Akira Technologies Signs Nacio Systems as Preferred Developer and Managed Hosting Service Provider

SAN FRANCISCO -- Dec. 15, 2005 -- Akira Technologies, a leader in publishing technologies for mobile devices, today signed its first customer, Nacio Systems, a leading provider of high-reliability dedicated servers, web hosting, connectivity, and online brand development services. Nacio will use Akira's mobile publishing technology to offer a single, unified solution for visual design, authoring, hosting, deploying, and distributing rich, Akira-enabled content and applications to mobile devices. In addition, Nacio will provide application development and analytics for tracking metrics that are important for markets such as advertising, online marketing, CRM, and entertainment.

The single unified solution is based on the patented Akira Publisher(TM) system, an easy-to-use, server-based mobile publishing tool for advertisers, graphic artists, content providers, and software developers. Akira-enabled applications contain intelligent streaming for faster response times, and support for all data types, including text, graphics, audio, and video. In addition, Akira Publisher eliminates fragmentation in the mobile device market for all Java MIDP 2.0 phones.

The Yankee Group estimates that 60 percent of all handsets sold worldwide in 2005 will support Java, and the installed base of handsets exceeds 500 million devices. In addition, according to the ARC Group, rapid growth will make Java ubiquitous in 2006, with over 1 billion handsets incorporating the technology around the world.

With Akira Publisher, content owners, advertising agencies, media companies, and brands that target mobile devices can easily author new and existing content for consumer solutions and marketing campaigns. The content is distributed as an Akira Postscript-like Portable Description Language (PDL) file with up to 20 times data compaction. Mobile phone users receive the content over-the-air (OTA). The small 8 to 80K footprint Akira Player may be either embedded with the OTA content or already resident on the phone. With distributed processing functionality and anticipatory streaming, data and images arrive at the phone "as-needed" with a significant increase in perceived bandwidth speed over traditional mobile networks.

As an integral part of the solution, Nacio will develop applications and management software tailored for their customers with data tracking, analysis, and other database needs.

"We target strategic partners that have intimate knowledge about hosting, professional services, and application development within the mobile space," said B. McKinley Hackett III, VP, Sales, Akira Technologies. "Nacio provides a perfect fit since they already have a customer base that requires turn-key mobile solutions, including those in advertising, education, facilities management, entertainment, sports, and more."

"Akira has a remarkable enabling technology -- that we have never seen before -- for publishing content to mobile devices," said Stephen King, VP, Business Development, Nacio Systems. "With Akira Publisher 2.0, we will now offer our current customers a unified mobile solution where they can handle rich, interactive content and receive the data analytics associated with the content. We are very excited to be working with Akira and feel that their technology, coupled with our services, will ultimately enhance the lives of mobile consumers."

Akira-enabled content works on most Java MIDP 2.0 phones, including those from LG, Nokia (Symbian 8), Samsung, Sanyo, and Sony-Ericsson over the Sprint and Cingular networks.

About Akira Technologies

Akira Technologies is a leader in new publishing tools for wireless networks and devices. Its enabling technologies allow content providers to author rich interactive media that is operating system, hardware, and network independent. Akira publishing software is based on open standards and solves the problems of device constraints and fragmentation, and bandwidth limitations in the wireless market today. Akira Technologies is headquartered in San Francisco and privately held.

About Akira Player

The Akira Player consists of a downloadable or pre-installed player with an 8 to 80K footprint and is available for CLDC MIDP 2.0, CDC, Personal Java, and Java SE players. Versions for .NET and BREW are coming soon.

About Nacio

Nacio delivers hosted IT solutions to corporate customers, supporting their business with outsourced e-commerce, content management, document management, digital publishing, network software auditing, and customer relationship management. The Nacio model affords companies the cost-efficiencies and operational advantages of out-sourcing the installation, maintenance, management and support of critical IT applications to a trusted partner. Nacio's Professional Services and Application Development groups provide custom services and solutions to both Nacio-hosted, as well as independent business customers. For hosted and managed customers, Nacio develops, delivers, and maintains tailored solutions. Nacio's hosted application services allow companies to remain focused on their core business by providing cost-effective, low-maintenance ways to develop websites, produce online campaigns, publish digital content, manage data and documents, and increase operational efficiencies. Nacio Systems, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nova Communications Ltd. (NVAC).