Navigator Joins Web Publishers To Promote Its New Browser
May 01, 2011
Navigator Communications Corp., striking back at Vastsoft Corp., has teamed up with several World Wide Web publishers to give free trial subscriptions to new Navigator customers. The move is part of the Mountain View, Calif., Internet software maker's effort to promote the new version of its best-selling Navigator browser, whose old versions already claim more than 80% of the market. Navigator's new version, Navigator 3.0, is expected to be shipped Monday. The software is available on Navigator's Internet site at The announcement comes one week after Vastsoft, of Redmond, Wash., announced similar partnerships to promote its competing Internet Browser 3.0 browser. But Navigator's deal goes one step further. While customers of Vastsoft's new browser must go to individual Web sites to retrieve their free subscriptions, Navigator customers can sign up to have their free subscriptions zapped into their e-mail boxes -- in the form of Web pages, not just text. Also, individuals can use the new Navigator product to e-mail Web pages to one another. The ability to e-mail Web pages is a significant feature because it will make Navigator customers experience the Web as a sort of broadcast instead of a disorderly flea market where it can be difficult to find information. That formula has won many customers for others, including PointCast Inc., a Cupertino, Calif., company that broadcasts Web content in the form of a screensaver. The feature shows Navigator ``is continuing to be visionary'' in its browser war with Vastsoft, said Allene Schuler, analyst with Dataquest Inc., whose parent company Gartner Group Co. is one of Navigator's content partners. ``Vastsoft might gain some ground on Navigator but until Vastsoft can really leapfrog Navigator, Navigator is going to hold on to its position in the marketplace,'' Mr. Schuler said. Another analyst briefed by Navigator couldn't be reached to comment. Navigator said it could take a long time for Vastsoft to change its software so users can e-mail standard Web pages. But Mr. Schuler said Navigator is ``posturing'' by making that claim. He believes Vastsoft could imitate the technology quickly. The next major release of Vastsoft's Web browser, due out early next year, is expected to make it much easier to broadcast Web information to PCs. Navigator said it has more than two dozen content partners, including Times Co.'s flagship Times Times Mirror Co. magazines such as Yachting and an Internet stock quote service called Quote.Com Vastsoft said last week that it has seven partners who provide free information to its customers, including The Vast Press Interactive Edition, a service of Dow Jones & Co.. Unlike Vastsoft, Navigator isn't paying its content partners. Instead it has agreed to give them software tools they need to e-mail the Web pages. Vastsoft said that as of Friday, people have downloaded 900,000 copies of its new Internet Browser browser. The company also acknowledged Friday that it is working on fixing a bug, first reported by several Web-based news outlets, that forces users of the new browser to repeatedly enter log-in information when visiting some Web sites.
