Cingular 8525 Pocket PC Gets New Features, New Name

AT&T Mobile Music, Cellular Video and Push to Talk Added to Popular HSDPA-Powered PDA - Now the AT&T 8525 Pocket PC

ATLANTA, May 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) announced today the availability of a re-branded and upgraded version of its popular Cingular 8525 -- the AT&T 8525 Pocket PC -- boasting additional services that will appeal to business customers and consumers alike.

The AT&T 8525, powered by the 3G-based AT&T BroadbandConnect network, retains the many features that made it a hit with AT&T wireless customers when launched last year. These include a "slider" QWERTY keyboard, integrated Wi-Fi (802.11 b and g), Bluetooth 2.0 and infrared, a 2-megapixel camera and video recorder, Windows Media Player 10 Mobile and support for Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 with Direct Push Technology. Now, the AT&T 8525 also comes with AT&T Push to Talk functionality pre-installed as well as the latest multimedia music and video services from AT&T.

AT&T boasts the largest Push to Talk network in America and its PTT service includes several differentiating features, including "availability" icons, quick group-calling and the ability to easily switch a PTT session to a regular wireless voice call.

To turn downtime into playtime, the AT&T 8525 provides access to AT&T Mobile Music -- an integrated, on-the-go music experience that delivers "your music, your way" by providing simple access to the most robust collection of music content available today, including XM Satellite Radio, which comes pre-loaded on the device. 8525 users can easily access and enjoy 25 commercial-free music channels from XM Satellite Radio through the XM Radio Mobile service.

With AT&T Mobile Music, AT&T 8525 users can connect to a one-stop shop for everything music on the handset, such as full-track songs, music videos, ringtones, music news, MusicID, music chat rooms, streaming music and more. AT&T is the first U.S. carrier to offer subscription music to the handset, including music from leading online retailers, Yahoo! and eMusic.

The 8525 will also feature AT&T's on-demand streaming video service, Cellular Video. Customers can watch a large selection of video clips of their favorite television shows, sports, news and weather, entertainment and premium content, including such hit HBO programs as "The Sopranos," "Entourage," "Sex and the City," and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and exclusive mobile content from World Wrestling Entertainment.

Those customers who own an existing Cingular 8525 can download the same software upgrades found on the AT&T 8525. The software upgrade can be found at: http://www.america.htc.com/products/8525/default.html. The AT&T 8525 will also be upgradeable to the latest version of Windows Mobile, Windows Mobile 6, later this year.

"Our enhanced version of the AT&T 8525 Pocket PC provides an exciting new array of features that will allow our customers to do more during both work time and downtime," said Cathy Quaciari, director of wireless B-to-B devices for AT&T. "The lines between work and personal lives are blurring, so end users now not only need a device through which they can access their work e-mail or other corporate applications, but also they want something that has music, video and other entertainment capabilities as a way to unwind at the end of the day."

The first UMTS/HSDPA-enabled PDA in North America, the AT&T 8525 still features Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 with Direct Push Technology -- which allows users to retrieve their important information in the familiar environment found on most desktop computers.

In addition to Microsoft Direct Push e-mail for business customers, the AT&T 8525 also supports other popular wireless e-mail solutions, including Good Mobile Messaging (TM) and AT&T Xpress Mail.

The AT&T 8525 provides users with both domestic and international 3G capabilities. In the U.S., customers can use the AT&T 8525 on AT&T's BroadbandConnect network in more than 165 major metropolitan areas with seamless access to AT&T's nationwide high-speed EDGE network outside of 3G coverage areas. When abroad, customers can use the AT&T 8525 in 125 countries where UMTS/HSDPA, EDGE or GPRS networks have been deployed.

"AT&T and HTC continue to bring the best of mobile hardware and software innovation together with one of the most advanced wireless networks in the world," said Todd Achilles, vice president of HTC America. "With the addition of Push to Talk and the latest multimedia services from AT&T on the 8525, customers are able to get the most powerful, fastest 3G-connected phone experience available anywhere in North America, Europe or Asia."

Pricing and availability

The AT&T 8525 Pocket PC will be available exclusively from AT&T for as low as $399.99 beginning May 14, in Cingular (now AT&T) retail stores nationwide, select national retailers, http://www.cingular.com/, and through AT&T's B-to-B direct sales team.

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