Jason Dunn
03-17-2003, 05:00 PM
"NEW ORLEANS, La. (CTIA Wireless 2003) – Mar. 17, 2003 – Sprint (NYSE: FON, PCS) and Microsoft Corp. today announced plans to offer two new innovative PCS Phones based on the Microsoft® Windows® Powered Pocket PC platform designed for individuals and mobile professionals who want a single multipurpose wireless device to make clear calls, access information, and shoot and share digital pictures. The new VisionSM-Capable PCS Phones will combine the power of the nation’s largest high-speed voice and data network with the flexibility of Pocket PC software and the convenience of seamless integration and rich features in two uniquely designed devices from Samsung and Hitachi."<!><br /><br />"Sprint will offer two PCS Phones based on the CDMA version of the Microsoft Pocket PC software in the second quarter of 2003 including the PCS Phone by Samsung SPH-i700 and PCS Phone by Hitachi® G1000. Both Windows Powered Vision Capable PCS Devices will combine the functionality of a PCS Phone, Pocket PC and integrated digital camera, allowing customers to leave their laptops behind and still be productive on the go via wireless access to voice and data communication. Customers will be able to read and respond to personal and company email, open attachments, access business applications, browse the Web in full color, shoot and share pictures, and make phone calls anywhere on the enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network – all with the convenience of a single mobile device.<br /><br />“Sprint is taking leadership in wireless innovation to new heights by working with Microsoft to add the latest evolution in converged PDAs to the PCS Clear Wireless WorkplaceSM. By leveraging Microsoft’s Pocket PC software and the electronics expertise of Samsung and Hitachi, Sprint can provide customers with a PCS Phone that transcends the traditional versatility and functionality of a PDA,” said John Garcia, senior vice president of marketing, sales and distribution for the PCS Division of Sprint. “The power and flexibility of the Pocket PC combined with the clarity, desktop-like speed and breadth of the enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network will provide customers with a powerful platform for personal and enterprise mobile communications.”<br /><br />The Pocket PC platform includes a broad range of native business, personal productivity and entertainment applications and can be easily expanded and personalized through a growing number of industry-standard hardware and software options. Microsoft will enhance the wireless experiences of Sprint business customers and consumers alike with rich, full color graphics and a dynamic selection of advanced multimedia services available on the two new PCS Phones with Microsoft Windows Powered Pocket PC software.<br /><br />“This combination of advanced wireless data services, innovative hardware and powerful software opens up endless possibilities for today’s mobile workforce,” said Juha Christensen, corporate vice president of the Mobile Devices Division at Microsoft. “There are millions of developers prepared to extend their expertise and applications to this new genre of Windows Powered smart devices. We look forward to expanding this exciting new category of wireless business communications tools along with Sprint.”<br /><br /><b>Microsoft Windows Powered PCS Phone by Samsung® SPH-i700</b><br />The PCS Phone by Samsung SPH-i700 is designed to enable business users to take advantage of the advanced features of a wireless phone while also having access to popular and familiar mobile versions of Microsoft applications. The Samsung i700’s speakerphone capability will allow users to conduct hands-free conference calls while simultaneously accessing files and information from the Pocket PC applications quickly and easily. The built-in digital camera will allow VGA quality 640 x 480 images, continuous capture, lighting adjustment, voice memo and text attachments with pictures that can be sent via email or infrared.<br /><br /><b>Microsoft Windows Powered PCS Phone by Hitachi® G1000 </b><br />The PCS Phone by Hitachi G1000 is the company’s first Windows Powered device and the first Pocket PC phone to feature an integrated camera, keyboard and phone feature all in one mobile device. The Hitachi G1000 combines the comprehensive functionality of a Pocket PC experience with the high-speed enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network to deliver the ability to input text for messaging using a built-in QWERTY keyboard, place and receive phone calls, and browse the Web at speeds averaging 50 to 70 Kbps, with peak speeds of 144 Kbps. The new device incorporates an integrated rotating digital VGA quality camera with the ability to shoot and share pictures via the enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network.<br /><br />Both the Samsung SPH-i700 and Hitachi G1000 will support standard Windows-based applications including Microsoft Pocket Excel, the Outlook® messaging and collaboration client, Pocket Word, Pocket Internet, Explorer, Windows Media(R) Player, Microsoft ActiveSync® technology, Inbox and MSN® Messenger. Additionally, Sprint customers can access thousands of Pocket PC software titles via the PCS Software Store. Powered by Handango, the leading publisher of handheld software, this online storefront can be accessed from the desktop at <a href="http://sprint.handango.com">http://sprint.handango.com</a> or right on the mobile device for over-the-air downloads.<br /><br />Added Garcia: “Our alignment with Microsoft and stronger integration of the Pocket PC platform provides a flexible environment well suited for more complex enterprise applications, making it easier for companies that want to standardize their wireless solutions.”<br /><br />Both PCS Phones with Microsoft Windows Powered Pocket PC software will allow customers to download PCS Business ConnectionSM Personal Edition during installation. This software-based solution offered by Sprint provides wireless access to company e-mail via data-ready PCS Phones or laptops and handhelds connected to the Internet. This productivity solution provides secure, real-time wireless access to e-mail and PIM information for Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Dominos servers for $5.00 per month. <br /><br />Enterprise customers who want to deploy an affordable wireless email solution on a company-wide scale without installing equipment can take advantage of PCS Business ConnectionSM Enterprise Edition. A Pocket PC client for PCS Business Connection will also be available to push email directly to the device at optional scheduled intervals, allowing remote offline access to company email regardless of whether the customer is within coverage of the enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network.<br /><br />Equipped with embedded digital cameras, both devices will also allow customers to send digital images to family, friends and colleagues anywhere on the enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network using the PCS Vision service called Pictures. PCS Vision customers can upload and store their images on the Sprint Pictures web site.<br /><br />Sprint currently offers the Microsoft Windows Powered PCS Phone Toshiba 2032. The addition of Microsoft’s Pocket PC technology to two more versatile and powerful Vision-enabled PCS Devices will further enable today’s mobile workforce to access and manage a wide range of information tools.<br /><br /><b>About Sprint</b><br />Sprint is a global communications company serving more than 26 million business and residential customers in over 70 countries. With approximately 72,000 employees worldwide and nearly $27 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 and an award-winning Tier 1 Internet backbone. Sprint provides local voice and data services in 18 states and operates the largest 100-percent digital, nationwide PCS wireless network in the United States.<br /><br /><b>About Microsoft </b><br />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.