“Serif is excited to be partnering with Tribeka, whose unique offering allows Serif to have presence within the new Microsoft retail stores. It also alleviates us from having to manage physical inventory and means that our products are available to customers on-demand and within minutes,” says Michael Zavala, Vice President of Sales at Serif (US).

“We’re really pleased to add Serif’s high-quality creative software packages to the Tribeka assortment in Microsoft stores. Their award-winning range offers powerful features and fantastic value for consumer and small businesses alike.” says Mark Furtado, Head of DRM at Tribeka.

The Serif titles available in Microsoft’s retail stores are DrawPlus X3, PagePlus X4, MoviePlus X3, PhotoPlus X3, Digital Scrapbook Artist and WebPlus X4.

About Serif
Serif is the publisher of the award-winning software range that includes PagePlus^®, PhotoPlus^™, DrawPlus^™, WebPlus, AlbumPlus^™, MoviePlus^™, PanoramaPlus^™ and Digital Scrapbook Artist^® and more. Founded in 1987 with the aim to develop low-cost alternatives to high-end publishing and graphics packages, Serif has been repeatedly praised for its powerful yet easy-to-use software which has put professional effects and demanding publishing tasks within the reach of ordinary PC users around the world. Now with over 6 million customers worldwide, Serif has over 200 employees at its head office, development and European sales centre in Nottingham, UK and its North American sales operation in New Hampshire, US.

About Tribeka
Tribeka’s SoftWide^® platform is revolutionizing the way software and entertainment product is bought and sold, a worldwide market in excess of $50 billion. SoftWide^® is currently the world’s only solution for manufacturing software and entertainment categories in store, without stock. The unique solution provides, on site, a full product that is identical to the mass-produced item and the whole process takes just two to three minutes, allowing retailers to offer their customers an unbeatable range of products that are always available.

Tribeka has secured licensing agreements with most leading publishers for worldwide delivery and users of the SoftWide^® platform include Carrefour, the world’s second largest retailer, in Europe, Fujifilm and Big W in Australia, and Microsoft in the USA.
Tribeka is based in London, UK.

SoftWide^® at Microsoft Stores: It's Almost Like a Walk-in Amazon.com

“While there are a lot of similarities between the Apple and Microsoft stores, I think that Microsoft distinguishes themselves in key ways, [with] this on-demand approach to software distribution...” See the post on James Stolp's blog

Tribeka takes software to the world – with help from UKTI and British Airways

UK Trade & Investment announces how, with British Airways, they supported Tribeka’s US expansion. For more details see the UKTI press release

Ina Fried cites Tribeka in her blog about Microsoft Stores

Ina Fried is a technology journalist for CNET. Ina recently blogged about the new Microsoft Stores where she includes a comment from Tribeka’s COO Stephen Precious. See it on her Beyond Binary blog: Inside the Apple, er, Microsoft Store

MumboJumbo Joins Content Line Up for Microsoft Stores

Casual game developer teams with Tribeka to offer titles on in-store kiosks.

DALLAS (December 1, 2009) – MumboJumbo, leading developer and publisher of premium casual games, has teamed with Tribeka, the brains behind the on-demand manufacturing offered at the new Microsoft Stores, to distribute a five-game assortment through the stores software kiosk system. Microsoft Stores debuted in October and in-store kiosks offer on-demand manufacturing of PC titles to their customers.

MumboJumbo titles that will be available for on-demand manufacturing, include 7 Wonders Treasures of Seven, Samantha Swift and the Hidden Roses of Athena, LUXOR: Quest for the Afterlife, Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy and Zombie Bowl-o-Rama. The Microsoft Store has lined up hundreds of software titles using Tribeka’s SoftWide system that customers can download using a touch-screen kiosk—the software disc, cover and manuals are then created on site in minutes for the customer to take home.

“We’re very excited to bring premium casual game content to the Microsoft Store,” said Mark Cottam, CEO of MumboJumbo. “The on-demand capabilities that Tribeka has introduced to the PC audience are cutting edge, and we’re pleased to be included in the line up.”

