EO First to Ship Personal Communicators in Volume
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — April 21, 1993 — Making good on its promise to be first to market, EO Inc., is now shipping the EO Personal Communicator 440 in volume.
Already in the hands of more than 60 corporations, EO Personal Communicators are now available for sale to businesses and individuals directly from EO, through its toll-free number, 800/458-0880.
"In an industry inundated with hype, hoopla and pie-in-the-sky promises, we are delivering on our commitment to be the first company to bring to market a personal communicator," said Alain Rossmann, president and chief executive officer of EO. "We are manufacturing personal communicators in volume at the Matsushita Electric manufacturing plant in Franklin Park, Ill., and have started filling customer orders."
EO officially announced its Personal Communicators — the first fully integrated mobile communications devices to combine the power of cellular phones, fax machines and personal computers — in November 1992.
Within the next two months, EO will move beyond direct sales and into other distribution channels, including select computer resellers, cellular providers, value added resellers and system integrators. EO Personal Communicators will be available in AT&T Phone Center stores starting in June 1993.
Direct sales customers to date range from large corporations who tend to be early adopters of mobile technologies, such as airlines, hospitals, insurance providers, retailers and pharmaceutical companies, to value added resellers and government entities. EO's current customer list includes Andersen Consulting, FD Titus & Sons, Lawrence Livermore Laboratories and The New York Stock Exchange.
More than 125 independent software developers have committed to developing applications for the EO Personal Communicators to meet both the horizontal and vertical needs of its customers.
In addition to its domestic arrangements, EO recently announced a strategic partnership with Olivetti, Europe's leading computer manufacturer. One of the key benefits of this alliance to EO is Olivetti's strong sales and distribution network in Europe.
EO Inc., was founded in 1991 to produce and market personal communicators. The company has received funding from Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, AT&T, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. LTD., Marubeni and Olivetti. EO employs approximately 100 people at its headquarters in Mountain View and European office in Cambridge, England.
NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information, contact Mark Smotroff/Sharon Miller at Access Public Relations, 101 Howard St., 2nd floor, San Francisco, CA 94105, 415/904-7070, fax 415/904-7055.
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