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/nb930719

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(NEWS)(TELECOM)(WAS)(00001)

 ****Cellular Phone Cancer Worries Will Not Go Away 07/19/93
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- At a major press
conference on Friday, representatives of the cellular phone industry
said that there is no cancer risk associated with the use of hand-
held cellular radio telephones, but they could not cite a single
study that specifically supports claims for the safety of hand-held
cellular phones.

A law suit brought six months ago charged that a cellular phone had
contributed to the death of an executive by promoting brain cancer
and, ever since then, the industry has been trying to convince the
public that their devices are perfectly safe.

At last week's press briefing the industry retracted its earlier
contention that "thousands" of studies showed the safety of hand-
held cellular telephones, instead citing about 100 studies, but when
asked which of those scientific studies were specifically concerned
with the use of hand-held cellular telephones, cellular industry
representatives were unable to point to a single study that
explicitly looked at how these relatively new products are actually
used.

Although still contending that there is no safety question, the
industry has boosted safety-related research funding from less than
$1 million per year to about $15- to $25-million. Louis Slesin,
editor of Microwave News, said on Monday's CNN Business Day program
that the study group funded to evaluate the effects of cellular
phone radio frequency emissions on users is overweighted with
industry advisors and includes no impartial industry critics.

Unable to cite actual statistical studies of cellular phone users to
prove safety, the industry instead had to be content with the
statement that an extensive study of the literature had been unable
to uncover any solid evidence that cellular phone radio waves
actually caused pre-cancerous changes in the body's cells.

Dr. George Carlo, chairman of the Health & Environmental Science
Group, studying health dangers of cellular phones on behalf of the
Cellular Industry Association, said that no studies they have seen
show any mechanism whereby cellular phone emissions could cause
cancer.

This is a very different thing from proving that they are actually
safe. What it actually means is that they don't know, and in point
of fact, such a statement may mean little or nothing either way. It
doesn't mean that the phones are safe, or that they aren't.

Concerns surrounding cellular phone safety center on possible damage
to human cells caused by the relatively intense electromagnetic
fields generated by the tiny antennas which hand-held phones place
so close to the human head, not the general presence of radio
frequency waves in the environment or even the fields generated by
car phones which use external antennas and therefore cause a much
weaker field at passenger's bodies.

The concerns about the phones' possible contribution to brain cancer
or eye damage (a subject not addressed at all by the industry) are
also unsupported by convincing scientific evidence, but that only
means that no one actually knows whether or not they are safe and
some users and potential users think that "better safe than sorry"
is a good policy when it comes to any chance of getting cancer.

Actual statistical health studies of hand-held cellular phone users
won't begin until next year at the earliest.

There is some statistical evidence that ham (amateur) radio
operators, people who routinely expose themselves to intense radio
frequency electromagnetic fields, are more prone to certain kinds of
cancer.

The sort of portable telephones used by many home owners who plug a
base station into their regular telephone lines and carry a wireless
phone around the house or yard are not involved in the controversy
both because of the much weaker signal strength and the different
frequencies used.

(John McCormick/19930719)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(WAS)(00002)

Digital Cellular Standard Approved by TIA 07/19/93
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- San Diego, California-
based Qualcomm  says that the Telecommunications Industry
Association (TIA) has adopted its code division multiple access
(CDMA) digital cellular technology as the basis for an interim
standard known as IS-95.

Competition between different proposed digital cellular standards
have blocked industry moves to improve present cellular service
quality and expand new services.

The June 28 issue of Telephony said that the battle between
supporters of the more advanced CDMA digital cellular technology and
the older time division multiple access (TDMA), which has been
accepted only by McCaw Cellular and SW Bell, was slowing acceptance
of TDMA generally.

Nynex is testing TDMA in New York and a wireless CDMA system at its
headquarters while BellSouth is currently testing E-TDMA (extended-
time division multiple access) from Hughes Network Systems.

Specifically, the Qualcomm CDMA-CAI or Digital Cellular Common Air
Interface (CAI) Specification was used by the TIA's TR45.5
engineering subcommittee as the basis upon which it built the IS- 95
standard.

The adoption of a CDMA as an industry standard, three and a half
years after it was demonstrated by Qualcomm, may allow both service
suppliers and cellular phone manufacturers to move forward with
development of the next generation of products and services, but
this recent action does not block vendors and service providers from
offering competing systems.

(John McCormick/19930719/Press Contact: Thomas Crawford, Qualcomm
Inc., 619-597-5715)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(SYD)(00003)

Australian Database Helps In Chemical Accidents 07/19/93
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- A new networked database
system to reduce the risk of chemical accidents has been unveiled in
Australia. Emergency services in the state of New South Wales (NSW)
have started using the system and it is expected that other states
and overseas authorities will also purchase the package.

Known as SCID (Stored Chemical Information Services), the Aus$1M
system was developed by the NSW WorkCover Authority. The fire
brigade is already connected to the system and the Department of
Planning and Environment Protection Authority are expected to
connect soon.

The system runs on an 80486-based Compaq Prosignia server with
Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disk (RAID) technology. Another
server held by the fire brigade mirrors the entire system for
further redundancy. The two systems are connected by an Integrated
Services Digital Network (ISDN) link. Ten Compaq DeskPro/M computers
are used as workstations on a dedicated segment of the larger
WorkCover Novell-based local and wide-area network.

Under Australian law, any organization keeping dangerous materials
is required to have a license and this information has been used to
build the initial database. Licensees are required to continually
provide updated information and they can do this by written advice,
on diskette or via electronic mail.

The database not only keeps textual information but also site
sketches and plans. When an emergency occurs and the SCID system
flags that there are dangerous goods on or near the location, this
is transmitted to the fire appliance on the way to the emergency. In
the case of diagrams and maps, the information is faxed to the
vehicle. The system keeps a full run-down on all chemicals that
could be encountered, including toxicity, handling methods and first
aid treatment.

The system will be progressively expanded to allow refinements. For
instance, where random inspections of sites reveal work to be done,
this will be logged in the system and regular backup calls will be
scheduled for the inspectors.

(Paul Zucker/19930719/Contact: John Sampson at WorkCover on phone
[phone] or fax [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(WAS)(00004)

AT&T Hikes Long Distance Charges; Blames 800 Portability 07/19/93
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- AT&T has released its
new rate structure for long distance and it looks like business
subscribers will be paying nearly four percent more for calls, while
the average user will experience less than a one percent rise in
costs.

Long distance rates for home, business, and Calling Card users
vary, but AT&T states that the rates for most business services
will increase by 3.9 percent. This includes 800-service (toll free)
as well as domestic and international long-distance charges.
Newsbytes notes that there will also be some changes to certain
installation and recurring charges.

The company blames the increases on new equipment costs related
to 800 number portability and inflation.

Some day and evening direct-dialed consumer domestic long-
distance call rates will increase by less than one percent while
some evening rates will actually decrease.

Rates on direct-dialed non-business international calls from the
United States to 56 countries would, under the newly announced
rates, increase an average of 3.8 percent, while charges on calls
back to the United States from 27 countries using AT&T USADirect
Service will increase an average of 15 percent.

According to AT&T, base Calling Card and operated-assisted call
rates will increase by an average of 3 percent.

The rate changes announced today are only proposed changes until
the FCC approves or denies the new tariff schedule but are
expected to take effect on August 1st.

(John McCormick/19930719/Press Contact: Mark Siegel, AT&T
Consumer Services, 908-221-8413 or Mike Granieri, AT&T Business
Communications Services, 908-221-7611)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00005)

Mercury Slashes Call Charges To Meet BT 07/19/93
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- After a year of steady erosion
of its pricing advantage over British Telecom (BT), Mercury has
responded with a series of price cuts on international telephone
calls on its 2200 and 2300 services, all of which are designed to
encourage subscribers to use the service more.

While BT has concentrated on enhancing its frequent caller plans,
which involve the use of cover charges, Mercury has opted for
straight price cuts. Most interestingly of all, Mercury has
introduced a long call discount scheme for calls to the US.

From the beginning of August, any Mercury subscriber calling the US
will find the cost of the call dropping by a hefty 25 percent for
time spent after the first 15 minutes. According to Christine
Holgate, Mercury's manager of consumer marketing, this means that,
for a 20 minute call to the US at off-peak times, the cost is UKP 6-
69 -- a saving of 44.8 pence on the charges previously.

This 25 percent long call discount on US calls is being introduced
on a trial basis, with the trial running until the end of October
this year. If the scheme is a success, then Mercury will consider
implementing it on several international routes.

The international call charge rates, meanwhile, have been cut by
between 3.51 and 15.05 percent. Calls to many inland destinations,
notably mobile phones and specialist pager services, have also been
reduced. Some charges, such as to Vodafone's messaging and operator
services, have been increased, although Mercury claims it is still
cheaper than BT for such calls.

Despite a recent shuffle in Mercury's tariff bands, to bring the
company's rate chart into line with BT, Newsbytes notes it is
becoming increasingly difficult to work out what savings, if any, a
Mercury call has over BT.

The good news is that Mercury has abandoned its mandatory
requirement for subscribers to its Frequent Calling Program (FCP) to
have a variable amount direct debit (VADD) payment system linked to
their bank account. VADDs allow the billing company to debit the
customer's bank account automatically, once the bill has been sent
out.

This change coincides with the August 1 price changes, Newsbytes
notes, which also increase the FCP discounts on international calls.
Where a standard call to the US costs 42.7 pence per minute during
office hours, the same call on the FCP scheme costs 36.3 pence.

Subscribing to the FCP scheme costs an extra UKP 20 a year, billed
quarterly, over and above the UKP 10 a year that Mercury charges for
its standard subscription.

Mercury's 2200 and 2300 telephone charges are designed for users of
BT's network. Like MCI and Sprint in the US, only long distance and
international calls are routed through the Mercury network, with
local calls continuing to b routed via the BT network.

Subscribers to Mercury 2200 and 2300 continue to use BT as their
"local loop" service provider, and pay rental on their BT line as
usual -- Mercury merely uses the BT line to allow its subscribers to
access its network indirectly.

(Steve Gold/19930719/Press & Public Contact: Mercury Communications
- Tel: [phone] [toll free in UK] otherwise 071-528-2000)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00006)

Digital Mobile Phones Come Under Fire 07/19/93
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- Digital mobile phones,
specifically, the Groupe Speciale Mobile (GSM) variety, have come
under fire from several quarters in recent months owing to the radio
frequency (RF) interference they radiate. The problem has affected
hearing aid users particularly badly, with many users reporting loud
buzzing noises -- sometimes causing pain and discomfort -- when they
are within a few meters of a GSM phone in use.

Now an international auditory conference, held in Sydney last week,
has confirmed what many in the mobile telecoms industry knew
already, that GSM phones cause interference and, perhaps worse, it
is not possible to stop this interference. Some sources had claimed
that, with the latest hearing aids, all GSM interference could be
removed.

The problem lies, Newsbytes notes, with the pulsed RF nature of GSM.
Digital data is superimposed on a 900 megahertz (MHz) signal and
pulsed to an from the nearest GSM base station. It is these pulses
that cause the interference.

Such is the groundswell of public opinion in Australia about GSM --
fanned by frequent articles in the press -- that the organizers of
the International Conference on Hearing Rehabilitation (ICHR) issued
a statement outlining their findings.

"Hearing aid users standing within a few meters of someone using the
new phones will be subject to a loud buzzing noise in their hearing
aids," said the statement.

The statement is designed to reinforce the results of a report on
GSM phone interference from the Australian Government. The report,
issued last Wednesday, found that GSM phones can cause interference
with hearing aids as far away as 10 metres, although Newsbytes'
basic research on the subject has discovered that problems only tend
to occur within two to three metres.

The Australian Government report, which was conducted by the
National Acoustics Laboratory, concluded that GSM phones, because of
their more powerful nature than conventional analog phones, can
start to cause interference as far away as 35 metres. Even the
latest hearing aids, the report notes, are disabled by GSM phones
operating within 1.5 metres of the hearing aid user.

During a visit to Cellnet last week, one of the UK's two cellular
phone operators, and which is currently testing its GSM network for
launch later this year, company officials confirmed the hearing aid
problems. Officials claimed that the problem could be solved using
the latest hearing aid technology.

Australian Government officials, backed by the National Acoustic
Laboratory, remain ambivalent about this possible development. The
root cause of the problem is the way in which hearing aids operate.
Short of a radical change in the way that aids work, with attendant
problems with compatible equipment, such as TVs and phones, the
prospect of interference-free hearing aids looks very distant.

(Steve Gold/19930719)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SYD)(00007)

Australian Computer Contractors Link Up In Australia 07/19/93
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- A number of information
technology (IT) groups in the Asia-Pacific region are cooperating
to provide a forum for computer contractors to advertise their
skills. The Employment Network, the Computer Contractors Association
and IBM Asia Pacific Developers Assistance Program have teamed up to
create the Employment Network's Database.

Michael Verschgoor, the Employment Network's managing director, said
that the growing move towards outsourcing of computer services meant
that the service had been specially tailored to meet the growing
needs of both contractors and organizations requiring their
services.

"Until now the only avenues for contractors to advertise their
skills an services has been through the traditional `bush-telegraph'
referrals, professional networking and through contracting
agencies," he said.

Verschgoor added that a large number of independent contractors
waste much of their time finding suitable engagements, and new
contractors have trouble getting started.

"On the other hand, the employers know what they want but not where
to find it. That makes it difficult for them to plan major project.
If they advertise then someone has to wade through the applicants
for suitable people. Even then there is no guarantee they'll fit
into the organization," he said.

The IBM Australian Programming Center was one of the first users of
the new database. Manager Brian Assaee said: "We specified our
requirement for a particular set of development skills to the
Employment Network -- it only took a few minutes. Within two hours
we had the details of the four contractors most suited to our needs
from a shortlist of 27 people with the requisite skills."

Data stored on the system includes areas of specialization,
qualifications, skills, accreditations, experience and workstyle. It
also shows the availability schedule, whether the person prefers to
work individually or in groups, and the organization culture they
prefer or work best in. The system costs AUS$30 a year for the
contractor to be registered. A search costs $200 and $400 is levied
for each person recruited as a result of a search.

