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/nb920910

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(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00001)

Sierra Warns Stockholders Of Disappointing Coming Qtr 09/10/92
COARSEGOLD, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 SEP 10 (NB) -- Sierra On-
Line says stockholders can expect the delayed shipment of the
company's flagship game product, King's Quest VI, to keep it
from meeting its profit goals for its second quarter.

Ken Williams, Sierra president and CEO said, "It's one of those
unfortunate cases where a delay of a few weeks in a product
development schedule will have significant impact on our second
quarter financial results." The company says it has a large
backorder for the game and expects shipment to be in October,
which should be in time to be on the shelves for the holidays.

The company had originally announced it would ship King's Quest
VI on September 30 along with Quest for Glory II, Red Baron
Mission Builder, a new version of Police Quest I, and Take-A-
Break! Crosswords. However, the shipment date for the King's
Quest has been delayed until mid-October.

Sierra has been well in the black, but has experienced
increasing expenses, the company said. The company has taken on
some ambitious projects, such as the construction of an on-line
graphically interfaced multiplayer amusement park called
"Larryland" offered on its Sierra On-Line bulletin board
service (BBS). To raise money for the amusement park and for
investments in art and technology for its other planned titles,
the company offered 1,500,000 shares more of its common
stock last March at $17.50 a share for a total of 6,888,000
outstanding shares.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920909/Press Contact: Bruce Grant, Sierra,
tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00002)

Thomas-Conrad Offers 5-Year Warranties On Net Cards 09/10/92
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1992 SEP 10 (NB) -- Thomas Conrad Corp.,
is expanding its customer service efforts with an announcement
that gives all of their network adapter cards a full five-year
warranty period.

"Customer support is our foremost priority," said Lorraine Thirion,
vice president of marketing at Thomas-Conrad. "The five-year
warranty amplifies our high level commitment to offering our
customers the highest quality product and the ability to protect
and add value to their investment in Thomas-Conrad products."

The five-year warranty begins from the day that the adapter card
is purchased. To receive warranty work, the customer need to have
either completed and sent the warranty registration card that
comes in the package, or provide some other proof of date of
purchase.

The new warranty policy became effective on September 1 with
all Thomas-Conrad adapters sold after that date being covered.
This includes their Ethernet, Token Ring, TCNS, and Arcnet
adapters.

(Naor Wallach/19920910/Press Contact:Marty Kulczyk, Thomas-
Conrad, 512-836-1935, 800-332-8683/Public Contact: Thomas-
Conrad, 800-332 8683, 512-836-1935)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00003)

Software Grove Plans Networking For Message Pad Pkg 09/10/92
KIRKLAND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1992 SEP 10 (NB) -- Software
Grove is the company that designed and sold the "While You Wait"
program which was an electronic message pad for receptionists
and secretaries under Windows. The company has decided to
change the name of the product and is in the process of developing
a network-capable version of the program.

The program would be opened as a Windows application. When a
phone call comes in and a message needs to be taken, the user can
quickly reactivate it and type in the information. This would
eliminate the twin problems of hunting around for the pad and for
a pen or pencil to write, along with the writing's legibility.
Other benefits of the program included the ability to have the
messages stored in the program's database and thereby be
retrievable at any future time should the need arise.

Software Grove has also decided to change the program's name.
From now on the program will be known as Software Grove
Messages. No formal reason was given for the change. Company
spokespeople deflected questions on this subject by saying, "we
think it sounds better."

Newsbytes has also learned that Software Grove is preparing a
networked version of the product to be revealed at the fall Comdex
show. According to knowledgeable sources within the company,
such a version can be expected to work with most of the more
popular network operating systems today and allow the secretary
to jot down the note and have it delivered automatically to the
person's desk. Mailing lists and other features are also being
planned for the new release.

(Naor Wallach/19920910/Public Contact: Software Grove,
206-823-0833, 800-793-0040)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00004)

IBM PS/1 Moves Get Cautious Reception 09/10/92
FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 SEP 10 (NB) -- IBM
has got the pricing right on its new PS/1 personal computers, for
the time being at least. As for the company's over-all PC strategy,
industry analyst Kimball Brown is taking a wait-and-see attitude.

Brown, director of personal computer hardware research for
research firm International Data Corp., told Newsbytes that IBM's
announcement of 21 new PS/1 models showed that the company is
serious about competing with low-cost clonemakers on price.

IBM introduced 21 new PS/1 models September 9, divided into three
lines that each contain variants of the same seven machines. Of
those seven units, three desktop machines are based on the Intel
386SX processor, three on the 486SX, and one on the 486DX. The
remaining machine is a notebook unit using a low-power 386SL
chip.

IBM does not publish suggested retail prices for the PS/1 line.
However, company spokesman Ralph Hammock said the 386SX-
based models are expected to sell for $1,199 to $1,599 in the
United States, the 486SX models will be in the $1,599 to $1,899
range, and the 486DX model will sell for $2,800 to $2,900. The
PS/Note machines will sell in the $2,100 to $2,200 range,
Hammock said.

Brown said those prices are competitive for the time being, though
he added that "it's not a static game." But he also said IBM must
learn to respond to the market faster, noting that it took the
company three months to respond to moves that arch-rival
Compaq, of Houston, made in June.

There is little sign that IBM's recent decision to reform its
personal systems operation as a quasi-independent unit will help,
Brown said. It would have been better to move the personal systems
unit well away from IBM headquarters -- say to Boca Raton, Florida,
the birthplace of the IBM PC -- than to keep it in Somers, New
York, in the heart of IBM country, he said. And "there's no shift
in the people running it.... They're not getting anywhere -- it's
really depressing."

Commenting on the new PS/1 machines, Brown said the decision to
bundle most of the models with Microsoft's Windows operating
software rather than IBM's own OS/2 operating system simply
reflected the state of the market. "What do customers want to buy?"
he asked rhetorically -- "they're using Windows applications."

IBM admits as much -- spokesman Hammock said putting OS/2 on
the new PS/1s at the moment would risk making people feel they
are being pushed into buying an operating system for which they are
not ready. But while IBM is optimistic that OS/2 will gain ground in
the PS/1's target small-business and home market, Brown is not.
"I doubt it severely," he said.

Brown said it is difficult to comment on IBM's over-all personal
computing strategy at the moment because there is more news
still to come. The company is expected to introduce a new "value
line" of low-priced, stripped-down PCs before the end of
September, and new PS/2 models are also expected in the next
few weeks.

(Grant Buckler/19920909)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(SYD)(00005)

Australian AI Software Fights Insects: Pestman 09/10/92
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1992 SEP 10 (NB) -- An artificial intelligence
software package developed by the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific
and Industrial Research Organization) to help grain farmers combat
insects has been announced. PestMan, currently in prototype stage,
allows the farmer or grain handler to track and combat insect
infestations.

Specifically targeted at the three main insects to infest Australian
grain stores, PestMan was developed using the expert knowledge of
CSIRO Division of Entomology principal research scientist Dr Barry
Longstaff. The bugs targeted are Rhyzopertha dominica (lesser grain
borer), Sitophilus oryzae (rice weevil), Oryzaephilus surinamensis
(saw-tooth grain beetle) and Tribolium castaneum (rust-red flour
beetle). Along with other insects, these cause approximately
AUS$40 million a year in damage to stored grains in Australia alone.

Developed using Focus Technologies' Level 5 Object expert system,
PestMan took around four weeks to complete. The fast turn-around
is attributed by Longstaff to the expert system and residual
information from two previous attempts on other systems which
failed. "A lot of the groundwork was there already from the earlier
versions, and it was only a matter of seeing which details needed to
be kept and which other details would be needed," Longstaff said.

The system, when complete, will allow "what-if" scenarios to be
entered to give grain keepers adequate information about grain
protection. The system has already been shown to Chinese officials,
and these were given a copy of PestMan to use as a template for a
parallel system. China loses approximately 20 percent of its grain
crops every year to insect infestations, and the officials showed a
great interest in the work done on PestMan.

(Sean McNamara/19920909)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(DEL)(00006)

India's Liberal Digital Switching Expansion Pays Off 09/10/92
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1992 SEP 10 (NB) -- What did India, or more
particularly, the Department of Telecommunications (DOT), gain
out of the liberalization drive and the resultant competitive
purchase policies of large digital exchanges? Some of the world's
best exchanges bought under the rupee payment, of course, but also
a huge saving of Rs 5.82 billion ($194 million) on the purchase of
650,000 lines in 1992.

A few months ago, when the government announced that it was
opening telecommunications to the private sector, global telecom
giants like AT&T, Fujitsu, Alcatel, Siemens, NEC, Ericsson, and GPT,
all showed their keenness to set up indigenous production facilities.
The government then asked for the competitive purchase of large
digital exchanges under rupee payment and the bidding opened.

Not satisfied with the highly competitive prices quoted by the
seven subsidiaries of multinationals, the DOT indicated its
intention to buy 300,000 lakh lines of exchanges at an all-
inclusive site price of Rs 5034 a line, which is Rs 350 less than
the lowest quotation by GPT of UK in partnership with K.K. Birla
group. The three selected bidders, Fujitsu, Ericsson and Siemens,
promptly accepted this price. DOT has also retained this price in its
enquiry to the three bidders for leasing 350,000 lines of exchanges.

What would have been the prices if there was no liberalization in
the switching field? The answer to this lies in the price recently
quoted by CIT Alcatel to Indian Telephone Industries Ltd. (ITI) for
supply of a 10,000-line E10B exchange. The site price of this
exchange is Rs 14,000 per line, compared to Rs 5,034-a-line
negotiated by DOT. It is, therefore, making a saving of Rs 8966-a-
line for the purchase of 650,000 lines. The total savings amount
to Rs 582 crore.

Up to less than a year ago, the whole of manufacturing of telecom
switches was the monopoly of the public sector, which has been
manufacturing E10B exchanges of CIT Alcatel. Now, if there was no
competition, ITI/DOT would have no other option left than to accept
this price (Rs 14,000 per line) and there would most probably have
been no price reduction in the subsequent years as is borne out by
the experience since 1982. In that year, DOT bought two hundred
thousand lines of now-outdated E10B exchanges from Alcatel under
a bilateral deal and asked ITI to enter into a technical collaboration
with the French telecom giant for indigenous production of these
switches.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19920909)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00007)

Japan: Casio Unveils Electronic Organizer For Kids 09/10/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 SEP 10 (NB) -- Japan's Casio has developed
an electronic organizer for children. It has regular organizing
programs as well as games and a telecommunication feature.

In a way, it is more advanced than some of the organizers for
adults. Casio's latest electronic organizer for children is called
the "JD-300 Junior". It is equipped with some advanced features --
a scheduler, an address book, a calculator, and a
telecommunication program.

It can exchange data between via infrared ray. Also, interestingly,
the address book supports graphic feature. It accepts to the input
of facial data along with the address, name and the phone number
of people. The facial graphic data can be created from a "montage"
method. Under this method, the organizer shows about 30 different
of parts of a face -- for instance, various noses, eyes, hair styles,
mouths and face outlines.

All the users have to do is to choose these parts and design the
face graphically on the organizer. Casio claims that with these
facial parts, over 100 billion kinds of faces can be designed.

The organizer also includes games and fortune telling. The price
of this organizer is higher than regular adult organizers. It is
retailed at 13,800 yen ($110). Casio hopes to ship 50,000 units
for the initial year.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19920909/Press Contact: Casio,
[phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TYO)(00008)

Japan: Seiko-Epson's Low-cost Notebook Printer Debuts 09/10/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 SEP 10 (NB) -- Seiko Epson has developed an
economical, high-quality notebook-type printer for personal
computers. It can be connected to a variety of personal computers
including the IBM DOS/V PC, Apple's Macintosh, and the NEC
PC-9801.

Seiko-Epson's latest printer is called the "Epson AP-700". Seiko-
Epson has incorporated its original technology called "hyper-
thermal printing", which can produce quality letters with fast
printing. The firm claims that this new printer can print 35
percent faster than regular thermal printers.

Also, Seiko-Epson says the running cost of this printer is about
half that of regular thermal printers. The retail price of the
printer is 79,800 yen ($640), which is the same price range as
Canon's powerful best-selling "bubble-jet" printer.

The AP-700 is an upright-type printer. So, it can be space-saving
in a small office. The letter looks clear with the resolution of 360
dots-per-inch. The printing speed is as fast as an ink-jet printer.
It can print 130 alphabetical letters and 86 kanji letters per
second.

The new printer is also equipped with a "cut-sheet feeder,"
Epson's original printer-control code called "ESC/P" and letter
fonts. With the cut-sheet feeder, it can print 50 pages of A4-size
paper continuously. It can also print post cards. Epson plans to
ship a total of 30,000 units for the initial year, starting on
November 7.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19920908/Press Contact:
Seiko-Epson, [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00009)

Japan: Sumitomo To Sell Virtual Reality Game Machine 09/10/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 SEP 10 (NB) -- Sumitomo Trading, a major
Japanese conglomerate, says it will begin to distribute a game
machine based on so-called "virtual reality" for amusement
facilities.

This virtual reality machine is developed by Chameleon
Technologies in Virginia. Sumitomo Trading will market this
virtual reality game machine under an exclusive license agreement
with Chameleon Technologies in the territory of Japan. This game
machine is a kind of simulator.

It has ten capsules which are hanging from steel arms. Each
capsule accommodates two persons, and has a large screen inside.
The user can operate it up and down, backwards and forwards, and
can turn around. It can be a different simulator just by just
replacing the software. For example, it can be a jet fighter or
an F1 racing car.

Chameleon Technologies is a subsidiary of the aerospace high-
tech simulator maker "Vada" in Virginia. The firm aims to develop
an amusement version of the simulator. Sumitomo has been
dealing with Vada concerning the aerospace products, and now
Sumitomo has decided to extend the business with this
subsidiary.

It is claimed that people can enjoy these amusement game
machines because they can give a feeling of reality which is
closer to the actual simulating machines used for astronauts
and pilots.

Sumitomo says this game simulator machine can be installed at
almost anywhere if there is a lot with a diameter of 14 meters
and four-meter space above the ground. Sumitomo will also
consider sub-licensing the product to third parties.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19920907/Press Contact:
Sumitomo Trading, [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(SYD)(00010)

Australia: Lexmark Sells 1,600 Laser Printers To Bank 09/10/92
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA 1992 SEP 10 (NB) -- The ANZ bank has
become the year's largest buyer of laser printers after signing
with Lexmark for 1,600 printers. The IBM Lexmark model 4029
machines will be installed in 1,500 branches.

"This is the largest Australian end-user contract Lexmark has
signed since we were formed 16 months ago." said Lexmark's
Australian Managing Director Peter O'Meara. " It reflects our
serious  commitment and ability to become a major player in
the laser printer market. The ANZ bank is installing one of the
most  advanced OS/2 installations in the world and it has been
an  exciting challenge to prove we could match their stringent
demands. Our fast, flexible service included asking the
development group to quickly tailor the machines to suit
specific ANZ banking requirements."

The printers will produce on-site documents using JetForm
software from Indigo Pacific. These forms will have head-office
information tailored to each bank customer's needs superimposed
over them, a feature which Lexmark claims will dramatically
reduce the need for pre-printed stationery to be created and
stored in each branch.

Each machine will have five megabytes of memory, PCL5 page
language, 200 sheet primary paper drawer, 500 sheet auxiliary
paper drawer, and an IBM Token Ring 4033 network connector.
Data transfer speed is claimed as 150,000 bytes per second from
the network to the printer. Lexmark said that ANZ tested several
major printer brands before choosing its products.

(Paul Zucker/19920909/Contact Lexmark Australia Tel.
[phone]     Fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00011)

Alisa Systems Offers Site Licensing For AlisaTalk 09/10/92
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 SEP 10 (NB) -- AlisaTalk is
one of the main components of Digital Equipment's PathWorks/Mac.
However, Alisa has been seeing increasing numbers of their
customers coming back to them and asking Alisa to support them
directly. There is even a trend of people buying Alisa's AlisaTalk
product directly just so they can get the support they want from
Alisa.

Alisa has always been happy to oblige such customers. However,
with the growing demand for this service, Alisa has decided to
take on the next logical step and become more aggressive in
selling AlisaTalk directly. The current announcement which
details Alisa's site licensing arrangements is one step in that
direction.

AlisaTalk is composed of four parts which together give the
customers everything they need to connect Macintoshes to
VAXes. AlisaShare is based on the VAX and performs the role of a
file server which is compatible with AppleShare. AlisaPrint gives
the users a VAX-based printer spooler and which can control both
Macintosh and VAX-based printers. AlisaTerminal is a VT terminal
emulator. And AlisaPrint Whistle is a small utility that notifies
Macintosh users when their print jobs are completed.

The new site licensing arrangements are as follows. There are
two levels called Site and Corporate. A Site license allows for the
use of AlisaTalk on any number of machines and with any number
of users as long as they are in close physical proximity to each
other. An example would be a multi-story building hosting
numerous departments or even a campus-like situation.

The Corporate license takes care of larger or more dispersed
organizations that support multiple sites and even across
national boundaries.

The Site license costs $7,500 and the Corporate license $15,000.
These are viewed as quite reasonable as the equivalent dollar
amount for Pathworks would support only 25 to 30 users.

(Naor Wallach/19920910/Press Contact: Eric Warren, Miller
Communications for Alisa, 310-822-4669/Public Contact: Alisa
Systems, 818-792-9474)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00012)

CrossComm Upgrades Internetworking Mgt System 09/10/92
MARLBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 SEP 10 (NB) --
Crosscomm Corp., is upgrading its network management platform,
known as Internetworking Management System (IMS), from
version 5.0 to 5.1.

The new version incorporates a couple of major changes to any
of the previous versions. First, it now runs under Windows 3.X
which allows the program to provide a very easy to use graphical
user interface. Secondly, it supports a topology map feature
which is not only graphical in nature but will also display and
manage IBM source routing bridges. This last is a unique
capability of IMS. Company officials are pointing to the fact that
they can do something here that IBM itself has not been able to
provide in its IBM LAN Network Manager product.

Not only does CrossComm claim to have beaten IBM, its also claims
to be the only company that can do IBM source routing bridge
management as most other companies are concentrating on SNMP
(simple network management protocol) and the IBM bridges are
managed by IBM's own LAN Manager. IMS version 5.1 supports both
SNMP MIBs and IBM's LAN Manager protocols so that it can be used
to manage a network with different devices from different vendors
and using different management protocols.

"These capabilities are significant because IBM source routing
bridges remain the predominant internetworking device for IBM
LANs, yet most sites now have a mixture of networking devices.
With an interface that easier to use than IBM LAN Network
Manager, companies can now integrate all their IBM, non-IBM and
SNMP devices into a single management view," said Greg Koss,
CrossComm's vice president of product marketing.

IMS version 5.1 is available immediately. The list price for a
new purchase is $4,995. Current users of IMS version 5.0 can
upgrade to 5.1 for a fee of $695.

(Naor Wallach/19920910/Press Contact: Christine LeCompte,
Beaupre & Co. for CrossComm, 603-436-6690/Public Contact:
CrossComm, 508-481-4060)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00013)

Japan: Toshiba Intros 32-Bit Pen-Input Computer 09/10/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 SEP 10 (NB) -- Toshiba has released a pen
computer, which supports GO Corporation's PenPoint 2.0J
operating system.

The size of this pen computer is extremely small, but it has a
powerful processor. It is reported to be cheaper than a similar
product from NCR.

Toshiba's latest pen computer is called the "Dyna Note". It is
B5-size and weighs only 1.4 kilograms, which is almost as light
as an average notebook-type personal computer. Yet, it is very
powerful with a 32-bit processor which is compatible with
Intel's chip. An MS-DOS-based pen-input operating system is
equipped with this pen computer. Toshiba has slightly modified
this operating system and has named it "Dyna Note MS-DOS V3.1"

The Dyna Note also supports Go's PenPoint 2.0J, which is a
Japanese language version of PenPoint operating system and is
scheduled for release in March 1993. Toshiba will also support
the Japanese version of Windows For Pens in the future.

The Dyna Note is equipped with a 16 gradation VGA (video graphics
array) monochrome display, which is 9.6-inches in size. The
display and the processor are said to offer energy-saving
capabilities. As a consequence, the pen computer is claimed be
capable of eight hours of use before recharging is necessary.

A 1.8-inch 40 megabyte (MB) hard disk and a four MB of RAM
are also equipped with the machine. It is also compatible with
Toshiba's J-3100 notebook-type computer, and a keyboard can
also be connected. Moreover, Toshiba has included a
telecommunication feature in the pen computer and it can be
hooked into a telephone line.

The retail price of this pen computer is 498,000 yen ($4,000).
This is cheaper than NCR Japan's Pen Computer and Wacom's
pen- input computer -- which cost 823,000 yen ($6,500) and
558,000 yen ($4,500) respectively.

The actual shipment of the Dyna Note will be in December, 1992,
according to Toshiba. Other Japanese firms including Matsushita
Electric, Fujitsu, and Canon are also planning to release pen-
input computers in the near future.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19920910/Press Contact:
Toshiba, [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TYO)(00014)

NEC Links With Motorola On Digital Telecoms 09/10/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 SEP 10 (NB) -- NEC has been negotiating
with Motorola concerning the digital telecommunication business.
It is expected that both firms will sign an agreement this fall,
according to the Asahi newspaper.

NEC and Motorola will work on creating systems for digital
mobile phones and car phones, including the ground bases and
digital network switching devices. The agreement is expected to
cover not only Japan but also other Asian regions - mainly China,
Korea, and Singapore.

There are a couple of different telecommunication standards,
according to such regions as Europe, the US, and Japan. NEC and
Motorola will create the system based on the Japanese standard.
Both firms will develop their specialized devices. NEC will
develop the switching devices, while Motorola will develop ground
bases and the telecom terminals (telephones).

Currently in Japan, NEC is selling the telecom equipment, which is
based on the Japanese standard, while Motorola Japan is selling
the equipment based on the American standard. In other words,
both firms used to be vying with each other in Japan. So, the joint
business by both firms are surprising in the Japanese industry.

Apparently, it will benefit Motorola to expand its telecom
business in Japan. NEC will also benefit by getting into the
digital telecom market in Europe and the US.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19920910/Press Contact:
NEC, [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEL)(00015)

India: Australia's Moldflow Pkg Distributed Through HP 09/10/92
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1992 SEP 10 (NB) -- Moldflow Pty Ltd., a
Melbourne, Australia-headquartered supplier of advanced plastics
CAE (computer-aided engineering) software packages, has
appointed HCL Hewlett-Packard Ltd. as its exclusive distributor
for India and neighboring countries.

"It is an extension of our existing worldwide tie-up with
Hewlett-Packard," said John Schemed, Moldflow's regional
manager for India and South-East Asia, "By which Moldflow is an
HP solution supplier, and HP is a Moldflow strategic hardware
partner." With this alliance, Moldflow also becomes one of the
value-added partners of HCL HP.

Moldflow products are used in the design and production of plastic
components. The product set includes the MF/Flow, MF/Cool, and
MF/Warp software packages.

MF/Flow analyses flow within the mould and optimizes cavity
layout, gate position, material selection, and processing
conditions for the filling and packing phases of the molding
cycle. MF/Cool analyzes the effects of mould cooling on plastic
flow, and optimizes cooling line geometry and coolant conditions.
MF/Warp performs shrinkage, wrappage and stress analyses on
the molded product.

High-end workstations, like HCL HP 9000 series 700, are ideally
suited to Moldflow's engineering applications. While an individual
Moldflow software package costs about Rs 15 lakh (a lakh is a
hundred thousand), or $50,000, the product set can be had at Rs 40
lakh, about $133,000.

"The software will find wide acceptance in the automotive and
consumer electronics industry," hopes Arjun Malhotra, director,
HCL HP.


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00016)

New For PC: QuickVerse 2.0 For Windows 09/10/92
HIAWATHA, IOWA, U.S.A., 1992 SEP 10 (NB) -- Parsons  Technology
has announced its shipping release 2.0 of QuickVerse For Windows,
its Bible concordance software.  This is the first software the
company has released that runs under Windows.

Users can locate whole or partial words, or phrases from the Bible,
or can look for information by topic.  Entering a topic word such as
"debt," even though that word doesn't appear in a Bible passage,
will return all verses related to the borrowing of money. Topics
and word searches can also be combined, such as searching the
topic "marriage" for all the occurrences of the word "love."

Parsons Technology says QuickVerse 2.0 for Windows is designed
for both the intellectually curious and the religious scholar. The
program allows the user to compare multiple Bible versions and
see original word meanings simultaneously. For example, in the
King James version, Jonas spend time inside a whale, while the
New International version refers to a fish. A footnote feature
allows the user to attach notes to words or verses, for use in
Sunday  School lesson, lectures, or self-study. Parsons says a
virtually unlimited number of user-defined footnote files can be
created. The user can also copy passages of Bible text directly
into footnote files, instead of having to retype the information.
Footnotes can also be copied or pasted into a word processor
document.

QuickVerse offers a "go to verse" feature that allows the user to
select from a list of books, chapters, and verses; or you can scroll
through the bible line by line similar to reading a bound book.

The program retails for $79, and runs on any IBM-compatible PC
running Windows 3.0 or later. Parsons maintains a toll-free order
line, and its products are also sold in Christian bookstores and
other retail outlets.

(Jim Mallory/19920910/Press contact: Anne Rawland-Warner,
Parsons Technology, 319-395-9626, ext 1037; Reader contact:
800-223-6925)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00017)

Colorado Company Offers Software Test Drives On CD-ROM 09/10/92
BOULDER, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1992 SEP 10 (NB) --  A Boulder,
Colorado, firm is offering a subscription service designed for
systems administrators and purchasing professionals to locate,
evaluate, and buy computer software.

InfoNow Corporation, a startup company a little over two months
old, markets an annual subscription service that gets you a
CD-ROM disk each month that at present contains nearly 1,500
software titles. The subscription also includes the use of a IBM-
compatible CD-ROM drive.

