Over the past few years, many companies have announced products they say will deliver Web access into ordinary homes. These so-called "killer apps" are often based on bringing the Internet to televisions, but so far none has lived up to its hype. However, techno-pundits are now upbeat about a product just announced by Texas-based Cyrix Corporation which just may fill the gap in mass-market Internet access.

The WebPAD is a "hand-held wireless Internet-access device" which, according to Cyrix, features a portable screen which resembles a child's magic-wipe board. This "allows users to effortlessly surf the Web or read and send email from anywhere around the home or office".

The company says it works on the same principles as cordless phones - users must have a base station linked to the Internet by traditional means - and is the first in a series of reference designs for low-cost Internet access. Independent manufacturers are expected to begin production early next year, Cyrix says.

The model demonstrated by Cyrix weighs 3lbs, and measures 8.5 by 11 by 1.5 inches. It features a 10-inch LCD touchscreen which can be taken up to 500 feet from the base station. This base station could, for example, be a special television set-top box connected to the Internet over cable, or an online PC which would communicate with the portable screen via a shorter infra-red connection.

Online market analysts have reacted positively to the WebPAD, saying it may succeed where earlier portable devices have failed. They cite low cost, possibly in the region of $500 (£342), fast access speeds, and the potential mass market for mobile Internet access as factors in its favour.