Lacey's Paper Round
High praise for AOL emerged last week from the FT's Lex Column, which is now prepared to admit that the firm's success is based on much more than "mere hype". Intel's Gordon Moore gives over £7 million to Cambridge University, Sunday Business reports on the looming battle for interactive services as part of digital offerings and the Wall Street Journal reports on how American car manufacturers are going online in a big way. Did I miss something? If you see an interesting item in the press about computing or the Internet send it to me, Eugene Lacey, at ZDNet News.
Intel's Gordon Moore gives £7.4 million to Cambridge University - Financial Times
The Financial Times reported on the donation of £7.4 million from Intel co-founder, Gordon Moore, to help finance "Europe's most advanced science and technology library". Moore told the FT's Simon Targett: "It is hard to think of another university in the world with such continuous involvement in so many important scientific advances." Financial Times, October 1, 1998.
Digital television's interactive services need to be more than the icing on the cake - Sunday Business
Sunday Business reports on the looming fight for market share in interactive services available through the new digital television offerings from Sky, ONdigital, and the BBC. The article by Dawn Hayes, quotes: "Independent music and media consultant" Steve McCauley who tells SB that "anytime you get a war concerned with technology rather than consumer aspirations, you end up with a bloodbath". Global Securities Research & Economics Group, Merrill Lynch, is a little more positive. In the same article it states: "The perceived wisdom is that it is the sports and film programming that are the killer applications and the interactive services are just 'nice to have'. This is incorrect in our opinion." Sunday Business, 4 October, 1998.
Netscape and Intel support provides major boost for Linux - The Economist
Intel and Netscape backing of Linux "gives Linux a huge injection of market credibility" says The Economist. The report also questions Microsoft's attitude to the rising tide of support for the freely distributed version of Unix. "For the moment, however, the company from Redmond, Washington, seems almost grateful for the rising profile of Linux, seeing it as an easy way of demonstrating that Windows is not a monopoly, ahead of its antitrust trial, scheduled to begin on October 15th. That may be short sighted. In the long run, Linux and other open-source programs could cause Mr Gates much grief." The Economist, October 3, 1998.
Silicon eyes are the next big thing - Business Week
In a special Science and Technology report in Business Week, imaging chips are seen as the next big thing in computing. One of the first applications is likely to be in security. "Eyeball digital cameras will be built into monitors for video mail or for verifying the user's identity. Keyboards with built-in fingerprint scanners will substitute for passwords." In the same article, Bryan Ackland of Lucent Technologies Inc's Bell Labs tells BW: "Imaging chips will be a ubiquitous feature of everyday life." Business Week, October 12, 1998.
AOL growing three times as fast as Pfizer - Financial Times, Lex Column
The FT notes that AOL is growing three times as fast as the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, maker of Viagra. "It now has more than 15 million members and revenues should rise by nearly 50 per cent to $3.8bn in the year to next June." But at eight times this year's revenues the valuation is only on a par with Pfizer, yet it is growing three times as fast. That can no longer be dismissed as mere hype." Financial Times, Lex Column, September 29, 1998.
Big US car firms gear up for major Web push - Wall Street Journal
The WSJ reports on major plans by America's 'big three' car manufacturers to beef up their Web sites to enable users to arrange test drives and get quotes from local dealers by email. Ron Sabrero, general sales and service manager for GM's Chevrolet division told the WSJ: "The Internet today in our eyes and in our dealers' eyes has a whole different look than two to three years ago." The GM BuyPower initiative "is a major commitment on General Motors' part". Wall Street Journal, September 29, 1998.