Main News Desk

Socket Mobile launches SoMo 650 handheld computer in Europe

~ devices are now available to US and European customers through Socket Mobile’s reseller channel ~

January 02, 2007

Socket Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCKT), dba Socket Mobile, Inc., an innovative provider of mobile productivity solutions, has announced that its SoMo 650 handheld mobile computer is now shipping to customers in Europe.

“We are very pleased with the strong initial demand we have seen for our SoMo 650,” said Kevin Mills, CEO and president of Socket Mobile. “To date, we have already received orders in excess of 2,500 units that were placed prior to general availability and we expect sales will begin making a contribution to total revenue in the third quarter as planned. Customers are motivated by a need to deliver productivity gains and enhance service quality and efficiency. Today’s handheld devices do not meet all the cost, functionality and form-factor requirements of small and mid-sized mobile deployments. Our strategy is to address this need by being the one-stop supplier of mobile computing hardware systems for the business mobility market. The SoMo 650 is a strong step forward in that plan.”

The SoMo 650 is designed specifically for the business mobility market, which, according to Venture Development Corporation, comprises 10.9 million organisations and 69 million workers. These individuals are often on the move throughout the day, require access to a computer to perform key tasks and interact with customers face-to-face. They require a device that is more portable and cost-effective than an industrial-grade computer, but more suitable for a business environment than a consumer PDA or Smartphone. The SoMo 650 is lightweight and durable and is optimised for a wide range of business applications, including field automation, inventory management, patient care, merchandising, asset management and mobile Point of Sale.

“There is an underserved space in the mobile handheld computer marketplace. Consumer PDAs don’t offer the needed durability or functionality for many businesses, while industrial-grade devices are often too costly and bulky,” said Jack Gold, founder and principal analyst of J. Gold Associates. “As organisations seek to increase the productivity and efficiency of customer-facing staff, there is a growing requirement to meet the needs of mobile workers such as nurses, doctors, pharmacists or retail managers, with a device that combines business-class functionality and reliability in a user-friendly and cost effective form-factor. The SoMo 650 is positioned to address these requirements.”

“Clutterfree design on the in- and outside, and durable casing are essential advantages for busy everyday use in the hospitality trade where employees require instant and easy access to information while on the go. These features, in conjunction with a consumer pricepoint, will ensure the success of the enterprise grade SoMo650 in the hospitality industry,” said Barny Short, integration manager at Cratos Hospitality Services Ltd., UK.

Technical specifications

The SoMo 650 features the following:
Lightweight, PDA-like form-factor making it ideal for customer-facing mobile workers.
A three-to-five year life cycle, enabling customers to gain significant return on their investment.
Windows Mobile 5.0 Professional operating system to ensure the highest level of mobile application compatibility and user familiarity with the computing environment.
Robust features for business mobility deployments, including business-class Wi-Fi (and fast roaming for dependable wireless connectivity) and Bluetooth, a 624 MHz processor, a large, bright QVGA display, robust program and storage memory for running multiple applications and a high-capacity battery for users who are mobile all day.
Programmable action buttons on the side for ease-of-use when deploying industry-specific mobile applications.
Pre-integration with a wide range of peripherals and information systems, such as scanning, RFID, communications and interface devices, ensuring fast and easy deployment.

For images of the SoMo 650, please visit http://www.socketmobile.com/images/?Type=Handheld.

Pricing and availability

Pricing for the SoMo 650 starts at approximately £450 per unit. The devices are available from Socket Mobile authorised resellers, a list of which can be found at http://www.socketmobile.com/partners/distributors-and-resellers/resellers/

The Vertical Industry Partner (VIP) Programme and the SocketCare Service Programme were launched to support the SoMo 650. For details of the VIP Programme, please visit http://www.socketmobile.com/partners/vip . For details of the SocketCare Programme, please visit http://www.socketmobile.com/support/socketcare.

About the company

About Socket Mobile
Socket Mobile makes mobility computing and productivity work. The company is a one-stop supplier of mobile computing hardware systems by offering a handheld mobile computer and one of the most complete portfolios of essential mobile data collection and networking connectivity peripherals that will enable mobile automation and productivity increases for small to medium deployments. The company also offers OEM partner solutions and software development programs. Socket is headquartered in Newark, Calif. and can be reached at 510-933-3000 or www.socketmobile.com .

Contact details

For further information, please contact:
Tulna Shah
Tel: 020 7802 2626
Email: socketmobile@lewispr.com

Supporting materials

Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements indicating a new product introduction including details on the timing and distribution of the product and statements predicting trends, sales and market opportunities in the markets in which we sell our products. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results could differ materially from the results anticipated in such forward looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the risk that the product introduction may be delayed or not happen as predicted, if ever, and the risk that market acceptance and sales opportunities may not happen as anticipated once the product has been introduced into the market, the risk that our integrator program and current distribution channels may not choose to distribute the product or may not be successful in doing so, the risk that acceptance of our product in vertical application markets may not happen as anticipated and that anecdotal evidence of success in those markets may not be indicative of a trend, the risk of delays in our ability to design, manufacture, market and sell the new product due to technological, market, or financial factors, including the availability of necessary working capital, and other risks described in our most recent Form 10-K and 10-Q reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Socket and SoMo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Socket Communications, Inc., dba Socket Mobile, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names contained herein may be those of their respective owners.
© 2007, Socket Communications, Inc., dba Socket Mobile, Inc. All rights reserved.

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