May 7, 2002
For Immediate Release 

Oklahoma City, OK – a la mode, inc., the nation’s largest provider of real estate appraisal software and related technology services, is releasing its third generation of real estate appraisal software for the Microsoft Pocket PC platform today, freeing appraisers from the limitations of traditional paper clipboards and shortening turnaround time on assignments. Pocket TOTAL 3.0 is available immediately, along with several related improvements to its desktop companion, WinTOTAL.

Pocket TOTAL incorporates significant improvements over earlier versions. Most obvious is the new visual screen design of the Forms PowerView, which replicates the look and feel of the appraiser’s desktop paper forms as closely as possible. WinTOTAL’s desktop reports can be converted to Pocket TOTAL’s format and loaded on the Pocket PC in one simple step, so appraisers can take partially completed template reports into the field as starting points on new assignments. The appraiser’s full database of standard comments for every field is also pre-loaded every time the Pocket PC is synchronized with the desktop. WinTOTAL’s desktop synchronization tool even intelligently merges changes made in the field with any which may be made simultaneously by staff at the office, resulting in significant time-savings. WinTOTAL’s custom synchronization is triggered automatically when the Pocket PC is placed in its cradle; no additional steps are required to transfer reports, comments, or photos.

The synchronization uses Extensible Markup Language, or XML, as its data transfer base, so Pocket TOTAL can be easily integrated into virtually any appraisal or data collection software. a la mode provides a software development kit (SDK) documenting the XML formats and application programming interface (API). The SDK includes sample code and XML files, making it a simple task for developers to transfer the forms, databases, images, and sketches which make up a comprehensive appraisal system.

“Any commercial software developer should be able to make Pocket TOTAL work seamlessly with their desktop software in a week or less,” commented Mike Unser, Product Manager for both Pocket TOTAL and WinTOTAL. “We adopted XML as our data layer specifically so that every appraiser can use this new tool regardless of the desktop software they’ve chosen.”

Integrated digital photo support is also a standard feature. Appraisers can load and associate photos directly from memory cards and traditional digital cameras, or they can use the new breed of Pocket PC digital camera add-ons. These tiny devices, such as Hewlett-Packard’s Pocket PC Camera Card, allow the appraiser to eliminate a bulky separate camera completely. Using the Pocket PC’s own screen as a viewfinder, photos are available for inclusion in the Pocket TOTAL report immediately as they are snapped. Pocket TOTAL includes specific integration with the HP camera but supports any device that stores standard JPEG files.

Using Pocket TOTAL’s Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) integration with the Pocket PC e-mail subsystem, appraisers can even have their staff send new requests to them via wireless connections. Then they can instantly transmit the field report, complete with photos and sketch, back to the office. Any wirelessly-equipped Pocket PC system can be used with Pocket TOTAL’s EDI feature.

Other notable features include complete field sketching capabilities, using Pocket TOTAL’s freehand FieldPad PowerView and the integrated Pocket Apex floorplan tool, as well as voice annotation capabilities. The program’s VoicePad PowerView allows an appraiser to record voice notes in the field, which are then embedded directly into the desktop appraisal report’s Digital WorkFile and can be played back at any time.

Pocket TOTAL 3.0, including the Pocket Apex sketch tool, is available directly from a la mode at a retail price of $245. a la mode can be reached at www.alamode.com, or at 1-800-252-6633.

About a la mode 
a la mode, inc. is the leader in the design, development and support of real estate related software, Internet solutions and electronic document technologies. The company’s flagship product, WinTOTAL appraisal software, is used by over 50 percent of the nation’s appraisers, nearly three times the share of its closest competitor. Its e-commerce servers delivered over 4 million electronic appraisals to lenders in the past 12 months, making it the undisputed leader in paperless real estate transactions. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, a la mode employs over 150 people. More information on the company can be found on the Web at http://www.alamode.com.