Newsbytes - Internationa…ews 1983 May to 1994 June/Newsbytes - International Computing Industry News 1994 Edition - May 1983 - June 1994 - Wayzata Technologies (5045) (1994).iso/pc/text/mac_text/1987/v190

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APPLESHARE UNVEILED AT SEYBOLD CONFERENCE
SAN FRANCISCO, Ca. (NB) -- Apple Computer's new AppleShare ($799),
software with which up to 25 Macintoshes can exchange applications
and data via a dedicated Mac with a hard disk, was unveiled at
the Seybold Desktop Communications Conference (1/29).  Two years in
the making, the software was one of six new communications
products introduced.  Others were the AppleTalk PC Card which
enables a  PC to access the Apple LaserWriter, LaserShare, a
print spooler for the Laserwriter, Apple DCA Filter Software,
AppleLine 3270 File Transfer Software, and a Network Administrators
Course.

John Sculley called the AppleShare product "just as significant an
introduction as the original Macintosh."   What it IS is Apple's ticket
into the lucrative Fortune 2000 market where workgroup networking
is critical.  AppleShare also promises to eliminate the intimidation
factor associated with local area networks. LAN technology has been
confusing and difficult to figure out.  But Apple has ingeniously
made AppleShare "idiot-proof" by a seamless user interface that makes
accessing other computers' files as simple as accessing one's own from
disk or different drive.

Sculley said the engineering manager of the AppleShare project ,
Gursharan Sidhu, "will be recognized as a folk hero for what he has
done."

AppleShare is shipping now, the other products will be released
between now and May.  One other point,  mention of any Apple II
family products were not mentioned in the AppleShare system,
a reporter asked if they would have a place in the network.
John Sculley replied, "The IIGS has the same communications
chip required for AppleTalk (the hardware cables required for
linking-up) in the motherboard.  We'd like to be able to talk to
our own products as well as others."  (Inotherwords, he didn't
give any solid promises.)

CONTACT:  Ronni Sarmanian, APPLE, 408/973-5139

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100 "SEEDED" WITH APPLESHARE
SAN FRANCISCO, Ca. (NB) -- Sharing Apple's spotlight, which virtually
outglowed all exhibitors displaying PC products at this city's
first Seybold Desktop Communications Conference, were some of its
pet third party developers: Microsoft, Think Technologies, Odesta,
3Com, and.....Du Pont?  Yes, the people you normally associate with
tires and chemicals, also do a booming business in fiber optics.
Du Pont Electronics' Jeff Somerville introduced a fiber optic LAN
for AppleTalk, which enables computers as far away as one mile to
be connected to the AppleShare network--five times the distance
permitted by Apple's copper twisted pair AppleTalk cables.  Not
only is the distance increased, but so is the number of nodes on the
network--up to 100 stations can be linked depending on system
traffic.

CONTACT:  Joseph Strenk, DU PONT, Wilmington, Delaware
               302/992-5212

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WHAT THE ANALYSTS SAY
SAN FRANCISCO, Ca. (NB) --  According to Stewart Alsop, the
figures speak for themselves.  Apple has sold 250,000 connector
kits since AppleTalk's introduction in 1985.   3Com has sold
as many since 1983.  Who's growing faster?  Clearly Apple.  Why?
"Apple made installation of the network dummy-proof...Apple
has demonstrated and proven a clear path to making local area
networks a common phenomenon in business: give the users a
personal motivation to want to be networked and then make it
cheap and easy to accomplish."  (From "PC Letter" 1/26)  This
kind of glowing review is not isolated.  "This is a smart move,"
says Bruce Watts of Morgan, Keegan & Co. of Boston.  "It puts
them on somewhat even ground in competing with IBM, because
if they can introduce superior new products and new software
with their systems, the impediment of lacking compatibility
with IBM systems is removed."

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POSTSCRIPT FOR SCREENS TO BE COMMON
PALO ALTO, Ca. (NB) -- Adobe Systems' Director of Advanced
Development, Bill Paxton,  is heading a separate division
to make PostScript a standard screen display language, not just
a page description language. Speaking to the Software Entrepreneur's
Forum recently, Paxton said other products will follow "Adobe
Illustrator" which is the company's first end-user product.  The
package, to be shipped in March, is the first software to use
PostScript to write directly to the screen, producing imagery without
the "stepped" effect of most displays.  Paxton is determined to
see X Window Systems, a windowing system for which a
PostScript extension will be available, become a standard for displays
as it is now for printers.

CONTACT:  SOFTWARE ENTREPRENEUR'S FORUM, Palo Alto, Ca.
             415/854-7219

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ELECTRONIC PIPELINE TO SACRAMENTO
SACRAMENTO, Ca. (NB) -- Within the next few months, voters will
be able to dial up the California Legislature's Assembly Utilities
and Commerce Committee's bulletin board to read its agenda, get
a list of bills, and leave electronic mail.   The brainchild of
consultant Bob Jacobsen, "The Capital Connection" is a natural
way to consult the voters on issues pertaining to electronic
data privacy, utility rate hikes,  etc.  Running on Caucus,
computer conferencing software distributed by Metasystems
Group of Arlington, Virginia, the BBS is expected to have four
incoming lines and the ability to support up to 1200 users.

CONTACT:  METASYSTEMS DESIGN GROUP,  703/243-6622

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VERBATIM, MOSTLY MOVED, OFFERS TAX HELP
SUNNYVALE, Ca. (NB) -- Only 200 of the once 2,000-strong workforce
of floppy disk maker Verbatim still work out of the company's
Sunnyvale offices.  Verbatim, now a subsidiary of Kodak, pulled up
stakes and moved those that would move to Charlotte, N.C.
In a recent interview, relocated Verbatim employees finally
managed to shrug off their attachment to the rugged West when
seeing the quality of life and real estate prices around Charlotte.
(Laura Gamble, Verbatim's manager of financial planning, bought
a 20-acre horse ranch outside the city, a value which would have
cost "millions and millions" in Silicon Valley.)

So this may be our last report on the company, Dana Blankenhorn
now has Verbatim in his beat...

Verbatim is giving away a free tax planning software package called
"PC/Taxcut Planner" and a paperback book, "Price Waterhouse Tax
Guide" to those who purchase at least three boxes of DataLife
10-pack diskettes.  For info on participating retailers cal 800-
538-1793.

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COMPUTERS MAKE METER MAIDS TOUGHER  THAN EVER
SAN FRANCISCO, Ca. (NB) -- Look out illegal parkers.  The San
Francisco parking control officers will soon be decked with dedicated
hand-held computers that can trace your license plate, determine
if you've had previous tickets or have an expired registration.
Then the units spit out tickets, or the maids get on the horn with
the towing company.  This leap into the 21st century begins
in March and begins a two month test of the technology which
has already become a part of life in two major eastern cities.
The ticket machine has a memory for 100,000 plates and can
access all of California's car data when connected to an online
state computer.

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IN BRIEF --

XEROX is giving $5 million to its Palo Alto Research Center for
the study of how people learn.  The Institute for Research on
Learning will also have the participation of U.C. Berkeley's
Graduate School of Education.  Just WHAT will they do?  They're
planning to explore AI systems which can pick up individual patterns
of success or failure in thinking processes, according to the
institute's director George Pake.

MAGGIE CANON, once editor of INFOWORLD and A+ magazines,
has resigned from a new job as editor of SAN FRANCISCO after
getting out just one issue, according to the SAN FRANCISCO
BUSINESS TIMES.  The resignation was due to a dispute with the
owners "on what the magazine should be."

ATARI is reporting sales of its games and computers rocketed
80% in its fourth quarter compared to one year earlier.  Sunnyvale-
based Atari says sales were $91 million in its last quarter and
$256 million for the year.

GENIE subscribers take note: Sam Tramiel, Atari's President, goes
online for a live conference February 4 at 7PM Pacific time.

HEWLETT PACKARD told some 200 stock analysts (1/27) that
orders for the first two months of its 1987 fiscal year are up
14% over last year, international orders are up 30%, and the
firm is making progress toward getting its new RISC machines
out the door before a mid-year self-imposed deadline.

MITSUBISHI and APPLE COMPUTER have teamed up to launch a
road show, to be installed in shoppign malls, which allows shoppers
to choose options on a new car via an Apple IIC computer.
Shoppers build their own car choosing options from color to
transmission type.

PC WORLD COMMUNICATIONS has launched a new magazine called
WINDOWORLD, aimed at devotees of, that's right, Microsoft Windows.
The pipeline says that planning for a weekly called MACWEEK is
definitely underway as well.


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RADIO SHACK CLOSING STORES
Ft. Worth, TX (NB) -- About 90 Radio Shack Computer Centers are
being made redundant, and their workers transferred, under a
reorganization plan announced last week. An old rule under which
the company's 1,900 sales reps were mixed into retail storefronts
on a 4-1 ratio with in-store salesmen is being abandoned.

Ed Juge of Tandy explained that out-bound salesmen who call
directly on business customers are being brought together and put
in their own offices, separate from the store clerks. He said
home users, especially Model 100 and Color Computer users, will
now "get more respect" at 1340 Radio Shack Plus Centers nationwide.
Some Plus centers will be expanded, he added.  "What we're doing
is turning 90 of those centers which are unneeded by corporate
workforce into walk-in retail stores where that person (the
individual user, rather than the corporate user) will get the
attention and respect they deserve," Juge said. Look for the new
symbol on the back of your Radio Shack catalogs -- the word
"plus" will be in black and half the size of the words "Radio
Shack," in red.

CONTACT: Ed Juge, TANDY,  [phone]

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COMPAQ CUTTING OUT SMALL DEALERS, SMALL COMPUTERS
Houston, TX (NB) --  Compaq is getting rid of 20% of its dealers,
"Micro Market World" reports, through a new Dealer Quality
Assurance program. About 390 dealers who buy less than $5,000
worth of Compaq products per month are affected, marketing vice
president Michael Swavely said. "This is the closest we're
coming to a sales quote for dealers," he told MMW. A second new
Compaq program, called Inventory Management, will let dealers
return for credit up to 5% of specific CPUs and options and 10%
of specific spare parts ordered in the previous quarter. The
programs currently only apply in the U.S., but will be applied to
Canada soon, Swavely said. A Compaq spokesman told NEWSBYTES
that Swavely only meant to say a review of dealers is being made
to make sure they're living up to existing dealer contracts.

Dealers aren't the only ones getting the boot at the Compaq
ranch. Two little doggie computers based on the 8086 chip, the
DeskPro Model 1 (128K and 1 floppy drive) and the DeskPro Model 3
(640K RAM, 1 floppy drive, 1 20M hard drive), are being
discontinued. The remaining DeskPro Model 2 (2 floppy drives, no
hard drive, 8086 CPU) will now be priced at $1,699, down from
$2,399. Plus, it's (everybody sing) "Born in the USA!"

Finally, John Cleese's Compaq TV ads have been discontinued in
the US, but he's still plugging good old Yankee engineering on
the telly in Britain.

CONTACT: Len Parsons, COMPAQ, [phone]

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ROSS PEROT, STEVE JOBS STAR IN "NEXT!"
Dallas, TX (NB) --"Business Week" reports Texas millionaire H. Ross
Perot, former chairman of EDS, has bought 16% of Steve Jobs' Next
Inc.  for roughly $20 million. Jobs told "Business Week" that
Perot will be a director and merely an investor. "Ross and I
share values," he was quoted as saying. "We both want to improve
the educational process and create an environment where
individual contributions are supported."  (Personally, I'm
waiting for the movie with Steve Guttenberg as the rich, young
millionaire and Lou Gossett Jr. as the Marine out to teach him
values. Chips Ahoy.)

