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Technology Stocks : General Magic -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: equityanalyst who wrote (9735)	8/16/2001 11:44:45 AM
From: hcirteg	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 10081

EA- Remember I went to the AAPEX auto show last November and met with the SAAB/ONSTAR team? I remember posting that the big revelation of the soon forthcoming "Virtual Advisor" was that it would eliminate the need of the "PC in the car" and thus much of that competition... Looks like PC in the car is DEAD! Check this out: GM delays offering hands-free Internet in Cadillacs August 15, 2001 BLOOMBERG NEWS DETROIT -- General Motors Corp. has indefinitely delayed a plan to offer voice-activated personal computers with Internet access in some Cadillac cars, saying its OnStar communications service meets consumer needs. The contract with Delphi Automotive Systems Corp. for the Infotainment PC system has been put on hold, said Cindy Kamerad, a spokeswoman for the largest automaker's Cadillac division. General Motors said in April 2000 that the system would be offered as an option in 2001 Seville and DeVille sedans. The announcement last year came as automakers pushed to add in-vehicle electronic information services to provide revenue after a sale. General Motors since has added Virtual Adviser to OnStar, letting drivers and passengers access e-mail, stock quotes, sports scores, and weather and traffic information based on a vehicle's location. OnStar, which also alerts emergency personnel if an air bag deploys and can aid drivers who are lost or need directions to restaurants or other locations, 'fits the bill right now, especially with Virtual Adviser," said Kamerad. "It's all about what our customers want and need." Delphi, which is the largest auto-parts maker and was spun off by General Motors in 1999, is "going to push forward because we believe in the technology," said spokeswoman Jennifer Zajac. Neither Troy, Michigan-based Delphi nor General Motors would disclose the value of the contract. Delphi's system, which the Troy, Michigan-based company calls Communiport, includes a dock for Palm Inc.'s Palm Pilot handheld computers and for equipment such as mobile phones. General Motors began selling OnStar in 1996. Both Delphi's system and OnStar have screens that will display information and e-mail when the vehicle is stopped, Kamerad said. OnStar's Virtual Adviser service is available in cities such as New York, Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles, said Geri Lama, a spokeswoman for the communications service. The system is voice-activated once the OnStar button is pushed, she said.