KAROTZ, THE INTELLIGENT RABBIT FROM MINDSCAPE, TO MAKE NORTH AMERICAN DEBUT AT CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW

NEW YORK - Dec. 9, 2010 - Karotz, a new device set to change the way we live and interact, will debut January 6, 2011 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Created by Mindscape, a leading publisher of entertainment software, this intelligent, wi-fi equipped personal electronic device hides major computing power underneath its cute rabbit shell.
Karotz learns its owner’s voice, habits and routine, and as a result will change the way users interact with their music, media and each other. From the moment it wakes its owner in the morning, Karotz will be a charming, connected companion that will prove hard to live without. The device is voice activated, so with a simple verbal request, it provides everything from horoscopes to up-to-the-minute weather, traffic and news updates. Karotz can also read e-mails, friends’ Facebook status updates and tweets aloud. With its speaker, integrated microphone and vocal recognition, it allows the user to talk for free with fellow Karotz friends, either by direct chat or via a smart phone. It also reminds users of important dates such as birthdays and anniversaries.
With its stylish media player, Karotz becomes the ultimate personal entertainment system, playing favorite Web radio stations, as well as MP3 files or podcasts from USB drives, computers, smart phones or iPods. It can also act as a tutor for kids, reading pre-recorded stories, or even coaching them with educational games. When it’s time for fun again, Karotz can entertain the whole family with interactive games and quizzes.
Beyond providing information and entertainment, Karotz can also provide safety. Karotz features an integrated webcam, so it can send images directly to a smart phone or work computer, where the user can see everything that Karotz sees. An RFID chip sensor also provides instant updates, such as reporting when the kids get home from school.
“Karotz is smart, charming and hard to live without,” said Thierry Bensousan, vice president, Mindscape. “With its great design, extensive capabilities and true ability to become an intelligent companion, it will surely appeal to a broad range of individuals.”
In 2011, Mindscape will make Karotz’s programming language available to software developers and provide them with access to the Karotz Store website to create a cooperative global online development community. Mindscape expects 28 new applications to be available at Karotz’s launch.
Video trailers for Karotz can be accessed at the following links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=ZrOm7DgQRpo
http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=D-DaGHVkQHs
A product brochure can also be downloaded here:
https://www.yousendit.com/ download/ cEd0ZFhxUENoeWJ2Wmc9PQ
History of Karotz
Nabaztag ("rabbit" in Armenian) was created in 2005 by Rafi Haladjian and commercialized by the company Violet. A second version named “Nabaztag: tag” was launched in 2007, selling more than 150,000 units in France. In November 2009, Mindscape bought Violet, set to work on improving the device for the international market. Today, the smart rabbit has been totally redesigned and has changed its name to Karotz. Karotz is scheduled to launch in the U.S. in March 2011.
About Mindscape
Mindscape is an international company involved in the production, editing and distribution of video games. Following the recent acquisition of the Nabaztag, Mindscape is becoming a specialist in internet services and platforms which combine a new man/machine interface and as such are opening the way for online gaming communities. Currently, Mindscape consists of nearly 140 people and, thanks to its subsidiaries, has a presence in the major European countries: France, United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Mindscape is listed on Alternext by Euronext™. More information is available at http://mindscape.com.