BuildNet and HiddenMind Partner on Wireless Solutions for Building Industry.Business/Technology Editors RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK Research Triangle Park, research, business, medical, and educational complex situated in central North Carolina. It has an area of 6,900 acres (2,795 hectares) and is 8 × 2 mi (13 × 3 km) in size. Named for the triangle formed by Duke Univ. , N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 25, 2000 Collaboration to Advance Wireless Workflow and E-Commerce Capabilities on Job-Site for Builder-Supplier Community BuildNet, Inc., a leading provider of management software to homebuilders and suppliers in the residential construction industry, announced today that it has entered into an agreement with North Carolina-based HiddenMind Technology, Inc., a leading mobile data software applications service provider (m-ASP), to create a wireless standard for the building industry. The forthcoming solution should enable the building community to manage workflow communications, exchange information and conduct e-commerce transactions in real time at the job-site using multiple wireless and wireline devices, including cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), pagers and PCs. By leveraging BuildNet's industry expertise and market share and HiddenMind's wireless data communications data communications, application of telecommunications technology to the problem of transmitting data, especially to, from, or between computers. In popular usage, it is said that data communications make it possible for one computer to "talk" with another. software platform, systems deployed by BuildNet should allow BuildNet's community of users to engage in in-the-field, wireless, business-to-business e-commerce and other data communications. BuildNet's community of users includes builders, subcontractors, suppliers and their allied trading partners who use any of BuildNet's back-office, project management and ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) An integrated information system that serves all departments within an enterprise. Evolving out of the manufacturing industry, ERP implies the use of packaged software rather than proprietary software written by or for one customer. systems. These systems should enable wireless information exchanges to be conducted directly to and from job-sites. These exchanges include inventory queries, requests and return requests for prices and quotes, purchase orders and purchase order acknowledgements, delivery sign-offs, invoices and invoice acknowledgements. "We are excited to have been selected as BuildNet's m-ASP partner for these important solutions," said Ken Tyra, president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of HiddenMind. "These solutions target millions of potential construction industry users. HiddenMind's software is uniquely designed to allow users to multitask on their wireless devices, make use of forms-based data communications and dynamically enable multiple devices across multiple carrier networks, which should make these systems compelling to BuildNet's customers." "The home building industry is keen to embrace technology that reduces inefficiency and adds value to the supply chain, as it takes advantage of the latest communications technology Noun 1. communications technology - the activity of designing and constructing and maintaining communication systems engineering, technology - the practical application of science to commerce or industry ," said Ian McCarthy, president and CEO of Beazer Homes. "A wireless solution that allows for the exchange of information with suppliers while at the job-site clearly offers a strategic advantage, and Beazer Homes welcomes it." BuildNet plans to integrate these wireless solutions into the Buildnet E-Building Exchange, scheduled for commercial introduction in 2000. Through the BuildNet E-Building Exchange, BuildNet plans to provide homebuilders with access to information from their subcontractors and suppliers, and to allow participants to control the ordering and delivery of building materials Building materials used in the construction industry to create . These categories of materials and products are used by and construction project managers to specify the materials and methods used for . , thereby improving construction planning. BuildNet also plans to enable suppliers to track inventory, delivery and payments. "Providing a wireless solution for the homebuilding industry is a logical progression of our technology," said Keith T. Brown, BuildNet Chairman. "Collaborating with a leader like HiddenMind to deliver wireless connectivity to BuildNet's community of users, including builders, suppliers and manufacturers, should further optimize dynamic information exchanges along the supply chain within our system." About HiddenMind Technology, Inc. HiddenMind Technology, Inc., located in Cary, N.C., is a mobile applications service provider (m-ASP) that has developed an innovative wireless software platform for collaborative data communications among people, devices, software applications and the Internet. HiddenMind's solutions enable wired and wireless integration of ASP, enterprise, B2B (Business to Business) Refers to one business communicating with or selling to another. See B2B e-commerce, B2C and B2G. B2B - business to business and B2C (Business to Consumer) Refers to a business communicating with or selling to an individual rather than a company. See B2B. applications. HiddenMind's m-ASP solutions use its patent-pending, Java-based HiddenLogic (TM) applications development technology platform to offer specific components and/or complete turnkey See turnkey system. solutions to partners and customers that require wireless