CyberMedia Secures Major Licensing Agreement with Sony for Oil Change Software; Customized Version of CyberMedia's Award-Winning Oil Change Automatically Updates MMX-Based PCs to Support the Latest Multimedia Standards as they Emerge, Reduces Support Costs

Business Wire, Jan 8, 1997

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 8, 1997--CyberMedia today announced a technology licensing agreement with Sony Electronics, one of the world's leading consumer electronics manufacturers, to bundle a customized version of CyberMedia's Oil Change automatic update software into their new line of multimedia PCs.

Based on the state-of-the-art Intel MMX microprocessor, the Sony PCV-100 and PCV-120 PCs were introduced today at CES and are currently shipping to leading retailers. Financial terms of the license were not disclosed.

Sony Electronics is the latest in a series of manufacturers incorporating CyberMedia's self-repair and automatic update technologies in their hardware. AST, Fujitsu, Phoenix Technologies and Packard Bell-NEC are currently shipping CyberMedia's automatic service and support software on their latest PCs.

"Sony is on the cutting edge of a new trend in the computer industry -- not only building the latest multimedia capabilities into PCs, but making sure that technology runs smoothly by building Oil Change update technology into their PCs as well," said CyberMedia CEO Unni Warrier. "Oil Change will significantly enhance the user's experience with the Sony PC by helping them stay abreast of new multimedia standards and technologies as they emerge -- and will also dramatically reduce technical support costs for Sony by ensuring that customers always have the latest software and hardware drivers."

Oil Change, CyberMedia's best-selling, award-winning automatic update software, uses the Internet to automatically search out and install the latest upgrades and bug fixes for today's most widely-used software programs directly into a user's PC. Absolutely no technical skill is required of the user.

Updates are crucial for complex new MMX-based PCs as many software and hardware developers have not yet released drivers to support the MMX standard yet. With Oil Change software, Sony PC users can fully utilize the latest new multimedia standards as they emerge.

Keeps Sony PCs on the Cutting Edge

Packed with pre-installed software, components and peripherals from dozens of different vendors, including 3D graphic accelerators, special chips, DSVD modems, and 16X (maximum performance) CD-ROM drives, the new Sony PCs offer a level of power never before seen in a home computer. However, rapid advances in technology could make complex new MMX-based multimedia PCs more difficult than ever to service and support.

If updates for emerging new multimedia technologies such as MMX, DirectX and DVD-ROM are not installed, users could experience crashes and problems. Oil Change eliminates potential problems by automatically updating the Sony PCs with drivers and updates that support the latest multimedia technologies as they emerge.

"In addition to building the latest multimedia technology and the most powerful chips in the Sony PCs, we've made them easier to use by integrating the latest automatic update technology -- CyberMedia's Oil Change," said Todd Oseth, vice president of Business Development for Sony Information Technologies of America, a divisional company of Sony Electronics.

Eliminates up to 50% of Support Calls

According to the Los Angeles Times, up to 50% of all technical support calls result in the support technician telling the user to install an update. By automatically updating software and drivers via the Internet, CyberMedia's Oil Change software could eliminate the support calls that manufacturers would otherwise receive from users who have problems caused by outdated or missing drivers.

The customer support issue is increasingly important to manufacturers forced to spend up to 10 percent of total revenues providing service and support to customers. CyberMedia's Oil Change software can ease the technical support burden for users and manufacturers alike.

Updates PCs Via the Internet

With CyberMedia's Oil Change, updating the Sony PC is as simple as pushing a button. Oil Change scans the PC's hard drive to see what versions of software and hardware are installed, then uses the Internet to locate special Sony-specific updates.

If Oil Change notices a missing or outdated driver, it notifies the user, and with permission, downloads and installs it automatically. The customized version of Oil Change will update the drivers for all of the peripherals and components in the Sony PC, as well as Sony-specific software.

Based in San Jose, Calif., Sony Information Technologies of America is a divisional company of Sony Electronics that markets Sony-brand computer products, including Sony PCs, Trinitron displays, digital still cameras and other multimedia products through distributors, resellers and consumer retailers. For additional information about the PC by Sony call 800/4-SONY-PC (476-6972) or visit Sony's World Wide Web site at www.sony.com/pc.Sony

CyberMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ/NMS:CYBR) founded in 1991, develops and markets software products that help Windows PC users fix or avoid problems on their own, reducing their dependency on vendor hotlines or help desk technical support. Its First Aid product family has consistently been on top 10 Windows 95 business software best-seller lists since November, 1995 and has sold more than 1.5 million copies. Its newer Oil Change software updates Windows software automatically over the Internet.