The Print Shop LiveMail from Broderbund Makes Animated E-mail Messages Sing, Dance and Shout

Business Wire, Sept 16, 1997

NOVATO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 16, 1997--In a move that gives consumers a new option to creatively communicate with friends and family using E-mail, Broderbund Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:BROD) today began shipping The Print Shop(R) LiveMail(TM). The program allows users to create interactive E-mail messages that can be customized with animation, special effects, motion and sound. It works with all conventional E-mail programs and requires no plug-ins or special player software, just a Java-compatible browser, for messages to be viewed. The Print Shop LiveMail is the first Internet product in The Print Shop series, America's best-selling line of personal productivity software.

"The Print Shop LiveMail is a natural extension of the The Print Shop family of products," said Harry Wilker, Senior Vice President of Broderbund. "For thirteen years The Print Shop has given our customers the ability to creatively communicate their ideas in a variety of formats including newsletters, greetings cards, signs and banners. The Print Shop LiveMail uses a new vehicle, the Internet, to achieve the same goal."

The Print Shop LiveMail messages feature animated scenes that talk and sing, and are easily created from more than 1,400 images, 550 animated graphics, and 200 sounds. The software allows consumers to string together multiple scenes and even add interactive hot spots to graphics and text to messages. If clicked, these interactive hot spots give the recipient a new graphic, animation, sound or text message. They can even lead the recipient to another Web site through an embedded hot link. Using The Print Shop LiveMail, the sender can quickly create either a unique, personalized message from scratch or begin with one of the more than 200 ready-made cards available.

Unlike other electronic messaging programs, The Print Shop LiveMail makes it simple to receive an animated message because no special player software is needed in order to view it. Recipients simply need a conventional E-mail program and a Java-compatible browser, such as Netscape Navigator 2.02 and above or Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 and above, to view their message as an HTML page hosted by The Print Shop LiveMail server. Each LiveMail card is given a specific, confidential URL which is sent to both the recipient and the sender via conventional E-mail. Once the recipient has viewed the message he or she can reply directly to the sender from the message. Internet users can download a free, trial version of The Print Shop LiveMail at http://www.pslivemail.com .

The Print Shop LiveMail was developed by Zapa Digital Arts of Tel Aviv, Israel, and licensed to Broderbund. Zapa Digital Arts develops visual communication solutions consisting of complementary authoring environments and servers based on proprietary Java and 3D technologies. Founded in 1993, Zapa has emerged as an industry leader in its efforts to fuse art and technology to produce unique, innovative, visual communications solutions for the rapidly developing Internet marketplace. In addition to the company's Tel Aviv headquarters, Zapa Digital Arts now has a second office in Saratoga, California.

Pricing and Availability

The Print Shop LiveMail will be available in retail outlets in early October (ESP $29.95). The free, lite version is currently available at http://www.pslivemail.com .

Hardware Requirements

The Print Shop LiveMail requires Windows 95, 66MHZ 486 or faster, Pentium(R) recommended, 8MB RAM, 16MB recommended, 11MB hard disk space, 2x CD-ROM drive or faster, SVGA monitor/display card 640x480, 256 colors, and a Windows compatible sound device.

About The Print Shop

Broderbund has offered The Print Shop series of best-selling personal productivity products since 1984. In addition to The Print Shop LiveMail, the family currently includes The Print Shop(R) Premier Edition 5.0, a completely revamped version of its classic product; The Print Shop(R) PressWriter(TM), a program for producing text-oriented documents; The Print Shop(R) Publishing Suite, a program that links the power of The Print Shop Premier Edition 5.0 with the versatility of The Print Shop PressWriter; The Print Shop(R) Signature Greetings(TM), a program that lets users create high-quality greeting cards; and The Print Shop(R) Standard Edition, an introductory consumer publishing product.

About Broderbund Software

Broderbund Software, Inc. develops, publishes and markets a broad line of interactive content for use in homes, schools and small businesses. Since its founding in 1980, Broderbund has pioneered innovative award-winning products that take advantage of the latest technologies. Broderbund's Web site is located at http://www.broderbund.com . The Print Shop Connection Web site can be found at http://www.printshop.com . -0-

The Print Shop Premier Edition 5.0, The Print Shop Publishing Suite, The Print Shop Signature Greetings, The Print Shop Standard Edition, The Print Shop LiveMail, The Print Shop PressWriter, The Print Shop and Broderbund are trademarks or registered trademarks of Broderbund Software, Inc. All other company and/or product names are trademarks and or registered trademarks of their respective companies.