News release |
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Zi and Openwave team to improve text input on mobile devices
Openwave to support Zi's eZiText™ in the Openwave™ Mobile Browser
Calgary, AB (April 17, 2001) - Zi Corporation (NASDAQ: ZICA) (TSE: ZIC) and Openwave Systems Inc. have entered into an agreement to support eZiText™ as a preferred input solution for the Openwave™ Mobile Browser (formerly the Openwave UP.Browser™ microbrowser).
eZiText™ delivers quick and easy text input in a user's native language. With eZiText™ a user does not need to multi-tap or even type whole words, because eZiText™ predicts words as they are typed. Available in 32 languages, eZiText™ allows handset manufacturers to localize products for their target markets.
"Zi has worked with Openwave's microbrowser technology to empower Alcatel's phones with the predictive capability of eZiText™," says Gary Kovacs, president, Zi Corporation. "This agreement formalizes our relationship and will allow handset manufacturers to quickly integrate eZiText™ with the Openwave Mobile Browser."
This agreement provides the opportunity to extend the reach of eZiText™ to a broader base of mobile device manufacturers. The Openwave microbrowser has been integrated into over 160 models of mobile phones representing over 70 million shipped units and the Openwave Mobile Browser is currently being integrated into a multitude of mobile devices expected to ship in 2001
"Using the predictive capability of eZiText™, the Openwave Mobile Browser will provide convenient access to mobile information," said Jeff Damir, vice president, Device Products, Openwave. "eZiText™ will work hand-in-hand with the Openwave Mobile Browser, allowing superior interaction with applications based on a variety of markup languages including Wireless Markup Language (WML), xHTML, and HDML."
In its fifth generation, the Openwave Mobile Browser is the worldwide market leading microbrowser for mobile phones. Engineering will be conducted on an ongoing basis to ensure eZiText™ compatibility with the two latest versions of the Mobile Browser. The Openwave Mobile Browser WAP Edition is based on the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP 1.2.1). The Openwave Mobile Browser Universal Edition supports the anticipated WAP 2.0 standard and a versatile set of markup languages including WML, xHTML, and cHTML (which is used for i-mode in Japan). Working together, eZiText™ and the Openwave Mobile Browser make it easier for users to harness the power of the Web and short messaging.
Openwave Systems Inc. is the worldwide leader of open IP-based communication infrastructure software and applications. Openwave is a global company headquartered in Redwood City, California. For more information, please visit www.openwave.com.
Zi Corporation is a market-driven technology company delivering intelligent interface solutions to enhance the user experience of wireless and consumer technologies. The company's core technology product, eZiText™ connects people to short messaging, e-mail, e-commerce, Web browsing and similar applications in almost any written language. The company's service division provides market-leading engineering design in Bluetooth, VoIP and man-machine interface. Zi supports its strategic partners from offices in Calgary, Beijing, Hong Kong, San Francisco, Shenzhen, Stockholm and Tokyo. A publicly traded company, Zi Corporation is listed on the NASDAQ National Market (ZICA) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (ZIC).
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For more information:
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Dale Kearns Zi Corporation Chief Financial Officer 403 233 8875 investor@zicorp.com www.zicorp.com |