America Online and Gateway to Offer Groundbreaking Consumer Internet Appliances Featuring "Instant AOL," Expanding AOL Convenience to Every Room of the House.Business Editors LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 5, 2000 AOL (A division of Time Warner, Inc., New York, NY, www.aol.com) The world's largest online information service with access to the Internet, e-mail, chat rooms and a variety of databases and services. Gateway Countertop Appliance, Wireless Web Pad See Webpad. and Desktop Appliance to Advance AOL Anywhere Strategy Devices to Be Powered by Netscape's State-of-the-Art Gecko gecko (gĕk`ō), small or medium-sized lizard of the family Gekkonidae. The more than 300 species are distributed throughout the warm regions of the world, mostly in the Old World. Despite folklore to the contrary, their bite is not poisonous. Browser Technology and Will Utilize LINUX Operating System operating system (OS) Software that controls the operation of a computer, directs the input and output of data, keeps track of files, and controls the processing of computer programs. America Online See AOL. (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange : AOL), the world's leading interactive services company, and Gateway (NYSE: GTW GTW Gateway, Inc. (stock symbol) GTW Global Trade Watch GTW Grand Trunk Western (railroad) GTW Gatwick Airport GTW Global Trading Web (Commerce One B2B-platform) ), the country's leading seller of consumer PCs by revenue, will unveil later today a groundbreaking family of specialized Internet appliances featuring "Instant AOL" that will deliver AOL's content, features and services to consumers in every room of their homes. Advancing the AOL Anywhere strategy, these new devices -- the AOL Gateway countertop appliance, wireless Web pad and desktop appliance -- are small, lightweight tools for accessing the Internet in a variety of ways during the course of a consumer's daily life. These appliances will automatically launch the "Instant AOL" service, a customized version of AOL's convenient and easy-to-use software. It also will offer popular AOL content and features like e-mail and news as well as personalized per·son·al·ize tr.v. per·son·al·ized, per·son·al·iz·ing, per·son·al·iz·es 1. To take (a general remark or characterization) in a personal manner. 2. To attribute human or personal qualities to; personify. services for busy households including AOL's My Calendar, recipes, coupons and grocery lists. Through the appliances' touchscreens, wireless keyboards or traditional keyboards, members will be able to get online quickly and easily with just a touch of a button, and perform online tasks much as they would on a PC. Nearly all of AOL's features, including the most popular AOL services like AOL Instant Messenger See AIM. and chat, will be available on these devices. Jeffrey Weitzen, Gateway's President and Chief Executive Officer, said: "For many consumers, the Internet is becoming an essential part of their lives, carrying the same importance as the telephone, radio, newspaper, magazine, and TV. Since last fall, Gateway and America Online have been working closely together to bring easy-to-use, convenient and reliable products to mass market consumers. With the development of these appliances, we have come together once again to provide consumers with fast and simple ways to access the tools and information they desire -- with devices that add to the convenience they can find on the PC. Using the latest technologies from Gateway and AOL's popular features, content and services, the AOL Gateway appliances have the ability to change the way consumers live, learn, work and play by expanding the range of the Internet to every room of the house." Bob Pittman, America Online's President and Chief Operating Officer Chief Operating Officer (COO) The officer of a firm responsible for day-to-day management, usually the president or an executive vice-president. , said: "Our research shows that AOL members place high value on their ability to access Internet content and communications tools on new devices in addition to the PC. These easy-to-use appliances are an excellent way of providing the whole family convenient access to AOL's many popular features, content offerings and services from anywhere in the home. We are excited that these appliances will enable consumers to do everything from checking news headlines to ordering groceries or even updating the family calendar from virtually anywhere with just a touch of a button." Pittman continued: "This specialized family of AOL Gateway appliances featuring 'Instant AOL' is a major step in our AOL Anywhere strategy, extending the benefits of AOL to emerging interactive platforms to help AOL members stay easily and simply connected wherever they are. As consumers continue to add devices to their PC experience and make the Internet a more constant companion in their lives, these appliances will give consumers an 'instant on' portable version of AOL's features, content and services that will truly help make their everyday lives easier and more convenient." The AOL Gateway family of specialized Internet appliances includes: -- The AOL Gateway countertop appliance: This appliance will provide access to a customized version of the AOL service over a device that is small and light enough to be placed in highly trafficked areas of the house such as the kitchen or family room. With a flat-panel LCD touchscreen display, the AOL Gateway countertop appliance can be mounted on any flat surface to offer the whole family quick and easy "touch" capability in virtually any room of the house. Users will also be able to use an attached pointing device An input device used to move the pointer (cursor) on screen. The major pointing device is the mouse for the desktop computer and the touchpad for the laptop, although many road warriors bring along a mouse. or accompanying wireless keyboard to access a full range of AOL services and Internet offerings. The AOL Gateway countertop appliance is expected to ship by the end of this year. -- The AOL Gateway wireless Web pad: This device will offer an easily portable way to access popular AOL features and content within the home. The AOL Gateway Web pad