U.S. Consumers Enjoy First Java[tm] Technology Powered Phones and Services

Nextel Communications Launches New Services with Motorola Handsets Based on Java Technology

PALO ALTO, CA -- April 2, 2001 -- Delivering on the promise of Java[tm] technologies [ http://www.sun.com/java/ ] for the wireless market, Sun Microsystems Inc. and key players in the wireless industry, Nextel Communications, Inc. and Motorola, Inc., today announced the first deployment of Java technology powered phones and services to consumers in the United States.

Both the Motorola i85s and i50sx handsets, which began shipping last month, and to be made available by Nextel to consumers this month, incorporate Java technology to provide a new level of dynamic, personalized, and interactive services. Initial services on the new Motorola handsets include vertical applications, such as specialized business calculators and an expense report generator, and games with hundreds more applications under development for easy download by consumers.

"Nextel's launch of the new Motorola handsets and services is a significant event for the wireless industry and the Java platform. Now, consumers can experience the power of Java technology enhanced wireless services first-hand here in the United States," said Patricia C. Sueltz, executive vice president, Software Systems Group, Sun Microsystems. "Nextel and Motorola are contributing to the proliferation of the Java platform in the wireless industry worldwide. Java technology is quickly establishing itself internationally as the open wireless application platform of choice. Recent deployments in Korea and Japan attest to the flexibility and popularity of Java technology powered phones. With additional major carriers and manufacturers in the United States, Europe and Asia planning to deploy Java technology enabled products and services later this year, and with Sun's recent launch of Sun ONE to enable new, more personalized, context aware smart services, consumers will be able to access the right set of services and content to meet their needs."

"Nextel Communications is excited to be the first and only wireless carrier in the United States to launch mobile phones using the J2ME[tm] platform," said Greg Santoro, vice president of Internet and Wireless Services for Nextel Communications. "Java technology, running on our advanced packet data network, will give developers greater flexibility in building enhanced mobile applications which in turn will lead to more choice and more value for our customers."

"Bringing Java technology into the wireless market creates a whole new ecosystem of partnership opportunities, developer advantages and consumer value," said Bill Werner, corporate vice president and general manager of Motorola's iDEN Subscriber Group. "The Java developer community can now build off the new tools, distribution channels and marketing power to provide a broader level of utility for consumers."

The launch of Java technology powered Motorola phones enhanced with new services to be available by Nextel represents an important milestone for the wireless industry. The new Motorola i85s and i50sx wireless phones are the first to ship commercially in North America with the Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition (J2ME) technology [ http://java.sun.com/j2me/ ] and are the world's first Mobile Information Device profile (MIDP) [ http://java.sun.com/products/midp/ ] compliant phones. The MID profile (MIDP) is a set of open J2ME based technologies specifically developed for the wireless platform by an expert group utilizing the Java Community Process[sm] program [ http://java.sun.com/aboutJava/communityprocess/ ]. Companies involved in the development of the wireless profile include: America Online, DDI, Ericsson, Espial Group, Inc., Fujitsu, Hitachi, J-Phone Tokyo Co., Matsushita (Panasonic), Mitsubishi, Motorola, NEC, Nokia, NTT DoCoMo, Palm Computing, Research In Motion (RIM), Samsung, Sharp Labs, Siemens, Sony, Sun Microsystems, Symbian and Telecordia.

Java Technology in Wireless

For consumers, J2ME technology enabled interactive services are the next step beyond today's text-based, static content. Java software enhances the user experience by supporting easy-to-use, graphical interactive services for wireless devices. With J2ME technology enabled phones and other wireless devices, users can download new services for use while connected interactively or disconnected from the network. Examples include:

• Dynamically generated, personalized stock quotes that can display graphs and give purchase and/or sell alerts for specific stocks utilizing the wireless network efficiently.
• Real-time, location specific weather reports that display periodic forecast updates.
• Games that can be downloaded and played offline by individual users achieving cost effective use of the wireless network.

