Alpine Ships Coast2Coast CD-ROM Navigation Software For Cross Country Travelers - Product Announcement

Cambridge Telcom Report, August 2, 1999

Alpine Electronics of America, Inc., the industry-leading manufacturer of high performance mobile electronics, Monday announced the shipping of its Coast2Coast navigation disc, a single CD-ROM that covers the entire country and the first of its kind for the U.S. market. Alpine is the current world leader in mobile navigation systems, with more than ten years of experience in the Asian and European markets and more than three years in North America.

Alpine's Coast2Coast navigation software allows users access to highways and streets across the country and is not limited to specific regions. The Coast2Coast CD-ROM is ideal for recreational vehicle owners, long-haul truckers and cross-country vacationers who want the luxury of a single CD-ROM-based mapping system of the entire U.S.

The system offers 350- and 150-mile display views. In the 350-mile view, the U.S. is shown continuously with state names and borders, while the 150-mile display shows state names, borders and interstate highways. Like the regional navigation software, users can look up their destination by the city name, as well as Points of Interests (POI). The Coast2Coast POIs are those that are accessible from highways or main streets, and are shown at half-mile and 2-mile views.

Features of this navigation system include:

* City Center: Look up a destination by city name.

* Today's Plan: Coast2Coast allows users to enter up to eight destinations that they plan to visit and will store the information.

* Recent Routes: The system is able to store up to 20 of the past destinations taken, allowing users to retrieve that information as needed.

* Travel time calculation: Coast2Coast will calculate your travel time across different time zones, and will adjust your arrival time to the time zone of your destination.

* Address book: The system is capable of storing up to 90 listings entered by the user.

* Map display zoom levels: Map display zoom levels range from half-mile, 2-miles, 5-miles, 15-miles, 50-miles, 150-miles and 350-miles per half-inch. The POI icons will be displayed in map zoom levels of half-mile and 2-miles only.

* "Auto" Time Zone: Users will have the option of selecting between "Auto" and "Manual" time zone adjustments. Selecting "Auto" will allow the GPS clock to be automatically updated to the correct time zone as drivers cross the country.

"Alpine developed the Coast2Coast software from the demand created by our customers in conjunction with Navigation Technologies," said Stephen Witt, Alpine's vice president of Brand Marketing. "With one disc, drivers can now access all the highways and major streets in the U.S. and not be inconvenienced with having the need for several detailed discs. The functions and features of our regional navigation software are included in the Coast2Coast disc, such as Today's Plan and Recent Route; however, this allows the driver to be more efficient in managing their longer car trips."

Coast2Coast software discs are currently available around the country through authorized Alpine dealers. Suggested retail price is $200.00.

Alpine Electronics is one of the world's leading mobile electronics companies. Alpine is the only electronics manufacturer specializing in mobile multimedia, an integrated system approach incorporating audio, visual, security and navigation products for the mobile environment. With research and development facilities in Japan, Europe and the U.S., Alpine is the global leader for in-vehicle navigation systems for both the after-market and OEM factory installations. Visit Alpine on the Internet at www.alpine1.com to discover the future of mobile multimedia or call (800) ALPINE-1 for the closest dealer.