IOM---ALERT!! News on the wires
Iomega Ships Clik! Mobile Drive and Disks -- Affordable Storage Solutions for Today's Portable Digital Products
Digital Photo Bundle Includes Flash Memory Reader for Clik! Mobile Drive
ROY, Utah--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 16, 1998-- Iomega Corporation (NYSE:IOM - news) today announced it began limited U.S. shipments of its Clik!(tm) Mobile Drives and 40MB Clik! disks. The first Clik! drive configuration to be available is the Clik! Drive for Digital Cameras.
Iomega designed Clik!(tm) Mobile Drives to be an ideal and affordable storage solution for today's portable digital products from digital cameras and handheld personal computers (HPCs) to notebook computers. The Clik! Drive for Digital Cameras ships with the Clik! Flash Memory Reader, a Clik! 40MB disk, an integrated battery, and a parallel port desktop docking station. The Clik! Flash Memory Reader enables digital camera users to easily copy the photographs from the flash memory in their digital cameras to the Clik! disks. As a result, digital camera owners can download their photos while they're away from their desks when their cameras' memories are full, making Clik! 40MB disks serve as rolls of film for digital cameras. Their low cost makes them an ideal photo storage solution.
The Clik!(tm) Mobile Drive will be available in three configurations to meet different customer needs. In addition to the digital photo bundle, now shipping, other Clik! Mobile Drive bundles are expected to ship by the end of the month or early January 1999. These include the Clik! Drive for Mobile Computers, which includes a Clik! Mobile Drive, one Clik! 40MB disk, an integrated rechargeable battery, a parallel port desktop docking station and a PC card adapter for use with notebooks and Windows CE products. The Clik! Drive Plus bundle includes a Clik! Mobile Drive and the PC Card adapter, flash memory reader, integrated rechargeable battery, parallel port desktop docking station and one Clik! 40MB disk.
''Clik! Mobile Drives and disks offer consumers an affordable and versatile product that improves the way they share information, and backup and use their mobile products while providing a convenient connection to their desktop computers,'' James C. Kelly, president of Iomega's mobile storage division. ''Due to its light weight, the Clik! Mobile Drive is also extremely easy to carry, making it ideal for people on the go.''
The handheld Clik!(tm) Mobile Drive weighs less than seven ounces and offers users connectivity to most mobile digital products and desktop computers, and the ability to easily share information between them. Iomega also designed the Clik! 40MB disks to store more than current mobile storage solutions and cost much less. Clik! 40MB disks are 2'' by 2'', approximately half the size of a credit card, and have the capacity to store 40 megabytes.
''Iomega has identified an area that has strong growth potential,'' Bob Amatruda, senior analyst for tape and removable storage at IDC, said. ''Clik! Mobile Drives and disks will allow Iomega to address the needs of the burgeoning digital camera, handheld PC and sub-notebook computer markets in a manner never before achieved by small form factor removable media drives.''
The Clik!(tm) Mobile Drive bundle for digital photography is available at an estimated street price of $249 (U.S.). Clik! disks also began shipping yesterday with the digital photo bundle and are expected to be available in 2-, 4- and 10-packs as early as next week for an estimated street price as low as $9.99 (U.S.) each when purchased in a 10-pack. The Clik! Mobile Drive for mobile computing, for use with notebooks or WindowsCE products, is expected to be available at an estimated street price of $199 (U.S.). And, the Clik! Drive Plus bundle, for use with most digital cameras, notebook computers and WindowsCE products, is expected to be available for an estimated street price of $299 (U.S.).
Industry Endorsements
''Many OEMs continue to explore possible products and bundles with Clik! drives and disks because of the flexibility it provides to their products and customers,'' said James C. Kelly, president of Iomega's mobile storage division. ''The strong positive reaction to Iomega's Clik! product family illustrates the strong interest in affordable high-capacity storage for portable digital products.''
Compaq Computer Corporation, the world's largest supplier of personal computers, Sharp Electronics, a worldwide developer of core office technologies and AGFA, a recognized leader of consumer digital imaging technologies in the world recently announced plans to explore developing digital products incorporating Clik!(tm) drives.
Citizen Watch Co., Ltd., and Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd. (MCI) are currently licensing Clik!(tm) drive technology from Iomega. Additionally, NEC Corporation [Nasdaq:NIPNY - news] is currently developing a USB Clik! Mobile Drive which is expected to be available in the second quarter of 1999.
As the Clik!(tm) drive launches, other industry leaders have stepped forward to add their endorsements of this new portable, digital product storage companion:
''We think that our new Clio(tm) PC companion opens doors to new possibilities for professionals on the go, and we are glad to see an innovative product like the Clik! Mobile Drive,'' said Daniel E. Epel, vice president of marketing, Vadem. ''In addition to being an excellent portable memory solution for Clio, the Clik! drive gives our users even greater flexibility to carry, access and share files while traveling.''
''Our Phenom(tm) line of handheld PCs have proven to be a very popular PC companion in the marketplace,'' said Bradley H. Garrison, vice president, mobile computing and communications, LG Electronics USA, Inc. ''As their popularity continues to grow, so does the need for portable memory. The Clik! Mobile Drive can satisfy that need for our customers who want to do more with less. The Clik! 40MB disks' low cost will allow users to take more of their office with them when they are on the road or away from their desks.''
''The 6.8 pound In Focus LP425 data/video projector revolutionized the way mobile professionals present while on the road,'' said Nelson Pratt, director, corporate communications, In Focus. ''Iomega's Clik! Mobile Drive has the same potential for personal storage by providing the breakthrough in size and performance 'Road Warriors' demand. By combining a HPC and the LP425 with the Clik! drive's ability to store up to 40 presentations, you now have a very mobile presentation solution that doesn't sacrifice quality for size.''
About Iomega
Iomega Corporation (NYSE:IOM - news) manufactures and markets the award-winning Zip®, Jaz®, Ditto® and Clik(tm) drives and disks that help people to organize, manage, create, exchange and share their important information. Used in homes, businesses, government, education, and by creative professionals everywhere, Iomega storage solutions are the enabling technologies preferred by millions. The Company can be reached at 1-800-MY-STUFF (800-697-8833), or on the Web at iomega.com.
Special note: Statements in this release relating to the planned pricing, specifications and benefits of Clik! drives and disks, the expected timetable for availability of Clik! drives and disks, and the potential demand for Clik! drives and disks are forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, among others, Iomega commencing shipments of other Clik! drive and disk bundles, market acceptance of, and demand for, Clik! drives and disks, manufacturing issues encountered by Iomega, conformity of components to specifications, component availability and prices, product costs, intellectual property rights and other risks described in Iomega's Annual Report to Stockholders for 1997 on Form 10-K, filed March 31, 1998 and its most recent quarterly reports filed with the SEC.
Iomega, Zip, Jaz, Ditto and the stylized ''i'' logo are registered trademarks, and Clik! is a trademark of Iomega Corporation. All other product and brand names are the property of their respective owners.
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Contact:
Iomega Corporation
Joe Bartenhagen, 801/332-4240
pr@iomega.com
Investors and analysts, please contact:
Tyler Thatcher, 801/332-4362
thatcher@iomega.com
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