InfoNow Marketing Communications Manager Anne Theriault told
Newsbytes that the company is introducing its service at the
annual price of $995.

Theriault said that each disk contains about 60 software titles
that the subscriber can try for 60 days, then either order or send
an electronic affidavit that they aren't using the program any
longer. Those programs Theriault described as "inert," meaning
some of the features may not be functional. If you order one of
the programs contained on the disk, InfoNow sends you an
electronic key which activates all the programs features.

For the rest of the programs on the CD-ROM disk, there is
extensive information in brochure style, including graphics and
comparison tables.  For example, if the user wanted to compare
Lotus 1-2-3/W (the Lotus spreadsheet for Windows) and Excel
For Windows (Microsoft's Windows spreadsheet) a matrix shows
the comparative features of each program.

Theriault said the disks also contain a "What's New" feature, and
the number of titles on the disk is growing each month. Presently,
InfoNow only offers an IBM-compatible version, but says it is
working on a Macintosh edition also.

If you order a software package, some of the applications and
utilities can be delivered electronically via modem; others are
available "shrink wrapped" from InfoNow.  Theriault said that the
hundreds of titles presently available include software from
Traveling Software, T-Maker, PowerUp!, and ZSoft. The company is
also negotiating with numerous major software companies to
become a distributor. Theriault told Newsbytes the disks include
about 100 different software categories.

(Jim Mallory/19920910/Press and reader contact: Anne
Theriault, InfoNow, 303-442-6666)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEN)(00018)

TI's New Manufacturing Cuts Time-To-Market 50% 09/10/92
DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1992 SEP 10 (NB)-- Texas Instruments
says it has developed a new method of making semiconductor
chips that cut the development time of customer-defined chips
to as little as six months.

The method, dubbed Prism by TI, incorporates modular techniques,
or "reusable engineering," and can combine multiple semiconductors
with different functions on a single chip to decrease the number of
components by as much as half. Reduced development time means
reduced development cost - sometimes by millions of dollars,
according to TI.

The company says the technique is applicable to a variety of
devices, including automotive products, appliances, and computer
peripherals such as disk drives.

TI says Prism can be likened to going to a library and pulling
components of the shelf, instead of creating them from scratch.
"It shortens time-to-market, reduces development cost, lowers
component count and makes it easier to design the end products,"
says semiconductor group Senior VP Tom Engibous. He says the
technique is already in use with automotive electronics
customers, who have been pleased with the results.  "We are
expanding its use into other areas."

The time savings comes from the ability of engineers to use
predefined modules, customizing the semiconductors, so the
customer's system designers can add any unique capabilities to
their products more quickly than their competitors. According
to TI, traditional development cycles for new semiconductors
often took as long as three years.

TI spokesman Ted Jernigan told Newsbytes most of the existing
applications had been developed in conjunction with Delco for
automotive applications. Chips are used in such applications as
the anti-skid brake systems, in which a single chip performing
several functions, and replacing multiple chips could be mounted
directly on the vehicle's master cylinder, or devices to trigger
air bags in cars when deceleration is sensed.

Jernigan told Newsbytes that the first crossover technology will
be in markets where time is important and new technology comes
rapidly such as video cameras and VCRs.

(Jim Mallory/19920910/Press contact: Ted Jernigan, Texas
Instruments, 214-997-5467)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(DEN)(00019)

 ****Zenith Data Gets Air Force's Desktop IV Contract 09/10/92
BUFFALO GROVE, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1992 SEP 10 (NB) --  Zenith
Data Systems has announced it has been awarded the US Air
Force's Desktop IV contract, believed to be the largest personal
computer contract ever awarded by the federal government.

The Desktop IV contract has been mired in controversy since it
was first awarded nearly a year ago to CompuAdd and another
company.  Several unsuccessful bidders, including Apple
Computer, Zenith Data, and IBM protested the award.

ZDS estimates the contract to provide as many as 300,000
personal computer systems to be worth more than $740 million
over the next three years. In addition to the Air Force, the PCs
will also be provided to the Army, Navy, and Defense Logistics
Agency, as well as civilian agencies.

"We believe we won this contract because of our excellent product
offering, our outstanding performance on Desktop I and Desktop II,
our superior responsiveness during Desert Storm, and our long
term commitment to the government market," said ZDS President
Enrico Pesatori.

The systems will be assembled at ZDS' main manufacturing site
in St. Joseph, Michigan. Pesatori said the US government is the
company's largest customer. Zenith spokesperson John Bace told
Newsbytes that the systems will be 486-based systems, some
with color and some with monochrome monitors. All the systems
will have DOS and Windows pre-loaded.

Original contract winner Compuadd told Newsbytes that loss of
the contract would not be a major blow. "We're doing well," a
spokesperson said. Newsbytes reported in June that Compuadd
was awarded a contract to provide more than 1,200 multimedia
PCs to the incoming class at the US Air Force Academy in
Colorado Springs.

Bace told Newsbytes that the company doesn't know yet whether
it will have to hire additional manufacturing employees. Bace
said that will depend on how fast the orders come.

Interested parties will have 10 days to comment on the award.

(Jim Mallory/19920910/Press contact: John Bace, ZDS,
708-808-4848)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(WAS)(00020)

Wang To Support State Department Systems 09/10/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 SEP 10 (NB) -- While many
companies were already leery of committing to troubled Wang
Laboratories' proprietary systems long before the company's
recent declaration of bankruptcy, the US State Department had
recently made a massive commitment to Wang equipment and
was somewhat relieved when the company recently stated its
intention to continue to support existing contracts at State.

Way back in 1972 the State Department chose Wang Laboratories
to be the agency's major office system supplier both in the US and
at embassies and consulates around the world. By now State is
almost entirely dependent on proprietary systems while most
other federal agencies have long since weaned themselves of
single-source dependence.

Just two years ago, when the industry could already clearly see
that Wang was in deep trouble, the Department of State (also
known as Foggy Bottom because of its location next to the
Potomac) awarded an 11-year office system contract to Wang
which was worth a possible $850 million over the duration of
the contract. The contract called for the installation of some
industry-standard microcomputers but also specified VS/5000
and VS/8000 minicomputers as file servers for networks.

Some observers say that this was State's way of propping up
Wang, which was already maintaining computer systems in more
than 250 Department locations around the world.

Government Computer News recently reported that a State
Department spokesperson said that they are comfortable with
Wang's assurances that the Wang Federal Systems' Division
will not be spun off or at least that the bankrupt company will
continue to provide adequate support, but some industry
insiders have expressed doubt that the company will ever
recover enough to meet its worldwide obligations.

Earlier this year State announced plans to eventually migrate
to a PC-based environment.

