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Technology Stocks : Wind River going up, up, up! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: James Connolly who wrote (8633)	10/12/2000 2:07:56 PM
From: James Connolly	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 10309

How Microsoft lost its vision with WebTV news.cnet.com Microsoft's once-commanding position in the interactive TV market has suffered several setbacks in the past few months: June 19: AOLTV is officially unveiled, the first head-to-head competitor WebTV has ever faced. Although reaction to the AOL set-top box is mixed, analysts say the online service and portal company is a potent threat to WebTV because of its brand recognition among consumers. AOL, which is using software from Microsoft rival Liberate Technologies, recruits many of WebTV's partners to its team, including Philips, DirecTV and Circuit City. Aug. 14: Microsoft reshuffles key management positions in the television group, essentially removing WebTV co-founder Phil Goldman from his role as head of the Microsoft TV group. Because of repeated delays completing and shipping Microsoft TV, sources say the technology group is now directly overseen by Microsoft executive Jon DeVaan. Sept. 5: Microsoft announces it is integrating components of Microsoft TV into Whistler, its next-generation operating system for the PC. The move is seen by analysts as a step back from digital set-top boxes as the primary method of providing interactive programming. Sept. 11: United Pan-Europe Communications, one of Europe's largest cable providers, agrees to use Liberate's software in its digital cable boxes. UPC says it looked to other software companies, including OpenTV, Excite@Home and PowerTV, after it became clear that Microsoft was moving too slowly. Microsoft has an 8 percent stake in UPC. Sept. 21: After taking $5 billion from Microsoft and agreeing to use Microsoft TV in its cable set-top boxes, AT&T shifts gears and announces that it will begin trials with Liberate software. Sources say AT&T, thought to be one of Microsoft's closest allies in the interactive TV market, was frustrated by repeated delays and missed deadlines. Regards JC. PS. Extract from the main part of the article "Liberate Technologies, which makes operating systems for interactive TV boxes." well not quite !!!