(August 28, 2002) - Palm Solutions Group and BEA Systems, Inc., have formed a long-term strategic relationship to bring Web services to Palm^TM branded handhelds, using WebLogic technology.

Palm will develop tools and a device-side software suite to simplify development and deployment of mobile Web services to extend enterprise applications on Palm handhelds. Palm and BEA will work together to integrate this solution with the J2EE-based BEA WebLogic Server 7.0 and BEA WebLogic Workshop products as server-side controls. This Palm SG solution will be the first WebLogic Workshop control developed for a handheld device. The software combination is scheduled as a beta release for late this year, and should be generally available in the first quarter of 2003.

A key element of this agreement is the use of Palm's new Reliable Transport technology as a core infrastructure component for this solution. Reliable Transport will provide a robust, secure, and usable platform for sending XML data between the server and Palm handhelds. The solution will be designed to easily allow Palm developers to use BEA WebLogic Workshop as the server-side programming framework, while WebLogic Workshop developers utilize Reliable Transport to send messages to and from Palm handhelds.

This alliance will allow an expanded audience of enterprise developers to extend enterprise applications and data to Palm handhelds using Web services. Ultimately, new types of Palm handheld applications - which can directly interface into complex, back-end business logic through the use of open-standards - will be possible. Both Palm and BEA believe that by adopting and promoting open technology standards, they will help drive the adoption of full-scale mobile applications.

"By partnering with Palm and by supporting and integrating Palm's technology and products into the BEA WebLogic Enterprise Platform solution, we're further extending the capabilities of BEA WebLogic Workshop to offer a more complete and robust solution to the mobile enterprise developer," said Susan M. Siegel, director of BEA's Press and Analyst Relations. "The joint collaboration will provide a reliable mobile solution that can help speed up the adoption of Web services by enterprise customers."

This agreement supports Palm's strategy to deliver broad development support and simplify access to enterprise applications and data by integrating core mobile infrastructure into leading application server platforms. For BEA, the agreement enables strategic mobile and wireless partners to allow developers to easily create and deploy mobile applications, as well as extend enterprise data and Web services to Palm handheld devices on the BEA WebLogic Enterprise Platform.

"Our experience and expertise with mobile business systems development helps us appreciate the significance and value of the Palm/BEA initiative," said Tracy Trent, chief executive officer, Stellcom. "We understand the challenges inherent in designing robust, secure and transactional business solutions on intermittent mobile networks. This combination offers developers and systems integrators like Stellcom a powerful new foundation for developing solid mobile business solutions."

"BEA WebLogic Workshop can deliver an industry-leading framework for reliable Web services capabilities to our enterprise customers," said Byron Sebastian, vice president and general manager, BEA WebLogic Workshop and BEA WebLogic Portal, BEA Systems. "With the Palm relationship, we're in a position to enable enterprises to integrate all their applications on top of a unified, simplified, extensible, and mobile application infrastructure platform."

"This partnership signifies the high degree of commitment Palm has to provide enterprise customers with what they need to extend their core business data and applications to wherever their employees are working," said Todd Bradley, president and chief operating officer, Solutions Group, Palm, Inc. " We are particularly attracted to BEA because of its commitment to industry standards and its strong track record of innovation."