Iridian Technologies and TigerDirect.com Sign Reseller Agreement

Agreement expands customer reach for Iridian's Iris Recognition Technology through leading Mail Order and Internet Retailer

MOORESTOWN, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 14, 2001-- Iridian Technologies, the leading provider of authentication software based on its exclusive, patented iris recognition technology, today announced a reseller agreement with TigerDirect.com, a division of Systemax, Inc. (NYSE:SYX - news), a leading mail-order and Internet retailer of computer hardware and components. Under the agreement - the first of its kind for Iridian - TigerDirect.com will provide an alternate marketing channel for the Panasonic® Authenticam(TM), a dual-function desktop camera that reads the unique patterns in the iris to positively authenticate network users and grant authorized access in seconds. TigerDirect.com, which assists its customers with all facets of personal computing needs, will promote the Panasonic Authenticam through an e-mail Web site, phone center and mail-order catalogs, expanding Iridian's product marketing and outreach channels. " Iridian's partnership with TigerDirect.com will help us to expand the depth and breadth of our market coverage through Tiger's strong base of loyal technology customers,'' said Doug Jones, Vice President of North American Sales for Iridian Technologies. "In addition, through TigerDirect.com, we have the capability to rapidly meet escalating product demands." Featuring Iridian's patented Private ID(TM) software, the Panasonic Authenticam empowers businesses to do away with passwords- and the expense of managing them - while offering a cost-effective, non-invasive solution for the profound network security issues facing a wide variety of organizations.
In addition to security, the Panasonic Authenticam helps enhance workplace collaboration through its built-in video conferencing capabilities that support high-resolution videophone, video capture and video e-mail, among other practical applications. "As the most knowledgeable site on the Web," we take pride in providing quality, PC-related products to our customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,'' said Carl Fiorentino, President of TigerDirect.com. ``Through this partnership, we are giving our customers access to the most accurate, secure and cost-effective alternative to passwords and personal identification numbers - the Panasonic Authenticam.''

About TigerDirect.Com
TigerDirect.com (a division of Systemax, Inc. (NYSE: SYX - news), is part of a family of branded e-commerce web sites, direct mail catalogs, and relationship marketing to sell private label and name-brand PC hardware, related computer products, and industrial products, to businesses in North America and Europe. Systemax is a Fortune 1000 and Interactive Internet 500 company. TigerDirect.Com's toll free phone number is 1-800-888-4437.

About Iridian Technologies
Iridian Technologies, Inc. of Moorestown, NJ and Geneva, Switzerland, leads the world in research, development and marketing of authentication technologies based on iris recognition -- the most accurate biometric identifier. Holder of exclusive US and international patents on the core concepts and technologies behind iris recognition, Iridian offers unparalleled security for physical facilities, information networks and electronic transactions.
With blue-chip investors and Fortune 1000 customers in banking, transportation, healthcare and security as well as law enforcement and government, Iridian Technologies is committed to providing the authentication infrastructure critical for secure physical access, today's rapidly evolving e-commerce needs and for tomorrow's wireless world. For more information, visit www.iridiantech.com.

Systemax (www.systemax.com) has developed an integrated system of branded e-commerce web sites, direct mail catalogs, and relationship marketing to sell private label and name-brand PC hardware, related computer products and industrial products to businesses in North America and Europe. With annual sales at a rate of more than $1.5 billion, Systemax is a Fortune 1000 and Inter@active Internet 500 company.

Contacts:
Investors: Investor Relations, Systemax Inc., 516-608-7000 x7181 or investinfo@systemax.com.
Forward-Looking Statements: This news release may include certain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, projections of revenue, income or loss and capital expenditures, statements regarding future operations, financing needs, plans relating to products or services of the Company, assessments of materiality, predictions of future events and the effects of pending and possible litigation, as well as assumptions relating to the foregoing. In addition, when used in this discussion, the words ``anticipates'', ``believes'', ``estimates'', ``expects'', ``intends'', ``plans'' and variations thereof and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors, including but not limited to (i) the Company's ability to manage rapid growth as a result of internal expansion and strategic acquisitions, (ii) the effect on the Company of volatility in the price of paper and periodic increases in postage rates, (iii) the operation of the Company's management information systems, including the costs and effects associated with the year 2000 date change problem, (iv) the general risks attendant to the conduct of business in foreign countries, including currency fluctuations associated with sales not denominated in U.S. dollars, (v) significant changes in the computer products retail industry, especially relating to the distribution and sale of such products, (vi) competition in the PC, notebook computer, computer related products and industrial products markets from superstores, direct marketers, the Internet and other retailers, (vii) the potential for expanded imposition of state sales, use or other taxes and additional government regulation on direct marketers, (viii) the continuation of key vendor relationships, including the ability to continue to receive vendor supported advertising, (ix) timely availability of existing and new products, (x) risks involved with e-commerce, including the possible loss of business and customer dissatisfaction if outages or other computer-related problems should preclude customer access to the Company, (xi) risks associated with delivery of merchandise to customers by utilizing common delivery services such as UPS, including possible strikes, (xii) risks due to shifts in market demand and/or price erosion of owned inventory, (xiii) borrowing costs, (xiv) changes in taxes due to changes in the mix of U.S. and non-U.S. revenue, (xv) pending or threatened litigation and investigations and (xvi) the availability of key personnel, as well as other risk factors. These factors are discussed in greater detail in ``Item 7, Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations -- Forward-Looking Statements'' in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1999 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.