Poser goes to Smith Micro Software.

and Smith Micro Software Signs Definitive Agreement Acquiring e frontier's 3D Graphic and Animation Software Solutions World-Class 3D Solutions Bolster Smith Micro's Growing Multimedia and Consumer Product Lines By BusinessWire ALISO VIEJO, Calif., BUSINESS WIRE -- Smith Micro Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:SMSI) today announced that it will add the popular e frontier 3D graphic and animation solutions Poser(R), Anime Studio(TM) and Manga Studio(TM) to its growing lineup of consumer-focused products. Smith Micro will acquire ownership and distribution rights of certain e frontier assets for $6 million in cash and anticipates the deal to be immediately accretive upon close of transaction, expected in the fourth quarter of 2007. e frontier had total revenues in excess of $7 million for their fiscal year ending March 2007. "The rapid advancement of technology has made computer animation3D modeling available to everyone and the animation industry is one of the hottest growth segments within the consumer marketplace," said William W. Smith, Jr., President and CEO of Smith Micro Software, Inc. "We are excited to significantly broaden our consumer portfolio with the addition of Poser, Manga Studio and Anime Studio. These popular products not only compliment our current multimedia offerings, but positions Smith Micro as a leading player in this space."
Mr. Smith concluded, "As a part of this transaction we also acquired all the rights for the Aquazone product line. This includes the new Aquazone MobileEdition that is available exclusively in Japan to NTT DoCoMo and Softbank mobile subscribers. Our goal is to capitalize on our strong presence in the wireless marketplace and introduce the Aquazone Mobile Edition to our wireless partners and mobile users throughout the world."

The fast-growing global animation and 3D market reached nearly $60 billion in sales in 2006 and is expected to pass the $80 billion sales mark by 2010.(a) The Poser's 3D figure design and animation program has a strong following of more than 500,000 users and is growing. Manga Studio, originally created in Japan as ComicStudio, has become the number-one selling Manga software worldwide. Anime Studio is a complete animation solution for creating 2D movies, cartoons, anime or cut-out animations and is ideal for animators of any caliber.
About Smith Micro Software, Inc.
Smith Micro Software, Inc., headquartered in Aliso Viejo, California, with offices in Europe and Asia, develops and markets wireless multimedia and communications solutions, mobile device management products, image and data compression solutions and many award-winning software products. Smith Micro's complete line of products is available through Smith Micro's Enterprise, Channel and OEM Sales Groups, and direct from its websites, retail and value-added resellers (VARs) partners. Smith Micro's common stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol SMSI.
Safe Harbor Statement: This release may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including without limitation forward-looking statements relating to the company's financial prospects and projections, the company's ability to increase its business and the anticipated timing and financial performance of new products and potential acquisitions. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are new and changing technologies, customer acceptance of those technologies, fluctuations or cancellations in orders from customers, new and continuing adverse economic conditions, and the company's ability to compete effectively with other software companies. These and other factors discussed in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its filings on Forms 10-K and 10-Q, could cause actual results to differ materially from those presented in any forward-looking statements. Smith Micro assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this press release.
(a) Information taken from the Roncarelli Report
Smith Micro and the Smith Micro logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Smith Micro Software, Inc. All other trademarks and product names are the property of their respective companies.
Contacts:
Press Inquiries: Smith Micro Software,
Inc. Nisha Kapoor-Morris,

[Piem]

My God.
A
Financial news.

That's smells the end.

No fun.

6M$..peanuts !

[juanmanuel]

I'll wait for the dust to settle before I go into panic mode and get married or something drastic

[Thomas]

Don't go in Panic mode!
Their were fast to announce that ;)

[Couerl]

They sold all the junk, but made no mention of Amapi. I wonder if they left it in a trash can somewhere or forgot it on the shelf?

[juanmanuel]

Originally Posted by Thomas

Don't go in Panic mode!
Their were fast to announce that ;)

Ok, that gives me time to find myself a nice sweet girl then

I found the official Blog about the news.

http://www.poserpro.net/blog/poser_p...oducts-ac.html

[Piem]

Originally Posted by Thomas

Don't go in Panic mode!

