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/1994/jan_feb_94/nb020194

Text File | 1994-02-01 | 78KB | 1,686 lines

(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00001)

Ameritech Following Cable Path 02/01/94
WILTON, CONNECTICUT, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- Ameritech is
following other phone companies in upgrading to a system that
looks more like a cable than a phone network, according to
market analyst Ben de la Cruz of Simba Research.

Simba, a unit of Cowles Media of Minneapolis, best-known as a
newspaper company, recently issued a report claiming the regional
Bells will spend $40 billion on network upgrades by the year
2000. Half of that -- $20 billion -- is going into buying cable
companies, $16 billion is committed by Pacific Bell for its
California network, and at least $4 billion will go into other
initiatives. The figures assume that Bell Atlantic completes its
proposed merger with TCI.

The study sees electronic Yellow Pages as the best service for
getting the phone companies into new marketplaces, de la Cruz
said. But the study indicates the Bells will remain small players
in information publishing, at least for the next half-dozen years,
concentrating instead on becoming primary distribution platforms
for other content providers. And the report does not see the Bells
getting much of a return on these investments before the year
2000. The report costs $995.

De la Cruz told Newsbytes he was surprised that Ameritech made
its announcement when it did. "They were hold-outs until this
point. We felt they were waiting for some restrictions to be
lifted, with their 'Customers' First' plan," a regulatory regime
under which Ameritech will allow other companies onto its
network in exchange for its own entry into long distance. "They
had told me back in December they were expecting something to
roll during the spring." It may be the recent statements by the
Clinton Administration favoring something like the "Customers'
First" plan prompted Ameritech to move quickly, de la Cruz
speculated.

The next companies to be heard from are BellSouth and NYNEX, de
la Cruz said. "Because BellSouth has its partnership with cable,
and NYNEX has its investment in Viacom, they may try to go
through a joint investment through them, upgrading their systems
first. NYNEX in particular has been cautious about it, and they
have UK cable properties."

He continued: "Our study concentrates on the cable ventures.
What each of their investments are, the different strategies.
They're buying cable companies outside their region and, through
partnerships, we group them based on the risk of their
investments. It seems Bell Atlantic has the riskiest road, since
they invested the most money, and have the most obstacles to get
over in regulation."

(Dana Blankenhorn/19940201/Press Contact: SIMBA, Kendra Kalben,
203-834-0033 ext 134; Reader Contact: SIMBA/Communications
Trends, PO Box 7430, Wilton, Connecticut, 06897; tel
203-834-0033 ext 134, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(HKG)(00002)

Microsoft Plans Hong Kong Technical Conf 02/01/94
WANCHAI, HONG KONG, 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- In an Asian computer
industry first, Microsoft is putting on a major conference focused
on delivering technical "know-how" to Asian systems integrators,
solutions developers, support professionals, and technical managers.
TechEd Asia '94, to which Microsoft hopes to attract 1,000
delegates, will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition
Center from May 11-13.

The three-day event will feature technical discussions and detailed
information on key application platforms, and will include a Far
East Track focused on the development of Asian language "solutions."
Conference sessions will be conducted by Microsoft engineers,
developers, consultants, and "leading industry experts" with
in-depth knowledge in their particular fields, claims the company.

"Across Asia, major customers and our partners in the Solution
Providers program are under pressure to deliver more effective
solutions immediately. Microsoft is firmly committed to delivering
the solution-oriented technical information they need to succeed,"
said Fan Look, Solutions marketing manager of Microsoft Hong
Kong Ltd.

"The TechEd Asia '94 Conference is being organized with this goal
in mind. We're dedicating resources and key technical people to
help delegates learn more about how to create, develop and integrate
Windows-based solutions and deliver those solutions in Chinese,
Japanese, and Korean language environments," he said.

Following the success of its first post-sales technical conference,
held in the United States last year, Microsoft decided to make
TechEd part of its global education program from 1994 onwards.
TechEd Asia '94 will follow on from similar conferences to be held
in the US and Europe during March and April, and will feature many
of the same speakers.

Conference sessions will include coverage of: Windows, Windows for
Workgroups and Windows NT operating systems; Microsoft Visual
Basic and Visual C++ programming languages; Microsoft Access,
FoxPro and SQL Server database systems; Microsoft Excel, Project
and Word; the Microsoft Mail messaging system; Microsoft SNA
Server; multimedia technology; and Microsoft At Work.

The Far East Track will include sessions on developing double-byte
character enabled applications using the Far East version of the
Windows Software Development Kit; provide a technical overview
of Windows NT Chinese version and its Win32 development
environment; and how to create customer "solutions" using Asian
language versions of Microsoft products as building blocks, says
the company.

TechEd Asia '94 will also address current multivendor environments.
The program includes sessions given by independent consultants
that will equip attendees with the knowledge to optimize Microsoft
products when they are combined with other vendors' offerings.

Conference participants will also have the opportunity to
demonstrate their own "solutions" at the "Attendee Solutions
Challenge", where delegates will vote for their favorite picks.
The one with the most votes will receive US$5,000 worth of
Microsoft products.

The company says that each conference delegate will receive a
complete set of notes covering all sessions, a CD-ROM with technical
 information on Microsoft products, free Microsoft software and
sample code from selected technical sessions. In addition, attendees
at TechEd Asia will be able to take Microsoft Certified Professional
exams for half-price.

Individuals can register for the conference by calling Meeting
Planners (HK) Ltd., on [phone] or faxing [phone].
Those who register before March 15 can do so at a discounted rate
of US$795. Registration will cost US$995 thereafter.

(Keith Cameron/19940201/Press Contact: Fan Look,
852-804-4262, Microsoft)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00003)

Sortec Links With Chinese Firm On Notebook PCs 02/01/94
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- Japanese personal computer
maker Sortec will supply notebook personal computers to a
Chinese firm, called Legend, on an OEM (original equipment
manufacturer) basis. The company is expected to vie with
such US notebook manufacturers as Compaq in the Chinese
market.

Sortec, a Yokohama-based PC maker, will supply a 486SX-based
color notebook PC to Legend, called the Win Book. It was released
in Japan last year for 390,000 yen ($3,600).

Sortec already started supplying a monochrome version of the
notebook to Legend in April 1993 on an experimental basis. Both
firms have been watching the market in China, and have now
reached an exclusive agreement to supply the PC on a quantity
commercial basis. A total of 10,000 units will be supplied to
the Chinese firm per year, starting this February.

Legend has a plant in China and is mainly manufacturing desktop
PCs. It is currently getting its supply of notebooks from
Taiwanese makers on an OEM basis, which have been sold under
Legend's brand name of QDI.

Sortec is a relatively new PC maker, and was created in 1983. It
has annual sales of about 10 billion yen ($91 million). The firm
is mainly supplying its original PCs to foreign vendors on an OEM
basis. The firm has also gained considerable sales contracts with
the Internal Revenue Service and the Pentagon in the US.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930131/Press Contact: Sortec,
tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00004)

Hitachi To Shift PC Production To Malaysia 02/01/94
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- Major Japanese electronics
firm Hitachi says it has decided to shift the manufacturing of
personal computers and hard disk drives to Malaysia. The
company is reportedly planning to create its own plant in
Malaysia.

Hitachi has been conducting a feasibility study for the past
year, and has concluded that it will be about 30 percent less
expensive to produce PCs and hard drives in that country. Labor
costs, for example, are considerably cheaper in Malaysia.
Hitachi plans to begin manufacture of hard drives at the plant
in 1995.

Other PC makers such as NEC and IBM Japan are also manufacturing
PCs in South East Asian regions. However, most of those
production operations have been assigned to local electronics
firms. This is different from Hitachi's case, where the firm will
eventually stop the production of PCs in Japan, and instead, will
produce them in other countries.

Currently, Hitachi has computer manufacturing plants in the US
and France. At those plants, the firm is producing peripheral
components for computers. The company's PCs are being produced
in Japan at present. As a result, the firm has been suffering from
a surge in the Japanese yen.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930131/Press Contact: Hitachi,
tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00005)

Cirrus Logic Offers Stock, Considers IBM Venture 02/01/94
FREMONT, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- Cirrus Logic Inc.,
has announced that it has filed a registration statement with the
Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to a proposed
public offering of common stock. While the company was
unspecific about the use of the funds, media reports suggest that
it may be planning a joint venture wafer fabrication plant with
IBM.

