IP: 2 from Edupage -- ECHOSTAR TO DELIVER DATA, TOO and

[Dave Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

ECHOSTAR TO DELIVER DATA, TOO
EchoStar Communications has successfully completed a public test of the
technology it will use in cooperation with Intel Corp. and Comstream to
deliver data via satellite to subscribers.  Transmission rates could be
several megabits per second, says EchoStar's director of program management,
who adds that the opportunity to download Web content at higher speeds is
attractive to people hampered by slow phone lines.  "If the download could
be made quickly and it could be stashed on their hard drive, that might be
something they'd be interested in," he says.  In the recent test,
subscribers who use EchoStar's system to receive video and audio content
were given cards to install in their PCs, enabling them to receive data as
well.  (Broadcasting & Cable 12 Aug 96 p86)


NC WILL CHANGE THE PC, NOT REPLACE IT
High-tech industry observer George Gilder says the PC will win out over the
TV as the dominant information source:  "On the Net, the viewer gets his or
her first choice of information, instead of the lowest common denominator."
Gilder also sees the NC/PC controversy as a motivation to redesign the PC:
"There's a huge opportunity for new devices on the network in schools,
libraries, kiosks, homes and businesses.  The NC won't displace the desktop,
but it will deeply influence the PC."  (Information Week 5 Aug 96 p12)