DDD.L Regulatory News (DDD)

27 Oct 2006 07:01

DDD Group PLC27 October 2006 DDD MOBILE LICENSEE RENEWS EXCLUSIVE LICENSE Santa Monica, California (October 27, 2006) 3/4 DDD Group plc (AIM: DDD), the 3Dsoftware and content company, today announces that their DDD Mobile licensee hasjust renewed its exclusive rights to license DDD's real time 2D to 3D conversioncapabilities, for use on 3D mobile telephone handsets, in their domestic market. In 2005, following the successful completion of a development and integrationagreement valued at £500,000 with one of the world's top five mobile telephonehandset manufacturers, DDD entered into a non-exclusive worldwide licensingagreement allowing the handset maker to ship DDD's software embedded in thehandset, yielding a per handset royalty to DDD. The licensee subsequently tookthe decision to redesign its 3D handset resulting in a delay in the expectedlaunch date. On 31 July 2006, the exclusive rights granted to the licensee for variousterritories lapsed. However, the licensee has now elected to renew its exclusiverights for their domestic market as was permitted in the original licenseagreement. The renewed rights will lapse on the second anniversary of the launchof a 3D handset. The licensee also retains non-exclusive worldwide rights to useDDD's software on their 3D handsets as permitted under the terms of the licenseagreement. DDD's software engineers are presently working with the licensee's developmentstaff to complete the modifications to the DDD Mobile software required by thelicensee's new handset design. Chris Yewdall, Chief Executive of DDD said: "We are pleased to announce that ourlicensee has renewed the exclusive rights in line with our expectations. We arenaturally disappointed by the delays in introduction brought about by thedecision to redesign their handset however we have been encouraged by the stronginterest shown by mobile telephone carriers in our recent demonstrations. Weexpect that the new handset incorporating our software will be introduced in2007." Enquiries: DDD GroupChris Yewdall, President & CEO +1 310 566-3340e-mail: info@ddd.com Bell Pottinger Corporate & FinancialNick Lambert +44 (0) 20 7861-3232 Notes to Editors About DDD DDD, also known as Dynamic Digital Depth, is transforming the viewing experiencewith applications for glasses-free 3D displays. Its patented technologies enable3D viewing without glasses; simple integration of computer graphics applicationswith 3D displays; supply of 3D content through 2D to 3D conversion; and 3Dtransmission over existing networks. DDD is quoted on the London StockExchange's Alternative Investment Market (AIM: DDD). • A new category of flat screen LCD and plasma displays are beingdeveloped and marketed by major consumer electronics companies that providestereoscopic 3D images without the need for the viewer to wear glasses.Stereoscopic 3D images appear to have natural in and off-screen depth. 3Ddisplays have already been included with mobile telephones in Japan and indesktop PC displays and notebook computers in North America and Japan. • In 2003 and 2004, DoCoMo introduced two models of Sharp mobiletelephone that included a 3D LCD display developed by Sharp Corporation. DoCoMosold approximately 2.8 million 3D mobile telephones in Japan. • In July 2005, DDD announced a two-year license agreement to integrateits DDD Mobile(TM) real time 3D conversion software with a 3D mobile telephonehandset for one of the world's top five handset manufacturers. • DDD's solutions provide an important bridge between conventional twodimensional (2D) applications and content and the new 3D displays. Normal 2Dpictures, video and computer graphics images are manipulated by DDD's patentedsoftware enabling them to be displayed on 3D displays without requiring thecontent to be created specially for a 3D display. DDD recently announced theability to automatically convert still photographs and DVD video to 3D withoutany pre processing of the 2D image. • DDD licenses these software applications, marketed under the TriDef(R)and DDD Mobile TM brand names, to manufacturers for inclusion with the 3Ddisplay products supplied to end users. DDD also licenses the software directlyto end users who already own 3D displays and through an international saleschannel. Sharp Corporation and DDD entered into a multi year software licensingagreement in October 2003 that allows Sharp to include a bundle of five of DDD's3D software applications with Sharp's Actius range of 3D notebook PCs sold inJapan and America. • DDD expects to license the DDD Mobile software library to additionalhandset makers who wish to include 3D LCD displays in a variety of wirelessdevices including next generation smartphones and PDAs. The licensingarrangements are expected to yield a per unit royalty to DDD based on the numberof wireless devices manufactured by the licensee. These projects may also yieldone time development and integration fees associated with assisting themanufacturer in the successful integration of the DDD software with the 3Dwireless device. • DDD also intends to generate income through the conversion of existinglibraries of premium mobile content including wallpaper, animations and movies.The company expects to participate in a share of the income paid by wirelesssubscribers who download 3D content that has been converted to 3D by DDD. InJuly 2005, DDD announced a partnership with Jamster! International Sarl toconvert Jamster's popular mobile phone content library to 3D for distribution toowners of 3D mobile phones. • DDD is currently expanding the product range to allow its contentsolutions to be used on future 3D display products including consumer televisionand digital cinema. More information is available at www.DDD.com. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange