Intel Corp. and Microsoft Corp. will incorporate
Intel’s Intercast technology into Microsoft’s WebTV for Windows 98, the
companies announced today.
Microsoft and Intel said they see this as the first phase in blending TV programming with data from various platforms, such as PCs equipped with TV tuners. Analog broadcasts will be the first area of concentration, followed by digital broadcasting.
“As broadcasters contemplate the move to digital TV, they are looking for
ways to get on the air today with interactive programming,” said Ron Whittier, senior vice president and general manager, content group, Intel. “By working together, Intel and Microsoft can provide a unified environment for the development of next-generation content.”
Intercast enables television programmers to create full-screen
interactive programming by combining TV with digital enhancements based on
HTML. WebTV for Windows delivers television capabilities and services to PCs, including data broadcasting, electronic program guides, and interactive TV programming.
“Integrating Intercast technology into Windows 98 will provide an
incentive for producers to create interactive content more quickly,” said
Craig Mundie, senior vice president, consumer platform division, Microsoft.
“Consumers will benefit from having more content to choose from, and producers will have a larger target audience for this new content.”