Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
From The Sunday TimesFebruary 17, 2008
Carl Freer makes comeback with new version of Gizmondo games consoleBen Laurance
THE man who headed a video-games console company that went spectacularly bust after losing more than 150m in 18 months has re-emerged trying to launch a new version of the same device.
Swedish-born Carl Freer ran Gizmondo Europe, which launched a console to challenge industry leaders Sony and Nintendo. The operation was based in Hampshire, but owned through an American company.
Less than a year after the device described by the company as a futuristic multi-entertainer came on to the market, liquidators were appointed. Over a single six-month period, losses had topped 100m.
Freers pay in his last year with the company topped 1m.
Now, Gizmondo is making a comeback. It is understood that Freer, 37, and the British electronics design firm Plextek have bought the rights to Gizmondo from the liquidators. In its original form, the Gizmondo device incorporated an MP3 player, could send and receive text messages, and incorporated a global-positioning system as well as being used for playing games.
After Gizmondo collapsed two years ago, it emerged that Freer had been convicted of fraud while still in his teens. He was also fined 200,000 (150,000) for writing bouncing cheques while working as a car dealer in Germany in the 1990s.
Plextek confirmed it was working with the revived Gizmondo development.
“I’m Going to resurrect Gizmondo,” Carl Johan Freer says in an exclusive interview for Realtid’s U.S. Correspondent Hans Sandberg. He does it because he still believes that Gizmondo can stand up to the competition, and in order to give the investors who lost money in the Gizmondo crash a chance to get some of their money back.
It did get a lot of negative reviews from the so called experts, but seemed like all the gamers loved it. Couldnt get enough games.
A sad story of what came so close to greatness only to have the rug pulled out from under it.
lol, today i coincidentally was scrolling through some of my past posts on the uWink board, and found our brief discussion on tiger telematic. it just so happens that you posted here! :P
i never actually saw a gizmondo in person. even if it was a "cool" gadget, i can't think of one game that got rave reviews. but maybe that's because the major video game journalists never reviewed for it. oh well...
-uNintendo
Stefan Eriksson
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan_Eriksson"
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Stefan Eriksson
Nationality Sweden
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Participating years 2005
Teams Cirtek Motorsport/Conversbank
Best finish DNF (2005)
Class wins DNF (2005)
Bo Stefan M. Eriksson (born 14 December 1961) is a Swedish criminal from Uppsala who was involved in the UK gaming company Gizmondo until it became insolvent in 2005.
In 2006 he became known for wrecking an Enzo Ferrari in California.
Contents
1 Early life
2 Gizmondo
3 Car crash
4 Police investigation
5 References
6 External links
Early life
Eriksson became known by the Swedish police as Tjock-Steffe ("Fat Steve") or as The Banker by the local mob in the city of Uppsala, some 50 km north of Stockholm.
An auto body shop worker, he started his criminal career with thefts and a three-month prison term in 1981, he got another 3.5 years for cocaine and arms related convictions in 1988.
In the late 80's, he was also involved in a fatal car accident with a Saab Turbo, borrowed for a test drive from a dealership. One passenger broke his spine, and a young girl was killed.
In the early 90s, Eriksson became the head of a group the Swedish press dubbed Uppsalamaffian (the "Uppsala mafia" or "Uppsala mob"), responsible for some high-profile violent crimes rarely seen in the country.
A playboy, Eriksson showed off on a 1,200 horse power, Sea Ray 63' offshore race boat, capable of 56 knots, called Snövit (Snow White), absurdly docked downtown Uppsala on a small river.
He was also seen driving a Mercedes SL with the license plate reading "GEO" (in Swedish pronounced similar to the Cuban slang llello for cocaine, used by Al Pacino in the 1983 movie Scarface.)
With a legal front Kanoninkasso ("Cannon debt collection"), the group collected debt using threats and violence.
Establishing a reputation, they started to dress in expensive suits and hold "business meetings" in exclusive Stockholm hotels.
Attempting to defraud the Swedish Bank Giro Central of 22 million Kronor, Eriksson and Peter Uf, the other future executive of Gizmondo, were found guilty of fraud and counterfeiting.
In 1993 and 1994, Eriksson was sentenced to ten years in prison, only to serve half his sentence.
Court documents show Eriksson and a partner broke into a man's home, smashed his apartment and punched him repeatedly in the face, that Eriksson held a knife to the man's throat and threatened to cut off his fingers, and finally shoved a gun into the man's mouth.
The Swedish police had great difficulties in finding people who dared to testify, and the head witness later survived two bomb attacks.
Gizmondo
In 2001, Eriksson joined Freer in Great Britain in the company Gizmondo, which intended to rival Nintendo and Sony for the handheld videogames market.
Through some innovative financial transactions, Freer could take his Swedish electronics company onto the Nasdaq exchange and raise millions.
Eriksson's salary in 2004 £1.1million with bonuses that totaled to another £145,000 and received a car allowance of £5,000 per month.
Eriksson's wife, Nicole Persson, was paid £90,000 for 'marketing and public-relations services' for just over one year.
In an attempt to promote the product, Eriksson competed at the 24 hours of Le Mans in the Gizmondo sponsored Ferrari 360 Modena GTC in 2005 but would retire into the morning with mechanical troubles.
In October 2005, a Swedish paper revealed irregularities and an ex-con and on-the-run from prison management at Gizmondo. Eriksson, Freer and others resigned, and the company filed for bankruptcy after using up $300M, 90% in its last six months.
The company was also involved in various litigation: Swedish Ogilvy Group, MTV, and the Jordan Grand Prix all filed million dollar suits.
However, in August, Gizmondo relocated Eriksson to California for its US launch with question marks around how the felon Eriksson could enter the country at all.
In 2006, with a setup similar to now defunct Gizmondo, the virtual mobile operator (MVNO) XeroMobile was started through Eriksson's earlier partners, and he was facing a bright future.
Car Crash...
On February 21, 2006, Eriksson lost control of an Enzo Ferrari sports car, valued at over USD$1,000,000 while allegedly driving at high speed and intoxicated along the Pacific Coast Highway in California.
The car careened off an embankment outside Malibu and hit a pole at about 199 mph (320.61 km/h) as recorded on a speedometer by passenger Trevor Karney, videotaped inside the car. The impact of the crash was so violent, it split the car in half.
Eriksson and the Irish-born American Karney were found at the site.
Eriksson claimed to be a passenger of the Ferrari, and that a man he only knew as "Dietrich" was the driver.
Karney claimed to be the passenger of a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren that was racing the Ferrari.
Neither Dietrich nor the Mercedes were to be found, and the police concluded at the time that Eriksson was the driver and Karney the passenger, and that neither "Dietrich" nor the McLaren existed.
Further, the extent of Eriksson's injuries amounted to a cut lip, and blood was found on the driver's side airbag.
Investigators confirmed the existence of the videotape of the accident shot from inside the car. The video showed the speedometer giving the 199 mph reading right before it malfunctioned due to the crash.
The tape is believed to be with Karney.
Eriksson brandished a business card claiming to be a deputy police commissioner with the San Gabriel Valley Transit Authority (whose founder was later arrested for perjury in connection with the case), and Karney borrowed a phone in a bypasser's car where he tucked away a pistol magazine.
Two men showed up to speak with Eriksson, claiming to be from the Department of Homeland Security.
On March 29, 2006, Nicole Persson, Eriksson's fiance, was pulled over for driving without a license in a 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren.
The police found the car to be unregistered, carrying British license plates, and illegally exported from Britain - along with the crashed red Enzo, a second black Enzo, and two other Mercedes-Benz cars.
It was found that all five cars valued at $3.8million were leased in Britain.
Moreover, lease payments for them had ceased; and that after the export, the Mercedes was reported stolen in Britain with insurance pay-out.
Footage of Erikson in his black Ferrari Enzo, shot by the founders of a car enthusiast website, car-parazzi.com, was held as evidence against him by European authorities.
Police Investigation...
Police raided Eriksson's Bel-Air home and on April 8, 2006, Eriksson, preparing to leave the US, was arrested on suspicion of embezzlement, grand theft auto, drunken driving, cocaine possession, and weapons charges stemming from a Magnum handgun encountered during the search.
He is facing up to 14 years in prison.
In May, misdemeanor hit and run and driving without a California license and insurance were added in relation to a Porsche Cayenne allegedly driven by Eriksson rear-ending an SUV near his Bel-Air home on January fourth.
On April 26th, Eriksson's accomplice Carl Freer was arrested on suspicion of impersonating a police officer, perjury, and other unspecified charges stemming from the discovery of 12 rifles and four handguns during searches of his estate and his 100-foot yacht docked at Marina del Rey.
On May 9th, police raided the San Gabriel Valley Transit Authority (a car body shop), arresting its owner and confiscating guns, badges, and a vehicle equipped to be an unmarked police car.
On November 3, 2006, a mistrial was declared, when the jury was deadlocked 10-2 toward convicting Eriksson. The prosecution has indicated their intent to retry the case.
Eriksson accepted a plea bargain for three years in jail and deportation.
He pleaded guilty to two counts of embezzlement and one count of illegal gun possession.
He avoided an auto theft charge.
With allowance for time served and good behavior, he should be out of prison in about a year.
References
^ (Swedish) Lasse Wierup. "Tjock-Steffe började som plåtslagare/Fat Steve started out an auto body shop worker", Dagens Nyheter.
