PalmSource and RIM Introduce BlackBerry Connect for Palm OS
PalmSource to Give Sneak Preview During Keynote
May 18, 2004
Wireless Enterprise Symposium, Chicago, Ill, Booth # 402 - PalmSource, Inc. (NASDAQ: PSRC) provider of Palm OS™, a leading operating system powering next generation mobile devices and smartphones, and Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM), a leading developer of wireless solutions, have completed their distribution agreement to make BlackBerry Connect™ available to Palm OS licensees. Together, BlackBerry Connect and Palm OS will extend email and corporate data connectivity to Palm Powered™ smart mobile devices, facilitating workforce productivity while away from the office. PalmSource™ President and CEO David Nagel will demonstrate the BlackBerry Connect offering for Palm OS during his keynote presentation at the Wireless Enterprise Symposium on Tuesday, May 18 at 9:00 am CDT.
The BlackBerry® Connect offering for Palm OS is the result of a joint development effort between PalmSource and RIM, announced in December 2003, to provide Palm OS licensees with access to the industry-leading, push-based, BlackBerry wireless infrastructure and to enable seamless connectivity between Palm Powered smart mobile devices and BlackBerry wireless services (including BlackBerry Enterprise Server™ and BlackBerry Web Client™), as well as global address list look-up and IT policy support. PalmSource is expected to make the Palm OS Mail Client that supports BlackBerry Connect available to Palm OS licensees in the second half of 2004, as previously announced.
"BlackBerry Connect on Palm Powered smart mobile devices will broaden the reach of our wireless platform into new markets and strengthen our presence in the Palm OS community," said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO of Research In Motion. "BlackBerry Connect on Palm Powered smart mobile devices will enable users to stay connected with email and other data applications and allow IT departments and mobile operators to leverage their existing investments in the BlackBerry wireless platform."
"BlackBerry Connect broadens the choice of wireless messaging solutions for our Palm OS licensees to create mobile products that better meet the demands of today's mobile professionals," said David Nagel, president and CEO of PalmSource. "We believe BlackBerry Connect and Palm OS fulfills enterprise customer demand for a push-based, end-to-end secure access to corporate data and email, while maintaining flexibility, uncompromised power and ease of use, and software compatibility that are the hallmarks of Palm OS."
"Wireless data connectivity is fundamental to the continuing growth of mobile devices and services and a strong contributor to increased ROI in the enterprise;" said Kevin Burden, program manager of IDC's Mobile Devices research service. "Combined with the thousands of Palm OS applications, BlackBerry Connect on Palm OS will strengthen the presence of Palm Powered mobile devices in the enterprise and further solidify the Palm OS platform's value to this market."
"RIM is a recognized leader in enabling secure wireless email and data connectivity to mobile devices," said H. Woo Kim, vice president of Mobile Communication Division at Samsung Electronics. "Combining BlackBerry Connect with Palm OS and Samsung's world-leading Mobile Information Terminals (MITs) strengthens our offering to enterprise customers."
BlackBerry is the industry-leading wireless platform that keeps mobile professionals connected to their important information and communications while on the go. It is an award-winning solution that can provide users with integrated wireless access to a range of business applications, including email, phone, corporate data, web, SMS and organizer applications. For larger enterprises with an IT department, BlackBerry Enterprise Server software tightly integrates with Microsoft® Exchange or IBM Lotus® Domino™ and works with existing enterprise systems to enable secure, push-based, wireless access to existing email and other corporate data. For individuals, BlackBerry Web Client provides an Internet-based email interface that allows users to access multiple corporate and/or personal email accounts without the need for server software (including Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino and popular ISP email accounts) from a single BlackBerry handheld.
About Research In Motion (RIM)
Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications. RIM technology also enables a broad array of third party developers and manufacturers to enhance their products and services with wireless connectivity to data. RIM's portfolio of award-winning products, services and embedded technologies are used by thousands of organizations around the world and include the BlackBerry® wireless platform, the RIM Wireless Handheld™ product line, software development tools, radio-modems and software/hardware licensing agreements. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. RIM is listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market (Nasdaq: RIMM) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RIM). For more information, visit www.rim.com or www.blackberry.com.
