MobileAria Appoints Michael Orr as CEO; Technology Leader To Provide Experience, Vision As Company Prepares Multimedia Automotive Service Launch

    MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--March 14, 2001-- MobileAria, the leading developer of wireless multimedia services for the automobile, today announced the appointment of Michael Orr as Chief Executive Officer. Orr will leverage his 25 years of technology experience to drive MobileAria through its service launch later this year, as well as secure additional partnerships with content and service providers.
    As CEO, Orr, will position MobileAria as a leader in the voice and data automotive service market, which is expected to grow to $33 billion by 2010 (UBS Warburg). The MobileAria service will focus on increasing the user's productivity by providing voice-activated management of the user's personal information and voice-activated wireless Internet access to applications like e-mail (including voice tag email response); desktop synchronization; and information such as news, weather, stock quotes, flight information, directions, routing and traffic information. All of the company's solutions are designed to use voice activation to keep the driver's hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.
    "Mike brings a track record of top-line business growth and impressive marketing and technology expertise," said Tom O'Gara, Founder of MobileAria. "All the partners -- Delphi, Palm and Mayfield -- are excited about Mike and are committed to making MobileAria a worldwide leader in the automotive services market"
    Orr, 49, comes to MobileAria from Santa Cruz Operations (SCO), where he was president and COO of SCO's Tarantella Division, which takes a company's existing business applications and makes them accessible over the Internet to anyone with a web browser. At Tarantella, Orr was responsible for launching Tarantella as an independent business. He helped to raise additional equity, expand the talent pool and increase revenue significantly, as well as secure a number of large customers in the financial services, telecommunications and technology industries. He also served as senior vice president, Worldwide Marketing for SCO.
    "MobileAria incorporates every important aspect of a successful start-up: it has a strong business plan, great technology, world-class partners and it addresses a real need within an enormous growth market," said Orr. "I'm eager to build on the accomplishments MobileAria has already achieved and am excited to help propel MobileAria to the forefront of the automotive services market
    "Mike has proven that he can set the business and technology vision for a company and successfully execute on that vision," said Janice Roberts, General Partner at Mayfield, who led the CEO search on behalf of the board. "The board and I are confident Mike is the right person to build and lead the MobileAria team to long-term success."
    Prior to SCO/Tarantella, Orr held a variety of senior management positions at IBM and Amdahl, where he successfully directed development, marketing and sales of both software and hardware platforms. A native of England, Orr holds an M.A. from the University of Oxford. He is married with two children.
    As part of the appointment, Orr will join MobileAria's board of directors. In addition to Orr, MobileAria's board of directors consists of Barry Cottle, chief operating officer for Wireless Internet Solutions at Palm, Inc.; Tom O'Gara, co-founder of MobileAria; Janice M Roberts, general partner at Mayfield Fund; and Robert W. Schumacher, director of Delphi Automotive Systems Mobile MultiMedia (MMM) business line.

    About MobileAria

    MobileAria is creating an open service platform for delivering wireless content and applications uniquely integrated for the in-vehicle environment. MobileAria services will be delivered through a hands-free, voice-activated interface that will enable the user to manage their time and information simply in a non-distracting manner. Investors include Delphi Automotive Systems , Palm, Inc. and Mayfield Fund. MobileAria is based in Silicon Valley. For additional information go to www.MobileAria.com.