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September
11, 2000
"Extra'' Launches Extra Mile
Interactive TV Crew With Real Time
Tracking Powered by Televoke |
Note:
Download the RealVideo clip
of the ExtraTV
Segment here
(6.5 MB).
The RealVideo Plugin can be
downloaded here at http://www.real.com |
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| Televoke
System Used to Track Location
of Extra Mile Van On "Extra''
Web site |
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BURBANK,
California - (ENTERTAINMENT
WIRE) - September 11, 2000
- Extra" today launched Extra
Mile, television's first Interactive
News Crew, powered with the
Televoke tracking system.
On the Extra Mile segment,
viewers direct "Extra"
weekend anchor, Steve Santagati,
to his next destination on
an on-going cross-country
adventure. With Televoke's
service, viewers are able
to track the current location
of the Extra Mile crew on
the "Extra" Web
site at www.extratv.com/extramile/cmp/.
A simple click of "Track the
Crew" takes viewers to the
"X marks the spot" location
of the Extra Mile crew anywhere
within the continental United
States. Moreover, the first
viewer to reach the location
where "Extra" is
taping a segment will have
a chance to become an instant
member of the Extra Mile TV
crew. From skydiving to mountain
climbing to bungee jumping
to hanging out with a rock
band on the road, Extra Mile
takes its cameras, Televoke's
tracking system, and viewers
on the trip of a lifetime.
According to Lisa Gregorisch,
Senior Executive Producer
at 'Extra,' "We are delighted
to work with the Televoke
team. They were able to get
tracking of our Extra Mile
van up and running in a matter
of days." Gregorisch adds,
"This real time tracking capability,
with an easy Web pop-up, allows
our viewers to get involved
in a whole new way with our
program."
Rick Bentley, CEO at Televoke,
is equally excited about the
relationship. "Extra"
provides us with the opportunity
to show millions of viewers
how our technology connects
people to things that are
important to them." Bentley
adds, "Today, people can track
the Extra Mile van and even
their own cars. In the near
future, they will be able
to track their pets, kids,
and missing luggage."
How it works
The Extra Mile van is equipped
with a Televoke GPS satellite
receiver that continually
tracks the location of the
van and transmits that information
back, using Aeris.net's MicroBurst
(R) cellular network, to the
Televoke network operations
center. The location information
is converted into an address,
and a map location is then
displayed on the "Extra"
Web site as "X marks the spot."
Viewers can zoom in and out
to identify the city, or even
the block, where the "Extra"
van is located. Global Positioning
Satellite (GPS) receivers
provide location and address
accuracy within 60 feet of
actual location, so viewers
can readily find and follow
the van as it travels to it
next destination. The Televoke
network operations center
can support thousands of viewer
location hits at any one time,
so viewers from around the
country can stay up to date
on the Extra Mile crew location.
About
Extra TV
"Extra" originates
in Los Angeles and has a fully
staffed bureau in New York,
as well as correspondents
and producers around the globe.
The show offers a half-hour
edition every weekday and
an original hour-long weekend
installment, making it the
only national magazine show
that presents original episodes
52 weeks a year. Seen in more
than 90 percent of the country,
"Extra" airs on
major market affiliate stations,
including a number of key
NBC Television Owned & Operated
Stations. "Extra," a Time
Telepictures Television production,
is distributed by Warner Bros.
Domestic Television Distribution.
About Televoke
Televoke, Inc. is an Internet-based
Application Service Provider
that uses automated Web and
telephone services for connecting
people to things(TM). Televoke
provides notification, control,
and tracking services for
mobile and fixed assets. For
example, a customer with a
Televoke-enabled vehicle can
be notified when his car alarm
is triggered, unlock his car
doors simply by calling a
telephone number, and track
the location of his automobile
over the phone or on the Web.
Televoke, founded in 1998,
is a privately held company
headquartered in San Francisco,
California. For more information
on Televoke, please CLICK
HERE.
About
Aeris.net
Aeris.net,
headquartered in San Jose,
California, develops and implements
technologies that enable the
wireless connectivity and
control of remote intelligent
devices. Aeris.net leverages
the ubiquity of existing cellular
networks, the tremendous power
of the Internet, and the manufacturing
might of the cellular handset
industry to provide a cost-effective,
wireless data link to an expanding
host of fixed and mobile telemetry
applications. MicroBurst technology
in over 97 percent of cellular
service areas in the United
States and 100 percent of
Canada and Mexico. For more
information on Aeris.net,
call 408/557-1900 or visit
the Aeris.net Web site at
www.aeris.net.
Note: A Photo is available
at URL:
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/photo.cgi?pw.091100/bb3
Note: A RealVideo clip of
the
ExtraTV Segment on Televoke
can be downloaded here.
(6.5 MB download, & you'll
need the realplayer plugin).
The RealPlayer Plugin can
be downloaded here at URL:
http://www.real.com
CONTACT:
Televoke, Inc.
John Caner, 415/908-4432
john.caner@televoke.com
or Warner Brothers
Amy Prenner, 818/972-0589
amy.prenner@warnerbros.com
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