Tom Rigoli, spokesman for the company, told Newsbytes that
the stock offer is a "follow-on offering" as the company
originally went public in June, 1989. "The registration statement
was filed on Friday, and we just got copies (on Monday)."

Quoting from the offering prospectus in reply to a question from
Newsbytes regarding the use of the ensuing funds, Rigoli said:
"The company expects to use the majority of the net proceeds
for general corporate purposes. However, the company has
investigated and continues to investigate, means to acquire
greater control over wafer production, whether by joint-venture,
acquisition, equity investments in, or loans to, wafer suppliers,
construction of wafer fabrication facilities or other means."

However, the company is currently involved in negotiations with
IBM Microelectronics division concerning the "establishment of
a joint venture to own and operate an existing wafer fabrication
facility." Said Rigoli, "There is no assurance that any transaction
will be completed. The negotiations are just in progress."

Concluded Rigoli to Newsbytes, "It's possible that, if that
transaction came to pass, a good bit of those proceeds could go
into that joint-venture."

According to the company, the proposed offering will consist of
3,132,931 shares of common stock, "of which 3,000,000 shares
will be sold by the company and 132,931 shares will be offered
by certain selling stockholders of the company."

(Ian Stokell/19940201/Press Contact: Sam Srinivasan, or George
Alexy, 510-623-8300, Cirrus Logic Inc.)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(LON)(00006)

Ex-President Of Greece Investigated For Wire Tapping 02/01/94
ATHENS, GREECE, 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- After months of rumors and
news reports, the Greek Government has announced it is holding a
full-scale enquiry into the alleged wire-tapping activities of
former Prime Minister Constantine Mitsokakis while he was in
office.

According to reports from Greece, the Greek Parliament voted late
on Friday (179 votes to 92) to expand the preliminary enquiry to a
full-blown one, mainly due to reports in the press of the story.

Government watchers in Greece are now predicting that this affair
could turn into the European equivalent of the US Watergate scandal,
with several leading figures in the Government called to give
testimony.

Mitsokakis, who headed up the Conservative Government in Greece
from April of 1990 until October of last year, has repeatedly
asserted that the growing scandal has been Socialist plot to
discredit him. It now seems that his daughter, Dora Bakoyanni, who
was Minister for Culture in his cabinet, will be drawn into the
enquiry.

According to the popular daily press in Greece, a parliamentary
committee -- consisting of 12 members of Parliament -- will be
assembled over the next few weeks, and will begin its enquiries
within a matter of days.

The enquiry could degenerate into a political farce, Newsbytes
notes, as the Greek legislature allows former members of the
government the right to immunity from being summoned to a
Judicial Enquiry on grounds of Parliamentary immunity.

This could be reversed, however, if Parliament votes on a change in
the law, a situation that could happen, given the Socialist's stance
against the Conservatives in Greece. The ramifications of this could
force a crisis in the Government, since the Conservative minority
would be extremely angry as such behavior and could paralyze any
less than solid votes held in the future.

(Sylvia Dennis/19940201)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LON)(00007)

US Firm Plans Swiss, Estonian Computerized Lotteries 02/01/94
ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- Gtech Corp., the West
Greenwich, Rhode Island-based company in the US, has been
contracted to supply computer equipment and ongoing facilities for
the provision of new national lotteries in Switzerland and Estonia.

While on-line technology will be nothing new in Switzerland, which
already has its own packet data networks (PDNs), Gtech claims that
it will be the first true on-line system of its type in Estonia, a
former region of Russia.

The Swiss service will be called Club Keno, while the Estonian
system -- based on the Swiss plan -- will be called Eesti Lotto,
which is Estonian for the State Lottery. Both services, which will
be developed in parallel, should be up and running by the late
summer, Newsbytes understands.

Like on-line lottery systems in the UK, the idea is that everyone
sits down in their respective towns and conducts a keno-style draw,
with games held every five minutes. Numbers are drawn centrally,
and the data on the numbers, together with details of winning
cards, are transmitted back over the network.

Gtech, which claims to be highly experienced in computer network
technology, has installed lottery and keno systems around the
world, Newsbytes notes.

(Sylvia Dennis/19940201/Press & Public Contact: Gtech Corp.,
tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00008)

UK Firms Extend Technology Help To Russian Federation 02/01/94
NEWBURY, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- The Compass
Computer Group has teamed up with Powergen, once of the UK's
national power generating companies, to offer their respective
technologies to the energy industry of the Russian Federation.

The aim of the project, which is being mainly funded by the European
Community (EC), is to install the equivalent of "the national grid"
seen in the UK in the Russian Federation, which has turbine engine
generators installed across its regions.

Plans call for staff from the Powergen facility in Nottingham,
England, to visit the All Union Electric Power Research Institute
(VNIIE) in Moscow to get them up to speed in Western power-
generation technology. Once this has achieved, VNIIE will develop
a prototype expert system for turbine generator diagnosis.

Compass will be supplying the hardware for the project, which
Newsbytes notes is only partly funded by the EC. Some of the
equipment, notably a PC, is being offered as a gift to the Russian
Federation.

The PC-based system was presented to the VNIIE by Paul Coombe,
Compass' sales and marketing manager, who said that the company
recognizes that the opening of new markets provides excellent
opportunities for businesses both in the UK and from overseas.
"We wish the Institute every success with their project and are
pleased to have been able to offer our support," he said.

(Sylvia Dennis/19940201/Press & Public Contact: Compass Group,
tel [phone], fax [phone])


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

UK - Mercury One-2-One To Sponsor Rural Caring Conf 02/01/94
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1994 JAN 2 (NB) -- Mercury One-2-One, one of
several digital mobile phone service providers in the UK, has seen
fit to sponsor a major conference to raise the awareness of the
needs of "carers."

The conference sponsorship comes just a year after the British
Government introduced the concept of "Community Care," a project
to devolve the care and treatment of clinically and mentally ill
from centralized hospital and "back into the community."

According to Richard Goswell, Mercury One-2-One's managing
director, caring is a full time job. "The hours are long, there's no
pay and it's work of which the importance and value is rarely
recognized," he said. "That's why we are delighted to be involved
in an initiative that seeks to promote and support the role of
carers in everyday family and community life."

Goswell said that the company's research when setting up and
launching the One-2-One digital mobile phone network confirms the
finding that many women spend much of their time caring for older
and infirm family members or friends, often in addition to
organizing immediate family life and having a job or career as well.

"Their day to day schedule is as busy as any chief executives
and their need to be in touch is as great as well," he asserted.

Goswell said that ownership and usage of mobile phones amongst
carers is limited. "But we see that changing as prices fall and, in
particular, as our own service beyond London and the South East to
other parts of the country," he said.

The one conference, "Caring for Rural Carers," will be held at the
Church House Conference Center in London's Westminster area on
April 11 this year.

Mercury One-2-One is a digital mobile phone service operating in the
1,800 megahertz waveband. The service is one of two licensed to
operate at this high frequency, the other being the Hutchinson
Microtel service, which is scheduled to launch in the spring of this
year. The One-2-One service is only available within the London M25
outer orbital motorway ring, although plans are in hand to launch
the service in Birmingham later this year.

(Steve Gold/19940201/Press & Public Contact: Mercury One-2-One,
tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00010)

US Robotics Offers V.Terbo To BBSs In UK 02/01/94
SLOUGH, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- US Robotics Ltd.,
the UK division of the US modem manufacturer of the same name,
has standardized on one of its recently-launched Courier V.32Terbo
modems for its bulletin board service (BBS) sysop (system
operator) program.

BBS sysops are now able to buy the Courier HST Dual Standard V.32
terbo modem for UKP299, instead of a retail price of UKP899. The
special price is only available to BBSs on a one modem per phone
line basis. To qualify for the offer, sysops have to fill out an
application form that is verified by US Robotics.

