Attensa is also offering customers an easy way to evaluate and pilot the Attensa Feed Server with a free trial version which can be downloaded immediately from Attensa.com. The trial version is a fully functional version of the Attensa Feed Server that supports five locally configured users, unlimited groups, unlimited feeds and can be quickly installed on the evaluator's hardware.
Attensa and rPath Partner on Feed Server Virtual Appliance to Alleviate the Configuration and Integration Challenges for Customers
Attensa developed the virtual appliance version of the Feed Server in partnership with rPath, provider of the first platform for creating and maintaining virtual appliances. A virtual appliance is an application combined with a streamlined operating system, offered in a format that runs in virtualized environments.
"Software applications delivered as virtual appliances represent a better way to distribute software, because the typical hassles of installation, integration, maintenance and administration have been removed,” said Marty Wesley, director of product marketing. "End-users will find the Attensa Feed Server to be an ideal way to begin building Enterprise 2.0 appications because it's easy to work with and build on."
To develop the Feed Server virtual appliances, Attensa uses rPath's web-based interface for configuring and maintaining virtual appliances, performing key tasks such as update management, application configuration, license management, and backup.
"Our partnership with rPath is helping us offer new ways for customers to easily experience the benefits of managed RSS for streamlining communications in the enterprise,” said Rich Rudolph, Vice President of Sales and Marketing of Attensa.
The Attensa Feed Server – Putting Web Feeds to Work Behind the Firewall
The Attensa Feed Server can be easily installed behind the firewall to create a secure, scalable, enterprise RSS environment that integrates seamlessly into the fabric of IT networks environments. With the Attensa Feed Server, individuals, workgroups, departments and entire organizations can securely receive internal and external RSS information. RSS articles can be read in Attensa feed readers for Windows, Mac, Microsoft Outlook, BlackBerry and other mobile phones, and in a secure online reader. Attensa's unique AttentionStream™ synchronization ties the server to the company's desktop, web and mobile RSS readers so articles read, filed and deleted are continuously updated, regardless of when or where they are accessed.
About Attensa
Attensa, Inc. is a venture backed software company developing enterprise RSS software that gets the right information, to the right people at the right time.
For more information and to keep informed about new enterprise RSS product introductions, please visit the company's Web site - http://www.attensa.com and at our blog - http://www.attensa.com/blogs/attensa.
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©2007 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’s enterprise RSS feed readers for Windows, Mac and Microsoft Outlook can be downloaded at no charge immediately from the Attensa Web site http://www.attensa.com.
The new Attensa feed readers are designed specifically for enterprise RSS use. Feature sets and functionality were developed using in-depth feedback from IT professionals and corporate information workers in organizations where tens of thousands of knowledge workers are using Attensa for Outlook today.
Choice of “River of News” views including AttentionStream view that automatically pulls articles that are most important to the forefront of the user’s attention.
Attensa’s unique AttentionStream Learning Engine observes and learns from the user’s feed and article reading behaviors and works on the principle that past and present actions predict future behavior. Deep analytics of article content are matched to a personalization system that automatically prioritizes and recommends new articles that will be of interest to the reader.
This ongoing analysis of AttentionStream data includes the time and frequency that feeds are accessed, and analyzes which articles are read, deleted and ignored. Attensa 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 user attention is processed. Enterprise RSS users can 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.
Consistent architecture provides fast feed and article loading and streamlined synchronization with the Attensa Feed Server.
The new Attensa feed readers use a consistent architecture to insure quick access to feeds and articles and accurate and reliable synchronization with the Attensa Feed Server. The Attensa Feed Server channels feeds to users and groups behind the firewall and makes it easy to create a secure, managed, scalable enterprise RSS feed environment. Attensa's unique AttentionStream™ synchronization ties the server, desktop, web, instant messaging and mobile RSS reader clients together so articles read, filed and deleted are continuously up to date.
Consistent user experience and updated interface makes managing and reading feeds easy while simplifying training
Safe and Secure Subscriptions to Internal and External RSS feeds
As more businesses are looking at enterprise RSS platforms as communication vehicles that can handle sensitive financial, development and supply chain information, the need for a safe secure transmission of information is paramount. Attensa feed readers handle secure feeds with authentication credentials to insure critical information is only being read by the people authorized to receive it. Feeds can be filtered to strip out potentially malicious attachments and scripting.
One-click blog republishing and easy editing
The publishing toolbar can be linked to Microsoft LiveWriter, a desktop WYSIWYG authoring application that makes is easy to write, edit and add photos and other rich content to blog posts. Articles can be easily edited republished to internal or external blogs including Blogger, LiveJournal, TypePad, Windows Live Spaces,and WordPress. Writer supports RSD (Really Simple Discoverability), the Metaweblog API, and the Movable Type API.