The assortment from MumboJumbo includes titles from their most popular franchises. 7 Wonders Treasures of Seven is a match three game that tasks players with building the 7 Wonders of the world with building blocks collected by matching colorful runes.

Samantha Swift and the Hidden Roses of Athena is a hidden-object adventure game that follows a spunky archaeologist on her quest to recover finds for the Museum of Secrets Lost. The game includes seek-and-find game play as well as puzzles and adventure elements.

LUXOR: Quest for the Afterlife is a marble-shooter action game in which players fire colored orbs to create chains of matching colors, which eliminates the orbs from the advancing chain. The player must eliminate all spheres before they reach the pyramid.

Another hidden-object adventure title offered is Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy. The seek-and-find puzzler takes players on a journey to uncover the truth behind the death of one of America’s greatest writers.

The quirky Zombie Bowl-o-Rama is a bowling game with a twist. The player must bowl down advancing zombies to save the town from a takeover by the undead.

Each title will retail for $19.95 at the Microsoft Stores, and will become available through the on-demand kiosks in the coming months.

About MumboJumbo
Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, MumboJumbo LLC™ is a worldwide publisher, developer and mass marketer of premium casual games for PC, mobile, handheld devices and game consoles. MumboJumbo games are downloadable at its website as well as key game portals, or purchased at retail through mass merchants, computer retailers and specialty outlets. MumboJumbo owns and operates studios located in Dallas and Vladivostok, Russia, and publishes and distributes software through its subsidiaries worldwide. For more information please visit our website at www.mumbojumbo.com.

About Tribeka
Tribeka’s SoftWide^® platform is revolutionizing the way software and entertainment product is bought and sold, a worldwide market in excess of $50 billion. SoftWide^® is currently the world’s only solution for manufacturing software and entertainment categories in store, without stock. The unique solution provides, on site, a full product that is identical to the mass-produced item and the whole process takes just two to three minutes, allowing retailers to offer their customers an unbeatable range of products that are always available. Tribeka has secured licensing agreements with most leading publishers for worldwide delivery and users of the SoftWide^® platform include Carrefour, the world’s second largest retailer, in Europe, Fujifilm and Big W in Australia, and Microsoft in the USA. Tribeka is based in London, UK.

SoftWide^® Launch in Australia Attracts Local Press Attention

The local Australian media starts its coverage of the launch of SoftWide^® by Big W, Fuji and Digital Lifeware. Please see links below:

• Big W disc kiosk lets customers burn on demand
• Burning boon at Big W
• PRESS DIGEST-Australian Business News - Nov 24
• Retailer pilots on-demand software system

Fuji/Digital Lifeware install SoftWide^® at Big W in Sydney, Australia

BIG W PILOTS ON DEMAND SOFTWARE SYSTEM

The first Digital Lifeware^® on demand software system in a retail partner store is now live at BIG W’s Winston Hills store in Sydney. Customers can “browse click burn^®” the widest range of PC and Mac software available on demand in any retail store in Australia. The system creates a fully licensed disk and prints a super high quality cover and manual on the spot in minutes. These are put into a DVD case and the customer walks away with an original quality product. The catalogue has around 1,000 titles now, is always in stock and the system is very environmentally friendly. It significantly reduces the need for transportation, storage, real estate and wastage. Digital Lifeware is working with all its partners to further develop the system to include new publishers, ranges and formats, including platform games and movies.

The catalogue currently encompasses language, fun learning, games, multi-media, office software and tools. It has the widest range of language and educational games with over 100 languages available to learn. Customers select the titles they want on the FujiFilm^® touch screen kiosk, pay for them at the BIG W on demand counter and the Tribeka SoftWide^® on demand platform produces the product, “boxed” in a DVD case, in minutes. The product is the same as the publisher’s original, and is fully licensed and warranted by the publisher. Customers can feel safe in the knowledge that they have a legitimate product that is theirs for life and can be re-loaded in the event of any computer problems or whenever they replace their computer.