Unusually for a sysop offer of this type, the deal is being made
available to public as well as corporate BBSs. To qualify, the sysop
must apply in writing and be prepared to acknowledge on-screen that
US Robotics is its modem supplier for at least 18 months after
purchase.

"We had a number of different offers available to sysops and we
decided to simplify the matter by standardizing on our highest speed
standard and selling it at an extremely attractive price," explained
Clive Hudson, US Robotics' managing director.

"New BBS operators are welcome to apply," he said, adding that the
company will be ensuring that "only bona fide sysops are included in
the scheme."

So why offer sysops such a good deal on modems? According to US
Robotics, it sees BBS operators as a strategic target for its
marketing campaigns as they are seen as key recommenders and
influencers on the market as a whole. US Robotics estimates that as
many as 80 percent of all sysops use a US Robotics or a Miracom
modem.

(Steve Gold/19940201/Press & Public Contact: US Robotics,
44-753-811180)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00011)

UK - Tetra 2000 Version 1.4 Accounting Prgm Intro'd 02/01/94
MAIDENHEAD, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- Tetra has
announced the latest version of its Tetra 2000 business and
accounting suite. The company claims that version 1.4 includes
more than 120 enhancements across its 18 modules, as well as
introducing a standard payroll module to the mix.

According to Tetra, the standard payroll is an option for those who
do not need the full payroll management system. The package is
available for DOS, Novell and Unix operating systems and is pitched
as a multi-company, multi-currency suite that claims to provide
full support for European Community (EC) value-added tax (VAT)
legislation.

Modules in the package include nominal, sales and purchase ledgers,
cash book, order entry, invoicing and sale analysis, purchase order
processing, stock control, job costing, bill of materials, fixed
assets, intrastats and report writer/data manager, together with
bankers automated clearing (BACs) and interfaces, multitasking,
payroll and/or payroll management.

Improvements seen in version 1.4 include new multi-currency
facilities in the purchase and sales ledger, as well as additional
reporting options in stock control and payroll management.

Tetra 2000 single-user DOS does not come cheaply at UKP600 per
module. The company claims that the package is suitable for all
sizes of companies, with multi-user prices set at UKP790 per
module for a four-user network license (UKP850 per module is
payable for the Unix version).

The new payroll is available at a standard module price of
UKP1,190 for a four-user license. Special prices are available
for existing users of the package.

(Steve Gold/19940201/Press & Public Contact: Tetra Ltd.,
44-628-770939)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00012)

 ****Zenith Electronics Cuts Another 300 Jobs 02/01/94
SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- Zenith
Electronics Corp., the company that got so much attention
during the fight over the North American Free Trade Agreement,
says it will cut another 300 jobs at its plastic molding plant in
Springfield, Illinois.

Zenith says it will consolidate plastic molding operations with the
plastic cabinet finishing and final television assembly operations
in Raynosa, Mexico, in 1995.

Zenith spokesperson John Taylor told Newsbytes that a specific
timetable has not been developed yet. Zenith moved nearly 1,500
jobs to Mexico in 1992 in order to compete with foreign television
makers. Zenith shifted production to Mexico because it could pay
Mexican workers about $10 per day, or approximately what the
average worker made in an hour in the US facility.

Taylor told Newsbytes about 150 workers will still be employed at
the plant, which will continue to function as a regional distribution
center. The Springfield plant once employed about 4,000 workers
assembling televisions.

Mike Yeubanks, business manager of the International
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1453 that represents the
workers says the move is the same as closing the plant. Yeubanks
called the latest job cuts "very frustrating" but not unexpected,
and said the union would help its members apply for federal
retraining benefits. Taylor said the company is examining various
options to aid the displaced workers.

Zenith had produced television sets at the plant for about 25 years
until 1992, when the plant was re-tooled to mold plastic cabinets
for color television sets and as a regional distribution center.

Zenith Electronics has announced it has issued about one million
shares of common stock to the company's employee profit-
sharing retirement plan. The company says that the stock has a
market value of about $8 million and fulfills its 1993 profit-sharing
obligation to eligible salaried employees, as well as a large portion
of the 1993 profit sharing obligations for hourly workers. The plan
now holds about nine percent of the company's outstanding shares.

(Jim Mallory/19940201/Press Contact: John Taylor, Zenith
Electronics, 708-391-8181)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(DEN)(00013)

Wordperfect Plans Books With Electronic Version 02/01/94
OREM, UTAH, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- Wordperfect Corp.,
has announced that Addison-Wesley Publishing Company will
publish a new line of books under the Wordperfect Press imprint
that will include an electronic version of the book.

The company says the task-oriented books will focus on helping
business and home users discover new ways to use Wordperfect
products. Publishing under the Wordperfect label is intended to
assure buyers that the material is accurate and "from the source,"
according to the company.

Wordperfect says the books will include the text in electronic form
so readers can peruse the books on-line. The disks will also
contain software such as macros and templates to help readers
accomplish the tasks described in the text.

Addison-Wesley officials say this is the first time a publisher will
consistently include an electronic version of the book with the
printed edition. Wordperfect has not released the titles yet, but
says eight books should be ready by the end of the year. Some of
these are scheduled to ship by mid-year.

A company spokesperson told Newsbytes specific titles and pricing
would be available in about 60 days. Wordperfect says it will
continue to work with outside authors and publishers as it has in
the past.

(Jim Mallory/19940201/Press Contact: David Weymouth,
Wordperfect Corp., 801-228-5023; Reader Contact: Wordperfect
Corp., tel [phone] or 800-451-5151, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00014)

Micrografx, Hallmark Team On New Drawing Program 02/01/94
RICHARDSON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- Micrografx Inc.,
says it has teamed up with Hallmark Cards Inc., to develop and
market software drawing products for users with home computers.

Micrografx is not giving out much specific information about the
product, but does say the first products will be developed with
Binney and Smith, a Hallmark subsidiary, under its 90-year old
Crayola crayon brand name.

"You can image with Crayola what direction it is headed,"
Micrografx spokesperson Greg Peters told Newsbytes.

Peters told Newsbytes the first products should ship within six
months, and will target children from three to 12 years of age.
"There will actually be two products in that category. One will be
for kids three to seven, and the other will be for the seven to 12-
year olds." He said the first products will be in the under-$50
category.

Peters said the first product should reach the market within six
months. Micrografx just recently created its At-Home Products
Division in order to reach home computer users, estimated by
software companies and industry analysts to be a burgeoning
market worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The Software
Publishers Association estimates that home education software
product sales in North America increased 70 percent in the first
half of 1993 compared to about 14 percent growth in the
microcomputer market.

(Jim Mallory/19940201/Press Contact: Greg Peters, Micrografx
Inc., 214-994-6099; Reader Contact: Micrografx, 214-994-6192)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00015)

Artisoft's Keiper To Keynote San Francisco Network Expo 02/01/94
FORT LEE, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- The increasing
importance of networking in business has led to a number of
computer shows around the country. One such show is the Networks
Expo in San Francisco, set for April 19-21. Now, it has been
announced that William C. Keiper, president and CEO of Artisoft Inc.,
the publisher of the popular LANtastic peer-to-peer network
operating system, will deliver the keynote on April 19 at 9 am
at the San Francisco Hilton Hotel and Towers.

Networks Expo for the West Coast will take place at the Moscone
Convention Center. Keiper will speak on "The Emergence of Peer-
Server Technology."

Newsbytes notes that peer-to-peer networking is becoming
increasingly popular among small- to medium-sized companies
and departments of larger companies where the expense of a
dedicated server, or servers, is not wanted. With a peer-to-peer
network each workstation can be a client, a server, or both.
Linking together all the computers in an office can maximize
the resources available to users, allowing for the sharing of
printers, files and hard disks, for example.

According to a show press release, there is a "growing trend
of organizations that are solving their connectivity needs by
implementing a high-end combination of peer-to-peer technology
with a client/server architecture." As a result, Keiper plans to
discuss various "user requirements" and the "best networking
solutions available to meet their connectivity needs."

Keiper's keynote speech will open the show floor and conference
program. Exhibit hours are: Tuesday and Wednesday -- 10 am to
5 pm; and Thursday -- 10 am to 4 pm.

More than 150 exhibitors and a full conference program with 65
seminars is planned for the show.