(John McCormick/19920910)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BOS)(00021)

 ****Network Solutions: Novell's NetWare Desktop System 09/10/92
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 SEP 10 (NB) -- "It won't
happen tomorrow, or by next January, but it is going to happen,"
said Edward M. Martinson, national marketing manager for Novell,
about his company's vision of a network operating system that
will run completely seamlessly across DOS, OS/2, Unix, the Mac
operating system, and Windows NT.

Martinson's comment came during "Desktop Connectivity," a
seminar delivered at NetWork Solutions 1992, a conference and
trade show hosted by Novell yesterday.

To a standing-room only crowd at a hotel in Harvard Square, the
marketing manager outlined Novell's plans for a NetWare Desktop
System (NDS) architecture that will use a layer of APIs
(application programming interfaces) to deliver enhanced network
services in a multivendor desktop environment.

Martinson gave three main goals for the upcoming architecture:
to speed crossplatform applications development through common
interfaces; to ease the jobs of network managers; and to provide
end users with greater control. "People won't have to pull out a
big book on IP to let platforms plug-and-play together," he
commented.

Although the new NetWare Desktop System holds the same acronym
as Novell's NetWare Directory Services, the two are not the same,
Martinson pointed out. In final form, NetWare Desktop System will
constitute a series of "stubs," or modules, that supply a complete
range of connectivity, network management, and applications
services, he explained.

The same modules will be available for each of the popular
desktop platforms, but the "look and feel" of the network
operating system will be specific to the particular platform.
"We want the environment to seem as 'native' as possible," he
noted.

Martinson stated that the new multiplatform architecture will
ultimately take the place of a product lineup that now includes
DR DOS, Data Club for Macintosh, Workstation Kit for OS/2,
Workstation Kit for DOS/Windows, Lan Pack, NetWare Lite, and
NetWare for SAA, DOS 5.0, and PalmDOS.

Out of all of Novell's current products, NetWare for SAA comes
closest to the architecture that will ultimately evolve, he noted.
In NetWare for SAA, he elaborated, "DOS, Windows and OS/2 all
travel through a common API in whichever language is known to
them, be it IP or IPX.  When they hit the server, they all become
the same thing for the IBM host."

Novell's upcoming release of NetWare 4.0 will bring the network
operating system fully into the peer-to-peer stage, he said, but a
completely modular configuration will not be available until
some time later, and seamless distribution until after that.

But Novell's recent purchase of Anatech is speeding progress in
the connectivity area, he stressed. NetWare is now beta testing
Anatech's distribution technology with a NetWare front end, he
noted.

A file requestor is one example of the connectivity "stubs" that
will eventually become available, Martinson added.  The application
services component of NetWare Desktop System will include stubs
for the printer and mouse, among other functions, while the
network management will incorporate such modules as remote
control and IPX diagnostic requestors.

Martinson took exception to complaints he said have been raised
about NetWare's current network management capabilities. He
also emphasized though, that these capabilities will be
immensely enhanced in the future.

"Our network management is as good as or better than (that of)
other systems. The only problem is that the network management's
been in four or five places. What we're doing now is to improve
the functionality," he asserted.

Held this year for the first time ever, NetWork Solutions drew
most of its 700 attendees from network managers in the New
England area. Joan Weslowski, the Novell account manager who
coordinated the conference, told Newsbytes that Novell has
recently put on similar events in other parts of the US, with
each region determining its own focus.

Novell's New England dealers had major input into shaping the
content of the seminars offered, she said. About 30 of the dealers
displayed their networking wares in a well traveled exhibition
area.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19920910; Press contact:  Joan Weslowski,
Novell, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BOS)(00022)

NetWork Solutions: New Alternative To NetWare Monitor 09/10/92
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 SEP 10 (NB) -- At
NetWork Solutions '92, a major network equipment dealer unveiled
a shrink-wrapped graphical monitor for the NetWare 3.11
fileserver.

Michael Livingston, a contract programmer who developed the
software for Computer Communication Company (CCC), told
Newsbytes that the dealer's Performance Console displays
network management data in a more meaningful way than
Novell's own NetWare Monitor utility.

Livingston said that unlike NetWare Monitor, a text-only program
that requires the user to scroll down through several screens,
CCC's product allows all pertinent statistics to be seen in a
glance.  Performance Console also adds bar chart display, data
export, and the ability to set user-definable alarms, among other
new features.

Designed around an idea proposed by Weston C. Pullen II, president
of the Waterbury, CT-based dealership, the new NetWare Loadable
Module (NLM) displays the following data on a single screen:  CPU
(central processing unit) usage, connection usage, dirty cache,
available file cache, LAN (local area network) adapter usage, disk
drive, valid packet percentage, and volume usage.

Pop-up information boxes for each gauge demonstrated rolling
average and high-water marks, as well as other statistical values.
Indicator light gauges show what percentage of each resource is
available, and visual and audible alarms notify the user if "red
zones" are hit.

Connection usage, volume usage, and several other parameters can
be depicted in bar-chart form. In addition, data can be logged into
ASCII for export to spreadsheets such as Lotus 1-2-3 and database
programs such as dBase. The information can be used within a
spreadsheet for line graphs and other detailed graphical displays.

The first version of Performance Console started shipping this
week, and Livingston told Newsbytes that he expects CCC to
release an edition for NetWare 4.0 in the future. "NetWare 4.0
will make a broader range of statistics available, so we'll be
able to display more information," he remarked.

Founded in 1984, CCC claims to be the largest Novell dealer in
the Northeast region of the United States, and one of the first
dealers to be awarded Novell's Platinum designation.

The company also sells file servers, network management
systems, network operating systems, network interface cards,
printers, massive data storage devices, and data and power
back-up equipment from more than 60 other vendors.

Performance Console is priced at $995 for an individual license,
and at variable fees for site licenses and reseller packages.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19920911)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(LAX)(00023)

 ****2nd Apple Layoffs In Two Years 09/10/92
FREMONT, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 SEP 10 (NB) -- Apple has
announced it is phasing out manufacturing and distribution in
its Fremont, California, facility, and cutting 700 jobs there
between now and June of 1993. This is the second major cutback
in two years. However, the company is moving the Fremont
operation to its Sacramento, California, plant where it plans to
add 380 jobs.

The first cut backs were in June of 1991, when Apple announced
it was laying off a total of 1,200 employees worldwide over
several weeks and cutting the pay of its executives by 15
percent. This time Apple said its reorganization will cut the
jobs of about 345 employees.

Apple says it is "streamlining" is a result of a study done
worldwide. The company maintains that the cuts can save
manufacturing costs by relocating the systems assembly done
in Fremont to its Sacramento facility, and the final systems
assembly done in Singapore to Sacramento as well. The printed circuit-
board assembly will be distributed between the
company's manufacturing plants in Fountain, Colorado; Cork,
Ireland; and Singapore.

The Colorado facility will pick up 50 to 60 jobs, but Ireland
will lose about 45 positions. Cindy McCaffrey, a spokesperson
for Apple told Newsbytes that, as of now, the Singapore facility
looks like it will remain the same, but since it is one of Apple's
star manufacturing facilities, it will most likely gain positions.

Also mentioned was the opening, announced previously, of a new
Apple facility in Apeldorn, Netherlands, which is expected to be
operational in December of 1992. The Apeldorn facility will
provide system configuration and direct shipping capabilities
for Europe, Apple added.

It will take until June of 1993 for Apple to get the Fremont
facility closed at a cost of $20 million, which is being charged
against the company's current quarter, Apple said. When asked if
this was going to have an adverse effect on the company's
bottom line this quarter, Apple representatives declined to
comment.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920910/Press Contact: Cindy McCaffrey,
Apple, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00024)

Cable TV Reregulation Clears Conference 09/10/92
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1992 SEP 10 (NB) --  A bill to re-
regulate rates for "basic" cable service cleared a House-Senate
conference committee. But its chances for becoming law remain
in doubt.

President Bush has threatened to veto the measure, saying he
prefers that "competition" should be relied upon to lower rates.
The National Cable Television Association, as well as the largest
cable operator, TCI, have also been blanketing their airwaves
with commercials urging that consumers oppose a bill they claim
would raise cable rates. Some observers feel the commercials
are designed to give Republicans political cover for sustaining a
Bush veto of the message. As originally passed, both Houses of
Congress approved the bill by more than the two-thirds margin
needed to override a veto.

As passed, the bill requires the Federal Communications
Commission to determine "reasonable" rates for cable
transmission of local broadcast stations. The cable industry has
charged this would force cable bills up by about $4 per month
per customer.

"Basic cable" would be defined to include public access and
government channels, including C-SPAN. The bill would not
prohibit "tiering," the designation of formerly basic services
like CNN and ESPN as "enhanced basic" services requiring an
extra charge, and the prices of such tiers are not re-regulated.

But consumers could not be denied premium services like HBO if
they  choose only the most basic service -- the industry claims
this  would require them to install "addressable" converters in
every home, charging each consumer a few dollars per month for
service as a result. In response, the law delays the onset of this
provision for 10 years.

Finally, the bill forces cable programmers to sell their services
to so-called "wireless cable" outfits -- cable operators own big
chunks of many programmers' stock and oppose this.

Generally, the bill has been weakened considerably as it has gone
through the legislative process, with many provisions the cable
industry itself considers onerous -- such as the requirement that
people be able to get premium services without buying added
tiers, watered down in conference. But the bill will still face a
veto battle, something President Bush has never lost, less than
two months before a Presidential election.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920910)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00025)

Jupiter Comms Report Says Prodigy Still Doubtful 09/10/92
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 SEP 10 (NB) --  The Prodigy
business model still does not work, says analyst Joshua Harris of
Jupiter Communications. In "The Prodigy Report II," Harris writes
that Prodigy itself does not expect to recover the $800 million
investment of its two parents, IBM and Sears, before the year
2000, and Harris doubts that the personal computer-with-modem
market is large enough to sustain the business over the long-
haul.

The good news, Harris adds, is that Prodigy is likely to develop
into a significant consumer information appliance player, by
putting the service onto devices like Apple's Newton, onto
screen-based telephones like the AT&T SmartPhone, and into
interactive television systems like TV Answer. Harris says that
only 3.1 percent of US households now subscribe to an on-line
service, with one-third choosing to subscribe to Prodigy. The new
devices will bring on-line use to 16 percent of homes by 1997,
he thinks.

In an interview with Newsbytes, Harris had some pointed words
for the service's executives. "They have to change their
management in several key slots," he said, indicating the editorial
and public relations efforts remain weak.

He also described what he would do if he were put in charge. "The
first thing I'd do is start cloning what CompuServe does that
makes money. The bulletin boards on Prodigy are still too general.
I would put up a 'bid quick' service, essentially an auction service,
on-line -- Prodigy does order entry well. I'd probably close half
the content, and use the money on things like a National Phone
Directory. I would give people at least an option to download
software, so they can do it on a pay-per-use basis instead of
buying into a $120/year Ziff-Davis public domain library."

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920910/Press Contact: Joshua M. Harris,
Jupiter Communications, 212-941-9252, Fax: [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00026)

 ****US West, France Telecom Launch Phone Directory 09/10/92
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1992 SEP 10 (NB) -- US West
is finally bringing Minitel's most valuable service, an on-line
phone directory, to the US.

US West and France Telecom have signed a joint venture to bring
just such a directory to their Community Link gateway in
Minneapolis-St. Paul. The phone listings could be extended to
other cities where US West operates, including Portland,
Seattle, Phoenix, and Denver, by the middle of 1993.

Last autumn the two companies put $80 million into Community
Link Minitel Associates, with 60 percent ownership by US West.
Community Link rents Minitel terminals for $12 per month, and
charges 15 cents per minute for service. Until last year,
however, it was illegal for US West to offer its own content on
the service, including a phone directory, due to provisions in
the decree which broke-up the Bell System.

Those provisions were overturned by US District Judge Harold
Greene about one year ago, under pressure from higher courts
and the Justice Department, but there is a bill in Congress
which could re-impose the restrictions. Even today, US West
subscribers in Minneapolis who want to check phone numbers on
their neighbors are consulting a database physically located in
France.

US West and France Telecom hope that, because listings cost
50-75 cents each in the US, but terminals cost just 15 cents per
minute to use, the price differential will increase sales and use
of the terminals. At that point the companies could profitably
offer other on-line services, although US West has said
repeatedly it will not offer any sexually-oriented services like
those which turn high profits in France.

The partners also hope they can move Yellow Pages advertisers
to advertise on the Minitel, in conjunction with the listings.
Printed phone directories are a $10 billion business in the US.
Searching will be simple, with commands such as "fix my car"
supported by lists of car repair categories.

Privately, analysts told Newsbytes the deal was just too good
for US West to pass up, even if it fails. Political pressures in
France are driving the move, these analysts say, and US West
could get out of the joint-venture as early as the end of this
year. "US West is getting a subsidized investment" one analyst
told Newsbytes.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920910)


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

 ****General Motors Offers Credit Card 09/10/92
DETROIT, MICHIGAN, U.S.A., 1992 SEP 10 (NB) -- General Motors
joined General Electric in the race to push plastic money on
Americans. The GM Master Card, like a competing product from
General Electric, offers discounts on the company's products.
But While GE won a tie-in with Sprint, the third largest long
distance company, GM linked its offering to MCI.

GE is offering discounts on its appliances through its new card,
and GM hopes the new offering will jump-start sales of its cars,
which have been weak for years. The new card carries an
adjustable interest rate of 16.4 percent, similar to the AT&T
Universal Card, now held by millions and generating large
profits. Household Credit Services, the nation's 11th-largest
card issuer, will actually handle the plastic.

The card's key feature, however, is its rebate program. Consumers
can receive a five percent rebate, up to $500 a year, against
purchase or lease of any GM car or truck, with the exception of
the fast-selling Saturn models, which carry a flat-price policy.
The rebates can be rolled-over for up to seven years, making
them worth up to $3,500. The rebates cannot be pooled, however,
meaning couples with separate accounts cannot double that
amount.

To encourage transfers of balances from other cards, GM is also
offering a rebate of up to five percent of the transferred balance.
Among the other companies participating in rebate programs
with  the new card are MCI, Avis and Marriott. Analysts hailed
the rebate program, calling the whole package a good deal for
consumers.

MCI, in a press statement, said it will be the exclusive long-
distance company in the new GM program. It said new or existing
MCI customers who sign up for the GM Card can earn credits of
five percent of every dollar spent on MCI long distance service
and can apply those credits toward the purchase or lease of a
new GM car or truck.  New GM Card members may also earn an
additional five percent credit from General Motors if their MCI
charges are billed directly to their GM Cards -- for a total of 10
percent of every long distance dollar spent. New MCI customers
who subscribe through the GM card also get a $26 credit on their
basic service from MCI.

In separate news from MCI, the company said it set-up a toll-free
number to answer questions on MCI accounts in South Florida. MCI
is also providing free long distance telephone calls from pay
phones it services in the area and has contributed $20,000 to the
American Red Cross. MCI also set-up a second free long distance
service center in Florida City.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920910/Press Contact: MCI, Kate Fralin, 703-
415-6941)


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

Motorola Lightens Micro-TAC Cellular Phone Again 09/10/92
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1992 SEP 10 (NB) -- For the
second time in less than a year, Motorola reduced the weight of
its MicroTAC cellular phone.

The newest model, dubbed the MicroTAC Ultra Lite, weighs just
5.9 ounces, or 0.15 kilograms. That's 20 percent less than the
previous record of 7.7 ounces, which allowed Motorola to just
nose-out Fujitsu of Japan for the lightweight cellular phone
title. The original MicroTAC weighed 10.7 ounces.

Other new features of the new phone include VibraCall, an option
borrowed from Motorola's pagers that replaces a ringing tone
with a vibration felt in the pocket, and nickel metal hydride
batteries that offer extended talk times beyond those available
with current nickel cadmium batteries. This increases the talk
time between charges to 65 minutes, or nine hours of standby
use. With the nickel cadmium Talk PAK XT battery, the phone
has up to three hours of talk time or 24 hours of standby time.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920910/Press Contact: David A. Pinsky,
Motorola, 708-632-2841; FAX: [phone])


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

AT&T Offers Fax Mailbox Service 09/10/92
BASKING RIDGE, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1992 SEP 10 (NB) -- AT&T
has made a number of major announcements, highlighted by a
new fax mailbox service.

AT&T Fax Mailbox lets any AT&T calling card cardholder, or
Universal Card credit card owner, establish a mailbox number to
which faxes can be sent at any time and stored up to eight days.

Like voicemail, the mailbox is personalized with the owner's
name, assuring senders that they've reached the right party.  In
addition, senders can leave a 45-second voice memo along with
each fax. Mailbox owners access their messages via a toll-free
800 number from any touchtone phone or fax machine by
inputting their AT&T Calling Card number or AT&T Universal
Card calling card number.

There is no monthly subscription fee for maintaining a mailbox.
The cost to receive a domestic fax is 70 cents per page; each
voice memo is 35 cents; and all charges are billed to the AT&T
card.

The new service can also be used with the company's USADirect
service, meaning it can be used from overseas as well.
Customers will receive a separate bill from AT&T for Fax
Mailbox charges, and can sign-up by calling 1-800-446-2452.

Separately, the company announced a new system for its Enhanced
911 service, based on computers from Sequent Computer Systems
using the Unix operating system. 911 is a service used in
emergencies which links people to police dispatchers as quickly
as possible. In the enhanced version of the service, police
agencies can link incoming phone numbers to databases containing
the caller's name, address, and other information. The new system
links callers' numbers to databases from Informix, using AT&T
application support software.

Finally, AT&T announced it cut-over a new cellular phone system
in the city of Xian, China, capital of Shaanxi province. The
system consists of a mobile switching center and three cell
sites, serving 2,000 subscribers In addition to supplying Xian
with cellular infrastructure equipment, AT&T Network Systems
has signed three other contracts with local posts and
telecommunications agencies to supply its cellular hardware
systems in the Northwest region of China. All use the analog
AMPS scheme. Xian is best-known for its Qing Dynasty gravesites,
with tombs featuring legions of terra-cotta soldiers.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920910/Press Contact: AT&T, Barbara
Mierisch, 201-606-2457; Rachele Rosenberg, 908/221-6800;
Sequent Computer Systems, Mike Green 503/626-5700)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00030)

LCI Reduces Calling Card Rates 09/10/92
COLUMBUS, OHIO, U.S.A.,1992 SEP 10 (NB) -- LCI International, a
small long distance company run by former executives with MCI,
has announced a 28 percent price reduction on domestic calls
for its WorldCard calling card.

The WorldCard allows holders to place direct dial calls throughout
the nation and the world from any touch tone phone in 28 countries.
The card also allows LCI's customers who are international
travelers to place calls from an additional 22 nations to the US
and Canada.

The price reduction impacts customers who make domestic calls
from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. on weekdays and anytime on weekends.  The
new rate will be 18 cents per minute on domestic calling starting
on September 15, pending regulatory approval. The card was
introduced last November at a price of 25 cents per minute, any
time of the day. That will remain the base price for daytime calls.
International calling prices remain unaffected by the domestic
price reduction, since they vary from country to country and the
time of day calls are made. The company said it has put 50,000
of the cards into service since the product was introduced.

LCI is privately held and its majority shareholders include New
York-based E.M. Warburg, Pincus & Co. Inc., the largest venture
banking firm in the United States, and Primus Venture Partners,
Cleveland, one of the largest venture capital firms in the
Midwest.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920910/Press Contact: Jim Fette, LCI
International, 614-798-6272)