Network Computing Inc. (NCI), the network computer subsidiary of Oracle Corp., will unveil its plans for network computers based on Intel Corp. microprocessors at OracleWorld in Japan on April 16.

"We will announce an NC-Intel strategy with corporate NCs running on Intel processors," said Jerry Baker, chief executive at NCI at the Robertson, Stephens & Co. conference in San Francisco.

The appeal of an Intel-based NC derives from corporate America's familiarity with the platform.

"For $100 more, we believe that the corporate marketplace will go for an Intel processor," he said. The Intel machines are expected to cost around $600.

NCI will not make hardware, Baker emphasized. Instead, the Redwood Shores- based company will earn its revenue from server and application software as well as from smart cards. "Hat Trick," a productivity suite consisting of a spread sheet, presentation graphics and a word processor, will be one of NCI's initial products.

Hardware manufacturers will make the NCs. Deployment of the devices will mainly take place through large integrators and vertical VARs, he added.

"NCI doesn't have the infrastructure to deal with the corporate environment. We will use integrators," he said.

Baker would not reveal who would make the Intel-based machines for NCI. Sources, however, said the chip would be a 133MHz Pentium microprocessor.

Zenith Electronics Corp., RCA and others have said they have plans to make NCs for the consumer market. These consumer devices run on an ARM (Advanced RISC Machine) microprocessor. Both versions of the NC are in trial deployments right now, Baker added.

Although often touted as a consumer machine, enterprise users likely will be the earlier adopters.

"The consumer market will grow, perhaps a little slower than the corporate environment," he said.

Source: Computer Reseller News