Intel Corp and Tandem Corp have both released products they hope will help speed up the downloading of web pages, as the Internet sags under the weight of an estimated 53 million users, 45 million of them web users, according to the latest IDC Corp figures. Intel is in the process of beta testing its Quick Web compression in the US with around 1200 customers. It is aimed at internet service providers, so that users don’t need to install any software. The technology is thought to be related to Intel’s T.120 and H.320 video conferencing and multimedia standards, although this wasn’t confirmed as we went to press. Internal testing at Intel has shown access times halved, claims the company, especially for pages rich in graphics. Service providers, such as Netcom Inc and Sprint Corp, both of which are involved in testing the product, are expected to charge a premium of $5 a month for the speedier service, with a browser setting the only change needed on a user’s system. It will work with all industry standard interfaces, says Intel. Meanwhile Compaq Computer Corp has put its similar sounding Acceleration Server technology (CI No 3,135) on the backburner, and is instead emphasizing a new offering from its Tandem Computers Inc division. Tandem has come up with what it calls NonStop WebCharger, an enhancement for Microsoft Corp’s IIS Internet Information Server (CI No 3,185). It too is designed to improve web site performance and scalability, but will be sold either as a single package or bundled with Tandem’s Windows NT-based hardware acting as individual web servers. It will enable the process of accessing smart pages whereby a database is contacted, to be carried out much quicker, says Tandem. The product is priced at $1,000 per node and available across the world immediately. Tandem says the product has the potential to work together with Intel’s offering, if that is supported by the service providers.
