Deal Will Provide Opportunity for Credit Card Company to Use Geoworks
Technology to Send Messages to Its Card Members
ALAMEDA, Calif., February 19 /PRNewswire/ --
Geoworks Corporation (Nasdaq: GWRX), a provider of wireless e-commerce and
information services for the business and consumer markets, announced today
that it has signed a letter of intent with First USA Bank, N.A., that will
provide an opportunity for First USA to use Geoworks' mobile communication
technology to transmit messages to First USA credit card members. The deal
marks the first time that a credit card company will proactively communicate
with its card holders using wireless technology.
"The customer service possibilities for this type of technology are
endless," said David York, Vice President of Marketing for First USA Bank.
"Traditionally, the only opportunity we have to talk with our card members is
around billing issues. With this text messaging opportunity, First USA will
now be able to communicate proactively with our customers on a one-to-one
basis about a wide variety of customer service-related topics."
First USA will utilize Geoworks' proprietary Premion Server+ technology, a
robust information server that is capable of receiving and sending information
to a wide variety of mobile communications devices, including cellular phones,
personal digital assistants and pagers. More than 67 million people in the
United States currently use wireless devices, 28 million of whom have
text-capable devices, according to the Strategis Group research firm.
"This relationship between First USA and Geoworks is a perfect example of
how our server technology can help companies use wireless text messaging to
augment their traditional customer service capabilities," said Lars Stenstedt,
Vice President of Business Development at Geoworks Corporation. "We are very
pleased to provide these cutting edge services to such a well established
company."
Premion Server+ is the power behind Mobile Attitude, Geoworks' consumer-
based wireless information service. Mobile Attitude users can sign up for
three services, a discount and promotion service, a reminder service, and a
service that notifies Mobile Attitude subscribers about snow and ski
conditions direct to their cell phones or pagers right when they need the
information most. In the coming months, Geoworks plans to add additional
Mobile Attitude services to suit the lifestyles of busy mobile consumers.
Users can sign up for any service as well as modify their profiles by visiting
the Web site at http://www.mobileattitude.com .
About Geoworks
Geoworks Corporation is a leading provider of mobile e-commerce and
information services for the business and consumer markets. The company
offers Internet-based information services, including advertising-sponsored
content, to the growing universe of digital mobile phones and pagers. Based
in Alameda, California, the company has international offices in Sweden, Japan
and the United Kingdom, and can be found on the World Wide Web at
http://www.geoworks.com .
In keeping with U.S. law, Geoworks notes that this press release includes
independent third-party research and forward-looking statements, including the
emergence of, and Geoworks' participation in, the mobile services market, the
potential size of the market, and technology innovation and licensing issues
relevant to these markets. Actual results may vary significantly due to
various risks and uncertainties. Those include, but are not limited to, the
following: i) the mobile services market may not emerge to the degree or
timing anticipated; and ii) new technologies, licensing programs and new
services are inherently subject to development, timing and consumer acceptance
risks. Additional information is available in the Risk Factors and Business
discussions in the Company's Forms 10- K, 10-Q and other filings available
from the Company or from the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SOURCE Geoworks Corporation
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Related links:
http://www.geoworks.com
Photo Notes:
NewsCom:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20010124/GWRXLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, 888-776-6555 or 212-782-2840
CONTACT:
Kristy Jarosh of The Weber Group,
503-790-9042, or kjarosh@ca.webergroup.com, for Geoworks
Corporation; or Bob Bogard of Geoworks Corporation, 510-814-5811,
or bbogard@geoworks.com
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