Agreement Underscores Global Reach Of Pumatech's Market-leading Intellisync Software
SAN JOSE, Calif. (11/19/01) - Pumatech Inc. (Nasdaq: PUMA), a leading provider of enterprise-level software products and services that deliver highly relevant information wherever and whenever it's needed, today announced a licensing agreement with Acer. Through the agreement, Pumatech's Intellisync Lite software will be integrated with Acer's new s10 handheld, the first Chinese native Palm OS -based PDA device, enabling synchronization of calendar, contacts, tasks and notes between the handheld device and Microsoft Outlook and Palm Desktop software applications. According to Gartner Group Dataquest in its recent report entitled "Asia/Pacific PDA Market in 2000", Chinese-speaking countries (China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan) lead the Asia/Pacific market in unit shipments of PDAs, accounting for an 82 percent market share. With handheld devices becoming popular replacements for traditional organizers for executives in cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, unit shipments to the Asia/Pacific market are projected to skyrocket to nearly 6 million by 2005.
"The worldwide market for Chinese language mobile computing solutions is growing at an astounding rate," said Jim Wong, president of Acer's IT product business group, "and Acer took the lead to bring the first Chinese-based Palm OS handheld to the market. We chose to incorporate Pumatech's Intellisync Lite software for users to be 'always in sync'." Mr. Wong added, "By entering into this agreement, Acer and Pumatech together are taking the leading role in providing Chinese language PDA applications to the Greater China region." To provide the Chinese market with synchronization software for the s10 handheld, The Windward Group, Pumatech's professional services subdivision, localized Intellisync Lite into the simplified and traditional Chinese languages. Buyers of the s10 will also have the option of purchasing the full version of Intellisync, which has been localized for the Chinese market, to gain additional functionality, including e-mail synchronization and expanded application support.
The synchronization capabilities provided by Pumatech's Intellisync Lite software will augment the already robust feature set of the s10 handheld such as audio recording, MP3 playback and dual Memory Stick and versatile connector expansion capabilities - all in a highly integrated and extremely compact device. The s10 handheld uses localized Chinese versions of both the Palm OS and the Personal Information Management (PIM) applications that millions of people around the world use to manage their lives.
"Our agreement with Acer illustrates our penetration into a demanding market with ever-changing needs. Working with Acer, a global provider, illustrates how our synchronization software is supplying new devices with solutions on a global scale," said Brad Rowe, president and CEO of Pumatech. "We have continued to expand our global capabilities to offer consumers, business professionals and e-businesses a new mobile understanding that allows them to completely control the possibilities of their wireless solutions."
ABOUT INTELLISYNC
Intellisync software provides a powerful synchronization solution enabling users to keep their most important information - calendars, e-mail, contacts and tasks - constantly up-to-date between Palm OS, Pocket PC, Windows CE and Symbian Release 5.0-compatible handhelds and the broadest range of PC applications. With its patented DSX Technology engine, only Intellisync lets customers simultaneously synchronize handheld organizer data with multiple PC applications like Microsoft Outlook, Lotus Notes and Organizer, Novell GroupWise, ACT! and more.
ABOUT ACER
Established in 1976, Acer is among the world's top ten PC vendors, offering a broad range of PC products from industry-leading high-end PC servers and multimedia desktop computers to notebooks, computer peripherals and components. Acer is also a major Internet enabler, providing Internet component technologies, devices and services. These include end-to-end solutions, mobile phones, plasma displays, TFT LCDs, projectors, wireless communications, and e-corp solutions. The Acer Group employs 35,000 people in 232 enterprises spanning 41 countries worldwide, supporting dealers and distributors in over 100 nations. Acer Group revenues were US$9.9 billion in 2000. For more information about the Acer Group, please visit our website at www.acer.com.
ABOUT PUMATECH
Pumatech, Inc. (NASDAQ: PUMA) provides organizations with a comprehensive suite of enterprise-level software products and services that delver highly relevant information - wherever and whenever it's needed. The company's portfolio makes Pumatech a single resource, providing the infrastructure necessary to expand the boundaries of information. Organizations can choose to use Pumatech's ready-made enterprise offerings, or they can leverage Pumatech's professional services team to create custom solutions built upon Pumatech's core enterprise platform. Pumatech's customer and strategic partner base includes Global 2000 companies such as Siebel, Oracle, Yahoo!, NTT DoCoMo, Boeing, CNET and General Motors. The company has headquarters in the Silicon Valley, Tokyo and London. Pumatech offers more information on its products and services at www.pumatech.com.
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. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks relating to possible product defects and product liability, risks related to international sales and potential foreign currency exchange fluctuations, continued acceptance of Pumatech's products, increased levels of competition, technological changes, dependence on intellectual property rights and other risks detailed from time to time in Pumatech's periodic reports filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatory authorities.
Pumatech, the Pumatech logo, Intellisync and DSX Technology are trademarks of Pumatech, Inc., that may be registered in some jurisdictions. Palm OS is a registered trademark of Palm, Inc. All other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.