SPRY/CompuServe Partner with 24 companies including Hilton, USA Today and Time Warner Electronic Publishing to provide next generation Online Communities; SPRY Ships Over 1 Million Customized Mosaic Disks

Business Wire, April 19, 1995

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 19, 1995--SPRY, the newly formed Internet Division at CompuServe, today announced 24 partnerships with corporations and professional publishers who have established a presence on the World Wide Web (Web). SPRY Mosaic Direct, a customized version of SPRY's retail product Mosaic In A Box, provides companies with a new online marketing solution that brings their customers directly to their content on the Web. In total, over 1 million SPRY Mosaic Direct disks have been shipped to date.

Companies including Hilton Hotels Corporation, Time Warner Electronic Publishing, USA TODAY, DELLWare, McGraw Hill and Starwave/ESPN (Editor's Note: For a complete list of companies, please refer to the enclosed document titled "SPRY Mosaic Direct Customer List") have partnered with SPRY to expand their online presence to the average consumer. SPRY Mosaic Direct is a solution that helps companies who have already established a presence on the Web, bring their customers to their homepage. SPRY realizes that although 6 million users are currently on the Web, it is crucial for corporations to also reach the 66 million Windows users who are not currently on the Internet.

"In just a month, SPRY Mosaic Direct has brought over 4,000 new Internet users to MecklerWeb," said Paul Bonington, publisher of Mecklermedia's Internet World and Web Week. "MecklerWeb is an integral part of our mission to serve the Internet community `in print, in person, and on the Web' through our publications, trade shows and Web site. We believe that in order to have a successful homepage, it must be promoted using traditional advertising and unique opportunities in direct marketing. Creating awareness of MecklerWeb through the SPRY Mosaic Direct promotion has proved to be a very cost-effective way to build user traffic."

Next Generation Online Communities

SPRY Mosaic Direct is a customized version of SPRY's successful retail product, Mosaic In A Box. The one disk solution includes SPRY's Web browser, as well as the necessary software to get users connected to the Web within minutes. Through the CompuServe "Internet Access Phone Book", over 95% of the United States can create local Internet accounts.

For customized versions, SPRY has created special hotlists and installation screens/text and configured SPRY Mosaic to default to the corporation's homepage, therefore guaranteeing the company that their current customer base along with new customers will reach their content on the Web.

"Unlike other proprietary online services, SPRY Mosaic Direct puts us one click away from our customers," said Bruce Rosenberg, vice president marketing distribution for Hilton Hotels Corporation. "SPRY is providing us with a simple solution that promotes our company, not the online service that our information resides on."

SPRY Mosaic Direct can be packaged in magazines and books, as well as bundled with cars, refrigerators or tennis shoes. Any company that publishes on the Web can now build their own online network with SPRY Mosaic Direct.

Pricing and Availability

Companies looking for customized versions of SPRY Mosaic Direct can call 800-777-9638, send email to mdirect@spry.com or peruse SPRY's home page at www.spry.com. Depending on quantity, special volume discounts are available.

SPRY, Inc.

SPRY, the new Internet Division of CompuServe, is the leading developer of Internet access applications for the office, home and publishing markets. Founded in 1989, the company is based in Seattle. SPRY brings networked connectivity to the Windows desktop through three products: Internet Office, Internet In A Box and Mosaic In A Box.

Internet Office is a corporate network solution designed to provide PC to Internet, UNIX and mainframe connectivity through a full suite of applications. Internet In A Box provides the remote dial-up user with full Internet connectivity. Mosaic In A Box is an entry-level Internet access solution providing consumers with "plug and play" access to the Internet's World Wide Web.

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Note to Editors: All brands, products and service names mentioned are trademarks or registered service marks of their respective owners.

SPRY Mosaic Direct Company List

The following companies are creating customized online communities through SPRY Mosaic Direct:

C|NET, Inc. ContentWare CyberNET dealerNet DELLWare ElectroMedia Grand Royal Records/Beastie Boys Hilton Hotels Corporation Homes & Land Interactive Age Leading Edge Lighthouse Productions Maximum Press McGraw Hill Mecklermedia Corporation Metaverse Nielsen PC/Computing RBPI Starwave/ESPN Sybex Time Warner Electronic Publishing TravelNet USA TODAY

CONTACT: SPRY, CompuServe Internet Division

Deanna Leung, 206/442-8231

E-mail: deanna@spry.com