Curl Delivers Smooth Sailing for Suunto.

Sports Editors/Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 3, 2003

Wristop Computer Maker's Rich Client Application

for GPS-Driven Marine Information and Mapping

Marks First Consumer-Focused Web Application for Curl

Delivering the cost-cutting advantages of the X Internet, Curl Corporation today announced that Suunto Corporation has released its first GPS-driven marine information and mapping application built on the Curl Client/Web Platform(TM). Built for Suunto's new wristop computer, the Suunto M9 Personal Sailing Instrument, the application represents Curl's first consumer-focused Web application.

Developed by Curl partner Suunto Software Solutions, the Suunto M9 application lets Suunto extend its 3D philosophy to marine enthusiasts. A core value proposition of Suunto, 3D seeks to improve an athlete's performance by supplementing Suunto sports instruments with PC-based software analysis tools and a Web community found at suuntosports.com. For Suunto M9 users, Curl delivers the 3D promise with a Web-based mapping application, featuring a rich, responsive user interface that rapidly processes, displays, and redraws large map files that would choke other server-based Web technologies.

"The Suunto M9 marks our foray into GPS and sports instruments that display the user's geographic location in real-time and store it for later analysis and community review," said Dan Colliander, president at Suunto. "Given the size of marine charts and GPS data files, Curl played a crucial role in bringing the Suunto M9 application to life."

Bob Hoyt, senior vice president of marketing and business development at Curl, added, "The Suunto M9 demonstrates the potential of our rich client technology in a consumer-focused Web application that is processing intensive. Curl has repeatedly proven its value in Web-enabling enterprise applications, and Suunto demonstrates the value that the Curl platform can bring to an audience of consumers."

The Suunto M9 Mandate

The Suunto M9 provides cruising and racing sailors with relevant navigation information, while they are on the water, helping them increase their performance and make the right course decisions. Among other functions, the instrument's built-in GPS receiver collects and stores up to 500 waypoints, while the sailor is on the water. It also stores up to 50 routes, calculates correct start line bias, and tracks laylines for optimum tacking around buoys. Uploading data collected by the Suunto M9 to their PCs, sailors can analyze and visualize their routes and sailed tracks, which are superimposed on ARCS marine charts, and then share them with the Suunto Sports online community.

In developing the Suunto M9 application, Suunto Software Solutions faced significant design challenges. Clearly, the application had to be Web-based to support Suunto's online community and, more significant, to make the entire collection of ARCS marine charts accessible to all Suunto M9 users. Additionally, Suunto demanded that its users have a fast, visually engaging application that is easy to use.

Suunto Software Systems judged the Curl Client/Web Platform to be the only technology capable of satisfying all of Suunto's requirements. Key to the Suunto M9 application, Curl uses the client PC -- not the Web server -- to manipulate data and draw maps. By harnessing the client's processor, the application is highly responsive, yet runs in a standard Web browser. Additionally, Curl streamlines the connection between the sailor's PC and the Web servers, by making uploads and downloads almost instantaneous.

Concluded Jan Storgards, chief software architect for Suunto Software Solutions, "Curl's on-screen rendering and XML parsing is staggeringly fast, on par with a gaming platform. We couldn't deliver that speed with a server-based solution. Curl also optimizes PC/Web interactions, minimizing bandwidth and server demands, so the suuntosports.com site can support heavy user traffic, yet maintain a high level of usability."

For more information on the Curl Client/Web Platform, call 617/761-1200, email [e-mail] or visit www.curl.com.

About Suunto Corporation

The international Suunto Corporation is a diversified technology driven company, which operates in the business of sports instruments. The company's goal is to become the most wanted sports instrument brand in the world. The success of the company is based on its high quality products, and increasing investments in R&D.

Suunto is one of the leading manufacturers of diving instruments and water sport suits and the world's leading manufacturer of wristop computers and field compasses.

Suunto's headquarters is located in Vantaa, Finland, where the company manufactures dive computers and instruments, wristop computers, field and marine compasses and precision instruments under its own brand name, Suunto.

In late 1999 Suunto Corporation was acquired by Amer Group. Amer Group, listed both in the Helsinki and London Stock Exchanges, is a leading global supplier of sporting goods equipment. The Group's operations are based on strong global brands such as Wilson, Atomic and Suunto.

About Curl Corporation

Curl Corporation delivers the cost-cutting advantages of the X Internet through the Curl Client/Web Platform(TM). By combining the desktop power of client/server processing with Web-based efficiencies, the Curl platform enables Global 2000 enterprises and Independent Software Vendors to achieve large gains in business productivity and profitability. As the industry's first rich client software suite to deliver Web-distributed enterprise applications, the Curl Client/Web Platform is complementary to server-side platforms, such as Sun's J2EE and Microsoft's .NET. Founded in 1998 and privately funded, Curl Corporation is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. More information on Curl can be found at www.curl.com.

Note to Editors: Curl Client/Web Platform is a trademark of Curl Corporation. All other names, brands or products may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.