Sprint PCS Wireless Web Licenses Handspring Blazer Browser

Sprint PCS licenses popular Handspring Blazer browser to enable customers to access color, more graphical Internet sites on Palm OS-based wireless devices Sept. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Handspring, Inc. (Nasdaq: HAND), a leading innovator in handheld computers and personal communicators, and Sprint (NYSE: FON PCS), the largest all-digital, all-CDMA wireless network in the United States, today announced that Sprint PCS has licensed the popular Handspring Blazer web browser software to bring a richer, more compelling browsing experience to Sprint PCS customers using Palm OS-based wireless devices. Blazer allows access to virtually any Internet site and provides an optimized, more graphical and color browsing experience on the Sprint PCS Wireless Web. Handspring's Blazer browser software will be available on www.sprintpcs.com at no additional cost for all existing Sprint PCS customers using Palm OS-based wireless devices starting the end of September.

Initially, the Blazer browser will be available for Sprint PCS customers using the QCP-6035 Sprint PCS Phone by Kyocera, as well as Sprint PCS Wireless Web Palm Connectivity and Adapter Kits for the Palm III or Palm V using Palm OS 3.5 and higher. Blazer will be packaged on a CD-ROM along with the soon to be launched fully integrated, Palm Powered SPH-I300 Sprint PCS Phone by Samsung, as well as the Sprint PCS Wireless Web Digital Link -- the first CDMA Springboard module for the Handspring Visor handheld. All future Palm OS-based products offered by Sprint PCS will also take advantage of this agreement with Handspring.

The Handspring Blazer web browser enables wireless Internet access to content in a variety of languages including HTML, WML (WAP) and cHTML. With the Blazer browser, Sprint PCS customers who own a Palm OS-based handheld or fully integrated Palm Powered wireless phone, using Palm OS 3.5 and higher, will have seamless access to virtually any web site on the Internet via the Sprint PCS nationwide network. Customers will have a fuller, more dynamic browsing experience as the browser supports color graphics, bookmarks and personalization and been optimized for enhanced speed and security to support access to secure web sites through encryption technology from Certicom.

"Sprint PCS continues to lead the industry with the richest, most diverse set of content sites available on the Sprint PCS Wireless Web. We are pleased to extend this leadership through our agreement with Handspring to offer the popular Blazer browser to Sprint PCS customers using Palm OS-based wireless devices," said John Yuzdepski, vice president and general manager, SprintPCS.com. "Not only will the Blazer browser allow our customers to access virtually any Internet site via the Sprint PCS nationwide network, it will provide a richer, fuller and more compelling browsing experience than is typically available on a PDA device. This enhanced browsing experience widens the appeal and productivity benefits for customers using Palm Powered devices to help manage their personal and professional lives."

Ed Colligan, COO of Handspring said, "This agreement is a critical step forward in establishing Blazer as the standard for Internet access on Palm OS- based handheld computers and personal communicators. We are excited about working with proven industry leaders like Sprint PCS that share our vision and have the expertise and innovative spirit necessary to make enhanced wireless web services available to a growing number of customers."

Initially, a select number of Sprint PCS Internet content partner sites will be available in color HTML formats on the Sprint PCS Wireless Web for customers using the Blazer browser on a Palm OS-based handheld computer or fully integrated Sprint PCS Palm Powered phone. Sprint PCS will continue to work with its Wireless Web content partners to render remaining sites from WAP into HTML to ensure a fuller, richer and more graphical format is available for the all sites available through the Sprint PCS Wireless Web. Customers can simply type in the URL to go to virtually any Internet site.

About Sprint
Sprint is a global communications company serving 23 million business and residential customers in more than 70 countries. With more than 80,000 employees worldwide and $23 billion in annual revenues, Sprint is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying state of the art network technologies, including the United States' first nationwide all-digital, fiber-optic network. Sprint's award-winning Tier 1 Internet backbone is being extended to key global markets to provide customers with a broad portfolio of scaleable IP products. Sprint's high-capacity, high-speed network gives customers fast, dependable, non-stop access to the vast majority of the world's Internet content. Sprint also operates the largest 100-percent digital, nationwide PCS wireless network in the United States, already serving the majority of the nation's metropolitan areas including more than 4,000 cities and communities.

About Handspring
Handspring is a leading innovator in the handheld computing industry. The company develops, manufactures and markets the Visor family of expandable handheld computers as well as the proxy-based web browser, Blazer. Founded in 1998, Handspring's flagship technology is the Springboard platform that provides a simple and easy method for hardware and software expansion. Today Handspring sells its Visor line of handheld computers, Springboard expansion modules and accessories at Handspring.com and through select Internet and retail partners in the U.S., Asia, Canada, the Middle East and Europe.

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SOURCE Sprint PCS