Tiger Telematics' Gizmondo™ Prepares for German Debut
120,000 initial units over six-weeks from launch in Germany, Austria and Switzerland
LONDON, 22nd April 2005 - Gizmondo Europe Ltd, subsidiary of Jacksonville, Florida-based Tiger Telematics Inc. (other OTC, TGTL), is pleased to announce that preliminary agreements for more than 120,000 units of Gizmondo have already been signed for the six-week launch period across many of the largest retailers and wholesalers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland from 19th May.
Gizmondo Germany GmbH will be handling German and Austrian retail accounts directly with a team of ten sales representatives and one sales director. Swiss accounts will be supported via Thali AG, who is the leading distributor for interactive entertainment in Switzerland.
Both the standard model Gizmondo and the Smart AddsTM-enabled version will be available from the 19th May in Germany, Austria and Switzerland at 349 and 189 respectively, with the Value pack being launched at an extremely competitive price of 289. Software will be priced on three tiers; 19.99, 29.99, and 39.99, and the titles confirmed for the launch period in Germany are Trailblazer, Fathammer Classics, Gizmondo Motocross 2005, Hockey Rage 2005, Sticky Balls, Toy Golf, Pocket Ping Pong, and Virtual Squash, with more
Sales Director of Gizmondo Germany GmbH, Egon Rappelt, says: "We will supply major chains and hyper markets direct and have commitments for 30,000 units for day one. Additionally, we have initial agreements spanning the six week post-launch period for a further 72,000 units from Media Markt & Saturn, Karstadt, Kaufhof, Quelle, Neckermann, Otto Versand, Weltbild and EB Games. Furthermore, we have commitments from key wholesalers including Groß Electronic, Vitrex and Playcom who expect to supply the independent retail channel for a further 18,000 units."
Mike Morgan, VP of Global Sales, offered: "Germany plays host to some of the finest retailers in Europe and Gizmondo are delighted to welcome them as partners. We have an extremely strong local infrastructure in place to support the launches in Germany, Austria and Switzerland." He added, "We anticipate a further announcement nearer the 19th May launch date to provide additional figures and an up-to-the-minute view on interest in this important territory."
Carl Freer, Co-Founder and Chairman Tiger Telematics Inc., comments: "We are extremely happy about the strong performance of Gizmondo in Germany. Having a population of more than 80 Million people this is a key territory for us, and it has always been a very strong market for handheld videogame devices, we're heading in the right direction with this early success and will continue push hard in this territory."
(ENDS)
For further information please contact:
Global Media:
James Beaven
Indigo Pearl
+44 208 964 4545
US Media:
Bryan Lam
Kohnke Communications
(415) 777-4000
German Media:
Torsten Oppermann
Indigo Pearl DE
+49 40 25330267
French Media:
Frederic Henry
Frederic Henry Communications
+33 1 55 34 24 24
Editors Notes
About Gizmondo
The Gizmondo is powered by Microsoft Windows CE advanced real-time operating system, boasting a 2.8-inch TFT colour screen with a Samsung ARM9 400Mhz processor and incorporates the GoForce 3D 4500 NVIDIA 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 SD and MMC card accessories.
The Gizmondo device and its games are in retail stores now in the UK, launch in mainland Europe from 19th May 2005, and in North American from Summer 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. Launched 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.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. 'Gizmondo', 'Smart Adds', 'Tiger Telecom', 'Gizmondo Games' and the 'Gizmondo' logos and devices are trademarks of Gizmondo Europe Limited. All rights reserved.
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; the schedule and sell-through for new software release; consumer demand for video game hardware and software; the timing of the introduction of new generation competitive hardware systems, pricing changes by key vendors for hardware and software and the timing of any such changes, and the adequacy of supplies of new software product and those risks discussed in the Company's filings with the SEC.
In light of the risks and uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements, these statements should not be regarded as a representation by Tiger Telematics, Inc. or any other person that the projected results, objectives or plans will be achieved. Tiger Telematics, Inc. undertakes no obligation to revise or update the forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof