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Hong Kong brokerage community introduces secure, real-time, and wireless stock trading with Palm handhelds



Secure, real-time, wireless stock trading minimises manpower and improves processing time

September 10, 2002 - Palm, Inc. (Nasdaq: PALM ) today announced that 16 Hong Kong brokerage firms have seen improved productivity of 80% and increased customer satisfaction since the "mBroker" solution was implemented in April by Heracle Technologies Ltd. The Palm OS® based solution provides brokerage firms and individual investors with a customisable, secure trading platform where stock information can be remotely accessed, and stock trading activities can be transacted from Palm™ handhelds.

Heracle's "mBroker" is backed by Mobile e-Cert security of Hongkong Post, and is the world's first and only wireless digital certificate for community wide use. "mBroker" employs a PKI technology developed by Diversinet Corp. to provide a highly secure, encryption-protected platform to ensure that all transactions are authenticated before they are processed. (Diversinet Corp. is also a recent addition to the Palm Enterprise Alliance Program, which is a strategic initiative launched in January 2002 to offer integrated handheld computing solutions based on the Palm OS platform to enterprises in Asia Pacific.)

With "mBroker", investors whose orders are placed via their Palm handhelds will see the order information encrypted and sent to Hongkong Post's Certificate Authority server for identity verification. Thereafter, the information is passed through the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited's Order Routing System gateway to the designated brokerage firm's system for subsequent processing. Such a transaction now takes an average of six seconds to complete. This compares favourably to placing an order via a phone call to a stock agent, which takes approximately one minute to complete; an 80% improvement in productivity. Transaction with "mBroker" omits the need to call an agent and reduces the probability for mistakes such as data entry errors or orders overlooked by the agent. "mBroker" solution helps brokerage firms to sharpen their transaction efficiency, and freeing up agents' time that can be channelled into other revenue generating activities such as contacting investors to offer additional investment advice.

Wireless transactions to change the face of stock trading in Hong Kong

"This solution has certainly modernised the way the stock trading industry conducts its business in Hong Kong and helps brokerages stay competitive. Agents can now focus on providing value-added personal investment consultation to their customers, as opposed to spending time re-inputting data for order-processing," said Mr. Andy Yeung, operational manager of GLS Securities Limited.

"With wireless security features such as user/server authentication and digital signatures, this solution provides investors with a peace of mind as they now know that they are transacting in a secure, trusted environment backed by the local authorities," said Mr. Terence Chau, vice-president, Asia-Pacific at Diversinet Corp.

"From a deployment point of view, this solution requires minimal investment, with no software or hardware requirements from the participating brokerage firms. Customers only need to subscribe to the mBroker service to enjoy the convenience of stock trading anywhere in Hong Kong, " said Mr. Angus Tam, business development manager at Heracle Technologies Ltd.

"We have once again set another industry precedent, by showing how Palm solutions can be used to deliver on a vertical sector's need. By improving productivity in the investment and brokerage communities, I'm excited to see the next level of proactive customer service be introduced into the marketplace," said Cara Liao, marketing manager, North Asia, Palm, Inc.

About Diversinet Corp.

Diversinet is a leading developer of advanced wireless security software, enabling mobile e-commerce (m-commerce) services with its wireless security infrastructure solutions. Diversinet's client/server security software facilitates digital signatures, authentication and encryption with PKI products specifically designed to perform optimally in wireless environments and devices. In October of 2001, Diversinet enabled the launch of the first public Certification Authority in the world to offer mobile individual and business digital certificates for consumer use. For more information on Diversinet, visit the company's web site at www.diversinet.com.

About Palm, Inc.

Palm, Inc. is a pioneer in the field of mobile and wireless Internet solutions and a leading provider of handheld computers, according to IDC (2001). Based on the Palm OS® platform, Palm's handheld solutions allow people to carry and access their most critical information wherever they go. Palm™ handhelds address the needs of individuals, enterprises and educational institutions by offering the foundation for thousands of application solutions. Palm stock is traded on the Nasdaq national market under the symbol PALM. More information is available at http://www.palm.com.

Palm OS is a registered trademark and Palm is a trademark of Palm, Inc. Other brands may be trademarks of their respective owners.





Palm, Palm OS, and Treo are among the trademarks or registered trademarks owned or licensed to Palm, Inc. Microsoft and Windows Mobile are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other brand and product names are or may be trademarks of, and are used to identify products or services of, their respective owners.