Food for thought: When G Gilder wrote about CUBE in his Tech report he mentioned the SUNW tie for video networks.
biz.yahoo.com
but that was long before SUNW went and bought a consumer technologies division:
sun.com
<Picture: Tour Director>Sun to Acquire
Information Appliance
Pioneer, Diba
SAN JOSE, CA -- July 31, 1997 -- Sun Microsystems, Inc. today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement with Diba, Inc., whereby it intends to acquire all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of Diba. Diba is a leading technology supplier for the Information Appliance industry. Together, Sun and Diba intend to aid consumer electronics manufacturers in developing end-to-end solutions aimed at accelerating the delivery of JavaTM-enabled information appliances into the hands and homes of consumers worldwide.
Subject to completion of the acquisition, Diba will become a new Sun business unit, the Consumer Technologies Group, within Sun's Microelectronics division. This group will work with major consumer electronics companies and manufacturers to provide technologies for building consumer products such as Internet-enabled TVs, Internet-enabled set top and satellite boxes, and smart phonesNow, SUNW is trying to leverage JAVA as far as they can, but its clear that they plan on making consumer goods some of them will require chips in CUBE's area, and they won't be making them in house(I don't think). Anyway I just wanted to let everyone know that if there is potential for CUBE in SUNW that the opportunity just got a lot bigger . Any thoughts out there?
<Picture: Diba Mail>"Information Appliances represent an enormous opportunity for manufacturers who can deliver the right products at the right time," said Scott McNealy, chairman, CEO and president of Sun. "By leveraging the Java software platform and Java-enabled microprocessors with Diba's experience in assembling technology components into complete solutions, Sun hopes to enable OEMs to take advantage of the market's vast potential sooner rather than later."
"Sun and Diba plan to offer all of the ingredients necessary to create Information Appliance solutions into tightly integrated packages - resulting in a significant time-to-market advantage for OEMs," said Chet Silvestri, president of Sun Microelectronics. "We expect that such modular, open, standards-based platforms will benefit both OEMs and customers because they will have the power to choose the solutions that best fit their needs."
<Picture: Diba Kitchen>Since its inception in 1995, Diba has been a leading provider of enabling technology for the Information Appliance market. The company was founded and is run by Farid Dibachi, Chairman, and Farzad Dibachi, president and CEO. Diba currently employs 79 people and is headquartered in Menlo Park, California.
"This union will be our dream realized: to democratize information access by making it available to the full spectrum of consumers," said Farzad Dibachi, president and CEO of Diba, Inc. "Together, Sun and Diba can work on closing the information gap between the technically-elite and the rest of society. As a recognized industry leader and innovator, Sun has the resources and complementary technologies needed to accelerate the process of getting networked Information Appliances into consumers' hands."
<Picture: Financial Assistant>"Diba would bring a leading Internet appliance infrastructure delivery capability to Sun," said Andrew Allison, editor and publisher of Inside the New Computer Industry. "The combination of the Diba expertise, Java and picoJava processors could well give Sun a significant advantage in driving the Information Appliance market."
About the Acquisition:
Under the terms of the agreement, Sun's Microelectronics division will acquire all of Diba's technology, engineering, products and brands as well as all of Diba's employees. Both Farzad Dibachi and Farid Dibachi will report directly to division President, Chet Silvestri, and will head up the division's new business unit, the Consumer Technologies Group (CTG). Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The consummation of this transaction is subject to various conditions to closing, including approval by Diba's shareholders.
Sun plans to divulge specific plans and strategies for the CTG in late August at the JavaTM Internet Business Expo in New York (August 26-28, 1997, Jacob Javits Center).
About Information Appliances:
<Picture: Yellow Pages>Information Appliances are a new class of computer-based devices for the consumer, business and education markets that combine powerful software applications with the convenience and affordability of household appliances. Diba is working with a wide range of customers and partners to bring Information Appliances to market. Diba has also created a portfolio of Information Appliance concepts that illustrate the broad range of appliances possible with the company's innovative technology. These devices include a financial assistant, a web browser that hooks up to a standard TV, a phone that offers email and fax and a personal travel device.
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