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/1992/nb920108

Text File | 1992-01-08 | 58.6 KB | 1,344 lines

(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00001)

Madge Networks Signs OEM Agreement With HP 01/08/92
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 8 (NB) -- Madge
Networks and Hewlett-Packard have signed an agreement under
which HP will resell Madge's Token Ring interface cards for use in
the HP/Apollo 9000 Series 700 workstations.

Specifically, the agreement involves the Madge Smart 16/4 EISA
(Extended Industry Standard Architecture) Ringnode product. This
is a 32-bit high performance adapter that works very well in the HP
workstations. HP has tested the device extensively and concluded
that it works very well and delivers the performance that it promises.

Madge and HP jointly developed the software that controls the board.
Part of this Fastmac software enhances the performance of the Texas
Instruments Token Ring chip set. Performance increases can
measure up to 100 percent in some cases. Both companies will
continue to share technical, marketing, planning, and product
information.

"We are seeing increased customer demand for Unix workstations in
multivendor Token Ring networks for commercial applications," said
Robert Madge, president of Madge Networks. "Using Madge
technology, HP now provides the high performance Token Ring
connectivity that these corporate customers want. Token Ring
connectivity for Unix will be an important direction for Madge in 1992,
and our relationship with HP indicates our commitment to this market."

"Discussions with our customers indicate that there is significant
demand for Token Ring connectivity, as long as there are no
performance tradeoffs. Madge offers the performance that our
customers need. In our evaluation of connectivity solutions for our
products, we have been extremely impressed with the performance,
quality, and reliability of the entire Madge product family," said
Nicholas Ordon Jr., marketing manager, HP Information Networks
Division.

The Token Ring adapter will be sold by the HP direct sales force
in the US and internationally. It will retail for $1,595. Orders are
being taken now with shipments promised for March 1992.

(Naor Wallach/19920108/Press Contact: Marina Donovan, Madge
Networks, 408-441-1300)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00002)

Cirrus Logic And Fluent Agree To Develop Video For PC  01/08/92
FREMONT, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 8 (NB) -- Cirrus Logic
and Fluent Machines have announced an agreement under which
the two companies will join forces to develop software and
hardware to display multiple windows with full-motion video and
sound on the IBM personal computer (PC) and compatible
platform.

Under the agreement, Pixel Semiconductor, a subsidiary of
Cirrus Logic, will develop integrated circuits compatible with
Fluent's Fluency software architecture for the processing and
display of multiple full-motion video windows on PCs. The
companies are placing emphasis on multiple windows, and a
representative for Cirrus said its customers are requesting
that capability.

Fluent is to develop software optimized for the Pixel chips and
is to license the software to Cirrus Logic customers. Cirrus
Logic is to manufacture and market the new video devices.

Jim Fontaine, Pixel Semiconductor president said: "Together
with Fluent, we'll be able to offer both the silicon and the
sophisticated software needed to create and manipulate full-
motion video windows on computer screens. Such a combination
will be extremely attractive to a variety of users, and we
believe that it will drive application developments in such
areas as video training, teleconferencing, and video editing."

Fluent Machines, headquartered in Framingham, Massachusetts,
claims to develop PC-based subsystems and software for
capturing, digitizing, compressing, storing, and playing digital
video and audio over networks.

Cirrus Logic focuses on semiconductors while its subsidiary
Pixel, manufacturers a family of video and display processing
integrated circuits for display subsystems.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920108/Press Contact: Paula Jones, Cirrus
Logic, tel [phone] ext. 2259, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00003)

Advanced Gravis Posts Reduced Loss 01/08/92
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, 1992 JAN 8 (NB) --
Advanced Gravis Computer Technology has announced total
revenues of C$3.56 million for the nine months ending October 31,
1991. The net loss for the nine months was C$424,083, or six cents
per share.

The loss was reduced from C$546,734, or 11 cents per share, in the
same period last year. Revenues were up 15.4 percent from the first
nine months of fiscal 1990.

The operating loss for the third quarter was C$104,257, or one cent
per share, versus a profit of C$5,870 for the corresponding quarter
in 1990. Advanced Gravis said the loss was due primarily to
increased costs in advertising, development, salaries, and travel
for new product introduction.

Advanced Gravis makes joysticks, an optical Mouse Stick for the
IBM PC, Tandy, and Apple systems, and input devices for Nintendo,
Amiga and Atari machines. Logitech, the Swiss mouse manufacturer,
owns 44 percent of the company, having given Advanced Gravis a
cash infusion last May by buying four million of its shares for some
C$1 million, in addition to stock it previously held.

The company said costs have risen because staff were added to
both the R&D and marketing departments. This was necessary for
the development of new products and the introduction of the
Choices marketing program, officials said.

A two-month delay in the launch of the PC GamePad resulted in
higher marketing costs as the company tried to capture Christmas
sales.

Despite both a stronger Canadian dollar and the forecast of gloomy
Christmas retail sales, third-quarter revenues were C$1.46 million,
up 19.4 percent over the previous year. Advanced Gravis gave
credit for the increase to new channel sales and increased
distribution in Europe.

The company is investing heavily in research and development
on new products this year.

(Grant Buckler/19920108/Press Contact: Grant Russell, Advanced
Gravis Computer Technology, 604-434-7274)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TOR)(00004)

Scriptel To Develop Cordless Stylus 01/08/92
COLUMBUS, OHIO, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 8 (NB) --  Scriptel Corporation
said it will introduce a cordless stylus and single-chip controller
at the 1992 Fall Comdex show. Working prototypes of the devices
are expected to be available by mid-year.

Scriptel makes hardware for pen-based computing and holds key
U.S. and international patents in digitizer technology, company
officials said. The company recently signed a long-term agreement
to provide pen-based products and technology to Apple Computer.
It also has agreements with NCR, Phoenix Technologies,
SuperScript, SystemSoft, TriTech Microelectronics, and Wang
Laboratories.

The cordless stylus is battery-powered, with battery life of 12
months under normal usage conditions, said James France,
president of Scriptel.

The new single-chip controller will work with the new cordless
stylus as well as with the company's existing corded version. With
12-bit resolution, the new chip supports all standard or custom sizes
of Scriptel's transparent digitizers. Scriptel is developing the chip
jointly with TriTech Microelectronics, a Singapore integrated
circuit manufacturer.

France told Newsbytes he expects cordless and corded styluses
to share the pen-based computing market. In some applications,
users will prefer styluses with cords because the cords will make
them harder to lose, he said. Other users, for esthetic or ease-of-use
reasons, will want cordless units.

The cordless stylus will cost between $20 and $25, France
predicted. Various vendors will buy the electronics from Scriptel
and, in most cases, will design their own casings. Volume
shipments to vendors will probably begin in the third or fourth
quarter of 1992, he said.

Scriptel was founded in 1982. Its transparent digitizers are used
in medical, dental, computer graphics, computer-aided design, and
pen-based computer applications. The company sells its products
to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and value-added
resellers (VARs).

(Grant Buckler/19920108/Press Contact: James W. France, Jr.,
Scriptel, 614-276-8402; Rao Gobburu, TriTech Microelectronics,
408-894-1900)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00005)

Canada: Westbridge Computer Becomes ISM 01/08/92
REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA, 1992 JAN 8 (NB) --
Westbridge Computer Corporation, Canada's largest computer
service bureau and facilities management company, has changed
its name to ISM Information Systems Management Corporation.

The newly named ISM is the result of merger last March between
the original Westbridge, a Western Canadian service bureau, and
Toronto-based STM Systems Corp., a subsidiary of International
Semi-Tech Microelectronics. That deal gave 27 percent of the
merged Westbridge to International Semi-Tech, Westbridge's
former parent Saskatchewan Telecommunications, and IBM
Canada.

ISM also owns 49 percent of ISM-BC, in which British Columbia
Telephone and IBM Canada also hold stakes.

ISM has 2,750 employees with computing centers in British Columbia,
Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario. The company said it
expects first-year revenues of more than C$300 million.

Shareholders approved the name change in December.
The company's listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange will change
from WB "A" to ISM "A" in line with the name change, said Ray
Lancashire, ISM spokesman.

(Grant Buckler/19920108/Press Contact: Ray Lancashire,
ISM Information Systems Management, tel [phone],
fax [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00006)

West Germany Eyes Soviet Telecom Market 01/08/91
BONN, WEST GERMANY, 1991 JAN 8 (NB) -- West German
private telecommunications companies are reported to be
working with Deutsche Bundespost Telecom, the state-owned
telecommunications operation on tendering to modernize the
Soviet telephone network.

According to Die Welt, the West German national daily newspaper,
the German telecommunications companies are in an ideal
situation to offer their services. The paper identifies the private
companies working with Bundespost as ANT Nachrichtentechnik,
a division of the Bosch consortium, Messerschmitt, and Dornier --
the latter two being divisions of Daimler-Benz.

Rather than offer their services for conventional telecommunications
operations, such as phone lines and exchanges, for which
competition is intense, the West German companies are said
to be interested in tendering for a satellite-based network.

According to Die Welt, the contract for such a system could be
worth as much as DM 7,000 million ($4,500 million). Although
plans for the network are still at an early stage, the paper
estimates that it could be operational by 1995.

The Soviet Union's telecommunications infrastructure, while
excellent in Moscow and other capital cities, is atypical of several
communist and ex-communist countries. Local phone lines and
exchange capacity are relatively freely available, but trunk and
international circuits are frequently overloaded and, in many
areas, simply unavailable.

To install a complete zone-based landline national and
international set of links in Russia will take several years,
according to the telecommunications industry's best estimates. A
satellite-based network would be easier and, because of the falling
cost of the technology involved, cheaper to install. Perhaps more
importantly, such a network would be quicker to install than a
complete landline network.

Satellite uplinks and downlinks, using relatively small (1.5 meter)
dishes linked to strategic exchanges in outlying areas of
the Soviet Union, as well as larger two-way dishes at major city
exchanges, would provide rapid access to national and
international circuits for Soviet citizens. The international
satellite signals could then be routed to West Germany, to
progress via Bundespost's existing international networks.

The advantage to Bundespost in securing such a contract would
be enormous -- economies of scale, as well as the ability to ensure
maximum usage of spare international network capacity would be
automatic, so increasing Bundespost's profitability, not to
mention the private telecommunications companies in West
Germany.

(Steve Gold/19920108)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00007)

UK: Digital Sound Signs Voice Processing Agreement 01/08/91
CARPINTERIA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1991 JAN 8 (NB) -- Digital
Sound Corporation (DSC) has announced a sales and marketing
agreement with GPT's telecommunications systems group (TSG)
in England. Terms of the agreement call for GPT to market and
support DSC's voice communications products in the United
Kingdom.

Announcing the deal, Robert Knight, DSC's president and CEO,
said: "Our association with GPT puts Digital Sound in the
vanguard of shaping this technology in the international market.
The integration of our Voiceserver platforms with GPT's existing
technologies represents an ideal opportunity for Digital Sound to
aggressively establish its overseas marketing."

In parallel with the agreement, GPT has established a new
division to sell and support what it calls voice applications
solutions for its customers. Plans call for GPT to use DSC's
range of Voiceserver-based systems to offer voice processing
technology to all types of users.

According to GPT, the range of situations that the Voiceserver
system can be used in is almost unlimited. Typical applications
include interfacing the Voiceserver to a private automatic
branch (telephone) exchange (PABX) so that, if a phone rings for
more than a few seconds, the call is referred to a voice mailbox
and a message can be left.

GPT is a telecommunications system supplier. Based in the UK,
the company offers its services internationally. DSC, meanwhile,
is a US-based telecommunications company that manufactures
and markets the Voiceserver range of products. The Voiceserver
is a multi-purpose voice application platform that the company
claims is designed to meet the current and future
telecommunications needs of businesses.

(Steve Gold/19920108/Press & Public Contact: DSC (US), 805-
566-2000; GPT (UK), 0602-433687)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00008)

AT&T Secures ISO 9001 Telecoms Approval 01/08/91
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 8 (NB) -- AT&T has
announced that its international switching customer business unit
(ISCBU) has obtained the International Standards Organization
(ISO) 9001 quality assurance service standard.

Obtaining an ISO 9001 approvals standard is fast becoming
mandatory in the European telecommunications marketplace.
Within a year, all suppliers of telecommunications terminal
equipment will be required to meet the specification if they
wish to sell their equipment in Europe.

The ISO 9001 standard is designed to partially replace individual
European country telecommunications regulatory approval. In
theory, after 1 January, 1993, a modem approved for use in one
European Community (EC) country can be legally used in any
other European country.

For practical reasons, the EC has recognized that certain
exclusions may be applied to the list of telecommunications
equipment in certain countries. Full inter-country approvals
schemes must be operational by the late 1990s, EC officials
have said.

(Steve Gold/19920108)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00009)

France Telecom Cuts International Call Rates 01/08/92
PARIS, FRANCE, 1992 JAN 8 (NB) -- France Telecom has
announced it is cutting the bulk of its international call rates for
residential and business telephone subscribers.

The cuts, which average 13 percent and range up to 18 percent
for the Far East, have been made in parallel with a regrouping of
certain countries tariff rates.

France Telecom's charges for international calls have long been
regarded as relatively high in international circles. The launch
of AT&T, Sprint, and MCI's "Home Direct" service, which allows
respective telecommunication company credit card holders to dial
a toll-free number from anywhere in France has meant that canny
callers to the US have been able to cut their phone bills by
using and paying US rates, albeit with an operator surcharge.

Sprint and MCI have also modified their card rules to allow
French citizens to register for a calling card. Sources in the
European telecommunications marketplace have said that this
creaming off of lucrative international business calls has caused
France Telecom to lose out in the revenue and high-profit call
stakes.

(Steve Gold/19920108)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LAX)(00010)

Intel Number 1 In U.S. Semiconductors, Number 4 Worldwide 01/08/91
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 8 (NB) -- The
largest American semiconductor manufacturer used to be Motorola,
but not anymore. Intel has taken the number one slot, with the
fastest growing chip products among the world's top ten
semiconductor companies over the last five years, according to
Dataquest.

Dataquest says Intel's average annual compound growth rate has
been 32.6 percent. However, worldwide the company is number
four, lined up behind NEC, Toshiba, and Hitachi. Still, Intel
has shown remarkable performance as in 1987 Dataquest
claims it was in last place on the international scene.

In integrated circuits Intel is the world's second largest
manufacturer, second only to NEC, and passing Hitachi
and Toshiba. However, Intel continues to best NEC in the MOS
microcomponents category, and has widened its lead over
NEC in 1991.

Andrew Grove, president and chief executive officer of Intel,
said the ratings are the payoff for substantial investments the
company has made in research and development and in new
production facilities. "Last year we spent over $1.5 billion in
these areas, and we'll increase that amount in 1992. Our
investment in new production capacity is needed to meet
demand for our 'second wave' processors such as the Intel
486 chips, which are ramping strongly," Grove commented.

Grove said Intel will continue to "fill out" its product line
with new microprocessors for its customers, including the next
generation X86 microprocessor family. This statement is
partially in reference to the 80586 microprocessor that Intel
has already announced users should expect in 1992. The new
chip is the most powerful yet, with an estimated capacity of 100
million-instructions-per-second (MIPS).

Estimated numbers of computers with Intel microprocessors
vary widely, from a conservative 30 million to a whopping 85
million. However, Grove noted that 1991 was the first year in
which more than half of Intel's sales were outside the United
States. This is consistent with the assertions from Intel-based
computer manufacturers are increasing sales outside the U.S. in
new markets such as Latin America.

(Linda Rohrbough/19910108/Press Contact: Howard High, Intel,
tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(NYC)(00011)

J.D. Power Cites Apple, HP, Borland, And WordPerfect 01/08/92
AGOURA HILLS, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 8 (NB) -- J.D. Power
and Associates, in a report surveying satisfaction levels among end
users, reports that the firms with the highest satisfaction ratings are
Apple Computer, Hewlett-Packard, Borland International, and
WordPerfect.

Apple came in number one in the personal computer category in
customer satisfaction and Hewlett-Packard came top in printers.
There was a tie in the software category between Borland
International and WordPerfect.

The year long project that developed the "J.D. Power and Associates
1991 End User Satisfaction Study," ranked more than 35 computer,
printer and software brands and included a sample universe of more
than 4,000 actual business sites. A total of 5,811 business end users
were surveyed.

From the survey, analysts examined the comments and determined
the attributes that users found most important. Among personal
computer users, five essential factors constitute customer
satisfaction:  ease of use; support,; capability; reliability; and
software friendliness.  The critical factors contributing to satisfaction
in the printer category were; capability; ease-of-use; support; and
versatility.  Application software users report that ease-of-use,
capability, and support, are the vital attributes that make relative
differences in their satisfaction.

Commenting on the report, J.D. Power III, president and founder of
J.D. Power and Associates, said: "If computer vendors hope to
continue to offer products that are widely accepted in the
marketplace, it is critical that they understand all the attributes that
make up satisfaction headings such as ease-of-use, capability and
support. Specifically, this study focuses on the end-user who, in many
cases, is into his or her second or even third generation of computers.
In today's world, users bring increased expertise resulting in rising
user expectations and demands.  The companies that succeed will
be those that have an accurate perception of these expectations and
demands. We are heartened at the interest and use of the survey
results by key industry leaders.  Many of these companies are
turning their organizations inside out, in an effort to revolutionize
their consumer efforts."

(Barbara E. McMullen, John F. McMullen, Linda Rohrbough/
19920107/Press Contact: Patricia Patano, J.D. Power and
Associates, 818-889-6330)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00012)

New For Mac: Skyline/E For Network Monitoring 01/08/92
WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 8 (NB) -- Gearing
up for the upcoming MacWorld show in San Francisco, AG Group has
announced a new networking product that runs on the Macintosh.

Skyline/E is a monitoring program that allows the network manager
to view the traffic that occurred on the network over time at different
granularities.

For example, a network manager may be having a problem of some
sort. Over a one week period he could capture data using Skyline/E.
Then, using the different granularities, he could look at a histogram
of the network traffic over that week. Seeing that traffic was relatively
constant over the week, the network manager could switch to a daily
chart. This would also lead to an average looking flow, so the hourly
chart would be produced. In this manner, the network manager can
look at his data and eventually discover that the problem occurs
when a certain piece of machinery is activated (once every 15
minutes, for instance).

Data is collected on every packet that passes on the network.
However, not all of the packet is stored. Only the header information
which tells of the source and destination of the packet is maintained
and date and time stamped. This allows the network administrator to
double-click on a single bar of the histogram and see all of the
network traffic that generated it.

