ThumbPlay.com Seeks Global Content Partners for Largest U.S. Online Mobile Entertainment Portal; First U.S. Direct-to-Consumer Mobile Portal Offers Innovative Content Superstore; Provides Pay-as-You-Go and Subscription-Based Models

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 19, 2005--

Creates Easy Billing Model

“ThumbPlay.com is positioned as the leader of the U.S. market's trend toward broader distribution channels for wireless content, as publishers, broadcasters, and corporations seek to reach users through their handsets and create stronger, more persistent relationships”

ThumbPlay, a leader in the delivery of wireless content to a wide variety of networks and devices, today announced that it is currently seeking global content partners that wish to sell their content in the U.S. market for its portal, ThumbPlay.com. ThumbPlay.com will be the largest U.S.-based wireless mobile entertainment portal and will offer consumers a faster, easier way to order ringtones, images, and games directly to their phones without having to use a credit card. ThumbPlay.com works across most U.S. carriers and all handset models. ThumbPlay will complete selection of content partners from Europe, Asia, Middle East, and Africa by April 30, 2005.

ThumbPlay.com, which will ensure an easy "two-click" transaction for all content, will compile the largest library of unique mobile content that includes ringtones, images, and games. Consumers will be able to choose from two different subscription models, which include: 1 ringtone, 1 image or 1 animation in any combination per week, at $.99, or 2 ringtones, 2 images or 2 animations in any combination per week for $1.99. Visitors to ThumbPlay.com will also be able to choose to buy individual pieces of content as a single transaction.

ThumbPlay.com will introduce European mobile content into the U.S. market and will serve as the company's foundation for future product and service offerings to consumers and carriers. ThumbPlay will act as an agent for global content providers that want to debut their mobile content in the U.S. market. Interested ThumbPlay.com global content partners must complete their submissions to ThumbPlay by 5:00 pm GMT (send to [e-mail]) on Saturday, April 30, 2005 in order to be considered.

According to Frost and Sullivan, the U.S. wireless content market is expected to reach between $1.7 billion and $2.3 billion by 2005, with games and data applications as the leading categories. With U.S. wireless consumers increasingly using 3G phones, the search for relevant content becomes critical. Search engine Overture notes that its users conduct more than 2 million ringtone-related searches each month.

"What Expedia is for online travel, ThumbPlay.com will be for wireless content. The direct-to-consumer model is just starting in the U.S. market, and ThumbPlay is leading the way," said Are Traasdahl, CEO of ThumbPlay.com "ThumbPlay.com is a new concept for the U.S. wireless consumer and we wish to provide the broadest set of global content available. Given that, we believe that ThumbPlay.com is an excellent vehicle for European content providers to introduce their content to the largest wireless market in the world. We will offer more choice, easier navigation and lower prices than what is offered to customers today; we are taking wireless content into a mass market arena. Visitors to ThumbPlay.com will find a true global wireless superstore for online content that is cooler and edgier than what is currently offered, with much more attractive prices."

ThumbPlay.com is reflective of the trends in the European content market, estimated at $4 billion, where more than 70% of revenue is generated with direct-to- consumer models. Today, the U.S. wireless content market, estimated at $400 million, generates 99% of its revenue on the carrier's deck.

"ThumbPlay.com is positioned as the leader of the U.S. market's trend toward broader distribution channels for wireless content, as publishers, broadcasters, and corporations seek to reach users through their handsets and create stronger, more persistent relationships," said Chip Austin, general partner of i-Hatch Ventures and a director of ThumbPlay. "With an appealing, easy-to-use portal, ThumbPlay can build its customer community in an organic fashion and offer a range of innovative applications that are at once unique and broad-based for the evolving mobile consumer."

ThumbPlay, headed by mobile media experts, is headquartered in New York City, and serves the needs of the growing mobile media industry, enabling television producers, music artists and producers, film and Internet producers, mobile handset manufacturers, retailers, and mobile operators to deliver mobile content in creative promotional packages that can be programmed over any wireless network and any mobile device.

ThumbPlay's managerial team has extensive wireless entertainment experience, and has worked with the top wireless carriers and media companies in the U.S. and internationally, including News Corp., Disney/ABC, Viacom, Univision, Telemundo, Verizon Wireless, Cingular/AT&T Wireless, Sprint PCS, and T-Mobile.

ThumbPlay, which is backed by i-Hatch Ventures and Redwood Partners, has a content management system that enables video, audio, and text to be delivered through all channels and networks, and can be seamlessly billed through participating mobile carriers, enabling greater revenue shares for its partners.

To contact ThumbPlay, call 917-941-6804 or send email to [e-mail].

About ThumbPlay

ThumbPlay, Inc. is a leading provider of wireless entertainment services to the media and telecom world. The company develops, aggregates, promotes and distributes mobile content directly to consumers from ThumbPlay.com and through media companies and mobile operator partnerships. The company offers a leading-edge portfolio of services and content, including ringtones, wallpapers, games, chat, dating and mobile streaming services. These products are marketed through multi-channel strategy that includes partnerships with telecom companies and media groups. ThumbPlay, headquartered in New York, is backed by leading venture capital firms, including i-hatch Ventures and Redwood Partners. For more information, visit www.ThumbPlay.com.

About i-Hatch

i-Hatch Ventures, formed in February, 1999, provides experienced capital to early-stage technology ventures, primarily in the mobile and broadband sectors. The firm, based in New York City, was founded by Chip Austin and Brad Farkas. For more information, visit www.i-hatch.com.

EDITOR'S NOTE: If you would like a color photograph of ThumbPlay president Are Traasdahl, or screen shots of ThumbPlay.com, please contact Chris Pfaff on 201-218-0262 or [e-mail]