Apple Signs Development, Licensing Agreement with Paragraph, A USSR-U.S. Joint Venture, for Cursive Handwriting Recognition Technology
BOULDER, Colo. — October 7, 1991 — ParaGraph International, a Soviet-American business venture, today announced that Apple Computer Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) of Cupertino, Calif. has signed a development and licensing agreement for ParaGraph's cursive handwriting recognition technology.
The agreement signifies the first commercially significant technology exchange from the Soviet Union to a major U.S. computer company. The software, which has been under development since 1989, was originally developed through a Soviet-American joint venture affiliated with two departments within the Soviet Academy of Science, the Council for Economics and Mathematics (CEMI) and the Academy of National Economics (ANE).
The agreement provides Apple with access to ParaGraph's technology for handwritten text recognition (printed, cursive and block) as well as future recognition technologies. Under the terms of the agreement, this technology can be installed on current as well as future Apple operating systems. "After evaluating a number of alternatives, we determined that ParaGraph's approach to cursive recognition would best fit our requirements," said Larry Tesler, Apple's vice president of advanced products.
ParaGraph's software also provides a foundation for other recognition capabilities including formulas, symbols and simple graphics recognition as well as optical character, fax file and scanned handwriting recognition.
This announcement coincides with the growing interest in pen- based computing. ParaGraph's ability to provide both cursive as well as hand-printed text recognition is a major breakthrough for the growth of pen-based computing according to most analysts. Unlike other previously announced recognition systems for pen-based PCs, which provide only "block" or printed character recognition, ParaGraph's technology is the first writer-independent cursive handwriting recognition system.
Pen-based computing allows a user to write directly onto a digitizing medium (tablet or screen) instead of using a keyboard, and the computer automatically recognizes the words as ASCII text which is then readily usable by the computer.
Stepan Pachikov, president of ParaGraph International, said, "This is a great technical achievement for any company, Soviet or American, and we look forward to continuing to provide the worldwide market with leading-edge technical innovations in the recognition field."
William H. Pearlman, chief executive officer of ParaGraph International concurred, "Our Soviet partners have accomplished what American companies have been trying to do for more than 20 years. This has earned them the position and recognition as world class computer scientists and programmers."
Apple Computer, Inc. develops, manufactures and markets personal computer systems and is a recognized pioneer and innovator in the personal computer industry.
ParaGraph International markets leading-edge technical innovations in the handwriting, text and voice recognition fields to the international marketplace. ParaGraph International has the exclusive right to market all products developed by ParaGraph JV, a Soviet/American Joint Venture formed in 1989. ParaGraph JV is headquartered in Moscow and chartered with the continued development and research for a line of recognition products. The ParaGraph companies have offices in Moscow, 23 Petrovsky Blvd., Moscow, 103051 and can be reached at 011-7-095-200-2566 and in the United States, 1035 Pearl Street, Suite 304, Boulder, Colorado, 80302, and can be reached at 303-443-8777,
For Additional Information Regarding Apple-ParaGraph Announcement Contact:
Esther Dyson, 212-758-3434, president of EDventure Holdings Inc. and editor and publisher of Release 1.0, a software newsletter, and Rel-EAST, a newsletter on computer markets in central and eastern Europe. She is a contributing editor to Forbes Magazine. Stepan Pachikov, president of ParaGraph International, has been featured at her forums in Tucson and Budapest, and he will speak at her forthcoming East-West Hi-Tech Forum in Warsaw.
Richard Shaffer, 212-696-9330, is a principal with Technologic Partners and editor and publisher of Computer Letter, a business- oriented technology newsletter.
Fred Langa, 516-562-5000, was most recently editor-in-chief of Byte magazine and is currently editorial director of Windows magazine, a CMP publication. While at Byte, Langa was responsible for the extensive coverage of the Soviet computer market.
Portia Isaacson, Ph.D., 617-354-2160, is president of Dream Machine Incorporated which publishes Pen-PC Reference Report: Products and Market and PenPages. Isaacson consults on personal and pen computer product strategies, distribution, applications, and strategic alliances including technology licensing. She is also principal analyst for BIS Strategic Decisions, New Desktop Strategies Advisory Service of which most leading personal computer firms are clients.
CONTACT:
Michael S. Riemer of ParaGraph International, 303-443-8777
or
Brooke Cohan of Apple Computer, 408-974-3019. (AAPL)