Pioneer And Wink Communications Sign Agreement To Integrate Wink In Passport Digital Set-Top Software

Pioneer Corporation's Subsidiary, Pioneer Digital Technologies (PDT), a leader in cable TV set-top terminals and navigational software, and Wink Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: WINK) announced today that Wink will be incorporated into Voyagerô digital set-top units running the Passport software platform. Tim Takahashi, President, Pioneer Digital Technologies and Maggie Wilderotter, President and CEO, Wink Communications, Inc. announced the agreement. ""Wink is making great progress in establishing the lead in interactive television. Pioneer is proud to partner with Wink by integrating Wink's technology to the Passport digital software platform. This will maximize the Wink application in a robust digital environment,"" stated Tim Takahashi. ""Pioneer has been a longstanding partner of Wink, and we're very pleased that our partnership will evolve to the Passport software platform. The combined product will be an excellent solution for operators looking to deploy high performance digital set-tops today,"" said Maggie Wilderotter. Wink utilizes the robust functionality of the Passport software platform running on the Voyager digital set-top, which results in Wink's interactive applications being displayed with full 640 x 480 resolution and advanced graphics, including 256 colors, translucency, special transition effects, JPEG images, high-resolution fonts and other advanced graphics features. Additionally, Wink on the Passport software platform takes advantage of the greater MPEG bandwidth available in a digital environment, which enables richer locally inserted Wink applications, and of the real time return path to enable viewer responses to be collected immediately for real time order processing enabling ticket purchases, pizza ordering, and more. Wink Enhanced Broadcastingô gives viewers a free and convenient way to interact with programs and advertisements while they continue to watch TV. By clicking their remote control during an enhanced program or advertisement, the viewer can access program-related information such as weather, sports updates, trivia and play along games, request product samples, coupons and other free offers from advertisers and make purchases instantly. Wink's technology enables programmers and advertisers to enhance TV with interactive overlays that appear as supplemental text and graphics on the TV screen, relating to the TV broadcast. When Wink is available to a television viewer, a small symbol appears on the viewer's TV screen, indicating that the show or commercial is Wink enhanced. The viewer can choose to interact with the show or ad by using his or her existing remote control. Wink is free to the user, requiring no infrastructure upgrades or additional hardware in the home for viewers with Wink enabled advanced analog and/or digital cable boxes. Wink's complete end-to-end system for enhanced television provides software to create and deliver the interactive enhancements, and collect and route viewer requests through the Wink Response Network. Wink differs from Internet access on television, in that it enhances existing programs and commercials. Wink has agreements in place with major cable and satellite operators, Microsoft, Liberate and manufacturers of consumer electronics equipment to distribute Wink's enhanced TV feature to viewers.About PassportPioneer's Passport software provides a Navigation and applications software platform for digital set-top solution that includes a wide range of applications including interactive program guides, channel banner browsing, pay-per-view and other downloadable interactive applications, such as Web-browsing, VOD, email, chat, weather, sports, stocks and news. Passport is also an application platform that provides open APIs to third party software application developers that allows seamless integration. Voyager, the company's digital set-top box, along with the Passport Navigation Suite will deliver true interactivity in a home environment. Passport is designed with a built-in, real-time RF reverse path transmitter to enable a range of new two-way applications, video-on-demand training/education-on-demand, Web browsing, e-commerce and local information services.About Pioneer Digital TechnologiesBased in Burbank, California, PDT is the engineering and development division of Pioneer's cable television operation. The company delivers innovative solutions to the cable television marketplace and is a subsidiary of Pioneer Corporation. For more information, visit the company's Web sites at http://www.pioneercatv.com or http://www.pioneerdigital.com.About Wink Communications, Inc.Wink Communications, Inc. based in Alameda, California, provides a complete end-to-end system for low-cost electronic commerce on television. Wink Enhanced Broadcasting allows advertisers, merchants, and broadcast and cable networks the ability to create interactive enhancements to traditional television advertisements and programs. With a click of the remote control during an enhanced program or ad, viewers can use Wink to access program-related information, participate in votes and polls, and play along with games and trivia tests. Wink capability is currently available to viewers in cable markets in California, Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Tennessee and Texas. Wink Enhanced Broadcasting has been available in Japan since October 1996 and in the United States since June 1998. A complete list of industry leaders who have adopted the Wink technology and additional information regarding Wink Communications is available at http://www.wink.com. Wink is a trademark of Wink Communications, Inc. Voyager is a trademark of Pioneer Electronic Corporation. All other products or brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.Source: Wink Communications, Inc.Zeros & Ones (www.zerosones.com) is a leading developer of technology and content focused on the convergence of television and the Internet. The company provides targeted solutions for e-business, broadband networks, and digital television. Through its Venture Catalyst Initiative, Zeros & Ones also fosters the development of independent dot-com business holdings. Zeros & Ones is traded on the Over-the-Counter Electronic Bulletin Board under the symbol ZOZO.