^ a b Associated Press. "Swedish man's arrest in Ferrari case sounds familiar at home", Mercury News.
^ (Swedish) Olle Blomkvist. "Ingrossos länk till Gizmondo-Stefan/Ingrosso's link to Gizmondo-Stefan".
^ a b (Swedish) Richard Aschberg and Anders Johansson. "Direktörerna har fått långa fängelsestraff/Directors with long prison terms", Aftonbladet.
^ Ben Laurance. "Crash and burn", Associated Newspapers Ltd.
^ Richard Winton and David Pierson. "Ferrari Mystery", LA Times.
^ Gary Scott. "Arrest made in Ferrari Probe", Pasadena Star-News.
^ James Sterngold. "Fast cars and fast living at heart of Malibu mystery", San Francisco Chronicle.
^ Patt Morrison. "Homeland Security and a fast Ferrari", LA Times.
^ Full Coverage: Ferrari Enzo Crash in Malibu. wreckedexotics.com.
^ Richard Winton and David Pierson. "Ferrari Crash Leads to Confiscation of Badges, Guns", Los Angeles Times.
^ Tor Thorsen. "Ex-Gizmondo executive's other car seized", Gamespot.
^ Richard Winton and David Pierson. "Raids Target Transit Authority", Los Angeles Times.
^ Evan Blass. "Eriksson pleads guilty, gets three years and a one-way plane ticket", Engadget.
External links
LA Times Life in Fast Lane Long Before Ferrari Crash, Published May 15, 2006
Xero Mobile Eriksson's latest venture
(Swedish) kong.se on Gizmondo and the criminal connections
Jalopnik.com accident pictures
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan_Eriksson"
HAVE A GREAT LABOR DAY!
S T 1
Something is stirring in this grave.
http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?s=tgtl
Strange saga of smashed Ferrari back in court
Tuesday, May 16, 2006; Posted: 1:34 a.m. EDT (05:34 GMT)
A rare, red Enzo Ferrari was virtually cut in half after smashing into a utility pole along Pacific Coast Highway.
LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- It's the smash up that car lovers can't seem to get enough of -- an exquisite red Ferrari, rare by even its own lofty standards, gets shredded in a 162 mph crash on Pacific Coast Highway.
First came a simple question: How could anyone plow their car into a utility pole at that speed and survive with just a cut lip, as Swedish businessman Bo Stefan Eriksson did?
From there, the case has developed more turns than the winding route authorities say Eriksson couldn't navigate on the morning of February 21.
First there was a mysterious German man named Dietrich. Eriksson told authorities he was Dietrich's passenger -- that he let Dietrich take the $1.5 million Ferrari Enzo out for a pre-dawn spin even though he didn't know Dietrich's last name or where to find him after he wrecked the car.
Things got even more odd when two "Homeland Security" men showed up after the crash, demanding to talk to Eriksson. It turned out they actually worked security for the San Gabriel Valley Transit Authority, a small bus company in the suburbs.
Eriksson told authorities he was a deputy commissioner with the authority's anti-terrorism division, although most of his previous experience with law enforcement appears to be the five years he spent in a Swedish prison in the 1990s for assault, extortion and other crimes.
On Tuesday, authorities raided the headquarters of the bus company, took one man into custody and seized guns, badges and police jackets. Eriksson's tie to the company is under investigation.
Digging deeper, authorities uncovered Eriksson's connections to a bankrupt European video game company he once helped run, his convictions for assault and other crimes in Sweden.
Ericksson, in custody on a federal immigration hold, appeared in court Monday, but his arraignment on charges of embezzlement, grand theft, drunken driving and being a felon in possession of a firearm was postponed to May 30.
The investigation has widened to include Carl Freer, a former business associate of Eriksson's and a member of the transit authority's "anti-terrorism unit." He is accused of posing as a police officer to buy a gun; Freer's attorney has denied wrongdoing on behalf of his client.
It all began with the wreck of a car so exclusive it was named after company founder Enzo Ferrari. Only 400 were made between 2002 and 2004.
Eriksson, 44, somehow wound up with two Enzos, as well as a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. Police have confiscated the cars and accuse him of stealing all three, which they say were worth $3.8 million.
His lawyer didn't return a call for comment, but he said at a pretrial hearing earlier in the month that Eriksson wasn't trying to steal the cars when he shipped them from Great Britain under other people's names.
The lawyer said Eriksson, who still owed more than $500,000 on the cars, only quit paying the banks after his company, Gizmondo Europe Ltd., went broke last year.
The Ferrari crash wasn't Eriksson's first problem with expensive cars. He has been charged with driving a Porsche Cayenne that rear-ended a Ford Explorer on January 4 -- more than a month before the Ferrari spill.
Ultimately, it was his penchant for fast cars that landed Eriksson in jail here. If he'd crashed a Volkswagen Beetle instead of a Ferrari, he might have remained under the radar.