(Paul Zucker and John Guthrie/19930719/Contact: The Employment
Network on phone [phone] or fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(WAS)(00008)

The Enabled Computer - ABLEDATA CD-ROM Update Due 07/19/93
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- The Trace Research and
Development Center is about to release the sixth edition of the Co-
Net Hyper-ABLEDATA and DOS-ABLEDATA, an enabling technology database
of tens of thousands of products. Newsbytes uses this database often
as do many other specialists who work with disabled computer users,
but the latest release had been delayed so the Trace Center was able
to greatly upgrade the disc's offerings.

The same CD-ROM (compact disc - read only memory) will contain
Macintosh and MS-DOS versions of the access files with the DOS
version specifically designed to be text-to-speech friendly for
visually impaired users of the reference information.

ABLEDATA is an indexed database containing about 20,000 product
listings (some of which are marked as discontinued) of specialty
products which range from special software and hardware intended to
accommodate various disabilities, to desks designed for wheelchair
users.

The next release, which the center says will be available in August,
will include an expanded text library containing documents covering
special funding, the full text of the new Rehabilitation Act, and
many ADA legislation and technical assistance manuals.

A new cooperative service directory will include information about
state and nation-wide disability-related services providers.

A specific price for the new version of ABLEDATA has not been
announced, but the previous versions were sold as a two-issue
subscription at a very low price and those subscribers who have
already paid for and received issue number five will get the
expanded Co-Net 6 as part of their subscription.

Co-Net is available from The Trace Research and Development Center,
S-151 Waisman Center, 1500 Highland Ave., University of Wisconsin,
Madison, WI 53706, 608-262-6966.

(John McCormick/19930719/Press Contact: Peter Borden, Trace
Center, 608-262-6966)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(WAS)(00009)

Tartan Updates Ada Cross-Compiler 07/19/93
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- Tartan, which
claims to be one of the leaders in providing advanced Ada language
compiler systems and utilities, has announced the release of Version
4.3 of its Ada cross-compilation system.

The package runs on Sun SPARC workstations and produces Ada-
compliant programs for VAX VMS, Intel i960, and IBM RS/6000-based
computers as well as TI C40 digital signal processors and the 68XXX
range of Motorola microprocessors.

According to the company, improvements to this latest version depend
on the specific computing platform used, but include added source-
level symbolic debugger capabilities in AdaScope, trial compilation,
and an extension of various important optimizations.

New programming tools include the Checksum utility which lets
users verify the correctness of target memory contents, and
AdaList, which generates an interspersed Ada source and assembly
code listing with both absolute and relative addresses of
individual object files and linked programs.

The company claims that AdaList alone will greatly contribute to
the maintainability, testability, and understandability of Ada
programming projects where testing normally takes up almost 80
percent of development time.

According to the company, all of the new Tartan cross-compilers have
been validated by the compliance committee tests (test suite 1.11)
showing that they are fully compatible Ada compilers.

The use of Ada, named after the first programmer, Ada Lovelace, is
mandated for many companies selling to the Department of Defense and
some NATO divisions. The language was developed in Europe and the
US specifically for military use, but is also a highly portable
general purpose programming language designed to re-use large
segments of previously created code.

Although companies have applied for Ada exemptions claiming that
the language is too difficult to use and too slow, actual tests
have often shown that it is highly efficient both in execution
and during development.

(John McCormick/19930719/Press Contact: Wayne Lieberman, Tartan,
412-856-3600 or fax [phone])


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SYD)(00010)

Indonesian Electricity Authority Adopts Australian O.S. 07/19/93
JAKARTA, INDONESIA, 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- System Manager, the
Australian developed multi-user PC operating system, has been
adopted as the standard product for all 158 branches of the
Indonesian Electricity Authority. The package is produced by Datapac
Australasia.

Announcing the decision to go with System Manager, Datapac's
research and development director Martin Duursma said that the
package will be used to automate office procedures.

"It will allow administrative staff to share computer software
capacity that includes database, word processing and spreadsheets.
Because System Manager allows multi-tasking, users can 'hot-key'
between applications instantly. The head office uses modems to
connect with all the regional offices," he said.

Duursma added that the authority had previously had difficulty in
maintaining and training users with the previous local area network.
He claimed that System Manager was considerably easier as it
requires minimal training and maintenance over normal DOS, yet it
offers many other advantages such as security and remote access.

According to Duursma, 99 percent of the operators were trained in
using DOS, so moving to a different operating system was out of the
question. System Manager is a multi-tasking, multi-user DOS.

(Paul Zucker/19930719/Contact: Datapac Australasia on phone +61-2-
980 6888 or fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(NYC)(00011)

"Hillary Should Let Al Gore Come Out To Play" 07/19/93
WASHINGTON, D.C, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- Robert D. Steele, an
ex-government intelligence officer and organizer of the second
annual "National Security & National Competitiveness: Open Source
Solutions" symposium, has asserted that the Clinton Administration
is ignoring Vice President Al Gore's potential contributions in the
field of information technology (IT).

According to Steele, the US is living in an age of information and
informational warfare. "Al Gore is our secret weapon and he is not
being used," he told Newsbytes.

As a result, Steele said, he is concerned that Hillary Clinton may
be involved in preventing Gore from "coming out to play."

Steele added that the administration seems to want nothing to
overshadow Hillary Clinton's health care work, but that, in terms of
long range benefit, the effective gathering and use of information
may be even more important to the national interest.

Gore is tentatively scheduled to speak at the lunch on the first day
of the three day Symposium, which opens on November 2 at the Omni
Shorham Hotel in Washington, DC.

Other speakers lined up for the event include Alvin Toffler; author
of "The Third Wave" and "Future Shock;" Phil Leder, deputy director
for management, Office of Management and Budget (OMB); Air Force
retired Lt. General Norman Wood, former director of Intelligence
Community Staff; Ross Stapleton, analyst, Central Intelligence
Agency; and Mitch Kapor, chairman of the Electronic Frontier
Foundation.

Steele told Newsbytes that he has been working with congressional
staff on the drafting of a bill that will greatly increase funding
to seed the transition to an open, more flexible method of
intelligence gathering and sharing.

(Barbara E. McMullen & John F. McMullen/19930719/Press Contact:
Robert Steele, Open Sources Solutions, 703-536-1775 (voice); 703-
536-1776 (fax); E-mail on the Internet - [e-mail])


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00012)

Comdex/Canada - Canadian Business Controller 07/19/93
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- MicroBiz of Spring
Valley, New York, has launched The Canadian Business Controller. The
package, which was launched during the Comdex/Canada show last week,
is a version of the company's point-of-sale (POS) PC software, with
several enhancements that the company claims makes it suitable for
use by Canadian businesses.

The company's existing software already supported Canada's two
levels of retail sales tax, the provincial sales taxes and the
federal Goods and Services Tax (GST), according to Robin Carley, a
spokesman for Microbiz.

Carley claims that, with this new version, the company has replaced
the fields for US ZIP codes with fields that accommodate Canada's
six-character postal codes, has replaced the state indicators with a
province indicator with appropriate choices, and has built in a
currency conversion capability.

The software is available in several versions, including the general
retail-and-wholesale version plus specially tailored versions for
auto dealers, video shops, liquor stores, and hair and nail salons.

The package is aimed primarily at small businesses with one to nine
employees, Carley said, though it can handle operations of as many
as about 80 people.

In use, the software creates invoices and receipts, tracks
inventory, and maintains a customer history. According to the
vendor, it will work on any personal computer with a hard disk drive
and the DOS operating system.

The Canadian Business Controller is now shipping, with a suggested
retail price of C$1,149.

(Grant Buckler/19930719/Press Contact: Robin Carley, MicroBiz,
914-425-9500, fax [phone]; Public Contact: MicroBiz,
800-637-8268)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LAX)(00013)

 ****PC Retail Sales Predicted To Jump By 1996 07/19/93
DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- In three years, most of
the estimated forty-six PCs sold in the US will be purchased through
retail outlets instead of the traditional computer outlets,
according to a recent survey released by Channel Marketing.

The survey information is from Channel Marketing's "Changing Trends
in the Distribution of PCs in the 90s," which notes that the retail
channel, or Power Channel, consists of computer superstores, office
supply superstores, national and regional consumer electronics
chains, mass merchants, department stores, warehouse clubs, and non-
specialty stores. The traditional channel is made up of original
equipment manufacturers (OEMs) such as Dell and IBM as well as
computer stores such as Computerland and Microage.

In 1992 the majority of PC customers were split nearly evenly
between corporate customers, home customers, and small to
medium business customers.

The actual breakdown of PC customers in 1992 is 30 percent
corporate, 27 percent home customers, 34 percent small to medium
businesses, and 9 percent government customers. However, Channel
Marketing has been predicting dramatic growth in the acceptance of
PCs will alter the percentages of users to 42 percent home users, 36
percent small to medium business customers, 16 percent corporate and
6 percent government by 1996.

The increase in home and small to medium business customers
coupled with the availability of brand name PCs in more of the
Power Channel accounts for part of the predicted increase in
Power Channel sales.

The other reason for the increase is the decreasing cost of PCs.
Channel Marketing claims the PC became a commodity when 486-based
systems were targeted at prices below $1,000 by manufacturers.

Specifically, the Power Channel is expected to provide 54.1
percent of overall sales by 1996 as opposed to 29.5 percent in
1992. The traditional channel's piece of the pie will drop to
36.9 percent in 1996 from current levels of 60.5 percent while
value added resellers will go from 5.4 percent to 5.1 percent
and system integrators will go from 4.6 percent to 3.9 percent,
the marketing group maintains.

Does this mean lower revenues for the other PC providers? Not
at all, according to the Channel Marketing. The pie is growing
so everyone's could grow in revenue, even if the percentage of
the pie.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930719/Press Contact: David Goldstein,
Channel Marketing, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(BOS)(00014)

Panasonic Notebook Upgraded To 486 CPU; Dual Batteries 07/19/93
SECAUCUS, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- Panasonic has
announced a lightweight, low-voltage notebook PC with double the
claimed battery life of its predecessor, along with a faster
processor and a larger hard disk drive.

Panasonic's CF-1000A notebook features a new detachable floppy disk
drive that can be easily replaced by an extra nickel metal hydride
(NiMH) battery. The new notebook is based on a 486SLC processor from
Cyrix, rather than the 386SXLV processor from AMD used in the CR-
1000.

The unit also comes with a choice of an 80 MB or 170 hard disk
drive, in contrast to the 60 MB hard disk drive of the earlier
version. In another enhancement, the hard drive is now pre-installed
with SuperStor Disk compression utility software.

According to Yasu Enokido, sales planning manager with the company,
each NiMH battery offers a three-hour battery life, meaning that the
CF-1000A can be run on batteries for a total of six hours without
recharging.

Like the CF-1000, the CF-1000A uses VLSI Technology's VL82C315A
Scamp II Low-Power System Controller and Cirrus Logic's CL-GD6412
LCD VGA Controller.

According to Enokido, the system controller supports 3.3V, 5.0V, or
mixed-mode operation without external level shifters. The VGA
controller is billed as the first device of its kind to allow major
interface operation at either 3.3V or 5.0V.

Also like the earlier PC, the CF-1000A weighs in at five pounds.
The shell is made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic, a newly
developed material designed to be tough as well as lightweight.

The CF-1000A comes standard with 4 megabytes (MB) of RAM, expandable
to 12 MB. The notebook also provides a 640-by-480 VGA display, an
84-key keyboard with 101-key AT keyboard emulation, a PCMCIA Type II
slot, and a serial port, parallel port and mouse port.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19930719/Reader contact: Panasonic, tel 800-742-
8086; Press contacts: Ron Tomczyk, Panasonic, tel [phone];
Adam Sohmer, Creamer Dickson Basford for Panasonic, tel 212-887-
8031)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SYD)(00015)

Datasonics' Music Master Upgrade 07/19/93
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- Datasonics' Music Master
software for IBM compatible PCs is now available in a professional
version as well as the standard version for the amateur and
education user. According to the company, it offers sequencing and
notation functions in one package.

The standard package comes with a Midi Master 11 interface card with
one Midi input and one Midi output port. The professional version
has a Midi Master 42S card with four Midi output ports (giving up to
64 separate Midi channels), two Midi input ports, SMPTE/EBU timecode
in and out ports (for synchronization with tape and other devices)
and Metronome out signal. An on-board processor controls all timing
functions during sequencing to minimize Midi data delays.

Suggested retail price in Australia is AUS$545 for both versions of
software and AUS$250 and AUS$595 respectively for the hardware
components. (AUS$3 is approximately equal to US$2).

Music Master is only a new product but, according to the developers
it has already been considerably improved following feedback from
early users. The latest version, 1.3, includes new manuscript
editing and Midi output control. Music Master can automatically
produce chord charts, analyzing note data and producing appropriate
chords, with full jazz inflections where necessary.

(Paul Zucker/19930719/Contact: Datasonics on phone [phone] or
fax [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00016)

Sony's Minidisk -- The Japanese Perspective 07/19/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- Sony has developed a PC version of
its Minidisk, first seen last year for the audio market-place. The
disk, known as the MD Data format, is aimed at users of existing 3.5
and 5.25-inch floppy disks.

The audio Minidisk was launched last November and, since then, has
been vying with the digital compact cassette (DCC) system unveiled
by Matsushita and Philips. At the launch, Sony said it planned use
the disks for computer data, but no one thought the disks would be
ready so soon.

The MD Data disk is capable of handling an amazing 140 megabytes
(MB) of data on a single disk -- equivalent to 2,000 PC screens of
color data. Coupled with a data transmission speed for 150K per
second, the disk is capable of reading and writing data faster than
most PCs can cope with it.

The advantage of the MD Data format, according to Sony, is that the
drives capable of reading and writing in the new format are
remarkably similar to standard high density units. Sony claims that
with a very slight modification to the standard drive at the
manufacturing stage, it can read both standard and MD Data
disk formats.

According to Sony, the MD Data disk can store data in three
different formats: pre-mastered for electronic publishing,
recordable (full magneto-optical) and hybrid, which is part pre-
recorded and part magneto-optical. This latter format is for
situations where some data has to be re-recorded, but where high
density data recordings must be accessed on the drive.