About PalmSource
PalmSource, Inc. is the company behind Palm OS, a leading operating system powering mobile information devices. Approximately 33 million Palm Powered handhelds and smartphones have been sold to date worldwide. Industry leaders Aceeca, AlphaSmart, Fossil, Founder Technology, Garmin, GSL, HuneTec, Kyocera, Lenovo, palmOne, PerComm, Samsung, Sony, Symbol Technologies and Tapwave license Palm OS to create diverse mobile devices that meet unique customer needs. Palm OS has given rise to a large community of users, enterprises, developers and manufacturers, who together make up the Palm Powered Economy. More information about PalmSource is available at http://www.palmsource.com, http://www.palmsource.co.uk, http://www.palmsource.fr, http://www.palmsource.de and http://www.palmsource.com.cn. Palm, Palm OS, PalmSource are trademarks of Palm Trademark Holding Company, LLC.
PalmSource
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties,
as well as assumptions that, if they never materialize or prove incorrect, could
cause our results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking
statements. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements
related to the availability of the Blackberry Connect offering for Palm OS and Palm
OS Mail Client supporting BlackBerry Connect; the features, functions and benefits
of the Blackberry Connect offering for Palm OS and Palm OS Mail Client; the importance
and benefits of wireless data connectivity; and new markets for Palm Powered smart
mobile devices. The risks and uncertainties that could cause our results to differ
materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements include,
without limitation, the ability of the Blackberry Connect offering for Palm OS or
Palm OS Mail Client to provide the anticipated features, functions and benefits,
including but not by way of limitation, its ability to: strengthen the presence
of Palm Powered mobile devices in the enterprise; provide end-to-end secure access
to corporate data and email; allow IT departments and mobile operators to leverage
their existing investments in their BlackBerry platform; maintain flexibility, uncompromised
power and ease of use and software compatibility; and provide Palm OS licensees
with an wireless infrastructure that will enable seamless connectivity between Palm
Powered smart mobile devices and the BlackBerry wireless services; the occurrence
of errors or defects in the Blackberry Connect offering for Palm OS or in Palm OS
Mail Client or delays in its availability; the ability of PalmSource and RIM to
successfully distribute the Blackberry Connect offering for Palm OS or in Palm OS
Mail Client and to leverage the flexibility of the Palm OS platform; the ability
of PalmSource and its licensees to strengthen their positions in the enterprise
and to penetrate new markets; the ability of Palm OS licensees to create mobile
devices, in a timely fashion that meet mobile operator and RIM certification standards
and end-user demands; the ability of PalmSource to maintain and grow its developer
community and to compete with existing and new competitors; the realization of continued
growth in mobile devices and services as a result of wireless data connectivity;
the ability of RIM to utilize the BlackBerry connectivity for Palm OS to successfully
enter new markets and strengthen its position in the Palm Powered Economy; the general
economic conditions in the U.S. and abroad and other risks and uncertainties contained
in our public announcements, reports to stockholders and other documents filed with
and furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended August 29, 2003, November 28, 2003 and
February 27, 2004. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based
on information available to us as of the date hereof, and we assume no obligation
to update these forward-looking statements.
RIM
Forward-looking statements in this news release are made pursuant to the "safe harbor"
provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
When used herein, words such as "intend" and similar expressions are intended to
identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions
made by and information available to Research In Motion Limited. Investors are cautioned
that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Important
factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed
or implied by such forward looking statements include, without limitation, possible
product defects and product liability, risks related to international sales and
potential foreign currency exchange fluctuations, the initiation or outcome of litigation,
acts or potential acts of terrorism, international conflicts, significant fluctuations
of quarterly operating results, changes in Canadian and foreign laws and regulations,
continued acceptance of RIM's products, increased levels of competition, technological
changes and the successful development of new products, dependence on third-party
networks to provide services, dependence on intellectual property rights and other
risks and factors detailed from time to time in RIM's periodic reports filed with
the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, and other regulatory authorities.
The Company has no intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited. RIM, Research In Motion and BlackBerry are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be pending or registered in other countries. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners.