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/nb921119

Text File | 1992-11-19 | 61.9 KB | 1,446 lines

(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00001)

Advanced Gravis To Bundle Music Software 11/19/92
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, 1992 NOV 19 (NB) --
Advanced Gravis Computer Technology has signed license
agreements to bundle music software from Midisoft Corp., and
Howling Dog Systems with its recently launched UltraSound sound
board for PCs. The worldwide non-exclusive licensing agreements
extend to the end of 1993, with options to renew till 1995.

Gravis will license Power Chords for Windows from Howling Dog
and Midisoft Recording Session from Midisoft. The suggested
retail prices of the packages are $84.95 and $99.95, respectively.

Each has been optimized for UltraSound, Gravis said, and includes
a collection of musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) music.
 According to the vendors, the bundle makes it easy for UltraSound
users to play, edit, and compose MIDI music using standard music
notation or a guitar interface and drum kit.

Launched in October, the UltraSound card uses all-digital wave
table synthesis rather than the FM synthesis technique other PC
sound boards use. Brad Craig, market development manager at
Advanced Gravis, said this approach gives better sound because
"we can sample real sound." Also, Craig said, the UltraSound card
can generate 32 distinct voices at the same time, versus about
22 from most competing boards.

The UltraSound card is a 16-bit, 44.1-kilohertz stereo sound
card with a Standard MIDI interface, 256 kilobytes of memory,
and a speed-compensating game port.

According to Advanced Gravis, the card is compatible with other
popular sound boards, such as the Sound Blaster and Ad Lib units,
and with multimedia software for Microsoft Windows.

The suggested retail price is $199.95 and the card is due to be
available throughout North America in January.

(Grant Buckler/19921117/Press Contact: Grant Russell,
Advanced Gravis Computer Technology, 604-431-5020)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00002)

New For PC: QuickStart 2.0 Allows NT Dev't On Windows 11/19/92
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 19 (NB) -- Software
developers can create 32-bit Microsoft Windows applications
without leaving the 16-bit Windows 3.1 with new software from
Phar Lap Software, the company said.

QuickStart Version 2.0 makes use of Win32s, an application
program interface (API) from Microsoft that allows applications
written for the forthcoming 32-bit Windows NT to run unchanged
on Windows 3.1. Using Win32s restricts developers to a subset
of the complete Win32 API.

According to Phar Lap, making it possible for NT developers to work
in Windows 3.1 means they can take advantage of existing editors
and other development tools that exist for the more established
environment. "The tools generally lag behind the operating system,"
said company spokeswoman Maria Vetrano.

The alternative would be to do development in Windows 3.1, then
reboot the machine to run NT for testing.

Asked about the possibility that an application might behave
differently using Win32s under Windows 3.1 than under NT,
Vetrano said Phar Lap has not found any problems. Finished
applications are can be run under NT for final testing and
debugging, she added.

Phar Lap is offering the QuickStart 2.0 software to developers
free of charge initially. Vetrano said the company is doing this
in order to establish a presence in the market and get a sense of
"where we fit in with NT."

Phar Lap is best known for its DOS extender software, which
allows programs to operate in 32-bit mode while running under
DOS.

The company also announced that its 386|DOS Extender technology
has been incorporated in Microsoft's newly released FoxPro 2.5
database software for DOS.

(Grant Buckler/19921118/Press Contact: Maria Vetrano, Phar Lap
Software, 617-661-1510, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00003)

COMDEX: Delrina Ships WinFax Pro 3.0, Shows New Technology 11/19/92
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 19 (NB) -- Toronto-based
Delrina Technology is showing some new technology at
Comdex/Fall, and has announced first shipments of WinFax Pro
3.0, its facsimile software for Microsoft Windows.

At the Cirrus Logic and Rockwell International booths at Comdex,
Delrina demonstrated a version of WinFax Pro that takes advantage
of new fax modem chips from those two companies that have
integrated digital signal processor (DSP) technology. Using these
chips, WinFax With Voice Extensions can act as both fax software
and a telephone answering machine, greeting callers with a
digitized voice message.

Delrina said the same technology could be used to provide a
voice-activated "fax-back" information service that would accept
spoken requests for information to be sent by fax. The technology
can be expected to reach the market early in the new year, the
company said.

Delrina also showed a mail-enabled version of its PerForm Pro Plus
forms automation software. Designed to support both Microsoft's
Messaging Applications Programming Interface (MAPI) and Lotus
Development's Vendor Independent Messaging (VIM) mail protocols,
the software would let users send forms across a network using
popular electronic mail software such as Microsoft Mail and Lotus'
cc:Mail.

Also during Comdex, Delrina announced shipments of WinFax Pro
3.0. The new release adds optical character recognition (OCR),
image enhancement, document management, and improved
phone-book features.

Among the new features is an OCR capability that will let users
turn received faxes into machine-readable text they can then edit
with a word processor. WinFax Pro 3.0 incorporates AnyFax, OCR
software developed by Caere of Los Gatos, California. Delrina and
Caere announced a licensing agreement for AnyFax in late
September.

The new WinFax Pro release also has an improved phone book
feature that lets users maintain multiple phone books in dBase
file format, and import or export phone books in several file
formats.

Image enhancement tools include anti-aliasing and Delrina's Fax
Vacuum tool for cleaning up "random noise" on incoming faxes.
Anti-aliasing makes "blotchy letters" clearer on the computer
display, but does not affect the stored image, spokesman Josef
Zancowicz said. Fax Vacuum cleans up the actual image.

Document management capabilities let users keep complete
records of their fax communications and archive faxes. New
scanner support allows users to scan documents directly into
WinFax Pro 3.0. Also, a new cover page designer lets users
create and store their own cover pages.

WinFax Pro 3.0 has a suggested retail price of $129, and users of
earlier WinFax Pro versions and Delrina's DosFax Pro and Lite can
upgrade for $49. Cover-Your-Fax, a library of predesigned fax
cover pages, will be included free for a limited time, the
company said.

(Grant Buckler/19921118/Press Contact: Press Contact: Josef
Zancowicz or Shelly Sofer, Delrina, 416-441-3676; Public
Contact: Delrina, 800-268-6082)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00004)

COMDEX: Borland Demos QuickPix 2.0; Intros dBASE Registry 11/19/92
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 19 (NB) -- Borland
International and PowerSoft Inc., have announced QuickPix 2.0,
a graphics and sound multimedia object editor that integrates
documents and images for multimedia data storage in Borland's
Paradox 4.0 PC-based relational database system. At the same
time Borland has also introduced the dBASE Developer's Registry,
which the company says is a resource for dBASE users that
provides information on dBASE developers, products, consultants,
and training. The company is also extolling the virtues of a first
place finish in PC Magazine's ninth annual Technical Excellence
Awards  competition for its Quattro Pro for Windows and Borland
C++ 3.1 software products.

Borland and PowerSoft are demonstrating Paradox 4.0 using
QuickPix in Borland's booth at Comdex.

According to Borland, Paradox 4.0 features a windows-like user
interface, and stores and retrieves binary large objects (BLObs)
in memo fields. BLObs can contain any type of binary data
including graphics, sound, and multimedia files.

The companies claim that QuickPix image-enabling software
lets users "easily" store images, photographs, illustrations and
documents in Paradox tables. QuickPix lets users capture and
view images, perform sound annotation, and print without
leaving Paradox. Full and partial screen image display are
available and can be activated manually or automatically from
information on the screen.

QuickPix can be accessed from a Paradox 4.0 binary field as a
BLOb editor. According to the company, QuickPix 2.0, scheduled
for shipment in January, 1993, will include additional features
such as: the ability to view multiple images on-screen; JPEG
compression and decompression; printing enhancements,
including color; and interfaces to video capture cards, digital
cameras, and fax boards.

The companies claims that QuickPix also works with Paradox as
a terminate-and-stay-resident (TSR) program, which is menu
driven and therefore does not require programming.

QuickPix is available from PowerSoft in three versions: a
single-user basic ViewPlus which retails for $99; the QuickPix
Authoring System that lets users configure five PCs, which
carries a suggested retail price of $495; and the QuickPix LAN
version with unlimited viewing, which has a suggested retail
price of $895.

Borland says that the dBASE Developer's Registry offers dBASE
users a comprehensive list of dBASE Developer Partner's Program
(DPP) members, their dBASE add-on products, consultancy and
development services, or training programs.

The Registry is being distributed at Comdex. It will also be
distributed at user group meetings and via on-line services
such as CompuServe. The Registry is free, and is formatted in
Folio Views, a DOS program that allows the user to search the
data by just touching the spacebar and pointing at the right
selection.

Borland's Borland C++ and Quattro Pro for Windows were honored
at an awards dinner at Comdex.

"This year's technically excellent products reflect a commitment
by their creators to balance technical advancements with the
concerns of their users," said editor-in-chief of PC Magazine,
Michael Miller.

Quattro Pro for Windows, Borland's first Windows spreadsheet,
was chosen the winner in the application category over
Microsoft Excel 4.0 and Approach 1.0 for Windows.

(Ian Stokell/19921118/Press Contact: Vallee Ghosheh,
702-791-9490, or 408-439-4705, Borland International Inc.)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(DEN)(00005)

New For Macintosh: Automated Drive Cleaning Software 11/19/92
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 19 (NB) -- A Florida
company has announced a program that automates the cleaning
of the 3.5-inch floppy disk drives on Macintosh computers.

Called Drive Cleaner, the Seven Hills Software package combines
a 3M disk cleaning pad with software that controls the length of
the cleaning, reminds the user when its time to clean again, and
keeps track of how many times the cleaning pad has been used.

Seven Hills President Earl Childers told Newsbytes the company
got interested in producing the product after it had problems
with its own computer equipment that necessitated cleaning.

Childers said the company packs a 3M disk with Drive Cleaner, and
recommends it be replaced with the same brand, because Apple's
manuals recommend the 3M brand disks. Replacement disks are
available through authorized 3M dealers. A single disk provides
30 cleanings, according to Childers.

The Drive Cleaner software automatically activates the drive for
the 30 seconds recommended for 3M pads, instead of the user
having to insert the pad several times to attain the necessary
cleaning time.

When installing the software, the user specifies how frequently
he wants to be reminded to clean the drives, and the program
displays a message when it is cleaning time. It also reminds you
when you have three cleanings remaining so you will have time
to buy a new pad. The software moves the drive head so it comes
in contact with a clean portion of the pad at each cleaning session.

Childers says the 10-year-old company has been publishing Apple
II software, and moved into Macintosh-compatible programs about
four years ago. The company is finalizing plans to publish a
board-type computer strategic simulation game, and is also
working on a home productivity package.

Drive Cleaner is available directly from Seven Hills Software
for $34.95. It is compatible with Mac's running under System
6.0.2 and higher as well as System 7. There is also an Apple
IIGS-compatible version at the same price.

Jim Mallory/19921118/Press and reader contact: Earl Childers,
Seven Hills Software, 904-575-0566, fax [phone]; Apple
Link, America Online, and GEnie mail: Sevenhills; Compuserve:
75300,1743)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00006)

UTS Intros SEC-Compliant Exec Compensation Calculator 11/19/92
ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 19 (NB) -- Universal
Technical Systems has introduced a set of TK Solver templates
that it says can help companies meet a new Securities and
Exchange Commission ruling on the reporting of executive
compensation.

The SEC ruled recently in a 135-page document that, because of
stockholder concerns, the compensation of the top executives of
all publicly traded companies had to be reported in a like manner.
That is so the total compensation of executives can be compared.
While salary and bonuses are straightforward, the problem was
in reporting the value of stock options given those executives. So
the SEC ruled that everyone had to use a similar method of
reporting the options. The templates are part of a financial
management template package called, The Financial Management
SolverPack.

UTS President Jack Marathe told Newsbytes the SolverPack
templates offer two methods of calculating the stock option
values. Using the American Black-Scholes method, the user can
exercise an option up to and including a specified date. Marathe
said the Black-Scholes method is apparently the one the SEC
prefers; reports using that method only have to annotate the
report with the method used. If another method is used, the user
must explain in their report the method they employed.

For that reason, UTS is also including a template which uses
the Binomial method. Its mathematical formulas are more
approximate compared to Black Scholes, but is in wide use
among accountants and other professionals, according to UTS
spokesperson Sam Basile.

Marathe said the template package has a suggested retail price
of $665.95 and requires a 286-based (or higher) PC and one
megabyte of system memory.

(Jim Mallory/19921118/Press contact: Lisa Spathis, S&S
Public Relations for UTS, 706-291-1616; Reader contact: UTS,
815-963-2220)


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

UK: Miracom Changes Name To US Robotics Limited 11/19/92
SLOUGH, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1992 NOV 19 (NB) -- Miracom has
announced plans to change its name to that of its parent, US
Robotics Limited, with effect from November 23.

The name change follows on from the acquisition of the remaining
shares in the company by US Robotics in the US. Although Miracom
has been a subsidiary of US Robotics since 1989, the UK company
had retained its name to capitalize on its high profile in the
modem marketplace and amongst its retailers.

The name change coincides with the rash of new products and
changes announced at Comdex Fall in the US. According to Jens
Montanana, Miracom's managing director, the company's products
are now recognized under their own name rather than Miracom's.

"We will be selling a much higher proportion of systems-type
products, such as Shared Access and our Total Control data center
management product. The Miracom name is associated with the
one-off modem sell, whereas the US Robotics name reflects a
broader-based data communications capability," he said.

One of the main benefits of the new identity will be that the
company's US products will be available in the UK almost
immediately, subject to regulatory requirements. Previously,
US Robotics products had to be rebadged and repackaged for
the UK marketplace.

Another benefit, the company claims, will be the financial
stability that the name US Robotics affords. This, Clive Hudson,
the company's sales and marketing director said, is important,
as the company offers a five-year warranty. Its dealers must be
confident, he said, that the company will be there to honor that
warranty.

"It's all too easy for small UK-only manufacturers to offer
generous warranty arrangements when many of them will not
around in five years time to honor those agreements," he said.

(Steve Gold/19921118/Press & Public Contact: US Robotics -
Tel: [phone])


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

UK: Andest Communications Signs New Distributor 11/19/92
MILTON KEYNES, ENGLAND, 1992 NOV 19 (NB) -- Andest
Communications has signed up yet another distributor to handle
its modem products. This time around it is Midwich Thame, the
Norfolk-based distributor that is stocking the company's
products for onward sale to dealers.

Andest claims that the appointment is significant for Midwich, as
it is the first distribution arrangement for the company's new
communications division. The new division is headed up by
Midwich's product manager, Ed Stanislawski.

"We see the new operation as filling the gap in our existing
offerings and in the market in which we operate. The Andest
range of products will enable us to satisfy this demand -- a
demand which has already meant employing extra sales
staff," he said.

Tony Sellers, Andest's managing director, said that the deal
follows hard on the heels of the company's arrangement with
Inmac, the catalog company. "This new initiative will also
enable us to target our products at fresh markets, such as
education and government where Midwich has a recognized
presence," he said.

(Steve Gold/19921118/Press & Public Contact: Andest
Communications - Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00009)

Poor Detection Rate For Anti-Virus Software 11/19/92
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1992 NOV 19 (NB) -- International Data
Security (IDC) has announced the results of, what it claims, is
its continuing research into the effectiveness of anti-virus
software currently available on the market.

Products tested by IDC include: Dr Solomon's Toolkit, McAfee
Antivirus, Central Point's Anti-virus, and the Norton Anti-virus
package. The tests were carried out by a number of leading
organizations and libraries, such as the National Computer
Security Association (NCSA), Virus Bulletin, VSUM Virus
Library and the Hamburg Virus Test Center.

According to IDC, the tests were conducted over a period of 15
months, from June, 1991, to September, 1992.

Of the eight packages tested, only the McAfee Anti-virus
software maintained an average virus detection rate of more
than 95 percent. McAfee scored 97 percent. Sophos took second
position with 90 percent.

ISC notes that a shortfall of seven percent in the sample test of
1,200 viruses is equivalent to 84 missed viruses and strains. The
company claims that this greatly increases the risk of a virus
attack and destruction of computer data. The VSUM virus library
has currently registered 1,405 known viruses and strains.

The other results of the tests showed Dr Soloman's Toolkit as
scoring 88 percent, Central Point's Anti-virus with 72 percent.
Norton Anti-virus with 67 percent. IBM's Viruscan with 73
percent, Xtree's Virusafe with 67 percent, and Fifth
Generation's Untouchable with just a 51 percent hit rate.

IDC is offering interested parties a copy of its test results.
This service is provided free of charge.

(Steve Gold/19921118/Press & Public Contact: IDS - Tel:
071-631-0548; Fax: [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(BOS)(00010)

COMDEX: Microsoft & Citrix Systems Unveil WINCredible 11/19/92
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 19 (NB) -- At Comdex,
Microsoft and Citrix Systems unveiled WINcredible, a jointly-
developed software package for users of notebook, 286 desktop,
and other PCs that cannot run Windows 3.X due to insufficient
power or memory.

A complete Microsoft Windows 3.1 system, WINcredible uses
extensions created by Citrix to let multiple users access
applications from a server, either locally over LANs (local area
networks) and serial connections or remotely by dialup, officials
of the two companies said at a press conference.

The new software has emerged out of a strategic alliance
agreement between Microsoft and Citrix that covers Windows
3.1 as well as Windows for Workgroups.

"We aren't going to be any more specific about (the) Windows for
Workgroups (part of the agreement)," said Paul Maritz, senior
vice president, Systems Division for Microsoft, speaking at the
press conference where WINcredible was announced.

However, Microsoft does view the current WINcredible product as
complementary to Windows for Workgroups, Maritz added.  "Both
(systems) can be used together," he explained. Other previously
announced pacts call for Microsoft and Citrix to cooperate on
technologies for advanced operating systems, including Windows
NT, and on products that increase the power of Novell NetWare
networks.

Edward A Iacobucci, chairman of Citrix, said at the press
conference that Citrix sees WINcredible and products now under
development as ways of "growing" its traditionally DOS-based
A+ Server Series of remote access, application, and terminal
services software.

According to Microsoft's Maritz, WINcredible will help to spread
use of shrink-wrapped Windows 3.1 packages such as WordPerfect,
as well as mission critical applications, custom developed with
the use of Windows development tools like Object Vision and
Visual Basic.

The expansion of mission critical applications is especially
important to Microsoft because mainframes and minicomputers
have long held such a strong edge over PCs in this area, the
senior vice president added.

WINcredible will work in conjunction with Citrix Systems'
Application Services Pack as a local applications server, noted
Iacobucci. Windows applications will reside entirely on the
application server. For remote dialup applications, WINcredible
will be used with Citrix Systems A+ Remote.

WINcredible is scheduled to ship in the first quarter of 1993,
at a price of $495.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19921117; Press contact:  Lisa Hahn
or Mel Webster, Copithorne & Bellows Public Relations,
617-252-0606.)


(NEWS)(IBM)(BOS)(00011)

COMDEX: Two-In-One Trackball & Mouse Pointing Device 11/19/92
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 19 (NB) -- A two-in-one
pointing device for IBM-compatible PCs has been introduced at
Comdex.

Mouse Trax, the result of a joint venture between SIIG and Prolab,
is a combination mouse and thumb-operated trackball.  The device
can be changed from mouse to trackball operations and back by
executing an Automatic Mode Switching (ATS) function on its
flipside.

Ken Hoyle, product marketing manager for SIIG, said that Mouse
Trax is especially beneficial to users who prefer the flexibility
of a mouse, but who need a trackball for specific applications.

Notebook users can employ the trackball when working on their
PCs in cramped airplane quarters, he illustrated.  Users can also
take advantage of the trackball for point-and-shoot presentations,
where use of a table would be awkward or impossible.

As a trackball, Mouse Trax boasts an unusual wrap-around
shape that helps the user to click buttons naturally and easily,
according to Hoyle. In addition, a specially-designed thumb
groove enhances comfort and accuracy, he said.

Priced at $99, the new product comes bundled with a mouse pad,
plus Menu Maker, Mouse Driver, and ProImage Lite graphics
editing software.

