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friendlyway: Information points with wireless LAN

Munich, 02 October 2001 - friendlyway is now offering its computer points 'friend@public', in-cluding an integrated wireless LAN transmission unit, for public use. This means that in the fu-ture the systems will also be able to transmit information services to mobile receivers within a radius of approx. 100 metres.

The computer points will be installed in locations such as trade fairs, airports and railway sta-tions. Visitors will be able to use the new technology to find out about transport connections or tourist attractions in their destination using the local information points. Wireless LAN can also be used to download a multimedia travel guide to the passenger's mobile end unit, for example. This means that during the journey the passenger can already be preparing for the customs in their destination.

"Stationary 'information computers' and information services for mobile end units transmitted by wireless LAN transmitter are growing increasingly close in the area of public information trans-fer. In fact, both methods of information transfer are developing a symbiosis," claims Klaus Trox, CEO and co-founder of friendlyway AG.

"Computer points installed in public places will draw attention to the local availability of informa-tion to mobile end units via wireless LAN," he continues. "The end customer is even able to pre-select which information services are to be sent, using the computer point. Only the desired information will be downloaded." friendlyway has concentrated on the interface of two megatrends "online/offline" and "mo-bile/stationary". The "online/offline" megatrend involves banks and trade customers bringing eCommerce into the traditional branch. "Mobile/stationary" meanwhile involves these eCom-merce services being available to and controllable from mobile end units. For example, custom-ers will be able to load product information down to their mobile computer and take it home. friendlyway develops the technology to do this and markets it via the friendlyway network of partners throughout Europe and in Asia, as well as in the USA via its own subsidiary friendlyway Inc. in San Francisco. The company's positioning led to friendlyway being voted one of the most innovative companies in Germany by the Netinvestor magazine in Spring of this year. friendlyway has risen from 13th to 2nd in the market within 24 months (see August 2001 edition of iBusiness, published by Hightext Verlag).

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