News Release：Pioneer Together with Ten Other Companies StartsNew Information Service,“MobileLink” Through Internet Web Site

Tokyo, Japan, April 23, 1998 --- Pioneer Electronic Corporation and ten other companies have announced to jointly and severally start a new web site information service, “MobileLink” mainly for mobile equipments early June, 1998, which substantially augments the existing service started in November, 1997. The new service provides information about the location of shops, stores and other various facilities figured out by latitude and longitude.

It is said that in Japan, about 10 million people now make use of internet service, and the number is increasing rapidly. Furthermore, cellular phones, mobile communication tools and car navigation systems are now in wide use. In such circumstances, it is highly expected to make the best use of various information and contents for mobile communication.

In the new “MobileLink” service, information about the location of various facilities on internet homepages and digital maps on car navigation systems are linked together. For example, users can easily get any information through internet even while moving by car. One can also easily find an access to a restaurant of one’s choice and can confirm the location on the map, and moreover, can spot it on the map of the navigation system.

Car navigation systems that can utilize such enhanced service are to be introduced from respective companies by and by. This service is made possible by displaying information in 1/4 VGA size on optimizing the size of graphics corresponding to the display of mobile gears.

As useful contents for the users, such information as various events, restaurants, hotels, pensions, sightseeing spots, skiing grounds, movie theaters, TV programs and many other items will be readily available. Moreover, users can utilize their own customized “Information Box” by registering in advance their preference or likings.
Gakken Co. Ltd., Shogakukan Inc., Tokyo News Service, Pia Co., Yama - Kei Publishers Co. Ltd. have participated in previous “MobileLink” service project from the planning stage, and newly, Shobunsha Publication, Inc. has joined in this new service. Other industrial companies such as Japan Airlines are also planning to start to provide various information through the web site in 1/4 VGA size for mobile gears.

Another feature of this service is that it offers abundant local information; for it is linked to the web sites of a number of autonomies (villages, cities) which user can easily access and get the necessary information of the destination.
“MobileLink” will welcome many other local web sites in 1/4 VGA size mobile gear, and will further expand the information contents available through internet service keeping pace with growth of the mobile gear market.

< Roles of Respective Companies >

The below mentioned eleven companies shall collaborate in providing the information in homepage and in enlightenment of this service:

* Alps Electric Co., LTD.: Edit / Information Supply
* Increment P Co.: Edit / Information Supply
Intervision Inc.: Promotion / Information Supply
Impress Co: Promotion / Information Supply
* Zenrin Co., Ltd.: Edit/Information Supply
Sony Corporation: Planning/Edit/Information Collection
Sony Communication Network Co: Promotion
Dentsu Inc.: Promotion/Information supply
IBM Japan, Ltd: Technology(server)/Management/Information Supply
* Pioneer Electronic Corporation: Planning/Edit/Information Collection Watanabe Digital Media Communications: Planning/Edit/Information Supply
* These four companies have newly joined in the new service.