The agreement between Intel Corp and MCI Communications Corp on desktop telephony is being seen as a big step forward in Intel’s efforts to merge personal computing and telephony: Intel is developing an add-in board for existing computers that will make it possible for two parties in different locations to work on the same document at the same time, talk to each other, and see each in little windows on their screens – and it could be in retail outlets early next year, Intel senior vice-president Frank Gill told Reuter; Intel has already coralled Microsoft Corp, Bell Atlantic Corp, Pacific Telesis Group Inc and Ameritech Corp; the board will include some software, and will need a machine with fast 80486 processor; Intel sees it as very much the same paradigm as the facsimile modem; video resolution will be not quite as good as television, but better than current video-phones.
