Today at NCI's and Oracle's Network Computing Event at Radio City Music Hall, NCI announced that Schlumberger will be the first smart card manufacturer for network computers running NCI's software. The smart cards for network computers, called the NC Card, will be available through NCI's value added resellers (VARs) and this summer via consumer electronics manufacturers, including RCA and Zenith.

This announcement will enable a new class of users to access information and communications and conduct business anywhere with a network computer. With the NC Card, a person can travel anywhere and access applications and data from the network, wherever there is a network computer.

NCI and Schlumberger demonstrated the smart card technology today at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Over 2,000 guests received their own personalized smart card to access any of the 140 network computers being demonstrated at the show. Upon inserting their card into the network computer, individuals received custom news services, ran applications, browsed the web and sent electronic mail.

The NC Card(TM)

The NC Card(TM) is the user's "network passport." It is a smart card with a small, highly secure silicon chip that stores information. Like a bank Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card, it identifies each user to the network, so users aren't required to remember complex connect strings, phone numbers and other detailed information. A personal identification number (PIN) is used to identify the holder of the card. Upon positive identification, the user can privately access network-based information, databases, and services such as electronic mail, Internet applications, and electronic commerce.

The NC Card is based on the Schlumberger Multiflex smart card, a multiple application microprocessor platform designed for implementing applications of many types including healthcare, network security, and custom applications. It has optional memory capabilities up to 8 K bytes available for data and program storage.

Upon turning on the network computer, a user inserts a personal NC Card(TM) and enters a PIN. Once authorized, the user's personalized desktop is displayed, containing up-to-date information such as news, weather, stock quotes and e-mail. At this point, the user has access to all applications, information and services from the network -- which are downloaded from the server to the network computer.

"The NC Card is a fundamental component of the network computer," said Jerry Baker, CEO of NCI. "The NC Card unlocks the power of the network computer delivering personal information, content and applications to everyone from anywhere in the world. We're pleased to be working with Schlumberger to provide this important technology for our customers."

"Network computer usage is going to be one of the major applications driving smart cards, along with PCS, Internet access, security and financial applications," says Claus Kampmann, President, Schlumberger Electronic Transactions. "The portability and security of smart cards are a perfect fit with the new world of network computing, and this announcement is the latest evidence of Schlumberger's smart card technology leadership, and implements our vision that people everywhere will use multi-function cards for access to financial, information and telecommunications services."

The NC Card is the keystone of the network computer strategy where accessing information from any network computer will be enabled through smart card technology. Recently, NCI, IBM Corp., Netscape and Sun Microsystems Inc. announced the OpenCard(TM) Framework - a standard for smart cards. The OpenCard Framework is the technology that will enable mobile users to roam freely with their NC Card(TM) or other smart cards, accessing files and services from any network computer.

Computer on a card

"Smart card" is a generic term for a card the size and thickness of a credit or debit card embedded with a microprocessor chip. The chip itself has intelligence and computational power similar to that of early personal computers. These powerful processing capabilities make smart cards much more secure than other types of cards presently in use. They can handle encryption techniques that protect the information stored on the cards.

Think of a smart card as a very small personal computer belonging only to you. Because it's small enough to fit in your wallet, it's portable. And like a personal computer, it can be programmed to serve many different purposes and to do many different things.

Smart cards are being used to secure financial transactions, as stored value cards, for insurance identification, to store medical information, and to personalize cellular phone communication from anywhere in the world. The beauty of the smart card is that it can offer all of these applications with considerable information storage capacity and security.

In a world moving towards one-to-one marketing, smart cards hold the capability to customize and better serve individual needs. The smart card can carry information that is only yours -- your emergency health information, biometrics such as voice prints and fingerprints, or information on your travel preferences. Smart cards can provide more privacy and security in accessing payments and information services.

About NCI

NCI, a wholly owned subsidiary of Oracle Corp., develops, licenses and markets all software, technology and support services for the NC including NC Desktop, NC Server and NC Card. With strategic alliances worldwide, NCI's mission is to bring network computing to the corporate, consumer and educational marketplaces. NCI's World Wide Web address is http://www.nc.com. For more information about NCI, please call 415/631-4600.

About Schlumberger Electronic Transactions

The Schlumberger Electronic Transactions division of Schlumberger, Ltd. (NYSE: SLB) is a leading supplier of cards, terminals, development tools and management systems across the entire range of magnetic and smart card applications. Schlumberger is a pioneer and is the leader in smart card technology, recently introducing Cyberflex(TM) the first-ever smart card to use the Java(TM) Card API from JavaSoft, and Cryptoflex(TM), the first smart card to support strong public-key cryptography.

For more information, or to schedule interviews, please contact:

NCI

Randy Brasche, Corporate Communications, Network Computer, Inc., Phone (415) 631-4650, email: rbrasche@nc.com

Lisa Ping, Applied Communications, (415) 375-8881

Schlumberger

Deb Montner or Stephen Acken, Environics Communications, (203) 325-8772, ext. 14 or 12, e-mail: dmontner@environics-usa.com or sacken@environics-usa.com

Joe Schuler, Schlumberger Smart Cards & Systems, N. A., (800) 732-6868, ext. 301, e-mail: schuler2@slb.com

SLB Europe:

Isabelle Ferdane Couderc, Schlumberger Electronic Transactions, Montrouge, (33) 1-4746-7020, e-mail: i_couderc@montrouge.ts.slb.com

SLB Asia:

Sally Chew, Schlumberger Technologies, Singapore, (65) 746-6344, e-mail: schew@singapore.asia.slb.com