Newsbytes - International Computing Industry News 1983 May to 1994 June

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(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEN)(00001) Storagetek Boss Supports Clinton's Info Superhighway "If" 04/01/93 DENVER, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- The chairman of Storage Technology Corporation said he supports President Clinton's plan for an information superhighway, "if it's done right." Storagetek boss Ryal Poppa told graduate students at the University of Colorado's College of Business and Administration "It's a good proposal, if it's done right. Done wrong, it's a magnificent opportunity for disaster." "The government's goal is not to make the greatest information highway that can be built. It's to get re-elected. That means they place the goal of building this project within the structure of how to get re-elected," Poppa told the students. Poppa heads the largest computer-related company headquartered in Colorado. Storagetek manufactures and sells tape cartridge data storage systems for mainframe, midrange, and personal computer systems and networks. President Clinton is proposing a network of computers linked by fiber-optic cable that could carry video, phone conversations, and computer data, saying it's a way to rebuild the nation's competitiveness. The system would link researchers, schools, hospitals, universities and private businesses to huge electronic libraries, providing the ability to exchange data on an almost instantaneous basis. The administration is expected to propose funding the data highway by shifting tens of millions of dollars from the defense budget. Poppa told the students the government has a definite role to play in establishing the network, but it should be run by private industry. Administration officials have said the network will be a public-private partnership. Commerce Secretary Ron Brown, touring the university's facilities earlier this week, said the president has designated his agency as the civil technology agency for the federal government. "This administration is absolutely committed to working with the private sector," Brown told reporters. (Jim Mallory/19930331/Press contact: David Reid, Storagetek, 303-673-4815) (NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00002) Gateway 2000 Equips Best Seller With CD-ROM Drive 04/01/93 NORTH SIOUX CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- Gateway 2000 says it will now include a CD-ROM drive in its top-selling personal computer system. The CD-ROM drive will be included in the company's $2,995, 66 megahertz (MHz) 486DX2-powered desktop system. One class of user to whom inclusion of the drive will be of interest is people using multimedia applications. Multimedia applications combine the use of text, video, animation, and sound. "Gateway's philosophy is to introduce systems that will not be obsolete in a few months. So as new features and components are perfected, we include them as part of the system's standard configuration," says Gateway 2000 President Ted Waitt. He says multimedia is becoming more affordable and useful to all computer users, but until now was useful in only specific applications. "With the additional applications being developed that use multimedia technology, such as on-line documentation, more users can benefit from it," according to Waitt. The company says the CD-ROM drive included in the 486 system is MPC-compliant, meaning it is fully compatible with multimedia applications. It also meets Microsoft Video for Windows standards, is compatible with Kodak's multi-session photo CD, and supports XA formatting. It comes standard with a 64-kilobyte cache. The company says it will install the CD-OM drive in place of the 5.25-inch 1.2MB floppy drive. Gateway says it has already shipped over 50,000 of the systems since its introduction in September 92. Standard configuration includes 8 megabytes (MB) of system memory, a 256K cache, a 340MB IDE hard drive, a 3.5-inch 1.44MB floppy disk drive, an ATI Ultra Pro local bus video card, and a 15-inch color monitor. Beginning later in April the CD-ROM system will also include Microsoft's new multimedia software package, Multimedia Pack, a collection of utilities that includes an on-line interactive Windows Users Guide, performance diagnostics for digital video playback, a runtime version of Video for Windows, and 300 media clips of sound, animation, and video. (Jim Mallory/19930331/Press contact: Glynis Gibson, Gibson Communications for Gateway 2000, 312-868-9400; Reader contact: Gateway 2000, 605-232-2000, 800-846-2000) (NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00003) CeBIT - Germans Seek Cellphone Radiation Controls 04/01/93 HANNOVER, GERMANY, 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- Just as the furor in the US over handheld cellphone radiation has started to die down, the German authorities have been spurred into action. Juergen Bernhardt, head of the German federal office of radiation (BfS), has made a formal request to the government to set rules governing maximum levels of electromagnetic radiation, following a number of health scares in recent months. Speaking at the CeBIT computer fair in Hannover, Bernhardt said that cellular phone transmissions, under certain circumstances, could heat up human tissue if the transmitting antenna were just a short distance away from the ear. Newsbytes notes that certain of the German mobile phones, notably the older digital systems, can generate up to two watts of power from a handheld. This contrasts to the 600 milliwatts (0.6 watts) that the TACS (total access communications system) and AMPS (American mobile phone system) analogue cellular phones radiate. Bernhardt revealed that his department, having done some preliminary research into the situation, had concluded that human tissue can tolerate an increase of 0.5 degrees centigrade without any risk. However, because precise measurements within the human body cannot be taken, he admitted it is impossible to assess the effects of cellular phone transmissions on the human body, particularly the brain. When questioned, he replied that an increase of just a few degrees could affect the brain and vision. A likely side effect of Bernhardt's comments is that the German government, and quite possible the European Commission (EC), may be galvanized into beginning a study into the effects of cellular radiation from handheld phones. This could have a profound effect on the development of mobile phone technology in Europe, if not the world, as industry comment has been brewing in Europe for some time. Worries about the effect of radiation from handheld cellphones have been growing for several months since a US man filed lawsuit in January of this year, alleging that a tumor in his wife's brain was caused or exacerbated by a handheld cellular phone. (Steve Gold/19930401) (NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00004) AST Sets Up In Finland 04/01/93 HELSINKI, FINLAND, 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- AST Research has opened its first sales office in Finland to service what it claims is the growing market for its products in the country. Strong sellers in the Finnish market, according to AST, are the company's notebook, desktop and file server PCs. The new office, which is located in Helsinki, will provide both pre- and after- sales support. Previously, this was provided by AST's distributors in Finland, backed up its Swedish office, although AST officials stressed that a high degree of support would still be provided through the company's distribution channels. "The timing is right for a local AST presence in Finland," explained Gustaf Malmros, AST Sweden's managing director. "There is a good potential for growth. AST's combination of good products, competitive pricing, quality service and long warranty periods have resulted in a 200 percent sales growth in Sweden during the past year, and we are working toward similar success in Finland." Plans call for AST to sub-contract out much of its servicing operations to Nexor, the Finnish maintenance company. Nexor, which has offices in Helsinki and eight other cities in the country, provides service to many computer companies in Finland. (Steve Gold/19930401/Press & Public Contact: AST Europe - Tel: in the UK 081-568-4350) (NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00005) UK - Vodafone Tops In Cellphone Quality 04/01/93 NEWBURY, BERKSHIRE, 1994 APR 1 (NB) -- Vodafone has claimed it is on top in a cellular phone quality of service survey, conducted by Oftel, the UK government-appointed telecom watchdog. Newsbytes notes, however, that Vodafone is one of two cellular service providers in the UK. The other service provider is Cellnet. This hasn't stopped Vodafone from jumping up and down, claiming quality market dominance, even if the market is restricted to just two service providers. What is interesting, however, is the statement from Vodafone that it now has 820,000 of the UK's 1.4 million cellular subscribers on its books. This suggests that Cellnet is losing the battle to retain its market share. Even as recently as January of this year, Cellnet was claiming that it had around 45 percent of the subscriber base. To assess the quality of service differences between the two service providers, Oftel monitored 120 call routes around the UK. Vodafone-routed calls had a 93 percent success rate, as compared with 88.7 percent for Cellnet. Unlike the US, the two cellular network providers in the UK have a fundamentally different approach to cellular call routing. Cellnet routes its mobile to public switched telephone network (PSTN) calls through British Telecom's network, which shares ownership of Cellnet with Securicor. Vodafone, in contrast, has an agreement with Mercury Communications to use its national network, although the final leg of most calls is completed via the BT network on a local loop basis. The call routes were selected by Oftel on the basis of a typical set of calls made by a car, driving for six hours a day. Calls from a mobile to another mobile achieved a success rate of 91 percent, while mobile to PSTN links were 94 percent successful. What is interesting about the results of the survey, Newsbytes notes, is that no one is making any mention of the successful call switching rate for hand portable phones. Carphones typically generate up to four watts of power, whereas handhelds are limited by British law to just 600 milliwatts (0.6 watts). Around two- thirds of cellphones sold in the UK are handheld units. (Steve Gold/19930401) (NEWS)(TRENDS)(LON)(00006) ****Apple, IBM, Philips Work On New Multimedia Standards 04/01/93 AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS, 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- According to Het Financieele Dagblad, the leading Dutch daily financial newspaper, Apple, IBM, and Philips are actively cooperating on the development of a new multimedia standard. The last definitive statement on the minimum requirements for multimedia was at a Microsoft conference in late 1990, Newsbytes notes. At the conference, representatives agreed that the minimum specification for a multimedia system was an 80286-based PC equipped with one megabyte of memory. Since then, multimedia standards have progressed enormously. Many of the latest multimedia compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) discs require a 386SX-based or better PC, equipped with four megabytes of memory. The Dutch paper quotes John Hawkins, head of Philips CD-I (compact disc interactive) division, as confirming that discussions are taking place to define a new standard. If the discussions do produce a new standard, then the benefits to the industry will be enormous. Currently, there is considerable confusion over multimedia and CD-I. Many CD-ROM discs on sale at the moment call themselves multimedia but in very small print on the box, the 386SX/4MB minimum specification is listed. According to several CD-ROM outlets Newsbytes contacted in recent months, many PC users end up returning the discs, once they realize their systems do not come up to the minimum specifications. One particular problem centers around the speed at which CD-I requires the disc to be accessed. Many of the cheaper CD-ROM drives at the moment have an average access speed of 300 milliseconds, whereas some of the latest CD-I discs require a minimum speed of between 150 and 200 milliseconds. The net effect of this is that time-out errors occur when accessing the disc. Although recoverable, the errors do interrupt the enjoyment of game discs. (Steve Gold/19930401) (NEWS)(TRENDS)(LON)(00007) ****CeBIT Closes Its Doors - 660,000 Attended 04/01/93 HANNOVER, GERMANY, 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- And you thought COMDEX Fall in Las Vegas was big? As the eight-day CeBIT computer fair closed its doors on Wednesday March 31, the organizers, Deutsche Messe AG, revealed that a grand total of 660,000 visitors attended the event -- up two percent on last year's attendance, which was itself a record. As previously reported by Newsbytes, more than 5,600 exhibitors from 45 countries attended the event, which this year had a special section for East European countries. Interestingly, Deutsche Messe's statistics -- issued just hours after the show closed -- show that 104,000 visitors were from outside Germany, an increase of 13 percent from last year. Out of these "foreigners," 14,000 were from Eastern Europe, an increase of 40 percent on last year's figures. Reading between the lines from these figures, it's obvious that the number of CeBIT attendees from within Germany is falling. Judging from previous experience of the show, Newsbytes notes that the re-unification of Germany is costing the country dearly. A recent report in the Financial Times of London concluded that Germany is on the verge of its biggest recession ever, as a result of the combined effects of the world recession and the sheer cost of re-unification come home to roost. Commenting on the show, Phil Benge, marketing director with Dataflex Design, which showed off its new PCMCIA modems at CeBIT, said that he sees Germany as still showing a high degree of sales potential, but the country is definitely suffering as a result of re-unification. "The show was still well attended this year, but you can see what is happening. It was dirtier and scruffier than previous years. Things are changing in Germany," he told Newsbytes. (Steve Gold/19930401) (NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00008) US Robotics Buys PNB In France 04/01/93 SURSESNES, FRANCE, 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- US Robotics, the US modem manufacturer, has acquired PNB, the French data communications company, for an undisclosed sum. Announcing the deal, Casey Cowell, US Robotics' president, said that the acquisition will significantly expand the company's presence in the French market. "With the PNB acquisition, we now have a greatly expanded customer base, which is essential in cultivating new business ventures in France in particular and Europe in general," he said. Newsbytes notes that PNB was set up in 1985 by two French citizens -- Nicholas Bocquet and Isabelle Nikitine -- the latter of whom will remain with the company as chairman, while the former will stay on as ahead of research and development operations. The move appears to be highly strategic for US Robotics. Shortly before COMDEX Fall last year, Newsbytes was shown a mock-up of a planned PCMCIA card modem from the company. Dale Walsh, vice president of advanced development with US Robotics said that he planned to ship the modem some time during the latter half of the year. Since then, a number of companies have released PCMCIA modems to the market, including Intel, Megahertz Corporation, Psion and, as reported yesterday by Newsbytes, Dataflex Design. Commenting on the acquisition, Phil Benge, marketing director with Dataflex Design, said that the deal was strategic for US Robotics. "PNB has some interesting developments on the PCMCIA front. I'm not surprised that US Robotics got in there. It will give them access to PNB's developments in the PCMCIA field," he told Newsbytes. (Steve Gold/19930401/Press & Public Contact: US Robotics - Tel: 708-982-5235) (NEWS)(IBM)(SYD)(00009) Compaq Logo Change - April Fool's Day Joke 04/01/93 SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- Australian daily faxed computer news service Computer Daily News (CDN) gave readers around Australia a chuckle today. On April Fool's day it ran a humorous story about Compaq changing its logo. To quote CDN - "For any puzzled students of typography to whom the changes are not immediately obvious, CDN is pleased to offer this guide. "In line with Compaq's stature today and its leadership in the computer industry, the letter M has a sharp new point while a small patch of white gives a rather more pronounced swash to the Q. And the four point underline has disappeared, perhaps reflecting Compaq's evaporating margins. More to the point is a metamorphosis that, alas, CDN can not show you, given current fax technology: the color of the lettering has changed from corporate gray to revolutionary red." The story cheered readers around the country, some taking it on face value, and others reading it as an April fool's day joke. This reporter today received the official announcement from Compaq .... and I still don't know if its a joke! And speaking of CDN, the paper recently celebrated its first birthday. It has already found acceptance among many leaders in the computer industry in Australia. (Paul Zucker/19930401) (NEWS)(TELECOM)(MOW)(00010) ISDN Comes To Moscow 04/01/93 MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- Golden Line, a joint venture between the Canadian company Newbridge and the Moscow telephone network, has announced availability of ISDN service in Moscow. The service area now is very small and the charges hefty. Newbridge Networks, a long-time partner of the Moscow City Phone Network (MGTS), will supply the necessary equipment to the new company, while MGTS is to offer its phone lines, including available digital ones. The service now covers the US and UK embassies, two large news companies and three other multinationals' offices. The service provides a customer with one fax, one data and five telephone lines at a cost of US$8700 to set up. The charge is then US$2700 monthly with long distance charges additional. The service is aimed at large international corporations and banks, said MGTS chief Victor Vasiliev. Further service area increases, covering the central part of the city, are expected in the late 1994 -- the total investment required is in the US$25 millions range. (Kirill Tchashchin/19930401/Press Contact: Golden Line, phone +7 095 299-4298) (NEWS)(TELECOM)(MOW)(00011) Russia - St Petersbourg Phone Prices Up 04/01/93 ST. PETERSBOURG, RUSSIA, 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- Businesses in St. Petersbourg will now need to pay $515 dollars to set up a regular telephone line. This 3-fold price hike, along with others, was announced by the city phone administration. Residential phone service, although still inexpensive and subsidized, has also doubled in price effective April 1. An annual city phone subscription will cost any business the equivalent of US$50. The city phone network has once again announced its intent to heavily tax modem and fax users, requiring them to pay US$110 for "registration of the equipment." As paying this sum does not changes the service offered a bit, a very small number of companies are expected to sign up. Despite earlier fears that Moscow should expect a similar price move, no announcement has been made in Russian capital. All basic phone services are now 2-3 times cheaper in Moscow than in St. Petersbourg. (Kirill Tchashchin/19930401) (NEWS)(TELECOM)(HKG)(00012) China - Motorola Sells CT2 in Zhejiang Province 04/01/93 CAUSEWAYBAY, HONG KONG, 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- Motorola has signed an agreement for the Ningbo Post and Telecommunications Authority in Zhejiang Province to market Motorola's CT2 Silverlink handsets. The handsets are intended for use on Telepoint network which is currently under construction. Motorola is to supply its integrated pager and CT2 handset, when it becomes available. In many remote parts of China it is easier to install CT2 and mobile communications than to install the necessary cables for standard wired telephone lines. "CT2 is called the peoples's phone in China because it provides the average city-dweller with affordable and convenient access to the public telecommunications network," said Kenneth Hirschhorn, senior manager, Asia/Pacific for Motorola's Telepoint Systems. "Cellular phones and service are often too expensive for most people and wired telephones often are just not an option," he said. The initial contract value is worth $1.4 million. It is expected that the market will rapidly expand to $5.5 million as the Ningbo CT2 network expires. Motorola claims that its CT2 systems are becoming the standard in China. It recently set up offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou to fulfill the growing number of orders. "In the past CT2 complimented the pager," said Mr Hirschhorn. "The combined handsets represent the next logical step forward in CT2 communications." (Brett Cameron/19930401/Press Contact: Kenneth Hirschhorn, Tel: +852- 512 4444;HK time is GMT + 8) (NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00013) ****Microsoft Details 3rd Party Contributors To DOS 6 04/01/93 SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- Microsoft didn't add all the new features in its latest version of the DOS operating system, MS-DOS 6.0, all by itself. The company's chief, Bill Gates, told over 10,000 user group members at the satellite launch of MS-DOS 6.0 that Microsoft had partnered with other makers of DOS utilities to produce the product. Specifically, Microsoft said it had worked with Symantec's Peter Norton group on the backup portion of MS-DOS 6.0 and with Central Point Software on the new antivirus and undelete features of the product. Users familiar with the Symantec and Central Point products for both DOS and Windows will recognize an immediate look-and-feel type of similarity between the Symantec and Central Point products and the features in MS-DOS 6.0. Carlsbad, California-based Stac Electronics, makers of the disk compression utility Stacker, say they were on the list of companies Microsoft approached about "partnering" on MS-DOS 6.0. The company has filed suit against Microsoft claiming compression technology integrated into MS-DOS 6.0 is covered by its own patents. MS-DOS 6.0 adds its new compression, antivirus, and backup features not only to DOS, but if DOS 6.0 is installed on a Windows equipped personal computer (PC), users will notice the new features available in the Windows File Manager as well. To answer claims that it is stealing business away from utility makers by adding the features it has to the operating system, Microsoft has released a list of vendors who have developed new utilities for MS-DOS 6.0 users. The list includes Symantec, Central Point, PC Kwik, Fifth Generation Systems, and Addstor. Symantec has announced new versions of its data recovery and disk optimization products to work with MS-DOS 6.0 compressed volumes. Central Point is providing updated versions of the MS- DOS 6.0 antivirus program Safe Six for added virus detection. PC Kwik announced new versions of its disk cache performance utilities geared toward MS-DOS 6 compressed drives as well as support for compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) drives. Verisoft Systems has announced its Spacemanager utilities for compression and compression management such as selective file compression, greater file compatibility, and management of compressed files geared toward MS-DOS 6.0 users. Fifth Generation Systems says its entire product line is already compatible with MS-DOS 6.0, including its backup product Fastback as well as its other utility products. Addstor, known for its compression product Superstor, says its Doubletools utility offers MS-DOS 6.0 users the ability to view and manage compressed files. Addstor also says Doubletools allows users to move disks with compressed files to machines where compression is not present and still read the files. Background defragmentation, automatic mounting of removable media, such as floppy disk drives are also offered in the Doubletools products, expected for release in the second quarter of this year, Addstor said. In fact, it appears compression may increase the need for computer users to purchase new utility products that can deal with compressed files. Microsoft says only two percent of PC users had compression products on their hard disk drives, but that number is expected to increase significantly with the addition of compression into the MS-DOS 6.0 operating system. Over 100 million PC users have some version of DOS installed on their PCs now and over 400 original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have committed to offering MS-DOS 6.0 with their new PCs sold, Microsoft said. PCs with MS-DOS 6.0 installed are expected to become prevalent by May of this year, according to Bill Gates. (Linda Rohrbough/19930401/Press Contact: Collins Hemmingway, Microsoft, tel 206-882-8080, fax 206-936-7329; Pam Barnett, Wilson McHenry for Symantec, tel 415-592-7600, fax 415-592- 8324; John Davis, Central Point Software, 503-644-5644; Anatoly Tikhamn, Vertisoft Systems, 415-956-5999; Jan Johnson, Fifth Generation Systems, 504-291-7221; Tom Russell, Addstor, 415- 688-0470) (NEWS)(TELECOM)(TOR)(00014) Bell Canada Denied Interim Rate Increase 04/01/93 OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has refused Bell Canada's application for an interim increase in local telephone rates this spring. An application to increase rates and expand some local calling areas is still before federal regulators. Bell had asked for an interim rate increase of C$1.40 per residence line and C$3.25 for a single business line, effective April 1. This would have affected customers throughout the company's service area, which includes provinces of Ontario and Quebec and parts of the Northwest Territories. The CRTC is still considering an application for further increases this fall, coupled with larger local-service areas in the three largest metropolitan areas the company serves. Bell calls this idea the Community Calling Plan. On September 1, Bell plans a substantial expansion of the local-calling area surrounding Toronto and that around Ottawa and neighboring Hull, Quebec. The Montreal local calling area would be similarly expanded November 1. Rates in these areas would go up an average of C$3.80 a month for residential lines and C$8.85 a month for business lines, Bell said. Many customers outside those areas would also face rate increases on September 1, resulting in total increases over today's rates of between C$1.90 and C$4.90 per month for residential service, and C$3.25 to C$13.25 for single-line business customers. Bell's application to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) also puts forth an alternative to Community Calling Plan. It would mean average rate increases of C$3.85 for residential lines and C$6.50 for business lines. Bell spokeswoman Susanna Cluff-Clyburne said the interim rate increase would have brought Bell about C$69 million in added revenue between now and September 1. Bell will now have to reconsider some capital expenditures, she said. In filing the original application, Bell officials said the increases were needed because of growing competition, not only as a result of the CRTC decision last spring that allowed two other companies to launch competitive long-distance service, but also from cellular telephone firms and long-distance resellers. (Grant Buckler/19930401/Press Contact: Susanna Cluff-Clyburne, Bell Canada, 613-785-0579) (NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00015) Wang Completes Sale Of Taiwan Subsidiary 04/01/93 LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- Wang Laboratories said it completed the sale of its remaining 70-percent interest in a Taiwan manufacturing subsidiary, Wang Laboratories Taiwan Ltd., to the same group of Taiwan investors that had earlier bought 30 percent of the manufacturing unit. The sale price was essentially Wang's debt to the Taiwan operation. Wang is to be relieved of about $150 million in obligations to the Taiwan manufacturing subsidiary. Company spokesman Ed Pignone said there was "no significant cash involved" in the deal. The newly independent company will also get a 51-percent interest in Wang Industrial Company Ltd., Wang's Taiwan sales and marketing subsidiary. Under a new name not yet announced, the manufacturing subsidiary will continue to make personal computers for Wang. PCs were its primary product, Pignone said. It will also be able to manufacture hardware for other companies, he added. The Taiwan investors bought their initial 30-percent interest in Wang Laboratories Taiwan in 1990. (Grant Buckler/19930401/Press Contact: Frank Ryan, Wang, 508-967-7038; Ed Pignone, Wang, 508-967-4912) (NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00016) IBM Speech Recognition Products 04/01/93 SOMERS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- IBM Personal Computer Company North America has launched two new speech recognition software products. Made for IBM by Dragon Systems of Newton, Massachusetts, VoiceType Control for Windows and VoiceType 2 let users control their computers with spoken commands and, with VoiceType 2, input text by speaking into a microphone. VoiceType Control for Windows lets users manipulate Microsoft Windows 3.1 and applications written for it with voice commands such as "file save," "font bold," and "next window." The software supports 64 commands per application and allows users to switch active vocabularies as they switch applications. It comes with commands predefined for 10 of Windows' built-in "applets" and 10 Windows applications: Lotus 1-2-3, Ami Pro, CorelDraw, Excel, Harvard Graphics, Microsoft Word, PageMaker, PowerPoint, Quicken, and WordPerfect. Altogether there are 350 built-in commands, and users can add up to 4,000 more commands of their own, according to Dragon Systems. VoiceType Control for Windows costs $129 and works with Sound Blaster audio cards from Creative Labs Inc. IBM said it is speaker-independent, meaning it does not have to be trained to a specific user's voice. VoiceType 2 is a more sophisticated product designed for general dictation and input to DOS applications, Dragon spokeswoman Esther Agonis said. It also lets users control applications with voice commands, and comes ready to use with several software packages: dBase IV, DisplayWrite, Lotus 1-2-3, Microsoft Word, Multimate, Quicken, WordPerfect, and WordStar 2000. As with VoiceType Control for Windows, users can add their own commands. VoiceType 2 can handle an active vocabulary of 7,000 words, and adapts to a speaker's voice automatically, IBM said. It requires the IBM M-Audio Capture and Playback Adapter. A 100,000-word spelling dictionary helps ensure correct input, the company said, and VoiceType 2 can enter as many as 1,000 keystrokes with one voice command. Both products require a PC with an Intel 386SX processor or above. Only the sound boards named above are supported at present, Agonis said. VoiceType Control for Windows works with Microsoft Windows 3.1. VoiceType 2 operates under DOS, and can run in a DOS session under Windows 3.1 or OS/2 2.0, the company said. It is priced at $2,195. Both products will be available May 28, IBM said. As mentioned earlier, Creative Labs' Sound Blaster line of sound boards will support IBM's new VoiceType Control for Windows speech recognition product. In announcing the support, Walt Nawrocki, IBM Audio and Speech Recognition Systems Manager, "What Sound Blaster support means to VoiceType Control for Windows, is instant access to an exciting new technology for the installed base of over 2.3 million Sound Blaster users. We think the combination of reasonably-priced voice recognition, built-in vocabulary for 21 business applications and applets, and Sound Blaster compatibility, immediately makes VoiceType Control for Windows a viable tool for a wide range of desktop users." (Grant Buckler & Ian Stokell/19930401/Press Contact: Ralph Hammock, IBM, 914-642-5464; Esther Agonis, Dragon Systems, 617-965-5200, fax 617-527-0372; Benita Kenn, 408-428-6600, Creative Labs) (NEWS)(GOVT)(SFO)(00017) Network Computing Devices Gets NASA X-Terminal Contract 04/01/93 MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- NASA has chosen Network Computing Devices as the only vendor to supply X terminals under its Scientific and Engineering Workstation Procurement (SEWP) program. According to the company, the contract has a potential value of $4 million, which translates into several thousand color X terminals, over the next five years. The contract was awarded by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center through contractor Government Technology Services (GTSI). NCD says it has already begun taking orders from NASA sites for its 14-inch NCD14c, 17-inch NCD17c and 19-inch NCD19c color X terminal models. The NCD19c is based on the Motorola MC88100 RISC processor, with screen resolution of 1280 by 1024 pixels. The NCD14c and NCD17c are based on Motorola's MC68020 CISC processor, and offer 1024- by 768-pixel resolution. The company says that SEWP is a "NASA-wide indefinite- delivery, indefinite-quantity contracting vehicle for technical workstations, peripherals, and networking equipment." In April, 1992, NCD won a $30 million contract for the Department of Defense's Joint Computer-Aided Acquisition and Logistic Support (JCALS) system. That contract, for 13,000 color and monochrome X terminals, was awarded through contractor Computer Science Corp. (CSC). In December, 1992, Newsbytes reported that the company had introduced remote control software designed to allow field personnel to access Unix or VMS/based host computers with PCs. At the time, the company said its PC-XView with PC-Xremote program is designed to turn a PC into an X Windows system server that allows PC users not connected to a local area network (LAN) to access hosts that support X using a modem or through an RS-232 serial port direct connection. The remote Unix or VMS applications can be run and viewed simultaneously with local PC applications. In April, 1992, Newsbytes reported that, in an effort to break into the X terminal market, Adobe Systems signed an agreement calling for porting of the company's Display PostScript system to X Window System terminals made by NCD. (Ian Stokell/19930401/Press Contact: Judy Estrin, 415-694-0650, Network Computing Devices) (NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00018) Borland Offers Free dBASE DOS Compiler 04/01/93 SCOTTS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- Borland International is offering all registered owners of dBASE IV Developer's Edition 1.0 and 1.1 a free copy of the new dBASE Compiler for DOS. The offer is available through May 15, 1993. According to the company, the dBASE Compiler for DOS generates fully functional DOS executable programs for applications written in dBASE III, dBASE Plus, and all versions of dBASE IV. The company claims that the new dBASE Compiler is the only compiler 100 percent-compatible with the dBASE language. Borland says that delivery of the product fulfills a commitment originally made by Ashton-Tate to provide a dBASE Compiler. As reported extensively by Newsbytes, Borland acquired Ashton-Tate in a move that stunned the database industry. The dBASE Compiler for DOS is immediately available and has a suggested retail price of $495. The company says that all US and Canadian registered owners of the dBASE IV Developer's Edition 1.0 and 1.1 will automatically receive a mailing with product information. Unregistered owners should call 1-800-352-6767 extension 1111 in the US and provide proof of purchase to receive their complimentary copy. Canadian customers can call 1-800-461-3327. The company says that customers outside of North America should contact the Borland office in their country regarding the offer. Once the free offer has expired, the upgrade price for Developer's Edition 1.0 and 1.1 owners will be $199.95. (Ian Stokell/19930401/Press Contact: Allison Niday, 408-439-4872, Borland International) (NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00019) ****Big Shakeout Coming? 04/01/93 SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- Hints are growing stronger that a major shakeout among computer firms, online firms, cable firms, and telephone firms is coming, with alliances or company purchases planned on all sides. Among those talking up the idea were Apple Computer Chairman John Sculley, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, Tele-Communications Inc.'s President John Malone and QVC Network Chairman Barry Diller, a former movie studio executive. All agreed at a seminar that the merger of their industries is all but inevitable. Malone expects equity deals among major players and various forms of alliances. MCI President Daniel Akerson was not at the San Jose meeting, but he weighed in with his own rumors in talks with reporters. MCI has previously said it wants microwave-based PCN cellular services given out to three national consortia, which would give its network a major place at the table, but since the proposal has gone nowhere so far, MCI is looking toward a Plan B. That might include a tie-up with, surprise, John Malone of TCI, perhaps an exchange of equity. The idea would be that TCI, which already has a tie-in with US West on PCN, could handle local calls on its network, but pass the long distance calls to MCI's network. Since TCI is the largest cable operator, this would assure MCI a large share of future PCN long-distance traffic. AT&T group executive Robert Kavner also laid-in during a speech in New York. He said his company is interested in an "information services company," but neither he nor an AT&T spokesman contacted by Newsbytes would be more specific. AT&T already has stakes in Go Inc., makers of the PenPoint operating system, Eo Inc., which produced the chips used in its forthcoming Personal Communicators, General Magic Inc., producers of the Magic Cap and Telescript system for future small companies, and 3DO Inc., an interactive video start-up. Speculation quickly centered on Prodigy, partnered by Sears and IBM, and America Online, which is a public company. (Dana Blankenhorn/19930401/Press Contact: John Houser, MCI, 800- 289-0073; Jim McGann, AT&T, 202-457-3542) (NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00020) BellSouth Testing Wireless Centrex 04/01/93 BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- BellSouth is testing a PCN-based wireless phone system for large buildings. PCN phones work at microwave frequencies of about 1.8 GHz, double the frequencies used by regular cellular phones, meaning the phones use less power but base stations must be closer together. In the BellSouth test, a few dozen employees at its research center east of Birmingham will be given pocket handsets made by Northern Telecom, through which they can be reached wherever they go in the area. Northern is also providing the base stations and links to the in-building PBX used in the test, said a BellSouth spokesman The company calls the concept "Wireless Centrex." A roll-out of the commercial service would require market research and an allocation of necessary frequencies. New frequencies are not needed for the Southwestern Bell roll-out of a wireless service for in-buildings phones announced yesterday. Spokesman Tim Gregg confirmed to Newsbytes that the system his company will roll out throughout its service areas in the next few months is mainly a system of "micro-cells" linked to its regular cellular systems. Calls automatically transfer to the company's regular cellular network when the in-building system, made by Panasonic, cannot locate the person being called. Hospitals are said to be among the first prospects for such systems, since they could be used to easily reach doctors on rounds, and are preferable to pagers since they allow immediately two-way conversations in emergencies. "This is just the beginning of our venture into the PCN arena," Gregg added. "It's proof that cellular frequencies can indeed be a significant player in the PCN arena." (Dana Blankenhorn/19930401/Press Contact: BellSouth, Dick Miles, 404-529-8003; Southwestern Bell, Tim Gregg, 214-733-2132) (NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00021) BoCoEx Index 04/01/93 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- Boston Computer Exchange for the week ending March 26, 1993. Closing Prices from the Boston Computer Exchange Machine Main Closing Price Ask Bid Drive Price Change IBM AT 339 30 MgB 390 400 350 IBM PS/2 Model 30 286 20 MgB 400 450 300 IBM PS/2 Model 50Z 30 MgB 450 500 400 IBM PS/2 Model 55SX 60 MgB 875 900 800 IBM PS/2 Model 60 40 MgB 450 500 325 IBM ThinkPad 300 120 MgB 1550 1600 1400 IBM ThinkPad 700C 120 MgB 3200 3400 3200 IBM V\P 3/25T MOD. 80 80 MgB 1500 1600 1500 IBM PS/2 Model 95-OKF 400 MgB 3300 3500 3000 IBM PS/2 Model 95-OJF 400 MgB 3000 3300 2700 Compaq Portable II 20 MgB 225 500 200 Compaq Portable III 20 MgB 350 400 200 Compaq Portable 386 100 MgB 750 800 700 Compaq SLT-286 40 MgB 650 700 600 Compaq LTE-286 40MgB 700 700 600 Compaq LTE-386 30MgB 750 850 700 Compaq LTE-LITE\25C 120MB 2400 2600 2300 Compaq Systempro LT-486 510 MgB 2200 2400 2100 Compaq Syspro 386/25LT 340 MgB 2100 2300 1950 Compaq Deskpro 486 /33I 120 MgB 1850 1900 1750 Compaq SysPro 486/33 2040 MgB 6800 7000 6300 Compaq DeskP 486DX2/66i 240 MgB 2100 2400 1900 AST Prem Exec 386SX20 40 MgB 900 1000 800 NEC UltraLite 286 20 MgB 550 600 500 NEC UltraLite 386SX/20 40 MgB 900 950 800 Zenith Mastersprt-386SX 60 MgB 950 1100 900 Zenith SuperSport 386SX 40 MgB 750 900 650 Macintosh Classic 40 MgB 650 700 600 Macintosh Classic II 40 MgB 800 850 750 Macintosh SE 20 MgB 575 650 550 Macintosh SE-30 80 MgB 1150 1250 1100 Macintosh LC 40 MgB 1000 1300 800 Macintosh II 40 MgB 1400 1500 1300 Macintosh II SI 80 MgB 1600 1700 1500 Macintosh II CX 80 MgB 1600 1700 1600 Macintosh II CI 80 MgB 2250 2350 2200 Macintosh II FX 80 MgB 2800 3000 2800 Macintosh Quadra 700 160 MgB 3250 3500 3200 Macintosh Quadra 900 160 MgB 4000 4300 3900 Macintosh Powerbk 160 120 MgB 2600 2700 2500 Macintosh Powerbk 140 40 MgB 1350 1400 1250 Macintosh Powerbk 170 80 MgB 2200 2300 2100 Apple Imagewriter 2 200 225 175 Apple Laserwriter LS 550 600 500 HP Laserjet II 750 800 750 HP Laserjet III 1050 1100 1000 Toshiba T-1200 XE 20 MgB 575 650 550 Toshiba T-1600 40 MgB 625 700 600 Toshiba T-2000 SX 40 MgB 900 1000 900 Toshiba T-2000 SXE 40 MgB 950 1050 900 Toshiba T-2200 SX 80MgB 1250 1300 1200 Toshiba T-3100 SX 80 MgB 1000 1300 900 Toshiba T-3200 40 MgB 650 800 600 Toshiba T-3200 SX 40 MgB 850 900 800 Toshiba T-3200 SXC 120 MgB 2250 2400 2100 Toshiba T-6400SX 120 MgB 2400 2700 2200 Toshiba T-4400SX 120 MgB 1900 2100 1800 Toshiba T-5200 100 MgB 1400 1500 1400 BoCoEx Index data is compiled by Market Analyst, Gary M. Guhman Here are some current retail-oriented Seats on the Exchange, presented in a cyclic basis. Dallas - Ft. Worth, TX - DFW Computer Exchange - M.B. Lee - 817-244-7833 Escondido, Ca. - Affordable Computer Solutions - Dean Jacobus - 619-738- 4980 New Orleans, Louisiana - Audubon Computer Rental - Mike Barry - 504-522- 0348 Detroit, Michigan - CompuCycle - Walt Hogan - 313-887-2600 Computer Exchange\\NorthWest - Dye Hawley - 206-820-1181 Albuquerque, NM, Western Computer Exchange - David Levin - 505-265-1330 Fresno, California - MacSource Computers - Mike Kurtz - 209-438-6227 BoCoEx Index prices are based on complete systems with keyboard, VGA monitor and adapter, less the value of any software or peripherals. Boston Computer Exchange is available at: 617-542-4414, Buyer's HotLine: 1- 800-262-6399, In Alaska and Canada 1-800-437-2470, FAX: 617-542-8849. (BOCOEX/19930401) (NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00022) Microsoft Offers Apple, IBM Multimedia Titles 04/01/93 SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- Microsoft has unveiled five new multimedia titles: Microsoft Dinosaurs; Multimedia Mozart: The Dissonant Quartet; Multimedia Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring; Microsoft Musical Instruments for the Macintosh; and Microsoft Bookshelf, CD-ROM reference library, 1993 Edition. Microsoft Musical Instruments, now for the Macintosh (previously only for the PC) is the first of several titles for the Macintosh promised by Microsoft. Microsoft quotes figures from Apple Computer which indicate there will be 1.5 million Apple CD-ROM drives purchased by the end of 1993. More than 45 percent of customers who buy modular Apple Macintosh desktop computers are selecting a built-in CD-ROM drive, according to Apple. That means it's finally a good time to get into the Macintosh CD-ROM business. The highlight of the PC CD-ROMs announced is Microsoft Dinosaurs for the multimedia PC. The disc is an interactive guide to a dinosaur's world, complete with 200 articles with photos, illustrations, narration, and sounds. Microsoft says the CD-ROM is the second in a series of titles based on the Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness and Atlas series books, and, as Microsoft says in a press release, "mirrors Dorling Kindersley's reputation for beautifully illustrated, engaging reference materials." Microsoft worked with The Dinosaur Society, a non-profit corporation devoted to dinosaur science, to ensure the scientific accuracy of the product. The Dinosaur Society also consulted on the upcoming Steven Speilberg motion picture, "Jurassic Park." Dr. David Weishampel, internationally renowned paleontologist at Johns Hopkins University and vice president of The Dinosaur Society, gave his assessment of the product: "By incorporating newly discovered facts, Microsoft Dinosaurs is one of the most definitive works on dinosaurs to date." (Wendy Woods/19930401/Press Contact: Microsoft Corp., Redmond, Wash. Julie Larkin, 206/882-8080) (NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00023) Microsoft Multimedia Viewer Toolkit 2.0 04/01/93 REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- Microsoft plans to ship this month its Multimedia Viewer Publishing Toolkit Version 2.0 for Windows, what it calls the next generation of its multimedia publishing toolkit. Multimedia Viewer 2.0 supports several emerging multimedia platforms and "is the most complete multimedia publishing toolkit ever developed. It combines hypertext, search, retrieval and multimedia support," according to Martin Dunsmuir, director of multimedia authoring tools at Microsoft. Viewer 2.0 includes new authoring tools to allow non-programmers to easily create titles, Microsoft says, as well as a multimedia, online tutorial called Viewer Gallery to help guide developers through the process of title creation. Microsoft Multimedia Viewer 2.0 introduces multi-platform title compatibility, allowing a single title to play on any of the multimedia platforms: the Windows operating system version 3.1 with CD-ROM drives or multimedia PCs, Sony's Multimedia CD-ROM (MMCD) Player, the Tandy Video Information System (VIS) player and other devices running the Microsoft Modular Windows operating system. The runtime software also is royalty-free, a plus for developers. The program has a suggested retail price of $495. Viewer 2.0 replaces the Microsoft Multimedia Development Kit. Registered owners of the MDK can upgrade for $195 by calling Microsoft directly at 800-227-4679. (Wendy Woods/19930401/Press Contact: Microsoft, Collins Hemingway, 206/882-8080) (NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00024) Apple Gets Into Audio Business 04/01/93 CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- Apple Computer has introduced "AppleDesign Powered Speakers," to enhance multimedia applications. Eric Harslem, vice president of desktop computing, Macintosh Systems Division, says the AppleDesign Powered Speakers work with Macintosh computers or other personal computer platforms equipped for sound output. In addition, the speakers can be attached to any CD-ROM drive, CD player, or television equipped with a sound output jack. Apple says it engineered the speakers to provide excellent sound quality in a sleek, compact industrial design. The result is crisp high tones, clear midranges, and rich bass sounds at a broad range of speaker volumes. By incorporating the principles of near-field acoustics into the speaker design, Apple says it optimized the speakers' sound for personal listening at close range. (Wendy Woods/19930401/Press Contact: Amy Bonetti of Apple Computer, 408-974-4522) (NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00025) Claris Cuts Prices On Windows Programs 04/01/93 SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- Claris Corporation is offering special pricing on its Windows software, Filemaker Pro 2.0 for Windows and Clarisworks 1.0 for Windows, starting today through August 15. FileMaker Pro 2.0 for Windows, a database manager, usually $399, is now $129. ClarisWorks 1.0 for Windows, an integrated software package, is now $99 but after August 15 will be $249. These promotional prices are in effect in the US and Canada. The price breaks don't mean Claris is rethinking its Windows strategy, claims the company. In fact, according to Dick Gorman, VP of worldwide marketing, "Claris has intensified its long-term commitment to Windows with more technical support resources, training, research and development and marketing than ever before. We are building upon our success within the Windows environment and maximizing our market share with this pricing promotion." Trade-ups for FileMaker Pro 2.0 for Windows, all priced at $99, are available to