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Autonomy's interactive TV and Cable & Wireless' big pile of cash
This morning's Telegraph reports on yesterday's announcement from Autonomy that third quarter results have exceeded analyst expectations. The paper states that the success takes the company a step closer to joining the FTSE 100.

By Will Sturgeon

Published: Thursday 16 November 2000

The company also reported its first product royalties in the announcement, having earned $250,000 from other software companies taking up its products.

While also including news of the results, the Guardian takes a different angle, leading with a report that the Cambridge-based software firm is hatching a plan to move into digital television.

Serial entrepreneur Mike Lynch, CEO of Autonomy, has said the company's applications will be embedded in the latest television technology to provide support and background information on products as well as expanding the capabilities of the TV interface.

While such technology undoubtedly has practical uses, the example given in the Guardian is of viewers watching The X Files who, upon seeing FBI agent Fox Mulder drink a beer, will be able to click on the beverage and order one for themselves. The paper doesn't however note the hazards of such a technology - that it is both the ad-man's dream and a tax on the impulsive...

Telecoms company Cable & Wireless which has done quite well for itself from television, is now looking to expand its internet offering with a series of acquisitions.

The Guardian reports that Cable & Wireless, has a £4bn cash gathering dust that it is keen to re-invest. Graham Wallace, CEO of C&W has ruled out one mega-merger or a ploughing of the cash into one opportunity in favour of a distribution of the money across many ventures. The company has also ruled out purchasing any of the units to be spun off by BT as it is not keen to take on a lot of the baggage that would come with such an acquisition.

The Telegraph reports that any emptying of the C&W coffers may soon be recovered by money coming in from the sale of two arms of the company's majority-owned Australian business, Optus.

The sale of the mobile and consumer and business services divisions of Optus could bring in a further $1.5bn for C&W and any interested parties have been invited to make their interest known...