Newsbytes - International Computing Industry News 1983 May to 1994 June

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(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TOR)(00001) SSA Adds Client/Server Features To BPCS/AS 02/14/94 CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- System Software Associates (SSA) has announced it is adding support for client/server computing to its enterprise business applications and software development tools. SSA officials said that the company is adding broad, open client/server computing capabilities to BPCS/AS Version 5.0 enterprise software applications. That means some 65 applications -- such as accounts receivable and other common business applications - - will get graphical user interfaces to provide easier access to data in central databases, company spokesman Glen-Eric Nelson told Newsbytes. SSA will also offer a new graphical report analysis tool that will let users request central data and have it presented to them in graphical form, Nelson said. Three client/server applications already offered for the 16-bit version of IBM's OS/2 operating system will be made available for 32-bit OS/2 and for Microsoft's NT, he added. The applications are for materials planning, chemical formulation, and financial planning. SSA said that its application products offer a configurable, object- based architecture and graphical environment that works with multiple hardware platforms, including IBM's AS/400 and Unix-based RS/6000 and Hewlett-Packard Co.'s HP 9000 business systems. SSA said its AS/SET Version 4.0 development system will offer same client/server application development technologies SSA is using internally for BPCS/AS development. These are scheduled for general release in the next six months. SSA will announce availability dates and pricing in March, Nelson said. AS/SET has three main parts: AS/Innovator, a line of design and definition tools for procedural and object-oriented programs; AS/Repository, consisting of the procedural repository of stored definitions, its object-oriented extension, and the BPCS/AS repository of system-level shells used for modifications; and AS/Generator, a group of platform-specific generators and enablers. SSA said that the client/server capabilities strengthen the open systems strategy it announced last June with projected product availability in the second quarter of 1994. SSA is in final integration and testing of its open enterprise solutions. (Grant Buckler/19940214/Press Contact: Glen-Eric Nelson, System Software Associates, 312-258-6158; Cam Granstra, System Software Associates, 312-258-6151) (NEWS)(APPLE)(DEN)(00002) Automap Ships New Macintosh Road Atlas 02/14/94 BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- Automap has announced a new Macintosh Road Atlas software package that plots the best route between two locations in the US, Canada, or Mexico. The company says that Automap Road Atlas provides detailed maps, driving instructions, geographical information, road data, and other trip information. All the user has to do is enter the starting point and destination to get the quickest, shortest, and/or alternative routes. You also get mileage and an approximation of how long the trip will take. Automap says that the programs covers more than 410,000 miles of freeways, toll roads, and state and country roads. The software can pinpoint any of over 120,000 locations, and multiple maps can be viewed so the complete trip route can be viewed simultaneously. You also get telephone numbers for local road conditions, weather forecasts and tourist information. Automap Road Atlas includes a database that lists national parks, historic sites, monuments, mountains, forests, lakes, rivers, and recreation areas. You can zoom in on any region, state or place for detailed information about that specific area. Population information and driving laws are included. To run Automap Road Atlas for Macintosh you need an Apple Computer Macintosh Classic II or a Powerbook 140 or higher, a hard drive with 5 megabytes (MB) of available space, at least 2MB of available memory (Automap recommends 4MB of memory), Apple's System 6.0.7 or later operating system, and a Superdrive. The program also works with System 7. It will not run on a Mac Plus, SE, or one of the original 128K or 512K Macs. It supports color and will print color maps if you have a color printer. The program has a suggested retail price of $99.95, but Automap says that the street price is around $60 in most retail outlets. (Jim Mallory/19940214/Press contact: Jessica Maco, Automap Inc, 206-455-3552; Reader contact: Automap Inc, 206-455-3552 or 800-440-6277, fax 206-455-3667) (NEWS)(IBM)(BOS)(00003) $129.95 Printer Sharing Kit For SOHO Users 02/14/94 RICHARDSON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- SoftWorx has unveiled a low-cost printer sharing kit for the small office/home office (SOHO) marketplace. Priced at $129.95, the new SoftWorx Printer Sharing Kit allows two users to share up to six printers, and to send electronic mail between PCs. The product is upgradeable to four users through add- on modules. "Another great advantage is that the PCs can be separated up to 200 feet and connected by telephone-type cable," said Buzz Murphy, vice president of sales for the Richardson, TX-based company. According to the company, the printer sharing software that comes with the kit operates in the background, permitting users to select printers from either Windows- or DOS-based applications through pop- up menus. Once a printer has been selected, the PC will send all its printer output to that printer until other one is selected, even if the PC is rebooted. Other capabilities of the software include a reserve printer command and integrated print job spooling. In addition, users in the small or home office can send electronic mail to one another through a two-way pop-up messaging window that lets each user type in or respond to a message. The kit includes two parallel port adapters, cabling, and dual-media software. Extra Port Adapter Kits, for adding more PCs, are priced at $39.95 each. The product is available now through most major stores, including CompUSA. (Jacqueline Emigh/19940214/Reader contact: SoftWorx, 214-480-8278; Press contacts: Liz Wax or Debbie Labinger, S&S Public Relations for SoftWorx, 708-291-1616) (NEWS)(APPLE)(LON)(00004) Apple UK Ships Mac Essentials CD 02/14/94 UXBRIDGE, MIDDLESEX, 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- Apple UK has announced the first offering from its Software Dispatch division -- the Mac Essentials CD (compact disc). According to Apple, the CD, which is being sold through resellers for UKP 5-95 to existing Mac users and is being bundled free of charge with all CDs from Apple, contains more than 70 encrypted applications, which can be decrypted with a phone call. The CD is the first in the Software Dispatch plan which Apple announced last November. The idea is that users can try out the demo software on the CD and, if they like the package, can phone the Software Dispatch order line and, "buy" an unlocking code to allow them access to the full software. The full version of the software, including manuals and other extras, are then mailed to the customer. According to Russell Brady, press officer with Apple UK, plans are in hand for a PC Windows version of the CD, known as PC Essentials, to ship in the late spring. (Steve Gold/19940214/Press & Public Contact: Apple Computer - Tel: +44-81-569-1199) (NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00005) IBM Announces OS/2 For Windows 3.1 02/14/94 PORTSMOUTH, HANTS, ENGLAND, 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- IBM has announced the availability of OS/2 for Windows 3.1, a special version of the operating system designed to support 32-bit computing under the Windows graphical user interface environment. Big Blue claims that the new product is a low-cost utility for end users, and a cheaper version of the mainstream OS/2 2.1. The company claims it offers much more power and performance to integrate the powerful features of OS/2 with Windows 3.1 software and preserve users' investment in the Windows graphical user interface. "OS/2 for Windows 3.1 provides a risk-free solution that gives users the ability to rise above the limitations of the DOS and Windows environment. This offering provides users with a much higher level of power and performance to tap to the computing potential of OS/2 2.1 and their 32-bit PC," explained David Pullin, software director for IBM United Kingdom. "Now users can benefit from OS/2's speed and improved reliability without leaving behind their familiar Windows environment", he said. According to Pullin, users can operate advanced 32-bit graphics and the ability to run DOS, Windows and OS/2 applications at the same cycle. They are also provided with Workplace Shell, which gives object-oriented interface to OS/2. Newsbytes understands that the package will be available for 90 days from May onwards. The package will be sold in the UK for a special promotional price of UKP 49. (Sylvia Dennis/19940214/Press & Public Contact: IBM UK - Tel: +44- 256-56144) (NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00006) UK - Renet Launches Modem Sized As A Floppy Disk 02/14/94 LONDON, ENGLAND, 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- Lasat Communications, the Danish modem company, has announced it is offering its products in the UK. Operating from a new office in Hammersmith in London, the company has launched the Unique 144 modem, a UKP 399 data modem with 14,000 bits per second (bps) data and fax facilities. To differentiate the modem from the several dozen others on the market, Renet has packaged the unit in a case about the same size, though not thickness, as a 3.5 inch floppy disk. The modem was designed to act as both a desktop or portable unit, and is powered by a nicad rechargeable battery. According to Zane Ryan, Renet's managing director, the modem was designed by Jacob Jensen Design, the company that designs all of the Bang & Olufsen audio equipment. The idea, he told Newsbytes, was to create a modem that was uniquely different (hence the name of the unit) from the rest of the marketplace. Ryan's comments were backed up by Claus Christensen, the president of Lasat in Denmark. "We wanted to create a whole concept, rather than just make products," he said. "Our engineers were not allowed to see the prototype until it was complete, so they had no choice but to build into a design which was already imposed on them. We learned a lot from this. Innovative design is a very important parameter," he added. Christensen said that the new modem is a designer product, but refuted suggestions that it was unsuitable for the UK market. "It is a misnomer that the British don't appreciate style when it is linked with technology. I really believe this is the fax-modem the British executive is waiting for," he said. The Lasat Unique 144 supports two and four wire operation and works to V.42, V.42Bis and MNP Class 2-5 plus 10 systems of error correction and (where appropriate) data compression. Support for the Hayes AT command set is integral, along with V,25bis dialling. The new modem is available now on 24 hour delivery and comes with a 10 year warranty in the UK. (Steve Gold/19940214/Press & Public Contact: Renet Limited - Tel: +44-81-741-8011; Fax: 44-81-741-5296) (NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00007) UK - Manugistics Launches Statgraphics Plus For Windows 02/14/94 BRACKNELL, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- Manugistics has launched a Windows version of its DIS statistical graphical analysis utility. Known as Statgraphics Plus, the package is billed as a true Windows applications and retains all the intuitive facilities of the DOS edition, the company claims, while introducing several new Windows functions to the mix. One key feature of the Windows version is Starfolio, a facility by which users can save and rerun statistical procedures and analyses automatically. The company claims that the package is pitched at statisticians and non-statisticians alike and includes support for Windows dynamic data exchange (DDE). "With Statgraphics Plus for Windows, we can offer the only true Windows implementation of a statistical software package designed for both the expert and the novice user," explained Mike Sullivan, the company's director of statistics products. "Its ease of use, combined with an uncluttered user interface, has resulted in a statistical analysis tool that places the emphasis on the exploration of data and the interpretation of results," he said. According to Sullivan, the package will be available from next month (March) onwards with a UKP 299 price tag. The software requires a 386-based or better PC with at least 4 megabytes (MB) of memory. Windows 3.1 is also required. UK pricing will be announced when the package is ready to ship, Newsbytes understands. In use, Statgraphics Plus for Windows contains what the company claims is the most common statistical functionality including simple and multiple regression; one, two and multiple-variable analyses; distribution fitting; tabulation and cross tabulation. Extra modules such as quality control, experimental design and time series analysis are being readied to ship in April of this year. (Steve Gold/19940214/Press & Public Contact: Jhana Shumizu - Tel: (US) 301/984-5000; Fax: (US) 301/984-5094) (NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00008) Novell UK Announces Service Center Program (NASC) 02/14/94 BRACKNELL, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- Novell, which claims to be the leading networking company, has started recruiting what its calls top service professionals to provide quality customers service across Europe. These staff, Newsbytes notes, will form the basis of the Novell's Authorised Service Centre Program (NASC) in the UK. According to the company, users will be provided with comprehensive assistance in the installation, maintenance and extension of networks from its partners. The first three organisations to join the programme have also been announced: Thorn EMI Computeraid, Digital Computer Services and Digital Equipment Corporation (Digital). All of the partners will be receiving full assistance from Novell's European Support Centre (ESC), a free subscription to the Network Support Encyclopaedia and have access to the latest patches, updates and production information from Compuserve and Internet. "As the first global participant in the Novell Authorised Service Centre (NASC) programme, Digital is uniquely based to offer Novell customers hotline and on-site support via its worldwide network of trained CNEs. Supported by Digital's established service infrastructure, their skills and experience will enable them to tackle even the most complex interoperability issues facing today's Information Service (IS) professionals", commented Alan Blank, director of Multivendor Customer Services (MCS) at Digital. Blank claims that, in order to ensure the best possible standards, all of Novell's partners need to have an excellent service and support business unit. Two certified NetWare Engineers (CNEs) must be employed. One of them must have attended a Novell's NetWare 4.x series of courses, while the other one must possess Novell ECNE (Enterprise CNE) qualifications. Hotline telephone support and on-site assistance must be provided by partner organisations as well as response time of less than two hours per query as an addition to maintaining a support laboratory for fault replication and diagnostic purposes. (Sylvia Dennis/19940214/Press & Public Contact: Novell UK - Tel: +44-344-724000) (NEWS)(TRENDS)(SFO)(00009) ****Kubota Opens Toy Fair With Virtual Reality 02/14/94 NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- Kubota Pacific Computer Inc. (KPC) opened the Toy Fair in Manhattan with long lines waiting to see their latest development in virtual reality adventures. KPC in collaboration with Visions of Reality Corp. (VOR) is producing their "pod" interactive virtual reality games with the use of Digital Equipment Corporation's Alpha AXP microprocessor. VOR, a creator of virtual reality adventures plans to open game centers in malls, amusement parks, casinos and hotels throughout the United States and in London and Paris. KPC will supply the Kubota 3300 high-performance, three-dimensional workstations that will deliver scalable 3d graphics and the player's interactivity in a distributed computing environment as opposed to a centralized system. A VOR entertainment center contains six to thirty-six spaceship-like pods each of which seats a player using a head-mounted display for viewing the virtual reality images and interacting with other players and characters who are part of the game. According to the company, Kubota's workstations provide more than 30 frames per second of highly detailed graphics creating the realistic motion necessary to make players feel that they have entered another world. Speaking with Newsbytes, Jeffrey W. Dunn, vice president of marketing for Kubota, said: "We are bring the most advanced virtual reality adventure possible to the general public." "We are starting with a dinosaur ride adventure and a space game adventure. Prior to this time, the cost of a product of this nature was prohibitive, but with the technology that we have developed using the DEC Alpha AXP computers we can produce units in the range of $30,000. For $8 to $10, participants in our adventure will get a short briefing, enter the virtual environment where they play, ride, and interact for about 10 minutes. After the ride they gather together to see the results. The entire adventure will last about 30 or 40 minutes," he added. Kubota has been a leader in mechanical computer-aided design (MCAD) for medical, defense, and geoscience applications. Visions of Reality Corp., developer of the concept of multivenue virtual reality adventures, is the creation of Dan K. Rice and The Black Diamond Group. The first publicly available adventures will appear in southern California, sometime this summer. (Patrick McKenna/19940214/Press Contact: Cynthia Lempert, Rourke & Company, tel 408-453-9194) (NEWS)(UNIX)(TOR)(00010) Andersen Consulting Canada Allies With Next 02/14/94 TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- Andersen Consulting Canada, has announced an alliance with Next Computer, that will let the technology consultancy use Next's object-oriented software tools in developing systems for its clients. Andersen will join Next's Object Channel, a group of systems integrators and value-added resellers (VARs) who use technology from the Redwood City, California firm to provide client/server systems and custom software. Next, in turn, will become a key technology supplier in Andersen's Business Integration Partnership (BIP) program. The deal applies only to Canada at the moment, said Steve Elliot, managing partner for technology integration services at Andersen Canada. "We have a fairly strong advanced computing practice" in the Canadian operations of Andersen, he said. However, Elliot acknowledged that the Canadian deal could be a precursor to a similar arrangement in the United States. Initially, the deal will focus on three business sectors where Andersen