Powerful, In-Vehicle Communication System Debuts at CES

January 8, 2002 - "Call Fran at work," "Get me directions," "Help - I just got a flat tire," "Give me yesterday's NFL scores." Visitors to the 2002 Consumer Electronics Show are talking to Port-IT(tm), the in-car telematics solution with voice-activated telephone dialing, dynamic turn-by turn navigation, and hands-free personalized information access. When combined with a common Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), even more advanced services are available. Port-IT, which was first introduced at the 2001 Consumer Electronics Show, is now ready to ship and will be available nationwide at major retail outlets in the first quarter of 2002 with a suggested retail price of $1,299. Port-IT uses cutting-edge telematics technology - two-way communications that relay information to and from a vehicle, combining the latest advancements in GPS, mobile communications and Web-based information systems. Port-IT empowers any car owner with a hands-free information source, phone, roadside assistance and emergency services. Adding a Windows® CE-based PDA gives mobile consumers additional services, such as the ability to use their existing address book for a PDA-based phone dialer, and access to dynamic turn-by-turn navigation services.

"North Americans spend more than 550 million hours a week in their cars. With so much time on the road, Port-IT opens new possibilities - to communicate, to get information and to save time - with a safe, hands-free interface," said Mike Jonas, President and CEO of Comworxx, Inc., the Florida-based telematics company that debuted the ready-to-ship version of Port-IT at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Comworxx's partner, ComRoad AG, is a world leader in telematics for the fleet vehicle market. ComRoad's communications systems, which are currently in use by more than 200,000 fleet customers worldwide, are based on the same technology that powers Port-IT's mobile services.

The Port-IT system can be installed into any car, much like a car security system, making it the only complete telematics solution available for the aftermarket. This means that consumers can access Port-IT's services without having to buy one of the limited number of car models available with a pre-installed system, none of which come close to Port-IT's level of functionality. The four-button Port-IT cradle mounts conveniently to any dashboard, and once installed unleashes the following services:

• Voice-activated telephone
• Internet-based news, traffic, financial and sports information
• Dynamic turn-by-turn directions
• Emergency service
• Roadside assistance

At MyPortIT.com, customers can personalize Port-IT services, such as designating a default "starting point" for services such as directions and local weather forecasts, or choosing a portfolio of stocks for regular updates. The MyPortIT.com portal also contains directions and voice commands for accessing all kinds of information - from local business listings to the latest movie plots.

To bring Port-IT customers the most sophisticated in-vehicle features, Comworxx has formed strategic partnerships with a number of national wireless service providers. The Internet content delivered to Port-IT can be browsed via an award winning voice recognition platform. Customers also have the option of enhancing the Port-IT package with a microphone that uses Clarity LLC's Clear Voice Capture(tm) technology which hones in on the user's voice while cutting out background clutter like road noise, music, machinery, and other nearby voices.

More information and demonstrations of Port-IT are available at booth 7473 at the 2002 Consumer Electronics Show.

About Comworxx
Comworxx Inc., headquartered in Sarasota, Fla., was founded as a North American partner of Comroad AG (Neuer Markt: RD4), a world leader in mobile telematics, to bridge the gap that exists between the telecommunications and vehicle industries. Comworxx provides mobile telematics services through its seamlessly integrated systems and adds value to consumers by helping them safely connect to the wireless world, existing infrastructure and, most of all, to their personal information. For more information, please visit www.comworxx.com.

SOURCE Comworxx