Palm adds VoIP, more to Tungsten C

Palm has partnered with several other companies to beef up support for the Tungsten C, including VoIP software and discounts on Wi-Fi hardware.

Palm today has announced several partnerships designed to further drive adoption of its Tungsten C handheld. The Tungsten C is Palm’s high-powered 802.11b (Wi-Fi)-enabled handheld, aimed primarily at businessusers.

First and foremost, VLI is introducing Gphone for Palm handhelds to enable VoIP for Palm Tungsten C handheld users. Gphone is a VoIP(Voice-over-IP) application available for several platforms that will allow users to place phone calls to any other Gphone-using Tungsten C, Pocket PC, or desktop system, or even over the publictelephone network. Gphone also integrates into existing infrastructures to allow for automatic call forwarding to the handheld, and lets users within the same company call each other over the companynetwork without any telephone costs at all.

Gphone requires the Palm Hands Free Headset, available directly from Palm. It will work with any Wi-Fi network, including the thousands of Wi-Fi “hot spots” cropping up in cities and airports aroundthe world. To help locate Wi-Fi hotspots, Palm will be including WiFinder, a free public hotspot locator service that provides directories on over 5000 hot spots worldwide, customized for theTungsten C. Registered users will also receive a 2-month free trial with WayPort, which owns many of those hotspots in hotels andairports.

In addition, users who purchased a Tungsten C between 23 April and 30 September 2003 will be eligible for a special $60 USD discount on 802.11b-compatible hardware from Linksys. Linksys manufactures and sells a number of Wi-Fi related products, including access points, PCMCIA adapters for laptops, Compact Flash adapters forhandhelds, and PCI adapters for desktop systems.