Tuesday, December 11, 2001, Rockville, MD-InHand Electronics, Inc., a leader in creating ultra-portable handheld device platforms for OEMs, today announced the availability of its new Fingertip platform. This new version is based on Intel's StrongARM CPU and builds on the original high-performance, low-power Fingertip platform by adding an integrated Bluetooth wireless network interface, an integrated Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, and support for additional color and monochrome LCD displays.

"The response to our original Fingertip platform has been outstanding, with customers lauding its very low-power consumption and high-level of integration," said Andrew Girson, InHand's CEO. "This new Fingertip platform ratchets up the integration and leverages our third-party relationships with Socket Communications and Trimble, by incorporating their low-power peripherals. Together with Bluetooth and GPS, handhelds based on the new Fingertip platform can still achieve sub-watt power consumption."

The new Fingertip platform incorporates all of the features of InHand's BatterySmart system software suite for StrongARM and XScale CPUs, including dynamic clock-scaling, reduced power peripheral software drivers, and advanced measurement and analysis tools. Both the Bluetooth and GPS peripherals interface with the main CPU through BatterySmart's power-optimized software drivers. Using BatterySmart, Fingertips power consumption is kept below one watt, even with Bluetooth, GPS, and QVGA LCD peripherals in operational mode.

"As location-based services become increasingly important in a variety of industries, InHand's Fingertip and Trimble's M-Loc MPM GPS module provide an ideal platform that allows OEMs to rapidly develop location-enabled handheld devices," said Dennis Workman, vice president of Trimbles Component Technologies Division.

And, Mike Gifford, Executive Vice President of Socket Communications (Nasdaq: SCKT) adds, "With Bluetooth implementations becoming increasingly important for handheld devices, InHand's Bluetooth-enabled Fingertip reference platform provides a great solution for OEMs interested in building state-of-the-art low-power handhelds. With our Bluetooth modules and software natively supported on the Fingertip, OEMs will benefit via short range wireless connectivity device-to-mobile phone, device-to-mobile printer, and other operating scenarios where cabled connections are cumbersome."

New Fingertip Development Platforms will be available in early January with BatterySmart 2 for Microsoft Corp.'s Windows CE 3.0. Pricing is at $2,995 for the base platform and $3,995 with integrated Bluetooth and GPS hardware and software.

About InHand Electronics, Inc.
InHand Electronics, Inc. is an ultra-portable handheld platform provider to Original Equipment Manufacturers. The company provides commercial off-the-shelf developer's kits that are industrial-strength and power-efficient, for uses in the military, medical technology and telecommunications industries among others. The platforms accommodate standard wireless, data storage and data acquisition plug-ins. Fingertip, Elf, BatterySmart, and OmniMeter are built on the industry's leading technologies including Intel's StrongARM and XScale RISC chips and the Windows CE operating system. The company's headquarters are in Rockville, Maryland. For more information please view the company web site at www.inhand.com

About Socket
Socket Communications, Inc., offers the world's largest selection of plug-in products to expand the functionality of handheld computers and other devices, including mobile data, local area networking, bar code scanning and serial connectivity. Socket's products incorporate the company’s energy-efficient chip technology and utilize custom drivers, making our products ideal for battery-operated mobile computers. In addition, Socket offers Bluetooth modules, design services and several software developer kits (SDKs) to help developers incorporate Bluetooth into future devices and applications. Socket is committed to form factor standardization, and plays a key role in such standards-defining bodies as the CompactFlash Association, SD Association and Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). For information about Socket and its complete range of products, visit www.socketcom.com.

About Trimble
Trimble is a leading innovator of Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. In addition to providing advanced GPS components, Trimble augments GPS with other positioning technologies as well as wireless communications and software to create complete customer solutions. Trimble's worldwide presence and unique capabilities position the Company for growth in emerging applications including surveying, automobile navigation, machine guidance, asset tracking, wireless platforms, and telecommunications infrastructure. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., Trimble has more than 2,000 employees in more than 20 countries worldwide. For an interactive look at company news and products, visit Trimble's Web site at www.trimble.com.

Product or service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners. Socket is a registered trademark of Socket Communications, Inc. Bluetooth is a trademark owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc., and licensed to Socket Communications, Inc. © 2001, InHand Electronics, Inc. All rights reserved.

Editorial Contact:
Rebecca Mettler
Direct Access PR
703-867-7897
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Customer Contact:
Knut Skare
InHand Electronics, Inc.
240-558-2014
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