Microsoft shifts WebTV oversight to Redmond

Published: 2 March 2001 y., Friday
"MSN will assume responsibility for the WebTV Internet-on-TV service and will become the Internet service for WebTV's products," a Microsoft representative told CNET News.com on Thursday. The move is not expected to produce any changes for subscribers to the television-based Internet service, the representative said. The company is not planning any job cuts as part of the move. The Mountain View, Calif.-based unit that manages the WebTV service will report to MSN General Manager Mark Looi in Redmond, Wash., according to an internal memo. News of the changes at WebTV was reported earlier by the site Net4tv Voice, which tracks the interactive TV market and first published details of the Microsoft memo. Besides the WebTV service, Microsoft also is using WebTV's technology in its soon-to-debut UltimateTV service. That offering combines interactive television, a digital video recorder, satellite TV and Internet access. Microsoft said that the group that develops the WebTV units will continue to be a part of the Microsoft TV operation, while UltimateTV will remain in Mountain View, headed by Leak. Microsoft acquired interactive TV pioneer WebTV in April 1997 for $425 million. Although WebTV continued to grow after the acquisition, the number of subscribers eventually hit a plateau at about 1 million.
Šaltinis: CNET News.com
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.

Facebook Comments

New comment


Captcha

Associated articles

Intel To Beef Up Facilities in Ireland

Intel envisions leading-edge chip production to begin at Fab 24-2, its new facility in Ireland, by 2006 more »

Transmeta Joins Microsoft's 'NX' Club

Transmeta will add a new antivirus technology standard to its next round of low-power chips, the company said Monday more »

Welcome summer with the new “Skynet” entertainment

There is plenty of entertainment on „Skynet“ network that are designed for the users of the inside network. One can watch stereo quality video recordings and listen to Internet radio with the help of the high-speed Internet. And there are more... more »

Net portal wars

Rivals Yahoo and Google launched assaults on each other's territory as the fight for the Internet search dollars heated up more »

The deal

Ruling delayed on huge Microsoft attorney fees more »

Diebold finds e-voting business stormy

After the Florida punch-card debacle hurt the credibility of the last presidential election, ATM maker Diebold decided it should expand into electronic voting more »

EC opens ears on e-money directive

The European Commission has opened a consultation period on its controversial "e-money" directive more »

Ready, Willing & Able

Fujitsu Siemens Computers plans to considerably strengthen its position on the Polish information technology market by taking advantage of opportunities offered by Poland's accession to the European Union more »

Estonia embraces web without wires

There is a new revolution brewing along Tallinn's ancient stone streets and inside its charming Gothic buildings. more »

Web services find way to devices

New Web services technology makes it easier for users to connect devices over a network more »