"I would rank it as probably the most incredible exotic car crash in history," said Greg Carlson, whose Web site, wreckedexotics.com, keeps track of such things.
Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed
There may be a short squeeze coming here. Stay tuned.
Supercar crash: $7.5m bail set
April 18, 2006 - 12:15PM
A Swedish businessman involved in the high-speed crash of a rare Ferrari on a coastal US highway has pleaded not guilty to embezzlement and other counts in the alleged theft of a collection of exotic cars.
Bo Stefan M Eriksson, 44, did not speak during the hearing. The plea was entered on his behalf by his lawyer, David Elden, as Eriksson listened behind a glass barrier.
Judge Marcy Strobel set a bail review hearing for April 24.
Deputy District Attorney Tamara Hall said bail had been set at $7.5 million to include the $5.2 million cost of the cars and because Eriksson was considered a flight risk after authorities found an airline ticket to Britain.
Outside court, Elden said his client was not a flight risk because he owned a home and business in the Los Angeles area.
Eriksson was charged with embezzlement, grand theft and possession of a gun by a felon. He also was charged with two misdemeanor counts of drunken driving.
Eriksson, a former executive with the European video game company Gizmondo, imported two Enzo Ferraris and a rare Mercedes McLaren SLR worth an estimated $5.2 million, prosecutors said.
The cars were owned by British financial institutions and leased to Eriksson, Deputy District Attorney Steven Sowders said in a statement. The lease agreement did not allow Eriksson to take the cars out of Britain, Sowders said.
Authorities contend Eriksson, arrested in early April, was behind the wheel of an Enzo Ferrari - one of only 400 made - when it crashed on February 21 on Pacific Coast Highway in west Malibu. The car crashed into a pole at 260 kmh, destroying the $1.3 million vehicle.
Eriksson told police he was only a passenger in the car and that the driver was a German acquaintance he knew only as Dietrich. He said Dietrich ran into the hills, but a search by deputies turned up no one.
Detectives questioned Eriksson's story, noting that only the driver's side air bag had blood on it and Eriksson had a cut lip.
During a search of Eriksson's house in Bel-Air, authorities said they discovered a handgun. Prosecutors said the weapons charge stemmed from a counterfeiting conviction against Eriksson in Sweden in the early '90s.
If convicted on all counts, Eriksson could be sentenced to as many as 14 years in state prison.
AP
Entrepreneur involved in Enzo Ferrari crash arrested
Monday, April 10, 2006 Posted: 1514 GMT (2314 HKT)
LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- The Swedish video game entrepreneur involved in the 162-mph crash of a rare Ferrari has been arrested on suspicion of grand theft, officials said.
Detectives concluded that the wrecked Enzo Ferrari -- one of only 400 made -- along with a Mercedes and another Enzo Ferrari in Stefan Eriksson's collection were actually owned by British financial institutions, said sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore.
Eriksson apparently brought the cars to Los Angeles when he moved from Britain last year, but the financial institutions that held the titles said his payments had lapsed.
Authorities have said the $600,000 Mercedes had been reported to London's Scotland Yard. The Ferrari was worth more than $1 million.
All three cars have been confiscated, and Eriksson, 44, was arrested at his Bel-Air home Saturday, Whitmore said.
He is being held without bail because U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement put a hold him, the Los Angeles Times reported in Monday editions.
The Ferrari crash spun into a web of mystery when Eriksson told authorities that he was only a passenger in the car and that the driver was a German acquaintance he knew only as Dietrich. He said Dietrich ran into the hills, but a search by sheriff's deputies turned up no one.
Officials have questioned Eriksson's story, noting that only the driver's side air bag had blood on it and Eriksson had a cut lip. The front of the red Ferrari crumpled when it slammed into a poll on the Pacific Coast Highway on February 21.
Eriksson was an executive with Gizmondo, a European video game company that filed for bankruptcy.
Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/US/04/10/ferrari.crash.ap/index.html
Tall tales and fast cars add to mystery of LA Ferrari wipeout
By Andrew Gumbel in Los Angeles
Published: 06 March 2006
Sometimes it takes an Oscar-winning screenwriter to concoct a classic Los Angeles noir mystery, and sometimes such stories pop out of the clear blue, southern California sky.
It has been 10 days since Stefan Eriksson, the Swedish playboy businessman and co-founder of a now bankrupt high-tech company Gizmondo, walked away unscathed from a high-speed crash on the Pacific Coast Highway at Malibu. His million-dollar, limited-edition Ferrari was sliced in two by an electricity pole. The plot, meanwhile, hasn't stopped thickening.
