Attensa - a world class RSS reader that solves the problem of synchronizing your feeds among multiple platforms, and also has shared intelligence technology, so that "group wisdom" can be applied to news feeds over an enterprise. You should check this application out I particularly liked the idea that within an enterprise a user could get a sense of which feeds were drawing the most attention.

Portland, OR. - September 27, 2006 - Attensa, Inc., the leading developer of RSS software for business, today introduced Attensa for Outlook 2.0, the first RSS reader designed specifically for enterprise use. With the new, free version, business users can easily get the critical business information they need while cutting through information overload. In addition IT managers can easily deploy a secure RSS reader and take full advantage of using internal and external Web feeds to channel business information.

"The never ending quest for IT departments is to get the right information, to the right people as soon as it is available. At the same time, information workers struggle with too much information that isn't relevant. The new version of Attensa for Outlook addresses these challenges head on," said Craig Barnes, CEO of Attensa. "In fact, the additions to Attensa for Outlook 2.0 come from our experiences working with tens of thousands of users in the world's largest corporations who demand a secure, easy to use and deploy RSS reader that helps streamline communications, cut through information overload and deliver rock solid performance."

Attensa for Outlook 2.0 brings new usability features and additional functionality based on in-depth feedback from IT professionals and corporate information workers in organizations where tens of thousands of desktops are using Attensa for Outlook. New features and benefits include:

Secure connectivity to Internal and External Web Feeds and AttentionStream reporting with the Attensa Feed Server
Attensa for Outlook 2.0 has deep connectivity with the Attensa Feed Server. When Attensa for Outlook is connected to the Attensa Feed Server articles read and deleted are treated consistently whether they are read in Outlook, the Attensa AJAX web reader, or on mobile devices. Attention data is gathered by the Attensa Feed Server which generates reports that can be used to streamline communication workflow, identify "must read" news feeds and articles and develop prioritized up-to-the-minute flow of critical business information.

Easily Play Audio and Video Content Directly in Player of Choice
The new version of Attensa for Outlook introduces a mini player that lets users listen and watch audio and video content in Outlook, directly in the River of News. As more businesses take advantage of on demand video and audio to create and deliver specialized information, Attensa for Outlook gives users a choice on how they want to consume rich media content. Users can get instant access to the content using the new River of News player, or they can access the content when it is most convenient using the Attensa for Outlook Pod Catcher. The Pod Catcher automatically downloads audio and video attachments and puts them in a clearly labeled playlist in Windows Media Player or iTunes.

Never Miss Priority Information
The new Desktop Alert toaster allows users to track fast breaking business information whether they are working in Outlook or not. The Desktop Alert appears when user selected priority feeds are updated with new articles.

Predictive Ranking AttentionStream
Attensa's AttentionStream technology uses predictive ranking to continuously observe and analyze how users read and process RSS articles and subscriptions. Through this ongoing analysis of AttentionStream data, including the time and frequency that feeds are accessed and articles read, deleted and ignored, Attensa for Outlook 2.0 displays feeds in a prioritized list based on the likelihood that they will be of interest to the reader. Priorities are constantly refined as the continuous stream of attention is processed. Attensa for Outlook 2.0 lets users choose how they want subscriptions and articles presented. Subscriptions can be displayed in a "River of News" view that simulates a single news feed, regardless of how many RSS feeds the user has subscribed to.

Other productivity features include:

• Automatically find, preview and add RSS feeds


• Powerful automated search tools


• Create, import and export custom reading lists


• Keep feeds and articles organized with tagging and categories


• Republish to blogs and forward articles as easily as sending and email


• Advanced compatibility with the Microsoft RSS Platform and minimal memory impact on Outlook performance.

Pricing and Availability - Attensa for Outlook for Outlook 2.0 can be downloaded at no charge immediately from the Attensa the Web site (www.attensa.com).

