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(NEWS)(UNIX)(DEN)(00001)

Wordperfect 5.0 For Systems Running Irix 01/10/92
OREM, UTAH, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- Wordperfect Corporation has
released a version of Wordperfect 5.0 that runs on Silicon Graphics
computers using the Irix operating system.

Files created under the Irix version of the popular word processing
program are compatible with Wordperfect files on other platforms,
including DOS, Windows, VMS, Macintosh, and Data General, as well as
other Unix platforms, according to a prepared release from
Wordperfect.

Users of Irix systems benefit from the document portability when the
Iris system is networked to other systems.

Wordperfect 5.0 offers such features as text-integrated graphics,
style sheets and a macro editor. Style sheets save document
formatting selections for repeated use, while macros are a form
of automation, storing a series of keystrokes for playback when
needed.

Other Wordperfect features include a remappable keyboard, a master
document feature that combines files to generate page numbers and
tables of contents, a 115,000-word spell checker, a 10,000-word
thesaurus, parallel and newspaper column capabilities, footnote
and endnote creation, and automatic referencing. On systems running
the Unix operating system, as many as nine documents can be open at
once.

Wordperfect for Silicon Graphics is an X Windows system
implementation, supporting window sizing, scroll bars, mouse cursor
control, and pull-down menus.

Wordperfect spokesperson Darcy Huisch told Newsbytes that the
single-user version of the program has a suggested retail price
of $495. Huisch said users will need 2.4 MB (megabytes)) of memory
for the first user and 650K of RAM for each additional users.

More information about Wordperfect for Unix is available by calling
the company at 801-222-5300)

(Jim Mallory/19920108/Press contact: Darcy Huish, Wordperfect Corp,
801-228-5006)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00002)

A Free BBS For Journalists 01/10/92
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- A Washington
advertising executive who specializes in serving trade groups has
opened PR Online, a bulletin board service for journalists. The
board, which uses RBBS software, is accessible at 1-800-873-0010,
a toll-free number.

While the board is described as a "database for journalists," it
is in fact a repository of press releases. Groups which post
releases on the board get 30 days of free service, then pay
$1,000 per month. They can post as many releases as they want,
and publicize the number.

System operator Stephen K. Cook was formerly director of
Edelman's Washington office, and has been publicizing his board
through notes on major online services. While a number of large
companies, including AT&T, offer press releases online, Cook said
his is the first service to be offered free. With many
journalists having lost jobs and working at home with PCs,
he said, that is an important advantage.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920109/Press Contact: Stephen Cook, 202- 347-
8918)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00003)

Bill To Cut U.S. Phone Rates Stalled 01/10/92
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- Long distance
companies have apparently succeeded in stopping a Senate bill
that would have forced them to charge the same rates on short
calls to residential customers as they charge business customers.

S. 857, sponsored by Democrat Howard Metzenbaum of Ohio, would
have required long distance companies offering six-second or real
time billing rates to businesses to offer the same thing to
residential customers. Richard Woodruff, staff director to
Sen. Metzenbaum, said the bill was prompted by estimates that
the long distance carriers were making $2 billion per year by
rounding up short calls to the nearest minute for residential
customers, while offering shorter billing increments to business.

After a hearing before a subcommittee headed by Senator Daniel
Inouye, a Hawaii Democrat, Woodruff told Newsbytes, the
companies finally came out with some good arguments against the
bill. "If you want 6 second billing, you can have it," Woodruff
found. "That satisfied a good portion of our concern. Then the
question turned to what extent the companies are marketing these
services to residential customers. And they're really not." But,
"They've made some good arguments about why they don't. They
showed data that residential customers make most of their calls
in the evening, that they usually average 9 minutes, while
business packages are geared to use to short daytime calls, like
those to verify credit card numbers."

Residential customers who want long distance pricing plans
created for businesses can get them, Woodruff added, solving a
potential problem for home-based knowledge workers. "It's more
expensive to start, but it can work if you make a lot of short
calls. That took the steam out of our bill, finding out these
services are out there."

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920109/Press Contact: Office of Sen. Howard
Metzenbaum, 202-224-3121)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00004)

Microsoft Money Buyers Get Tax Program Rebate 01/10/92
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- Microsoft
Corporation has announced a special promotional deal which will
provide a rebate on two computerized tax programs to purchasers of
its Microsoft Money financial management program.

Good until April 30, 1992, customers who buy Microsoft Money and
either TurboTax from Chipsoft or TaxCut 1040 from MECA will get a
$15 rebate.

To get the refund, buy Money and one of the tax programs, then
complete a coupon available at your software dealer. The coupon is
mailed with the sales receipts for the two programs to the address
on the coupon. Your mail carrier will deliver the $15 rebate.

Microsoft Money is a Windows-based financial management program
which automates the routine tasks associated with paying bills,
tracking account balances, income and expense categories, budgeting,
and financial reports.

Money is designed for home and small business users. Features
include Smartfill, which will remember and fill in account
information based on previous transactions; Smartreconcile, which
helps the user balance an account by identifying and correcting
errors; and a scheduling feature which allows users to schedule
future transactions such as automatic deposits and payments, then
reminds the user when they are due.

Microsoft Money data can be exported to either Turbotax or Taxcut
1040. The program was selected by PC Magazine as one it its "Best of
1991" programs.

Microsoft spokesperson Beverly Auld told Newsbytes that Microsoft
Money has a suggested list price of $69.95. Turbotax sells for
$79.95, while Taxcut 1040 carries a price tag of $89.95.

Asked by Newsbytes whether Microsoft was paying the rebate or if it
was being shared by the three companies, a Microsoft spokesperson
declined to reveal that information.

(Jim Mallory/19920108/Press contact: Beverly Auld, Microsoft,
206-882-8080)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00005)

Generation 5 Technology Reports Record 4Q 01/10/92
DENVER, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- Generation 5 Technology
has reported record sales for its fourth quarter, invoicing $936,000
for the period. The company expects earned revenue for the period
to exceed $800,000 compared with revenues of $649,000 for the same
period last year.

Generation 5 says the results were an all-time record for sales and
expected revenues for the company.

Mark Wilding, Generation 5 president, attributes numerous new
clients and strong sales by VARs (value added resellers) for the
results. "We expect our resellers to play an increasingly important
role in the continued growth of Generation 5 in 1992," said
Wilding.