• Applications are loaded on demand. The user can choose to download applications on an as needed basis rather than buying a device with applications pre-installed by the device manufacturer. This protects the consumer's wireless device investment and allows the carrier to enhance and expand their service offerings.
• Java technologies come with libraries that allow an application developer to build a richer, more intuitive graphical user interface (GUI). This allows service providers to offer personalized and compelling applications and services that differentiate their offering, while also making the services easy-to-use for consumers.
• Java technologies allow more intelligent use of network bandwidth because applications are downloaded onto the device and run locally. The network is only tapped when data is needed from the server.
• Java technology provides cross platform and multiple device support. J2ME and MIDP technologies can run the same application on any supported system type. This is key in the consumer device market because there are so many different combinations of chips and operating systems.
• Java technology on the wireless device creates a whole new developer platform that reaches across multiple device types and across system platforms. In the network infrastructure, the Java platform provides a robust end-to-end solution that allows developers to utilize the same tools and skills to develop and deploy innovative services. By writing to a wireless Java API, software developers can be assured of having their application executable on a large installed base of devices. Service providers can offer devices from multiple manufacturers without having to establish separate support for each. Consumers get more choice in the devices they use and the services available.

Recent research shows that among wireless developers, the largest percentage are writing to the Java technology platform because of its rich capabilities and cross platform, multiple device support.

The Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition is the portion of the Java platform that addresses the emerging base of mobile, handheld devices, such as cellphones, personal digital assistants and pagers, as well as other client systems, such as TV settop boxes, automotive systems, residential gateways and smartcards. The Java platform is a key piece of the Sun Open Net Environment (Sun ONE) [ http://www.sun.com/software/sunone/ ] architecture and provides the software for creating and deploying interactive and increasingly intelligent applications and services across multiple hardware platforms and client device types, such as the Motorola iDEN phones.

Sun ONE provides service enabling technologies based on key open industry standards and also provides a clear vision and roadmap for driving to the future of smart Web and other networked services. Sun ONE is a complete product offering to support Web and networked services today and lays the foundation for the smart Web and networked services of tomorrow, ultimately giving users better -- and easier -- access to the information and functionality they need. Sun ONE encompasses an integrated set of software from Sun and iPlanet(TM) E-Commerce Solutions, a Sun-Netscape Alliance, that enables developers, device manufacturers and service providers to create, assemble, and deploy tomorrow's open, smart Web and networked services. This powerful combination, backed by professional service programs, provides everything needed to create, assemble, and deploy Web and networked services today, while offering a clear migration path for customers and developers who are ready to move to the next generation of open, smart Web and networked services.

About Sun ONE

SunTM Open Net Environment (Sun ONE) is one of the industry's most comprehensive offerings to deliver Web services today and includes an architecture and roadmap based on open standards, such as Java and XML technologies, to take advantage of the new generation of smart Web services and beyond. Smart Web services are enhanced Web services with a level of intelligence based on context that spans multiple networks beyond the Web, and provide a richer experience for both enterprises and end-users. Sun ONE will simplify the way in which both Web and open smart services are created, assembled and deployed -- benefiting enterprises with better business-wide productivity, developers with faster time-to-service and increased market opportunity, and consumers with an enriched user experience. More information about Sun ONE can be found at www.sun.com/software/sunone.

About Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision - The Network Is The Computer[tm] -- has propelled Sun Microsystems, Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW), to its position as a leading provider of industrial-strength hardware, software and services that power the Internet and allow companies worldwide to dot-com their businesses. With $19.2 billion in annual revenues, Sun can be found in more than 170 countries and on the World Wide Web at http://sun.com.

Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo, The Network Is The Computer, Java, J2ME, Java Community Process and iPlanet are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries.

Nextel, the Nextel logo, and Nextel Direct Connect are trademarks and/or service marks of Nextel Communications, Inc.

Motorola, the Stylized M Logo and all other trademarks indicated as such herein are trademarks of Motorola, Inc.