Source: Surveys By Emarketer And The Angus Reid Group

Move over Windows. Apple Computer, which has for years run an alternative operating system (OS) for Macintosh computers and PowerPCs, is giving its finishing touches on a new OS which, for the first time in the company’s history, will run natively even on Intel-based systems. The company recently successfully loaded its new OS, codenamed Darwin a stripped-down version of the MacOS X Server - onto a Macintosh as well as an Intel-based system. The success of this product will also be significant for the company because for the first time, there will be a serious alternative to Windows in the PC segment. Experts say Darwin’s biggest advantage would be its cross-platform compatibility, which allows it to be used in both Macintosh and ibm PC platforms - an area where Microsoft’s Windows is a clear loser.

Close on the heels of beating microchip giant Intel in the race for launching the first gigahertz chip, archrival Advanced Micro Devices (amd) is at it again. This time battling over which chip will control the low-cost PC market. amd is working hard on its new processor, codenamed Spitfire, with the aim of pushing out Intel’s Celeron chip in the value or low- cost PC market. amd’s preparation comes in at a time when Intel is getting ready to launch an improved version of Celeron. To counter this, amd plans to launch its Spitfire in four clock speeds - between 550 MHz and 700 MHz - but with a much faster bus speed than the Celeron, using a technology developed for its high-end Athlon chip. Intel has its counter-offensive ready. It says it will start shipping its 566 and 600 MHz Celeron chips soon and is geared up to go beyond the 600 MHz mark by next month.

General Motors, Ford Motor and DaimlerChrysler AG have announced their plan to funnel their combined $240 billion in annual spending on supplies through a single Internet portal, creating the world’s largest virtual market. And the European Commission is not pleased. It has contacted the companies for more information on what they intend to do and after that could launch an investigation to see whether the portal violated anti-trust laws. The Federal Trade Commission has started inquiries into the effects of the deal in the US. There are fears among suppliers to the three biggest auto companies on earth that a common buying pool would give the giants unbridled powers to squeeze prices of supplies and could lead to a shakeout in the global auto components industry.

Here come the devices. By 2005, 91 per cent of US homes will be online, says Strategy Analytics. And 73 per cent of these homes will have interactive TV or other Net appliances. The report also found that online TV-based set-top boxes will become commonplace in homes. Sales of such devices will reach $600 million in 2005. Sales of interactive TV appliances, such as online digital TV set-top boxes and advanced games consoles, are expected to reach $2.4 billion in 2000, an increase of 107 per cent. According to International Data Corp, the number of people using wireless Net devices will increase by 728 per cent by 2003. But PC sales won’t be affected. An eTForecasts study indicates that global PC sales will grow from 124 million units in 2000 to over 217 million in 2005. Mobile PCs, including hand-held devices, will grow from 26.5 million units in 1999 to nearly 59 million in 2005.