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Press ReleaseHandmark Brings SCRABBLE(R) To Windows Powered Pocket PC 2002 HandheldsNEW YORK, NY and KANSAS CITY, MO, Sept. 9, 2002 -- Handmark(TM) adds another leading brand name to its expanding line of premier retail titles for Windows Powered Pocket PC and Palm Powered(TM) handheld devices. SCRABBLE is the world's best selling word game; more than a million copies of the classic board game are sold every year. SCRABBLE tournaments are gaining larger followings and headline news. Now you can play the SCRABBLE game anywhere with the release of the new Handmark official SCRABBLE game for Pocket PC devices.Scrabble for Pocket PC devices is immediately available for download at www.handmark.com. This official version of the SCRABBLE crossword game is now available for all handheld devices -- Pocket PC, expansion card for Palm(TM) branded handhelds that feature the new Palm SD and MultiMedia Card expansion slot, and on CD-ROM for all other Palm OS based devices. According to Handmark marketing vice-president, Douglas Edwards, " The SCRABBLE game can be found in one of every three American homes. Everyone plays SCRABBLE and it's the perfect game for handheld computers. This is a great use of the Pocket PC and it's typical of the category leading national brands Handmark will continue to bring to the platform." It's the Real SCRABBLE game! The highly interactive game can be played by one Pocket PC device user competing against the handheld computer: the human player decides if the computer is a Beginner, Intermediate or Expert player. The game has also been designed for multiple players using one or several Pocket PC devices. In single device play the "tiles" are hidden and only the game board and current player's tiles can be seen. In multiple device play, the built-in infrared beaming function allows silent play in any public space as players "beam" their move to each other's device. David Pogue, technology columnist for the New York Times described the SCRABBLE game on the handheld platform as "the perfect use of infrared." "Increasingly, PDA customers want a powerful and versatile device, something to use not only for work, but for play," said Ed Suwanjindar, product manager of the Mobile Devices Division at Microsoft Corp. "The release of the Handmark version of SCRABBLE for Pocket PC adds a widely popular game to the platform and offers Pocket PC users the opportunity to incorporate an element of fun into their business day." The Handmark version of the SCRABBLE game also includes the complete 100,000-word Official Merriam-Webster SCRABBLE dictionary. In addition, definitions of each word are displayed automatically as they are played! Score keeping is also automated so players can concentrate on their word skills. Official Licensed Version The SCRABBLE board game is published in the United States and Canada by Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE: HAS) and can be found in one in every three American homes and in more than 15,000 U.S. classrooms. The Palm OS version of the SCRABBLE game is produced by Handmark under a license agreement with Infogrames, Inc. (Nasdaq: IFGM Availability of retail product Retail packages are expected to be available in retail stores in October. It will be offered through major retailers for $29.99 (USA estimated retail price) and in campus bookstores across the U.S. and Canada. SCRABBLE for the Pocket PC 2002 platform will be available at most retail chains where Pocket PC devices are sold. The SCRABBLE game is also available as an online download from the Handmark web site, http://www.handmark.com (also $29.99). About Infogrames Infogrames, Inc. (NASDAQ: IFGM) is a leading publisher and distributor of video games for consoles (Sony, Sega, Nintendo, and XBox), personal computers and Macintosh systems. The company's award-winning franchises include Alone In The Dark, Driver, Deer Hunter, Test Drive, and Unreal. Infogrames, Inc.'s Humongous Entertainment division is a leader in children's entertainment software and its Macintosh publishing label, MacSoft, is the number one publisher of Macintosh entertainment software. Based in New York, NY, Infogrames, Inc. is a majority-owned subsidiary of France-based Infogrames Entertainment SA (IESA) (Euronext 5257) and serves as the headquarters for the company's operations in North America. Founded in 1983, IESA is a global publisher and distributor of video games for all platforms, as well as interactive digital television, mobile smart devices (WAP, HDML) and in-flight entertainment systems. IESA recently acquired Infogrames Interactive, Inc. (formerly Hasbro Interactive), including its line of software based on well-known licenses such as MONOPOLY, Jeopardy, TONKA, and Atari, which are distributed in the U.S. by Infogrames, Inc. For more information, visit Infogrames' US Web site at www.us.infogrames.com About Handmark Handmark, Inc., is rapidly emerging as the leading publisher of consumer applications for Palm and Pocket PC handheld devices. Handmark offers consumer software for Palm handhelds through major retail chains in North America as well as through its web site: www.handmark.com. Handmark software is available in the U.S. and Europe and will soon be sold in Australia. In the U.S. Handmark sells through both national and regional retail stores including Best Buy, CompUSA, Fry's, Staples, Micro Center, J&R Music World, RCS, and others. Handmark software is compatible with Palm OS handheld computers from Palm, Inc., Handspring, and IBM as well as other licensees of the Palm OS platform including new devices from Sony. The desktop components of Handmark applications are compatible with Apple Macintosh and Microsoft Windows personal computers. The company's headquarters are located at 105 East 5th Street, Kansas City, MO 64106. For information contact Handmark at: (816) 472-7256 and on the Web at http://www.handmark.com. * All prices are in U.S. dollars and represent estimated retail sales and/or online price. Handmark, the Handmark logo and associated trade dress are trademarks of Handmark, Inc. Palm OS is a registered trademark and Palm and Palm Powered are trademarks of Palm, Inc. Mac OS is a trademark and Macintosh is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. MONOPOLY and TONKA are trademarks of Hasbro and are used with permission. SCRABBLE is a trademark of Hasbro in the United States and Canada and is used with permission. (C) 2002 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A. by Hasbro Inc., in Canada by Hasbro Canada Corporation. All other brand names, product names or trademarks are the property of their respective owners. For additional information, contact: Douglas Edwards, Vice President of Marketing email: dedwards@handmark.com office: (816) 472-7256 mobile: (816) 210-8090 |
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