<s>
NeoPlanet	B-Application
was	O
a	O
Trident-shell	B-Application
graphical	B-Application
web	B-Application
browser	I-Application
initially	O
released	O
in	O
1997	O
by	O
New	O
Yorkbased	O
Bigfoot	O
International	O
,	O
Inc	O
.	O
and	O
later	O
maintained	O
and	O
developed	O
by	O
its	O
subsidiary	O
NeoPlanet	B-Application
,	O
Inc	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
first	O
browsers	B-Application
to	O
be	O
fully	O
skinnable	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Neoplanet	B-Application
was	O
a	O
"	O
plug-out	O
"	O
extension	O
for	O
Internet	B-Application
Explorer	I-Application
which	O
created	O
an	O
integrated	O
branded	O
environment	O
for	O
the	O
user	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Within	O
the	O
environment	O
,	O
users	O
could	O
web	O
browse	O
,	O
email	O
,	O
and	O
chat	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
Much	O
simpler	O
to	O
use	O
than	O
basic	O
browsers	B-Application
,	O
Neoplanet	B-Application
was	O
a	O
portal-like	O
browser	B-Application
created	O
for	O
non-techie	O
users	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
web	O
portals	O
which	O
lost	O
control	O
of	O
the	O
users	O
every	O
time	O
they	O
surfed	O
to	O
a	O
new	O
site	O
,	O
chatted	O
,	O
or	O
emailed	O
,	O
Neoplanet	B-Application
's	O
environment	O
followed	O
the	O
users	O
wherever	O
they	O
went	O
on	O
the	O
Internet	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Neoplanet	B-Application
program	B-Application
was	O
originally	O
created	O
by	O
James	O
Friskel	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Neoplanet	B-Application
Inc	O
.	O
was	O
a	O
subsidiary	O
of	O
Bigfoot	O
International	O
,	O
Inc	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
beta	O
version	O
of	O
a	O
trident	B-Application
shell	O
NeoPlanet	B-Application
was	O
released	O
in	O
October	O
1997	O
,	O
one	O
month	O
after	O
Internet	B-Protocol
Explorer	I-Protocol
4.0	I-Protocol
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
featured	O
a	O
built-in	O
directory	O
of	O
channels	O
further	O
divided	O
into	O
categories	O
and	O
was	O
for	O
use	O
with	O
Windows	B-Application
95	I-Application
and	O
NT	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
fall	O
of	O
1998	O
Bigfoot	O
released	O
the	O
NeoPlanet	B-Application
2.0	O
version	O
with	O
a	O
new	O
feature	O
of	O
customizable	O
interface	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
positioned	O
as	O
an	O
adjunct	O
to	O
Netscape	B-Protocol
which	O
it	O
required	O
to	O
run	O
,	O
and	O
as	O
an	O
alternative	O
to	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
and	O
AOL	O
offerings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
new	O
version	O
also	O
featured	O
Snap	O
(	O
a	O
joint-venture	O
between	O
CNET	O
and	O
NBC	O
)	O
and	O
Alexa	O
services	O
incorporated	O
into	O
the	O
browser	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
free	O
1.9MB	O
download	O
was	O
a	O
significant	O
interface	O
upgrade	O
with	O
four	O
skins	O
included	O
and	O
16	O
more	O
available	O
on	O
the	O
newly	O
launched	O
NeoPlanet	B-Application
site	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Internet	I-Application
Explorer	I-Application
's	O
underlying	O
features	O
remained	O
unchanged	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
January	O
1999	O
,	O
Bigfoot	O
spun	O
out	O
the	O
NeoPlanet	B-Application
division	O
into	O
NeoPlanet	B-Application
,	O
Inc	O
.	O
By	O
spring	O
2000	O
,	O
NeoPlanet	B-Application
had	O
moved	O
its	O
headquarters	O
to	O
Tempe	O
,	O
Arizona	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
of	O
NeoPlanet	B-Application
's	O
primary	O
business	O
strategies	O
was	O
to	O
provide	O
customizable	O
browser	B-Application
interfaces	O
to	O
third	O
parties	O
,	O
pioneering	O
the	O
branded	O
browsers	B-Application
niche	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
McAfee	O
and	O
Terra	B-Application
Lycos	I-Application
were	O
among	O
NeoPlanet	B-Application
's	O
first	O
partners	O
,	O
each	O
launching	O
multiple	O
versions	O
of	O
branded	O
browsers	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Also	O
in	O
1999	O
,	O
NeoPlanet	B-Application
,	O
together	O
with	O
New	O
Line	O
Cinema	O
,	O
launched	O
the	O
Austin	O
Powers	O
browser	B-Application
to	O
coincide	O
with	O
the	O
premiere	O
date	O
of	O
Austin	O
Powers	O
:	O
The	O
Spy	O
Who	O
Shagged	O
Me	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Austin	O
Powers	O
Browser	B-Application
marked	O
NeoPlanet	B-Application
's	O
first	O
branded	O
browser	B-Application
for	O
a	O
feature	O
film	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
NeoPlanet/New	O
Line	O
launch	O
of	O
the	O
Dr.	O
</s>
<s>
Evil	O
Browser	B-Application
soon	O
followed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
version	O
5.0	O
,	O
Neoplanet	B-Application
made	O
a	O
move	O
toward	O
virtual	B-Architecture
communities	I-Architecture
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
browser	B-Application
described	O
as	O
an	O
"	O
Internet	O
Desktop	O
"	O
added	O
Macromedia	B-Operating_System
Flash	I-Operating_System
,	O
instant	B-Application
messaging	I-Application
and	O
the	O
sharing	O
of	O
channels	O
and	O
other	O
user-generated	O
content	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Throughout	O
2000	O
,	O
NeoPlanet	B-Application
garnered	O
partnerships	O
to	O
market	O
and	O
distribute	O
branded	O
browsers	B-Application
with	O
major	O
companies	O
in	O
the	O
entertainment	O
,	O
computer	O
manufacturing	O
and	O
sports	O
arenas	O
,	O
including	O
Universal	B-Application
Studios	I-Application
,	O
Interscope/Geffen/A	O
&M	O
Records	O
,	O
USA	O
Networks	O
,	O
MTV	O
,	O
The	O
Lord	O
of	O
the	O
Rings	O
,	O
TV	O
Guide	O
,	O
Hewlett	O
Packard	O
,	O
Carolina	O
Hurricanes	O
and	O
Phoenix	O
Coyotes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Also	O
,	O
a	O
"	O
matching	O
skins	O
"	O
campaign	O
with	O
RealNetworks	O
allowed	O
users	O
to	O
match	O
the	O
look-and-feel	B-Application
of	O
the	O
NeoPlanet	B-Application
Browser	B-Application
with	O
that	O
of	O
RealNetworks	O
 '	O
RealJukebox	B-Application
TM	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Also	O
in	O
2000	O
,	O
Universal	O
Pictures	O
launched	O
the	O
official	O
Grinch	O
Web	B-Application
Browser	I-Application
at	O
www.meanone.com	O
to	O
promote	O
the	O
movie	O
Dr.	O
Seuss	O
 '	O
How	O
the	O
Grinch	O
Stole	O
Christmas	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
new	O
browser	B-Application
featured	O
unique	O
interface	O
designs	O
with	O
sounds	O
and	O
images	O
from	O
The	O
Grinch	O
movie	O
and	O
direct	O
"	O
channel	O
"	O
links	O
to	O
Grinch	O
Web	O
sites	O
and	O
the	O
Universal	O
Pictures	O
Web	O
sites	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Grinch	O
Browser	B-Application
also	O
featured	O
a	O
Lycos/Grinch	O
Club	O
,	O
an	O
integrated	O
online	B-Architecture
community	I-Architecture
that	O
provided	O
movie	O
fans	O
with	O
a	O
vehicle	O
for	O
sharing	O
similar	O
interests	O
with	O
other	O
users	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2001	O
NeoPlanet	B-Application
released	O
its	O
Viassary	O
suite	B-Application
designed	O
to	O
personalize	O
PC	O
users`	O
experience	O
and	O
to	O
help	O
companies	O
to	O
better	O
understand	O
and	O
communicate	O
with	O
their	O
customers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
of	O
2001	O
the	O
number	O
of	O
Neoplanet	B-Application
users	O
reached	O
8	O
million	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
client	B-Protocol
part	O
of	O
NeoPlanet	B-Application
browser	B-Application
resided	O
on	O
the	O
desktop	O
as	O
a	O
small	O
application	O
environment	O
(	O
less	O
than	O
2Mbs	O
)	O
providing	O
:	O
Internet	O
navigation	O
,	O
an	O
embedded	O
customizable	O
directory	O
,	O
a	O
new	O
level	O
of	O
personalization	O
through	O
customization	O
of	O
the	O
GUI	B-Application
,	O
integrated	O
e-mail	O
,	O
chat	B-Protocol
and	O
automatic	O
updates	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
server	B-Application
side	O
of	O
NeoPlanet	B-Application
's	O
product	O
enabled	O
collection	O
of	O
rich	O
data	O
about	O
the	O
end-user	O
'	O
s	O
online	O
experience	O
,	O
enabling	O
timely	O
and	O
relevant	O
targeted	O
advertising	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Skins	O
were	O
a	O
prominent	O
feature	O
of	O
NeoPlanet	B-Application
,	O
so	O
much	O
so	O
that	O
it	O
is	O
reported	O
that	O
the	O
first	O
ever	O
use	O
of	O
the	O
term	O
"	O
skin	O
"	O
as	O
describing	O
a	O
customized	O
interface	O
was	O
the	O
result	O
of	O
a	O
conversation	O
between	O
Robledano	O
,	O
Santoriello	O
,	O
and	O
Friskel	O
at	O
a	O
local	O
pub	O
,	O
and	O
after	O
that	O
was	O
swiftly	O
picked	O
up	O
by	O
technology	O
enthusiasts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
the	O
first	O
browser	B-Application
to	O
be	O
fully	O
skinnable	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
NeoPlanet	B-Application
became	O
popular	O
for	O
creating	O
browsers	B-Application
for	O
movies	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
New	O
Line	O
Cinema	O
's	O
Austin	O
Powers	O
:	O
The	O
Spy	O
Who	O
Shagged	O
Me	O
or	O
Universal	O
Pictures	O
 '	O
How	O
the	O
Grinch	O
Stole	O
Christmas	O
and	O
sports	O
teams	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
Phoenix	O
Coyotes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
browser	B-Application
had	O
been	O
branded	O
by	O
MTV	O
,	O
USA	O
Networks	O
,	O
Interscope-Geffen-A	O
&M	O
,	O
Hewlett-Packard	O
,	O
TV	O
Guide	O
among	O
others	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
e-mail	O
,	O
NeoPlanet	B-Application
integrated	O
other	O
Internet	O
communications	O
features	O
,	O
specifically	O
,	O
instant	B-Application
messaging	I-Application
,	O
e-mail	O
,	O
and	O
bookmark	O
sharing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
NeoPlanet	B-Application
was	O
the	O
first	O
browser	B-Application
to	O
include	O
sophisticated	O
bookmark	O
management	O
,	O
what	O
was	O
referred	O
to	O
as	O
the	O
"	O
Channel	O
Bar	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Users	O
were	O
encouraged	O
to	O
share	O
their	O
own	O
channels	O
on	O
the	O
NeoPlanet	B-Application
site	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
NeoPlanet	B-Application
's	O
client	B-Operating_System
server	I-Operating_System
architecture	I-Operating_System
was	O
built	O
to	O
allow	O
future	O
models	O
to	O
be	O
plugged	O
in	O
via	O
an	O
object	B-Application
model	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
NeoPlanet	B-Application
's	O
auto-update	O
feature	O
was	O
designed	O
to	O
facilitate	O
deploying	O
these	O
new	O
features	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
front-end	B-Architecture
was	O
a	O
complex	O
layered	O
series	O
of	O
software	O
objects	O
that	O
are	O
presented	O
to	O
the	O
user	O
as	O
one	O
unified	O
application	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
was	O
accomplished	O
through	O
an	O
abstraction	B-Architecture
layer	I-Architecture
which	O
allows	O
for	O
independence	O
of	O
the	O
HTML	B-Language
rendering	B-Protocol
engines	I-Protocol
,	O
independence	O
of	O
look	B-Application
and	I-Application
feel	I-Application
for	O
re-branding/distribution	O
by	O
partners	O
,	O
and	O
communication	O
with	O
the	O
NeoPlanet	B-Application
back-end	B-Architecture
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
NeoPlanet	B-Application
front-end	B-Architecture
had	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
dynamically	O
respond	O
to	O
requests	O
from	O
the	O
back-end	B-Architecture
to	O
update	O
itself	O
in	O
whole	O
or	O
in	O
part	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
NeoPlanet	B-Application
's	O
client/server	B-Operating_System
architecture	I-Operating_System
also	O
included	O
a	O
scalable	B-Architecture
back-end	B-Architecture
server	B-Application
component	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
NeoPlanet	B-Application
back-end	B-Architecture
had	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
track	O
and	O
target	O
marketing	O
and	O
promotions	O
,	O
even	O
through	O
corporate	O
firewalls	B-Application
.	O
</s>
