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Handspring Inc. said Wednesday it has extended its license to use the Palm OS operating system on its Net devices.

The revised agreement enables Handspring to use the Palm OS through April, 2009. The companies did not disclose financial terms of the revised agreement.

Handspring, which launched its Visor handhelds in late 1999, was started by Palm founders Donna Dubinsky and Jeff Hawkins. Since then, it has taken a roughly a 20 percent market share largely out of the hide of Palm-branded handhelds.

Palm has been a willing partner, however, stating repeatedly that it wants to grow its platform licensing business.

"Handspring is a great platform partner," said Alan Kessler, general manager of Palm's Platform Solutions Group.

"Extending the license ensures that we can continue to build great Palm OS based products for many years to come," said Hawkins, Handspring's chairman and chief product officer. "It also guarantees that Palm and Handspring will continue to work together to refine and enhance the Palm OS so that it will meet the needs of the rapidly changing mobile computing market."