Bitstream Announces Release of
ThunderHawk for Smartphone Users Breakthrough
mobile browser enables end users to view and navigate Web pages in
an intuitive format
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS — March 30, 2004 — Bitstream
Inc. (NASDAQ:
BITS) announced today the release of ThunderHawk
Smartphone Edition, Bitstream's breakthrough mobile browsing technology
for devices based on the Windows Smartphone OS, which lets anyone
with a wireless connection browse the Web anytime, anywhere.
Already available to wireless carriers and operators to supplement
voice with data services, ThunderHawk's Smartphone Edition is now
available for end users to download on Bitstream's Web site: http://www.bitstream.com/wireless/Smartphone.
Users can
subscribe
to ThunderHawk for $49.95 per year or $5.95 per month.
ThunderHawk Smartphone Edition for end users makes the Internet
truly wireless, allowing users anytime, anywhere access to the entire
Web with an easy-to-use browser for Smartphones. While some browsers
reformat the Web page for quick reading, users still have to scroll
through several pages before finding the information they need.
ThunderHawk promotes effortless navigation because Web pages appear
just as they do on desktop browsers users are already familiar with.
As a result, images are full and crisp, text is clear and easy to
read, and users can find information fast and read it quickly.
Important features of ThunderHawk Smartphone Edition include a
more intuitive user interface. The split screen mode lets users
easily skim information and quickly find their orientation on a
Web page. The upper half of the split screen shows the entire page,
while the lower half displays the selected area at full size. Full
screen mode displays a section of the page at full size.
Users can save favorite Web sites to ThunderHawk for easy recall
later, or use the address bar history to cycle through Web sites
previously visited. There is no need to relearn new Web browsing
techniques. Users point to and click links just like they would
in a desktop browser. With ThunderHawk's premier support for open
standards and security protocols, Smartphone Edition provides users
with a truly complete Web browsing experience.
"This edition of ThunderHawk delivers the best user experience
available today for browsing Web pages on Smartphones," said Anna
Chagnon, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bitstream. "There
are nearly 10 million Smartphone users in the world today. Our latest
version of ThunderHawk will allow us to tap into this growing market
by providing Windows OS-based users with immediate access to the
information they need, in a format they instantly recognize. This
release also continues our commitment to expand the reach of ThunderHawk
into a greater variety of mobile devices."
About
ThunderHawk
ThunderHawk is a breakthrough
mobile browsing technology that brings the desktop browsing experience
to Pocket PCs and cell and smart phones. It makes the Internet truly
wireless, connecting customers anytime, anywhere with a Web browser
that displays readable, legible text and crisp, sharp graphics.
A client-server technology, ThunderHawk relies on a server infrastructure
combined with a small piece of thin-client code on the actual handheld
device. The server transmits Web content in a compact format to
mobile devices, making fast and full-featured wireless Web browsing
possible. ThunderHawk supports rich Web pages that have a high degree
of compliance with open HTML standards. That is, ThunderHawk does
not have to strip out any HTML standards because of limitations
on the client side.
ThunderHawk does not rely on WAP (Wireless Application Protocol)
or cHTML (Compact HyperText Markup Language). This removes the need
for Web content developers to create separate Web sites optimized
for small devices, or for companies to license separate software
that converts Web sites into a format appropriate for cell phones,
smart phones, Pocket PCs, etc.
By delivering full-featured Web browsing to mobile devices, ThunderHawk
gives customers the same browsing experience on a wireless device
as they are used to on the desktop.
Award-Winning Technology
Pocket PC magazine awarded ThunderHawk its prestigious Best Software
of 2003 Award in the Browsers and Web Utilities category. Pocket
PC magazine's Best Software Awards celebrate the efforts of developers
whose products increase the enjoyment and productivity of Pocket
PC and smart phone users. Stated Rich Hall, Managing Editor of Pocket
PC Magazine, "Our international board of experts chose ThunderHawk
as the best application in the Browser and Web Utilities category
because of its capability to bring real desktop browsing to Pocket
PC devices."
ThunderHawk Enterprise Server
ThunderHawk Enterprise Server is a client-server technology for
corporations and telecommunications companies. Providing wireless
Web browsing across networks, it gives a mobile workforce complete
access to Internet and corporate intranet Web pages.
ThunderHawk Smartphone Edition
Now in beta release, ThunderHawk Smartphone Edition enables consumers
to browse the Web on cell and smart phones. It allows a smart phone
with a 176x220 color LCD screen to display an 800x946-pixel Web
page. Smartphone Edition lets consumers find information fast and
read it quickly. The split screen view shows them exactly where
they are on the Web page, while the full screen view displays a
large portion of the page in an easy-to-read format.
ThunderHawk Pocket PC Edition
ThunderHawk Pocket PC Edition allows consumers to browse the Web
on Pocket PC devices. Bringing the desktop browsing experience to
mobile devices, ThunderHawk enables a Pocket PC with a 320x240 color
LCD screen to display a legible SVGA (800x600) or VGA (640x480)
screen of a Web page.
For More Information:
If your company is interested in ThunderHawk, E-mail us at thunderhawk@bitstream.com,
contact Bitstream at 800.522.3668 or 617.497.6222, or visit us on
the Web at http://www.bitstream.com.
Bitstream
Bitstream Inc. (NASDAQ:
BITS) is a software development company that focuses on the
presentation of data. Bitstream enables customers worldwide to render
high-quality text, browse the Web on wireless devices, select from
the largest collection of fonts online, and customize documents
over the Internet. Its core competencies include font technology,
browsing technology, e-commerce technology, and publishing technology.
Visit Bitstream on the Web at http://www.bitstream.com.
Bitstream is a registered trademark and the Bitstream
logo and ThunderHawk are trademarks of Bitstream Inc. Other technologies
and brand names are used for information only and remain trademarks
or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
Contact
Anna Chagnon
President and
Chief Executive Officer
Bitstream Inc.
617.520.8619
achagnon@bitstream.com
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