– KeyPoint Technologies Unveils Global Growth Plan
KeyPoint Technologies (UK) Ltd (KPT), the Glasgow-based predictive language technology specialist, has announced a major expansion as it bids to set a global standard for intuitive predictive text and data entry in the rapidly growing market for devices such as PDAs, Smartphones and mobile computing.
KeyPoint Technologies new software, AdapTex™, will transform the way in which texts, emails and documents are authored and communicated. The global market for person to person messaging – of which AdapTex is targeting a fast-growing segment - is forecast to be worth at least $80bn by 2009 (Strategy Analytics estimate).
KPT is targeting four major global ‘routes to market’ – OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers); Telecoms Carriers; Corporates and End Users*. i-mate, the Dubai-based global supplier of Microsoft Windows Mobile voice and data devices, has agreed to make AdapTex available on i-mate club, the world’s largest Windows Mobile online user community with more than 600,000 registered members. Fifth Media, the Kuala Lumpur-based maker of the AXIA range of PDA phones, has agreed a strategic partnership to commercialise AdapTex globally, and a further 11 OEMs currently have AdapTex under evaluation.
To support the global marketing drive KeyPoint Technologies is creating 100 highly skilled jobs over the next two years as the company evolves from a specialist R&D facility into a fast-growing global software business. KPT has recently been awarded an RSA grant of £1.3m to help fund the recruitment drive. The company is also planning to relocate to a new HQ within the next year, which will be located in the West of Scotland.
“We have immediate vacancies for software developers, engineers and programmers with experience of Windows Mobile and Symbian platforms. In addition, we are growing the marketing and sales functions.” said John Falconer, Director and Co-Founder. “These are high value positions that will shape the development of a growing global market in which Scotland has a major presence”.
First Minister Jack McConnell said: “KeyPoint Technologies decision to create these 100 new jobs is great news. These are high quality highly skilled jobs working on a project in the competitive technology sector. Scotland has the right people with the right skills to turn innovative ideas into a commercial success, and our Scottish government is supporting companies who are investing in the future.”
KeyPoint Technologies was launched in 1997 by founder and CEO Sanjay Patel with a vision to develop a de facto standard for predictive solutions that ‘learns’ how the owner of the device uses language, tailoring its word and phrase predictions accordingly. Sanjay Patel believed there was a real opportunity to create the global standard for highly efficient, intelligent and intuitive data entry software.
AdapTex software is expected to create a new market for ‘intuitive predictive software’, with independent user tests showing that AdapTex can reduce keystrokes per character by over 60% on average. The efficiency gains arise because AdapTex contextually predicts words and phrases in advance of the word that the user is entering into the device.
A key feature of AdapTex is its ‘learning-based’ facility – it adapts to the users’ own language and dictionary. For example, different trades and professions, such as accountants, lawyers, doctors, engineers and salesman have their own languages, expressions and technical terms.
“The ‘learning’ feature has been the focus for much of our research as it differentiates AdapTex and creates a new market for intuitive predictive software” said CEO Sanjay Patel. “Language is very personal, and everyone has their own individual ways of expressing themselves. AdapTex learns the language of professions, markets, industries and individuals.”
Businesses and individuals could realise significant productivity benefits. Based on a 200 day working year, of which one hour a day is spent entering data, KeyPoint Technologies has estimated that AdapTex would save individual users 9 days a year. Based on different trades and professions, this could be worth £1k to £10 per annum.
John Falconer added: “PDAs and Smartphones have great messaging capabilities, but these applications are not used to their full potential - AdapTex turns these increasingly popular devices into highly effective authoring and data entry tools”.
Further information on the company and the employment opportunities can be found at: www.keypoint-tech.com.
More information on AdapTex:
http://www.adaptexlive.com/.
AdapTex has been launched with an “early adopters discount” of $29.99 with a 14 day evaluation period. The RRP is $44. The current AdapTex release is for Windows Mobile 5 and Pocket PC 2003 devices with Worldwide and British English. Announcements of AdapTex for other languages and platforms will be made over the coming months.
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