Generation 5 markets geographic information systems (GIS), automated
mapping, and facilities management software systems using AutoCAD
computer graphics software. Its Geo/SQL GIS software allows users
with desktop 386 and 486 personal computers, as well as Unix
workstations, to be linked with sophisticated database applications
running on local area networks (LANS) and mainframe computers.

(Jim Mallory/19920108/Press contact: Rick Garfield, Generation 5,
303-427-0055)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TOR)(00006)

Bidding Underway For Telesat Canada 01/10/92
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- The Canadian federal
government has opened bidding on its 53-percent interest in Telesat
Canada. The government announced last fall that it would sell its
stake in the company, which has a monopoly on satellite
communications within Canada. Two companies regarded as likely
buyers remain noncommittal about a possible purchase.

Bids will be accepted until the end of January, said Tom Woods,
director of corporate finance at brokerage firm Wood Gundy in
Toronto. Wood Gundy is handling the bidding process for the
government. Interested parties must bid on the entire 53-percent
block. Anyone may bid, except that federal legislation bars
foreigners from buying more than 20 percent of Telesat. However,
foreign interests may take part in a joint bid as long as the bid
would not result in more than 20-percent foreign ownership.

After the first bidding round closes, Woods told Newsbytes, bids
will be reviewed and a second round of bidding will take place.
That is to be complete by March 10, and a decision will be made
after that.

Names of bidders will not be announced until the successful bidder
has been chosen, Woods said.

Telesat's second-largest shareholder at the moment is Telecom
Canada, the consortium of regional telephone companies, whose
members control 41.6 percent of the satellite carrier. Telecom is
widely expected to bid for the government's share. Tom Schwarzkopf,
a spokesman for Telecom Canada, told Newsbytes the company had
"nothing to say" at present about the possibility of its submitting
a bid.

Teleglobe, the Montreal-based firm that controls overseas satellite
links from Canada, is also regarded as a contender. Teleglobe --
itself formerly state-owned, has made no secret of its interest in
Telesat. Company spokeswoman Cindy Hoffman told Newsbytes the
company is "still interested" and is studying the issue at the
moment but has not yet decided whether to bid.

Other Telesat shareholders include Canadian Pacific Ltd., a company
with transportation and other interests that holds 3.7 percent,
Telesat employees, who altogether own 1.4 percent of the company,
and assorted small shareholders.

(Grant Buckler/19920109/Press Contact: Tom Woods, Wood Gundy,
416-595-7000; Tom Schwarzkopf, Telecom Canada, 800-561-7800; Cindy
Hoffman, Teleglobe, 514-289-7418)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TOR)(00007)

Toronto Exchange May Go Fully Electronic, Close Floor 01/10/92
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- Member firms of the
Toronto Stock Exchange, Canada's largest, will vote February 14 on
a proposal that would see the exchange move entirely to automated
trading and close its 114-year-old trading floor at the end of this
year.

Jim Gallagher, executive vice-president of the exchange, told
Newsbytes the TSE's directors believe the move is the best way to
compete with the larger exchanges in the United States. The New
York exchanges do a great deal of trading in the stocks of major
Canadian companies, he said, and they rather than the smaller
exchanges in Montreal and Vancouver are the TSE's prime
competition.

"We have to stay a little ahead and be little better" in order to
compete, Gallagher said. "The board wants us to be the primary
place to trade Canadian blue-chip stocks ... that is an
increasingly competitive business."

Roughly 350 people work on the Toronto Stock Exchange trading floor
now. Of these, about 250 are traders who work for the member firms.
If the floor is closed, Gallagher said, at least some of those
people would continue trading stocks, though they would do it from
computer terminals rather than on the floor. About another 100
people are employed by the exchange to provide clerical services on
the floor. The TSE plans to find other jobs for as many of these
people as possible over the coming year if its plans are approved,
Gallagher said.

The Toronto Stock Exchange is no stranger to automated trading. Its
Computer Assisted Trading System (CATS) was among the first such
systems in the world, and has been resold to several other
exchanges. Currently, about half the stocks traded in Toronto are
listed on the CATS system, an exchange spokesman said, and about 80
percent of all trades that go through the exchange have some
electronic component.

Reaction to the TSE's plan has been mixed. The Professional Traders
Association, which represents registered traders, has spoken out
against it. Gallagher said he has heard a mixture of reactions both
positive and negative.

As for the trading floor itself, its future use should the
electronic-trading plan go through is uncertain. The exchange has
a 25-year-lease on the space, a spokesman said, but it is not yet
known to what other use the area might be put.

(Grant Buckler/19920109/Press Contact: Steve Key, Toronto Stock
Exchange, 416-947-4682, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00008)

Implementors UK Signs Dist'n Deal With Wang 01/10/92
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- Implementors UK has
announced a distribution agreement with Wang covering 27
countries in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Terms of the
agreement allow Wang to sell and support Implementor, a systems
design package.

According to Implementors UK, Implementor is a new package that
takes a structured approach to systems design. This ensures that
quality software is generated without the need for programming
knowledge, the company claims.

Announcing the Wang deal, Hugh McCartney, Implementors UK's
managing director, said: "We believe that this is one of the most
significant software deals ever to be signed in Europe."

McCartney added that, through Wang's distribution network,
Implementors UK's opportunity to increase sales will itself
increase: "The integration with Wang's imaging technology will
greatly enhance our product," he said.

McCartney is making some bold claims as to the efficacy of the
company's package. He reckons that Implementor can reduce
applications software development time by at least 50 percent.

Nico Hildebrand, Wang's R&D director, echoed McCartney's
enthusiasm. He said that he sees Implementor as playing a key
role in Wang's "Office 2000" strategy.

"It will be used as part of business process management (BPM), a
consultancy service offered by Wang for re-engineering business
processes to improve customer productivity, quality and customer
service," he said.

Hildebrand added that the BPM consultancy is committed to the
concept of open systems, using Wang and third-party company
technology. He said that Implementor was "the only design tool
to satisfy all our key requirements when we evaluated a wide
range of development solutions."

In parallel with Implementor, plans call for Wang to offer a Unix
development package, also developed by Implementors UK, for use
on the IBM RS/6000 series of Unix workstations.

