db4o Introduces Version 4.5 of Open Source Object Database
New Replication Capabilities Show the Power of Object Persistence

SAN MATEO, Calif., May 5, 2005 - db4o, the leading open source object
database for Java and .NET, today announced the production release of
its Version 4.5, available for immediate and free download from
http://www.db4o.com. This release marks a major milestone in achieving
functionality and features called for by the fast-growing user
community, in particular true object-oriented replication that enables
mobile and embedded devices to more efficiently replicate data between
clients or with servers.

Object-oriented replication is one of the key benefits of an OOP/ODBMS
(object-oriented programming/object database) software stack. Data
synchronization is a common headache in distributed systems, especially
for partially connected clients. The db4o solution employs truly
object-oriented replication, which is much simpler than conventional
replication out of relational database tables.

db4o's superior object-oriented approach enables efficient,
business-logic driven replication: "smart" persisted objects can carry
the business rules for resolving synchronization conflicts in the data
layer - versus traditional methods that require the application layer
to carry that knowledge. db4o's approach is particularly beneficial if
separate teams work on distinct application modules - e.g., the mobile
and the server side implementation - and when it comes to refactoring
the object scheme to accommodate new functionalities and data entities.

"I'm extremely pleased with the progress on all fronts since our open
source launch just six months ago," says Christof Wittig, CEO of
db4objects. "The amazing interest in our offerings, the closing of
several major deals with lead customers, and, above all, the release of
several remarkable product updates with breakthrough functionalities,
show that object-oriented persistence will gain a larger market share
with our affordable, open source approach than it has ever reached by
promotion through high-cost, closed-source vendors - who are now
cashing out on outdated, non-native, platform-restricted products."

As a client-side, embeddable database, db4o is particularly suited to
be deployed in mobile devices or products with Java and .NET software.
Germany's Die Mobilanten, for example, was an early adopter of db4o's
mobile offering. This company gained a competitive edge by providing a
PDA-based solution for fieldforce workers of mid-sized utilities,
whereas competitors using relational databases (RDBMS) required bulky
laptops to process assets, orders, materials and customer information.
Replicating some 300,000 objects was just not feasible using RDBMS,
while synchronizing objects via db4o proved to be extremely efficient.

Additional Improvements in V4.5

Additional improvements in db4o Version 4.5 include a pluggable
reflector and a new generic reflector that help developers build more
diverse and exciting architectures, along with a new object-oriented
ObjectManager for easy browsing of database files.

db4o's pluggable reflector interface allows Java and .NET developers to
write their own reflectors. Version 4.5 advances this functionality
with a powerful new generic reflector further enabling tuning for
distributed systems, cross-platform support, and enhanced encryption
capabilities.

With the generic reflector, developers can now run a db4o server
without having to deploy application classes. They can also easily
access objects and values where classes or fields are no longer
available as source code.

One implementation of this is the new ObjectManager, which allows
developers to "look" into databases and monitor what's happening in
real-time while they write applications. It can also be used by third
parties to browse a database file, and/or to build ad-hoc queries for
instances of a class. This helps ease the transition to OOP-thinking
for developers new to OOP or ODBMS or both and boosts the benefits of
OOPs such as Java and .NET.

About db4o
db4o, released under a dual open source/commercial license in November
2004, has put object-oriented persistence, native to Java and .NET,
back onto the playing field for object-oriented developers. It is
endorsed by a fast-growing community of upwards of 5,000 registered
users and realized more than 200,000 downloads since launch, 17,000 of
them in April 2005 alone.

In just six months, db4o has helped create a powerful new value
proposition for object databases with regard to embedded and mobile
persistence on clients, mobile, gaming and medical devices, in
automotives, and in real-time control systems. Its success is also
testimony to the power of the open source development model, which
enables vendors to offer great software at lower prices through cheaper
production and distribution, and also encourages user community input
that fosters higher quality software than that produced by
closed-source vendors.

About db4objects, Inc
db4objects, Inc (www.db4o.com) provides db4o, the only native object
database for both Java and .NET, available under open source and
commercial licenses. With more than 200,000 downloads and many more
deployments, db4o is used by some of the world's most innovative
companies, including BMW, Hertz, and Bosch. db4objects is a privately
held company based in San Mateo, California, and backed by noted
Silicon Valley investors including Mark Leslie, founding CEO of
Veritas.

Press and analyst contacts: press@db4o.com