CommunicAsia
2005, Singapore and Calgary,
AB, Canada, June 14, 2005 -
Zi Corporation (Nasdaq: ZICA)
(TSX: ZIC), a global provider
of intelligent interface
solutions, today unveils for
the first time in Asia at
the CommunicAsia exhibition
a revolutionary new service
discovery engine that provides
users with a quick and easy
method for accessing and discovering
a phone's full set of features,
applications and services
without having to remember
where and how to find them
via the phone's built-in menu
structure . Qix™,
pronounced “quicks,” intuitively
accesses information directly
from the phone screen used
for dialing a phone number
on
the 12-button keypad.
Zi
Corporation com es to CommunicAsia
(Stand 3K1-08 at the Canadian
Pavilion) as one of Asia 's leading
providers with its software now
operating on over 800 different
devices worldwide. The Asian
launch of Qix is the latest development
from Zi designed to help users
easily access new and increasingly
advanced services available from
mobile phones and other handheld
devices.
“Qix
is a genuine breakthrough in
phone usability that will promote
the increased use of applications
and services through the small
form factor of the mobile phone,” said
Milos Djokovic, chief operating
officer, Zi Corporation. “Qix
proactively anticipates a user's
needs, working from the user's
perspective, for the user's benefit,
and we are delighted to be showing
it to the Asian market for the
first time at CommunicAsia”.
Combining
patented technology and a unique,
proprietary indexing engine,
Qix significantly reduces the
number of key presses needed
to use a mobile phone's full
set of services and features
and eliminates the need to scroll
through complex menu systems.
Qix can greatly enhance the user
experience for the subscriber
and simultaneously drive service
usage and adoption resulting
in greater ARPU (Average Revenue
per User) for the operator.
Qix
utilizes all the information
stored in the mobile phone to
facilitate the choices available
to the user. While in the phone
screen for dialing a number on
the 12-button keypad, Qix begins
interpreting the possible combinations
of the letters and numbers entered
and presents the user with a
list of options; including, phonebook
contacts, browser bookmarks,
installed applications, operator
customized services, help files
and more. In most cases, after
just 3 to 4 key presses, the
desired option is presented.
As
an example, pressing the “9/WXYZ” key
followed by the “3/DEF” key
would bring up a list of contacts,
individuals or companies, whose
names or numbers begin with these
combinations, such as a colleague's
name from the phonebook, Wendy,
and a company's number with the
sequence of 93 within it from
the call log file. Equally it
would display available applications,
services, bookmarks, help files
or games available on the device
containing the number sequence
64 or letter combinations of
WXYZ with DEF. In this example,
Qix would present the Web browser
application, a URL bookmark such
as Yell.com and the Web settings
help file on the phone. The user
then simply highlights and clicks
on the relevant item and it is
opened regardless of whether
it is an application, bookmark,
etc.
Commenting
on the Qix technology, Morten
Grauballe, vice-president of
product management at Symbian,
said, “We
are delighted that the first
version of Qix is based on the
Symbian OS, the world's leading
operating system for smartphones.
The phone user interface enhancement
delivered by Qix will provide
enormous benefits to users and
operators.”
When
presented with a phonebook contact,
Qix also provides a list of the
revenue generating services to
utilize; e.g., send a SMS, send
an e-mail, take and send a photo.
This capability is central to
the Qix concept as it exposes
users to features that they might
not otherwise discover or know
how to access. This eliminates
the need for operators to direct
users to services and applications
via the menu system or user manual.
By using this approach, Qix serves
as a key enabler for operators
as they roll-out a range of advanced
3G applications and services
on next-generation wireless devices.
“Qix
will radically change the user's
experience,” added
Djokovic at Zi Corporation. “With
other systems, if a user wants
to send a SMS to a colleague,
he would have to find and open
the application, figure out how
to enter and / or find a contact,
com pose the message, attach
it to the addressee's details
and then send it – a
lengthy, multiple key press experience.
Qix simplifies and speeds up
the whole process with just a
few simple key presses – without
menus.”
Other
highlights at the show this week
will include new versions of
the eZiText® and
award nominated Decuma handwriting
recognition product.
For
media interviews or tours at
CommunicAsia, please contact
Brian Dolby or Bethany Caldwell
at GBCS PR on +44 (0) 115 950
8399 or email brian@gbcspr.com or bethany@gbcspr.com .
Note
to Editors
A
Qix technology backgrounder is
available from Zi Corporation
at its CommunicAsia stand (Stand
3K1-08 at the Canadian Pavilion).
About
Zi Corporation
Zi Corporation ( www.zicorp.com ) is a
technology company that delivers intelligent interface solutions to enhance
the user experience of wireless and consumer technologies. The company provides
device manufacturers and network operators with a full range of intuitive and
easy-to-use input solutions, including: eZiText® for one-touch predictive
text entry; eZiTap™ for intelligent multi-tap entry, Decuma® for natural
handwriting recognition and the new Qix™ service discovery engine to enhance
the user experience and drive service usage and adoption. Zi's product portfolio
dramatically improves the usability of mobile phones, PDAs, gaming devices
and set-top boxes and the applications on them including SMS, MMS, e-mail and
Internet browsing. Zi supports its strategic partners and customers from offices
in Asia , Europe and North America . A publicly traded company, Zi Corporation
is listed on the Nasdaq National Market (ZICA) and the Toronto Stock Exchange
(ZIC).
This
release may be deemed to contain
forward-looking statements, which
are subject to the safe harbour
provisions of the United States
Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking
statements include, among other
things, statements regarding
future events and the future
financial performance of Zi Corporation
that involve risks and uncertainties.
Readers are cautioned that these
forward-looking statements are
only predictions and may differ
materially from actual future
events or results due to a variety
of factors, including: the growth
trends in the input technology
industry; new product development;
global economic conditions and
uncertainties in the geopolitical
environment; financial and operating
performance of Zi's OEM customers
and variations in their customer
demand for products and services;
the ability to successfully acquire
businesses and technologies and
to successfully integrate and
operate these acquired businesses
and technologies; dependence
on the introduction and market
acceptance of new product offerings
and standards; rapid technological
and market change; matters affecting
Zi Corporation's significant
shareholder; litigation involving
patents, intellectual property,
and other matters; the ability
to recruit and retain key personnel;
Zi Corporation's ability to manage
financial risk; currency fluctuations
and other international factors;
potential volatility in operating
results and other factors listed
in Zi Corporation's filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Any projections in this release
are based on limited information
currently available to Zi Corporation,
which is subject to change. Although
any such projections and the
factors influencing them will
likely change, except to the
extent required by law, Zi Corporation
will not necessarily update the
information. Such information
speaks only as of the date of
this release.
-30-
Zi, Decuma, Qix, eZiTap and eZiText are either trademarks or registered trademarks
of Zi Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective
owners.
For
Zi Corporation:
GBCS PR
Brian Dolby / Bethany Caldwell (technology media)
+44 (0) 115 950 8399
brian@gbcspr.com / bethany@gbcspr.com
Allen & Caron
Inc (investor relations)
Jill Bertotti
jill@allencaron.com
(949) 474-4300