Ultradata Systems Forms E-Commerce Company
12 May 1999
Ultradata Systems Forms E-Commerce Company With Leading Internet Marketer To Accelerate Sales and Distribution of Data Via Internet
ST. LOUIS, May 12 -- Ultradata Systems, Inc. (ULTR) -- the
leader in handheld direction, location and information products powered by its
patented data compression technology and proprietary database -- today
announced its joint ownership of Influence Data, LLC. Influence Data is a
joint venture formed between Ultradata and Influence Content, LLC, a wholly
owned business unit of Influence, LLC (http://www.global-influence.net), a leading
privately held Internet development and marketing company headquartered in
St. Louis with offices currently in New York and Portland, Ore. Craig M.
Kaminer, the founder and CEO of Influence, LLC, will act as president of
Influence Data, LLC.
The purpose of the joint venture is to accelerate sales, marketing and
product development of Ultradata products, data and patented technology on the
Internet. Ultradata will own 33.3% of the new company. Under the terms of
the agreement, Influence Data will provide the following services:
-- Creation of a vertical interest portal Website for the more than
100 million people who travel by car, truck or RV in the United States.
-- Development of a comprehensive e-commerce business channel for
Ultradata to reach consumers who prefer to shop on-line. In addition
to selling Ultradata products, Influence will develop: partnership
agreements to sell other leading travel products; affiliate
relationships with other travel sites; and original content.
-- Development of partnerships with companies to sell access to the
Ultradata database via the Internet.
-- Development of technologies to efficiently deliver Ultradata's database
via other handheld and palm computing devices.
-- Sell promotion and advertising space to leading travel and hospitality
companies featured on Ultradata products.
"This is an important partnership for Ultradata as we look to increase
sales of our products and new uses of our technologies on the Internet," said
Ultradata CEO, Monte Ross. "Influence not only has demonstrated its ability
to build comprehensive e-business and e-commerce solutions, but also to market
them aggressively to targeted audiences. We hope through this venture to not
only sell our products, but create long-lasting, one-to-one relationships with
our customers by bringing together the community who travel America's roadways
for business and pleasure. With our recently introduced AAA TripWizard(TM)
and our new venture with Influence, we believe we will have a very unique,
compelling and valuable offering to travelers and our shareholders."
In the United States, according to AAA:
-- there are more than 200 million vehicles registered
-- there were 1.26 billion personal trips of over 100 miles taken
-- travel-related expenditures has increased 44% between 1990 and 1997,
and are expected to increase to $509 billion in the United States in
1999
-- thirty six million Americans now use the Internet to make travel plans
or reservations, up 1000% in two years.
According to Craig M. Kaminer, "We think Ultradata's patented technology
and products are a natural for the Web and see enormous opportunity to expand
not only sales, but also the applications using the Ultradata database.
Ultradata has been able to build the most comprehensive database of its kind,
make it portable and provide it to consumers at a very low price. As people
begin to rely on databases in every facet of their lives, Ultradata is well
positioned to be the category leader in portable databases. When combined
with the power of the Internet, we believe Ultradata can be among the leading
travel, data and content Internet companies. We are investing our capital and
expect to benefit from the increased value of Ultradata as the joint venture's
e-commerce site becomes operational."
Influence specializes in e-business strategy & development, e-marketing,
e-communications and design, and serves market leaders (Fortune 1000) and
potential market leaders (high-growth companies) who want to build market- and
mind-share of their companies in the New Economy. Influence operates five
strategic business units: Influence.Internet, Influence.Marketing,
Influence.Communications, Influence.Design, and Influence.Content. Some of
Influence's clients are today's market leaders who are developing new game
skills to stimulate thought leadership, coaching a workforce of knowledge
workers and adopting e-commerce as new channel of distribution such as Express
Scripts (ESRX), Edward Jones, Solutia (SOI), Compaq (CPQ) and Ralston Purina
(RAL). Others are the up-and-comers who are challenging the industry leaders
and are more willing and flexible to take advantage of new opportunities such
as WorkNet Communications, iLine, LLC, and Haystack Toys.
Ultradata Systems, Inc. is the leading supplier of handheld portable
databases for travel and has sold over 2,000,000 handheld travel computers
through a variety of channels including QVC, retail (The Sharper Image,
Brookstone, Office Max, etc.), catalogs and mass merchants such as Kmart. Its
products utilize its patents and its proprietary databases. Its latest
product is the AAA TripWizard, containing AAA information and Ultradata
Systems proprietary data, including turn-by-turn directions to AAA lodging and
restaurants. It is the winner of several Consumer Electronics Show
Innovations Awards for its products, which include in 1999, the portable
TravelStar 24 GPS Driver Navigation System, and owns 25% of a leading Global
Positioning System (GPS) receiver company, Talon Research and Development,
Ltd. of New Zealand, with Fortune 1000 clients.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning
of applicable federal securities laws. The company undertakes no obligation
to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a
result of new information, future events, or other changes. Readers are
cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.
Risk factors include but are not limited to consumer acceptance of new
products; the ability to secure contracts for travel-related products
discussed in this release; consumer acceptance and use of automotive
aftermarket navigation products using global positioning satellite technology
and the ability to successfully promote the Website; the overall retail and
economic climate; the long-term financial performance of the Influence Data,
LLC members, the company's ability to find channels for its key products,
long-term relationships with suppliers and favorable pricing and materials
contracts with outside manufacturers. Additional information relating to
historical financial and operational performance, the company's strategies,
competitive risks, and market conditions are available in Ultradata's reports
for Form 10K and 10Q on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.