News Release
VIA and 4everSports Bring Online Scoring and Communication
to the Golf Course
Solar powered TeePods based on VIA EPIA Mini-ITX mainboard
to track scores at PGA-certified golf pro tournament and
showcase player benefits
Taipei, Taiwan, 16 February 2004 - Promising to do for
golf what the ATM did for banking, the new TeePod Information
System from 4everSports, based on the VIA EPIA VE5000
Mini-ITX mainboard, enriches the game of golf by providing
a revolutionary web-based scoring, information, communication
and management system all in one.
The TeePod will debut in the professional golf competitive
arena at the PGA-certified 4everSports Pro-Pro tournament
being held at Dobson Ranch Golf Club in Mesa, Arizona
on 8th March, where players will for the first time be
able to view all transmitted scores in real time, lending
a more competitive edge to the play.
Designed with the needs of both the golfer and the course
manager in mind, the TeePod Information System is an attractive
and environmentally rugged kiosk providing an on-course,
online scoring, information, communication and management
system through a course-wide WiFi 802.11b wireless network.
4everSports' user-friendly web-based software lets players
check scores and view in-depth hole information, as well
as message the clubhouse for refreshments, request on-course
help for such common incidents as lost clubs, and seek
immediate aid for players in distress.
"4everSports has added excitement and new ways to
experience traditional golf with this innovative and highly
refined TeePod on-course information system," said
Richard Brown, Associate Vice President of Marketing,
VIA Technologies, Inc. "4everSports has leveraged
the best of the VIA embedded platform to empower both
the golfer as well as the course operator."
"VIA has been a great development partner,"
said 4eversports President and CEO, Robert Bobbett. "The
way VIA develops and markets its products totally supports
the direction we're headed. We can't wait to get our hands
on new boards VIA is producing because they will enable
us to even further reduce the cost of producing TeePod
Information Systems."
4everSports is confident that its TeePod Information
System will be embraced by the golf world. The company
offers golf course operators an irresistible opportunity,
guaranteeing that the system will pay for itself in the
first year of operation and ensuring increased rounds
and automating many of the things course operators have
had to do manually such as running tournaments, allocating
cards and monitoring the pace of play.
Golfing the TeePod Way
Several times brighter than a laptop monitor, the crisp,
bright touch-screen LCD display on a TeePod kiosk shows
a highly user-friendly interface designed with the golfer
in mind, bringing hole yardage, features and pictures,
individual, group and course scores, player statistics,
game customization, cart allocation, advance round ID
confirmation and more straight to the fingertips. Golfers
can benefit from pro-tips on each hole, and even regulation
queries can be solved, with online rulings provided in
real time.
Support is available for those having technical difficulties,
such as a broken cart or lost club, while emergency medical
help may be summoned quickly, even in the far reaches
of the course. The TeePod even allows lightning warnings
to be transmitted. And for the total convenience of the
player, orders for new balls and even the 19th hole refreshments
can be made online and prepared ready for when the player
walks off the course.
Meanwhile, fans at home can keep up with all the action
on the Internet at www.4everSports.com,
with up-to-the-minute scores entered by the players themselves.
Better Management, More Profitable Golf Courses
Combining greatly enhanced course management capabilities
with the availability of extra revenue generation, the
TeePod Information System is designed to pay for itself
within one year. The detailed reporting system enables
a wide array of management information that includes pace
of play monitoring, real time messaging, membership management,
efficient online course booking, tournament organization
that includes automatic flighting, scoring, retrogression,
prize allocation and cart assignment, and a direct player
requests for course maintenance.
The TeePod can also raise the profitability of the course
directly through the generation of revenue raising opportunities,
such as the ordering of food and beverages, or pro-shop
equipment items through the kiosk online system. The Web-based
display also affords advertising benefits for event and
club sponsors and local businesses, from whole-screen
ads displayed immediately before and after player use
of the kiosk to banner ad opportunities on information
pages.
Secure, Reliable Operation
The Linux-based operating system and complex application
software is remotely monitored and managed by 4everSports
through a 128-bit encryption application that provides
security breach detection and automatic software upgrades
for all the kiosks over the course-wide WiFi wireless
network. To ensure ultimate reliability, the system provides
fault-tolerant back-ups and traffic re-routing to avoid
downtime.
Resources
Further information about the TeePod Information System
may be found at: www.4everSports.com.
More details on the 4everSports Pro-Pro tournament on
March 8th, 2004 may be found at the PGA's Southwest branch
website: www.southwest.pga.com, and at the 4everSports
website at: http://www.4eversports.com/Press/20040126.asp.
About the VIA EPIA Mini-ITX Mainboard
Each TeePod Information System kiosk is a digitally
intelligent device based on the VIA EPIA VE5000 Mini-ITX
mainboard. Measuring just 17cm x 17cm, the ultra compact,
highly integrated VIA EPIA VE5000 Mini-ITX is a full featured
PC motherboard boasting the acclaimed VIA Eden ESP processor
that requires so little power that it can run fanless,
thus containing no moving parts, making for reliable and
more cost-effective operation.
Including a rich feature set that includes the low power
VIA processor, integrated AGP graphics and audio, USB,
and 10/100 Mbps Fast Ethernet networking for broadband
connectivity, the VIA EPIA V-Series Mini-ITX mainboards
provide system integrators and OEMs with a standardized
ultra compact yet highly integrated platform that can
be utilized across multiple mini PC, Information Station,
Information Server, and Broadband Gateway product lines.
Featuring a powerful processor core available with native
x86 execution, 192KB full speed L1/L2 cache, and MMX™
and 3DNow!™ support, the EPIA V-Series mainboard
delivers leading edge PC application and Internet performance
on an embedded platform and is compatible with Microsoft®
Windows® and most Linux operating systems. Market-leading
thermal characteristics make the VIA EPIA V-Series Mainboard
the ideal solution for ergonomic quiet system designs
for a variety of innovative low profile, small form factors,
and translate into lower energy costs for systems that
run 24/7.
More information about the VIA EPIA V-Series Mini-ITX
mainboards can be found at:
www.viavpsd.com/product/epia_v_spec.jsp?motherboardId=141.
The VIA EPIA MII-Series Mini-ITX mainboard is available
now through VEPD global distribution partners. Please
contact your local VIA sales office or send an email to
mkt@via.com.tw for further details.
About 4eversports, Inc.
4everSports Inc. is responsible for the kiosk-style
full service golf system known as the TeePod Information
System. They are the leading experts in the development
and delivery of wireless, solar-powered golf systems designed
to enhance the golfing experience.
4everSports Inc. is a private, North American Company
made up of dedicated, highly-skilled programmers and designers
servicing clients over the US and Canada. Find more information
at www.4eversports.com.
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