RCA Bows WebTV

Thomson will enter the WebTV terminal product field in the fall. The move underscores the company's expanding role into interactive television platforms, products and services.As part of that initiative, Thomson Senior Vice President Michael O'Hara said RCA would first introduce a WebTV Plus Internet receiver at a $249 suggested retail, including wireless keyboard, in October. The product represents the first in a series of interactive products Thomson is developing with strategic partner Microsoft. The two companies are working on enhanced television systems that will be introduced to the world marketplace later this fall in Europe. The RCA WebTV Plus terminal (RW-2110) will operate with the WebTV Plus service and will perform essentially the same functions as those marketed by Mitsubishi, Philips and Sony, though it does offer different styling and includes a universal remote.The introduction by Thomson of a freestanding terminal represents a reversal of a position stated earlier by senior executive VP Jim Meyer that Thomson would not have a me-too competitor to boxes already on the market, and it clearly delays until next year the expected introduction of TV with built-in WebTV capability.Source: Greg Tarr, TWICE