Look at this from MSFT out this am:
MSN Makes Search Offering More Robust With
Looksmart's Comprehensive Category And Site Listings
Microsoft Signs Agreement With Looksmart to Provide MSN With Web Directory Content
REDMOND, Wash., Feb. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT - news) today announced it has named
Looksmart(SM), the Internet's leading category-based Web directory, as the primary provider of Web directory content for
the MSN(TM) network of Internet services. The licensing agreement will help strengthen the search and navigation features
offered by MSN. Since integrating its Internet services into one consolidated network last year, MSN has increased its reach
from 31 percent to approximately 40 percent of all U.S. Internet users, making MSN one of the fastest-growing portals.
Looksmart, the second-largest privately held Web property and a leading Web directory, has also experienced rapid growth.
Page views have increased from 150,000 per day a year ago to more than 8 million per day.
The two companies have signed a five-year agreement whereby Looksmart's directory, which organizes extensive site listings
into a wide variety of categories through a rigorous editorial process, will be integrated into MSN Search. Looksmart's team of
125 professional Web editors will update the listings continually, so the content offerings will be kept current and constantly
expanded.
''We recognize that searching the Web is one of the top reasons for people to come to MSN, and we were especially
impressed with Looksmart's comprehensive directory and high-quality editorial content,'' said Laura Jennings, vice president of
MSN. ''Within a few months, users of MSN will be able to take advantage of Looksmart's robust Web directory database to
quickly and accurately pinpoint the Web destinations that deliver what they're looking for.''
Looksmart's directory of Web content is organized into a variety of popular categories, such as Home & Family, Travel &
Vacations, and Reference & Education. Because content is filtered by Looksmart's professional Web editors, it does not
contain any links to adult content. This reflects Looksmart's focus on serving its growing mainstream audience.
''Quite simply, we're focused on creating a great editorial product that will make the Internet easier for consumers to use in
their daily lives, whether they want to find information quickly or explore the Web,'' said Evan Thornley, co-founder and CEO
of Looksmart. ''The Web is only as useful as our ability to access and navigate it, and we're elated to team with world-class
companies such as Microsoft to help make it a more practical tool for consumers.''
Microsoft also recently announced an agreement to license AltaVista Search as the primary Web search engine for the MSN
network of Internet services. This gives users of MSN access to the largest search index on the Web in any of 25 languages.
''The AltaVista and Looksmart agreements provide further evidence of Microsoft's commitment to working with leading
product and service companies to deliver the best possible experience on MSN,'' Jennings said. ''The combination of
Looksmart's extensive directory content with AltaVista's robust search technology adds up to a powerful search experience for
the user of MSN.''
About Looksmart
Looksmart, the second-largest privately held Web property, creates and maintains the largest editorially reviewed directory of
content on the World Wide Web. Looksmart's directory is distributed through multiple channels, including a global network of
Internet service providers, major Web sites, portals and ''viral'' marketing. Through its partnership with Cox Interactive Media,
Looksmart also offers the largest collection of high-quality local Web content in more than 65 U.S. markets. The company is
headquartered in San Francisco and can be contacted at 415-597-4850. To see why more and more partners, advertisers and
consumers are turning to Looksmart, visit looksmart.com.
About MSN and Microsoft
MSN is the network of Internet services from Microsoft that helps people better organize the Web around what's important to
them. The MSN network of services, located on the Web at MSN.COM ( msn.com ), helps people easily stay in touch
with friends and colleagues, make smart and secure purchasing decisions, and get more done. MSN offers award-winning
e-mail functionality; personal communications services; customizable access to news; popular sites for travel, investing,
automotive services, shopping and more; an online community; a Web search engine and directories; and top-rated Internet
access.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of
products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for
people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
NOTE: Microsoft and MSN are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or
other countries. Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
SOURCE: Microsoft Corp.
Now look at this from USWC this past December...inquiring minds want to know...stock at 1.59 up .06 on 18k:
Mantra Technologies, Inc. Licenses Advanced
Directory Search Technology To LookSmart
SAN RAMON, Calif., Dec. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. Wireless Corporation's (Nasdaq: USWC - news) subsidiary, Mantra
Technologies, Inc. has licensed to LookSmart(SM) an enhanced directory search application, based on its proprietary Context
Synthesis™ technology. LookSmart, a leading Web directory and search tool, has deployed this application to further enhance
the quality of searches in LookSmart's editorially selected Web directory.
Mantra Technologies' next-generation navigation technology extracts and identifies the relevant part of Web content to enable
better, more targeted Web navigation. By integrating the technology into LookSmart's directory, users' searches will return
even more relevant Web site matches than before.
''Cutting-edge technology plus the irreplaceable skills of human editors provide LookSmart users with the best navigation
service on the Web,'' said Mike Reaves, Vice President of Engineering for LookSmart. ''Mantra's technology will enable users
to find information in LookSmart's directory even easier than before.''
''Search is a natural application for our technology,'' said David Huffman, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Mantra
Technologies. ''Our technology enables LookSmart to stake out a new area of Web navigation: focusing keyword searches on
high-relevance hits in high-quality Web sites. LookSmart's depth of content, combined with Mantra's technology, offers users a
compelling Web search solution.''
Mantra Technologies, Inc. (a subsidiary of U.S. Wireless Corporation) is a Web Applications Services Provider that delivers
next-generation navigation, profiling, personalization and ad targeting to major Web sites desiring differentiating and revenue
generating functionality. Mantra's advanced service capabilities are based upon its proprietary Context Synthesis technology, a
flexible new way to acquire and leverage content to enable innovative Web applications. Mantra Technologies is based in San
Ramon, Calif. and can be reached at 925-327-6207 or www.mantratech.com. Founded in 1996, U.S. Wireless Corporation
is a developer and provider of mobile location-based services.
LookSmart, a privately held Internet publishing company providing category-based navigation services on the World Wide
Web, hosts the world's largest editorially reviewed database of Web content with 800,000 site listings in 24,000 categories.
LookSmart's unique cascading menu interface provides users with fast, intuitive access to a wealth of highly relevant online
content, and provides advertisers with targeted media opportunities within a higher quality editorial environment. Current
LookSmart partners include AltaVista, @Home, Netscape, HotBot, Erols and more than 100 ISPs. LookSmart's ''syndicated
distribution'' strategy enables partners to co-brand with LookSmart's product or seamlessly blend its content into an existing
interface based on its flexible technology architecture.
Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: A number of statements contained in this press release are
forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the applicable statements. A
description of these risks and uncertainties can be found in the U.S. Wireless Corporation filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
SOURCE: U.S. Wireless Corporation
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