Eons Encourages a Generation of Frustrated Searchers to Discover the Web With Cranky.Com

WebKnowHow
Wednesday, January 10, 2007; 09:53 AM

Eons, a media company for boomers and seniors created by Jeff Taylor, today announced the launch of Cranky.com, the first age-relevant search engine. Designed to deliver the most targeted search results by applying a 50-plus lens to every query, Cranky combines the power of technology with expert reviews and user ratings and rankings to deliver the best search results for adults over 50.

"The philosophy behind Cranky.com is the polar opposite of most search engines in the market today that define their success around capturing the entire Web," says Taylor, founder and CEO of Eons. "It's easy to type 'China trip' in a popular search engine, but it can be overwhelming to navigate the 60 million results. We've discovered that, universally, the Eons Generation doesn't like to wade through millions of search results. So, we created Cranky.com to engage this energetic group of Web explorers who embrace technology, including those who may not be as well-versed at Boolean searches and complex narrowing techniques as younger generations who grew up on the Web."

Eons teamed up with Compete - an online consumer market research leader - to analyze the most popular Web sites among an estimated 500,000 Web users over the age of 45. Based on this research, the first of its kind, the Cranky team reviewed the top 5,000 Web sites for this age group, featuring highlights, deep links and a rating for each site.

  Key product features of Cranky.com, the first age-relevant search engine:

   - The "Power of Four": A simple user interface displays the top four
     authoritative sites matching the search term (with additional results
     following) so users get a consistent, dependable set of four vetted
     results every time.
   - Member Social Search: Eons members rate and review sites.  These member
     ratings influence the top sites that are delivered as results in future
     Cranky searches, thus the more users engage with rankings over time,
     the better the search engine will become.
   - Expert Editorial Review: The Cranky age-relevant editorial team has
     reviewed the top 5,000 sites with a standardized editorial template
     that includes a simple description of the site, plus Cranky Tips: deep
     links and insider secrets on how to get the most out of these sites.
   - Eons Answers: In response to many queries, Eons also formulates an Eons
     Answer that directs the user to the most relevant content on eons.com.

"Eons knows that the 50-plus market has a distinctly different set of needs and behaviors than the general population - specifically, they use search engines as navigational devices to find key sites on targeted topics such as health and travel," says Rob Rubin, Senior Vice President of Engineering at Eons. "To make these searches better, Cranky is aimed specifically at the boomer generation, as opposed to a category. Think of it as personalized social search for a specific demographic - that spans the entire Web."

"Why the name Cranky? Because I get 'cranky' when I get lost in the search quagmire, too," says Taylor. "I know it's tongue-in-cheek, but you'll never forget the name. And, when I discovered the word 'rank' nestled in the middle of 'cranky', I knew it was the right name."

About Eons(TM)

Eons is a 50-plus media company inspiring a generation of boomers and seniors to live the biggest life possible. Founded by Jeff Taylor, creator of Monster.com, Eons has attracted a team of renowned advisors and industry- leading partners and is backed by venture capital financing from General Catalyst Partners and Sequoia Capital. It is supported by corporate founding partners Harrah's Entertainment, Hyatt Corp., Humana, Inc., Liberty Mutual Group, Fidelity and Verizon Wireless. The company is headquartered in Charlestown Navy Yard, Boston, Mass. For more information, visit http://www.eons.com/.

About Compete

Compete, Inc. is the only online market research firm that creates value for both consumers and marketers. Compete's research is powered by millions of people who share their online behavior to create a more trusted, transparent, and valuable Internet. Consumers use Compete.com to stay safe when they surf, save when they buy, and discover the best new websites. Leading companies turn to Compete to understand how these consumers consider, buy and engage with their own and rival brands. Carlson Hotels Worldwide, Hyundai Motor America, Upromise, Verizon Wireless, DaimlerChrysler and other innovative companies rely on Compete's real-time insights to improve the return on their marketing investments.

Compete is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with offices throughout the US. For more information, visit http://www.competeinc.com/.