has seen a strong demand for the kind of mission-critical applications where the firm wants to use Next's technology: health care, telecommunications, and financial services. Next, which began as a maker of advanced workstations, abandoned the hardware business at the beginning of last year to focus on NextStep, its object-oriented software, which is now available for a range of hardware from other manufacturers. (Grant Buckler/19940214/Press Contact: Hal Koblin, Andersen Consulting Canada, 416-695-5166; Karen Logsdon, Next Computer, 415- 780-3786; Public Contact: Andersen Consulting Canada, 416-695-5050, fax 416-695-5123) (NEWS)(IBM)(BOS)(00011) Xerox Adds New OCR Features In TextBridge 2.0 For Windows 02/14/94 PEABODY, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- Xerox has announced TextBridge 2.0 for Windows, a new version of its PC-based optical character recognition (OCR) software that adds an application server, an OCR (optical character recognition) driver, and other new and enhanced features while retaining the original $99 price tag. In an interview with Newsbytes, Stan Swiniarski, VP of software products for Xerox Imaging Systems (XIS), said that TextBridge 2.0 provides better accuracy and ease-of-use than competing OCR products, at about one-third the cost to the user. In addition, Delrina and Wang have recently announced licensing agreements to incorporate TextBridge into their software, Swiniarski noted. Resumix is also using TextBridge in its software, and Epson and Fujitsu are now bundling TextBridge with their scanners, Newsbytes was told. First introduced for Windows at Spring Comdex last year, TextBridge works with fax and scanning software to recognize text within a document, and to convert the information into word processing, desktop publishing, or other computer files. The Xerox software uses neural networking and other artificial intelligence techniques to "learn" as it reads, employing information from "clean" sections of text to help interpret difficult-to-read areas, Swiniarski explained. One capability, the "lexifier," is able to recognize lexical classes, or known "patterns of information," such as social security numbers, postal zip codes, and month/day/year configurations. When a postal code is being scanned, for example, the lexifier will automatically recognize that the first character must be the number "0," not the letter "O." The new application server in TextBridge 2.0 for Windows lets the OCR software be launched directly from other Windows applications, according to Swiniarski. The application server is typically used with word processing or desktop publishing programs, but it can also be used with spreadsheets, communications programs, or almost any other Windows 3.0- or 3.1-based application. "The new OCR print driver works kind of the other way around," the vice president told Newsbytes. From an imaging software component such as a fax viewer, the user can output directly to TextBridge by selecting the OCR print driver as printer. TextBridge 2.0 for Macintosh, a product unveiled at MacWorld San Francisco in January, does not include the application server or OCR print driver, Swiniarski acknowledged. But the first release for Macintosh does support AppleScript, meaning that when more AppleScript-compliant applications become available, similar capabilities should become possible on the Macintosh side, he added. Other new features in TextBridge 2.0 for Windows do appear in the Mac-based OCR software from Xerox, including the "word verifier," Multiple Zone Capability, Multiple Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) processing, and support for TWAIN. The "word verifier" lets the user view, confirm and correct words while recognition is in progress, Swiniarski maintained. In a manner a little bit like a spellchecker, the feature highlights any words it is uncertain about, and presents the user with a list of possible interpretations. The user responds by providing the right answer. "Unlike a spellchecker, though, the word verifier is able to learn from experience," he elaborated. Multiple Zone Capability features a preview window, supporting up to 127 zones, that lets users view images on-screen to assess image quality. The first version of TextBridge for Windows only allowed creation of one zone per page, according to the VP. The multiple TIFF file processing feature permits users to quickly process large batches of TIFF files as a single document, and to handle multiple-page TIFF files received from fax applications. The new TWAIN support broadens the range of scanners that TextBridge can be used with by assuring compatibility with any other products that also adhere to TWAIN, Swiniarski said. Other features of TextBridge software, carried over from the first edition, include automatic page orientation and automatic segmentation. The automatic page orientation capability corrects the placement of a skewed, or crooked, page. Through automatic segmentation, TextBridge can distinguish the number of columns, locations of images, and correct read order of text in a compound document. Wang is incorporating TextBridge in its Open/image document management software, and Delrina into all its upcoming fax software, according to Swiniarski. Resumix is employing the OCR software in its resume software, allowing organizations to bring scanned resumes together into a single, searchable application. The Clinton administration's job search team is one very well known Resumix user. TextBridge 2.0 for Windows is available now, with support for English, French, German, and Spanish languages. The software is available through Ingram Micro or directly from Xerox. Upgrades from TextBridge 1.0 are priced at $49. (Jacqueline Emigh/19940214/Reader contact: Xerox, 800-248-6550; Press contact: Janet Knudsen, Xerox Imaging Systems, 508-977-2125; Jennifer Prahl, Cunningham Communications for Xerox, 617-494-8202) (NEWS)(IBM)(BOS)(00012) Tech Data To Distribute Watermark In US And Latin America 02/14/94 BURLINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- Watermark has signed Tech Data to distribute its Watermark Discovery Edition image-enabling package as well as future Watermark products to value-added resellers (VARs) throughout the US and Central and South America. "We needed a major national distributor with a VAR orientation, and Tech Data certainly fits the bill," said Peter Brumme, senior vice president for sales and marketing, in an interview with Newsbytes. Tech Data will also provide Watermark with its first distribution reach into Latin America, Brumme told Newsbytes. "We didn't choose Tech Data specifically for its Latin American business. But, because of support requirements there -- and because, in many Latin American countries, there is no single, dominant player -- it makes sense for a small software company like ourselves to work with a much larger support organization like Tech Data," he added. Watermark will also continue to work with a variety of other wholesale distributors and VARs, to participate in co-marketing arrangements with its partners, and to arrive at some volume agreements directly with end users, according to the senior VP. Watermark Discovery Edition is designed to allow paper- and fax- based documents to be embedded as objects into any OLE (object linking and embedding)-compliant Windows application. Once the documents are embedded, they can be electronically viewed, scanned, distributed, annotated, filed, retrieved and processed. Applications typically used with Discovery Edition include workflow, electronic mail, document management, database, and accounting packages. Aside from the newly signed Tech Data, additional distributors of Discovery Edition include Merisel and about five other companies in the US; Information Access, a "master VAR" located in Canada; and distributors based in the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Greece, South Africa, and Australia. Watermark's relationship with Merisel, another major national US distributor, has more of a "retail orientation," noted Brumme. Tech Data provides more 11 distribution centers in North America, serving 40,000 VARs and retail dealers. The company represents a current trend among VAR distributors to branch from imaging hardware, or from hardware in general, into software, allowing the software "to flow to the VAR base," Newsbytes was told. Tech Data has traditionally been a hardware generalist, said Brumme. "But for well over a year now, they've been taking on a very aggressive posture with regard to software, particularly in the imaging area," he explained. In addition to Discovery Edition, Tech Data's product line encompasses computer systems, peripherals, and networking, communications and mass storage products, among other hardware and software. Tech Data also provides pre- and post-sale training, service and support to value added resellers (VARs). To allow Tech Data VARs to get hands-on experience with Discovery Edition and talk about applications for the product, Watermark will take part in the upcoming Tech Data Showcase, set for February 25 to 26 in Miami, Florida. In addition, Tech Data will feature Watermark in the upcoming edition of Solutions Series, a technical imaging journal targeted at Tech Data's customers and prospects. Watermark's volume arrangement with large end users are typically serviced through VARs and distributors, Brumme told Newsbytes. Watermark is now participating in co-marketing activities with such partners as SoftSolutions and Pentax, but these activities are carried out through the partners' distribution channels rather than through Watermark's. (Jacqueline Emigh/19940214/Reader contact: Watermark, 617-229- 2600; Press contacts: Kevin Lach, Watermark, 617-229-2600; Leahanne Hobson or Peter Gorman, Copithorne & Bellows for Watermark, 617-252-0606) (NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00013) CD-ROM Contains Canadian Telephone Listings 02/14/94 MARBLEHEAD, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- When major Canadian telephone companies starting charging for every call to long-distance directory assistance recently, they created a promising market niche for Pro CD, a vendor of telephone listings on compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM). The company has moved into the Canadian market with Canada Phone, a CD-ROM containing all white pages phone listings from across the country. Canada Phone contains nearly 10 million listings from every Canadian directory. The listings include full mailing addresses with postal codes, company spokesman Jim Bryant told Newsbytes, and they can be searched by name, address, telephone number, or type of business. While businesses make up the largest part of the market for the disk, Bryant said, some 40 percent of orders come from private homes. Many people use the directories "as a way to find old friends or for genealogical purposes," he said. The Canada Phone disk is to be updated quarterly, with each update adding new information from local phone directories that have been re-issued in the previous three months. A single disk will cost US$149 or C$199, and an annual subscription, including updates, is US$299, he added. Canada Phone is compatible with other Pro CD titles including its Direct Phone disk of US white-pages listings, its Free Phone disk of toll-free numbers in the US, and the four-disk Select Phone, which covers all US business and residential listings. The package requires a personal computer with at least a 386 processor, 4 megabytes (MB) of memory, Microsoft Windows 3.1, and a CD-ROM drive. Now available direct from Pro CD, the product is also soon to be sold through software stores across North America. Canada's three largest regional telephone companies -- Bell Canada, BC Telephone, and AGT -- began charging 50 cents for every long- distance directory-assistance call late in 1993. Three others -- Maritime Telephone and Telegraph, Island Telephone, and Manitoba Telephone System -- began charging for the calls earlier. Newfoundland Telephone, New Brunswick Telephone, and Saskatchewan Telecommunications do not charge for long-distance directory assistance calls. (Grant Buckler/19940214/Press Contact: Jim Bryant, Pro CD, 617-631-9200; Public Contact: Pro CD, 617-631-9200 or 800-99-CD-ROM, fax 617-631-0810) (NEWS)(GENERAL)(TOR)(00014) Canadian Product Launch Update 02/14/94 TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- This regular feature, appearing every Monday or Tuesday, provides further details for the Canadian market on announcements by international companies that Newsbytes has already covered. This week: Compaq's Contura Aero subnotebook. Compaq Canada of Richmond Hill, Ontario, announced the Contura Aero 4/25 and 4/33C subnotebook computers (Newsbytes, Feb. 7). Canadian list prices start at C$2,199 for the 4/25 and at C$3,399 for the 4/33C. Compaq Canada is also offering the Desktop Convenience Base docking station for C$149. (Grant Buckler/19940214/Press Contact: Joh Robinson, Compaq Canada, 416-229-8808; Public Contact: Compaq Canada, 416-733-7876, fax 416-764-7010) (NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00015) Lawsuit Could Delay TCI-Bell Atlantic Merger 02/14/94 BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- A class action lawsuit charging Tele-Communications with racial discrimination could slow its acquisition by Bell Atlantic. Stephen L. Snyder & Associates of Baltimore filed the suit on behalf of two former TCI employees, and it's seeking other people to participate in the class action. Bob Weltchek, a partner with the firm, described three categories of possible plaintiffs -- "African- Americans who've applied for work with TCI at any of their 690 cable systems throughout the US, and who've been denied employment based on the color of their skin. The second class would be TCI employees denied any promotion as a result of the color of their skin. The third class would be African-American employees terminated because of the color of their skin." The suit demands over $1 billion in damages. This suit may not be trivial. Weltchek said the firm previously won a $100 million settlement from TCI on behalf of an African-American man who wanted an ownership interest in the Baltimore franchise as part of a minority set-aside program. And the pending merger is mentioned in the suit. "We have included in the lawsuits a count to attempt to prevent any further acquisitions by or of TCI until they get in compliance with federal laws on equal employment. The bases are private enforcement of federal statutes. The courts have recognized that private citizens can enforce federal laws," he said. TCI denies the charges of discrimination, but formal papers on the suit have not yet been filed, and the company has not formally replied to the suit. The case is called Palumbo vs. TCI, and was assigned to the US District Court in Washington, D.C., with Judge Stanley Sporkin due to preside. Weltchek added that the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or NAACP, also based in Baltimore, has filed its own discrimination proceeding against TCI, through the Federal Communications Commission. "We've cooperated in pursuit of the same goal," he said. (Dana Blankenhorn/19940214/Press Contact: Stephen Snyder & Associates, Dan Weltchek, 410-653-3700) (NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00016) US Administration Denies It's Backing Off Clipper Chip 02/14/94 WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- The Administration is trying to back away from remarks by Vice President Al Gore which might indicate it's retreating from a plan to use "Clipper Chip" encryption. Under the "Clipper Chip" plan, computer chips containing an encryption algorithm would be required in all digital telecommunicating equipment used by the government, in hopes of making the chips an industry standard. Export of other encryption algorithms would also be prohibited. Keys to de-crypt any transmission would be held by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST, a Commerce Department agency which helped develop the technology, and the Treasury Department. Keys would be given to law enforcement only under a court order. But the industry and civil liberties groups are up-in-arms, saying they don't trust the government to protect citizen privacy, and noting that use of the technology could hurt US technology exports. The chief critics are the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility. The EFF has started a e-mail letter-writing campaign through the Internet, while the CPSR has been passing around a petition opposing the "Clipper Chip." Gore's remarks, made at a National Information Infrastructure Advisory Committee meeting, which advises the President on the Information Superhighway, were quickly passed around the Internet, where some interpreted them as meaning the Administration is seeking a face-saving way out of the controversy. But Lorraine Voles, a Gore spokeswoman, denied this to Newsbytes: "He's not off the reservation at all," with the Clipper Chip. "All the Vice President was trying to do was say we'd look at better ways to do it," declining to elaborate further. That could mean offering the decryption keys to different agencies, but that's unlikely to satisfy opponents. The CPSR has said its objections don't involve who controls the keys, but the fact that the government is controlling encryption. The controversy began during the Bush Administration as law enforcement agencies demanded the right to continue wiretaps as the country moves toward a digital telephone network. (Dana Blankenhorn/19940214/Press Contact: Lorraine Voles, the White House, 202-456-1414; Electronic Frontier Foundation, 202- 347-5400) (NEWS)(GOVT)(WAS)(00017) Bill & Al's CD-ROM Budget 02/14/94 WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- Those techie guys at the White House are at it again. For the first time, the entire FY 1995 proposed budget, a printed document suitable for use as a doorstop, is available on a compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM). "In the spirit of [Vice President Al Gore's] National Performance Review," said White House Office of Management and Budget Director Leon Panetta, who added that he is pleased to use CD-ROM technology "to make the 1995 Budget proposal readily available to more Americans at a lower cost." Newsbytes notes that the four budget documents available on CD-ROM will be cheaper than the printed versions, as well as more versatile. Users will be able to display exact images of the printed pages, search for key words, and copy or print portions for further reference. The CD-ROM-based budget can be ordered from the Department of Commerce for $30, compared with $56 for the printed versions of the four documents ordered from the Government Printing Office (202/ 783-3238). The CD-ROMs are available for pickup, by first class mail, or via overnight delivery ($10 extra). The documents are also available (in compressed, self-extracting EXE format) free to subscribers of the Commerce's Economic Bulletin Board at (202) 482-3870, which provides rapid online delivery of all major Federal economic news releases. But be forewarned. The BBS itself cost $45 annually to subscriber. The White House is also making ASCII text