To All,
One new application and one cell phone applicaiton:
ISD's Chipcorder Technology Featured In Two New European
Products; ISD Chips Enable Voice Warning Feature In New Auto
Safety Device And Outgoing Message Feature In New Cellular Phone
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 5, 1996--ISD (Information Storage Devices Inc.),
(NASDAQ:ISDI), announced that its voice record and playback chips, featuring ISD ChipCorder technology, have
been integrated into two new European products -- the InfoDrive System, a revolutionary new auto safety product
manufactured in Italy by AITEC s.r.l., and the Benefon Sigma NMT 450i cellular phone from Benefon, Salo, Finland.
Automotive Safety
AITEC's InfoDrive System is a breakthrough new automotive safety product that lets automobiles equipped with the
InfoDrive System warn each other of dangerous road situations.
Automobiles with the InfoDrive System will be programmed to send a signal to other InfoDrive-equipped cars if there
is an accident, roadway obstruction, or a rapidly decelerating car within a 500 meter radius. The InfoDrive System will
transmit a signal within a two kilometer radius.
Upon receiving the signal, the InfoDrive System will use ISD's 20-second record and playback chip (the ISD1420) to
play a pre- recorded message, warning drivers of the danger. The warning messages are pre-recorded by AITEC
onto the ISD chip in a specific language.
ISD Featured in Two New European Products
Communications between the systems will not be restricted to a specific language because the ISD chip plays back
the message in its pre-recorded language. For example, warnings transmitted by an "Italian-speaking" system and
received by an "English-speaking" system will be played in English.
"The InfoDrive System , with a recorded message enabled by ISD's ChipCorder technology, is designed to let drivers
calmly anticipate risky situations they can't see due to blind corners or bad weather conditions," said Maurizio
Pugnotti, project manager at AITEC.
"In addition to the easy integration of ISD products, we were especially attracted to the ISD solution because it
allows us to record messages in specific languages as needed and eliminates our need for stocking large, possibly
redundant, inventories of one-time recordable chips."
Cellular Phone
The Benefon Sigma NMT 450i analog cellular phone utilizes the ISD1416, ISD's 16-second record and playback chip,
to enable an answering machine function. This feature lets the cellular phone owner record a greeting in his or her own
voice by simply pressing a button.
Incoming callers hear the greeting and then dial in their phone number which is recorded and stored in the phone. To
return the call, the cell phone owner simply presses a button to activate the autodial feature for automatic callback.
The phone is able to store up to 20 numeric messages, and retain them even in the event of battery drain. Benefon
Sigma users can re-record their greeting multiple times without degrading the high-quality, natural sound.
"With ISD's complete ChipCorder solution, users of the Benefon Sigma have the convenience of quickly recording or
re-recording an outgoing greeting directly in the handset of their phone," said Tomi Raita, product group manager of
NMT-450i Cellular Products at Benefon. "Our customers can personalize their greeting to incoming callers, without
having to dial into a message service or answering machine."
"Over the past three years, ISD has seen significant penetration into the international market," said David Angel,
president and CEO of ISD. "The InfoDrive System opens up a completely new market for ISD's technology:
voice-activated automotive safety. The personalized outgoing greeting in the Benefon Sigma is another example of a
new cellular design win enabled by the features of ISD's chip."
Pricing & Availability
The InfoDrive system is expected to be available in a variety of languages for the multi-lingual European market.
The system, which consists of a central processing unit that fits under the seat of the car, an antenna that can also be
used for radio reception and cellular phones, and a handheld microphone similar in shape to a CB radio, will initially be
launched in Italy with a suggested resale price of 350,000 Lira (approximately $250). It will be distributed by NET
Company Italy.
The Benefon Sigma NMT 450i phone is now available throughout Europe from NMT-450i Cellular Phone service
providers.
InfoDrive Information
For more information about the InfoDrive System please contact NET Company Italy. Telephone: (39) 71/781033.
Fax: (39) 71/781113. Benefon Information
For more information about the Benefon Sigma NMT 450i analog cellular phone, please contact Tomi Raita, product
group manager, cellular products. Telephone: (358) 24/7740333. Fax: (358) 24/77400. About ISD
ISD, a leading supplier of semiconductor voice record and playback solutions, provides essential products to the
communications marketplace using its proprietary multilevel storage and related technologies. ISD is located at 2045
Hamilton Avenue, San Jose, Calif., 95125, USA. Telephone: 408/369-2400. Fax: 408/369-2422. Visit our World Wide
Web home page at isd.com.
Note to Editors: ChipCorder is a registered trademark of ISD. All other products are trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective companies.
CONTACT: ISD
Marty Tacktill, 408/369-2525
mtacktill@isd.com
or
Walt & Company Communications Inc.
Dean Rodgers/Heather Prophet, 408/496-0900
hprophet@walt.com |