First, Mr Eriksson told police he was a passenger, and that the driver - a German known to him only as Dietrich - had run off into a canyon, never to be seen again. That story seems to be breaking down fast, since blood likely to have come from Mr Eriksson's split lip, the only injury he sustained, was found on the driver's side of the car only.
Mr Eriksson's blood alcohol level, meanwhile, was found to be over the limit, as was his speed - estimated to have been more than 160mph at the point of impact. Was this, then, a routine drink-driving case, spiced up only by the unusually high speed of an unusually expensive car?
Not exactly. Next it appeared that the Ferrari had been racing a Mercedes SLR at the time of the crash. A second man interviewed by police claimed to have been a passenger in the Mercedes. But that story has also been discredited. "There was no Mercedes SLR," a police spokesman, Phil Brooks, told The Los Angeles Times. "Simply, there was a Ferrari with two people in it. One of these men was driving."
That "simply" may have been an over-optimistic assessment. Police also found an ammunition magazine for a Glock pistol near the crash site, which they are convinced is connected - although they do not know how.
Most mysterious of all are the two men who turned up minutes after the crash, claimed to be from "homeland security", talked their way past police lines by flashing badges, interviewed Mr Eriksson and left again. Nobody has a clue who they were. They are now being sought by police.
Mr Eriksson says he has an official governmental function in counter-terrorism - a remarkable twist for a man better known for loving parties and fast cars, whose company just collapsed under huge debt. In the first interview he gave to deputies at the scene, he said he was the deputy commissioner of the San Gabriel Valley Transit Authority's police anti-terrorism unit.
That story looks to be distinctly fishy, too. The San Gabriel Valley TA turns out to be a small private charity devoted to providing transport to disabled people in suburbs north-east of LA - nowhere near Malibu and nowhere near Mr Eriksson's mansion in Bel Air. It does not seem to have a police department, much less an anti-terrorism unit.
Someone from the agency told The Los Angeles Times, on condition of anonymity, that Mr Eriksson had been helping fit security cameras on its buses for the disabled. What this was supposed to have to do with thwarting deadly attacks on civilian targets is less than clear.
Mr Eriksson has refused to talk further with police, although he did agree last week to provide a blood sample.
His civil lawyer turns out to be the chairman of the San Gabriel Valley agency. It is not known if he has now hired a criminal lawyer as well. He has not been charged. The inquiry continues.
Sometimes it takes an Oscar-winning screenwriter to concoct a classic Los Angeles noir mystery, and sometimes such stories pop out of the clear blue, southern California sky.
It has been 10 days since Stefan Eriksson, the Swedish playboy businessman and co-founder of a now bankrupt high-tech company Gizmondo, walked away unscathed from a high-speed crash on the Pacific Coast Highway at Malibu. His million-dollar, limited-edition Ferrari was sliced in two by an electricity pole. The plot, meanwhile, hasn't stopped thickening.
First, Mr Eriksson told police he was a passenger, and that the driver - a German known to him only as Dietrich - had run off into a canyon, never to be seen again. That story seems to be breaking down fast, since blood likely to have come from Mr Eriksson's split lip, the only injury he sustained, was found on the driver's side of the car only.
Mr Eriksson's blood alcohol level, meanwhile, was found to be over the limit, as was his speed - estimated to have been more than 160mph at the point of impact. Was this, then, a routine drink-driving case, spiced up only by the unusually high speed of an unusually expensive car?
Not exactly. Next it appeared that the Ferrari had been racing a Mercedes SLR at the time of the crash. A second man interviewed by police claimed to have been a passenger in the Mercedes. But that story has also been discredited. "There was no Mercedes SLR," a police spokesman, Phil Brooks, told The Los Angeles Times. "Simply, there was a Ferrari with two people in it. One of these men was driving."
That "simply" may have been an over-optimistic assessment. Police also found an ammunition magazine for a Glock pistol near the crash site, which they are convinced is connected - although they do not know how.
Most mysterious of all are the two men who turned up minutes after the crash, claimed to be from "homeland security", talked their way past police lines by flashing badges, interviewed Mr Eriksson and left again. Nobody has a clue who they were. They are now being sought by police.
Mr Eriksson says he has an official governmental function in counter-terrorism - a remarkable twist for a man better known for loving parties and fast cars, whose company just collapsed under huge debt. In the first interview he gave to deputies at the scene, he said he was the deputy commissioner of the San Gabriel Valley Transit Authority's police anti-terrorism unit.
That story looks to be distinctly fishy, too. The San Gabriel Valley TA turns out to be a small private charity devoted to providing transport to disabled people in suburbs north-east of LA - nowhere near Malibu and nowhere near Mr Eriksson's mansion in Bel Air. It does not seem to have a police department, much less an anti-terrorism unit.
Someone from the agency told The Los Angeles Times, on condition of anonymity, that Mr Eriksson had been helping fit security cameras on its buses for the disabled. What this was supposed to have to do with thwarting deadly attacks on civilian targets is less than clear.
