Motorola to Develop Wireless Software Technology for Lotus Messaging Platforms
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — January 23, 1995 — Today at Lotusphere in Orlando, Florida, Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) announced that it is working with Lotus Development Corp. (Nasdaq: LOTS) to dramatically enhance the wireless capabilities of Lotus' messaging platforms, Lotus Notes and Lotus cc:Mail, and to extend wireless support to all major data networks. This support includes the ARDIS, CDPD (Cellular Digital Packet Data) and RAM Mobile Data networks.
Motorola's Wireless Data Group (WDG) Mobile Software Products business unit, whose AirMobile(TM) software products became commercially available in December 1994, will develop and market the wireless technology as add-on products for cc:Mail and Notes.
The first add-on product incorporating Motorola's wireless technology will support cc:Mail(TM) Mobile, and is expected to be available early in the second quarter of 1995. Features and availability of additional add-on products to support wireless Notes will be announced later this year. The add-on products will be configured as field upgrades usable by present as well as future customers.
"We are very pleased to be able to use our expertise and extensive technology base to provide wireless enhancements of the Lotus products," said Randy Battat, corporate vice president and general manager, Motorola Wireless Data Group. "Lotus is one of the world's leading providers of powerful collaborative business computing solutions and we value its support of our wireless software technology."
"Extending Notes and cc:Mail to encompass anytime, anywhere communications and collaboration is an important part of our strategy," said Jeff Papows, vice president, Communications Products Division, Lotus Development Corp. "This agreement leverages Motorola's technology expertise to allow our customers to reap the benefits of wireless communications. We look forward to working with Motorola to make this happen."
Motorola's AirMobile software consists of wireless communications tools and technologies that are based on an industry-standard common architecture. The architecture, which is optimized to meet the communication challenges of wireless environments, ensures that AirMobile products, and those products that support its architecture, will run on most of today's leading wireless packet data networks. This allows users to easily move applications from the local area network (LAN) to wireless environments while maintaining a high level of performance and reliability.
Lotus Notes is the industry standard platform for developing and deploying groupware applications. Lotus cc:Mail is the world's most popular electronic mail system for local area networks.
Motorola's Mobile Software Products is a business unit within Motorola WDG that delivers advanced software development tools, mobile communications servers and applications for wireless communications. Its AirMobile software products directly address the challenges inherent in low-bandwidth, variable latency wireless wide-area networks, and support applications including electronic mail, database access, host access, file transfer, dispatching, faxing and peer-to-peer messaging.
The Wireless Data Group is part of Motorola's Messaging, information and Media Sector and incorporates the company's business activities involved with the design, manufacturing and distribution of wireless data products, infrastructure equipment and systems for worldwide markets. Motorola is one of the world's leading providers of wireless communications, semiconductors, and advanced systems and services. Sales in 1994 were $22.2 billion.
NOTE: Motorola is a registered trademark and AirMobile is a trademark of Motorola, Inc. Lotus and Lotus Notes are registered trademarks and Notes is a trademark of Lotus Development Corp. cc:Mail is a trademark of cc:Mail, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lotus Development Corp.
CONTACT:
Mario Salvadori of Motorola Wireless Data Group, 708-576-7164,
or
Karen Magill of Cunningham Communication, 617-494-8202