Internet World draws surfers to New York

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by Tom Spring

(IDG) --World Series excitement may dominate New York this week, but major league technology firms are pitching with enthusiasm at the Internet World Fall 2000 trade show here as well.

As Yankee and Mets fans revel on the subways, inside the Jacob Javits Center 50,000 suit-and-tie Net equivalents will take in exhibits by roughly a thousand companies. The show floor will display the latest in cutting-edge Internet business tools, including plenty of new Web sites, wireless devices, and Internet appliances.

"Wireless everything" is the predominant theme as the Internet world looks skyward to services and devices that take the Net with you no matter where you go. Wireless leaders Sprint, Verizon, AvantGo, Ericsson, and GoAmerica are hawking services alongside a raft of smaller players. Among the startups is AmikaNow, showcasing its Web-to-any-wireless-device e-mail notification software.

Another overarching theme is the challenge of making a profit on the Internet in the wake of recent dot-com failures.

"What's striking this year is how less relevant dot-com companies are and how much more relevant traditional companies with dot-com strategies are," says Jack Powers, conference director with show organizer Penton Media.

AOL 6 Steps Up to the Plate

America Online is using the confab to launch its client software AOL 6, which more closely ties the AOL network to multimedia content, the wireless Web, and Net appliances such as AOLTV. Barry Schuler, president of the interactive services group at AOL, is delivering a keynote address Wednesday. He's also expected to discuss the company's pending merger with media giant Time Warner.

Expect new Web-surfing aids from DataBites, maker of a program that saves bits of Web content onto your desktop and blasts it to wireless devices; and Visual Top, which tries to streamline Web site navigation by dynamically generating site-specific browser skins that change by site. AudioBasket is launching a Web service that lets you mix-and-match Net-based streaming audio content from multiple sources for one-click playback.

Other companies will focus on the growing promise of high-speed Internet access. ArrayComm is trumpeting its wireless broadband 1 megabit-per-second service called i-Burst. Hughes Network Systems' DirecPC division is announcing a satellite broadband partnership with AOL to deliver fast Net access those without cable or digital subscriber line modems.

Try This PC On for Size

From the outer limits, the technology world will take its shot at eclipsing the Manhattan fashion scene with a "Brave New Unwired World Fashion Technology Show." Promoters are billing it as a best-guess glimpse into the future melding of wears and wares.

Models representing BodyMedia will strut their stuff wearing an Internet-enabled exercise outfit that transports vital body statistics to a Net-connected PC. Other Web wearables include a fabric radio, which is a voice-activated device that's worn like a scarf but accesses e-mail or voice mail.

The show runs through Friday with keynote addresses scheduled from Larry Ellison, chief executive of Oracle; David Wetherell, chief executive officer of CMGI; Paul Otellini, executive vice president at Intel; and Bill Gross, chief executive officer of Idealab.

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Information Technology Industry Council
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