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Technology Stocks : 3Com Corporation (COMS) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Eric who wrote (19870)	7/29/1998 12:52:00 PM
From: John T. Hardee	Respond to of 45548

3Com and 8X8 Team to Deliver Videoconferencing to the Masses Alliance to Provide Easy-to-Use PC and Appliance-Based Videoconferencing Solutions Bridging the Gap Between PC and TV Worlds SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 29, 1998-- Global networking leader 3Com Corporation (NASDAQ:COMS - news) and 8x8, Inc. - a leading supplier of video conferencing technology and systems (NASDAQ:EGHT - news) - today announced a new strategic alliance to bring videoconferencing to the forefront of the PC and consumer appliance markets. Both companies are teaming up to advance interoperability between the desktop PC and consumer appliance market segments and to initiate various co-marketing ventures throughout the retail channel. The new relationship is aimed towards developing high-quality video phone calls from both home and office with ordinary computers, telephones and televisions. To increase market awareness and end-user demand, 3Com(R) efforts will be concentrated on PC hardware and software products through the Bigpicture(TM) video product line. 8x8's(TM) ViaTV(TM) videophone products will focus on the non-computer-based, consumer appliance segment. Together, 3Com and 8x8 will offer fully-compatible, synergistic, jointly-promoted products which bridge the visual communication gap between PC and consumer products. ''This new relationship focuses the power of two industry leaders to deliver the best video experience regardless of the user's choice of environment,'' said Robert Hudson, video product line manager for 3Com's Personal Communications Division. ''Our combined goal is to make video communications affordable and easily applicable to everyone's lives while bridging the gap between PCs and television sets worldwide.'' ''It's quite common for a PC owner to wish to make a video call with someone who is not PC-literate or has a PC that is not equipped to support video calling,'' said Chris McNiffe, vice president of sales and marketing for 8x8. ''Working with 3Com, we see a tremendous opportunity to further develop this segment through targeted, co-operative marketing initiatives, improving interoperability, and adding new feature enhancements.'' About Bigpicture Video 3Com's Bigpicture video phone camera & PCI capture card (1689-01) is available for a suggested retail price (SRP) of $159.95 in the U.S and ships complete with a 30 fps video capture