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FAX ON A PC, FROM GULFSTREAM
Boca Rotan, FL (NB) -- Gulfstream Micro Systems president Greg
Friedman had promised something new this week after rolling out a
new super-micro last week, and he delivered. This week Gulfstream
introduced EZ-FAX, a PC compatible facsimile board that can send
and receive documents to or from most fax machines at 9,600
baud.  The average page would take 15 seconds to transmit
over normal phone lines. The board includes a serial port,
scanner port, and phone port, with options including a 300 dot
per inch scanner and Hayes-compatible modem. The EZ-Fax software
includes a facility called EZ-Code, which lets you encrypt
anything moving between two EZ-Fax machines.

Advertising for the board will start in two weeks. The board
itself costs $1,495, the optional scanner $895, the modem $129,
and the encryption software goes for $195.

CONTACT: Greg Friedman, GULFSTREAM, 1065 S. Rogers Circule, Boca
         Rotan, FL 33431 [phone]

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RUPORT MURDOCH BUYS HIS FIRST COMPUTER COMPANY
ATLANTA, GA (NB) -- A subsidiary of The News Corp. Limited,
parent of all Rupert Murdoch enterprises, has acquired a
controlling interest in Comsell Inc., an Atlanta-based publisher
of interactive video catalogs and training courses. Comsell had
been handling projects for 20 Murdoch magazines, including "New
York", "Elle", and "New Woman" for about a year.

The acquiring subsidiary is called Murdoch Magazines, and it's
headed by John B. Evans, a former publisher of the "Village
Voice." Both firms are private, and no financial terms were
released.

CONTACT: Ben Dyer, COMSELL, 500 Tech Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30313
         [phone]

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PECAN CHIPS

INNOVATIVE SOFTWARE, Lenaxa, KS, released version 3.1 of its
Smart Software System, featuring a "network ready" capability so
the same package can be used for 1 or more users. Other new
enhancements include the ability to read and write to both Lotus
1-2-3 and dBase III and III+ files. The company also announced a
deal with NCR under which that company will market a co-labeled
Unix version of the Smart Software System for NCR's Tower
minicomputers.  (Contact: [phone])

COMMERCIAL SYSTEMS INC., Austin, TX, released a multi-user
computer system for networking IBM PCs and compatibles under the
TurboDOS operating system. The architecture of the CS-75 allows
expansion to support up to 1 million users. (Contact: (512) 454-
9250)

HARRIS CORP., Melbourne, FL, won $32 million in US government
computer contracts. $21 million will come from Navy avionics,
while $11 million will come from a new interactive system for the
Customs Department connecting all major points of legal entry
into the US. The latter is called the Challenger, and it's an IBM
plug-compatible mainframe. (CONTACT: [phone]).

AO ELECTRONICS, Atlanta, introduced X-LOCK 50, a PC security
system consisting of a half-card and software disk which limits
access to people who type in a 16-character password. The price:
$275. (Contact: [phone]).

ZYLAB CORP., Chicago, released version 2.2 of ZyIndex, which can
search for any phrase in nearly any word processing format. The
new program is 5-10 times faster than previous versions, the
developer claims. The standard version can access up to 500 files
and costs $145: a Professional version with 10 times the capacity
costs $295, and if you want one three times bigger than that
which can work with LANs will set you back $695.
(CONTACT: [phone]).

SAMNA CORP., Atlanta, inked a joint development deal with Sharp
Electronics of Japan under which it will provide the word
processing component of Sharp's new PC/Electronic typewriter, the
ZY-1000S. A special version of Samna Word IV will be bundled with
the new Sharp box.  (CONTACT: [phone]).

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK

    "I know there's a feeling here that a dealer can't be
effectively supporting our product line unless he's buying $5,000
worth of product a month. Whether that's a *gating factor* or not
I don't know."

                                        Len Parsons
                                        Compaq Computer Corp.

*as in gatekeeping, as in an absolute number that would result
in automatically giving the gate to the little doggie computer
stores that ain't pullin thar weight. (Techno speak marches on!)

[***][2/03/87][***]
NOW COMPUTER WILL TELL YOU HOW MUCH TO DRINK
MONTREAL (NB) -- A computer program developed by the Clinical
Research Institute of Montreal (CRIM) asks questions and develops
a profile of its users' drinking habits.  The institute thinks
that students and teenagers will listen to the program's
fictional "bartender," named Zack, when they wouldn't listen to a
human being telling them to take it easy.  Molson Breweries of
Toronto, as a public relations move, is making available to
university and college campuses travelling kiosks containing the
hardware to run the program, called Speakeasy.  Speakeasy was
scheduled to make its first Toronto appearances last week on two
college campuses.  It remains to be seen whether students will
buy the idea that a piece of machinery is an expert on booze.

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SOFTWARE TO LEAD COMPUTER INDUSTRY GROWTH
TORONTO (NB) -- The Canadian information processing industry will
grow seven percent this year, from C$7,434 million to C$7,954
million, International Data Corp. (Canada) Ltd. says.

The research firm foresees the fastest growth -- about 11 percent
-- in the software sector.  Even in this area the growth rate
will be down from that of recent years.  Part of the reason for
this is the introduction of new microcomputer hardware such as
the machines based on Intel's 80386 chip, which has left software
development behind.  Hardware, meanwhile, will grow only about
5.5 percent in 1987.  IDC also predicts that personal computers
will become the largest single category in revenue terms by 1991
with about 23.7 percent of revenues in that year.  In 1986 the
mainframe market accounted for 27.8 percent of hardware revenues;
IDC expects this to fall to 23 percent by 1991.

