Virgin Mobile to Use Geoworks' Mobile Media Technology to Develop New Diary Buddy Service
Geoworks Shares Mobile Media Expertise With Virgin Mobile
MACCLESFIELD, England, Feb. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Geoworks Corporation (Nasdaq: GWRX - news), a pioneer in mobile data communications services and technologies for the business and consumer markets, today announced an agreement with Virgin Mobile, the UK's most innovative mobile company, to use Premion Server+, Geoworks' cutting-edge mobile media technology behind its Mobile Attitude reminder service, to provide wireless calendar updates to Virgin Mobile subscribers.
The new service, to be offered as a Virgin Xtras service through Virgin Mobile, will integrate Geoworks' proprietary server technology into the Virgin Mobile architecture. The resulting service, ``Diary Buddy', will enable Virgin Mobile subscribers to receive personalized reminders about important events and appointments direct to their mobile phones right when they need the information most.
``Virgin Mobile has already begun to develop innovative services that suit the unique style and demands of the mobile consumer in Europe,' said Ken Norbury, Vice President and General Manager of Geoworks Ltd. UK. ``By leveraging Geoworks' visionary technology, Virgin Mobile better defines the central role that the mobile medium plays in simplifying and enhancing the lives of mobile consumers.'
Both Geoworks and Virgin Mobile have rolled out a series of customizable mobile media and e-commerce services during the past several months. Through Mobile Attitude, Geoworks offers a discount and promotion service, a ski information service called SnowZone(TM), and the reminder service that Virgin Mobile will adapt for its customers. Besides Diary Buddy, Virgin Mobile offers a series of Virgin Xtras services through which subscribers can book Virgin holidays and other travel arrangements, buy Virgin music, and receive traffic updates, among other features.
``Geoworks has set a stellar example in the United States with its Mobile Attitude service, and we are delighted to be using their experience and ingenuity to help us lead the way in Europe,' said Tom Alexander, Virgin Mobile's Managing Director. ``Diary Buddy will make our customers' lives easier, and a little more fun.'
Both Geoworks and Virgin Mobile recently became members of Radicchio, a consortium of mobile e-commerce companies dedicated to unleashing the potential of secure transactions over wireless networks. The companies plan to continue their collaboration in an effort to develop advanced mobile media and commerce services.
``With Geoworks' expertise in the mobile technology market and Virgin's mass consumer reach, this partnership is well-positioned for success,' said Andrew Cole, head of Renaissance Worldwide's Wireless Practice. ``The combined talents of the two companies provide superior mobile media services through the familiar and trusted Virgin brand name.'
About Virgin Mobile
Virgin Mobile is the UK's first virtual mobile operator -- the fifth UK network. Virgin Mobile is the latest high profile launch from Richard Branson's Virgin Group of companies and is a 50:50 joint-venture with One 2 One, the UK operator owned by Deutsche Telekom. Launched in November 1999, the company has attracted customers at a far faster rate than any of its competitors achieved in their early days, and has already established itself as an industry innovator. All customers are on one great value tariff -- the more it is used each day the cheaper it becomes. Each customer has access to powerful applications because of a 32k SIM -- a UK first. And customers can pay for their calls up front, with no-expiry vouchers or credit cards, or later by direct debit -- the choice is theirs -- another UK first. Virgin Mobile aims to be the most popular mobile brand in the UK and eventually throughout the world. Website: www.virgin.com/mobile |
