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/1993/nb092193

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(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00001)

 ****Complete Newsbytes Archives Now On CD-ROM For $24.95 09/21/93
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- Newsbytes
Volume III, which contains all news, reviews, and editorials
published on the Newsbytes News Network through July of this
year, is now available for $24.95.

The CD-ROM disc, which runs on both Apple Computer Macintoshes
and PCs, contains the over 40,000 news stories on the worldwide
computer and telecommunications industries written between
May, 1983 and August, 1993 by the Newsbytes News Network staff.
This rich compendium of reports, published by Wayzata Technologies,
chronicles everything from the infancy of the microcomputer
to today's highly diversified and complex array of technologies.

Newsbytes has a staff of 19 daily reporters in the following
cities: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Minneapolis/St. Paul,
Atlanta, Washington, DC, Boston, Toronto, London, Tokyo, Hongkong,
Sydney, New Delhi, and Moscow. Newsbytes reports 30 stories a
day, or 600 a month. These are objective, first-hand new stories
involving interviews with the people who make the news,
and on-site trade show coverage.

A Textware search engine enables the Volume III CD-ROM disc
to be keyword searched for stories in which individual words
or text strings appear, or Boolean searched ("keyword1" plus
"keyword2" but not "keyword3"). This makes it an invaluable
tool for researchers and libraries.

One user tells Newsbytes, "I'm doing a presentation for
a class at the university I'm attending and needed some historical
computer information. I popped in the CD-ROM and found 131
articles on my topic! I marked them and saved them to a
disk file that I printed later. Talk about easy research.
You have a "sold" customer."

This is also the lowest-ever price for a Newsbytes disc. (Previous
discs were priced in the $50-$100 range.) "We want to
make sure everyone has access to our reports, and that price
is not a barrier," says Wendy Woods, editor in chief. "Our
rich history of the computer industry goes back farther than any
other CD-ROM."

Newsbytes, a pioneering electronic publication, has provided daily
coverage of the dynamic and complex computer and telecommunications
industries to online services, magazines, newspapers, newsletters,
and fax and e-mail news delivery services worldwide since 1983.
Newsbytes coverage has won Best Online Publication awards four
times from the Computer Press Association, the largest
organization of professional computer journalists worldwide
Newsbytes is an independent, privately held news organization.

The disc is $24.95 plus $2.50 shipping and handling to US
addresses, $4.50 shipping and handling to all other countries.
Those interested in ordering the CD-ROM should send a check or
money order, or their Visa or Mastercard number, with expiration
date (no American Express please) to CD-ROM Offer, Newsbytes
News Network, Carriage House, 406 West Olive St., Stillwater,
MN 55082 or fax to 612-430-0441.

Electronic mail orders should be sent to [e-mail]
(Internet), NEWSBYTES1 (Applelink and Bix), WWOODS (MCI Mail),
72241,337 (Compuserve), or NEWSBYTES on America Online. Include
shipping address.

(Newsbytes Staff/19930920)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TOR)(00002)

 ****Macworld Canada - Computers, Communications Change Culture 09/21/93
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- Networked multimedia
and high-bandwidth "information highways" will affect the
foundations of culture. So said the head of a research group named
for the man who coined the phrase "the medium is the message."

Derrick de Kerckhove, who heads the McLuhan Centre at the
University of Toronto, was a speaker at MacWorld Expo/Canada in Toronto.
The McLuhan Centre, named for media scholar Marshall McLuhan,
studies the impact of new technologies on culture.

The high-capacity networks now being proposed in North America will
be the new common carriers of the future and will change the way people
deal with information, de Kerckhove said. He forecast that
eventually these networks will mean fully interactive "pay per bit"
communications facilities for everyone, and this will mean the
intelligence and much of the control of information media will move
outward from the center.

As for multimedia, de Kerckhove said, it means that "anything can
be translated into anything else. If multimedia doesn't mean that,
it doesn't mean anything at all."

To illustrate that point, de Kerckhove showed a series of video
clips illustrating work being done by researchers and artists using
multimedia and computers. For instance, one video used
computer-generated special effects to bend and melt human faces and
forms from one shape to another. In another, one participant in
Toronto and another in Grenoble, France, "painted" the screen with
their body movements while linked by videoconferencing technology,
then played a long-distance game of Pong (a sort of electronic Ping
Pong).

Other videos showed computer-generated plants growing on the screen
in response to the movements of a person touching a plant fitted
with sensors, computer-generated objects appearing out of the
surface of a table in a computer-augmented video, and an artist
controlling the movements of tiny light-sensitive robots with her
thoughts, using a sensor device that adjusted light intensity in
response to brainwave patterns.

Anyone but artists might find it hard to see practical applications
in such things, but de Kerckhove also talked about developments
closer to most people's idea of computer applications. He said
technology will make possible the creation of more elaborate
databases, incorporating images and sound as well as data, and will
make these widely accessible. To help individuals deal with the
growing amount of information, he added, new resources will be
needed, such as "knowbots" that will search on their own through
vast information networks looking for data of use to their masters.

De Kerckhove said devices something like the personal digital
assistants that have recently begun appearing -- and something like
the Knowledge Navigator seen in a video Apple executives have used
in many presentations -- will help people deal with the growing
volumes of electronic information likely to be available in future.

(Grant Buckler/19930920)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BOS)(00003)

Lotus CSG Joins Easel's Object-Oriented Partners Program 09/21/93
BURLINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- Lotus
Consulting Services Group (CSG) has joined Easel Corp.'s
Client/Server Object-Oriented Partners (CO-OP) Program, an
organization aimed at helping consulting and system integration
firms to expand their services using Easel's Enfin application
development tools.

In an interview with Newsbytes, Victor Cruz, a Lotus spokesperson,
said that Lotus CSG delivers systems integration services to
Fortune 100 customers worldwide, with a particular emphasis on
client/server-based information management systems.

Like other members of Easel's CO-OP Program, Lotus CSG will have
access to promotional and internal educational copies of Enfin
software, individual and on-site training, hotline support, and a
dedicated business alliance manager to provide project leads.

"We're delighted to be working with Easel Corp. and their Enfin
products," noted Larry Van der Veer, managing director, Business
Solutions Consulting, for Lotus CSG. "Enfin has provided and will
continue to provide our mutual customers with an excellent object-
oriented programming tool for developing front-end applications."

Enfin, a development environment based on Smalltalk, supplies a
variety of visual programming tools plus more than 400 class
libraries of prebuilt code, comprising more than 6,000 programming
routines. The environment is designed to allow rapid application
development through re-use and modification of the prebuilt code.

Aside from Lotus CSG, other members of Easel's CO-OP Program
include BSG Consulting, Houston; CodeWorks, Chicago; The dTech
Group, Tulsa; Keane Inc., Boston; Linc Systems, Bloomfield, CT;
Mark Winter & Associates, Toronto; SHL Systemhouse, Ottawa;
Spectrum Integrated Services Division, Software Spectrum, Garland,
TX; and Synapse, Golden, CO.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19930921/Press contacts: Dave Kitchen,
Copithorne & Bellows for Easel Corp., tel [phone]; Victor
Cruz, McGlinchey & Paul Associates for Lotus CSG, tel (617) 862-
4514)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(TOR)(00004)

 ****Newton, AV Macs Apple's Big Draw At MacWorld Canada 09/21/93
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- Apple Canada had
no brand-new, unannounced products to unveil at MacWorld
Expo/Canada this year, despite some earlier speculation the company
might choose the Toronto show to unveil anticipated new Macs. But
the company drew crowds by showing off its Newton MessagePad
personal digital assistant and the new AV Macintosh models launched
during the summer.

The biggest crowds at Apple's booth, which dominated the center of
MacWorld Canada's small show floor, gathered around several
demonstrations of the Newton. As at the product's introduction,
they saw some problems with the device's handwriting and
hand-printing recognition. In one demonstration Newsbytes watched,
a Newton took three tries to recognize the words "Call Bob" when
printed by an Apple demonstrator. However, the demos played down
handwriting recognition, showing a number of things that can be
done with the Newton with relatively little text input.

The crowds also gathered around demonstrations of the AV Macs,
which were shown running speech recognition, telephony, and video
applications.

Apple demonstrated videoconferencing while at the same time
addressing visitors' technical questions about its products by
setting up a Macintosh Centris 650 machine at its booth with a live
desktop videoconferencing link to a support technician at the
company's headquarters in Markham, a northern Toronto suburb. Booth
visitors asked the technician questions and watched him on the
screen as he answered.

