America Online Inc. today unveiled a new Netscape browser and introduced a set of Internet appliances developed in partnership with San Diego-based Gateway Inc. to offer a new product called Instant AOL on a portable platform.
Netscape 6 will be powered by the open-source Gecko browser engine. The new version of Netscape will offer faster performance on desktop PCs and can be adapted to a variety of Internet devices and computing platforms, such as Linux, Apple Computer Inc.'s operating system and Windows, according to a press release.
It will also include features that allow users to customize the look and feel of the browser and add tabs for easier access to Internet providers, the release said.
AOL was scheduled to officially announce Netscape 6 at the Internet World conference today in Los Angeles.
At the same time, the company was expected to unveil three AOL Gateway Internet appliances featuring Instant AOL. The appliances, intended for launch within a year, will allow users to access AOL content and the Internet throughout a house via a light, countertop device and wireless connection or through a desktop appliance intended to be a less expensive alternative to the PC, the press release said.