Affinity Announces Official Notification of the Successful Conclusion of the Reexamination of Its Financial and Credit Account Patent
Affinity Announces Official Notification of the Successful Conclusion of the Reexamination of Its Financial and Credit Account Patent
March 30, 2006 COLUMBIA, South Carolina
Affinity Technology Group, Inc. (OTCBB:AFFI - News) today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) posted on its Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system database a "Notice of Intent to Issue Ex Parte Reexamination Certificate" relating to its U.S. Patent No. 6,105,007 entitled "Automatic Financial Account Processing System". Although the Company has not yet received the Notice from the PTO, the posting of the Notice on PAIR constitutes an official notification and cites the "Reasons for Patentability / Confirmation." The Notice indicates the Reexamination resulted in the full allowance of all the claims of the Company's U.S. Patent No. 6,105,007.
Joe Boyle, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "This is a significant event in our defense of our patents. Not only does it represent the conclusion of a two-year reexamination process associated with U.S. Patent No. 6,105,007, but it represents a successful conclusion to the seven year process in which we have also successfully defended, through reexamination, our other two patents, U.S. Patent Nos. 5,870,721 and 5,940,811. We consider this a significant validation of our patents and our decision to exploit the value of our patents through a patent licensing business model. The continuous reexaminations of our patents have inhibited our licensing program over the past seven years and our ability to attract capital resources. Our next challenge will be to secure the capital resources to continue the operations of the Company and realize the maximum value from our patent portfolio."
About Affinity Technology Group, Inc.
Through its subsidiary, decisioning.com, Inc., Affinity Technology Group, Inc. owns a portfolio of patents that covers the automated processing and establishment of loans, financial accounts and credit accounts through an applicant-directed remote interface, such as a personal computer or terminal touch screen. Affinity's patent portfolio includes U. S. Patent No. 5,870,721C1, No. 5,940,811C1, and No. 6,105,007.
Forward-looking statements in this news release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that our business is subject to several substantial risks and uncertainties, including the Company's very limited capital resources and the possibility that we may be unable to raise additional capital in amounts sufficient to permit it to continue its operations; the risk that we may lose all or part of the claims covered by our patents as a result of challenges to our patents; the risk that our patents may be subject to additional reexamination by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office or challenge by third parties; the possibility all or some of the holders of the convertible secured notes issued by the Company may take action to collect the amounts outstanding under these notes; the result of ongoing litigation; and unanticipated costs and expenses affecting the Company's cash position. If the Company is not able to raise additional capital immediately, it may be forced to consider alternatives for winding down its business, which may include offering its patents for sale or filing for bankruptcy protection. Moreover, if any of the holders of the convertible notes issued by the Company take action to collect the amounts owed by the Company under these notes, the Company will be forced to consider alternatives for winding down its business, which may include offering its patents for sale or filing for bankruptcy protection. These and other factors may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated.
Contact:
Affinity Technology Group, Inc.
Joe Boyle, 803-758-2511
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Source: Affinity Technology Group, Inc.
AFFI - Reexamination of U.S. Patent No. 6,105,007
AFFI - Reexamination of U.S. Patent No. 6,105,007
Press Release Source: Affinity Technology Group, Inc.
Affinity Comments on Entry Posted on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's Website
Tuesday March 28, 4:54 pm ET
COLUMBIA, S.C. March 28, 2006 -- Affinity Technology Group, Inc. (OTCBB:AFFI - News) today announced that the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system database maintained by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) was updated on March 27, 2006 to indicate that the USPTO had completed the reexamination of U.S. Patent No. 6,105,007 and mailed a "Notice of Intent to Issue a Reexamination Certificate" to the Company. The Company has not received any written communication from the USPTO regarding the completion of the reexamination and is not able to provide any additional information at this time.
