FranklinCovey and Agilix Announce First Quarter Launch and Release of TabletPlanner 2.0
Upgrades and Improved Capabilities Make TabletPlanner the First Fully Pen and Digital Ink-Enabled Planning System for the Tablet PC
FranklinCovey(R), a global leader in effectiveness training, productivity tools and assessment services for organizations and individuals, and Agilix Labs(TM), an innovative developer of mobile wireless solutions for the Tablet PC, today announced the launch of FranklinCovey TabletPlanner(TM) 2.0, the first fully pen and digital ink-enabled planning and productivity application for the Tablet PC.TabletPlanner 2.0 is currently available for purchase from www.franklincovey.com and on March 17, will be available in 174 FranklinCovey retail stores, the FranklinCovey catalog and CompUSA stores. In addition, TabletPlanner 2.0 will be available as a free online upgrade to current users of TabletPlanner 1.0 at www.franklincovey.com/tabletplanner/upgrade.
Labeled by industry leaders and members of the media as the "Killer App" for the Tablet PC, TabletPlanner 2.0 adds new functionality and more than 50 feature improvements, including:
-- Complete, seamless synchronization with Microsoft Outlook, including tasks, appointments and contacts. -- Full ink and pen-enabled contact database that synchronizes with and supports all Outlook fields. -- Full text indexing that allows faster search of handwritten notes, appointments and content included in the eBinder. -- Enhanced "pen" utility to allow easier navigation and event management, including conversion of tasks into appointments via drag and drop. -- Enhanced viewing and navigation of eBinder content, including zooming, shrinking and faster access to multi-page documents. -- Improved calendar management including recurring appointments and appointment reminders.
"TabletPlanner 2.0 is a vast improvement to a product that has previously been called a "Killer App" for the Tablet PC and has received several industry recognitions," said Jeff Anderson, vice president of technology products for FranklinCovey. "TabletPlanner 2.0 continues to build upon FranklinCovey's proven paper-based methodology that individuals are familiar with, as well as unprecedented information organization and time and task prioritization. We are sure that Tablet PC users will appreciate TabletPlanner's ability to help them accomplish their objectives better than ever before."
TabletPlanner originally made its debut on Nov. 7, 2002, during Microsoft's worldwide launch of its Windows XP Tablet PC Edition operating system. Powered by Agilix Labs, TabletPlanner was also featured at Fall COMDEX 2002 in Las Vegas where it was selected by PC Magazine as a Finalist for Best of COMDEX in the Personal Software Category. Other awards include: Editor's Choice Pen Computing Magazine and Editor's Choice Planet PDA Magazine.
Leveraging the popularity and familiarity of the paper-based FranklinCovey Planner, TabletPlanner 2.0 delivers the industry's first pen and digital ink-enabled planning system for the Tablet PC. Its natural handwriting interface allows users to fully implement the FranklinCovey Planning System methodology such as the Appointment Schedule, Prioritized Daily Task List, Daily Notes, Contacts and much more, into their daily planning. In addition, it allows users to automatically organize, quickly access handwritten and typed notes, store personal and business information such as price sheets, product brochures, policy manuals, procedural documents and forms, and locate information using proven search and retrieval technologies.
