NEW USABILITY SEALS FOR CONSUMER DIGITAL MEDIA UNVEILED AT FIRST MEDIA EXPERIENCE ‘07 EVENTFirst of Many, Initial META Seals for the Consumer Marketplace to Denote the Friendliest Examples of Digital Media Interface Usability Manhattan Beach, CA - Feb 2, 2007 - The recently formed Media Experience Trade Association (META) revealed today a suite of icons—dubbed META Seals—that will serve as marks of distinction for digital media products that are extremely easy to use. The first META Seals focus on key areas of frustration for consumers accessing digital media, including “Instant On,” “Browse,” “Help,” and “Network.” The META also named Stephen Colbert Interactivist of the Year for 2006, honoring Mr. Colbert the inaugural award for his "Green Screen Challenge". “The changing pace of digital media is giving rise to accelerated design novelty, so much so that consumers often must to learn a new interface model each time they buy a new movie,” said Chris Brown, co-founder of the META. “These seals will communicate to users that the media has been prepared according to a set of best practices that are proven to be winners – for everyone, especially consumers. Producers who choose to use these design standards may optionally mark their products with our new META Seals on the packaging or onscreen.” Founded in November of 2006 by an executive group of home entertainment technologists and digital media artists, the META is dedicated to creating a set of standards for digital media that will improve user experience of meta-rich digital media. The association is hosting its first invitation-only event today, bringing together the world’s leading digital media artists, producers and designers to focus on defining new digital design standards for media, including HD-DVD, Blu-ray Discs and mobile platforms. The META Seals will be available to members of the META after they have been ratified by the organization Standards Committee, expected in early spring 2007. Once adopted by producers, consumers will be able to select digital media based on these seals by the end of the 2007. For more information about the META or the META Seals, please visit Mediaexperience.org. About the META The Media Experience Trade Association is an organization of producers, artists, executives, authors, engineers and other professionals engaged in the business of user experience design for digital media. The META advocates and promotes excellence in user experience design, and seeks to improve end-user satisfaction through research and development, common design standards, applied best practices, and consumer outreach. The META establishes common means of trade, promotes competitive growth in the media design industry, and cultivates fellowship among members. www.mediaexperience.org About Metabeam Metabeam™ conceives, develops, produces and promotes new forms of entertainment with unprecedented audience control and ease of use. Founded in 2005, the company delivers entertainment technology to the world’s leading digital media artists. Metabeam invented the Metamenu™ system, a production method and consumer interface that sets a design standard for mobile and next-generation home media. The Metamenu method is currently contributing to the production of multiple projects on DVD-ROM, HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc. Hollywood has chosen Metamenu technology for a diverse set of blockbuster titles including Academy Award® winner “Crash,” and science fiction classic “Terminator 2.” Located in Manhattan Beach, CA and Seattle, Wash., Metabeam is privately held. Media Contact: Jennifer Karkar Ritchie REVOLUTION PR on behalf of Metabeam 206-932-2454 or jennifer@revolutionpr.com |