Dynamic resolution for Mouse Trax is 50 to 2400 dots-per-inch,
and tracking speed is 26 inches-per-second.  The pointing device
is fully-compatible with both Microsoft Mouse for two-button
mouse operation and PC Mouse for three-button operation.

The Windows-based ProImage Lite offers a toolbox filled with
standard image editing tools, plus a dozen advanced editing
capabilities. The application supports 24-, 8- and 4-bit color;
8- and 4-bit grayscale; and binary (black-and-white) imaging.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19921117;  Press contact:  Julie Petroski,
SIIG, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00012)

COMDEX: B&W Demo BW-Services For Windows NT 11/19/92
DUNDAS, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1992 NOV 19 (NB) -- With the
eventual introduction of Windows NT, and the availability of
beta versions to developers, it was inevitable that some
companies would start announcing products based on the new
operating system.

In the networking arena the situation is exactly the same. Many
companies are in the process of assimilating all of the technical
details that need to be understood in order to make products work
under NT. Some of the companies are able to show their future
wares to elicit discussion and comments from prospective
customers and also generate interest. One such company is
Beame and Whiteside, which are using the occasion of this year's
fall Comdex to show demonstration versions of their BW-Services
for Windows NT product.

BW-Services for Windows NT (BW-NT) is a collection of utility-
type routines that Windows NT users will be able to run on their
PCs. The collection of programs included are commonly found in
the Unix and TCP/IP worlds. BW-NT provide them to the Windows
NT user and utilize the TCP/IP stack which is a part of the
Windows NT operating system kernel.

Beame and Whiteside are only showing demonstration versions of
the program since Microsoft is still modifying NT. BW employees
have told Newsbytes that they expect that the final product could
be very different than the demo, since it is B&W's understanding
that Microsoft will make significant changes to NT. This is also
corroborated in their minds by the fact that Microsoft has
apparently delayed the official introduction of NT to sometime
in the middle of next year.

Beame and Whiteside have collected programs that include NFS
(Network File Server), Telnet, FTP (File Transfer Protocol),
Finger, Talk, Network Browser, and remote print queuing into
their package. In addition, the company also included their
implementation of INETD into the package, which performs the
Unix INETD functions under Windows.

BW-Services for Windows NT is expected to ship at the same time
Microsoft Windows NT ships. Pricing has not been established at
this time. For those who are in Las Vegas to see the Comdex show,
Beame & Whiteside are in booth N6244.

(Naor Wallach/19921113/Press Contact: Tome Woolf, Woolf
Media Relations for Beame & Whiteside, 415-508-1554/Public
Contact: Beame & Whiteside 416-765-0822)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEL)(00013)

India: More Notebooks, But Sluggish Demand 11/19/92
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1992 NOV 19 (NB) -- Notebook computers
may have made it big worldwide, but in India they have, at best,
received a lukewarm response.

"The victim of a vicious circle," complains Raj Saraf, managing
director of Zenith Computers. "Price are high, because the systems
need to be imported from abroad, and this deters any increase in
demand. Less demand leads to a lesser number of vendors in the
arena, and this in turn does not allow the price to come down."

However, this bleak scenario has not deterred the Gandhinagar-
based Axpert Computers Proprietary Ltd., or Mahendra
Electronics Proprietary Ltd., (MEC) of New Delhi, from recently
marketing notebooks in India. There is hope in the horizon
though, with the news that the government is planning to allow
the import of notebook computers freely into the country.

Meanwhile, Axpert has collaborated with American Research Corp.,
(ARC) on the manufacturing of the Notebook 3000, which is based
on a 80386 processor and offers up to a 200 megabyte (MB) hard
disk. The notebook, which weighs less than three kilograms,
leaves behind a footprint smaller than an A4 size document.

The unit's various add-ons include an Arcnet/Ethernet pocket LAN
(local area network) adapter, a 360 by 360 dots-per-inch (dpi)
notebook printer, and a fax/modem adapter. Axpert, which plans
to produce 1,000 units within a year, expects to turnover Rs 6
crore this year from sales of the notebook.

MEC has formalized a pact with Taiwan's Veridata Electronics Inc.,
for making and exporting ExecuLite 386/25e, Xtra-Pro 386
S/25, and 386 S/25C computers. The first-mentioned, a 386SX
notebook based on Advanced Micro Devices' AMD386SXL central
processing unit (CPU), comes with a white liquid crystal display
(LCD) for VGA graphics, two MB of standard on-board memory,
which can be upgraded to 4MB, a 1.44 MB floppy drive, and a 60MB,
80MB or 120 MB hard drive.

The notebook, which comes housed in a case 11 by 8.6 by 1.4-
inches in size, weighs 2.1 kilograms. The unit has a mouse pad,
external PS/2 device ports, and a secondary serial port. The
notebook has interfaces for such peripherals as a printer,
keyboard, and VGA monitor.

The Xtra-Pro 386S/25 notebook has a built-in small computer
system interface (SCSI) port and a LCD screen capable of
displaying 256 colors. It is designed around 80386SXL CPU and
offers 4 MB of RAM which is upgradeable to 8MB. Weighing
three kilograms, the notebook comes with an embedded numeric
keypad. Optional modules include a pointing trackball device, a
networking LAN module, a secondary RS232 port,  and a VGA
video port.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19921117)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00014)

Japan: Matsushita To Sell AT&T's Personal Communicator 11/19/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 NOV 19 (NB) -- Matsushita Electric will
release AT&T's next generation communication tool, called the
Personal Communicator. NEC and Toshiba have already expressed
their intention to release the product under their own brand
names.

According to President William Warwick of AT&T Micro
Electronics, Matsushita Electric has already been cooperating
with AT&T Micro Electronics through Matsushita's California-
based joint venture firm, EO.

In the near future, Matsushita will reportedly release its own
Personal  Communicator under license from AT&T. Also,
Matsushita is expected to supply the products to AT&T on an
OEM (original manufacturer equipment) basis.

AT&T's Personal Communicator is bases on its Hobbit processor
and Go Corp.'s Pen-Point operating system. The Personal
Communicator is said to support a fax and telephone feature,
and pen-input capabilities, as well as basic features of personal
computers.

The major concern for the consumers is the price of this system.
Surprisingly, the retail price of the Personal Communicator will
be less than 200,000 yen ($1,650), according to a Nikkei
newspaper source.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19921118/Press Contact:
Matsushita Electric, [phone], Fax, [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00015)

Interleaf Opens New Office In Austria 11/19/92
VIENNA, AUSTRIA, 1992 NOV 19 (NB) -- Interleaf, the business
document company, has opened an office in Vienna. The office
will be managed by the company's German operation, which also
handles Central Europe, including Italy, Switzerland, and the
former Eastern Bloc countries.

According to Manfred Combuchen, managing director of Interleaf's
German operation, the Austrian office will improve the quality of
service for its customers in that country.

