01.10.08

Quick Mention: New Connection Between Kyocera Mita and Novell

Posted in Microsoft, GNU/Linux, Novell, Deals, Patents, Kyocera Mita at 9:55 pm by Roy Schestowitz

(Both Have Linux Patent Deals with Microsoft)

The following is a minor observation based on a new press release (appended below) from Kyocera Mita, which signed a patent deal with Microsoft. The press release accompanying Microsoft’s deal with Kyocera Mita mentioned Linux explicitly, which makes products from Kyocera Mita what shall be referred to as “Ballnux” (a suggestion made by a reader as a consistent term for Linux products that pay Steve Ballmer a ‘tax’ for mythical obligations).

As you can see near the bottom, a company that Kyocera Mita is acquiring has a partnership with Novell, which itself has a deal with Microsoft.

Peerless’ customer base includes companies such as Canon, IBM, Konica Minolta, Kyocera Mita, Lenovo, OkiData, Ricoh, RISO, Seiko Epson and Xerox. Peerless also maintains strategic partnerships with Adobe and Novell. For more information, visit Peerless’ web site at www.peerless.com.

This is indeed minor, but it may be worth filing here regardless, at least for future reference. █

Kyocera Mita Corporation Sets Stage for Aggressive Document Solutions Technology Development Through Strategic Acquisition of Peerless’ Intellectual P

Friday January 11 12:00 AM

Kyocera Mita Corporation (www.kyoceramita.com), a group company of
Kyocera Corporation, and one of the world’s largest manufacturers of
office information equipment, including network-ready digital
multifunctional products (MFPs) and printers, is acquiring $37 million
USD in intellectual property (IP) and assets of Peerless Systems
Corporation, as part of a strategic move to expand its global market
share, as well as accelerate and strengthen its technological
development.

Through its award-winning ECOSYS technology, Kyocera Mita
manufacturers and markets document solutions proven to be one of the
most reliable, durable and cost efficient products in the industry. By
incorporating Peerless’ IP and R&D directly within its own operations,
Kyocera Mita will strengthen its competitive position and deliver
additional product value and higher customer satisfaction to the
end-user.

“We believe there are untapped, strategic opportunities to better
serve today’s demanding business customer which can be captured
through the advent of emerging printing technologies,” said Katsumi
Komaguchi, president, Kyocera Mita Corporation. “Although we have been
a collaborative partner of Peerless Systems for years, we can now more
fully leverage such technologies, and the skills of the engineers who
helped develop them, through the elevated position of operational
strength this acquisition brings us.”

The company said it expects to announce new high speed color
printers and MFPs based upon its acquisition in this year, and will
continue to consider alternative software technologies based on
customer demand. In the meantime, Peerless will continue to serve
current and prospective OEM customers, as well as develop new IP for
use in future products and services, under terms of the agreement.

“The business value of this engagement goes far beyond the IP and
patents being added to Kyocera Mita’s portfolio,” said Michael
Pietrunti, president and CEO, Kyocera Mita America. “We are
strengthening our entire R&D process and pipeline to better compete in
a crowded, commoditized market - the results of which will provide a
higher degree of value and overall satisfaction for the end-user.”

The Peerless transaction is scheduled to close before June 30,
2008, and is subject to certain conditions including shareholder
approval. Kyocera Mita plans to transfer approximately 40 Peerless
employees who have been involved in the development of Kyocera Mita’s
products. This team will report to Atsushi Yuki, president of Kyocera
Technology Development, Inc., a research, design and testing facility
of controller technology and printing software for Kyocera printers
and multifunctional devices, and a subsidiary of Kyocera Mita America,
Inc.

The transaction includes all IP and assets relative to Peerless’
digital imaging software offerings, as well as all of Peerless’
patents and specific fixed assets.

ABOUT KYOCERA MITA CORPORATION

Kyocera Mita manufactures and markets black & white and color
digital copiers, network-ready multifunctional devices and laser
printers as well as a range of wide-format imaging products. It also
offers a portfolio of software and network solutions.

