Ubique was an Israeli software company specializing in social‑networking and instant‑messaging technologies. Founded in 1994 in Rehovot, Israel, by Ehud Shapiro and Avner Shafrir along with other scientists from the Weizmann Institute, the firm’s mission was “to add people to the web,” aiming to transform the static early web into an interactive, presence‑aware environment.
History
- 1994–1995 – Ubique developed its flagship product, Virtual Places, a presence‑based chat program that allowed users to explore web pages together with overlaid avatars. The software required both server and client components and was intended for consumer use via the Global Network Navigator (GNN) service.
- 1995 – America Online (AOL) acquired Ubique for approximately US$14.5 million, intending to integrate Virtual Places into AOL’s consumer services and GNN. After AOL discontinued GNN in 1996, Ubique shifted focus from the consumer market to corporate presence and instant‑messaging solutions.
- 1998 – Lotus Development Corporation (later IBM) purchased Ubique, incorporating its real‑time collaboration technology into Lotus products. The technology became the foundation for Lotus Sametime, IBM’s enterprise instant‑messaging and collaboration platform.
- 2006 – Elements of Ubique were merged into IBM Haifa Labs, which continued development of real‑time communication protocols (e.g., SIP) and collaboration features.
Products and Technology
- Virtual Places – A pioneering web‑based, avatar‑driven chat system enabling users to co‑browse websites in real time. It was used by services such as VPChat and Digital Space and later evolved into enterprise‑grade collaboration tools.
- Instant Messaging and Presence Platform – Built on the Virtual Places technology, this platform provided the core functionality for IBM’s Lotus Sametime, including presence awareness, text messaging, and group communication.
Corporate Ownership
- Acquired by AOL (1995) – Integrated into AOL’s interactive services before being divested.
- Acquired by Lotus/IBM (1998) – Technology incorporated into IBM’s enterprise collaboration offerings; later integrated into IBM Haifa Labs (2006).
Legacy
Ubique’s early work in presence‑based web interaction and real‑time messaging laid groundwork for modern instant‑messaging and collaborative software. Its Virtual Places concept presaged later social‑media and co‑browsing tools, while its technology directly influenced IBM’s Lotus Sametime platform, which remained a significant enterprise communication solution for many years.
References
- Wikipedia entry “Ubique (company)”, accessed 2024.
- CNet, “Lotus to buy DataBeam, Ubique”, May 19 1998.
- IBM press release, “Lotus Development Corp. to Bring Real‑Time Dimension to Messaging and Groupware”, May 19 1998.
- Globes, “AOL Meant Pleasure, IBM Means Business”, May 21 1998.