This is the first in a series of articles on the future of the

set-top box - which ties in rather nicely with this week's

announcement that Cable & Wireless are to use Oracle's NC and

Apple are developing a "new product" that is set to redefine the

market. All in all it is a very active market at the mo, so we

started at the most recent with an out-take from Wired News -

for the full story, follow the link at the end:

You could almost hear the sigh of relief as Network

Computer Inc. Announced a deal Tuesday to provide the

platform technology for telecommunications heavy Cable &

Wireless Communications digital set-top boxes.

"We've gone from a year of demo-ing our products to finally

actually implementing," said Charlie Tritschler, director of

product marketing for Network Computer, the Oracle

subsidiary that makes software for a range of

Internet-based network devices. "This is a big milestone for

us."

Last year, Network Computer was vying with Microsoft and

a host of others to develop the dominant platform for the

cable television industry's new generation of boxes, which

promise to mark the beginning of the convergence of TV and

the Internet. But in November, the cable industry decided to

go with open standards for the technology instead of hitching

its wagon to a single company's star.

Since then, a number of software companies, including

Microsoft and Sun, have closed deals with large cable

companies - but nobody has heard much from Network

Computer.

Now, after a year in the wilderness, Network Computer is

getting into a significant set-top-box market thanks to its

deal with Cable & Wireless. Though the terms of the deal

were not disclosed, the companies said that Network

Computer will provide the platform for Cable & Wireless's

broadband services, like broadcast television and Internet

content. Cable & Wireless has plans to unveil such services

in 50 countries, beginning this year with the United

Kingdom.

(c) Wired News