German consumer electronic manufacturer Loewe Opta GmbH has announced its new Internet television product, the Xelos@media TV Online, and will use Spyglass Inc’s Device Mosaic web browser. In July Spyglass announced a similar deal with French communications specialist COM One SA which is using the low footprint browser in its SurfTV set-top box (CI No 3,213). Loewe says it will use the software in conjunction with the QNX real-time operating system from Ottawa, Canada-based QNX Software Systems Ltd (CI No 3,270). The Xelos@media TVO is being billed as the first in a new line of integrated internet television devices that will enable users to access the internet through an internet service provider of their choice, without the need for additional hardware. Users will have access to internet applications such as browsing, email and electronic commerce integrated with TV programming. Device Mosaic has been shipping in its 2.0 incarnation since September this year (CI No 3,248). The Xelos@media TVO is scheduled to begin shipping from December this year in Germany costing 4,400DM ( about $2,600). Availability and pricing for the rest of Europe has yet to be determined.
