GoldPocket Interactive Announces Strategic Partnerships With Compaq, Data Return, Foundry Networks, LavaStorm And Microsoft

GoldPocket Interactive (GPi), the first company to enable millions of people to participate simultaneously in real-time interactive events online, today announced strategic partnerships with Compaq Computer Corporation (NYSE: CPQ), Data Return Corp. (NASDAQ: DRTN), Foundry Networks (NASDAQ: FDRY), LavaStorm and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT). The company is working with its best-of-breed partners to showcase its EventMatrix(TM) - a breakthrough, proprietary technology that for the first time enables millions of people to participate in an interactive event on a single Web site.

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Currently, even the largest interactive Web sites have a peak traffic threshold of approximately 150,000 simultaneous interacting users. GoldPocket Interactive's revolutionary Web-based architecture overcomes this limitation, and for the first time allows millions of people to simultaneously interact in real-time on a single site. The company and its partners will demonstrate the unprecedented capacity of this architecture later this month by staging the largest single interactive entertainment event to ever take place on the Web.

"Our unique technology solves the multitude of issues that until now have greatly limited the size and scope of interactive events online," said Scott Newnam, founder and president of GoldPocket Interactive. "We've enlisted the best partners in the industry to help us realize our vision of massive Web-based events and are on the verge of achieving a major milestone in Web history."

Building on GoldPocket Interactive's proprietary technology, each partner contributes a vital component to the overall collaborative architecture. Compaq provides top-of-the-line ProLiant 8500 Web servers. The platform utilizes Data Return's powerful hosting, maintenance and deployment services to establish multiple Internet gateways and is further bolstered by Foundry Networks' industry leading networking technology. The elite Web development firm LavaStorm is overseeing the development and testing of the resulting architecture. The platform operates on Microsoft's Windows 2000 Advanced Server operating system.

Later this month, GoldPocket Interactive will launch the largest real-time event ever hosted on the Internet at www.goldpocket.com. In the future, GoldPocket Interactive plans to develop additional applications, host third party events and license its technology for a wide variety of large-scale online events such as auctions, elections, distance learning and entertainment programming.

About Compaq

Compaq Computer Corporation, a Fortune Global 100 company, is the largest supplier of computing systems in the world. Compaq designs, develops, manufactures and markets hardware, software, solutions, and services, including industry-leading enterprise computing solutions, fault-tolerant business-critical solutions, and communications products, commercial desktop and portable products, and consumer PCs.

Compaq products and services are sold in more than 200 countries directly to businesses, through a network of authorized Compaq marketing partners, and directly to businesses and consumers through Compaq's e-commerce Web site at www.compaq.com. Compaq markets its products and services primarily to customers from the business, home, government, and education sectors. Customer support and information about Compaq and its products and services are available at www.compaq.com.

About Data Return

Managing over 1,600 applications for more than 1,000 companies worldwide, Data Return (NASDAQ: DRTN) is a leading provider of advanced managed hosting services based on Microsoft technologies. Data Return customers include Microsoft, Fossil, Alibre, Executive Software, PlanetOutdoors.com, Berlitz Languages, Sensormatic Electronics, Boeing Company and First USA Bank. Data Return also is a full-service Application Infrastructure Provider (AIP) that is enabling Independent Software Vendors to rapidly become Application Service Providers (ASPs). Strategic partners and equity shareholders in Data Return include Microsoft Corp., Compaq Computer Corp. and Level 3 Communications. For more information, visit www.datareturn.com.

About Foundry Networks

Foundry Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: FDRY) is a leader in high performance end-to-end switching and routing solutions including Internet routers, Layer 2-3 switches and Layer 4-7 Internet Traffic Management switches. Foundry products are installed in the world's largest ISPs including AOL, EarthLink, AT&T WorldNet, MSN, and Cable & Wireless. Foundry products are also installed in large enterprises, entertainment, pharmaceutical and manufacturing companies as well as e-commerce sites, universities and government organizations. Some of these customers include: The University of Washington, LucasFilm, Yahoo!, LTV Steel, Incyte Pharmaceuticals, U.S. Army, Air Force and Navy, NASA and NIH. For more information about the company and its products, call 1.888/TURBO.LAN or visit www.foundrynetworks.com.

About LavaStorm

LavaStorm is solely focused on engineering customized and technologically advanced Internet systems that enable businesses to dominate and disrupt their markets. It has delivered high-profile Infogate and EdgarWatch systems for the Internet Financial Network; FamilySearch, the world's largest genealogical Web-enabled database, for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and a high-performance system for Monster.com. For more information visit: www.lavastorm.com.