want a single handheld connectivity solution," said Keith Kanneg, director of software marketing at Symbol Technologies. "This initiative will help make that happen. By using a standard approach to exchanging data in our mobile devices, application developers can concentrate on what they do best, creating application software that solves customer problems. We believe that once users truly understand the benefits of the Mobile Application Link initiative, we will see this capability integrated into virtually every application."
For corporations, the Mobile Application Link initiative will greatly reduce the cost of handheld administration and increase the accessibility of data to users. Additionally, organizational management of handheld devices will no longer require the installation and maintenance of a separate server for each handheld application deployed. Instead, using Mobile Application Link standard technology, IT managers can connect all of their handheld applications to hosted data using a common connectivity infrastructure.
End users will benefit from the Mobile Application Link initiative through access to multiple applications from handheld devices, including e-mail, Web content, groupware such as Lotus Notes and Microsoft Exchange, corporate intranets and corporate databases, all using the same process. Now, every handheld will be truly mobile, using any type of connection - kiosk, dialup, wireless or any desktop PC.
INDUSTRY LEADERS CALL FOR OPENNESS
Since its founding, Puma has been a key enabler to all levels of the mobile computing marketplace (consumer, hardware developer, software developer and corporate IT manager) through its defacto industry standard Intellisync(R) synchronization product family and software platform for Palm Computing, Windows CE, and a host of other mobile devices. Earlier this year, Puma debuted its new Intellisync Anywhere(tm) server-based solution, uniquely providing integrated desktop, LAN and remote synchronization of leading handhelds to corporate standards, including Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Notes.
Puma also recently concluded its first Developer Conference, highlighting its Intellisync Software Developer's Kit (SDK) and Satellite Forms(tm) offerings allowing ISVs, device vendors, and applications developers to maximize the use of handheld devices throughout the corporate enterprise.
"Having long been a proponent of working with dynamic organizations in the mobile computing industry to affect change and build the category, we're excited about the potential of the Mobile Application Link initiative," said Brad Rowe, Puma's president and CEO. "AvantGo has brought a lot to the table in the creation of the initiative with its key building blocks, with Puma making a significant contribution with its synchronization and mobile device protocol expertise. As a team, we have the potential to move the industry forward in a meaningful fashion."
AvantGo has rapidly established itself as a key provider to the mobile computing world through its innovative solution to extend enterprise application to the user via the Web. AvantGo sells a comprehensive and scaleable solution for extending enterprise and Web-based applications to handheld computers. AvantGo 2.0 consists of AvantGo Server, a centrally-administered server with an open architecture; AvantGo Connect, a conduit for desktop and kiosk connectivity; and AvantGo Client, a highly efficient Web browser for navigating data and interacting with data entry forms on handheld computers.
While Puma and AvantGo solutions both target the mobile computing market, the approaches are vastly different and complementary, thus turning the marriage of respective expertise into building blocks for market growth.
"We believe that teaming with Puma to spearhead the Mobile Application Link initiative and making our technology available as open source will create a vibrant catalyst that greatly expands the use of mobile devices within large corporations," said Felix Lin, CEO of AvantGo. "Now, companies have the opportunity to establish an architecture that can be used by the most popular handheld devices available today, to access any application or data that is available on the network."
MOBILE APPLICATION LINK COMPONENTS AND AVAILABILITY
Mobile Application Link component APIs and code being made available include: Client APIs for Palm OS; source code for Palm OS; Client APIs for Windows CE; source code for Windows CE; Desktop Conduit source code for Windows 95, 98 and NT; Server APIs for Windows NT; and Server APIs and source code for Windows NT, Solaris, FreeBSD, and Linux. The combination of these components will provide the necessary connectivity infrastructure for application developers to server-enable their handheld applications.
This technology will be made accessible to any application developer or end user for development, testing, demonstration or production use at no charge. The license terms, source code and APIs will be made available within the next 60 days at www.avantgo.com.
ABOUT PUMA TECHNOLOGY
Puma Technology (Nasdaq:PUMA) is the leading provider of Universal Synchronization Solutions software for a world on the move. Its Intellisync, Intellisync Anywhere and Satellite Forms software product lines connect consumers, mobile professionals, the extended corporate enterprise and Internet services to Palm Computing platform and Windows CE handheld devices, telephony devices and other handheld and small data communication devices.
The open Intellisync platform lets users synchronize the critical connection between both wired and wireless handheld devices and the vast stores of information found in corporate databases, the Internet and individuals' PC applications. Intellisync has been adopted worldwide by individuals, companies, mobile device manufacturers, Internet "portals" and service providers, all of which benefit from Puma-enabled software: up-to-the-minute, anytime, anywhere data. The company, headquartered in San Jose, Calif., maintains a web site at www.pumatech.com.
ABOUT AVANTGO
AvantGo, Inc. has quickly established itself as the authority in managing mobile information with its innovative solution for extending enterprise applications to handheld computers, such as those based on the Windows CE, and Palm Computing platforms. A privately held company based in San Mateo, Calif., AvantGo is funded by 21st Century Internet Venture Partners (www.21vc.com), Hambrecht & Quist (www.hamquist.com) and Adobe Ventures (www.adobe.com). For more information, please visit the company's Web site at www.avantgo.com or call 650-638-3399.
Note to Editors: AvantGo is a registered trademark of AvantGo, Inc. Puma Technology, Intellisync, Intellisync Anywhere, Universal Synchronization Solutions and Satellite Forms, are trademarks of Puma Technology, Inc. that may be registered in some jurisdictions. All other marks belong to their respective owners.
CONTACT:
For AvantGo:
Evans Partners
Joanna Kulesa, 831/423-2300
jkulesa@evanspartners.com |
