Agreement Grants to
Siberra License to Point2 Patented Photo Formatting and Storage
Technology and Covers Siberra Enabled Photo Commerce Websites Including
Best Buy, Future Shop and Shoppers Drug Mart Sites
January 25, 2006
Saskatoon, SK and Vancouver, BC – January 25, 2006 – Point2 Technologies Inc.
(“Point2”) today announced a technology patent licensing agreement with
Siberra Corp. (“Siberra”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Best Buy Canada
Ltd., (“Best Buy”).
The
multi-year agreement provides to Siberra, the leading provider of photo
commerce websites to mass market retailers in North America, a license
to Point2’s patented technology in the field of processing, central
storage and online display of image data and photos, covered under
United States Patent No. 6,721,802, Canadian Patent No. 2,315,278 and
European Patent Application No. 00306934.1. The patents cover the
ability to automatically resize, reformat or alter photos and images on
a client-side computer, and upload them efficiently to a central server
for storage.
Siberra will
leverage the Point2 patent license to enable world class photo commerce
websites including Best Buy’s Imagelab.com and Imagelab.ca, Future
Shop’s Futurephoto.ca, and Shoppers Drug Mart’s EasyPix.ca.
Each year, tens of millions of digital images are transferred through Siberra’s systems.
Further details on the agreement, including financial terms have not been disclosed.
“We
are extremely pleased that yet another major organization has
recognized the value of our patented Photo Upload Facility (PUF)
technology,” said Wendell Willick, chief executive officer of Point2
Technologies. “We expect PUF technology to become the standard for
managing digital images and photos online, in home computer user
applications as well as in business applications, across industries.”
“Point2’s
ability to develop easy to use Internet-based technology and software
is reflected in the market’s on-going interest in our intellectual
property, our success in the heavy equipment industry and, the rapid
adoption of Point2 Agent, the real estate industry’s most prolific
website and online marketing platform,” added Willick.
Over
70,000 real estate brokers and agents in over 55 countries today
subscribe to Point2 Agent. Point2 expects subscriptions to grow by
another 30 to 40 percent in 2006.
The
Siberra deal comes at the heels of Point2’s announcement last December
of a license with California-based Shutterfly, Inc., also related to
the company’s PUF technology patent. The technology is also used under
license by Caterpillar, Inc.
About Siberra Corp.
Siberra
Corp., based in Vancouver, BC, Canada, provides photo commerce systems
for mass retailers. Its SIMM™ software suite encompasses multiple
consumer ordering options; management of image
storage
and order routing; and fulfillment of prints and gifts at retail and
wholesale photo labs. Siberra’s end to end technology coupled with the
retail expertise of its professional staff make it uniquely suited as a
supplier to mass merchants. Each year tens of millions of digital
images are transferred through Siberra’s systems. For more information,
visit the company’s website at www.siberra.com.
About Point2 Technologies Inc.
Point2
Technologies is a global leader in online marketing and eBusiness
software solutions for the real estate and heavy equipment industries.
Leveraging Point2 proprietary and patented technology, Point2 develops
and markets software solutions that enable organizations to conduct
business over the Internet more easily and more profitably.
Founded
in 1996, Point2 Technologies is a privately held, profitable
organization. The company employs a staff of 95 at its headquarters in
Saskatoon, SK and its Vancouver, BC offices. In recognition for its
ground-breaking technology and industry leadership, in the year 2000
Point2 Technologies received the No. 1 eBusiness designation in Canada
by global management consultants Bain & Company and Canada’s
national business daily, The Globe and Mail. Point2 was also named one
of the Top 200 most promising B2B companies in the world, by Forbes
Magazine. More information can be obtained at www.Point2.com.
Point2®
is a trademark of Point2 Technologies Inc. All other company and
product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which
they are associated.
Point2 Technologies Contact Information:
Media Relations:
Roger Noujeim
Public Relations Director
Toll Free: 1-888-955-7900 ext. 224 (U.S. and Canada)
Tel: 1-604-675-9393
rnoujeim@point2.com
Investor Relations:
Robert Gutek
Vice President, Finance
Toll Free: 1-866-955-7900 ext. 213 (U.S. and Canada)
Tel: 1-306-955-9736 ext. 213
rgutek@point2.com