Here is a copy of our press release that went out on the wires today:

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Art Authority marries technology and liberal arts at Macworld/iWorld

Celebrates award-winning app becoming much more

San Francisco, CA - The creators of the award-winning "Art Authority" app line announced that they are re-branding their partnership under that name at the Macworld/iWorld trade show here. Previously known as "we-envision.com," the creators of over 100 iPad/iPhone apps are becoming "Art Authority" to highlight their current focus at this intersection of technology and liberal arts. Art Authority's "coming out party," in the Mobile App Showcase, booth 818-P19, January 26-28, will include:

• The iPad version of the app, one of the seven "Amazing applications" highlighted by Apple at their recent education event at the Guggenheim Museum.
• In concert with the world-renowned Bridgeman Art Library, demonstration of "buy-a-print." Users viewing selected works in the app will be able to use the app to order framed high-quality prints of those works directly from Bridgeman's collection. Buy-a-print will be active worldwide for all app users during the show timeframe.
• Recently-added features such as "Art Like This," which magically displays works similar to the one a user is looking at.
• Special show pricing, with versions of the app available through the iTunes and Mac App Stores for $4.99, up to 50% off the normal price.
• A sneak preview of the under-development Art Authority social network.
• Celebration of the app's selection as "Best iPad Reference App of 2011" in Apple's Rewind 2011 and "Greatest 25 Apps of All Time" in Macworld's Appalooza contest.

Alan Oppenheimer, president of Art Authority partner Open Door Networks, Inc. will also moderate a panel discussion on "The World's Biggest Art Musuem," featuring noted art authorities from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the J. Paul Getty Museum and the Placer County, California school system. Details are available at http://www.macworldiworld.com/techtalks/friday-overview/friday-agenda/#975

"Steve Jobs said 'It's technology, married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields us the result that makes our heart sing,'" said Oppenheimer. "That's what Art Authority the app, Art Authority the community, and Art Authority the partnership are all about."

"We're not just focused on art apps," said Jim Teece, president of Art Authority partner Project A, Inc. "We're focused on the art community. Part of our re-branding, and our plan for the show, is to connect with people who know and love art, and to involve them in a way that helps us all add to that art community."

Art Authority for iPad is the only iPad Reference app to be named to both Rewind 2011 and Rewind 2010. It brings over 50,000 high-resolution classic works of art to users' fingertips. Hailed as "an experience unlike any other" and "visually dazzling," the app stunningly displays paintings and sculptures by over 1000 major western artists from ancient times through current-day. The app is in use by Seton Hill University and a number of other educational institutions worldwide. Art Authority for Macintosh, iPhone, and Kindle Fire bring similar functionality to these devices.

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One of the driving factors behind our continued development and improvement of Art Authority is the passion we have for making a difference in education.  When Apple announced it would be holding a press event with an educational theme, we eagerly awaited to see what Apple and the late Steve Jobs had created to "disrupt the textbook."  

One of the quotes from the event we really identified with:

There's a lot that is talked about that may be wrong with education. One thing we hear louder than all else, and where we can help, is in student engagement.

Apple announced iBooks 2, iBooks Author, and some major advancements for iTunesU. You can watch the full video of the event here. 

And to our surprise and delight, Art Authority was highlighted by senior VP Phil Schiller on stage as one of seven "amazing" iPad educational apps.      

Speaking of the intersection between education, liberal arts, and technology, we are gearing up to make some of our own announcements here at the Moscone Center for MacWorld/iWorld 2012. Stay tuned.  

Open Door Networks Inc. and Project A Inc. ("We-Envision.com") today announced that their #1 classic art app, Art Authority, is now available for the Kindle Fire, through the Amazon Appstore for Android.

Art Authority has been a top seller for Apple's iPad, and was recently named Best iPad Reference App in Apple's Rewind 2011. It is also popular on iPhones and the Macintosh, and the companies expect similar success on the Kindle Fire.

"The Kindle Fire provides users with great access to books, movies and other media," said Alan Oppenheimer, president of Open Door Networks. "Art Authority couldn't be more perfect for that focus. It's in many ways one of the best art books of all time."

The first release of Art Authority (Kindle Fire Edition) includes all the core features of the product line:

• Access to over 50,000 paintings and sculptures from over 1000 western artists
• Nine professionally-designed rooms, including Early, Renaissance, Baroque, Romantic, Impressionism, Modern, Contemporary and American
• Ability to search for works by artist, period, title, subject and the work's physical location
• Shuffle options to explore works at random
• Full-screen slide shows and scrolling thumbnail arrays

Future releases are planned to include other Art Authority features such as:

• The magic of recently-announced 'Art Like This,' which displays works similar to the one the user is currently viewing
• 'Art Near Me' which helps users find great art near wherever they find themselves
• 'SmArt Resolution' which downloads higher resolution versions of works when additional detail is desired

Art Authority is the only iPad Reference app to be named to both Rewind 2011 and Rewind 2010. Hailed as "an experience unlike any other" and "visually dazzling," the app stunningly displays paintings and sculptures by over 1000 major western artists from ancient times through current-day. Art Authority for Mac and Art Authority for iPhone bring similar functionality to these Apple devices.

