• DataWind Appoints European COO
  

  Ex Psion Board Director and Co‐Founder of Widget UK Ltd, David Elder, Takes on the Role of DataWind's European COO and Will Head up the European Business for DataWind
  

  August 21, 2007 ‐ DataWind, a leading provider of wireless web access products and
  services, which recently launched the PocketSurfer2, today announced the appointment
  of its European Chief Operating Officer (COO). Ex Psion board member and Widget UK
  Ltd co‐founder David Elder, has recently accepted the position following the
  announcement of the PocketSurfer2 in mid July 07.

  
  Suneet S. Tuli, CEO of DataWind, commented, "David is an extremely experienced and
  successful businessman. Testament to this is his contribution to the growth of Widget
  UK Ltd and his ability to capitalise on commercial opportunities. A good example of this
  has been the role Widget UK Ltd has played, as TomTom's original UK Distributor, in
  creating and defining the GPS category. We are privileged to have him heading up
  Europe for us and have identified a number of key tasks, including the negotiation of
  data plans throughout Europe and the establishment of a distributor network for the
  area."

  
  David Elder has been active in the UK Mobile Computing industry for over 20 years,
  including 10 years at Psion PLC where he served as International Sales Director. This
  included spells running Psion's subsidiaries in Germany and the United States. In 1996
  he joined Mark Needham at Widget UK Ltd, which has now become one of the UK's
  largest specialist distributors of mobile computing products, revenues having grown to
  GBP 30 million per annum.

  
  David Elder, COO of DataWind, commented, "I feel the time has come for me to move
  on and I am relishing the challenge of establishing the PocketSurfer brand throughout
  Europe. This will mirror closely the job I originally undertook at Psion and there is a
  remarkable similarity in the two companies and the way in which they take
  breakthrough technologies to market. Widget UK Ltd, as DataWind's UK Distributor, will
  continue to play a hugely important role for DataWind in Europe as the market for
  PocketSurfer evolves over the next couple of years, and I will still be involved in a non‐
  Executive capacity."

  About the PocketSurfer2

  
  PocketSurfer2, is an ultra‐thin, ultra‐portable internet communications device.
  Pocketsurfer2 is a handheld device that delivers the full power and original graphic
  intensity of the internet rapidly and wirelessly to the palm of your hand, for free. For
  further information visit: www.pocketsurfer.co.uk
  Pricing and availability

  
  The PocketSurfer2 is priced at GBP 179.99 and will be available in high street stores, and
  independent consumer electronics and mobile phone stores throughout the UK starting
  August 16th, 2007.

  
  About DataWind – www.DataWind.com

  
  DataWind is a leading provider of wireless web access products and services. Based on
  several international patents, DataWind’s breakthrough technologies solve the
  bandwidth limitations of cellular networks by accelerating content delivery by factors of
  10x to 30x. The DataWind PocketSurfer2 is the first product to deliver the experience of
  the desktop Internet efficiently to a mobile cellular customer. DataWind headquarters
  are based in Montreal, Canada as well as having a London office.

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BOTTLE PR - PocketSurfer to the masses

PocketSurfer2, a handheld device offering the fastest connectivity to the internet on the move, has appointed BOTTLE PR to promote it to a mass consumer audience.   

PocketSurfer2 is an ultra-thin device, offering fast internet access for consumers on the move.  There are no hidden costs and no contracts. Aside from the affordable initial purchase price consumers don’t need to pay again to access whatever they want to online.   The device includes a built-in GPS receiver and integrated location-based services with Google Maps™.

BOTTLE PR is tasked with taking PocketSurfer2 into mainstream media.  It will also be working on the launch of an exciting new model due out later this year.  Part of BOTTLE PR’s brief is to promote the PocketSurfer2 as digital advertising real estate for brands wanting to reach consumers directly. 

BOTTLE PR pitched against the incumbent agency and one other as part of the selection process.   BOTTLE PR will be reporting to Richard Mower, VP Marketing & Partnerships at PocketSurfer.  Richard commented on his reasons for selecting BOTTLE PR: “We were impressed by BOTTLE PR’s extensive experience in the industry and their ‘real life’ grasp of how our market works at all levels. They displayed strong creativity which was backed up by a tangible, measured plan that we could buy in to with confidence. We’re looking forward to working with the Team.”

BOTTLE PR Director Siân Gaskell, who is leading the account, says: “There is a lot of activity going on in the mobile internet space, with operators, handset manufacturers and brands all wanting to encourage consumers to get online, away from the PC.  However, one of the biggest barriers to adoption to date has been consumer confusion over how much it costs to download content or surf the Internet on a mobile device.  Our campaign will position PocketSurfer2 as dispelling this confusion with its up-front cost and as a viable option for anyone wanting to access the internet on the move, wherever they are.”

-Ends-

Notes to Editors:

For further information please contact:

Sian Gaskellor Anna Speddy on T:               01865 882988       , E: siangaskell@bottlepr.co.uk  or annaspeddy@bottlepr.co.uk

Editor’s note:

Based near Oxford, and with clients in London and across the UK, award-winning BOTTLE PR was established in 2003 by two senior PR professionals with strong in-house and agency experience.

As its expanding and varied client base has grown, BOTTLE PR has kept its fresh, hungry and energetic approach to business and hold true to our core values of transparency and integrity. The enthusiastic team of consultants at BOTTLE PR all have solid PR backgrounds both in-house and with leading agencies.

Thriving on word-of-mouth recommendations, in 2007 BOTTLE PR became one of industry bible PR Week’s prestigious Top 50 consultancies outside London.  In April 2008 BOTTLE PR was listed as one of PR Week’s top 150 agencies in the UK.

In 2007, BOTTLE PR launched BOTTLE 2.0 – its new media PR service focused on Web 2.0 and online communication.

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