ACI Worldwide and WearLogic Partner to Distribute SmartWear and Combine Secure Wallet Technology

Business Wire, Jan 31, 2001

Business Editors

OMAHA, Neb.& WAKEFIELD, Mass--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 31, 2001

ACI Worldwide (Nasdaq:TSAI), a leading international provider of enterprise e-payment solutions, and WearLogic Inc., the leading flexible technology company, today announced the formation of an alliance to market and distribute WearLogic products via ACI's global distribution network.

Additionally, the partnership includes plans to combine ACI's Personal Online Data (POD(TM)) secure e-wallet application and its MONAD(TM) multiple application smart card solution with WearLogic's SmartWear(TM) Wallet technology to transform the everyday wallet into a wearable electronic wallet that can securely manage personal information and finances.

The combination will allow smart card issuers to supply cardholders with a physical wallet that contains a card reader, screen and keyboard in addition to the usual pockets and compartments found in a traditional leather wallet. The wallet would act as a personal and financial portal that consumers can always have with them. Cardholders can track financial account information and make secure purchases in both brick-and-mortar and virtual commerce environments. The wallet also has PDA functionality in a flexible and fashionable leather form.

On first use, the wallet screen will guide cardholders through the steps needed to activate and connect the wallet to a PC and ultimately the financial institution (card issuer) where the wallet and card will be synchronized with the cardholder's latest account information. Once initiated and updated, the wallet is ready for use.

In traditional shopping environments, cardholders can use the wallet's reader to determine if they have sufficient value or credit available on their card before handing it to a clerk for payment. The wallet also can keep track of points and other value used in customer loyalty programs. This functionality carries over to the virtual world where cardholders can connect the physical wallet via ACI's online POD wallet to securely access the Internet, update their account and loyalty information online, as well as automatically complete forms and make purchases.

For smart card issuers, the solution offers a way to build brand loyalty, simplify the usage of smart cards and provide secure shopping. ACI's MONAD gives issuers the ability to automatically manage the applications on a cardholder's smart card. During the synch process, MONAD determines if the cardholder's card is up-to-date, and if not, updates applications on the card. POD incorporates the latest security protocols and operates on a variety of devices, so issuers can give cardholders the ability to securely access their accounts and shop via the device of their choice.

"People will feel a lot more comfortable about e-commerce if they can keep their payment information where they do today -- in their wallet," said Todd Haedrich, vice president, BankBoston Ventures, the venture capital arm of FleetBoston Financial and an investor in WearLogic. "This marketing alliance between ACI and WearLogic addresses one of the main barriers to e-commerce expansion: lack of consumer confidence in the security of their personal and payment information."

"According to the TowerGroup, noncash payments totaled 170 billion last year -- and e-payments made up more than half of that total," said Mitchell Scott, vice president of ACI Worldwide. "The continued shift from paper to pulse, coupled with consumer acceptance of new technology, is fueling the attractiveness of solutions like WearLogic's SmartWear and ACI's POD and MONAD. Together we can offer a device that looks just like a traditional wallet, but can provide consumers with the security and convenience they need to safely manage their money and information in brick-and-mortar, Internet and wireless environments."

"Visa and American Express are introducing millions of new smart credit cards into the United States. Consumers want to be able to fully utilize the power of these new cards over the Internet and at the shopping mall," said Robert Wesley, chief operating officer of WearLogic, Inc. "With the SmartWear Wallet and ACI's POD and MONAD, card companies will be able to offer consumers the full potential of their smart cards and the e-commerce world. A card issuer will be able to ensure their card is always first in the customer's wallet."

About ACI Worldwide

ACI Worldwide (Nasdaq:TSAI) helps the world move money. Every minute of every day, financial institutions, retailers and networking industries rely on ACI solutions to manage consumer e-payments and information. As a leading international provider of e-commerce and e-payment solutions, ACI maintains operations in the Americas, Europe/Middle East/Africa and Asia/Pacific. More than 2,400 customers in 80 countries use ACI distributed solutions. Visit ACI Worldwide on the Internet at www.aciworldwide.com.

About WearLogic, Inc.

Founded in 1998, in the famous Route 128 Massachusetts technology center, WearLogic, Inc. is a privately held company, headquartered in Wakefield, Massachusetts. The WearLogic vision is to lead the information management evolution by linking independent mobile devices with one platform for the management of personal information that is used everywhere. Using WearLogic's proprietary Flextek(TM) technology will enable a new level of convenience in personal hardware products that you can fold, twist, crush, and adapt to any desired form. WearLogic's easy-to-use FleXML(TM) and CardX(TM) software platform provides for secure access to information stored in wearable Flextek products, as well as secure communication with PCs, other computing devices, mobile phones, the Internet, and smart cards. For more information, please visit the company's website at http://www.wearlogic.com.