Apple rounded out its presence at the show with education,
multimedia, home entertainment, and home office products.

(Grant Buckler/19930920/Press Contact: Franca Miraglia, Apple
Canada, 416-513-5511)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(TOR)(00005)

Toronto Ad Agency, Northern Telecom Offer Kiosk Package 09/21/93
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- Multimedia kiosks,
which take the automated transaction idea of the banking machine a
step farther with audio, video, and access to a variety of
different products and services, have attracted a number of
businesses' attention. During the MacWorld Expo/Canada show,
a Toronto ad agency was demonstrating a system it has just begun
selling in cooperation with Northern Telecom and Bell Canada.

The Bulldog Group, an ad agency that is also a custom multimedia
producer and an Apple Computer reseller, had a suite at a
hotel adjoining the MacWorld show where it was demonstrating its
new multimedia kiosk. The company recently kicked off the
partnership with Northern Telecom and Bell Canada at the Canadian
Business Telecommunications Alliance (CBTA) annual conference and
trade show in Montreal. That partnership, said Bulldog partner
Ellie Rubin, means Bulldog can offer the communications links as
well as the kiosk hardware.

The demonstration focused on a pharmaceutical application, although
Rubin said kiosks could be used to sell anything that can be sold
through a catalog and some other products as well. The demo had two
main parts -- a shopping function that lets visitors browse through
pictures of products accompanied by text information (which they
could hear spoken at the touch of an icon on the kiosk's
touch-sensitive screen), and an interactive portion in which the
visitor could actually talk to a live pharmacist via a
videoconference link.

Christopher Strachan, a partner in Bulldog, said this application
would make it possible for drugstore chains to put kiosks in places
where stores would not be economical, such as small medical
clinics. At the same time, he said, the kiosks would allow fewer
pharmacists to serve more customers.

Other possible applications of the technology would include letting
bank customers discuss their mortgages or other financial needs
with experts through a video link from a public kiosk.

Strachan said Bulldog has just begun selling the system and has not
installed any yet, but is talking with several potential customers.

(Grant Buckler/19930920/Press Contact: Ellie Rubin or Christopher
Strachan, 416-594-9207, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEL)(00006)

PowerPCs Launched Offshore 09/21/93
BANGALORE, INDIA, 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- India's Tata Information Systems
Ltd. (TISL), the IBM joint venture firm, has announced the
availability of a system based on the PowerPC 601, the single-chip
implementation of IBM's power architecture created jointly by IBM,
Apple Computer, and Motorola.

While the PowerPC Model 250 replaces low-end Model 230 in the
RS/6000 range, TISL expanded the high-end range with three new
models based on Power 2, the enhanced power architecture announced
by IBM in September.

With PowerPC, TISL has an edge over rival RISC vendors. The main
difference is that the machine comes with the new version of AIX
operating system 3.2.5 on which one can run Windows, OS/2, Macintosh
or AIX applications. Sunsoft is also in the process of porting
Solaris onto PowerPC. Windows NT for the PowerPC is expected next
year.

IBM claims that a staggering 40,000 applications can run on
PowerPC. The other distinguishing factor is the processor itself.
With a clock speed of 66 MHz and a Specint 92 rating of 60 plus, it
appears to be in the same class as Pentium. But it leaves Pentium
and other competitors far behind in terms of features. It is less
than half the size of Pentium and at $450 a chip, costs less than
half too. Yet it delivers five operations per clock cycle as opposed
to Pentium which delivers two. In fact, it betters even Sun's
SuperSPARC which does three operations and Alpha which delivers two,
claims the company.

TISL is positioning the low-end PowerPC as a desktop graphics
workstation. PowerPC model 250 is priced at Rs 5 lakh for a diskless
model (around $16,000) and around Rs 10 lakh (around $32,000) for a
configured model with 1 GB disk space and other features. This the
company is positioning against its competitors, mid-range systems,
which cost much more. Says Paritosh Segal, TISL's marketing manager:
"In terms of performance, it is close to HP's G-40 and Sun SS-10
model 40." The G-40, however, is priced over Rs 20 lakh (around
$64,000).

The high-end models based on Power-2 architecture deliver 8
operations per clock cycle with marginal clockspeed increases. Two
floating point processors, 256 KB data, a 32 KB instruction cache
and a 2400 MB/sec CPU-memory bandwidth are some of the other
features. Segal feels that the Power-2 models should make the
company more competitive in the high-end banking and manufacturing
markets. The Power-2 models cost anywhere between Rs 43 lakh (around
$140,000) to Rs 80 lakh (around $260,000).

IBM also announced a PowerPC notebook running AIX which is
internally referred to as Wordsworth. It comes with a standard
color display and is claimed to be faster than SPARC-based
SPARCbook 2 notebook. TISL is still evaluating the market for the
product and the launch is not likely to take place this year.

(C. T. Mahabharat/19930916)


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

Japan - NEC Plans To Release Tiny PC 09/21/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- NEC is expected to release
a B5-size notebook-type personal computer early next year. Despite
the tiny size, this PC will be as powerful as A4-size PCs, the
company contends.

The new PC, the Sub-Note, will run on a removable or a
rechargeable battery. It will have a monochrome LCD (liquid
crystal display), a keyboard, and an IC card drive. It is expected
that programs will either come in ROM (read only memory) or
on IC cards. The Sub-Note will be also have telecommunications
features, which will be provided in the IC card.

NEC is currently developing LSI chips for this PC which will
pack in the features. NEC still hasn't decided on the type of
CPU (central processing unit) processor but the 80486 chip is
considered the mostly likely candidate.

The Sub-Note will be smaller than current notebook-type PCs but
bigger than palmtop PCs. It will weigh between 1.5 to 2 kg.
The retail price will be less than a 200,000 yen ($2,000) level.
NEC is also planning to release a color version, which will
be more expensive.

NEC hopes to shift the industry from the A4-size to the B5-size
notebook in the future.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930920/Press Contact: NEC, +81-3-
3451-2974, Fax, [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LAX)(00008)

Five Major Companies Agree On PCMCIA Mass Storage 09/21/93
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- The
problem with mass storage cards is they're not all compatible,
according to five major companies who have joined up to make
sure theirs are. The companies are IBM Personal Computer,
Maxtor, Seagate Technology, Sundisk (a Sun Microsystems
Company), and Toshiba.

As computers get smaller and smaller and the personal digital
assistants (PDAs) increase in popularity, the credit-card
sized mass storage cards become more attractive. However, users
can find themselves on a "data island," unable to use cards
that look like they should be interoperable in computers that
are equipped with credit-card sized slots.

While there is a Personal Computer Memory Card International
Association (PCMCIA) standard universally adopted by the 350-
member group in September of 1992, not all cards and slots
conforming to that standard work together. A subset of the
standard, the personal computer (PC) Card AT-bus Architecture
(ATA) standard, is the one to which all five companies
agreed to conform in order to make their PCMCIA cards readable in
any of their PCMCIA slots.

The companies announced plans to standardize storage card
features, as well as system basic input/output system (BIOS)
and driver requirements, for interoperability and data
exchange no matter which microprocessor or operating system
(DOS, Windows, Unix) is involved. Cards conforming to the
standard offer low power consumption and an Intelligent Drive
Electronics (IDE) controller on the card itself.

Microsoft has also said it will support the PC Card ATA
standard in its Microsoft At Work software for handheld
devices. Microsoft and Toshiba recently announced the two
companies were working together on handheld hardware that will
use Microsoft At Work, though no specific product announcements
have been forthcoming. Sun has also announced it is working on
digital consumer devices and has started a separate company,
Firstperson headquartered in Mountain View, California, focused
specifically on the development of such devices. The company
has not volunteered any specifics and company officials say it
could be another year before any product announcements are
made.

Sundisk has taken a leading role in the development and
implementation of the standard. Eli Harari, president and chief
executive officer of SunDisk, said: "Sundisk solid-state flash
cards already are being used for fast, reliable storage in new
computers manufactured by IBM and Toshiba as well as Hewlett-
Packard, Grid, Tandy, NCR, NEC, EO, Casio, and Fujitsu. The
fact that Toshiba and IBM with their Nand EEPROM, Sundisk with
its proprietary flash and Seagate and Maxtor with their 1.8-
inch hard disk drives can achieve total compliance with
PCMCIA's PC Card ATA standard is what will truly drive the
universal acceptance of mass storage cards in mobile
computers."

