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Oracle unveils $199 Net box
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May 9, 2000: 8:21 a.m. ET
Ellison targets Internet access only device at education market
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Oracle Corp. Chairman and Chief Executive Lawrence Ellison has unveiled a new $199 device that provides access to the Internet, targeting the product toward the education market.
"The creation of the New Internet Computer allows us to expand the number of students that can be reached because of its simplicity, lower price and ease of maintenance," Ellison said Monday in unveiling the device at a Dallas high school.
Ellison, speaking Monday at a news conference to introduce the machine, commented on 'bridging the digital divide'. [217KB WAV] or [217KB AIFF]
Ellison said he hopes to have one of the devices on every child's desk by 2005.
The NIC, which lacks a hard drive, is not a personal computer. It does allow users to establish e-mail accounts and surf the World Wide Web.
The device is similar to the network computer, a $500 device developed and marketed jointly with Sun Microsystems Corp. (SUNW: Research, Estimates) five years ago. That device -- which required users to access software from a common site -- was a flop among business users, who balked at the idea of not having the software in their possession. The system was designed to break the hold that Microsoft Corp. (MSFT: Research, Estimates) has on the personal computer market with its Windows operating system.
 The machine is being marketed by San Francisco-based start-up The New Internet Computer Co. Ellison is the primary owner of the privately held company.
Oracle shares closed Monday at 72-5/16, down 4-1/2.
Currently, those seeking Internet access without a personal computer can do so through WebTV, a device that uses a TV set as a monitor. The device is marketed by Philips and Sony, with the service provided by a unit of Microsoft. 
-- from staff and wire reports
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