CONTACT: IDC CANADA LTD., 7 King St. E., Suite 1000
         Toronto, Ont. M5C 1A2, [phone]

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NELMA TAKES NEWLY ACQUIRED FIRM PUBLIC
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. (NB) -- Nelma Information Inc. last week took a
new subsidiary, Browning Communications, public on the Alberta
Stock Exchange.  Browning, which will shortly move its
headquarters from Chicago to Mississauga, was acquired by Nelma
last year.  It produces wireless telephone equipment, a
compliment to Nelma's line of wireless data communications
equipment.  Nelma President Ron Wilson said there are significant
markets for Browning's products in areas such as Northern
Ontario, Newfoundland and the Maritime provinces, where cellular
radio isn't economical.

Nelma is in better shape today than it has been for some time,
Wilson said -- "it's sure turned around."  In recent years the
company saw hard times and was embroiled in lawsuits as a result
of problems in accounting for money it got under government
funding programs.

CONTACT: NELMA INFORMATION INC., 5170A Timberlea Blvd.,
                Mississauga, Ont.  L4W 2S5, [phone]

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NORTHERN TELECOM SHOWS HIGHER PROFIT, REVENUE, BUT SLOWER GROWTH
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. (NB) -- Northern Telecom Ltd. last week
released its financial statements for 1986, apparently
disappointing investors and analysts despite increased revenues
and net income.

In the year ended Dec. 31, Northern made a profit of $313.2
million on revenues of $4.4 billion.  That compared to a profit
of $299.2 million on $4.3 billion in revenues in fiscal 1985.
The company reports its results in U.S. dollars.  The growth of
less than five percent "fell short" of the compound annual growth
rate of 15 percent the company has seen in recent years, Chairman
Edmund Fitzgerald acknowledged.  Northern Telecom shares fell 87
cents on the Toronto Stock Exchange on the day of the
announcement.

One Toronto telecommunications investment analyst was quoted in
THE GLOBE AND MAIL as saying it's time to sell NorTel stock.
John McKimm of Bache Securities Inc., Toronto, said that while
NorTel's results were good, the coming year will see reduced
growth in the telecommunications industry.

Meanwhile, rumors are circulating once again that Northern
Telecom is in the running to buy Cie Generale des Constructions
Telephoniques (CGCT), the manufacturer of telephone switches that
the French government is planning to sell this year.  Northern
had supposedly been eliminated as a possible buyer last year, but
since then the French government decided it must put CGCT through
standard privatization procedures, which would give Northern an
opportunity to bid.

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MARITIME COMPANIES SET UP SUPPLIER NETWORK
HALIFAX (NB) -- A computer-based network will help government
purchasing agents in Canada's four eastern provinces find
suppliers in the region, its backers say.  Novatron Information
Corp. of Halifax, a database operator whose major business has
been with the petroleum industry, will operate the Atlantic
Opportunities Information Network.  Other partners in the project
are Tele-Direct (Publications) Inc. of Montreal, which published
Yellow Pages directories, and the four major telephone companies
serving Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Prince
Edward Island.  The content of the database will be based on
information that appears in the Yellow Pages.

CONTACT: NOVATRON INFORMATION CORP., 6080 Young St., Suite 401,
         Halifax, N.S. B3K 5L2, [phone]

[***][2/03/87][***]
CANCELLED PROJECT WOULDN'T HAVE MET GUIDELINES
TORONTO (NB) -- With the Ontario government still a bit red in
the face after the cancellation of its C$17.5-million investment
in a high-tech showplace on Toronto's waterfront (see last week's
NEWSBYTES CANADA), THE GLOBE AND MAIL last week reported that
guidelines for the province's technology fund probably wouldn't
have covered the Exploracom project anyway.  The newspaper said
that the rules for the C$1-billion fund, of which it obtained a
copy recently, indicate the money is to go largely to joint
research and development projects, with government contributions
being matched by the private sector.  Exploracom might have
qualified under another provision, for promoting public awareness
of science and technology.  But the guidelines also rule out
giving money for capital or maintenance costs on buildings,
deficit financing, market research, general company operating
costs, and legal or professional fees, most of which were
included in the Exploracom project.  Exploracom had been promised
the government money well before the guidelines were approved by
the provincial cabinet.

[***][2/03/87][***]
BELL CANADA ENTERPRISES GIVES LAW FIRMS AN ULTIMATUM
MONTREAL (NB) -- If you're a law firm working for Bell Canada
Enterprises (the parent company of the regulated telephone
company Bell Canada), you'd better not have any clients Bell
doesn't like.  That's the word from A.J. de Grandpre, BCE
chairman, who recently told a Toronto law firm to choose between
a Bell subsidiary and an industry association that sometimes
criticizes Bell.

McCarthy & McCarthy of Toronto was told it would have to stop
representing the Canadian Business Telecommunications Alliance if
it wants to keep the business of TransCanada Pipelines Ltd. of
Calgary, which Bell Canada Enterprises bought last year.

[***][2/03/87][***]
ELECTRONIC DESKTOP PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION LAUNCHED
TORONTO (NB) -- A group of people involved in desktop publishing
has launched the Electronic Desktop Publishing Association
(EDPA), which announced its formal status as a non-profit trade
association last week.  The EDPA is dedicated to the promotion of
desktop publishing services and products in Canada, its
organizers said.  Membership is limited to individuals, who will
receive in exchange for a C$100 membership fee the organization's
newsletter, a subscription to ELECTRONIC PUBLISHING, a membership
directory, monthly meetings, discounts on seminars and workshops
and of course voting priviliges.  The first meeting is to be held
in mid-February.

CONTACT: ELECTRONIC DESKTOP PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION
                366 Adelaide St. E., Suite 130, Toronto, Ont. M5A 3X9
                [phone]


[***][2/03/87][***]
FINANCIAL NOTES
-- Bell Canada Enterprises Inc. of Montreal, parent company of
the nation's largest telephone company as well as several other
subsidiaries, and majority owner of Northern Telecom Ltd., made
C$1.02 billion in profit in fiscal 1986, ended December 31.  That
was down from C$1.05 billion in fiscal 1985.  Revenues were
C$13.9 billion, up from C$13.26 billion.

-- Mitel Corp. of Kanata, Ont., lost C$34.2 million on revenues
of C$338.1 million in the nine months ended Dec. 26.  The results
were a bit better than in the same period of 1985, when the
company lost C$39.2 million on revenues of C$302.9 million.
Third-quarter profit was C$76,000, compared with a C$15.8 million
loss the year before.

-- Software vendor Cognos Inc. of Ottawa reported a C$5-million
profit in the nine months ended Nov. 30, up from C$92,000 in the
same nine months of 1985.  Revenues were C$49.7 million, up from
C$32.2 million.

[***][2/03/87][***]
BITS, EH?
-- Orcatech, Inc., of Kanata, Ont., the financially troubled
computer graphics vendor, has laid off 17 employees to keep costs
down until a new line of graphics boards comes to market.  The
company says the move won't affect support for existing
customers.

-- Varity Corp., the farm equipment and machinery firm formerly
known as Massey-Ferguson Ltd., is now in the computer supplies
business too.  A subsidiary, Varity Enterprises, has bought a
substantial minority interest in Microbits Inc., a direct-mail
marketer of PC supplies and accessories based in Markham, Ont.

-- Dr. John Elliott has been named the second fellow emeritus of
Bell-Northern Research of Ottawa.  He had been vice-president of
corporate development since 1982.



[***][2/03/87][***]
GOODBYE TO COMDEX IN JAPAN
TOKYO (NB) -- Interface Group decided (1/26) to cancel this
year's COMDEX in Japan, which was scheduled for March.  According
to a published report, many of the would-be  overseas exhibitors
have decided not to participate in this year's COMDEX in Japan
due to the rapid appreciation of the Japanese yen.  Only 60
companies applied to exhibit this year.

COMDEX in Japan was first held in Tokyo in 1985, with 220 firms
participating.  However, the show was not as popular as it might
have been since many major manufacturers were not there.  Also, the
registration fee was too expensive, compared with other major
exhibitions in Japan.  Reflecting these complaints, the number
of exhibitors last year had declined to 159 firms.  And many
analysts were in fact worrying about the opening of this
year's COMDEX show in Japan.  Let's hope this show will be back
next year.

[***][2/03/87][***]
INTEL JAPAN'S NEW TIE WITH NEC
TOKYO (NB) -- Intel Japan announced this week that it will start
providing NEC's PC-9801-based ICE (In-Circuit Emulator)
development supporting systems for its controllers and micro-
processors, which includes 8086, 8088, 80816, 80286, and 80386.
So far, Intel Japan has provided those development supporting
systems for IBM's micros such as the XT, the AT, the 5540, and
the 5550.  With this decision, analysts say Intel Japan has
accepted the PC-9801 as the de facto standard computer.  In fact,
major industry newspapers' surveys show that the PC9801 series
has almost dominated the personal computer market in Japan.

Meanwhile. Intel and NEC have currently been involved in
a court-battle concerning NEC's alleged copyright infringement
case over NEC's V-series MPUs.  Interestingly enough, some of the
PC-9801 models have the V-series MPUs.  Perhaps, Intel Japan's
decision to support PC-9801 this time might lead to a thaw in
this battle.  Humm...  In any case, it will open a new era for
mutual cooperation between Japan and the U.S. manufacturers,
we hope.

CONTACT: Intel Japan, 5-6 Tokodai, Toyosato-cho, Tsukuba-gun,
         Ibagagi-ken 300-26

[***][2/03/87][***]
TOSHIBA-MOTOROLA'S JOINT VENTURE UPDATE
TOKYO (NB) -- The plant site for Toshiba and Motorola's joint
venture has been decided.  It will be located in Izumi City,
Miyagi prefecture, which is in northern Japan.  The name of their
new firm has not been determined yet, but it will be something
like "Sendai Semiconductor," says a report.  It is said Toshiba's
executive will assume the president's post of this new firm.
Currently, Toshiba and Motorola have been preparing to officially
set up this new firm on this April 1.

[***][2/03/87][***]
FAMICON'S SOFTWARE COPIED AGAIN
TOKYO (NB) -- Nintendo's headache over counterfeit game programs
for the company's best seller game machine, FamiCon, never
ceases.  This time, the cause of the headache is the illegal
software copying machine which has appeared in some toy shops in
Tokyo.  It is said that Nintendo's executives will shortly take
legal actions against those shops for FamiCon software copy-
right violation.

Meanwhile, sales of FamiCon software in 1986 decreased by
30 percent.  "The FamiCon Fever" has started to fade away at
last.

CONTACT: Nintendo, 1-22 Suda-cho, Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

[***][2/03/87][***]
FUJITSU GAINS MASS ORDER OF ATMs
TOKYO (NB) -- Fujitsu has gained a volume order of its online
terminals, including automatic teller machines (ATM), from
Mitsubishi Bank.  With this order, Fujitsu's 4,000 terminal
machines will be installed at the bank's 270 branches all over
Japan starting this April.

Currently, many Japanese banks have been planning to set up
their own accurate and reliable online banking systems.
Increasing numbers of volume product orders will definitely heat
up the competition between Fujitsu and IBM Japan in this market.

CONTACT: Fujitsu, 1-6-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100

[***][2/03/87][***]
IC OUTPUT GOES UP, WHILE INCOME DECLINES
TOKYO (NB) -- The Japanese Ministry of International Trade and
Industry (MITI) has released a report on the production of integrated
circuits in 1986.  According to the report, a number of ICs
produced last year was 10.712 billion sets which is a 13.5
percent increase over the previous year.  Among others, the
production rate of MOS-type of ICs, including a 256Kbit dynamic
RAM, went up 25.2 percent.  On the other hand, the total sales
income went down to US$11.8 billion which is a 2.4 percent
decrease.  These figures show how seriously IC prices are
plunging in Japan.

[***][2/03/87][***]
U.S. ACCUSES JAPANESE CHIP MAKERS
TOKYO (NB) -- The U.S. delegation, headed by Deputy Trade
Representative Michael Smith and Under Secretary of Commerce
Bruce Smart, visited Tokyo this past week for a follow-up
meeting concerning last September's Japan-U.S. semiconductor
agreement.  At the meeting, the U.S. delegation claimed that
four Japanese makers have been selling their chips at prices far
lower than their fair market values in some third countries.
Showing facts and figures, Japanese officials have replied
there's no truth to that charge.  However, both sides agreed to further
study the matter.  Meanwhile, the U.S. has set a time limit of no
later than March 31 for an increase in sales of semiconductors to
Japan under the chip agreement.  Will the U.S. "brinkmanship" work
out this time?  We'll see.

[***][2/03/87][***]
<<< SUSHI BYTES >>>

APPLE IIGS DEBUTES IN JAPAN -- Apple Japan is shipping the Apple
IIGS for US$1,294 starting January 30.  And surprisingly enough,
the company announced it will stop the sales of the IIe and the IIc
in Japan. Apple Japan wants to focus sales on a Japanese Macintosh
and the IIGS, says a report.  Humm...

DREXLER'S LASER CARDS -- A major developer of laser cards,
Drexler Technology Corp.(CA), has been seeking the second source
for its laser cards in Japan.  Regarding the reader-writer for
its laser cards, some Japanese makers including Canon, Fujitsu,
and Hitachi have already signed a license agreement with Drexler
Technology.

HITACHI'S 1M SRAM -- Hitachi has developed a 1Mbit Static RAM
(SRAM).  It will be officially introduced at the International
Solid State Circuit Conference (ISSCC) in New York on Feb. 25.
Sony has also been planning to introduce its 1M SRAM there, a
report says.

TELECOMMUNICATION EXHIBITION -- The 6th annual telecom show,
Communication Tokyo '87, will be held at Harumi Exhibition site
in Tokyo, from March 31 to April 3.  Various products, which
range from personal computer-based telecom systems to local
area networks (LAN), will be shown.  Total 120 firms, including
26 U.S. firms, will participate this time.


[***][2/03/87][***]
IBM ENHANCES PC CONVERTIBLE, ANNOUNCES NEW MAINFRAME
ARMONK, N.Y. (NB) -- International Business Machines last week
unveiled new products designed to enhance the slow-selling PC
Convertible. Included are a 256K card to bring memory up to 640K,
a Hayes-compatible internal modem, and a new supertwist liquid
crystal display screen. Many analysts suggest that the move by
Big Blue is a direct result of the success Japanese laptops,
particularly the high-flying Toshibas, are having on the
marketplace. The PC Convertible, for the most part, has been a
case of too little, too late.  For example, the original built-in
modem for the Convertible was not compatible with the Hayes,
meaning most of the good communications software developed for
the Hayes wouldn't work on the Convertible.

Big Blue last week also announced a new top-end mainframe -- the
3090 Model 600E, with up to 60 percent more computing power than
its previous high-end machine. IBM will also start producing a
new one megabit chip to support the new mainframe, the company said.
The chip will be made at IBM's Essex Junction, Vt., plant.

[***][2/03/87][***]
U.S. TRADE MISSION FLOPS IN TOKYO
WASHINGTON (NB) --  A U.S. trade mission to Tokyo has been unable
to win Japanese concessions on high-tech trade, Commerce
Department officials said last week. Bruce Smart, commerce
undersecretary for trade, and Michael Smith, deputy U.S. trade
representative, headed the mission. Smart and Smith have set a
time limit of March 31 for increasing sales of semiconductors
under last summer's microchip peace treaty. It seems likely that
Japanese purchases of U.S. semiconductors won't pick up by that
date, officials said, adding that the U.S. has not decided on what
kind of retaliation the government may take. At the Tokyo talks,
Smith presented U.S. evidence that Japan continues to dump chips
on markets in third countries. Japanese officials replied that
they found the evidence unconvincing.

[***][2/03/87][***]
WORD PROCESSING PIONEER DIES AT AGE 60
NEW YORK (NB) -- Bernie Hurwood, who was one of the first writers
to use computerized word processing, died last week in New York of
cancer. The 60-year-old Hurwood pushed use of computers in
creative writing through his memberships in the Writers Guild,
the American Society of Journalists and Authors, and the Mystery
Writers of America. He was also a member of the Computer Press
Association. The latest of Hurwood's more than 60 books was
WRITING BECOMES ELECTRIC: SUCCESSFUL AUTHORS TELL HOW THEY WRITE
IN THE AGE OF THE COMPUTER.

[***][2/03/87][***]
PEROT AND JOBS TO TEAM UP, SAYS BUSINESS WEEK
NEW YORK (NB) -- BUSINESS WEEK magazine reports that billionaire
H. Ross Perot, 56, founder of Electronic Data Systems Corp., has
agreed to buy a 16 percent share of Next Inc., a new company
founded by former Apple Computer founder Steve Jobs. Perot's
stake in the new company will cost him $20 million, the magazine
said, and will land Perot a seat on the Next Inc. board. Next
Inc. is designing specialized computers for the educational
market. According to the magazine, Perot contacted Jobs after
seeing Jobs, 31, on television. Jobs confirmed the story for the
magazine, although Perot was unavailable for comment. Jobs hopes
to launch the company's first product this summer. Perot is not
expected to take an active role in the management of the company.

[***][2/03/87][***]
PENTAGON WANTS TO RESTRICT ACCESS TO INFORMATION SERVICES
WASHINGTON (NB) -- The National Security Agency has created a new
office which will establish security procedures for all computer
systems that contain sensitive information -- whether or not it
is government information and whether or not it is classified.
According to an article in THE CHRONICLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION, the
office would regulate access to commercial databases such as
Dialog, Nexis, Lexis, and the like. According to Stephen Gould of
the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the
office will be "likely to create red tape for American
scientists and engineers" and "deter even those with legitimate
reasons to use information from seeking access to it." The
mission of the new office relies on a new White House category
called "sensitive but unclassified" information. The article
quotes an assistant defense secretary that "the question of the
1980s is not, 'Will there be restrictions or controls on the use
of commercially available on-line data bases?', the question is,
"How will such restrictions or controls be applied." The creation
of the new NSA office has irritated some in Congress and the
House Government Operations Committee plans a hearing on the
matter.

[***][2/03/87][***]
LOTUS REPORTS BETTER-THAN-EXPECTED EARNINGS
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (NB) -- Lotus Development Corporation
reported net income of $15.6 million, or $1.05 per share, for the
fourth quarter, compared to $11.4 million, or 70 cents per share,
for the fourth quarter of 1985. Sales for the quarter totaled
$81.8 million compared to $71.8 million for the prior fourth
quarter. For the year, Lotus reported a profit of $48.3 million
($3.10 per share) versus $38.1 million ($2.31 per share) for
1985. Sales for 1986 totaled $282.9 million, compared to $225.5
million in 1985.

The Lotus earnings were a bit stronger than analysts expected.
Several are likely to increase their estimates for Lotus's 1987
earnings as a result. Jim Manzi, Lotus president and chief
executive officer, said the "solid" results reflect the strong
market position of the main Lotus product, the 1-2-3 spreadsheet,
and growth in international markets. Manzi said he has seen
"strong early acceptance" for several of the new software
products the company has introduced in recent months. Lotus last
week also announced a three-for-one stock split, effective this
month.

[***][2/03/87][***]
FCC PLAN MAY PUSH UP E-MAIL COSTS
WASHINGTON (NB) -- The Federal Communications Commission is
considering a proposal to tack on a $3 to $4 per hour access fee
to local packet switching networks, affecting users of Telenet,
PC-Pursuit, The Source, and other information services. The
proposal is part of a massive regulatory proposal, known in the
agency as Computer Inquiry III. Stories about the proposal are
showing up on some specialized bulletin boards, such as BIONET
and SCIENCE (a bulletin board carried on Omnet), urging users to
write to the FCC protesting the proposal to re-regulate packet
switching networks.

CONTACT: Honorable Mark Fowler, Chairman of the Federal
         Communications Commission, Washington DC 20554.

[***][2/03/87][***]
NEWS NIBBLES FROM AROUND THE REGION
    ACTON, Mass. (NB) -- EnMasse Computer Corp., a three-year-old high
tech firm, has closed up shop and is looking for a buyer. The
company had hoped to make fail-proof computers for transaction
processing. The company had expected that development would take
$10 million and one year, but required $18 million and two-and-a-
half years. Getting the product to market would have required
another $5 million, money the company's lenders were not willing
to advance.

   WASHINGTON (NB) -- The Securities and Exchange Commission has
extended its bidding deadline for Edgar, its proposed electronic
filing system, which has been plagued by problems. The new
deadline is February 27.

   WESTBOROUGH, Mass. (NB) -- Data General Corp. faces future
orders that are "basically flat," President and Chief Executive
Officer Edson deCastro told the company's annual meeting last
week. He added that he sees "no evidence of basic improvement" in
the computer market.

   WASHINGTON (NB) -- Software mergers and acquisitions set a new
record in 1985, according to the ADAPSO/Broadview Index. More
than 300 software firms either merged or were acquired in 1986,
up 50 percent over the prior record year of 1985.

   MAYNARD, Mass. -- Digital Equipment Corp. has recieved a
three-year, $30 million contract to provide Citicorp with
computers for its investment banking operations.

[***][2/03/87][***]
LONDON VIDEOTEX SHOW
LONDON, UK (NB) -- Last week saw the three-day Videotex User show
held at the Barbican Centre in London.  As usual, NEWSBYTES UK was
there on day one, hunting out all that's new in the online world.

Star of the show was a showing of a private viewdata host system
capable of transmitting colour photos using photo videotext.   Shown
a few years back by Prestel, BT's public viewdata service, photo
videotext can transmit a full-sized TV screen photo in less than
five seconds using a 64 kilobaud link.

Also on show was a stunning dedicated viewdata host from Xyllyx,
capable of operating up to seven viewdata ports at speeds up to 9600
baud.  Based, somewhat amazingly, around a 6809 processor, the
custom system has 40Mb of online storage (via twin 3.5 inch hard
discs) and works to Prestel viewdata bulk updating standards.  The
whole system fits in a box no larger than two Amiga CPU boxes
stacked together and costs 7,000 pounds ($10,500).

For those of us wishing to access Prestel and scrolling text
services (The Source included) with our PC, Richard Cumming &
Associates was showing its Multicomm communications package for
the IBM PC and close compatibles.  What distinguishes Multicomm from
the dozens of PC packages available today is its ability to 'grab'
frames from Prestel, which operates in 40 column colour graphics,
and convert the frame data into ordinary text, for inclusion in
wordprocessing, database and spreadsheet programs.

