MediaBrowser was an Internet browser branding company that started in 2000. They made specially branded versions of Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer

Windows Internet Explorer is a series of graphical web browsers developed by Microsoft and included as part of the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, starting in 1995. It was first released as part of the add-on package Plus! for Windows 95 that year...

 for various company brands and themes. Because the branded web browsers made by MediaBrowser require Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer

Windows Internet Explorer is a series of graphical web browsers developed by Microsoft and included as part of the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, starting in 1995. It was first released as part of the add-on package Plus! for Windows 95 that year...

 5 or higher it is only supported under Windows Operating Systems. On December 5, 2001 Mediabrowser.com, Inc. went bankrupt and shutdown their site and the branded web browsers.

System Requirements

Windows 95

Windows 95

Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented graphical user interface-based operating system. It was released on August 24, 1995 by Microsoft, and was a significant progression from the company's previous Windows products...

 to Windows XP

Windows XP

Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...

, Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher, Windows Media Player

Windows Media Player

Windows Media Player is a media player and media library application developed by Microsoft that is used for playing audio, video and viewing images on personal computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system, as well as on Pocket PC and Windows Mobile-based devices...

 6.4 or higher, Macromedia Flash 4.0 or higher.
Also a 486 MHz or higher processor, 32MB of RAM, 5MB of free hard drive space, and an active Internet connection.

Due to compatibility issues MediaBrowser is not compatible with Windows Vista

Windows Vista

Windows Vista is an operating system released in several variations developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...

 or Windows 7.

Browser Registration

Upon new installation of a MediaBrowser branded browser the user was required to register their web browser using MediaBrowser's online registration form that asked for their name, address, etc. if they were over 12 years-old. When MediaBrowser was shut down the registration process was broken (as the registration form was hosted on their now defunct web site) therefore users would not be able to use it unless they modified a value in Windows Registry.

Branding

The branding consisted of various brand images on the background, navigation buttons, splash screen and links to specific web pages that related to the brand of the company. MediaBrower also had a space for ads to display at the bottom of the web browser. MediaBrowser's MicroTron was also included in every MediaBrowser branding to display brand-related video content to the user.

Nintendo and MediaBrowser

In late 2000 video game company, Nintendo

Nintendo

is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....

 partnered with MediaBrowser to make branded browsers of their new and upcoming video games. The first two browsers to be released were for the (then upcoming) Pokemon Gold and Silver

Pokémon Gold and Silver

are the second installments of the Pokémon series of role-playing video games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Color. The games have dual-mode capabilities allowing them to also be played on earlier Game Boy models. They were first released in Japan in 1999 and to...

 video games and Mario Tennis

Mario Tennis

Mario Tennis, known in Japan as , is a sports video game developed by Camelot and Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 video game console. The game was released in North America and Japan in the summer of 2000, and released in Europe later in November. It is the first tennis-based game starring Mario since...

. Retailers gave out CD-ROM copies of the branded Pokemon

Pokémon

is a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...

 GS browser to anyone who pre-ordered a copy of Pokemon Gold or Silver

Pokémon Gold and Silver

are the second installments of the Pokémon series of role-playing video games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Color. The games have dual-mode capabilities allowing them to also be played on earlier Game Boy models. They were first released in Japan in 1999 and to...

 as a special promotion. Later in 2001, other browsers were released branded with other Nintendo

Nintendo

is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....

 games such as Paper Mario

Paper Mario

Paper Mario, known in Japan as , is a role-playing video game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 game console. It was first released in Japan on August 11, 2000, in North America on February 5, 2001, and in Europe and Australia on October 5, 2001...

 and Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. A Nintendo Power

Nintendo Power

Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...

 branded browser was released as well.

Bankruptcy

MediaBrowser.com, Inc. went bankrupt on December 5, 2001 under Chapter 7 filing due to company debts of $2.49 million dollars and various unpaid loans. The web site containing all the branded web browsers was pulled and Nintendo

Nintendo

is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....

posted a notice on their downloads page stating "Nintendo's custom browsers are currently unavailable. We do not have a date for when they will return, but keep checking the Nintendo.com downloads page for updates. Thanks!"

External links

• MediaBrowser.com (Archived)