InternetNews Staff

German media powerhouse Bertelsmann AG announced Monday its online books division has signed multi-million dollar agreements for European distribution with America Online Inc. and Lycos Inc. Bertelsmann AG is paying AOL $13 million to be the exclusive bookseller on AOL and CompuServe’s European services for the next two years. Bertelsmann’s BooksOnline, or BOL.com, service will […]

Computer Literacy, an online retailer of books for technology professionals, launched FindITnow, a program intended for businesses to provide customized technical resource stores on their corporate intranets. Through the program, Computer Literacy builds a custom storefront on the corporate partner’s intranet, providing employees with a quick, easy way to find and order technical and business […]

Lucent Technologies has signed contracts worth more than $22 million to equip several residential communities now under construction with an advanced communications network that will offer a variety of high-tech services. Dubbed The HomeStar Wiring System, the network will offer voice, video and high-speed data services. Construction is underway on 55,000 homes in Las Vegas, […]

Enter another contender into the portal arena. America Online and its subsidiary, ICQ are planning to unveil a “desktop portal,” ICQ99, within the next few weeks. The portal revolves around ICQ’s popular instant messaging service and will provide users with the ability to surf the Web without leaving the ICQ taskbar. It will also have […]

Microsoft Corp. has reportedly killed technology it was developing that would bring 3-D graphics to the Web. In July, Microsoft unveiled plans for Chromeffects and a software developer kit was released shortly thereafter. The company had planned to release an enhancement to its Windows operating system incorporating the technology next quarter, but various reports say […]

Newsweek.com and washingtonpost.com launched Marketplace, an e-commerce solution offering free-form product searches, browsing through the site’s collection of retailers and access to a directory of all the major retailers in various categories. The Marketplace is available here for washingtonpost.com and here for Newsweek.com. Current shopping categories include Books, Computer Hardware, Computer Software, Consumer Electronics, Fashion, […]

IDT Corp. signed an agreement to integrate its Click2Talk application into the Web sites of 1-800-FLOWERS, allowing shoppers to speak through their computers to sales and customer service representatives on the telephone via the Internet. Click2Talk offers Web users a live phone connection without the inconvenience of having to log off the Internet, while offering […]

LendingTree Inc. launched The LendingTree Branch Network, allowing participating e-commerce sites to offer their customers financing solutions for cars, consumer electronics, vacations, furniture, luxury items and homes. Web sites participating in The LendingTree Branch Network provide access to competitive rates for loan types such as mortgage, auto, personal and credit cards. Affiliates are paid a […]

You know that e-commerce is catching on with more than just the geeks when you see an outfit like Kenworth Truck Co. launching a Used Truck Locator on the Internet. Its Web site lists used trucks available for sale at participating Kenworth dealers. Search criteria include dealership, make, model, model year, mileage, price, sleeper type […]

Reel.com Inc., the online movie store subsidiary of Hollywood Entertainment Corp., entered an exclusive commerce partnership with PlanetOut, an online site for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered communities. Fans of PlanetOut’s PopcornQ movie guide will now be one click away from online shopping and access to Reel.com’s selection and movie advice. Financial […]

Symantec Corp.’s Norton AntiVirus products have been chosen by IBM Corp. for inclusion in the IBM eNetwork Firewall Solution Pack. The anti-virus products that will be incorporated in IBM’s network security software include Norton AntiVirus for Windows 95/98, Norton AntiVirus for Windows NT Workstation/Server and Norton AntiVirus for Internet E-mail Gateways. Symatec said it was […]

Arabian community Web site Arabia.On.Line announced a partnership with American security company Argus Systems Group and German software firm Netlife Internet Consulting und Software GmbH to provide Internet banking solutions. The joint service brings Internet and intranet secure transactional capability for banks, financial institutions and enterprises in the Middle East. Arabia.On.Line will combine its experience […]