By Steve Johnson San Jose Mercury News
Intel claims that a TV set-top box it will bring out this year will provide content via the Internet, be easy to use and boast face-recognition technology so it can tell who is watching and recommend programs they like.
Quoting one analyst who has seen the gadget developed by an Intel branch in Santa Clara, Calif., Advertising Age enthused that it was "beautiful," boasts a "gorgeous interface that does away with clunky (and often ad-strewn) programming grids" and provides "seamless integration of traditional TV and what's on the Web."
Still, some analysts fear Intel could have trouble carving out a niche in the unfamiliar TV market, which is heavily coveted by other companies, including Apple. They also are dubious of the venture, considering Intel's past stumbles in offering such consumer products as digital cameras, MP3 players, toy microscopes and home entertainment systems.
"We are skeptical," concluded Raymond James analyst Hans Mosesmann in a recent note to clients. "Overall, we believe an Intel Internet TV platform will be a tough sell."
But others, including tech analyst Patrick Moorhead, are more upbeat.
"I actually believe the time is right for this; there is demand for this, absolutely," he said. Based on his conversations with Intel officials, he added, "this is going to be a very interesting one to keep an eye on."
Aside from a briefing the company gave in February, Intel has kept much of it under wraps, declining to reveal what it will be called, what programming it will include, and how much the device and the subscription to its content will cost.
