Sears to Install Symbol Wireless Mobile Computing Solutions Across 860 U.S. Retail Mall Stores.

Business and Technology Editors

HOLTSVILLE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 27, 2001

Rollout of Symbol Hand-Held Computers

Aims To Improve Customer Service, Productivity

Symbol Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:SBL) has entered an agreement with Sears, Roebuck and Co. (NYSE:S) to implement next-generation, in-store wireless mobile computing solutions for the retailer's 860 U.S. full-line department stores. Value of the agreement was not disclosed.

Sears will use Symbol's SPT 1740 wireless handheld mobile computers to perform critical in-store, browser-based applications such as inventory, price change, merchandise pickup, receiving and replenishment. The technology will also be tied into Sears networked printers to provide mobile printing solutions. The Symbol computing devices are interoperable with Sears existing IEEE 802.11-compatible, wireless local area network (WLAN) infrastructure.

Sears will put in place nearly 15,000 of the Symbol handheld computers, which are based on the Palm O/S operating system and incorporate Symbol's browser. It will also install nearly 25,000 Spectrum24(R) WLAN cards.

The agreement includes escalated services and support, as well as software development for state-of-the-art mobile solutions designed to enhance in-store productivity. Symbol's Retail Systems Group, working closely with Sears store operations and information technology groups, is extensively writing HTML Java code that will reside on the in-store servers in support of Sears browser-based vision.

"The lightweight portability of the Symbol 1740 makes it an excellent device to support wireless computing in our full-line stores," said Michael LeRoy, director, store operations for Sears.

"Sears has a long history of pioneering the use of technology as a means to streamline its operations and provide the very best to its customers," said Tomo Razmilovic, president and chief executive officer, Symbol Technologies, Inc. "We're proud that Sears has chosen Symbol's advanced technology, and we look forward to a long and successful enterprise partnership."

Sears, Roebuck and Co. is a leading U.S. retailer of apparel, home and automotive products and services, with annual revenue of more than $40 billion. The company serves families throughout the country through approximately 860 department stores, approximately 2,100 specialized retail locations, and a variety of online offerings accessible through the company's Web site, www.sears.com.

Symbol Technologies, Inc., winner of the National Medal of Technology, is a global leader in mobile data transaction systems, providing innovative customer solutions based on wireless local area networking for data and voice, application-specific mobile computing and bar code data capture. Symbol's wireless information appliances connect the physical world of people on the move, packages, paper and shipping pallets, to information systems and the Internet. Today, some 10 million Symbol bar code scanners, mobile computers and wireless LANs are utilized worldwide in markets ranging from retailing to transportation and distribution logistics, manufacturing, parcel and postal delivery, government, healthcare and education. Symbol's systems and products are used to increase productivity from the factory floor to the retail store, to the enterprise and out to the home. Information about Symbol is available at www.symbol.com and 1-800-722-6234.