Digital Lifeware developed the retail and customer systems and integrated them with SoftWide. FujiFilm Australia developed the kiosk technology and integrated it with the Digital Lifeware systems. Tribeka developed the SoftWide platform. Other global users of the SoftWide platform include Carrefour, the second largest retailer in the world, and Microsoft.

Managing Director, Digital Lifeware, Rhett Sampson said “We are very pleased to be working with BIG W and FujiFilm Australia to provide the best possible retail content shopping experience for their customers. They join some of the biggest and most innovative retailers and software publishers in the world in using our on demand systems to revolutionise the retail content shopping experience.”

General Manager, Hardgoods, BIG W, Charles Davey said “The Digital Lifeware on demand system from FujiFilm allows us to carry a wider range of software than ever before. We don’t have to manage inventory and we are always in stock. Customers can come to BIG W confident that they can find the widest range, always in stock, every day.”

General Manager, Imaging Networks, FujiFilm Australia, Paul Rogers, said “The Digital Lifeware on demand system combines the expertise and experience of FujiFilm Australia and Digital Lifeware in bringing innovative, quality solutions to retail.”

CEO, Tribeka, Daniel Doll-Steinberg, said “We are delighted to be partnered with Digital Lifeware in Australia and New Zealand. They are an innovative company who have helped us gain the critical mass we are now achieving globally with the SoftWide platform.”

Digital Lifeware provides integrated manufacture on demand systems and digital content to retailers and retail partners. www.digitallifeware.com.au

BIG W is Australia’s leading discount department store.

FUJIFILM Australia is a world leader in imaging, information and document technologies.

Tribeka Ltd. is the world leader in on demand manufacture through retail and distribution.

For further information contact:
Mandy Maier
MM Publicity +61 412 891 121
mandymaier@optusnet.com.au

Microsoft announces that they are using SoftWide^® to power their On Demand offer in new Stores

Tribeka is pleased to report that Microsoft has announced its Microsoft Stores in the USA are using SoftWide® to power their software on demand offer:

New Retail Stores Connect Consumers With the Best of Microsoft

Microsoft lights up the web and is applauded for launching On Demand Manufacture in its Stores

In Store Manufacture took a giant leap forward this week with Microsoft adopting the technology for its stores thereby making the solution a must have for retailers worldwide. Please see links below:

• MS does on-demand software printing at retail
• Microsoft Store Prints Games on Demand
• On-demand PC game buying and packaging at new Microsoft store
• On Demand at Microsoft Stores

GAME use SoftWide^® to offer PC Software

Tribeka is pleased to report that GAME are now offering over 600 software titles, including educational, utilities, business and entertainment products, plus a range of spoken word to its customers. The products are offered through SoftWide^® which is the world’s leading technology for the on-site manufacturing of software and entertainment product and produces a full retail product identical to the mass produced item in minutes.

Kaspersky products are available in PC SPECIALIST via the on-demand SoftWide^® service

Die Produkte von Kaspersky Lab werden seit dem 1. September von PC-SPEZIALIST über den neuen On-Demand-Service SoftWide vertrieben. SoftWide wurde von der Firma Tribeka entwickelt. Das Programm ermöglicht Fachhändlern, Software in nur wenigen Minuten zu bestellen, online zu beziehen, direkt zu brennen und zu verpacken. Der Vorteil: Mit SoftWide können Händler ihr Angebot erweitern, ohne zusätzlich Laden- und Lagerflächen einzurichten. Während der fünfmonatigen Testphase bieten die PC-SPEZIALIST Händler in Kassel, Potsdam und Schwerin den On-Demand-Dienst exklusiv in Deutschland an. Derzeit sind über SoftWide Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 & Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2010 zu beziehen.

“Wir sind immer offen für neue, innovative Vertriebswege”, so Daniel Gellissen, Key Account Manager e-Commerce bei Kaspersky Lab. “Daher sind wir sehr erfreut, dass unsere Heimanwender-Produkte über den neuen On-Demand-Service schnell, unkompliziert und direkt an unsere Kunden gehen.”

Weitere aktuelle Nachrichten über Kaspersky Lab erhalten Sie auch unter http://twitter.com/Kaspersky_DACH.

Sony DADC and Tribeka enter a Groundbreaking Deal to integrate SecuROM into SoftWide^® platform

Sony DADC and Tribeka have entered a groundbreaking deal to integrate Sony DADC’s world leading SecuROM Digital Rights Management Solution into Tribeka’s revolutionary SoftWide^®

With the launch of key games titles in the pipeline, the integration of SecuROM helps take SoftWide^® to the next level of delivery and SecuROM is now available to all publishers wishing to distribute their titles through SoftWide^®.

“The digital distribution channel is becoming increasingly important to a broad range of companies to enhance and maintain their retail channel,” commented David Berka, Product Manager for Software Digital Rights Management Solutions at Sony DADC. “We see this partnership with Tribeka and the integration of SecuROM into the SoftWide^® platform as an important step forward, as it allows publishers that use the SoftWide^® platform to increase their revenues.”

Mark Furtado, Tribeka’s Head of Content, said “I am delighted to have secured this partnership with Sony DADC for SecuROM. This technology will allow us to expand our already huge SoftWide^® product offer to seamlessly include protected titles on both CD and DVD. We can now move faster and more confidently into the games market with the key PC game publishers. This is another very exciting step for us and our partner publishers.”

PC Spezialist now offers huge software range with no costs

PC Spezialist today announced it has launched SoftWide^® the revolutionary software delivery solution.

The PC chain PC Spezialist in Bielefeld, subsidiary of the largest IT-Group in Europe Synaxon AG, launched 1 September its five-month pilot of SoftWide^®. PC Spezialist has established the exclusive rights with Tribeka for SoftWide^® for Germany. In the participating PC Spezialist stores in Kassel, Potsdam and Schwerin customers can choose for immediate delivery over 300 software titles over tenfold more than these stores offered. The number of titles is expected to increase to over 600 titles in the next few months.

SoftWide^® has already been in operation since May 2009 with PC Spezialist in Luxembourg which has successfully proved this revolutionary delivery solution for software retailing where the product is manufactured in store as required.

The huge range of software is not only merchandised on shelf, but manufactured on demand or just in time for customers. This means the software does not need to be ordered and delivered in advance, just manufactured within about 2 minutes onto CD or DVD with all the packaging manufactured as required. For PC Spezialist customers this ensures an enormous choice whilst also for the PC Spezialist stores it not only increases the offer but reduces all the costs of managing the stock conventionally.

“The advantage is obvious: we increase the available software-assortment of PC Spezialist stores many times and simultaneously minimize the efforts” says Andreas Wenninger, SYNAXON´s COO. “Our customers will benefit from more choice and comfort in buying software and our stores will benefit from competitive advantages such as reduced capital commitment.”

The software offer already ranges from operating systems, office applications and utility software to commercial software and entertainment. Most key vendors support the project including Abbyy, Avanquest, Buhl Data, Kaspersky, G Data, Roxio and S.A.D.

Daniel Doll-Steinberg, CEO of Tribeka, says “We are delighted to have launched SoftWide in Germany with PC Spezialist and we look forward to these stores being the first of a rapid nationwide rollout. It has been a pleasure partnering with Synaxon to ensure that the installations were on schedule for 1 September and that the SoftWide^® offered a compelling product offer of local content from day one. With their high levels of customer service and dynamic vision we will continue to work closely with Synaxon and their stores to deliver a complete solution for software, and in time movies and console games, throughout Germany.”

Tribeka expands SoftWide^® offer with more key products

Tribeka is pleased to announce that key titles from four new publishers will soon be available through SoftWide^®, in time for its launch into Germany.

