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/nb920709

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(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00001)

Software Supports Stock Trading Decisions 07/09/92
INCLINE VILLAGE, NEVADA, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 9 (NB) -- What to trade
and when to trade it is a question that has plagued stock market
players since the first stock was bought and sold. Sell to soon or
too late, and you don't make as much money. Buy to early or too
late, and it costs you more.

A Nevada company thinks they have the answer to that problem.
AIQ Inc., has introduced AIQ TradingExpert, a decision support
tool for professional investors. The program converts market
data into specific trading recommendations through analysis
of price and volume of stocks and market indices.

AIQ Marketing and Sales VP Larry Jordan says TradingExpert
builds on the capabilities of AIQ MarketExpert and StockExpert.
Jordan told Newsbytes the program uses about 400 rules to
determine what the market will do, and another 100 rules to
determine how specific stocks will perform. MarketExpert is
designed to anticipate significant up or down shifts in market
direction. StockExpert signals which issues to buy, when to buy,
and when to sell. Both programs were introduced in 1987.

Jordan says TradingExpert combines the two programs, and has
added a number of additional features, including sector and group
analysis, live trend lines, weekly charting and analytics, and a
redesigned expert system for greater accuracy. Once buy or sell
selections are made, TradingExpert's profit manager module
tracks the investor's position daily, recommending action based
on any of three user-selectable stop techniques.

Jordan said TradingExpert is ideal for individual investors, retail
brokers, and money managers. The program has an introductory
price of $999. Jordan said 31-day trial versions are available for
$44, or you can get a 90-day evaluation copy for $399. If you buy
the restricted version, you can apply the cost to the full version
later. McClure said as of August 31 the price will go up to $1,499.
In addition to the purchase of the software, it will cost you about
$25 per month to download daily information from one of the data
services AIQ has special arrangements with. Jordan said traditional
"per quote" pricing for such data can run several hundred dollars
per month.

McClure told Newsbytes that TradingExpert has an accuracy rate
of 85 percent for predicting market direction and 73 percent rate
at predicting stock timing.

TradingExpert displays a moving band of stock symbols across the
top of your screen, and displays a rating box in the lower right
corner. The rating box displays a number indicating the likelihood
of a stock going up and another to show how likely it is to go
down. The stocks tracked are user selectable.

(Jim Mallory/19920708/Press contact: Larry Jordan, AIQ,
702-831-2999)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00002)

Peachtree Upgrades DOS Accounting Packages 07/09/92
NORCROSS, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 9 (NB) -- Peachtree Software
has announced that it is shipping a major upgrade to its accounting
package Peachtree Complete III, version 5. The update, version 6.0
applies to Basic Accounting, Complete Accounting, and the
multi-user version of Complete Accounting.

Peachtree Basic Accounting is a startup package designed for
small businesses. It includes General Ledger, Budgeting, Accounts
Receivable, Accounts Payable, Invoicing, Inventory, and
Management Reporting.

Complete Accounting adds Payroll, Purchase Order, Fixed Assets,
Job Cost, and a Custom Report Writer which earlier users know
as the separate Data Query module. The company also offers a
multi-user network version of Complete Accounting.

Several new features will interest accounting and business users,
including the ability to process handwritten checks, delete
previously posted invoices, and new billing frequencies. Peachtree
said the changes were designed so the program would better
reflect the way a small business actually operates.

Peachtree Software spokesperson Soon Mee Kim told Newsbytes
that the upgrade also allows users to produce a working trial
balance, print the trial balance by range of accounts, and the
addition of new invoice formats. There's also a new service
invoice and a customized invoice form.

Basic Accounting has a suggested retail price of $99, while the
new version of Complete sells for $249. The multi-user version
of Complete Accounting sells for $395. Complete Accounting's
predecessor sold for $298, and the earlier version of the
multi-user program sold for $695.

Present users can upgrade from Basic Accounting to Basic
Accounting 6.0 for $49, to the Complete Accounting package for
$129, or to multi-user 6.0 for $249. Complete Accounting owners
can upgrade to version 6.0 for $99 or to multi-user for $199. If
you have an earlier version of the multi-user package, you can
upgrade to multi-user 6.0 for $129. Peachtree also publishes
Macintosh and Windows versions of its accounting programs.

(Jim Mallory/19920708/Press contact: Doug Meyer, Peachtree
Accounting, 404-564-5800), Reader contact: 800-247-3224 or
404-564-5800)


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

Neural Net Sold To Detect Credit Card Fraud 07/09/92
PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 9 (NB) -- Nestor, a
company involved in creating applications for neural network
software, which simulates the decision-making process of the
human mind, has announced a major sale to Mellon Bank of
Pittsburgh. The system runs on an IBM mainframe.

The bank will buy its credit card Fraud Detection System and
install the program on its mainframe computer. FDS has the
capability to "learn" a cardholder's pattern of credit card use.
It can match this pattern against real transactions and detect
when it may have been stolen. FDS's built-in adaptability allows
the software to learn new patterns as new types of fraud occur.

Mellon bought the software after a pilot study, using the
software to detect fraud patterns in its existing data. The
learned patterns were then applied to incoming transactions,
using a variety of simulated fraud schemes. The bank found it
could save money both on fraud and on the cost of reviewing
accounts.

Major phone companies are now installing software which
detects fraudulent use of phone calling cards based on specific
"triggers," like excessive numbers of calls to foreign countries.
But credit card fraud is far more difficult to detect, since
patterns of use can change. Police are especially anxious at the
present time to find some way to clear cases of gangs charging
large amounts of merchandise on card accounts immediately
after those accounts have been paid-off, and a system like
Nestor's offers some hope in that regard.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920708/Press Contact: Douglas Reilly,
Nestor, 401-331-9640)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(ATL)(00004)

FFMC Buys TeleCheck Check Service Company 07/09/92
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 9 (NB) -- First Financial
Management has signed separate agreements to acquire TeleCheck
Services and its principal franchisee, Payment Services, for $116
million in cash, $14 million in FFMC stock and assumption and
retirement of $29 million of existing debt at PSC. TeleCheck was
bought from McDonnell Douglas, while privately-held PSC was
bought from its Houston-based owners.

The two companies provide check related services including check
guarantee, check verification, credit collection and new bank
account screening. PSC also provides the data processing for all
domestic TeleCheck franchisees. Revenues of the two companies
were approximately $105 million in 1991. TeleCheck has about
31 percent of the US check guarantee market.

FFMC also handles credit card authorizations, processing and
settlement through a subsidiary called NoBanco and owns a
company called Microbilt which makes the terminals used by
check guarantee firms, so it can now offer a complete system --
hardware, software, and services -- to merchants interested in
guaranteeing payments on checks using computers.

The deal also puts it in competition with another Atlanta
company, Equifax, which has its own check guarantee subsidiary,
Telecredit. Telecredit is nearly twice the size of TeleCheck.
Recently, FFMC also hired former National Data president O.G.
Greene after Greene was passed over to succeed L.C. Whitney as
chairman at that company. NDC and FFMC are located within the
same Atlanta office park.

FFMC, which is publicly held, also owns Georgia Federal, the
state's largest savings and loan, as well as a consumer finance
operation.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920708/Press Contact: Donald Sharp,
FFMC, 404/321-0120)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00005)

TV Answer Wins Bank As Service Provider 07/09/92
RESTON, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 9 (NB) -- The troubled TV
Answer interactive television company has won a commitment
from Meridian Bancorp to get its banking services on its
system in central and eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware.

TV Answer, which is owned by Mexican entrepreneurs, has
proposed an interactive TV system using a wireless network
for transmission of orders between subscribers and central
computers. Hewlett-Packard has agreed to make the set-top
converters needed for TV Answer's system. The FCC agreed to
license interactive TV systems, after intensive lobbying by
TV Answer, but then decided to offer the licenses on a
city-by-city basis, not on a single nationwide basis, as TV
Answer had wanted. The company is now engaged in seeking
frequency licenses from whatever companies win FCC
lotteries for them.

TV Answer said its agreement with Meridien calls for that
company to offer home banking services on its system by 1994.
Meridian is the first bank holding company to align itself with
TV Answer. Meridian Bancorp becomes a member of TV Answer's
"Charter Partner" program, receiving what TV Answer calls
"special opportunities to customize its consumer services."
Meridien is one of 16 banks that already offers home banking
services through the Prodigy on-line service.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920708/Press Contact: Meridian Bancorp,
Cathy Souders, 215/655-2463; TV Answer, Paul Sturiale,
703/715-8606)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00006)

TV Station Group Signs For Audiotext 07/09/92
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 9 (NB) -- Granite
Broadcasting will become the first TV station group to integrate
800 and 900 numbers into its programming, through an agreement
with Audio Communications, a leading audiotext service bureau.
ACI is best-known for its work with the Los Angeles Times
syndicate, and entertainers like Paula Abdul and M.C. Hammer.

Granite Broadcasting owns, KNTV, an ABC affiliate in San
Jose, California; WPTA-TV, an ABC affiliate in Fort Wayne,
Indiana; WEEK-TV, an NBC affiliate in Peoria, Illinois, and
KBJR-TV, an NBC affiliate serving Duluth, Minnesota.

Technically, the two companies signed a joint venture to launch a
daily menu of customized pay-per-call "900" and toll-free 800-
number services at each of Granite Broadcasting's properties this
fall. Each Granite station will have its own interactive software
package, tailored to the individual market. The content of the
various services will be related to the programming available on
each station.

Programs under consideration by Granite's local station managers
include: frequently updated news and sports reports; community
calendars; stock market quotations; opinion-gathering on local
and national issues; local school reports; community-oriented
medical news; and travelers weather, among other topics.
Entertainment and promotional services also are in development.
Calls will cost from 75-95 cents per minute, with higher prices
contemplated only when a significant portion of revenues is
earmarked for charity.

Bankers Trust Company, through its Corporate Trust and Agency
Group, is serving as financial and administrative adviser for the
project. The Corporate Trust and Agency Group's Audiotex Cash
Movement Service provides joint venture administration and data
processing for the direct-response industry.

ACI spokesman Jay Rubin emphasized that the deal is important
for both the audiotext and television industries. "This is the
first time a TV station is going to be integrating audiotex
through its local programming. While ACI does business with
other broadcasters, this is the first time of this scope. Generally
business with broadcasters has been an application here, an
application there. This is a breakthrough, not just for ACI, but
for the industry at large, because it's the total integration of
800 and 900 throughout the programming...it's across the board."

Rubin added he doesn't think there will be any problems getting
program approvals from AT&T, which handles ACI's calls,
because Granite has its own standards.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920708/Press Contact: Jay Rubin, ACI,
201-445-7620)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00007)

Simba Describes On-line Headlines Of 1991 07/09/92
WILTON, CONNECTICUT, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 9 (NB) -- On-line service
sales grew by 61.1 percent between 1987 and 1991, reaching
$9.6 billion last year, according to Simba Information. The Simba
report, "Online Services: 1992 Review, Trends and Forecast,"
predicts a 48 percent sales increase in the next five years,
yielding a $14.2 billion on-line services market in 1996.

Chris Elwell, who helped prepare the report, told Newsbytes
that Prodigy's flat-fee pricing and America Online's successful
initial public offering were the big industry headlines of 1991.

"Prodigy's flat fee pricing has changed the whole equation.
Virtually every other consumer videotex company adopted some
form of flat fee pricing to compete," he said. "I compare Prodigy
to Apple selling the Macintosh. They're doing everyone a favor
by evangelizing on-line services. Once people get on Prodigy and
learn how to use an on-line service, they will continue to look
for other things that provide services more appropriate to them."

However, Elwell adds that Prodigy's own success is far from
certain. They probably are suffering a high rate of churn and
user turnover, he feels. "The question is what's their in-house
break-even point per subscriber. I don't know that. I don't
believe that by an measure they're profitable."

Other services, however, are profitable. "Compuserve is
profitable. America Online is profitable." It's impossible to
tell whether GEnie is profitable, he says, because its results
are tied so intimately to the GEIS network and business service,
on which it's leveraged.

It was America Online's initial public offering, however, and
the favorable reaction to it, that Elwell sees as the second major
story of the year. "That was the other big event, AOL going public,
and getting a nice valuation at a time when the initial public
offering market was beginning to wane. The stock price stayed
above the offering price."

Elwell could not comment on the fate of large bulletin board
services, like Exec-PC and Canada Remote, because his report
doesn't cover them. According to Simba's report, there were 5.4
million on-line service subscribers at the end of 1991, and
leading on-line services posted a 6.7 percent sales increase in
1991 compared to 1990. Information services, distributing in
print and other media, posted less than one percent growth
during the year.

Despite all this growth, and the high visibility of consumer
services, Elwell emphasized that they still represent just 4
percent of the total on-line market. The great bulk of revenues
in the marketplace comes from business services like Dow
Jones News Retrieval and Dialog. However, the consumer
services in recent years have been growing rapidly.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920708/Press Contact: Simba
Information, Chris Elwell, 203/834-0033)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00008)

 ****ASCII May Release 80586-compatible Chip 07/09/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 JUL 9 (NB) -- Intel's 80586 processor is
just around the corner, but Japan's ASCII is already talking about
releasing a 80586-compatible processor. ASCII is expected to
sell an 80586-compatible processor this fall. The chip was
developed by California-based chip firm Nexgen Microsystems,
which is a subsidiary of ASCII.

The 80586-compatible chip will be released around the same
time as Intel's release of its 80586, which is expected to be
this September. Nexgen Microsystems has developed the chip
based on the technical information which was already released.

The chip's instruction set is compatible with Intel's 80586.
Nexgen's chip consists of a central processing unit core and a
floating-point calculation unit.

ASCII's President Kazuhiko Nishi was quoted by the Nikkan
Kogyo newspaper as saying that: "Nexgen has applied its
original technology to design this chip. So, the chip has not
infringed any patent or copyright of Intel."

There is another reason for ASCII to be confident in the
originality of this chip. Two big names have been involved in
the development -- Fujitsu and Hewlett Packard. Both firms have
not designed the chip, but they will be manufacturing the chips
and applying their technology to draw 0.5 micron lines on the
products.

Nexgen's 80586-compatible chip has three variations according
to the clock speed -- 50 megahertz (MHz), 66 MHz and 75 MHz.
These chips can process at an extremely fast 100 million
instructions per second. The 64-bit MPU bus supports multi-
processing and the data transfer speed of this chip is 267
megabytes-per-second.

The chips will be sold by ASCII Mitsui-Bussan Semiconductor
and Nexgen Microsystems.

ASCII has the majority of Nexgen Microsystems' equity. Compaq,
Mitsui Bussan, Yamaha, and Olivetti have also been participating
in this firm.

(Masayuki Miyazawa/19920708/Press Contact: ASCII,
[phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TYO)(00009)

Matsushita Develops Superfast Business Workstations 07/09/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 JUL 9 (NB) -- Matsushita Electric has begun
development of superfast business-use workstations. It is a
major policy change of the firm, which is currently developing
and selling engineering-use workstations, which are compatible
with those of Sun Microsystems. Apparently, it is part of the
firm's strategy to get out of its current business slump.

Matsushita wants to develop an ultra-fast bus II for its
workstation. The firm will also develop application programs
and equip them with the new workstation. A relational database
called Oracle is also reported to be equipped with the firm's new
workstation.

It is expected that Matsushita's new business workstation will
be a modified and upgraded version of its current engineering
workstation. At present, Matsushita is selling workstations
incorporating Sun Microsystems' technology in an agreement
with the company.

Matsushita's new business workstation will jointly be developed
with Solbone in Colorado. Matsushita has a 52 percent equity in
this firm. Both firms have cooperated in the development and the
sale of workstations.

Both firms will create a special development team for the
new workstation. It is expected to start with 30 engineers.
Matsushita is planning to dispatch 10 engineers to Solbone.

(Masayuki Miyazawa/19920708/Press Contact: Matsushita
Electric, [phone])


(NEWS)(UNIX)(TYO)(00010)

NEC & Silicon Graphics Negotiate Joint OEM Deal 07/09/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 JUL 9 (NB) -- NEC has begun to talk with
Silicon Graphics Inc. (SGI) in California, concerning the joint
manufacturing and sales of Unix workstations. Neither firm has
unveiled any details. However, according to the Nikkan Kogyo
newspaper, the deal is expected to be signed by the end of
this year.

The agreement is expected to call for supplying Unix workstations
to each other -- NEC will supply low-end workstations to SGI
on an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) basis. While, SGI
will supply high-end workstations to NEC on an OEM basis. Both
firms will market the supplied workstations under their own
brand names.

NEC and SGI are already supplying workstations to each other
at present, but the type of machines are limited. The new
agreement is expected to cover a wide variety of each other's
workstations as well as exchange of manufacturing
technologies.

In this joint agreement, NEC and SGI aim to market a variety of
workstations to their customers. It is reported that SGI has an
advanced three-dimensional graphics technology, while NEC has
an advanced mass-production workstation technology.

Meanwhile, NEC has created a Unix association, called "OCMP,"
jointly with Sony. This association aims to share the Unix
program. NEC is reportedly requesting SGI to join the
association.

(Masayuki Miyazawa/19920708/Press Contact: NEC,
[phone])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(TYO)(00011)

Sanyo Counter-Sues Texas Instruments For Chip Usage 07/09/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 JUL 9 (NB) -- Sanyo Electric has counter-
sued Texas Instruments for allegedly infringing anti-trust law
concerning the licensing of TI's chip technology. TI sued Sanyo
for allegedly infringing TI's chip's patent at the Federal Court
in Dallas around the end of June.

Sanyo and TI used to have a cross license agreement on
semiconductor chips. This agreement expired on December 31,
1990. Since then, both firms have been negotiating with each
other in order to extend this agreement. So far, however, both
firms have not reached an agreement. This is mainly due to the
involvement of the "Kilby" patent, which is owned by TI. Because
of this patent, TI has been reportedly requesting ten times more
license fee from Sanyo, according to a Sanyo source.

Apparently, TI has become impatient due to the prolonged talks
which have lasted for over a year. So, the firm sued Sanyo in
order for Sanyo to make decision and pay the fee to TI.
However, Sanyo executives feel that the payment of the Kilby
patent cannot be justified.

Other chip makers are also skeptical about the Kilby patent,
which stipulates a very basic concept of semiconductors.
Fujitsu, for example, has been fighting with TI, claiming that
it has not been using the Kilby patent in its chips. Tandy has
also been fighting with TI for alleged violation of anti-trust
law. Meanwhile, TI has signed cross license agreements, which
involves Kilby's patent, with Toshiba, Oki, Sharp, and Mitsubishi.

(Masayuki Miyazawa/19920708/Press Contact: Sanyo
Electric, [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00012)

Jetfax's Low-Cost Laser Faxing On A Network 07/09/92
MENLO PARK, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 9 (NB) -- Jetfax says
it is introducing a line of low-cost laser fax, the Jetfax 8000-D
product line, that can also be used for faxing by personal
computers (PC) on a network.

The company says that, at $2,695, the Jetfax 8000-D is priced
in the low end for laser fax printers, yet offers simultaneous
fax scanning and printing, a 60 page memory capacity, and two
paper cassettes. The product can hold 500 sheets of paper, has
a 30 page automatic document feeder, 20 buttons that offer one
touch selection of functions, and a menu-driven control panel
with a graphical liquid crystal display (LCD), Jetfax added. The
network capability and additional features are available at
extra charge, the company said.

The network upgrade option provides the ability for network
computer users to send faxes directly from their networked PCs,
Jetfax said. Other upgrades available include a dual line upgrade
so the Jetfax can send and receive faxes on two phone lines
simultaneously, memory upgrades in 180 page and 540 page
increments, and a transmission speed upgrade that allows fax
speed to be as high as 14,400 bits-per-second (bps), Jetfax
maintains.

Menlo Park, California-based Jetfax says it was the first to
offer plan paper fax output with a printer/fax interface. Other
products include the Jetfax II, a fax with software that allows
the transmission of faxes from PCs and networks, and the
Jetfax Concorde, a mailroom laser fax receiver.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920708/Press Contact: Lori Evans,
Jetfax, tel [phone], fax [phone])

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

 ****PacTel Chairman Hints Again at Break-Up 07/09/92
WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 9 (NB) -- Pacific
Telesis Chairman Sam Ginn hinted again that he might break-up
his company, and investors responded by rallying around the
stock.

While launching Germany's GSM digital cellular phone system, in
which his firm has a 26 percent stake, Ginn told Reuters in
Dusseldorf his firm is pushing ahead with investments throughout
Europe and Asia, hoping to increase its cellular operating
capacity and raise its international revenues to 30 percent of
the total. He added that's a key reason why it wants to spin-out
its regulated phone networks in California and Nevada, saying
he doesn't think the capital required can be raised given
restrictions on the company.

In fact, the counter-argument is that only a Bell company's huge
capital base can generate the capital needed to aggressively move
overseas. None of the other six regional Bells has even hinted at
the kind of split between regulated and non-regulated businesses
which Pacific Telesis launched during the spring.

But, as on previous occasions when Ginn has raised the subject,
Wall Street responded to the talk by bidding up stock in PacTel by
$1 per share, more than two percent. Shareholders would get a
large short-run gain if a company like PacTel spun-out its
unregulated information services, cellular services, and
international  businesses. That would create a new stock issue
with a high earnings multiple, based on the fast growth of those
enterprises. But it would also create a new company with a
weaker capital structure, without billions in revenues from
regular phone service customers to back new debt issues.

On the other hand, those capital requirements may not be as large
as they once seemed. PacTel has revised its cost estimates for
the German system downward, from a total of $2 billion to $800
million, pegging the cost of its stake at $200 million. That's a
lot of money, but quite sustainable based on its US cellular
revenues.

Separately, PacTel's California cellular operations opened a new
entertainment number in conjunction with KMPC radio, Los
Angeles'  most popular talk-radio station. The KMPC Radio Sports
Talk Line lets callers on its system speak directly to the station's
on-air personalities and sports figures.  Other entertainment-
related services offered on the network, for the cost of a regular
cellular call, include local movie information cross-referenced
by title, location and theater, and details from Theatre L.A. on
concerts, theater, dance and other arts offerings in the Los
Angeles area.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920709/Press Contact: PacTel Cellular,
Bonnie Crail, 714/222-7914; Pacific Telesis, Susan Rosenberg,
510/210-3910)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00014)

Silly Season Opens For Long Distance Promotions 07/09/92
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 9 (NB) -- Summer,
when  attention spans waver and consumers head for hills and
beaches, is traditionally a time when market promotions get
a little  silly. As the long distance calling market gets more
promotion-oriented, it's joining the silliness.

Item one. Sprint launched a program with Sony called "It's Time
To Talk." The deal is you get up to two hours of free Sprint long
distance calling with the purchase of a Sony telephone or
answering machine. The promotion runs through the end of the
year. Sprint also sent word of a survey from the
Telecommunications Research and Action Center of Washington,
D.C., claiming its "The Most" calling plan offers greater savings
with fewer restrictions than competing plans.

MCI has gotten a good deal sillier. The company launched a
promotion with Frito-Lay that offers consumers free long-
distance calls with purchases of Frito-Lay potato chips. This
one is called "The New Taste Worth Talking About" and comes in
specially marked family-sized bags of chips on grocery store
shelves. To get 15 minutes of free service, consumers must call
the toll-free 800 numbers on the package to get a certificates,
which can only be used in conjunction with an MCI calling card. In
May the company participated in a Mother's Day promotion with
Procter & Gamble paper products.

The silliness award, however, goes to AT&T, which claims this is
its sixth year with the following promotion. "To help consumers
celebrate Bastille Day, one of France's most notable holidays,
AT&T announced that direct-dialed calls made from Atlanta to
France all day July 14 will cost just $1.15 for the initial
minute and $0.65 for each additional minute -- more than one-
third off AT&T's standard-rate period prices."

On a somewhat more serious note, marketing consultant David
Berger of Ann Arbor, Michigan, claims to have found a loophole in
network billing practices that will let you make very long long-
distance calls within a single area code for just 8.2 cents. It's
all in his new book, "Tele-communication Techniques," going for
$14.95 in area bookstores.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920709/Press Contact: David A. Berger,
Value Added Services, 313-741-4835; Gene Regan, AT&T,
404-810-8657; Robin Pence, Sprint, 202-828-7454; Tracy
Powers, Sony, 212-697-9191; MCI, 800-289-0073)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00015)

Cellular Data Announces Billing Services Deal With EDS 07/09/92
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 9 (NB) -- Cellular
Data, which has been trying to launch a packet data network in
the small bandwidths between cellular calling channels, has
signed a billing services agreement with General Motors' EDS unit.

According to the company, EDS will provide a billing system that
delivers cost-effective billing when the customer information
required for billing is relatively minimal, and could provide a
larger system down the road.

CDI has patents on technology that allows cellular data to
be transmitted without interference with voice channels by
utilizing bandwidth between the voice channels.  The data
streams would run at 2,400 bits-per-second (bps), and could be
used for the kinds of financial "bursts" which represent 90
percent of current packet net traffic. CDI has proposed sharing
all revenues from its network with cellular phone operators, but
has signed an agreement only with a small Colorado operator for
a test system. Most operators have agreed to try IBM's Celluplan
technology, which promises 19,200 bps service using full calling
channels when they're not in use.

According to John R. Harris, president of EDS' Communications
Industry Division, the CDI technology would be ideal for things
like monitoring security systems, handling bank money machine
and credit card authorizations, and for some mobile personal
computer usage. The company's EDS NET unit, which provides
private digital networks, will be used to provide the service
to Cellular Data and its cellular operator customers.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920709/Press Contact: Cellular Data,
Miklos Korodi, 415/964-5474)

(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00016)

UK: Wyse Ships 50MHz 486DX2-Based PC 07/09/92
TWYFORD, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1992 JUL 9 (NB) -- Confirming
plans announced at the Which Computer? Show earlier this year,
Wyse Technology has begun shipping its 50 megahertz (MHz)
Decision 486/DX2 machines in the UK. Based around Intel's "clock
doubling" technology, the 50MHz 80486-based machine prices
from UKP 1,885.

In parallel with the shipment of the 50MHz version, Wyse
officials said they plan to ship a 66MHz system later this year,
probably towards the back end of the year rather than later in
the summer.

Mark Jordan, Wyse's general manager for Northern Europe, said
that this new machines represents the next generation in 486
computing terms.

"By using Intel's speed doubler technology, which allows the
internal speed of the processor to be double that of the rest of
the system, we can dramatically shorten our development cycle
and make these powerful systems available to customers more
quickly," he said.

Four configurations of the Decision 486/DX2 system are initially
available in the UK. Two of the machines are floppy-only, with a
choice of 3.5- or 5.25-inch high density drives, two megabytes
(MB) of memory and an interface for up to two AT embedded-
controller hard disk drives. Both these systems sell for
UKP 1,885.

Two hard disk options - 110MB and 300MB - complete the current
family. The 110MB version is based around a one inch 110MB
embedded controller hard disk drive and costs UKP 2,295. The
300MB version includes a 5.25-inch 16 millisecond hard drive
occupying one Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus slot.

(Steve Gold/19920709/Press & Public Contact: Wyse
Technology - Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LON)(00017)

UK: Info Shortage/Too Much Paper, Says Business Report 07/09/92
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1992 JUL 9 (NB) -- Almost 70 percent of
organizations believe that they have too much paper (the bulk of
which they generate themselves), according to the latest report
on Information Management from Touche Ross Management
Consultants (TRMC).

Those same companies also list their top problem as not having
enough space to store their records. According to TRMC, one
organization with 2,000 employees dealt with 45 tonnes of
incoming mail last year, yet managed to generate 48 tonnes of
outgoing mail through its post room. That equates, Newsbytes
calculates, to around 25 kilos of paper per person a year.

One of the major findings of the report shows that, despite the
paper mountain, most companies are starved of information, due
to the poor management of their records. TRMC's report found
that less than 60 percent of staff have the right amount of
information to do their job properly.

"We conducted the survey to confirm our belief that businesses
are suffering costs by not managing information successfully,"
explained David Best, a partner in TRMC. "We know that there are
significant benefits to be achieved and we wanted to see if we
could identify them and identify any of the pitfalls encountered
along the way," he added.

TRMC managed to persuade more than 250 companies to respond
to its survey, from a wide range of public and private
organizations. The key findings of the report, the company
claims, highlight many of the current problems experienced
with Information Management and the trends in media and
technology associated with it.

Other major findings of the report were:

A dramatic growth in the use of electronic data and office
systems is expected, with almost 70 percent of companies
foreseeing high use by the end of the decade, compared with
under 20 percent at the moment. The report identified that
there is a definite trend in optical storage, but not to the
exclusion of other media.

Although 67 percent of organizations use telecommunications
to move documents nationally, only 16 percent have
Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) links. There is also
a tendency for international companies to view the electronic
movement of documents as a replacement for moving paper
than those operating solely in the UK.

Voice recognition is still in its infancy and its seems that
71 percent of companies have no plans to implement it.

More than a third of organizations use executive information
systems (EIS) or alternative methods to obtain top level views
of corporate information. Traditionally aimed at the private
sector, there is an increasing demand for these tools by public
sector bodies, fuelled by the creation of executive agencies
by the British Government.

Copies of the report are available from TRMC's Fleet Street
London office for UKP 95.

(Steve Gold/19920709/Press & Public Contact: TRMC - Tel:
071-936-3000)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00018)

Wordperfect Office 3.1 For PC LANs Ships In UK 07/09/92
ADDLESTONE, SURREY, ENGLAND, 1992 JUL 9 (NB) --  Wordperfect
UK has announced that Office 3.1 for PC LANs is now shipping. The
electronic mail and scheduling package has been updated to cope
with most other office automation software, including gateway
connections.

Pricing on the package starts at UKP 149 for what Wordperfect
calls an "upgrade pack." Five user licenses cost UKP 359, with
20 and 100 user licenses available on request. According to
Wordperfect, WP Office for PC LANs includes several new and
updated features, including folders, program launchers, Mail for
Windows and Remote Mail.

Folders is a feature that allows mailboxes to be sorted easily
into incoming and outgoing sets of files, the company claims.
Both system (network) and personal folders can be created.
Program launchers, meanwhile, allow other software to be
executed from within WP Office for PC LAN, without the need
to exit the package.

Mail for Windows allows multiple message windows to be
open on the screen at the same time. If Wordperfect for Windows
or Mail for Windows is used, then electronic mail from within
Windows can be generated from within the Windows environment.

Remote Mail is perhaps the most interesting new feature of
version 3.1 of the package. Using the facility, users can carry
out all the local options on mail messages (read, reply, create),
but using a modem link. Users can prepare messages off-line,
accessing Remote Mail at high speed when required.

The step to version 3.1 is an important one according to David
Godwin, general manager for sales and marketing with the
company, because it creates a bridge between DOS, Mac, Unix,
VMS and Data General systems for the exchange of e-mail and
scheduling services.

"The package is essential for any organizations which are using
or considering PC networks and/or a verity of multi-user
platforms and who would like to use global mail and scheduling
across those platforms," he said.

(Steve Gold/19920709/Press & Public Contact: Wordperfect
UK - Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00019)

Compuadd Cuts Prices, Intros New Low-Cost PCs 07/09/92
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 9 (NB) -- Compuadd Computer
Corporation has joined a growing list of PC makers introducing
new lines of low cost computers and cutting the prices of
existing models.

Compuadd said its new "V" series of personal computers will be
available in August , with prices for the seven models in the line
starting at $899 for a 386-based 25 megahertz (MHz) system with
one megabyte (MB) of RAM and a 40MB hard drive. The 325s also
has one floppy drive, five expansion slots, three drive bays, a
monochrome monitor and DOS 5.0. A color VGA monitor adds $100.

The company also announced five new models for its current
product line. Three of the five will use Intel microprocessors,
while the other two are based on Cyrix microprocessors. Cyrix
has recently entered the microprocessor chip market by
introducing lower priced chips to compete with Intel's
domination of the market.

Compuadd said prices on its existing models will be reduced
from three to 16 percent effective immediately.  Compuadd
announced price cuts of nine to 19 percent in February, and
followed in April with reductions up to 30 percent.

The new family's top-of-the-line is a 450DX2 Cyrix-based tower
unit which uses Intel's 25 MHz with speed doubling technology
to make it the equivalent of a 50 MHz unit. It has eight expansion
slots and is priced at $2,399.

Compuadd CEO Bill Hayden said the announcements: "signal
Compuadd's resolve not to concede an inch of ground when it
comes to value for the price and customer satisfaction."

With the price cuts, Compuadd said its 325s desktop equipped
with 2MB of RAM and a 40MB hard drive will now sell for $1,154,
down from $1,379. the 425s with 4MB of RAM and an 80MB hard
drive has been reduced nine percent, to $1,985, and the 433e
tower with 4MB of RAM and a 200MB hard disk also dropped
nine percent, to $2,964.

The company said new support feature include round-the-clock,
seven-day a week, free technical support and a toll-free fax line
for customers to request technical assistance. Compuadd said
faxed queries will receive a response within two hours. The
company also offers four-hour response for multi-vendor
networks, and a disaster recovery program for customers with
large computer operations. The disaster recovery program
options include backup telephone support, real estate relocation,
and remote data storage. Novell-certified trainers are also
available.

(Jim Mallory/19920709/Press contact: John Pope, CompuAdd,
512-250-2000; fax [phone]; Reader contact
800-456-3116)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00020)

NCR Cuts Workstation/Server Prices Up To 30 Percent 07/09/92
DAYTON, OHIO, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 9 (NB) -- NCR Corporation has
announced that it is reducing system prices by as much as 30
percent on its workstation and server products. It said it is also
offering a two year warranty for its entire workstation line.

NCR said it will cut prices up to 30 percent on its 486-based
System 3330 workstation using the AT data bus, up to 24 percent
reduction on its Micro Channel-based 3335 and 3345 486-based
workstation, and up to 15 percent off on the System 3445 and
3447 486-based deskside servers.

The company is also offering free on-site service for the first
year, free depot maintenance for the second year, and users can
upgrade to on-site service during the first year for a nominal
charge. NCR also offers service agreements after its warranties
have run out. Buyers also have access to toll free telephone
support for the life of the product. NCR said hotline support will
provide assistance with configuration questions and trouble-
shooting for hardware and operating system problems.

NCR said its new entry-level PCs will be released during the
fourth quarter of this year. Assistant VP of workstation products
Gary Horning told Newsbytes that the new line CPU's (central
processing units) would offer basic configurations of two
expansion slots and two drive bays, or three slots and three
drive bays. Horning said neither system would be upgradable.

The new systems are based on Intel's 386SX 25 megahertz (MHz)
microprocessor. Memory configuration can go up to 16 MB of RAM.
Horning said at present the maximum size hard drive available is
a 340MB drive. "But who knows by that time (the fourth quarter)
the way things keep growing," Horning said.

NCR will not bundle a monitor with the system, but said the
customer will be able to select from one of NCR's eight
monochrome or color displays. Horning said the systems will
be built in the Far East, but did not specify the supplier's name.

Horning said prices for the new units would be comparable
with Compaq's recently announced price reductions, and would
include additional features and enhanced customer support.

(Jim Mallory/19920709/Press contact: Gary Horning, NCR,
513-445-6494)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEN)(00021)

Motorola Announces Embedded Industrial-Use Computer 07/09/92
TEMPE, ARIZONA, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 9 (NB) -- Motorola has
announced an embedded computer the company describes as a
low-cost, high performance, flexible CPU (central processing
unit) that can be custom-configured for a variety of industrial
control and automatic test equipment applications.

Designated the MVME162, Motorola says the unit bridges the gap
between its embedded controllers and single board computers. It
uses  either the MC68040 or MC68LC040 complex instruction set
computer  (CISC) microprocessor with an I/O (input/output)
expansion interface to perform tasks such as telling a factory
robot exactly how to handle a task in a manufacturing
environment.

Interface and memory options are available, and the system can
also add optional Ethernet, SCSI (Small Computer System
Interface), VME interface and memory. I/O expansion is handled
by using mezzanine boards, and more than 25 I/O expansion
options are available.

Four available memory configurations include one or four
megabytes (MB) of shared DRAM (dynamic random access memory)
with programmable bytewide parity, and 128 kilobytes (KB) to
two MB of SRAM (static RAM) with on-board backup. Two on-board
serial channels are available to support synchronous or
asynchronous protocols. Both channels are programmable to 19.2
Kb per second. Motorola also offers an optional busless version,
without the VME interface and connectors.

Motorola's Barbara Patterson told Newsbytes that because the
162 is busless, it can be used in vending machines, factory
controls, data collection, and many other functions.  Patterson
said the 162 is the link that permits communication from the
factory floor to a real-time environment.  It allows managers
to gather information and analyze it to determine what is
happening on the factory floor.

Motorola said the unit will be available in volume starting in
November, with a price "well below $1,000."

Motorola also announced that it has formed a strategic alliance
with Michigan-based Acromag Inc., for the two companies to
work together in providing VMEbus-based control systems for
industrial automation applications. Motorola said the agreement
combines Acromag's expertise in process monitoring and control
with Motorola's experience in system controller boards and
real-time software systems. Acromag's products are used in
nuclear reactors, military flight simulators, robotics, and high-
speed packaging operations.

(Jim Mallory/19920709/Press contact: Barbara Patterson,
Motorola, 602-438-3576)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEN)(00022)

HDTV To Be Used At NY Democratic Convention 07/09/92
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A.,1992 JUL 9 (NB) -- When the
Democratic convention delegates meet at Madison Square Garden
next Monday, they will be able to follow all the happenings on
HDTV (high definition television). It will be the first time
convention events have been captured on the emerging digital
technology.

AT&T and Zenith Electronics will combine their efforts to
provide the coverage using specially designed HDTV cameras.
Zenith spokesperson Gordon Zwirkowski told Newsbytes that
the images will be piped live to a special 32-inch prototype
wide-screen monitor in the VIP area.  He said a 27-inch
conventional television set will be next to the HDTV set for
comparison purposes.

A HDTV demo showing various taped scenes such as a basketball
game and scenic views will be running in another area on a
52-inch projection TV.  Some of the demo tapes will be the
same ones used in the Zenith/AT&T test.

As reported by Newsbytes, the Zenith/AT&T system was
successfully tested in an over-the-air test recently. The images
were beamed about 75 miles from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to
Zenith's headquarters in Glenview, Illinois. Zenith Electronics
said that's about 25 miles further than conventional TV
stations primary broadcast area.

The combined AT&T/Zenith Electronics HDTV system, called
digital spectrum compatible HDTV, is one of four digital
systems now being considered for selection by the Federal
Communications Commissions the US HDTV transmission
standard. HDTV is expected to be available commercially by
1995.

Zenith said it developed the system definition and transmission
technology, while AT&T Bell Laboratories came up with the
design and implementation of the necessary video compression.
AT&T Microelectronics was responsible for the digital signal
processing.

Due to the high cost of research and development, all of the
systems vying for FCC approval are conglomerates of two or
more companies. All participants have agreed to share the
revenue from the successful system, to help offset those
costs.

AT&T said is also installing an Electronic Voting System with
touch-screens that will expedite voting by the delegates.

(Jim Mallory/19920709/Press contact: John Taylor, Zenith
Electronics, 708-391-8181; Robert Ford, AT&T Bell Labs,
3201-564-4260; Mary Lou Ambrus, AT&T Microelectronics,
908-771-2825)
(NEWS)(GOVT)(LAX)(00023)

 ****Microsoft Court Order Against Z-Nix Reversed 07/09/92
POMONA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 9 (NB) -- Microsoft's
temporary injunction prohibiting Z-Nix from offering Windows 3.1
with its mouse hardware and charging the company with illegally
selling the software without the mouse hardware, has been
reversed, Z-Nix said. Z-Nix is saying the Microsoft suit is over
competition -- the Z-Nix Mouse versus the Microsoft Mouse --
and not over any real licensing issues.

US District Court Judge David Kenyon, the judge who originally
granted the order, reversed it saying, "[Z-Nix] has rebutted most,
if not all of Microsoft's allegation. The court thinks that the
defendants have presented too many reasonable explanations for
their activities to find that the plaintiffs are likely to prevail
on the merits."

Thomas Chan, attorney for Z-Nix, said, "Microsoft's entire
case was based on innuendo and deception. Despite all their
undercover tactics, they were unable to come up with any
evidence that a single end-user who purchased the software in
violation of Z-Nix's license agreement."

The facts that lend credibility to Z-Nix's assertions are that in
1990 Microsoft and Z-Nix were fighting in court over the mouse
issue. Microsoft then claimed Z-Nix was guilty of patent
infringement by its Supermouse II product, as well as later
contract conditions for the bundling of the Supermouse with
Windows 3.0. Z-Nix counterclaimed that Microsoft kept changing
the conditions and upping the royalty rate in various generations
of contracts over the course of the last year.

In November of 1990 both companies agreed to drop allegations
against each other and Microsoft agreed to license Windows to
Z-Nix through the end of 1991, at which time both parties would
negotiate for renewal. That agreement ended six months ago.

Since February of 1991 Z-Nix has been shipping the Super Mouse
for the IBM and compatible personal computer (PC), a two-button
mouse using infrared technology for cordless operation and
powered by internal, rechargeable batteries. The company says
the product's batteries are  lifelong and the unit communicates
with the computer via a stand that doubles as a charger. In October
of last year Z-Nix started shipping a Macintosh version of the
product. Both products have been very successful, making the
company a $50 million operation, Z-Nix said.

However, Microsoft is asserting Z-Nix is in violation of the
licensing agreement by engaging in the widespread distribution
of a stand-alone version of Windows 3.1, marked as an upgrade
package, to users other than existing customers. When Microsoft
took action against Z-Nix late last month, a Microsoft
spokesperson, Katy Ehrlich, told Newsbytes that the actual
number of copies of Windows distributed illegally was difficult
to estimate until Z-Nix records were examined, but Microsoft
was estimating the numbers could run into the "hundreds of
thousands."

Ehrlich told Newsbytes that Microsoft delivered a "cease and
desist" letter on June 8, at which time it attempted to conduct an
audit as authorized in Z-Nix's licensing agreement. Microsoft said
Z-Nix refused access to its records, and discussions over the next
10 days failed to result in any progress in curbing the
unauthorized distribution. Microsoft then filed suit in order to
protect its copyrights.

Microsoft has also named software distributors Jactech
Corporation, Max Group, and PC Man, also known as Super 10 and
Super Computer. Principals of the four companies were named in
the suit as well.

Z-Nix says a reversal in a case like this is rare and even rarer is
Microsoft being reversed in this type of case. Chan said to his
understanding this is the first time that Microsoft has ever
been reversed in a case of this type.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920709/Press Contact: Michael Terpin, The
Terpin Group for Z-Nix, tel [phone], fax [phone];
Katy Ehrlich, Waggener Edstrom for Microsoft, 206-637-9097)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LAX)(00024)

 ****Intel/VLSI Plan 386 Processor For Handheld Computers 07/09/92
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 9 (NB) -- According to
market research firm SRI International, this is the year of the sub-
notebook computer. Intel says it is jumping on that bandwagon with
chip manufacturer VLSI Technology, and both companies plan to
work together to make chips based on Intel's 386 SL
microprocessor geared to the handheld computer market.

Handheld computers, which are variously referred to as
"personal information appliances," "personal digital assistants,"
"picocomputers," and other names, are an emerging class of highly
mobile handheld information management devices, Intel said.

Of course, Intel is making reference to terms coined by Apple
President John Scully in his announcement of the "Newton" and
the "Sweet Pea," PDA devices currently in the planning stages by
Apple. Intel says these devices in general are expected to be
communications-oriented, will offer multiple interfaces (pen,
voice, mouse, keyboard), be simple to use, and have a variety of
applications options. SRI International estimates this market
will grow to 17 million units annually by 1995, Intel added.

Intel says a 386-based subnotebook computer will make the unit
compatible with Intel X86-based computers now on the market, a
feature critical to the owners of the estimated the 100 million
such computers.

Intel announced it will license its Intel386 SL microprocessor
core to VLSI, who plans to integrate the core with its library of
personal computer Functional System Blocks (FSB). VLSI will use
this combination to design application-specific and customer-
specific chips for customers who are creating handheld
computers. Intel will make the chips, while VLSI produces the
other companion components, Intel said.

Handheld computers are springing up from manufacturers already,
but none are based on a chip as powerful as the 386. Zeos
announced last week it will be shipping a low-cost portable
handheld, DOS-compatible computer, while Gateway has announced
a DOS-compatible handheld unit with a hard disk drive. Poqet, now
owned by Fujitsu, has had a handheld DOS-compatible computer
on the market for some time, but the unit is pricey (in the $2,000
range).

(Linda Rohrbough/19920709/Press Contact: Pam Pollace, Intel,
tel [phone], fax [phone]; Barbara Kalkis, VLSI,
408-434-7726)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(NYC)(00025)

 ****New York Computer Crime Indictments 07/09/92
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 9 (NB) -- Otto G. Obermaier,
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, has
announced the indictment of five "computer hackers" on charges
of computer tampering, computer fraud, wire fraud, illegal wire
tapping, and conspiracy.

Named in the indictment were Julio Fernandez, 18, known as the
"Outlaw";  John Lee, 21, a/k/a "Corrupt"; Mark Abene, 20, a/k/a
"Phiber Optik"; Elias Lapodolous, 22, a/k/a "Acid Phreak"; and
"Paul Stira, 22, a/k/a "Scorpion". In addition to alleged specific
illegal acts involving computers, the five individuals were also
charged with conspiracy.

According to the indictment, the five were members of a group
known as  MOD (standing for either "Masters of Disaster" or
"Masters of Deception") and the goal of the conspiracy was "that
the members of MOD would gain access to and control of computer
systems in order to enhance their image and prestige among
other computer hackers; to harass and intimidate rival hackers
and people they did not like; to obtain telephone, credit,
information, and other services without paying for them; and to
obtain. passwords, account numbers and other things of value
which they could sell to others."

The indictment defines computer hacker as "someone who uses
a computer or a telephone to obtain unauthorized access to
other computers."

Obermaier stated that this investigation was "the first
investigative use of court-authorized wiretaps to obtain
conversations and data transmissions of computer hackers." He
said that this procedure was essential to the investigation and
that "It demonstrates, I think, the federal government's ability
to deal with criminal conduct as it moves into new technological
areas."

He added that the interception of data was possible only because
the material was in analog form and added: "Most of the new
technology is in digital form and there is a pending statute in the
Congress which seeks the support of telecommunications
companies to allow the federal government, under court
authorization, to intercept digital transmission. Many of you
may have read the newspaper about the laser transmission which
go through fiber optics as a method of the coming
telecommunications method. The federal government needs the
help of Congress and, indeed, the telecommunications companies
to able to intercept digital communications."

All of those indicted were charged with some type of
unlawful access to one or more of computer systems belonging to
the following: Southwestern Bell, BT North America, New York
Telephone, ITT, Information America, TRW, Trans Union, Pacific
Bell, the University of Washington, New York University, US West,
Learning Link, Tymnet and Martin Marietta Electronics Information
and Missile Group. Fernandez and Lee were also charged with
selling illegally obtained credit information to a person that
later re-sold the information to private detectives.

Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Fishbein announced that
Morton Rosenfeld has been indicted and pled guilty to purchasing
credit information and access codes from persons named "Julio"
and "John." Fishbein said that Rosenfeld, at the time of his arrest
on December 6, 1991, has approximately 176 TRW credit reports in
his possession. Rosenfeld, 21, pled guilty on June 24, 1992 and is
scheduled to be sentenced on September 9th. He faces a maximum
of five years imprisonment and a fine of the greater of $250,000
or twice the gross gain or loss incurred.

Fishbein also announced the outcome of a "separate but related
court action: Alfredo De La Fe, 18, pled guilty on June 19, 1992 to
the use and sale of telephone numbers and codes for private branch
exchanges (PBX's). De La Fe said that he had sold PBX numbers
belonging to Bugle Boy Industries to a co-conspirator who used the
numbers in a call-selling operation. He also said that he and a
person that he knew as "Corrupt" had made illegal long distance
conference calls. De La Fe faces the same maximum penalty as
Rosenfeld and is scheduled for sentencing on August 31.

Among the charges against the five charged as conspirators is
the allegation that Fernandez, Lee, Abene and "others whom they
aided and abetted" performed various computer activities "that
caused losses to Southwestern Bell of approximately $370,000.
When asked by Newsbytes how the losses were calculated,
Fishbein said that there was no breakdown beyond that stated in
the indictment: "expenses to locate and replace computer
programs and other information that had been modified or
otherwise corrupted, expenses to determine the source of the
unauthorized intrusions, and expenses for new computers and
security devices that were necessary to prevent continued
unauthorized access by the defendants and others whom they
aided and abetted."

In answer to a Newsbytes question concerning the appropriateness
of making an intruder into a computer system totally responsible
for the cost of adding security features "which possibly should
have been there to begin with", Obermaier said: "That theory
would make the burglar the safety expert since one can't have
people going around fooling around with other people's relatively
private information and then claiming that I'm doing it for their
good."

Paul Tough of Harper's Magazine followed up on the same topic
by saying: "In the Craig Neidorf case a regional telephone company
claimed that a document was worth over $100,000. When it was
found to be worth only $12, the case was thrown out. In view of
that, are you concerned that they (Southwestern Bell) may have
overreported?  In response, Obermaier said: "No, we are not
concerned. It's a matter of proof and, if the accused stand trial
and have a similar experience to, as happened the case you cite,
not in this district, then the results predictably will be the same."

Fishbein said that the conspiracy change carries a maximum
sentence of five years imprisonment while each of the other counts
(there are 10 additional counts) carries a maximum of five years
imprisonment and a fine of the greater of $250,000 or twice the
gross gain or loss incurred. A single exception is a count charging
Fernandez with possessing fifteen or more unauthorized access
devices. That count carries a maximum penalty of ten years
imprisonment.

In response to a statement by Alex Michelini of the New York Daily
News that: "What you've outlined, basically, except for the sales of
credit information, this sounds like a big prank, most of it",
Obermaier said: "Really, well, I suppose, if you can characterize that
as a prank but it's really a federal crime allowing people without
authorization to rummage through the data of other people to which
they do not have access and, as I point out to you again, the burglar
cannot be your safety expert. He may be inside and laugh at you when
you come home and say that your lock is not particularly good but I
think you, if you were affected by that contact, would be somewhat
miffed"

Obermaier also said that: "The message that ought to be delivered
with this indictment is that such conduct will not be tolerated,
irrespective of the age of the particular accused or their
ostensible purpose."

Others participating in the news conference were Raymond
Shaddick, United States Secret Service assistant director - Office
of Investigations; William Y. Doran, FBI special agent in charge,
New York criminal division; and Scott Charney, United States Dept.
of Justice, chief of computer crime unit. All stressed the
cooperation that had gone on between the various law enforcement
agencies during the investigation.

Charney told Newsbytes that, in spite of the fact that the search
warrants executed on Stira and Ladopoulos preceded those executed
on Lee and Fernandez by almost two years and that the last specific
allegation against Stira proceeds the first against Lee by 16
months and the first against Fernandez by 21 months, there is
evidence that links them together in the conspiracy. Charney also
told Newsbytes that the counts against Abene were not related to
a misdemeanor conviction in early 1991 for which he served
community service.

Those indicted have been asked to present themselves at New
York Service Services headquarters at 9:00 AM on July 8 for
fingerprinting.  Arraignment for the indicted is scheduled for
Thursday, July 16.

Abene told Newsbytes that while he couldn't comment on anything
related to the indictment until he obtained legal counsel, "I've
been participating in conferences with law enforcement personnel
and guest lecturing to college classes for the last year and a half.
In every case, I have said how those responsible for information
about us have the responsibility to protect that data. I have also
tried to explain the great difference between a true hacker and
a person who uses computers for criminal profit. I hope that I
have increased understanding with these efforts."

(Barbara E. McMullen & John F. McMullen/19920709/Press
Contacts: Federico E. Virella, Jr., United States Attorney's Office,
212 791-1955; Betty Conkling, United States Secret Service,
212 466-4400; Joseph Valiquette, Jr, Federal Bureau of
Investigation, 212 335-2715)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(ATL)(00026)

 ****AT&T Plans Entering Personal Digital Assist Market 07/09/92
BASKING RIDGE, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1992 JULY 9 (NB) -- AT&T
plans to announce July 13 an ambitious plan to enter the Personal
Digital Assistant market in competition with Apple's Newton.

The company has scheduled a news conference, hosted by former
AT&T computer chieftain Robert Kavner, at which it will reveal
details of its new product line, and announce an agreement with
Go Corp., makers of the PenPoint operating system, to support it.

Spokesman Andrew Meyers said "New York Times" reporter John
Markoff deserves credit for the early newsbreak. He pestered
AT&T executives in New Jersey after receiving an invitation to
the July 13 even through a California public relations agency.
Meyers, who sat in on interviews with Kavner, discussed the
project with Newsbytes.

"There's a three-pronged strategic view," Meyers said. "The first
point is we're announcing we'll enter this market for what we
call personal communicators. At the heart of the products we're
coming out with is a chip developed by AT&T, code-named Hobbit.
What's unique is it's both a computer and communications
processor -- communications is built-into the chip. It's faster
than anything else, and runs with very low power.

"Step two is a whole array of products built around the chip.
Go's is the first relationship, but we're talking with a number
of other companies to put together the entire vision. Things like
devices that act like a secretary in your hand, or a calendar,
scratchpad you can scribble on, some sort of invisible
communications can let your scribbles appear on soneome else's
pad. These are not wireless computers, or pen-based computers
that communicate. These are completely different animals. These
are personal communicators that have computing power. There's no
reference because they never existed before. Computers that do
stuff are for people that use computers. These are for regular
people.

"The third step is a wireless network from AT&T EasyLink
Services," which could compete with RAM Mobile Data, ARDIS,
and cellular operators. "What they're doing is building a network
service to send handwritten notes that would have cellular
capability. It's like a beeper on your belt. Something
communicates to you."

In that way, the network works like RAM and ARDIS, both of which
sell devices that can receive messages unattended. However, the
new net's ability to handle handwritten notes is unique, Meyers
pointed out. "AT&T has for the last year been putting together a
new business unit around wireless technologies. There are test
frequencies allocated, and we're going forward using AT&T
frequencies which were used for other purposes in the past, but
which are unused at the moment," using prototypes to run test
data.

Meyers acknowledged that Kavner did get a good dig in about
Apple Chairman John Sculley, who announced the Newton to great
fanfare at the Summer CES show in Chicago. "He did make a
comment about Sculley, when asked whether this was the same
thing he was talking about. It's a legitimate point. Apple wants
mind share -- they held up a box without guts in it. We've been
keeping fairly quiet, and on Monday we'll discuss it in detail.

"A few other questions were raised about why we were so quiet,"
Meyers added. "We didn't see any benefit in mind share vs market
share, but we do see product delivered in 12 months. Initial
devices will cost a few thousand dollars, but within a year we'll
see them costing less than one thousand. We see Steno pad-sized
devices in six months, and eventually devices that fit in a shirt
pocket. There are prototypes, and they work great.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920709/Press Contact: Kevin Compton,
AT&T, 408-522-4099)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00027)

Database World: DataPalette Multimedia Pkg For Mac 07/09/92
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A.  1992 JUL 9 (NB) -- 1stDesk
Systems has rolled out a package for quickly developing,
modifying, and accessing relational databases -- made up of
multimedia, text or numbers -- on the Macintosh.

Robert C. Clark, 1stDesk's sales manager for Macintosh database
software, told Newsbytes that DataPalette lets the user build
databases ranging from dates, numbers, and sequential lists to full
text documents, pictures, sounds, and QuickTime movies -- all by
following a simple three-step process.

Records and data relationships within the database can be quickly
changed, and searches can be carried out with ease, added Clark,
in an interview with Newsbytes last week at Database World.
DataPalette can be accessed either locally or by modem, he
reported.  The remote access is made possible through 1stBBS,
another package from 1stDesk.

In developing a database with DataPalette, the first step is to
construct a form, Clark stated.  "The second step is to build a
file, and the third is to put together the relational database," he
explained.

Contacted later, Jim Myette, a member of 1stDesk's technical staff,
told Newsbytes that forms can either be created with DataPalette or
imported as PICT files from a scanner or outside graphics program.
Once the form has been established, said Myette, the user sets such
attributes as data name and type, and employs a built-in filter to
define how data will be displayed.  "The filter might be used, for
example, to determine whether a date will appear as 3/9/92 or
March 9, 1992," he illustrated.

Next, the user exercises a feature that creates a file from the
form, the 1stDesk officials said.  The desired records are then
entered into boxes on the form, and at the same time saved
automatically into the file.  Dates, numbers and lists go in "as
is," while pictures, full documents, sounds, and QuickTime
movies are input as path names only -- but in all cases, the
information is entered as fields.

QuickTime full-motion video clips remain stored in the system
folder, and the pictures, full documents and sounds stay in the
programs where they originated.  "We don't want to encumber
the database with these large files," commented Clark.

In the final stage of database development, the user accesses
another component of the program to carry out "appends" and
"joins," forming relationships among the data.  A time-saving
capability called MacroAccess will store the procedures involved
in an append or join under a single icon.  The icon can then be
accessed directly from the main menu.

Links among data can be rearranged any time after the database
is initially developed, the officials told Newsbytes.  Records can
be modified and searches can be conducted either just before
the data relationships are formed, or at some point afterward.

For editing purposes, the user employs the Navigational Palette, a
menu that can be pulled down to sit side by side with displays of
pathnames or actual records.  The palette is equipped with about
15 buttons, including delete record, undelete record, add record,
"move selected records to top of file," and "fuzzy find."  Fuzzy
find, a patented feature, lets searches be done when only some of
the needed information is known, supplying the user with as many
as 32 possible answers to a query.

"If you need a record for someone named 'John,' and you don't know
John's last name, you click on 'John' in the first name field, and
then click on 'find.'  The program will then go out and locate up
to 32 records where John is the first name," Myette told
Newsbytes.

DataPalette is priced at $395.  Runtime software, permitting the
display of completed databases, is available at $49 per package.

1stBBS, the program that provides remote access to DataPalette, is
priced at $195.  Additional capabilities of 1stBBS include a
bulletin board system, file transfer, electronic mail, and a file
conversion utility that enables remote access to other databases.

DataPalette runs on all Macintosh machines Mac Plus or higher
with one megabyte of RAM or greater, but System 7 is required
for databases incorporating Quicktime movies.  Shipment is
slated for July 15.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19920708; Press and Public Contact:  Robert C.
Clark, 1stDesk Systems, tel [phone])

(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00028)

TI India Opens Second SW Technology Park At Bangalore 07/09/92
BANGALORE, INDIA, 1992 JUL 9 (NB) --Among the first multinational
companies to come to India, in the wake of the liberalization phase
for computer policy in 1986, a 100 percent export unit and a
fully-owned subsidiary of Texas Instruments has consolidated its
presence. The recently inaugurated 33,000 square-foot new
software technology park will enable Texas Instruments India (TII)
to expand its IC (integrated circuit) design activities with
particular emphasis on application specific memories, for TI's
leading edge DRAM and nonvolatile semiconductor memory
technologies.

Initially, the company activities were concentrated on development and
support of proprietary computer-aided design (CAD) software systems
used for integrated circuit design by TI's semiconductor design centers
worldwide. Apart from ASICs and design automation, it has also
established in 1988, a Linear IC Design Center, as an extension to TI's
existing linear design activities worldwide - which focus on design
and characterisation of standard cell libraries for TI's LinAsICs.

The commercial software business, as part of TI's Information
Technology Group came up in 1990 to develop mainframe
transaction-based applications for TI and its customers
worldwide using TI's Information Engineering Facility's CASE tool.
But TII does not take up contractual on-site consultancy work.

All the software, designs and databases produced by TI India are
exported to the parent company via a dedicated 64 KB satellite link,
that heralded such a facility in India, and thus getting access to TI's
worldwide computer network for transmission of electronic mail
as well as software programs and data. The satellite link goes
from atop the Bangalore office to British Telecom's earth station
in Goon Hilly, UK, and then on to TI's unit in Bedford, which is just
north of London, and from where it's tied into TI's worldwide
network.

A trailblazer in the six years it has been around, TI has invested more
than eight million dollars. Its managing director, Thomas Mike Watson
Jr., for over the last three-and-a-half-years has had a path-breaking
job all along. He earned his reputation for it in the Indian software
community. Though he was all praise for the Department of
Electronics, on the eve of giving over the headship to the new
incumbent, Richard H. Gall, he goes back with a grouse, that his best
efforts to link his two offices - just a few hundred meters apart
have not met with success, thanks to the Department of
Telecommunications (DoT). The company is trying to link its two
sites by a 2MB microwave link. Going by the fast transformation
of the DoT, Watson's successor, Gall, can expect to have minimum
irritants. After all, TI is looked upon, even in the official circles,
as the harbinger of global investment in India's software dreams.

In view of last week's announcement of TI's resolve to create
one billion dollar software business, some of that business seems
likely to originate in India from its Information Technology
group.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19920708)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00029)

India-Russia Rocket Tech Deal: French Firms Offer Parts 07/09/92
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1992 JUL 9 (NB) -- French aerospace companies
have assured the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) of
supply of space components whose exports are banned by the U.S.,
reports PTI from Paris. Angered by the Indo-Russian rocket
engine deal, the U.S. declared sanctions against both ISRO and
Russia's Glavcosmos, last month.

Thomson-CSF and Matra of France are stepping in to substitute
the U.S. as major suppliers of space components to ISRO. The
ISRO chief, U.R. Rao, is reported to have discussed with officials
of these companies in Paris last week, before leaving for Kourou
island to watch the launch of India's Insat-2A communications
satellite, scheduled for tomorrow (10 July).

Thomson-CSF's director of space Michael Traizet told PTI: "We
would be pleased to help out ISRO. We and ISRO are already
partners and we are now prepared to go further and work more
closely with ISRO." The discussions are believed to be around
supply of travelling wave tubes (TWT), radiation-hardened
semiconductor devices and charge-coupled memory devices for
India's next series of IRS satellites.

Apart from Thomson-CSF, the only other two manufacturers of
TWTs are Hughes Corporation of the U.S. and a German company.
After the U.S. ban on ISRO, Hughes has refused to supply the TWTs.
The Thomson-CSF official said his company could not be
subjected to any pressure from the U.S., but said the supplies
will need the approval of the French government. A company team
is expected to visit Bangalore, ISRO's headquarters, next year for
more talks, the agency report said.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19920709)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00030)

Database World:  QBE Vision To Shipping As Standalone 07/09/92
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 JUL 7 (NB) -- Formula
OpenSoft AS's QBE Vision, a database tool for Windows already
shipping in a network version, will soon be released as a
standalone product, Newsbytes has learned.

R. Param Parameswaran, president of Coromandel, the North American
representatives for the Norway-based vendor, told Newsbytes that
the standalone edition of QBE Vision is now in beta testing, and
will start to be delivered in both North America and Europe within
the next two months -- together with a "cookbook" of example
applications to supplement the regular documentation.

On the market for several months in Europe now, and since June
within the U.S. and Canada, the network version of the applications
development/database management/query and reporting tool
experienced its North American trade show debut last week at
Database World.

According to Parmeswaran, the network version runs on PC clients
only, interoperating with such SQL servers as Sybase for Unix, VMS
and NetWare, Microsoft for OS/2, and Oracle for a range of
platforms.  In contrast, the standalone edition will incorporate a
proprietary database, to be dubbed Integra, that will be able to
access DBase and Novell Btrieve files directly, without exporting
or importing.

"Integra will be like a local version of an SQL server," noted
Parmeswaran.  The standalone version of QBE Vision will be
compact enough to fit on a laptop, he added.

Both editions are being aimed at a wide gamut of customers, he
said, ranging from database professionals, who can use the product
for either applications development or database management, to end
users, who are more likely to be drawn to its query and reporting
functions.

A key reason for the software's versatility is its "bilingual"
nature, stated Parmeswaran.  QBE Vision supports both
QBE (Query By Example), an intuitive, tables-based language first
popularized by IBM and Paradox, and the more formal and highly
structured SQL.

Formula Opensoft's product allows queries written in QBE to be
translated automatically into SQL.  Moreover, the user can view the
translation.  "In this sense, the software is a tutor.  If you know
the questions you want to ask, but you don't know the SQL syntax,
the system will show you," he commented.

In the end user and database management arenas, QBE Vision faces
no direct competition, but the same is not true in the applications
development market, Parmeswaran told Newsbytes.  The software is
the only QBE-based product to run on Windows, and the only one to
operate in the client/server environment, he asserted.

For database management, the software is unparalleled in the
Windows and client/server areas, both in user friendliness and
functionality, he claimed.  Data management features include the
ability to create predefined SQL queries and joins for end users,
and to easily add users, assign passwords, and restrict levels of
security.

But, acknowledged Parmeswaran, in certain instances of
applications development, other tools might be more effective.
"For 70 to 80 percent of all possible applications, our product is
a very appropriate tool, because it is very simple and capable, as
well.  For the remaining 20 to 30 percent of applications, though,
a power builder might be more in line," he told Newsbytes.

The upcoming standalone version is currently being beta tested by
professional developers, added Parmeswaran.  "We've already done
extensive testing on the other sides," he stressed.

In both the client/server and standalone editions, the flexibility
of QBE Vision extends right on down to the GUI (graphical user
interface) level, Parmeswaran suggested.  The front end that
comes with the product can be used right out of the box, or
customized by the user.  Alternatively, the user can develop an
even more tailored GUI from scratch.

The packaged GUI consists of a series of point-and-click menus, he
reported.  These include a database menu, where the user specifies
the database to be used; a query menu, offering a choice of QBL
tables;  a QBL table menu, where the user stipulates the
information to be extracted; a run option, which runs the query;
and a file menu, presenting a list of formatting options.

The GUI also offers hotlinks to Excel and Word for Windows,
enabling spreadsheet and word processing capabilities to be invoked
from right within the program.

The "cookbook" that will ship with the standalone edition will be
aimed at helping end users "grow" with the product by using more
and more of the available capabilities, explained Parmeswaran.
"The cookbook will consist of a series of example applications that
start out simple and become progressively more difficult," he told
Newsbytes.

The software operates on IBM-compatible PCs with 2 megabytes
RAM or higher running Microsoft Windows 3.0 or 3.1.  For the network
edition, client PCs must also be equipped with a network card and
such software as the Sybase or Microsoft DB-Library for Windows or
Oracle's SQLNet for Windows.

Pricing for the network edition is $900 per system, royalty free,
for unlimited users.  Pricing for the standalone version has yet to
be determined.

Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, Formula OpenSoft AS is a unit of
Norsk Data, a computer hardware manufacturer.  A list of European
distributors for QBE Vision is available through Coromandel.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19920709;  Press and Public Contact:  R. Param
Parmeswaran, Coromandel, tel [phone])