Skyline/E runs on all Macintosh II computers and Macintoshes that
support the 68030 processor and later. The company declined to tell
Newsbytes whether the Skyline/E (which stands for Ethernet) was a
hint of more such products to come for other media.

Skyline/E is slated for shipment on March 2, 1992. The product
will be demonstrated at the AG Groups's booth in Brooks Hall
(number 5600) at the San Francisco MacWorld show.

Skyline/E will sell for $695 with an annual service contract selling
for $105. Annual service contracts are available at 15 percent
discount off the retail price.

All of AG Group's products are warranted for 90 days and include
unlimited free telephone support. The annual service contracts
purchase subscriptions to the company's newsletters as well as
priority handling on technical support issues, and free upgrades
and updates as they are issued.

(Naor Wallach/19920108/Press Contact: David Burk, AG Group,
510-937-7900)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(MOW)(00013)

Moscow: Coming Events Calendar 01/08/92
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1992 JAN 7 (NB) -- Six computer industry
events have been announced for this quarter in Moscow.

The Consumer Electronics show is planned for the week
following January 15, at the VDNKh exhibition center. Major
electronic giants such as Sony and Sharp are expected.

The Soviet Free Software Foundation is to be formed at the
meeting on January 30, 1992, at the Comecon convention
center in downtown Moscow.

Software and hardware computer security company Toma
says it will run an exhibition at the Sokolniki center from February 5.
The company also produces software development tools.

Interfor Ltd organizes the Software Development '92 exhibition,
from March 3-6, 1992, at the VDNKh exhibition center. Interfor claims
70 companies and more than 100 "independent programmers" will
present their products.

The East-West Conference on Emerging Computer Technologies
in Education will take place in Moscow from April 6-9, 1992. The
event was originally planned for April 14-17. It is organized by the
Soviet Artificial Intellect Society, the Association for the Advancement
of Computing in Education (AACE), and the International Center for
Scientific and Technical Information (ICSTI). ICSTI will host the show.
Hypermedia and multimedia will be the show's theme.

Finally, Relcom network will have its meeting, which seems to be
a quarterly event, on March 24-26, 1992, in ICSTI premises.

(Kirill Tchashchin/19920108/Press Contacts: Eugene V. YAKOVLEV,
Toma, tel [phone], fax [phone]; Interfor, tel +7 095
257-0529 or 261-9758; ICSTI, tel [phone], fax: [phone]-
89, eastwest plb.icsti.su)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00014)

Novell Ships Netware 3270 LAN Workstation For Windows 01/08/92
SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 8 (NB) -- When
attempting to integrate PCs that are on a LAN (local area network)
with IBM mainframes that are on their own network, many network
administrators have experienced problems. Now Novell comes to
the rescue with their latest product.

Called Netware 3270 LAN workstation for Windows, it is the client
side of the equation that was missing.

Operating as a totally Microsoft Windows 3.0 application, Netware
3270 for Windows allows users who have their PC attached to a
Novell LAN to communicate with IBM mainframes that are on SNA
(Systems Network Architecture) networks. This is done in
conjunction with Netware for SAA so that the integration of all of
these devices is seamless to the user.

Netware 3270 LAN workstation for Windows emulates both 3270
terminals and 3278 printers to give the PC user complete access to
all of the host applications. OfficeVision, NetView, DB2, TSO, CMS,
CICS, PROFS, and LU6.2 applications are also supported.

The product is sold in two configurations. Users can choose the
single user option and pay $195 or the server option for $4,995. In
both cases, Netware for SAA needs to be installed at the gateway
machine. To assist those network managers that do not have
Netware for SAA installed, Novell is offering a special promotion.

Up until April 30, 1992, those network administrators that have either
Netware SNA Gateway ELS or Netware SNA gateway, can upgrade
to the 16- or 254-host session of Netware for SAA version 1.1 for half
the normal retail price. Netware 3270 LAN workstation for Windows
began shipping on January 6, 1992.

(Naor Wallach/19920108/Press Contact: Bill Jeppesen, Novell,
801-429-5833)
(NEWS)(TRENDS)(SFO)(00015)

 ****Intel Cuts 386 Prices, Plans P5 Chip Intro For 1992 01/08/92
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 8 (NB) -- In an effort
to maintain is dominance in the semiconductor market in the face of
strong competition from such companies as Advanced Micro
Devices, Intel is cutting prices on its 80386 product line.

Nancy Pressel, spokesperson for Intel, told Newsbytes that,
effective April 1, 1992, the 25 megahertz (MHz) 386DX will be
priced at $99 each, for quantities of 1,000 or more. The best-selling
16 MHz 386SX will be priced at $49 each.

Pressel told Newsbytes that the "486 is becoming the mainstream
processor" on which many new systems are based. In turn, the
386 will be used in "machines for the mass merchandising market."

Additionally, Pressel said "about every three years" a
major product is released on the market, and that three years ago
Intel introduced the 486. "We are going to introduce the P5 this
year," she said,"and it is going to have a big effect on the market."

According to Pressel, the P5 will take the place of the 486 at the
high-end, with the 486 moving downscale to mid-range desktop
systems. The 386 in turn, will address the low-end range.

Intel has lost ground lately in terms of market share to AMD, after
the courts decided that the company was allowed to market its
386-clone chip, To make matters worse for Intel, AMD is said to
be set to introduce a 486SX chip by mid-year.

Pressel said that the market remains very "price competitive."

(Ian Stokell/19920108)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00016)

Ericsson GE TDMA Phones Certified By FCC 01/08/92
NORTH CAROLINA, U.S.A., 1991 JAN 8 (NB) - Ericsson GE said
the Federal Communications Commission has successfully
completed Type Certification tests on its TDMA Digital Dual Mode
mobile cellular telephone. Tests verified that the phones meet U.S.
standards, and are necessary before any equipment can be sold
for use on U.S. airwaves.

TDMA, short for Time Division Multiple Access, is a digital
technology adopted by the Cellular Telecommunications Industry
Association a year ago. It offers three times the system calling
capacity of present analog systems. The CTIA approval mandated
that all equipment be dual-standard, able to handle both analog
and digital signals, and the Ericsson GE equipment meets that
"dual mode" goal as well.