Implementors UK sells and supports the Implementor range of
applications software which is aimed at IBM mid-range computer
users. Operating from headquarters in Reading, as well as through
sister companies Implementors Ireland and Developers
International, the firm operates worldwide.

(Steve Gold/19920110/Press & Public Contact: Implementors UK -
Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00009)

UK: Elonex Shaves Its Pricing Once Again 01/10/92
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- Kicking off the New Year as
it went through the old, Elonex has announced a range of price
cuts on its range of PCs available in the UK.

The price cuts range from UKP 50 on the PC 320X 20MHx 80386SX-
based machines, which now cost UKP 895, through to UKP 150 off
the price of the PC 450 50MHz 80486-based system, which now costs
UKP 1,995.

According to the direct sales company, which operates in
competition to companies such as Dell in the mail order PC sales
business, these latest reductions set new price points for color
desktop computers, making Elonex the first major manufacturer to
offer fully configured 386SX, 33MHz 486 and 50MHz 486-based PCs
at under UKP 900, UKP 1,500 and UKP 2,000 respectively.

All of Elonex's PCs are supplied complete with everything needed
to plug in and start working immediately, the company claims --
this includes MS-DOS 5, Windows 3, and a Microsoft-compatible
mouse.

Announcing the price cuts, Ari Gershuni, Elonex's marketing
director, said that reviews of Elonex machines confirm "time and
time again that we can design and build PCs that are a match for
anyone else's in terms of quality and performance."

"Our ability to keep production and sales costs on a very tight
rein also makes it difficult for other large companies to compete
with us on price, as these latest reductions amply demonstrate,"
he said.

(Steve Gold/19920110/Press & Public Contact: Elonex - Tel: 081-
452-4444; Fax: [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00010)

UK: Wordperfect 5.1 For Windows Macro Manual 01/10/92
ADDLESTONE, SURREY, ENGLAND, 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- Wordperfect UK
has announced that Wordperfect 5.1 for Windows' macro manual is
now available. The 540-page manual, which costs UKP 13, is
available immediately.

According to the company, the manual has been written
specifically for Windows users, giving them with a step-by-step
guide to the various aspects of creating macros, ranging from the
formation of simple macros and the use of sophisticated commands
and sub-structures, to an examination of the various types and
essential components of macro commands.

Bundled with the manual is a disk -- 3.5 or 5.25-inch format --
that contains a macro program that can be used to create other
macros which provide help for each macro command within
Wordperfect 5.1 for Windows.

So who is the manual aimed at? Everyone, according to David
Godwin, Wordperfect's general manager for sales and marketing.
"The manual is designed to help Wordperfect for Windows users
understand the way in which macros are created and the way they
function, at the same time illustrating the flexibility and
versatility of programmable macros," he said.

(Steve Gold/19920110/Press & Public Contact: Wordperfect UK -
Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00011)

IPC Opens New European HQ In London 01/10/92
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- IPC Information Systems,
formerly known as Contel IPC, has selected London as the base for
its new European headquarters, which opened for business on
January 2 this year.

The new 6,000 square foot headquarters building houses IPC's
sales and marketing, project management and support divisions.
According to the company, the growth of financial trading in
Europe has been mirrored in IPC's growth, resulting in the recent
appointment of exclusive distributors in Spain and The
Netherlands. During the last few months, IPC has installed new
systems in Belgium, Germany, Ireland, and The Netherlands.

"Expansion during the last year in both our European and UK
customer base meant that our existing premises were no longer
enough to cope. The new offices allow us to house everyone under
one roof with room for future expansion," said, Jim Fish, IPC's
managing director.

Until IPC's recent merger with the Kleinnecht organization, IPC
had been operating from two separate offices in London. The new
offices are located at 8 City Road, Finsbury Square, London EC1Y
2AA.

(Steve Gold/19920110/Press & Public Contact: IPC Information
Systems - Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TOR)(00012)

 ****Bell Canada Testing Personal Number Services 01/10/92
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- Bell Canada has begun
North America's first trial of personal phone number services,
which allow a single telephone number to reach a person wherever
that person is. About 1,000 residence and business customers in
Ottawa and neighboring Hull, Quebec, will test the services over
the next eight months.

The trials include two services. Find-Me service will allow a
telephone subscriber to specify as many as three telephone numbers
each day and when they will be at those numbers. Calls to the
subscriber's personal number will then be forwarded to the
appropriate location depending on the time of day.

For example, a subscriber might specify that she would be at home
until noon, then at a business lunch for two hours, with calls to
be directed to an answering service, and then at the office
throughout the afternoon.

To arrange their schedules, participants will call a toll-free
number and talk to an operator who records their timetables.

Follow-Me service will let the customer specify a new number at any
time and have calls directed to that number. Subscribers can use
this to override the three-location schedule set up using Find-Me.
For this service, customers will enter their locations using a
telephone keypad and need not speak to an operator.

Other features include the ability to create a list of callers who
are to be treated specially -- put through to the subscriber's
locations while other calls are sent to an answering service, for
instance. Callers will also be able to specify whether their calls
are emergency, priority, or normal, and calls can be treated
accordingly.

Anna di Giorgio, a spokeswoman for Bell, said Bell hopes to follow
the present trial with a market trial this fall, and depending on
the outcome may begin offering the services commercially by early
in 1993. The services would probably be offered first in major
cities in Ontario and Quebec -- the provinces served by Bell -- and
later in smaller centers and rural areas.

(Grant Buckler/19920109/Press Contact: Anna di Giorgio, Bell
Canada, 613-785-0377)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEL)(00013)

Swissair and Tatas Joint Venture in India 01/10/92
BOMBAY, INDIA, 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- Swissair and Tata Consultancy
Services (TCS), India's largest software firm, are jointly
setting up a Bombay company, Airline Financial Support Services, based
in Santacruz Electronic Export Processing Zone (SEEPZ). The firm
is to handle Swissair's revenue accounting operations.

