STOCKHOLM, Sweden, April 17, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- Next Monday, products and services enabling Anoto functionality will be launched in Sweden, making it possible to digitally transmit handwritten notes as e-mail, SMS, fax or digital copy directly to a computer. The market introduction is made together with four Anoto partners: Vodafone introducing the new Notera services in its GPRS net; Sony Ericsson presenting its first digital pen - Chatpen; and 3M and Esselte supplying paper products enabling Anoto functionality.
"Those partners taking part in today's product launch have been involved since the early stages and we are now passing an important milestone together. Further development of the concept will be undertaken jointly with Vodafone and other partners, and customised solutions and new private user services will be introduced gradually," said Christer Fahraeus, President Anoto AB.
"Being able to present the Vodafone Notera services subsequent to intensive cooperation with Anoto, and having reached our goal on time, is highly satisfactory. Vodafone in Sweden sees a big potential for the Anoto concept, and our long-term ambition is to reach broad user groups among corporate and private customers. The commercial trials that began last autumn have shown that there is a keen interest in customised corporate solutions and this is something we will be taking a closer look at now that the core services have been introduced," said Nils Carlsson, Head of Product Marketing Management, Vodafone.
Initially, Vodafone is introducing four basic services in its GPRS net, Notera E-mail, Notera SMS, Notera Fax and Notera Anteckningar. To be able to send handwritten notes a digital pen - Chatpen, digital paper with Anoto functionality, a mobile phone with Bluetooth(tm) communication from Sony Ericsson and a Vodafone subscription are required.
Services and products will be obtainable in all Vodafone Stores and will be sold separately and as a package. In addition digital paper enabling Anoto functionality will be available at a number of Svanstroms' stores throughout the country.
The company Anoto AB was founded in Lund, Sweden in late 1999 as a fully owned subsidiary of C Technologies AB. The company Anoto currently has over 220 employees working in offices in Lund, Stockholm, Boston, Tokyo and Hong Kong. www.anoto.com
C Technologies AB (publ) was founded in 1996 and is a well-established Swedish high-technology company. C Technologies holds cutting-edge expertise in the fields of digital camera technology, image processing. The C Technologies Group, which also comprises the subsidiaries Anoto AB and WeSpot AB, currently has over 300 employees and offices located in Lund, Stockholm, Boston, Tokyo and Hong Kong. Major shareholders include company founder Christer Fahraeus, Capital Group and Ericsson. C Technologies' share is listed on the O-list of the OM Stockholm Exchange (Attract 40). www.ctechnologies.se
A Global de Facto Standard for Digital Paper
Anoto is currently creating a global de facto standard for digital paper. Anoto thereby unites one of mankind's most preferred ways of communicating, pen and paper, with the tremendous power of the digital world. This combination is Anoto functionality.
There are several underlying technologies behind Anoto functionality, such as pen technology, server technology and paper technology as well as Bluetooth(tm) communication.
It is all these technologies that make Anoto functionality as intuitive, spontaneous and individual as possible for the end user. Anoto functionality makes sure that pen and paper remains pen and paper even when digital services are available.
A Network of Partners
Anoto is establishing the de facto standard through a network of partners from a wide range of industries: Mobile phone industry, traditional pen and paper industry, operators, software developers only to mention some. Till now, Anoto has established about 50 partnerships in Europe, USA and Asia.
Ordinary pen and paper, yet more...
Anoto functionality turns handwritten notes, doodles and sketches digital. A pattern, almost invisible to the naked eye, is printed on to ordinary paper. A digital pen enabling Anoto functionality reads the pattern and can thereby determine its' position and copy the pen movement. The information can then via a Bluetooth(tm) communication node (e.g. a mobile phone) be sent to any computer, mobile phone, PDA, fax or information bank. Specific commands or functions can also be assigned to a certain area of the paper, thanks to the Anoto pattern. This enables services such as retrieving information or placing an order directly from a mail order catalogue, newspaper or magazine using the digital pen enabling Anoto functionality.
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