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Wireless Availability to Automotive Information

1 June 2000

Edmunds.com Announces Wireless Availability to Automotive Information; Edmunds2Go, Mobile Access to Edmunds.com, Now Available to Consumers Via Palm VIIs, Web-enabled Cell Phones, PDAs

    LOS ANGELES--June 1, 2000--Edmunds.com (http://www.edmunds.com), the Web's leading consumer resource for unbiased automotive information, today announced general availability of Edmunds2Go, mobile access versions of the Edmunds' Web site. Edmunds2Go applications are currently accessible via the Palm VII, Web-enabled mobile phones, and personal digital assistants (PDAs). The applications include automotive reviews, pricing, and ratings information, along with an online loan calculator. More information on Edmunds2Go is available via http://www.edmunds.com/products/2go/.
    According to a recent April 2000 survey from Corechange, Inc. and Cap Gemini USA, almost 80 percent of the US Internet population will access data from mobile phones in a year's time, up from the current figure of 3 percent.
    "Wireless availability is fast becoming a necessity for consumers who require remote access to information on the Internet," said Peter Steinlauf, president and CEO, Edmunds.com. "Wireless access to Edmunds' wealth of automotive information will empower consumers to negotiate smarter with automotive sales people, make more well-informed purchasing decisions and comparison shop, from anywhere and at anytime."
    The Edmunds' wireless versions will enable consumers to access information on 1990 through 2001 model-year vehicles, including pricing, warranty information, reviews, ratings, specifications and use the on-line loan calculator. Consumers accessing Edmunds' information via a mobile phone browser are also able to get insurance and finance quotes via the mobile site. Edmunds2Go's Palm VII application recently received praise for its content and service, garnering a 5-star rating from Tucows, the leading distributor of digital content on the Internet.
    "I finally got an opportunity to go vehicle shopping with Edmunds2Go," said Karen S., a consumer in Ohio who uses the service. "A salesman approached me on the lot while I was using my Palm Pilot. By that time, I had downloaded the information for the car I was looking at and I asked him about the price. You should have seen the look on his face when he realized his answer was $2,000 more than the retail value I had on the screen!"

	   Consumers can access the Edmunds2Go applications using the
following methods:

	   Palm VII Handhelds:

	   --  Download the software via :

	       --  Edmunds.com site at http://www.edmunds.com/products/2go/

	       --  http://www.palm.net/

	       --  http://www.palmgear.com/

	       --  http://pda.tucows.com/palm/preview/028-009-006-088C.html

	   During the subsequent synchronization, the application will be
added to their Palm VII.

	   Web-Enabled Mobile Phones

	   --  Launch their mobile browser and key in "mobile.Edmunds.com"

	   PDAs

	   --  Each vehicle detail page on www.edmunds.com contains a link
        that allows consumers to download vehicle-specific information
        to their PDA using AvantGo software. During the subsequent
        synchronization, the vehicle data chosen will be transferred
        to their PDA.

    Edmunds is currently working with several national wireless providers to include the Edmunds2Go applications on their services.

    About Edmunds.com

    Headquartered in Santa Monica, CA, Edmunds.com is the Internet's pioneer and leader in providing free, third party automotive information. Edmunds.com empowers, educates and engages visitors by providing them with straightforward, truthful information on key aspects of buying, selling and owning a vehicle. Users are provided automobile pricing data, extensive automobile reviews, consumer information, safety updates, incentive and rebate news, expert analysis of developments in the automotive world and the Town Hall, an interactive community of more than 500,000 active members. Edmunds.com was ranked No.1 in the Wall Street Journal's Survey of Car-Shopping Web Sites, was named as one of Yahoo! Internet Life's 50 Most Incredibly Useful Sites and Money's 50 Most Useful Financial Websites.