Brand-new software company Xiant today released a public beta version of its first product, Xiant Filer, to help computer users stay on top of the increasingly time-consuming task of organizing e-mail in-boxes. Xiant is a dba of Paul Allen’s Vulcan Technologies, LLC, of Seattle.
The beta version of Xiant Filer is available at Xiant.com and a 60-day trial can be downloaded for free.
“It’s a return of sorts to Paul’s roots,” said Chris Purcell, vice president of Vulcan Technologies, LLC. “Xiant Filer started as a personal project to help Paul keep up with heavy e-mail traffic. It worked so well we all started using it, which led us to take it to market.”
This is one of Paul Allen’s few forays into software since leaving Microsoft in 1983 to start his own business and philanthropic foundation. It won’t be lost on his former colleagues that Paul has returned to the software world with something that improves on one of Microsoft’s keystone products.
Xiant Filer instantly makes anyone a more efficient user of e-mail. It integrates seamlessly into Outlook and starts making filing recommendations immediately after installation. There is no need to train Xiant Filer, create complicated rules or to change the way you work. [24×7]
iPhone OS 3.0 Means New Fingertip Functions for Zillow Real Estate Data
Real estate Web leader Zillow.com has announced the second version of its Zillow app, which integrates features made possible by the release of iPhone OS 3.0 update.
Search filtering and the ability to save favorite homes were among the features most requested by the 402,000 users who have downloaded the app since its launch in April, and are two of the many new features that have been added into this latest version.
“The response to the Zillow app for iPhone and iPod touch has been phenomenal, with more than 400,000 people downloading and using the app for home shopping, comparing and simply taking an interesting walk around the block,” said Rich Barton, Zillow co-founder and CEO. “Now we’re improving that experience for both potential homebuyers and real estate aficionados. Users can filter for only the types of homes they want to see and can save searches and favorite homes to revisit. And they can know instantly via push notifications when new homes come on the market in areas they’ve saved.” [24×7]
NBC Universal and Microsoft Form National and Local TV Advertising Alliance
NBC Universal and Microsoft Corp. have announced a landmark deal to use Microsoft’s Admira television media marketplace to more efficiently plan and sell national and local broadcast and cable television advertising inventory.
The deal comes on the heels of a successful test of Admira launched by the NBC Local Media group in March to buy and sell local television advertising inventory in Los Angeles. NBCU will make available select inventory from both its national broadcast and cable networks for the alliance, which is set to begin in the fourth quarter of 2009.
NBCU will deploy Admira in two ways. For larger advertisers, Admira will enhance NBCU’s existing agency relationships by providing new planning tools for data-driven targeting and segmenting of specific audiences across its broadcast and cable television networks. For small to midsize clients, Admira will enable an automated planning, buying, posting and billing process across many of NBCU’s national broadcast and select local TV properties.
“This is all about improving ROI for clients and experimenting with next-generation metrics and processes,” said Mike Pilot, president, Sales and Marketing, NBC Universal. “Admira can help clients efficiently plan, buy and engage specific audience segments across the breadth of our broadcast and cable properties, enhancing the close relationships we have with all of our agency and client partners.” [24×7]
