eZedia Products

eZediaMX Reviews

New, New Media Product
NextED Newsletter, February 9, 2001
By W. J. Karle

I have an evaluation copy of eZediaMX and want to tell you about this software.

The software is used to make communications for learning, commerce, health, and what have you. The product lets the creator and the user experience an integrated text, graphic, video, sound, and animation environment.

Does it work on your machine? Listen, what's wonderful is that eZediaMX is platform independent. Slide the CD into your machine, Mac or PC, do some clicking, maybe a restart, and you are ready to go. (You should be running a PII at 233 MHz or faster or a PowerMac, G3 at 233 MHz or faster.)

Does it have a steep learning curve? Well, I only have played with the package so my comment is guarded. Maybe someone working to a deadline will have a different finding, though I doubt it.

The package comes with a built in tutorial and with an extensive online help manual. The software is conceptually clear. You do logical actions.

For example, let's say you want a text box to appear or a video to start when you touch a button. You place the button and the video box on the screen. You extend an arrow from the button to the box clearly meaning touch this and this starts. Of course, you have to have a video clip already digitized, filed, and related to the video box but that's not rocket science, either.

I get the impression that professionals and non-professionals alike will find eZediaMX a useful tool. Some are saying it might rival PowerPoint.

Another exciting part of this story is that the software is the product of a Manitoba company and one gaining investors. The company has enjoyed two large cash infusions from the Crocus Fund, the most recent being $500K.

Some might recollect that eZedia was known as MediaSmith, a part of Sun Valley in Winnipeg. A name change was necessary when a US company was found with the same title.

What does the software cost? For the educational market, a Zoom Box 5 includes five eZediaMX workstation licenses. There also is a Zoom Box 12 with ten workstation licenses and two eZediaMX CDs for the teacher's use.

The company presently is offering a rebate offer. Students may go to the eZedia web site, enter the school's Zoom number and purchase eZediaMX for $99. For every sale to that school by this method, the school will earn $10.

Contact Fred Whitehouse at fred.whitehouse@ezedia.com or call him at 204-984-9762. The web site is http://www.ezedia.com .

Well, I am going to go play with eZediaMX some more!

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