The price of Art Authority (Kindle Fire Edition) will be $9.99 through the Amazon Appstore. Until January 2, 2012, however, the app will be on sale for the introductory price of $4.99. Details of the app line, including a complete artist list and FAQ, are available from http://we-envision.com/artauthority.>

We-Envision.com is an innovative collaboration of two separate software companies (Open Door Networks and Project A). The mission of We-Envision.com is the design, development and deployment of the best independent software solutions for mobile devices.

 

From a pool of over 6,500 iPad reference apps, Art Authority was selected as Best iPad Reference App of 2011 in the United States by the App Store editorial team.   

Magic of "Art Like This" highlights major new release

Open Door Networks Inc. and Project A Inc. ("We-Envision.com") today announced a major new release of their #1 classic art app, Art Authority for iPad. Version 4.5, available immediately through theiTunes App Store, adds new ways for users to get lost (and found) in the art they love, and to share that love with their friends.

The breakthrough new feature of Art Authority 4.5 is "Art Like This." When viewing any of the 50,000+ works that Art Authority provides access to, users can simply tap a button to view an entire exhibit made up of other works that are most "like" that work. The seeming-magic of Art Like This is implemented through advanced technology running on We-Envision's servers, and literally has to be seen to be believed.

Other new features further enhance Art Like This. The ability to search an Art Like This (or any) exhibit for works by an artist, from a museum, or with certain words in their title provides additional ways to explore the art. And the ability to tweet any work of art, using iOS 5's new Twitter integration, lets users easily share the works they love with their friends.

Users could start, for instance, looking at their favorite painting by Mary Cassatt, then at works like it, then at works like it with "Child" in their title. Lost in the wonderful world of works of children like those by Cassatt, they could tweet their friends a sample and help their friends to get lost too.

"Apple's recent iPad ad says that getting lost in the things we love has never felt quite like this," said Alan Oppenheimer, president of Open Door Networks. "That's what we've been saying for over a year now, and we think that the magic of Art Like This is a perfect example."

Art Authority for iPad, the #3 top-grossing and #7 top-selling reference app for 2010, was specifically designed for Apple's groundbreaking tablet, bringing over 50,000 high-resolution classic works of art to iPad users' fingertips. Hailed as "an experience unlike any other" and "visually dazzling," the app stunningly displays paintings and sculptures by over 1000 major western artists from ancient times through current-day. The app is in use by Seton Hill University in multiple art classes, and under evaluation by many other educational institutions. Art Authority for Mac and Art Authority for iPhone bring similar functionality to these Apple devices.

The price for Art Authority for iPad 4.5 remains $9.99 through the App Store. Upgrades from previous versions are free. Details, including a complete artist list and FAQ, are available from http://we-envision.com/artauthority .

New Feature Overview

New Feature Demo: Art Like This

New Feature Demo: Share Art Through Twitter

We also recorded a short demo of a slighly older feature we thought you might enjoy, Art Near Me.   

Everyone who took a stab at this one (http://blog.artauthority.net/fun-with-art-authority-trivia-2) correctly identified Screenshot #3 as not being from the Renaissance.  @DarienSkabarien is the winner of the iTunes/App Store gift code.

Search for these Artists and paintings in Art Authority to explore the works in more detail. 

• Screenshot 1- Francois Clouet, Portrait of Francis I, King of France
• Screenshot 2- Picro Della Francesca, Head of Angel
• Screenshot 3- Andrei Rublev, Archangel Michael
• Screenshot 4- Adrianen Isenbrant, Rest During Flight to Egypt
• Screenshot 5- Ercole de' Roberti, Portrait of Ginevra Bentivoglio

Ashland, Oregon - Open Door Networks Inc. and Project A Inc. ("We-Envision") today announced that, in concert with Apple's "Every gift list has its day" sales event, all versions of their "Top 10" reference and educational app, Art Authority, will be on sale for half price on Black Friday, November 25, 2011. Art Authority for iPad and Art Authority for Mac will be priced at $4.99, and Art Authority for iPhone at $3.99, each 50% off through the App Store.

Art Authority for iPad, the #3 top-grossing and #7 top-selling reference app for 2010, was specifically designed for Apple's groundbreaking tablet, bringing 55,000 high-resolution classic works of art to iPad users' fingertips. Hailed as "an experience unlike any other" and "visually dazzling," the app stunningly displays paintings and sculptures by over 1000 major western artists from ancient times through current-day. The app is in use by Seton Hill University in multiple art classes, and under evaluation by many other educational institutions. Art Authority for Mac and Art Authority for iPhone bring similar functionality to these Apple devices.

We-Envision is an innovative collaboration of two separate software companies (Open Door Networks and Project A). The mission of We-Envision.com is the design, development and deployment of the best independent software solutions for the Apple iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.