IN THE NEWS

Information Builders Announces Revolutionary Mobile Business Intelligence Solution

Two-Way Email Leverages Proven Technologies to Access Enterprise Data Through Virtually Any Enabled Handheld Device

Information Builders has announced Two-Way Email - a revolutionary mobile business intelligence solution for corporations that demand timely, efficient, and secure two-way communication. Based on e-mail and powered by Information Builders' WebFOCUS, Two-Way Email enables organizations to provide cost-effective, reliable, and secure access to existing enterprise information sources through any handheld device, without having to build custom interfaces or a new infrastructure.

With Two-Way Email, WebFOCUS not only "pushes" critical information to managers, employees, partners, and customers, it allows the end user to "pull" any information from enterprise systems via e-mail. Two-Way Email enables two-way communication between people and systems while solving the challenge of exchanging messages and information among dissimilar mobile devices and networks. Leveraging existing e-mail systems, it offers powerful new capabilities, such as automatic and simple deployment to every mobile device, including BlackBerry, Palm, 2-Way pagers, Windows CE machines, and cell phones; a secure and guaranteed channel for fast message delivery; a familiar interface people use every day; true two-way information access – not only can you receive event-driven and scheduled notification e-mails, but you can also send your own customized queries for up-to-the-minute information – anytime, anywhere.

Information Builders and RIM Team Up to Deliver Wireless Business Solutions

WebFOCUS Business Intelligence Software and BlackBerry Wireless E-Mail Solution Provide Synergy for Corporate Customers

Information Builders and Research In Motion Limited (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSE: RIM), a world leader in the mobile communications market, have announced a strategic alliance focused on helping companies extend business intelligence to mobile professionals. The companies plan to work together to jointly market WebFOCUS-based applications integrated with BlackBerry^TM, an end-to-end wireless e-mail solution designed by RIM to allow mobile users to access their e-mail wherever they go. BlackBerry features an integrated package of powerful wireless handhelds with integrated e-mail/organizer software, PC docking cradle, PC synchronization software, optional enterprise server software, and nationwide airtime.

The new WebFOCUS mobile solution, Two-Way Email, can send scheduled or Key Performance Indicator (KPI) reports via e-mail to BlackBerry Wireless Handhelds^TM. BlackBerry users can drill down in the reports by e-mailing requests directly back to Two-Way Email. Two-Way Email then runs additional reports, delivering the information back to the BlackBerry handheld via e-mail – all over a nationwide wireless data network and without human intervention. Business users can now access any data in their enterprise, run reports, and analyze their business from any location, all over a reliable wireless network and from an easy-to-use BlackBerry handheld.

Statswizard.com Scores Big With Pro Baseball and Football

New Web-Based Sports Statistical Analysis and Reporting System Broadens Coverage to Include Baseball and Football

Statswizard.com, an on-demand, real-time Web-based sports statistical analysis and reporting system, has announced that it has expanded its sports coverage to include pro football.

Sports enthusiasts and fantasy-league members can run trade analysis, player and team scouting reports, and customized player rankings, as well as sort players by position and offensive statistics. This self-service application allows Web users to run customized reports and analyze up-to-date football statistics. Users choose among a number of variables, such as year, position, win/loss, team, conference, etc., in several different categories.

"Following the huge success of our baseball application, we're continuing to develop statistic content for all major sports," says Statswizard CEO Bud Bristow. "We're particularly excited about our new offering because fantasy leaguers can't seem to get enough stats on football and this application offers almost every possible bit of information they're interested in seeing."

Fantasy leaguers can run reports to find best and worst players through offensive and defensive statistics, such as rushing, passing, attempts, completions, interceptions, yards per game, etc. Filters and color-coding make users' individual reports easy to read because the best and worst in every category stand out. This allows them to select players who meet certain criteria, thus cherry-picking their own dream team.

Next on the horizon: capabilities for hockey, basketball, soccer, auto racing and golf. The application originally debuted during the 1999 Major League Baseball playoffs and the World Series as part of USAToday.com.

Currently, Statswizard.com's football content is offered on RotoNews.com, SportingNews.com, AOL's Sports site, the Athlete's Forum, USAToday.com, and Statswizard.com.

Statswizard.com is a dynamic Web-based reporting and statistical analysis system that offers up-to-the minute information about athletes and teams, based on a wide range of user-selected statistical criteria.

