That could be a hard sell. In addition to cheerleading for Internet appliances, the alliance hopes to educate consumers on the benefits of using the Internet in a home network. The group will conduct research on future products while fostering cooperation so that Web-enabled devices from different companies will work with each other. The formation of the alliance comes just as Internet appliances are starting to make a splash. Several companies have launched Web-enabled home devices in recent weeks, and the gizmos promise to be the hot topic at this year's Comdex, the annual trade show that takes over Las Vegas in November.
Internet appliances come in different sizes, shapes and colors.
Several have built-in displays, reducing the amount of space they take up so they can fit comfortably on a kitchen counter. The new iPAQ, announced on Oct. 30, features a monitor, a keyboard and a mouse. That, says Compaq, makes the iPAQ essentially free. The most innovative of the new crop is Audrey. The New Internet Computer New Internet Computer.