Handspring Brings Instant Email and Web Access to Treo With GPRS Upgrade

Oct. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Handspring, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAND) today announced the availability of its GPRS software upgrade for Treo 180 and 270 customers in Europe and Asia. The Handspring Treo GPRS Upgrade is a no-charge, user-installable software upgrade that brings a new level of performance and simplicity to the Treo 180 and 270. The GPRS Upgrade enhances applications like email and web access due to faster, persistent connections to higher-speed packet data networks. The upgrade also includes improvements to the phone and SMS applications as well as an easy installation and wireless data set-up process. Customers can access the download via the web at http://www.handspring.com/ or http://www.treogprs.com/. Handspring expects to deliver a GPRS Upgrade to US customers in the coming weeks.

"We believe the GPRS Upgrade transforms Treo from a good data device to an outstanding data device with dramatically improved browsing performance and a more seamless email experience," said Joe Sipher, vice president of worldwide marketing. "Along with the improved data features, we've also included a number of customer requested enhancements to the user interface."

Some of the added features of the upgrade include:

-- Improved speed when looking up and dialing names from the Contacts list
-- A new mute button in the phone application
-- Automatic set-up for wireless data through the installation -- no need for manual configurations or an Internet Service Provider (ISP)
-- Enhanced navigation between voice and data functions. For example, if you are in the middle of a data session and you receive a voice call, Treo will give you the option to answer the call or send it to voicemail. If you answer the voice call, it will put the data call on hold and resume downloading once you have completed the voice call.
-- Immediate access to speakerphone; you no longer need to wait for the call to connect to see the speakerphone button
-- New keyboard hints in the phone application to help the user take advantage of the keyboard
-- Hyperlink support in the SMS application -- email addresses, phone numbers and web urls in the messages are now actionable with the jog switch or the stylus

Handspring expects to deliver this upgrade to customers in Australia and New Zealand soon; the company delivered GPRS to customers in Canada via Rogers AT&T last month.

Handspring sells its products and accessories at http://www.handspring.com.

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Source: Handspring, Inc.