Sundisk claims it is shipping flash mass storage cards which
are fully compliant with the PC Card ATA standard. IBM and
Toshiba will commence shipment of their PC CARD ATA cards,
based on Toshiba's Nand Electrically Erasable Programmable
Read-Only Memory (EEPROM) technology, in the second half of
1993. Maxtor is currently shipping a 105-megabyte (MB), 1.8-
inch hard disk drive conforming to PCMCIA-ATA in a Type III
(10.5 mm thickness) card and Seagate will ship a Type III card
containing a 1.8-inch hard disk drive meeting PCMCIA'S PC Card
ATA standard during the second half of 1993.

Support for the standard has also been announced by AT&T, Casio,
Fujitsu Personal Systems, Hewlett-Packard, Matsushita Electric
Industrial (Panasonic), NEC, Seiko Epson, and Tandy, the
companies said.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930921/Press Contact: Bob Goligoski,
Sundisk, tel [phone], fax [phone]; Julie Still,
Seagate Technology, 408-439-2276; Mike Corrado, IBM Personal
Computer, 914-766-1813; Annette Birkett, Toshiba, 714-455-
2298; Andrea Mace, Maxtor, 408-432-4498)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(TOR)(00009)

Toronto Teacher Offers Mac Education Software Picks 09/21/93
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- So you're a teacher,
you just got a Macintosh for your classroom, and you're wondering
what software you ought to get. Toronto-area teacher Rick Williams
has some suggestions for you.

In a conference session at the MacWorld Expo/Canada show here,
Williams, who works for the Scarborough Board of Education in
suburban Toronto, offered his personal top 10 (well, more than 10,
really) list of software for Macs in the classroom.

Williams said his list was aimed at classroom Macs in the lower
grades, but in spite of that included some fairly sophisticated
software. And not all his picks are what you would think of
initially as educational software.

Williams' list:

Disinfectant: A shareware virus protection program, it is proven
and free from many bulletin board systems, Williams said. If not
Disinfectant, teachers definitely should install some kind of virus
protection.

Norton Utilities: Teachers may think this is a program for
technicians and not the classroom, but it has a number of useful
utilities such as the ability to find files, Williams said.

ClarisWorks: This is the best integrated program for the Mac, he
said, and as an added bonus schools in Ontario can get free copies
thanks to a provincial grant program. In response to a later
audience question, Williams said he preferred ClarisWorks to the
rival Microsoft Works because of stronger spreadsheet and database
capabilities, but added that the difference was not large.

Painter: Fractal Design's graphics program "blew my mind when I saw
it this summer." A sophisticated program with features to interest
professional designers, the software could nonetheless be used by
kids, Williams maintained. In the graphics category he also
mentioned Claris' MacDraw, which is also available free to Ontario
schools under the provincial grant program.

KidPix and Companion: KidPix is a graphics program with "a lot of
possibilities," Williams said, and the accompanying Companion "only
makes it better."

HyperCard: The popular program from Apple "still remains for me one
of the top programs that should be available for ... any students
anywhere."

Art Roundup: A utility from software vendor Dublclick, Art Roundup
creates a visual catalog of clip art images on a disk and lets the
user find and manipulate clip art files without having to open any
other program. It comes free with the company's WetPaint clip art
collections.

CalendarMaker: This calendar creation program is useful for
organizing school events, Williams said.

MacGlobe: Suited more to higher grades, Broderbund Software's
geographic information systems package offers "an awful lot of
possibilities in geography and so on," Williams said. It is also
another of the programs Ontario schools can have paid for by the
provincial Ministry of Education.

FileMaker Pro: When students reach the limits of the database
module in ClarisWorks, Williams said, FileMaker Pro will give them
more while letting them build on their existing knowledge of the
integrated package, since it looks similar.

UltraKey: A Canadian-made typing tutor program, Williams said, this
is an attractive choice for Canadian schools. As an alternative he
mentioned Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing, "an old favorite" in the
typing category.

Williams also mentioned several useful utilities, such as the
Compact Pro and Stuffit Lite file compression programs. These are
useful companions to a modem for decompressing programs downloaded
from bulletin boards, he said. Williams also urged that all
computers should be equipped with a modem.

(Grant Buckler/19930920)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00010)

Sega/Hitachi Designing Next-Generation Game Player 09/21/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- Sega Enterprise has signed an
agreement with Hitachi to develop a multimedia game device.
Hitachi will supply a powerful chip for this device and the
technology to develop multimedia software.

Expected to be a next-generation multimedia game device, the
Sega/Hitachi unit will be equipped with a CD-ROM drive
and will offer powerful graphics features. A Hitachi spokesman
told Newsbytes that the chip to run this machine will be as
powerful as a 32-bit RISC (reduced instruction set
computing) chip. It will support full color and super fast
motion pictures. Hitachi will also cooperate to develop a
software tool to create multimedia programs for Sega's game
device.

Sega will decide detailed specifications for the new
multimedia game device by the end of this year. Those details
will go straight to software developers in order to encourage
them to create games and educational programs for the device.

Sega has been actively involved in the development of various new
game devices, and has already linked with Japan Victor
Corporation (JVC) to develop a CD-ROM-based game machine.
Sega also linked with Yamaha to develop a music-related
educational device.

(Masayuki Miyazawa/19930921/Press Contact: Sega Enterprise, +81-3-
3743-7603, Fax, [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00011)

NEC, AT&T In ASIC Venture 09/21/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- Japan's NEC and AT&T will
jointly develop application specific ICs (ASICs). Although the two
firms will work to create advanced ASIC chips, the agreement is
expected to be extended in the future to cover other kinds of
semiconductors.

NEC and AT&T plan to offer the first new ASIC cell-based IC
technology by June 1995.

NEC and AT&T are already partners -- they developed a basic
technology to produce a cell-based IC with 0.35 micron lines
in 1991. Both firms created this technology and ended the agreement
last year.

This time, both firms will develop the technology and will actually
produce chips. NEC and AT&T intend to develop 21 technologies
necessary to produce the chips, and both intend to supply each other
with the end products. For example, AT&T might request NEC to produce
ASIC chips for AT&T customers in Japan. NEC might do the same
thing in the US.

Through joint development of the chip technologies, both firms
will be able to reduce development costs. Other Japanese chip
firms are also making the similar agreements -- Toshiba has linked
with IBM and Siemens. Hitachi has tied up with Texas Instruments.

(Masayuki Miyazawa/19930920/Press Contact: NEC, [phone],
Fax, [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00012)

International Telecom Update 09/21/93
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- The world's
telecommunications attention has turned to Spain, where a
Socialist government is preparing for massive privatization of
state-owned industry.

Telefonica de Espana is on the government's list -- it owns
a minority stake. The model here is Argentina, where a
supposedly-leftist Peronist government led a massive
privatization effort which has revitalized the economy. Spain is
also working to open its piece of the booming Chinese market, and
set a huge credit line for that purpose earlier that year during
a state visit by Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez.

Speaking of China, which hopes to be awarded the 2000 Olympics
later this week, the government bought $15 million in switches
from Ericsson's Norway unit, for use in rural Liaoning province,
using Norwegian financing. Ericsson now calls China its fastest
growing market. And Teleglobe Canada opened an office in Hong
Kong, with hopes of opening the Chinese market to its satellite
services.

The big success story is Telecom New Zealand. It's part-owned by
Ameritech and Bell Atlantic of the US, and was taken private
with help from major New Zealand financial groups. Now those
groups are lightening their holdings. The local stock market was
rocked when both Sir Michael Fay's Midavia and Freightways
Holding moved huge blocks of stock. Telecom has also been
concerned about trouble with unions over its planned job
cutbacks, which it now claims to have successfully mediated, and
an investigation of its discounting schemes for big long distance
companies, which was quietly dropped.

In what may turn out to be a similar successful financial
restructuring, Telecom Argentina said it wants to have its shares
listed on the New York Stock Exchange and other foreign
exchanges, and expand its borrowings. Wider listings of its stock
would let it expand borrowings still further.

