1.   But he says Microsoft is paying off set-top box makers to keep Java out.

2.   Its personal computer created an industry standard, which other box makers could copy cheaply.

3.   Kimberly Alexy, an analyst at Prudential Securities who follows the box makers, took some time last week to talk about the industry and what ails it.

4.   One of the problems with the box makers is the lack of exciting new applications to upgrade existing machines.

5.   Prices fell, until box makers merged and shut down plants.

6.   That makes the business less prone to economic cycles than paper companies that sell commodity paper products to packaging and box makers, analysts said.

7.   The big box makers clearly have to do something to rebound.

8.   The deal does not prevent Convergent from making a similar agreement with another cable broadband box maker.

9.   Boxes are more varied these days, says Jeff Tedder, general manager of Stronghaven, Inc., a box maker.

10.   Jakks also acquired lunch box maker Flying Colors, and in doing so obtained a license to make activity sets based on the Harry Potter books.