Joe Boyle, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "With this development, we are cautiously optimistic that we may be nearing the completion of the reexamination of U.S. Patent No. 6,105,007. We must emphasize, however, that we have not received any written communication from the USPTO regarding the completion of this reexamination. Accordingly, assuming the information posted by the USPTO on PAIR is accurate, we are unable at this time to evaluate the effect of this development on the validity issues addressed in the reexamination of U.S. Patent No. 6,105.007. We hope to have additional information about this matter soon."
About Affinity Technology Group, Inc.
Through its subsidiary, decisioning.com, Inc., Affinity Technology Group, Inc. owns a portfolio of patents that covers the automated processing and establishment of loans, financial accounts and credit accounts through an applicant-directed remote interface, such as a personal computer or terminal touch screen. Affinity's patent portfolio includes U. S. Patent No. 5,870,721 C1, No. 5,940,811 C1, and No. 6,105,007.
Forward-looking statements in this news release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In particular, the Company has not received any written communications from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office regarding the completion of the reexamination of U.S. Patent No. 6,105,007 and therefore is unable to confirm that the reexamination is complete or evaluate the effect of this development on the validity issues addressed in the reexamination process. Accordingly, no assurances can be given as to the timing or ultimate outcome of the reexamination of the Company's financial account patent. Moreover, investors are cautioned that our business is subject to several substantial risks and uncertainties, including the Company's very limited capital resources and the possibility that we may be unable to raise additional capital in amounts sufficient to permit us to continue operations; the risk that we may lose all or part of the claims covered by our patents as a result of existing and future challenges to our patents; the risk that our patents may be subject to additional reexamination by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office or challenge by third parties; the possibility that all or some of the holders of the convertible secured notes issued by the Company may take action to collect the amounts outstanding under these notes; the result of ongoing litigation; and unanticipated costs and expenses affecting the Company's cash position. If the Company is not able to raise additional capital, it may be forced to consider alternatives for winding down its business, which may include offering its patents for sale or filing for bankruptcy protection. Moreover, if any holder of the convertible notes issued by the Company takes action to collect the amounts owed by the Company under these notes, the Company will be forced to consider alternatives for winding down its business, which may include offering its patents for sale or filing for bankruptcy protection. These and other factors may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated.
Contact:
Affinity Technology Group
Joe Boyle, 803-758-2511
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Source: Affinity Technology Group, Inc.
Motorola Uncovers the Next Big Thing in Mobile Gaming
Motorola Uncovers the Next Big Thing in Mobile Gaming
Thursday March 23, 12:30 pm ET
Two cutting-edge developers win 2006//CODE:MOTO - the Motorola developer competition held at Game Developers Conference Mobile 2006
Uncovering fresh talent in mobile gaming, Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT - News) is proud to announce Andreja Djokovic of Barbaroga and Jennifer Hruska and Shayne Guiliano of Sonic Network as the winners of 2006//CODE:MOTO, a two-day developer competition held at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) Mobile 2006 in San Jose, California.
Djokovic won the grand prize for his puzzle game called "Konstruxis" while Hruska and Guiliano took a close runner-up award for "Pyrosonix," a Java-based rhythm game. Both games were developed for use with mobile handsets like Motorola's iconic RAZR, PEBL and SLVR models.
2006//CODE:MOTO challenged a group of the finest independent developers to create innovative new mobile games for Motorola mobile devices based on key criteria including ease of play, design, innovation in visual art and audio, and use of unique features. A panel featuring Jim Eisenstein from Hasbro, Minard Hamilton from EA Mobile/JAMDAT, Andrew Stein from Cingular, and Jason Rubinstein from Motorola rated each game. Judging was so close that the panel decided to award both the grand prize winner and runner-up with the full set of prizes, a tribute to the quality and originality of their entries.
"Mobile devices have to perform as good as they look," said Christy Wyatt, Vice President, Ecosystem and Market Development, Motorola Mobile Devices. "That means creating software as compelling as our designs - and working with the best talent to do it. Andreja from Barbaroga and Jennifer and Shayne from Sonic Network are that kind of talent. We're looking forward to our continued work with them and the entire mobile developer community to deliver even more big things in the future."
