These companies now do business with one or the other partner or both. In Japan, broadcasters use the IT Vision technology for television shopping and other services. Toshiba hopes to parlay this launch into sales of 5,000 IT Vision sets in FY 1998 and 50,000 or so in FY 1999. It is forecasting sales of 500 units a month. Sega's wholly owned Redwood City, California subsidiary will market video game machines to arcades.
Users select one of six subjects, such as party.
The Lovegety II sends out a signal. If someone in the vicinity also has chosen party, the machine starts to beep when the two people are within about 16 feet of each other. The Tokyo company sold its interest to a Singapore investment company that was a partner in the venture. With input from the automotive industry, they plan to develop by 2000 a small fuel cell capable of generating 50 kilowatts of electricity. The product, which will be twice as energy efficient as a gasoline engine, could enter production in 2003.