About Attensa
Attensa, Inc. is a venture backed software company committed to developing an RSS Network that intelligently delivers relevant, up-to-the-minute information to people on any device they choose.
For more information and to keep informed about new product introductions, please visit the company's Web site at http://www.attensa.com/ and at our blog at http://www.attensa.com/blogs/attensa.

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©2006 Attensa, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Attensa, the Attensa logo and AttentionStream are trademarks of Attensa, Inc. Microsoft Outlook is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are used for identification purposes only and are the rights of their exclusive holders.

Attensa, a Portland-based company, has continued to improve upon its enterprise RSS feed reader solution which I highlighted previously, by releasing Attensa 2.0. Attensa believes that an Outlook integrated feed reader is a core requirement for large corporations.

Attensa 2.0 offers all of the same features of the previous 1.5 version including the ability to leverage "attention" click stream data to fight information overload as the most influential information is bubbled to the top. Attensa 2.0 offers the ability to set desktop alerts to deliver server alerts, out of inventory updates, pricing changes or other specify needs. Attensa responded to feedback from its Attensa 1.5 corporate integrations and now offers audio and video podcasts inline. Inline audio and video enabled corporations to easily enable podcasts for corporate training and other internal uses as enclosures do not send users to external sites or intranets sites for playback. The screen-shot to the left shows an audio file being played inline.

Attensa 2.0 is being offered with forum support and a PDF user guide for free! Additional support and access to the Attensa knowledge base can be purchased for $24.95 per year per client.

TechCrunch: Attensa 2.0 Reads Feeds and Multimedia in Outlook for Free

Enterprise RSS and Attention company has moved to a strategy to sell customer support subscriptions and seed organizations with their product until a critical mass is met to offer their Enterprise Feed Server. I think that's a very good idea.

The basic premise of Attensa is that it's a feed reader that tracks users' reading habits and adjusts its display to offer the most important feeds at the right time for each reader. The Feed Server product allows businesses to manage a large number of desktop clients with varying default feeds and permission levels behind a firewall.

Other changes that have been made in the 2.0 release include the ability to play audio and video files inside Outlook, a desktop toast alert tool for high priority items and a number of stability and deployment improvements.

Attensa has now rolled out its product in a number of high profile enterprise contexts and says that the 2.0 product is far more battle tested than previous releases. They've got quite a few interesting projects in the works that I hope I'll be able to post on here at a later date.

The company has received $12 million in two rounds of funding, from Portland's Smart Forrest Ventures and Cambridge, Mass. based RSS Investors.

Start-up Attensa has developed a Microsoft Outlook RSS reader with a twist: it analyzes patterns in RSS feeds to see how information inside companies is being consumed.

The company next Tuesday will launch Attensa for Outlook 2.0, an upgrade to its reader designed to run in large-scale deployments, said Scott Niesen, Attensa's director of marketing, speaking at the New New Internet conference.

The reader puts individual RSS feeds into Outlook folders and allows people to get different views on incoming feeds. It plays podcasts from within Outlook. Attensa also sells a Linux server for administering feeds and generating reports.

The software has "attention analytics" which prioritize feeds for individuals based on previous patterns. Business managers are interested in usage patterns as well, Niesen said.

Corporate customers eager to experiment with Web 2.0 technologies are using Attensa's software to analyze RSS-generated information, which could be anything from news feeds to updates on internal wikis, he said.

For example, reports analyzing tags and forwarded information could indicate that a handful of people are experts in a specific topic and serve as conduits of information to others.

In addition, the software can show the feeds which people or groups are reading.

"Companies are very interested in specific information channels," said Niesen. "The attention analytics can pinpoint what information is being consumed by whom."

PORTLAND, Ore. Sept. 21, 2006 -- Attensa, Inc., the leading developer of RSS software for businesses, today announced the addition of Dr. Andreas S. Weigend to its Board of Advisors.

Weigend heads People and Data, a San Francisco-based strategic consulting firm, helping data-intensive organizations develop strategies based on behavioral analytics. He teaches Data Mining and E-Business at Stanford and was Amazon.com's full-time Chief Scientist. Over the last 20 years, he has published more than 100 scientific papers and worked with leading companies in the U.S., Europe, and Asia including Yahoo, Match.com, Alibaba, Goldman Sachs, and Swiss International Air Lines.