Security software specialist, G-Data; LapLink, developer of essential PC migration and remote access software; O&O Software, one of the world's leading providers of performance and data recovery software; and S.A.D, one of Germany’s principal publishers of entertainment and utility titles, will all be available on SoftWide^® within the next few weeks.

Faz Suleman, Tribeka’s director of retail and content, said: “The imminent launch of SoftWide^® in Germany’s PC Spezialist chain has further increased our reach and we are delighted to add these key publishers to our compelling channel”.

Oki Case Study

Book retailer Borders has teamed up with Tribeka and Oki to pioneer a new way of selling CDs mirroring the trend towards on-demand book printing. See the PrintWeek full article.

BitCom launches SoftWide^® in Luxembourg

We are pleased to announce that today, BitCom launched SoftWide^® in their flagship store in Luxembourg. Luxembourg boasts the world’s highest GDP per person meaning that SoftWide’s comprehensive product offer and green distribution model will prove well placed. SoftWide^® brings a catalogue of over 1,350 software titles in English, French, German and Dutch providing BitCom with the largest range of software in Luxembourg all the time, every time.

Tribeka’s Chief Operating Officer, Stephen Precious said “With all my 25 years of experience in retail and distribution I am still amazed at how easily we can take SoftWide^® from country to country and language to language; even in multi-language territories. My team has provided the largest, most up-to-date product range to BitCom without the need for warehouses, logistics, lorries, returns processes and intermediaries. It is no surprise that we are already operating with retailers and distributors across the globe. It is clear to me that On Demand is now In Demand.”

Synaxon AG and Tribeka sign Agreement to bring SoftWide^® to Germany

Tribeka and Synaxon are pleased to announce that they have entered an agreement to bring SoftWide^® to Germany starting in September 2009. Synaxon will be using SoftWide^® to bring a huge range of digital media – including PC software, audio books and DVD movies – to its franchise stores throughout Germany.

These stores, trading as PC Spezialist, are customer service focussed PC and accessory retailers which offer solutions and repair to their extensive consumer and business customer base. With over 1000 associated retail dealers in Germany and centralized marketing activities Synaxon is able to quickly establish new products and offers in the German market.

SoftWide^® continues to establish itself as the preferred solution for retailing digital media for both retailers and publishers. The current economic climate is further inhibiting high stock levels whilst simultaneously favouring increased ranges, improved customer service and environmentally friendly delivery solutions. SoftWide^® solves these issues and many more.

“Our dealers are enabled to offer a big range of media-products on relatively small floor space – without any risk of overstocks and devaluation of stock products, that`s a huge advantage of SoftWide and brings us ahead of competition ” says Andreas Wenninger, Synaxon`s Chief Operating Officer. “ We will install the innovative System this year in three franchise stores to test it and plan rollout for 2010.”

Tribeka’s Chief Operating Officer, Stephen Precious, said “We are delighted to be entering another major European territory with such great a partner as Synaxon and brands PC Spezialist and Microtrend. PC Spezialist is a cross market retailer and reseller addressing business to consumer, business to business and a complete support and repair operation which will ensure that the full breadth of product offered through SoftWide touches their customer and solution offer. Synaxon is another fast growing, dynamic company and we believe the synergies between the two companies will accelerate SoftWide’s success in Germany”

Tribeka signs landmark deal with Eros International

Tribeka Ltd, have signed a landmark deal with the Indian media entertainment giant, Eros International PLC. Eros, with over 30 years of entertainment experience, is partnering Tribeka to bring their leading range of over 1,000 top Bollywood titles to a global market through SoftWide. The partnership consolidates Eros’ ever growing catalogue of Bollywood DVD’s to SoftWide’s rapidly expanding retail presence and Eros will start with their top 50 selling titles set to hit stores in June 2009.

Faz Suleman, Director of Retail and Content for Tribeka, says “Our SoftWide^® platform is the ideal solution for providing the maximum opportunities to reach customers through new and existing retail channels. Manufacturing titles instantly in store eliminates all the logistical nightmares that are ever present with physical stock and allows content owners to make their full range available all the time”.