(Ian Stokell/19940201/Press Contact: Annie Scully, 201-346-
1400 ext 145; or Mark Haviland ext 152, for Networks Expo)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(WAS)(00016)

Bill Makes Telemarketers Pay For Unwanted Junk Calls 02/01/94
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- Sick and tired of
rushing to answer the telephone only to be greeted by a monotone
voiced salesperson or, worse yet, a computerized telemarketer?
Now there is Federal legislation which requires those junk callers
to pay you $500 if they continue to phone after you have notified
them in writing that their services are not required.

But what can you do about it? Many contend that hanging up
immediately actually encourages them, because it reduces their
phone bills and makes it less expensive for them to phone
potential customers than to send them junk mail.

Fortunately, there is a little known provision for collecting a
$500 fee, and some people are actually following through with
the task - but not through the provisions of 47usc227 (U.S.Code)
"Telephone Consumer Protection Act" which Bob Bulmash, president
of Private Citizen, likes to call the Telemarketer's Protection Act.
However, he says that the act actually makes it almost impossible
for consumers to win in court.

Bulmash told Newsbytes that the legislation only covers sales
calls, not phone calls relating to political activities, surveys, or
charities. He also said that you must carefully word your
instructions not to call back or the telemarketer will be free to
call for any other product or service they want to sell.

He also said that the $500 fine can only be claimed if the
telemarketer places two more sales calls within 12 months of
being notified that you do not want their calls anymore, and even
then it is nearly impossible to win in court.

These provisions of the legislation are why he says the bill was
written for the benefit of telemarketers rather than the consumer
or homeowner. However, he argues that there is another remedy
which relies, not on questionable federal legislation, but upon civil
common law.

His company claims to show individuals how to legally set up
their phones as a "900" number-like business where telemarketers
are told that they will be charged for any calls made to your
phone and in return you will drop what ever you are doing and
answer the call - in return for permitting this invasion of your
privacy you bill them for $500 per occurrence.

This leaves the problem of notifying all those telemarketers. Here
too there is help from Bulmash, who's company will, for a fee,
formally notify thousands of telemarketers that calls to your
number are unwanted and will result in their receiving an invoice
for your time and the use of your phone.

According to Bulmash, his clients have filed more than a dozen
suits under this contract which he provides and more than
three-quarters have collected some or all of the $500, mostly in
out of court settlements. He cited one woman who had received
$100 for each of two junk telemarketing calls from Illinois Bell.

To get more information on this $20 service (for $5 more he
claims to also help cut down on junk mail) which has so far
notified 1,100 telemarketers not to bother the 2,600 current
users of his service, phone 1-800-CUT-JUNK. The company can
also be contacted at Public Citizen Inc., Box 233, Naperville,
IL 60566.

He will send you a formal contract that you read and sign, then
return to him so he can notify companies that you will charge
them for any future telemarketing calls of any nature, including
charitable solicitations.

Bulmash told Newsbytes that his main reason for starting this
service is to help defend the disabled and elderly who are often
prey to this sort of telemarketing pressure because they are
usually at home, and who often find it difficult to answer
the phone.

He related the story of one telemarketer who, when he gets an
answering machine, starts shouting that the call is urgent, an
"emergency," and thereby cons people into taking his junk call.

(John McCormick/19940201/Press Contact: Bob Bulmash,
Private Citizen, 800-CUT-JUNK)


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

ITC Seeks On-line Learning Classrooms 02/01/94
BRISTOL, VERMONT, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- The International
Telecomputing Consortium is seeking 64 classrooms -- grades
3 to 12 -- to participate in its sixth World Class on-line project
on the Internet.

The program began in 1989, and most of the learning has dealt
with environmental matters. One year, then-Senator Al Gore was
an on-line guest. This year's coordinator is Teresa Cameron of
Bristol, Vermont.

The theme is "Our Water Resources," and exercises will encourage
students to discuss water conservation and drinking-water toxins
as well as related themes such as oil spills, population growth,
creation of dams, and how water resources are affecting the Middle
East Peace talks.

Both US and international schools are being asked to participate.
In the past, classrooms in Jakarta, Lima, Mexico City, Moscow, and
the Shetland Islands have joined in.

Newsbytes discussed the program with Director Bill Wright in
Washington, D.C. "ITC is a non-profit organization that helps
K-12 teachers with information technologies, especially networks,"
he explained. "The Pacific Bell Knowledge Network is sponsoring
this exercise. Other support has come from BellSouth, and from
education groups that want to form on-line communities such as
the Kentucky Telecommunications Writing Project. We're also doing
some work for associations trying to set up on-line services."

The key to making that work is hands-on labor, Wright said.
"There are a lot of messy pen-pal projects on the Internet which
fizzle out because no one has time to manage them properly. This
lets groups of classrooms work together on activities. The
project is planned well in advance by a group of teachers, who
know the constraints. There is a task to accomplish each week
during the activity. There's usually a common piece of reading or
video, so everyone is starting from the same point."

In the past these pieces have come from groups like Worldwatch,
the Nature Conservancy, and the World Wildlife Fund, among others.
"There's usually an on-line guest -- we give a limited number of
questions to someone and post the responses on-line. It's a
managed project with clusters of classrooms working together,
asynchronously. It's not real-time conferencing. And it's managed
so classes and teachers know what to do each week. It's flexible
enough so teachers respond to students, and experts respond to
students. You have a community."

The need for moderators means that space is limited. "This year
we'll have eight clusters, small groups, and each one of those will
be limited to eight classrooms -- 64 in all. And if we have more
applications we'll leave some people out. We think it's important
to have a moderator for each cluster, and we have the money to
support eight."

(Dana Blankenhorn/02011994/Press Contact: Bill Wright, ITC, 202-
466-0533; for applications: Teresa Cameron, 34 Mountain Street.
Bristol, VT 05443-1307, tel [phone], fax [phone];
e-mail, [e-mail]; applications: [e-mail])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00018)

SSE, EchoStar Combine Direct Broadcast TV Licenses 02/01/94
MCLEAN, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- SSE Telecom and
EchoStar Communications have agreed to combine their direct
broadcast satellite licenses, in a bid to compete with Hughes'
DirecTv, which launched its first satellite late last year and
should be in business within months. The two companies need
Federal  Communications Commission approval for the
combination.

SSE owns 80 percent of DirectSat, while EchoStar's EchoStar
Satellite is a wholly-owned subsidiary. Both hold satellite
construction permits and orbital slot assignments at 119 degrees
West, with complete coverage of the Western US.

Under the agreement, DirectSat's shareholders will receive a
minority equity interest in EchoStar for its stock. By mid-1996,
the companies expect to have invested close to $500 million and
operating two satellites with over 100 channels of video. Martin
Marietta is presently building the satellites for a 1995 launch.

SSE Telecom Chairman Frank Trumbower said in a press statement
he was attracted to EchoStar's existing satellite programming
and distribution system, using other satellites. EchoStar said
the two companies will work on other projects together, and will
offer SSE with up to $8.75 million in funding.

Newsbytes discussed the deal with David Carlson of Echosphere.
He confirmed the details, and noted that between them the two
companies have licenses for 21 transponders. This compares with
27 for DirecTv, and for five for Hubbard Broadcasting, which is
sharing space on Hughes' satellites.

While the company told reporters last year they were following
industry standards like MPEG (Motion Picture Experts Group), and
attacked DirecTv for using a proprietary compression algorithm,
Carlson said his company is now hopeful it will be allowed to use
the Hughes algorithm, although he admitted that decision is up to
DirecTv, which has said previously it wanted to keep a
proprietary system.

(Dana Blankenhorn/02011994/Press Contact: SSE Telecom, Frank
Trumbower, 703-790-0250; EchoStar Communications, David
Moskowitz, 303-799-8222 ext 5323)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(ATL)(00019)

Forminco Furniture Finds Niche In Home Offices 02/01/94
MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA, 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- Forminco, which
won strong reviews for its first ergonimically-designed desks,
now has its first hit in the Mouse Arena, new distribution
agreements, and new work for director and designer, Ted Moore.

