Diba Inc, Menlo, California, expects to license its network appliance operating system software to four Japanese and Korean consumer electronics companies within the next eight weeks. Yesterday Diba struck a deal with NEC Corp which will create an OEM package using Diba’s software running on the NEC’s 32-bit V830 RISC. NEC will also build its own products using the V830 and software. The other four electronics companies are expected to license Diba’s Interactive Digital Electronic Appliances software, which is a 300Kb operating system written in C and aimed at inexpensive consumer devices linked to the Internet. NEC will unveil its own in October and ship them about a month later. NEC will reportedly build TVs, telephones and VCRs incorporating the new chip, but would not comment on specific products. Diba has existing deals with Cirrus Logic Inc and Motorola Inc. Diba said it wants its software to be to the Internet-enabled consumer appliance market what Windows is to PCs. It says the PC market is stalling and predicts Internet-enabled consumer devices – which may appeal to lower income individuals without PCs – will be the next major market. Diba was founded by Oracle Corp’s former Network Computer design chief Farzad Dibachi in January with nine people. It has 45 staff now and expects to be up to 100 employees by year end. Diba is considering an initial public offering next year.