versions of the documents available from other sources. On the internet, PUBLICATIONS@WHITEHOUSE.GOV telnet to NTIABBS.NTIA.DOC.GOV Budget95@ACE.ESUSDA.GOV or gopher to: ace.esusda.gov. It is also available on other boards, including NTIA (202-482-1199), NTIS FEDWORLD BBS (703-321-8020), and from commercial vendors including America Online, Compuserve, GEnie, and MCI Mail. (Kennedy Maize/19940214/Commerce Department Contacts: Ken Rogers, 202-482-0434 or Paul Christy, 202-482-0123) (NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00018) ****Novell, Artisoft Ink Interoperability Deal 02/14/94 TUCSON, ARIZONA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- Network software publisher Novell and client-server software maker Artisoft exchanged their own kind of valentine today by signing a deal to assure their products work well together. The deal covers the licensing of client-server technology, Novell certification of interoperability between Artisoft client software and Novell server-based networks, and an agreement to cooperate in providing hardware products. The benefit to end users is the assurance that their LANtastic network can talk to their Novell-based network. "We believe that Novell's NCPs provide an excellent infrastructure for departmental and corporate computing. LANtastic users in a workgroup or branch office will now have the ability to seamlessly connect to a main Netware enterprise network," explained Artisoft President and CEO William Keiper. A key component in the alliance according to Artisoft is its recent acquisition of Eagle Technology. Eagle produces network interface cards that are Netware compatible. Eagle will continue to supply Novell-licensed and branded Ethernet adapters, and Artisoft and Novell say they hope to expand the existing relationship between Novell and Eagle. The two companies say that another key component of the agreement is the sharing of client-server technology. Artisoft says it plans to develop a server-based product for LANtastic network operating system users that is based on Novell's Netware 4 network operating system. An Artisoft spokesperson told Newsbytes that product is scheduled to ship before the end of the year. They are also collaborating to provide Novell-certified compatibility between LANtastic and Netware environments. Artisoft says it has licensed Novell's Netware Core Protocols and will include NCP support in future versions of LANtastic. NCP support is designed to enable LANtastic network clients to seamlessly access Netware 2 through 4 servers for network services. It's also scheduled to be available later this year. (Jim Mallory/19940214/Press contact: Joe Stunkard, Artisoft, 602- 670-7145; Reader contact: Artisoft, 602-670-7100, fax 602-670-7101) (NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEN)(00019) New TI Chip Extends Battery Life, Cuts Portables Cost 02/14/94 DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- Texas Instruments has introduced a new set of computer chips that combines a 486 central processing unit with other key system components. The company says that the new chip will result in portable computer designs that require fewer chips, are smaller and lighter, are less expensive, and reduce power consumption for longer battery life between charges. Called Rio Grande, the three chip system includes an enhanced integrated 486SX microprocessor; a controller for the credit-card- sized PCMCIA accessory slots that add memory and provide fax, network connection and modem capabilities; and a system function controller. TI Semiconductor Group Senior VP Rich Templeton says Rio Grande will create a fundamental change in the way notebook computers are designed. TI says that battery life between charges for Rio Grande-based machines can be as long as eight hours. It also expects cost to come down. TI spokesperson Melody Wolfe said that a 486SX-based laptop running at 50 megahertz could sell for around $1,500 compared to the present price of about $2,500 for the same machine using present chip technology. Wolfe told Newsbytes sampling quantities of the chip will be available in the second quarter of this year, and the company expects to have production quantities available in time for PC makers to introduce computers using the new technology at Comdex in Las Vegas in November 1994. The chip set design uses a technology known as Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) for moving data through the bus, or data path to the various internal components of the system. (Jim Mallory/19940214/Press contact: Melody Wolfe, Texas Instruments Semiconductor, 214-997-5470) (NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00020) Cable System Offers Internet To Schools 02/14/94 ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- Jones Intercable is linking two Virginia schools to the global Internet using its cable systems and Internet-in-a-Box, a "point and click" Internet solution from SPRY Inc. and O'Reilly & Associates. In the first phase of a pilot project, software from SPRY and access to O'Reilly's Global Network Navigator was installed recently at the Minnie Howard School and T.C. Williams High School, then linked to an Internet service provider through the cable. Also cooperating in the project is Mind Extension University, a distance learning channel available on many cable systems. The schools load the software onto a PC, connect that PC to a cable modem, then pass that over the cable system to a frequency translator, a cable-to-ethernet converter, and finally a router, which passes data to an Internet service provider. Internet-in-a-Box offers Windows-based access to Global Network Navigator, an Internet resource center with access to over 600 information sources, as well as a customized version of the best- selling Internet book, "The Whole Internet User's Guide and Catalog," by Ed Krol, and an automatic GNN subscription. Also available are file transfers, telnet functions. Gopher, e-mail, Usenet news groups and World Wide Web services. (Dana Blankenhorn/19940214/Press Contact: Ron Pernick, for O'Reilly, 415-615-7891) (NEWS)(APPLE)(LAX)(00021) ****Second Newton, Lindy, Expected For March Launch 02/14/94 CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- Apple has announced that the Newton Messagepad is the first of several personal digital assistants (PDAs) it plans to introduce. Reports are the second Newton, code-named Lindy, will be officially announced in March with features borrowed from other PDA's such as Tandy's Zoomer. The Lindy is expected to be software compatible with the Messagepad, but with a slimmer and longer design, according to Macweek reports. Macweek also said Lindy will change from the Messagepad's long, flat pen to a round, telescoping wand that is spring-loaded into the case -- a description that fits the stylus of the Tandy Zoomer. Also like the Zoomer, the Lindy reportedly will include a folding cover. Imitating Aha! Software's Inkwriter, introduced in June of last year for the American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T) EO PDA, the Lindy is also expected to include the ability to store handwriting for later recognition. Due to the disappointing battery life and the low memory capability, Macweek reports the Lindy will offer longer-lasting AA batteries instead of the Messagpad's AAA batteries and 1 megabyte of random access memory instead of the 640 kilobytes in the Messagepad. Apple is offering briefings in various cities nationwide in the coming weeks on the new Messagepad, according to company representatives. No pricing information was available, however. (Linda Rohrbough/19940214/Press Contact: Jeni Johnstone, Apple Computer, tel 408-974-2042, fax 408-974-2885) (NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00022) Riley, Alexander Spar Over School Choice 02/14/94 WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- Two former Southern governors are becoming the point men for conflicting arguments on how to reform schools. Republican Lamar Alexander, a former Tennessee governor and Secretary of Education, is beating the bushes on behalf of public- private school choice, under which students would be given financial aid to attend private schools instead of public schools. Alexander is a potential Presidential candidate for 1996, and has been running his own talk-show on a conservative satellite network as well as making speeches before Republican groups. Democrat Richard Riley, a former South Carolina governor, is now Secretary of Education, and strongly opposes that idea. The same day Alexander was pushing his ideas, keynoting an Illinois Republican convention, Riley was attacking it before the convention of the American Association of School Administrators. Riley told the group that public tax dollars should be spent on public schools, and pointed to the President's 1995 budget, which hikes US government education spending 7 percent despite a freeze on total discretionary spending, as proof the schools can improve. Alexander is pushing ideas like a school voucher initiative which failed last year in California, saying that the problem with schools is bureaucracy. In his Illinois speech he took a page from President Clinton's book and wrapped his rhetoric around the image of Abraham Lincoln. Clinton quotes Lincoln extensively, but Alexander said that Lincoln today would be highly critical of Clinton's security schemes, favoring individual responsibility instead. (Dana Blankenhorn/19940214) (NEWS)(GENERAL)(MSP)(00023) NewsPix Images For Newsbytes Publishers 02/14/94 MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- These are the photos that have been digitized and correspond to stories Newsbytes has reported recently. These photos are not available to the general public, but are designed for use by licensed Newsbytes publishers who log into our private bulletin board system in Minneapolis. For information on how to become a licensed Newsbytes publisher in any medium call Newsbytes at 612-430-1100. Newspix weekly summaries will appear Mondays on the Newsbytes wire. All photos are in JPEG format. Photo file names correspond to year-month-day-story number-brief name of picture contents. --------------------------- Week of January 14-19,1994 --------------------------- 94020909HPtoner - B&W of printer, toner cartridge and remanufacturing program brochure. 