A prerequisite for a success of Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) is a speedy mass market penetration of MMS-compatible devices. However, only few models with MMS functionality have been so far available on the market. Two new Anny Way products, the MMS Client for Pocket PC and the MMS Composer have now accelerated this process by equipping Pocket PC and Web users with the necessary tools for sending and receiving MMS messages.
The Anny Way MMS Client allows network operators to provide a large number of customers with MMS applications within a very short time. Pocket PC users can install the Anny Way Client and begin using MMS immediately.
MATERNA has tailored the Anny Way MMS Client to meet the specific needs of wireless operators. Thus the end-user is presented, for example, with the network operators brand. Settings, such as Push Channel Integration or Mobile Advertising Services can be pre-configured as well, when desired. By including support for Windows Media Audio and Video codecs, the end-user is assured of the highest quality audio and video.
Multimedia messaging is an exciting area of opportunity both for wireless network operators and for end-users, said Jonathan Usher, group manager of the Windows Digital Media Division at Microsoft Corp. Windows Media Audio and Video are well-suited for such wireless applications, because they can deliver high quality in small file sizes of vital importance in wireless networks where every bit of capacity is precious.
Further advantages of the Anny Way MMS Clients result from its support of SMIL (Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language). Thus, different multimedia items can as known from presentation programs - be presented as a unit according to a defined timing. Thanks to SMIL, picture, text, sound and animation follow a certain choreography.
The Anny Way MMS Composer is a web-based tool for creating, sending and receiving Multimedia messages. Users can combine pictures, sound and text from web libraries. They can choose these from rich content or use self-created content which can easily be uploaded within the web environment.
The user is also able to profit from the rich presentation possibilities of SMIL by using a WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get) Editor for timeline and appearance settings. By choosing the target handset from a menu, the user will also see a real life preview of the created message before sending.
Extensible In- and Outbox features and a user address book complete this powerful messaging tool.

MATERNA GmbH Information & Communications

MATERNA is a leading software company in the field of information and communication technology. The company employs worldwide 1.400 staff members and its turnover was estimated to more than 180 million euros for the year 2001. Beside the head office in Dortmund, the company has offices and subsidiaries located all over Germany as well as in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland and Thailand. In the Business Unit Information, MATERNA implements e-Business-solutions for the electronic trade in the Internet. The Internet strategy e3-Solutions covers thereby performances from e-Business, e-Customer Relationship Management and e-Management. The Business Unit Communications offers products and solutions from the business area Mobile Solutions and Unified Messaging. This includes in particular mobile value-added services on base of WAP and SMS, which are distributed under the label name Anny Way.The Anny Way Academy is active on the market in terms of trainings and consulting services as found in practice.

For further information, please contact:

MATERNA Information & Communications
Antje Zimmer
Media Relations Director
Phone +49 231 55 99 531
Fax +49 231 55 99 67 531
[email protected]
www.annyway.de
www.materna.de