Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : CheckFree (CKFR) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Benny Baga who wrote (2964)	3/30/1998 12:28:00 AM
From: Kalpesh	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 8545

Hello All, here are some excerpts from "Time digital"- a techno publication of TIME magazine-March 23rd issue. Refer-pp60-65, "How Money will change". The article describes Peter Kight as a visionary. It says: "Checkfree's roster of partners include Merrill Lynch, Charles Schwab, wells Fargo and Chase. More than 2 million consumers use Checkfree's bill payment service(often w/o knowing it). (We all Know it here!!) it further reads... Now that Kight has made the checkbook nearly obsolete for millions of households, he is working to eliminate the paper trail altogether by letting consumers receive bills electronically. The concept, called " electronic bill presentment", promises to be one of the most significant advances in online banking. Microsoft has even started a rival service, but checkfree has an early lead, with chase and 22 merchants offering the service to their customers. "I believe that by the middle of 2001, a third of the US will pay their bills electronically," says Kight, who notes that only 2 % of households do so today.(exponential growth IMHO). he believes many people who like the idea of paying bills online are hedging because current electronic offerings are not fully automated. " for everyone who's using electronic bill payment at a bank today," he says "there are 10 people who will move from paper to electronic once they are able to receive the bill electronically. While Kight sees a bright future for his ideas, he concedes that about a third of all consumers won't want to make a switch. However, he thonks that 2/3 of US market is large enough for him. -I scooped up 2000 more shares on friday at 21 5/8, after reading this. Let's see some action this week on upcoming news in April!! -Long live bull markets. Checkfree lover, Kalpesh

To: Benny Baga who wrote (2964)	3/30/1998 10:08:00 AM
From: TLindt	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 8545

Answer..Intuit Cuts FAT HOG...IMO. Intuit, MECA Join Forces to Offer Custom Versions of Quicken(R) to Financial Service Companies MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. and TRUMBULL, Conn. -- Intuit, Inc. (Nasdaq: INTU) and MECA Software, L.L.C. today announced an exclusive agreement whereby MECA will develop and market customized versions of Quicken(R) personal financial management software with unique branding and other features for individual financial institutions for distribution to their customers in the U.S. and Canada. Under terms of the agreement, MECA will complement the development of its own financial management software product, Managing Your Money, with the ability to further develop its rapidly growing software customization business with the Quicken code base. Intuit will team with MECA to deliver custom versions to a broad range of financial institutions, including banks, brokerages and insurance companies. Financial terms of the deal will not be disclosed. "This agreement gives financial institutions exactly what they've been asking for -- direct access to more than 10 million Quicken customers who are already using computers to manage their finances plus the freedom to deliver branded products and services that drive their own business goals," said Bill Harris, executive vice president of Intuit. "Financial institutions want and need to maintain and solidify their relationship with their own customers. Many financial institutions' customers already use Quicken, and are very loyal to their financial institution," said Paul Harrison, president of MECA. "By offering a customized and uniquely branded version of Quicken, financial institutions will now be able to offer their customers an even broader choice of personal financial management software, while enhancing their brand identity. Consumers will benefit from versions of Quicken which can be much more tightly integrated with those products and services offered by their primary financial institution." "We are pleased that Intuit and MECA have joined together to work even more closely with the financial services industry," said Amy Brinkley, executive vice president, NationsBank. "The successful MECA business model, combined with the award winning Quicken product offerings, should be a very exciting and attractive combination for the financial services industry and our customers." "Adding customized Quicken to MECA's extensive products, services and solutions for electronic delivery will offer financial institutions additional choices in meeting customers' needs. Both Intuit's Quicken and MECA's Managing Your Money products have unique strengths and capabilities. This choice, coupled with the opportunity to work with MECA, the leading customization firm in this market, offers very exciting opportunities for the financial services industry," said Greg Ross, executive vice president, New England Financial. Using Quicken source code as the base, MECA will work closely with its financial institution customers to develop customized PC-based personal financial management software products that address a broad range of financial needs and opportunities. While specific features of each version are the decision of each institution, MECA expects that most will want to include embedded browser links to their own Web sites to enable such activities as account balance inquiries, information exchange, sales and marketing, and transactions over the Internet. To ensure easy Internet and Web links, MECA will support broad connectivity, including connectivity to Integrion's Interactive Financial Services (IFS) platform. "This partnership will help expand the adoption of online banking," said Pete Kight, president and chief executive officer of CheckFree Corporation. "I believe there is going to be very widespread interest from our three hundred bank clients to quickly use this opportunity to extend online banking to their Quicken customers. Financial institutions will be able to take advantage of this new development for their own benefit as well as for the benefit of their customers." "This relationship is consistent with Integrion's philosophy of allowing financial institutions to provide customers with a unique, bank branded experience," said William M. Fenimore, Jr., managing director of Integrion. "Integrion plans to support these customized versions through connectivity to the Interactive Financial Services platform." About Intuit Intuit, Inc., a financial software and Web-based services company, develops and markets Quicken, the leading personal financial software; TurboTax, the best-selling tax preparation software; and QuickBooks, the most popular small business accounting software. Intuit's Quicken.com Web site offers a complete set of personal financial news, information and tools, including leading investment, mortgage and insurance sites. Intuit's products and services enable individuals, small businesses, and financial professionals to better manage their financial lives and businesses. About MECA MECA Software, L.L.C., jointly owned by Bank of America, NationsBank, US Bancorp, Fleet Financial Group, Royal Bank of Canada, Citibank and New England Financial, is the leader in the design, development and execution of customized software and service solutions for the electronic delivery of financial services products and services. MECA offers branded software solutions which enable financial services providers to offer their customers electronic access to a broad array of financial product and service offerings. Intuit, the Intuit logo, Quicken, QuickBooks, QuickBooks Pro, TurboTax, MacInTax and ProSeries, among others, are registered trademarks and/or registered service marks of Intuit Inc. in the United States and other countries. Quicken.com, InsureMarket, BankNOW, Quicken Financial Planner and QuickenMortgage, among others, are trademarks and/or service marks of Intuit Inc., or one of its subsidiaries, in the United States and other countries. Other parties' trademarks or service marks are the property of their respective owners and should be treated as such. MECA, MECA Software, Managing Your Money and MoneyScape among others, are registered trademarks and/or registered service marks of MECA Software, LLC in the United States and other counties. Other parties' trademarks or service marks are the property of their respective owners and should be treated as such. /CONTACT: Lauren Lum of Thomas Associates, 650-596-2700, for Intuit; or Melissa Krantz of The Krantz Group, 212-891-7235, for MECA/ "Copyright(c) 1998, PR Newswire" "Provided by Dow Jones & Company, Inc."