94020820Netpwr - B&W of terminal and drive towers. 94020821Kodak1580 - Color from slide of copier. 94021120skel - Color from slide of workstation with skull in foreground. 94012715ATIGWondr - Color from slide: view of ATI Technologies windows accelerator card and product box. 94020428MTouch - B&W shot of TruePoint DS-17 flat square touch monitor. With hand coming off frame to touch screen. 94012118CLIRad - Color of desk setup showcasing Compression Labs Inc new Radiance videoconferencing system. Product and people shot. 94011423gore - Head and shoulders portrait vice president Al Gore, (b&w). 94010708sumer - Color from slide. Wide shot of Sumerian ziggurat courtesy Sumeria, producers of the CD-ROM Ancient Cities images of historical sites. 94011019nagel - David Nagel, senior vice president and general manager of Apple's AppleSoft Div. Color from slide. 94011310gryph - Gryphon software in action, Mona Lisa morphs into wacky grin. Color from slide. 93111611spindl - Michael Spindler, Apple's president and chief executive officer (CEO). Color from slide. 94011207mosc - Very wide angle, almost fish eye, shot of Moscone center, site of recent Macworld Expo. Color from slide. 94010428Eworld - View of E-world, Apple's coming online service, screen. 94011423LaTime - Color group shot of Pacific Telesis and Times Mirror execs signing agreement for the creation of "the home-shopping lane of the communications superhighway." Includes Richard T. Schlosberg III, publisher & CEO of the LA Times; Hal Logan, general manager of the Pacific Telesis Electronic Publishing Services; Robert F. Erburu, chairman, president and CEO of Times Mirror; Lee Camp, president of Pacific Telesis Electronic Publishing Services and VP of Pacific Bell. 93111613bastien - B&W portrait of Gaston Bastiaens, general manager for the P.I.E. division of Apple Computer. 94010608SirSp - B&W shot of Sir Speedy franchisee at workstation with Team CD. 94011321philip - B&W of fullmotion video cartridge and box. Cartridge is being inserted in back of CDI unit with Maganavox monitor in background. 9401008citiz - B&W product shot of new lighweight Citizen printer. 94011015photoCD - Basic product shot of PhotoCD. 94011817qms - Color (from slide) view of QMS desktop office system: monitor, keyboard, and printer. 94011317Ident - Color (from slide) view of Identity Systems Technology Select notebook computer. 94011912Dbeam - Color view (from slide) of Farsite screen which allows a virtual 'electronic whiteboard' to be shared on computers. (Newsbytes/19940214) (NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00024) MacHandwriter Being Shipped By Communication Intelligence 02/14/94 REDWOOD SHORES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- Communication Intelligence Corporation, developer of Handwriter for Windows, has announced shipment of MacHandwriter, a desktop peripheral for pen-inputting of data. According to the company, MacHandwriter is shipped with the company's Handwriter Recognition System software which is available in numerous languages. Dennis Maxwell, corporate communications director, told Newsbytes: "The real advantage of our handwriter is its use as an editorial tool. It makes proofreading remarks, can edit work in almost all data-entry applications, can be learned in one hour for use, and mastered in one day. Our studies have shown that it can cut editing time by as much as 50%." MacHandwriter is shipped with PenMac, an electronic stylus, and an ultra-thin graphics tablet, about the size of a standard mouse pad and weighs nineteen ounces. According to the company, one of the main features is the long cord which allows the user to sit back and edit from different positions and avoid desktop problems with a mouse. CIC has developed handwriter recognition systems to free users from repetitive keyboard and mouse actions and thereby reduce tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome. CIC licenses CIC technology to Kurta and Wacom, but at this time CIC claims that there are no competitive products in this particular area. MacHandwriter is available to Macintosh users at all levels of experience. The suggested retail price is $399 and a current promotion is making it available for $199. For small companies and corporations, volume discounts are available. MacHandwriter II is the Japanese version currently available in Japan. (Patrick McKenna/19940214/Press Contact: Beverly Scott, CIC, tel 415-802-7888) (NEWS)(TRENDS)(SFO)(00025) HP Develops Extra Bright LEDs 02/14/94 PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are not just used in the computer industry - they are also used in such markets as the automobile industry and cellular phones. Now Hewlett-Packard claims to have developed a new technology that can be used to produce what it believes will be the world's brightest LEDs. Northe Osbrink, spokesman for the company, told Newsbytes that the technology could also be implemented on notebook computers, saying: "The whole idea is that, as far as any battery operated portable equipment, that this represents the possibility of much lower battery consumption for a certain amount of light." According to HP, versions operating in the amber portion of the spectrum can be up to four times brighter than current-production amber LEDs from other manufacturers. HP says that it expects the next-generation LEDs will replace incandescent lamps in "many situations." Announcing the new technology, Mark Chandler, marketing manager of HP's Optoelectronics Division, said: "By combining higher brightness with high reliability and reduced power consumption, this new technology will extend the benefits of LEDs to new markets." The company expects the technology to become available within the next six months. The new LEDs will offer improved performance in the reddish-orange spectrum. HP says that the new technology can be used in a broad range of industries, such as: rear turn signals and stop lights for automobiles; indicators and displays in cellular telephones, which will help preserve battery life; and in outdoor informational applications, such as traffic signs and large- area displays where extra brightness is more effective for daylight viewing. The new technology uses a new transparent substrate structure that lets more light emit from the diode, rather than being absorbed by the substrate material. HP says it has replaced the existing technology, light-absorbing gallium arsenide (GaAs) substrates on aluminium indium gallium phosphide (AlInGaP) LEDs, with a transparent gallium phosphide (GaP) substrate, producing a new transparent substrate AlInGaP or TS AlInGaP structure. According to HP, the new TS AlInGaP devices have typical luminous efficiencies of 40 lumens/ampere in both the reddish-orange and amber portions of the spectrum. They are reportedly twice as bright as HP's highest-performance AlInGaP LED devices with absorptive substrates (AS AlInGaP). HP says that the first production units will be available mid-year. Osbrink told Newsbytes that the difference in implementation between different applications would involve the packaging. "It might be that, on a notebook computer, if it does use LEDs, it might be a surface-mount packaging as opposed to a lamp with leads on it (for an automobile implementation). All that will eventually become available. There is nothing to prevent this technology from being put into any package currently being used for LEDs." (Ian Stokell/19940214/Press Contact: Northe Osbrink, 408-435-6765; or Dan Kolody, 408-435-6063, Hewlett-Packard; Reader Contact: 800- 537-7715 ext 8003) (NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00026) Iomega Cuts Price of Bernoulli 90MB Drives 02/14/94 ROY, UTAH, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- The cost of disk and tape storage continues to decline in the face of intense hardware competition. Now, just a month after cutting eight percent of its work force and reporting less than favorable results for its last quarter, Iomega Corp., has lowered the price of its Bernoulli 90 removable storage drives and 90 megabyte (MB) cartridges by up to 29 percent. The company says that the Bernoulli 90 drives for both the PC and Apple Macintosh have been lowered to $419, while single Bernoulli 90MB cartridges now cost $112. Also, packages of three 90MB cartridges are priced at $323, or $107 per cartridge. The company has also cut the price of other drives. Examples of the new pricing are: MacTransportable 90 PRO down 29 percent from $589 to $419; The PC powered 90 down 24 percent from $549 to $419; the Insider 90 PRO down 16 percent from $499 to $419; the Transportable 90 PRO down 17 percent from $599 to$499; the Dual 90 PRO down nine percent from $1,099 to $999;the MacTransportable 150 down 16 percent from $699 to $589 Iomega's Bernoulli products come with a two-year warranty on drives, a five-year warranty on cartridges, and free customer service. At the beginning of January, Newsbytes reported that the company had