Apple, RadioMail, Motorola and ARDIS Transform Newton into Personal Communications Assistant
SAN MATEO, Calif. — November 13, 1995 — Apple Computer, Inc., RadioMail Corporation, Motorola Inc. and ARDIS Company today announced two-way wireless messaging for the Newton 2.0 platform.
The service will combine the power of the Apple MessagePad, the Motorola Personal Messenger 100D Wireless Modem Card, the ARDIS nationwide wireless network, and RadioMail gateway services. RadioMail for Newton is now available in Australia, and will be available in North America early next year.
With the RadioMail service, the Apple MessagePad will provide an integrated wireless solution, so users can send and receive E-mail, send graphic images to fax machines, get paged, send pages, access stock quotes and news, and collaborate with other subscribers through the wireless exchange of appointments, to-do lists, name cards, and more.
"Two-way wireless messaging is an important application for mobile business professionals and vertical markets alike," said Sandy Benett, acting vice president for Apple Computer's Newton Systems Group. "Newton 2.0, combined with a powerful development environment and wireless PC Card modems, makes the Newton platform an ideal foundation for the development of wireless solutions. With RadioMail's domestic and international experience operating wireless gateway services, the company is well positioned to offer wireless messaging to Newton customers worldwide."
By leveraging the strengths of four leaders in their respective fields, we're bringing to market an advanced personal wireless messaging solution that will appeal to a wide audience, said Bob Molnar, vice president and general manager, Motorola Subscriber Products Division.
"Our customers in Australia are raving about RadioMail for Newton. Our service offering there has been very successful since it was introduced last month, and we expect that the service here in the U.S. will have similar acceptance from the installed base of MessagePad users," said Bruce Walter, CEO and president RadioMail Corporation. "With RadioMail services, users can add tremendous value to their Newton applications. Besides wireless messaging and faxing, users can exchange calendar updates or sales information over-the-air, and even interact with their corporate systems via the Internet."
According to Dan Croft, vice president of Marketing Operations at ARDIS, "The compact form factor of Motorola's new wireless PC modem card coupled with the ARDIS network's seamless nationwide coverage make this service offering the best solution for mobile professionals using Newton technology. We make it simple for users to turn their MessagePad devices into powerful communicators."
How It All Works
It is simple to go wireless with Newton technology. A user needs a standard Apple MessagePad 120 with Newton 2.0, a Motorola Personal Messenger 100D Wireless Modem Card, and a subscription to RadioMail service on the ARDIS network. The RadioMail subscription comes with a free copy of the RadioMail for Newton software application. The Personal Messenger 100D Modem Card slips into the Apple MessagePad 120 Type II PC Card slot and the RadioMail for Newton software is installed into the Extras Drawer on the MessagePad 120 from any Macintosh or Windows system. Once the modem and software are installed, wireless messages can be sent and received immediately, from a taxi cab, airport or business meeting.
Simple To Use
The RadioMail for Newton application provides icon-based access to RadioMail wireless services. For example, a tap of the News Icon provides access to the top news stories of the hour. A tap on the Stock Quote Icon provides access to a personal stock portfolio or a quote on demand. Faxes and e-mail messages can be sent from the standard NotePad.
Workgroup Messaging
Workgroups equipped with Apple MessagePads now can exchange messages, appointments, to-do lists, address book items, graphics and other information over the air, in real-time, nationwide. A message can be sent to a group of five or five hundred people in seconds, for about the price of a postage stamp — with message delivery guaranteed.
Affordable Messaging Service
RadioMail subscribers can communicate with anyone with an Internet address, including other RadioMail subscribers, users of on-line services such as eWorld, America Online, and CompuServe, plus users of corporate LAN e-mail systems that are connected to the Internet. Messages can be sent coast-to-coast in seconds — without roaming fees or long distance charges.
Digital Ink to Fax
Diagrams, handwritten notes, and graphic images drawn on the Apple MessagePad can be sent via the RadioMail services to fax machines, worldwide. RadioMail wireless faxes can be sent to one or many destinations simultaneously. Wireless confirmation messages are delivered to the Apple MessagePad to acknowledge the successful delivery of each fax.
Operator-Assisted Paging Service
Now Apple MessagePad users can add alpha-numeric (text) paging capabilities to their PDA, with guaranteed message delivery. Operators at the RadioMail Message Center are available around-the-clock to take messages. Messages are held until the Apple MessagePad and wireless modem is powered on — so there is never a lost message.
How Much Is The Service?
Pricing options for RadioMail service on the ARDIS network start at $ 39 per month for 100 message units of 240 characters each. A range of pricing plans are available to accommodate different usage patterns.
Managing an Existing E-Mail Account When Your Mobile
Corporate e-mail users can forward their messages via the Internet to a RadioMail-enabled MessagePad. Individuals with an existing on-line account such as Internet, CompuServe, eWorld, or America Online can let their messages follow them when they are out of the office. With the new Claris EMailer software application for PowerBooks and PowerPC computers, an individual's e-mail can be routed over the air to an Apple MessagePad. For example, a user with an America Online account can program Claris EMailer to dial into America Online each hour, collect the mail, and then forward the mail via the RadioMail service to the MessagePad. The user can immediately respond to messages.
Availability and Ordering
RadioMail for Newton began shipping in Australia last month, and will be available in North America early next year. For more information or to order services, call RadioMail Corporation at 800/597-6245, or visit our World Wide Web Site at http://www.radiomail.net.
RadioMail Corporation is the leading provider of wireless message center services and technologies for the wireless industry worldwide. RadioMail message center services are non-proprietary, and support a variety of network technologies such as cellular, CDPD, DataTAC, Mobitex, Internet, and paging. Services can be accessed from leading mobile computing platforms. RadioMail has won numerous awards for outstanding service: LAN Magazine 1994 E-Mail Product of the Year, Communication News 1994 Users Choice Award and Technologic Partner's Mobile Advancement of the Year award for 1994. The company has offices in the United States, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, Singapore and Sydney, Australia.
Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized pioneer and innovator in the information industry, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software, on-line services, and personal digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino, Calif., Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses and markets products, technologies and services for the business, education, consumer, scientific, engineering and government markets in over 140 countries.
Motorola's Wireless Data Group incorporates the company's business activities involved in the design, manufacture and distribution of wireless data communications products, infrastructure equipment and systems for worldwide markets. Motorola is one of the world's leading providers of wireless communications, semiconductors and advanced systems and services. Sales in 1994 were $ 22.2 billion.
ARDIS operates the first and largest nationwide wireless data network enabling in-building and on-street data communications between mobile workers, using notebook computers and personal digital assistants, and host computers. The ARDIS network serves the top 410 metro areas in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands, and covers more than 80 percent of the population and 90 percent of the business activity in the United States. The service enables executives and mobile workers to access their corporate information systems or to communicate instantaneously with their peers from virtually any location.
Note to Editors: RadioMail is a registered trademark of RadioMail Corporation. ARDIS is a registered servicemark of ARDIS Company. Motorola is a registered trademark and Personal Messenger is a trademark of Motorola, Inc. Newton is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. All other trademarks belong to their respective companies.
RadioMail service is available to members of the editorial community for reviews and/or familiarization with the industry. For more information, contact Afsoon Mokhtari or Robin Rootenberg at 415/904-7070, Ext. 263/282.
CONTACT:
RadioMail Corporation, San Mateo
Mark Elderkin, 415/286-7839
or
Access Public Relations, San Francisco
Mark Smotroff or Robin Rootenberg,
415/904-7070 Ext. 270 or 282