Press Release: Newbury Networks, Inc.
June 4, 2002
BOSTON, MA -- Newbury Networks, Inc., the leader in the market for developing location-enabled networks (LENs)
over 802.11, yesterday announced that the Royal Sonesta Hotel is using its LocaleServer(TM) solution for deploying
wireless location-enabled guided walking tours to patrons and visitors for its modern art collection. The artwork
is on display throughout the Royal Sonesta's public spaces and restaurants. The Royal Sonesta will be administrating
the location-based tours by providing Compaq iPaq PocketPCs configured with 802.11 wireless cards to visitors browsing
the over 80 exhibits spanning the first two floors of the hotel.
The core component to this unique LENs is a locale -- contextually defined locations or spaces within a wireless
local area network (WLAN). In the case of the Royal Sonesta's location-based application, there are nearly 50 of
these locales throughout its modern art gallery. The location-based wireless guided walking tours will provision
or "push" Web-based content about a particular exhibit and its artist when a patron walks into or near
the artwork. Defining spaces as discrete locations and taking advantage of the information or content that might
be used within those locations is the essence of the Newbury Networks LEN value proposition. LocaleServer provides
the application management platform for the Royal Sonesta to build these location-enabled guided tours as well
as the usage tracking, analysis and reporting critical for identifying space usage patterns, customer traffic,
etc.
"The Royal Sonesta's application is a perfect example of how LocaleServer provisions timely, accurate application
content based on location," said Michael Maggio, president and CEO, Newbury Networks, Inc. "Newbury Networks
is the first company to provide a commercially available platform for location-enabled applications running on
today's rapidly growing 802.11 network. The Sonesta's deployment is one example of how this breakthrough technology
leverages this important new market to deliver location-based networks and applications to the leading hotels,
museums, enterprises and universities."
"Our company has a long-standing commitment to technology and contemporary art," said John Murtha, vice
president and general manager, Royal Sonesta Hotel Boston. "It was only through the capabilities provided
by Newbury Networks and LocaleServer, that we are able to enhance the visual and educational experience of our
modern art collection with this unique service. It also contributes to our goal of being a leader in offering high-tech
services to our guests. We believe this first implementation is only the start of a new and powerful way to deliver
services throughout our hotel."
Newbury Networks' LocaleServer is the first of its kind application management platform for enabling a new breed
of applications that leverage mobile users, locations and services available to those running on location-enabled
networks. LocaleServer takes advantage of these location-enabled networks by provisioning or "pushing"
specific content relevant to the mobile user when they are present in a defined space or locale.
LocaleServer provides the following unique functionality and benefits:
* Provisioning -- In addition to provisioning Web-based content based on
a user's location, LocaleServer also provides the network manager or
system administrator the ability to manage network access and usage
based on location. For example, an organization could provide general
Internet access to their guests in the common areas of the office
(reception area, lobby, meeting rooms, etc.). LocaleServer also
includes usage management capabilities for "turning off" specific
locations, performing troubleshooting, etc. It also allows the IT
professional to deliver proximity access to the closest peripherals
such as a printer, fax machine, projector, etc.
* Data Mining and Asset Management -- LocaleServer delivers valuable
logging information such as property usage, network traffic, usage
patterns and network activity. This information becomes critical for
determining optimal placement of access points and identifying patterns
that ultimately help the network run with greater efficiency and
performance. LocaleServer also tracks all 802.11-enabled devices or
equipment. This becomes a "must have" for managing large numbers of
users and safeguarding against the loss of valuable equipment and
peripherals.
* Software Development Kit (SDK) -- LocaleServer includes an easy-to-use,
graphical builder or SDK to define the locales within the location-
enabled network. IT professionals or business users can quickly
"train" the defined spaces in within range of the APs and the type of
data (messages, Web content, access, etc.) pushed to or servicing that
location.
* Back-end integration -- LocaleServer is an open, robust software
platform that integrates with virtually any back-end enterprise
application -- so organizations can leverage the investment in critical
back-end data that drives their transactions and business processes.
LocaleServer integrates with enterprise data through an Enterprise Java
Bean (EJB) interface to ensure a seamless integration path from
enterprise data to the mobile client.
* Client-side user interface -- The LocaleServer client layer provides
for the development of thin-client HTML based Web content or a
Java-based application that runs on industry-leading PDAs such as
Microsoft's (MSFT) PocketPC(TM) or Palm's (PALM) PalmOS(TM) computing
platforms or on any 802.11b-enabled device like a laptop. LocaleServer
also supports any client platforms running Sun's (SUNW) Personal
Java(TM) 1.2. Simultaneous creation of client screens and custom
applications is achieved with LocaleServer's intuitive development-side
tools.
About the Royal Sonesta Hotel
The Royal Sonesta Hotel Boston is a 400-room luxury hotel located on the banks of the Charles River offering spectacular
views of the Boston skyline. All guestrooms feature T1 Internet access, with wireless access available from all
function rooms, public spaces and the Gallery Cafe restaurant. The Royal Sonesta features a full service health
club with an atrium style indoor/outdoor pool with retractable roof, a locally recognized concierge staff and an
award winning catering staff with state of the art banquet facilities. Sonesta Hotels, Resorts & Nile Cruises,
based in Boston, operates a collection of 22 upscale hotels and resorts and 3 Nile Cruise ships. For more information
about the Royal Sonesta Hotel Boston visit us on the web at http://www.sonesta.com/boston
or call 617.806.4200.
About Newbury Networks, Inc.
Newbury Networks is the first and only company to introduce a new breed of network technologies and services known
as Location-Enabled Networks(TM) (LENs) for 802.11-based WLANs. Helping organizations maximize and extend the functionality
of their WLAN deployments by managing the locations within the wireless network -- wherever it is deployed -- is
a breakthrough approach that only Newbury Networks is addressing. Newbury's solutions are bringing new levels of
security, provisioning, network management and efficiencies to corporate campuses, universities, hotels, convention
centers, museums, and other locations. Newbury's management team is comprised of executives from companies such
as Cisco Systems, Computer Associates, NetGenesis, NetMorf and Virtual Ink. For more information on Newbury Networks
and its solutions for enabling locations for the mobile enterprise, visit http://www.newburynetworks.com.
Newbury Networks, Location-Enabled Networks and LocaleServer are trademarks of Newbury Networks, Inc. All other
company and product names are property of their respective companies.
SOURCE: Newbury Networks, Inc.