Kyocera’s ECOSYS Technology provides customers with print
solutions that incorporate long-life components, which reduce the need
to replace the drum and other image forming parts. This technology
delivers a number of benefits: improved reliability, reduced
environmental impact and the lowest TCO in the printer industry.
Combining these hardware strengths with the latest digital and network
technologies, Kyocera Mita assists businesses of all sizes to maximize
value and improve their document management processes.

Kyocera Mita is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Kyocera
Corporation. The Kyocera Group dedicates its resources to the
development of its businesses across three broad sectors: Information
and Communications, Environmental Preservation and Quality of Life.
Kyocera Mita, as a document solutions provider, is a core company in
the Information and Communications sector. Also, its development of
long-life component technology means it is an important part of
Kyocera’s Environmental Preservation sector.

ABOUT PEERLESS SYSTEMS CORPORATION

Founded in 1982, Peerless Systems Corporation is a provider of
imaging and networking technologies and components to the digital
document markets, which include manufacturers of color, monochrome and
multifunction office products and digital appliances. In order to
process digital text and graphics, digital document products rely on a
core set of imaging software and supporting electronics, collectively
known as an imaging controller. Peerless’ broad line of scalable
software and silicon offerings enables its customers to shorten their
time-to-market and reduce costs by offering unique solutions for
multiple products. Peerless’ customer base includes companies such as
Canon, IBM, Konica Minolta, Kyocera Mita, Lenovo, OkiData, Ricoh,
RISO, Seiko Epson and Xerox. Peerless also maintains strategic
partnerships with Adobe and Novell. For more information, visit
Peerless’ web site at www.peerless.com.

Safe Harbor Statement Under The U.S. Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act Of 1995

Statements made by us in this press release that are not
historical facts constitute “forward-looking statements” within the
meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking
statements are necessarily estimates reflecting the best judgment of
our senior management based on our current estimates, expectations,
forecasts and projections and include comments that express our
current opinions about trends and factors that may impact future
operating results. Statements that use words such as we “believe,”
“anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “could,” “plan,” “expect,”
“project,” “predict,” “forecast,” “outlook,” “potential,” “continue,”
“may,” “future,” “can,” “enhance,” and “should,” or the negative of
these, as well as similar expressions, can be used to identify
forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of
future performance, rely on a number of assumptions concerning future
events, many of which are outside of our control, and involve known
and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual
results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to differ
materially from any future results, performance or achievements,
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks
and uncertainties include, among other things, changing competitive
and market conditions, our reliance on certain OEM customers for
significant portions of our revenues, the sufficiency of our capital
resources, any adverse change in our relationship with Adobe Systems
Incorporated and/or Novell, Inc, increased competition both from
in-house OEM products and low cost offshore competitors, the impact of
Microsoft’s Vista(TM) operating system, reduced demand for our
existing monochrome technologies or other products, the rapid changes
taking place in the emerging color print devices markets, our ability
to realize contract backlog, our ability to identify new customers or
place our technology in a broader base of products, our ability to
leverage core competencies and find product segments that blend well
with our core business, our ability to successfully enter new software
application sectors, our ability to maintain our profit objectives and
create compelling margins, the tenure of the competitive advantage of
our old and new technologies, our reliance on block licensing, our
ability to develop and market our advanced devices and software, the
validity and protection of our intellectual property rights, risks
associated with international business activities, our reliance on key
personnel and our board of directors and our ability to execute our
business plan and strategic partnering transactions.

The above risks, and others, are described in further detail in
our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
including, but not limited to, those described under “Item 1A. Risk
Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
year ended January 31, 2007, filed on April 13, 2007, and those
described under “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in the most recent Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended July 31, 2007, filed
September 10, 2007.

Current and prospective stockholders are urged not to place undue
reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the
date hereof. We are under no obligation, and expressly disclaim any
obligation, to update or alter any forward-looking statements, whether
as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. All
forward-looking statements contained herein are qualified in their
entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements.

Contact:

Kyocera Mita Corporation
T.Kawasaki, +81-6-6764-3515
c-com@kyoceramita.co.jp

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