Teknema, Inc. announced today the availability of a low-cost, open architecture Internet TV appliance at Internet Showcase.

Dubbed "Easy Rider", the Internet TV appliance provides affordable and high-quality access to the Internet on a TV screen. Users of the Teknema Easy Rider appliance will be able to connect to the Internet with standard accounts from a variety of Internet Service Providers over regular telephone lines. "Easy Rider proves the viability of accessing the Internet through TV while giving users the freedom to select their service provider," says Marco Graziano, president and CEO of Teknema. "We are pioneering the concept of making the Internet affordable, accessible via TV screen."

Easy Rider allows the user to surf the World Wide Web and to send and receive electronic mail. The unique Teknema hardware and software design provides a low-cost solution with excellent display quality for text on TV using western and oriental characters. The TV interface is available for both NTSC and PAL sets and is extended to stereo audio as well. An infrared remote control is used to interact with the set-top box, and a wireless keyboard is optional. The unit is equipped with a Smart Card reader that allows consumers to make purchases or do financial transactions on-line. Easy Rider also incorporates support for low-cost ink-jet color and black and white printers.

Teknema has licensed its design for manufacturing to consumer electronic world leaders Daewoo Electronics Co. in Korea, and Funai Electric Ltd. in Japan.

Easy Rider is available in versions that are capable of displaying Web pages and exchanging electronic mail in Chinese, Japanese and Korean. The ability to configure the unit over the Internet and to upgrade the software, provides a way for the service providers to ensure an easy activation as well as a constantly up-to-date product. No specific server software is required and the connection to any Internet service provider uses the TCP/IP and PPP protocols.

Evaluation units of the Teknema Easy Rider Internet TV appliance are available immediately to OEMs, VARs and system integrators world-wide.

About Teknema

Teknema is an Internet technology company dedicated to developing and marketing hardware and software of open architecture Internet information appliances. Teknema is privately held and located in Menlo Park, California. For more information contact Rich Siegel at +1(415)-833-7910.