LEUVEN, Belgium and BARCELONA, Spain - February 16, 2009 - Option N.V. (EURONEXT Brussels: OPTI; OTC: OPNVY), the wireless technology company, today announced a ground-breaking innovation in the high-growth USB wireless modem market with its new uCAN software platform.
With uCAN, a USB modem user can connect to the internet or access their applications, documents, MP3 collections or any other content via a "one click" launch pad from any personal computer. With applications running from the USB modem, Option's Zero Footprint technology, ensures no trace of activity is left on the host computer, running either Windows XP, Windows Vista or Mac OS, when the device is disconnected.
This unique and versatile functionality will appeal to anyone who prefers - or needs - to travel light without a laptop. uCAN-enabled USB modems will find applications among professionals and consumers. Business users will, for example, be able to edit documents and update spreadsheets using applications such as Open Office or keep up-to-date with their emails. Consumers will be able to enjoy simple one-click access to chat or Twitter services or any of their favourite social networks. By enabling users to make use of the large screen and full keyboard of virtually any PC, uCAN delivers a consistent and user-friendly mobile Internet experience anywhere in the world - irrespective of the computer being used.
"uCAN transforms a wireless broadband USB modem into a virtual PC capable of supporting an almost infinite range of useful, and for the operators revenue-generating, applications and services. This is really the Internet in your pocket," said Jan Callewaert, CEO of Option. "uCAN also marks a new chapter in Option's evolution - opening up new software licensing revenues to complement our existing mobile broadband hardware business."
Shipments of uCAN-enabled iCON USB devices are scheduled for the first half of 2009. Over time, the technology is likely to be offered across Option's range of iCON USB modems as media players, instant messaging and web 2.0 applications open up consumer market segments.
Option is demonstrating uCAN in Hall 1, stand 1C 43 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona (February 16-19).
An online demo of uCAN is available at http://www.option.com/en/ucan/launch/
More information and screenshots of uCAN launch pad are available at http://www.option.com/en/newsroom/media-center/photo-gallery/
For the PDF version of the press release in English or in Dutch, please click on the link below:
Option's uCAN transforms USB modem into a virtual pc -- http://hugin.info/133962/R/1290639/291178.pdf
uCAN van Option transformeert de USB-modem in een virtuele pc -- http://hugin.info/133962/R/1290639/291179.pdf
Source : http://money.cnn.com/