While handling these operations, currently being carried out at
Swissair's head office at Zurich, the company would provide
assistance in management, quality assurance, and the maintenance of
time schedules. This function includes sales accounting and
processing of coupons for passengers, interline invoicing and
accounting, as well as cargo and mail accounting. The office at
SEEPZ will be linked with Swissair's computers at Zurich via
satellite for on-line processing.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19920109)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SYD)(00014)

Australia: OTC To Bid For NSW Mobile Telecoms Contract 01/10/92
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- OTC is to bid for a New South
Wales state government telecommunications contract which it had
previously won, then had taken away from it. The contract is for the
mobile component (about 20 percent) of the government's
communications network.

The contract had been awarded last year to a consortium led by OTC
and Telepower. However, the Premier, Nick Greiner, canceled the
contract after the federal government announced plans to merge OTC
and Telecom. Greiner had originally planned to offer the contract to
force Telecom to compete, thereby allowing the government the chance
to choose the best system.

It is believed that OTC has two partners in its bid for the new
tender, and that the consortium will draw extensively on OTC's
mobile trunk technology. Further details of the consortium's bid are
yet to be announced.

(Sean McNamara/19920110)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(SYD)(00015)

Australia: Road Offenders To Be Spotted Automatically 01/10/92
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- The New South Wales (NSW)
Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) has begun installing a traffic
camera system which can identify vehicles by their registration
plates.

This identification can then be used by the system to automatically
determine whether the vehicle is speeding, stolen, unregistered or
has any outstanding infringements. The system, called Scamcam, is
comprised of two cameras set up far apart on an open road. When a
vehicle passes the first camera, a photo is taken (up to 2 photos
per second can be taken), and the data is relayed by satellite to
the RTA computers. The computers determine if the vehicle is stolen,
unregistered, or has outstanding infringements (such as owing road
tax), and this information is the relayed back to the second camera,
where police are waiting to stop offenders.

Developed by the RTA, the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and
Industrial Research Organization), Scamcam has been so successful in
trials, it will be extended beyond the planned scope of detecting
heavy vehicles only to include all vehicles. Scamcam can also detect
whether a vehicle is speeding, or those which have avoided radar
traps and speed limits on long journeys. The system will begin full
operation in February.

(Sean McNamara/19920110)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SYD)(00016)

Australia: AWA And Partners Form Three Syndicates For R&D 01/10/92
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- AWA has announced the forming
of three research and development (R&D) syndicates. The syndicates
represent a total of over AUS$25M in R&D spending over the next two
and a half years.

The first syndicate, formed with Deutsche Bank Australia, will
target AWA's wagering and gaming work, and will receive AUS$2.6M for
this calendar year. The second syndicate, with Bankers Trust
Australia, will spend AUS$12.7M on R&D into traffic systems research
by June 1994. The third syndicate, formed with Macquarie Bank, will
conduct R&D worth AUS$10.2M into communications business in the same
period.

(Sean McNamara/19920110)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SYD)(00017)

Ramtron Int'l To Be Listed 01/10/92
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- Ramtron Holdings' US
subsidiary, Ramtron International, will be listed on NASDAQ. Ramtron
Holdings hopes to raise between US$15M and US$20M from the listing.

Ramtron has already filed the registration with the US Securities
and Exchange Commission, and has also notified the Australian Stock
Exchange, on which Ramtron Holdings is listed. Ramtron Holdings
expects Ramtron International to be listed on NASDAQ by late
February or early March.

(Sean McNamara/19920110)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SYD)(00018)

Paxus To Persevere Despite Poor Australian Showing 01/10/92
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- Sydney-based Paxus Corp is
confident of strong future performance, despite an AUS$483,000
trading loss for the six months ending September 30 1991. Paxus is
an insurance industry systems provider, and has offices in Europe,
Canada, Asia, and New Zealand.

The main reason for the loss was the restructuring Paxus underwent
in the six months. It had performed outstandingly in Europe, and had
achieved solid results in Canada, Asia, and New Zealand. Australia,
however, was Paxus' downfall, and chief executive, Neil Cullimore,
cited the downturn in the Australian economy as one of the main
precursors to Paxus' poor showing here.

The loss was a turnaround for the company, which earned an
AUS$248,000 profit for the same period the previous year. The net
loss for the company, AUS$5.912M, came about with its trading loss,
business closure losses of AUS$5.48M, Australian and New Zealand
restructuring costs of AUS$975,000 were slightly offset by the
AUS$1.026M profit from the sale of its accounting business. Revenue
was up 3 percent to AUS$109.22M from 1990's first-half figures.

Paxus chairman, Neville Bertalli, is confident the Australian
operations will perform well now the restructuring is complete.
"With the losses in Australia now stemmed, we will see a significant
turnaround in the last quarter and into the next financial year,"
Bertalli said.

(Sean McNamara/19920110)


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

 ****101 Online Opens in San Francisco 01/10/92
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- The French
Minitel terminal made another charge into the U.S. through San
Francisco as 101 Online opened for business.

The $9.95 per month service, billed by regional phone company
Pacific Bell on consumers' monthly phone bills, enables users
to access a variety of online services -- shopping, banking,
astrology, Yellow Pages and White Pages directories, etc. --
via a dedicated terminal.

The Minitel terminal, rented by 101 to Pacific Bell customers,
plugs into a regular phone jack and power receptacle. It has a full
keyboard and takes a few minutes to learn to navigate. There
is currently no software available for use on personal computers
with which to access the system. This may be deliberate -- company
officers are aiming at a non-computer-literate audience with this
service, and claim those companies which have required users to
own PCs have not been successful in the past.

101 online, named after the major highway artery that cuts
through San Francisco, is owned 15% by France Telecom's Meta
International subsidiary. France Telecom sent dozens of company
officers to the lavish roll-out at the San Francisco Marriott.
In fact, the management of 101 Online is predominantly French.
Pascal Lenoir is the chief executive officer of 101 Online.

Pacific Bell officers were also on-hand to emphasize they are
not sponsors, but subcontractors (billing agents) of this service.
A highly placed Pacific Bell officer told Newsbytes that Pacific Bell
will be rolling out some information services of its own in
a few months. Pacific Bell is carefully watching 101 Online
as a kind of "trial balloon" to determine how to approach the
information services market.

Among 101 On-Line's initial service providers are KPIX-Channel 5
and the San Francisco Bay Guardian, as well as USA Today and The
Associated Press, at a 10-cents-per-minute fee.
"We have shopping, of course, but we also have things like
astrology and up-to-the-minute news that's unique," said John
Queffelec, director of marketing and sales for the service, in a
press release.

