Zi CORPORATION
NEWS RELEASE

For immediate release (Calgary, AB Canada)
October 3, 2000


Zi’s global expansion catalyst for new look

Calgary, AB (October 3, 2000) - Zi Corporation (NASDAQ: ZICA) (TSE: ZIC) has unveiled a new logo and image to represent the company as it moves forward in the consumer information marketplace. With offices in five countries, Zi is rapidly expanding to support original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) around the world. Within the first nine months of 2000, Zi has signed 12 licensing agreements with companies such as LG (formerly Goldstar) Information and Communications, Kyocera, Oregan Networks UK Ltd., Zhongxing Telecommunications Equipment Ltd. and Amoisonic.

"Our new image reflects the global company Zi Corporation has become and illustrates our leadership in developing and implementing intelligent interface solutions." says Gary Kovacs, senior vice president, Marketing and Sales, Zi Corporation. "With our eZiText™ technology, Zi is defining the software standard for language interface within the pervasive computing environment."

Zi has been aggressively expanding and building its global infrastructure. At the close of second quarter, Zi reported a 278 per cent increase in its worldwide workforce over the same period in 1999, allowing for increased sales and product development activity. Zi’s recent acquisition of TTC (Telecom Technology Corporation Limited) has doubled its research and development capacity in critical 3G technologies.

Zi’s initial goal was to influence the largest consumer market in the world - China. Today this aspiration is being realized and exceeded. Zi’s technology is embedded in products being sold in Asia and new products that use Zi technology are being introduced to the global marketplace. The most recent eZiText™ enabled product to hit the market is Alcatel’s One Touch 300 series phone. The 300 series of phones is being distributed globally and Alcatel has announced that their annual production target is 20 million handsets per year. Zi’s contract with Alcatel covers 15 languages, including English, Spanish, Chinese and Japanese. Alcatel’s second product line using Zi technology, the 500 series, is due to be released in mid-October.

The silver element of the new symbolmark, represents the dynamic and constantly changing consumer information marketplace. The blue element represents Zi’s global presence and leadership in both language and technology. Together these elements reflect Zi’s global leadership in providing language input solutions for consumer electronics.

Zi Corporation is a leading provider of embedded software technology and educational products and services. The company’s core product, eZiText™ , connects people to short messaging, e-mail, e-commerce, Web browsing and similar applications in almost any written language. Zi’s wholly owned subsidiary, Oztime.com, is China’s first Web-based education service provider. 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).

Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The information in this press release is based on Zi Corporation’s current expectation and assumptions, and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Such risks include, among others, general business and economic conditions and competitive actions as well as the risks and uncertainties referred to in Zi Corporation’s 20-F for the most recent calendar year.

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For further information, please contact:

Karen Attwell
Zi Corporation
Manager, Investor/Media Relations
Phone: (403) 231-4575
Email: investor@zicorp.com
Web site: www.zicorp.com
  

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