users of the following database software products through August 15, 1993: Access, FoxPro, Approach, PFS Professional File, Q & A, dBASE, rBASE, Reflex, PC File, Paradox, and Alpha Four. (Wendy Woods/19930401/Press Contact: Kevin Mallon, Claris, 408-987-7227; public info 408-727-8227 or 800-544-8554) (NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00026) ****FCC Reregulates Cable TV 04/01/93 WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- The FCC approved rules implementing the Cable Reregulation Act of 1992, which sponsors said would mean a rollback in rates. Cable operators have prepared for the new rules by creating new "enhanced basic" tiers of service, with popular channels like CNN subject to extra charges. Basic service now consists of only the local broadcast stations and public affairs networks like C-SPAN, which cost the industry nothing. Other channels, like CNN, which charge less than a half-dollar per month per subscriber, are now part of the "enhanced basic" package. The anger of consumer groups grew in the days before the FCC vote when it was revealed that last year, during debate of the new cable bill, the Bush Administration passed-off data from the industry's trade group, the National Cable Television Association, in assessing the possible impact of the act. A Commerce Department report last year claimed the act could actually cost consumers over $50 per year, but the agency's inspector general recently admitted that the data came directly from the NCTA. The Bush Administration was firmly opposed to the cable bill, and the President's veto of it was the only one of his term to be overridden. The new pricing formula is aimed directly at the "expanded tier" concept, settling a maximum price for each basic cable channel based on its cost to the operator. Consumer advocates were calling for a 30 percent rate rollback, saying that rates are 30 percent lower in areas where competition exists than in areas where the cable operator is a monopoly. The NCTA, however, fought the expansion of regulation to its enhanced tiers, saying the bill was aimed only at those 5 percent of operators charging the highest prices. The group also argued that rate reductions would hurt cash flow, hampering their moves to invest in 500-channel systems or expand into carrying phone signals, for instance. (Dana Blankenhorn/19930401/Press Contact: FCC Press, 202-632- 5050; NCTA, 202-775-3629) (NEWS)(BUSINESS)(BOS)(00027) ****21st Computer City Opens, $1B Sales Projected 04/01/93 FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- Tandy will probably launch a second Computer City in Stockholm this year, and officials of the superstore chain project $1 billion in US and European sales for 1994, Newsbytes has learned. In an interview with Newsbytes at the opening of a new Computer City in Framingham, MA, John Roche, chairman and CEO of Tandy, said that Europe's third Computer City will probably be situated, like one of two existing European stores, in the Swedish capital. Roche also told Newsbytes that Tandy's fourth Incredible Universe megastore will be located east of the Mississippi River, unlike two already established outlets in Portland, OR and Arlington, TX and another Incredible Universe recently announced for Dallas. Tandy's combined retail sales from Computer City, Incredible Universe, Radio Shack, McDuff and Video Concepts were $3.9 billion in 1992, and are expected to hit $5.5 billion by 1995, he added. Alan Bush, president of Computer City, told Newsbytes that sales from Computer City alone will reach $1 billion in 1994. Bush and Roche both stated that Tandy has chosen the New England region as a major target market for the US. The new 25,000-square-foot store in Framingham is the twenty-first Computer City to be opened worldwide, and the first for New England. Beyond the new Framingham store, Tandy will open from one to three additional sites in the Boston area this year, said Roche. Speaking at a VIP reception last night, Roche noted that Radio Shack was born in Boston, way back in 1921. He later explained that Tandy purchased Radio Shack in 1962, when the company had evolved into a nine-store chain. Bush, who came to Computer City through Radio Shack, told Newsbytes that Computer City sites are selected according to the demographics of the surrounding area, as well as floor space, highway access, and other characteristics of the building. Demographic considerations include educational level and installed PC base. On March 25, Tandy announced plans to open a third store in Europe outside of the existing locations in Stockholm and Copenhagen, Denmark that were launched in May. The company declined at the time, though, to reveal the exact location of the third European store. Roche told Newsbytes yesterday that the number of Computer City stores to be opened in Europe this year will be limited to three. More, however, will be added next year, he said. Per Hagklint, director of operations in Europe for Computer City, was on hand during the Framingham launch to get a first-hand look at Computer City operations in the US. Haglinkt is based in Upplands Vasby, Sweden. The Framingham store is being opened with the same kinds of extensive festivities that mark the launch of all Computer City stores. Last night's VIP reception for the media and local business leaders was preceded by a reception for the Boston Computer Society the previous evening and a ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday morning. At the ceremony, Roche and Bush presented Bob Grenoble, president of the Boston Computer Society, and Theodore Welte, president of the local MetroWest Chamber of Commerce, with the "keys" to Computer City. The public opening of the store is being held today. Throughout the festivities, the newly released DOS 6.0 has been on sale for $39.95, almost $10 less than its introductory price of $49.99. Bush told Newsbytes that he expected all 5,000 copies of the DOS package to be sold out by this weekend. (Jacqueline Emigh/19930401/Press contact: Fran McGehee, Tandy, tel 817-390-3487) (NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00028) ****Compaq Sales Managers Quit, Some Offices May Close 04/01/93 HOUSTON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- Just a week after Compaq Computer Corporation announced that it would begin selling its products through direct mail, four of the company's sales managers, including the VP of North American Sales, have resigned. Sales VP Dave Davis is one of the four executives resigning his position. A Houston Chronicle story says Davis told the newspaper he decided to resign to spend more time with his family after spending 12 to 14-hour days on plans to revamp his sales organization. "I've been working long hard hours on the upcoming restructure - that's pretty stressful when it's a business requirement where good people are going to be affected. I'm leaving just to pursue a more leisurely lifestyle," the Chronicle quoted Davis as saying. Also resigning are Chris Schuneman, South Central region sales director, based in Dallas; Costa Mesa, California-based Jim Smith, Southwest region sales director; and Richard Thomas, who headed the Southeast region from Atlanta. The newspaper reported that Compaq is cutting back and reorganizing its sales operations. The group, managed by Davis, is responsible for training and assisting dealers selling Compaq products in the US and Canada. Under the reorganization plan, Compaq's direct mail sales will put them in a position of competing directly with their dealers. Compaq spokesperson Bob Beach reportedly told the Chronicle that the resignations were unrelated to the departure of Doug Johns, general manager of the PC Division earlier this month, and the termination last month of David Balck, head of the Peripherals Division. Ross Cooley, Compaq's senior VP of North America, will apparently replace Davis on an acting basis. An unnamed source reportedly told the Chronicle that Compaq is also planning to close some of its field offices and require some of its sales personnel to work from their homes. When Newsbytes asked Compaq spokesperson Mike Berman to verify that report, Berman said the company would prefer not to comment, but said, "That is a possibility." Berman said the company has been evaluating its field support organization for several months. "Out field