Talk about a surprise ending.
NeTrue Communications Inc. founder James Shen barely had time to finish his interview with the Business Journal for a story last week when his company’s board of directors decided not to renew his contract as chief executive.
A board spokeswoman wouldn’t say why the directors demoted Chen. She said Chen will continue to have some role with the company, it’s not clear what it will be or even whether Chen will accede to a new position.
Chen could not be reached for comment and earlier this week had not formally announced the move.
The company sells software that enables telephone calls over the Internet and other voice applications.
Show and Sell
Collectors Universe, the online hub for fans and traders of everything from baseball cards to stamps, is taking a step backwards, technologically speaking.
In a joint marketing agreement, the Newport Beach company is teaming up with Shop At Home Inc. to make an appearance on the television show of the same name. At the same time, Collectors Universe will promote the show on the Collectors.com Web site.
The agreement will focus on rare coins initially, offering coins priced between $2,000 and $350,000. Later, the show will offer entertainment-related memorabilia from Collectors.com.
Collectors Universe will authenticate items featured on the show.
Both companies hope the agreement will expand their audience by attracting high-end customers, a move than will presumably bring in higher-margin transactions.
That deal came days after Collectors Universe announced a deal with Internet giant Yahoo that will create a co-branded site (www.psacard.com/yahoo) that authenticates autographed and other valuable sports trading cards.
The company also reported a profit of $1.5 million on sales of $42.3 million for the year ended July 1, compared with a $170,000 loss in fiscal 1999 on sales of $22.5 million. Not bad for a dot-com.
For more: www.collectors.com.
Intersil Targets Windows CE
Palm Pilot may have a grip on the handheld computer market, but wireless communication chip maker Intersil Corp., Irvine, is betting that rival Microsoft can woo a substantial audience, too.
Intersil has released software that will make its Prism line of wireless networking products usable on handheld computers using any of Microsoft’s flavors of the Windows CE operating system.
Although several manufacturers make devices that use Windows CE,a version of Windows designed for smaller gadgets,Microsoft has had a tough time siphoning market share from the hugely popular Palm devices. And while few people use either family of devices with wireless connections, the market is expected to grow significantly over the next few years.
Intersil has software ready for both end users and manufacturers who want the wireless features built in to their products.
Intersil makes chips used in devices that offer super-fast connections to the Internet and local computer networks. Last week it agreed to buy Scottsdale, Ariz.-based SiCOM Inc. in a move that will give Intersil a head start on even faster devices.
For more: www.Intersil.com.
POP Goes NetGuru
NetGuru Inc., the Yorba Linda engineering software maker transforming itself into an Internet services firm, has launched five points-of-presence in Calcutta, India, the first of what the company says will be a national network in that country.
Points-of-presence, or POPs, are the facilities used to dial into the Internet through standard phone lines and modems. The company says it is working on its next two POPs, one in Delhi and another in Mumbai (formerly Bombay).
Although the low-margin dial-up Internet service is not an attractive business model here, most Indian consumers do not have computers, let alone Internet accounts. NetGuru is betting that Indian consumers soon will begin catching up with their U.S. counterparts, creating a huge opportunity for companies that get a head start now.
In the meantime, NetGuru is opening a chain of Internet-connected coffee shops in India, also. The company says it has opened 32, with more to come.
The company also operates a Web hub geared toward Indian expatriates, which may number up to 22 million, who miss relatives and their home culture.
Ken Spencer Brown can be reached at kbrown@ocbj.com or (949) 833-8373, ext. 239.