Finally, the news is also good from the less-developed world.
Ericsson won a $15 million contract to expand the telephone
network of Lebanon. AT&T bought 80 percent of its Hungarian
distributor, which holds 25 percent of that market, and Telstra
of Australia doubled its investment in Vietnam.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930921/Press Contact: Ericsson, Kathy Egan,
212/685-4030)


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

CompuServe Announces CD-ROM, MHS Moves 09/21/93
COLUMBUS, OHIO, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- CompuServe made moves
to enhance its value to users of CD-ROMs and local area networks.

The company signed a strategic alliance with Metatec Corp., under
which CompuServe will publish a multimedia extension of its
flagship online service. Members with CD-ROM drives will be able
to update online files enhanced with audio and video. Examples
would be a new version of CompuServe's existing electronic
shopping service, and extensions to some of its most popular
forums and databases.

Metatec publishes Nautilus, a monthly CD-ROM based magazine
available for both Macintoshes and MPC-compliant PCs with
Microsoft Windows. The company also masters CD-ROMs and CDs.

The new Compuserve service will become available in the
first quarter of 1994. "We really become the first service to
announce a multimedia extension," said spokesman Dave Kishler.
The company will update its CDs monthly.

CompuServe also expanded its service for local area networks
which pass mail under the MHS standard. The CompuServe Mail Hub
can now support SMF-71, the latest version of Novell's
Application Programmer's Interface. This is a support feature
built into Novell's NetWare Remote MHS 2.0, available as of
today. The CompuServe Mail Hub gives LAN users the ability to
exchange e-mail through the service, using store-and-forward
technology and local calls to the CompuServe network to reduce
costs.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930921/Press Contact: David J. Kishler,
CompuServe, 614-538-4571)


(CORRECTION)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00014)

Correction - ZiffNet Offers Hewlett-Packard Dashboard Deal 09/21/93
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- In
yesterday's story on ZiffNet, Newsbytes mentioned a difference
between night-time and day-time charges on the service, which is
linked to CompuServe. There are no differences between night and
day rates, and Newsbytes regrets the error.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930921/Press Contact: Janice Brown, ZiffNet,
617-332-8066)


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

America Online Expands Internet Access 09/21/93
VIENNA, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- America Online
expanded its services to the Internet.

Like many other online services, including CompuServe and MCI
Mail, AOL provides an e-mail gateway through which its users can
send mail to Internet addresses and receive messages from the
Internet. The company says it's become one of its most popular
features. Now it's expanding that service through what it calls
the Internet Center, designed to educate consumers about the
Internet and offer connections under programs called WAIS and
Gopher to remote databases and Newsgroups. Additional features
and functionality will be added in stages over the coming year.

President Steve Case said the company's strategy is to
concentrate on ease-of-use as it expands into Internet services,
because that's one of the problem novice users have with the
Internet. The company is also creating an advisory council
composed of experts who are sensitive to the social dynamics of
Internet. The Internet Center, like other AOL services, is part
of its standard five hour per month, $9.95 bundle.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930921/Press Contact: Jean Villanueva,
America Online, 703-883-1675)


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

Could Power Companies Become Phone Companies? 09/21/93
SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- Hoping to
bypass any objections from regulators, First Pacific Networks
Inc., signed a letter of intent with The Southern Company, which
runs electrical utilities in Georgia, Florida, Alabama and
Mississippi, aimed at installing cable on its lines.

Under the letter, First Pacific will license its technology to
Southern for an initial license fee installment of $5 million. A
portion of the license fee will be paid to Entergy Enterprises,
Inc., the unregulated subsidiary of Entergy Corp., another
southern utility primarily serving Arkansas, Mississippi, and
Louisiana, which helped develop the system. Southern will buy
3,500 of FPN's PowerView systems for use in its service
territory, with an option to buy 5,000 more and receive an
initial 25% of sales of PowerView licenses by FPN.

The Southern Co., is also picking up a warrant to buy 9.95% of
First Pacific Network common when regulators make that possible.
The whole deal must still be finalized and, perhaps, approved by
the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Public Utility
Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended.

Newsbytes discussed the deal with Don Marquart, executive vice
president of First Pacific. First Pacific is best-known for
selling systems which allow cable television systems, using
coaxial and fiber cable, to offer telephone and data services
over their lines, and the Entergy technology is used to justify
power companies' installation of similar lines.

Marquart insisted, however, that phone and data services are not
contemplated by the agreement. "I want to be clear that it's not
the intent of the electrical utilities to provide phone service,"
he said. But from a strictly technical standpoint, he
acknowledged, voice, data and even video services could be
provided over the cables installed as part of the network.

The unique aspect of this program is that the electric utility
can install a fiber-coax infrastructure and cost-justify it based
on energy savings," he continued. "It allows two-way
communications between customers and utilities. We install a unit
and sensors, which are paid for based on savings of electricity
in the home. What our customers are trying to do is help utility
customers manage their energy use efficiently. The utility can
either build new power plants or this system."

Marquart noted that recently Entergy officials testified before
the US Senate, stating they too could deploy the infrastructure
to help with the Information Superhighway. "But their focus was
on managing their business better, providing better levels of
customer service." First Pacific is also talking to other power
companies across the country about buying the system.

"The important point is this can be deployed for less than the
cost of building new power plants, using advanced communications
to build energy efficiency. It's like electronic carburation,"
which increases the efficiency of cars.

Marquart said that the Southern was originally contemplating
a direct equity investment in First Pacific, but found regulatory
hurdles too high to ignore. "They're looking to make an equity
investment, so we're moving forward without it. Southern can have
the warrant. The equity piece requires SEC approval from that
group that has oversight over power companies. Rather than wait
on that, we can do a license and establish a business
relationship."

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930921/Press Contact: First Pacific Networks
Ken Schneider, 408/730-6600)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00017)

MCI, Gallup Set Toll-Free Polling Service 09/21/93
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- MCI and the Gallup
Organization announced a polling service based on MCI toll-free
numbers designed to help businesses quickly get feedback from
customers and employees on important issues. The aim is to help
companies quickly do "quality audits."

The Gallup 800 survey was announced in a teleconference hosted
by MCI's National Accounts division. Jonathan Crane, president
of MCI's national accounts division, said, "Business executives
now have a tool to poll their customers and get results in 24
hours. They can immediately take corrective action, and it's easy
to use."

Crane then explained what happens. "After an application, callers
are greeted by a recording, and can choose answers based on a
touchtone phone, with verbal comments allowed. The system is also
programmed to take verbal answers from rotary phones. MCI then
tabulates the answers, and Gallup analyzes it. The customer can
receive the report by e-mail, fax or overnight delivery." Crane
said the two companies spent 15 months developing the product.

The Walt Disney organization was involved in beta-testing the product,
Clifton said. "It's a feedback system that they can break out by
representative and department on their Orlando vacation plans."
Gallup is also looking to hospitals and fast food companies as
potential customers for the service.

Crane added, "Everyone's familiar with a financial audit. But what
about a quality audit? We think this gives companies the
capability to routinely run quality audits, and move toward total
quality management."

Jim Clifton, president and chief executive of Gallup, noted that
"Gallup has been too expensive for business surveys, and the
results come too slowly. We needed something fast. We're also
learning that poor customer satisfaction happens first. You can
find problems before they show up in financials. IBM was going
broke long before it showed up in their financials. An awful lot
of companies are starting to pay for ratings customers give them.
It's been limited to corporations without many customers. Now
this solves the problem for companies with enormous customer
bases."

An example of using the service, mentioned by Crane, is the
present practice of leaving cards in hotel rooms to check
quality. "Few people fill out the cards, unless they're angry.
We'd encourage incentive systems to encourage people to respond.
You could offer free breakfast if they call the 800 number, or
they could offer a free room upgrade. Businesses will recognize a
need to encourage people to participate. We're going to suggest
that."

Gallup's Clifton agreed that creativity is needed in
getting responses, because a poll doesn't really work unless more
than half of chosen respondents agree to answer questions.
Clifton estimated the cost of using the new system at $1 per
survey respondent.

Clifton added that, with this system, you're dealing with captive
audiences, people who've already bought a product from the
company seeking the survey. "It's not like a Gallup Presidential
poll," he said. "It's two very different situations and
solutions." He said the new system is aimed at gathering
thousands of responses, not just the hundreds who are called in
regular Gallup polls.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930921/Press Contact: Frank Walter, MCI
National Accounts, 212-326-4389)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00018)

Combo Wrist Rest/Mouse Pad 09/21/93
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- The
appropriately named "The Combo," from Computer Expressions,
combines two handy computer accessories, a mouse pad and a wrist
rest.

