|
Newsletters
|
|
|
|
|
|
WirelessDevNet.com Press Release
Sierra Wireless Bundles Handango's On-Device Download Catalog on the New Voq Professional Phone
ATLANTA, Georgia -- Sierra Wireless (NASDAQ: SWIR -- TSX: SW) and Handango this week announced that they have signed an agreement to bundle Handango InHand, an intelligent, on-device catalog of applications and digital media, on all versions of the Voq Professional Phone™. The new Voq Professional Phone by Sierra Wireless is planned for commercial availability in the second quarter of 2004.
The Voq Professional Phone is a new class of mobile phone designed for business professionals. It's a phone first, combining the best features of a mobile phone, a messaging device and Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) -- in one. The product's unique flip-open QWERTY thumbpad enables users to sync to a Windows-based computer offering the ultimate email experience in a phone with secure, serverless Always-there™ email and alerts, supporting standard, broadly deployed VPN and business email systems including Microsoft Exchange™, Lotus Notes™, and Novell GroupWise™.
Customers can use Handango InHand to find, try, download and buy software, games, ringtones and graphics with amazing simplicity and rock-solid security. Handango InHand provides operators a unique opportunity to differentiate their data services, drive data revenues and increase customer loyalty. Handango InHand is easily rebranded to give customers a consistent experience. On the Voq Professional Phone, Handango InHand will be rebranded as the Voq Software Store, with a look and feel consistent with Voq Professional Phone branding.
Because the Voq Software Store runs locally on the Voq Professional Phone, it offers a rich graphical interface and very fast response times, improving customer experience while still offering the immediacy and convenience of over-the-air application delivery.
"Through this partnership with Handango, Sierra Wireless will deliver best-in-class mobile telephony, software applications and e-mail with the Voq Professional Phone," said Andrew Harries, senior vice-president, marketing for Sierra Wireless. "By extending the functionality of the Voq Professional Phone, it truly becomes an indispensable tool that enables business professionals to improve their productivity and lifestyle."
On the Voq Professional Phone, the Voq Software Store provides a wide variety of applications including games, utilities, entertainment, productivity, business and travel software selected from Handango's catalog of more than 800 Windows Mobile™ Smartphone applications. For each application, customers can access product information including descriptions, user ratings, price and screenshots and can easily try applications by downloading a trial version. Handango InHand includes OTA pull update functionality, enabling customers to get new, fresh titles on-demand.
Making the download process simple and user friendly for customers, Handango InHand features proprietary download safeguard technology. In the event that a wireless connection fails during download, the download safeguard allows the customer to resume downloading without any data loss. Purchasing from Handango InHand is also made easy with a secure wallet. Customers can save and encrypt their information on the server, making purchasing as easy as providing a password. Other purchase methods such as premium SMS or direct carrier billing are also available.
"The launch of Handango InHand with the new Voq Professional Phone by Sierra Wireless is a significant milestone for Handango. Sierra Wireless is the first licensee of the Windows Mobile Smartphone version of Handango InHand, and it represents an extension of their commitment to deliver highly differentiated wireless solutions," said Randy Eisenman, president and chief executive officer of Handango. "We're proud to work with an innovative product that offers mobile professionals the performance and reliability they need for business."
The two companies will also partner to deliver an on online portal that extends Handango's premier catalog of Windows Mobile Smartphone applications and Sierra Wireless' expanding catalog of software products for Voq Professional Phone customers. Built on Handango's robust application management and provisioning platform, Handango AMPP, the online Voq Software Store will provide Sierra Wireless customers yet another, fast, efficient way to find, download and purchase applications for their phones.
About Sierra Wireless
Sierra Wireless is a leader in delivering highly differentiated wireless solutions that enable our customers to improve their productivity and lifestyle. Sierra Wireless develops and markets the AirCard, the industry-leading wireless PC card line for portable computers; embedded modules for OEM wireless applications; the MP line of rugged vehicle-mounted connectivity solutions; and Voq, a line of mobile phones with easy-to-use, secure software solutions for mobile professionals. For more information about Sierra Wireless please visit www.sierrawireless.com. "AirCard" and "Voq" are trademarks of Sierra Wireless, Inc. Other product or service names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
About Voq
The Voq Professional Phone™ is a new class of mobile phone that offers a flip-open QWERTY thumbpad and easy-to-use software solutions for business users, including secure, serverless, always-there e-mail. Based on the Microsoft Windows Mobile™ 2003 software for Smartphone, the Voq Professional Phone incorporates the best features of your current mobile phone, a messaging device, and a PDA -- in one.
About Handango
Handango is the leading provider of mobile downloads, bringing over 50,000 applications and 25,000 digital media titles to market through an extensive global distribution network that reaches millions of mobile users. Handango's application management and provisioning platform, Handango AMPP, has been chosen as the mobile software delivery platform for Nokia, Motorola, Sprint, Verizon Wireless, Cingular Wireless, T-Mobile, Orange SA, Sony Ericsson, palmOne, Microsoft, Sony, HP, Sega Mobile, AOL and more than 100 others. For more information, visit www.handango.com.
|
|
|
