Oracle May Acquire Netscape Internet Unit

Oracle Corp. is expected to announce on Monday that it plans to buy a unit of Netscape Communications Corp. that designs Internet-access devices, industry executives said. The chief executives of both companies--Oracle’s Larry Ellison and Netscape’s James Barksdale--plan to hold a news conference Monday. Netscape and Oracle representatives declined to say what will be discussed. However, executives close to the companies said the Network Computer Inc. unit of Oracle may buy Netscape’s Navio Communications Inc., which makes software for browsing the World Wide Web through devices other than personal computers, such as television sets and video game machines. Netscape established its Navio affiliate nine months ago, and Oracle and several consumer electronics companies announced support for the venture when it was first announced. Terms of the possible sale to Oracle could not be learned immediately.