--Technology exemplifies Bluetooth wireless technology form and function
and works with mobile phones, PDAs and laptop computers
--GN Netcom headset to be marketed by Motorola as an accessory for use
with their wireless phones with Bluetooth wireless technology
--Company now offers the first full line of headsets with Bluetooth
wireless technology for office, mobile and PC applications
--GN Netcom technology to be marketed to consumers under JABRA name, and
available as OEM product to other companies
COPENHAGEN, Denmark, and LAS VEGAS, March 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Less than a
year after introducing its first headset with Bluetooth wireless technology,
Copenhagen-based GN Netcom, with U.S. offices in Nashua, N.H., will present
its second generation Bluetooth product, this one targeted to meet the needs
of the expanding wireless mobile communications market.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990920/GNNETCOM )
The new, second-generation headset with Bluetooth wireless technology
features a unique state-of-the art design and user-friendly interface that can
be used with Bluetooth enabled mobile phones, PDAs and laptop computers.
In September 2000, the company received critical acclaim for introducing
one of the world's first Bluetooth certified products, the GN 9000, a
Bluetooth wireless technology headset for the professional office market. The
GN Netcom headset was the first of its kind to receive official certification
by a Bluetooth Qualification Body.
"GN Netcom is constantly looking at how to help people communicate more
easily and effectively. Our ability to yet again present an innovative hands-
free product further underscores GN Netcom's position as the definitive world
leader in wireless hands-free communication," said Niels B. Christiansen,
president and CEO of GN Netcom. "We believe that our new generation of
Bluetooth headset will help catapult the use of Bluetooth to the levels many
analysts have predicted."
Motorola, a worldwide leader in mobile communications, was first to take
advantage of GN Netcom's leadership in this area. Under an OEM agreement,
Motorola is slated to market the GN Netcom Bluetooth headset as an accessory
for use with its wireless phones with Bluetooth wireless technology. The
first headset products are expected to ship in the second half of 2001 closely
following the introduction of the Motorola Timeport 270 wireless phone. The
alliance between GN Netcom and Motorola underscores the companies' shared goal
of delivering the highest quality experience to consumers.
Motorola's PCMCIA card and USB accessory with Bluetooth wireless
technology received the industry's first Bluetooth certification for
consumer-targeted products, establishing the company's lead in this
technology. The award-winning Timeport 270c, Motorola's first wireless phone
with Bluetooth wireless technology, combined with the Phone Module accessory,
PC card and GN Netcom's wireless headset, completes the premier package of
initial Bluetooth solutions. These products showcase Motorola's ability to
provide Bluetooth solutions from "Silicon to Systems" and everything in
between.
Separately, GN Netcom will market its own headset with Bluetooth wireless
technology under the JABRA name, the company's brand for mobile telephony
products, starting in Fall 2001.
P. Michael Fairweather, president and CEO of GN Netcom, Inc. and executive
vice president of GN Netcom Group, explained that the company perfected its
second-generation headset with Bluetooth wireless technology by focusing on
refining the end user interface and adding more consumer appeal. "Getting to
market first with a Bluetooth product last year was a great accomplishment for
GN Netcom. But the real gain for us came from quickly building on that
knowledge, specifically from a form and function standpoint, and applying it
to our latest Bluetooth mobile product," said Fairweather. "There is a
tremendous opportunity for Bluetooth wireless technology in the mobile market
and I think GN Netcom has delivered a solution that makes the opportunity a
reality."
Industry analysts expect that Bluetooth will begin to take off this year
and grow rapidly in the next three years as companies like GN Netcom bring
viable, application-focused and low-cost solutions to the marketplace.
Cahners In-Stat Group expects Bluetooth sales to top USD 5 billion over the
next four years and Gartner Group estimates that Bluetooth will play a vital
role in 70 percent of new cell phones and 40 percent of PDAs by 2004.
"The timing couldn't be better for a compact wireless headset with
Bluetooth wireless technology," said Vicki Marion, president and CEO of GN
Netcom's JABRA Corporation. "As the communications explosion continues,
consumers are demanding more, better and safer ways to communicate on-the-go
in an unfettered environment. Our breakthrough product delivers on these
increasing demands by providing short-range wireless solutions that work
today."
Weighing less than an ounce/28 grams and two inches/five centimeters in
diameter, the sleek headset can be comfortably worn on either ear and contains
both a microphone and speaker in a single unit. The short boom microphone
(less than two inches/four centimeters) folds neatly into the circular body of
the headset, and can be customized with different outer shell shapes and
colors. Other unique functionalities include a volume and mute control, press-
to-talk button and adjustable ear-hooks. The headset has a range of
approximately 33 feet/10 meters and does not need to be in line of sight.
Battery life and recharge time is similar to those of standard mobile phones.
GN Netcom will showcase its new headset at the CTIA show, March 20-22, in
Las Vegas, (at JABRA booth 5449, at Motorola booth 3521 and at the Bluetooth
pavilion booth 8167F) and at the CeBIT show, March 22-28 in Hanover, Germany,
(at the GN Netcom stand, Hall 17, stand B08 and at the JABRA stand, Hall 24,
stand 32). GN Netcom will host press conferences on Friday, March 23, at 11.30
and 1:30 CET at its booth at the CeBIT exhibition.
About Bluetooth
The Bluetooth wireless technology is aimed at allowing users to make
effortless fast connections between various communications devices, such as
headsets, mobile phones and desktop and notebook computers. The sophisticated
mode of transmission adopted in the Bluetooth Specification ensures protection
from interference and seeks to ensure security of data. The Bluetooth wireless
technology operates on a globally available frequency band intended to ensure
communication compatibility worldwide. Over 2,000 industry-leading companies
worldwide support the Bluetooth wireless technology and the sales of Bluetooth
enabled products are expected to reach considerable volumes. For further
information about Bluetooth please visit http://www.bluetooth.com.
About GN Netcom
GN Netcom is a world leader in hands-free communications technologies. By
working in close partnership with customers, GN Netcom has become a leading
provider of high-quality headsets, microphone arrays and related products and
offers a state-of-the-art product line for both corded and wireless hands-free
solutions. GN Netcom products are sold through specialty distributors,
retailers, catalogers, supply houses and dealers, under the brand names GN
Netcom, Liberation, UNEX and ACS. GN Netcom also provides OEM products to
familiar brand name companies. For more information, contact GN Netcom, Inc.,
at 1-800-826-4656, or visit http://www.gnnetcom.com.
About GN Netcom Group
The GN Netcom Group is a leading provider of hands-free communications
solutions. The group consists of three companies: GN Netcom, a leading
provider of hands-free communications products to the call center, office and
PC applications markets; JABRA, the foremost provider of innovative hands-free
products for the mobile consumer market; and Hello Direct, a leading business-
to-business direct marketer of hands-free telephony and equipment interface
solutions.
Founded in 1987, the GN Netcom Group has facilities on four continents,
and its products are sold in more than 75 countries worldwide. The GN Netcom
group is part of GN Great Nordic, a Danish-based technology group, traded on
the Copenhagen Stock Exchange (Reuters: GNTC.CO; Bloomberg: TELN DC) and the
London Stock Exchange. For more information about the GN Netcom Group, please
visit http://www.gnnetcom.com.
Contacts:
Liz McDonnell Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek
Earle Palmer Brown GN Netcom, Inc.
203-705-9259 800-826-4656 x525
emcdonne@epb.com mbb@gnnetcom.com
*The BLUETOOTH trademarks are owned by Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson,
Sweden.
SOURCE GN Netcom
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http://www.gnnetcom.com
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