NEWS FROM THE PRAIRIE....continued
By: Kowboy
Reply To: None Saturday, 24 Apr 1999 at 2:36 PM EDT
Post # of 6925
Howdy...3-D!!!!
MetaStream 3D Technology Goes Live to revolutionize Online Shopping
April 23, 1999
CARPINTERIA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE) via NewsEdge Corporation -- New Era of Photorealistic 3D on the Web Begins as Autobytel.com and Modacad Replicate Real-World Shopping Experience Online
MetaCreations Corp. (Nasdaq:MCRE), the Creative Web company, Thursday announced that leading e-retailers Autobytel.com (Nasdaq:ABTL) and Modacad (Nasdaq:MODA) (www.styleclick.com) are among the first to go live with MetaCreations' streaming 3D technology, MetaStream(TM).
The MetaStream open 3D-file format, jointly developed with Intel, enables these premier e-merchandisers to easily and affordably incorporate 3D images into their Web sites, delivering a more true-to-life online shopping experience and beg-ginning the new era of photorealistic 3D shopping on the Web.
"MetaStream is a giant step towards making the online shopping experience more true-to-life for a greater number of consumers," said Rick Cabral, vice president of information systems at Autobytel.com. "Autobytel.com used MetaStream's 3D streaming technology to create its new 3D Virtual Showroom where car buyers actually view and build their next car online.
"The addition of 3D capabilities means we can now offer a consumer the ability to change the vehicle's color, add options like a tire rack, and even see how that tire rack would change visibility out the back window. MetaStream means Autobytel.com can provide a more realistic car-buying experience online and help the consumers get what they really want."
"As a leading enabler of e-commerce for the fash-ion, home furnishings and related industries, Modacad is building the largest 3D data warehouse for content," said Maurizio Vecchione, Modacad's president and chief operating officer. "We plan to use this 3D content in dramatic new ways to enhance consumers' perception of apparel, home furnishings and other related products when shopping online."
Vecchione went on to say, "MetaStream provides Modacad with a method of deploying our 3D data at styleclick.com across a wide range of bandwidths."
"Because of MetaStream, the new generation of sites such as Autobytel.com and Modacad's www.styleclick.com are revolutionizing online shopping," said John Dearborn, senior Vice-President marketing, MetaCreations.
"For the first time, users can go beyond the world of two-dimensional and catalog-style pictures into an exciting cyber-shopping experience with images that can be rotated and inspected from any angle. Universal access to life-like 3D images will take the guesswork out of buying products online and encourage more consumers to make the Web their first stop for shopping," added Dearborn.
Leading e-retailers Autobytel.com and Modacad's www.styleclick.com have used the MetaStream format to enhance the online shopping experience:
-- Autobytel.com (http://www.autobytel.com) -- a leading Internet site for purchasing new and certified pre-owned vehicles. Car buyers can fully customize vehicles before they buy and view complete 3D models in the Virtual Showroom (U.S.Pat.Pend.),including the interior of the vehicle, in a true-to-life digitized format.
-- Modacad (http://www.styleclick.com) -- the online destination for apparel, footwear and accessories featuring advanced visualization, comparison shopping and sophisticated search capabilities. In complete 3D models within the Cool Views area, shoppers can browse through items from many top-name vendors such as Fiorucci, Skechers and Fossil.
Delivering 3D to the Masses The MetaStream 3D-file format addresses the need for 3D files that stream efficiently over the Internet and scale to the user's processing power. This, in turn, permits Web developers to generate sites of the highest possible quality for enjoyment by power users, while still assuring satisfactory experiences by users with limited bandwidth and/or computing power.
The MetaStream 3D-file format allows online shoppers to inspect and interact with products offered for sale.
Soon Web developers will be able to utilize MetaCreations' MetaFlash technology which employs specially developed flash and software that converts digital photos into high quality, texture mapped 3D wireframe models that can be output to the MetaStream 3D file format. The MetaFlash technology has been licensed by Minolta and Kodak and will be brought to market with their cameras later this year.
For Additional MetaStream Information The MetaStream viewer plug-in is available as a free download from the MetaStream Web site metastream.com. Minimum system req-uirements for MetaStream compatibility are a Pentium processor-based system, a 28.8 modem and a Netscape Communicator(R) 4.0 or Internet Exp-lorer(R) 4.0 browser.
Web sites that demonstrate the MetaStream technology are also included in the Intel WebOutfitters service and feature, in addition to Modacad, Autobytel.com and the Warner Bros. Online Studio Store.
As previously announced, MetaStream will be shipped by Microsoft as a component of Windows 98 and 2000, and the MetaStream(TM) viewer is included in the Intel(R) WebOutfitter(SM) Service. A free MetaStream exporter for 3D Studio MAX is also available as a free download from the MetaCreations Web site, www.metacreations.com/products/max250.
About MetaCreations MetaCreations Corp., the Creative Web company, is focused on developing and marketing 2D and 3D visualization software for graphic artists, and the World Wide Web.
MetaCreations' Creative Web strategy is centered on the company's new MetaStream(TM) and MetaFlash(TM) technologies, and employs an array of Meta-Creations' software development tools to accelerate the creation of 2D and 3D graphics for online applications, and to make fast, interactive use of photorealistic 3D on the Web practical and pervasive.
MetaCreations offers a complete product line of award-winning graphics desktop software for both professional users and consumers, and its prod-ucts are available in more than 50 countries.
The company has headquarters in Santa Barbara County, Calif., and has development centers in Scotts Valley, Calif.; and Princeton, N.J.; as well as an International Operations Center in Dublin, Ireland. MetaCreations can be reached on the World Wide Web at www.metacreations.com.
his release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially as a result of a number of risks and uncertainties affecting the company's business. For a more detailed discussion of factors that affect MetaCreations' operating results, interested parties should review MetaCreations' SEC reports, including MetaCreations' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 1998, and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.
Note to Editors: MetaCreations, MetaFlash and MetaStream are either registered trademarks or trademarks of MetaCreations Corp. Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
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CONTACT: MetaCreations Corp., Carpinteria | Teresa Bridwell, 805/566-6274
[Copyright 1999, Business Wire]
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Happy Trades...Kowboy
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