InternetNews Staff

idealab! Monday launched Free-PC Inc., the first company to offer consumers a free personal computer, Internet access and e-mail in exchange for allowing targeted advertising messages delivered to the desktop. USA Networks Inc., whose strategic assets include Ticketmaster Online- CitySearch Inc., Internet Shopping Network/First Auction and Home Shopping Network, has agreed to invest $10 million […]

Communications service provider (CSP), Linx Communications, Inc. Friday introduced LinxView, an Internet-based personal communications product enabling subscribers to manage calls and messages from their PC. The LinxView product is a free feature of the Linx Universal Number, which incorporates all phone numbers from a user, including fax and pager, in a single local or toll […]

In light of the recent boom in the e-commerce industry, the U.S. Commerce Department will start measuring online shopping’s impact on overall retail activity, a major indicator of the country’s economic health. The plan was announced Friday by Commerce Secretary William M. Daley at a conference discussing the recent growth in the online marketplace. He […]

Louisville, KY-based USAccess Bank opened its virtual doors for business this week, offering direct Internet lending. USAccess Bank said it offers customers the advantages of the Internet–speed, convenience and value–with the product breadth and security of a well-managed, well-capitalized, FDIC-insured financial institution. “USAccess Bank takes banking to the next level, providing nationwide access to high-value […]

Internet brokers continued to grow at a frenetic pace in 1998 and managed to double their business during the year, according to a new report issued Thursday. According to Stephen C. Franco, senior research analyst of electronic commerce at Piper Jaffray, online brokers now collectively manage $420 billion in assets. That’s due in large part […]

MCI WorldCom said Thursday that it launched a new portal with content partner Compuserve, in an effort to fill the Internet void left when it was forced to sell its Internet backbone in May, under regulatory conditions necessary for the completion of the MCI, WorldCom merger. “We’re back,” proclaimed noted Internet forerunner Vint Cerf, MCI […]

IDT’s Net2Phone Thursday said its Net2Phone Direct customers can now retrieve e-mail messages via text-to-speech technology. By using technology provided by MailCall, subscribers can listen to e-mail messages by calling their Net2Phone Direct account, without the use of a computer or laptop. In addition, the company announced that it will provide free e-mail accounts to […]

San Jose, CA-based CyberSource Corp. said that its Global Rights Registry has become “the first Internet commerce services company to receive certification to the internationally recognized business quality assurance standard–ISO 9002.” ISO 9002 certification indicates that CyberSource’s Global Rights Registry Services meet the consistently high level of excellence that such customers as Lotus, Microsoft and […]

In what is being hailed as the biggest Internet deal of its kind, America Online, Inc. Wednesday announced a $500 million advertising and marketing agreement with BANK ONE CORP. subsidiary First USA. The new five-year alliance extends the companies earlier partnership, begun in 1996, in which they issued a co-branded credit card, the AOL Visa […]

NTT Data Corporation, Japan’s largest financial infrastructure service provider, on January 29 began commercial operation of a SET-compliant Internet gateway for its CAFIS (Credit and Finance Information System) network. Retail outlets and online shopping sites can use the new CAFIS Internet Shopping Service to process credit card purchase authorizations and transmit account data securely via […]

After much speculation, MCI Worldcom announced Wednesday it would soon begin providing Internet service to consumers. Speaking at an event sponsored by the Economic Strategies Institute, MCI Worldcom President Tim Price said the company would expand its services to include individual customers. “This week we’ll be announcing a brand new offering from MCI WorldCom–Internet access […]

Netscape Communications Corp. and SaskTel Wednesday announced a three-year partnership to deliver Internet software and services to businesses and consumers around the world. The partnership, announced at Internet World Canada, gives SaskTel, one of Saskatchewan’s leading Internet providers, a license to Netscape’s entire enterprise software line. Netscape will also help the company develop e-commerce and […]