CONTACTS:
Photo Videotext: APPLIED TELEMATICS GROUP, 7 Vale
             Avenue,Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1DJ.Tel: [phone].

Viewdata Host: XYLLYX UK, 60 Royal Mint Street, London E1 8LG.
             Tel: [phone].

Muticomm Software: RICHARD CUMMING & ASSOCIATES, 7 Holtwood Road,
             Oxshott, Leatherhead, Surrey. KT22 0QL.

[***][2/03/87][***]
BIX COMING TO THE UK
GUILDFORD, SURREY (NB) -- Following on from our 1/13 story about
Compulink, the UK's main FIDO BBS which is converting to the
CoSy software (as seen on BIX, BYTE magazine's system in the
US), we've got some good news for European BIXers.

After successful installation of the CoSy software on Compulink's
shiny new Unix-based computer, the service is now running a system
that parallels the BIX network in the US.  Online time is charged
at 1 pound ($1-50) per hour and (here's the good news) the system
will soon be linked to BIX in the US, allowing European CIX
(Compulink Information Exchange) members to read and leave messages
to and from BIX (Byte Information Exchange) users in the US.

"Once the link is established," Terry Thompson of Compulink told
NEWSBYTES UK, "both systems will be integrated. This will mean that
UK BIX users will be able to access BIX conferences in realtime via
the CIX system."

Currently CIX is available on V21, V22, V22bis and V23 speeds.
Soon, said Thomas, users will be able to access the service via PSS,
the UK equivalent of Tymnet and Telenet.  Such connections are on
ice, however, thanks to the British Telecom strike, now in its third
week in many areas.

CONTACT: COMPULINK, 67 Woodbridge Road, Guildford,
         Surrey GU1 4RD.
         Tel: Voice - 0483-65895
              Modem - 0483-573338.

[***][2/03/87][***]
VOICE OPERATED CELLPHONES DEBUT
LONDON, UK (NB) -- Most cellular phone users in the UK have to pull
in to the kerb to make call on the road, as punching a number on a
keypad and safely driving cars don't mix too well.

ECT Cellular, responsible for a variety of cellphones in the UK,
has now automated the process.  Via their CALLMAID system, which
plugs into any cellular phone, users can speak into a clip
microphone and use a vocabulary of forty key words to place and
receive calls without lifting a hand from the wheel.  What's most
exciting, however, is that the company plans a future data modem
for the cellular phone system will integrate with the Callmaid box
of tricks.

Vocal control and logging into The Source?  Whatever next, speaking
NEWSBYTES issues perhaps...

CONTACT: ECT CELLULAR, 879 High Road, Finchly, London, N12 8QA.
         Tel: [phone].

[***][2/03/87][***]
COMPUTER JOBS IN LONDON
LONDON, UK (NB) -- Fancy yourself as a computer programmer?  If so,
a job could await you in London.  Jeremy San, author of the
successful Star Glider program for the ST, is on the lookout for
staff to expand his software company, Argonaut Software.

Speaking from his new North London offices, Jez told NEWSBYTES UK
that successful applicants will be good machine code programmers,
preferably experienced in 68000, Z80 and 6502 processing, and will
be required to work at Argonaut's London offices.  "There might be
some openings for work from home programmers," Jez told us, "but
they'll have to be good."

Jez can be contacted by 'phone or by mail, but modem users will be
pleased to know that, like NEWSBYTES UK. Jez has accounts on most
major systems. Email him on BCB776 (Sourcemail), 72247,3661
(Compuserve), jsan (BIX), or UK JEZ (Plink).

CONTACT: ARGONAUT SOFTWARE
         Tel: [phone].

[***][2/03/87][***]
ARIOLA SACK UK STAFF
LONDON, UK (NB) - European software giant Ariolasoft has taken the
unprecedented step of sacking its complete UK sales and distribution
staff.  The decision to pull the plug on its UK distribution was
taken by Hans Krushe, the MD of Ariolasoft West Germany, according
to MICROSCOPE, the UK computer trade paper.

The aptly-named Krushe has said that the company will now
concentrate on "the development and publishing of entertainment
software titles on a worldwide basis."

The UK pull-out by Ariola may have an effect on SEGA, which was
hoping to introduce its games consoles to the UK from Japan this
year.  According to Ariola in West Germany, the console's UK launch
will still go ahead, but controlled from West Germany, rather than
the UK.

Ariola UK head Ashley Grey is quoted in MICROSCOPE as saying that
the Sega console is "a difficult situation at the moment," due to
the strength of Japanese yen.  The yen's strength means that
projected prices for Sega games cartridge software will be about 20
pounds ($30), as compared with current tape-based software prices of
between two and five pounds ($3 to $7).

[***][2/03/87][***]
BT DISPUTE WORSENS
LONDON, UK (NB) -- As the dispute between British Telecom and its
staff enters its third week, virtually all of the NCU's 110,000
engineering staff are now on strike.  In support of their action,
the clerical staff, who number 60,000 within BT, came out in
sympathy.

Certain areas of London were without trunk call facilities for
several days last week, and reports are that it now takes several
attempts to place a call outside of the capital without getting an
"all lines busy" signal.

Ever ingenious, the London stockbrokers and financial institutions
are using unorthodox methods to sidestep the strike.  Several
instances of 'private arrangements' between top financial
institutions and BT employees have been reported.  One senior
executive with Capel, Cure and Myers (a top London financial firm)
is quoted in COMPUTER NEWS as saying that "we make it our business
to know the right people at BT."

Meanwhile, all over the UK, businesses are dusting off their old
pre-computer-based systems which reply on pen and paper instead of
datalinks and telephone wires.  If the phones and datalinks fail,
sales of paper and ink should soar!