Thought you might be intersted in this article, although not about IWM, it looks like the wireless arena is becoming hot.
news.com
RAZORFISH TAKES WIRELESS APPLICATION PROTOCOL TO THE
WORLD; ANNO
Business Wire
May 25, 1999, 8:10 a.m. PT
unces New Mobile and Wireless WAP Clients
Business Editors
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 25, 1999--In the under two months
since Razorfish, Inc.(NASDAQ: RAZF) formed a special internal group to
focus on wireless and mobile devices and applications, the company has
announced work with eight clients in this area, including Pohjola, a
large insurance company, and Finnair, the national airline of Finland.
Other clients include a stock exchange, a stock brokerage firm, a free
email provider, and a news agency.
Razorfish is one of the first companies to embrace the design and
production possibilities of mobile products and services, focusing
first on technologies surrounding the new Wireless Application
Protocol (WAP). WAP-enabled devices, such as the new Nokia 7110
cellular phone, should arrive on the market this fall.
"Mobile services are the wave of the future," commented Craig
Kanarick, Chief Scientist at Razorfish. "If you thought the Internet
made an impact on the world, just wait until WAP services become
widespread. This will be huge. We're going to constantly expand our
efforts in this area to keep up with rapidly increasing demand."
"We're probably the first company in the world to have a WAP
address on its business card," explained Mika Peltola, Managing
Director of the Razorfish office in Helsinki, Finland. Finland leads
the world in per-capita usage of cellular telephony services and is a
natural market for mobile digital technology.
The service Razorfish created for Finnair is targeted at key
customers with Finnair Plus accounts. Customers can access their
accounts, check their Plus Points (Finnair's frequent flier program),
shop for products in the WAP Shop, get special offers, check flight
schedules, and will soon book and change flights. Nokia demonstrated
this service at the World GSM Congress at Cannes, the Teleoperator
Conference at Zell-am-See, and Cebit-99.
"Finnair aims to be a front runner in its industry and to develop
its wireless services extensively. Our competence with wireless
Internet services has given Razorfish a fast access to this market,"
said Timir Bhose, Development Manager at Finnair.
Pohjola and Razorfish recently presented the world's first mobile
insurance service. Aimed at minimizing casualties and enhancing
customer care, the service gives subscribers a clear cut information
package about how to use their mobile devices in case of an accident.
It is one of a wide range of projects on which the two organizations
are collaborating.
Razorfish is a strategic digital communications company with
offices in Hamburg, Helsinki, Los Angeles, London, New York, Oslo, San
Francisco and Stockholm. Razorfish provides Digital Change Management
(sm) services to leading companies worldwide. Focusing on unique user
experiences, the company provides strategy, design, and technology
services. Recent clients include Excite, Intel, Nokia, Encyclopaedia
Britannica, Charles Schwab, and British Aerospace. More information
about Razorfish can be found at razorfish.com. Individuals
with WAP-enabled devices can learn more at wap://wap.razorfish.fi and
wap.razorfish.fi.
Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer
Certain statements made in this press release, including
statements that are not a statement of historical fact, may constitute
"forward-looking" statements as defined in the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended. Readers are cautioned that all forward-looking statements
involve risks associated with such factors as the substantial
indebtedness of the Company, lack of profitable operations, need to
manage change in business strategy, FCC authorizations and other
governmental regulations, competition, physical limitations of
wireless cable transmission and other factors set forth in more detail
in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. |
