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To: Chas who wrote (12153)	4/21/1999 8:38:00 PM
From: Jenne	Respond to of 41369

Interactive TV coming home this year Consumers will finally have a choice of interactive TV products this fall, industry insiders say. By Robert Lemos, ZDNN April 21, 1999 4:42 PM PT LAS VEGAS -- Interactive TV -- long hyped as the Holy Grail of new media, and just as elusive -- seems finally ready to hit home this year, said industry insiders at the National Association of Broadcasters show here on Wednesday. "NAB [1999] is going to go down as a milestone where interactive TV really started taking off," said Jan Steenkamp, CEO of OpenTV Inc., a Mountain View, Calif.-maker of operating systems for interactive-TV capable set-top boxes. Interactive TV devices will roll out this fall, with digital satellite broadcasters, cable providers and at least one big name Internet provider jumping on board. The devices will add features such as electronic program guides, personalized portals to TV content, the capability to delve deeper into the programs being watched, and even the potential to buy items seen on TV. Over 10 million will be installed in households by the end of this year, according to one estimate. Not just WebTV anymore That's a big difference from today. For the past two years, consumers wanting TV with a bit of oomph had little choice: WebTV Network Inc.'s WebTV service. That's set to change. By the end of the year, digital satellite provider EchoStar Communications Corp. (Nasdaq:DISH) will roll out a new interactive service on its DISH network that will allow consumers with special set-top boxes access to enhanced content. Two deals -- one with WebTV and another with OpenTV -- will let consumers choose their way of getting enhanced content. Competitor DirecTV Inc. has closed a deal with Wink Communications Inc. to include that company's enhanced functions in new set-top boxes. In addition, Internet service provider America Online Inc. (NYSE:AOL) is set to release set-top devices running on an operating system from Network Computer Inc. under the company's AOL Anywhere initiative, according to one source familiar with the deal. By Christmas 1999, early adopters looking for enhanced TV products will most likely have at least two from which to choose. An early lead Despite the new competition, however, WebTV has used its head start to gain an advantage. The company has signed deals with EchoStar in the United States, BskyB in Europe, as well as two U.K. service providers and Deutsche Telecom in Germany. And Sega's Dreamcast can host WebTV's service using a single CD-ROM, according to one company source. Others operating in Europe, which is ahead in the race to convert to digital TV, are also better prepared. OpenTV already boasts 2.2 million subscribers worldwide, with most of them in Europe. That experience is scoring big points in the United States, said Clay Conrad, vice president of worldwide sales for the Mountain View company. Conrad said he expects that OpenTV will have over 5 million subscribers worldwide by the end of the year. Cutting through the confusion While the confusing array of devices and software for interactive TV has left the consumers and industry wondering where interactive TV really is, one industry insider confirms that TV is about to be changed. "Regardless of what is in the media," said Marlin Davis, president and executive producer of enhanced TV content creator Screamingly Different Entertainment. "I know what is going on in these meetings and where this industry is headed. "Interactive TV has arrived." Click here to see more computing stories April 21, 1999 PM 05:04p Avid confirms shift to NT 05:02p Interactive content on the fast track 05:00p Connectix suspends Virtual Game Station shipments 04:44p Pfeiffer slams Compaq board 03:35p U.S. sees biggest Y2K problems abroad Competition hits the 'dot' domain Oxfam nixes Kosovo 'spam' campaign Pfeiffer lashes out at Compaq Interactive TV coming home Rumors fly on 'Trenchcoat Mafia' Big numbers for Big Blue -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Get Personal News Alert -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Business Best Buy dumps iMac over colors Microsoft tops Q3 estimates Commentary Willmott: Web's reaction to tragedy Dvorak: The death of the newspaper Computing Best of Comdex winners cited MS mighty mouse -- no trackball Internet British ISP sues spammer Supreme Court upholds CDA section News, Financials, Products Enter a company Get our FREE digest of the day's top headlines by e-mail every morning. Text HTML -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Downloads in the news --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To: Chas who wrote (12153)	4/21/1999 9:11:00 PM
From: Voltaire	Read Replies (4) \| Respond to of 41369

Chas, Making a prediction in this market with the resurgence of manipulation we have seen lately is almost futile. I still believe we will see about $165 t0 $170 before earnings. In my mind there will absolutely be some kind of split. I predicted earlier that it would probably 3 for 2 and I am sticking to that. Would love to see 2 for 1. I feel the earnings will be great, about 15 cents. The Fox ( I think I will officially dub Steve Case The Fox ) should have some blockbuster announcement in the next two weeks. Number one feel now - RNWK. Number two - CBS, Number three WCOM. Remains to be seen. Voltaire