Our most significant press release to date!
Greg Writer
CEO
1st Net Technologies, Inc.
1st Net Technologies Launches the Crayon Crawler a Revolutionary New Web Browser to Protect Children On-line
Business Wire - March 17, 1999 11:45
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 17, 1999--1st Net Technologies Inc. (OTC BB:FNTT) today announced the official release of the Crayon Crawler beta version 4.0, a "secure" Internet browser designed exclusively for children.
This is an essential tool for both parents and schools that are concerned about children's access to inappropriate material on-line.
Other features include a talking chat room, automatic blocking of vulgarity, animated characters that can actually read to, and interact with the children, a "closed" email system that eliminates Spam, pornographic solicitations, links and unwanted emails, as well as instant messaging that allows children to know if their community friends are on-line.
1st Net invites all Internet surfers and concerned parents to download this fully functional Web browser at www.crayoncrawler.com.
During this initial beta release, 1st Net will only allow 5,000 free downloads available on-line to interested parties at www.crayoncrawler.com. Interested parents can also obtain the CD ROM beta version by sending a $20 check or money order payable to 1st Net Technologies Inc., ATTN: Crayon Crawler, 11423 W. Bernardo Court, San Diego, Calif. 92127. All CD ROM orders will also include an attractive Crayon Crawler children's T-shirt. Orders must include a return mailing address.
1st Net's timing couldn't be better
The debut of the Crayon Crawler comes on the heels of a recent court ruling last month that effectively allows Web sites to continue to make content, that would be considered pornographic by most people, available to users of all ages. The ruling on Feb. 1, 1999, through preliminary injunction, effectively blocks the "Child On-line Protection Act," which had sought to force Web sites to prevent transmission of pornographic content to children.
"The pattern of delays in regard to children and pornography on the Internet sends a clear message that parents must personally take their own steps to protect their children," responded Writer. "We have developed a product that gives parents peace of mind and provides kids with a safe conduit to the Internet."
"We're extremely proud of what we've put together," he concluded. "The advent of the Internet, the proliferation of pornography, and the exponentially increasing numbers of our kids on the Net makes The Crayon Crawler a solution whose time has come."
The Crayon Crawler runs on the Internet Explorer 4.0 platform developed by Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq:MSFT). The most unique and attractive feature of the Crayon Crawler is the use of Microsoft's "Agent" technology and its state-of-the-art, animated 3-D characters.
Microsoft(R) Agent is a set of software services that supports the presentation of software characters as interactive personalities within the Microsoft Windows(R) interface. Microsoft Agent's conversational interface approach is an extension and enhancement of the existing interactive modalities of the Windows interface.
"1st Net's Research & Development Division, Spirit 32 www.spirit32.com, has utilized Microsoft's Agent Technology in the most innovative way, with a text to speech 'talking' chat room," said Writer. "To the best of our knowledge, no one has used Microsoft's 'Agent' technology in a chat environment for children so it's nice to be the first."
Another unique feature of the Crayon Crawler is that it is also tied into 1st Net's proprietary server-based "community" applications. Like America Online (Nasdaq:AOL) the Crayon Crawler has its own private, members only chat rooms. Eventually, Crayon Crawler will offer other numerous unique services available only to the Crayon Crawler "community" members just like AOL.
"In one respect, the Crayon Crawler could turn out to be the AOL for children," stated Writer. "AOL is a great service, but if we can create an on-line community exclusively for kids, we think that would be great. A considerable difference between the AOL community and a Crayon Crawler community is our 'closed' e-mail system. No e-mails from outside the community are permitted giving greater protection from unwanted e-mail solicitations, particularly from the pornographic content promoters."
The community side of Crayon Crawler has typical services like other closed communities such as Prodigy (Nasdaq:PRGY) or CompuServe, but is solely geared towards children.
The Crayon Crawler is the first in a suite of client/server based community web browsers from 1st Net Technologies that focus on the specific interests and needs of various affinity groups on the Internet. These portals to the Internet contain extensive information and a variety of applications that are unique and specific to each particular affinity group they serve.
