Children's Media Goes Wireless: FableVision Pioneers Development of Rich Media Content for Handheld Devices Using ActiveSky Technology BOSTON, MA - FableVision Studios and ActiveSky have announced their content development agreement to produce educational and entertainment applications for mobile devices using ActiveSky's wireless rich media delivery technology. This is Fablevision's entrance into the emerging market for which ActiveSky provides a critical underlying encoding and distribution technology. FableVision's first Active Sky-based offering is its BeamCard™ line of PDA-based, sound-enabled, animated "greeting cards" which users can beam to any recipient. Additionally, FableVision as a newly licensed encoding partner, will be one of the studios able to develop rich media content for use on any PDA. This is through ActiveSky's technology support for all devices running on the Palm, Windows CE and Pocket PC operating systems. Azita Arvani, VP of Business Development and Strategy underscored the importance of the alliance saying, "As a pioneer of wireless rich media services, we value the importance of exploring real applications with companies who truly understand the new world of digital media. FableVision has a trusted brand in children's educational media and offers a proven expertise in developing content for interactive platforms." Founder and President of FableVision Peter Reynolds concurs, "Content is absolutely key - we create the reason for the Player download." Reynolds explained, "FableVision is using ActiveSky's technology to create compelling, relevant content that will draw educators, students, and families to the wireless world in ways that harness technology's potential to tell stories that move, stories that matter." FableVision's First ActiveSky Offering - BeamCards™: "Beaming You Good Wishes" Developed with ActiveSky's new technology, FableVision's BeamCards are short animated "greeting cards" which can be downloaded for free at http://www.fablevision.com/beamcards. FableVision's Goldberger explains, "FableVision's BeamCards are a viral marketing gem and have already captured the imagination of our current cross-media client base - companies like Simon & Schuster, Candlewick Press, and Scholastic Entertainment." FableVision will continue building its own library of original ActiveSky-based properties and has added it to the studio's custom media development for clients' educational, entertainment and marketing needs. ActiveSky technology supports nearly all rich media formats, delivering visual content, including animation, graphics, interactive text and video, across mobile networks. Designed to work on both high and low-powered devices, the company's platform enables the display of rich media on more mobile devices, such as PDAs and cell phones, than any other media delivery offering. "As soon as people see FableVision content playing on a PDA, they're blown away," glows Gary Goldberger, FableVision's Studio Director and CTO. Goldberger adds, "This is red hot technology - and our media partners instantly recognize the huge potential here." Goldberger has worked closely with other technology partners such as Toon Boom Technologies in the collaborative development of sophisticated digital animation systems, including TicTacToon and USAnimation. ActiveSky has signed other content providers to distribute news, entertainment and educational short programs. The ActiveSky Media Player is already being preloaded on the newest Palm PDAs and can also be downloaded at no charge at http://www.activesky.com. About FableVision Studios Led by Peter Reynolds, FableVision Studios (http://www.fablevision.com) leverages multiple media platforms including animation, books, CD-ROM, and the Web to create "stories that matter, stories that move" for children, adults and families, museums, publishers and broadcasters. The company continues to build an award-winning reputation among the educational, publishing and cross-media landscape. FableVision's recent animated film Antarctic Antics created in collaboration with Weston Woods/Scholastic, Inc. was recently awarded the American Library Association's (ALA) prestigious Andrew Carnegie Medal, and Judy Moody (Candlewick Press), which Peter illustrated, has already garnered the following accolades: American Library Association "Notable Children's Books 2001", Bookbuilders of Boston Award "Winner - Juvenile Division", Publisher's Weekly "Best Children's Books 2000", and The New York Public Library's "Children's Books 2000 - 100 Titles for Reading & Sharing" List. Peter Reynolds is currently writing and illustrating several children's books for Simon & Schuster and Candlewick Press as well as launching two original animated series with Sesame Workshop/Nickelodeon's new television/on-line network, Noggin. About ActiveSky ActiveSky technology enables the delivery of rich media to wireless devices. The company's end-to-end image delivery platform integrates a graphics viewer and media player, powering a new wave of personal and business applications including location-based marketing, m-commerce and streaming video. ActiveSky has headquarters in San Mateo, Calif., with offices in Europe and Australia. For more information, visit www.activesky.com

Go to Pressroom

Go to What's New

Copyright © 2000, FableVision. All rights reserved.