The announcement means that companies like Southwestern Bell,
which have committed to offering TDMA on their systems this year,
will be able to offer Ericsson-GE phones to their customers. The
phones tested weighed just 11.6 ounces, or 0.3 kilograms,
offering 66 minutes of talk time in analog mode, 120 minutes in
digital mode.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920108/Press Contact: Ericsson, Kathy
Egan, 212-685-4030)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00017)

Sprint Cuts Rates, Improves Videoconferencing 01/08/92
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, U.S.A., 1991 JAN 8 (NB) -- Sprint
responded to price pressure from AT&T and Pacific Bell and cut
its California in-state long-distance rates by 10 percent,
starting February 1.

The move puts its rates just below AT&T's Reach Out California
rates. Under the new rates, Sprint calling plans will charge $6.30
for the first hour, and $5.65 on each additional hour, about 9.5 cents
per minute.

Sprint also announced its Sprint Video videoconferencing unit
will now sell VideoTelecom systems. VideoTelecom, located in
Austin, Texas, manufactures complete videoconferencing and
mediaconferencing room systems, with things like an electronic
"whiteboard" for drawings, and the ability to capture, store,
retrieve and forward high-resolution images and annotate them
with drawings and text.

Sprint expects to have two MediaMax codecs, necessary for
transmission of files with the system, available on its gateway
starting this spring.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920108/Press Contact: Sprint, Steve Dykes,
202-828-7435)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00018)

SkyTel Intros New Message Card Pager 01/08/92
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, U.S.A., 1991 JAN 8 (NB) -- Mobile
Telecommunication Technologies claims its SkyTel unit now
supports a new credit card-style pager called the SkyTel Message
Card, which was developed jointly by Mtel and NEC.

The pager is about as thick as four credit cards and slightly longer
and wider than existing pagers. It works at a frequency of 931.9375
megaherz anywhere in the United States, Canada and Singapore.
Same-frequency coverage of Mexico is expected to be available
in the first quarter of 1992, and coverage in Hong Kong will follow
later this year.

NEC America provides the Message Card to Mtel on an exclusive
basis for all frequencies and bands in the United States, Canada
and Mexico, and for all 900 megaherz bands worldwide.  The
agreement is effective for one year.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920108/Press Contact: David Allan, for
SkyTel, 212-614-5163)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00019)

 ****MCI Announces New Calling Card 01/08/92
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1991 JAN 8 (NB) -- MCI has reaped
the full fruits of its 1991 acquisition of Telecomm USA of Atlanta by
rolling out a new MCI calling card.

The card combines regular calling features with voice mail and
access to audiotex services provided by MCI, including news,
weather, sports and stock information formerly offered by
Telecomm USA. There is no charge for the calling card and many
of the services and features are furnished at no additional charge
or require only a nominal fee, MCI said in a press release.

The same card can also be used by MCI Friends & Family
customers to get their regular 20 percent savings on card calls to
members of their Calling Circles -- a list of up to 14 other MCI
customers they call frequently, including one international
number.

As part of the introduction, MCI is offering up to four hours of free
calling card calls to owners of Sprint Foncards or AT&T cards
who turn in their old plastic for the new MCI Card. The offer expires
March 31, and comes with making MCI your "default carrier" -- the
network you reach automatically when you dial "1" on your phone
to reach long distance services.

The audiotex services are offered on a single toll-free 800-number
reachable from any domestic phone. Once customers hear a
tone after dialing the number, they enter their card number,
then press a code for any of the special features -- voice mail,
audiotex -- they wish to use.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920108/Press Contact: MCI, Debra Shriver,
703-415-6904)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(ATL)(00020)

AIM Telephones Enters Chapter 11 Bankruptcy 01/08/92
HAUPPAUGE, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1991 JAN 8 (NB) -- AIM
Telephones, a telephone interconnect company, said that after
unsuccessful efforts to restructure approximately $18 million of
debt, it has had to lay off 100 employees and seek bankruptcy
protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Law.

The petition will allow AIM to continue operating while a plan is
worked out to handle its debts, either on its own or, more likely,
through a sale of the company. During the transition AIM said it
will maintain support to existing customers but not solicit any
new business. It said it expects its stock will be worthless after
the reorganization is completed.

Telephone interconnect companies provide equipment to let
companies link their own internal phone networks to long
distance phone companies.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920108/Press Contact: Bliss, Barefoot &
Associates, for AIM, John S. Bliss, 212/840-1661)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00021)

GTE Offers Free Weather Data To Alaska 01/08/92
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1991 JAN 8 (NB) -- GTE Contel
has announced free Direct User Access Terminal Service, or
DUATS, a service which will let Alaska pilots get on-line weather
briefings through their home PCs.

The service is sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration,
and provided by GTE under a contract from the FAA. While the
service is designed for pilots, anyone in the state can use it. The
company expects to expand service beyond Alaska so pilots
can file flight plans to the Lower 48.

Such a service is necessary in Alaska, where small airplanes are
the primary means for people and goods to get around. FAA rules
require that all pilots submit detailed flight plans and check
weather reports en route before taking off. The service may be
accessed by computer on 1-800-767-9989.

Official weather information is presented on DUATS in standard
aviation abbreviated form. Plain language weather briefings are
also offered on the Contel DUATS menu at no charge. Normal
sessions are 20-minutes long and can be restarted from the
keyboard without redialing. Users requiring assistance with the
service may obtain help by calling a toll-free telephone voice
line 800-345-3828.

Optional aviation related services are available on DUATS
for a nominal charge, including color weather graphics and
computerized flight planning and filing services. Free software is
required for access to the weather graphics which may be
obtained by calling the voice help line.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920108/Press Contact: Bob Bishop,
GTE, 703-818-5474)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00022)

Sequoia Systems Expanding In Eastern Europe 01/08/92
MARLBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 8 (NB) --
Sequoia Systems, a maker of fault-tolerant computers for on-line
transaction processing, has named distributors in Poland,
Czechoslovakia, and Hungary. Sequoia also announced a
$1.5 million sale to the State Savings Bank in Warsaw.

Sequoia named Soft Concept and Microvex as distributors in
Poland. APP Systems Inc. is the new distributor in Czechoslovakia,
and SZKI was selected as Sequoia's Hungarian distributor.

Company spokesman John Murzycki said Sequoia's sales in
Eastern Europe have been limited mainly by the company's
resources in the past. "With a company our size we really do
depend on an international base of distributors." Sequoia expects
to name more distributors in both Eastern and Western Europe in
the coming months, Murzycki told Newsbytes.

Sequoia said its revenues from international sales have been
growing as a percentage of overall sales. Currently, international
sales make up about 25 percent of the company's revenues.

The Sequoia Series 400 computer sold to the State Savings Bank is
the largest of three systems recently shipped to Poland, Sequoia
said. It will be used to improve on-line bank transactions and
streamline accounting. The system was sold through one of
Sequoia's new Polish distributors, Soft Concept. Other Sequoia
sales to Poland were made to value-added resellers and
distributors.

In addition to the recent sale to Poland, Sequoia has shipped
systems to the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, Belgium, Greece,
France, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea,
Singapore, Australia, and Canada, as well as the United States.

(Grant Buckler/19920108/Press Contact: John Murzycki, Sequoia
Systems, 508-480-0800 ext. 1522)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TOR)(00023)

 ****AT&T And NEC Extend Semiconductor Cooperation 01/08/92
BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 8 (NB) --
AT&T Microelectronics and Tokyo-based NEC have extended
their joint work in semiconductors. The companies will work together
on high-capacity, fast static random access memory (SRAM) chips.

Last April, NEC and AT&T agreed to develop an advanced
semiconductor process to increase memory density by about four
times by using circuit features only 0.35 microns wide. The
companies hope to be producing products resulting from that work
by the middle of 1995, said AT&T spokeswoman Mary Lou Ambrus.
The additional work just announced is "more immediate in terms of
having products" on the market, Ambrus told Newsbytes.

The new collaboration will result in the sharing of fast 0.5-micron
SRAM designs and manufacturing capability, the cross-fertilization
of engineering expertise between NEC and AT&T Bell Laboratories,
and the manufacture by NEC of SRAMs for sale by AT&T and NEC
in the most current state-of-the-art technology.

Fast and ultrafast SRAMs resulting from this work should be ready
for market by the first quarter of 1993, AT&T spokesman Blanchard
Hiatt said. They will provide about twice the density of today's
most commonly used SRAM chips, with access times of 35
nanoseconds or less. They will enable systems to take full
advantage of the latest microprocessors, according to AT&T.

The products developed will include SRAM integrated circuits that
can hold up to four million bits of digital information. SRAM
memory chips are used in virtually every electronic computing
system.

(Grant Buckler/19920108/Press Contact: Mary Lou Ambrus, AT&T,
908-771-2825; Blanchard Hiatt, AT&T, 908-771-2788)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TOR)(00024)

Gandalf Launches Data Comms Products For Indirect Sales 01/08/92
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1992 JAN 8 (NB) -- Gandalf
Technologies has established a line of data communications
equipment to be marketed exclusively through indirect channels in
the United States and Canada. The new Gandalf Premier line
includes new products as well as existing ones repackaged
under new names.

The move formalizes some existing relationships with resellers in
the United States and Canada, said company spokeswoman
Janice Drummond, and reflects market conditions. "These are,
generally speaking, box products that to a lesser or greater degree
depending on the competition have become commodity items,"
she said. "They're much more efficiently sold through indirect
channels."

The company is seeking qualified resellers, value-added resellers
(VARs), distributors, and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs)
to take part in the program.

Gandalf appointed Kerry Hawkins as director of North American
distribution. He will head the Gandalf Premier program from its
headquarters near Chicago.  Hawkins joined Gandalf in 1984 and
most recently was a regional manager, sales and services in the
United States.

The initial Gandalf Premier products include two new offerings.
Gandalf said the new LANLine 5500 remote LAN access system is
the first system to provide transparent local area network (LAN)
access to remote users using Integrated Services Digital Network
(ISDN) facilities.

Initially available only in the United States, where
telecommunications carriers are already providing ISDN service,
the LANLine 5500 is to be introduced to Canada later this year as
ISDN service becomes available. LANLine 5500 works with ISDN
Basic Rate Interface and has a suggested retail price of $1,995
in the United States.

LANLine 5108, also new, is a 10Base-T concentrator for
interconnection of as many as eight PCs, workstations, or file
servers in a star network.

Three other products in the Premier line are repackaged versions
of existing Gandalf offerings, Drummond said. LANLine 5122 is a
12-port PC card that lets users create an instant Ethernet 10Base-T
LAN by plugging the card into any eight-bit PC slot in a file
server. The DM49K is a 9,600 bits-per-second (bps)
asynchronous/synchronous four-wire leased line modem with built-in
two-channel multiplexer. The miniMAU compact transceiver converts
Ethernet network interface cards to 10Base-T.

(Grant Buckler/19920108/Press Contact: Janice Drummond,
Gandalf Technologies, 613-564-0183)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00025)

Genicom Completes Rastek Acquisition 01/08/92
WAYNESBORO, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 8 (NB) -- Genicom
has completed its acquisition of Rastek Corp., of Huntsville,
Alabama, for an undisclosed sum.

Rastek, founded in 1984, is an engineering and product
development company specializing in raster imaging, a technology
widely used in translating and creating images for non-impact
printing and other applications. It provides hardware and software
systems for printers and offers custom engineering, consulting and
documentation services.

Genicom designs, manufactures, markets, and services computer
printers and products for general purpose applications. When the
company announced its intention to purchase Rastek in December,
Chuck Ward, director of product planning, told Newsbytes the
purchase would help Genicom strengthen its position in the laser
printer market.

Genicom is preparing a new laser printer for release in the first
quarter of this year, using a Rastek controller. Ward said the idea
of the acquisition arose while Genicom was working with Rastek on
the new controller.

While Genicom has sold laser printers before, "currently
we don't have a real strong offering," he said.

Rastek will operate in the United States as a subsidiary of
Genicom, and will remain in Huntsville. Its Asian operations will
continue to be conducted through its Japanese subsidiary.

(Grant Buckler/19920108/Press Contact: James C. Gale,
Genicom Corp., 703-949-1239)

(NEWS)(GOVT)(LAX)(00026)

 ****Labor Council Suit Against Seagate Dismissed 01/08/91
SCOTTS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 8 (NB) -- Disk
drive manufacturer Seagate has announced that a lawsuit filed
against it by the Central Labor Council has been dismissed by
Federal District Court Judge James Ware.

The suit charged Seagate had not complied with all the
notification requirements of the Worker Adjustment and
Retraining Notification Act (WARN) in its reduction of 18 percent
or 1,200 white collar jobs in the US and Europe announced in
July 12, 1991, and with further reductions in August 1991.

The WARN requires that 60 days notice be given for "mass
layoffs," if at least 500 full-time employees are affected at a
single location, or if at least one-third of the workforce of 50
or more employees at one site is affected.

Though lay offs were sudden, as reported previously by Newsbytes,
Seagate claims the numbers were below those necessary to trigger
the 60-day notice requirement. The company further claims that it
informally provided the Central Labor Council's attorneys additional
documentation showing that the numbers were below those
necessary to comply with the WARN.

Seagate maintains that the Central Labor Council "rushed ahead
with the litigation" despite the company's claims it had indeed
complied with all the WARN requirements.

A press release from Seagate also asserts that, "it is simply
untrue... that the Labor Council did not have the information
it needed to decide whether or not to go forward with the lawsuit."

Seagate maintains it provided the Labor Council information both
before and after the lawsuit was filed, and offered to provide
information by which the Labor Council could cross-check any of
Seagate's contentions regarding the numbers of people affected.

The company asserts the Labor Council chose not to review or
inspect this data and chose to dismiss the lawsuit. Seagate
says the Labor Council is now claiming it requested dismissal
because it needed more time to investigate the charges.

Robb Kundtz, vice president of administration for Seagate,
commented upon learning of the court's order: "The dismissal
represents a public validation of Seagate's continuing position
that it had fully complied with the law during its recent reduction
in force."

Newsbytes reported in a July 7 article that, as part of the
layoff, Seagate ordered that no log-ins be allowed on the
company's corporate computer system until after the
announcement, for security reasons. "It's Friday the 13th
on the 12th," one employee told Newsbytes.

Kundtz said, concerning the lay off: "In undertaking the
restructuring, Seagate was sensitive to its effects on individuals
and scrupulous in ensuring compliance with all of its legal
requirements."

Kundtz further stated: "It is reprehensible that the Central
Labor Council does not have the forthrightness to acknowledge
that the initial claims were wrong, and that this is the reason
the lawsuit is being dismissed. It is outrageous that an
allegedly responsible group of labor leaders would prey upon
the difficult conditions being faced by former employees under
the restructuring by giving them false hope that they could
acquire damages from Seagate."

Kundtz said that, now the suit has been dismissed, it is time for
Seagate to refocus its energies on business. Kundtz added:
"...We would very much hope that our employees and the
community will be reassured that Seagate continues to be a
highly responsible employer which respects not only the legal
requirements of doing business but the need for honesty in
confronting the challenges of the current economic environment."

(Linda Rohrbough/19910108/Press Contact: Julie Still, Seagate,
tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00027)

 ****IBM Cuts Prices On 386SX-Based PS/2 Models 01/08/91
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 8 (NB) -- IBM has
cut prices by 10 to 16 percent on its Personal System/2 (PS/2)
models 35 SX, 35 LS, and 40 SX. All three models use the 20
megahertz (MHz) version of the Intel 80386SX processor and the
AT ISA (Industry Standard Architecture) bus.

IBM spokesman Michael Reiter described the reductions as
simply part of the general trend to price cuts on PCs. "There's a
tremendous competition in the marketplace and companies are
going to adjust their prices to ensure that they remain competitive,"
he said.

Reiter said the fact that the latest cuts came strictly on 386SX-
based PCs had no special significance. "I think it's a mistake if
you too narrowly focus on the chip itself," he said. Computers
using the newer and more powerful Intel 80486DX and 80486SX
chips have gained popularity in the past year.

Reiter said the models affected by the cuts were introduced in
June, 1991, and "that's a long time to have been on the market" at
the same prices.

IBM cut the price of the model 35 SX 040, with a 1.44-megabyte (MB)
diskette drive, from $1,995 to $1,745. The model 35 SX 043, which
adds a 40 MB hard drive, was reduced from $2,525 to $2,255.

The model 35 LS 14X, a diskless unit with a built-in Ethernet
local area network adapter, was reduced from $2,095 to $1,820.
The model 35 LS 24X, with a built in Token Ring network adapter,
had its price cut from $2,695 to $2,425.

The model 40 SX 040, with a 1.44 MB diskette drive, was
marked down from $2,395 to $2,000. The model 40 SX 043, with
a 40 MB hard drive, went from $2,925 to $2,545, and the model 40
SX 045, with an 80 MB hard drive, went from $3,195 to $2,845.

All of the above prices are for machines with two MB of RAM.
The model 40 SX has five expansion slots and four storage
bays. IBM said it is suited to users who want to run DOS
applications now but keep open the option of moving to OS/2 later.
The model 35 SX has three expansion slots and two storage bays,
while the model 35 LS is a diskless unit designed for use with
local area networks.

(Grant Buckler/19920108/Press Contact: Michael Reiter, IBM,
914-642-5368)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(NYC)(00028)

D&B Software To Install Financial Systems For Apple 01/08/92
FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 8 (NB)  --
Dun & Bradstreet Software (D&B Software) has announced that
Cupertino-based Apple Computer has signed a contract with D&B
Software for financial applications, tools and professional services.
Apple will use D&B Software's applications in its corporate,
distribution, and products divisions.

Under the contact, Apple will purchase a number of D&B software
modules to run on Apple's Digital Equipment Vax computer. Named
in the announcement as purchased modules were General Ledger,
Accounts Payable, and Purchase Order financial applications and a
systems development tool. D&B Software will also provide
professional services to assist Apple with training, implementation
and system customization.

Announcing the contract, Joe Riera, director of financial systems for
Apple Computer, stressed Apple's desire to standardize its
applications on a common platform. He said: "We needed to replace
a number of disparate products and hardware systems and integrate
our financial applications within the DEC Vax environment. We also
wanted to maintain a distributed computing structure, wherein
applications could be implemented at multiple sites and information
centralized at the corporate level for accurate financial reporting."

D&B Software spokesperson Margot Carlson told Newsbytes that
this was her firm's first contract with Apple and "our business
continues to grow for the Digital platform as firms such as Apple turn
to our financial products. We are, of course, quite pleased with this
growth and look forward to working with Apple."

(Barbara E. McMullen & John F. McMullen/19920108/Press
Contact: George Cohen, Dun & Bradstreet Software, 508-370-5146)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00029)

Maxtor Sells Malaysia Plant/US Design Div. 01/08/91
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 8 (NB) -- Maxtor,
manufacturer of Winchester hard disk drives, is selling off
some of its plants and design facilities. The company
announced the sale of the Penang, Malaysia headstack
assembly plant to Read-Rite, and the Lanham, Maryland
design division of its Storage Dimensions subsidiary to an
investment group lead by Grotech Partners of Balitmore.

The original announcement of the agreement between Maxtor
and Read-Rite for the Malaysia facility was announced in
November of 1991, and includes a long-term headstack
assembly supply agreement between the two companies.

Read-Rite is to pay Maxtor a total of $16.4 million for the
Malaysia plant. Maxtor says Read-Rite has made payments
of $7.4 million on December 28, 1991 to purchase the
Malaysia operation and the inventory located there. The sale
will show as a gain of $5 million in third quarter fiscal
reporting, also ending on December 29, 1991, Maxtor added.

A $9 million balance is due upon formal transfer of the
Maxtor building and equipment and that transfer is expected
by the end of January, pending the approval of the Malaysian
government.

U.S. Design of Lanham, Maryland was acquired by Maxtor in
1987 and became part of the company's Storage Dimensions
subsidiary in 1989. The sale to the Grotech Partners
investment group calls for $2 million up front with Maxtor
getting a percentage of future revenues as well. Maxtor says
U.S. Design has 30 employees and has been operating at a
profit. The division designs, manufactures and sells high-
capacity optical jukebox and magnetic data storage
subsystems.

In both sales Maxtor is getting not only the benefit of the
sale, but continued revenue from the operation, by supplying
parts, and by agreement.

Laurence R. Hootnick, Maxtor's president and chief executive
officer said: "We believe U.S. Design will thrive under local
management and look forward to a continuing relationship as
a supplier. By the same token, we look forward to a long and
successful relationship with Read-Rite with respect to the
products they will manufacture in the plant in Penang."

Maxtor has not always been selling. In October of 1991 the
company opened a manufacturing plant in Bray, Ireland. In
the Spring of 1990 the company purchased most of the assets
of the Boulder, Colorado, disk drive manufacturer Miniscribe
at a court ordered auction after Miniscribe filed for bankruptcy.

(Linda Rohrbough/19910108/Press Contact: Jim Lucas, Maxtor,
tel [phone])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(WAS)(00030)

 ****Air Force Negotiates On Desktop IV Contract 01/08/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 8 (NB) -- CompuAdd has
confirmed to Newsbytes that the Air Force has reopened the
Desktop IV microcomputer bidding, despite its having been
previously awarded to CompuAdd and Sysorex.

CompuAdd Chief Executive Officer, Bill H. Hayden, speaking
about the reopening of bidding said: "Naturally we would have
preferred a quick resolution in our favor (but) the company has
made a strong commitment to this project and we are going to
compete very hard to win the final round."

A knowledgeable Washington insider tells Newsbytes that the
government has been quietly trying to negotiate an arrangement
with the winners and losers of the $1 billion Desktop IV contract,
whereby the bidding could be reopened without further protests.

This had run into an understandable roadblock from CompuAdd
and the other successful bidder, Sysorex, because the Air Force
was trying to obtain the agreement of all parties to drop the
existing protests, and not protest a move to reopen the bidding.

The winners already had a strong position, according to a
knowledgeable source, because the basis of the protests from
losing bidders was that the winners had had clarifying discussions
with the Air Force on their bids. This was not contrary to the terms
of the request for bids and many people see this basis for a
protest to be rather weak.

There have also been delays because of the holidays, especially
because, as an inside source said, "about a zillion" levels of
the Air Force would have to approve any move to rebid the
massive contract.

CompuAdd spokesperson John Pope said that he could not make
any further comments on the situation but expressed confidence
that CompuAdd would eventually be successful in its quest for the
massive contract, the largest ever bid for under the recent fast-
track bidding procedure rules changes.

A knowledgeable source not connected with CompuAdd
speculated to Newsbytes that the Air Force may have whispered
in the company's ear that it would expedite things if the winners
would agree to reopening the bids, because they would almost
certainly be reawarded the contract and should face fewer
protests in the next round.

(John McCormick/19920108/Press Contact: John Pope,
CompuAdd, 512-250-2000)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00031)

CompuAdd Gets $53 Million Sears PC Order 01/08/92
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 8 (NB) -- CompuAdd Computer
Corporation has announced what it says is its largest order ever --
a $53 million contract to supply Sears stores with 28,000 custom
built cash register terminals.

The terminals are being built on a dedicated production line at
CompuAdd's manufacturing facility in Austin, Texas.  They will be
installed in all Sears stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.  Linked to
Sears nationwide database, the system is intended to put more
customer information and computing power on the sales floor.

Compuadd spokesperson John Pope told Newsbytes that
shipments started on December 26th, and installation should be
complete by the end of February 1992.

The CompuAdd terminals will use a 16 megahertz 386SX chip, the
same one used in some of CompuAdd's desktop computers.  Also
included will be a proprietary circuit card  and a power supply that
incorporates a temporary power source that will keep the terminals
running up to one hour, in the event of a power failure.

Pope told Newsbytes that Compuadd competed with NCR and
IBM for the contract, and said it was "a real coup for us" to be
selected.

About two years ago Compuadd provided about 5,000 XT-based
terminals to Sears for use as point-of-sale terminals. At the end of
1991 Sears had more than 4,100 merchandising units, including
868 retail stores.

According to a statement released by Sears, the new terminals
will enable sales associates to provide a wider range of customer
services more conveniently and efficiently.  It will also eliminate the
need for customer convenience centers, said the retailing chain.

Using the new systems, Sears said sales associates on the sales
floor will be able to perform such services as issuing temporary
Sears charge cards and gift certificates, look up customer
information, and process customer payments.

The Sears statement said that the space now used for customer
service will be converted to selling space.  The chain said that
by April 1992 it will have converted about 676,000 square feet of
back-office space to selling space, or the equivalent of about
seven average-size Sears stores.

Sears said the new technology will eliminate about 1,000 full-time
non-sales positions, and some 5,900 part-time clerical positions by
the time the installation is completed.  Elimination of the
positions equates to a savings of about $50 million annually.

Sears said most of the employees affected will be transferred to
other store positions that are currently vacant or will open up due
to normal attrition, with layoffs being "minimal."

(Jim Mallory/19920107/Press contact: John Pope, CompuAdd,
512-250-2000, Gerald Buldak, Sears, 312-875-8371)