[September 21, 2005]

The Schwan Food Company Chooses Sprint PCS Vision Smart Device Treo 650 by Palm and Sprint PCS Business Connection to Extend Mobile Work Force

SUNNYVALE, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 19, 2005 -- All-in-one Device and Intuitive Mobile Email Service Make First-time-user Adoption Easy

Palm, Inc. (Nasdaq:PALM) today announced that The Schwan Food Company, one of the largest frozen-food companies in the United States, has chosen the Sprint PCS Vision(SM) Smart Device Treo(TM) 650 by Palm and Sprint PCS Business Connection(SM) email software to empower its work force. Sprint PCS Business Connection, powered by SEVEN, provides real-time access to email, calendar, contacts and documents.(1) For the first time, up to 200 Schwan executives will be using smart-device technology to accelerate decision-making and better serve customers while away from the office.

Schwan needed a small, easy-to-use, all-in-one voice and data device running a robust mobile email service for its highly mobile work force. Wireless solutions are increasingly becoming mobile extensions of the office. According to IDC's Mobile Worker Forecast, two-thirds of U.S. workers and 55 percent of Western European workers will travel for business in 2006.

"As mobile work forces conduct business in an ever-more wireless world, enterprises find that 'offices' are no longer geographically defined -- the new office is wherever you want it to be," said Tara Griffin, vice president, enterprise sales, for Palm. "With Treo and Sprint PCS Business Connection, employees can work away from the office efficiently, without the weight of a laptop."

The Schwan implementation represents Palm's flexible, standards-based and customer-centric approach to mobile computing for small, large and global businesses. Palm offers a compelling and expanding product portfolio with hardware, software and services to better meet the growing mobile needs of business.

As first-time adopters of smart device technology, Schwan employees are thrilled with how easy it is to use.

"Some employees found laptops cumbersome and difficult, but they took to the Treo 650 right away," said Mike Booke, senior director of strategy and architecture for The Schwan Food Company's Information Services group. "We looked at other mobile solutions on the market and chose the Treo and Sprint PCS Business Connection because of the simplicity, convenience, superior quality and low total cost of ownership. In fact, Schwan executives were so pleased with the solution, and believed the productivity increase was so obvious, a formal ROI analysis was not required."

By standardizing on Sprint PCS Business Connection Enterprise Edition, powered by SEVEN's mobile email software -- which quickly deploys, works out of the box, and seamlessly integrates with Microsoft Exchange 2003 -- Schwan's highly mobile work force has an easy-to-use and affordable technology that allows them to work more efficiently. This ensures Schwan's mobile work force stays in touch with one another and the resources they need to provide superior customer service.

The Sprint Treo 650 and Sprint PCS Business Connection operate on the Sprint Nationwide PCS Network.

About The Schwan Food Company

The Schwan Food Company is a privately held, multibillion-dollar business that manufactures and markets fine frozen foods through home delivery, retail grocery and foodservice channels. Headquartered in Marshall, Minn., for more than 50 years, Schwan employs about 22,000 people in the United States and Europe. To learn more about the company, visit www.TheSchwanFoodCompany.com.

About Palm, Inc.

Palm, Inc., a leader in mobile computing, strives to put the power of computing in people's hands so they can access and share their most important information. The company's products for consumers, mobile professionals and businesses include Palm(R) handheld computers, Palm Treo(TM) smartphones, Palm LifeDrive(TM) mobile managers, as well as software, services and accessories.

Palm products are sold through select Internet, retail, reseller and wireless operator channels throughout the world, and at Palm Retail Stores and Palm online stores (http://www.palm.com/store).

More information about Palm, Inc. is available at http://www.palm.com.

(1) Within wireless service coverage area only. Availability and coverage depends upon carrier and the geographic scope of international roaming agreements. Email, messaging and web access requires data services from a mobile service provider at an additional cost. ISP may also be required.

Palm, LifeDrive and Treo are among the trademarks or registered trademarks owned by or licensed to Palm, Inc. All other brand and product names are or may be trademarks of, and are used to identify products or services of, their respective owners.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]

Discussions: