Information technology giants are getting tired of just providing products and services only on computers. Instead, they, including Intel, AMD and Yahoo!, have increased moves to launch new products on digital home and consumer electronics and expanding their business to mobile phones and televisions.
Intel corp displayed its entertainment solution called "VIIV" in Shanghai yesterday, which includes a strengthened CPU (computer processing unit), a specifically-designed graphic for games and for high-quality video playing.
The system can work on TVs in living rooms through a media center software and Intel's partners from TV makers to content providers, according to Intel, the world's No. 1 chip maker.
"The 'VIIV' is designed for the 'television' generation and the whole family can enjoy music, videos and games on TV as they sit on the sofa," said Zhang Jian, general manager of Intel East China region.
Currently, Intel is cooperating with several home-grown firms to promote the system, including TV maker TCL and online game giant Shanda Entertainment.
Almost all Chinese have access to TV but only 100 million people log onto the Internet through the computers nationwide, so it remains a potentially huge market to exploit, said CCID Consulting, a research firm under the Ministry of Information Industry.
From 2006 to 2007, the digital home market will be worth 15 billion yuan (US$1.86 billion) in China and set to rise to 80 billion yuan in 2010. About 10 percent of Chinese high-income families will purchase digital home products in China in the next five years, according to CCID.