Tiger Telematics' Gizmondo(tm) Confirms Massive Retail Presence for French Launch
Gizmondo to launch in over 700 stores across France
LONDON, 29th April 2005 - Gizmondo Europe Ltd, subsidiary of Jacksonville, Florida-based Tiger Telematics Inc. (other OTC, TGTL), can confirm the new multi-entertainment handheld will be stocked by over 700 stores across France for launch on 19th May.
The retailers confirmed for launch are Antares, Virgin Megastore, PC City, 3 Suisses (VPC), Leclerc, Madison Nuggets, Cora and Surcouf handled by three distributors Innelec, Erbel-Disca 7 and Sodifa, while Darty and Boulanger will be supplied directly by Gizmondo France. Gizmondo France will also be working with leading distributor, DIES, for Belgium and Luxemburg.
Both the standard model Gizmondo and the Smart AddsTM-enabled version will be available from the 19th May in France, Belgium and Luxemburg 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 France are Trailblazer, Fathammer Classics, Gizmondo Motocross 2005, Hockey Rage 2005, StickyBalls, Toy Golf, Interstellar Flames 2, Pocket Ping Pong, Richard Burns Rally and Virtual Squash, with more titles to be confirmed closer to launch.
Mr Baeza Console and Multimedia Buyer, Virgin Megastore France, stated previously: " The arrival of Gizmondo in the French mobile entertainment market is a real revolution. All of the functions available make this product totally unique and we are sure it will be incredibly successful in seducing our customers."
Mr Bares, Sales and Marketing Director, SODIFA, said " We are very proud to present Gizmondo to our customers. It's very important for us to have this famous and exciting device for our customers. This handheld delivers a lot of functions which make a unique and very attractive proposition."
David Maille, General Director France comments: "We're delighted to be confirming our first retail and distribution partners in France. The French market is about to experience a genuinely new and fantastic generation of mobile entertainment with Gizmondo." He added, "We are finalising more significant orders for launch with major retails and look forward to making subsequent announcements regarding the detail."
Mike Morgan, VP of Global Sales, offered: "Gizmondo France has been extremely proactive in seeking the best possible retail and distribution partners for the launch on 19th May and we are delighted to have secured such breadth and diversity in retail channels so rapidly."
Carl Freer, Co-Founder and Chairman Tiger Telematics Inc., comments: "France currently represents approximately 25% of the European games market, in terms of hardware and software sales. Adding Gizmondo's extensive functionality, we expect our demographic to grow to include some of the periphery technology sectors of portable media players and GPS hardware."
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.
'Gizmondo', 'Smart Adds', 'Tiger Telecom', 'Gizmondo Games' and the 'Gizmondo' logos and devices are trademarks of Gizmondo Europe Limited. All rights reserved. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
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