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August 1, 2000 Qualcomm has teamed with Ford Motor Co. to create Wingcast, a new company to be based in San Diego and charged with developing and delivering wireless mobility and information services into cars and trucks. The company is expected to serve consumers globally. It will work with hardware, software, and content providers to offer state-of-the-art, in-vehicle applications to consumers. Ford cars and trucks will be the initial recipients of these newly developed products and services. Ford expects more than a million of its new cars and trucks to be equipped by the end of 2002, three million by 2003 and virtually all of its cars and trucks by the end of 2004, with the level and depth of services increasing each year during that period. "The wireless and telematics industries are at a pivotal point as we approach a new era of the wireless Internet," says Irwin Jacobs, chairman and CEO of Qualcomm. "Beginning next year, evolved and new CDMA cellular networks will enable high-speed, widely available, low-cost access to the information superhighway. Wingcast will support a broad range of mobile services and become the first portal to offer consumers unparalleled wireless Internet access." Harel Kodesh, formerly of Microsoft, has been chosen to lead Wingcast as its president and CEO. "Qualcomm is focused on driving demand for high-speed, high-capacity wireless data through the wireless Internet that is enabled by all forms of CDMA, including cdmaOne, cdma2000 and WCDMA," says Paul E. Jacobs, executive v.p. and the next president of Qualcomm. "Wingcast's new services will extend beyond the car, providing the critical mass of customers to drive new technologies and standards into the automotive, telecommunications and Internet industries." Nissan is working with Ford and Qualcomm to bring Wingcast services into certain luxury vehicles. Nissan may extend the use of these applications to a broader selection of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles in the future. "Cars and trucks will soon become the fastest growing mobile platform for seamless communications and digital information services," says Kodesh. "Wingcast will leverage best-of-breed technologies to deliver unique capabilities that are completely focused on the customers and their experiences." International Data Corp. has estimated that the telematics market will grow to $42 billion by 2010 from $1 billion in 1998. Ford and Qualcomm each will own equity in Wingcast, but terms have not been disclosed. Additionally, Cartell, a Romulus, Mich.-based supplier of telematics equipment to automakers, is a minority equity stakeholder in the company. Wingcast services will be available initially in North America over cdmaOne digital wireless networks. Advanced offerings using high-speed wireless data will become available as third-generation cdma2000 and WCDMA networks roll out. *** Downtown San Diego-based YouZoom.com has expanded its product line to offer consumers the ability to comparatively rate and purchase homeowners insurance, including renters and condominium coverage, online. With the launch, YouZoom is the only company closing homeowners insurance transactions entirely over the Internet on behalf of multiple insurance companies, says Kieran Sweeney, president and CEO of YouZoom.com Inc. The site offers visitors not only price comparisons, but the ability to instantly purchase policies from multiple insurers online. YouZoom is building a nationwide network of insurance agent and broker Web sites. "We have created the technology and insurance products to allow the average consumer to handle almost everything online — from shopping to purchasing to servicing their auto and homeowners insurance," says Sweeney. Homeowners policies are offered by A-rated insurers Clarendon National Insurance Co. and Sirius America Insurance Co. Both of these insurers also offer auto insurance through YouZoom. *** Carlsbad-based ChatSpace Inc., a provider of affordable online community solutions for Web sites, has added three outside board members to its board — Ken Olson, Derek Morikawa and Don Lyle. The board now consists of two inside and three outside directors. The inside directors are Eric Olinger and Steve Niles, the founders of the company. During his career, Olson has served as a director of corporations in five countries. Eleven of these companies are in the San Diego area. He has served as CEO at local firms such as Topaz Inc. and Proxima Corp., where he also served as chairman. Morikawa has had an extensive career in the communications test industry; most recently as president of Wavetek Corp. in San Diego. Lyle's accomplishments include over 30 years experience in engineering, and he has served on several public and private company boards. He is presently chairman of Systech and a directors at several other San Diego companies including Emulex Network Systems, Datron Inc. and DH Technologies. ChatSpace offers software products and online services for both community building and online customer service. More than 15,000 Web sites use the ChatSpace technology to create and manage their real-time online communities. *** The San Diego Regional Technology Alliance and United Parcel Service have forged a partnership to assist underserved youth access technology in San Diego with a donation of computer equipment. "We are very pleased that UPS is giving back to the community in a proactive manner that helps build the workforce of tomorrow," says Cliff Numark, president and CEO of the RTA. "UPS is pleased to be able to donate our computers. The work that the RTA does to get the systems into the hands of those with the need is nothing shy of remarkable," says Keith Hughes, marketing manager for UPS Southern California Division. The hardware donation will be used for RTA's "Computers in Community Centers" program, which places high-speed computers and Internet access in community centers serving the disadvantaged, low-income, and disabled communities of San Diego. Community centers are best equipped to provide their constituencies with the needed services; therefore, they are also ideal locations for providing access to technology that would otherwise be unavailable to these communities. Leveraging other community partners, such as the Pangea Foundation and Pacific Bell, the RTA upgrades the computers and then installs them into community centers that are in need of computers, as well as provides them access to the internet. The RTA is a non-profit corporation dedicated to assisting San Diego’s technology community through the following programs: entrepreneur services, community outreach partnerships, and research. *** Dow Stereo/Video Inc. has signed a six year lease for space at one of five buildings within North County Corporate Center in Vista, a project of Master Development Corp. The 70,000-square-foot space will serve as West Coast repair and service warehouse. Dow Stereo, which is now going by Tweeter, the name of its new owners, plans to move in October. |
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