Toshiba Partners With LearnKey to Expand Its Portfolio of Total Solutions Offerings; New Productivity Tool Brings Robust Training Solution to Toshiba Customers - Company Business and Marketing

Edge: Work-Group Computing Report, Feb 14, 2000

Toshiba America Information Systems Inc. (TAIS), Computer Systems Group (CSG), Wednesday announced its Solutions Group has entered a strategic partnership with leading training company LearnKey, Inc.

This agreement will give Toshiba customers the freedom to run their operations using tailored training and productivity solutions, which leverage Toshiba products and the power of the Internet.

"When Toshiba customers buy a computer from us, we don't simply send them away with a machine; we commit to growing our relationship with them by helping them use that computer," said John Madigan, vice president of marketing, systems and solutions. "I am excited about our partnership with LearnKey because it will further enable our customers to make the most efficient use of the technology they acquire.

"LearnKey offers quality content, and our companies are committed to growing our businesses together."

Through a partnership with LearnKey, Toshiba will deliver training programs to customers via CD-ROMs, intranets and the Internet. These training programs include a range of popular titles from Lotus, Microsoft and others, as well as current certification programs. Although any Toshiba customer can select the training solution that best fits their needs, specific users will have access to professional training programs through three high-quality delivery methods that address Toshiba's core customer segments:

-- Individual consumers and small-office, home-office (SOHO) customers -- Special promotional content offers in partnership with LearnKey

-- Midsize and enterprise customers and the education sector --

Intranet solutions packaged on Toshiba M500 and Magnia 3010 servers pre-configured with LearnKey content to provide customers with packaged intranet solutions

-- Small businesses

-- Internet delivery hosted on Toshiba Magnia servers

"With this alliance, customers get industry-leading hardware solutions from Toshiba, coupled with award-winning training content from LearnKey," said John Clemons, president of LearnKey. "I am confident that LearnKey and Toshiba together will set new directions in learning.

"We are using our technology leadership to offer solid solutions that present flexible and efficient training and certification options for individuals and businesses."

Solutions Portfolio Wednesday's announcement marks the second in a series of important initiatives from Toshiba's Solutions Group, whose goal is to provide dynamic solutions for specific challenges facing today's businesses. In November, Toshiba introduced its first mobility solutions product: the first 4.8-pound, 2.5-inch thin TDP-B1 Ultraportable Digital Projector.

Combined with Toshiba's popular Tecra or Portege notebook products, the portable projector provides a totally mobile solution for giving presentations anytime, anywhere.

Toshiba continues to be the world's leading vendor for portable computers with 17.6 percent market share worldwide in Q3 '99, according to International Data Corp. The company offers portable, desktop and server computing solutions for business customers under the Toshiba brand name.

For more information, call 800/TOSHIBA or visit the company's Web site at www.computers.toshiba.com. Dealer referrals and brochures are located at www.buy.toshiba.com.

With headquarters in Irvine and annual sales of approximately $2.5 billion, Toshiba America Information Systems is comprised of six divisions, organized into two business groups, which manufacture, market and service a wide range of business and information-oriented products in the United States and Latin America.

Products include portable and desktop computers and PC servers; voice-mail systems; digital business telephone systems; interactive voice-response systems; network systems and digital cameras.

TAIS is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America Inc., a subsidiary of the $42 billion Toshiba Corp., the seventh-largest computer and electronics company and the world's 26th largest industrial corporation in terms of sales. Toshiba Corp. is a world leader in high-technology products with more than 300 major subsidiaries and affiliates worldwide.

LearnKey shaped the standard for self-paced training effectiveness with innovative training solutions for computer users and IT professionals. Our expert-led CD-ROM, video, and Corporate Intranet solutions use technology to deliver training, creating vital and cost effective methods which meet the critical demands of computer users.

Self-paced training comes to life with full-motion video, challenging exercises, and real-world insight from recognized and respected IT professionals. LearnKey's proven method of training utilizes innovative technology and in-depth instructional content while maintaining the human touch; an instructional model that is successful because it emphasizes personal value for the student.

LearnKey, a recognized world leader in the CBT industry since 1987, offers courseware in more than 50 key areas with hundreds of titles that cover expert level IT certification and business application training. FMI: www.learnkey.com.