offers a wireless connection to a compact base station, enabling the consumer to use the appliance anywhere within the home. Users will be able to access the Web's content and features by simply touching the AOL Gateway Web pad's screen or by using the accompanying wireless keyboard. Weighing less than three pounds, the AOL Gateway Web pad's portability will make it perfect for remote use within the home. Distribution of the AOL Gateway wireless Web pad is expected by early 2001. -- The AOL Gateway desktop appliance: The desktop appliance, a simplified Internet device for busy families and other consumers seeking additional ways to access the Web, will serve as a lower-cost alternative to the traditional PC. This easy-to-use appliance, larger than the AOL Gateway wireless Web pad and the AOL Gateway countertop appliance, will provide consumers a reliable connection and fast access to the features and content of AOL and the Internet. Its convenient keyboard, mouse and traditional computer screen will offer users familiar ways to gain access to news, e-mail and additional Web content. The desktop appliance is expected to go on sale by year's end. These next-generation appliances will utilize the Netscape Gecko browser technology. Gecko, Netscape's smaller, faster and more potent browser engine technology, is a key component of the AOL Anywhere strategy and is designed to power Internet devices across a range of platforms and enable Web developers to create more compelling Internet-based content and applications. All of these devices will utilize the LINUX operating system. The companies will market these devices through their complementary sales and distribution channels, which include the AOL service with more than 22 million members; and the nearly one million people a day who connect with Gateway through its phone, Web sales channels, and Gateway's innovative Gateway Country retail locations nationwide. These new devices are another component of the companies' strategic relationship that was announced in October 1999. About America Online, Inc. Founded in 1985, America Online, Inc., based in Dulles, Virginia Dulles, Virginia is an unincorporated census-designated place located in Loudoun County, Virginia, part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. The headquarters of AOL, Orbital Sciences Corporation and ODIN technologies and the former headquarters of MCI Inc. are located in Dulles. , is the world's leader in interactive services, Web brands, Internet technologies, and e-commerce services. America Online, Inc. operates: two worldwide Internet services, America Online, with more than 22 million members, and CompuServe, with more than 2.5 million members; several leading Internet brands including ICQ ("I Seek You") A conferencing program for the Internet from Mirabilis, Tel Aviv, Israel (www.icq.com). It provides interactive chat, e-mail and file transfer and can alert you when someone on your predefined list has also come online. , AOL Instant Messenger and Digital City, Inc.; the Netscape Netcenter and AOL.COM portals; the Netscape Navigator An earlier Web browser for Windows, Macintosh and X Windows from Netscape that provided secure transmission over the Internet. Soon after its introduction in 1994, Navigator, or just "Netscape," as it was commonly called, quickly became the leading browser on the Web. and Communicator browsers; AOL MovieFone, the nation's #1 movie listing guide and ticketing service; and Spinner.com (1) (Computer Output Microfilm) Creating microfilm or microfiche from the computer. A COM machine receives print-image output from the computer either online or via tape or disk and creates a film image of each page. and NullSoft's Winamp, leaders in Internet music. Through its strategic alliance with Sun Microsystems Sun Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ: JAVA[3]) is an American vendor of computers, computer components, computer software, and information-technology services, founded on 24 February 1982. , the company develops and offers easy-to-deploy, end-to-end e-commerce and enterprise solutions for companies operating in the Net Economy. About Gateway Gateway (NYSE:GTW), a Fortune 250 company founded in 1985, focuses on building lifelong relationships with consumers and businesses through complete technology personalization Custom tailoring information to the individual. On the Web, personalization means returning a page that has been customized for the user, taking into consideration that person's habits and preferences. . Gateway ranked number one in U.S. consumer PC revenue in 1999 (1) and was rated among the top ten best corporate reputations in America according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a survey conducted in August of 1999 by Harris Interactive Harris Interactive (NASDAQ: HPOL) is an American market research company that specializes in public opinion research using both telephone and surveys on online panels. The company is the product of a 1996 merger between the Gordon S. Black Company and Louis Harris & Associates. and the Reputation Institute and published in The Wall Street Journal. Gateway employees worldwide provide clients with services and built-to-order computers that consistently win top awards from leading industry publications. Gateway had total global revenue of $8.65 billion in 1999 and shipped 4.68 million systems. For more information, visit our Web site at www.gateway.com (1) According to Gartner Group/Dataquest US PC Quarterly statistics. WEBCAST: http://corp.aol.com/cgi/netscape/webcast.html 11:30 - 12:30 PM ET (signal test) 12:30 - 1:15 PM ET (Internet World Keynote Address keynote address n. An opening address, as at a political convention, that outlines the issues to be considered. Also called keynote speech. Noun 1. ) 1:15 - 2:30 PM ET (Press Conference) B-ROLL SATELLITE FEEDS: Feed Date: WEDNESDAY, APRIL April: see month. 5, 2000 Feed Time: 3:00 - 3:15 PM ET Coordinates: C_BAND: TELSTAR 6 /TRANSPONDER 8 /AUDIO 6.2 & 6.8 Re-feed Date: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 2000 Re-Feed Time: 7:00 - 7:15 PM ET Coordinates: C_BAND: TELSTAR 6 (C) /TRANSPONDER 7 /AUDIO 6.2 & 6.8 |
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