Mr Eriksson has refused to talk further with police, although he did agree last week to provide a blood sample.
His civil lawyer turns out to be the chairman of the San Gabriel Valley agency. It is not known if he has now hired a criminal lawyer as well. He has not been charged. The inquiry continues.
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article349542.ece
Former Gizmondo exec's crashed $1m Ferrari Enzo
Posted Feb 22nd 2006 12:47PM by Ryan Block
Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds, Transportation
We're already on the phone with our friends at Merriam Webster to get the definition of poetic justice revised: Stefan Eriksson -- the former Gizmondo executive who stepped down amidst allegations of his involvement in the Uppsala Mafia Swedish organized crime ring, and who perhaps most embodied the internal corruption of Tiger Telematics -- no longer has his 2003 Ferrari Enzo, of which 399 were made, and each cost a million dollars. You see, apparently while racing a Mercedes SLR the car careened off an embankment and hit a pole at about 125MPH, which literally split the thing in two right down the center (don't worry, he lived to see this post). Without giggling too much longer at the unbelievable irony of this incident, it's worth noting that some more deets have surfaced about just how how much money Gizmondo hemorrhaged last year before filing for bankruptcy: between January and September of 2005 Tiger Telematics lost £140m (about $244 million), up another 33m from the $210 in the hole they were when we reported on their operating losses last year. So without getting too schadenfreude up in this piece, let's just say this post goes out to all the disenfranchised Gizmondo owners and former employees of Tiger Telematics, and we'll leave it at that.
http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/22/former-gizmondo-execs-crashed-1m-ferrari-enzo/
The wreck
http://sybarites.org/2006/02/21/ferrari-enzo-crashes-in-malibu/
and
http://www.autoblog.com/2006/02/21/ferrari-enzo-half-off/
http://wireservice.wired.com/wired/story.asp?section=Breaking&storyId=1162144&tw=wn_wire_sto...
Some pics
http://www.jalopnik.com/cars/news/more-on-the-enzo-incident-on-pch-with-photos-156121.php
and another post from elswhere.
Yes bip123, there are two stocks we have accumulated heavily in
recent weeks I feel comfortable sharing with you. The first is Tiger,
which at these levels we view as well posed for a serious bounce or
takeover. Before reacquiring Tiger we asked ourselves two questions:
First question, is there a present market for a device like the
multifunctional and windows powered gizmondo? To this question we had
no problem answering in the affirmative; just read all the ces
writeups. The second question was, if there is a market for this
product, and we think there is, what would it cost to duplicate a
device like the gizmondo and how long would it take. Depending on
what company tackled the task, we estimate it would cost at least
$500 million, possibly $1.5 billion, and would take at least a year,
possibly two. Based on this reasoning, and regardless of how Tiger
shares are priced, we think the gizmondo patent alone is worth the
equivalent of at least $5 a share. Another stock we really like and
have loaded up on in just the past week is IDWD. We think a preopen
release tomorrow will ignite these shares and I look for 75 cents
very soon. If you check out their website and latest releases I think
you'll see why I am bullish. And by the way we bought more Tiger
today under 30 cents. UW
So stevepain has never bagged a 1400% return! Well listen up smart
ass and I'll tell you a little story about my investment group, which
is comprised of 8 members, 7 of us retired. Over 5 days during the
second half of Nov 2003 we bought 1000000 shares of presplit TIGR
shares at an average of 6.32 cents, for a total cost of $63198. Then
over 3 days in the last week of 2004 we sold all 40000 postsplit
shares at an average of $24.92 each and grossed $996800. In sum, we
booked a $933602 longterm gain in just under 13 months. And though
it's been a while since my last math class, I calculate our gain as
follows (($996800/$63198)-1)x100=1477%. What's more, many in my group
had friends who bought when we did but sold for $3 to $5 more than we
did. So if you can accept some advice from an old man smartass, I
think it's time you stopped looking at this situation from a linear
standpoint and instead adopted a more logarithmic viewpoint. Are we
long now? You can bet your smart ass we are. Oh and one other thing
stevepain, like many others on this board, I too have to seriously
question your motives. UW
Granted, anyone with the slightest ability to speculate the future of a company that threw itself against both Sony and Nintendo simultaneously could have called it, too. Guess nobody wanted a half-baked gaming machine with crappy games, no business model, and hardware that was designed to help parents track down their kids via GPS.
This shows how little you must know about the Gizmondo.
Court hands Gizmondo Europe to liquidators
By Tony Smith
7th February 2006 12:59 GMT
Gizmondo Europe has gone into liquidation after parent company Tiger Telematics' attempt to persuade the English High Court to put the subdsidiary into administration failed last week, Reg Hardware can reveal.
