VREAM, Inc. announces WIRL Virtual Reality Browser for Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0; WIRL VR Browser for ActiveX Control Optimized for Internet Explorer

Business Wire, August 2, 1996

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 2, 1996--VREAM, Inc., a market leader in virtual reality software for the Web, today released an ActiveX version of its acclaimed WIRL Virtual Reality Web Browser. Now available for free download from VREAM's Web site (http://www.vream.com), WIRL for ActiveX(TM) takes full advantage of Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0's support for ActiveX technologies to allow Web surfers to experience fully interactive virtual reality (VRML) worlds on the Web.

"The ActiveX platform leverages our interactive 3D technology by allowing it to run within Microsoft's Internet Explorer and within any ActiveX- compliant application," said Edward R. LaHood, President and CEO of VREAM, Inc. "By taking advantage of ActiveX, we are providing a premium platform to web authors who want to build interactive 3D web sites and web surfers who want to experience state-of-the-art virtual reality on the Internet."

Whereas the Web historically has been based on text and 2D graphics, WIRL lets Web surfers experience interactive 3D on the Web. For example, Web surfers can fly helicopters, see spinning 3D business logos, play a piano, learn how to assemble products, and much more -- all on the Internet. WIRL is based on VRML, the emerging standard for 3D on the Internet, and provides advanced support for object behaviors such as motion, rotation, gravity, weight, elasticity, throwability and sound. WIRL also offers the fastest implementation of VRML on the Web, utilizing Microsoft's Direct3D(TM) graphics engine to achieve the highest performance on the PC platform.

"VRML is increasingly being used to add sizzle to web sites and will become a key component in many vertical markets--gaming and entertainment, architecture, computer-based training, and education," said Ken Gaebler, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at VREAM. "The combination of WIRL, our VRML web browsing software, and VRCreator, our VRML authoring tool, provide a complete solution for the development and deployment of interactive virtual reality content on the Web."

Both the WIRL Virtual Reality Browser for ActiveX and the VRCreator virtual reality authoring tool are available on VREAM's Web Site at http://www.vream.com. Chicago-based VREAM was founded in 1991 with the mission of bringing virtual reality to the mass market and is now a recognized leader in the area of virtual reality authoring tools and virtual reality Web browser software.

For more information on VREAM, VRCreator, or WIRL, contact Ken Gaebler, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, VREAM, Inc., 223 West Erie Street, Suite 600, Chicago, IL 60610, phone: (312) 477-0425; fax: (312) 477-9702; email: kgaebler@vream.com; Web site: http://www.vream.com.

Additional Data

WIRL Virtual Reality Browser for ActiveX

WIRL for ActiveX, built with Microsoft's Direct3D rendering engine for optimum performance, enables fully interactive virtual reality on the global Internet and intranets. Supporting VRML 1.0, WIRL extends VRML with robust support for object behaviors, logical cause and effect relationships, multimedia capabilities and links to other Windows applications.

Main Features:

- Brings truly interactive virtual reality to the Web

- Extends VRML with support for object dynamics, behaviors and

logic

- Utilizes Direct3D for high performance real-time 3D Graphics

- Provides authoring capabilities for VRML worlds

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VREAM is a registered trademark of VREAM, Inc. VRCreator and WIRL are trademarks of VREAM, Inc. All other marks are properties of their respective owners.

CONTACT: VREAM, Inc.

Ken Gaebler, 312/477-0425