Newsbytes discussed computer desks, ergonomics, and Forminco's
place in market with Moore. "By the end of this year there will be
42 million Americans in home offices," he said, but Forminco was
still surprised at the strong sales it received in this segment of
the market. In fact, Moore said, the home office market now
represents most of the company's sales, and it has adjusted its
distribution channels accordingly.

"Right now we're in mass merchant channels and through IBM,"
which featured the company's PW-1 desks at its "OS/2 Test Drive
Centers" during recent Comdex shows. "We're moving into Wal-Mart
in March," he added, with models specifically aimed at the home
market and family use. "We're using a Command Bar, above the work
surface, on which you can place the printer, and the fax machine,
telephone, calculators, so your desk remains clean." The new
model is called the PW-2, "and it has the CPU (central processing
unit) side-mount that will hold a tower case. It also has a large
drawer that includes a palm support for the mouse."

The growing diversity of desktop computers, with cases varying
widely in size, has proven a continuing challenge, Moore said.
"We've got a new model. We had to change because of the tower
cases. Now we have like scissors system that telescopes up and
out, with adjustable feet that are reversible. The top part lets
you put a case in, up to nine-inches wide, so it handles any size
tower" up to nine-inches wide. The adjustable feet allow disk
drives to remain accessible while using a circular pad which
attaches to the right side of the desk.

One criticism of Moore's designs has been his heavy use of steel,
which gives the finished product a rough, industrial feel. He has
recently addressed that with new models that have wood grain
and a top like Formica. "It's a good, tough surface, but it looks
like wood with the grain," he said. It also has a different feel,
less heavy than the steel used before. "We've picked up some
fairly mainstream retail outlets because of the change. It adds a
little to cost, but we don't reflect it in prices," he added.

Perhaps the biggest surprise Moore has gotten in the business is
the sudden interest in his Mouse Arena, a desk accessory which
gives your mouse a circular pad to move on, a metal spring to
keep the wire from tangling, and an integrated wrist pad. "All of
a sudden, we got a lot of letters from people who praised us for
saving their jobs. We intended to get that out for people who
were having problems. Somehow the ergonomic vision got lost along
the way" with the company's desks. "Now the Mouse Arena has taken
off for us, and people are starting to see our stuff is very serious."

Perhaps the most serious piece of work for Moore remains the
company's chairs, which will soon be distributed at Office Depot
stores. The chair design, he noted, is patented. "You can adjust
the seat pan depth, so if you have long legs you can make it
longer, or if you have short legs you can raise it. That's done
by adjusting the back. And we have an external frame on that with
no internal support -- the internal portion is stretched with a
rubber webbing, and there are little gussets built into the
cushions." As a result, "The chair takes the shape of the body,
rather than the other way around."

Moore himself is spending a lot of time working on a whole new
line of Forminco furniture, which will make its debut at a
furniture industry trade show this June in Chicago. "That will be
very different from anything that's ever been on the market," he
said. "It has a frame that will contain a casing that contains any
motherboard, and everything snaps on wherever you want to put it.
It's aimed at people who want to change hardware, or have to
adapt it often."

(Dana Blankenhorn/02011994/Press Contact: Forminco, Ted Moore,
9610A Ignace, Brossard, Quebec, Canada J4Y 2R4; Reader contact:
800-663-6764)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00020)

Japan - Sony Links With 200 Video Game Software Firms 02/01/94
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- Sony says it has already signed
agreements with over 200 Japanese game software firms
concerning the development of game software for the company's
next generation 32-bit video game machine. Additionally, the
company has also started sounding out overseas game software
vendors.

Sony is currently preparing to release its next-generation video
game machine, called the PSX. It has a 32-bit processor and will
be able to support three-dimensional (3-D) pictures and stereo
sound. It is expected to be released in Japan around the end of
this year, and will be released in overseas markets in 1995.

Sony has already linked with many major Japanese game software
makers, including Namco, Konami, Bandai, and Koei. The company
has provided the firm's game software development tool to the
companies. The tool is claimed to be easy to use and reportedly
does not require complicated mathematical calculations to create
3-D graphics software.

Sony has also been actively involved in linking up with overseas
software makers. The company has reportedly already begun talks
with about 30 firms in the US and Europe.

Sony is attempting to add special features to its new video
game machine, such as the ability to be hooked into a telephone
line. That would allow the machine to be used as a home shopping
device. It is also expected to support a video-on-demand feature.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930201/Press Contact: Sony,
tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TYO)(00021)

Japan - New Telecom Services & HDTV Tests Begin 02/01/94
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- Japan's major
telecommunications firm, NTT, says it will start providing much
faster digital data transmission services this fall. Meanwhile, an
English school in Osaka will help with the company's planned
multimedia language learning system.

Mitsubishi Electric will also begin an experiment on the
transmission of high definition television (HDTV) data this spring.

Japan's former domestic telecom monopoly NTT has been preparing
to provide rapid digital-data transmission services for corporate
users. Under the service, the data will be sent at 50 megabits-
and 150 megabits-per-second. The users have to sign up for a
proprietary telecom line with NTT. The service is expected to start
this September.

NTT is currently providing 12 kinds of data transmission services
at speeds between 64 kilobits- and six megabits-per-second.

Meanwhile, this month, Osaka-based Next Generation
Telecommunication Experimental Association (BBCC) will begin
experiments of the multimedia data service, which supports
interactive data transmission. The BBCC will cooperate with the
English education firm, NIS.

The software for this interactive data transmission has already
been developed by NIS. Students will reportedly be able to
communicate with instructors via television sets. In addition,
students with the required head-sets will be able to walk around
an artificial city using virtual reality software.

Mitsubishi Electric will also experiment with sending data for a
HDTV set via a space satellite, or an ISDN (integrated services
digital network). Under the experiment, the HDTV data is
highly compressed and will be sent at 1.2 gigabits per second.

It is reported that complete motion pictures based on the
MPEG-2 (Motion Picture Experts Group) standard can be sent under
the system, which Mitsubishi hopes to commercialize by the end
of March, 1995.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930201/Press Contact: NTT,
tel [phone], fax [phone]; NIS, 81-6-245-9944;
Mitsubishi Electric, tel [phone], fax [phone])


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

Computer Recovery Teams At Work After LA Quake 02/01/94
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- The word
"disaster" means different things to different people. But to the
companies that depend on computers, an event such as the recent
Los Angeles earthquake, certainly qualifies.

However, there is hope for the companies whose computer rooms
are now a tangle of wires and smashed equipment or who lost
data due to power failure. Disaster recovery companies such as
Wayne, Pennsylvania-based Sungard Recovery Services provide
services like alternative office facilities, mobile data centers,
equipment replacement, and even large, centralized computer
facilities located strategically around the country from which a
company can resume operations.

Sungard spokesperson Jeff McGinnis told Newsbytes that the
company activated its Crisis Management Team just hours after the
quake jolted the Los Angeles basin, when one of its subscribers
declared a disaster, and 14 other companies put Sungard "on alert."

The team began identifying and contacting all Sungard
subscribers in the affected area, assessing the status of each
company, identifying the level of support required, and working
with subscriber representatives to minimize the effects of the
quake. Subsequently, one additional Sungard client declared a
disaster.

Sungard's more than 3,100 subscribers are supported in disaster
recovery efforts by four megacenters and seven metro centers.
Sungard also has sites in 12 other US and Canadian cities.

The megacenters support IBM AS/400, ES9000, System/38 and
System/36 platforms, along with Digital Equipment, Hewlett-
Packard, Stratus, Sun Microsystems, Tandem, and Unisys
systems. "Hot-sites" house fully operational data centers, while
ready-conditioned areas for the installation of replacement or
ancillary equipment, called cold-sites, are also available.

McGinnis said one LA company transferred its activities to Sungard's
Atlanta, Georgia hot-site, while the other opted to activate a mobile
data center, a computer mounted in a large tractor-trailer rig. That
unit is now humming away in the client's parking lot.

The metro centers are multipurpose facilities which can support
the testing and recovery needs of computer operations and or
workgroups requiring a local shared facility. Sungard also offers
mobile data centers for Hewlett Packard and AS/400 platforms.

