Firepad, developer of high-performance mobile solutions for the enterprise, today announces availability of its Mobile Application Platform 2.0 on the PalmOS. The company also announces a port to Pocket PC is underway, with access to essential vector graphic applications available now. Firepad leverages five patent-pending technology innovations in its new platform to offer enterprises the best wireless performance for display and navigation of integrated applications, documents, HTML and rich media on PDAs. Firepad today also names major new customers and relationships to accelerate sales into enterprise markets including field force automation.
"Our 10,000 paying customers know that information is power. Their information needs vary widely, from blueprints to intranet documents to service manuals with complex schematics; Firepad's platform gets decision-making material to handheld devices fast, effectively, and affordably," said Firepad CEO Bill Mitchell.
Firepad's platform is designed to be the secure and scalable "quickest last mile" between the enterprise network and employees who need integrated, instantaneous access to applications, documents and rich media in a Web environment on their PDA. Firepad delivers the widest variety of information types at blazing speeds to handhelds, including devices made by Palm, Handspring, IBM, Symbol, Sony, Acer, and mobile phones like the Kyocera's QCP 6035 SmartPhone and the unreleased smart phone by Samsung.
Patent-Pending Ways to Speed Delivery and Navigation on any Platform
Firepad's Mobile Enterprise Platform 2.0 is engineered to maximize performance on low-powered devices--devices with less than 2 MIPS. "We are committed to serving the majority of mobile users, on whatever device they choose to use. We've focused on the 2 MIPS PalmOS because that's what 85% of PDA users own and rely on. Porting to Pocket PC with its 8 MIPS, or other platforms is a snap for us, because it instantly gives us more space and incredible performance," notes Mitchell.
Starting with a handheld client that is both thin and smart and combining it with a smart server architecture, Firepad delivers blazing end-to-end display and navigation. The smart server technology in FirePublisher 2.0 handles much of the processing load instead of pushing all processing to the limited client application. Patent-pending encoding and decoding enable delivery and display on the client side at rates of less than 1/4 second for display of cached full-screen graphics up to 44 feet by 44 feet. "It's got to be as fast as paper, or it's not good enough," states Mitchell.
Firepad's platform additionally breaks new ground with patent-pending translation of HTML into a Palm-optimized format, and patent-pending re-formatting of content types never before delivered to Palm OS devices, including high-definition images, vector graphics and streaming video which Firepad brings to PDAs using an approach that lets images retain their original resolution, and enables real-time zoom and navigation: no scroll bars---just drag, tap & zoom.
Platform Features Enable Widest Variety of Business Uses
Firepad Mobile Application Platform 2.0 includes the latest version of FirePublisher Server and FireViewer Client Suite. FirePublisher Server 2.0 can now be installed in just an hour. FireViewer Client Suite includes both the client application and a desktop application, FireConverter, for moving data swiftly to and from the device via HotSync. Over 800,000 people are using FireViewer today. Important new and enhanced features in the Mobile Application Platform 2.0 include:
-- New support for signature capture and bar code capture with
integration to backend systems. This speeds business processes
and allows full-loop servicing of customer needs.
-- Integrated support for applications, documents, HTML and rich
media from the web. This enables new business uses from facilities maintenance to sales to manufacturing, while simplifying the user experience and eliminating the need for multiple server deployments.
-- Support for high-definition images, large-scale graphics and streaming video. This provides access to blueprints, manuals, schematics, maps, diagrams, x-rays, training video clips, and more. Firepad seamlessly converts over 22 file types for the PDA and includes popular GIF, JPG, PDF and TIF file formats.
-- "Gif Killer" compression. On average the FireViewer Format compresses image files sizes 10% more than GIF for the desktop and decompresses on the PDA up to 5X faster on PalmOS with instant zoom and pan.
-- Integration with Internet Explorer and Windows Explorer for 1-click image and web site synchronization. Just click and sync to transfer.
-- "Web-Archive" allows for storage of several web pages, images and/or videos in a single database for easy beaming or storage on memory cards.
-- Memory Card support including MemoryStick, Secure Digital and all other cards with VFS formatting.
-- Support for SSL for increased security. Firepad can deploy through any port to match security of the existing network.
-- Supports any network or wireless connection including 802.11, Bluetooth, 2G, 2.5G and 3G networks. Firepad protects the enterprise investment from confusing wireless network protocols that are still evolving.
-- Customizable components including an extensive client and server API. This allows systems integrators and other developers to build their own smart client on top of FireViewer's foundation.
New Customers include Lockheed Martin, Stanford Medical
Customers using Firepad's Mobile Application Platform 2.0 today include Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company and Stanford Medical Center.
Lockheed Martin's Facility Engineering Manager Peter Henrichsen notes, "Firepad offered the only system that made it possible for Facility Operations personnel to carry mobile reference data in a usable format for immediate access in the field. Now we can refer to multiple documents, up-to-date schematics and maps on the Palm device wherever and whenever we need them."
Todd Grappone, Stanford Medical Center's head of computing and network services for Lane Medical Library states, "I didn't believe there would be a low-cost easy way to get such a wide variety of information and formats on the PDA. Firepad has flawlessly provided mobile access to key medical educational content, everything from medical text to x-rays, electron micrograph images, and CAT scan videos, all on a single platform with zero administrative hassle."
Firepad today also announced a systems integrator partner program to encompass training, discounts and advance information on product releases. Additionally, the company disclosed new relationships with EDS, Edify, Veridian and Handango.
Product Availability, Technical Requirements and Pricing
Firepad Mobile Application Platform 2.0 is available immediately on PalmOS and in Q4, 2001 for Pocket PC. Both are available directly from Firepad, from integration partners, and from value-added resellers such as Handango. Technical requirements are: PalmOS 3.0 or higher and Pocket PC 3.0; Windows NT4, 2000 (server); Windows 98, 2000, NT4 (desktop); integrates with most popular Web servers. Pricing is based on per-user licenses starting at $3,000 for a 10-user license. Initial purchase includes one-year support and upgrades.
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