Enjoy!
-Brian
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HP Announces it's First Organizer, OmniGo 100
PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 16, 1995-- Hewlett-Packard Company
today unveiled the HP OmniGo 100 handheld organizer. Featuring a flexible
design, and input by pen and keyboard, the HP OmniGo 100 is the most complete
multifunctional organizer available for less than $350.
Based on the GEOS operating system, the HP OmniGo 100 handheld organizer is
designed to be easy and fun to use -- and fast to learn. The new organizer,
which features a breakthrough design and a range of information-management
tools, is expected to be available for consumers worldwide on Nov. 1 at an
estimated street price of $349 (U.S.).
"The HP OmniGo 100 does exactly what I need it to do and was very easy to
figure out," said Lori Burke, director of communications for the New England
Shelter for Homeless Veterans. "Finally there's an easy way to keep track of
my work-related and personal information -- including my budgets -- without
having to spend a fortune or take a course on how to do it."
The new organizer extends HP's well-established family of handheld products,
which includes the popular HP 200LX palmtop PC.
"HP became a worldwide leader in handheld technology with the 200LX," said
Andrew Seybold, editor in chief of Andrew Seybold's Outlook on Communications
and Computing. "Now HP is expanding its line of handheld products to include
devices that suit a variety of customers, from those who prefer a high-end PC
companion to those who want a high-quality organizer with a variety of
features."
Small enough to fit into a coat pocket, the HP OmniGo 100 handheld organizer
is designed to adapt to the way people on-the-go prefer to work. It combines
the convenience of a pen and the familiarity of a keyboard with a rotatable
screen that allows horizontal or vertical display. The organizer enables
customers to track daily appointments and expenses, take notes, organize
addresses and telephone numbers and compute financial information with a
built-in HP calculator and financial tools.
"The HP OmniGo 100 organizer provides customers with high-quality personal
information management and financial tools in a single, low-cost solution,"
said Kheng Joo Khaw, general manager of HP's Asia Pacific PC Division
(APCD). "We understand what our customers are looking for in a personal
organizer through experience gained from our calculators and palmtop PCs.
Until now, customers have had to compromise on features or price to get the
product they want. We're offering all the organizational tools our customers
need at a price they're willing to pay; it's the right product at the right
time."
BUILT-IN VALUE AND MAKING IT PERSONAL
The HP OmniGo 100 handheld organizer includes financial- and
business-productivity functions designed to fulfill individual needs. In
addition to incorporating the popular HP 12C financial calculator, the new
product's personal information-management features include the following:
o pen-navigation and keyboard-input capabilities -- to accommodate
user-interface preference;
o a "Jotter" application -- for customers to jot down notes and organize
them later;
o a Graffiti handwriting system -- for easy-to-learn handwriting
recognition;
o drawing capabilities -- to enable the user to scribble quick notes and
draw maps and pictures;
o HP financial-analysis tools and spreadsheet capabilities -- for computing
cash flow and loan payments, currency conversions, business calculations,
percentages and margins;
o a notepad feature -- to input notes and organize thoughts via keyboard and
pen entry;
o appointment, address and telephone books -- for access to important
personal appointments, activities and contact information; o database
capabilities -- for personal list management, such as grocery or to-do lists;
and
o world-time feature -- for locating cities around the world and obtaining
time and city information.
HP also offers customers a host of accessories that work with the HP OmniGo
100 handheld organizer to extend its productivity, communications abilities
and entertainment value. A variety of options are currently available, as
well as numerous products and services that customers may soon access,
featuring: Later this year, SkyTel's new 2-Way wireless messaging service for
the HP OmniGo 100 handheld organizer enables users to connect the HP OmniGo
100 organizer to a SkyTel 2-Way pager will be available. Users then can
transmit messages wirelessly to other SkyTel 2-Way users and create replies
to messages received.
