This was released on April 1, 2005. It isn't an April Fools Day joke:

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Applied Digital's VeriChip Corporation Completes Acquisition of eXI
Wireless Kevin McLaughlin becomes CEO of VeriChip Corporation, an RFID
Company for People

DELRAY BEACH, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Applied Digital (NASDAQ: ADSX),
a provider of Security Through Innovation(TM), announced today that
VeriChip Corporation, its wholly-owned subsidiary, has completed the
acquisition of eXI Wireless of Vancouver, British Columbia.

As a result of the transaction, VeriChip Corporation will now offer
RFID Products for People, through a complete array of implantable and
external RFID products for people in the healthcare and security
environment. In addition to the VeriChip (implantable microchip),
which was cleared by the FDA for its medical applications in October,
2004, VeriChip Corporation will now offer eXI's premier RFID products:
HALO, RoamAlert and Assetrac.

HALO is the leading system for infant hospital security, helping
healthcare facilities prevent infant abductions, accidental baby
switching, and medical equipment theft and loss while providing 
a safe work environment for facility staff;

RoamAlert Wander Protection System is the next generation in patient
wandering protection, helping assisted living and skilled nursing
facilities protect their patients while not restricting the residents'
freedom of mobility;

Assetrac Location & Protection System is a flexible asset protection
system for facility-wide cost savings that helps healthcare facilities
prevent medical equipment theft and loss, enabling administrators to
quickly locate and track assets throughout the hospital.

In connection with the acquisition, the Company has promoted Kevin H.
McLaughlin to the position of CEO of VeriChip Corporation. Mr.
McLaughlin has served as Applied Digital's President and COO since
March, 2003. He will now exclusively focus on VeriChip Corporation.

In addition to these complementary products and services, eXI brings 
a proven management team and over 200 dealers /distributors in North
America. It is intended that these dealers will now distribute all
VeriChip Corporation products and services.

VeriChip Corporation is expected to achieve revenue goals of $8-10
million in 2005.

Commenting on the growth and management changes at VeriChip
Corporation. Scott R. Silverman, Chairman and CEO of Applied Digital
stated, "This is an exciting day in the evolution of VeriChip
Corporation. The eXI acquisition furthers our objective of combining
innovative technology with a complementary operating company VeriChip
Corporation can now offer its FDA cleared ID microchip compatible for
medical and security applications while complementing it with eXI's
proven line-up of external RFID products for people in a healthcare
environment. eXI's proven distribution stream of over 200 dealers will
also increase VeriChip distribution opportunities."

Silverman continued: "The simultaneous and official appointment of
Kevin McLaughlin as CEO of this new-combined corporation will provide
it the leadership that a technology company of this type merits. Kevin
has clearly proven himself with the operational and balance sheet
improvement at Applied Digital over the last two years. I, and the
Board of Directors, are confident that Kevin will lead VeriChip
Corporation to great heights."

About VeriChip Corporation

VeriChip Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Applied Digital,
provides leading-edge security solutions for people, their assets, and
their environments. From the world's first and only FDA-cleared, human-
implantable microchip to the only active RFID tag with patented skin-
sensing capabilities, VeriChip leads the way in next-generation RFID
technologies. Today, over 3,000 installations in healthcare, security,
industry, and governments worldwide benefit from both the protection
and cost savings that VeriChip Corporation's innovation delivers. For
more information on VeriChip Corporation, please visit
www.4verichip.com.

About Applied Digital

Applied Digital develops innovative security products for consumer,
commercial, and government sectors worldwide. The Company's unique and
often proprietary products provide security for people, animals, the
food supply, government/military arena, and commercial assets.
Included in this diversified product line are RFID applications, end-
to-end food safety systems, GPS/Satellite communications, and telecomm
and security infrastructure, positioning Applied Digital as the leader
of Security Through Innovation. Applied Digital is the owner of a
majority position in Digital Angel Corporation (AMEX: DOC).

For more information, visit the company's website at http://www.adsx.com.

About eXI Wireless Inc.

eXI Wireless Inc. is a pioneer in wireless identification, control,
and location technologies that provide peace of mind to groups wanting
to protect, track, and locate their individuals and assets. With over
20 years experience, eXI is behind some of the industry's first
patient wandering, infant protection, and tool tracking systems
uniquely combining radio frequency identification (RFID) and real-time
location system (RTLS) technologies in its state-of-the-art,
unobtrusive solutions. Through eXI's continued wireless innovation,
end customers gain the protection, cost savings, operating
efficiencies, and overall peace of mind they require when it comes to
their people and assets. And vendors looking to improve their product
offerings through the use of eXI's RFID technology gain the expertise
and end result they require quickly and cost effectively.

For more information on eXI Wireless Inc., please visit
http://www.exi.com.

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Source: VeriChip - http://www.4verichip.com/pr_04012005.htm


Cheers, Steve..

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