Benjamin Bach, SVP – International Sales of Eros said “Eros International is excited about tying up with Tribeka and SoftWide^® as the leading pioneers of in-store content replication. With this tie-up, we continue to focus on expanding our target groups to the cross-over audience and adding Tribeka as a strategic distribution channel on high streets and hypermarkets”.

Borders, Ingram Micro in the UK, PC Spezialist and Carrefour in Europe, and Digital Lifeware in Australia are already integrating the SoftWide^® platform. Tribeka continues to build its pipeline with many of the premier retailers in Europe, South Africa and the USA for launches this year.

BitCom PC Spezialist, in Luxembourg, to launch SoftWide^® in May

Tribeka has today signed a deal with BitCom PC Spezialist in Luxembourg to launch SoftWide^® in May 2009. By using SoftWide^®, PC Spezialist will be able to offer its customers the largest choice of software in Luxembourg: with an initial range of over a 1,000 software titles from educational and business applications to entertainment products such as games, music and video.

With this further international expansion, Tribeka continues to revolutionize the way people buy and sell software and entertainment products in retail and distribution. SoftWide^® is also providing an increasingly large channel for more than 225 leading brand name software publishers including Abbyy, Britannica, Bullguard, Cyberlink, Kaspersky, Microsoft, Roxio, and Sage.

Markus Terres and Wolfgang Reiss, Chief Executive Officers of Bitcom S.A, said “PC Spezialist are excited to be associated with this ground-breaking initiative. As well as CD-Rom and DVD-Rom, the technology is designed to work with standard CD and DVD formats. We believe it will transform radically both the experience and the economics of retailing software products in our Luxembourg stores. This technology will ensure that we can deliver a huge range of software products to all our customers.”

Tribeka’s Director of Retail & Content, Faz Suleman, said “we are very pleased to partner with PC Spezialist. Their considerable experience in PC retail and offering highly sophisticated retail technology solutions makes them the perfect partner for us in Luxembourg. As well as Borders in the UK, the SoftWide^® platform is currently installed at Carrefour in Belgium, Digital Lifeware in Australia and Ingram Micro UK for distribution. Tribeka also has a pipeline of retail deals for 2009.

Tribeka launches Spoken Word on SoftWide^®

Tribeka has further developed SoftWide^® to add the capability to manufacture in store Spoken Word titles. SoftWide^® now expands its content offer to include audio books and has released the first range of titles into Borders.

The first titles include “The Lowdown” range published by Creative Content and the “Rapid” range published by Earworms.

“The Lowdown” titles are an instructive product set that addresses the contemporary global environment and business sphere in which we all live. These audio titles provide guidance as to how to make a great impression and how to maximise your potential in the international business world.

The “Rapid” range by Earworms are for the rapid language learning using a unique method of memory hooks which combined with rhythms, phrases and intonations work to imprint deeply into long-term memory an entire new world of words, ready for instant recall.

These are the first of many Audio book ranges SoftWide^® will stock.

Hassam Iftikhar, Account Manager at Tribeka, said “This is another important step forward for SoftWide^® which is quickly becoming a one-stop solution for all in-store digital content. We see DVD movies and console games as the next step on the horizon.”

For further information on the Spoken Word ranges titles visit:

“Carrefour Belgium - Pioneering Software On Demand” from Gondola Magazine

Translated from French. See the original Gondola Magazine article.

Herstal, a cold day of December. Snow is on the point of falling on the carpark of Carrefour, which faces the red of MediaMarkt. The category killer seems to be a temple of the “all under only one roof”. And yet, as regards multi-media, it is the blue side which should today be visited, if a really innovative concept is to be found. I have meeting with Stephen Precious, Chief Operating Officer of Tribeka, a company from London. This name should tell you something? We briefly describe the solution which it has recently installed with the new B-Park Carrefour of Bruges. It’s called SoftWide^® and is such an astonishing application that we could not make different than to present you in more detail, particularly when it also appears in Herstal and Waterloo.

“All started in 1999” explains Stephen Precious. “The current CEO of the company, Daniel Doll-Steinberg, is a visionary spirit. He conceived a system allowing the revolution of multi-media distribution, while offering with the stores the possibility of producing them on the spot, and on request. This also allows an offer of a 'virtual' catalogue both very broad, and without stock”. Back in 2000, the system was operational and had enormous interest from some chains. In Great Britain, FNAC installed 7 stores; WH Smith installed it in 12 sales outlets. In the United States, Gateway Computers took the system into 25 stores. A great start. But it was too early. If the idea was brilliant, the technology available at the time was not. The manufacturing systems were expensive, cumbersome, and only printed CDs or DVDs in black and white. “Daniel Doll- Steinberg realised at once that the idea was too early, and that it was better to stop to develop the solution”. Tribeka’s investors injected a few million pounds in R& D.

The result is SoftWide^®. The concept has not changed: the customer can make his choice via touchscreen from a catalogue of theoretically unlimited multi-media products. He confirms the order, prints a ticket for the check-outs in store. The ticket is read, the system does the rest: it accesses London to get the licence in 25 seconds, and in only 2 or 3 minutes the system makes the DVD, prints high-resolution covers and a handbook exactly the same as the manufactured goods. The system is installed in a small room: the technology is refined, miniaturized, and made reliable. It does not require any specific training or staff. “The SoftWide^® system is a little like a plane” said Stephen Precious. “There is total redundancy: 2 CD makers, 2 printers for the cover, 2 others for the booklet…” Even in the unlikely event of a problem, specialists in Tribeka, which monitor the system, can intervene remotely. Simple? Certainly. But what efforts and money to reach the desired level of quality! “It took us 2 years to develop just the paper”. And much more to convince certain publishers of operations and validity of the solution.

Before even offering the system to retailers, Tribeka tested its effectiveness, both technical and commercial. It opened 5 stores, including at Terminal 4, Heathrow. “Success was dazzling: with average sales of 6.000 euros per day! This store was always open, and was an ideal test to continue to evaluate and refine the system. And it confirmed the power of the concept: an unlimited catalogue meant we never missed a sale! Heathrow travellers are very cosmopolitan: thanks to SoftWide^® every language was available in traditional retail. Every day, we sold in Heathrow 6 to 7 of these software titles, sometimes at prices of 500 euros! ”

“Our target was not to develop our own network of stores, but to be able to offer to retailers a proven solution, which at the same time enables them to multiply their offer and to rationalize their stock.” Tribeka has shown the concept to 14 retailers. Five have shown immediate interest, in both the system and the commercial approach: “We do not tell the retailers what they must do, we adapt to the each one. In Great Britain, we have a one year, local exclusive agreement with Ingram Micro, with a network of 6000 small retailers of software. That solution is however not identical to the one in place at Carrefour, with which we signed an exclusive collaboration agreement. ”

Precisely, how do we see this system installed first in Belgium? “SoftWide^® was presented to all European executives in charge of Carrefour at the technological event that Carrefour has in France. It was there that Marc Oursin discovered it. And because he wants to develop the service to his customers on his market, he started a pilot for the entire group in Belgium in Bruges, Herstal and Waterloo.”

Tribeka is not a hardware salesman. The company provides its customers a solution and is paid on the sales made. What makes sales is a growing platform and a partner motivated to use and develop the system. Because of SoftWide^®, it is possible to offer a broad catalogue without having to manage stock, returns, and theft. It is also the capacity to generate add-on sales. Where only laptops were sold, one will be able immediately to propose a broad choice of antivirus. Who would have believed that Carrefour could offer the range of the Kaspersky utilities here now? Today, the catalogue comprises primarily software and learning languages.