Weigend will collaborate with Attensa's senior technical team and share insights, strategies and algorithms designed to help information workers and businesses make better decisions by automatically discovering the most relevant information while cutting through information overload.

"Andreas' enthusiasm and excitement is contagious," said Eric Hayes, Vice President of Research and Development and Attensa co-founder. "His understanding of the deep math of attention behavior and social interaction will be a driving force in the advancement of our search, recommendation, and discovery AttentionStream."

"My ultimate goal is to show people the power of discovery in a connected world," said Weigend. "Attensa's AttentionStream technology enables companies and individuals to remember more, communicate better, share information, and make decisions based on learned preferences and wisdom of the community. I am looking forward to working with a great team as Attensa continues to roll out products and services that leverage Web 2.0 for information-intensive enterprises."

About Attensa
Attensa, Inc. is a venture backed software company committed to developing an RSS Network that intelligently delivers relevant, up-to-the-minute information to people on any device they choose.

For more information and to keep informed about new product introductions, please visit Attensa's web site and at our blog.

September 20, 2006
McClean, VA

The New New Internet is an interactive conference on Web 2.0 applications that includes discussion from high-level experts about the future of IT, adaptive web technologies and how they apply to business. The Sept. 20 day-long event, the first of its kind on the east coast, features a series of keynotes, panel discussions and presentations for senior executives and IT professionals on the growing relevance of Web 2.0 for business and government.

Notable speakers from foremost technology companies and educational institutions across the country will present innovative ideas. The agenda includes:

Michael Arrington, founder, TechCrunch: A front-row seat to the next generation of the Web and business

Jason Goldberg, founder & CEO, Jobster: About Jobster and defining Web 2.0

Dion Hinchcliff, founder & CTO, Hinchcliffe & Company: Software-as-a-Service and mash ups as a way to consume enterprise software

Andrew McAfee, associate professor, Harvard Business School: Enterprise 2.0 and the future of Web 2.0 in business.

Michael Platt, architect, Microsoft: Web 2.0 architecture

Rajen Sheth, enterprise development and management, Google: Business Web 2.0 defined

Attensa will be previewing the newest version of Attensa for Outlook and demonstrating the Attensa Feed Server in the Technology Showcase. If you are attending the conference and want to schedule a meeting, contact Scott Niesen.

September 18 -20, 2006
Scottsdale, AZ

Forrester's Technology Leadership Forum 2006 examines the dynamic changes facing our industry and presents innovative strategies, methods, and tools that will help you lead and prosper in your own IT ecosystem.

Attensa will be demonstrating a new version of Attensa for Outlook and the Attensa Feed Server. If you want to schedule a meeting at the conference contact Matthew Bookspan.

RSS technology continues to move forward in the enterprise world, and if Attensa has its way their Feed Server technology will provide the guiding hand toward greater RSS utility and usage.

A savvy company that steps up today for the Feed Server will be running ahead of the curve in the business world. Used effectively, the beneficial information a quality site can provide rapidly over a feed can help competitiveness in the marketplace.

Enterprise RSS vendor Attensa has released two new products this summer and I was able to take a look at both last week. The company now offers Attensa for Outlook version 1.5 beta and an Attensa Feedserver. Attensa Online, a consumer product we've written about in the past, has been deprioritized in favor of an enterprise focus. Attensa was one of the 12 highlighted innovators at the TechCrunch sponsored session at SuperNova this summer.

While RSS for individual news reading is invaluable, leveraging it for organizational communication is undoubtedly going to become a common practice in the near future. Attensa's use of attention data in both its Attensa for Outlook and Attensa Feedserver products is impressive now and the potential for the future is really exciting. Just about any source of information can be delivered by RSS and as the practice becomes more common we're going to need more sophisticated ways to take advantage of the medium.