Humanized Inc. Introduces Enso Beta Products

New Software Puts Common Functions at Fingertips

CHICAGO, IL., 17 Sep 2007

Humanized, Inc. announced today the launch of Beta Products, a growing set of free mini-applications in its Enso line of Windows productivity software. Beta Products are available for download on the company’s website, www.humanized.com.

“These small products will allow users to perform such tasks as controlling iTunes or Windows Media Player without leaving whichever program you’re currently in, or typesetting mathematical equations in any application, from Word to Gmail,” said Aza Raskin, president of Humanized and son of the late Jef Raskin, creator of the Apple Macintosh. “Because Enso has already solved the interface problems, Enso can offer all of these services without cluttering the screen or getting in your way. With Google, you type what you want to find. With Enso, you type what you want to do ”

Each Beta Product is a free download, less than 60k in size, designed to work seamlessly with Humanized’s Enso platform for Windows Vista, 2000 and XP. The first set of Beta Products includes a translator able to convert text to and from nearly any foreign language and English, a mathematical equation typesetter, instant web search, music controls for iTunes or Windows Music Player. All beta products add such functionality to every application on your computer. Additional products will be released on an ongoing basis, and Raskin noted that the company planned to eventually allow Enso users and other developers to offer their own mini-applications to the Enso community.
“We expect to see a wide range of Beta Products in the future — the possibilities are virtually endless,” Raskin said.

Enso is unique in that it sits in between the operating system (OS) and all other applications. This enables Enso to work transparently with almost any existing application and makes Enso’s functions available to the user in whichever program he or she is currently using. Enso’s innovative interface is transparent in another way, too: the application appears in a translucent display over the program the user is working in, maintaining the user’s connection with the task at hand. The Wall Street Journal’s Walt Mossberg described the program as “dead simple to use.”

Enso Launcher, the platform application, takes three of the most frustrating and concentration-breaking OS tasks — application launching, window switching, and opening files and folders — and puts them at your fingertips. To use Enso Launcher, simply hold down the Caps Lock key (or whichever key you designate) and begin typing, and a list of options appears. Type “open” and a list of options appears; continue typing until “open outlook” autocompletes and Outlook is launched. Switching windows or opening a file deep within the computer is performed with equal ease and speed.

“Our philosophy is that computers are too hard to use, but they don’t have to be,” Raskin said. “With the Enso platform, Windows users are finally able to do what they need to do quickly and easily, without having to hunt through endless directories and menus. The new Beta Products extends Enso’s utility, making it an even more invaluable tool for casual computer users and power users alike.”

Enso Words, the first full application module for Enso, makes common word-related functions, such as spell check and dictionary definitions, available at any time, in any application — even those that don’t normally offer spell check.

All Enso products are compatible with Windows XP, 2000 and Vista, and are available as 30-day trials on Humanized’s website. The unlimited version of Enso Launcher costs $19.95; Enso Words also costs $19.95, or $14.95 when purchased with Launcher. Enso Launcher is not required to run Beta Products.

About Humanized, Inc.
Humanized, Inc. is a Chicago-based software company founded by the son and colleagues of interface guru Jef Raskin, creator of Apple’s Macintosh, and is focused on software usability and humane user interfaces. The company is dedicated to the belief that good interfaces make computers more pleasant and productive for the people who use them. More information is available online at http://www.humanized.com.