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/nb920602

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(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00001)

Siemens Reveals Ambitious Sales Plans For Next Decade 06/02/92
MUNICH, WESTERN GERMANY, 1992 JUN 2 (NB) -- Siemens
has revealed that it plans to almost double its sales by the end of
the decade, regardless of the current world economic recession.

Speaking with the South German Zeitung newspaper, Heinrich von
Pierer, who becomes head of Siemens this fall, said that he
expects to see a seven percent year-on-year sales expansion over
the next decade, despite the fact that analysts expect between
five and six percent world industrial growth during the same time
scale.

Extrapolating Pierer's projections from the group's current DM
80,000 million ($400,000 million) annual sales figures gives an
annual sales level of around DM 150 million ($750,000 million) by
the year 2,000.

Pierer said that this impressive projection will be achieved by
boosting the group's research and development budget from its
present nine percent of sales figure to 11 percent. The extra
investment costs, he said, would be more than repaid by the
increase in sales.

Siemens' intended new chairman was also refreshingly honest on
the subject of computer technology. He said that the company had
to be careful in its plans for future, "finding a solution that does not
financially burden us as much as before."

As reported by Newsbytes recently, Siemens has scrapped plans
to manufacturer 64 megabit random access memory (RAM) chips
at a new factory in Germany, preferring instead to expand its
current German facilities to take up the expected slack as sales of
lower-power chips ease off.

Interestingly, Pierer said that he is open to all possible
suggestions as to partners in chip technology projects. He even
said that IBM could be a useful partner in this respect -- both
companies have remained resolute competitors in recent years,
especially in the fiercely competitive European computer
marketplace.

(Steve Gold/19920601)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00002)

Mercury Intros New Toll-free Numbering Scheme For UK 06/02/92
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1992 JUN 2 (NB) -- After beta testing the
service last summer, Mercury has announced its toll-free and
national local call network numbering scheme -- known as Calllink
-- will go live from this August.

Calllink allows Mercury to handle its toll-free, local rate and
premium rate phone calls from around the UK, at two control
centers located, respectively, in Manchester and London.

The introduction of what Mercury calls its intelligent network
(IN) allows the company to introduce its own toll-free and local
call services operating, respectively on the 0500 and 0645 area
codes. These codes operate in the same way as the 0800 and
0345 area codes run by British Telecom.

The Freecall 0500 code allows callers to place self-dialed calls
free of charge to companies and individuals who have undertaken
to pay the cost of the call to them. Localcall 0645 numbers allow
the destination number to pay all the charges, except for a local
call charge which is payable by the caller.

Mercury's IN operates using a series of Tandem computers linking
to Mercury's master computer in Birmingham that controls the
switches in London and Manchester. Calls routed to the two
switching centers are then rerouted to any number of the
recipient's choice, while at the same time, charging the caller
the appropriate charge concerned -- i.e. no charge or the
standard local call fee.

Mercury's IN consists of two service switching and control points
(SSCPs), one each in Manchester and London. Each SSCP
contains a service switching point (SSP) and a service control
point (SCP). The SSP is a System X telephone exchange, while
the SCP is a Tandem computer.

The IN, which cost UKP 20 million to install, also handles
Mercury's premium rate phone service, which operate on the
0660, 0839, and 0881 area codes.

According to Mercury, the introduction of its own toll-free
telephone service will boost the volume of toll-free calls
handled within the UK. Mercury officials estimate that toll-free
calls account for just over one percent of telephone traffic in
the UK at the moment. Mercury wants to increase that figure to
five percent -- in line with the US -- within the next three years.

(Steve Gold/19920601/Press & Public Contact: Mercury
Communications - Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00003)

UK: Samsung Launches First Postscript Laser Printer 06/02/92
SURBITON, SURREY, ENGLAND, 1992 JUN 2 (NB) -- Samsung
has unveiled the SL 1081P, a Postscript version of its 1081A eight
pages-per-minute (ppm) laser printer unveiled three months ago.
The printer, which is the company's first Postscript unit in the
UK, retails for UKP 1,499, which Samsung officials claim is
highly competitive.

"This is the second of several products in our own-manufactured
laser printer range. At such a competitive price, it demonstrates
that we are committed to giving users and business partners
highly-attractive and real value for money products," explained
Paul Turner, Samsung's printer business manager.

As supplied, the SL 1081P comes with an onboard 15 megahertz
(MHz) N532CG16 microprocessor and 2.5 megabytes (MB) of
memory as standard. Other standard features include 35 resident
fonts, although HPGL (Hewlett-Packard Graphics Language) fonts
cost extra, and serial/parallel ports.

On the mechanical side, the printer takes two feeder bins, though
only one 250-sheet bin is supplied. In use, Samsung claims that
the printer runs quietly (typically at 52 decibels -- db) and
consumes 550 watts or less of power. The unit weighs 46 pounds
and has a duty cycle (typical workload) of 5,000 pages-per-month,
with an average lifespan of six years at this output rate.

(Steve Gold/19920601/Press & Public Contact: Samsung
Electronics - Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00004)

UK: Dell Unveils First "Value Family" Portable Computer 06/02/92
BRACKNELL, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1991 JUN 2 (NB) -- Dell
Computer has announced the NL25, a new notebook in what the
company describes as its "Value" family of machines. Plans call
for Dell to release further Value notebooks later this year.

The NL25 is a monochrome notebook pricing in at UKP 1,349. The
25 megahertz (MHz) 80386SL microprocessor-based machine will
ship in the UK from the end of this month.

According to David Brooke, Dell's notebook product marketing
manager, the NL25 complements the existing 325N and 325NC
portables by combining a competitive, low-end price with premium
features.

