Dataplay 500MB miniature recordable optical discs......
About the size of a quarter...
Leading Consumer Electronic and Digital Content Providers Join With DataPlay to Launch New Universal Media Format
LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 5, 2001--
Samsung, Toshiba and Imation Among Partners Working With DataPlay;
Major Music Labels On Board to Provide Digital Content
DataPlay, Inc., today announced that it is working with a number of strategic partners, including Toshiba Corporation, Samsung Electronics, Imation Corporation (NYSE:IMN) and several others, to co-develop devices and content for use with the DataPlay digital media. More than 50 different prototype devices from leading consumer electronic developers supporting the DataPlay format, including portable music players/recorders, digital cameras, PC peripherals, PDAs and portable games, will be unveiled for the first time at CES with full rollouts planned for the future. DataPlay will also demonstrate a broad selection of top-selling pre-recorded music titles from Universal and EMI on DataPlay digital media across a variety of portable devices. As a result of these relationships, DataPlay will extend its reach to hundreds of thousands of potential consumers when the product goes to market this year. In addition, Universal Music Group, EMI Group and Rosetta Books are currently planning to release pre-recorded music and e-book content on DataPlay digital media for use in multiple consumer electronic devices.
DataPlay digital media is a universal solution about the size of a quarter that is designed to permanently store a vast amount of digital content, whether pre-recorded, downloaded off the Internet or created by consumers. This allows access to all forms of digital content across all digital devices and platforms, including images, documents, software, games, video and more.
"These alliances are critical pieces of our mission to establish DataPlay as the most pervasive digital media solution on the market, with the ability to operate on any device or platform," said DataPlay CEO Steve Volk. "By teaming with leaders in their respective segments, we will be able to offer electronics consumers a wide array of choices and options for enjoying the ease, convenience and adaptability of DataPlay's products."
The DataPlay solution includes three primary offerings: DataPlay digital media, DataPlay micro-optical engines and ContentKey(TM), a content distribution, marketing and e-commerce tool. Working in partnership with leading content providers and consumer electronics manufacturers, DataPlay anticipates digital media containing pre-recorded content to be on sale for the 2001 holiday season, coinciding with the availability of DataPlay-enabled consumer electronic devices and blank media.
"We recognized the potential of the DataPlay digital media to become a primary format consumers use for all of their digital content," said Michael Malcy, Vice President, Digital Convergence Team, of Samsung Electronics. "Working with DataPlay demonstrates our ongoing commitment to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to consumer electronics technology and to deliver higher levels of functionality and portability at affordable prices."
Consumer electronic companies debuting products or digital content supporting DataPlay technology include A-Max, Biomec Inc., Cirrus Logic, CMC, Creative Labs, Data Transit, eAnywhere Technologies, e.Digital, Eiger Labs Inc., Excalibur Technologies Corporation, Hollywood Records, Imation Corporation, InnoGear, Magic Eyes, Microsoft Corporation, MPMan.com Inc., Palmax, Pine Technology USA, PortalPlayer Inc., Pretec Electronics Corporation, RedDotNet, Ritek Corporation, Rosetta Books, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Sewon, SmartDisk Corporation, SongPro.com, SONICblue Inc., STMicroelectronics N.V., Toshiba Corporation, VaroVision Co. V-Sync, and ZipLabs.
DataPlay has closed three rounds of venture financing, for a total of $64 million since May 1999. DataPlay's investors include Universal Music Group, Toshiba Corporation, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., S3 Incorporated, Imation Corporation, A.G. Edwards Private Equity Partners, Belton Industrial (International) Limited, Computer Sciences Corporation, DCA, Inc. (Doug Carson & Associates, Inc.), Graystone Venture Direct Equity, L.P., iBelay LLC., Invisible Hand LLC, Ritek Corporation, Sequel Venture Partners, STMicroelectronics N.V., Tango. Creative Labs and SONICblue, Inc. and the University of Colorado Foundation, Inc.
About DataPlay, Inc.
DataPlay, Inc. was incorporated in November of 1998 to develop a Web-enabled digital content recording and distribution media for portable Internet appliances and hand-held consumer electronic devices. Headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, the company employs more 160 people in the United States, Singapore and Japan. Visit DataPlay on the Internet at www.dataplay.com.
CONTACT:
DataPlay, Inc.
Suzanne Stephens, 303/527-5866
sstephens@dataplay.com
or
Dotted Line Communications
Susan Hook, 415/292-1936
susan@dottedlinecomm.com |