Safeway shopping will be handled through a catalog, with
deliveries made afternoons and evenings and payments made by
check or credit card at a service fee of under $10. KPIX said in
a press release it's providing "24-hour-a-day access to its
newsroom" and a letters section through its offering. 101 Online
will offer home-based banking through Bank of the West.

101 Online has also hired former marketing director of
The WELL to run its electronic messaging forums. John Coate
is now 101 Online's director of interactive services. He says
the interactive chat service, Forum, is "a kind of interactive
Sunday paper. This is the first widely available and cheap
electronic medium that allows society to talk directly with itself
without TV, radio and newspapers acting as a go-between."
There is also electronic mail.

101 online will have to compete with Scanfone, a similarly
priced service using a simpler terminal being offered through
Safeway Stores and BankAmerica. But Safeway Shoppers Express said
it will also offer its home shopping services through 101 Online.

US West, which now has the legal right to enter the information
business and has been pushing Minitel terminals for years, so far
without success, is still going ahead with its trial of a
gateway service in Minneapolis-St. Paul, so 1992 could represent
the Minitel's biggest push to date in the U.S., or its last
stand.

Subscriptions to 101 Online services are had by calling 1-800-
310-1101.

(Dana Blankenhorn & Wendy Woods/19920110/Press Contact:
101 Online, John Queffelec, 415/705-0500)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00020)

Zeos Says 30% '92 Revenue Increase Possible 01/10/92
ST PAUL, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- Zeos International
Chief Financial Officer John Bakewell says the company could see as
much as a 30 percent increase in its revenues for 1992.

"Thirty percent is something entirely possible," Bakewell said,
adding that a 15 to 20 percent sales growth was a conservative
estimate.

Zeos is a direct sales outlet for IBM compatible personal computers.
The company opened a 6,000-square-foot computer superstore in St.
Paul recently, but according to CEO Gregory Herrick, the company has
no plans to expand its retailing operation. "It is not our
current plan to be in retail," said Herrick.

Herrick said that if the superstore was a "smashing success" it
would pose an interesting dilemma for the company, characterizing
the store as a laboratory for understanding consumer attitudes.

Herrick said Zeos is exploring the European market, particularly
Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. He said the company hoped
to enter the German market in 1992, but discussions with
distributors had been "inconclusive."

The company declined comment on recent analyst estimates that it
could earn as much as $1.30 per share in 1992 and $1.60 per share
for 1992. Zeos will report its fourth quarter and FY 91
results during the first week of February. It has never paid a
dividend, and reportedly has no plans to do so.

Zeos is reporting a two-week backlog on orders, which Herrick said
he hopes will be cut to one week when the company completes
construction of a new manufacturing facility.

Zeos introduced seven new desktop models and two new laptop
computers in 1992. Herrick said the company expects to introduce a
similar number of new products in 1992. he also predicted that the
company might reduce its laptop prices, as other companies have done
recently.

(Jim Mallory/19920108/Press contact: John Bakewell,Zeos,
612-633-8033)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00021)

Generation 5 Technology Reports Record 4Q 01/10/92
DENVER, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- Generation 5 Technology
has reported record sales for its fourth quarter, invoicing $936,000
for the period. The company expects earned revenue for the period
to exceed $800,000, compared with revenues of $649,000 for the same
period last year.

Generation 5 says the results were an all-time record for sales and
expected revenues for the company.

Mark Wilding, Generation 5 president, attributes numerous new
clients and strong sales by VARs (value added resellers) for the
results. "We expect our resellers to play an increasingly important
role in the continued growth of Generation 5 in 1992," said
Wilding.

Generation 5 markets geographic information systems (GIS), automated
mapping, and facilities management software systems using AutoCAD
computer graphics software. Its Geo/SQL GIS software allows users
with desktop 386 and 486 personal computers, as well as Unix
workstations, to be linked with sophisticated database applications
running on local area networks (LANS) and mainframe computers.

(Jim Mallory/19920108/Press contact: Rick Garfield, Generation 5,
303-427-0055)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00022)

Zenith Will Market Through Retailers 01/10/92
BUFFALO GROVE, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- Zenith Data
Systems is showing its new line of PCs and monitors for the home and
office market at the Winter Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The new line includes four desktop systems, four monitors,
and a notebook-sized computer. The units will be marketed through
national and specialty mass-market retailers, including KMart,
rather than through the company's traditional network of resellers.

In order to simplify the sales and installation process, ZDS says
it is taking several steps to take responsibility for total end-user
support. Support will include a videotape explaining installation
and offering usage tips, built-in software, free technical support
by phone, and one year of on-site service.

The new desktop systems range from a 16 megahertz 386SX-based unit
with an 85 megabyte hard drive selling for $1,499 to a 25 megahertz
486SX-based unit with 1024 X 768 display and a 120 megabyte hard
drive selling for $2,699.

ZDS spokesperson Glen Nelson told Newsbytes that the $2,499
notebook system is a 20 megahertz 386SX-based unit configured
with a 60 megabyte hard drive, 2MB of RAM, and a data/fax modem.
Nelson said ZDS will pre-install DOS 5.0, Windows 3.0,
pfs:WindowWorks, Prodigy online service, and Faxit, a
fax send-only package, on all the systems. Memory in the
notebook can be expanded to 6MB.

The new monitors include a 14-inch monochrome VGA unit for $119;
a 15-inch multifrequency monitor capable of VGA, Super VGA and 1024
X 768 resolution for $699; a 14-inch standard VGA color unit; and a
14-inch multisych monitor.

Nelson said that ZDS will be installing a toll free number in
April for support of the systems.

ZDS is stressing support for its mass-market distributed products.
"The customer shouldn't have to rely on their vendor for all
support. They need to get it from the manufacturer," said Nelson.

(Jim Mallory/19920109/Press contact: Glen Nelson, Zenith Data
Systems, 503-248-9468)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00023)

 ****Wang Unveils PCs With Built-In Audio 01/10/92
LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- Wang
Laboratories has announced three new personal computers with
built-in audio circuitry. The new models in Wang's Exec Series were
launched at the Winter Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The systems have built-in speakers, and can also emit sound through
optional add-on speakers or headphones. They are meant for
home-office and small-business PC users, Wang officials said.

