New website is launched to aid gaming and amusement developers: www.elogaming.com

ATEI, London
January 23rd, 2002

    Elo TouchSystems, the global leader in touch technology and a unit of Tyco Electronics, has launched its new industry-specific website: www.elogaming.com

    Designed specifically for the gaming and amusement market, the site features extensive
detail on the products and services, the touch technologies and latest developments, as well as installation tips for hardware and software integration. Additionally, Elo's online
diagnostics - Web Tech - is also available to help new users and to troubleshoot the most
common integration issues in both hardware and software.

    Mike Sigona, Elo's gaming market manager said: "This new website is particularly useful for businesses that want to integrate touch into a gaming or amusement application. We decided to make this a gaming knowledge base, packed with detailed information on our iTouch and IntelliTouch products, technology comparisons, and Elo services. Not only is it easy to navigate throughout the site, online help is only a few clicks away though our virtual technician at Web Tech."

Leisure Link's "itbox" is touchscreen enabled by Elo's latest technology

    Leisure Link is the world's largest provider of out-of-home entertainment solutions,
operating more than 90,000 pay-to-play machines in the UK's leisure retail market. The
company's new "itbox" machine provides a totally different concept in electronic
entertainment and is operated with a touchscreen. 

    Leisure Link chose Elo TouchSystems' iTouch touch-on-tube as its preferred touch technology for this latest product. The "itbox" has only been in the field for a few months but it is already obvious that the concept is a hit. Here is the story behind the birth of a highly successful total entertainment system.

    Leisure Link decided it needed to carry out research to assess the market, before it
commissioned its new machine. The "itbox" is the result of this market research which
was combined with its broad and long experience in the leisure market. The machine is
aimed at providing for the future needs of electronic entertainment, including how to
boost the percentage of customers actually using the entertainment facilities in a leisure
venue. The research also answered two critical questions about the future: is there a
business opportunity for the new tool, and, if so, how big is it? 

    Leisure Link discovered the opportunity is certainly there, and, importantly, it is massive. The research concluded several other points, including the fact that visitors to any leisure venue like to be entertained, they are youngish and have youthful attitudes, and they visit pubs and clubs between two and three times per week. Additionally, both men and women will socialise in groups and they welcome new ideas and new choices of entertainment in these leisure venues.

     Leisure Link has developed a way of satisfying the demands highlighted in the research. Using the latest technology available, they developed the first-ever, digital, out-of-home entertainment concept in the UK. Chris Simon, Leisure Link's Marketing Director, said: "Traditionally, the facilities in an establishment would consist of an AWP machine, a quiz machine and a video game each placed in a convenient location around the facility. We decided to take a fresh approach to complement the existing equipment with a complete entertainment package which would include games, music, video clips, e-commerce, promotions and more, all available, as required, from one machine. Although not designed to replace all the existing machines, it would offer a new and dynamic facility for the leisure manager. The result is our entertainment platform, "itbox"."

    "The touchscreen-driven terminal is an exciting and striking new design which will draw
the consumer towards it," Chris Simon continued, "however, the key to the machine's
success is its content. A leisure establishment's users are often completely different on a
Tuesday lunchtime to a Friday evening, and again different on a Sunday afternoon. The "itbox" is a totally new concept which delivers whatever entertainment the establishment
wants, whenever it is required. It can be programmed to enable family content earlier in
the day and to automatically switch to a different form of entertainment and alternative
services and opportunities in the evening. What is most important is that the machine
can be changed and updated remotely and frequently to ensure users do not tire of the
content."

    Mike Schweers, Leisure Link"s Technical Manager, commented: "The touchscreen and
display play an important role in the overall effectiveness of itbox, so it is critical to its
success as an interactive entertainment machine. At the development stage, we decided
to produce a commercial trial using different touchscreen manufacturer"s technologies.
Having analysed the results at the end of the trial, we discovered the units fitted with
Elo's touch technology were streets ahead of the other units and it proved to provide a
better all-round consumer experience. In addition, some manufacturers touchscreens,
based on an overlay technology, and used in the trial, were subject to breakage. Elo's
iTouch solves that issue as it has no overlay.

    "The touchscreen is based upon Elo's surface wave technology, called iTouch, which
provides us with superior clarity, fast and accurate response and excellent durability.
Mike Schweers continued: "Another feature of Elo's touchscreen is the capability for z-
axis control, which allows us to add further functionality as we develop and roll out new
entertainments. For example, the z-axis allows us to take advantage of how much
pressure a user puts on the screen. This effectively acts like pressing an accelerator to
go faster."

    The initial trial and our first commercial roll-out of more than 1,500 units were in place
in the UK by the end of 2001. "For us, an important feature of Elo's iTouch technology is
the excellent picture clarity due to the 100% light transmission", concluded Mike
Schweers.

    Elo's iTouch "touch-on-tube" technology eliminates the need for a glass overlay by
applying surface wave technology directly to the extra-strong CRT faceplate. Mike
Sigona, Elo's European gaming market manager said: "iTouch 'touch-on-tube'
technology builds on the success of IntelliTouch by eliminating the glass overlay and
placing the 'touchscreen' directly on the CRT surface. This eliminates parallax due to the
added glass, maintains 100% of the picture quality including light transmission, colour
purity and graphic quality, takes advantage of the CRT's tough tube faceplate, and has
no added reflection. The end-result for the user is a sharp, high-contrast image,
attractive colours and decreased frustration from 'missing' even small touch targets
because of its drift-free accuracy. For the business, it helps increase profitability from
greater usage, provides lower maintenance costs and less risk from vandalism,"
concluded Mike Sigona.

    Chris Simon, Leisure Link's Marketing Director, continued: "itbox" content is the key to
the true success and we worked hard to ensure that there is a package suitable for any
leisure environment. The leisure site manager simply chooses the content and the times
they wish to present the selections. The programmable content ranges from traditional
puzzle and quiz games with tournament capabilities, video clips of films, chart music and
albums, through to sports action and footage from the most recent two seasons of
Premiership football. The content also includes one of the most statistically accurate
racing tips service in the UK. In addition, users can download the latest ringtones for
their mobile phones or, for the more mature audiences, there is an adult package
available. They simply choose their requirements using the touchscreen display and pay
for the services with coins, notes or credit cards.

    "itbox is more than simply a blue and yellow box, it is a full entertainment system which
is upgradeable quickly and easily to the fast-paced world of leisure. We anticipate itbox
becoming the de-facto standard entertainment tool for all sectors of the leisure
industry." said Chris Simon.
 
 

About Elo Touchsystems
    Elo TouchSystems, Inc., global leader in touch technology, is a unit of Tyco Electronics. Elo develops, manufactures and markets a complete line of touch products that simplify the interface between people and computers in both public-access and employee-activated applications. Founded in 1971, the company is headquartered in Fremont, California, with manufacturing sites in the U.S., France and Japan. Elo's main regional offices are in Kessel-Lo, Belgium and Yokohama, Japan, with additional sales and technical support offices worldwide. 

    For more information on Elo TouchSystems' products and services, call +32 (0)16 35 21 00 in Europe or visit our Website at www.elotouch.com or www.elogaming.com
 

About Tyco Electronics
    Tyco Electronics is one of the major business units of Tyco International Ltd. (NYSE:TYC, LSE:TYI, BSE:TYC).  Headquartered in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA, Tyco Electronics is the world's largest passive electronic components manufacturer, and a world leader in cuttingedge wireless technologies, fiber optic active components, and complete power systems. 

    The company has facilities located in 51 countries serving customers in the aerospace, automotive, computer, communications, consumer electronics, industrial and power industries. Tyco Electronics provides advanced technology products from over thirty wellknown and respected product brands, including Agastat, Alcoswitch, AMP, AMP NETCONNECT, Buchanan, CoEv, Critchley, Elcon, Elo TouchSystems, HTS, M/ACOM, Madison Cable, OEG, Potter & Brumfield, Raychem, Schrack, Simel and TDI Batteries.