REDMOND, Wash., March 14, 2001 — Demonstrating rapid growth in the number of applications and content titles available for its Microsoft® Windows® powered Pocket PC platform, Microsoft Corp. today announced that HanDBase, a leading Palm database application, and MemoWare, a leading Palm content site, are moving to support the Pocket PC and together will add more than 6,000 new applications and content titles to the thousands already available for Pocket PC devices. HanDBase and MemoWare offer a rich array of content and applications — from databases for managing a wine cellar or car maintenance records to travel guides and sports schedules — bringing Pocket PC customers an even wider range of solutions for their personal digital assistants (PDAs).
“Having both the leading database HanDBase and the premier content site MemoWare supporting Pocket PC speaks volumes about the momentum for our platform,”
said Phil Holden, director of marketing for the Mobile Device Division at Microsoft.
“Developers are hearing our call, and that means customers are now getting the best of both worlds: the most powerful and versatile PDA on the market and thousands of applications and titles to choose from.”
MemoWare adds a growing library of over 5,700 eBook and reference titles for the Pocket PC user to choose from and the ability to use the Pocket PC to carry extensive professional reference resources such as medical drug databases or engineering specifications. HanDBase gives the user an easy and powerful tool to create custom databases for the Pocket PC as well as the ability to choose from over 700 free predesigned databases hosted at the company’s Web site. Databases enable the user to carry essential information with them and access it anywhere they go. The more than 6,000 eBooks, databases and reference titles that HanDBase and MemoWare bring to the Pocket PC platform offer something for everyone.
“We chose to offer applications for the Pocket PC platform because customer demand for that support grows stronger by the day,”
said Dave Haupert, president of DDH Software Inc., creators of HanDBase.
“With an inherently large memory ranging from 16 megs to 32 megs, as well as the option to expand memory up to 1 gig, the amount of data our customers can take wherever they go is now virtually limitless.”
Developers Hear the Call
Pocket PC offers the most versatile device on the market today. With 16 MB to 32 MB of RAM, and an option to expand memory even further through external compact flash and MMC slots, extremely fast processor speeds and a multithreaded environment that allows the user to run more than one application at a time, the Pocket PC is optimal for running a wide range of content and database solutions. Developers are flocking to the Pocket PC platform at the rate of 30,000 over the last three months, and more than 95,000 developers have the Pocket PC software development kit. With the recent addition of Flash support, thousands of existing Flash-based applications can be run on Pocket PC and more are on the way as Flash developers are poised to take advantage of this flexible development environment.
Pricing and Availability
Windows-powered Pocket PCs, the next-generation PDAs from Microsoft and industry partners, are available today online and in consumer electronics and office superstores. Pocket PC prices range from $299 to $599,* similar to previous Windows-powered units. Applications for the Pocket PC are available from a wide variety of sources including http://www.handbase.com/ , http://www.memoware.com/ and http://www.handango.com/ . More information about the Pocket PC can be found at http://www.pocketpc.com/ .
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.
* Retail prices may vary. Offers and/or prices are valid in the United States only and may not be available in other countries.
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