Its experience with Anamartic Ltd, the wafer-scale memory chip designer that didn’t quite deliver on its promise, has not put Tandem Computers Inc off new companies with challengingly new technologies, and Tandem has taken a shine to Interval Inc. The McGuffin or unique selling proposition at Interval is the concept of Internet metering, and the company is working on software that will meter usage and on that basis take care of intelligent digital asset and content rights management and electronic payments, including micropayments. Banker’s Trust Inc is equally impressed, and joins Verity Inc and Tandem in contributing to Interval’s most recent venture capital round, in which Tandem tossed $1.25m into the pot. Tandem will work with the Austin, Texas company in an alliance that aims to create a mutually- beneficial business environment on the Internet for consumers and businesses. The two plan to deliver a product architecture enabling metered consumption of information, software and any other form of digital content while ensuring appropriate payment is received for its use. Pay-per-use capabilities will be supported via a micropayments system. The products will address administration of usage rights, protected redistribution, and assured receipt of payment, automating copyright, contract and licensing compliance for customers.