Current baseball and football applications can be accessed through many of the top Internet sites, including USAToday.com and RotoNews. Built on Information Builders' award-winning WebFOCUS platform, Statswizard features easy-to-use, customizable statistics, player predictions and reports, thus creating a more comprehensive virtual sports experience.

PARTNERSHIPS

Information Builders Forms Strategic Alliance With AvantGo
New Relationship Provides Solution for Extending Web-Based Reporting to Wireless Internet Devices

Information Builders announced at PC Expo a strategic relationship with AvantGo, Inc., a mobile Internet company, to extend the capabilities of Information Builders' WebFOCUS Business Intelligence solution to the mobile workforce. By using Information Builders' WebFOCUS Business Intelligence solution, AvantGo Enterprise^TM customers will be able to download corporate information, with drill-downs, directly to their PDA device for viewing away from the office. As part of this relationship, Information Builders and AvantGo will reference-sell products and conduct joint integration testing of mobile reporting solutions.

AvantGo provides mobile infrastructure software and services that extend the Internet and corporate applications beyond the desktop to handheld devices and Internet-enabled phones. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.avantgo.com or call (650) 655-4029.

Information Builders Partners With NovaSync to Deliver Enterprise-Scale Mobile Solutions

Information Builders' Middleware Technology Group, a market leader in middleware integration technology with over 2000 customers worldwide, and NovaSync (formerly Remote Data Solutions, Inc.), a leading provider of turnkey and customized mobile software solutions, today announced a partnership to deliver enterprise-scale mobile solutions that extend handheld applications to complex back-office systems. As a result of this partnership, Information Builders will integrate NovaSync's vertical applications with Information Builders' Mobile Computing integration platform to help customers create faster, more cost-effective, and more scalable mobile business processes that are fully integrated with complex back-office systems. As mobile users work directly with enterprise information assets such as relational databases, legacy data, transactions, and applications, companies can reduce latency in the information supply chain, streamline business processes, and simplify IT infrastructure development.

NovaSync's suite of mobile applications, including Route Ranger, Sales Ranger, and Service Ranger, were developed in conjunction with leading food and beverage companies, and extended to address the needs of the field sales, service, and delivery industries. They empower an increasingly mobile workforce that requires the ability to manage information remotely. Industry leaders have recognized NovaSync's suite of mobile applications as the most advanced and intuitive solutions on the market today. This fully integrated solution consists of the NovaSync applications, Information Builders' Mobile Computing integration platform and professional implementation services, and handheld devices. It is available now from Information Builders at a competitive price. The overall cost depends on the level of back-office integration required to address users' specifications.

NovaSync, formerly known as Remote Data Solutions, Inc., is a leading developer of mobile applications and synchronization software linking handheld devices to Web-based and office-based back-office systems. The company, which differentiates itself by its ability to link into a company's existing system or helping it develop a new one, utilizes the most popular platforms in today's market, including Palm OS and Windows CE. The company specializes in providing turnkey and customized handheld solutions for mobile sales, service, and delivery personnel. NovaSync specializes in four vertical markets: Food and Beverage, Utilities, Service, and Healthcare. NovaSync is located in Farmingdale, NY, at a technology incubator sponsored by the Long Island Forum for Technology (LIFT). The company operates through a worldwide network of resellers and partners. To learn more about NovaSync, visit www.novasync.com. To learn about becoming a reseller, e-mail the company at novasync@novasync.com.

SILICON ALLEY HEADLINERS

New York has really heated up in the past couple of years as a technology center, and we're right in the thick of things. Thought you might like a taste of what's going on:

Gerry Cohen, Information Builders Founder and CEO, participated in a New York eCommerce Association panel, "Wireless & M-Commerce." The panel explored topics designed to separate reality from hype and bring attendees inside the participants' strategy process for a deeper understanding of how to integrate wireless into their own business strategy and stay ahead of the competition in this increasingly crowded market.

Information Builders' director of web products Jim Ivers chaired the high-profile "Web Integration with Back Ends" Track at the New York Software Summit 2000 at the Brooklyn Marriott. Topics in three breakout sessions include database-driven Web sites, dynamic Web sites, database tools, and back-end development environments. The Summit, sponsored by the New York Software Industry Association (NYSIA), is the largest yearly gathering of New York's software and Internet development community.

Information Builders' globalization expert Evan Cohen participated in a NYSIA panel discussion on e-Commerce Globalization. Response to the topic was so strong, it's being expanded into a continuing series. (Globalization will become more and more important as the Internet and wireless continue to heat up in Europe.)

ISO 9000 Certification Awarded to Information Builders, Second Consecutive Year

Information Builders was again awarded ISO 9000 Certification for the Quality Management System of its WebFOCUS Business Intelligence solution – making it the only ISO 9000-certified software company in Silicon Alley to date. The ISO 9000 re-certification exemplifies Information Builders" continued commitment to quality management practices and standards, which ensure that vendor products and services consistently perform to clients' quality requirements.

Bureau Veritas Quality International (BVQI) Vice President Bill Poliseo presented the certification to Information Builders President and CEO Gerald Cohen. BQVI, an independent, accredited, third-party International Standards Organization (ISO) registrar, was selected by Information Builders to assess, audit and register its WebFOCUS Quality Management System. BVQI's audit included examining, on a sample basis, evidence supporting the existence of a documented and implemented Quality Management System against ISO standards.

"This is the second year in a row that we have found Information Builders' quality systems up to ISO 9000 standards," said Poliseo. "When a company like Information Builders is awarded ISO 9000 Certification, it really says a lot for that company's priorities. It says that this company is dedicated to producing quality products and services every single time, for every single client."

ISO is a worldwide federation in 130 countries, established in 1947 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. Information Builders joins the prestigious ranks of other software industry leaders that have achieved continuous ISO 9000 Certification, including Microsoft, Oracle, and PeopleSoft.

Information Builders is offering a new service called WebFOCUS 9000. This is a complete solution, which includes a customized version of WebFOCUS coupled with expert consulting in the application of the ISO 9000 standards. For more details on how Information Builders can help your company achieve ISO 9000 registration, please contact Reuven Schulman at (212)736-4433, x3140.

What's Up Doc?

The new WebFOCUS, EDA, and Data Warehouse Version 4 Release 3.1 Documentation and Master Index CD (DN7800964.0600) is now available. The CD includes all documentation for Version 4 Release 3.1 products, with 17 new titles and an updated Summary of New Features. There are 60 titles in all, and they are provided in WinHelp, HTML, and PDF formats. In addition, the CD provides a Master Index that allows you to search through all 60 titles at once.

You can order the CD online through the Information Builders Web site, or by calling (800) 969-INFO toll-free. The cost of the CD is $50.00, which includes one free update for the same release.

EDUCATION

By Kristin Devlin

Information Builders Customer Education Update

Whether you want to increase your understanding of a new technology or you need comprehensive, hands-on training to help implement one of our products, Information Builders is committed to providing you with up-to-the-minute training – carefully designed to help your organization maximize your investments in technology and people.

In the market for customized training, with scheduling that accommodates your business demands? Look to Information Builders to provide professional training solutions, whatever your needs.

In keeping with an ongoing commitment to customer service, Information Builders has revamped its training curriculum to provide the latest techniques for optimizing development, deployment, and customization of powerful WebFOCUS applications.

New and Improved Courseware

The Report Broker class, designed for administrators, has been reworked to improve the flow and create better examples.

Course 307 - WebFOCUS Advanced Techniques

The Advanced Techniques class, designed for experienced WebFOCUS developers, has been improved by the addition of new reporting techniques.

New Course! - FOCUS to WebFOCUS Conversion

A long-awaited new course, FOCUS to WebFOCUS Conversion, is designed for experienced developers who are converting an existing FOCUS application to WebFOCUS. This course covers when and how to move all types of FOCUS files, and provides an overview of using WebFOCUS.

All WebFOCUS and Desktop Courses have been updated to reflect the latest version 4.3. Since 4.3 reflected a major change in functionality, substantial changes were made to all WebFOCUS and Desktop courses.

Customer Education is reviewing all courses to determine any possible enhancements that need to be made. We want to hear from you – your comments and suggestions regarding our Education courses are much valued. Please fill out our suggestion form on our web site: http://www.informationbuilders.com/education.

To register, or for more information on course times, locations, tuition, and training offers, call (800) 969-INFO or visit us on the web. You can also contact the Account Support Representative or Education Account Manager in your local Information Builders branch office.