Softbank On Hand Software Catalog To Be Released in MD DATA Format

Catalog to Provide Software Products for the Mobile Professional

Monterey, Calif. --- July 5, 1994 --- Softbank Inc. announced it would
create a special Softbank On Hand catalog in the new MD DATA format.
Working together with Sony Electronics, Softbank plans to engineer a read
only MD DATA version of their popular software distribution program
currently available on CD ROM.

Applications for the MD DATA version of the Softbank On Hand catalog will
be based on Softbank On Hand's 2-CD set, which contains more than 170
software and multimedia products from more than 50 of the leading software
publishers, as well as other applications. Most of the software selections
on the Softbank On Hand MD DATA catalog will be full-featured and
unlockable for immediate use.

MD DATA is a 2.5-inch magneto optical disc storage device that supports
rewritable, read only (MD ROM) and hybrid (containing both read only and
rewritable areas) media. A single disc can store 140 MB.

Judith Bitterli, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Softbank
Inc., said the MD DATA version of the Softbank On Hand software and
multimedia catalog would target the mobile professional. "Softbank On Hand
and MD DATA are a perfect match," she said. "MD DATA is an ideal medium
for delivering the megabyte-hungry software so necessary to the traveling
professional as well as the storage capacity necessary to easily carry
large, critical data and multimedia files with you."

"We are very enthusiastic about Softbank's support of the MD DATA format,"
added Takashi Sugiyama, Director, Multimedia Peripherals Marketing,
Component and Computer Products Group, Sony Electronics. "By leveraging
Softbank's infrastructure for the encrypted distribution of software,
applications in the new MD DATA format will be readily available to end
users. Moreover, the portability of the media provides a key advantage in
that you can take encrypted applications with you on the road and unlock
them from wherever you are, 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

Headquartered in Monterey, Calif., Softbank Inc. is a partnership of
SOFTBANK Corporation, Japan's largest distributor of computer software and
peripherals; Merisel, the world's largest distributor of microcomputer
hardware and software products; Phoenix Technologies Ltd., the leading
independent designer, developer and marketer of systems software; and
Alexander & Lord, the leader in telemarketing and fulfillment services for
the software industry.

Softbank Inc
8 Harris Court, Bldg A
Monterey, CA 93940
408-644-7800,  fax 408-644-7899

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