Phoenix Technologies Ltd, best known as a supplier of BIOS software to the PC industry, has signed a joint development deal with the Victor Company of Japan Ltd, JVC, with the intention of developing plug-and-play software technology for connecting up consumer devices and to the internet without the intervention of a PC. Phoenix will work with JVC on technology it is calling AVIP, or audio/visual intellectual property.
Aimed at both consumer electronics devices and internet appliances, AVIP will include integrated security and additional connectivity features. It will be configurable without a PC or PC-related equipment, and protect copyrighted material, such as digital movies. The two say they hope to push the technology as a potential standard, in an attempt to establish a consistent standard for networking consumer devices.
Phoenix says it will use the experience it has gained through its ebetween subsidiary, launched earlier this year in conjunction with Softbank Holdings Inc, which holds a 20% stake. The first ebetween products are expected to emerge in the fourth quarter of this year.
