Press Release

OTTAWA, Canada - 26 March 2002: Espial, creator of software that powers the world of smart Internet devices, today demonstrated its Personal Basis Profile version of Espial Suite for TV™ at Sun's JavaOne (SM) Developer Conference. The Personal Basis Profile is the successor to the PersonalJava™ application environment. It provides support for Internet applets in consumer devices and serves as the migration path for applications based on PersonalJava technology into the Java™ 2 Platform, Micro Edition (J2ME). The Espial Personal Basis Profile is targeted for devices with the need of a high degree of Internet connectivity.

"The Espial J2ME Personal Basis Profile represents a significant leap forward in the quest to refine Java as lightweight, but robust enough to handle the increasingly complex software demands of Digital Video Broadcasting - Multimedia Home Platform (DVB-MHP)," said Dr. Neale Foster, director of marketing for TV at Espial. "As broadcasters and equipment manufacturers rush to comply with new digital standards, a J2ME browser solution is crucial for success. Espial's work with Sun to refine the Personal Basis Profile will advance features and functionality of next generation devices that blend the Internet with digital video, broadcast, and broadband technologies."

As a member of Sun's Experts Group, Espial has worked extensively with developers and manufacturers to produce this enhanced software designed for DVB and MHP. Personal Basis Profile software with third party MHP middleware is specifically required to meet the emerging digital broadcast standards being built into set-top-boxes, multimedia, and wireless information products.

"Espial's commitment to develop the Personal Basis Profile for their Suite for TV, further demonstrates the pervasiveness of Java in emerging next generation digital broadcast applications," said Aisling Mac Runnels, Director, Market Solutions, Java & XML, Sun Microsystems, Inc. "As the first to develop Personal Basis Profile solutions, Espial continues its industry momentum in providing Java-powered technology solutions."

Designed to foster interoperability among operators and to combat fragmentation of the digital TV markets, the DVB-MHP application programming interface is recognized as the dominant digital TV standard in Europe. In addition to supporting the DVB-MHP platform, the Personal Basis Profile for the Espial Suite for TV also supports the North American OpenCable standard, known as OCAP.

Product Availability
Personal Basis Profile for the Espial Suite for TV is being shown this week at the JavaOne Developer Conference, Moscone Center, and will be available June 2002. For more information, or for a demo of the Personal Basis Profile for the Espial Suite for TV, contact sales@espial.com.

For further information please contact:
Craig Olson
Media Relations, Espial
t. +1 515 224 7641
e. colson@espial.com

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