MobileAria and WeatherBank Announce Partnership To Avert Delays, Increase Driver Productivity
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. - June 25, 2001 - MobileAria Inc.,
the leading developer of wireless multimedia services for the automobile, today announced a partnership with WeatherBank Inc. WeatherBank is
the first private-sector company to deliver weather information to the Olympic Games, as well as to market leaders in transportation, energy,
news and other industries. The partnership will provide MobileAria service subscribers with in-car access to precise weather conditions and
forecasts to avoid traffic snarls and road restrictions and closures.
"Knowing impending weather conditions will allow MobileAria subscribers to adjust their plans
to avoid the frustrations of traffic jams and maintain productivity," said Michael Orr, CEO of MobileAria.
"WeatherBank will provide the current and forecasted weather conditions based on the driver's location, route
and destination, customized by MobileAria's routing engines.""
"Knowing impending weather conditions
will allow MobileAria subscribers to adjust their plans to avoid the frustrations of traffic jams
and maintain productivity," said Michael Orr, CEO of MobileAria. "WeatherBank will provide the
current and forecasted weather conditions based on the driver's location, route and destination,
customized by MobileAria's routing engines.""
MobileAria is creating an open-service
platform for delivering wireless Internet content and applications integrated in a non-distracting, hands-on-the-wheel,
eyes-on-the-road manner for the in-vehicle environment. The service will be delivered through a hands-free,
voice-activated interface that will enable users to increase their productivity while driving. The service
will provide access to personal information, wireless Internet access to applications like email (including voice tag email response),
news, location-sensitive information, directory services, weather, stock quotes, flight information, directions/routing
and traffic information. MobileAria's service will address the voice and data automotive service market, which is
expected to grow to $33 billion by 2010, according to UBS Warburg.
"MobileAria is positioned to be a major player in the telematics industry and will demonstrate WeatherBank's value to a new audience," said Steven Root, president and CEO of WeatherBank. "MobileAria's wide multi-channel distribution to motorists with both old and new vehicles furthers our mission to bring the highest-quality, location-specific weather information services to both the consumer and the industrial community."
MobileAria is creating an open
service platform for delivering wireless content and applications uniquely integrated for the
in-vehicle environment. MobileAria services will be delivered through a hands-free, voice-activated
interface that will enable the user to manage their time and information simply in a non-distracting manner.
Investors include Delphi Automotive Systems (NYSE: DPH), Palm, Inc. (Nasdaq: PALM) and Mayfield Fund. MobileAria
is based in Silicon Valley. For additional information go to www.MobileAria.com
WeatherBank’s
provided weather information, custom weather forecasts, meteorological
consulting services and access to historical weather data since 1972. For more
information about WeatherBank’s products
and services, visit www.weatherbank.com
or call 1-800-687-3562.
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Contact:
Chantel Wolff,
Marketing Manager
Phone: (405) 359-0773
E-mail: chantel@weatherbank.net