Mumbai: Webaroo has announced the launch of a new software service that enables consumers to search web pages and view web sites without an internet connection, on their hand-held and laptop computers.

Webaroo features 'web packs' on a variety of subjects, such as news, sports and major global cities, including New York, London and Mumbai - each of which contains thousands of relevant web pages identified by Webaroo's algorithms. Users can also select and download web sites of their choice to save and search at leisure.

"The time is ripe for India to be a developer of global consumer brands, not just an outsourcing center," says Rakesh Mathur, CEO and co-founder, Webaroo.

Founded in 2004 by Rakesh Mathur, Brad Husick and Beerud Sheth, the company has two offices in the US and two in India. Of its 80 employees, only nine work outside India.

"We're thrilled to be located within the IIT incubator," concludes Beerud Sheth, CTO and co-founder. "We've been able to build a world-class team in an incredibly short time."

Acer, the world's No 4 branded PC vendor, plans to bundle the Webaroo software on its laptop PCs worldwide. Campbell Kan, head of mobile computing business unit, Acer Inc, says, "Acer believes that the new, powerful ability to search the web offline will bring tremendous advantages for consumers and business people We plan on incorporating Webaroo's software into Acer's mobile PCs."

Features:

• Users can search and browse web pages on their laptop and hand-helds even when they are not connected.
• Search and browse is fast because content is saved on the device. Searches run and pages load at memory speed, unlike other mobile search solutions that suffer wireless network delays.
• Free of charge.
• Pages are delivered in full graphic form.
• Webaroo servers select pages with the highest content value so users get relevant results.
• Consumers select web content to take with them. Later this year, Webaroo will begin personalising content to adapt to anonymous users' interests-offering more results on highly-searched topics.

• Webaroo servers crawl the internet and analyse web pages, selecting pages with high quality, broad coverage, and small size.
• Consumers can either download Webaroo and selected content onto their laptop and mobile devices (PDA / smart phone) free, or purchase a device with Webaroo bundled in it.
• Consumers can search the pages completely unconnected.
• Content is updated every time they are connected.