PocketGenie was an embedded wireless application developed for
two-way pagers in 1997. At the time
WAP
WAP or Wap may refer to:
Music
* "WAP" (song), a 2020 song by Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion
Organizations
* Weatherization Assistance Program, for US energy costs
* Western Australia Party, a political party founded in 2016
* Western A ...
was commonplace for mobile services; PocketGenie utilized
HTML
The HyperText Markup Language or HTML is the standard markup language for documents designed to be displayed in a web browser. It can be assisted by technologies such as Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and scripting languages such as JavaSc ...
and
URL links.
[Simmons, Curt. ''How to Do Everything with Your BlackBerry'', ''Chapter 13 Extending the BlackBerry'', pages 260~278. Osborne/McGraw Hill, 2001, ][(18 May 1999)]
"Research In Motion and WolfeTech Corporation Deliver Wireless Portal with BlackBerry and PocketGenie"
BlackBerry Press Releases. Retrieved 5 October 2015. It was the first commercial wireless service for RIM (BlackBerry) and Motorola.
[(24 January 2002]
"PocketGenie 3.2 Receives 4 COWS on Tucows; WolfeTech's Information-On-Demand Software Receives Top Rating From Leading Distributor of e-Business Services and Applications"
PR Newswire. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
WolfeTech was founded by Surya Jayaweera (CEO) in January 1997. Jayaweera developed PocketGenie in November 1996. Two days later, he drove to
COMDEX
COMDEX (an abbreviation of COMputer Dealers' EXhibition) was a computer expo trade show held in the Las Vegas Valley of Nevada, United States, each November from 1979 to 2003. It was one of the largest computer trade shows in the world, usually ...
and pitched the idea to Motorola. Its approval led to the start of WolfeTech.
[Hermann, David. ''Entrepreneur's epiphany engineers success''. Inland Valley Times. 21 March 2001.][Prather, Michelle (28 February 1999]
"Beep, Beep! Hot high-tech entrepreneurs"
Entrepreneur. Retrieved 6 October 2015. PocketGenie was announced to the public in 1997.
[Kaplan, Karen (08 September 1997]
"A Genie Grants Wish for Tiny Web Surfer"
Heard on the Beat, LATimes. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
PocketGenie was a text-based software before it upgraded to an icon based GUI in 2000. Users could type keywords into the software's menu to access the
Internet
The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a '' network of networks'' that consists of private, pub ...
services of WolfeTech's business partners; users could check stock reports, news headlines, get driving directions or purchase assorted goods. Later versions made improvements to business transactions and included a multilingual translator.
[Felps, Bruce ''The Dream: Leaving Laptops Behind''. The Wireless Week. 19 August 1999.][Gregson, Reily (28 June 1999]
"Wolfetech Upgrades PocketGenie"
RCR Wireless News. Retrieved 5 October 2015. Over 200 different services were provided.
[Gregson, Reily (15 March 2002]
"PocketGenie app available on SkyTel devices"
RCR Wireless News. Retrieved 5 October 2015. A companion software PocketInternet permitted global web browsing and full HTML functionality.
PC Mag gave PocketGenie a good performance rating but noted its sluggish lag times in its review.
In 2011, the trademark for PocketGenie expired.
Trademarkia. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
References
{{Reflist
External links
WolfeTech PocketGenie PromoWolfeTech PocketGenie Feature on ABC News
Pagers