In addition to prizes that include Motorola mobile phones, the winners will receive the chance to make their game concepts a reality through business and promotional opportunities (via the judging panel and Motorola's MOTOCODER website).
For more information and to see details of the winning entry, please visit http://www.motocoder.com .
About Motorola
Motorola is known around the world for innovation and leadership in wireless and broadband communications. Inspired by our vision of Seamless Mobility, the people of Motorola are committed to helping you get and stay connected simply and seamlessly to the people, information, and entertainment that you want and need. We do this by designing and delivering "must have" products, "must do" experiences and powerful networks -- along with a full complement of support services. A Fortune 100 company with global presence and impact, Motorola had sales of US $36.8 billion in 2005. For more information about our company, our people and our innovations, please visit http://www.motorola.com .
MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are registered in the US Patent & Trademark Office. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners.
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Source: Motorola, Inc.
North American Scientific Receives Notice of Non-Compliance from Nasdaq
North American Scientific Receives Notice of Non-Compliance from Nasdaq
March 17, 2006--North American Scientific, Inc. (Nasdaq:NASI) today announced that it received a notice from The Nasdaq Stock Market ("Nasdaq") dated March 14, 2006 indicating that the Company does not comply with the minimum $10 million stockholders' equity requirement under Maintenance Standard 1 for continued listing on The Nasdaq National Market set forth in Marketplace Rule 4450(a)(3). In addition, the Company does not comply with the minimum $50 million market value of listed securities requirement under Maintenance Standard 2 for continued listing.
In accordance with Nasdaq requirements, the Company will submit a plan that it believes will allow it to achieve and sustain compliance with all Nasdaq National Market listing requirements, including the minimum stockholders' equity standard. Nasdaq Staff will review the Company's plan and determine if it is satisfactory to achieve compliance in the short term and sustain compliance in the long term.
About North American Scientific
North American Scientific is a leader in radiation therapy products and services in the fight against cancer. Its innovative products provide physicians with a set of tools for the treatment of various types of cancers. They include radioisotope-based brachytherapy seeds, used primarily in the treatment of prostate cancer, marketed under the trade name Prospera(R); Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT); and Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT). IMRT allows an escalated radiation dose to be delivered to a tumor while limiting exposure and damage to nearby healthy tissue. The Company's principal IMRT products are marketed under the trade names PEACOCK(R) and CORVUS. The Company's IGRT products, BAT(R), BATCAM(TM) and nTRAK(TM) provide fast and accurate targeting and localization of a treatment volume on a daily basis. Over 500 hospitals and research sites worldwide are equipped with the Company's clinically proven PEACOCK, CORVUS (our proprietary treatment planning software), BAT, BATCAM, and ancillary treatment solutions. Please visit www.nasmedical.com for more information.
Statements included in this release that are not historical facts may be considered forward-looking statements that are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by the Company including, but not limited to, the impact of competitive products and pricing, technological changes, changes in relationships with strategic partners and dependence upon strategic partners for the performance of critical activities under collaborative agreements, the ability of the Company to successfully directly market and sell its products, uncertainties relating to patent protection and regulatory approval, the stable supply of appropriate isotopes, research and development estimates, market opportunities, risks associated with strategic opportunities or acquisitions the Company may pursue and the risk factors included in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statements contained in this news release speak only as of the date of this release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future results or otherwise.
Housing bubble leaking
Housing bubble leaking
Housing bubble leaking North County Times - North San Diego and Southwest Riverside County NewsBy: DAVE DOWNEY - Staff Writer
NORTH COUNTY ---- The region's swelling inventory of unsold houses, a sharp decrease in home sales and flattening prices all point to a much cooler housing market in the next few years than the red-hot one that prevailed during the first half of this decade, economists and real estate analysts say.
