You guys are still following Ravisent? Unbelievable...Cube is the only stock in my portfolio to end in green today. Maybe we'll have some news on Monday? Here is some news from National Semi settops:
National Semi, PC seller bring set-top boxes to China
By Bloomberg News
September 29, 2000, 11:00 a.m. PT
HONG KONG--Legend Holdings, the largest seller of personal computers in Asia, and chipmaker National Semiconductor said they have introduced a new set-top box combining television and Internet services.
The device uses a National Semi processor called Geode, designed for Internet appliances. China, where personal computers are used by less than 10 percent of the population, is a key market for set-top boxes, which cost less than computers and are easier to use, according to analysts.
"The television penetration rate is very high in China, and personal computers are not as strong," said Bethany Chan, an analyst at UBS Warburg here. "So the future of set-top boxes looks pretty good."
Hong Kong and China Gas, a utility company based here, will be the first customer to use the set-top box for its iCare Internet-on-TV service, which enables subscribers to surf the Web without a computer.
The collaboration "illustrates our ability to establish strategic partnerships with the key players in this market," said Michael Polacek, vice president of National Semi's information appliance division.
National Semi estimates the worldwide set-top box market will grow more than 20 percent a year for the next three years, resulting in nearly 200 million new units built by 2003.
"National has secured business with other Internet service providers to use set-top devices based on our Geode solutions," said Martin Kidgell, vice president for National Asia Pacific. National Semi has similar agreements with America Online, Philips Electronics and Inprimis Technologies for AOL's AOLTV service announced in June.
Legend signed an agreement with Microsoft last year to produce a set-top box marketed under the name Venus using Windows CE software, a version of Microsoft's standard operating system designed for handheld computers, consumer electronics and set-top boxes.
Microsoft, Legend and National Semi have cooperated in the development of the Venus set-top box, Kidgell said. While the first version of the Venus did not use a Geode processor, the current one does, he said.
"The development and manufacturing of Internet access devices is a major focus of Legend," Yang Yuanqing, Legend's executive director, said in a statement. "In addition to PCs, the group is developing more Internet access devices, including set-top boxes, palm-sized PCs, and broadband and wireless Internet access devices."
UBS Warburg's Chan, however, had reservations.
Legend "is not in a hurry to develop this, because if the television could go online, people may stop buying Legend's Internet PCs," she said.
Copyright 2000, Bloomberg L.P. All Rights Reserved.
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