model is a late 80s model, and this is the 90s. There are a lot of changes we're considering." He stressed that Compaq's goal is to add value to customers and continue to support its resellers. Asked if the sales executives resigned because of the company entering into the direct sales market, Berman said they didn't. "It has nothing to do with our direct sales operation," he told Newsbytes. Berman said the company is not changing its sales emphasis. Asked if Compaq is now competing directly with its resellers by selling through the mail, he told Newsbytes the direct sales business targets a different market than the resellers. "They (the resellers) concentrate on large accounts, offering system integration, volume discounts, service and support, and multiple brands of products. We're not looking to compete with them. The direct business targets the small and individual buyer, and those looking for single unit pricing." Berman said about 7-10 percent of the buyers buy through the direct channel. In other Compaq news, the company said it will offer Aldus Corporation's popular PageMaker desktop publishing software through Compaq DirectPlus, its direct sales organization. Pagemaker will be available as part of a system configuration of hardware and software designed to meet the customer's specific needs; installed on a hard drive of a Compaq computer purchased through DirectPlus; or as a stand-alone product. Aldus says it will offer a free upgrade to PageMaker 5.0 for customers who purchase PageMaker 4.0 between January 1 and the date version 5.0 ships, including those who buy through Compaq DirectPlus. Registered owners of PageMaker will be notified when the upgrade is available. (Jim Mallory/19930401/Press contact: Mike Berman, Compaq, 713-374-2510) (NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00029) Microsoft Earnings Could Rebound To 50% with DOS 7 04/01/93 SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- Microsoft Corporation's earnings could return to the 40 to 50 percent levels of the past when DOS 7 is released, probably in mid-1994. That was the prediction of Goldman Sach analyst Rick Sherlund, who called Chicago (the Microsoft code name for DOS 7) "the most significant upgrade that Microsoft has ever delivered." The analyst projects the 1994 upgrade could generate as much as $1 billion in upgrade revenues. That's as much as three times the $300 million he expects version 6 will bring in in the next few quarters, and far more than the $150 million estimate derived from the 1992 release of Windows 3.1. Sherlund repeated Goldman's strongest buy recommendation on the stock. Microsoft shares jumped four to 91 on heavy volume following the closed circuit introduction of DOS 6 to what was described as the world's largest PC users group, which gathered at 20 locations around the country Tuesday night to watch Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and his associates demonstrate DOS 6's features. Gates reportedly told New York television station CNBC-TV in an interview scheduled for broadcast last night that he does not expect the company to be as profitable in the long-term as it has in recent years, according to the British news service Reuters. "The kind of profit margin we've had in the past will be very unlikely for us to achieve in the future," Gates reportedly said in the interview. Gates was quoted as saying that over the long-term Microsoft will be a profitable company, but probably not as profitable as it has been. Sherlund currently estimates Microsoft will earn $3.10 per share in the fiscal year that ends June 30, 1993, up from $2.41 in fiscal 92. Since the mid-1980's Microsoft has achieved annual earnings growth in the 50 to 60 percent range as revenues doubled every other year, reaching $2.76 million in fiscal 92. However, Microsoft executives have told analysts that such rates will not continue, saying they would be comfortable with about half the previous growth rates. Sherlund said that while earnings momentum may be slow through the June period, he expects it will pick up after mid-summer. Gates also said in the televised interview that he doesn't know of any effort by the Federal Trade Commission to force restructuring of Microsoft. The FTC has reportedly been investigating charges that Microsoft has utilized unfair trade practices, although the agency has never identified the company by name. About the five-year old patent infringement suit brought by Apple Computer alleging copyright infringement, Gates said he thinks that will be resolved soon. Sherlund reportedly told Reuters that Windows NT will probably not ship until June or July after its unveiling at the spring COMDEX show in late May, but called any delay "irrelevant to earnings." In other Microsoft news, the company says Pete Higgins has been promoted to senior vice president of desktop applications, a move Microsoft says reflects the increasing importance of those products to the company's success. Higgins, 35, was first promoted to VP in 1991 and has reportedly been the driving force behind the strategy, development, and marketing of key products like Excel, Work, PowerPoint, Project, and Office. Microsoft says applications revenue grew to 60 percent of total revenue during the first six months of fiscal year 1993, exceeding the $1 billion mark. Higgins said over the next year, Microsoft plans to deliver major upgrades to each of its desktop products for both the Windows and Macintosh platforms. (Jim Mallory/19930401) (NEWS)(GOVT)(LAX)(00030) Creative Sues Aztech Over Sound Card 04/01/93 MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 1 (NB) -- Creative Labs says it has filed a copyright infringement suit against Aztech Labs of Fremont, California over alleged similarities between Aztech's "Sound Blaster compatible" Sound Galaxy and the Creative Labs Sound Blaster line of products. Both Creative Labs and Aztech are US subsidiaries of Singapore-based parent companies. Creative Labs says Aztech has infringed on its copyrights in both the hardware and software products it has produced. The company also charges Aztech reverse engineered its products which is a process that involves taking an existing product apart to see how it works to produce a compatible product. Creative Labs also charges that Aztech's Sound Galaxy products contain code that infringes on Creative Labs copyrights, and is derived from software which infringes on its copyrights. While Creative Labs Chairman Sim Wong Hoo claims the company is in favor of open systems and common standards, he claims the suit is necessary because Aztech's products hurt Creative Labs shareholders by infringing on technology the company spent money to develop. Aztech claims it is number two in market share in sound cards in the world market and has been in Fremont for over a year gearing up to penetrate the US market. The company's stated goal is to have thirty percent of the sound card market by 1993, a market estimated to grow to $5 million worldwide in 1993 with eighty percent of the sales expected in the US. Jamie Copland, vice president of US, Canadian, and Mexico sales and marketing for Aztech, told Newsbytes Creative Labs and Aztech have a long history of legal feuding in Singapore, but in March of this year both companies decided to "bury the hatchet." However, Copland said suddenly Creative Labs has filed suit again, but this time in both the US and Singapore. Copland said Aztech categorically denies all the charges Creative Labs has levied against the company. Arnold Waldstein of the US-based Creative Labs told Newsbytes to his knowledge no suits outside the US have ever been filed by Creative Labs against Aztech. Creative Labs filed a similar suit against multimedia hardware and software manufacturer Media Vision last summer charging Media Vision had reverse engineered Creative Lab's products in order to produce its Thunderboard product. Media Vision in turned filed a suit against Creative Labs charging restraint of trade, unfair competition, and monopolization. The two companies announced an out-of-court settlement in October of last year and Media Vision reportedly paid Creative Labs an undisclosed sum for a license of the Creative Labs technology. (Linda Rohrbough/19930401/Press Contact: Benita Kenn, Creative Labs, tel 408-428-6600, fax 408-437-1886; Jamie Copland, Aztech, 510-623-8988)