GeoWorks’ Third Major OEM Announced; Sharp Electronics Corp. Supports GEOS Platform
BERKELEY, Calif. — September 8, 1993 — GeoWorks Wednesday announced that Sharp Electronics Corp. is the second major consumer electronics company to select the GEOS operating system platform for its soon-to-be-announced Sharp PT-9000.
This is a major milestone in GeoWorks' mission to be a leading-edge operating system for this emerging computing market.
The two companies have been working for the past year to develop a new class of device that combines the best of a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) and a notebook computer in a single product called a Personal Information Assistant.
This first product, the Sharp PT-9000, has been designed for the traveling professional who needs the benefit of a full-featured set of applications as well as immediate access to his or her personal information.
"GeoWorks is extremely excited to have Sharp endorsing our operating system platform," said Brian Dougherty, chairman and CEO of GeoWorks. "Sharp has a clear track record in bringing new consumer electronics products to market. We believe with partners like Sharp we will create a new class of products that will truly meet the needs of a wide range of audiences."
GeoWorks has been working for the past six years to develop GEOS, an advanced operating system that requires limited hardware resources. This allows hardware manufacturers to deliver products that are low-cost and deliver long battery life without sacrificing rich functionality. The efficiency allows GeoWorks' OEMs to enjoy weeks and months of battery life.
Analysts feel that long battery life is a standard requirement for the consumer electronics market.
"GeoWorks provided Sharp with a unique solution that will enable us to bring a truly compelling product to market," said Gary Schwartz, vice president, Information Systems Group, Sharp Electronics Co. in Mahwah, N.J.
"With its extremely efficient operating system, GEOS, we can deliver a device that provides customers with a product with rich functionality, a graphical, easy-to-use environment and weeks of battery life."
The Sharp PT-9000 has both pen input and a detachable keyboard. This unique design takes advantage of GeoWorks' patented user interface technology that eliminates input device dependence. Sharp's product is the first to deliver this type of flexibility.
In addition to the system software, GeoWorks will provide several key applications, including GeoWrite, a full-featured word processor, GeoFile, a forms-based database, and GeoCalc, a graphical WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) spreadsheet. GeoWorks is also providing file management, graphical user interface (GUI) and user preferences and desktop file compatibility.
GeoWorks and Sharp will work together to encourage independent software vendors (ISVs) to develop third-party applications to support this new Personal Information Assistant. GEOS delivers an open system that encourages software companies to be a part of this new computing mass market.
Palm Computing, Los Altos, Calif., will provide GEOS-based Personal Information Management applications (PIMs) and America Online, Vienna, Va., will deliver native GEOS communications capabilities. Both companies are early developers of GEOS-based applications software that, in addition to the applications provided by GeoWorks, will deliver a complete set of functionality to Sharp's customers.
Sharp now joins a short list of leading hardware manufacturers that have adopted the GEOS technology.
GeoWorks will be holding its first Developer Conference at the Hyatt Regency in Burlingame, Calif., on Oct. 25 and 26, where attendees will receive the new GEOS Software Development Kit (SDK) free. Call 800/524-1857, ext. 1214 for more information.
Located in Berkeley, Calif., GeoWorks is the developer and publisher of the GEOS graphical operating system and application software. The company provides sophisticated and highly efficient system software with rich functionality that will enable hardware manufacturers to market low-cost devices with extended battery life.
GeoWorks also develops applications in the communications, entertainment and information management markets. GeoWorks products are available worldwide through OEMs, dealer channels and republishers.
As a recognized leader in consumer, office and industrial electronics products, Sharp Electronics Corp. has sales of more than $2.4 billion, markets some 1,200 products in more than 40 product categories and employs more than 2,200 people nationwide. Founded in 1962, Sharp Electronics is the U.S. sales and marketing subsidiary of Japan's Sharp Corp., and is a leading seller of many electronics product lines, including LCD products, camcorders, microwave ovens, electronic organizers, copiers, facsimile machines and calculators.
NOTE: GeoWorks, GEOS and GeoFile are registered trademarks, and GeoWrite and GeoCalc are trademarks, of GeoWorks. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
CONTACT:
GeoWorks, Berkeley
Deborah Dawson, 510/204-8550
or
The Bohle Co., Los Angeles
Holly Zmetrovich/Karl Fields, 310/785-0515