integration of back-office, legacy and/or ASP-type services in both regional and national venues. HiddenMind's products and tools are database, device and protocol neutral, allowing rapid development and deployment of messaging and transaction-based workflow solutions in both synchronous Refers to events that are synchronized, or coordinated, in time. For example, the interval between transmitting A and B is the same as between B and C, and completing the current operation before the next one is started are considered synchronous operations. Contrast with asynchronous. and asynchronous Refers to events that are not synchronized, or coordinated, in time. The following are considered asynchronous operations. The interval between transmitting A and B is not the same as between B and C. The ability to initiate a transmission at either end. environments. The HiddenMind technology suite includes its Wireless Desktop(TM) and Active Universe(TM) components. Together, these components enable wireless device users to securely conduct business transactions that require the integration of multiple information sources, communications environments and delivery mechanisms. Wireless Desktop technology enables secure, device-independent, XML XML in full Extensible Markup Language. Markup language developed to be a simplified and more structural version of SGML. It incorporates features of HTML (e.g., hypertext linking), but is designed to overcome some of HTML's limitations. rendering of a wide variety of transactional data across a range of information appliances See Internet appliance. (hardware) Information Appliance - (IA) A consumer device that performs only a few targeted tasks and is controlled by a simple touch-screen interface or push buttons on the device's enclosure. , such as smart pagers A two-way pager that lets you send short messages using a small keyboard. Units typically contain a built-in address book and other messaging features. The Motorola PageWriter and Research in Motion (RIM) pagers provide platforms for third-party software and services. , smart phones and PDAs. Active Universe technology provides user and/or process driven, rules-based routing for these transactions. The advanced software applications built on this platform are ideally suited for use by mobile workers in a wide range of industries and roles, including construction management, health care, insurance claims handling, service dispatch and other mobile professionals. HiddenMind has entered into strategic relationships with a number of significant players in the wireless marketplace, including BellSouth Mobility DCS BellSouth Mobility DCS, LLC headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, was a BellSouth subsidiary. BellSouth Mobility DCS operated 1900MHz GSM networks in a number of states in the South, clustered around South Carolina. , Glenayre, Motorola, WebLink Wireless and Omnipoint Technologies, and has provided wireless workflow and other transaction-based applications to a number of enterprise clients, including Nortel Networks (Nortel Networks Limited, Brampton, Ontario, www.nortelnetworks.com) A world leader in telecommunications products, which includes switching, wireless and broadband systems for service providers and carriers, telephones and systems for residential and business users, computer telephony . Additional information about HiddenMind is available at www.hiddenmind.com About BuildNet, Inc. BuildNet, Inc., located in Research Triangle Park, N.C., is a leading provider of management software to homebuilders and suppliers in the residential construction industry. BuildNet's objective is to be the business-to-business e-commerce solution for the residential construction industry. To reach that objective, BuildNet has designed the BuildNet E-Building Exchange to provide secure Internet-based procurement The fancy word for "purchasing." The procurement department within an organization manages all the major purchases. , e-commerce and information services See Information Systems. for homebuilders, suppliers and manufacturers. The BuildNet E-Building Exchange will allow users to confirm pricing and product specifications, place purchase orders and add both product and order information automatically to builders' and suppliers' management systems. In addition, manufacturers will be able to place product information and catalogs on the BuildNet E-Building Exchange for access by homebuilders and suppliers. BuildNet is testing the BuildNet E-Building Exchange and expects to initiate a limited market rollout during 2000. BuildNet's aggregated software customer base includes homebuilders that accounted for approximately 43% of 1999 U.S. single-family home closings. Learn more about BuildNet by visiting www.buildnet.com This press release contains forward-looking statements forward-looking statement A projected financial statement based on management expectations. A forward-looking statement involves risks with regard to the accuracy of assumptions underlying the projections. . The actual results might differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements for various reasons, including BuildNet's limited Internet operating history, the development and rollout of the BuildNet E-Building Exchange and the acceptance of the BuildNet E-Building Exchange by any of the BuildNet's existing software customers or any new customers. Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results to materially differ from those in the forward-looking statements is contained in the BuildNet's SEC filings, including its Registration Statement on Form S-1. All other trademarks referenced herein are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. |
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