But where the housing market will go from here is anyone's guess, they say.
"It's an irrationally behaving market," said Christopher Thornberg, senior economist for the widely quoted UCLA Anderson Forecast. "It's very difficult to figure out where it is going to go."
Analysts are in wide agreement that the market in San Diego and Riverside counties is caught in a so-called "housing bubble," but they disagree on the implications.
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We Buy HousesBeing in a "housing bubble" essentially means that home prices have ballooned beyond what a region's income levels can sustain in the long run. And that, analysts say, is precisely where Southern California finds itself.
"What you're really asking is, 'What is an asset bubble?' " Thornberg said. "That is when a market price of an asset is completely out of whack with the fundamental value of an asset."
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Motorola Steps Up Investment in China in 2006
Motorola Steps Up Investment in China in 2006
Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT - News) announced three new investments in China.
Motorola hopes to continue exploring opportunities and growing their investing momentum further in China.
Through Motorola Ventures, the venture capital arm of Motorola, the global telecom giant has invested in Shanghai NewMargin Venture Capital Enterprise (Shanghai NewMargin), Shenzhen Shenxun Information Technology Development Co. Ltd. (SXIT) and Legend Silicon Corp., parent company of Legend Silicon Beijing (Legend Silicon). These investments are indicative of Motorola's continuing commitment to the China market.
"China is of continuing strategic importance to Motorola. Besides shoring up strength in mobile devices and network infrastructure, Motorola is branching out to new businesses that can help provide seamless mobility solutions to our customers in China," said Warren Holtsberg, corporate vice president, Equity Investing, Motorola.
Motorola has become one of the largest investors of Shanghai NewMargin Venture Capital Enterprise, originally established with a US$35-million private equity fund. The VC company will continue to focus on high-tech companies, high-growth or high-potential companies in China.
Motorola has also formed strategic cooperation with SXIT while making a significant investment in its parent company -- China Internet Technology and Service Ltd. Besides, Motorola will cooperate with SXIT on both platform and applications such as LBS and enterprise solutions.
Through this cooperation, Motorola expects to increase its ability to provide customers with unique and customized services, including enterprise solutions, A-GPS, LBS, MMS, 3G applications, content, and client applications.
The alliance between Motorola and Legend Silicon focuses on the design, development, and manufacturing of demodulator chips for the emerging mobile TV businesses. With mobile TV being seen as the 'Next Big Thing' in the 3G era, this investment is expected to help Motorola gain a strong foothold in the mobile TV industry in China, which is widely expected to be one of the leading players in the 3G market.
Motorola is the largest foreign investor in China's electronics industry with more than 9,000 employees in China. Since coming to China in 1987, Motorola has made its commitment to China a long-term strategy. By the end of 2005, Motorola's total investment in this country reached US$3.6 billion. Motorola's commitment to China continues to increase, showcased in part, by its venture investment program. These investments are expected to bring much- needed funding, technology and management know-how to local Chinese entrepreneurs.
Ruey Bin Kao, president of Motorola China, said: "It is deeply rooted in our corporate culture that Motorola strives to become an active part of China's growing economy. These and future investments from Motorola Ventures in China help to form the bond. We believe that collaboration with our local partners will make Motorola's vision of Seamless Mobility become reality in China."
About Motorola Ventures
Motorola Ventures (MV) is the global, strategic venture capital investment arm of Motorola, Inc. MV invests at all stages in developing companies of strategic value to Motorola in order to accelerate access to new technologies, new markets and new talent. For more information, please visit http://www.motorola.com/ventures .
