Compaq Makes Move Into Searchable Video

Compaq Computer Corp. will announce today that it has acquired a 10% equity stake in Virage Inc.--producer of technology that allows users to search video clips on Web sites. The $4-million investment is linked to Compaq’s efforts to build up its AltaVista search site, which it recently announced it would spin off as a separate company and build into a multipurpose portal site competing with Yahoo, Excite, Lycos and others.

“This solidifies our strategic relations with Compaq and gives us access to AltaVista’s search engine” as part of an effort to make searchable video pervasive on the Web, said David Bayliss, manager of marketing communications for San Mateo, Calif.-based Virage. The company’s indexing and search tools are already used by a range of video-intensive Web sites, including those operated by CNN, CBS and NASA.