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1999-04-27
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From: tbryden@acorn.co.uk
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn.announce
Subject: News from Acorn: Acorn branches out into Interactive Multimedia
Date: 6 Jul 1994 13:58:34 +0100
News from Acorn Computers - Release Date: July 6th 1994
Acorn Branches Out Into Interactive Multimedia With Launch Of Online Media
==========================================================================
The Acorn Computer Group has announced its entry into the interactive
multimedia market with the launch of Online Media, a new operation within
the Acorn Computer Group. Online Media, based in Cambridge, aims to exploit
the technical expertise of the Acorn Computer Group to bring affordable
interactive multimedia products and services to the huge market emerging
from the information superhighway. To achieve this aim, Online Media will
be working with major players in this arena. Examples of current important
partners include: Olivetti, Advanced RISC Machines Ltd, Advanced
Telecommunications Modules Ltd, BNR/Northern Telecom, News International,
MAI, Anglia Television, Oracle and Cambridge Cable.
Online Media's revenues will derive initially from the supply of set-top box
equipment. Longer term, Online Media is looking to develop additional
revenue streams in the areas of design license sales, authoring software
sales, a range of on-line services and consultancy. Online Media will be
headed by Malcolm Bird who has 16 years of IT and consultancy experience and
is Technical Director of Acorn Computers Limited. Online Media has 20 staff
at launch, several of whom have transferred from design, and sales and
marketing roles within Acorn Computers Limited.
The first of Online Media's products, the Online Media set-top box, has
already generated interest from large communications providers such as
Northern Telecom and Alcatel. In the future, Online Media plans to develop
products relevant to the broader multimedia market. These will include
software for creating services running on set-top devices, services to
support the creation of new applications for interactive use and personal
multimedia devices. In addition, an interactive service to support
education in the home and school is being planned which will draw upon
Acorn's considerable expertise in the education sector.
Commenting on the launch of Online Media, Sam Wauchope, Managing Director of
the Acorn Computer Group, said: "Interactive multimedia is set to have an
even more profound long-term impact on society than the advent of popular
microcomputing.
"Acorn's proven ability in delivering low-cost, RISC-based systems and our
experience in multimedia equip us ideally for the move into the burgeoning
information superhighway marketplace.
"I am very confident that the launch of Online Media will be a significant
step towards us becoming a key player in this emerging market" he added.
Malcolm Bird, Chief Executive of Online Media, commented: "The launch of
Online Media and its technologies is a major contribution to the European
effort in this area. The different installed infrastructure and regulatory
controls across Europe allow us to gain experience across a range of
technologies and develop an early lead.
"We will be using the strengths of ARM processors and optimised systems
design to create extremely cost effective products.
"To this end, we are in the process of identifying and developing new
partnerships on a global scale. We already have established key supporters
within the telecoms and cable markets such as BNR/Northern Telecom and News
International. Online Media will give the Acorn Computer Group a solid
stake in the global multimedia market," concluded Bird.
Founded in 1978, with 1993 revenues of #54.3m, Acorn Computers is the
premier supplier of IT solutions to UK education and has been the leading
provider of 32-bit RISC based personal computers since 1987. Acorn works
closely with a strong community of industry partners, users and software
developers to provide innovative technology solutions for the education,
consumer, publishing and international markets.
The Acorn Computer Group is a holding company for Acorn Computers Limited,
Acorn Australia, Acorn New Zealand, Acorn GmbH and Online Media. Acorn
Computer Group owns 43% of Advanced RISC Machines Ltd.
Ends
From: tbryden@acorn.co.uk
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn.announce
Subject: News from Acorn: Acorn Computers to Exploit Technology of Online Media
Date: 6 Jul 1994 14:00:49 +0100
News from Acorn Computers - Release Date: July 6th 1994
Acorn Computers to Exploit Technology of Online Media
=====================================================
Acorn Computers Ltd, the principal operating company of the Acorn
Computer Group, today announced plans to partner with its newly
launched sister organisation Online Media to exploit the emerging
interactive multimedia marketplace. Online Media has been set up to
develop the use of Acorn's technology to allow the Acorn Computer
Group to expand into this new and emerging market. Acorn will bring
its unique understanding of education and its established market
leadership to the partnership.
"Acorn has always been recognised as a technology innovator," comments
Sam Wauchope, Managing Director of the Acorn Computer Group. "We have
demonstrated this with the launch of the first 32-bit RISC computer in
1987 and again with the Risc PC earlier this year. We now believe that
the time is right and the market is ready for the multimedia
technologies Online Media will deliver."
Acorn Computers Ltd will enable Online Media to capitalise on its
expertise and technology to deliver effective solutions to the set-top
box and related service markets. The partnership will be further
strengthened by Acorn's unique understanding of the education market,
ensuring that Acorn fully exploits these emerging technologies to make
products available to both educational establishments and to home
education markets.
Peter Talbot, General Manager UK Education at Acorn Computers,
comments: "Acorn has today announced its plans to realise the
enormous potential of interactive multimedia and we believe Acorn is
in the strongest position to ensure that education gets the best from
this innovative technology.
Acorn has undertaken the challenge to work with Online Media to
develop a complementary environment and systems which will allow
schools to use their current multimedia solutions with future
products. In the future, education will benefit from new products and
technologies from both Acorn and Online Media."
Acorn Computers Ltd will continue its own development plans whilst
working closely with Online Media to integrate both companies'
technologies to exploit opportunities in their respective markets.
Online Media will provide Acorn with significant product enhancements
and the run time environment and interfacing cards to allow Acorn
computer systems to be connected to interactive services.
The partnership will also provide Acorn Computers with a range of
capabilities including multimedia authoring tools, MPEG video support,
a range of alternative network service protocols and set-top boxes.
It will also provide increased opportunities for Acorn's existing
developers and potential new Acorn partners.
Wauchope continues: "Acorn's philosophy of identifying and working
with partners to exploit technologies has enabled us to remain
successful in our major markets. We have shown this through creative
exploitation of technology with another Acorn sister company Advanced
RISC Machines Ltd. This philosophy has been fundamental to the
success of ARM, which is rapidly becoming the global RISC standard for
consumer applications, and will continue to ensure the success of
Online Media."
Founded in 1978, with 1993 revenues of #54.3m, Acorn Computers is the
premier supplier of IT solutions to UK education and has been the
leading provider of 32-bit RISC based personal computers since 1987.
Acorn works closely with a strong community of industry partners,
users and software developers to provide innovative technology
solutions for the education, consumer, publishing and international
markets.
The Acorn Computer Group is a holding company for Acorn Computers
Limited, Acorn Australia, Acorn New Zealand, Acorn GmbH and Online
Media. Acorn Computer Group owns 43% of ARM Ltd. Online Media, a
division of the Acorn Computer Group, was launched in 1994 with the
mission to design world class, interactive multimedia products.
Ends