Ethernet Cradle for m500 Series Introduced

Portsmith, Inc., today announced the Portsmith Ethernet Cradle for the Palm m500 series. It provides a fast connection to the corporate network for single-button synchronization of mission-critical data and recharging of the handheld’s batteries. It will list for $200 and be available in late May to early June 2001.

The cradle utilizes the DHCP servers already installed in most corporate networks for automatic IP address assignment. This allows for seamless integration into the corporate environment with little or no impact on the existing infrastructure.

Holmes Lundt, President and CEO of Portsmith says, “Compatibility with existing systems and ease-of-use are two main components in the successful integration of new products into the corporate environment. The new Portsmith Ethernet Cradle provides both.”

Major handheld device manufacturers like Palm, Inc. are making strategic moves into corporate markets. Providing a complete solution for enterprise customers is key in this transition. This is evidenced by Palm’s recently-announced acquisition of Extended Systems, Inc. According to Palm, it sought behind-the-firewall server software that supports groupware and business applications to drive adoption of handheld devices in the corporate environment. The Extended Systems acquisition provides the mobile infrastructure to connect the wealth of enterprise applications with Palm handheld computers. With a leading mobile software application platform in-place, corporate connectivity products are needed to complete the solution.

“We are delighted Portsmith is providing an Ethernet Cradle for the next generation of premium handhelds from Palm, the m500 series,” said Jerry Jalaba, vice-president, Enterprise, at Palm, Inc. “Portsmith’s advanced hardware engineering and extensive experience in the mobile connectivity industry make them a great addition to our radidly growing number of enterprise solution providers,” Jalaba added.

Moving forward, Portsmith plans to develop similar Ethernet Cradles for other handheld models to offer a complete product family of handheld connectivity solutions.