"Interleaf is expanding throughout the European market, and our
new office will allow us to considerably increase support to
Austrian customers, our Austrian distributor and resellers --
also enabling us to increase our business capacity," he said.

The new offices are situated at Am Concordepark 1/B2,
A-2320 Schwechat, Austria.

(Steve Gold/19921119/Press & Public Contact: Interleaf
Austria - Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00016)

Telebit In Modem Deal With German PTT 11/19/92
BONN, WESTERN GERMANY, 1992 NOV 19 (NB) -- Telebit has
announced a major deal with Deutsche Bundespost Telekom (DBT).

Terms of the contract call for the US-headquartered modem
manufacturer to supply its high-speed modems to DBT for use
when linking between offices of the state-controlled telecoms
company, as well as for placing data calls outside of Germany.

According to Telebit, the DBT has selected the Worldblazer
modem, a unit that runs at V.32Bis (14,400 bits-per-second)
and uses the company's Turbo Pep error-correction and data
compression technology to maximize data throughput.

Announcing the deal with Telebit, Wolfgang Viell, manager of
Teledata products within DBT, said that the Worldblazer is the
only unit of its type authorized for use on the German telecoms
network.

"The modem's CCITT V.42bis and V.42 standards combined with
Telebit's Turbo Pep technology will give us the power that is
needed to connect over diverse telephone environments still
common in Germany and in Eastern Europe," he said.

"We already have a large installed base of many thousands of
the T2010 modems offering the Telebit PEP technology. As
technology advances it is natural that we would like to be able
to offer our customers the next generation of modems with the
same good quality and reliability," he added.

Laura Andrus, managing director of Telebit's international sales
division, said that the company's "PEP" series of modems had
been in use in Europe since just 1986. Despite this short period,
he said, the Worldblazer is the most universally compatible
modem when it comes to difficult phone lines.

The Worldblazer modem is a V.32Bis unit that supports the
V.42Bis error correction and data compression system. Its'
claimed advantage over competing V.32Bis/V.42Bis units is the
inclusion of the company's proprietary packetized ensemble
protocol (PEP) that allows features such as dynamic data
packet sizing to maximize data throughput.

In earlier tests on the PEP system carried out by Newsbytes,
the technology does boost data throughput, although it only
works when two Worldblazer modems are linked together.

(Steve Gold/19921119/Press & Public Contact: Telebit -
Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(LON)(00017)

 ****European HDTV Slows; Govts To Abandon Subsidies? 11/19/92
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, 1992 NOV 19 (NB) -- Next time you are
cursing the TV for not being high resolution enough to enjoy your
favorite programs, you should ponder the problems facing the TV
industry regarding high definition television (HDTV). Until quite
recently, HDTV's future was looking quite rosy in Europe, thanks
to financial support from the European Commission. Now that
support is in jeopardy.

The original plan was for the EC to pump 850 million ECUs (about
$60 million) into HDTV development projects in Europe, in the
hope of establishing a standard before the industry gets into the
same tangle it did with video recorder technology. The EC also
wants to avoid a duplicity of HDTV standards, as witnessed by
the three main TV systems in use today -- NTSC, PAL, and SECAM.

EC ministers are due to approve the project during November, but
sources close to the Brussels headquarters of the Commission
suggest that Britain will reject the plan. The project requires
the unanimous approval of all 12 member states in the EC.

British representatives within the EC have criticized the plan on
the grounds that pumping public money into a project that will
eventually generate high profits for the companies concerned is
against the EC's principles. British ministers argued that, if
the money were not invested, then the market would still
develop, albeit more slowly.

Greek, Portuguese, and Spanish representatives within the EC
have also said they will be unwilling to approve the project,
although not for the same reasons as Britain. The other countries
are worried about the whole question of EC funding and budgets,
now that the recession is starting to bite.

The problem is that, while the EC was conceived to balance the
free market within Europe to prevent hardship and economic
problems at all levels, its basic premise of the richer nations
contributing more than the poor countries has hit the problem
that virtually all member states are feeling the effects of the
recession.

Special projects such as the HDTV investment plan are viewed
as not strictly necessary in the recession-hit 1990s. The result
is that EC members are focusing their attentions on more
fundamental problems in the community.

(Steve Gold/19921119)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00018)

Ericsson Expects Disappointing Annual Figures 11/19/92
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, 1992 NOV 19 (NB) -- Telecoms giant
Ericsson may be about to announce a disappointing set of annual
figures, if the doom and gloom analysts in Europe are correct.
According to analysts, the problem has been the company's
fourth quarter trading conditions, despite a healthy first three
quarter's figures.

Analysts are predicting that the first three quarters of this
year (to September, 1992) have generated a profit of 115 million
Swedish Crowns. During the nine months to September 30, 1992,
Ericsson generated 1,510 million Crowns. Analysts predict that
the Swedish company could even make a loss during its fourth
quarter, despite a number of prestigious contracts.

What's interesting about Ericsson is the number of contracts the
company has been snapping up over the last six months. Some
analysts have noted that, despite these deals, the company
has only been making marginal profits on the new contracts.
This suggests that Ericsson is "trading on margin," a term given
to companies that take on contracts at minimal profit, so as to
increase their overall cash flow.

(Steve Gold/19921119)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00019)

AT&T Buys Into Telfa Of Poland 11/19/92
WARSAW, POLAND, 1992 NOV 19 (NB) -- AT&T has announced
plans to take an 80 percent stake in Telfa, the Polish government-
owned electronics and telecommunications operation.

The deal, which involves a cash transfer of $28 million to the
Polish government, also calls on AT&T to invest a further $45
million in the company between now and 1998.

Telfa's main claim to fame is the production of digital
telephone exchanges. The company, which is situated in
Bydgoszcz in the central region of Poland, plans to maintain its
production of the exchanges, leaving AT&T to enhance and
diversify the other areas of its expertise.

"We want to be firmly established on the Polish market," said
Dan Hesse, president of AT&T Network Systems International,
adding that he has a number of plans for Telfa.

Telfa currently employs 1,200 people, and AT&T promised to
retain at least 75 percent of the staff between now and the
beginning of 1994.

(Steve Gold/19921119)


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

Egghead 2Qtr Earnings Down 75%, President Resigns 11/19/92
ISSAQUAH, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 19 (NB) -- Egghead
Software President and CEO Matthew Griffin has resigned after
the software discounter announced that its second quarter
earnings had dropped from $2.8 million, or $0.16 per share for
the 1992 second quarter to $700,000 or $0.04 per share.

Egghead spokesperson Megan McKenzie told Newsbytes there is
no connection between the poor results and Griffin's resignation.
"Griffin, Stuart Sloan (the former Egghead chairman), and Ron
Weinstein signed a four year management agreement to help
Egghead in tough times," said McKenzie. Weinstein stepped down
about a year ago although he is still on the board. Griffin will
also continue on the board of directors. Until a successor is
picked, Chairman Ronald Erickson will fill the position of acting
president and CEO.

