Intel Plans Web-Access Units

Intel Corp. unveiled plans to market its own brand of Internet access appliances that use the Linux operating system, the open-source competitor to Microsoft Corp.’s proprietary Windows. The world’s biggest manufacturer of microprocessors said the devices will take many forms, including screen telephones and computer-like boxes. All of the new products will use the Intel Celeron chip that powers many low-cost computers. Santa Clara, Calif.-based Intel plans to sell the devices to Internet service providers and telecom firms that will then market them to consumers. Separately, Intel plans today to introduce its own brand of ultra-fast modems that use a technology known as digital subscriber lines to deliver data up to 150 times faster than the speediest dial-up modems. Shares of Intel traded up and down amid a rough market Wednesday. They closed up 69 cents at $83.63 on Nasdaq.