Palm Brings VoIP to Tungsten C

Palm announced today that it is partnering with several technology companies to bring wireless products and services, including Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), to users of its Wi-Fi-enabled Tungsten C handheld. According to IDC's Alex Slawsby, it's no longer enough to simply deliver a device -- handheld device vendors must partner to offer a compelling solution story.

"Given the expansion of Wi-Fi networks in homes, in enterprises, and in public hotspots, it is becoming increasingly important for handheld device vendors to offer compelling Wi-Fi solutions," said Mr. Slawsby.

Among the companies teaming with Palm are VLI, a world leader in SIP (session initiation protocol) compliant VoIP software and services for mobile electronic devices; Linksys, the leading provider of wireless routers, network cards and USB adapters; and Wayport, the world's largest provider of 802.11b wireless and wired high-speed Internet access in hotels and airports.

VLI's gPhone for Palm handhelds, available in June, will enable VoIP for Palm Tungsten C handheld users. Tungsten C owners will have the ability to communicate with other Palm handhelds using corporate wireless networks, public hotspots or wireless home networks. By inserting the Palm hands-free headset in the Tungsten C headphone jack, users will be able to pick up calls forwarded from their desk phone to their Tungsten C handheld and make calls to colleagues on the company network. gPhone for Palm handhelds from VLI is scheduled to be available in June.

"VoIP is fast becoming a compelling and cost-effective means of communication for wireless devices," said Ken Wirt, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Palm Solutions Group. Mr. Wirt demonstrated VLI's VoIP technology with the Tungsten C handheld at a recent trade show.

Other companies are providing free services or discounts. Linksys is including a coupon booklet worth up to $60 in discounts on wireless access points, notebook adapters and PC cards with the purchase of a Palm Tungsten C handheld. Wayport is offering a 30-day free trial of Wayport's Wi-Fi and wired Internet access with purchase of a Palm Tungsten C handheld. (Handheld registration is required.) WiFinder is providing a free locator service to find wireless hotspots in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

On the security front, Palm is teaming with Meetinghouse Data Communications to bring secure access to wireless LANs using Meetinghouse's AEGIS WLAN security solution. AEGIS supports LEAP (Lightweight Extensible Authentication Protocol), a standards-based authentication method developed by Cisco that requires mutual authentication, which means both the user and access point to which the user is attempting to connect must authenticate one to the other before network access is granted. In addition to LEAP security, an IPSec virtual private network (VPN) client will be available to address remote access security.

AEGIS WLAN Security and the IPSec VPN client are scheduled to be available later this summer.