Relationship to Help Build Brand Awareness And Improve Site Stickiness
MARINA DEL REY,
Calif., March 13, 2000 - Bingo.com Inc. (OTC BB: BIGR), Bingo.com Inc. (OTC
BB: BIGR), announced a relationship with eCal Corporation, a provider of online
calendaring solutions for major Internet sites such as GO Network and CBS
SportsLine. The calendar implementation is now integrated into the Events
Section of the Bingo.com Web site providing registered users with an opportunity
to create, track and participate in on and offline Bingo as well as other
related events such as Bingo conventions and Bingo trade shows.
"Online calendaring
will become a valuable addition to the Bingo.com community experience," said
Shane Murphy, president and CEO of Bingo.com. "Online calendaring is proven
to attract new visitors, enhance the experience of all who use it, and provides
one more reason for users to make Bingo.com their first choice of game sites.
We partnered with eCal because of their reputation for quality and scalability.
The eCal solution will enable us to provide current and future Bingo.com users
with a means of being involved in the global, local, and online Bingo.com
scene."
The calendar
services are now available free of charge for all registered users of Bingo.com.
After a very simple one-time sign-up process, the calendar services are available
for everyday use. Bingo.com and eCal will share e-commerce and advertising
revenues generated through the Bingo.com eCalendar.
eCal's patented
Internet Calendar Engine (SM) helps people manage their time and share information.
Multi-functioned and feature-rich, eCal's engine provides comprehensive personal
information management functionality, including calendar, e-mail, to-do list,
individual and group meeting creation, paging and reminder service, plus syncing
with other digital hand-held organizers. eCal's forward-thinking client-centric
product has caught on fast; company clients include Disney's GO Network, CBS
SportLine, LookSmart, ZDNet, and RealNetworks. eCal is committed to long-term
relationships with world-class partners who provide attention-grabbing, timely
content and cutting-edge technical contributions.
Powerful,
Customizable Functionality
The eCal engine powers the most versatile and comprehensive calendar on the
Web. eCal's data warehouse aggregates event data from worldwide sources including,
but not limited to, games, entertainment events, television and movie listings,
all of which can easily be added to users' calendars. Bingo.com will add its
own online events, such as Happy Hour Bingo, Double Points Period, and others.
Users then schedule events they chose and can set reminders for these and
other activities. Other features include group and individual event creation,
to-do lists, paging and reminder services.
Powerful Tools
For Personalization
Using the
new "Bingo.com Calendar Services Powered by eCal," Bingo.com members will
be able to:
1. Create and
coordinate activities and events: Users can set up and e-mail details about
custom events, such as a child's soccer game schedule, family reunion, or
social club meetings. Anyone who receives the e-mail is automatically registered
for the calendar services. If the recipient of the e-mail does not already
have a calendar, a calendar is automatically generated for them in real time.
2. Schedule with
groups or individuals: Users have the ability to schedule meetings and other
events with other individuals or groups. Anyone invited to the proposed meeting
or event can then RSVP directly through the calendar.
3. Synchronize
with other digital organizers: Bingo.com members can use the new calendar
services to synchronize with a hand-held organizer and a desktop data manager
in a single, three-way sync session. The procedure lets users integrate their
calendar, contacts and to-do lists with Microsoft Outlook� 97/98/2000
and other hand-held organizers. It's a fast and easy solution for people on
the go who need to get things together quickly.
4. Add events
from an extensive directory: The Bingo.com calendar service maintains an event
directory aggregating information for a wide range of interests, such as financial
news, sports, and weather - all of which are easily added to a user's calendars
with the click of a mouse.
Online calendar
services are growing in popularity, according to PCWorld.com up until late
last year, online calendars were only available through large Web 500 companies
(those with more than 1 million visitors a month), however, new versions like
eCal's patented Internet Calendar Engine (SM) offer added functionality for
small and mid-size Web sites.
"With remarkable
growth statistics and user data collected over the last two months, we continue
to attract co-branding product development and marketing alliances, and we
believe these alliances will help us maximize our leverage to penetrate new
markets and further allow us to gain dominant market share in the online entertainment
industry," added Murphy.
"We are pleased
to provide Bingo.com with our powerful communications tool," said Rick Rasansky,
eCal CEO. "Our platform can help its members simplify coordination of bingo
games and other events, as well as enhance their online experience, by making
it more personal and interactive."