SCI FI'S DVICE GETS POLITICAL

How Reliable Is Your Voting Machine - Interactive Map Shows If Your Vote Will Count

New York, NY � October 20, 2008 � In 2000, the election was on hold for weeks because of voting glitches in Florida. In 2004, many people questioned voting machine results in the pivotal state of Ohio. As Election Day nears in 2008, how safe and secure has voting technology become? SCI FI's tech site DVICE.COM helps voters by assessing voting machines across the U.S., ranking each state's voting technology by its vulnerability to tampering and by the likelihood someone could make an honest mistake while trying to cast a ballot. Voters can go to dvice.com/voting to gain more insight on their states' voting procedures as the November election nears.

Using an interactive map, DVICE quickly explains to voters which machines are being used in every county in every state and shows voters if they will be facing lever, punch card, optical scan, electronic or paper machines. Voters can get more information on each kind of machine, including tips on how to make sure their votes count for the intended candidates.

Beneath the map, viewers will find a legend that shows a gradient of colors from red to yellow to green. The colors correspond to the vulnerability of the technology (green = less vulnerable; red = more vulnerable). Each machine category type is shown beneath the gradient at a position that corresponds to its susceptibility, allowing users to get an idea of how problematic it may be to vote in their state using the technology provided.

Map highlights:

-The most potentially error-prone state in the country is New York, because of its reliance on antiquated lever machines.

-Idaho is the only state that still uses punch cards to vote, making it highly error prone, but also difficult to manipulate the results.

-The number of counties using electronic touch screens has actually gone down since the last national election because of concerns about potential hacking.

-Since 2000, Florida has completely retired the punch card machine and now only uses optical scan machines.

Launched in November 2007 and part of the SCI FI Network, DVICE is a consumer entertainment tech site that features news about the sexiest, coolest and most revolutionary gear on the horizon for consumers. Using a combination of entertainment and information provided by a staff of in-the-know writers and contributors, readers can stay current in an ever-changing world while learning about new technology. DVICE feeds the viewers' obsession with gadgets and allows its users to have fun while doing so.

SCI FI Channel is a television network where "what if" is what's on. SCI FI fuels the imagination of viewers with original series and events, blockbuster movies and classic science fiction and fantasy programming, as well as a dynamic Web site (www.scifi.com ) and magazine. Launched in 1992, and currently in 93 million homes, SCI FI Channel is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies.