e.Digital Corporation (fka EDIG)

[Tinroad]

Conversay Teams With PalmPalm Technology on Speech-Driven Mobile Linux Platform OS, With Speech Technology Integrated, to Drive First Linux-Based Smart Phone

REDMOND, Wash., April 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Conversay, a global leader in
speech technology solutions for both mobile and traditional Internet access
devices, announced today it is partnering with Seoul-based PalmPalm Technology
Inc., the leading software company optimizing the Linux OS for mobile devices.
Conversay will integrate its speech recognition software into the "Tynux"
embedded Linux platform developed by PalmPalm, to be used on smart phones, Web
appliances, wireless devices and more.
In this agreement, Conversay speech technology will provide one of the
interfaces for the world's first Linux-based smart phone, running on Tynux and
shown at the Embedded Systems Conference (ESC), April 9-12 in San Francisco
(Moscone Convention Center, South, Booth 101). The device incorporates the
functions of both cellular phone and PDA, along with multimedia
functionalities including animation, MP3, video communication and more, all
driven by a speech interface.
"PalmPalm Technology's embedded Linux solution is extremely attractive to
our prospects who are looking for an eLinux stack that is stable and highly
differentiated," said Sung Soo Lee, general manager of Conversay Korea. "And
this partnership confirms the compatibility of speech with mobile Linux
-- after being part of the world's first Linux PDA, Conversay will also be in
the first Linux-based smart phone."
"Integrating a speech interface to our platform enables us to bring a
whole new value package to not only our customers, but the end users of our
customers' devices," said Kerny Choi, CEO of PalmPalm Technology. "We're very
excited to work with Conversay, as they have many strategic goals in common
with ours."
Tynux, developed by PalmPalm Technology and released early this year, is
an embedded Linux operating system that provides power and memory management
as well as real time functionalities for multimedia data transactions.
Conversay will integrate its speech recognition and text-to-speech engine with
the Tynux platform, enabling device users to access and use device functions
and features using spoken input and commands. The Conversay speech interface
is speaker-independent and features a dynamic and virtually unlimited
vocabulary. Conversay earlier this year integrated its speech technology into
the YOPY, the world's first Linux-based PDA.

About PalmPalm Technology
Founded in October 1998, PalmPalm Technology is a major player in the
Embedded Linux industry. PalmPalm's Technology optimize Linux OS for Internet
Appliances, and integrating application software into the OS, to supply
Embedded Linux solutions to Internet appliance developers and manufacturers.
PalmPalm Technology has completed the development of a Linux-based
CDMA/IMT-2000 smart phone together with SK Telecom, the biggest wireless
carrier in Korea. On top of that, PalmPalm Technology also has finalized
numerous contracts with developers and manufacturers of smart phones, Internet
set-tops, Web screen phones and AutoPCs, around the world.

About Conversay
Founded in 1994, Conversay provides solutions that enable voice
interaction with networked information, including the Internet, when other
interfaces are difficult or impossible. Built on an innovative speech engine,
Conversay(TM) technology is speaker-independent, modular, scalable and
accommodates unlimited vocabulary, making it ideally suited for embedded
applications. It also drives award-winning products including a voice
browser, desktop and web developer tools, and a conversational server. With
headquarters in Redmond, Wash., and European headquarters in Amsterdam,
Conversay is located on the web at http://www.conversay.com.
NOTE: Conversay and Conversation Server are trademarks of Conversational
Computing Corp. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.