The company provides electronic vaulting services for backup
data that can reduce the time needed to recover from a disaster,
while shippable communications products are available that
ensure connectivity and compatibility with a subscriber's existing
production environment. Available equipment includes modems,
terminal controllers, local area network (LAN) bridges and routers,
and related equipment. They even provide check processing
facilities that provide financial institutions with disaster
recovery backup for check and data processing operations.

McGinnis said that, while the cost of subscribing to the service
may be considered expensive - from $300 per month to many
thousands of dollars monthly -  a company has to weigh the cost
against an inability to function.and how quickly they need to be
back in business.

Recovery time can take 24 hours or less, depending on how well
the client company executes their disaster recovery plan.

(Jim Mallory/19940201/Press Contact: Julie Gubbin, Media
Relations Inc., for Sungard, 612-851-8702; Reader Contact:
Sungard, 800-247-7832 or 215-351-1300)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEN)(00023)

Bill Gates To Meet With Chinese Leader 02/01/94
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- Microsoft
says company Chairman Bill Gates may meet with Communist
Party chief, Jian Zemin, when he visits China in March.

Microsoft's Beijing Manager Patrick Tien says the Ministry of
Electronics Industry has given an initial ok for the meeting, but
the final approval is not expected until early March. Microsoft
spokesperson Mich Matthews told Newsbytes the talk could
include discussions about copyrights and the protection of
intellectual properties in China. "That's a big issue in that
part of the world," said Matthews.

Gates will be in China to address about 1,000 Chinese officials,
technology and software managers and public opinion leaders
during a week-long Microsoft gathering late next month. Matthews
said the trip is part of a regular Gates routine that has he and other
senior Microsoft executives visiting each of Microsoft's regions,
meeting with major accounts and media representatives. Gates is
in New Zealand this week where he will meet with the country's
prime minister.

At least 18 companies are reportedly helping set up a high tech
demonstration model computer network intended to help Chinese
customers design their own networks using products from US
computer companies. According to Associated Press, participants
in the American Computer Innovation Center will train Chinese
computer users and advise them on what equipment to buy.

An estimated one million computers are in use in China, compared
to the more than 60 million in the US. Computer sales in China in
1993 were estimated as high as 350,000 and a significant
increase in sales is expected this year.

(Jim Mallory/19940201/Press and reader contact: Microsoft,
206-882-8080 or 800-426-9400)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BOS)(00024)

Cabletron To Deploy Fast Packet Switch (FPS) In Hubs 02/01/94
ROCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- Cabletron
Systems has outlined plans to deploy a new switch -- the
Fast Packet Switch (FPS) -- across its complete family of hubs,
including the Multi Media Access Center (MMAC) series of modular
hubs, the HubSTACK line of stackable hubs, and a next-generation
intelligent hub that is scheduled for announcement February 7.

FPS switches Ethernet, token ring and fiber distributed data
interface (FDDI) packets in hardware through a series of
custom-designed application specific integrated circuits (ASICs)
that are based on Logitech's 300K chip technology, officials said.

The FPS switch also supports all asynchronous transfer mode (ATM),
local area network (LAN), and wide area network (WAN) types, for
any-to-any connection regardless of network technology, Cabletron
maintained.

The new switch is able to dedicate fixed amounts of bandwidth
to each port, allowing it to operate in either traditional
connectionless mode or in SecureFast Packet Switch (SFPS) mode,
the company said. Introduced by Cabletron last November, SFPS is
a connection-oriented packet switching technology aimed at
facilitating switching among various network types.

The use of hardware switching in FPS is aimed at increasing
speed and efficiency of transmission, and is also integral to
Cabletron's strategy of migrating customers from shared access
to switched LANs, officials added.

FPS will be a core element in extremely high-performance
modules currently under development by Cabletron, the company
reported. The switching technology will also be implemented in
the existing architectures of products like the BRIM A100, a 100
megabit-per-second (Mbps) ATM module for Cabletron's MMAC
intelligent hub.

LSI Logic's 300K, the chip technology used in FPS, is designed for
building small, fast circuits that provide better performance and
a high level of integration. The 300K technology is billed as
being able to integrate 500,000 logic gates -- or the equivalent of
four Sun SPARCStations -- on a single chip.

The design for the FPS originated in Cabletron's SFPS technology,
according to Cabletron. To minimize latency, or switching
delays, SFPS and FPS switch packets in real time.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19940201/Reader Contact: Cabletron Systems,
603-332-9400; Press Contact: Darren Orzechowski, Cabletron,
603-332-9400)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00025)

SoundBlaster Featured In China's National Science Museum 02/01/94
SINGAPORE, 1994 FEB 1 (NB) --  Creative Technology Ltd., says one of
its SoundBlaster audio cards has been placed in the permanent
exhibit of China's National Science Museum.

The Singapore exhibit has touch-screen displays allowing easy use
for the general public and is intended to give the professional and
the layman a clear view of China's commitment to developing high
level technology, says the company.

Creative Technology has collaborated with Chuang Tong Multimedia
Ltd., for the distribution and marketing of their products in China
since 1992.

Speaking with Newsbytes, Stephanee White, director of corporate
communications for Creative Labs, said, "Our profits are up $70
million from the last quarter and 17.3 percent of that figure is
from the Asian Market. Besides our hardware, we are having great
success with  PJ Views, which is a Chinese operating system and
integrated software package that supports multiple fonts. It is
used mostly in schools throughout China."

A breakdown of the Asian sales for the quarter revealed 51 percent
in audio cards, 40 percent in multimedia kits and nine percent in
other hardware. Creative Labs is the US subsidiary of Creative
Technologies, Ltd.

Additionally in the US, Creative Technology has filed a law suit
against Cardinal Technology of the US for claims of SoundBlaster-
compatibility. Creative claims that their tests show that specific
games are not SoundBlaster-compatible with the Cardinal audio
card and that Cardinal never developed a working relationship
with them.

(Patrick McKenna/19940201/Press Contact: Stephanee White,
Creative Labs, 408-428-6600)


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

Shoppers Express Signs With America Online 02/01/94
VIENNA, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- In an important
victory for America Online, the nation's third-largest on-line
service has signed Shoppers Express, the nation's largest home
grocery shopping service, to a short-term exclusive contract.
The new service will debut sometime this spring.

Kara Kernan, spokesman for Shoppers Express, explained that the
service currently takes orders by phone or fax only. We will be
working solely with America Online," among on-line services,
"for a certain period of time, then adding other" on-line services.

Depending on where you are located, you may have one, two, or no
choices on Shoppers Express delivery service. In Atlanta, for
instance, the company works with Winn-Dixie, which offers
groceries and pharmacy services, as well as Eckerd's, a drug-
store chain. In other markets the company works with Kroger,
which has many markets in Atlanta, but since its agreement in
this city is only with Winn-Dixie, that is what shoppers get.
Other chains the company works with include Safeway,
Albertson's, and Hook-SuperRx Inc..

"What we'll do is first ask for a zip code, and that will allow you
to know which store services your area," Kernan explained. "It
will result in a different menu of options -- the system does not
have prices in it." Prices are not an issue anyway, she says.
"Customers will pay shelf price, and get the register receipt
when the order arrives." There are two delivery times offered --
between 1-4:30 in the afternoon, or between 6:30-9:30 in
the evening." Kernan said the company could not be precise on
when it will debut on-line because "We're still testing all our
systems, and want to make sure they," America Online, is "ready
to go" once the service becomes live.

The announcement caps another good week for America Online. The
company's stock rose in price by 14 percent after it posted
strong quarterly profits, said it now has 600,000 members, and
predicted growth will remain strong. The stock, which stood near
$30 about a year ago, now trades at over $60 per share.

(Dana Blankenhorn/02011994/Press Contact: Pam McGraw,
America Online, 703-556-3746; Kara Kernan, Shoppers Express,
301-229-2700)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(WAS)(00027)

Arkenstone Sells $1,400 Reading Machine For Blind 02/01/94
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- Arkenstone, the
Sunnyvale, California-based company which gets discounted
computer hardware and software from Silicon Valley companies
and sells them at low prices only to disabled individuals, has
achieved a price breakthrough by announcing the availability of
a complete reading machine station for $1,400.

