Global Beach and Dejima Announce Strategic Partnership to Develop Next-Generation Voice-Controlled Software, CRM and In-Car Telematic Systems

    SAN JOSE, Calif.--March 28, 2001--The Global Beach Group, a leading software developer and e-consultancy, today announced a strategic partnership with Dejima Inc, a San Jose based natural interaction technology provider. Taking advantage of complimentary technologies and skill sets, the partnership will create enhanced user experiences for software, CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and in-car telematic systems by developing open platform natural language interfaces.
    Global Beach's software development and e-consultancy expertise will be used to apply Dejima's enabling technologies to real-world situations, adding value and dramatically improving the way people interact with software applications and complex information systems.
    Clive Jackson, CEO and founder of the Global Beach Group explained, "Dejima's solutions will enable us to build a natural language interface which allows users to describe exactly what they want by saying, typing or inputting what they think, as opposed to following a particular index or menu structure, therefore transforming levels of interactivity and ease of use."
    "Using Dejima's advanced software platform, Global Beach will enable users to interact with applications via flexible user interfaces, whether in the home, office or car. This could apply to mobile phones, a complex CRM database or an in-car telematic system, and because user interaction becomes much easier, such systems are safer to use," continued Jackson.
    Antoine Blondeau, President & COO of Dejima Inc, commented, "Dejima's software solution allows our partners to reduce the technological learning curve for specific products or services in the business applications they build. Global Beach's traditional strength in CRM puts the company in a strong position to use Dejima's solutions to create valued relations between brands and consumers. The next generation of CRM systems, for example, will empower managers to easily tell their customer database how to respond to each customer, leaving managers to focus on running their business without having to become technology experts. Consumers in turn receive an improved service from the company, therefore creating an enhanced relationship between both parties."
    "The Global Beach Group also has a strong pedigree in the automotive sector and we look forward to developing innovative joint solutions in this fast emerging market," continued Blondeau.
    Alex Sozonoff, non-executive director of Global Beach and Dejima, commented, "I believe both companies will leverage each others' strengths, to create business opportunities focused on enhanced user experiences."

    About The Global Beach Group

    The Global Beach Group is a leading software developer and e-consultancy which enables businesses to maximise the value of customer relationships. Consisting of Global Beach e-Consultancy and Global Beach Software, the Group combines technical and creative expertise to develop e-CRM solutions for international clients.
    Global Beach has developed over 600 award-winning interactive or multimedia programmes for blue-chip organisations including Jaguar, Porsche, Ferrari, Tango and Hewlett-Packard. MOPy Fish, created for Hewlett-Packard, is registered in the Guinness Book of Records 2001 as the most downloaded cyberpet with more than 16 million downloads.
    The latest software product from Global Beach is 2Sync(TM), a digital personal organiser allowing 1-to-1 interaction with users via multi-media channels. 2Sync(TM) has already been licensed and branded by Jaguar Cars Ltd. Global Beach is in discussion with other potential licensees of 2Sync(TM) which can be downloaded free at www.2Sync.com.
    Founded in 1993, the Global Beach Group employs 75 people throughout offices in London, New York and Geneva. For further information please visit www.globalbeach.com.

    About Dejima, Inc.

    Dejima is a privately held global company founded in 1998 with offices in San Jose (headquarters), London and Tokyo. Its patented software enables companies to provide end users human ways to interact with technology.
    Dejima's Natural Interaction solution enables developers and solution integrators to create a natural user interface -- a bridge between end users and the sophisticated applications or databases they are trying to access. The basis of the Dejima's solution is an engineering methodology, known as agent-oriented software engineering, that breaks up complex software into a community of simpler, collaborating, message-driven components -- a structure similar to that of the human brain. Because they focus on the user's intent, not on input accuracy or grammar compliance, interface solutions built with Dejima's Natural Interaction (DNI) technology enable new functionality, reduce the technology learning curve and enhance the speed with which people can use devices and services. For more information please visit www.dejima.com.