Fujitsu Mobile Computers Play Key Role at Halifax Summit
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia — June 15, 1995 — Armed with Stylistic 500 tablet computers from Fujitsu Personal Systems, leaders of the world's largest industrialized nations convened today in Halifax, Nova Scotia to commence discussions at the "Group of Seven" economic summit.
A sophisticated mobile computing and communications solution, the Stylistic 500 enables each nation's delegation to communicate handwritten messages and requests for information instantaneously to its research team housed in a separate location. The 1995 Halifax Summit, which will continue through June 17, marks the first-ever use of a computer system for research automation at this high-level dialog on international economic issues and trade policies.
"This is definitely history in the making, and we are proud to be a part of it," said Louis Panetta, Fujitsu's executive vice president. "Additionally, we are pleased to see a general business software application, which demands an industry-standard, Windows-based platform, implemented on the Stylistic 500. If these systems can be implemented with such positive results at the highest levels of government, it is only a matter of time before they're widely used in a broad range of corporate settings around the world."
At the Halifax Summit, each leader is supported by a personal representative, or sherpa, who relays all messages and requests for information from the leader to the research team and ensures that the leader has all the data he needs for a given discussion. This year, two Stylistic 500s have been supplied to each nation's delegation — one for the leaders attending the conference proceedings and one for the research team located on the floor below.
Linked together via serial communications, the pair of Stylistic 500s allow the sherpas and research teams to convey crucial information directly to the leaders in real time. Both sides can send handwritten notes, review documents in common and even call up charts and graphic images. Because the Stylistic 500's data input method is via stylus rather than keyboard, delegates are able to communicate in their native languages, whether English, French, German, Italian, Russian or Japanese.
"The market for collaborative computing applications such as the one used at the Halifax Summit is significant," said Kenneth Dulaney, vice president at the Gartner Group. "Furthermore, its growth is dependent on the delivery of highly functional, portable stylus-based computers."
The nations represented at this year's summit include the United States, Japan, Great Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the European Union and the Russian Federation. The delegation from the United States of America includes President Bill Clinton, Secretary of State Warren Christopher and Secretary of the Treasury Robert Rubin as conference participants, and Undersecretary of State for Economic Affairs Daniel Tarullo as sherpa.
Developed by Filbitron, a Toronto-based VAR, the communications solution includes the Stylistic 500 running SMART 2000 Conferencing software from SMART Technologies Inc. and aha! InkWriter by aha! software corporation.
The Stylistic 500 is powered by an Intel 486DX2-50 CPU. The system features RAM expandable to 20 MB; two PCMCIA version 2.0 expansion slots — one for a Type III ATA hard disk card or Type II solid state flash card and one for a Type III card or two Type I/II cards; and an 8-inch transmissive backlit, 64-level VGA screen. It is the only tablet computer to operate on standard Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) batteries, which can be purchased in most consumer electronics retail outlets.
Fujitsu Personal Systems, Inc., headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., is a leader in providing solutions for data collection and decision support applications through the development of super portable palmtop, pen-based and communicating computers. Its solutions are designed to meet the needs of applications where light weight, small form factor and long battery life are essential. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fujitsu, Ltd. Fujitsu Personal Systems, Inc. corporate headquarters can be reached at 408/982-9500. Product information can be obtained by calling 800/831-3183.
CONTACT:
Fujitsu Personal Systems, Inc.
Susan Wald, 408/982-9500
or
Walt & Sommerhauser Communications Inc.
Stephanie Edwards/Cynthia Lempert, 408/496-0900