FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 19, 2002

California-Based Subsidiary of Japanese Notebook Giant Introduces

Self-Contained Thin and Light Notebooks for Under $1000

SOTEC America, Inc. has launched its first thin and light notebook, the SOTEC 3120X, which boasts a built-in optical drive for playing DVDs and burning CDs, for under $1,000. The aggressive American subsidiary of SOTEC Co., Ltd., is committed to establishing itself as the emerging leader in the world computer market by creating stylish, innovative computer products and marketing them at affordable prices. Their premier introduction, the SOTEC 3120X notebook, is available now in a variety of retail stores, including Office Depot, Wal-Mart, and Sam's Club, as well as online at Bestbuy.com, OfficeDepot.com, Walmart.com, and Samsclub.com.

The Japanese parent company, SOTEC Co, Ltd., founded in 1984, is ranked among the top five notebook engineering companies in all of Japan. Headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and publicly traded on NASDAQ Japan, the international company has consistently been top-rated in service in the Japanese market, and is competing in the same market segment as global players such as SONY and NEC.

"The decision to branch out to American consumers is based on our belief that hip, innovative, affordable notebooks are essential for the dynamic, mobile lifestyles that drive this country," said Saeed K. Shahbazi, president of SOTEC America. "Our unique notebooks, and other computer products we will be introducing here, will meet the notebook consumers' demand for portability and functionality at the right price."

"SO THIN. SO LIGHT. SOTEC"

Drawing upon its expertise in creating powerful products that accommodate small spatial needs for Asian consumers, SOTEC America is introducing to US markets a new, affordable choice in stylish thin and light notebooks. Priced under $1,000, the colorful and unique SOTEC 3120X is a mere 1.3" thin and a feather-weight 4.4 pounds with a 12.1" XGA TFT screen.

This thin and light notebook boasts a record number of built-ins, including a DVD+CD-RW combo drive, a 56K data/fax modem, a 10/100 network card, multiple USB ports, stereo speakers, and a microphone. Driven by an Intel(R) 1.2 GHz Mobile Celeron processor, the SOTEC 3120X has 256MB PC 133 SDRAM of memory with a 256KB Advanced Transfer Cache and a 20 GB hard drive.

"With our built-in optical drive, our customers always have a fully-loaded notebook at their fingertips," said Chang-Lin Lin, CEO of SOTEC America. "We are giving them the convenience of an all-in-one notebook in a thin and light-weight package."

Unparalleled Customer Service

In a move unprecedented in the industry, SOTEC America offers customers 24/7 technical support at no charge on both hardware and software, including bundled packages. The company also guarantees a 72-hour turnaround on replacement notebooks. Additional information, such as FAQs, How-Tos, and Technical Bulletins, are available from the SOTEC America website (www.sotecglobal.com).

About SOTEC America, Inc.

Headquartered in Foothill Ranch, the heart of Southern California's technology center, SOTEC America, Inc. is dedicated to delivering the highest quality portable electronic products backed by superior service. A subsidiary of SOTEC Co. Ltd, one of Japan's leading notebook engineering companies that was founded in 1984, SOTEC America pursues 100% customer satisfaction by creating innovative computer products and marketing them at affordable prices. Led by a team with more than a century of combined high-tech experience, SOTEC America services small home offices, the Fortune 500, government, and education markets with ground-breaking portable systems sold through retail, distribution, and reseller channels. For more information about SOTEC America, Inc., please visit www.sotecglobal.com.

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