The Crayon Crawler provides an alternative stream of content geared to young Internet users and applies the Content Based Routing (CBR) concept pioneered by 1st Net Technologies.
The content will be focused directly to the viewing audience, further enhancing the opportunities for software developers and advertisers to promote their materials to this specific market.
Many of these same features are being incorporated into other affinity group browsers now under development by 1st Net, which include, but are not limited to, various push technologies and voice application activation systems.
"The Crayon Crawler is the first product of its kind to not only safeguard our kids from the pornography that is rampant on the Internet, but also offers them pre-approved, child-friendly content that can be customized to the specific needs and boundaries of each household," said Writer.
1st Net Technologies also intends to make available a Software Development Kit (SDK) so developers around the globe can develop and write applications for the Crayon Crawler Community. As the Community matures, it will become a very useful educational tool as well as a safety net for young children on the net.
Exclusive Crayon Crawler Features
--Instant Messaging -- The Crayon Crawler automatically logs its
member children on to the community's closed servers. This allows
children to find out who else is currently on-line in an
environment that is closed to others on the Internet. Children
are then able to find out if any of their friends are on-line and
communicate with them by sending text as well as voice messages
back and forth.
--Closed System Talking E-mail -- The e-mail system is closed to
the general Internet community so that Spam, undesired ad
banners, links, as well as unwanted e-mail can't be sent to a
child through the community's e-mail system.
--Closed System Talking Chat Rooms -- The Crayon Crawler provides
closed chat rooms for children only. These chat rooms are tied
into the community's instant messaging servers so they can be
continually monitored. Standard chat clients like IRC will not
work with Crayon Crawler's chat servers so as to provide
additional security from unwanted and unsupervised chat areas.
--Talking Book Reader -- Available soon! -- This program will
allow children to have the agent characters read books to the
children with the idea to be entertaining as well as educational.
--Local and Remote Database Web Site Storage -- This enables Web
site navigation that is under total control of the child's
parents or from remote database storage via the community.
--Sound and Speech Capabilities -- This allows the Crayon
Crawler's various characters to actually talk to the child with
dynamic responses. In other words, our characters can read a book
to the child, verbally respond to help questions, and (when
logged on to the community) even give non-redundant responses
which serve to make the computer more human and entertaining.
"We anticipate the official commercial release of Crayon Crawler to be announced within the next 90 days," said Greg Writer, CEO of 1st Net Technologies.
About 1st Net Technologies Inc.
1st Net is an Internet products company specializing in enabling core technologies. This breakthrough technologies support a new paradigm pioneered by 1st Net called "Content Based Routing" to control and monitor information, telephony and video services on a single platform.
1st Net also delivers innovative services for publicly traded companies, and high net worth investors.
--Services for publicly traded companies include Corporate Due
Diligence Web Sites, Custom Database Systems Management, Online
I/R Road Shows and E-Marketing.
--Services for high net worth investors include: Online Financial
Information.
--Resources including Newsletters and Investment Opportunity
Profiling.
Note: News releases and other information on 1st Net Technologies Inc. can be accessed on the Internet at 1stnettech.com
The foregoing press release may include numerous forward-looking statements concerning the company's business and future prospects and other similar statements that do not concern matters of historical fact. The federal securities laws provide a limited "safe harbor" for certain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this press release relating to product development, business prospects and development of a commercial market for technological advances are based on the company's current expectations. The company's current expectations are subject to all of the uncertainties and risks customarily associated with new business ventures including, but not limited to, market conditions, successful product development and acceptance, competition and overall economic conditions, as well as the risk of adverse regulatory actions. The company's actual results may differ materially from current expectations. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or for any other reason.
CONTACT: 1st Net Technologies Inc.
Clifford J. Smith, 619/675-4449
Toll Free: 888/282-6255
cliff@1stnettech.com
www.1stnettech.com |
