Featured sites include BestBuy.com(TM), Google, Inktomi, eFrenzy, ScreamingMedia and Know-Where Systems
September 25, 2000 – Santa Clara, California – GWcom, Inc., a pioneer in wireless Application Service Platforms since 1994, launched its wireless Internet service, us.byair.com(TM), at the PCIA show in Chicago. byair.com allows retailers to use wireless technology and reach wireless consumers to offer an enriched buying experience in this new sales channel. In addition, GWcom’s wireless technology also allows retailers to enhance the content and consumer experience by providing value-added information to their customers anytime, anywhere.
Using GWcom’s wireless technology, leading retailers such as Best Buy Co., Inc. can now provide wireless access to their customers through the byair.com Web site. Additionally, consumers who visit bestbuy.com can receive product information to make intelligent purchasing decisions directly on their wireless device. The byair.com Web site offers unprecedented convergence of the Web and wireless connectivity by aggregating content from various retail and service providers.
"byair.com assists retailers to build strong customer relationships and increased customer service for our retail clients," notes GWcom’s CEO, Dr. Raymond Chin. "Now consumers can purchase a CD, view an artist’s tour schedule, anywhere using the byair.com site."
byair.com showcases GWcom’s Wireless Application Service Platform(w-ASP) highlights wirelessly enabled retailers and creates an m-Commerce site that extends these retailers established brand. GWcom handles every aspect of enabling a retailer’s Web site to handle wireless technology.
"Wireless technology is an important channel for our customers to purchase BestBuy.com’s products. This offers Best Buy a promising new audience while offering our existing customer around the clock access," said Scott Bauhofer, Senior Vice President/General Manager – Online Stores of BestBuy.com.
"Through this extended channel corporations can have access to an untapped consumer market," added Dr. Chin.
For additional information wireless users can access the byair.com Web site at www.us.byair.com.
byair.com and Its Offerings
The byair.com Web site allows users to customize the wirelessly enabled site, streamlining their account with the following categories:
Best Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. is the nation’s number one specialty retailer of consumer electronics, personal computers, entertainment software and appliances. The Company reaches consumers nationwide through its more than 350 retail stores located in 40 states online at www.bestbuy.com and wireless at BestBuy.com.
The Google search engine enables millions of Internet users worldwide to find relevant information using a powerful, fast, and easy-to-use interface. Google’s technological innovations have powered the company to numerous awards, including a 2000 Webby and People’s Voice Award for Best Technical Achievement; Best Search Engine on the Internet from Yahoo! Internet Life; Top Ten Best Cybertech of 1999 by TIME magazine; Technical Excellence Award from PC Magazine; and Best Search Engine by The Net. Google powers more than 80 portal and destination sites worldwide, including international customers in more than 20 countries. Find out more about Google at www.google.com.
Inktomi Commerce Engine
The Inktomi Commerce Engine provides scalable, turnkey commerce capabilities for leading companies in a broad range of markets including portals, destination sites, retailers, banks, credit card services, insurance providers, telecommunications providers, Internet appliance providers and wireless portals. Inktomi’s (NASDAQ: INKT) outsourced commerce infrastructure provides users with access to over six million products from hundreds of merchants. Find out more about Inktomi at www.inktomi.com.
eFrenzy
eFrenzy is the premier online services marketplace for consumers and small businesses, offering virtually any type of service – from housecleaning and lawn care to tax preparation and Web design. eFrenzy’s technology intelligently matches qualified service professionals with serious buyers by providing the information needed to make smart choices. This technology enables ByAir.com to list services directly on their Web site and provide a link to the eFrenzy wireless services marketplace. Find out more about eFrenzy at www.efrenzy.com.
ScreamingMedia
ScreamingMedia Inc.(NASDAQ: SCRM) is the leading global provider of content solutions: infrastructure, syndication and services. Through its proprietary technology, ScreamingMedia aggregates content news, features, photos, video, audio, stock quotes and weather reports- then filters, delivers and precisely integrates this content into its customers’ web sites, enterprises, and wireless networks, instantaneously. ScreamingMedia’s global Digital Content Network consists of over 2,800 publications supplying content to more than 1,100 Web site and wireless subscribers. Find out more about ScreamingMedia at www.screamingmedia.com.
Know-Where Systems
Know-Where has provided web-based locator service for hundreds of clients over the last five years. Currently, Know-Where serves markets in the retail, food service, banking and many other sectors. Find out more about Know-Where Systems at www.know-where.com.
About GWcom
Founded in Silicon Valley in 1994, GWcom is a leading worldwide mobile wireless Application Service Provider that supplies a total end-to-end wireless Internet solution. The company’s byair.com(TM) provides timely information and e-Commerce capabilities to 200 million mobile device users in China and the US, handling over 7 million information and stock transactions per month. GWcom also developed a mobile wireless data network infrastructure, PLANET(TM), that has been deployed in many major Asian cities where it provides low-cost, high-performance wireless Internet connectivity for the fast-growing palmtop information device category, including wireless PDAs and two-way pagers. GWcom also offers a desktop and wireless portal in China that is being offered by major network service providers, with content ranging from news and weather to entertainment and restaurant listings. Through this system, GWcom strives to achieve its mission to "Put Internet Access in Everyone’s Hand."
For more information:
Jeremiah Hall
Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide
(415) 644-3110
(415) 370-7906 Cell
jeremiah.hall@ogilvypr.com
Aparna Sain
Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide
(415) 644-3113
aparna.sain@ogilvypr.com