cut its salaried staff by 50 positions, although no direct labor production workers were included. At the time, acting CEO Leon Staciokas was quoted as saying: "The company needed to reduce its infrastructure and the associated overhead expenses in order to improve Iomega's competitive position in the industry." The company previously said that a loss for the fourth quarter, ended December 31, 1993, was the result of lower than expected revenues, a lower than expected gross margin percentage, and higher than expected operating expenses. In November Newsbytes reported that the company had released a new internal model of its Bernoulli Multidisk 150 150MB drive with an Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) interface. While disks of varying capacities are available for the 150 drives -- such as 35MB, 65MB, 105MB, and 150MB -- the drives can also reportedly read and write to the Bernoulli 90MB disks and can read Bernoulli 44MB disks. (Ian Stokell/19940214/Press Contact: A. Cory Maloy, 801-778-3712, Iomega Corp.) (NEWS)(IBM)(BOS)(00027) ****IBM's Ambra Intros First PC To Use Blue Lightning 100 02/14/94 RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- Ambra, a wholly owned IBM subsidiary, today announced the Lightning 100, a PC billed as the first to use IBM's Blue Lightning 100 megahertz (MHz) processor, along with another platform, the 466I/VL, that is designed to let users quickly upgrade from VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association) to PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect). "Our first Blue Lightning and DX2/66 products have enjoyed tremendous market success, and our continuing research shows a growing demand for even more feature-rich systems based on these platforms. We believe the Lightning 100 and 466I/VL systems will more than meet user demands," said David B. Middleton, Ambra's president and CEO. The Lightning 100's Blue Lightning 100 MHz processor triples internal clock speed to outperform current DX2/66 processors by over 10 percent, according to Ambra. Other key features of the Lightning 100 include BlueMath math co- processor support, 16-bit kilobytes (KB) L1 cache, 128KB L2 cache expandable to 256KB, an integrated 32-bit local bus graphics accelerator, and an integrated IDE (Integrated Drive Electronic) disk controller. In addition, the system is Pentium overdrive ready. Systems based on Ambra's new 466I/VL platform can be upgraded from VESA to PCI technology simply by replacing the riser card and flashing the BIOS, officials said. Other features of the 466I/VL systems include Intel's DX2/66MHz processor, 256KB L2 writeback cache, random access memory (RAM) configurations up to 64 megabytes (MB), 32-bit local bus graphics, an integrated VL/IDE controller, four ISA (Industry Standard Architecture) slots, and one VL slot. The systems are Pentium Overdrive ready as well as Energy Star-compliant. "The inherent value of this system is that it protects the user's investment. You can buy VESA today and upgrade to PCI tomorrow," Middleton noted. Ambra's 466I/VL systems are available immediately, and the Lightning 100 systems are expected to ship March 21. Both systems will be available in desktop and mini-tower configurations, hot-loaded with MS-DOS 6.2 and Windows 3.1. Like other Ambra systems, the latest offerings are customizable to user specifications. A sample Blue Lightning configuration, priced at $2,160, features 16KB of onboard L1 cache, 8 MB of RAM (expandable to 64 MB), a 540 MB IDE hard drive, an integrated local bus graphics accelerator with 1 MB (expandable to 2 MB) of dynamic random access memory (DRAM), an integrated local bus IDE hard drive controller, four 16-bit ISA and one 32-bit VL bus slots, a 3.5-inch diskette drive, and a 14-inch SVGA (Super Video Graphics Array) color monitor. A mini-tower 466I/VL system, priced at $2,798, comes with a 486DX2/66MHz processor, 256KB L2 write-back cache, 16 MB of RAM (expandable to 64 MB), a 540 MB IDE hard drive, a 32-bit local bus graphics accelerator with 1 MB, seven 16-bit ISA and one 32-bit VL bus slots, six drive bays, a 32-bit local bus IDE disk controller, a double-speed CD-ROM (compact disk - read only memory), a 3.5-inch diskette drive, and a 14-inch SVGA color monitor. Customers can upgrade to PCI technology for $99. The Ambra systems are available through Ambra's toll-free order number in the US -- 800-25AMBRA -- Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 11 pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm., Eastern Standard Time. All system purchases are protected by a 30-day money-back guarantee and a one-year limited warranty. Customers can also purchase an optional one-year IBM on-site service contract for $29. Toll-free technical support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. (Jacqueline Emigh/19940214/Reader contact: Ambra, 800-25AMBRA; Press contacts: Craig Conrad, Ambra, 919-713-1550; Anne Marie Clark, Cunningham Communication for Ambra, 617-494-8282) (NEWS)(TRENDS)(LAX)(00028) Error-Free Cellular Digital Transmission Discovery 02/14/94 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- A team of researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) say they have developed a way for systems to automatically check for and detect errors for quicker and error-free electronic communications. The researchers say the new signal coding can be used in everything from routing telephone calls to the transmission of pictures from space probes. The error correction coding is similar to the technique used for years in spelling out names with works by saying "That's 'M' as in Mary..." when communicating over noisy voice transmission lines. According to P. Vijay Kumar, Ph.D. and A. Roger Hammons, Ph.D, the error correction code is a technique used to transmit or store digital data by transforming each bit of data into a longer code group. That way, even when a signal suffers interference in route, it will still be recognizable at the receiving end. Kumar and Hammons say they came upon the discovery by accident, but expect the technique to breed several families of highly efficient error codes for general use in communications. Kumar said: "Almost every time digital information is transmitted or stored in a real-world application, some form of error coding is required." The Hughes Network Systems division of Hughes Aircraft, where Dr. Hammons now works, has already patented an application of this technique for cellular telephone use. (Linda Rohrbough/19940214/Press Contact: Eric Mankin, University of Southern California, tel 213-740-9344) (NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00029) NCD Offers Adobe PostScript 2 On X Terminals 02/14/94 MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- Hoping to appeal to prospective users as a less-expensive option than workstations, Network Computing Devices (NCD), claims it is the first vendor to offer Adobe Systems' Display PostScript on X terminals. The $200 software option is expected to be available from NCD in April. The company says that the PostScript extension allows NCD's X terminals to support a wide variety of PostScript language-based software applications that were previously accessible only on workstations -- including professional publishing and graphic arts. The Display PostScript Level 2 system is a systems software that allows end users to use graphically-oriented applications. The DPS system also reportedly allows application developers to save time since it uses the same imaging model for both display and printer, and a device-independent graphics code for portability. Said Judy Estrin, NCD president and CEO, said: "Our users will now be able to bring their Display PostScript-based applications unmodified to our X displays, which cost about half as much as workstations and are much easier to administer. Having the Display PostScript system running locally on the X terminal instead of on a remote host will reduce network traffic and provide a significant performance boost, especially if the user is doing interactive editing or image manipulation rather than just viewing documents." NCD says that its X terminal users can also access PostScript language-based custom applications developed in-house for mission- critical programs. The Display PostScript Level 2 extension includes 35 of Adobe's Type 1 fonts, and gives users access to more than 1,700 scalable fonts in the Adobe Type Library and 14,000 Type 1 fonts available from Adobe and other type vendors. The DPS Level 2 extension is available for the following NCD X terminals: MCX14 (14-inch) and MCX15 (15-inch), with a screen resolution of 1024 by 768 pixels; MCX17 (17-inch) and MCX19 (19- inch), with resolution of 1152 by 900 pixels; NCD17cr (17-inch) and NCD19c (19-inch), with resolution of 1280 by 1024 pixels; and NCD19g gray-scale. In July, Newsbytes reported that NCD had expanded its MCX line of sound-equipped color X terminals with the MCX19. Featuring a large 19-inch display screen and a new low-profile base, the MCX19 was priced at $4,695. (Ian Stokell/19940214/Press Contact: Judy Estrin, 415-694-0650, Network Computing Devices) (NEWS)(TRENDS)(LAX)(00030) Sanctuary Woods Buys MADS For Interactive Television Use 02/14/94 SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- Multimedia title developers Sanctuary Woods has purchased the Microprose Adventure Development System (MADS) from Hunts Valley, Maryland-based Microprose, a division of Spectrum Holobyte. Sanctuary Woods claims its acquisition of MADS will eventually allow the company to develop multiplayer titles for interactive television and bi-directional cable. MADS is considered to be one of the best development systems because it allows for more cost-effective development and better cinematic presentation of stories. Microprose said it used MADS to create its top-selling interactive adventure game titles "Rex Nebular" and "Return of the Phantom." Sanctuary Wood plans to incorporate MADS and its own Woodscript cross-platform deployment language and engine to create more multiplatform products with fewer resources and in less time. The company hopes moving to "proprietary" development tools as opposed to tools available off-the-shelf will give it an advantage over its competitors. In the interactive television and bi-directional cable fronts, the company hopes to take advantage of the ability to have many players participating in games from various geographic locations. No specifics were available as to how much Sanctuary Woods paid for MADS, which includes a run-time engine and 15 development tools. (Linda Rohrbough/19940214/Press Contact: Kristy Sager, Sanctuary Woods, tel 415-578-6349, fax 415-578-6344) (NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00031) Newsbytes Daily Summary 02/14/94 LONDON, ENGLAND, 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- These are the capsules of all of today's stories... 