"Palm VII to debut Monday"
By Stephanie Miles
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
May 18, 1999, 5:20 p.m. PT
Palm Computing will introduce its eagerly anticipated Palm VII
handheld computer next Monday in trial markets starting on the East
Coast.
The first Palm computer able to connect directly to the Internet will be
unveiled in New York on May 24, according to people familiar with the
company's plans. Along with the new device, Palm will debut its Palm.net
wireless Internet service, these people say.
"There is an event on Monday to give the people of New York a sneak
peak at the Palm VII technology," confirmed a Palm Computing
spokesperson, declining to comment further.
The Palm VII will be available at major electronics retailers for an estimated
price of $599, said one retailer, but the handheld won't be available
nationwide: Palm is still testing the device and its complementary "Web
clipping" service, which offers pared-down Internet content for the
small-screen device. The cost of the hardware could be adjusted during the
next 90-120 days to reflect user feedback, the source added.
Even on a limited basis, the rollout of the newest Palm device is sure to
cause excitement in the fiercely loyal Palm community, especially as it
comes on the heels of the Palm IIIx and Palm V. Palm currently boasts 72
percent market share in the handheld market, according to market research
firm International Data Corporation.
The Palm VII's debut will mark 3Com's latest move in the wireless space:
Last month the company created a division dedicated to wireless projects,
and at last week's Network+Interop industry trade show Palm announced
plans to develop technology that links all manner of devices with radio
transmitters and receivers.
Palm has invited registered users of its Palm III device to the New York
event, which takes place in Manhattan's Rainbow Room restaurant. "Be
among the first to experience the power of the revolutionary wireless Palm
VII connected organizer," reads the invitation, according to one recipient.
Besides the hardware, Palm will initially charge a base fee of $9 per month
for limited Palm.net service, although this pricing may also be tentative.
Palm had earlier announced it would charge "under $10 per month" for six
queries a day and $25 per month for 18 queries a day, a Palm spokesperson
said. Some beta testers reportedly exceeded the limits of the service,
incurring large service charges.
Palm Computing announced the Palm VII in December with an estimated
retail price of $799, which was seen as exorbitant compared to the $469
price tag for the fancy new Palm V. The Palm VII offers no real hardware
enhancements to the Palm III, except for the wireless antenna enabling the
Web clipping service, leading many analysts to predict that the price would
fall under $600 by time of launch.
Palm will be joined by some of its content partners at the event, including
United Parcel Services, which
participated in the Palm VII
announcement earlier this year. UPS
will offer package tracking and facility
location through the Palm.net service,
according to Susan Rosenberg, a
company spokesperson.
"Our goal is for UPS to be an
indispensable branded component for
every electronic commerce solution,"
she said. "We think Palm Computing is
making it easier to conduct business."
In addition to UPS, ABCNEWS.com, Bank of America, ESPN.com,
E*Trade, Fodor's, MapQuest, MasterCard, Merriam-Webster, Moviefone,
TheStreet.com, Ticketmaster, Travelocity, USA Today, US West, Visa
International, The Wall Street Journal Interactive Edition, The Weather
Channel, and Yahoo have all previously announced support for the
Palm.net service.
Palm.net content partners prepare information in a query-response form,
allowing Palm VII users to access the information they need with minimal
interaction with the Internet itself. Palm executives have said previously
that this type of pared-down service is necessary to optimize Internet
content for such a small device.
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