Apple Computer And Paragraph Announce Recognition Technology Agreement
CUPERTINO, Calif. — June 7, 1993 — The power to read and recognize handwriting, a key component of Apple Computer's (NASDAQ-NMS: AAPL) forthcoming Newton family of Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), will include a unique technology which was first developed by a team of Russian programmers and computer scientists working in Moscow.
The Personal Interactive Electronics (PIE) division of Apple Computer has announced that it has signed an agreement with ParaGraph International for that company's cursive handwriting recognition technology to be used as part of Apple's forthcoming Newton family of products.
Further development on the handwriting technology will be done — in cooperation with Apple — at ParaGraph's newly opened Sunnyvale, Calif. facility. Original work on this project was done in Moscow, where ParaGraph was established in 1989.
"We are excited to be taking our work with Apple to the next stage, where we together will optimize our technology for their Newton family," said Stepan Pachikov, president/chief executive officer of ParaGraph. "This is a key relationship for us, and one which contributes to our vision of taking technology developed in Russia and turning it into successful products in the United States."
Announcing the agreement at a press conference at the Spring Consumer Electronics Show in Chicago, Gaston Bastiaens, PIE vice president & general manager, echoed ParaGraph's enthusiasm. "For our Newton family we have developed within Apple cutting edge software and combined it with advanced technology from other companies," he said. "Adding ParaGraph's recognition technology will give us the most functional, most useable product in the emerging category of Personal Digital Assistants."
The Newton family from Apple is expected to ship in the summer of 1993, and the first product with an SRP significantly less than $1000. Agreements licensing the technology underlying Newton — known as Newton Intelligence — have been signed with Sharp Corp., Motorola and Kyushu Matsushita Electric. Siemens/ROLM are also combining Newton Intelligence with their PABX technology to produce a product called NotePhone.
NOTE: Apple and the Apple logo are registered trademarks and Newton is a trademark of Apple Computer Inc.
CONTACT:
Frank O'Mahony of Apple Computer, 408-974-5420