Software delivers context-relevant information to users.

Intellext Co. Feb 02, 2005

Press Release Summary:

Watson forms contextual-based queries based on information relevant to user to deliver useful search results. It brings user information from all company sources including websites, desktop search applications, online news sites, subscriber services, search engines, as well as documents and data from company's corporate knowledge management systems, databases, and intranets. Information is organized and presented by relevance, without advertisements or unrelated content.

Original Press Release:

Intellext Emerges From Northwestern University's DevLab Incubator with Software that Revolutionizes the Way Computer Users Get Information

Watson Delivers Timely, Relevant Contextual Information to Users; Company Appoints Technology Veteran Al Wasserberger, CEO

CHICAGO, Jan. 31 -- Intellext ( www.intellext.com/ ), the "Intelligence in Context" software company, today announced that it has emerged from its research and development stage and is now commercially marketing and shipping its software solution, Watson. The product of research conducted by Intellext co-founders Dr. Jay Budzik and Dr. Kristian Hammond at Northwestern University, Watson removes the burden of search from the shoulders of computer users. By reading and understanding what people are working on and using that knowledge to proactively find and deliver useful information to the user, Watson is able to find information the user didn't know existed -- in places they otherwise might not have looked.

Watson's patent-pending technology was incubated at Northwestern University's DevLab in Evanston, Ill., and has been in commercial development for the past two years. In emerging from the incubation stage, the company has changed its name to Intellext from Open Road Technologies, has unveiled a new corporate identity and web presence, and has hired veteran technology entrepreneur, Al Wasserberger, as its chief executive officer. The company will also be moving out of the DevLab facility to a downtown Chicago office.

Wasserberger's expertise is in leading the development of new technologies and business models, and in funding and growing technology companies. Prior to joining Intellext, he was the chairman and chief executive officer of Spirian Technologies, which he founded in 1996 and built to a venture-backed Inc. 500 software company before selling the company to SecureInfo Corporation in 2003. Wasserberger is president of The Orbis Forum, a non-profit member organization comprising the top technology entrepreneurs in Chicago, and is a member of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley's Mayor's Council of Technology Advisors.

"The days in which manually typing terms into a search box was the only way to find information are over," said Al Wasserberger, CEO of Intellext. "While this method will continue to be important, we're now at a pivotal point in the evolution of how people interact with information. Watson revolutionizes how we all get and use information by using modern search infrastructure such as Web search engines, corporate intranets and desktop search technologies on our behalf -- even when we don't know we should be looking."

Watson determines what information is relevant to each user, and forms contextually-based queries rather than simple one or two-word search terms to generate the most useful and complete set of results. Watson automatically brings users any relevant information from their company's external and internal information sources including websites, desktop search applications, online news sites, subscriber services and search engines, as well as documents and data from a company's corporate knowledge management systems, databases and intranets. If the user chooses, Watson will even retrieve advertisements that are related to their current work. Information from Watson's multiple sources is then organized by relevance regardless of its source, and presented to the user in a completely non-intrusive way. The online information collected and presented by Watson is based solely on relevance, so users do not receive intrusive advertisements and unrelated content that interrupts their work.

Watson runs on a lean integration platform so it is easy to implement and scale from a single-user application to fit any company's size and structure. Available management tools also make the software inexpensive to manage and maintain in corporate networks. Enterprise customers' IT departments can determine what information sources Watson checks, so enterprise privacy and security is always maintained.

"I can always count on Watson to find timely and relevant information instantaneously, something that is critical in the rapid-paced environment of mergers and acquisitions," said Watson user Don McLellan, corporate vice president, mergers and acquisitions, Motorola, Inc. "As it runs automatically in the background, Watson explicitly understands the context for my work. I frequently receive information I didn't even know existed, let alone, thought to search for."

Salt Lake City-based MuseGlobal has decided to incorporate Intellext's Watson technology as an optional add-on component to its MuseSearch(TM) products and services. Many leading information management software and content providers feature MuseGlobal's MuseSearch metasearch architecture as underpinning technology for their products and services. Now these customers will also be able to use Intellext's Watson technology to proactively drive adoption and use of their technologies.

"Watson's ability to proactively drive the MuseServer to gather timely, relevant information greatly enhances the already compelling value proposition we offer to our customers," said Kate Noerr, CEO of MuseGlobal. "Watson as a front-end application driving the MuseServer powered back-end makes a very powerful information discovery system. As we expand into new markets such as legal and financial services, we expect this new functionality to make us an even more compelling choice."

Intellext is also offering the MuseSearch MuseServer as part of the Watson solution for large organizations -- the Watson Enterprise Edition. Users of this software are able to access the more than 3,000 preconfigured information sources available through the MuseServer. Additionally, enterprises can concentrate all search activity through one or more servers, gaining even more control and manageability.

The Watson product suite is available in three editions:

-- Watson Standard

- The Standard Edition is for individual business users to take advantage of in the workplace

- Proactively searches websites and desktop search applications for information relevant to what the user is working on. Information sources included with Watson Standard include web search engines, news sites, analyst and media databases and subscription-based external data sources.

- Watson Standard can be downloaded to an individual's desktop from the Intellext website, www.intellext.com/

-- Watson Professional

- Watson Professional is available for small and medium-sized businesses with up to 500 users.

- In addition to the functionality of Watson Standard, Watson Professional users also have access to corporate data sources such as corporate portal intranets and extranets, knowledge management solutions and corporate databases

- Easily configured to search new information sources so customers can decide which information sources are used by Watson.

-- Watson Enterprise

- Watson Enterprise is for large organizations with complex environments

- Increases the visibility and utilization of information within the enterprise, thereby boosting internal data-sharing and productivity

- This edition includes all functionality available in Watson
Professional, and also includes:

o The Watson Enterprise Server, which consists of software management and reporting tools, important offerings for enterprise customers

o Access to a more extensive, customizable set of information sources with the MuseServer and its more than 3,000 additional information sources

o The ability for companies to customize and brand the Watson application

About Intellext

Intellext, the "Intelligence in Context" software company based in Chicago was founded in 2003 as Open Road Technologies. Its Watson product suite enhances day-to-day work tasks by connecting users with business-critical knowledge as they need it, without interrupting their work. Watson is an essential component for any business or organization interested in leveraging its investment in information and intelligence. Because Watson objectively gathers and delivers information from sources selected by the customer, companies can count on users seeing only information that is related to their work. Watson can co-exist with and leverage a company's investment in its intelligence infrastructure and accelerates return on investment with sources such as knowledge management solutions, subscription services, databases, portals and extranets. For more information about Intellext and Watson, please visit www.intellext.com/ or email us at info@intellext.com.

For More Information:

Jeremy Adams
Edelman
312.233.1226
jeremy.adams@edelman.com