The court hearing took place on Thursday, 2 February after being adjourned from Tuesday, 31 January. The court ordered Gizmondo Europe to be wound up and placed the remains in the hands of joint liquidators David Rubin & Associates and Bigbee & Traynor.
In a document sent to the US Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), Tiger said it "assumes that the liquidator will terminate the remaining employees of Gizmondo Europe, cease Gizmondo Europe's operations, including the Gizmondo help desk, email and other product support services, and attempt to sell the assets".
Ironically, one of the potential buyers may be Tiger itself - it said it is in talks with US-based lender Lafitte Partners - source of a $5m bridging loan needed by Tiger "for its immediate liquidity" - and the liquidator to buy "certain assets" of Gizmondo Europe. Success is likely to depend on whether Lafitte will provide Tiger with sufficient funds to purchase the assets.
Today, Gizmondo Europe was still offering consoles and related products for sale via the company's web site. However, the company's showroom on London's prestigious Regent Street was closed. At posting time, the liquidators had not responded to our request for information as to their plans for the company.
Tiger said it was considering its own future in the light of the High Court verdict, and of the liquidation of its game studios in Stockholm, Sweden and Manchester, England. For starters, it's now able to eliminate $72m of the $90m liabilities recorded on its balance sheet as of 30 September 2005. It said it was pondering the sale of the whole company, parts of it, or elements of the intellectual property
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/02/07/gizmondo_europe_wound_up/
Gizmondo Europe Folds
Gizmodo is hardly the type to gloat, but with regard to the news that handheld game maker Gizmondo Europe has gone into liquidation, we’d just thought we’d say this one thing: One-and-a-half years ago, we so called it.
Granted, anyone with the slightest ability to speculate the future of a company that threw itself against both Sony and Nintendo simultaneously could have called it, too. Guess nobody wanted a half-baked gaming machine with crappy games, no business model, and hardware that was designed to help parents track down their kids via GPS.
Even more amusingly, we had drinks with a man at CES who told us that he had shorted Gizmondo’s stock after our initial reports, making upwards of $800,000 as the company crashed and burned. It just goes to show that even something as poorly conceived as the Gizmondo can still bring happiness—when it dies.
Fortunately, parent company Tiger Telematics is attempting to buy the assets of Gizmondo Europe, so we may get to experience joy twice over when they fail utterly, as well.
Form 8-K for TIGER TELEMATICS INC
3-Feb-2006
Bankruptcy or Receivership, Financial Statements and Exhibits
Item 1.03 Bankruptcy or receivership.
The High Court hearing on February 2, 2006 regarding the Company's wholly owned subsidiary, Gizmondo (Europe) Limited's ("Gizmondo Europe") application for administration in the United Kingdom occurred and the Company did not proceed with its proposed acquisition of certain assets of Gizmondo Europe due to the failure of the Company's new lender to provide timely funds for the prepackaged acquisition. The High Court then issued a wind up order under UK law for Gizmondo Europe and appointed two firms as joint liquidators, David Rubin and Associates and Bigbee and Traynor. The Company assumes that the liquidator will terminate the remaining employees of Gizmondo Europe, cease Gizmondo Europe's operations, including the Gizmondo help desk, email and other product support services, and attempt to sell the assets thereof. The Company is discussing with its lender and the liquidators regarding the possibility of completing the acquisition of certain assets of Gizmondo Europe, which would need to be completed in the next few days, although no assurances can be given that the lender will provide the funds necessary to complete the transaction.
As a result of today's court order and the previously announced liquidations of the Company's Sweden and Manchester game studios, the Company will be able to eliminate over 80% of the total liabilities reported on its September 30, 2005 consolidated balance sheet or approximately $72 million.
The Company is considering its available options with its Texas games studio subsidiary and its kiosk sales units in the USA subsidiary in light of the High Court action in the UK. The Company is dependent on its $5M credit facility executed on January 31, 2005 for its immediate liquidity. The Company is in discussions with the lender under its credit facility as to its views of going forward in light of the above events. Strategic options for the Company include the possible sale of the Company or all or a portion of its assets, the sale of Gizmondo intellectual property rights, including patents and game rights which are owned by the Company, and continuing operations in the USA, which would require substantial debt and or equity financing. No assurance can be given that such financing will be available. The Company will report shortly on the restructuring plans as they develop.
Item 9.01 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.
Exhibit 10.1 a and b.
Security Agreement and Warrant Agreement relative to the Lending Agreement dated January 31, 2006 between Lafitte Partners, LLC and Tiger Telematics, Inc. reported in the Company's Form 8-K dated January 31, 2006.
watch for another 8-k late next week
RIP Gizmondo
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): January 23, 2006
Commission File Number 001-15977
Tiger Telematics, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware 13-4051167
(State or other jurisdiction of (IRS Employer
Incorporation or organization) Identification Number)
550 Water Street Suite 937 32202
Jacksonville, FL
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
(904) 279-9240
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Item 1.03 Bankruptcy or receivership.