Other Attensa enterprise RSS feed reading productivity features include:
Pricing and Availability – Attensa enterprise RSS feed readers for Windows, Mac and Microsoft Outlook can be downloaded at no charge immediately from the Attensa Web site http://www.attensa.com.
About Attensa
Attensa, Inc. is a venture backed software company developing enterprise RSS software that gets the right information, to the right people at the right time.
For more information and to keep informed about new product introductions, please visit the company’s Web site - http://www.attensa.com and at our blog - http://www.attensa.com/blogs/attensa.
###
©2007 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.
]]>May 8 - 10
Orlando
We're off to WES 2007 the yearly three-day event where BlackBerry software development partners, aspiring partners, carriers, BlackBerry admins and power users gather to explore what's new in wireless security, administration tools and end-user support for wireless applications. Look us up in booth 307.
April 16 - 19, 2007
Boston
This is the first time Attensa is exhibiting at AIIM. Our objective is to get an Enterprise 2.0 sanity check from the people who are deeply involved in business intelligence, knowledge management, collaboration and content management.
From our point of view, most business collaboration today revolves around portals that aren’t being used effectively, tidal waves of email and attachments and conference calls. Of course, we think there’s a better way using Web Feed Workflows. That's why we are so interested in getting feedback from the enterprise experts who live and breathe this stuff.
If you're in Boston or heading for AIIM stop by booth 3201 and tell us what you think. Believe me we're interested in your feedback.
Here's his bottom line on Attensa:
"Attensa gives you multiple deployment options, from configuring Outlook users with or without a desktop client to a Web interface and mobile options. The Outlook plug-in is laudable for features and usability. And intelligent ranking of feeds is noteworthy.
Mike had great things to say about the Attensa Feed Server, Attensa for Outlook and the Attensa approach to managing feeds behind the firewall. He also shared some of the insights he has gained researching the category and talking to enterprise customers.
"63% of RSS users subscribe to work-related feeds."
"That latter finding shouldn't surprise IT managers. After all, RSS readers are easy to install and use. This technology does a fine job helping workers cut through irrelevant information that floods portals, enterprise search results, and e-mail. But as RSS's popularity rises, so do risks. For example, precious network bandwidth is consumed when many employees update the same feed. Plus, there are security risks associated with accessing inappropriate feeds. To get around these issues and give more employees the benefit of RSS, organizations are adopting enterprise RSS solutions."
"Enterprises using these solutions report measurable time savings -- often achieving full ROI in a few months."
"Enterprise RSS is poised to become the focal point employees turn to for information, eclipsing individual aggregators plus systems such as portals, intranets, and enterprise applications."
Now on to Mike's experience with Attensa:
"Attensa's RSS solution includes an Outlook reader that works stand-alone or can pull feeds located on a central Attensa Feed Server sitting behind your firewall. Optionally, enterprises can install Attensa's Exchange service to bypass the Outlook plug-in and deliver feeds directly to Exchange mailboxes. An AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) Web Reader and mobile clients -- Blackberry, Good Mobile Messaging for Exchange, and Windows Mobile 5 -- complete the picture
"I simply checked off options on forms to subscribe groups to individual feeds or multiple categories. Similarly, I set defaults for each group, such as whether feeds would be delivered to Outlook and which publishing features were enabled.
There's suitable reporting, including which users are reading what feeds, the number of feeds in the system, and related statistics.
For end-users, my testing indicated that Attensa for Outlook has minimal memory impact on Outlook. Feed Server works in the background gathering and processing RSS feeds, which were quickly pulled into Outlook using the standard MAPI protocol. As a result, when I signed into Outlook, the latest feeds were immediately available. Moreover, after I subscribed to a new feed, that information was sent to the appliance so the feed was kept current for everyone else who also had it on their personal subscription list.
"Attensa's Outlook plug-in provided the best user experience of the products reviewed. Its clean interface -- with resizable panes and multiple views -- was further adjustable to my working style. For example, subscriptions could be displayed as one large news feed or by categories. In both cases the text layout was easy to read. Additionally, organizations can apply custom style sheets to match corporate branding."
"You get several ways to arrange feeds in the order of importance: Predictive Ranking (feeds that would likely interest you based on the streams you read most frequently and consistently), personal favorites, or by date. I observed that Attensa's analytics techniques did indeed improve feed relevance the more I used the system."
"Of special interest, Attensa integrates with Salesforce.com. In this case, SFA changes are pushed directly to your mobile device via RSS -- eliminating the step of going to Salesforce.com to get updates on clients or prospects."
"What's more, Attensa's AttentionStream synchronizes desktop, mobile, and Web RSS readers -- meaning articles read, filed, and deleted are consistent across all platforms."
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