NCR’s Pen-Based Notepad: A High-Performance Tool Putting Computing Power in the Hands of Millions of Mobile Workers

June 24, 1991 — NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR) today announced the NCR System 3125, an advanced pen-based notepad that can be carried wherever people work, and is the first mobile automation tool with true handwriting-recognition capabilities.

The NCR 3125 brings the power and functionality of a personal computer — while masking computing’s complexity — to millions of people who today rely on notes, paper forms, pencils, pens, pocket calculators and clipboards.  With the NCR 3125, users print directly on a digitized screen with a cordless pen to “input data.” The NCR 3125’s handwriting-recognition technology recognizes both uppercase and lowercase block print letters, gestures and annotations, and adapts to multiple handwriting styles.

“The 3125 notepad is more than just another mobile computer,” said Gilbert P. Williamson, president, NCR.  “The 3125 is a tool that brings significant new power, significant new functionality, and significant new ease-of-use to business operations that have thus far resisted computerization.”

“The NCR 3125 represents the next step in NCR’s strategy of providing complete computing solutions across the entire enterprise from data capture to sophisticated, high-performance information analysis,” said Williamson.

Revolutionary Solution

“The 3125 brings the power of the pen to computing.  For users in the field, for users who find a keyboard an impediment to data input, for users struggling with time-consuming, paper-bound procedures, the NCR 3125 offers a revolutionary, cost-effective solution,” Williamson added.

Light weight (3.9 pounds), and designed for mobility and ease-of-use, the NCR 3125 notepad can replace conventional keyboard-based systems, paper pads and order forms.  It will enable sales forces, field technicians, service providers and mobile executives to collect, process, analyze, and respond to data in a fast, efficient new way.

Two Key Firsts

The NCR 3125 offers two key firsts:

• It supports both Microsoft’s Windows for Pen Computing(TM) and GO Corporation’s PenPoint(TM) operating systems, as well as MS(TM)-DOS.
• It offers true handwritten print recognition, in addition to basic pen-based “tap and select” menu selection.

“NCR is today announcing a new paradigm, with a computer that is not like any other computer ever made,” said Tom Mays, senior vice president, NCR’s General Purpose Products Division. He said he expects this to result in a new model for how, and where, computers will be used.

Opportunity and Need

Sizing the market and need for pen-based solutions, Mays noted that there are several million mobile workers in the United States alone. According to Mays, this demonstrates the large-scale growth predicted for pen-based computing.

Mays added that more than 90 percent of data is never put on-line, and that, “NCR’s pen-based system can allow companies to analyze and synthesize information while it is still relevant.”

Minimal Training

Since it requires very little training, the system can be quickly put into the hands of new computer users. Information such as electronic forms, customer data, and product information — including discount structures and pricing — can be stored in the 3125 for use in gathering data at any location.

In addition to reducing the need for field professionals to carry documents and forms to customer sites, the NCR 3125 enables these professionals to provide customers with immediate quotes, such as estimated ship dates, product availability and customized pricing quotes.

This not only eliminates paperwork, unnecessary order delays and revisits to customers, it also drastically reduces errors resulting from the rekeying of information.

Instant Analysis

And, since accurate sales and customer information is now immediately on-line, it can be sent via modem to the appropriate server for timely company-wide sales analysis and order processing.

“The increased productivity, efficiency, and data accuracy realized by system 3125 users will result in rapid paybacks in terms of competitive advantage and customer satisfaction,” said Elton White, executive vice president, NCR.

Unobtrusive Power

Based on the Intel386 SL(TM) microprocessor, the NCR 3125 notepad packs the power of a 386(TM) desktop personal computer.  It runs at 20MHz and supports up to 16 kilobytes of cache memory. This combination of power and memory allows the system to compute data instantly and unobtrusively in any setting.

The system comes standard with 4MB of memory, user expandable with 2 and 4MB increments of DRAM or FEPROM in SIMMS or IC cards to 20MB.

Non-volatile flash erasable programmable ROM (FEPROM) memory is available for protection against data loss.  The 3125’s “auto save” capability saves the system’s entire memory to non-volatile storage before any information can be lost.

“Invisible” Technology

While the 3125 features advanced technology, said Alok Mohan, vice president, NCR’s Workstation Products Division, “NCR’s intent has been to make the technology invisible to the user.”

“If you know how to print a telephone number in a pocket directory, jot down the time and place of a meeting on a calendar, or fill out a form, you know how to begin using this computer,” he added.

Potential Uses in Field

NCR foresees many potential uses for the 3125:

• Salespeople will be able to carry up-to-the-minute price lists and on-screen order forms. They will be able to take, revise and transmit orders, eliminating the need to reenter orders from paper forms;
• Insurance claims adjusters will be able to carry a notepad to a customer site and make adjustments for on-site estimates and customer approvals;
• Shipping agents will be able to record, forward and deliver orders faster and more accurately;
• Utility company representatives doing energy audits at business sites will be able to create a number of “what if” scenarios based on insulation depth, heating-plant capacities and other variables.

The base unit of the 3125 which includes 4MB memory, subdivided into 2MB of DRAM and 2MB FEPROM, PenO/S, power supply with charger, carrying case, external connection adapter and stylus is U.S. list priced at $4,765.00. A configuration with a 20MB hard drive and 2MB DRAM, PenO/S, power supply with charger, carrying case, external connection adapter and stylus is U.S. list priced at $4,795.00.

With deliveries beginning in August, the NCR System 3125 will be marketed through NCR’s direct and indirect sales channels, including value-added resellers, national distributors and original equipment manufacturers.

NCR’s Workstation Products Division develops, manufactures and supports a full line of personal workstations, deskside servers and mobile computing platforms. These products are based on industry standards and are within the framework of NCR’s Open, Cooperative, Computing strategy.

NCR Corporation develops, manufactures, markets, supports and services enterprise-wide information systems for worldwide markets.

PenPoint is a trademark of GO Corporation.

Microsoft Windows for Pen Computing is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

386 SL and 386 are trademarks of Intel Corporation.

MS-DOS is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

CONTACT:
Kim Warnock of NCR Corporation, 513-445-4732,
or
MaryEllen O’Donohue of Manning, Selvage & Lee, 212-213-7065, for NCR