DDD.L Regulatory News (DDD)

8 Mar 2005 07:00

DDD Group PLC08 March 2005 DDD AND SHARP CORPORATION EXPAND SOFTWARE LICENSING AGREEMENT FOR NEW SHARP 3D NOTEBOOK PC Santa Monica, Calif. and Huntington Beach, Calif. (March 8, 2005) 3/4 DDD Groupplc (AIM: DDD), the 3D software and content company, today announces that it hasexpanded its world-wide license agreement with Sharp Corporation ("Sharp"),increasing the per unit royalties paid by Sharp for DDD TriDef(R) softwareshipped with each new Sharp 3D notebook PC. The new agreement adds DDD's TriDef DVD Player real time 2D to 3D conversionsoftware to the range of DDD software products that are bundled with Sharp's newsecond generation ActiusTM AL3D ("AL3D") 3D notebook PC. The inclusion of TriDefDVD Player is an important milestone for DDD since the ability to easily viewtoday's popular content in 3D is critical to the future growth of the market for3D display products. Based on state of the art, high performance processors from Intel and NVIDIA,the AL3D is now available in the United States and Japan, with an estimated enduser price of $3,499. DDD will continue to resell Sharp's range of 3D notebooksand 3D desktop displays to professional business users in the medical,pharmaceutical, education, oil & gas and manufacturing sectors in the domesticU.S. market and overseas. The AL3D also includes DDD's TriDef Visualizer OpenGL(R) software for MercuryComputer Systems' amira(R) ("Mercury"). Using the amira visualization solution,AL3D users can quickly review a wide variety of 3D models for medicine, biology,physics and engineering. Under a separate agreement with Mercury, DDD willreceive a TriDef Visualizer software royalty for end users who purchase the fullamira license that is supplied for a time limited evaluation with each AL3D. "We continue to be impressed with the growing capabilities of the TriDefsoftware suite," said Mr. Ian Matthew, 3D Business Development Manager at SharpSystems of America. "The new TriDef DVD Player has created a lasting impressionwith everyone who has had the opportunity to see their favourite DVD movieinstantly appear in 3D. Enabling amira to work in 3D using TriDef Visualizer hasalso greatly increased the number of 3D models that can be quickly and easilyviewed in 3D for a wide variety of professional applications that are being usedby our target customers." "We are pleased that DDD has once again been chosen by Sharp to provide avariety of professional and consumer solutions for their second generation 3Dnotebook PC," said Chris Yewdall, Chief Executive of DDD. "We continue toreceive a very positive response from our customers to the crisp, clear andprecise three-dimensional visual experience that the Sharp displays deliver." Enquiries: DDD Group Chris Yewdall, President & CEO (+1) 310 566-3340 e-mail: info@ddd.com Bell Pottinger Corporate & Financial Nick Lambert (+44) 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 desktop and notebook computers in NorthAmerica and Japan and mobile telephones in Japan • 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)brand name, to display manufacturers for inclusion with the 3D displays suppliedto end users. DDD also licenses the software directly to end users who alreadyown 3D displays and through an international sales channel • 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. DDDreceives a quarterly per unit royalty from Sharp based on the number of 3Dnotebooks manufactured. Currently all Sharp 3D notebooks include the DDD TriDefsoftware bundle • DDD also resells the Sharp 3D notebook computer, along with 3Ddisplays from other suppliers, to international business customers, primarily inNorth America. DDD's customers include major international companies like TheBoeing Company and Proctor & Gamble, government agencies and universities whouse the 3D displays to enhance visual data in the medical, pharmaceutical,education, oil & gas and manufacturing sectors • DDD is currently expanding the product range to allow its contentsolutions to be used on future 3D display products including mobile telephonesand consumer television • DDD's balance sheet remains healthy with £1.053m cash as at June 20th2004, supplemented by the £1.1m strategic investment completed with ArisawaManufacturing in October of 2004. More information is available at www.DDD.com. About Sharp Systems of America Sharp Systems of America, a division of Sharp Electronics Corporation, markets,sells and supports LCD monitors and notebook computers. Products are availablethrough Sharp's network of authorized dealers and resellers. More informationcan be found at www.sharpsystems.com. TriDef is a trademark of DDD Group plc. SHARP is a registered trademark of SharpCorporation. amira(R) is a registered trademark of Mercury Computer Systems.OpenGL is a registered trademarks of Silicon Graphics, Inc., in the UnitedStates and/or other countries worldwide. All other trademarks mentioned hereinare the property of their respective owners. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange