Who says Chicago doesn’t produce software blockbusters?

November 12th, 2009 Posted by charles in News

PRESS RELEASE -
November 11, 2009

Chicago Interactive Agency, Billups Design, Inc., behind new Adobe® BrowserLab

Adobe Systems, Inc. announces on October 16, 2009 that it has officially released BrowserLab®

Many hail it as the next big thing for web developers.

This innovative new product has its roots in Chicago.

Chicago interactive agency, Billups Design, in partnership with nondisruptive, Inc. set out in 2006 to conceive and invent Meer Meer, a subscription-based, full service web site testing tool for web developers and designers. The tool allowed a subscription user to see their sites remotely on different browser and O/S platforms, document problems and correct them, or easily report problems to others for correction. The promise was millions of dollars a year saved worldwide in testing and revision costs for web developers– and a better, higher quality world wide web!

“We felt the pain was definitely there for fellow web developers who were programming for several different browser and system configurations at great time and expense,” said Ted Billups, Senior Partner at Billups Design. “My partners in this new venture, Charles Stevenson (of Billups Design) Josh Hatwich (now with Adobe) and Dean Vukas of nondisruptive, took the lead in the research and development side while we engineered the GUI, UX and price models for this new application. We also took the lead in the brand name (Meer Meer) and concept, identity system, and all core messaging for the product. Once the tool was ready for launch, Billups Design and our partners built a business plan around it that would make Meer Meer a SaaS, available to anyone worldwide without per-test-view charges. Beta testers and other subscribers were processed through the tool’s marketing / sign-up site and the reviews were great!”

Word traveled fast however.

In October of 2007, Meer Meer’s principal architects, Mr. Hatwich, Mr. Vukas, Mr. Billups and Mr. Stevenson were approached by Adobe Systems to initiate potential acquisition talks. After several demonstrations with key stakeholders there, Meer Meer was sold to Adobe in December 2007 for an undisclosed amount.

Highlights of the testing tool included onion-skin overlay of sites in different browsers, a real-time video capture of user tests, sight impairment simulations, and custom bug reporting tools. Today, Meer Meer brand, UX and interface design is now considered the standard by which Adobe judges all potential software acquisitions.

Nearly two years later, Adobe offers Meer Meer – now called BrowserLab® – to the world. Already this tool has been hailed at consecutive Adobe Max conferences as the next big thing for web developers. As of October 31, 2009, company observers reported registered users had exceeded 45,000 users worldwide.

Web developers can subscribe to the beta version of Adobe BrowserLab at https://browserlab.adobe.com/

We are excited to see that Adobe Browser Lab is nominated for Best Internet Application. We need more nominations to win – please click here to nominate us! It only takes one click.

Background:
Billups Design has worked with major-brand clients for over 13 years, creating innovative web applications, digital consulting, branding and interactive solutions for clients like Nike, Procter & Gamble, Gannett, Pontiac, highschoolsports.net, Hyatt Worldwide, WMS, and United Airlines.

Billups Design was founded in 1993 by Ted Billups and Charles Stevenson. It is a multi-discipline interactive agency, with offerings in the areas of digital marketing strategy consulting and interactive offerings like information architecture, interface design, user experience, multimedia campaigns, front-end development, application development, SEO/SEM and tracking metrics.

More information is available at: www.billupsdesign.com
or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/billupsdesign

Contact:
Charles Stevenson, Partner (773) 344 5685 – charles@billupsdesign.com
Ted Billups, Partner (312) 399 7657 – ted@billupsdesign.com