Tiger Telematics and John Lewis department stores sign agreement for Gizmondo distribution in UK
Big name retailer backs Gizmondo ahead of the Q4 UK launch
LONDON, 14 September, 2004 - Gizmondo Europe Ltd, subsidiary of Jacksonville, Florida-based Tiger Telematics Inc (Other OTC: TGTL), announced today that John Lewis, one of the UK's top retail businesses with 26 John Lewis department stores, has agreed to launch the new, handheld Gizmondo device, games and accessories in a majority of its stores, as well as on-line. The deal promotes synergies between Gizmondo's appealing, next generation gaming and multi-entertainment technologies and the strong John Lewis brand that is well-established among Gizmondo's target audience.
Carl Freer, Managing Director, Gizmondo, says: "We are naturally very pleased that many people will see, hear and play the Gizmondo device at the time of launch in a John Lewis department store. Their staff's commitment and enthusiasm for new technologies is impressive and John Lewis's marketing competencies, both in-store and on-line, will be greatly appreciated assets during the launch period and onwards."
Matt Bradbeer, Business Development, John Lewis says: "Gizmondo is the most advanced convergence handheld gaming device to hit the UK market. It has all the features you would expect from a handheld gaming product but also has a host of other functions such as digital camera, multimedia messaging, GPS (Global Positioning), MP3 and film playing capabilities.
Gizmondo fits perfectly with the John Lewis customer, offering features that would appeal to children and adults alike and complements our existing Audio, TV and Electronics assortments."
The agreement brings together two very different companies with one common aim. Gizmondo is the 21st-century, next generation handheld console, set on challenging the established giants of the gaming world, while John Lewis first opened its doors in Oxford Street, London, in 1864. However both companies realise the extraordinary value of offering customers a completely new level of experience and virtual lifestyle.
Matt Bradbeer further says: "Future software plans for the Gizmondo look very exciting and I understand that key software publishers are working very closely with Gizmondo to offer a compelling range of games that take full advantage of its additional functions. Gizmondo's use of in-game GPS, in the action game 'Colors', is truly revolutionary."
'Colors' is a gang warfare game enabling players to battle for supremacy of their designated environment, utilising Gizmondo's GPS-capabilities and messaging over GPRS. It incorporates a player's physical location into the game itself, creating a unique virtual gaming world that can extend to the off-line world, not forgetting the digital camera to help personalise the gaming experience even further. Players also have the option to create "crews" or teams with friends and can test their skills against other teams.
The Gizmondo is powered by a Microsoft Windows CE.net platform, boasts a 2.8-inch TFT colour screen with a Samsung ARM9 400Mhz processor and incorporates a 64-bit graphics accelerator. It provides cutting-edge gaming, multimedia messaging, an MP3 music player, Mpeg4 movie playing capability, a digital camera and a GPRS network link to allow wide-area network gaming. Additionally, it contains a GPS chip for location based services, is equipped with Bluetooth for use in multi-player gaming and accepts MMC card accessories.
The Gizmondo will be appearing at The Best of Stuff 2004 exhibition in November where John Lewis will be exclusively selling products appearing at the show. The Gizmondo device and its games are due for launch in the UK in the fourth quarter 2004 and in North American markets during 2005.
About Tiger Telematics and Gizmondo
Gizmondo Europe Ltd. is an owned subsidiary of Tiger Telematics Inc (TGTL) and is the maker of Gizmondo, a next-generation mobile entertainment device. Set to launch in 2004, the gaming device includes built-in music, video, messaging and picture functions and GPS.
Tiger Telematics is a designer, developer and marketer of mobile telematics systems and services that combine global GPS functions and voice recognition technology to locate and track vehicles and people down to street level in countries throughout the world. The systems are designed to operate on GPS and are currently being marketed to GSM current and potential subscribers, primarily by the company's United Kingdom based subsidiaries.
About John Lewis
The John Lewis Partnership - Britain's largest private company - is one of the UK's top ten retail businesses with 26 John Lewis department stores, on-line and catalogue shopping from John Lewis Direct and more than 150 Waitrose supermarkets. It is also the country's largest example of worker co-ownership. All 60,000 permanent staff are Partners in the business. John Lewis believes that the commitment of Partners to the business is a unique source of competitive advantage that has fuelled 75 years of profitable growth and a reputation amongst customers and suppliers unparalleled in the UK retail industry.
John Lewis is expanding with a new, full-line, open-every-day department store in Northern Ireland, opening 2006, and the recently overhauled johnlewis.com provides shoppers with a slicker on-line shopping experience.
For further information please contact:
Global Media:
Patrik Wallgren, Head of Global Public Relations
+44 7813 647 752
Michael Carrender, CEO
Tiger Telematics, Inc.
+1 904-279-9240
Except for historical matters contained herein, the matters discussed in this press release are forward-looking and are made pursuant to the safe harbour provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that these forward-looking statements reflect numerous assumptions and involve risks and uncertainties that may affect Tiger Telematics, Inc. and its subsidiary businesses and prospects and cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ are Tiger Telematics Inc.'s operating history; competition; low barriers to entry; reliance on strategic relationships; rapid technological changes; inability to complete transactions on favourable terms; and those risks discussed in the Company's filings with the SEC.