Hi RC!
How do you look upon Socket's competitive situation? I just found the below info released early May.
Best regards
Martin
Xircom Enters the Handheld PC Connectivity Market
New CompactCards Connect Windows® CE-based Handhelds to Critical Networked Data
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., May 3, 1999 - Xircom, Inc. (Nasdaq: XIRC), the world leader in connectivity solutions for mobile computing professionals, today announced its entry into the Windows CE-based handheld PC connectivity market with its new CompactCard™ family of products. Xircom CompactCards provide easy and immediate access to crucial data and applications on corporate networks, the Internet and other online resources, enabling IT professionals to adopt handheld and palm-size devices as viable business tools that keep their mobile workforce competitive. These Type II CompactFlash cards support Windows CE-based handheld PCs and provide a variety of functions including Ethernet, modem and wireless GSM technologies.
"Xircom was instrumental in enabling corporate adoption of notebook PCs by providing the critical communications link to the LAN, which in turn allowed IT managers to standardize and support their mobile workforce," said Renee Bader, Xircom's vice president of worldwide marketing. "A decade later, handheld PCs are emerging as the next wave in the mobile computing revolution. Xircom's family of CompactCard solutions speeds the adoption of handhelds as true global business tools in the enterprise by connecting them to crucial corporate data anytime, anywhere."
"Xircom is a leader in connectivity solutions for customers worldwide," said Roger Gulrajani, group product manager, Productivity Appliances Division, Microsoft Corp. "Xircom's new CompactCard solutions extend the way users of handheld or palm-size PCs can access their information whether in or out of the office."
Migration from Executive Gadgets to Strategic Business Tools
Today handheld PCs are in the stage of early adoption with several form factor and operating system options available. According to International Data Corporation (IDC), 8.9 million handheld companions will ship in 2000, representing a 36.7% increase over 1999. Windows CE is expected to be the dominant handheld companion operating system in 2000 with a 48.3% market share worldwide (IDC).
With connectivity solutions, handhelds will increasingly serve as complements to desktop and notebook computers by extending corporate applications and providing instant access to enterprise data whether in or out of the office. Critical corporate applications such as group scheduling, Internet and intranet access and E-mail become convenient and easily accessible via handheld PCs.
"Handheld devices of all types are being pushed in the back door of corporations; however, as they become more prevalent and essential to employee productivity, IT managers will no longer be able to ignore them," said Fran Firth, Sr. Analyst at Cahners In-Stat Group. "Corporate IT departments need to come to terms with how to incorporate these products into the corporate network infrastructure and must take measures to establish approved products, adopt purchasing protocols, and set up support and service functions."
CompactCard Family of WindowsCE Connectivity Solutions
The CompactCard Ethernet 10™ (CFE-10BT), available in June for US$149 (SRP), is the first in the Xircom CompactCard family which also includes modem and wireless GSM connectivity solutions for Windows CE-based devices. The CompactCard Ethernet 10 provides users of Windows CE with reliable, high-speed connections to 10Mbps networks for enterprise-wide E-mail access, Internet browsing and data synchronization. This CompactCard features BatterySave™ advanced power management for longer battery life, a Windows-based Setup Wizard for easy installation and ships with the Xircom CardCaddy™ converter that enables the CompactCard to fit larger handheld Type II PC Card slots. For more information, visit www.xircom.com/compactcard.
Xircom - A Decade of Focus, Innovation and Leadership in Mobile Communications
Xircom, Inc., founded in 1988, is the world's leading manufacturer and OEM supplier of mobile communications solutions, including Integrated PC Card and PC Card products, which connect portable computer users to corporate networks, the Internet and other online resources. The Company's products are sold and supported in over 100 countries through a global network of distributors, integrators and resellers. Xircom, headquartered in Thousand Oaks, Calif., with regional headquarter offices in Antwerp, Belgium, Tokyo, Japan and Singapore, has 1,200 employees worldwide and trailing four-quarter revenue of $353 million. |
