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New Generation of Mobile .NET applications and Services Heralded Through Introduction of Microsoft Certification Programs and Pocket PCs

7/2/2002

First .NET Compact Framework Applications Demonstrated at TechEd Europe 2002


Microsoft Press Release

For Release 09:00 AM

July 2, 2002

BARCELONA, Spain - July 2, 2002 - At TechEd Europe 2002, Microsoft Corp. and mobility partners demonstrated continued momentum in the drive toward developing mobile applications using the Microsoft® .NET Compact Framework. Further, mobility partners in the recently announced Mobile2Market Program have completed mobile certification and are featuring mobile applications developed for Windows® Powered mobile devices. In hardware news, Hewlett-Packard Corporation recently launched the iPAQ 3900 series Pocket PC; while Fujitsu-Siemens Computers announced that its lightweight Pocket LOOX PDA will be commercially availability in Europe from mid-July 2002. O2's new xda Pocket PC is also now available from stores in the UK, Germany and the Netherlands.


"The progress we're making with our mobile partners in providing tools, and certification programs has shown a marked advance toward our goal of connecting users to important information, anytime, any place and on any device," said Robbie Wright, Director, Mobility Group, Microsoft EMEA. "Through the Mobile2Market, and Mobile Partner Advisory Council programs we have seen significant progress in the development of mobile .NET services and applications targeting new, rich wireless devices like Windows Powered Pocket PCs and Smartphones."

Delivering on the .NET Compact Framework

Today, mobility partners are demonstrating the first rich mobile applications built on the .NET platform. Examples of the applications being demonstrated are DAT Group's Pocket Auction application and Mobile Productivity's SmartCalc.

DAT's Pocket Auction was used at the NSPCC's annual charity ball. DAT was able to develop the Pocket Auction using Microsoft's .NET Compact Framework, and had the system up and running in less than a month.

With Mobile Productivity's SmartCalc, banks and finance houses can increase the productivity of their lease finance sales staff. The .NET Compact Framework enabled Mobile Productivity to develop their Pocket PC application in a fraction of the time a regular development project would have required.

At its Mobile Developers Conference in April 2002, Microsoft announced beta availability of the .NET Compact Framework enabling developers to extend .NET to smart handheld devices and deliver rich computing to mobile users. The .NET Compact Framework is Microsoft's mobile application technology, which utilises the power of XML Web services on mobile devices.


Mobile2Market Enables Companies to Realise Mobile Potential

Microsoft Mobility partner SynchroLogic was one of the first partners to register and receive benefits from the Mobile2Market program. At TechEd 2002, SynchroLogic will demonstrate its 'push' capability as a component of its Email Accelerator for Pocket PC. The Email Accelerator automatically delivers email, calendar events, contacts, and personalised information such as travel itineraries, driving directions and weather reports to users' devices.

Microsoft's Mobile2Market enables a framework for the certification and market delivery of network-ready wireless applications for the Windows Powered Pocket PC and Smartphone software platforms. This program connects ISVs, channel partners, mobile operators and end users in an infrastructure that enables a new economy around the creation, certification and delivery of mobile applications.

"Working with Microsoft and its certification partners through Mobile2Market has streamlined the steps needed to develop our mobile applications," said John Dancu, President and COO of SynchroLogic. "This program has helped us save significant time in taking our product to market from development to carrier deployment, and in differentiating it from others in the mobile market."

New Windows Powered Mobile Devices


Fujitsu-Siemens Computers Pocket LOOX PDA

Fujitsu-Siemens Computers announced at TechEd 2002 that it would begin selling the new Pocket LOOX PDA in Europe by mid-July. The sleek, lightweight Pocket LOOX, based on the latest Intel XScale processor, features high connectivity, speed, modularity and integrated Bluetooth connectivity with the capability of having a second battery and GSM/ GPRS functionality added via a plug-on module. The Pocket LOOX also comes with an integrated Compact Flash Card slot and Secure Digital Card Slot.

Hewlett-Packard iPAQ 3900

Last week, Hewlett Packard Company announced the iPAQ Pocket PC H3900 Series, the newest model in their Windows Powered Pocket PC family. The iPAQ 3900 comes complete with a spectacular new colour screen, the 400MHz Intel PXA250 processor, and versatile features such as a universal remote control for home and office electronics. It also contains a Secure Digital Input-Output expansion slot, allowing users to move data back and forth.

The new iPAQ Pocket PC H3950 comes with 32MB of Flash ROM and a street price of $634, while the iPAQ Pocket PC H3970 has integrated Bluetooth, and 48MB of Flash ROM and is priced at $734; both models include 64 MB of RAM and will start shipping at the end of July in EMEA.


O2 xda Pocket PC

The xda from O2 is now on sale in its stores across the UK, Germany and the Netherlands, priced at €649. Utilising 'always on' GPRS mobile data networks, as well as conventional GSM, the xda combines a sleek- colour Pocket PC with mobile telephony to offer full colour Internet access, Web-based email and extensive mobile phone capabilities via Microsoft's Pocket PC 2002 Phone Edition software.

Microsoft Developer and Partner Momentum

The Microsoft .NET mobile ecosystem comprises many industry partners who are at the forefront of mobile application development. Some of the companies present at this year's TechEd Europe are members of Microsoft's 100 strong Mobility Partner Advisory Council (MPAC), a special branch of Microsoft's global developer partner program providing developers with tools to create mobile applications. Microsoft has over 6,000 developer partners, who have developed 10,500 applications that have been developed for Windows Powered mobile devices. Since January 2002 more than 130,000 Pocket PC 2002 software developer kits (SDKs) and over 320,000 Embedded Visual Tool SDKs have been distributed to mobile developers.


About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software - any time, any place and on any device.

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The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.


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