Key features of TabletPlanner include: 1. Natural FranklinCovey Planning System Environment -- The user interface is based upon FranklinCovey's world-renowned content and methodology and reflects the familiar layout of the paper-based FranklinCovey Planner, while taking advantage of your handwriting with digital ink technology. -- Users are able to "ink" directly onto the planning page via FranklinCovey's popular Appointment Schedule, Prioritized Daily Task List and Daily Notes sections. -- As an electronic planner, users can take advantage of automatic forwarding of unfinished tasks, and easy drag and drop scheduling or rescheduling of meetings. -- Users are able to search an entire database of handwritten appointments, tasks and notes. 2. Digital Note Management -- in your handwriting -- Replaces paper, pen and ink with digital paper, digital pen and digital ink of the Tablet PC. -- Contains extensive pen-based note-taking features that allow users to create and organize handwritten notes in a digital format so they can be stored, backed-up, indexed, organized, retrieved and shared with others. -- Associate notes to specific appointments, tasks or contacts to keep a complete historical perspective. 3. Everything in One Place -- The eBinder allows users to organize important files and documents into customizable tabs that have the ease-of-use and familiarity found in the paper-based FranklinCovey Planner. -- The contact database allows the users to manage contact details, including multiple addresses, phone numbers, important dates such as birthdays and much more. -- Allows users to store any file that can be printed in the eBinder. Examples include Microsoft Office documents, Adobe PDF, Web pages, agendas, forms, eBooks and itineraries. -- eBinder content supports user notes or annotations, with customizable digital pens and highlighters. -- Powerful search features allow users to enter keywords to search on any word across the entire collection of documents in the eBinder. -- Near limitless storage via TabletPlanner's database that is highly compressed and can grow up to multiple gigabytes in size.
"The Tablet PC is a powerful mobile PC that enables information workers to utilize their PC more hour of their work-day," said Alexandra Loeb, vice president of the Tablet PC division at Microsoft Corp. "FranklinCovey's TabletPlanner software provides these users a valuable tool to enable greater organization and increased productivity."
TabletPlanner has been developed around FranklinCovey's time management and productivity curriculum, in which more than 20,000 professionals are trained each month. The application is also based upon the FranklinCovey Planning System principles practiced by more than 6 million people around the world, over 500,000 of them FranklinCovey Planning Software users.
Built on the timeless principles and practices of its founders, over 100 million FranklinCovey Planning Systems and Agendas have been sold worldwide and more than 500,000 individuals participate in FranklinCovey training each year.
Pricing and Availability
FranklinCovey TabletPlanner is currently available through more than 180 FranklinCovey retail stores, the FranklinCovey catalog and www.franklincovey.com.
-- $169.95 - Introductory Price -- $99.95 - Bundled with the purchase of a Tablet PC from any FranklinCovey channel -- TabletPlanner 2.0 will be available as a free online upgrade to users of TabletPlanner 1.0 System Requirements -- Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP Tablet PC Edition compliant Tablet PC -- 128 megabytes (MB) of RAM or higher recommended (64 MB minimum supported; may limit performance and features) -- 100 megabytes (MB) of available hard disk space (more as you add to the database) -- Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher-resolution video adapter and monitor -- CD-ROM or DVD drive -- Tablet PC compatible input device (e.g., digital pen) Operating System Requirement -- Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition About FranklinCovey
FranklinCovey(R) (NYSE:FC) is a global leader in effectiveness training, productivity tools, and assessment services for organizations and individuals. FranklinCovey helps companies succeed by unleashing the power of their workforce to focus and execute on top business priorities. Clients include 90 percent of the Fortune 100, more than 75 percent of the Fortune 500, thousands of small- and mid-sized businesses, as well as numerous government entities and educational institutions. Organizations and individuals access FranklinCovey products and services through corporate training, licensed client facilitators, one-on-one coaching, public workshops, catalogs, over 180 retail stores and www.franklincovey.com. More than 2,000 FranklinCovey associates provide professional services and products in 39 offices and in 95 countries.
About Agilix Labs
Agilix Labs Inc. develops productivity and information access solutions on the Tablet PC platform. The technology developed by Agilix lets mobile information workers do more as they effectively organize, coordinate, and consolidate their professional and personal activities in a single place. The founding team of Agilix has worked together for more than 15 years and has experience building high-performance client and server-side software solutions in the areas of e-commerce, content management, electronic publishing, customer relationship management and personal productivity software. A privately held firm formed in 2001, Agilix is based in Provo, Utah. Agilix is the exclusive developer of the FranklinCovey TabletPlanner solution. For more information, visit www.agilix.com.
CONTACT: FranklinCovey, Salt Lake City
Paul Gadd, 801/817-6442
paul.gadd@franklincovey.com
Debra Lund, 801/817-6440
debra.lund@franklincovey.com
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