American Express and Compaq Team Up
to Deliver Increased Convenience And Security for Online
Shoppers With Smart Card-Enabled PC Keyboard
American Express Offers Compaq Smart Card Keyboard To Consumer and
Small Business Blue Customers
NEW YORK, Dec. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Just in time for the holiday online shopping season, American
Express (NYSE: AXP - news) and Compaq Computer Corporation (NYSE: CPQ - news) announced that
they have joined to make Compaq Smart Card Keyboards available to customers of Blue from American
Express and Blue for Business, both traditional credit cards with a smart chip that enhances online
security.
``American Express and Compaq share the commitment to help our customers make the most of the
Internet,'' said Mike Pocock, Vice President and General Manager, Commercial Personal Computing
Group at Compaq Computer Corp. ``Convenient and affordable, Compaq's Smart Card Keyboard helps
make online shopping more secure for individuals and small businesses.''
Specially priced at $59.95 for Blue customers, the Compaq Smart Card Keyboard is a standard
PC-compatible keyboard with a built-in smart card reader, ideally suited for individuals and small
businesses that desire enhanced security during online transactions. In addition, the Compaq Smart
Card Keyboard provides extra convenience to customers, since an additional piece of hardware is no
longer needed when using a smart card with a PC.
``Today's announcement continues the evolution of the smart card market,'' said Martin Wittwer, Vice
President, Smart Card Enterprise Development at American Express. ``We are delighted to work with
Compaq to help make smart cards a standard part of desktop computing and provide Blue customers
with even greater convenience.''
The Compaq Smart Card Keyboard is a full-sized, 104-key keyboard that provides customers with
enhanced online security through smart card authentication. The smart card reader is located on the
right-hand side of the keyboard. When customers of Blue from American Express and Blue for Business
wish to shop online, they simply insert Blue into the keyboard's smart card reader. The Cardmember is
prompted to enter a PIN. The digital certificate stored on the Blue smart chip is read once the PIN is
verified. This two-factor security -- the PIN in combination with the digital certificate stored on the chip --
authenticates the Cardmember, enhancing online security.
The Compaq Smart Card Keyboard meets smart card industry standards, including EMV and PCSC,
allowing Blue, as well as other smart cards that meet these standards, to be used with the keyboard.
Cardmembers of Blue and Blue for Business can order the Compaq Smart Card Keyboard at
americanexpress.com and
americanexpress.com, or they can search for the words, ``Compaq''
or ``keyboard,'' on the site. The keyboard carries a one-year warranty. Requirements include Windows
95, 98, 2000 or NT along with 5MB of disk space, 8MB of RAM and a serial port connection. American
Express will continue to offer free its current peripheral smart card reader for those customers who
choose to have an additional hardware device. For individuals and small businesses that are not
customers of Blue from American Express, the Compaq Smart Card Keyboard is also available for
$77.00 at directplus.compaq.com. Once on the site, the Compaq Smart Card Keyboard can
be located through ``Options'' followed by ``Security Devices'' or ``Input Devices.''
About American Express
American Express is committed to making e-commerce safe and easy for customers, and is developing
innovative solutions that safeguard customers online. The company recently announced Private
Paymentssm, a new way to pay online using a random, unique number for each online purchase. In
addition, Blue from American Express was the first wide-scale roll-out of a smart card in the U.S.
American Express Company (http://www.americanexpress.com) is a diversified worldwide travel,
financial and network services company founded in 1850. It is a leader in charge and credit cards,
Travelers Cheques, travel, financial planning, investment products, insurance and international banking.
About Compaq Computer Corporation
Compaq Computer Corporation, a Fortune Global 100 company, is the largest supplier of computing
systems in the world. Compaq designs, develops, manufactures, and markets hardware, software,
solutions, and services, including industry-leading enterprise computing solutions, fault-tolerant
business-critical solutions, and communications products, commercial desktop and portable products,
and consumer PCs.
Compaq products and services are sold in more than 200 countries directly to businesses, through a
network of authorized Compaq marketing partners, and directly to businesses and consumers through
Compaq's e-commerce Web site at compaq.com. Compaq markets its products and
services primarily to customers from the business, home, government, and education sectors.
Customer support and information about Compaq and its products and services are available at
www.compaq.com.
Compaq is registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Product names mentioned herein may
be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. This press release may
contain forward-looking statements based on current expectations that involve a number of risks and
uncertainties. The potential risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially
include: delays in the implementation of changes in delivery models, increased competitive environment
and pricing pressures, delays in product rollout schedules, component shortages, slow acceptance for
new form factors, employee retention, disruptions related to restructuring actions, the financial condition
of resellers, delays in new systems implementation, operational inefficiencies related to sales cycles,
equity investment volatility, and emerging market political or economic instability. Further information on
the factors that could affect Compaq's financial results is included in Compaq's Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, including the latest Annual Report on form 10-K and the latest
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Further information on factors that could affect American Express'
financial results is included in American Express Company's Securities and Exchange Commission
(SEC) filings, including the latest Annual Report on Form 10-K and the latest Quarterly Report on Form
10-Q.
SOURCE: American Express and Compaq Computer Corporation
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