January 7^th, 2004 (12:00am) - Tapwave was honored by the editors of PC World with a 2004 Next Gear Innovations Award for their mobile entertainment console, the Zodiac. The inaugural Next Gear Innovations Award winners will be presented with trophies at the ShowStoppers media reception, being held on January 8, 2004, during 2004 International CES at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. In addition, winners will be announced in the "Next Gear" section of the February 2004 issue of PC World (online now at www.pcworld.com and on newsstands January 20, 2004) representatives.

With its introduction, the Tapwave Zodiac forged a new category of handheld products that were designed from the ground up to address the mobile entertainment and on-the-go lifestyle needs of technology enthusiasts. The Zodiac delivers both ’fun’ and ’function’ in a sleek and ergonomic 6.3-ounce, anodized-aluminum design.

"To be recognized by PC World editors in this way is quite an honor," said Peng Lim, CEO of Tapwave. "Our goal as a company was to create the best possible solution in mobile entertainment gear, and this award validates all of the thought, dedication and years spent achieving that goal."

The first ever PC World Next Gear Innovations Awards recognize both benchmark and breakthrough products that set the standard for innovation with unique qualities that distinguish them from the pack. PC World’s editors compared many products before narrowing the field to the 17 winners.

"These are among the most inventive devices available, breaking the boundaries of the computer and consumer electronics worlds while pushing the limits of technology," stated Harry McCracken, editor of PC World. "These are trend-setting products that help define industry standards and raise the bar for creativity in the future. Congratulations to the Tapwave Zodiac."

The Tapwave Zodiac provides an unparalleled mobile gaming experience with its inclusion of an analog controller, 3D graphics, stereo sound, vibration effects, and wireless multi-player gaming. In addition, the Zodiac offers a rich multimedia experience by including MP3 functionality, a photo viewer and video player (MPEG1, MPEG4, QuickTime, AVI and DIVX videos). From the ’function’ perspective, Zodiac offers the added benefit of running a Tapwave enhanced version of the Palm Operating System (5.2T) and provides immediate access to more than 19,000 existing applications, including the world’s leading personal information management tools. The Tapwave Zodiac has two different configurations -- the Zodiac1 sells for $299 (32MB RAM) and the Zodiac2 for $399 (128MB RAM). Both models are available at www.tapwave.com. In the Spring of 2004, Tapwave will roll out the Zodiac to retailers nationwide.

Video games and other applications can also be purchased and downloaded directly from the Tapwave website (www.Tapwave.com). Premiere video games, such as id’s Doom II, Activision’s Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4, and Midway’s SpyHunter, will also be available for purchase on game cards and can be inserted directly into either one of the Zodiac’s dual expansions slots for a simple plug and play experience.