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Network
Connectivity for Mobile Devices |
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College Orientation's
New Twist - Palm Handhelds for New Students
University of South Dakota Students Get a Lesson in Beaming
VERMILLION, S.D., Sept. 2, 2001-- More than 1,300
students at the University of South Dakota today became the first
in the nation to receive Palm(TM) handheld computers authorized
by a university for all first-year undergraduates, law and medical
students. Palm, Inc. (Nasdaq: PALM) is a pioneer in the field of
mobile and wireless Internet solutions and a leading provider of
handheld computers.
Welcoming new students to the campus, President James W. Abbott
demonstrated a key element in the university's plan to integrate
Palm handhelds into the curriculum by illustrating how information
can be beamed from one handheld to another, and used to collaborate
and share. Using the Palm handheld's infrared (IR) capability, Abbott
pointed his handheld at a student's handheld and beamed his telephone
number, and then watched as students beamed the information from
handheld to handheld in a matter of minutes.
USD worked with Enable Systems of Hoffman
Estates, Ill., to equip the Palm m500 and m505 handhelds with a
dozen education, productivity and communication software applications.
Also, students will receive the Palm Mobile Mentor(TM) software
CDs announced today (see related news release). "The initiative
USD announced last spring continues to grow in scope as we take
the next step in providing an exceptional learning environment for
our students by integrating handheld computing technology into our
curriculum," said Abbott. "Palm handhelds will be an integral part
of English, speech, biology, computer science, information technology,
medical and law coursework. Just as important, the technology will
be used to share information, collaborate and communicate with faculty,
administrators and other students."
Central to integrating the Palm handhelds
into campus life is the installation of the EthIR LAN and EthIR
STAR wireless connectivity systems from Clarinet Systems, Inc. of
Milpitas, Calif. The systems provide high-speed IR connectivity
to the campus network for faster transfer of data to Palm handhelds.
Students can receive email, download web clips, schedule appointments
with faculty, turn in assignments electronically, share lecture
notes, research academic requirements and obtain class materials.
Educators can distribute syllabi, course calendars, resource materials
and assignments.
The Clarinet Systems IR ports are located
in the student center, library, the medical and law schools, and
several buildings that house undergraduate departments. "Universities
are typically at the forefront of a new trend, and adopting Palm
handheld technology is just one example," said Mike Lorion, Palm's
vice president of education.
"Other universities are watching with interest to see how USD puts
this technology to work in class and throughout campus life." Preloaded
on USD's Palm handhelds are the following:
-- AvantGo, -- AvantGo(R) Mobile Internet
Service --allows users to receive web content;
-- DDH Software -- Thesaurus / Spellcheck;
-- DataViz -- Documents To Go(R) -- allows students to read and
compose Microsoft Word and Excel documents, and view PowerPoint
slides;
-- Handmark -- Four.Zero(TM) -- an organizer for coursework, class
information and grade management;
-- Hands High Software -- ThoughtManager(TM) -- an outliner and
educational database for creating and organizing ideas, tasks, class
schedules and more;
-- MGI Software -- PhotoSuite(R) Mobile Edition -- enables viewing
of video clips and photos;
-- Handmark -- MobileDB(TM) -- a database for creating custom lists,
and viewing and editing any table or spreadsheet-like information
directly on any Palm handheld;
-- Palm, Inc. -- MultiMail(R) Professional -- Palm's advanced email
application;
-- NearSpace -- detailed maps of USD campus;
-- Palm, Inc. -- Palm Reader(TM)-- the leading eBook application
for Palm Powered(TM) devices;
-- Palm, Inc. -- DropBook(TM) -- a utility that enables users to
create Palm eBooks by dragging text onto the DropBook icon;
-- Infinity Softworks, Inc. -- powerOne(TM) General calculator.
About The University of South Dakota The
University of South Dakota is the state's flagship university and
home of the state's only law and medical schools and college of
Fine Arts. It is a center for liberal arts education with a professionally
accredited School of Education, School of Business and College of
Arts and Sciences.
Recognized by U.S. News and World Report for its academic excellence
and affordable cost, USD offers an outstanding educational experience
in the heart of the Midwest. Led by James W. Abbott, the university's
first alumnus president is located in Vermillion, South Dakota.
USD's caring and dedicated faculty and staff are committed to educational
excellence. About 80 percent of the nearly 400 faculty hold a doctorate
or other terminal degree in their field and many have earned state,
regional and national recognition. More information is available
at http://www.usd.edu.
About Palm, Inc. Palm, Inc. is a pioneer in the
field of mobile and wireless Internet solutions and a leading provider
of handheld computers, according to IDC (December 2000). Based on
the Palm OS(R) platform, Palm's handheld solutions allow people
to carry and access their most critical information wherever they
go. Palm(TM) handhelds address the needs of individuals, enterprises
and educational institutions through thousands of application solutions.
The Palm OS platform is also the foundation for products from Palm's
licensees and strategic partners, such as Franklin Covey, Handspring,
IBM, Kyocera, Sony, Symbol Technologies, and HandEra (formerly TRG).
Platform licensees also include Acer, Garmin, Nokia and Samsung.
The Palm Economy is a growing global community of industry-leading
licensees, world-class OEM customers, and approximately 170,000
innovative developers and solution providers that have registered
to develop solutions based on the Palm OS platform.
Palm went public on March 2, 2000.
Its stock is traded on the Nasdaq national market under the symbol
PALM. More information is available at http://www.palm.com .
NOTE: Palm OS and MultiMail
are registered trademarks and Palm, Palm Reader, DropBook and Mobile
Mentor are trademarks of Palm, Inc. Other brands may be trademarks
of their respective owners. © 2001 Clarinet Systems, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.
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