News!!! Portico sign-up now at the Website!!!
General Magic Announces Web Sign-up
for the Portico Virtual Assistant Service
SUNNYVALE, Calif. (December 28, 1998) -- General Magic, Inc. (Nasdaq: GMGC), a leading
developer of integrated telephony and Internet applications, today announced that online sign-up for the
Portico™ virtual assistant service will now be available through the Company's website starting
January 5, 1999. Currently, Portico is available through a nationwide network of telecommunications
and Internet resellers.
Users will be able to sign up for the Portico service through a single, secure, electronic commerce
transaction by visiting the General Magic website at www.generalmagic.com. The website sign-up
page will allow customers to choose a Portico reseller to answer questions or provide more information
about the service. Once a reseller is selected, the customer will complete an online information form
and provide credit card information. The customer's sign-up information will then be electronically
submitted, and Portico customer support will notify the new subscriber by email when his/her account is
established. The subscriber can then call customer service to validate his/her identity, receive an
individual toll-free Portico phone number and schedule a short introductory session.
"A Web sign-up process is easy for customers and it allows them to act the moment they've made the
decision to buy," said Steve Markman, chairman, president, and CEO of General Magic. "Web-based
provisioning demonstrates General Magic's commitment to continuously improve Portico for our
customers and our distribution partners. It also prepares us to serve the millions of users we anticipate
from our Internet partners."
About the Portico Service
Designed for today's mobile professional workforce, the Portico service enables users to access,
retrieve and act upon information using any telephone and a normal speaking voice. The only second
generation virtual assistant available today, Portico integrates voice mail, email, address book and
calendar as well as content available on the Internet, such as company news and stock quotes.
Information may be accessed over any telephone using magicTalk™, General Magic's intelligent,
natural language voice user interface, or through any leading Web browser.
In accordance with U.S. securities law, General Magic notes that this press release contains
forward-looking statements. There are risks that may cause actual results to vary materially. These
risks include, but are not limited to, the challenges inherent in the development and delivery of complex
technologies; market acceptance of the Company's Portico service and magicTalk platform; the
Company's dependence on establishing distribution relationships; adequacy of the Company's financial
resources to execute its business plan; the Company's ability to respond to competitive developments;
and the Company's reliance on attracting, retaining and motivating key technical, marketing and
management personnel. These and other risk factors are detailed in General Magic's 1997 Form 10-K,
and third quarter 1998 Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
About General Magic
General Magic offers integrated voice and data applications making communication and access to
information easy and convenient for people, no matter where they are. The Company's development
efforts are founded on its patented agent technology, innovative user-interface and
communication-centric designs to provide simple, yet effective ways for people to keep in touch with
the information they need to be successful. The Company is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.
For more information on General Magic, please visit the Company's Web site at
generalmagic.com.
General Magic, Portico and magicTalk are trademarks of General Magic, Inc. which may be registered
in certain jurisdictions.
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