With today's introduction, the following solutions also are available:
o Pocket Quicken -- Intuit's popular personal, portable
financial-management software, which will be available to all customers free
when they purchase the HP OmniGo 100 handheld organizer;
o HP OmniGo 100 Connectivity Pack -- which includes a cable to allow simple
connection to a Windows-based PC, for automated file management, backup and
synchronization between the OmniGo 100 organizer and a desktop PC;
o HP OmniGo 100 organizer Clip & Go -- which links the OmniGo 100 organizer
clipboard to a Microsoft(R) Windows-PC clipboard through a serial-port
connection, enabling quick and easy data transfer to a desktop PC's word
processing, spreadsheet or paint programs; and
o HP OmniGo 100 organizer Strategy Games -- which feature six challenging
strategy games to take on the road.
LIGHTWEIGHT, FLEXIBLE DESIGN
An important part of the HP OmniGo 100 handheld organizer is its flexible
design, which allows users to switch between pen and keyboard interfaces.
This flexibility is enabled by Geoworks' award-winning GEOS operating system
and user-interface technology. GEOS is an efficient, graphical operating
system that enhances the HP OmniGo 100 organizer such that users can
personalize the device with additional applications after purchase.
"The HP OmniGo 100 handheld organizer is the first product resulting from our
collaboration with HP to develop market-winning organizers," said Gordon
Mayer, president of Geoworks. "HP's experience in the handheld market --
combined with Geoworks' expertise in developing compact, full-featured
software -- uniquely enables the partnership to deliver low-cost,
multifunctional devices for the mobile customer."
"The GEOS operating system was the natural choice for HP," said Khaw. "It
provides all the flexibility and ease of use that today's consumer needs from
an organizer -- not to mention an extensive array of user-friendly, intuitive
accessories."
The HP OmniGo 100 handheld organizer features an innovative 360-degree
rotatable hinge that allows the user to fold back the front cover to reveal a
keyboard and screen. The double-jointed case can be folded over completely,
to provide a solid, easy-to-hold work surface, much like a traditional
notepad.
In addition, the unit comes with 1MB of RAM, one standard PCMCIA Type II card
slot for additional data storage and expanded software and services, and a
serial port for PC and printer connectivity. With 3MB of ROM, the HP OmniGo
100 handheld organizer weighs just 11.6 ounces -- with batteries included --
and runs on two standard AA batteries and one lithium backup battery.
BROAD AVAILABILITY FOR THE HP HANDHELD FAMILY
With the introduction of its new organizer, HP also has significantly
broadened the retail presence of its family of handheld computer products,
including the popular high-end PC companion product, the HP 200LX palmtop PC.
The HP 200LX palmtop PC remains the industry leader for customers who need a
handheld companion for their home or office PCs. The HP 200LX palmtop PC lets
customers communicate wirelessly through cellular, two-way paging to exchange
e-mail and use messaging and other on-line services.
The HP OmniGo 100 handheld organizer will be available through a variety of
retail outlets and mass merchants, including Service Merchandise, Staples,
OfficeMax, Lechmere and J&R Office World. HP's handheld products also are
available through a wide range of home-office and PC/peripherals channels,
including computer and consumer-electronics superstores.
Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global manufacturer of computing,
communications and measurement products and services recognized for
excellence in quality and support. HP has 99,900 employees and had revenue of
$25 billion in its 1994 fiscal year. -0- Graffiti and HP OmniGo Connectivity
Pack were developed by Palm Computing and Bokja Software Clip and Go and
Strategy Games for the HP OmniGo 100 handheld organizer were developed by
Geoworks. -0- NOTE TO THE EDITOR: Sales information may be obtained by
calling 1-800-443-1254 (U.S. only). Please do NOT use editor-contact or
corporate telephone numbers for sales information. Information in this
release applies specifically to products available in the United States.
Product availability and specifications may vary in non-U.S. markets.
If you choose to review this item, fastest response to your readers'
inquiries will be ensured by mailing them to Hewlett-Packard Company
Inquiries, 1000 N.E. Circle Boulevard, Corvallis, Ore. 97330.
--30--cs/sf*
CONTACT:
Hewlett-Packard
Larry Sennett, 408/553-2916
or
Copithorne & Bellows for HP
Karen Gordon, 415/975-2215
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