June 27, 2001 – OmniSky, the San Francisco-based handheld services provider, yesterday committed itself to "aggressive" support for Bluetooth.

Using the opening of PC Expo in New York as its backdrop, OmniSky underscored its Bluetooth commitment with two announcements that will meld its Palm V/Vx applications with Bluetooth-enabled devices – as well as utilize both GPRS and CDMA technologies to assure global and next-generation coverage.

Announced yesterday, OmniSky and Ericsson will co-market Bluetooth solutions for European mobile network operators and distributors. The plan calls for combining OmniSky's applications with the Swedish company's T39 and R530 Bluetooth phones – notably by bundling Ericsson phones with the OmniSky's Bluetooth adapter for the Palm V/Vx.

"It's a potent combination," Neville Street, president of OmniSky International, said of the Ericsson deal. "Ericsson delivers the connectivity to allow a genuinely fast, convenient wireless experience, and OmniSky delivers the email and Web applications that bring customers to the wireless data environment."

OmniSky and Ericsson demonstrated the integration of the Palm V/Vx with the T39 and R520 phones in March at the annual CeBIT show in Hannover, Germany.

Also announced yesterday, the OmniSky Palm Vx Bluetooth adapter will be available over the CDMA network via Motorola's Timeport 270c mobile phone.

"This year's PC Expo is a great forum to highlight our significant momentum in platform, device and network expansion," said OmniSky CEO Patrick McVeigh.

Adding WAP, Laptop Services

That "momentum" also includes support for WAP and OmniSky's first foray into laptop support.

The WAP service will be demonstrated at the PC Expo using the Sanyo SCP-5000. OmniSky said it had joined the WAP Forum as part of its "strategy to take a leadership role in defining the best-possible user experience for wireless services on phones."

The WAP service, available via CDMA networks, will allow users to access Web content and OmniSky's Os Cities and Os People applications.

In the laptop realm, OmniSky will next month launch support for the HP Pavilion notebook PC.

Also in the works: OmniSky services on the Casio E-125 Pocket PC. OmniSky currently offers its email and Internet services for Palm V and Palm Vx, Handspring Visor Platinum, Visor Prism and Visor Edge, HP Jornada 520/540 Series Pocket PCs and the Compaq iPAQ Pocket PC.