"With the NL25, we're directly addressing the needs of value-
conscious customers who require mainstream performance and
functionality at an entry-level price," he said. "For users requiring
premium features such as larger memory or higher capacity
storage, extended battery life or additional factory integration
services, we've also recently introduced the 325N."

"The NL25 appeals to the price sensitive user who wants the
features of a 386SL notebook but would rather forgo special
features that add to the cost of the system," he said.

Dell's new notebook weighs in at 6.3 pounds and has an 8.3 by 11
inch footprint. The machine, which is 1.8 inches thick, runs for
2.5 hours without using the power management software, though
this is extended considerably when PMS is switched on.

Expansion options for the machine include two megabyte (MB)
memory modules, spare ni-cad battery packs and a fax/data modem.
The modem has yet to be approved -- a price for the unit has yet to
be agreed, Newsbytes understands.

(Steve Gold/19920601/Press & Public Contact: Dell Computer
Corporation - Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00005)

Alan Kay To Keynote Boston's Windows & OS/2 Expo 06/02/92
EMERYVILLE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 2 (NB) --
Following the highly successful show in San Jose, California,
the summer session of the Third Annual Windows & OS/2
Conference will be held at Boston's World Trade Center, August
19-21. Tutorials will be held on August 18.

Alan Kay, the reported "founding father" of the graphical user
interface, will be giving the keynote speech. The keynote subject
matter is likely to include his predictions for the future of
computing.

Stan Politi, spokesman for CM ventures Inc., the company
producing and managing the show, told Newsbytes that the
company is expecting upwards of 18,000 attendees at the expo.
This is a slight rise from the 16,000 that attended the last show in
San Jose.

Editor-in-Chief of PC/Computing, Ed Bott, will present a
session called: "GUIs...And Then What?" A developer's keynote,
featuring Borland International's VP, Eugene Wang, will talk on
"separating the winners from losers in development tools and
the challenges corporate and third-party developers will face as
they move into the world of 32-bit computing," according to a
press release.

Technology briefings will feature such luminaries as IBM's
assistant general manager of personal systems market
development, Fernand Sarrat, defending the company's claim
of OS/2 being the strategic platform of the future, and Microsoft's
director for Windows NT and networking products, Dwayne
Walker, detailing the company's plans for 32-bit networking
and electronic mail strategies.

Politi told Newsbytes that the conference program begins with a
full-day of six pre-show technical tutorials. He said that there are
also about 35-36 conference sessions scheduled over the next
three days with an additional 16 "Fast Track" sessions talking
about configuring Windows and OS/2. While the Fast Track
sessions are also "technical" they are not as technical as the
tutorials on the 18th, Politi said.

(Ian Stokell/19920601/Press Contact: Stan Politi, CM Ventures
Inc., 510-601-5000)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00006)

New For PC: Easel Updates Easel/Win Development Tool 06/02/92
BURLINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 2 (NB) --
Responding to the concerns of software developers who want to
hedge their bets in the Windows-OS/2 race, Easel Corp. has
enhanced its Easel/Win development tool to simplify the creation
of applications that can be ported to OS/2.

Easel/Win 2.0, designed for use with the Easel Workbench
Development Environment in creating client/server applications,
adds support for several features that can be used on both
Windows and OS/2 systems, the company said. The new
Easel/Win is "almost identical" to Easel's comparable development
tool for OS/2, said company spokesman Douglas Clauson.

"The end-user environment today is very heterogeneous," Clauson
said. "Developers really need the flexibility" of a tool that supports
both Windows and OS/2.

Easel/Win 2.0 lets developers build applications that work with
Oracle Server on any platform Oracle supports, including IBM and
Digital Equipment proprietary host systems and Unix machines.
The software also works with Microsoft's and Sybase's SQL Server
and with IBM's DB2 database.

In addition to OS/2 support, Easel has added improved support for
Windows help, better integration with third-generation programming
languages such as COBOL and C, and support for 256-color
images.

Easel/Win 2.0 will be shipped to all current Easel/Win customers
at no charge. The combination of Easel Workbench and Easel/Win
sells for $11,900. Easel/Win 2.0 is available now.

(Grant Buckler/19920601/Press Contact: Douglas Clauson, Easel,
617-221-3088, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(SYD)(00007)

Australia: DEC To Become Toll Collector For NSW Govt 06/02/92
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1992 JUN 2 (NB) -- Digital Equipment (DEC)
has won the right to head the consortium which will see electronic
toll collection begin on Sydney's Harbour Bridge. The move by the
New South Wales (NSW) Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) is
aimed at cutting congestion on the bridge due to the current toll
collection methods.

DEC will act as prime contractor and systems coordinator for the
Australian developed system, which will see motorists establishing
accounts which are debited whenever their car (with a special tag)
passes the toll gates.  The tags used are radio frequency (RF)
activated, and carry the relevant information to allow the correct
account to be debited.

As a car approaches the toll gate, a radio signal is sent out. The
tag reacts to this by beaming back the relevant identification
details. A computer checks to see if there is a credit in the
account and if there is, a light flashes which indicates to the
driver to proceed. If the credit is low, another light is displayed
to inform the driver, and if there is no credit, the driver is
indicated to stop and pay the toll as normal. Accounts can be
"topped up" if they are low on credit.

John Lee, account manager for DEC, said the operation takes a
fraction of a second, and will also improve traffic flow on the
bridge and cut pollution. "The whole key to the success of the
system is to make it easy to operate and maintain and it is
envisaged that people would be able to purchase the RF tags and
put funds into their toll account through a simple cash or
credit-card transaction at service stations," Lee said.

(Sean McNamara/19920519)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SYD)(00008)

Paycheck - Australian Developed Payroll System For PCs 06/02/92
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1992 JUN 2 (NB) -- PCS Australia has
released Paycheck, a fully Australian designed payroll package for
corporate and government payrolls of more than 30 employees.

The program runs on standalone 386 PCs, or those running on a
Novell network. PCS claims the system can handle thousands of
employees, and is currently used at several sites for the mining
company BHP, and the national broadcaster ABC (Australian
Broadcasting Commission). Several other sites are also being
negotiated in both the government and the corporate arenas.

Steve Morgan, PCS Australia's account manager, said that while
Paycheck is basically an off-the-shelf package, it can be tailored
to suit an individual organization. The package has been designed to
allow users to only use the features they need. "Paycheck provides
detailed payroll information with records of individual transactions
or summaries. Once original salary information for each employee
is fed into the system, or changes are operator-entered at a later
date, further programming changes are no longer required," Morgan
said.

"Paycheck contains integrated Personnel and Position details,
including recruitment, service histories, qualifications and skills,
training, performance appraisals, occupational health, and personal
details...all of which can be maintained on an on-going basis,"
Morgan went on to say. Other features include costing and general
ledger integration of wage costs, changes to parameters such as
deductions or tax, a full audit facility, information security, and
report generation."

(Sean McNamara/19920519/Press Contact: Steve Morgan,
phone in Australia [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SYD)(00009)

Australian Company To Supply Int'l Optical Fiber Cable 06/02/92
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1992 JUN 2 (NB) -- Tasman Cable
Company (TCC), a subsidiary of Alcatel Australia, has won an
AUS$40 million contract to supply a 2,400 kilometer (km)
stretch of the longest submarine cable system in the world --
the SEA-ME-WE2 (South East Asia-Middle East-Western
Europe) cable.

The SEA-ME-WE2 cable will stretch 18,000km between Singapore
and Marseilles, passing through Jakarta, Djibouti, Suez, Cairo,
Alexandria, with "side-trips" on the way to Colombo, Bombay,
Jeddah, Pentaskhinos, Marmaris, Palermo, Bizerte, and Algiers.
The TCC portion will start at Jakarta and go part of the way to
Djibouti. The cable will include 160 submerged repeaters and
branching units, and 18 land-based terminals in 13 sites.

The cable will be manufactured and directly loaded onto the cable
laying ship at Sydney's Port Botany. Alcatel TCC's general
manager, Mike Kerr, said of the announcement: "To be awarded
this manufacturing contract for SEA-ME-WE2 shows we are now at
the point where it is acknowledged by administrations around the
world that Alcatel TCC supplies submarine cables of world-class
quality." The cable is expected to be completed by the end of the
year, with repeaters being added and testing being carried out in
the first quarter of next year.

(Sean McNamara/19920519)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SYD)(00010)

Australian Telecoms Watchdog To Examine Billing Systems 06/02/92
CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA, 1992 JUN 2 (NB) -- The Australian
telecommunications industry watchdog, Austel, is to investigate
all facets of the Australian carriers' call billing systems. Although
individual complaints would not be heard, Austel is hoping to
ensure that bills sent out by the two carriers are as accurate as
possible.

Robin Daley, the chairman of Austel said: "Austel's inquiry will
establish independent verification of the carrier's call charging
and billing system and will ensure that proper procedures are in
place to deal with complaints relating to incorrect charging."

Davey went on to say that the inquiry was prompted by a 1991
House of Representatives Standing Committee report into the
handling of complaints by Telecom, which has since merged with
OTC to form one of Australia's two carriers, AOTC (Australian and
Overseas Telecommunications Corporation). The report found that
of the complaints sent to the Commonwealth Ombudsman relating
to Telecom, 35 percent were about billing.

The inquiry will be looking at such issues as information access
for customer's verification, standards, calibration of charging
equipment, network faults, and new charging methods.

Submissions have been called to be tendered by July 24, and
it is hoped that a report can be ready for public discussion in
September and a final report by October.

(Sean McNamara/19920519)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(LON)(00011)

New For Unix In UK: RIS Calendar Manager Debuts 06/02/92
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1992 JUN 2 (NB) -- Russell Information
Sciences has announced the availability of Calendar Manager, a
time scheduling system for users of Digital Equipment Corporation
(DEC) hardware.

The package, which was developed in the US, is being distributed
in the UK by Metrologie. According to Eric Jawab, Metrologies'
marketing director, one of the major benefits of the package is its
ease-of-use and intuitive under interface.

"The operational benefits, time-saving qualities and general
efficiency of Calendar Manager, coupled with the short time
required to train new users on the windows and pop-up menus,
means that the package will probably become the most
frequently used package on people's systems," he said.

Jedwab added that the majority of business are critically aware
of the need to increase business efficiency.

"Calendar Manager can help in two ways. Firstly, chasing people's
diaries around for days on end just to arrange a three way
meeting is a thing of the past when you use this package. And
secondly, by allowing the computer to match the most effective
time for scheduling people and resources, eliminates double
bookings and makes the best use of valuable time. These two
simple improvements in efficiency can offer dramatic cost
savings as well as increasing productivity," he said.

In use, Calendar Manager allows users to schedule people, rooms,
equipment, and resources, ranging from a small departmental
meeting to a major seminar across a company's national and
international offices, the company claims. The system will
automatically detect and report any clashes, or conflicts with
personal schedules.

According to Jawab, pricing on the package depends on what
processor the software is running on. "Pricing starts from under
UKP 1,000, and goes as high as UKP 42,000 on a VAX 9000
series," he told Newsbytes.

(Steve Gold/19920529/Press & Public Contact: Metrologie - Tel:
0494-526271)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(LON)(00012)

UK: Mac Version Of Perform Pro Filler Debuts 06/02/92
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1992 JUN 2 (NB) -- Delrina Technology
has announced the availability of an Apple Mac version of its
Perform Pro Filler. The UKP 149 package enables Mac users to
fill in electronic forms created in Perform Pro for Windows.

According to Delrina, the software is Mac System 6.0.5- and 7.0-
compatible, supporting all color and monochrome screen
resolutions plus font technologies. In use, the package needs a
minimum Mac configuration of one megabyte (MB) or memory
and a hard disk. A Superdrive and laser printer are recommended.

Announcing the software, Larry Levy, Delrina's sales and
marketing director, said that Perform Pro allows WYSIWYG (what
you see is what you get) "intelligent" forms. These and other
features make the package unique in the electronic cross-platform
form marketplace.

"We're the only vendor that offers companies the opportunity to
introduce electronic forms throughout the organization regardless
of platform for Windows, DOS, and Mac users alike," he claimed.

(Steve Gold/19920529/Press & Public Contact: Delrina - Tel: 081-
207-3163)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00013)

Hayes Launches Optima 144 Data-Fax Modem 06/02/92
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 2 (NB) -- Hayes
Microcomputer Products has announced a new 14,400 bits-per-
second (bps) fax-data modem called the Optima 144 + Fax 144.
The new product will retail for $519 and follows the V.32bis
modulation and V.42bis error correction standards.

The new modem comes bundled with Smartcom FAX and
Smartcom EZ communications software. The former is a
memory-resident program which allows users to fax documents
directly from their computer, without leaving their main
application, and create transaction logs. The latter is a basic
data communications program.

The company also announced Optima 144, a data-only modem at
the same speed of 14,400 bps. It comes bundled with Smartcom
EZ at a price of $479. Both products are made in Norcross,
Georgia.

This is great news for modem buyers. First, the pricing is very
aggressive -- data-only modems at this speed were at over
$1,000 just a year ago. The aggressive pricing is also important
because Hayes owns Practical Peripherals, a low-cost producer
of data communication products, indicating even lower-cost
product could be in the offing.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920529/Press Contact: Angie Ciarloni,
Hayes, 404-840-9200)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00014)

Merisel Announces Promotion And Sweepstakes 06/02/92
EL SEGUNDO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 2 (NB) -- Merisel
is launching a new program that is intended to stimulate sales in its
Macintosh division. This promotion will involve both end-users as
well as resellers.

For the end-users, the promotion is taking the form of a
sweepstakes. Merisel is taking out an ad in upcoming issues of
MacWorld magazine. Readers will be asked to tear out the coupon
and send it to Merisel. For the resellers, Merisel will issue one
sweeps ticket for each item that a particular reseller orders. At
the end of the respective periods, Merisel will draw two names out
of all the tickets that have been received. The winners get a three-
day trip for two to either the Adult Space Academy which simulates
astronaut training, or the Adult Aviation Challenge which simulates
fighter pilot training.

The period for the promotions is between June 1 and July 31 1992.
Drawing will be held in August and in September for resellers and
end-users respectively. Merisel stated that the reason for waiting
a little longer for the end-user drawing was to allow more people
to enter should they receive their magazines a bit late.

(Naor Wallach/19920602/Press Contact: Cathy Quattrocchi,
Merisel, 310-615-1230)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00015)

ServerJet SI Connects 7 PCs To One Laser Printer 06/02/92
SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 2 (NB) -- ASP
Computer Products has begun shipments of its ServerJet SI
product. which allows customers to attach up to seven computers
to a single HP LaserJet SI laser printer.

This is accomplished through a board that plugs in to the printer's
MIO slot. The other end of the board sports six RJ11 (telephone
wire) plugs as well as a DB25 connector. Using special cabling,
users can attach their PC's serial ports to one of the ports on the
ServerJet SI. One user can attach his/her parallel port to the
server's parallel port. Or, that port can be used to connect two of
these devices together in a daisy-chaining arrangement.

The ServerJet comes with a couple of programs. One is an
installation diskette that is used for configuring the printer and
all of the printer ports on the ServerJet. Another program is a
TSR (terminate-and-stay-resident) that is used when multiple
ServerJets are attached together. In such a case, the TSR allows
computer users to indicate whichever printer they want their
output to go to.

The ServerJet can be configured with either 2, 3, or 4 MB of RAM.
The amount of RAM needed depends on the quantity of users and
the kinds of print jobs that they will be submitting. Upgrades are
possible later. So, if you buy it and discover that you need more
RAM, you can contact the company for an upgrade.

The ServerJet SI with 1 MB of RAM sells for $795. The product
and its associated peripherals is shipping now.

(Naor Wallach/19920602/Press Contact: Leslie Drohan, ASP
Computer, 408-746-2965 ext 438)



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

 ****AT&T To Use HackerTracker To Combat Fraud 06/02/92
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 2 (NB) -- AT&T,
which has made some broad promises to customers to help stop
telephone fraud, has signed a license agreement to use Moscom's
HackerTracker telephone fraud detection software. Under the
one-year deal, AT&T will market HackerTracker as an AT&T
product and pay Moscom license fees.

HackerTracker is also an optional module to Moscom's call
accounting software, which AT&T sells as CAS Plus V3. AT&T
said their list price for HackerTracker will be $1,995 per copy.

HackerTracker monitors call activity against ten different
criteria established by a switch owner. Once an acceptable level
of activity is exceeded, HackerTracker generates an alarm.  For
example, a firm doing business only with North American
customers could request that an alarm be generated whenever
$25-worth of overseas calls are made in a single day. The nature
of the alarm can be a printed message, an audible alert, a beeper
notification, or a facsimile message. Once an alarm is reported, a
telecommunications manager can quickly determine if fraud has
occurred and take corrective action to terminate the loss.

In other news involving AT&T, the company continued to talk
with its unions in hopes of averting a strike or other job action.
Contracts expired over the weekend.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920602/Press Contact: Moscom,
Robert L. Boxer, 716/383-6803)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(ATL)(00017)

 ****Fujitsu Renames Poqet Computer 06/02/92
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A, 1992 JUN 2 (NB) -- Poqet
Computer is no more. Fujitsu, which helped bankroll the palmtop
computer start-up, then slowly bought-out the remaining equity,
officially re-launched the company as Fujitsu Personal Systems,
part of its $2 billion personal systems group.

Initially, it will sell the old Poqet line, which is made by Fujitsu.
The company now has 150 employees.

From the beginning, the Poqet was a controversial machine. Its
light weight turned heads, but its high price -- about $2,000 --
turned off buyers. The computer's keyboard, which was hard to
use, and its limited expandability hurt it among buyers.

Recently, the company has tried to redirect its efforts toward
field computing applications, adding wireless modems and calling
it the Poqet Communicating Computer. But its market share
remains low.

Fujitsu said that will remain its strategy, leveraging the company's
patented power management technology for systems used
in field automation and mobile worker applications, such as data
collection, sales force automation, field service, and electronic
messaging.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920602/Press Contact: Fujitsu Personal
Systems, Ann Marie McGee, 408/764-9489)


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

BellSouth Enters Teleradiology Market 06/02/92
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 2 (NB) -- BellSouth has
entered the market for remote medical diagnosis by signing a co-
marketing agreement with CAE-Link of Binghamton, New York, a
subsidiary of CAE Industries in Toronto.

The agreement allows BellSouth to market its network-based private
line and switched voice and data services in tandem with CAE-Link's
hardware, software and systems integration video teleconferencing
packages. The agreement covers BellSouth's nine-state southeast
US service area.

Teleradiology is a technique by which x-rays and other image
modalities are transmitted over telephone lines using high-
resolution monitors, laser scanners, and personal computers.
Its most common application involves the transfer of radiographic
images -- such as a cranial display or chest x-ray --to distant
healthcare locations for diagnosis by consulting radiology
specialists.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920602/Press Contact: David A. Storey,
BellSouth Telecommunications, 205-321-3413; Richard G. Adams
CAE-Link Corporation, 607-721-5849)


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

Mustang Releases Wildcat 3.5 06/02/92
BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 2 (NB) --
Mustang Software has announced a major upgrade to its Wildcat
bulletin board system.

Version 3.5 of the software features new security and ease-of-use
features, and is aimed at corporate, small business, and individual
users of bulletin boards. The company said it now has over 10,000
installations.

President Jim Harrer said among the new features of the software
are "answer required" fields on questionaires, which make it
necessary for a user to fill in a field before proceeding to the
next question. This is particularly important in boards offering
product support, and makes sure that important information like
a caller's phone number and address will not be forgotten.

New security provisions include support of wildcard filters, to
deny downloading of certain files by unauthorized callers. All
picture files ending in .gif could be excluded from downloading
without pre-authorization, for instance by entering "(asterix).gif" in
the appropriate filter file.

Display files, sometimes called "hello screens," can also be
tailored to specific security levels. New, high speed modems
including Telebit Trailblazers running at 16,800 bits-per-second,
and V.32bis products running at 14,400 bps, are also supported.

Also, Zmodem, an increasingly popular protocol, is now
supported through the DSZ.LOG calling format, allowing an
accurate download count on callers who use external protocols.
DSZ.LOG support also allows Wildcat users to handle the HS.Link
and Bimodem bi-directional protocols. There are also new types of
support for users of CD-ROM drives and Novell Netware. Single
line versions of the software cost $129, while a version handling
up to 10 lines costs $249, and up to 250 lines, $499.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920602/Press Contact: Jim Harrer, Mustang
Software, 805-395-0223)


(NEWS)(IBM)(WAS)(00020)

New For PC: Upgrade To Pal-Edit Script Editor For Paradox 06/02/92
CHICAGO, IL, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 2 (NB) -- Kallista Inc., has
introduced an upgrade of its PAL-Edit script editor for Borland's
Paradox 4.0 PC database.

PAL-Edit is a programming tool that runs on top of American
Cybernetics' Multi-Edit, an ASCII text editor, according to Jason
Frost, technical support engineer for Kallista.

The latest edition of PAL-Edit, version 4.0, contains several new
features designed for ease of use, he said.  In addition, the code
has been enhanced to bring greater compatibility with DOS 5.0.

Two new features, the Kallista Table Viewer and Kallista Form and
Report Viewer, lets programmers view tables, structures, forms and
reports from within Multi-Edit or from the DOS command line.  In
the previous version, 3.5, it was necessary for the user to enter
PAL-Edit to view these items, said Frost.

Another new feature is designed to facilitate construction of
"if/then" rules.  By pressing a special key within the "if" area of
the program, the programmer can jump immediately to the
matching language construct in the "then" area. Conversely, the
same can be done within "then," allowing the user to quickly find
the matching construct in "if." Said Frost: "Believe me, this
capability saves a lot of time."

PAL-Edit 4.0 comes in two editions: Standard and Professional.
The Professional edition comes with all the features of the
Standard edition, plus an integrated 100,000 word spellchecker, a
telecom module, version control support, source code for the
macros used in building the editor, and a macro debugger.

Prices are $179 for the Standard edition and $249 for the
Professional edition.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19920602/Press contact:  David Wilhite,
Kallista Inc., tel [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00021)

Microsemi To Buy Unitrode's Competing Semiconductor Div 06/02/92
SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 2 (NB) -- Unitrode
is selling its Watertown, Massachusetts-based Semiconductor
Parts Division (SPD) to Microsemi, its long time competitor in the
semiconductor industry.

Microsemi said it has acquired substantially all the assets of SPD.
This includes the land and buildings in Watertown, Massachusetts,
as well as all of the assets, lands, and buildings of a support
facility in Ennis, Ireland. Microsemi said it is getting the SPD for
an undisclosed amount of cash as well as secured and unsecured
notes, subject to the required governmental approvals.

David Sonksen, vice president of finance for Microsemi told
Newsbytes no layoffs are planned. Microsemi plans to operate the
Unitrode facility as it is with the exception of eliminating overlays
between the two operations, Sonksen added.

Unitrode manufacturers discrete power semiconductors used
principally for military and industrial applications in addition to
electronic components and subsystems, including power
management integrated circuits, data conversion products, and
switching power supplies. Unitrode claims the deal should have no
impact on its earnings which are based on worldwide sales of
its products for defense/aerospace, industrial, computer,
telecommunications, data processing, and consumer applications.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920602/Press Contact: David Sonksen,
Microsemi, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(WAS)(00022)

Adobe Intros PostScript Software For Printers And Sun 06/02/92
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 2 (NB) --
Adobe Systems has announced a Sun Sparcstation version of its
Display PostScript system, to be sold through distributors, along
with emulation and language sensing software, to be used by
OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) in upcoming printer
implementations for heterogeneous settings.

Display PostScript allows the same page description format to be
used by the display and printer.  With the port of the software to
Sun, all major Unix platforms are now united around the PostScript
standard, said Steve MacDonald, senior vice president and general
manager for Adobe's Systems Division.  The extension of
PostScript's WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) capabilities
to more workstations will spur development of richer graphics
applications for Unix, he predicted.

The new emulation software for PostScript printers will simulate
the functionality of Printer Control Language 5 (PCL5), Hewlett
Packard's latest command language. The software will also bring
support for Intellifont fonts, the outline type format used in PCL5.
The options are designed to let a printer output any document
produced on a PC or Macintosh, regardless of whether the
document is based on Adobe's PostScript software or PCL5, or
whether Intellifont, TrueType, or Adobe's Type 1 fonts are being
employed.

The language sensing software, made possible by a recent
technology acquisition from LaserTools Corp., will further strengthen
language detection, a capability that has historically posed barriers
to emulation switching, explained Marc Cagigas, director of product
marketing for LaserTools.

The language sensing software will be able to tell the difference
between print jobs prepared in PostScript, PCL, and two formats
that crop up frequently in DOS-based applications, "print screen"
and ASCII text.  After recognizing the language, the software will
automatically switch the printer to the appropriate format.

Adobe plans to do development work of its own before releasing
the language sensing software to OEMs. At press time, shipment
dates were not yet available for the either the language sensing or
emulation software.

Display PostScript is already on the market for Unix workstations
from DEC, IBM, NCD, Next, and Silicon Graphics.  Later this
month, distributors will be sent kits enabling an MIT XII R5 server
running a Sparc processor to be modified for use with Display
PostScript, a spokesperson for Adobe said.

The Display PostScript system will come with Adobe Showpage,
an application that lets the user display, rotate, and scale any
PostScript language file, as well as with 13 scalable fonts in
Adobe's Type 1 format.  Users will also be able to install any of
the 1,500 type faces in the Adobe Type Library, or any of the
Type 1 fonts offered by outside vendors.

In addition, distributors will have the option of bundling the
product with workstations or other applications.  The distributors
will set their own pricing, the spokesperson noted.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19920602/Press Contact: Patricia J. Pane,
Adobe, tel [phone])



(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00023)

New For PC In UK: Microsoft Mail Starter Kit Announced 06/02/92
WOKINGHAM, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1992 JUN 2 (NB) --
Microsoft UK has begun shipping the Microsoft Mail Starter Kit, a
special package that will allow customers to buy Microsoft Mail
2.1 for PC Networks in a ten user "pack" for UKP 485.

The normal price of a ten user license is UKP 1,035, which
means that Microsoft is offering more than 50 percent off the
package until the offer runs out at the end of June.

Why is Microsoft making such an offer? Mark Hassal, the
company's electronic mail product manager, said that Microsoft's
studies have shown that only 20 percent of local area networks
(LANs) are equipped with an e-mail package.

"We want to make it easy and affordable for people to get up and
running on electronic mail. With this starter kit, customers are
getting a great product and everything they need at less than
half the price," he said.

Microsoft Mail for PC Networks is an e-mail system that is
designed to integrate users on LANs. The software overlays the
LAN software and allows users to send and receive e-mail on a
real-time basis. The package supports MS-Windows, DOS, Mac,
and OS/2 Presentation Manager platform environments.

Perhaps more importantly, Microsoft Mail interfaces with
environments outside of the LAN using a gateway technology.
This allows messages to be sent and received to and from X.400,
SMPTP/Unix, SNADs, MHS (message handling system), MCI Mail,
and 3Com network environments.

Microsoft is, however, not as altruistic as it might first appear. The
company is clearing the way for the introduction of Microsoft Mail
3.0 for PC networks, which is scheduled to ship in the third quarter
of the year. Customers taking advantage of the v2.0 offer can
upgrade to version 3.0 for networks later this year at no extra cost.

(Steve Gold/19920602/Press & Public Contact: Microsoft U.K. -
Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00024)

UK: British Telecom Unveils Low-Cost ISDN Hardware 06/02/92
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1992 JUN 2 (NB) -- British Telecom has
unveiled a range of low-cost Integrated Service Digital Network
(ISDN) terminal adapters for use with its ISDN-2 service.

ISDN-2 offers two 64.000 bits-per-second (bps) ISDN channels
into the home or office and, with an installation cost of UKP 400
and ongoing line rental of UKP 336. Currently, service availability
covers two thirds of the UK.

The new terminal adapters are the TA V24, the TA V35, the TA
X21, and an updated version of the TA X21DS, which was originally
launched a year ago. The first three terminal adapters cost UKP
1,395 each, while the updated TA X21DS costs UKP 1,595.

Pricing on the terminal adapters is around half of the prices
that some manufacturers have been offering the hardware at.
According to BT, the new adapters offer a low-cost route into the
technology, complementing the ISDN-2 service.

"Terminal adapters provide customers with an extremely
convenient and cost-effective method of accessing the digital
network and taking advantage of its benefits," explained Les
Lowin, BT's ISDN marketing manager.

Despite the low price of the adapters, a number of advanced
features have been included as standard. These include an
analog port for linking to modems, faxes, and normal telephones.
Other features include a built-in power supply and a liquid
crystal display (LCD). BT claims that the units have some of the
smallest footprints on the market today.

(Steve Gold/19920602/Press & Public Contact: BT ISDN
Marketing Information - Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00025)

UK: Trigem Unveils 25MHz 386SX PC 06/02/92
SLOUGH, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1992 JUN 2 (NB) -- Trigem
Computers has unveiled a 25 megahertz (MHz) version of its 20MHz
386SX-based SX386E. The SX386M+ will cost UKP 920 for a
standard system with two megabytes (MB) of memory, a 42MB
hard disk and a single floppy drive.

The machine features color SVGA graphics, integrated on to the
motherboard, with a slim footprint of 14 by 16.2 inches, and 4.5
inches height casing. The 2MB of random access memory (RAM)
can be expanded to 32MB on the motherboard, without tying up
any of the four expansion slots.

This is made possible, Trigem claims, because the memory
expansion system uses single in-line memory modules (SIMMs), a
key feature of all of the Korean company's new products. DOS 5.0
comes as standard with the machine.

While Trigem has yet to establish a name for itself in the US,
it is fleshing out its range of machines here in the UK. Back home
in Korea, the company claims to one of the country's leading
PC manufacturers, though the bulk of its machines are sold
through the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) marketplace.

Trigem was voted Korea's best company in May, 1990, by the
Korea Managers' Association. The company is aiming to match
some of the other offers on the market with free lifetime use of a
technical support hotline, 12 months parts and labor warranty, and
a 30 day money-back guarantee. On-site maintenance of the
machine costs users an extra UKP 55 for the first year.

(Steve Gold/19920602/Press & Public Contact: 0753-810808)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00026)

 ****Microsoft Demos 32-bit SQL Server For Windows NT 06/02/92
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 2 (NB) -- Microsoft
has premiered a 32-bit version of SQL Server, saying the software is
designed to exploit the multiprocessing architecture of the Windows
NT operating system expected to debut by the end of the year.

The demonstration, using a 486-based NCR system as the
hardware platform, was done for more than 1,000 of Microsoft's
corporate  customers attending the Sybase International User
Conference in San Jose, California, this week.

The 32-bit version demonstrated is based on the OS/2 version of
Microsoft SQL Server 4.2, Microsoft officials said.  That version of
the program has been shipping for about two months.

Windows NT Director Dwayne Walker said the company is already
seeing a high level of interest for Windows NT, and more than 2,000
developers have signed up for the NT developers conference
scheduled for San Francisco in July.

DBMS Magazine readers last October selected Microsoft SQL
Server as their favorite, replacing the previous year's winner, Oracle.
The following month, Microsoft cut the price of its SQL Server by
more than half.

About 10 weeks ago Microsoft started shipping its SQL Server
Resource Kit, a compilation of the most up to date utility programs
and technical information.  The company said the kit was designed
to help version 4.2 customers implement and administer more
powerful Windows-based client-server applications.

(Jim Mallory/19920602/Press contact: Collins Hemingway,
Microsoft, 206-882-8080; Reader contact: Microsoft,
800-426-9400)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00027)

 ****Software Developer's Co. Sells Products, Closes Div 06/02/92
HINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 2 (NB) -- The
Software Developer's Co. is winding up its Solution Systems division,
having sold the division's two major products to Borland International.
The company also announced the resignation of Dale C. Troppito,
vice-president of development, who headed the division.

Software Developer's Co. said it sold its Brief and Sourcerer's
Apprentice product lines to Borland for a total of $6.7 million. Of
that amount, $4.7 million is to be paid in cash at closing, and the
balance, subject to certain contingencies, within a year.

Company spokeswoman Ann Georgopoulos said the two product
lines sold to Borland represented about 85 percent of the division's
revenues. The remaining Software Solutions products will continue,
she said, but the division will disappear.

Most employees of the Software Solutions division are taking jobs
at Borland in California, Georgopoulos said. Some employees
chose not to accept Borland's offer and to remain in Massachusetts,
she added, but "everybody had an option."

There was no role left for Troppito at Software Developer's Company
since the company plans to concentrate on distribution and
marketing, and "her position was in development," Georgopoulos
said.

The sale of Solution Systems will result in a loss of about $3.5
million for Software Developer's Company in the current fiscal year,
officials said. The company paid $6.3 million in cash and stock to
acquire the rights to the two product lines from their developers
before selling them to Borland. Software Developer's had published
the software packages under a royalty arrangement.

When the company revealed in March that it was seeking to sell
the division or some of its products, company spokesman Steven
Oremland said the Solution Systems unit had been a "financial
drain" on the company because sales volumes of its products had
not been sufficient to cover costs.

The Software Developer's Company produces software development
tools and publications for software developers.

(Grant Buckler/19920602/Press Contact: Ann Georgopoulos,
Software Developer's Co., 617-740-0300)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00028)

 ****Seven VPs Among 3,700 Taking DEC's Early Retirement 06/02/92
MAYNARD, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 2 (NB) -- Digital
Equipment will lose seven vice-presidents as a result of its US
Special Early Retirement Program. The seven are among 3,700
employees who accepted incentives aimed at cutting Digital's
payroll, out of some 7,200 who were eligible for the plan.

The seven vice-presidents taking early retirement are: George A.
Chamberlain, 3rd, vice-president of marketing finance and a 24-year
Digital employee; 33-year veteran Henry J. Crouse, vice-president
of strategic relations and the first president of the Open Software
Foundation; James G. Cudmore, vice-president of operations staff,
who has been with the company since 1960; William J. Heffner,
vice-president of image, voice, and video products and a 17-year
Digital employee and former head of the software development effort
that produced the VMS operating system; Robert C. Hughes,
vice-president of US sales and an employee since 1976; Albert E.
Mullin, Jr., vice-president, corporate relations, responsible for
Digital's investor, government and community relations since 1972;
and Richard H. Yen, vice-president of Far East manufacturing, also
with the company since 1972.

Company spokesman Dallas Kirk said some of the vice-presidents'
positions may be filled, but Digital will evaluate the jobs and
decide what functions are essential. Whatever jobs are filled, he
said, the company will try to fill from within if possible.

The Special Early Retirement Program provided 26 weeks of pay in
a lump sum and added five years of service and five years of age to
the normal retirement plan.

Kirk admitted Digital will probably have to make further staff cuts,
but will evaluate the situation before announcing its future plans
"within the next few weeks."

(Grant Buckler/19920602/Press Contact: Dallas Kirk, Digital,
508-493-4562)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TYO)(00029)

 ****Matsushita Gains IBM's PC BIOS Codes 06/02/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 JUN 2 (NB) -- Japan's Matsushita Electric
has signed an agreement with IBM concerning the licensing of IBM
PC/AT's basic input/output system (BIOS). It is the first time
that IBM has licensed the BIOS to a third party.

According to IBM Japan, IBM will license the "AT bus" to
Matsushita. The AT bus controls input and output process
between hardware and software, and is therefore one of the most
important factors for designing personal computers.

Third-party hardware makers had to get the completed BIOS
system from IBM or had to design their own BIOS system in
order to produce IBM-compatible personal computers. However,
with this IBM BIOS, Matsushita will produce a "true" IBM-
compatible personal computer.

Apparently, IBM has been becoming more flexible concerning its
personal computer policy. It is part of IBM Japan's "Open
Architecture Developing Group" policy, which aims to promote
development and sales of IBM-compatible personal computers
by third-party makers.

It is expected that IBM will sign similar licensing agreement on
the BIOS with other third-party makers.

Meanwhile, Matsushita Electric has been selling Fujitsu's personal
computers in Japan. The licensing of IBM's BIOS may change the
policy of Matsushita. The firm may stop the sale of Fujitsu's
personal computers and enter the IBM PC market sometime in the
future.

(Masayuki Miyazawa/19920602/Press Contact: Matsushita Electric,
[phone])


(EXCLUSIVE)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00030)

 ****More On Rockwell, Hayes Deal: Exclusive Interviews 06/02/92
NORCROSS, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUNE 2 (NB) -- If your PC
modem uses a Rockwell chip-set you should no longer worry about
the patent and licensing brouhaha over the Escape Sequence with
Guard Time invented by former Hayes Microcomputer Products
partner Dale Heatherington. It's paid for.

Hayes founder-President Dennis Hayes and Rockwell
Semiconductor executive Dwight Decker discussed this and
other issues in an exclusive two-part interview with Newsbytes.

From Rockwell, the largest maker of modem chip sets, a key to
the deal was a limited exclusivity, "where we wouldn't be licensing
other chip manufacturers to use this technology," Hayes and
Decker agreed.

"This does not prohibit us from licensing other modem makers,"
said Hayes, but if a modem maker is using a Sierra or AT&T chip
set, they will always have to come to Hayes for a license on the
Escape Sequence with Guard Time, also known as the
Heatherington '302 patent, if they intend to use it.

Additionally, the deal doesn't guarantee that Rockwell will be the
main supplier for future Hayes modems, Hayes added. "We
develop our specifications, look for the best components, then
select vendors. This does not predict or preclude Hayes and
Rockwell working together."

For the Hayes company: "This is confirmation that the
Heatherington patent is confirmed as the industry standard. There
were several attempts at creating alternative escape mechanisms
prior to this. They were unreliable."

Sierra Semiconductor is still pushing such a system, called the
Time Independent Escape Sequence. Hayes explained why such
systems don't work. "When you tell the modem to dial a phone,
you expect it to make the connection, then be transparent to the
data," he explained. "That's where the time delays, before and
after the escape code, in the Heatherington mechanism, become
important. There's no way it can work unless you can make it
work. There has to be a delay."

Another important point is that: "You can only count on having a
three-wire serial connection on all computers, he said. "You
could use the other six wires to control the modem, but you can't
count on them being implemented on different computers." Thus,
the Heatherington mechanism is foolproof and works on all PCs,
Hayes concluded. No other system can make that claim.

Hayes added that, while the ability to hit the "escape" key and
switch between a modem's command mode and its on-line mode
is an important part of the Hayes AT command set, many modems
may claim to be "Hayes-compatible" without implementing it.

"Hayes has never taken a position as to what is Hayes-compatible --
we've left that to our competitors. We implement what we call the
Hayes standard AT command set, we implement the Heatherington
302 patent, and we implement a number of features and functions
that are a Hayes modem."

Decker and Hayes agreed that, while standards bodies have been
talking about using extensions of the AT command set as a
standard for fax-modems that might allow companies to create
standard software for such products, those extensions are not
covered by this agreement. "Standards bodies typically see if the
manufacturer is willing to license a patent, before they incorporate
it in a standard," Hayes said. "Our point of view has always been
that we're willing to license."

Tomorrow, Newsbytes will continue its discussion with Decker and
Hayes on such subjects as ISDN (Integrated Services Digital
Networks) and wireless modems.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920602/Press Contact: Beth Logan, Hayes,
404-840-9200)