The Combo wrist rest, at 7 1/4 x 2 1/2 inches, is made of resilient
natural rubber with a soft cloth cover. Rounded on both top and
bottom edges, it supports the hand in the neutral position
doctors recommend to avoid nerve damage, the company says.

The wrist rest fits securely into the Combo mouse pad, which
measures 11 2/3 x 8 1/4 inches -- and is also made of natural
rubber. The Combo comes in a variety of vibrant color
combinations, including an MC Escher design and a Munchies
Combo with a pattern of brightly colored candies. Computer
Expressions also makes custom Combo pads with corporate logos,
photographs, and other images the customer may provide.

The Combo is available from a wide range of retailers and
mail-order companies for under $20. For additional information,
contact Computer Expressions at 215/487-7700.

(Computer Currents/19930921)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00019)

Connectix Utilities For Desktop Macs 09/21/93
SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- Connectix Corp.,
has added a new set of tools to the Mac utility workbelt with
Connectix Desktop Utilities (CDU), based on the company's
well-received Connectix PowerBook Utilities (CPU) product, a
set of utilities for the PowerBook.

Included are power conservation features, window, menu,
desktop and color customization, single-keystroke menu and
dialog access, password security, file synchronization, a menu
clock/free space read-out and cursor customization. Connectix
Marketing Manager Debbie Degutis says the main goal in
developing CDU was to provide the same energy conservation
features of CPU for the desktop.

The power-saving feature allows you to set your Mac to be shut
down after a set period of inactivity. The screen can likewise
be dimmed at user-specified intervals, decreasing monitor power
consumption by up to 25 percent, the company says. Degutis says
the screen dimming simultaneously reduces your monitor's
electromagnetic field emission.

Color depth, printer selection and file-sharing status can all
be set from a single CDU menu, which displays the time, date and
amount of free disk space when not in use.

To set CDU apart, Degutis says the company set out to add new
utility features, not to mimic existing ones. "We tried to stay
away from competing head to head with other utility packages,"
she said. "We tried to find out what they didn't cover and to
put that into CDU."

Connectix Desktop Utilities carries a suggested retail price of
$99. Registered owners of the other Connectix utility packages
may purchase CDU for $29. Phone [phone] or 415/571-5100.

(Computer Currents/19930921)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00020)

New Mac Product Roundup 09/21/93
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- These
are a few of the new product releases crossing our desks
recently. All are for Apple Computer's Macintosh.

Adobe Illustrator 5.0

Illustrator or Photoshop or a little of both? Illustrator 5.0 adds
Photoshop-like plug-in filters. Also new are custom views and an
editable preview mode. The filters aid in manipulation of
illustration objects, such as selecting overlapping layers to
create a new object that can then be manipulated separately.

Filters include Pathfinder, Stylize and Color. $595 suggested
retail. Upgrades are free if Illustrator 3.2 was purchased after
March 1. Others upgrade for $149 through Oct. 31 and $199
thereafter. A CD-ROM version/kit is also available. In the US
call 800/344-3385.

Adobe Premiere 3.0

Version 3.0 of Adobe's $695 QuickTime editing software features
more tracks and faster processing and previews. A $795 CD-ROM
version includes animated tutorials and stock movies. New features
include more layers, new titling features such as gradient
fills and drop shadows, batch capture and calibration, smoother
playback and improved audio editing. Apple Sound Manager-
compatibility allows editing of 16-bit sound files.

Upgrades are $129 for the disk version and $199 for the Deluxe
CD-ROM until November 1, and $179 to $249 thereafter. Phone
Adobe in Mountain View, Calif. at 415/961-4400.

Scriptwriting Tools 2.0

No, not computer scripts -- Hollywood scripts. Version 2.0 of
Morley & Associates' set of Microsoft Word templates helps
writers create movie, TV, storyboard, two-column, video and
multimedia scripts. Templates follow conventions established
by the entertainment industry and corporate video market.
Compatible with Word 4.x and 5.x. $79. Phone [phone].

(Computer Currents/19930921)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(LAX)(00021)

Wabi To Ship To End-Users By Year End 09/21/93
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- Wabi, the Unix
communities' answer to Microsoft Windows, is in its final
"golden master" version and will be shipping to customers by
the end of the year, according to Sunselect. Demonstrated this
week at Unix Expo in New York City, Sunselect describes Wabi as
technology that allows Microsoft Windows applications to run
directly on Unix-based personal computers (PCs) and
workstations at full performance without the need for MS-DOS or
Microsoft Windows.

Announced in May of this year, Wabi is the hope of many vendors
to break the hold they feel Microsoft has on the computing
community with its Windows graphical user interface (GUI). It
works by translating the function calls made by Microsoft
Windows programs into those recognizable by X Windows. This has
several advantages, according to Sunselect, as Windows
applications are then considered part of the Unix desktop and
functions such as cutting and pasting between Unix and Windows
applications become possible. Wabi allows the Windows
applications to be resized, moved, and even run on X terminals
in a distributed environment, company officials added.

Emulation products to run Windows applications are available
for Unix, but lack the advantages and speed of Wabi, Sunselect
claims. Stephen Gaul Jr., information technology specialist at
Air Products and Chemicals of Allentown, Pennsylvania has been
beta testing Wabi before its announcement in May and said:
"Wabi is running Windows applications up to three times faster
than conventional Windows emulation software on my SPARC
workstation. It is even running some applications faster than
Microsoft Windows itself on both SPARC and Intel machines."

Gaul told Newsbytes he's had a strong interest in bridging the
gap between Windows and Unix and added that in his experience
Wabi is pretty solid, though he has not seen the golden master
release.

Sunselect says now that the product has been tested and is in
the golden master stage, it will be shipped to its original
equipment manufacturing (OEM) partners IBM, Hewlett-Packard,
Sunsoft, and Novell's Unix Systems Group (formerly USL). Each
OEM is preparing their own version of the product. "The Golden
Master arrived right on schedule, and that will keep us on
track in making Wabi available with the Unixware SVR4.2
operating system," said Don McGovern, vice president at
Novell's Unix Systems Group. Reports are customers should start
seeing Wabi technology by the end of this year.

Sunselect's OEMs and NCR, Network Computing Devices (NCD), and
The Santa Cruz Operation (SCO) are demonstrating Wabi at the
Unix Expo show.

Chemsford, Massachusetts-based Sunselect is one of many
business units of Mountain View, California-headquartered Sun
Microsystems Computer Corporation. Sun manufactures workstation
computer products under the brand name Sparc.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930921/Press Contact: Kathryn Lang, Hi-Tech
Communications, tel [phone] ext 208, fax [phone])


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

Radio Shack Ships New Video Games Direct To Consumers 09/21/93
FORT WORTH, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- If you're a video
games addict that just can't wait to get your hands on the latest
and greatest new video games, you might want to talk to your local
Radio Shack outlet.

Radio Shack has introduced an advanced reservation program that
allows its customers to pre-order the hottest new video games and
have them shipped direct to their home or office on the first day
the game is released in the US.

The program is a service of Radio Shack Express Order, and includes
video games for Super Nintendo, Nintendo, Sega Genesis, Sega CD,
Game Boy, and Game Gear systems. Radio Shack Express Order allows
buyers of video games, computer software, movies on VHS cassettes,
Karaoke songs on audio cassettes, and more than 200 pre-recorded
digital compact cassette titles to order from Radio Shack's Express
Order catalogs. The catalogs are available in Radio Shack stores
nationwide.

Radio Shack says among the first game titles to be available through
the Express Order Advanced Reservation program will be the "Mortal
Kombat" video action game from Acclaim Entertainment Inc.

(Jim Mallory/19930921/Press contact: Tony Magoulas, Radio Shack,
817-878-4852; Reader contact: Your local Radio Shack store)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00023)

Aldus To Bundle PhotoStyler In Multimedia Kit 09/21/93
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- Aldus Corporation
says it has teamed up with Singapore-based Creative Technology
Limited to bundle PhotoStyler Special Edition with a Creative
OmniCD, the Sound Blaster DigitalEdge CD, the Sound Blaster Discover
CD 16, or a Sound Blaster Edutainment CD 16 multimedia upgrade kit.

The kits are being distributed by Creative's US subsidiary Creative
Labs Inc. The special edition versions of PhotoStyler 1.1a and the
forthcoming version 2.0 offer a reduced feature set of the complete
product, and are designed for use with other manufacturer's
products. PhotoStyler SE includes the image retouching, color
correction, filters, special effects, and image transformation
tools.

Greg VendenDries, sales VP at Creative Labs, says the agreement will
allow Creative to broaden the firm's multimedia market. "Aldus
PhotoStyler SE allows our users to obtain complete solutions for the
creation and incorporation of Kodak Photo CD images, as well as
giving them a more professional design tool." Kodak Photo CD
technology allows computer users to have pictures they take with a
camera stored on a CD disk. The images can then be viewed and
manipulated by computer software such as PhotoStyler.

Each multimedia upgrade kit from Creative includes a multi-session
CD-ROM interface card, a CD-ROM drive with a 680MB storage capacity,
one of the Sound Blaster cards, and the necessary cabling to connect
the drive to an IBM-compatible personal computer.

The Sound Blaster DigitalEdge CD kit gives users the ability to play
16-bit sound. Also included are several CD-based software packages,
including Microsoft Works for Windows, Macromedia's Action and
Authorware Star graphics presentation programs, and VoiceAssis, a
speech recognition program from Creative Labs. There is also object
linking and embedding software that allows the user to add speech or
music to any application that supports OLE, and a text-to-speech
utility called Monologue for Windows that reads and vocalizes text,
numbers, and data from Windows applications. You also get The
Software Toolworks 21-volume Multimedia Encyclopedia.

Creative says the suggested retail price for the kit will vary
depending on which Sound Blaster card is being bundled. The full
version of PhotoStyler has a suggested retail price of $795. If you
buy one of the multimedia kits bundled with PhotoStyler SE you can
upgrade to the full version for $150.

(Jim Mallory/19930921/Press contact: Belinda Young, Aldus
Corporation, 206-386-8819; Reader contact: Creative Labs,
408-428-6600, fax [phone], Aldus Corporation, 206-628- 2320)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEN)(00024)

TI Cuts Printer Prices 09/21/93
DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- Texas Instruments has cut
the price of its microWriter and microMarc printers and has
introduced a 30-day money back guarantee on both products.

The company said effective immediately the microWriter Basic has
been cut to $599, a reduction of $130. The new suggested retail
price on the microWriter PS23 is $799, a $200 drop, while the
microWriter PS65 has also been reduced $200, now selling for $1,099.
The microMarc will now sell for $329, down from $369.

The microWriter line of Postscript-compatible 33-pound page printers
was introduced in March of this year. TI says the microWriter is
designed for small business users using Macintosh and Windows-based
PCs. The microWriter light-emitting diode (LED) print engine can
produce up to five pages per minute at 300 by 300 dot-per-inch
resolution. All three models include both AppleTalk and parallel
interfaces, with an optional RS-232C serial interface available. The
microWriter comes with a 250-sheet paper supply tray that can handle
both legal and letter size paper. An optional universal media feeder
is available for envelopes, transparency stock and labels. The basic
model has 512 kilobytes of memory, which can be expanded.

The microMarc is an inkjet printer TI introduced in May of this
year. It provides 300 dot-per-inch resolution, PCL level 3
compatibility, three built-in font families, and several methods of
handling paper. The microMarc uses a thermal inkjet print engine
with 128 nozzles, which TI says is twice the number used in
Hewlett-Packard's Deskjet printhead. The microMarc prints 300
characters per second, or three to four pages per minute.

TI says the microMarc inkjet cartridge should be good for up to
1,300 pages under normal use. The included sheet feeder can be
loaded with up to 100 sheets of paper at a time, and the unit
can print letter, legal, and A4 paper sizes as well as envelopes.
The included fonts are Letter Gothic, Courier, and Dutch SWC.
It can also print the TrueType fonts included with many Windows
applications. When first introduced, the 12-pound microMarc had
a suggested retail price of $419.

In other Texas Instruments news, the company said this week it will
redeem $149.6 million of its auction-rate preferred stock, including
Money Market Cumulative Preferred Series 2 and Market Auction
Preferred shares. After the redemption TI will have no outstanding
auction-rate preferred stock.

(Jim Mallory/19930921/Press contact: Jerry Rycaj, Texas Instruments,
817-774-6110; Reader contact: Texas Instruments, 800-527-3500)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00025)

Novell, Compaq Team Up 09/21/93
HOUSTON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- PC maker Compaq Computer
Corporation and network operating system software publisher Novell
today announced they have signed a formal agreement they say will
make it easier for customers to migrate business-critical applications
to PC servers, simplify the operation and maintenance of networks, and
speed the development and availability of networking software for
Compaq's multiprocessing servers scheduled to come to market next year.

"This partnership represents a shared vision and commitment between
Compaq and Novell to make enterprise networking easier for our
customers," says Novell President and CEO Raymond Noorda.

The agreement, called the Enterprise Computing Partnership, defines
a broad set of coordinated activities including the implementation
of joint marketing and sales programs, the design of integrated
hardware and software platforms, the development of industry-wide
network testing standards and procedures, and extensive support,
training, and service programs.

The two companies say they will work together to simplify and
expedite the selection of networks for their mutual customers by
sharing technical support information, coordinating pre-sales
activities, conducting joint seminars, and making joint
presentations and recommendations.

They say they are also working on more reliable and optimized ways
to install Novell's Netware software. Compaq has SmartStart, its
CD-ROM based installation process, which will be used to make server
installation easier. They also plan to develop an integrated Netware
operating system that will run on multiprocessing systems from
Compaq. A MP system is scheduled for demonstration by year-end and
is scheduled to ship by the second half of 1994.

Another part of the partnership calls for the two companies to
develop UnixWare software to support Unix-based applications
running in Netware environments.

Earlier this month Compaq President Eckhard Pfeiffer said it is no
longer possible for a single vendor to offer the whole system, and
announced Compaq would team up with Microsoft Corporation, Intel
Corporation, and VLSI technology to develop a hand-held mobile
companion device. Few specifics were available, but Compaq said the
device, expected to be available as early as 1994, will be powered
by VLSI's Polar chip set, which is based on designs by Intel.

Microsoft will support the chip assets with its Microsoft at Work
operating system, and Compaq will integrate the hardware and
software into a marketable machine.

In April of this year Compaq and Microsoft announced they would work
together to make personal computers easier to use and to further the
development of new products, stressing the "plug-and-play" aspect of
future computing. Plug-and-play refers to the ability to unpack a
computer and the desired peripherals, connect the cables, turn the
system on and begin working (or playing). That announcement was also
short of specifics.

(Jim Mallory/19930921/Press contact: Hedy Baker, Compaq,
713-374-0484; Reader contact: Compaq Computer Corporation,
713-374-1459)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LAX)(00026)

Pen Computers Make It Into College Football 09/21/93
REDWOOD SHORES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- College
football is moving to pen computing for play diagrams and game
data via a new software product, "Athlepad," from Pentech of
Lansing, Michigan. The highly portable pen-computers are taking
over time-consuming hand drawing tasks as well as offering
portable electronic forms for scouting and medical training.

Currently coaches spend 10-20 hours a week drawing playing
cards for practice sessions and often the cards must be redrawn
in a week with small changes or even no changes, according to
Pentech. However, coaches at the University of Pittsburgh,
University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and the
University of Wisconsin are using Athlepad's practice card
drawing program for their x's and o's. This is especially
attractive since coaches don't need to use a keyboard or know
how to type in order to make efficient use of the program.

Pentech says the formations, backfields, fronts, coverage and
plays are designed using a method of pointing the pen to the
proper area on the screen. The play lines are then drawn and
stored for future use, and previous plays can be recalled,
modified and stored as new plays. In addition, the plays can be
printed on card stock with a laser printer for use during the
practice sessions. The company said it also integrated the
video editing system of Clearwater, Florida's Athletech
Computer Systems into Athlepad for reviewing games. The coaches
are using Grid Convertible pen-based computers, although
representatives for CIC said the software will run on a variety
of other pen-based computers as well.

The football programs were developed using software from
Redwood Shores, California-based CIC, which develops the PenDOS
pen operating system and the accompanying Handwriter
Recognition System. PenDOS makes DOS applications into pen-
aware applications, handling handwriting recognition, gestures,
and inking capabilities. The product supplements DOS so
developers can use the same tools to create pen applications as
to create DOS keyboard-based applications, added CIC.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930921/Press Contact: Stacey Wueste,
Alexander Communications for CIC, tel [phone], fax 415-
923-9863)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00027)

 ****IBM Intros Multitude Of New Systems/Software 09/21/93
SOMERS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- IBM has made a number
of announcements relating to its PowerPC, RS/6000 platform,
multimedia, and its direct response television ads. Newsbytes
will have a full report on many of these items tomorrow.
Reporter Jacqueline Emigh is attending the IBM press event. Here
is a short preview.

IBM has introduced new PowerPC-based systems: the
POWERstation 25T, POWERstation 25W, POWERserver 25S and the
base 250 system unit. These offer more than twice the performance at
the same price as the POWERstation/ POWERserver 230 and
run at 66 megahertz (MHz), the company says.

The new PowerPC-based systems run the AIX/6000 3.2.5 operating
system and are compatible with the existing RISC System/6000
systems.

The POWERstation 25T features 16MB of personal computer SIMM
memory; 540 MB of internal disk storage; the new GXT150 graphics
accelerator, providing 256-color, 8-bit 2D graphics; the
POWERdisplay 17, a 17-inch 1280 x 1024 color display; integrated
Ethernet and SCSI-2 (small computer system interface) controllers;
two 32-bit Micro Channel expansion slots that support I/O (input/
output) at up to 80 MB/second; keyboard; mouse; serial, parallel,
and tablet ports.

The POWERstation 25W is similar to the 25T, but is designed
for the users who already have a color display. The 25W includes
the new GXT100 2D graphics accelerator.

The POWERserver 25S is an entry-level server, with a 1 GB SCSI-2
disk drive and an eight-port RS-232 adapter. The adapter can
connect to inexpensive ASCII terminals and other RS-232 devices.

The POWERstation 25T will cost $9,395,the POWERstation 25W will
be priced at $7,595, the POWERstation 25S at $8,945, and the
POWERstation/POWERserver 250 at $5,445.

IBM has also introduced the POWER2 microprocessor, and three new
RS/6000 models that incorporate this new implementation of IBM's
POWER Architecture.

The POWERserver 990 is a rack-mounted high-end server with computing
power and performance comparable to today's supercomputers, claims
the company, at one-tenth of a supercomputer's cost. The POWERstation/
POWERserver 590 is the highest performing RS/6000 deskside system
ever. The POWERstation/POWERserver 58H is claimed to be a powerful
midrange deskside system, and is configured similarly to the 590.

The POWERserver 990 comes with a 71.5 megahertz (MHz) POWER2
microprocessor, and delivers a SPECint92 rating of 126 and a SPECfp92
rating of 260.4. The system has 256 kilobytes (KB) of data cache and
a 32 KB instruction cache, and comes standard with 128 megabytes (MB)
of memory expandable to 2 GB with the new 256 MB memory card; 4 GB of
disk expandable to 840 GB with the IBM RAIDiant Array;integrated SCSI;
a SCSI-2 controller adapter; two 80 MB/second Micro Channel buses
providing 16 standard slots (one slot occupied by the SCSI controller);
5 GB 8 mm tape, CD-ROM drive and battery backup.

The POWERstation/POWERserver 590 and 58H models come with 66 MHz
and 55 MHz POWER2 microprocessors respectively. They have a 256 KB
data cache and a 32 KB instruction cache, and come standard with 64 MB
of memory expandable to 2 GB; 2 GB of disk expandable to 460 GB with
IBM's RAIDiant Array; integrated SCSI; a SCSI-2 controller adapter,
eight 8 MB/second Micro Channel slots (one slot occupied by the SCSI-2
controller) and a CD-ROM drive.

The POWERstation/POWERserver 58H will be priced at $64,450 and will
be available on October 22; the POWERstation/POWERserver 590 will be
priced at $74,450 and also available on October 22. The POWERserver
990 will cost $127,100 and will be available on October 29.

IBM has also introduced AIX/6000 version 3.2.5, a enhancement to its
version of the Unix operating system. The new version contains the
latest AIX Preventive Maintenance Package which, according to IBM,
allows customers to selectively install code changes made since the
last release of AIX/6000 was announced.

The company has also introduced the Xstation 140, which comes
standard with 4 megabytes (MB) of system memory, 2 MB of video
memory, and 2 MB of rewritable, non-volatile flash memory. This
allows space for the advanced function Xserver based on X Window
System version 11 release 5. The Xstation 140 also supports local
clients, 256 colors, generic fonts and a network based font server.
The 140 also supports either Token-Ring or Ethernet attachment.

The POWERdisplay 17 is a high-resolution, Trinitron, multi-scan
color display that supports screen resolutions up to 1280 by 1024
at 77 hertz (Hz), and complies with Part 3 of the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9241 ergonomic standard. The
POWERdisplay 17 provides a variety of digital controls and three
user selectable color temperature settings.

The POWERdisplay 17 will cost $1,795 and is set for availability
on October 15. The Xstation 140 will cost $2,347 and will also be
available on October 15. The price for the Xstation includes the
base unit, keyboard, mouse, and Xserver software.

Version 3.2.5 also includes a new, separately available feature,
the Visual System Manager, which provides an icon-based interface
for systems management tasks. With the feature, users can reportedly
initiate such actions as adding user IDs and managing printers by
"dragging and dropping" system objects.

AIX/6000 3.2.5 is set for availability on October 15, with pricing
based on processor family and number of users - ranging from $650 to
$40,900. The Visual Systems Manager will be available February 25,
1994, at no extra charge.

Version 2.1 of IBM's AIX High Availability Cluster
Multi-Processing/6000 (HACMP/6000) software allows up to four
RS/6000 systems to be tied together. That is twice the number
supported in the previous version. The new version is set for
availability on December 17, 1993, with prices varying
depending on configuration.

IBM has also announced three new "open," integrated software
development tools that the company says will help application developers
build commercial, scientific and object-oriented applications more
quickly and easily.

According to IBM, C++ POWERbench version 2 is an integrated package
of software tools designed for C++ object-oriented programming. It
includes the IBM C Set ++ for AIX/6000 version 2, and comes
with a C and C++ compiler, a browser, a HeapView debugger, a test
coverage analyzer and a set of C++ class libraries. Planned
availability for C++ POWERbench version 2 is December 31, 1993, with
user token packages for C++ POWERbench priced from $3,375 to $101,250.
The IBM C Set ++ for AIX/6000 version 2 is available separately, at
prices ranging from $1,875 to $56,250. Upgrades from AIX XL C++
version 1 are also available starting at $795.

Fortran POWERbench version 1 is a Fortran development package
featuring a compiler and a set of integrated software development
tools for building scientific applications. The new AIX XL Fortran
Compiler/6000 version 3 complies with International Organization
for Standardization and ANSI Fortran 90 standards, including the
full implementation of Fortran 90. Version 1 is set for availability
on December 31, 1993, with prices ranging from $3,100 to $93,300.
The price for the compiler alone ranges from $1,595 to $47,850.
Compiler upgrades from XL Fortran version 2 are available starting
at $795.

COBOL POWERbench version 1 is designed for developers using the COBOL
language and includes a number of Micro Focus products including: Micro
Focus COBOL version 3.1 for AIX version 3.2.4, Micro Focus Toolbox
version 3.1 for AIX version 3.2.4, Micro Focus Operating System
Extensions (OSX) version 3.1 for AIX version 3.2.4, and Micro Focus
Dialog System version 2.2 for Motif on AIX version 3.2.4. COBOL
POWERbench version 1 is set for availability on December 31, 1993,
priced between $3,645 and $103,950.

IBM also announced AIX XL Pascal Compiler/6000 version 2 for AIX/6000.
It now provides support for 4-byte pointers and will be available
December 31, priced from $1,375 to $41,240. Upgrades from the
existing Pascal compiler will start at $795.

The company also introduced the AIXwindows Environment/6000 version
1.2.5 windowing system for AIX/6000, which includes support for the
new POWER GXT100 and POWER GXT150 graphics accelerators.

Softgraphics, a new element of the AIXwindows Environment/6000 3D
Feature, was also announced. According to IBM, it delivers advanced
3D (three-dimensional) functions to the entire range of POWERstations
and enables entry 3D applications to run on 2D (two-dimensional)
workstations.

Planned availability for AIXwindows Environment/6000 1.2.5 is October
15. It is priced the same as the current release at $250 to $1,000.
The new release of AIXwindows Environment/6000 3D Feature, which
includes Softgraphics, is priced between $425 to $1,700.

IBM's new AIX File Storage Facility/6000 (AIX FSF/6000) AIX FSF/6000
is a storage management product for the RISC System/6000 which is
claimed to extend storage management capabilities in a client/server
environment. The product reportedly provides clients with automatic
disk space management, as well as file migration to any Network File
System server. It has a planned availability of October 15, at a
price of $199 to $1,500 depending on the system used.

IBM has made a number of announcements relating to its multimedia
strategy. The company introduced AIX Ultimedia Services/6000,
claimed to be a set of software objects that supports industry-
standard audio and video formats from workstation and PC environments.
Ultimedia Services/6000 supports M-JPEG, and Ultimotion movies,
with support for converting and playing Actionmedia (RTV2.0) files.

IBM has also licensed Intel's Indeo video format for use on the
RS/6000. Indeo video, also known as RTV2.1, is currently supported
on OS/2, Microsoft Windows, and Apple System 7 operating systems.
Indeo video is planned to be integrated into a future release of
AIX Ultimedia Services/6000.

IBM has also introduced the POWER GXT100 and POWER GXT150 graphics
accelerators, which are available for the POWERstation 25T, 25W
and 250, attache directly to the PowerPC 601 local processor bus
in these models and does not require a Micro Channel slot. Both the
POWER GXT100 and POWER GXT150 are 8-bit, single-buffered
accelerators that support 256 colors, from a palette of 16.7 million
colors. The POWER GXT100 will be priced at $1,295, while the POWER
GXT150 will be priced at $1,695.

IBM says that its PC Direct direct response marketing unit is testing
the 30-second ads over a five-week period in select markets covering
16 percent of US households. A one-minute direct response radio spot
also is being tested in eight percent of households and the company is
considering a national rollout of the campaign in the fall.

The ads feature a special IBM PS/1 computer pre-loaded with 11 Disney
Software Collection programs, Microsoft Works, Prodigy and America
Online, for $1499. In June, IBM PC Direct distributed its largest-ever
mail order catalog to more than 1.3 million customers.

(Ian Stokell/19930921/Press Contact: Steven Malkiewicz,
914-642-5449, or Gregory T. Golden, 914-642-5463, IBM)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(SFO)(00028)

Sun Intros SPARCcluster 1 File Server 09/21/93
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- Sun Microsystems
Computer Corp., has introduced, what the company claims, is the
industry's most powerful network file server, the SPARCcluster 1.
The company also maintains that the system is the industry's first
network cluster for dedicated NFS file service.

Clusters combine multiple network systems to provide a single
application resource. Sun is also claiming that the system provides
51 percent more performance and more than twice the networking
connectivity of the next closest competitive system - the NS 6000
NetServer from Auspex.

Sun claims that implementing the SPARCcluster 1 enables a user to
lower the total cost of ownership, as well as simplify administration
by consolidating network file service for large departments or the
entire enterprise into one integrated cluster system that is managed
from a single cluster console monitor.

Carl Stolle, manager of server product marketing for SMCC, said:
"The SPARCcluster 1 is a significant advancement because it solves
three critical problems plaguing the implementation of enterprise-
wide client-server applications -- network bandwidth limitations,
network complexity, and dependable access to data. This product lays
the foundation for a larger Sun clustering vision. Next year we will
expand our network cluster technology to provide additional
application services, such as parallel database management systems."

The SPARCcluster 1 system accommodates up to 500 client users,
provides up to 150 gigabytes (GB) of external disk, services up
to 20 separate networks, and can include up to 16 processors.
The system is also claimed to deliver linear performance
scalability, with the most powerful configuration six times
as powerful as the entry-level system.

According to the company, the SPARCcluster 1 system was designed
to simplify administration of large, complex networked computing
environments. It comes standard with graphical user interface-
based tools to provide centralized and remote system administration,
performance monitoring and configuration management. All cluster
nodes are installed and managed from a centralized cluster console
administration tool.

The SPARCcluster 1 system will ship in October and is available in
several configurations, with prices starting at $85,000. The system
runs the Solaris 2.2 operating environment, and comes with a
one-year, on-site warranty.

(Ian Stokell/19930921/Press Contact: Carol Sacks, 415/336-0521,
Sun Microsystems Computer Corp.)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LON)(00029)

UK - Logitech's Cyberman 09/21/03
WINDSOR, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- Logitech, a name
that is more associated with mice, has announced Cyberman in the
UK. Logitech claims it is the world's first interactive three
dimensional (3D) controller for PC-based computer games. The
product was first announced in the US On August 18.

The idea behind the controller is that it allows PC users to control
the latest generation of 3D games on the PC. The company claims that
the unit allows single-handed control of movements of players in 3D
simulation games, an area that traditional joysticks have a problem
with.

Many 3D games, Newsbytes notes, make use of two joysticks or a
complex control system. Logitech claims that its Cyberman unit gets
around the problem by combining all of the characteristics of a
mouse, joystick and trackerball in one console.

The unit provides X, Y and Z axis movement, as well as reproducing
yawing, rolling an pitching movements. This, Logitech claims, allows
the user to look around, lean forward or backward, and even leap
out of the way of danger.

According to Martin Pickering, general manager of Logi UK, the
British subsidiary of Logitech, news of the Cyberman unit has set the
computer games industry "buzzing with excitement."

"Leading developers such as Electronic Arts, Microprose Origin,
Virgin Interactive Entertainment and others are currently developing
new games compatible with Cyberman which will make use of the
sensory feedback function and the hexa-directional movement
features. We expect the first of these games to become available in
November," he said.

Cyberman connects to a PC serial port and comes with a 3D games
program plus driver software. The unit, which will ship on both
sides of the Atlantic in November, will sell for UKP 85. US pricing
has yet to be confirmed, Newsbytes understands.

(Steve Gold/19930921/Press & Public Contact: Logi UK - tel: 0344-
891313)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00030)

UK - Netware 3.12 09/21/93
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 SEP 21 (NB) -- Two years after the release
of Netware 3.0, the operating system has been updated with a
major maintenance release, Netware 3.12. The product was announced
in the US on September 13.

NetWare 3.12 now includes Basic MHS (message handling system)
facilities and the Mac Netware version free of charge. The seamless
upgrade routines seen in Netware 4.0 have been adapted for the v3.xx
environment, allowing users of Netware 2.xx to move up to v3.12
"relatively painlessly" according to Novell.

Novell is making some bold claims for Netware 3.12, mentioning
buzzwords such as increased performance, improved disk drivers and
print plus management utilities.

The company claims v3.12 will be a best seller in the UK, as v2.xx
users who have been waiting to upgrade to the third generation can
now gain access to the new features and advanced network services
not currently available under the Netware 2.x environment.

Novell says that all previously available performance enhancements,
updates and new utilities for version 3.11, such as support for
packet burst and large internet packets, are in V3.12.

The Apple Computer Macintosh version of Netware 3.12 included with
the PC version is set up for five users. Netware for Mac now
supports Mac workgroups and comes with a new set of utilities
that allows network administrators to control admin functions
from the Mac environment.

Lalit Nathwani, Novell UK's product marketing manager, told
Newsbytes that the package is not a major update, but more of a
face-lift, arguing that it reinforces the company's commitment to
Netware 3.x customers.

"Novell has upgraded Netware 3.11 to provide users with a platform for
increased performance, improved functionality and productivity and
ease of use benefits," he said.

Industry reaction to news of the "face-lift" is cautious here in the
UK. Alan Swan, general manager of Proteon, which sells Netware-
compatible hardware, said that Novell has to be very careful not to
upset its existing v3.11 user base.

"Novell must not upgrade those features that Netware 3.11 users are
happy with. If it does, then it risks rocking the boat," he said.

Despite this caution, Swan said he expects Netware 3.12 to generate
a lot of extra sales. Existing users of v3.11 will be encouraged, he
said, to look at upgrading their hardware and software.

As supplied, Netware 3.12 includes updated Novell and third-party
LAN (local area network) and disk drivers, a CD-ROM (compact disc
read only memory) installation option and new Universal Netware
clients, with a choice of Virtual Loadable Module (VLM) or NETX
client architectures. Version 6.1 of Netware Btrieve key-indexed
record manager is also included.

(Steve Gold/19930921/Press & Public Contact: Novell UK - Tel: 0344-
724999)