But this choice will grow. After 5 years of discussions, Microsoft made its appearance in the list of the publishers this January 19, bringing to the system an invaluable vote of confidence. And in the long term, all the types of multi-media are potentially available: audio CD, video DVD, games… The infrastructure allows this already, the contacts are in hand, all depends on publisher desire, who are still focussed on a traditional seasonal logic of volume. It would be astonishing that this initiative by someone as important as Carrefour does not make them reconsider, especially taking into account the benefits of a model which competes with download, legal or not, from the Internet. “Consider the following example” adds Stephen Precious. “When a known artist dies, you have to rush to get out discs or films. We have the possibility of immediately offering the consumer the entire discography or catalogue of films, subtitled in any language of choice, in a physical form, and without stock shortage! ”

This time is of course not yet here. It is today at Carrefour with the pilot. But without marketing, via simple word of mouth, already the results are more than encouraging. “The system has been available for only a few days in Herstal. A woman has already come in 4 times to buy different titles”. And is this the method that made it possible for Carrefour to make the category a destination? And has Marc Oursin put his finger on a tool able to offer a new genuineness to the phrase “all under one roof”?

Tribeka granted Electronic Product Returns Patent in the USA

Tribeka is pleased to announce that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has approved the issuance of Tribeka’s patent for processing product returns electronically.

Tribeka’s revolutionary in store delivery system, the SoftWide^® platform, allows retailers to return and destroy products electronically rather than requiring them to send them back to the supplier for processing. This is yet another example of the way that the SoftWide^® platform breaks the bonds of physical retail distribution and manages products more profitably, efficiently and environmentally.

Andrew B Coathup, Tribeka’s Head of Development, said: “I am excited we have obtained this important patent in the USA. Intellectual Property protection, along with constant innovation, is key to ensuring that the SoftWide^® platform maintains its lead as a world class technology. As an integral part of our research and development activities, my team are working on obtaining further patent applications in the USA and Europe.”

First Microsoft Titles available on the SoftWide^® platform

We are pleased to announce that in December Tribeka made available the first three Microsoft software titles – Microsoft Live OneCare, Student with Encarta and Autoroute 2007 – through the SoftWide^® platform in Borders and A World of Software stores in the UK.

Peter Freuchen, Tribeka’s Director of Technical and Operations, said: “We are delighted that the SoftWide^® platform is now able to deliver some of Microsoft’s key software titles. My team and I worked closely with Microsoft for several months to establish that our processes and systems are both rigorous and advanced enough for this. I now look forward to working with Microsoft on future projects so that we might add more key titles and in more territories.”

As well as Borders and A World of Software in the UK, the SoftWide^® platform is currently installed at Carrefour in Belgium, Digital Lifeware in Australia and Ingram Micro UK for distribution. Tribeka also has a pipeline of retail deals for 2009.

Tribeka and Creative Content sign groundbreaking deal

Tribeka Ltd, the innovator behind the SoftWide^® platform, a revolutionary approach to the retail selling of digital content through in store manufacture which eliminates both inventory and logistics, have signed a groundbreaking deal with new audio download publishing company Creative Content Ltd to sell CC’s business and self improvement titles in a worldwide deal. The four launch titles are two Business Etiquette titles for China and Russia and two “Improve Your Speech” titles aimed at both native and non-native English speakers of British and US English.

Creative Content’s partners, Ali Muirden and Lorelei King, said “We are delighted to have signed with Tribeka to sell our titles worldwide in this innovative ‘on demand’ format. We are keen to work closely with Tribeka in order to respond quickly and flexibly to their customers’ requirements”.

Mark Furtado, Tribeka’s Head of Content, said “We are convinced that Spoken Word is a great addition to our existing offer and the retailers we work with. I am delighted that Ali Muirden, who is so highly regarded in the industry, is such an early adopter in this category”.

Creative Content have six further titles planned for publication in 2009.

Borders and Ingram Micro in the UK, Carrefour in Europe and Digital Lifeware in Australia are already piloting the SoftWide^® platform and Tribeka is in discussions with retailers in Europe, South Africa and the USA for launches this year.

For further information on their titles you can visit www.creativecontentdigital.com