Lightware Raises the Bar: Launches High-Quality Sub-5-Pound Ultralight Projector

BEAVERTON, Ore--Oct. 19, 1999--Lightware is raising the bar in the affordable ultraportable projection category, expanding its breakthrough Scout family to include a slim, road-ready presentation system at just $2,495 -- $2,000 below the nearest competitor in its class.

Weighing in at only 4.9 pounds and taking up less space than a telephone book, Scout 2000 slips neatly into a briefcase alongside a laptop, creating an inexpensive, self-contained unit designed for sales and training forces, and other traveling professionals.

Compatible with virtually any laptop, the Lightware Scout 2000 provides road warriors with high resolution, VGA through XGA, and plug-and-play setup. Business people on the go can equip any boardroom for vivid presentations in minutes.

Lightware reduced the weight and price of its new Scout 2000 system by designing out duplicate features such as television adapters and stereo sound since CD-ROM/DVD drives and speakers are becoming standard on most laptops. The result is a high-value unit geared for portability for road warriors of all budgets.

"We found that a core segment of our audience -- the traveling business professional -- doesn't require all the audio and video functionality we packed into the original Scout, since the user's laptop is usually multimedia-equipped. A lighter and less expensive alternative made more sense," said Al Patz, president of Lightware. "With Scout 2000, companies can afford to equip entire sales and training staffs with powerful presentation technology without breaking the bank."

In 1996, Lightware became the first company to offer a sub-10-pound high performance LCD projector. In 1998, Lightware introduced Scout, the world's first ever 5-pound projector at a mere $3,000.

"Lightware initiated the move to bring ultraportable projection equipment from a niche market to the mass consumer with the original multimedia Scout," said William Coggshall, president, Pacific Media Associates, a large-screen displays market research firm. "This new offering dramatically broadens the appeal of the Scout family to those buyers who want a sub-10-pound projector (which we estimate will soon comprise 80 percent of projector buyers), offering the lowest price of any projector using state-of-the-art technology today."

Scout 2000 projects images from PCs, Macs and handheld CE devices. A single panel, full-color, 1.6 inch polysilicon LCD engine and 200-watt metal halide lamp pack 500 ANSI lumens of projection power. Color-coded cables make Scout 2000 as easy to set up as it is to carry.

About Lightware

Lightware's LCD projectors are used for computer and video presentations in business, training and educational applications. The veteran management and product development teams have more than 50 years of projection industry experience and hold numerous patents.

Lightware distributes its products through leading resellers of electronics and presentation systems in the United States, Canada and worldwide. Lightware products can also be purchased directly at www.lightware.com or by calling 800/211-9001. For product information, contact Lightware Inc., 9875 SW Sunshine Court, Suite 200, Beaverton, Ore. 97005. Telephone: 800/211-9001. e-mail: marketing@lightware.com.

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CONTACT: Lightware, Beaverton
Heidi Schuman, 503/641-7873 ext. 720
heidis@lightware.com
or
The Bohle Company
Trip Thomas, 310/785-0515 ext. 219
trip@bohle.com

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