Besides the audio capabilities, the PCs will come with assorted
Microsoft software, including the Microsoft Windows 3.0 graphical
environment, Works for Windows integrated software, and the
Microsoft Productivity and Entertainment Packs.

The PCs' audio capabilities integrate well with Works for Windows,
said Bob Lerner, director of PC business development at Wang. The
systems will also include Monologue text-to-speech conversion
software, which will enable a user, for example, to check for
omissions in a word processing document by comparing a
computer-generated reading with the original text.

Wang said the audio capabilities will support functions such as a
recorder function for dictating letters or memos and "Talking
Tours" that give new users a spoken overview of the system. Thanks
to internal modems that are also standard equipment, they can act
as telephone answering machines.

Another possible application is adding voice annotation to such
things as to-do lists and documents, Lerner told Newsbytes. "The
idea here is that you can easily merge voice and text to make it
more user friendly and add some functionality."

The three new models are: the System 3450-5, which has a
25-megahertz 80386SX micrprocessor from Advanced Micro Devices
(AMD) and a suggested retail price of $1,799.95; the System 4001-2,
which uses a 25-megahertz Intel 80486SX processor and costs
$2,299.95; and the $2,599.95 System 4030-2, with an Intel 80486DX
processor running at 33 megahertz. All will be available in spring
1992.

(Grant Buckler/19920110/Press Contact: Hanne Herwick, Wang,
508-967-6405)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(WAS)(00024)

 ****U.S. Computer Makers Gain From Bush Trip 01/10/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- Some U.S. computer
experts see a major breakthrough in opening up Japanese
government markets at the recent talks between President Bush and
Prime Minister Miyazawa. Although it is impossible to tell how
much real change will take place, on paper the swift agreement of
Japanese government officials to open the bidding process for
computer purchases to U.S. companies looks as if it could portend
a major opening in the now tightly closed market.

U.S. companies such as Apple, with the Japanese language-capable
Macintosh system, and IBM have carved out a major piece of the
Japanese computer market as far as private industry goes but
still obtain less than one percent of the Japanese government's
computer purchase and support contracts.

Small in terms of the overall trade deficit but large for the
industry, some observers say that if the Japanese really open
their government bidding process on a non-discriminatory basis it
could mean a sales boost amounting to a couple of billion dollars
worth of hardware, software, and services each year.

The U.S. Trade Representative's office has characterized the
agreements on opening the computer market as being "very good,
solid commitments."

This contrasts with the vague agreements on trying to encourage
more Japanese customers to buy American-made automobiles.

Other Washington insiders point out that this would be far from
the first time that a Japanese-U.S. agreement that looked good at
first on paper turned out to have little or no impact on
actual business conditions.

As the U.S. House of Representatives' Majority Leader, Richard A.
Gephardt (D-Missouri) said in a general statement about the
results of President Bush's trip:

"In theory, the President's trip was a good idea.... In practice,
however, we need to get beyond the warm words and press releases
and ensure [that] we get results from the agreements announced in
Tokyo. We've seen closing ceremonies like the one in which
President Bush participated before, and we've always been
disappointed by a lack of follow-through on the part of the
United States and a lack of performance on the part of Japan.

"We have got to keep the pressure on."

(John McCormick/19920110/Deborah Johns, Majority Leader's Office,
202-225-0100)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(WAS)(00025)

The Enabled Computer 01/10/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- The Enabled Computer
is a regular Newsbytes feature covering news and important
product information relating to high technology aids for the
disabled.

Voice Recognition for the masses!

Need voice control of environmental or computer programs but
don't have tens of thousands of dollars to invest?

Perhaps you think that voice recognition would benefit you or
someone you know but don't want to invest heavily in the
technology before trying it out.

Possibly you need, or someone you know needs, to use a computer
but just can't get the hang of all those commands and long for
the day when you could just tell your computer what you want it
to do.

Or maybe you just like to play with computers and want to fool
around with speech recognition but think it is too expensive.

Have I got a deal for you!

Since we learned how to get your computer to talk back in an
earlier column, it's only fair that this column focus on
inexpensive voice recognition - making your computer listen to
you.

Previous Enabled Computer columns looked at inexpensive hardware
and software systems that generate speech from a PC or laptop,
something useful for visually impaired, reading-impaired, speech-
impaired, or any computer user who just gets tired of reading so
much from that small screen.

And, just as the usefulness of speech synthesis is not limited to
those with physical impairments, voice control applications are
not limited to helping motor-impaired users or amputees.

Non-typists, those who need their hands free for other uses, or
those who just find it easier to remember voice commands than
complex key sequences could all benefit from adding limited voice
recognition to their PCs.

Although terrific systems costing up to $10,000, such as Dragon
System's $9,000 DragonDictate 30K, are priced out of the range of
many users, a far less expensive system that recognizes only a
few hundred instead of tens of thousands of words costs less than
$200.

I will take a look at such a system in a later column, but first
a few words about speech recognition.

Speech vs Sounds

Speech or voice recognition makes some people think of the HAL
9000 computer in Kubrick's 2001, A Space Odyssey, but,
fortunately for all of us, computers don't actually understand
what we are saying; they merely associate certain sounds with
certain commands and for speaker-dependent systems it doesn't
really matter what the sounds are as long as you don't try to
train the computer to associate very similar-sounding strings of
sound with different commands.

Speaker dependent systems must be trained by the individual who
will be using it but this doesn't involve any real programming,
just a simple repetition of the sound to be linked to each
command.

Large dictionary speaker-independent (or SI) systems, so
difficult to build that there are few if any systems even being
developed for general use, are intended to be used by anyone who
sits down at the computer.

Dragon Dictate is a partial SI dictation system that will
recognize most words pronounced by those who speak clear english
but the system also learns individual pronunciations as it is
used so it quickly becomes a speaker-dependent system keyed to
its main user.

The few true SI systems now being sold are limited to a very
small vocabulary and are not useful for most readers of this
column, being developed for embedded commercial systems such as
vending machines.

Although the technology is often referred to as speech
recognition, the less expensive systems and any speaker-dependent
system don't really recognize words or English speech; rather,
they must be trained to recognize sounds and, just as some very
British people spell their names as "Smythe" but pronounce them
"Smith," the word or command you select can be associated with
any unique sound you can easily remember and reproduce.

