Cool Stuff Coming!

Over the next few months, you're going to get the chance to play with a number of toys that we've been working on for quite a while. You may have already noticed our RSS 1.0 Feeds have gone live, and expanded RSS 2.0 and other XML functionality is a few days away.

These features are particularly valuable to those of you who have come to depend on ANN's Real-Time News Delivery... especially if you have a full-time data connection to depend on.

In addition to the slick RSS and XML feeds (and a few things we'll be talking about shortly... REALLY cool stuff, we promise), we're about ready to release the first public build of ANN's long-awaited Aero-NewsBug... a way to find out RIGHT NOW when Aero-News is breaking.  

For those of you using a Windows 2K/XP PC (MAC version in the works... we promise), this new REALTIME News Service from the Aviation World’s DAILY News Service, the Aero-News Network (ANN), will let you know when our REALTIME, award-winning NewsFeed has been updated -- LIVE. RIGHT NOW. NO KIDDING.

Since we update our REALTIME newsfeed dozens of times a day, this is expected to be a VERY useful utility.

With just a few days left before public release, we're prepared to let a few folks take a look at the last beta, in case someone can find a way to break it that we haven't seen yet (and if Campbell can't break it, we think we may be on the right track). That done, we'll release the public version when our Super Web-Geek, Birgit, returns from a much-needed vacation.

If you want to be one of the first to play with the latest beta, click the email link here, or below, and we'll mail the 700K beta file to you in .zip format. Keep in mind that this is still a beta version... there is NO support or instruction manual for it right now... and we're only willing to disseminate this version in order to seek comments, suggestions, bug reports and the like. It un-installs readily so if you do wind up with issues, you can nuke it at will. PLEASE do let us know what you think and if you wind up with any major problems.

The “First Look” version we’re showing comes as a simple ZIP file with an equally simple self-installation protocol (click on file, do what it says, and no one gets hurt... grin). If you have any problems, let us know and we’ll email a detailed installation protocol when we approve it.

When installed, you'll see a small blue and white airplane icon on the lower right hand side of your windows installation, in the system tray. If the airplane icon isn't doing anything, you're up to date on news. BUT... when the airplane starts moving, (or making sounds that you can select from the control panel), all you have to do is click on it once to see for the NewsBug window to open to display either the newest headlines OR (depending on what you select in the user preferences) headlines and short summaries of the latest news. Click on any of the stories and you'll instantly open a separate window to the story that you just selected.

Simple. Unobtrusive. Cool. Efficient.

Get Your Own Branded Aero-NewsBug

In addition to the standard public version of the Aero-NewsBug, custom “Branded” versions will be available for major aviation associations, companies and organizations wishing for a distinctive news product for their members, customers and associates. These versions will feature Custom Logos reflecting the affiliated organization. With additional future functionality ALREADY built-in, this offering is due to be available with the first publicly disseminated generation of the Aero-NewsBug.

Some of the additional features we are preparing will allow for extensive customization and specialized news and information requests… in REALTIME. In other words… more cool things coming… SOON. You are NOT going to believe what else we have up our sleeves for the near future... especially come Oshkosh-time. We promise to blow your minds...

FMI: Aero-NewsBug Beta test