Media please contact:
Chris Romoser, Iomega Corporation, (801) 332-3678 romoser@iomega.com
Julie Miller, Intuit Inc. (858) 784-4469; julie_miller@intuit.com
Analyst/Investors, please contact:
Jim Recob, Iomega Corporation, (801) 332-4430 recob@iomega.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Iomega and Intuit Join Forces On
Portable Tax Preparation Solution
Companies Debut Quicken TurboTax
for Tax Year 2000 with Iomega Active Disk Technology
ROY, Utah,
December 22, 2000 - Iomega Corporation (NYSE:
IOM), a global leader in data management solutions,
and e-finance leader Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ: INTU) today
announced their plan to introduce a U.S. version of
Quicken® TurboTax® for tax year 2000 on Iomega
Zip® disks using Iomega Active Disk technology.
Iomega's Active Disk technology automatically
configures and launches the TurboTax program, the No.
1 best selling tax preparation software, from the Zip
disk whenever the disk is inserted into a Zip drive.
Active Disk applications don't clutter the hard drive
or leave any changes in the Windows configuration when
the disk is removed, and they are designed to automatically
save and close when the user hits the eject button.
Active Disk technology is another innovation made possible
by the Zip platform, with 38 million drives and over
240 million disks shipped to date.
"We're pleased to offer consumers
a simple and flexible new way to enjoy the benefits
of TurboTax," said Germaine Ward, vice president
of software and e-business, Iomega Corporation. "This
is the full regular version of the TurboTax program
on a Zip disk enhanced with our Active Disk technology.
Now your Zip disk can be your completely portable tax
preparation center."
"Our goal has always been to
simplify the financial lives of our customers,"
said Bob Meighan, vice president of Intuit's Consumer
Tax Group. "By providing TurboTax on a Zip disk,
we're able to offer consumers one more great option,
so they can get the power and simplicity of TurboTax
in a format that is just right for them."
TurboTax is a fast, easy way for
consumers to self-prepare and file a tax return. The
EasyStep® interview guides users through their return,
asking simple, easy-to-understand questions. Once they
have finished preparing their return, TurboTax users
can either file the return electronically (one free
federal electronic filing is included via rebate) or
print it on plain paper and mail it to the IRS. With
the Active Disk technology, the tax return data file
resides on the Iomega Zip disk together with the TurboTax
application files, which means that critical financial
data can now be safely archived and reviewed as needed
on any Windows PC with a Zip drive.
"The new Active Disk technology
is exciting news for the Zip platform," said Doug
Collier, vice president of marketing, product management
and business development, Iomega Corporation. "It
shows the potential of the Zip disk as a new vehicle
for increasing software sales. Companies can now create
portable versions of their software that run automatically
from a Zip disk on any Windows PC with Active Disk enabled,
no further installation required."
The TurboTax Zip disk with Active
Disk technology is compatible with Windows 95/98/Me/2000.
Iomega Active Disk technology is included in Iomega
LifeWorksTM software and upcoming versions of IomegaWareTM,
or is installed on first use of the TurboTax Zip Disk.
Users do not have to install Active Disk more than once.
The product is expected to be available
in U.S. retail locations and iomegadirect.com in mid-January
2001, in disk packs that include the TurboTax Zip disk
and an additional three 100MB Zip disks or two 250MB
Zip disks for $44.95 (U.S. suggested retail price).
Iomega also expects to offer a bundle that includes
a 100MB Zip USB drive and TurboTax Zip disk for $114.95
(U.S. suggested retail price).
About Quicken
TurboTax
Quicken TurboTax is the #1-selling tax preparation software
program, with approximately 70% retail unit share in
2000, according to PC Data. Its Web-based counterpart,
Quicken TurboTax for the WebSM, was the most popular
site for online tax preparation and filing services
in tax year 1999. In addition, Intuit offers Quicken
TurboTax Home & Business, designed for the sole
proprietor. The Automated Tax Return feature is included
at no additional charge in all of these versions of
TurboTax. With 17 years of personal finance expertise,
the TurboTax family of products saves time and money
for more than 13 million Americans each year.
About Intuit
Inc.
Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ: INTU) is the leader in e-finance,
including financial software and Web-based financial
services for consumers and small businesses. Intuit
develops and markets QuickBooks, the most popular small
business accounting software; Quicken, the leading personal
finance software; and Quicken TurboTax, the best-selling
consumer tax preparation software. An innovator in delivering
Web-based financial tools, Intuit is the leading provider
of online tax preparation and filing services and online
mortgages. Intuit is also breaking new ground as a leader
in online bill presentment and payment, and in the delivery
of its QuickBooks Internet Gateway platform of connected
e-services for small businesses.
Intuit's Quicken.com Web site (www.quicken.com) is a
leading financial site, offering a comprehensive set
of financial news, information and tools, including
insurance, mortgage, investment and tax preparation
services. Intuit's products and services enable individuals,
small businesses and financial professionals to better
manage their financial lives and businesses.
About Iomega
Iomega Corporation (NYSE:IOM) manufactures and markets
the award-winning Zip®, Jaz® and PocketZipTM
drives and disks, the HipZip(tm) digital audio player,
the FotoShow(tm) digital image center, LifeWorks(tm)
software, and Iomega Quik Sync 2 software; Iomega also
markets Iomega CD-RW drives. Iomega's products help
people to save, share, manage and create important information
such as Internet downloads, audio files, personal photographs,
spreadsheets, and slides, while protecting that content
from viruses and hackers. Used in homes, businesses,
government and educational facilities and by creative
professionals everywhere, Iomega storage solutions are
the enabling technologies preferred by millions. The
Company can be reached at 1-888-4-IOMEGA (888-446-6342),
or on the Web at http://www.iomega.com.
# # #
NOTE: The statements contained in
this release that are not purely historical are forward-looking
statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the
Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, including statements
regarding the expectations, beliefs, hopes, intentions
or strategies of Iomega regarding the future. All forward-looking
statements included in this document are based upon
information available to Iomega as of the date hereof,
and Iomega assumes no obligation to update any such
forward-looking statement. Actual results could differ
materially from current expectations. Factors that could
cause or contribute to such differences include, but
are not limited to, market acceptance of, and demand
for, the Iomega technology and its products, market
acceptance and demand for tax-preparation software,
reliance upon third party suppliers, manufacturing issues,
including component availability and pricing, development
and distribution issues, product pricing and conformity
to specifications, competition, intellectual property
rights and other risks as identified in the reports
filed from time to time with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission by Iomega, including Iomega's Annual
Report to Stockholders for 1999 on Form 10-K and its
most recent quarterly reports filed with the SEC.
Copyright© 2000 Iomega
Corporation. Iomega, Zip, Jaz, PocketZip, HipZip, FotoShow,
and LifeWorks are either registered trademarks or trademarks
of Iomega Corporation in the United States and/or other
countries. Intuit, Quicken, TurboTax, and EasyStep are
either registered trademarks or trademarks of Intuit
Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Certain
other product names, brand names, and company names
may be trademarks or designations of their respective
owners.
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