NetSonic Eliminates World Wide Wait; Web Browsing Accelerated While Reducing Internet Traffic
PR Newswire - April 06, 1998 06:00
%MLM %CPR %PDT HAYZ V%PRN P%PRN
REDMOND, Wash., April 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Web 3000 Inc. (www.web3000.com),
publisher of innovative Internet utilities, announced shipment of its
NetSonic(TM) Internet Accelerator, Version 1.0. NetSonic is a Windows 95
utility that delivers Web content faster and with less drain on Internet
bandwidth than is possible with any other acceleration product available
today. NetSonic is the only product in its category that works seamlessly
with all of the most popular browsers, supporting users' current habits and
configurations.
NetSonic was built in response to Web 3000 research that found the number
one problem in Internet usage is how slow pages load. Users report that up to
70% of their surfing time is spent waiting. NetSonic's approach enables users
to access Web content faster and more efficiently than any Web browser alone.
"Our goal is to make the Internet a more productive, and therefore,
satisfying, experience for users, " said Gene Kavner, former Microsoft
architect of MSN and founder of Web3000. "Feed-back from our over 12,000
Beta users tells us that NetSonic surpasses all other products in meeting this
goal."
NetSonic is the only Internet accelerator that runs in process with the
browser, rather than on the proxy-based architecture common to other products
in this category. This gives NetSonic a speed edge. This design also means
that NetSonic does not require any reconfiguration of browsers. NetSonic is
the only accelerator that supports Internet Explorer, Navigator, America
Online, Compuserve, and Opera. NetSonic allows the user to effortlessly
switch between multiple browsers, while sharing the same NetSonic cache.
Since most Web surfers return to the same pages again and again, NetSonic
minimizes the time a user waits for a Web page to be displayed by
intelligently caching Web content for immediate display while at the same
time, and in the background, checking for and retrieving any changes to the
Web page. Unlike other products in the category, NetSonic notifies the user
if and when changes are detected. For users who rely on Internet sites to
watch time-critical information, such as stock prices or breaking news,
NetSonic ensures that they are always looking at the most recent information.
"The important things about delivering a product in this category are that
it not only be the fastest, but that it delivers its benefits without trade-
offs and is easy for average consumers to use," said Kavner.
NetSonic is the only Internet accelerator that reduces Internet traffic
when updating its cache with new content. By analyzing the actual graphical
resources on each Web page, intelligently deciding how likely a resource is to
change, then, requesting updates for only those resources, NetSonic reduces
the amount of round-trips and data transmitted over the Internet by up to 80%.
This method provides users with completely up-to-date content in less time
than possible with a standard Web browser. Users can also configure NetSonic
to pre-load links on the page they are currently viewing. NetSonic reads
ahead, loading only the links the user is most likely to click on, minimizing
waiting time should the user choose to view the page.
NetSonic is available for free download from the company's Web site,
www.web3000.com. In addition, NetSonic will be distributed via OEM bundling
arrangements. Web 3000 and Hayes Microcomputer Products (NASDAQ:HAYZ)
recently announced an agreement to bundle Web 3000's NetSonic Internet
Accelerator with their 20th Anniversary Signature Series 56K Speakerphone
Modem, which began shipping earlier this month. Hayes will also bundle
NetSonic with other members of their modem family, including their ACCURA,
OPTIMA, Cardinal, and Practical Peripherals product lines.
Web 3000 will sell a Deluxe version of NetSonic in Q2 1998 with
significant additional modes of acceleration. Pricing and availability will
be announced in the near future.
About Web 3000, Inc.
Web 3000, Inc. (www.web3000.com), a privately held Internet-software
company headquartered in Redmond, Washington, develops innovative products to
enhance the Internet experience. Web 3000's debut product, the NetSonic
Internet Accelerator, is the first in a family of products to be announced
this year. The company was founded by Gene Kavner, a seven-year Microsoft
(NASDAQ:MSFT) veteran and one of the primary architects of the Microsoft
Network (MSN).
Hayes 20th Anniversary Signature Series 56K Speakerphone Modem, ACCURA,
OPTIMA, Cardinal, and Practical Peripherals are trademarks of Hayes
Microcomputer Products Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator,
America Online, Compuserve, and Opera are the property of their respective
companies.
SOURCE Web 3000, Inc.
/CONTACT: Lucy Stokstad, Brainwave, 206-545-0183, or Email:
lstokstad@worldnet.att.net/
/Web site: web3000.com |