About Motorola
Motorola is known around the world for innovation and leadership in wireless and broadband communications. Inspired by our vision of Seamless Mobility, the people of Motorola are committed to helping you get and stay connected simply and seamlessly to the people, information, and entertainment that you want and need. We do this by designing and delivering "must have" products, "must do" experiences and powerful networks -- along with a full complement of support services. A Fortune 100 company with global presence and impact, Motorola had sales of US $36.8 billion in 2005. For more information about our company, our people and our innovations, please visit http://www.motorola.com
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Source: Motorola, Inc.
Motorola Brings Seamless Mobility to Mission Critical Data Through Multi-Net Mobility(TM)
Motorola Brings Seamless Mobility to Mission Critical Data Through Multi-Net Mobility(TM)
Mobile Virtual Private Network (Mobile VPN) Delivers Secure, Seamless Connectivity to Public Safety and Government Workers with Intelligent Routing Across Wireless Networks
Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT - News) today announced Multi-Net Mobility(TM), a mobile VPN solution that is designed to deliver secure connectivity, session persistence, and intelligent routing while users roam wireless networks.
Multi-Net Mobility, based on standard Mobile IP protocol, provides end-to- end data encryption for text, image and video applications while operating across a variety of public and private networks, including Motorola's MOTOMESH(TM) multi-radio broadband wireless network, 802.11 WiFi, and public carrier networks. MOTOMESH, which supports both the unlicensed 2.4GHz and the newly-licensed 4.9GHz public safety spectrum in single network architecture, together with Multi-Net Mobility, offer secure, interoperable, mobile broadband to meet the needs of users on the move.
Roaming between wireless data networks is continuous and transparent to the end user, allowing application sessions to remain open through network interruptions or roaming transitions, and maintaining productivity without sacrificing security. Multi-Net Mobility can set application priority using Quality of Service (QoS) capability, helping to ensure that mission critical applications and latency-sensitive multimedia content are prioritized through the network.
Multi-Net Mobility also interoperates with a wide range of devices and IP applications, from video monitoring and location tracking, to alarm detection, fingerprint identification and license plate recognition. Through managing application access across overlapping broadband and narrowband network coverage, Multi-Net Mobility maximizes available network use, enabling applications to run faster when in broadband coverage, while also optimizing narrowband use for lower-bandwidth data applications.
Multi-Net Mobility was developed to address mobile connectivity and interoperability needs across a variety of public safety and government customer environments. The solution provides optimum performance and flexibility for the demands of field users who often require mobile access to back-office databases, rapid information sharing and multimedia functionality, including video surveillance.
"Multi-Net Mobility addresses the need to send and receive actionable, real-time information remotely," said Nick Rendone, Vice President, Motorola Data Solutions Operation. "And when customers combine Multi-Net Mobility with our MOTOMESH network, you see a truly mobile worker emerge -- with anytime, anywhere high-speed wireless connectivity and immediate access to mission critical applications on either public or private networks."
IT managers are increasingly faced with multiple operating environments, security policies, and applications that change rapidly and vary greatly across user communities.
"Our customers are asking for ways to connect secure data communications with mobile functionality," said Rendone. "Multi-Net Mobility was developed to answer this need in a way that allows critical applications to remain open and in use while roaming across jurisdictions and network boundaries."
Multi-Net Mobility meets U.S. government and public safety security requirements with always-on authentication and encryption, regardless of the network used. When wireless networks are temporarily unavailable, Multi-Net Mobility keeps the application and information open and "on hold" until the next wireless network is located and the session is automatically resumed. This eliminates the need to re-start an application when roaming between wireless carriers or encountering network interruptions.
Because Multi-Net Mobility provides fast, real-time access to critical information while maintaining session persistence, the solution helps increase worker safety, operational effectiveness and productivity in the field.
Multi-Net Mobility supports MOTOMESH and the family of MOTOwi4(TM) wireless broadband solutions, and is part of Motorola's growing portfolio of seamless mobility solutions for public safety and government customers. For more information on Multi-Net Mobility, visit http://www.motorola.com/datasolutions and click on "Multi-Net Mobility."
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Source: Motorola, Inc.
