New Cardinal Voice-Capable Modems Offer Innovative Telephony Solution; new line of products starts at under $100.

LANCASTER, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 14, 1995--Cardinal Technologies, Inc. a leading developer of communications products for small business, home office, and personal computer users, today introduced its new line of 14.4 Kbps and 28.8 Kbps voice-capable modems. Users of Cardinal's new voice modems gain greater ability to manage the flow of communications in and out of their small businesses and enjoy the benefits of sophisticated voice communications features that once were available only to large businesses.

For the price of a data/fax modem from many other manufacturers, Cardinal customers receive a complete computer telephony solution. The modems also feature complete integration of voice, fax and data communications, with features such as voicemail, fax on demand, and support of VoiceView which allows voice and data transmission on a single telephone line. The new modems are Windows 95 compatible with Plug and Play (PnP) capability.

"At Cardinal we continue to develop products that increase the power and productivity of the home and small business computer user," said James A. Jonez, director of product marketing for Cardinal Technologies. "Small business professionals can be more productive and more competitive by gaining control of their communications. For a very low cost they can make their small business work like a big one."

Combines Data/Fax with Telephone Answering Functions

The new Cardinal voice modems, in internal and external versions for both 14.4 and 28.8, combine the functionality of a traditional fax modem with the features of a sophisticated voicemail system and standard answering machine. These modems include features such as remote access and call screening. Flash ROM, exclusive to the 28.8 Kbps modems, allows for easy firmware and software updates. The new 28.8 Kbps modems, with the Cardinal-exclusive "Extension Pickup Detection," are also smart enough to automatically stop recording when a user picks up any phone extension.

For users who are often away from the office, but need to stay in close touch with their calls, they can retrieve and/or forward their fax and voice messages from the convenience of a touch tone telephone. And if that's not fast enough, they can receive an automatic notification of the arrival of new messages by pager.

Cardinal continues its position as the value leader with the announcement of new 14.4 Kbps voice-capable modems, both internal and external, that will have estimated selling prices starting at under $100 while still including the voice and fax features of the 28.8 versions. Both the 14.4 Kbps and the 28.8 Kbps modems feature VoiceView, voicemail, and Caller ID.(a) Users can even screen their calls by adding an external speaker. Call screening allows the modem to work just like a traditional answering machine. In all, Cardinal's new modems offer small office and home office (SOHO) users a complete telephony solution.

Windows 95 Compatibility

These new products are fully compatible with the Plug and Play Initiative (PnP) to make installation and set-up quick and easy with any PnP capable system using Microsoft Windows 95. Because the system and software automatically makes the adjustments for the modem to work, users simply attach the modem to the computer and it will be ready to use immediately.

VoiceView

The four Cardinal voice modems support the new VoiceView protocol and includes the TalkShop application from Radish Communications Systems, Inc. In addition to easy file transfer with TalkShop, Cardinal users get access to the VoiceView Marketplace and can interact with either an automated or live agent and exchange visual information, such as pictures, text, or order forms, over the phone line. Using these visual components, the user is able to make more informed choices and better purchasing decisions.

VoiceView Marketplace, a service developed by Radish Communications Systems, now offers a variety of services from Blockbuster Music and Metromail Corporation. Services from 1-800/FLOWERS will be added shortly. In addition, travel agents, airline companies, and credit card companies will soon be offering their services through VoiceView Marketplace.

"We are excited to be partnering with Cardinal to provide the services that more and more people are asking for," said Paul Davoust, vice president of marketing for Radish. "We have teamed up to meet the wave of demand for products which make people more productive."

In addition, Cardinal has equipped its own technical support staff with Help Desk, a technical support communications package from Radish which is VoiceView-aware. Using Help Desk while communicating with a customer using TalkShop software, Cardinal technical support staff can now provide superior troubleshooting and more easily resolve configuration problems by exchanging data files while on the phone with the customer.

Voicemail

With voicemail functionality the new modem can answer an incoming call and determine whether it is a person or a fax machine calling. If it is a fax, the call is retrieved as a fax message. If it is a voice call, the modem activates its voicemail functionality. The modem is able to handle either type of call without an attendant. Voice messages and faxes are automatically stored and organized and can be retrieved from a common call center screen.

The message log displayed on the user's computer screen features one button access to all sent and received fax and voice messages, including new and old messages, and new, scheduled, concluded, and viewed faxes. Unlike a traditional answering machine or voicemail system, messages and faxes can be viewed, sorted or forwarded in any order the user desires for more productive management of incoming information.

Small business owners can free up valuable time to manage other important aspects of their business by automating a fax on demand service and customizing voicemail boxes with voice prompts. With Cardinal's new modems users can easily set up business functions such as fax and voice message forwarding, automatic paging and a personalized fax retrieval service.

Caller ID

In addition, the modem captures Caller ID information on incoming calls. Messages in the log can therefore be identified by the telephone number of the calling party as well as by the date and time of the call. As a result users of Caller ID can increase their effective management of incoming calls and faxes by being able to spot and listen to important calls quickly.

Data and Fax Features

These latest modems from Cardinal also provide enhanced productivity features such as Binary File Transfer (BFT) and fax Error Correction Mode (ECM). BFT, which is supported under Windows 3.11, Windows 95, and directly from within many applications, allows users to send an actual document file as easily as sending a facsimile of it. Sending the document file rather than its graphic image often takes less time, and those receiving the document can now edit it rather than just read it.

These modems support up to 4:1 data compression in hardware, yielding data throughput rates up to 57,600 bps for the 14.4 Kbps products, and up to 115,200 bps for the 28.8 Kbps products. Included with the modems is Global Village's FaxWorks Voice 3.0 software, as well as trial subscription offers from America Online, CompuServe, and Imagination.

Price and Availability

All four new products work with virtually any Windows 3.1 or later system including the upcoming Windows 95. The MVP144IV2 (internal) and MVP144XV2 (external) will have estimated selling prices of $89 and $99 respectively and the MVP288IV (internal) and MVP288XV (external) will have estimated selling prices of $185 and $209 respectively. The new line of modems will be available in September. All Cardinal modems have a limited lifetime warranty and are available nationwide through leading retail stores and catalogs. For product information by fax or mail, call 800/775-0899, extension 209, or for technical support 717/293-3124.

Corporate Information

Cardinal Technologies, Inc. was founded in February 1987 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and is a member of the Paul Allen Group of technology companies. The privately-held company designs, manufactures, and markets advanced multimedia and communications PC products known world-wide for their superior price and performance advantage.

Strategic relationships with AT&T, Asymetrix, CompuServe, Radish Communications and Rockwell provide Cardinal Technologies access to the latest technological advances from controllerless chip sets to the best in digital video software. All production of Cardinal's high-quality products takes place at the 100,000-square foot manufacturing center located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Besides manufacturing its own products, Cardinal has manufactured products for Xerox, Digital Equipment Corporation, IBM, Hewlett-Packard, and companies serving markets outside the U.S. Cardinal's manufacturing expertise and stringent quality control has established the company as a preferred supplier. -0-

(a) Requires Caller ID service from local telephone company

CONTACT: McLean Public Relations 

Alexandrea Todd, 415/513-8800

or

Cardinal Technologies

Robin Palmer, 717/293-3013