Oracle Extends Ties with Navio

Oracle is expected to announce closer links with Netscape subsidiary Navio Communications as the workstation vendor moves into the consumer end of the market.

Steve Voller, Netscape UK MD, confirmed there would be ?an extension of the Navio/ Oracle relationship? but refused to say how much of a stake Oracle would take in Navio.

Netscape set up Navio in August 1996 to provide software to enable TV watchers and home video game players to surf the internet. The Netscape tie-up would represent a major shift of focus for Oracle, whose network computer (NC) concept was first touted as a consumer product, but later pitched at the business market.

?Hiving Navio off allowed Netscape to pursue its core direction in the Fortune 500 market,? said Voller. ?Navio brings Netscape technology into position as the Web access technology of choice for consumer electronics.?

Navio has OEM relationships with Oracle, Sun and IBM, which have Navio-based NCs available now. IBM, Sony, Toshiba, NEC, Nintendo and Sega are launching consumer TV/Web access devices in the autumn with Navio search engines.