Plaxo, Inc.:
-- New Partner Program and Toolkits Make It Easy to Integrate Address Book Functionality Into Any Application or Web Site
-- More Than 9 Partners, Including JAJAH, Outblaze and Zazzle Commit to Delivering Plaxo-Integrated Solutions
Plaxo(R), Inc., creator of the Universal Address Book that keeps millions of members in touch with their friends, colleagues, and information, today announced the launch of the Open Platform Program for partners and individual developers. In association with the launch, Plaxo released a set of tools, including an open Application Program Interface (API) and a JavaScript Address Book Access Widget, which enable any site or application to easily offer address book functionality to users, interoperate with existing address book solutions, and leverage the power of the growing Plaxo network.
Three companies, Web Information Solutions (WebIS), Mail.com, and eGrabber, have Plaxo-integrated solutions through the Open Platform Program. More than six other companies, including JAJAH, Outblaze and Zazzle have committed to delivering Plaxo-integrated solutions in the near future.
Providing users with easy access to complete, accurate, and updated contact information has become a strategic imperative for a wide range of communications and commerce applications, including online travel, web-based email, gift giving, personal productivity, and social networking. While consumers need accurate contact information to fully use these services, building address book applications is difficult and time consuming, and most consumers are reluctant to use systems that don't interoperate smoothly with their existing electronic address books, such as those found in Outlook or Outlook Express. Through the Open Platform Program, Plaxo gives developers a set of tools that let them easily integrate address book functionality that leverages the tools their customers are already using, and tap into the power of the rapidly growing Plaxo network.
The lightweight Plaxo Address Book Access Widget is for web sites that need to give users easy access to contact information to perform a particular function, such as entering shipping addresses for gifts or building a list of frequently used e-mail addresses. The Widget allows visitors to a particular site to (1) seamlessly import contacts from the address books they use every day, (2) select entries, and (3) enter selected data into web page forms. In addition, for the millions of existing Plaxo members, the Widget allows them to access their complete Plaxo address book directly from the site. This means no more searching for address information when generating a map to a friend's house or worrying if a cousin's birthday present is being shipped to the correct location.
Reflecting current "Web 2.0" design principles, the Widget can be implemented by any site in a matter of minutes, by simply inserting a few lines of JavaScript. Use of the Widget is free of charge to both commercial sites and to developers seeking to create address book "mash-ups."
"YouTube users are looking for faster, more convenient ways to share videos with their friends and family," said Steve Chen, co-founder and chief technology officer of YouTube. "By offering the YouTube community access to their address books through Plaxo, people will be more empowered to broadcast their video experiences to their ever expanding list of personal contacts."
As part of a continued effort to extend Plaxo to various communications platforms, the Plaxo API allows developers to integrate fully functioning and universally synchronized address books into their solutions. Using the Plaxo API, partners can offer their members direct and integrated access to the Plaxo Universal Address Book which is synchronized with Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, AOL, Mac, and Thunderbird. The API also gives partners the tools to help new members create Universal Address Books, including the important first step of importing and synchronizing contacts from multiple existing sources.
"We have been looking for ways to increase the functionality and usage of our unique web mail solution," said David Kim, CEO of Mail.com. "By working with Plaxo, we were able to quickly integrate a smart address book into our service, increasing usage and giving our members a way to seamlessly transition between work e-mail, home e-mail, and mobile."
Other companies are using the Open Platform Program to produce Plaxo applications for their platforms. "We have seen tremendous demand from our customers to have Plaxo work natively on their PocketPC devices," said Aleksei Kac, founder and chief executive officer of WebIS. "Through the Plaxo Open Platform Program, we were able to quickly produce a fully-functioning Plaxo client, which is generating great response in trials and should prove to be a popular value-added offering."
