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Palm and IBM Team to Deliver Wireless Solutions for the Enterprise



IBM's WebSphere Everyplace Access on Palm Handhelds to Deliver Critical Enterprise Applications Through Compelling Mobile Client Suite

July 23, 2002 -- Palm, Inc. (Nasdaq: PALM) and IBM today announced plans to develop a joint capability that will let customers securely access enterprise applications and data using select models of wireless-enabled Palm™ branded handheld computers, including the Palm m515 colour handheld.(1)

Through IBM's WebSphere(R) Everyplace Access (WEA), customers would be able to build upon their technology investments and existing development skills to extend applications beyond the firewall on wired networks using wireless technology and Palm handhelds. In addition, IBM and Palm plan to deliver the first enterprise-class instant messaging and awareness solution for Palm handhelds using Lotus(R) Sametime(R) technology. Users of select wireless-enabled Palm handhelds would be able to exchange instant messages among themselves and with desktop Sametime users. Under this agreement, Palm will work with IBM to implement, tune and deliver a WEA-compatible mobile client suite for Palm handhelds. The companies plan to jointly market and promote the capability.

This announcement comes on the heels of Palm's endorsement, in April, of IBM's WebSphere Everyplace Access Server, which provides the core services needed to build, deploy, manage and extend e-business and core line-of-business applications to mobile devices. Through this agreement, both companies expect to accelerate the development of mobile services architecture for enterprise customers.

Comprising both IBM and Palm software applications and infrastructure, this capability would let customers deploy the applications they need, yet access the complete suite of functionality of WEA. The first release is scheduled to be available later this year, and new products are expected from both companies as the capabilities evolve. IBM can now extend its mobile services architecture to an environment with easy-to-use and widely used Palm handhelds. And Palm can now integrate with IBM's mobile application platform -- WEA -- to manage and extend back-end systems, applications and data to deliver enterprise solutions to mobile users. Palm and IBM are also working together on open standard technologies, including SyncML. Additional enterprise data will be able to be accessed using Lotus Domino(TM).

"Palm executing IBM's enterprise pervasive strategy will benefit customers looking to implement end-to-end wireless solutions," said Letina Connelly, director, IBM Enterprise Pervasive Computing. "Palm's mobility expertise and preference in the enterprise joined with IBM's strength in delivering enterprise solutions and services will help customers looking to leverage wireless to increase employee productivity and sales. There are millions of Palm handhelds within the enterprise. This relationship will ensure that those devices can now access enterprise applications across wireless networks, connected and disconnected using WebSphere Everyplace Access."

"Palm is executing aggressively with partners and strengthening relationships with industry leaders like IBM to continue making a real difference in our customers' bottom lines," said Todd Bradley, Palm Solutions Group's president and chief operating officer. "Unlocking their existing technology investments, our community of joint customers will benefit by the freedom to easily access the same mission-critical data that was once accessible only behind the firewall, from their desktops."

Palm's technology includes its web browser, Personal Information Management (PIM) and email, as well as Wireless Messaging Solution. In addition, Palm is developing a new backbone architecture called Reliable Transport (RT), which is a core infrastructure that will underlie all of Palm's wireless enterprise software initiatives. It will be an enterprise component to the Palm platform that optimizes the end user's experience when accessing IBM technology on a Palm handheld. Designed to provide a flexible communications infrastructure, RT accepts requests for two-way transactions and determines how to best transmit them from device to server, or vice versa. It is resident on both the client and server sides of the solution.

Palm OS Proves Lowest Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

A recent independent study by the Gantry Group, shows that the Palm OS(R) platform delivers a 41 percent annual cost savings to enterprises when contrasted with the Pocket PC platform. The study designed and tested a highly parameterized TCO measurement tool that captured multiple cost components associated with buying, deploying, managing and supporting handheld devices. Of the six basic cost components examined in the study, Palm OS based devices were less expensive in every component -- and more than 60 percent less expensive for software, IT services and training. The combination of the great user-experience and proven low TCO benefits end-users, IT managers and enterprises alike. The complete study is available on Palm's website at http://www.palmone.com/enterprise.

About IBM WebSphere Everyplace Access

IBM WebSphere Everyplace Access is a software middleware platform to extend applications to mobile devices. Customers can start with a single application like PIM and e-mail and scale. This platform provides links to back-end systems and related services, support for multiple devices, multiple applications, intermittent, connected and disconnected connectivity, synchronization, intelligent notification, security, device management, content adaptation and location based services. These capabilities are delivered through server and client components and an integrated development environment for mobilising applications.

About IBM

IBM can be found on the web at www.ibm.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 (December 2000). Based on the Palm OS® platform, Palm's handheld solutions allow people to carry and access their most critical information with them wherever they go. Palm(TM) handhelds address the needs of individuals, enterprises and educational institutions through thousands of application solutions.

The Palm OS platform is also the foundation for products from Palm's licensees and strategic partners, such as Franklin Covey, HandEra (formerly TRG), Handspring, IBM, Kyocera, Sony, and Symbol Technologies. Platform licensees also include Acer, Garmin, Nokia and Samsung. The Palm Economy is a growing global community of industry-leading licensees, world-class OEM customers, and more than 160,000 innovative developers and solution providers that have registered to develop solutions based on the Palm OS platform. Palm went public on March 2, 2000. Its stock is traded on the Nasdaq national market under the symbol PALM. More information is available at www.palm.com

Palm OS is a registered trademark, and Palm is a trademark of Palm, Inc. or its subsidiaries.





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.