At the close of business on Friday January 20, 2006, the Company's wholly owned subsidiary, Gizmondo (Europe) Limited ("Gizmondo Europe") filed a High Court application for administration in the United Kingdom. The filing provides Gizmondo Europe with a moratorium in order to affect a financial restructuring of the business. The Gizmondo Europe will have a court hearing on 31 January 2006 to grant the administration order. During the interim period, Gizmondo Europe is immediately subject to protection of the Court and all enforcement actions of creditors are automatically stayed.
The Company intends to use funds from its recently announced $5 million bridge loan to reinvest in the business in the in UK and to restructure the overall debt of the European business. Gizmondo Europe Limited made a reduction in payroll of approximately 50% of monthly staff costs during the week prior to the court application to reduce overall operating expenses of the business and significantly improve its prospects for a successful turnaround.
Gizmondo Europe continues to trade as normal during this interim time period. The Company anticipates a similar action in Sweden for the game subsidiary of Gizmondo Europe and for the Company's Gizmondo Studios, Sweden AB subsidiary within the next few days.
The action does not affect any other subsidiary of the Company including its United States operations and sales under Gizmondo USA Inc. The Company will report shortly on the restructuring plans as they are approved and the status of the $50 million refinancing discussed on the Report on Form 8K dated 1-13-06.
Item 9.01 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.
None
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
TIGER TELEMATICS, INC.
(Registrant)
/S/ Michael W. Carrender Chief Executive Officer January 23, 2006
------------------------
Michael W. Carrender
What a sad state of affairs for Tiger/Gizmondo fans
ATTENTION: Due to an issue with our distributors we are currently having difficulties sending out orders. Unfortunately all our current orders have been delayed and any further orders are unlikely to be shipped until sometime around the 12th of January. The Gizmondo Team would like to apologise for this regrettable situation. If you have any queries regarding your order please get in contact with us at webshop@gizmondo.com.
Good luck. TGTL mgmt obviously doesn't care about shareholder concerns w/no update on Gizmondo sales. It's really tanking now. 2.8 -12.5%
No I ment 4 weeks. But I would not be suprised if it were more like 4 days.
CES starts this Friday in Las Vegas and TGTL has been in a news blackout due to some top secret deals under way. Everyone is expecting the anouncments to coincided with CES.
Im talking company changing deals. If you read the 10Qs Carrender noted in one of them that depending upon the market they may make some radical changes. Now we know they are in talks with Samsung, so, something big is cooking. I expect this stock to gain ground every day this week. Im not hoping for the 20s and 30s of the past but I think we can get back in the double didgits.
Remember this is a very dangerous stock to invest in, but it has been proven to be veryprofitable in the past as well. good luck
Hi Moneyhungry: Who told you they've got 4 (pr's)news items coming up? The IR rep ?
'would love to see this one bounce back but the recent news has been nothing but dismal imo.
You dont think this is worth $2? I wish I had more money, Ive been in this a long time, should have sold near 30 but didnt. I sold some at 18 now Im wanting as much as I can get at these prices. We are just about due for some really big news, Im talking weeks at most, and I mean less than 4 of them.
Its hard to say how many they sold, I was told they did 16 million $ in the UK. I read somewhere else that they only made 50k units.I think January is going to tell us where we are going, which is pretty good because early last year I said by Dec 05 we would know where this stock is going. But I never expected this king of slide.
I dont think we will see 30 again but I think we may see 10 or better VERY SOON.
About what. Hanging it up ? read only 5000 sold of Gizmondo.
Can it get any worse than that ?
What were they thinking when they decided to inundate this device with ads that inhibit quick & easy use.
Looks like they put advertisers interest above end users. Clueless imo.
Not to mention the lack of games for it.
When you are fighting titans like Sony & Microsoft you've just got to do better than that. Than there is the management issues.
what a sad situation imo. I was long and lost some $ on this one but glad I sold couple of months ago.
Gizmondo looked like a really cool product. Maybe somebody they can get some brains behind this thing but the debt now is huge.
That is because they are in a quiet period due to ongoing talks with Samsung
What a tragedy TGTL stock has been. No corporate news since 11/2. shameful
Gizmondo.com is the website for info. The stock has been on a run lately. It was much higher a few months ago. With the August USA launch close at hand, the stock may revisit higher levels!
Followers
|
1
|
Posters
|
|
Posts (Today)
|
0
|
Posts (Total)
|
45
|
Created
|
07/13/05
|
Type
|
Free
|
Moderators |
Volume | |
Day Range: | |
Bid Price | |
Ask Price | |
Last Trade Time: |