The Auto Channel Releases iPhone Test-Drive App

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Feb. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly fifteen years to the day that The Auto Channel officially went live with its website, TheAutoChannel.com, the Internet pioneer has recorded another first in its leadership history. The Auto Channel proudly presented its FREE test-drive app for the iPhone that allows users to record and compare notes and statistics of every test-drive they do.

Whether you are a consumer or an auto journalist, this is an invaluable research tool, and of course, it's FREE to download and use. The app includes access to The Auto Channel's mammoth price and statistical databases, vehicle reviews, total-cost-of-ownership comparisons, smart buying tips, videos, and a direct link to The Auto Channel's website that contains more that one million pages of content - the Internet's most complete and comprehensive automotive information resource.

To download the TACH Test-Drive app to your iPhone simply enter THE AUTO CHANNEL in the search bar.

"The Auto Channel has always been the Internet's automotive leader and pioneer," said Bob Gordon, TACH's president and co-founder. "We were the first website to offer complete vehicle pricing and specifications for free; we were the first to offer multi-car head-to-head comparisons; we were the first to offer multiple reviews of the same vehicle for comparison purposes; we were the first to broadcast live in-car audio transmissions of NASCAR races; and we were the first to broadcast live audio and video from major automotive events."

Marc Rauch, TACH's executive vice president and co-founder, adds, "In fact, we were the first website in the world, in any subject category, to use streaming video. In late February 1996 we used VDOLive from an Israeli company. We invented the use of video online and then played a significant role in making Windows Media Video what it is today." Marc explains, "In May 1997, we broadcast about 150 hours of live video coverage of the Indianapolis 500 race, without interruption. We were using an almost unknown technology called VXtreme. Sometime after the event, the principals of VXtreme went to visit Microsoft for an investment in their company. Armed with the example of what we were able to accomplish, Microsoft didn't invest in VXtreme, they bought the company. The VXtreme codec remains the heart of WMV to this day."

"We're really excited about now being able to bring not only our content to the iPhone, and eventually other brands of PCDs," Bob Gordon added. "But we're especially excited to be able to kick the venture off with such a valuable tool, a tool that can help car buyers make better and more informed decisions, and hopefully allow them to save money.

"A great deal of thanks has to go to Enter.Net for taking our existing material, creating a manageable app, instituting some new design features, and then guiding the app through the entire approval process with Apple. We had been thinking and talking about an iPhone app for a very long time. Enter.Net made it happen in just a few days."

Laughing, Marc Rauch chided, "It'll be interesting to see how fast Edmunds and Kelley and the other poseur car websites jump on the iPhone bandwagon. It seems like they can't do anything unless we do it first."

The entire TACH website is also accessible via the Internet browser on any iPhone or PCD just by entering "TheAutoChannel.com." You can also access an iPhone-like interface via the web browser by entering "Tach.com."

In addition, The Auto Channel's complete You Tube video library with more than 1,300 videos can be accessed on iPhone for FREE by going to the YouTube website and then entering THE AUTO CHANNEL.

About Enter.Net

Enter.Net is one of America's oldest and most successful privately held ISPs. The company was founded in 1994 and serves tens of thousands of Internet users with connectivity, web design and hosting, and expert iPhone app design and development. For more information about Enter.Net visit http://www.enter.net or use the iPhone App Store and search Enter.Net. You can also call 877-368-3711.

About The Auto Channel

TACH was founded in 1987 as the original automotive television network. The company has produced weekly auto-related television programs, home video programs, and the Internet's most complete and comprehensive automotive information resource. In addition to a North American centric website (http://www.theautochannel.com), TACH also has European centric and Indian centric web entities. The Auto Channel is an independent, privately held company based in Louisville, Kentucky.

    
    
    Contact:
    
    Paula Petty
    502-992-0200
    [email protected] 

This release was issued through eReleases(TM).  For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE The Auto Channel