Palm m100Palm Brings Hip Style, Easy-to-use Applications to New Palm m100 Handheld

Consumer-Friendly Handheld Computer Features Easy Customization & New Intuitive Applications at Breakthrough Price

As part of a series of announcements today introducing its new fall product line, Palm, Inc. (Nasdaq:PALM) premiered the stylish, versatile and low-cost Palm(TM) m100 handheld computer. The Palm m100 handheld features a small, durable, modern design which enables use of interchangeable fashion faceplates, as well as a full line of accessories and peripherals for further customization. It includes a new Note Pad application that captures handwritten notes, a clock application and a new HotSync cable for connecting and sharing data between a desktop computer and the handheld. The m100 handheld debuts worldwide today at an estimated street price of $149, the company's lowest introductory price point to date. Third-party companies such as Kodak, Northstar Systems and Singapore Shinei Sangyo Pte Ltd. have also announced support of the Palm m100 handheld through snap-on cameras, backup modules, MP3 players and modems.

"Consumers love to personalize their products, and the new m100 faceplates give people lots of room to show their style, make a statement and customize their handheld," said Byron Connell, vice president, Consumer Markets Group at Palm. "Plus, the ability to scribble notes, maps and drawings and then store them on a handheld is a great addition to our traditional data input through the on-screen keyboard or Graffiti. And true to the Palm experience people have come to expect, the m100 is fun, flexible and very simple to use."

New, User-Friendly Features and Applications

The Palm m100 handheld lets users customize and personalize their handheld through colorful faceplates that snap on and off. The Palm m100 ships with a black faceplate, with optional faceplates available in Silver Mist, Blue Mist, Green Mist, Pacific Blue and Ruby Pearl at an estimated street price of $19.95 each.

In addition, the Palm m100 handheld includes a new Note Pad application that allows users to jot down quick "sticky-notes" in their own handwriting on the screen. These notes can be linked to alarms that alert the user to important times and dates; transcribed into other applications; or synchronized directly to a new corresponding Note Pad application running in Palm Desktop software for Windows and Macintosh users. The m100 handheld uses Palm OS(R) 3.5 software and includes Palm's familiar Date Book, Address Book, To-do List, Memo Pad and infrared beaming applications. The Palm m100 handheld is compatible with all Palm OS applications and includes 2MB of memory for additional applications and data storage. As with all Palm handhelds, the Palm m100 handheld's application buttons can be reprogrammed to access different applications such as the Memo Pad, that also ships with the product.

The Palm m100 handheld's protective flip cover includes an access button and see-through window for its new Clock application. At one touch, the button will display the current time through the window, and holding it down will activate the Palm m100 handheld's backlight. When the handheld is on, the clock is accessible from any application through a new silkscreen icon located in the upper-left corner of the Graffiti writing area. The new Clock application also features travel-alarm capabilities, including louder, longer alert sounds and snooze capability.

The new HotSync cable included with the Palm m100 handheld supports the one-button synchronization design of the Palm product family, while increasing its portability. A Palm m100 HotSync cradle is available separately for an estimated street price of $29.95.

Accessories

Palm also is launching a full line of accessories and peripherals for users to further customize the Palm m100 handheld. Users can replace the protective flip cover included with the product with one of several cases, including Slim Leather and Leather Flip cases from Palm (ESP of $24.95 each). Zip cases also are available from Dooney & Bourke and Franklin Covey, as well as the popular PalmGlove(TM) neoprene case from BodyGlove. A Palm m100 handheld compatible version of the popular folding Palm Portable Keyboard is available for an ESP of $99. As with all other Palm products, further hardware expansion options will be available from Palm third-party hardware developers who today number more than 1,000.

Palm is also pleased to announce additional third-party peripheral support of the m100 handheld from companies such as Kodak, Northstar Systems and Singapore Shinei Sangyo Pte Ltd.

"Since the launch of PalmPix, it has been exciting to see how our relationship with Palm, Inc. has allowed Palm users to take and share digital pictures," Philip Gerskovich, Kodak vice president and chief operating officer, Digital and Applied Imaging. "We will continue to support the Palm OS platform and the new m100 by developing new applications that let consumers have more fun with their handhelds."

"MemorySafe enables mobile m100 users to back-up and access data instantly, on demand without connecting to a computer," says Declan O'Mahoney, vice president of worldwide sales and marketing at Northstar Systems, Inc. "MemorySafe eliminates the risk of losing important data stored on the m100. Now users can protect their m100 database while away from their home or office as simply as saving files to a disk."

"We are delighted to develop a modem and MP3 solution for the Palm m100 handheld," said T. Nakagaki, chairman of Singapore Shinei Sangyo Group of Companies. "We are confident that these will be valuable add-on peripherals for the entry-level buyer and great additions to the Palm economy."

Worldwide Availability

The m100 handheld includes a dual-platform PC and Macintosh CD-ROM with desktop software. Macintosh users can request a serial connector directly from the Palm web site. The PalmConnect USB Kit is available for users who prefer USB capabilities, and will be sold separately for $39.95. The Palm m100 handheld will be sold worldwide. Internationally, the handheld includes a multilingual-ROM so users can choose from five languages -- English, French, Italian, Spanish and German. A Japanese SKU will be available this fall as well.

For more information on the Palm m100 handheld or other products announced as part of Palm's fall line today, please visit www.palm.com.


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