Speaking about the poor results for the quarter, Erickson said
sales were impacted by increased competition in both retail and
corporate and government sales, a slowdown in sales to major
aerospace and military customers, and fewer major new-product
introductions compared to the same period last year.

Retail sales were down seven percent, to $52.3 million compared
to $56.5 million for the same period last year. The company said
comparable retail store sales decreased 12 percent while
corporate and government sales decreased five percent. Corporate
and government sales accounted for 62 percent of the company's
sales during the quarter.

On a lighter note, Egghead has released its annual "Top Picks"
for holiday gift lists. The list is divided into three categories:
education, entertainment, and multimedia, and is based on
consumer buying patterns as well as industry trends. Egghead
Executive VP of Operations Dennis Zook thinks software will be
a particularly popular gift choice this holiday season. "With
more than 25 million homes with computers in the US, and
computer users becoming more sophisticated every year, there
continues to be increased demand for innovative and powerful
software.

Egghead's "eggsperts" say this years choices emphasize features
like user friendliness, increasingly life-like sound, graphics and
animation. Included on the list are SoundBlaster Starter Kit;
Microsoft Cinemania; Multimedia Beethoven - The Ninth Symphony;
Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective; Microsoft Bookshelf for
Windows; World Atlas; Greatest Books Collection; Microsoft
Encarta; and AddImpact! The list also includes an Egghead-selected
pack of six programs that combine utilities and games; several
programs for kids, including KidPix, Bodyworks, Where in The
World is Carmen Sandiego?, Math Blaster Plus; and several adult
entertainment programs, including PGA Tour Golf for Windows;
A-Train; and the New York Times Crossword.

(Jim Mallory/19921119/Press contact: Megan McKenzie, Egghead
Software, 206-391-6266)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00021)

Free Aldus PC Accessory Pack Supports Photo CD 11/19/92
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 19 (NB) --  Users who
bought Windows-based Photostyler are going to get a free gift
from Aldus Corporation. The software company says it will begin
shipping a free accessory pack to all registered Photostyler
owners that includes full support for Eastman Kodak's Photo CD
technology.

Photo CD technology allows conventional photographs to be stored
on a CD-ROM disk. The images can then be viewed on a television
or a personal computer equipped with a special CD player. Several
stock photo houses, which store thousands, or even millions, of
professional photo images, have announced they will make their
catalogs available on Photo CD. Photo buyers will be able to
select desired images from the catalogs then order the original
image for publication.

Included in the free accessory pack are plug-in modules, new
and updated filters and device drivers, and image management
software. The plug in modules support industry-standard
mechanisms that facilitate the transfer and compression of
digital images, such as TWAIN and JPEG. TWAIN is an open
interface to input and output devices such as scanners and
printers. JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) is a standard
for image-file compression. Compressed images take less
storage space and require less on-line time when being send
over phone lines between computers.

The pack's new filters apply special effects to bitmap images.
Included are Watercolor, which enables users to make a bitmap
image appear to have been painted with water colors; and
Notepaper, which gives the image the look of embossed notepaper.
New drivers include one for the ADDA video frame grabber and
drivers for the Canon CJ-10 scanner/printer and Sharp and Umax
scanners.

The company says ImagePals Album image management allows the
user to catalog, manage, search for, and browse through thumbnail-
sized pictures of bitmap images stored on a hard drive, CD-ROM or
other digital medium. A selected image can then be opened in
Photostyler for editing. "ImagePals Album goes beyond the
image-management capabilities of any currently available
image-processing program - for either Windows or the Macintosh,"
according to Rod Bauer, Photostyler product marketing manager.

(Jim Mallory/19921119/Press contact: Belinda Young, Aldus
Corporation, 206-386-8819: Reader contact: 206-622-5500)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(DEN)(00022)

 ****Cray Research Announces Gigabit-Speed LAN 11/19/92
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 19 (NB) --  Cray
Research has announced what it calls the world's longest distance
local area network (LAN) linkage, capable of transmitting
computer data at up to one gigabit (one billion bits) of data per
second.

The company says the achievement is important because of the
federal government's goal to create a gigabit-speed national
"data superhighway" by the end of the 1990's. The highway is
essential to the government's plans under its High Performance
Computing and Communications (HPCC) program intended to
strengthen US industrial competitiveness by allowing US
scientists and researchers to share data across long distances
in order to solve crucial scientific and industrial problems.

Cray quotes presidential science advisor Dr. Allan Bromley: "There
is perhaps no other single initiative that would have as large and
widespread an impact on our society."  A report commissioned by
the US Department of Energy and its Los Alamos National
Laboratory estimates that the HPCC program would boost the US
gross national product by $175 billion to $500 billion.

The gigabit link announced by Cray connects the supercomputer
maker's LAN at the company's Eagan, Minnesota headquarters over a
distance of 43 kilometers, or nearly 26 miles to another LAN in a
downtown Minneapolis exhibit hall at the Supercomputing 92
conference.  The company said the link is via a 1.2 gigabits per
second fiber optic service provided by US West and using a HIPPI
(high performance parallel interface) switch at the conference
site and HIPPI extenders. HIPPI  is an ANSI-standard channel with
a defined speed of 800 megabits per second.  The fiber optic link
passes through six switching centers, losing about 24 decibels at
1300 nanometers. The HIPPI switch at the conference site can
handle up to 32 computer systems and related devices.

(Jim Mallory/19921119/Press contact: Steve Conway, Cray
Research, 612-683-7133)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(MOW)(00023)

COMDEX: PKZIP Moves To Other Software Platforms 11/19/92
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 19 (NB) -- PKWARE, the
developer of the PKZIP archiving package, has announced it has
moved it to an additional six software platforms.

PKZIP 2 for MS-DOS and OS/2, which are already available, will
be complimented by versions for the Sun workstation, Solaris 1.1,
SCO Xenix, Ultrix, Macintosh, and VAX/VMS operating systems.

According to the company, it will allow complete multiplatform
compatibility, for example, taking an archive made under DOS,
and decompressing it on a Unix machine.

The company says the product will be available in a few months
time. It also has proprietary encryption algorithms included in
the PKZIP packages.

Another compression product PKWARE promotes is a PKLITE, the
utility which allows DOS users to store executable programs in
compressed format and then decompress them in memory
immediately before execution.

Similar technologies are already used by large software
development companies like Microsoft to reduce the size of the
executable files they are selling. PKWARE makes is available for
even small software developers for a fee of $46.

(Kirill Tchashchin/19921119/Press Contact: Pkware Inc,
414-354-8699)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(MOW)(00024)

COMDEX: Two Small Firms To Offer Multimedia Systems 11/19/92
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 19 (NB) -- Two californian
companies -- Iterated Systems and Total MultiMedia (TMM) --
have teamed up to compete with Microsoft and Apple by offering a
video authoring and playback system for the entertainment and
computer industries.

The fractal compression technology, which is a key element of
the technology, allows a single digital data frame to represent a
24-color image, which could be decompressed on screens of
various sizes and resolutions, making it hardware-independent.

TMM claims to outperform Apple and Microsoft in both image
quality, frame rate and data rate -- all key components of
compressed video performance. The technology is claimed to give
a playback rate twice as fast as that of its competitors. The
company claims that one second of playback at 30 frames-per-
second (compared to 15 from Microsoft) requires only 40
kilobytes (KB) of the disk or CD-ROM (compared to 70-80 KB by
competing products).

The TMM producer station and the Desktop Multimedia kit, which
are both utilizing the features of fast fractal chips from the UVC
Corporation are immediately available, although there is
special pricing, according to Al Rossi of TMM.

TMM is a publicly held company which develops and markets
multimedia hardware and software technologies. Iterated
Systems is a privately-owned firm engaged in scientific
research into image compression technologies.

(Kirill Tchashchin/19921119/Press Contact: Al Rossi, TMM,
tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SYD)(00025)

COMDEX: Hayes Intros Pocket Facsimile/Modem 11/19/92
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, 1992 NOV 19 (NB) -- Hayes has introduced
its new Optima 144 + FAX144 pocket modem at Comdex.

The modem is just a bit bigger than a cigarette pack and the
battery pack is slightly smaller. The two can be clipped together,
with the battery pack sitting flat and the modem standing upright
on it forming an inverted T. The pack takes four AA batteries.
The unit can also be powered by the supplied transformer.

The Optima 144 + FAX144 is a high performance modem offering
speeds of 14,400 and 9,600 bits-per-second (bps), with V.32bis
and V.32, for effective throughput of up to 57,600 bps using
V.42bis. Of course, it also handles the lower speeds of 300, 1,200
and 2,400 bps. Hayes says the unit has 'Automatic Feature
Negotiation' to select the best features for each communications
session (modulation, error-control, data compression).

In addition to being a data modem, it's also a 14,400 bps Group 3
fax modem (with 12,00, 9,600, 7,200 and 4,800 bps for fallback
and lower speed sessions). The supported standards are V17,
V.29, V.27, and V.21.

Communications features include asynchronous transmission
over phone lines; error control and data compression; Hayes
"Autosync" for synchronous sessions; and Hayes patented
"Improved Escape Sequence."

Extras supplied include Smartcom EZ or Smartcom for the Mac
software; Smartcom fax software; modem to computer cable;
telephone cable (the modem has in and out sockets for
semi-permanent connections such as in a hotel room); and a
carrying case. The modem also comes with a five year warranty.

The modem measures 4.4 by 3 by 1.2-inches and weighs 8.5
ounces. The battery case measures 4.4 by 2.2 by 1.1-inches and
weighs in at 7.5 ounces with batteries.

(Paul Zucker/19921119)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SYD)(00026)

COMDEX: Claris Plans More Windows Products 11/19/92
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, 1992 NOV 19 (NB) -- Claris has been busy
showing its two new Windows products at Comdex, and has been
looking for feedback on what Windows users want. It expects
to have more products by next Comdex/Fall.

Claris International Product Manager Edith Gong told Newsbytes
that Claris had a definite plan in entering the Windows arena,
and wasn't just producing products willy nilly. "We won't produce
a product unless its the best of its type. That's why you will not
see us jumping in. We believe our first offering, FileMaker Pro
is the best in its class, and when ClarisWorks ships in a few
months it'll be the same."

According to the company, FileMaker Pro is a full-featured GUI
(graphical user interface) database that takes advantage of all of
the Windows features, including Windows for Workgroups.
ClarisWorks is a low- to mid-level integrated package with the
usual word processing, graphics, spreadsheet, charting
and database features.

Claris was originally set up within Apple to look after the
software applications that were bundled with the early Macs.
Later it was spun-off as a semi-independent company when third
party developers complained that it had unfair advantages. Now it
has been re-united with Apple, but Gong is quick to point out
that it competes with all other developers for Apple's time and
attention. "When any Apple subsidiary in any country wants a
software product to bundle with its Macs, we have to compete
dollar-for-dollar with everyone else."

Gong said Claris felt eminently suited to produce Windows
software because it had been born into a GUI world and now
produced a full range of Mac products, many of which would be
moved to the PC. She said one hallmark of these products would
be feature- and file-compatibility between the Mac and PC
platforms.

"Users will be able to use each other's files, on or off a network.
They'll also be able to move between products and still have the
same look and feel and all the major functions. The only
difference will be when we use a capability peculiar to either
the Mac or Windows," she said.

According to the company, the aim is to have a full-featured
product for Windows ClarisWorks users to move to when they
need more power. Existing full-feature products on the Mac
include: Resolve spreadsheet; MacDraw Pro; MacProject;
MacWrite II and Claris Cad.

(Paul Zucker/19921119)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00027)

COMDEX: Worldwide Submissions Win NT Shareware Contest 11/19/92
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 19 (NB) -- Microsoft has
announced the winners of the Windows NT shareware contest
at Comdex. Judging of the 50 NT shareware entries was done
by independent journalists and Microsoft said entries came in
from all over the world, including one entry from the former
Soviet Union.

The contest was in part to place emphasis on the applications
software available for Windows NT, even in the shareware
community. Microsoft claims that thousands of programmers
have the software development kit (SDK) for Windows NT and
expects the product to be widely supported upon its release
next year. Most of the applications were moved from Windows
3.1 or from Unix to the Windows NT platform.

Five categories were set up, with three winning entries in
each category. For the business category, "While You Were Out,"
a Windows NT messaging system from Caliente Software gained
first place. Second place went to "Mortcalc," a program to
computer mortgage loan amortizations from Robert Paul. Third
place went to "Time and Money Tracer" from Wintronix.

In the Tools category, the configurable text editor for
programmers, "Microemacs," took first place. The Windows
communications program "Kermit" by Wayne Warthen, with an
icon depicting the character Kermit the frog from the
children's program Sesame Street took second place. The
circuit simulator "Nutmeg-32" from Robert Zeff was awarded
third place.

"Winbatch," a batch language for NT from Wilson Windowware
was awarded first place in the Utility category. "4Dos," a
program to enhance the usefulness of the Windows NT
command line was given second place, and "Trashman," a
trashcan for drag and drop file deletion from Trigon Software
GmbH was given third place.

In the Widget category, "Icon Manager," a complete Windows
icon utility for editing, organizing and installing Windows
NT icons took first place. "Winmod," a sound file player that
plays files from the Amiga MOD format from Norbert
Unterberg was second, and "Prime32," which calculates and
displays all 32-bit prime numbers took third place.

The last category was Games, with the game of falling
pieces, "Klotz," taking first place. The popular tile game "Mah
Jongg," with new tile sets road signs and medieval symbols
garnering second. The "Thieves and Kings," solitaire card
games come in third.

Microsoft told Newsbytes another Windows NT shareware contest
will be held and the winners announced at Spring Comdex.
Interested applicants can expect to see announcements about the
contest next year on the Compuserve Microsoft Developers Forum
and on the Internet as well as other public announcements.

The first prize winners received a Artist Graphics Winsprint
180 Video Card and a Nanao 340i 15-inch monitor. Second
place winners received the NEC Multimedia Upgrade Kit, and
third place contestants were awarded the Artist Graphics
Winsprint 100 Video card.

The contest judges were Diego Aranda, an internet shareware
reviewer; Steve Gibson and Brian Livingston, columnists at
Infoworld; Fred Langa, editor of Windows Magazine; and Jerry
Pournelle, senior editor at Byte Magazine. Contest sponsors
included Artists Graphics, Compuserve, Jolt Cola, and Microsoft.

Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft added that all the
shareware submitted for the contest will be available for
download from the Microsoft Developer's Forum on Compuserve.

(Linda Rohrbough/19921119/Press Contact: Erin Holland,
Waggoner Edstrom for Microsoft, tel [phone], fax 503-
244-7261)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LAX)(00028)

14 Yr-Old BBS Owner/Abused Child Attends Comdex 11/19/92
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 19 (NB) -- Michael
Simmons, an abused child taken by the state away from his
parents and living with his grandmother, has an unusual talent.
The fourteen year-old junior high school student is at Comdex
checking out the networking and telecommunications exhibits
for his bulletin board business which he runs in Palm Springs,
California.

Michael says he got into computing two years ago with an Atari,
then saved his money and purchased an IBM 386SX-based system.
His biggest passion is telecommunications and not only does he
run a BBS with paid subscribers, 1,500 conferences, and links to
10 major on-line networks which include the Internet, but he has
rented office space and is a part-time consultant for a local
computer networking business.

Michael's talents are well-known in his community. Michael says
at one time his school was having trouble with their network, so
his high school principal called the most reputable PC networking
company in town to ask for help. The company said they did not
now what the problem was, but if the school could wait until
later that afternoon they could send out someone they knew
could fix the problem. The principal inquired why the wait and
the company said it was because their consultant was a student.
In the course of conversation, the principal found out the
consultant was a student in his school and sent for Michael,
who left class and fixed the problem.

A tall, handsome, polite, and well-balanced young man who
looks 18 instead of fourteen, Michael plays football on the
school team, goes to church twice a week, and is facing a
legal fight with the state of Montana, who has been trying to
put him back into foster care instead of allowing him to live
with his grandmother.

Michael says he feels confident the state of Montana will
change its mind and let him stay with his growing BBS business
and his grandmother in Palm Springs, California. His outlook is
bright for the future. When asked what advice he would give to
other young people who would like to do something similar to
what he's done, Michaels said his advice would be research.
"You have to know about your business," he said.

(Linda Rohrbough/19921119/Press Contact: Michael Simmons,
Dataport Communications Services, tel [phone], bbs
619-864-1468)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TOR)(00029)

Computervision Design Products Support More Platforms 11/19/92
BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 19 (NB) --
Computervision has its DesignView and CVware design software
all ready to run on Microsoft's Windows NT operating system - now
all it needs is for the operating system itself to reach the market.
And at the recent Autofact trade show in Detroit, Computervision
also showed its Medusa computer-aided design and drafting
software running on Hewlett-Packard workstations.

DesignView, a parametric engineering package, was among the
first software packages to run on Windows NT when it was
shown in prototype at last year's Comdex trade show in Las
Vegas.

Computervision said early this year that it would be shipping
the NT version of DesignView by late 1992, when NT itself was
expected to be released. Since NT has now been delayed into the
first half of 1993, Computervision said its software is
"immediately available, pending the release of Windows NT
by Microsoft."

DesignView is a two-dimensional parametric computer-aided
design package, currently offered for DOS and Unix. The Windows
NT version will offer the same functionality as the existing
versions, Doug Fosdick, product manager at Computervision, told
Newsbytes previously.

Fosdick said porting the Designview software to Windows NT
was a fairly simple task. "It was done in a fairly fast period of
time and there were no real surprises or no real headaches," he
said.

At Autofact, Computervision also demonstrated its CVware line
of computer-assisted engineering (CAE) and computer-aided
design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) tools running on NT. Several
CVware tools will be released for NT during 1993, the company
said.

Computervision also announced that Medusa will begin shipping
in December for Hewlett-Packard's Apollo 9000 Series 700
workstations, including the new line of reduced-instruction-set
computing (RISC) machines just announced by HP. Prices will
start at $5,150, the company said.

Company spokeswoman Sharon Israel said Computervision plans
to make all of its software available on the HP hardware in the
near future. Medusa is also available for Sun Microsystems and
Digital Equipment workstations.

(Grant Buckler/19921119/Press Contact: Sharon Israel,
Computervision, 617-275-1800, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(UNIX)(TOR)(00030)

New For Unix: Computervision's CADDS 5 Enhancements 11/19/92
BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 19 (NB) --
Computervision has unveiled two new computer-aided
engineering (CAE) packages designed to help engineers test
their designs early to avoid costly redesign.

CADDS 5 ThermaLab and CADDS 5 PlasticsLab are part of the
firm's line of software for aerospace, automotive, and consumer
products manufacturers. CADDS 5 software runs on Sun
Microsystems SPARC and Digital Equipment DECstation
workstations, and a version for Hewlett-Packard Apollo
workstations is planned in 1993, according to a company
spokeswoman.

The DECstation versions of the new packages are to be available
in December, and the Sun and HP versions during 1993, the
company said.

PlasticsLab helps designers of injection-molded plastic
components verify the manufacturability of their designs,
Computervision officials said. It also helps manage critical
cost factors such as injection rates, machine throughput,
materials used, and optimum mold filling.

The software works with major third-party analysis programs
such as Moldflow, C-Flow, Fabest, and Cam-Mold, Computervision
added.

ThermaLab helps design engineers anticipate and correct heat
transfer problems early in the design process, according to the
vendor. Based on finite-element methodology, it lets users try
variations on a product design to see what their heat-transfer
properties are.

The software can be used to perform heat-transfer analysis on
mechanical, electronic, and electro-mechanical components and
assemblies at any time in the design process, Computervision
said.

ThermaLab software costs $10,500. No price for PlasticsLab
is yet available.

(Grant Buckler/19921119/Press Contact: Sharon Israel,
Computervision, 617-275-1800, fax [phone]; Public
Contact: Computervision, 800-676-0688)