OmniSky Corporation (Nasdaq:OMNY), today announced a beta program to test OmniSky's awarding-winning wireless Internet and e-mail service running on the Compaq iPAQ Pocket PC. The independent beta program will signify the first full-featured, and device and platform-agnostic wireless Internet and e-mail service running on the popular Compaq iPAQ. This latest initiative will give iPAQ owners access to OmniSky's service in full color and furthers the company's strategy to offer branded wireless Internet services across a range of mobile handheld devices. The OmniSky service will provide the fullest and most complete content offering available from a wireless service for the Pocket PC platform because of its support of a wide variety of content protocols, including PQAs (Palm Query Applications), Microsoft Mobile Channels, and other optimized content such as AvantGo and Everypath. The company plans to make its service widely available for the iPAQ Pocket PC in the first-half of 2001.
"The iPAQ's popularity among mobile individuals, superior screen quality and processing power make it an incredible addition to the family of devices OmniSky supports," said Barak Berkowitz, OmniSky president. "By working closely with iPAQ owners we expect to deliver a wireless service that offers the real Internet and meets the unique desires of this group of handheld enthusiasts."
The beta program will roll out in January and will target iPAQ owners, allowing them to test the OmniSky service to ensure the service is robust and ready for commercial launch. The goal of the beta program is to identify value-added features compelling to this audience and to tailor the service to leverage the combined innovations of the Compaq device and Microsoft's Pocket PC platform.
OmniSky's strategy is to provide consistently high-quality services across all of the devices and platforms it supports, while taking maximum advantage of the capabilities of each platform. OmniSky's expansion to the Compaq iPAQ signals the company's strong support for the Pocket PC platform and the dynamic user experience that it allows.
"The OmniSky service on the Pocket PC platform is tremendous," said Rogers Weed, general manager, Mobile Devices Division at Microsoft Corp. "It provides access to a great deal of optimized content in addition to the full Web and looks beautiful on the Pocket PC's color screen. It's great to see OmniSky extending its service to new Pocket PC devices through programs such as this, which will allow them to optimize the wireless experience for more Pocket PC users."
The Pocket PC environment delivers content in rich, full-color and clearly renders Web sites using the Pocket Internet Explorer built-in browser. Additionally, the iPAQ Pocket PC features a bright, clear, color screen; leverages a powerful processor for extremely quick response; and 32MB of memory allow users to store thousands of contact names and addresses and still have plenty of memory to display and send e-mails with attachments.
Prospective beta participants can sign up today at the OmniSky Web site (www.omnisky.com).
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