(EMAILWIRE.COM, June 03, 2002 ) Wave Industries Ltd., announces the availability of the Olympia Soundbug, an innovative audio device that turns any hard, smooth surface - such as a tabletop, door or window - into a sounding board for music or voice. About the size of a small mobile phone, Soundbug is a portable alternative to headphones or loudspeakers for use with products such as portable CD, MP3, Minidisc and cassette players, hand-held game consoles, camcorders and laptop computers.

Soundbug is available via the Web at www.soundbug-us.com for $49.95. Soundbug, from Wave Industries, is the first in a series of consumer products the company plans to market under the Olympia brand name.

A single Soundbug generates sound loud enough for a group of people to enjoy music together. Two Soundbug devices can be linked together to generate stereo sound (from a stereo source) to significantly increase sound output.

Soundbug plugs into the standard 3.5mm headphone socket of any device. A suction cup push ring attaches Soundbug firmly to any smooth, hard surface. The device features a three-position switch - off, soft and loud - as well as a power sleep circuit to save battery power when no audio source is detected.

Magnetostriction: The Technology Behind Soundbug

For the Soundbug to work, it must be suctioned onto a flat, smooth surface. Then, revolutionary technology takes over to produce sound. Soundbug uses magnetostriction or magnetoelasticity, licensed exclusively for use in consumer products from Olympia and Wave, and a rare material called Terfenol-D, originally developed by the U.S. military for underwater sonar applications. Terfenol-D is a combination of iron and rare earth metals grown into crystals and harvested in only two places worldwide - China and Iowa.

Unlike traditional speakers that rely on a metal coil and a speaker cone moving rapidly like a piston to vibrate the air in front of the speaker to create sound waves, each Soundbug includes a sliver of magnetostrictive material - Terfenol-D. When activated by a magnetic field, the Terfenol-D expands and contracts at very high frequency and with dramatic force. Soundbug's unique actuator harnesses this force and transfers it to the surface to which Soundbug is attached, creating vibrations and effectively turning that surface into a sounding board.

"The Soundbug is just the first of many revolutionary audio products we plan to introduce under the Olympia brand name this year," said Bruce Garfield, president of Wave Industries, Ltd. "Initially, Soundbug was developed as a portable alternative to headphones or speakers. We're finding that people may be interested in the device for use with a laptop and then find themselves using it with a range of devices they already own, such as portable CD players."

Soundbug Technical Specifications

Volume: 75 dbm (peak)
Battery Life: 4 hour continuous play
Frequency Response: 8000 Hz
Input Impedance: 2.7K ohms
Interface Input: 3.5mm stereo jack
Output: 3.5mm stereo socket
Power Consumption: 3 AAA alkaline batteries
Cable Length: 6 feet
Weight: 8 ounces/180g including batteries
Dimensions: 4.1in x 1.9in x 1.5in, 105 mm x 50mm x 40mm
Pricing & Availability
Soundbug is available immediately from www.soundbug-us.com for $49.95 (includes three AAA batteries).

About Wave Industries Ltd.

Wave Industries Ltd. develops, markets and distributes innovative consumer telecommunications and audio products under the Olympia brand name. Wave Industries Ltd., based in Portland, Oregon, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Elite Industrial Holdings Ltd.

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Produced for Wave Industries Ltd.

Contact: A&R Partners for Wave Industries Ltd.
Elena Frigeri
(212) 905-6153
efrigeri@arpartners.com

Paul Lesinski
(503) 293-8949
plesinski@arpartners.com

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Contact Information:
Wave Industries, Ltd.
Joseph Nchor
Tel:
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