Socket Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:SCKT)(PSE:SOK) today announced the company has acquired 3rd Rail Engineering, an engineering services and product design company with a strong background in the design of embedded systems based on the Microsoft Windows CE operating system, in a cash and stock transaction valued at approximately $12 million. 3rd Rail Engineering becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of the company. The acquisition enables Socket to add its Bluetooth wireless technology to embedded systems by offering its customers a complete range of products and technology including Bluetooth software and hardware along with integration, design, development, testing and manufacturing support.
The 3rd Rail acquisition represents a key strategic component of Socket's leadership in providing connection solutions for mobile handheld computers and for electronic devices such as LAN access points, digital cameras, mobile phones, bar code scanners, and printers that are expected to connect wirelessly to handheld computers within a Bluetooth Personal Area Network. Founded in 1989 and based in Newark, California, 3rd Rail Engineering has a full-time staff of software and hardware engineers, technicians, and printed circuit board designers. The company specializes in project management, offering rapid, turn-key product development of embedded systems, Windows CE reference platforms based on Hitachi and Intel processors, and interface designs for PC Cards, Smartcards, CompactFlash and Compact PCI. 3rd Rail's staff will be integrated with Socket's development and operations personnel and will help Socket develop and deploy connectivity solutions for mobile computers and embedded systems.
"Our early entry into the Bluetooth market and our delivery of the first CompactFlash Bluetooth cards are resulting in exciting partnerships with companies interested in incorporating our wireless technology into embedded systems," said Kevin Mills, president and chief executive officer of Socket Communications. "3rd Rail brings us a highly skilled staff of software engineers and system designers familiar with the Windows CE and other embedded operating systems that will make it easy for our customers to add embedded Bluetooth solutions to their products."
"The merger with Socket allows us to apply our design and integration capabilities to Socket's connection products," said Paul Hughes, president and chief executive officer of 3rd Rail Engineering. "By joining forces with Socket, we are creating a full-solutions company capable of bringing embedded Bluetooth products rapidly into the marketplace."
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