Sony Japan also claims that the MD Data system also allows data to
be exchanged between different operating systems. This is because
each MD Data disk uses the same data format on the surface of the
disk, regardless of what computing platform or operating system is
used with the disk.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930719/Press Contact: Sony, +81-3-
5448-2200, Fax, [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(DEN)(00017)

Checking Via Television For Couch Potatoes 07/19/93
RESTON, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 16 (NB) -- A software company and
an interactive television provider have teamed up to provide home
financial services that will let you perform routine financial
transactions while sitting in front of your television set. EON, the
Reston, Virginia-based company that used to be known as TV
Answer, says it has signed a non-exclusive agreement with Intuit to
provide personal finance products and services for the EON platform.

Intuit is the Menlo Park, California-based company that publishes
personal finance software Quicken. Intuit says more than five
million copies of Quicken have been sold since it was launched a few
years ago.

Both companies say they will develop products and services that
will allow users to use their television sets to perform financial
tasks such as organizing personal finances, reconciling and updating
accounts, checking outstanding transactions, and reviewing the
financial performance of selected accounts in the first phase of a
multi-tiered program in which EON's system may be adapted to other
Intuit products. Intuit says it may also incorporate EON into its
marketing and service programs to offer consumers related supplies
and services.

EON's Sally Olmsted told Newsbytes that the EON device resembles a
VCR machine, and receives signals via radio waves as well as
including the necessary computer functions. The user will utilize a
handheld device that includes a roller ball and a "clicker" similar
to a mouse button to make selections via "point-and-shoot." Olmsted
said that the EON unit will be priced at just under $500. The Intuit
service has not been priced yet, she told Newsbytes.

Olmsted added that the user interface screens will be familiar to
existing Intuit users. "We're trying to keep it as similar as
possible. That's in the works right now," she said.

Both companies note that the service will be available once the
Federal Communications Commission determines which companies will
get the right to install the necessary antennas. She compared the
system to the cellular phone service antenna licensing process.

The agency is expected to start issuing licenses for interactive
video and data services this summer. The licensing process for the
technology is already underway for the New York, Los Angeles,
Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, Washington, Dallas and
Houston markets.

EON is an interactive television service that turns the user's
television set into a two-way communication tool. In addition
performing financial tasks, users will also be able to play along
with television sports and quiz shows, respond to news and
interactive advertising, and participate in distance learning.

Users will also be able to order prepared foods for home delivery,
organize your TV programming for easy access, and buy products from
interactive on-line catalogs.

(Jim Mallory/19930719/Press contact: Sallie Olmsted, EON 703-715-
8856; Intuit, Tom Blaisdell, 415-329-3569)


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

120MB/Sec Digital Scanner Camera 07/19/93
WATERLOO, ONTARIO, CANADA, JUL 19 (NB) -- Dalsa, a Canadian firm
that specializes in the development and manufacture of solid state
image sensors and cameras, has announced a fast digital TDI line
scan camera that has an effective data rate of 120 megabits (MB) per
second.

The company claims that the camera employs time delay and
integration technology which scans an image over multiple scan
states, allowing it to capture high contrast images. That's of
particular importance, Dalsa reckons, for use in applications with
low ambient light, or in applications where images are moving at an
extremely high speed.

Applications include high speed manufacturing and quality
inspection, high speed document scanning and optical character
reading (OCR), wafer and PC board inspection, and defect detection
applications.

The new camera comes in two versions, one that can scan only in the
forward direction, and one with bi-directional capabilities. Both
versions support resolutions of 2,048 pixel elements. One model
provides buffered raw analog video on eight parallel channels
directly from the image sensor, while a second model provides eight-
bit digital video.

The company claims that the low light capability of the camera is
particularly important in applications that cannot tolerate high
light levels, such as light sensitive film and the inspection of
food.

(Jim Mallory/19930719/Press contact: Rob Ambrose, Dalsa - 519-886-
6000; Reader contact: DALSA Inc, 519-886-6000, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00019)

 ****3rd Quarter Revenues Up 79 Percent At Claris 07/19/93
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- Representing a
sort of microcosm of the computer industry as a whole, Apple
Computer's software publishing Claris subsidiary, unlike its
hardware manufacturing parent, has announced healthy revenues for its
third fiscal quarter, which ended June 25, 1993.

The company reports that the results represent Claris' largest
quarterly sales levels ever, and the third consecutive quarter in
which Claris has achieved highest-ever revenues for the respective
quarter.

Claris said that net revenues for the third quarter were $40.4
million, a 79 percent increase from the $22.6 million reported in
the same quarter of the prior fiscal year. The company also reported
strong pre-tax operating income.

Announcing the results, Apple President and Chief Executive Officer
Michael Spindler, said: "The Claris business strategy is clearly on
track and paying off with revenue growth at several times the
applications software industry average. Claris is well-situated to
continue healthy growth as a key part of Apple's multi-business
strategy."

Claris President and Chief Executive Officer Daniel L. Eilers
highlighted a number of reasons for the increased revenue: "The
strong debut of ClarisWorks for Windows and ClarisWorks for
Macintosh in Japan highlighted the quarter," he said.

"Sales of Macintosh and Windows products continue at strong levels
throughout the world, with sales outside the United States
accounting for 44 percent of total revenues in the third quarter,"
he added.

Bundling deals, popular among software publishers, will also
play a major role in Claris' strategy, according to Eilers. "We also
signed agreements with IBM and Toshiba for bundling arrangements of
ClarisWorks for Windows, launching a new Claris Business in OEM
(original equipment manufacturer) sales," he said.

Just last week Newsbytes reported that Apple had posted a huge loss
for its third fiscal quarter, after taking a charge of $320.9
million, or $198.9 million after tax, for "restructuring and other
cost reduction activities." As a result the company reported a net
loss for the quarter of $188.3 million, or $1.63 per share. Even
without the huge restructuring charge, Apple's profits would have
been small.

Apple plans to focus its product development efforts on such areas
as "multimedia, education, publishing, mobility, and graphics
intensive solutions in its key markets."

Also reported by Newsbytes last week, Apple has also entered into a
cost-cutting layoff program, cutting workers by the thousands. The
company officially plans to "layoff approximately 2,500 full-time,
temporary and contract employees world-wide over the next 12 months,
consolidate some operations across divisions, and sharpen
organizational focus."

Analysts contend that the company is even thinking about moving
more of its operations out of Silicon Valley in an effort to cut
costs.

(Ian Stokell/19930719/Press Contact: Steve Ruddock,
408-987-7202, Claris)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00020)

PenRight! Offered With NEC's VersaPad 07/19/93
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- The move towards
pen-based mobile computing has been further highlighted with
NEC's announcement that its VersaPad pen computer now supports
PenRight!

According to NEC, its four-pound VersaPad is an 80486SL-based tablet
pen computer designed for use in mobile data collection, order
entry, sales, claims inspections, and medical record keeping
applications. The company claims that VersaPad is now able to run
more than 400 applications currently available for the PenRight!
operating system.

The company also claims that some industry analysts estimate
PenRight! has captured more than 80 percent of the pen-based market,
and in the last year, PenRight! sales have increased more than 200
percent.

PenRight! applications are used in such tasks as data collection,
inspections, route accounting, inventory control, shipping and
receiving, sales force automation, and patient monitoring.

