Friday January 9, 4:29 pm Eastern Time
Company Press Release
PersonalJava Platform Adopted by TCI for Fully Configured
Next-Generation Set-Tops
PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 9, 1998--In a move toward enabling interoperable set-tops and advanced
feature management, Sun Microsystems, Inc. (Sun) announced today a definitive agreement with Tele-Communications, Inc.
(TCI) to incorporate the PersonalJava(TM) platform as a standard software application environment in the advanced, fully
configured digital set-tops for TCI and its affiliated cable operators.
TCI's next-generation set-top boxes are expected to serve as the home's platform for interactive entertainment, commerce,
communications and education providing networked services such as home shopping, banking, e-mail and Internet access.
PersonalJava, the Java(TM) platform for consumer devices, enables set-top boxes to connect to and download content from
the cable operator's network and from others including the Internet. This announcement represents a key step forward in
making the PersonalJava platform the application development platform of choice for the home.
''As a continuation of our commitment to Open Cable and the new ability provided by advanced digital devices, we are
pleased to work with PersonalJava to provide an application environment which allows new capabilities to be available in a
non-proprietary way,'' stated Dr. John C. Malone, Chairman and CEO of TCI. ''Along with Sun's commitment to developing
attractive applications for our customers, we look forward to continuing our discussions and development with a multitude of
top technology organizations to make the advanced set-top platform a strong center for interactive entertainment,
communication and commerce.''
''This is a phenomenal leap forward for the Java platform,'' stated Scott McNealy, president, chairman and CEO of Sun
Microsystems, Inc. ''The TV is not only one of the highest volume consumer platforms in the home, it is often at the
centerpiece for family entertainment in homes around the world. Hundreds of thousands of Java application developers are
poised to create the content and applications for this platform.''
The PersonalJava platform allows applications to be downloaded automatically to the end-user, for example, a Java applet that
displays the user's stock portfolio or the weather conditions of a travel destination. The PersonalJava platform opens the doors
for Java technology developers to create applets and applications that can run on any common consumer device that is
connected to the cable network, including any Java- enabled webphone, set-top box, PDA or mobile phone. The
PersonalJava platform is designed specifically for network-connectable products people use in homes, while mobile or in the
office.
The PersonalJava platform 1.0 reference implementation began shipping this month. Its finalized specification was posted at
java.sun.com in September 1997. There have been more than 10,000 downloads of the
specification.
This week at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Sun is showcasing Java technology-based consumer
electronic devices at Java(TM) Technology Town. This exhibit features state-of-the-art consumer electronics based on Java
technology and developed by third parties which bring the ''Write Once, Run Anywhere(TM)'' power of the Java platform to
the consumer market. Stop by Java Technology Town in Sun's booth, No. S108, to see how consumer electronic
manufacturers and service providers are using Java technology to bring new functionality to their products. CES continues
through Sunday, January 11, 1998.
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision, ''The Network Is The Computer(TM),'' has propelled Sun Microsystems, Inc.,
(NASDAQ: SUNW - news), to its position as a leading provider of hardware, software and services for establishing
enterprise-wide intranets and expanding the power of the Internet. With more than $8.5 billion in annual revenues, Sun can be
found in more than 150 countries and on the World Wide Web at sun.com .
Note to Editors: Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun Logo, ''The Network Is The Computer,'' Java and PersonalJava are
trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries.
Contact:
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Penny Bruce, 408/343-1796
penelope.bruce@eng.sun.com |
