Etronica announces release of a new, innovative, navigation
technology for the interactive television industry

Los Angeles, CA - January 22, 2002
Etronica Corporation today announced the release of its Custom Metatagging and Brilliant Query System™ tailored for the interactive television industry. The Etronica technology is designed to enhance the end-user's TV viewing experience. The robust, simple-to-use software toolset enables cable and satellite content distributors to expand the capabilities and value of their on-screen program guides.

A key feature in this release is a proprietary keyword set, or "dictionary," tailored specifically for use with electronic program guides.

Etronica's multi-dimensional search capabilities provide easy access to thousands of titles and descriptions of TV programs, giving viewers a richer entertainment experience. A fan of "The West Wing," for example, can use Etronica's intuitive point-and-click on-screen interface to quickly find other upcoming shows about the White House, or starring Martin Sheen, or that have some other attribute of particular interest to this viewer.

Etronica is intended to maximize the value and customer appeal of the interactive programming service, and to offer system operators a competitive advantage over services that provide only traditional "scroll-and-wait" program listings.

A unique feature of the Etronica technology is its ability to "learn" the program preferences of the viewer who uses it. The software uses adaptive technology to deliver a smarter-search capability so that the more the viewer uses the Entronica-enhanced guide, the more likely the guide is to display first the programs of greatest interest to that viewer.

The Etronica software also includes analytical tools which enable content providers to quickly and accurately identify the programming attributes that are of greatest interest their viewers, and that result in viewers selecting premium content. This analysis of programming preferences is done while fully protecting subscriber's privacy.

The software is now available for licensing to hardware manufacturers and middleware developers of digital settop boxes for television programming, personal video recording, and video-on-demand applications. It is designed to run on all current set-top-box platforms.

Etronica CEO Jim Saake explains, "We have leveraged our experience in advanced search and navigation technology by applying it to solve a critical problem in today's iTV industry. There is so much programming for consumers to choose from, how can they quickly and easily find exactly what they want? With Etronica, the wealth of programming choices available via interactive TV becomes a valued benefit. Without it, consumers can become frustrated by what they see as an overwhelming deluge of options. Etronica helps content providers attract and retain subscribers."

At the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Mr. Saake met with a number of members of the industry who expressed strong demand for enhanced electronic programming guides. Etronica's announcement of its new release comes at a time that the industry is seeking a way to allow consumers to efficiently navigate and manage the wealth of programming content available today via technologies that overcome the limitations of the traditional two-dimensional grid. Mr. Saake said he was "extremely pleased with the very strong expressions of interest in Etronica technology we received at the CES event" from members of the interactive TV industry.

In addition to providing its software solutions, Etronica also provides consulting services for the integration of its technology into existing hardware and software infrastructure.

About Etronica
Etronica Corporation (www.etronica.com), based in Los Angeles, CA is a privately-held company funded by the Tech Coast Angels and other venture investors. The company developed its core technology in commercial CD-ROM applications and on the Web with an online encyclopedia that utilized its Content Metatagging and Brilliant Query™ technologies. It has extended that proven technology to currently provide an "e-service" suite for online publishers and enhanced program guide functionality for the interactive television industry. Both of these application leverage Etronica's leadership in enhanced navigation and personalization.

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