Announcing the support of PenRight!, Renee Bader, manager of
strategic marketing for the portable computer systems division at
NEC, said: "The largest opportunity for pen-based computing is in
the vertical mission-specific applications. NEC plans to utilize
PenRight!'s established community of developers that have shipped
proven applications for the past three years."

NEC is licensing PenRight! for resale to users wanting to run
software under the PenRight! environment.

Other products licensed to run applications developed with PenRight!
are the Fujitsu PoqetPad, the Grid Convertible and PalmPAD, NCR's
3125/3130, the Norand Pen View, and Samsung's PenMaster.

PenRight! is a DOS-based graphical user interface and
handwriting recognition system for uppercase and lowercase
characters, pen gestures and international language support.

(Ian Stokell/19930719/Press Contact: Lauren Baker, 817-491-5369, AST
Research)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00021)

Campus Computer Resellers To Meet This Month 07/19/93
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- The Campus Computer
Resellers Alliance says that most major players in the computer
industry will have a chance to meet with campus computer resellers
next week when the Alliance holds its 1993 Campus Computer Resellers
Conference at Seattle's Red Lion Seatac Hotel July 25 - 28, 1993.

The fourth annual conference is being held in conjunction with the
annual meeting of the Campus Computer Resellers Alliance, a special-
interest group within the National Association of College Stores.
The CCRA was created top provide support to reselling operations
whose primary purpose is to serve a college or university in the
distribution of computer equipment and products.

CCRA says that the theme of this year's event is "The Reality of a
Changing Marketplace." Nancy Hilliard, 1993 CCRA Council Chair and
manager of the Vanderbilt University computer store in Nashville,
Tennessee, said that computer resellers have experienced a
metamorphosis in the way they do business and in the business
alliances they create.

"The professional that will be successful is the one who confronts
these changes and uses all the resources available to create new
opportunities," she said.

Concurrent education sessions, workshops, roundtables, and special
events are planned to provide both resellers and vendors with the
information and tools they need to work together. A number of
hardware and software companies will also be present to present
their programs and packages.

(Jim Mallory/19930719/Press contact: Jerry Buchs, CCRA,
216-775-7777; For registration information: 800-622-7498 or fax
216-775-4769)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00022)

Ethernet RISC Module For Enterprise Hub 07/19/93
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- Fault-tolerant
computing is becoming increasingly important for users of Ethernet
networks. Now Advanced Computer Communications has announced the
availability of a new Four-Port Ethernet RISC (reduced instruction-
set computing) Module for its ACCes/4500 Enterprise Hub.

According to the company, the module is designed to allow
organizations to connect dozens of local Ethernet connections into a
single enterprise hub. The new module provides users with increased
local routing flexibility by supporting up to 40 Ethernet networks
in a single 11-slot chassis. Additionally, the module is supported
by a 320 Mbps high-speed backplane and a 10 Mbps backplane for
fault-tolerant, high-speed connectivity.

Announcing the module, Kurt Bauer, ACC's director of marketing,
said: "With the new Four-Port Ethernet RISC Module, we have crafted
a high-performance, fault-tolerant bridge/router solution to allow
organizations to cost-effectively connect their local Ethernet
networks to corporate information highways."

The new module allows for the support of all major internetworking
protocols, including TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet
Protocol), IPX (Internetwork Packet Exchange), DECnet, AppleTalk,
XNS, RIP, and OSPF. The module supports SNMP (Simple Network
Management Protocol)-based network management.

"This module was created for large- to mid-sized organizations
with mission-critical corporate networks composed of multiple
local and remote networks," he said.

According to ACC, the ACCes/4500 Enterprise Hub is an integrated
physical platform that houses up to 10 internetworking modules in
combinations of Ethernet, Token Ring, FDDI (Fiber Distributed Data
Interchange) and a variety of wide-area interfaces.

The Four-Port Ethernet RISC Module is listed at $8,550.

(Ian Stokell/19930719/Press Contact: Mindy Rauch,
408-864-0630, ACC)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(DEN)(00023)

Serial Port Products For SPARC 07/19/93
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- Digiboard has
introduced its first serial port products for the Sun SPARC
computing environment.

The company has announced the SBus C/X and SBus EPC/x, two high
performance cluster controller systems that allow users to add from
16 to 896 users to multi-user and networked systems via asynchronous
serial ports. The company claims that the new controller systems
offer higher speeds, greater CPU efficiency, more channels, longer
distance capabilities and better diagnostic functions than existing
serial products.

The company also claims that the two new systems are ideal for
applications requiring multiple high speed modems or digital
communication devices. Aggregate throughput for the EPC/X system
supports 115 kilobits-per-second (Kbps) on 96 ports. Both systems
can act as remote multiplexors allowing cluster groups to be
configured remotely across telephone lines using standard analog
modems, or via DSU/CSU equipment on a 56 Kbps leased line.

Joe Toste, Digiboard product manager, said that Digiboard developed
the two units in recognition of Sun's growing share of the
commercial workstation and server marketplace and its participation
incorporate downsizing. "Many commercial transaction processing
applications, such as customer service, bank trading, and inventory
control, require large numbers of users on a single system," he
said.

Digiboard's SBus system consists of a host adapter card that is
installed in the Sun host computer, attached to one or more
Digiboard C/CON-16 or EPCCON-16 concentrator boxes. Each box
provides connections for up to 16 users via standard RS-232, DB25 or
RJ45 connectors. The adapter card can support up to 14 EPC/CON-16s
or eight C/CON-16s for a maximum of 224 ports per slot. Up to four
SBus adapters can be installed in the host, allowing for a maximum
of 896 users.

Using synchronous cabling, the C/CON-16 concentrators can be located
as far as 4,000 feet from the host computer. With the Digiboard
Fiber Link option, standard fiber optic cabling can be used to
locate the first concentrator as far as 1.2 miles from the host.
Using synchronous modems, workgroups can be tied to the server from
anywhere in the world.

According to Digiboard, the SBus C/X is capable of sustaining data
transmission rates of up to 38.4 kilobytes with as many as 64
concurrent users. Each serial channel has surge protection and each
concentrator box has pass-through fault tolerance to protect other
concentrators should one fail.

The SBus EPC/x is an enhanced performance cluster system that
utilizes RISC (reduced instruction set computing) technology to
achieve its speed and power. It can handle transmission rates of up
to 115.2 Kbps for systems with up to 96 concurrent users, and
Digiboard guarantees 38.4 Kbps with 896 users.

Both systems are scheduled to ship in August, and will be on display
at the Interop Fall trade show August 25 through 27, 1993. The SBus
c/x has a suggested retail price of $2,395, while the EPC/X sells
for $2,895. Prices include the adapter card and one concentrator
box.

(Jim Mallory/19930719/Press contact: Kristin Kimmel, Digiboard,
612-943-9020, ext 344)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TOR)(00024)

Comdex/Canada - Big Crowds, But Few New Products 07/19/93
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- The first
Comdex/Canada show took its place on the Canadian computer trade
show calendar with authority. Organizers say the show attracted
more than 35,000 visitors.

That figure exceeds the 20,000 advance projection given out by
the show's backer -- The Interface Group of Needham, Massachusetts.
It also about equals the established Canadian Computer Show, which
has taken place in Toronto every fall for 23 years.

There were more than 300 exhibitors at the show -- also
comparable to the Canadian Computer Show -- but a fairly small
number of new products were announced. Newsbytes has already covered
several announcements from the show over the past few days. The
following is a brief summary of others.

Hummingbird Communications, a Markham, Ontario-based supplier of PC
X Windows software, said it recently began shipping eXceed/Xpress,
software that provides remote access to Unix/X applications from a
personal computer running Microsoft Windows. Meant for laptop and
notebook computer users, the software costs US$249 for a single user
and required the company's Xpress/Host software on Unix at a cost of
US$125.

Hummingbird is also shipping eXceed/Motif-W, a tool kit for the
Open Software Foundation's Motif user interface that complements
the X Development Kit sold with the firm's eXceed/W 3.3 X Windows
access software. The price is US$195.

New releases of eXceed/W, which provides access to X applications
from Windows, and eXceed/DOS, which does the same for DOS PCs,
are now available, both at US$545 per single copy. Hummingbird
also said it is readying eXceed/NT, a version of the software for
Microsoft's new Windows NT operating system, and will ship it
when NT becomes available.

Hummingbird has distribution in 40 countries around the world, as
well as offices in Canada, the United States, and Switzerland,
said company spokeswoman Lorraine Neal.

WordPerfect Corporation has released the Canadian-English version of
WordPerfect 6.0 for DOS, and said a Canadian-French version will be
available later this summer. The suggested retail price is C$595 for
a full package, with upgrade available to current WordPerfect
customers for C$155. Owners of rival word processors can switch for
C$179.

HMS Software, the St. Laurent, Quebec-based Canadian distributor for
Welcom Software Technology of Houston, introduced Welcom's new Texim
Project for Windows NT project management software to the Canadian
market. The software will run on Intel, DEC Alpha, and MIPS hardware
under NT, officials said. It will be available when Windows NT
ships.

(Grant Buckler/19930719/Press Contact: Kim Pappas, The Interface
Group, 617-449-6600, fax [phone]; Lorraine Neal, Hummingbird
Communications, 416-470-1203, fax [phone]; Jeff Larsen,
WordPerfect, 801-228-5034, fax [phone]; Denise Desmeules,
HMS Software, 514-333-0718, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00025)

 ****IBM Sales Force Shuffle Coming, Report Says 07/19/93
ARMONK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- IBM will reorganize
its United States sales force in early August, according to a report
in the US trade weekly PC Week.

The shuffle, which PC Week said would be the most visible change in
the company since Louis Gerstner became chairman and chief executive
early this year, would fit Gerstner's view of IBM as a customer-
focused provider of total solutions. However, the newspaper said,
the idea actually came from various IBM field sites, which were
already testing it when he took over the helm from John Akers in
April.

PC Week quoted John Thompson, general manager of IBM's midwestern
marketing and services area in Chicago and a pioneer of the new
sales structure, as saying he is "not waiting for a grand plan"
from Gerstner. "I have a set of (financial) targets... and I'm
working like heck to try to achieve those targets."

The report also said that Gerstner will make no major changes in
IBM's nine product units for the next 12 to 18 months, and is
slowing Akers' strategy of giving IBM's business units more
independence. And he is emphasizing research and development and
plans to replace two to three members of IBM's board of directors
with people who have more high-tech experience.

An IBM spokeswoman declined to comment on the details of report,
saying only that "our focus on industry specialization has been
evolving for some time."

IBM, which lost $4.965 billion in 1992, had announced plans to
cut another 25,000 employees from its payroll this year, and
recent reports indicate the number taking advantage of incentives
to leave the company may be double that.

(Grant Buckler/19930719)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TOR)(00026)

Canadian Product Launch Update 07/19/93
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- This regular feature,
appearing every Monday or Tuesday, provides further details for the
Canadian market on announcement by international companies that
Newsbytes has already covered. This week: AST's energy-saving PC,
Toshiba's multimedia computer, an AutoCAD update for the Macintosh,
and a new Canadian distributor for Compaq.

Toshiba of Canada Information Systems Group launched the T6600C
portable multimedia computer (Newsbytes, July 9) in Canada. The
Canadian suggested retail price is C$11,399 and shipment is due
to begin before the end of July.

The company also said it will sell two new CD-ROM drives, the
internal XM-3401B-S and the external TXM-3401E, in Canada. Both
are due to be available in July.

AST Canada Inc. introduced to Canada its Bravo LP energy-saving
personal computer. With three models using Intel 486 processors
that run at 25, 33, and 66 megahertz (MHz), the machine conforms
to Energy Star guidelines recently launched in the United States.
Prices start at C$1,799.

Autodesk Canada said that AutoCAD Release 12 for the Apple Macintosh
(Newsbytes, May 18) is now available here. The suggested retail
price is C$4,688, and registered users of Release 11 can upgrade for
C$625.

Compaq Canada has added Computer Brokers of Canada to its list of
Canadian distributors. CBC will handle Compaq servers, as well as
desktop, portable, and notebook personal computers.

(Grant Buckler/19930719/Press Contact: Anthony DeCristofaro, AST
Canada, 416-507-3278; Al Steel, Autodesk Canada, 416-946-0928;
Joh Robinson, Compaq Canada, 416-229-8808; Joel Hinderle,
Computer Brokers of Canada, 416-660-1616 ext. 2092; Sam Orthlieb,
Toshiba Canada, 416-470-3478 ext. 252)


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

Colorado Jumbo Tape Backup Software For Windows 07/19/93
LOVELAND, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- For those who
are running Colorado Memory Systems' Jumbo Tape Backup Systems
under Microsoft Windows, Colorado Memory Systems has announced
its Windows version of the Colorado Backup tape backup software.

The Windows version offers the ability to run in the background,
drag and drop to begin a backup, graphical displays in the form of
gauges to measure the progress of a backup, as well as other new
features.

Colorado Memory Systems says it is selling Jumbo 120 and 250 tape
backup drives at the rate of two million a year. The drives are
popular because of their low cost, under $200, yet offer most users
all the backup capacity they need at 120 megabytes (MB) or 250 MB.
Many companies, such as AST, are offering the Colorado Tape Backup
Systems pre-installed in new computers sold in consumer retail
outlets.

While the drives come with software, that software has been DOS only,
and older versions of the software wouldn't run under Windows at
all. While other utility programs, such as the latest version of the
Norton Utilities for Windows, will talk to the Colorado Tape Backup
drive, this is the first time the company itself has announced its
own Windows software.

The software offers the ability to automate routine backups, even
allowing users to schedule regular times to backup. Since the
backups can be performed as a background operation in Windows, users
may schedule backups for almost any time.

Compression is still offered, so users can get the most data on to
their tapes. A new "Move" feature allows users to drag and drop
infrequently used files onto the tape to save hard disk space.

Formatting of tapes, which can take one half hour to two hours,
depending on the tape and the speed of the floppy disk controller,
can also be performed in the background. In addition, the software
is designed to automatically format an un-formatted tape if a backup
operation is selected and an unformatted tape is inserted. However,
Colorado also offers preformatted tapes for sale to users who do not
wish to hassle with tape formatting.

The software runs on an IBM or compatible PC with an 80386 or higher
microprocessor, a Colorado Jumbo tape backup, Microsoft Windows 3.0
or higher in enhanced mode, DOS 3.1 or higher, 1.5 megabytes (MB) or
free memory with 4 MB or more of total system memory, 2 MB of hard
disk space, and an extended graphics array (EGA) display or better.
The package comes on 3.5 inch format, but a 5.25 inch disk is
available free via exchange.

Registered Colorado Jumbo Tape Backup users can purchase the Windows
Tape Backup software for $39 from Colorado Memory Systems directly.
The company is also holding a contest with scratch-off game coupons
in every Colorado Tape Backup Software for Windows product. Grand
prize is a 1993 Ford Explorer, first prize is one of three Colorado
vacations for two, second prize is one of ten Trek 930 Mountain
Bikes, and third prize is an "Explore Colorado" sport jacket.

No purchase is necessary, however, and interested parties may
request a game ticket from the company by mailing a self-address
stamped envelope and a single hand-written request to "Explore
Colorado...", Colorado Memory Systems, 800 South Taft Ave.,
Loveland, Colorado, 80537.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930719/Press Contact: Art Stapp, Hi Tech for
Colorado Memory Systems, tel [phone], fax [phone];
Public Contact, Colorado Memory Systems, 800-451-4524)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(NYC)(00028)

 ****Novel Released As "ShareWare" On The Internet 07/19/93
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- INTER.PACT Press
has announced that it has released "Terminal Compromise" by Winn
Schwartau as a shareWare "novel-on-the-net" (a term that the company
has trademarked).

Terminal Connections was previously published as a 562-page
hardcover book (ISBN 0-962-87000-5) and, according to the publishers
"has sold extremely well worldwide." The novel is billed as a
techno-thriller that deals with information uses, piracy and
attempts to exploit weakness in the US techno-economic
infrastructure.

According to INTER.PACT, the book is not being issued into the
public domain and, in issuing it as shareware, neither the author
nor the publisher is waiving any rights or copyrights.

INTER.PACT claims that the work is "being distributed electronically
so hundreds of thousands more people can enjoy it and understand
just where we are heading with our omnipresent interconnectedness
and the potential dangers we face."

The manuscript may be obtained through use of File Transfer Protocol
(FTP) over the Internet. FTP is a term used to describe the
automated download of a file from a computer system over the
Internet, using standard protocols.

To download the file automatically over the net, Internet-connected
users should log on to netsys.com (in the /pub/novel directory);
or wuarchive.wustl.edu(/doc/misc); or soda.berkeley.edu
(/pub/novel).

The announcement refers to the net version of Terminal Connection as
the "world's first novel-on-the-net." It also mentions that the work
is still available in traditional form in bookstores.

(Barbara E. McMullen & John F. McMullen/19930719/Press Contact: Winn
Schwartau, 813-393-6600 (voice); 813-393-6361 (fax); Email over the
Internet: [e-mail])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00029)

Lotus Restructures Educational Licences In UK 07/19/93
STAINES, MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- Lotus has swept
away the complex licensing rules for its software in the educational
arena in the UK, introducing a "multiple choice" licencing scheme.

Max Mclaren, Lotus' educational development manager, said that the
scheme is in response to the major changes that have taken place in
the educational market this last 18 months. He told Newsbytes that
the last few years has seen a shift in Local Educational Authority
(LEA) software purchasing trends, away from centralized contracts
and back to localized purchasing.

"This was such a change from earlier centralised buying trends that
we took a long look at how our products are sold in the educational
market," he said.

The scheme works with educational users only needing to buy one
software licence per PC, regardless of what Lotus applications are
to be used. To add another package to its licence, users simply buy
a standard educational single package. The idea is that educational
users can use only one application per PC at once.

"One of the biggest headaches for the educational Informational
technology (IT) manager is budget planning. The IT manager has
traditionally had to budget for multiple licences for each type of
application across different platforms," Mclaren explained.

"In reality, when the funds are no longer there to purchase enough
licences you run into problems. Either you get a situation where
students are jostling for limited machines or software may be copied
illegally, which opens you up to the scrutiny of organizations like
the Federation Against Software Theft," he said,

"By rationalizing the way in which an institution can purchase
licences. we've eliminated this problem. If an institution has 100
computers it needs only purchase 100 licences, then a single copy of
every type of application is required. Lotus is the first company to
take such a simple and direct approach," he said.

(Steve Gold/19930719/Press & Public Contact: Lotus Development -
Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(APPLE)(LAX)(00030)

 ****Newton Messagepad To Be For Sale At Macworld Boston 07/19/93
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 19 (NB) -- Apple Computer
is planning a huge launch of several new products at Macworld
Expo in Boston the first week of August and the Newton will
be the centerpiece, according to Jon Swartz at Macweek. The
first Newtons, called the Messagepad, will be available in
three configurations along with some new Quadra desktop
Macintoshes.

The Messagepad is the same Newton demonstrated at the Seybold
Digital World conference. It's the classic Newton everyone who has
any remote interest in personal digital assistants (PDAs) has
probably seen by now.

Macweek reports the unit will come in three models: one base model;
one with a modem; and one with a modem and the Newton Connection Pro
kit with software and cable for interchanging data between the
Messagepad and a Macintosh or IBM compatible personal computer (PC)
running Microsoft Windows.

Specific pricing for the Messagepads has not been announced by
Apple, but the street prices will be $699, $799, and $899
respectively, according to Macweek. Swartz said the price estimates
are based on the dealer quantity price plus a ten percent mark-up.

Consumer channels are already gearing up to sell the Messagepad and
any retailer who is carrying Macintosh hardware now will probably be
carrying the Newton Messagepad, including consumer electronics
stores such as Silo and Staples.

The first day of the Macworld show, Apple is expected to have the
Newtons available for sale on the show floor. Swartz said he
understood over 2,000 of the units were being readied for sale by
Apple and as many as 5,000 units could be available for sale during
the week of the Expo.

The Newton sales may be the answer to Apple's financial woes.
Macweek says its sources report Apple has ordered 60,000 units per
month from Osaka, Japan-based Sharp, who is manufacturing the
Newton. Sharp is planning its own Messagepad-like model and reports
from inside sources in retail chains such as Compusa are stores
expect the Newton to sell big. Compared to the $3,000 plus price tag
of the American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T)/EO PDA, the Newton's
under $1,000 price is attractive to consumers.

The Messagepad also has attractive animations as well, sure to
delight consumers. One is an animation of a cloud that "poofs" away
a mistake, while another animation is of a piece of paper wadded up
and tossed into an on-screen trash can when an electronic document
is deleted.

Newsbytes saw error messages several times in demonstrations of the
Messagepad at Digital World at the end of June, including once where
the unit had to be turned over and reset. However, Swartz told
Newsbytes the current reports from his sources boast the handwriting
recognition of the unit is superb and no problems have been seen.

Macweek also reported about a dozen software companies plan to
announced software products for the Messagepad, including On
Technology, Pastel Development, Great Plains Software, and Portfolio
Systems. Other products expected for announcement at Macworld
include the new Quadra Cyclone and Tempest. Apple sources said the
company will not comment on unannounced products, but did say
announcements will be forthcoming.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930719/Press Contact: Tricia Chan, Apple,
tel [phone], fax [phone]; Jon Swartz, Macweek, 415-
243-3500)