"eGrabber's goal is to improve business productivity by providing our customers with one click data capture solutions," said Chandra Bodapati, CEO of eGrabber. "Our AddressGrabber Basic tool is designed to help users easily capture and transfer contact name and addresses between various applications. The open Plaxo API, has made it simple for AddressGrabber to enable the capture of a name and address from an email, web page or word document and quickly add it to a customer's Plaxo Universal Address Book with just one click."
Other companies who have committed to integrate Plaxo into their products and sites include JAJAH, Outblaze, SightSpeed, Tello and Zazzle.
"Our goal is to become the communication portal, providing the permission-based address book that all individuals, companies and services rely on to seamlessly connect with their personal contacts, members, clients and employees," said Ben Golub, president and CEO, Plaxo, Inc. "The greater benefit will be a universal and up-to-date address book that can be accessed and used at home, at work, and on the road, and from any application where you need it."
The Plaxo Open Platform Program is open to both individual developers and commercial entities. Information on the program, as well as toolkits, sample code, support documentation, and developer forums can all be found at http://www.plaxo.com/api. Use of the Plaxo Widget is free to all interested parties. Use of the Plaxo API is free for non-commercial purposes. Individuals and entities interested in the Plaxo API for commercial purposes should contact Plaxo.
About Plaxo
Plaxo, Inc., (www.plaxo.com) is used by millions of individuals in over 83 countries, and enjoys a wide following in academia, government, and both small and large businesses, including 98 of the Fortune 100 companies. Plaxo makes it easy for members to connect to their personal information, friends and colleagues in the manner that is most appropriate. The company has created a network of people whose contact information is always up-to-date through the seamless address book updating that occurs between linked members. Plaxo Premium Services expand the functionality of Plaxo and include Plaxo Address Book Optimizer, Plaxo eCards, Plaxo Mobile Access, and Plaxo VIP Support.
Founded in 2001, Plaxo is a privately held company funded by leading investment and technology firms -- Sequoia Capital, Globespan Capital Platforms, Harbinger Venture Management and Cisco Systems -- as well as individual investors Ram Shriram and Tim Koogle.
Plaxo is a registered trademark of Plaxo, Inc. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
-- New Partner Program and Toolkits Make It Easy to Integrate Address Book Functionality Into Any Application or Web Site
-- More Than 9 Partners, Including JAJAH, Outblaze and Zazzle Commit to Delivering Plaxo-Integrated Solutions
Plaxo(R), Inc., creator of the Universal Address Book that keeps millions of members in touch with their friends, colleagues, and information, today announced the launch of the Open Platform Program for partners and individual developers. In association with the launch, Plaxo released a set of tools, including an open Application Program Interface (API) and a JavaScript Address Book Access Widget, which enable any site or application to easily offer address book functionality to users, interoperate with existing address book solutions, and leverage the power of the growing Plaxo network.
Three companies, Web Information Solutions (WebIS), Mail.com, and eGrabber, have Plaxo-integrated solutions through the Open Platform Program. More than six other companies, including JAJAH, Outblaze and Zazzle have committed to delivering Plaxo-integrated solutions in the near future.
Providing users with easy access to complete, accurate, and updated contact information has become a strategic imperative for a wide range of communications and commerce applications, including online travel, web-based email, gift giving, personal productivity, and social networking. While consumers need accurate contact information to fully use these services, building address book applications is difficult and time consuming, and most consumers are reluctant to use systems that don't interoperate smoothly with their existing electronic address books, such as those found in Outlook or Outlook Express. Through the Open Platform Program, Plaxo gives developers a set of tools that let them easily integrate address book functionality that leverages the tools their customers are already using, and tap into the power of the rapidly growing Plaxo network.
The lightweight Plaxo Address Book Access Widget is for web sites that need to give users easy access to contact information to perform a particular function, such as entering shipping addresses for gifts or building a list of frequently used e-mail addresses. The Widget allows visitors to a particular site to (1) seamlessly import contacts from the address books they use every day, (2) select entries, and (3) enter selected data into web page forms. In addition, for the millions of existing Plaxo members, the Widget allows them to access their complete Plaxo address book directly from the site. This means no more searching for address information when generating a map to a friend's house or worrying if a cousin's birthday present is being shipped to the correct location.
Reflecting current "Web 2.0" design principles, the Widget can be implemented by any site in a matter of minutes, by simply inserting a few lines of JavaScript. Use of the Widget is free of charge to both commercial sites and to developers seeking to create address book "mash-ups."
"YouTube users are looking for faster, more convenient ways to share videos with their friends and family," said Steve Chen, co-founder and chief technology officer of YouTube. "By offering the YouTube community access to their address books through Plaxo, people will be more empowered to broadcast their video experiences to their ever expanding list of personal contacts."
As part of a continued effort to extend Plaxo to various communications platforms, the Plaxo API allows developers to integrate fully functioning and universally synchronized address books into their solutions. Using the Plaxo API, partners can offer their members direct and integrated access to the Plaxo Universal Address Book which is synchronized with Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, AOL, Mac, and Thunderbird. The API also gives partners the tools to help new members create Universal Address Books, including the important first step of importing and synchronizing contacts from multiple existing sources.
"We have been looking for ways to increase the functionality and usage of our unique web mail solution," said David Kim, CEO of Mail.com. "By working with Plaxo, we were able to quickly integrate a smart address book into our service, increasing usage and giving our members a way to seamlessly transition between work e-mail, home e-mail, and mobile."
Other companies are using the Open Platform Program to produce Plaxo applications for their platforms. "We have seen tremendous demand from our customers to have Plaxo work natively on their PocketPC devices," said Aleksei Kac, founder and chief executive officer of WebIS. "Through the Plaxo Open Platform Program, we were able to quickly produce a fully-functioning Plaxo client, which is generating great response in trials and should prove to be a popular value-added offering."
"eGrabber's goal is to improve business productivity by providing our customers with one click data capture solutions," said Chandra Bodapati, CEO of eGrabber. "Our AddressGrabber Basic tool is designed to help users easily capture and transfer contact name and addresses between various applications. The open Plaxo API, has made it simple for AddressGrabber to enable the capture of a name and address from an email, web page or word document and quickly add it to a customer's Plaxo Universal Address Book with just one click."
Other companies who have committed to integrate Plaxo into their products and sites include JAJAH, Outblaze, SightSpeed, Tello and Zazzle.
"Our goal is to become the communication portal, providing the permission-based address book that all individuals, companies and services rely on to seamlessly connect with their personal contacts, members, clients and employees," said Ben Golub, president and CEO, Plaxo, Inc. "The greater benefit will be a universal and up-to-date address book that can be accessed and used at home, at work, and on the road, and from any application where you need it."
The Plaxo Open Platform Program is open to both individual developers and commercial entities. Information on the program, as well as toolkits, sample code, support documentation, and developer forums can all be found at http://www.plaxo.com/api. Use of the Plaxo Widget is free to all interested parties. Use of the Plaxo API is free for non-commercial purposes. Individuals and entities interested in the Plaxo API for commercial purposes should contact Plaxo.
About Plaxo
Plaxo, Inc., (www.plaxo.com) is used by millions of individuals in over 83 countries, and enjoys a wide following in academia, government, and both small and large businesses, including 98 of the Fortune 100 companies. Plaxo makes it easy for members to connect to their personal information, friends and colleagues in the manner that is most appropriate. The company has created a network of people whose contact information is always up-to-date through the seamless address book updating that occurs between linked members. Plaxo Premium Services expand the functionality of Plaxo and include Plaxo Address Book Optimizer, Plaxo eCards, Plaxo Mobile Access, and Plaxo VIP Support.
Founded in 2001, Plaxo is a privately held company funded by leading investment and technology firms -- Sequoia Capital, Globespan Capital Platforms, Harbinger Venture Management and Cisco Systems -- as well as individual investors Ram Shriram and Tim Koogle.
Plaxo is a registered trademark of Plaxo, Inc. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
© 2006 Business Wire
