Fujitsu Introduces Breakthrough Color Display and Powerhouse Performance With Next-Generation Pen Tablet Computer
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — January 18, 1999 — Fujitsu Personal Systems, Inc. (FPSI) today announced the availability of the Stylistic 2300(TM), the most advanced pen tablet computer from the world leader in the Windows pen tablet market. Incorporating the first truly portable outdoor color transflective (CTF) display, the Stylistic 2300 delivers unprecedented, color Super VGA (SVGA) resolution for indoor and outdoor use. Fujitsu's Stylistic 2300 bears the "Designed for Windows NT and Windows 98" logo and comes packed with a powerful 233 MHz Pentium MMX processor, ruggedized 4.1 GB hard drive and universal connectivity. Also available with a rich TFT color display, the notebook-strength Stylistic 2300 is the most broadly applicable pen tablet ever, designed for large organizations with mobile computing needs for on-the-spot decision support in applications such as remote database access, mapping, voice recognition and multimedia presentations.
"The power and versatility of Fujitsu's Stylistic 2300 will enable us to initiate the next major step in our life insurance sales automation project," said Michael Betts, senior vice president of information technology at American General Life & Accident Insurance Company. "Our 7,000 field agents use the pen tablet as a paperless mobile office, accessing information whenever and wherever needed. They can electronically process insurance applications and service requests, capture customer signatures on the spot, and transmit completed transactions to the home office server for recording. The familiar pen interface is easy to learn and conducive to customer interaction. Having worked with Fujitsu over the past six years, we knew we could count on them for a high-performance computer with rich color display and a durable design compatible with the working style of our field salesforce."
"With pen tablets quickly closing the 'performance gap' with laptops, it's not surprising that the pen tablet industry has grown from a niche into a half-billion-dollar market," commented Geoff Walker, vice president of marketing for FPSI. "Fujitsu continues to lead this industry, not only by being first to market with the latest technologies and standards, but also by incorporating customer suggestions into successive generations of our pen tablet computers. As a result, corporations know they can rely on Fujitsu to meet the demanding needs of their mobile workforce." The Stylistic 2300 boasts a large, 8.4-inch display and is the first pen tablet to support color SVGA both indoors and outdoors.
The breakthrough CTF SVGA display uses natural sunlight to increase effective color contrast in outdoor applications and provides a backlight for dimly lit conditions. Compared to reflective displays, the CTF excels in balancing the need for superior visibility in full sunlight and a clear, even picture indoors, in shady conditions or at night. The Stylistic 2300 is also available with an extra-sharp TFT color display offering up to 262,144 colors and a wide viewing angle, making it easier to share information with co-workers or clients. For multimedia presentations, the Stylistic 2300 is one of the few pen tablets to support Zoomed Video, which provides high-performance full-motion video at 30 frames per second. The high-performance Stylistic 2300 comes equipped with a 233 MHz Pentium MMX processor with 512 KB external cache, which gives pen tablet users the power of a midrange notebook. A shock-mounted Ultra ATA hard drive with a storage capacity of 4.1 GB and SDRAM memory expandable up to 96 MB enable the Stylistic 2300 to keep pace with the growing demands of enterprise applications.
The Stylistic 2300 also offers the longest battery life in its class, delivering up to five hours of usage between charges. The Stylistic 2300 is Fujitsu's fourth generation of pen tablets to earn the "Designed for Windows" logo from Microsoft. Complete integration of pen support in Windows was made possible with Fujitsu's introduction last year of the industry's first 32-bit pen extensions. Available with a choice of Windows 95, 98 or Windows NT Workstation 4.0 operating systems, the Stylistic 2300 offers both 32-bit and 16-bit pen support to facilitate migration to 32-bit mission-critical applications, while protecting customer investments in 16-bit pen applications.
Compatibility with industry hardware and software is a hallmark of FPSI tablets. Most peripherals designed for the Fujitsu Stylistic 1200(R) are compatible with the Stylistic 2300, thus leveraging customer purchases. Fujitsu's next-generation pen tablets have passed NSTL Labs' Year 2000 compliance test, easing any concerns IT departments may have in evaluating new computing equipment. A built-in 56K V.90 modem heads the list of outstanding connectivity features, and provides greater reliability and durability than a PC Card modem. Certified for use in the U.S. and Canada, the integrated modem frees up an extra PC Card slot for enhanced flexibility and convenience.
The Stylistic 2300 is also "Radio-Ready," ensuring that the computer and the customer's chosen radio will not interfere with each other in any way. This increases radio range by allowing the reception of weaker signals. Two stacked Type-II or one Type-III PC Card 3.0 (CardBus) slots are designed into the Stylistic 2300 for the easy addition of Zoomed Video, GPS receiver, network or other PC Cards. Additional built-in connectivity includes an IrDA port, two RS-232 serial ports, a monitor port, a parallel port, a Sound Blaster(R) Pro-compatible audio system, a keyboard port, a mouse port, a USB port, a floppy drive port and a connector for a port replicator. High-usage docking contacts on the bottom of the Stylistic 2300 allow the user to insert and remove the pen tablet from a custom dock over 100,000 times. These docks are typically mounted on walls, workbenches or in vehicles and can be designed to provide battery charging and peripheral-access capabilities.
Pricing and Availability
The single unit list price for the Stylistic 2300 with CTF display is $ 4,485. The price that a corporation typically pays in volume is considerably less. Along with the jointly announced Point 1600, the Stylistic 2300 is available now through more than 400 value-added resellers (VARs) and systems integrators worldwide.
About Fujitsu Personal Systems
Fujitsu Personal Systems, Inc. (FPSI) is the undisputed leader in the Windows pen tablet market. The Company's mission is to extend the benefits of Working Mobility(TM) to the broadest possible base of workers. FPSI focuses on mobile decision support applications for large organizations and government institutions, and is supported by a worldwide network of certified VARs and systems integrators. FPSI's state-of-the-art pen tablet PCs feature advanced CPU performance, extensive connectivity options and long battery life in compact, lightweight form-factors. Fujitsu Personal Systems is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fujitsu Limited, a leading information technology provider with global revenues of $ 37.7 billion. FPSI (408-982-9500) has headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif., and offices throughout North America and Europe. For more information please call 800-831-3183 or visit www.fpsi.fujitsu.com.
Fujitsu is a registered trademark of Fujitsu, Ltd. Stylistic 1200 is a registered trademark and Working Mobility, Stylistic 2300 and Point 1600 are trademarks of Fujitsu Personal Systems, Inc. Other company or product names have been used for identification purposes only and may be the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
CONTACT:
Fujitsu Personal Systems, Inc.
Tom Bayens, 408/982-9500
thomas_bayens@fpsi.fujitsu.com
or
Sterling Communications, Inc.
Alice Aoki, 408/441-4100
aya@sterlingpr.com