You don't even need to be able to speak good English or any other
language for that matter, just have the ability to make
repeatable sounds.

For this reason, those with speech impairments may do as well
with inexpensive systems as with the more expensive which
recognize more words but in consequence are more sensitive to
precise pronunciation.

While it's true that you would need a powerful (and expensive)
system if you want to do word-by-word dictation, you may only
need a few commands to greatly simplify computer usage and even
perform a lot of word processing operations.

Most word processor users quickly learn the convenience of being
able to have boilerplate inserted into their letters or other
documents by activating macros or retrieving previously stored
paragraphs into their text.

Even a simple voice recognition system can easily activate macros
and do everything from starting a spell checker to inserting
paragraphs of text.

(In a personal aside, I type 80 words per minute and know
WordPerfect better than I know my VCR, but even so I find the ability
to merely speak the word "SPELL" rather than use the "Ctrl-F2, 3
(Spell Check, Document)" key sequence to be very convenient, and
I may just keep a voice recognition system to enhance my own
computer use.

There is far more to voice recognition/control than just
dictation and even those who can type well may find it desirable
to have voice control of a virtually unlimited range of macro
command operations, especially since this can be achieved for
well under $200.

Next column: Voice Master Key, a PC voice recognition board
costing under $200.

(John McCormick/19920110/)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(WAS)(00026)

ROUNDUP: Stories Carried By Other Media This Week 01/10/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- Roundup is a brief
look at some computer stories carried in other publications
received here this past week.

Unixworld for February asks the provocative question, will anyone
use groupware?

January's Data Based Advisor tells readers how to build Windows
applications now.

PC Magazine dated January 28 tests 14 386SX notebook computers
that carry prices below $2,000.

Communications Week for January 6 reports that Hewlett-Packard
and Davit Systems are cutting their Hub prices.

Global Telephony dated January 6 carries an international
forecast on how economics and politics play havoc with global
telecom spending.

The December 30/January 6 Network World has a feature story on
the hidden factors involved in buying 16M Token Ring systems.

The January 6 Computerworld looks at Microsoft's problems getting
Windows 3.1 out the door and IBM's similar problems with OS/2 2.0
which is just now going out in very limited numbers.

(John McCormick/19920110/)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00027)

 ****National Semi Customer for New Voice Chip 01/10/92
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- National
Semiconductor said Zeny of Taiwan has agreed to build four new
answering machines based on its NS32AM160 voice processor.

The machines will be sold under private labels, not Zeny's own
brand. It's the first major sale for the new chips, which use
the latest 32-bit chip technology but are embedded in other
machines and designed specifically around voice applications.

Spokesman Margaret Mehling told Newsbytes that machines
containing the new chips could hit the market within six months.
The AM160 was announced in November. The Zeny announcement was
made at the Winter Consumer Electronics Show, where answering
machines containing the chip are likely to be on display next
year.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920110/Press Contact: National Semiconductor,
Margaret Mehling, 408/721-2639)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00028)

Sprint Begins Direct Service to Former Soviet Union 01/10/92
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- Through an
agreement with IDB Communications, which won rights to satellite
circuits alongside AT&T, Sprint is offering direct dial voice
service from the United States to Russia and all the other
republics which formerly made up the Soviet Union.

The new service is being offered via digital satellite circuits to a
switching facility in St. Petersburg that has an automatic
routing capability to automatic exchanges in all the republics.
The result is that calling will be easier and less expensive.

Direct dial service to and from the U.S. is available to
customers served by automatic exchanges in Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhastan, Kirghizia, Latvia,
Lithuania, Moldavia, Russia, Tadzhikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine
and Uzbekistan. Approximately 85 percent of all telephone calls
in these republics are handled by automatic exchanges.

To reach these countries, callers can dial "011" for an international
line, "7" to reach the former Soviet Union, the city code, the
phone number, and the "#" key to ensure the fastest connection.
With the addition of the new republics, Sprint offers direct dial
voice service to nearly 200 countries around the world. Non-
Sprint customers first dial 10333 to reach the Sprint network.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920110/Press Contact: Vince Hovanec,
Sprint, 202-828-7423)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00029)

India Opens Tender for Cellular Franchises 01/10/92
STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 10 (NB) -- The huge
potential market of India is finally opening up to cellular
phone service, with the announcement that four privately owned
franchise tenders are being made for the cities of Delhi,
Bombay, Calcutt and Madras.

Because Indian companies lack experience with cellular systems,
the most competitive bidders will be those with international
partners, and American companies are favored.

Private ownership of telephone networks is a major policy change
for India. India has been evaluating its economic policy and
major changes have occurred already. Red tape is being cut.
Foreign investment made easier. Full repatriation of profits is
now the law. This is intended to make India a more attractive
place to do business and it has.

Thomas C. Hunter of Hunter Management Consultants in Connecticut
is advising the government on its decisions in this area. Hunter
specializes in international personal communications and cable TV
systems, and recently met with cabinet ministers and leading
businessmen there. Because they lack experience in the design and
operation of cellular systems, Indian firms are actively seeking
foreign partners to provide hardware and expertise while they
will provide labor, locations and other costs incurred within
India.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920110/Press Contact: Thomas C. Hunter,
Thomas C. Hunter Jr. Management Consultants, 203-325-9391; 203-
358-3944)


(REVIEW)(APPLE)(SYD)(00030)

Review of: AccessPC, for Macintosh 01/10/92

Runs on: Apple Macintosh computer with a PC-DOS-compatible disk
drive

From: Insignia Solutions 526 Clyde Avenue, Mountain View CA 94043-
9621, [phone]

PUMA Rating: 4 on a scale of 1=lowest to 4=highest

Reviewed for Newsbytes by: Sean McNamara 01/10/92

Summary: AccessPC allows Mac users to mount DOS diskettes and
cartridges on the desktop, to format, read from and write to them.
It also allows users of Insignia's SoftPC to mount the hard
disk "images" on the desktop. File extensions can also be assigned
to Mac programs, so that, for example .DOC files are opened by
Microsoft Word.

======

REVIEW

======

With the introduction of the SuperDrive on many Mac models, the
exchanging of information between Mac and DOS machines has been made
easier. Apple File Exchange is the most common way of accessing DOS
disks and transferring information, but there are several commercial
offerings which allow direct mounting of DOS disks on the desktop,
of which AccessPC is one.

