Chipzilla wants to entice you into online shopping

Chip maker Intel and portal Excite have jumped into bed together to provide Net users with an altogether more satisfying online shopping experience. The multi-level agreement to develop a new ecommerce service, designed to simplify buying and selling on the Internet, will combine Intel's ecommerce technologies -- predominantly from Intel's newly acquired iCat division -- with Excite's friendly front end, according to a statement issued jointly yesterday. "This relationship forms the cornerstone of the next phase of our commerce strategy," said George Bell, CEO, Excite. "The service that Intel and Excite are developing together will let consumers search across the Web and immediately purchase exactly what they want through Excite," he said. The hope is that the joint venture will provide users with a site that produces information on goods and services that is far more comprehensive than is currently available today. It is also planned that the information will be tailored specifically to the interests and preferences of individual consumers. Imaginatively dubbed the Excite Shopping Service, it is due to be launched later this year. ®