FutureSoft Announces Annotator 1.0; New Technology Synchronizes Recorded Actions And Voice For Online Document Annotation.LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 19, 1997--FutureSoft(R), a leading developer of connectivity and collaborative groupware solutions, today announced the first version of their new Annotator an·no·tate v. an·no·tat·ed, an·no·tat·ing, an·no·tates v.tr. To furnish (a literary work) with critical commentary or explanatory notes; gloss. v.intr. To gloss a text. product, a workgroup collaboration tool A collaboration tool is something that helps people collaborate. The term is often used to mean collaborative software, but collaboration tools were being used before computers existed, a piece of paper can for example can be used as collaboration tool. that combines voice and graphical feedback for online annotation 1. (programming, compiler) annotation - Extra information associated with a particular point in a document or program. Annotations may be added either by a compiler or by the programmer. . Annotator enables a user to record and synchronize voice and actions for document review, providing a new paperless way to edit images and documents online. The company has a patent pending on this new technology. FutureSoft plans an evaluation beta version A pre-shipping release of hardware or software that has gone through alpha test. A beta version of software is supposed to be very close to the final product, but, in practice, it is more a way of getting users to test the software in the first place under real conditions. of Annotator in December 1997, followed by a targeted March 1998 product release. Annotator addresses the needs of several markets for collaborative document reviews, including healthcare, legal, engineering, insurance and graphic design. Its drawing and editing tools offer users the ability to annotate annotate - annotation electronic documents just as they would mark up a hard-copy. In Annotator, the source document -- whether an engineering drawing, medical image or word processing word processing, use of a computer program or a dedicated hardware and software package to write, edit, format, and print a document. Text is most commonly entered using a keyboard similar to a typewriter's, although handwritten input (see pen-based computer) and document -- is used as a basis for annotation, allowing reviewers to record their comments as a soundtrack while adding various graphic elements to explain their points. As the annotations are routed and reviewed, the whole sequence is shown in the exact recorded order. Because these annotations are recorded in layers, the source document always remains intact. "Annotator is a breakthrough in workgroup collaboration, making paperless workflow a reality," said Mike Karaffa, senior vice president and chief operating officer Chief Operating Officer (COO) The officer of a firm responsible for day-to-day management, usually the president or an executive vice-president. for FutureSoft. "It lets you verbally communicate your exact ideas and suggestions, as only a recorded message can, so there are fewer misinterpretations," he continued. "Organizations that typically require input from multiple reviewers will benefit tremendously from this unique technology." Unlike real-time applications, designed to be used in "virtual meetings" over the Internet or a LAN (Local Area Network) A communications network that serves users within a confined geographical area. The "clients" are the user's workstations typically running Windows, although Mac and Linux clients are also used. , Annotator is a non-real-time application which enables users to record and save voice and graphics information for play-back at a later time. Users record their voice and add graphic elements using a mouse or graphics tablet See digitizer tablet. . The person receiving the edits will hear what was said and see the annotations on the computer screen. Annotator features a New Layer Wizard to guide users through the process of creating and saving new layers, plus an Audio Wizard to help configure both microphone and speaker equipment. The product supports multi-layer annotations as well as multiple page documents. Password protection can be enabled to keep annotations confidential, if desired. Full OLE compliance Annotator is OLE compliant, facilitating greater integration with many desktop applications. Additionally, any image or text that can be copied to the Clipboard can be used in Annotator. It is not necessary for people in the workgroup to have the different applications loaded on their computers- Annotator provides a viewer-only component. The product also features an automatic compression routine to minimize file size for easy transmission via email or the Internet. Availability Annotator is scheduled for a March 1998 release and will also be marketed initially through OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) The rebranding of equipment and selling it. The term initially referred to the company that made the products (the "original" manufacturer), but eventually became widely used to refer to the organization that buys the products and distributors. The beta version will be available for download from FutureSoft's Web site at www.futuresoft.com in December 1997. About FutureSoft Founded in 1982, FutureSoft is dedicated to making an impact on how people use their computers to communicate by developing and marketing connectivity and collaborative groupware solutions for personal computers. FutureSoft's flagship product A primary product of a company, which is typically why the company was founded and/or what made it well known. For example, MS-DOS, Windows and the Microsoft Office suite have been flagship products of Microsoft. CorelDRAW is a flagship product of Corel Corporation. , DynaComm Connectivity Series., is a leading PC-to-host connectivity solution. For more information, please contact FutureSoft at 800/989-8908, 281/496-1090 (fax), email info@futuresoft.com or visit the company's Web site at http://www.futuresoft.com, or in Europe (The Netherlands) at 31-70-390-7727 (voice) or 31-70-390-7005 (fax). -0- DynaComm Connectivity Series and FutureSoft are registered trademarks of FutureSoft, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. CONTACT: FutureSoft, Inc. Melissa Crenshaw cren·shaw also cran·shaw n. A variety of winter melon (Cucumis melo var. inodorus) having a greenish-yellow rind and sweet, usually salmon-pink flesh. [Origin unknown.] , 281/496-9400 melissac@futuresoft.com or Kaufer Miller Revell Communications Mary Starman or Christina Velasquez 425/450-9965 marys@kmrc.com or christinav@kmrc.com |
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