If the "Poser" dev. team stays in charge, I won't.

Did "they" bought the package just for "Aquazone" ?

[koncz]

Originally Posted by Thomas

Don't go in Panic mode!
Their were fast to announce that ;)

I agree with you Thomas
Due the fact what, for me, it's the Aquazone part of the society who really interest they... (communication sector if i've all understand... no?)

Btw, it's a new, but the final list of concerned softwares have not be confirmed & published by E Frontier... (If Shade, same like what i've read on the CP forums, stay in Japan, perhaps it's the same for Amapi... and why not, Poser....)
2D/3D computer graphics is not the SMSI primarly sector... ;)

[Wася]

Oh, yeah.
Now eF will focus on Amapi 8 and Shade 9 Eng development.
I'm going into the panic mode, but only in American slang meaning of this word.

[jbshorty]

$6M? That really is peanuts. Poser seemed to be used by almost as many 3D people as oxygen. I guess it's true that 3D is a small world after all...

I don't see EF continuing Amapi development. Software moves quickly and the Amapi team should be moving on by now. If they can't sell it off to another software developer, then i thnk it will just fade into oblivion...

shorty

[steama]

ROFLMAO!

cool

[juanmanuel]

I am guessing that Poser Pro, Amapi 8, and Shade9 (Shade9 outside Japan) have been delayed, at least in part, because of this. I really don't think mr. Smith Micro called Tokyo and asked "hey, I have a few million dollars to spare, how about you sell me your English programs?" "Sure mr. Smith Micro, how does 6 million US sound?" "Deal, see you tomorrow at golf with the dough".
Meaning, this thing has probably going on for months behind the scenes. Now that the shock is over, panic mode resisted (and thanks to Thomas, I'm not getting married :P), is there any reason for the software development not to speed up?

[jbshorty]

Originally Posted by juanmanuel

...is there any reason for the software development not to speed up?

Only the 2 answers which none of us have access to :

1. Is EF in financial distress? Of course the 6M could keep a development team going for a short while. But i would guess that the money may not be 100% "liquid".
2. Do they have a team to continue developmemt of Amapi?

shorty

[bwtr]

MoI.-----!!!!!!!

[Wася]

Originally Posted by jbshorty

I don't see EF continuing Amapi development.

It was a joke.

[transient]

Smith-Micro only acquired the American software packages, so I would expect that Shade will live on in Japan, at least.

As far as Amapi and the english version of Shade goes, I simply can't see why e frontier America would continue to exist just to support these products. That said it would be great if Shade would finally come out of the shade and be the priority application for e frontier or whoever finally ends up with it, instead of being Poser's ugly sister.

I think all of it's regular users can see it's got amazing (and at the present time unfulfilled) potential.

This is definitely worrying, but it could end up being great for Shade and Amapi users in the long term. Or it could be all over...I wish we weren't being kept in the dark one way or the other.

[transient]

Apparently the word is that Shade 9's release and isn't going to suffer from these current developments, but an official announcement probably isn't something you will want to hold your breath for (sucks, but I think the reality is we're not really that important in the overall scheme of things).

Anyway, this is still good news. Hopefully you Amapi guys will get something to make you feel a bit better about things soon as well.

[fpfrdn3]

Since I used to be a Shade user, it sounds like e-F Japan put Shade 9 for other countries on a very low priority maybe due to this deal or financial things?
I do hope things turn out well though, for all companies/artists involved with this, cause I would hate to see any good programs like Poser, Shade or other, go away from anyones 3dcg toolset.

[tonytrout]

I think the programmes are sold too cheap to sustain the development. $6m for these three, I think even I could get enough money here to front for that, but the continued development cost would be a problem, as the revenue implied is only 600K at 10%. I think this is why mudbox sold off too. Maybe, who knows, another reason to purchase one of the big 4 like xsi, maya, 3Dmax, c4D. Thats my $6m worth