AccessPC works as a control panel and init combination. As the Mac
starts up, the init is loaded which allows the DOS disks and
cartridges to be accessed directly from the desktop. The control
panel device is used to customize how DOS disks are accessed,
extension assignments and how cartridges are handled.

Installation is as simple as copying the appropriate files into the
System Folder and restarting. They should be run as soon as
possible to customize the settings, but they can be set at any time.
Once installed, DOS disks and cartridges can be mounted on the
desktop and worked upon as if they were normal Mac disks. This
includes copying files, deleting files, creating folders
(directories), and formatting disks/cartridges.

DOS extensions can be assigned to a Mac program which will open them.
This can be done by either manually entering the file type and
creator for the desired application, or by selecting the Mac App...
button in the control panel and finding the desired application.
After that, it is simply a matter of double-clicking the icon of the
DOS file and it will be opened (if it can be) by the target
application.

Formatting disks can be as easy as formatting Mac disks. By
selecting the Format Support checkbox, whenever the user selects
Erase Disk... or inserts a blank disk, a dialog is presented to
allow the user to choose between Mac or DOS formatting - if Mac is
selected, the format proceeds as normal, if DOS the disk is
formatted at the appropriate size (720kB or 1.44MB).

AccessPC allows the easy integration of DOS data on the Mac and vice
versa. It is generally transparent to the user, but is easily
customizeable to gain the best transfer of information.

===========

PUMA RATING

===========

PERFORMANCE: 4. AccessPC performs its duties well and generally
unobtrusively. There is no perceptible performance degradation when
using AccessPC.

USEFULNESS: 4. The ability to load disks and cartridges on the
desktop, as well as load files directly into programs and format
disks makes use of DOS disks highly efficient when using AccessPC.
The customizeable nature of the extension assignments means a
specific configuration of Mac and DOS programs is easily catered
for.

MANUAL: 4. The manual is clear and concise, and features many
examples and figures for referencing to what is being seen on
screen. It also describes how to work with Apple's File Exchange
when translations are needed.

AVAILABILITY: 4. AccessPC is widely available through the dealer
chain, and is supported via a (415) area code number for registered
users.

(Sean McNamara/19920103)


(REVIEW)(GENERAL)(ATL)(00031)

Review of: MinuteMan AT650, UPS 01/10/92

Runs On: monitors up to 650-VA or roughly up to 420 watts

From: Para Systems Inc., POBox 815188, Dallas TX 75381-5188,
800-238-7272, FAX [phone].

Price: $699.00

PUMA Rating: 3.125 (on a scale of 1=lowest to 4=highest )

Reviewed for Newsbytes by: tbass HNDYPRSN, MCI:379-5378

Summary: Para System Inc.'s MinuteMan AT650, an uninterruptible
power supply, worked. Who can ask for more?

======

REVIEW

======

MinuteMan AT is a Series Synchronized Sinewave Uninterruptible
Power Supply. If you get past this sentence you've got it licked.
Now, what does that mean? It means that if your lights go out, you
have time to save you data, finish your telecommunications, and/or
power down in an orderly fashion. It means that if you have a brief
interruption of power or a brown-out, your computer may not
have to stop work. It means that if lightning strikes across town
it may not put you out of business. It means that if your
answering machine is plugged into the Uninterruptible Power
Supply, or UPS, important messages received during a power outage
get saved.

The manual's presentation is intimidating to the nontechnical
computer user. Consumers would appreciate a rewrite in a little
friendlier manner. This is an area of computing that does not
"after the market" books, but could use one.

It took days before I would look at this device in order to write
this review. I finally plugged it in, charged it for six hours,
plugged my sensitive devices in to it making sure you I did
not demand more wattage than that for which it is rated,
and performed the self-test.

Maybe a way to calculate the wattage demand would be in order,
but not in such a technical manner as to scare an electrical
engineer away.

A "standard business" 386-AT can carry approximately
200- watts, a VGA monitor approximately 141 watts, and a dot matrix
printer approx. 80 watts. This totals up to approx. 421 watts. If
all were running, it would max out this size system. The printer
could be on a separate surge protector freeing up the wattage
draw for those things directly used in computing. A print
task can be started again after a power failure, but your
computer and monitor would be important to you.

By the way, a laser printer, I have been informed, could have a
draw of 700-plus watts. Pay attention and consult with technical
people if there is a question about a particular system. Don't
wait until a power failure to find out if the system is covered.

One other important item about UPSes is what is termed "low
voltage cut off." If the computer's "low voltage cut off" is
numerically higher than the UPS's then computer would fail
before the UPS turns on. This can be adjusted by the UPS's
manufacturer to be compatible with the computer system <i.e. If
the computer shut down @ 100-VA and the UPS cut on @ 105-VA,
everything will be fine. However, if the computer shut down @
110-VA and the UPS cuts on @ 102-VA, it would no benefit.>

The first Para System MinuteMan AT650 sent to Dana Blankenhorn,
NB staff editor, was faulty. It did not work. However, it took
both of us a while to figure that out. The reason it took so long
to figure out was that we would look at the manual and decide we
had other things to do that day.

This device is really simple to use. The UPS works once you've
gotten past the manual and have the system demands figured out.

One more point. The other day we had a long blackout, late at
night, when the computer was off. The UPS beeped loud enough to
wake the entire household. You want to know when the power goes
off, so that's a positive point. Dana thinks it's a negative
because he had to get up in the middle of the night to turn off
the beep. But he did find the right button to press, easily, and
with the lights out. That's another positive.

============

PUMA RATING

============

PERFORMANCE: (3) It works, but the first one sent didn't. The
manufacturer said that it must have been damaged in shipping;
there was no obvious sign of damage. I would not think of a UPS
as a delicate device as it is supposed to be strong enough to
withstand an emergency situation.

USEFULNESS: (4) It's indispensable for most computer users.

MANUAL: (2) The information is here, the presentation is poor.

AVAILABILITY: (3.5) For information call 1-800-238-7272. They
will direct you to your nearest retailer. They are not located
everywhere.

(tbass HNDYPRSN/19910930/Press Contact: Jerri Rae, 800-238-7272)