1 -> SSA Adds Client/Server Features To BPCS/AS 02/14/94 System Software Associates (SSA) has announced it is adding support for client/server computing to its enterprise business applications and software development tools. 2 -> Automap Ships New Macintosh Road Atlas 02/14/94 Automap has announced a new Macintosh Road Atlas software package that plots the best route between two locations in the US, Canada, or Mexico. 3 -> $129.95 Printer Sharing Kit For SOHO Users 02/14/94 SoftWorx has unveiled a low-cost printer sharing kit for the small office/home office (SOHO) marketplace. 4 -> Apple UK Ships Mac Essentials CD 02/14/94 Apple UK has announced the first offering from its Software Dispatch division -- the Mac Essentials CD (compact disc). 5 -> IBM Announces OS/2 For Windows 3.1 02/14/94 IBM has announced the availability of OS/2 for Windows 3.1, a special version of the operating system designed to support 32-bit computing under the Windows graphical user interface environment. 6 ->UK - Renet Launches Modem Sized As A Floppy Disk 02/14/94 Lasat Communications, the Danish modem company, has announced it is offering its products in the UK. Operating from a new office in Hammersmith in London, the company has launched the Unique 144 modem, a UKP 399 data modem with 14,000 bits per second (bps) data and fax facilities. 7 -> UK - Manugistics Launches Statgraphics Plus For Windows 02/14/94 Manugistics has launched a Windows version of its DIS statistical graphical analysis utility. Known as Statgraphics Plus, the package is billed as a true Windows applications and retains all the intuitive facilities of the DOS edition, the company claims, while introducing several new Windows functions to the mix. 8 -> Novell UK Announces Service Center Program (NASC) 02/14/94 Novell, which claims to be the leading networking company, has started recruiting what its calls top service professionals to provide quality customers service across Europe. These staff, Newsbytes notes, will form the basis of the Novell's Authorised Service Centre Program (NASC) in the UK. 9 -> ****Kubota Opens Toy Fair With Virtual Reality 02/14/94 Kubota Pacific Computer Inc. (KPC) opened the Toy Fair in Manhattan with long lines waiting to see their latest development in virtual reality adventures. KPC in collaboration with Visions of Reality Corp. (VOR) is producing their "pod" interactive virtual reality games with the use of Digital Equipment Corporation's Alpha AXP microprocessor. 10 -> Andersen Consulting Canada Allies With Next 02/14/94 Andersen Consulting Canada has announced an alliance with Next Computer, that will let the technology consultancy use Next's object-oriented software tools in developing systems for its clients. 11 -> Xerox Adds New OCR Features In TextBridge 2.0 For Windows 02/14/94 Xerox has announced TextBridge 2.0 for Windows, a new version of its PC-based optical character recognition (OCR) software that adds an application server, an OCR (optical character recognition) driver, and other new and enhanced features while retaining the original $99 price tag. 12 -> Tech Data To Distribute Watermark In US And Latin America 02/14/94 Watermark has signed Tech Data to distribute its Watermark Discovery Edition image-enabling package as well as future Watermark products to value-added resellers (VARs) throughout the US and Central and South America. 13 -> CD-ROM Contains Canadian Telephone Listings 02/14/94 When major Canadian telephone companies starting charging for every call to long-distance directory assistance recently, they created a promising market niche for Pro CD, a vendor of telephone listings on compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM). The company has moved into the Canadian market with Canada Phone, a CD-ROM containing all white pages phone listings from across the country. 14 -> Canadian Product Launch Update 02/14/94 This regular feature, appearing every Monday or Tuesday, provides further details for the Canadian market on announcements by international companies that Newsbytes has already covered. This week: Compaq's Contura Aero subnotebook. 15 -> Lawsuit Could Delay TCI-Bell Atlantic Merger 02/14/94 A class action lawsuit charging Tele-Communications with racial discrimination could slow its acquisition by Bell Atlantic. 16 -> US Administration Denies It's Backing Off Clipper Chip 02/14/94 The Administration is trying to back away from remarks by Vice President Al Gore which might indicate it's retreating from a plan to use "Clipper Chip" encryption. 17 -> Bill & Al's CD-ROM Budget 02/14/94 Those techie guys at the White House are at it again. For the first time, the entire FY 1995 proposed budget, a printed document suitable for use as a doorstop, is available on a compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM). 18 -> ****Novell, Artisoft Ink Interoperability Deal 02/14/94 Network software publisher Novell and client-server software maker Artisoft exchanged their own kind of valentine today by signing a deal to assure their products work well together. 19 -> New TI Chip Extends Battery Life, Cuts Portables Cost 02/14/94 Texas Instruments has introduced a new set of computer chips that combines a 486 central processing unit with other key system components. The company says that the new chip will result in portable computer designs that require fewer chips, are smaller and lighter, are less expensive, and reduce power consumption for longer battery life between charges. 20 -> Cable System Offers Internet To Schools 02/14/94 ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 14 (NB) -- Jones Intercable is linking two Virginia schools to the global Internet using its cable systems and Internet-in-a-Box, a "point and click" Internet solution from SPRY Inc. and O'Reilly & Associates. 21 -> ****Second Newton, Lindy, Expected For March Launch 02/14/94 Apple has announced that the Newton Messagepad is the first of several personal digital assistants (PDAs) it plans to introduce. Reports are the second Newton, code-named Lindy, will be officially announced in March with features borrowed from other PDA's such as Tandy's Zoomer. 22 -> Riley, Alexander Spar Over School Choice 02/14/94 Two former southern governors are becoming the point men for conflicting arguments on how to reform schools. 23 -> NewsPix Images For Newsbytes Publishers 02/14/94 These are the photos that have been digitized and correspond to stories Newsbytes has reported recently. 24 -> MacHandwriter Being Shipped By Communication Intelligence 02/14/94 Communication Intelligence Corporation, developer of Handwriter for Windows, has announced shipment of MacHandwriter, a desktop peripheral for pen-inputting of data. 25 -> HP Develops Extra Bright LEDs 02/14/94 Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are not just used in the computer industry - they are also used in such markets as the automobile industry and cellular phones. 26 -> Iomega Cuts Price of Bernoulli 90MB Drives 02/14/94 The cost of disk and tape storage continues to decline in the face of intense hardware competition. 27 -> ****IBM's Ambra Intros First PC To Use Blue Lightning 100 02/14/94 Ambra, a wholly owned IBM subsidiary, today announced the Lightning 100, a PC billed as the first to use IBM's Blue Lightning 100 megahertz (MHz) processor, along with another platform, the 466I/VL, that is designed to let users quickly upgrade from VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association) to PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect). 28 -> Error-Free Cellular Digital Transmission Discovery 02/14/94 A team of researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) say they have developed a way for systems to automatically check for and detect errors for quicker and error-free electronic communications. 29 -> 2NCD Offers Adobe PostScript 2 On X Terminals 02/14/94 Hoping to appeal to prospective users as a less-expensive option than workstations, Network Computing Devices (NCD), claims it is the first vendor to offer Adobe Systems' Display PostScript on X terminals. The $200 software option is expected to be available from NCD in April. 30 -> Sanctuary Woods Buys MADS For Interactive Television Use 02/14/94 Multimedia title developers Sanctuary Woods has purchased the Microprose Adventure Development System (MADS) from Hunts Valley, Maryland-based Microprose, a division of Spectrum Holobyte. (Steve Gold/19940214)