Thread, with RMBS strength in multimedia and their agreement with Intel, could below development, along with recent announcement with Digital TV producers, have positive, if not extremely positive effect on RMBS sales and profits...
Appreciate any comments!!
MileHigh
=================
Wednesday April 8, 8:43 pm Eastern Time
Intel, Microsoft collaborate on TV-in-PC products
(New throughout with comment, analysis; pv SANTA CLARA)
By Martin Wolk
SEATTLE, April 8 (Reuters) - Intel Corp. and Microsoft Corp. said Wednesday they had agreed on a common standard to
allow interactive television programming to be viewed on personal computers with the new Windows 98 operating system.
The agreement was the latest effort by the computer industry's two most dominant players to persuade broadcasters to move
closer to computer industry standards as they roll out a new wave of ''smart'' televisions and set-top devices.
Just a year ago, Microsoft, Intel and computer maker Compaq Computer Corp. were given the cold shoulder at a
broadcasters convention when they declared that the television industry should adopt computer-based standards for the
emerging generation of digital television equipment.
Microsoft Senior Vice President Craig Mundie, speaking to reporters from the same annual convention, was unapologetic and
said the relationship between the two industries was ''substantially warmer'' this year.
''(Broadcasters) are all pretty much assuming that they want to be in the business ultimately ... of having some type of data
broadcasting capabilities,'' Mundie told reporters by telephone. ''That just wasn't something that was top of mind for the
broadcast community a year ago.''
''I think we've both moved our position a bit,'' said Ron Whittier, a senior vice president in Intel's content group.
Executives said the agreement between Microsoft and Intel would allow television broadcast networks and other producers to
create interactive content such as advertising and sales offers for computer users.
Executives said they expected television tuners to become common in multimedia computers sold for home use by this year,
although industry analysts questioned whether many consumers will choose to watch TV programming on their computers.
Analysts said Intel and Microsoft were trying to stake their claim to future mass-media consumer devices to beat out the rival
network computing camp led by Sun Microsystems Inc.
''Their position is less arrogant but they're just as determined,'' analyst Tim Bajarin of Creative Strategies said. ''There's no
question they're a force to be reckoned with.''
Microsoft operating system software and Intel microprocessors control nearly 90 percent of all new personal computers
shipped, and both companies have poured resources into the effort to win at least a significant share of the market for
advanced televisions and set-top boxes.
So far, television industry leaders have carefully avoided granting the two companies a comparable advantage. For example, in
January cable giant Tele-Communications Inc. selected both Sun and Microsoft to provide technology for its roll-out of
millions of television set-top boxes.
Under the agreement between the two companies, Intel's Intercast software will be integrated into Microsoft products,
including Windows 98, which is expected to be available in late June.
Intel says broadcasters, including cable TV channels CNN and QVC already provide programming for Intercast, which
includes Internet-based enhancements and the ability for users to interact or link up to selected Web sites over a telephone
line.
The system is similar to Microsoft's WebTV, which funnels television programming and Internet enhancements through an
inexpensive television set-top box.
While the current agreement is based on analog television signals used now, Microsoft and Intel officials said they expect to
announce an agreement on standards for digital TV, which broadcasters are just beginning to provide, within 90 days. |