The Arkenstone First Reader Program allows individuals with
visual disabilities to purchase a complete scanner-to-speech
reading system for hard copy, or just the components needed to
upgrade a personal computer to a full reading station.

Although it has been available for many years now, the price of
technology needed to provide full computerized scanner, optical
character recognition, and speech generation has, until recently,
placed the technology out of the reach of many disabled
individuals, despite Arkenstone's aggressive discounting deals
which often cut the list price in half.

Now, because Arkenstone has been offering upgrades for older
systems, the 501 (c) (3) IRS-qualified charitable company has
accumulated a number of used Arkenstone Reader systems and is
able to make these available at only about one-quarter the cost
of comparable commercial systems.

A limited number of used/reconditioned systems are available
under the First Reader Program, including: a complete system with
computer, voice synthesizer, reconditioned scanner, and necessary
software, for $1,375; and the same complete system with a new
Hewlett-Packard IIp scanner in place of a reconditioned scanner,
for $1,875.

Partial systems are also available, including: the Arkenstone
Reader software with reconditioned scanner (for connection to an
existing MS-DOS compatible computer), for $500; the Arkenstone
HOT Reader software with reconditioned scanner, for $700; the
Arkenstone Reader with new HP IIp scanner, for $1,000; and the
Arkenstone HOT Reader with new HP IIp scanner, for $1,200.

Supplies are limited and, according to Arkenstone, only one unit
will be sold to any individual or qualifying organization.

Arkenstone, which only sells to qualified disabled users, offers
a thirty-day money-back guarantee and one-year warranty on all
units. Sales are actually made through a network of more than
eighty dealers who work directly with disabled individuals.

Arkenstone can be contacted at 1390 Borregas Ave., Sunnyvale,
CA 94089. The telephone numbers are 800-444-4443 or
408-752-2200, with fax at 408-745-6793.

(John McCormick/19940201/Press Contact: Roberta Brosnahan,
Arkenstone, 800-444-4443 or 415-858-1686)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(HKG)(00028)

Hong Kong - HP Support Offers Value-Added Services 02/01/94
CAUSEWAY BAY, HONG KONG, 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- Hewlett-Packard
has announced a restructuring of its support operations to provide
greater focus on the emerging market for value-added support
services across the region, according to the company. It has also
introduced a new selective outsourcing service known as
"co-sourcing."

Customer support is now divided by HP into five separate business
units, each an independent profit center. The new structure
addresses customers' rapidly growing need to have their multivendor
open systems supported in a comprehensive, integrated manner, says
the company. Information technology industry analysts estimate
that US$127 billion is spent on service and support each year.

"Service and support is already a core business for Hewlett-Packard.
Last year it grew 17 percent and accounted for 24 percent of
revenues, with operational and site services among the fastest
growing segments. We see an opportunity to build on this strong
base to make customer support a real differentiator for HP and an
asset for our customers," said Gerry Sheridan, general manager of
worldwide customer support for Hewlett-Packard Asia Pacific Ltd.

"In Asia Pacific markets, the move away from proprietary, host-
based computing towards open systems and client-server
architecture is now well underway and this provides great potential
for the development of vendor independent support services. HP's
client-server expertise and strong market position mean that the
company is well positioned to meet the changing customer needs
resulting from this movement."

The new Multivendor Services Division will provide cabling and
other site preparation work; staging and distribution of equipment;
and the installation and maintenance for both HP and non-HP
systems. The Operations Services Division will offer on-site and
remote system and network management; business recovery planning
and implementation; and 24-hour help desk services.

The Software Services and Technology Division will deliver
multivendor software support, including installation, updates and
license administration. It also offers technical assistance such
as system and network performance management.

The Computer System Financing and Remarketing Division will
arrange financing and leasing for customers. As an example,
"technology refresh" services provide constant updates of IT
systems and networks at costs below actual purchase price of
the equipment, claims the company.

And the new Support Material Operations is HP's multivendor
computer supplies and parts inventory service. HP sells a broad
range of third party products and maintains its own stocks of
systems and components.

"As the complexity of computing environments increases, many
organizations are looking at outsourcing some or all of their
computer maintenance and management to outside experts rather
than relying on internal staff. This shift allows companies to focus
on core business rather than developing the ever-increasing skill
levels to maintain their computer systems."

Unlike traditional all-or-nothing outsourcing approaches, HP says
its co-sourcing strategy allows customers to contract-out only
the range of functions and capabilities necessary to keep their
systems running optimally. Customers determine the best mix of
internal and external support resources based on their strategic
business objectives.

HP has been in the operations service business since 1987 when it
started monitoring and managing customer networks. It has now
extended this capability to cover system management.

Customers can select from a range of system management
functions including configuration, performance, operations-control,
security, applications, accounting, printing, storage, and fault
management.

(Keith Cameron/19940131/Press Contact: Alison Butts,
852-599-7909, HP)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(HKG)(00029)

New Microsoft Voice Offerings Set For Asia 02/01/94
WANCHAI, HONG KONG, 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- The recent announcement
by Microsoft of its new interactive voice tools should see innovative
use throughout Asia where multi-language capability is critical to
the successful implementation of any system, no matter how small,
a regional professional told Newsbytes.

Microsoft has announced the Microsoft Windows Sound System
version 2.0, a set of easy-to-use audio software that integrates
tightly with any Windows-based application, making audio an
extension of the application itself, claims the company. For the
first time, the Windows Sound System is available in two
versions: one includes the software and a microphone, and the
other also includes a Windows Sound System audio board and
headphones.

The software version will include drivers for Creative Labs,
MediaVision, Microsoft and Microsoft-compatible audio boards.
Because the software is hardware-independent, it enables people
who already own audio boards to inexpensively add voice
recognition, claims the company.

(Keith Cameron/19940131)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(HKG)(00030)

Pyramid Names Raymond Chiu Asian Managing Director 02/01/94
WANCHAI, HONG KONG, 1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- Pyramid Technology,
manufacturer of the Nile and ES series of Unix servers, has appointed
Raymond Chiu as managing director for Asia. In his new role, Chiu
will be responsible for Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan, China, the Asian
countries and India.

Chiu joins Pyramid from US$300 million multinational Wong's
Electronics Co Ltd., in Hong Kong, where he was deputy managing
director. Wong's specializes in OEM (original equipment
manufacturer) manufacturing and the joint development of
computer, telecommunication, industrial control, medical, and
related electronics products.

Chiu's previous assignments include senior management positions
with Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Silicon Graphics, Zilog and Intel. He
also ran his own business and consultancy in Asia for more than
four years.

"Asia is quickly becoming the world's most dynamic information
technology market and Pyramid will continue to focus on the
region's increasingly powerful economies," said Chiu. "China is
obviously a key market and we will continue to vigorously support
our Beijing office. We will also leverage the strength of our
established distributor relationships such as Hyundai Electronics
in Korea and Tatung in Taiwan to further expand business in these
markets."

Chiu, who speaks fluent Cantonese and Mandarin, holds a BSc in
Electronic Engineering from California Polytechnic University in
San Luis Obispo and a Master of Business Administration from
Pepperdine University in Los Angeles, California.

(Keith Cameron/19940131/Press Contact: Raymond Chiu,
852-827-0211, Pyramid)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00031)

Newsbytes Daily Summary 02/01/94
PENN VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A.,  1994 FEB 1 (NB) -- These are
capsules of all today's news stories:

1 -> Ameritech Following Cable Path 02/01/94
Ameritech is following other phone companies in upgrading to a
system that looks more like a cable than a phone network,
according to market analyst Ben de la Cruz of Simba Research.

2 -> Microsoft Plans Hong Kong Technical Conf 02/01/94
In an Asian computer  industry first, Microsoft is putting on a major
conference focused  on delivering technical "know-how" to Asian
systems integrators,  solutions developers, support professionals,
and technical managers.  TechEd Asia '94, to which Microsoft hopes
to attract 1,000  delegates, will be held at the Hong Kong Convention
and Exhibition  Center from May 11-13.

