Opera and Virtual Mechanics Introduce New Web Developer Platform: Tool to ease content creation for multiple platforms

Oslo, Norway and British Columbia, CA – May 16, 2006

Opera Software and Virtual Mechanics today partnered to integrate the Opera Web browser into Virtual Mechanics’ Web authoring tool, “Web Engine”, currently in public beta. Instead of spending hours spawning multiple, different sitesto accommodate varying screen sizes and resolutions, anyone from hobbyiststo high-end Web designers can create a Web presence that works perfectlyregardless of the device used to access it. By incorporating Operadevelopers have an easy to use, yet powerful tool to create Web contentfor a variety of devices including PCs, PDAs and mobile phones.

“Developers prefer to spend their time creating, rather than testing,”said Peter White, CEO, Virtual Mechanics. “With Opera integrated,developers can build a site and then immediately test how it renders onscreens of any size. This radically cuts sitedevelopment costs by reducing testing time and additional strain toproduce mobile or PDA-specific sites.”

Both Opera and Virtual Mechanics support a Web built on open standards.Virtual Mechanics’ Web Engine allows developers to tap thefunctionality of existing and emerging standards such as SVG and XHTML andOpera’s Web browser has long been the most standards-compliant browser.Whether casual users looking to build their own sites or experts buildingsites for others, the combined offering with Opera will help developersunderstand, use and test their standards-based code, helping to ensure anopen and accessible Web.

“Partnering with Virtual Mechanics naturally blends the best of bothcompanies into one tool easy enough for do-it-yourself enthusiasts andcapable enough for the most demanding content creators,” said ChristenKrogh, Vice President of Engineering, Opera Software. “By weaving thetraditional strengths of our browser – cross-platform independence andsupport for open standards – into Virtual Mechanics intuitive designapplication, developers have a superior option for their Web design needs.”

The new version of Virtual Mechanics” Web Engine with the integrated Operabrowser will be available in Q3 2006.

About Virtual Mechanics

Since 1998, Virtual Mechanics Inc. has been developing and marketingconsumer products for the creation of device-independent, interactive,rich-media content for the Internet and mobile devices. VMI’s affordable,easy to use, yet sophisticated visualization technology makescross-platform website and mobile content creation quick and simple forboth the average computer user as well as the graphics professional. Withits advanced, interactive-animation software engine, VMI’s applicationsare industry standards compliant, and support state-of-the-art HTML,DHTML, and SVG content creation. VMI’s products make it easy for anyone tocreate and publish rich, visual appealing websites for the desktop andmobile devices. Virtual Mechanics is a privately held companyheadquartered in British Columbia, Canada. Visit us at www.virtualmechanics.com.