3 -> Sortec Links With Chinese Firm On Notebook PCs 02/01/94
Japanese personal computer maker Sortec will supply notebook
personal computers to a Chinese firm, called Legend, on an OEM
(original equipment manufacturer) basis. The company is expected
to vie with such US notebook manufacturers as Compaq in the
Chinese  market.

4 -> Hitachi To Shift PC Production To Malaysia 02/01/94
Major Japanese electronics  firm Hitachi says it has decided to shift
the manufacturing of  personal computers and hard disk drives to
Malaysia. The  company is reportedly planning to create its own
plant in  Malaysia.

5 -> Cirrus Logic Offers Stock, Considers IBM Venture 02/01/94
Cirrus Logic Inc., has announced that it has filed a registration
statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission with
respect to a proposed  public offering of common stock. While the
company was  unspecific about the use of the funds, media reports
suggest that it may be planning a joint venture wafer fabrication
plant with  IBM.

6 -> Ex-President Of Greece Investigated For Wire Tapping 02/01/94
After months of rumors and  news reports, the Greek Government
has announced it is holding a  full-scale enquiry into the alleged
wire-tapping activities of  former Prime Minister Constantine
Mitsokakis while he was in  office.

7 -> US Firm Plans Swiss, Estonian Computerized Lotteries 02/01/94
Gtech Corp., the West Greenwich, Rhode Island-based company in the
US, has been  contracted to supply computer equipment and ongoing
facilities for  the provision of new national lotteries in Switzerland
and Estonia.

8 -> UK Firms Extend Technology Help To Russian Federation 02/01/94
The Compass  Computer Group has teamed up with Powergen, once of
the UK's  national power generating companies, to offer their
respective  technologies to the energy industry of the Russian
Federation.

9 -> UK - Mercury One-2-One To Sponsor Rural Caring Conf 02/01/94
Mercury One-2-One, one of several digital mobile phone service
providers in the UK, has seen fit to sponsor a major conference to
raise the awareness of the needs of "carers."

10 -> US Robotics Offers V.Terbo To BBSs In UK 02/01/94
US Robotics Ltd., the UK division of the US modem manufacturer of
the same name,  has standardized on one of its recently-launched
Courier V.32Terbo modems for its bulletin board service (BBS)
sysop (system  operator) program.

11 -> UK - Tetra 2000 Version 1.4 Accounting Prgm Intro'd 02/01/94
Tetra has announced the latest version of its Tetra 2000 business
and accounting suite. The company claims that version 1.4 includes
more than 120 enhancements across its 18 modules, as well as
introducing a standard payroll module to the mix.

12 ->  ****Zenith Electronics Cuts Another 300 Jobs 02/01/94
Zenith  Electronics Corp., the company that got so much attention
during the fight over the North American Free Trade Agreement,
says it will cut another 300 jobs at its plastic molding plant in
Springfield, Illinois.

13 -> Wordperfect Plans Books With Electronic Version 02/01/94
Wordperfect Corp.,  has announced that Addison-Wesley Publishing
Company will  publish a new line of books under the Wordperfect
Press imprint  that will include an electronic version of the book.
The company says the task-oriented books will focus on helping
business and home users discover new ways to use Wordperfect
products. Publishing under the Wordperfect label is intended to
assure buyers that the material is accurate and "from the source,"
according to the company.

14 -> Micrografx, Hallmark Team On New Drawing Program 02/01/94
Micrografx Inc.,  says it has teamed up with Hallmark Cards Inc., to
develop and  market software drawing products for users with home
computers.

15 -> Artisoft's Keiper To Keynote San Francisco Network Expo
02/01/94 The increasing importance of networking in business has
led to a number of  computer shows around the country. One such
show is the Networks Expo in San Francisco, set for April 19-21.
Now, it has been  announced that William C. Keiper, president and
CEO of Artisoft Inc.,  the publisher of the popular LANtastic peer-
to-peer network  operating system, will deliver the keynote on April
19 at 9 am at the San Francisco Hilton Hotel and Towers.

16 -> Bill Makes Telemarketers Pay For Unwanted Junk Calls
02/01/94 Sick and tired of rushing to answer the telephone only to
be greeted by a monotone voiced salesperson or, worse yet, a
computerized telemarketer? Now there is Federal legislation which
requires those junk callers  to pay you $500 if they continue to
phone after you have notified  them in writing that their services
are not required.

17 -> ITC Seeks On-line Learning Classrooms 02/01/94
The International  Telecomputing Consortium is seeking 64
classrooms -- grades  3 to 12 -- to participate in its sixth World
Class on-line project  on the Internet.

18 -> SSE, EchoStar Combine Direct Broadcast TV Licenses 02/01/94
SSE Telecom and  EchoStar Communications have agreed to combine
their direct  broadcast satellite licenses, in a bid to compete with
Hughes'  DirecTv, which launched its first satellite late last year
and  should be in business within months. The two companies need
Federal  Communications Commission approval for the  combination.

19 -> Forminco Furniture Finds Niche In Home Offices 02/01/94
Forminco, which  won strong reviews for its first ergonimically-
designed desks,  now has its first hit in the Mouse Arena, new
distribution  agreements, and new work for director and designer,
Ted Moore.

20 -> Japan - Sony Links With 200 Video Game Software Firms
02/01/94 Sony says it has already signed agreements with over 200
Japanese game software firms  concerning the development of game
software for the company's  next generation 32-bit video game
machine. Additionally, the company has also started sounding out
overseas game software  vendors.

21 -> Japan - New Telecom Services & HDTV Tests Begin 02/01/94
Japan's major  telecommunications firm, NTT, says it will start
providing much  faster digital data transmission services this fall.
Meanwhile, an English school in Osaka will help with the company's
planned  multimedia language learning system.

22 -> Computer Recovery Teams At Work After LA Quake 02/01/94
The word  "disaster" means different things to different people. But
to the  companies that depend on computers, an event such as the
recent  Los Angeles earthquake, certainly qualifies.

23 -> Bill Gates To Meet With Chinese Leader 02/01/94
Microsoft  says company Chairman Bill Gates may meet with
Communist  Party chief, Jian Zemin, when he visits China in March.

24 -> Cabletron To Deploy Fast Packet Switch (FPS) In Hubs 02/01/94
Cabletron Systems has outlined plans to deploy a new switch -- the
Fast Packet Switch (FPS) -- across its complete family of hubs,
including the Multi Media Access Center (MMAC) series of modular
hubs, the HubSTACK line of stackable hubs, and a next-generation
intelligent hub that is scheduled for announcement February 7.

25 -> SoundBlaster Featured In China's National Science Museum
02/01/94  Creative Technology Ltd., says one of its SoundBlaster
audio cards has been placed in the permanent  exhibit of China's
National Science Museum.

26 -> Shoppers Express Signs With America Online 02/01/94
In an important  victory for America Online, the nation's third-
largest on-line  service has signed Shoppers Express, the nation's
largest home  grocery shopping service, to a short-term exclusive
contract.  The new service will debut sometime this spring.

27 -> Arkenstone Sells $1,400 Reading Machine For Blind 02/01/94
Arkenstone, the Sunnyvale, California-based company which gets
discounted computer hardware and software from Silicon Valley
companies  and sells them at low prices only to disabled individuals,
has achieved a price breakthrough by announcing the availability of
a complete reading machine station for $1,400.

28 -> Hong Kong - HP Support Offers Value-Added Services 02/01/94
Hewlett-Packard  has announced a restructuring of its support
operations to provide  greater focus on the emerging market for
value-added support  services across the region, according to the
company. It has also  introduced a new selective outsourcing service
known as  "co-sourcing."

29 -> New Microsoft Voice Offerings Set For Asia 02/01/94
The recent announcement  by Microsoft of its new interactive voice
tools should see innovative  use throughout Asia where multi-
language capability is critical to  the successful implementation of
any system, no matter how small,  a regional professional told
Newsbytes.

30 -> Pyramid Names Raymond Chiu Asian Managing Director
02/01/94 Pyramid Technology,  manufacturer of the Nile and ES
series of Unix servers, has appointed  Raymond Chiu as managing
director for Asia. In his new role, Chiu  will be responsible for
Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan, China, the Asian  countries and India.

(Ian Stokell/19940201)