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/nb022594

Text File | 1994-02-25 | 98KB | 2,081 lines

(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00001)

Windows Show - Voice Recognition Development System 02/25/94
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- Another company showing off its
voice recognition technology at the Windows Show, which is being
held this week at London's Olympia, is C3, the Cambridge-based
software house.

Instead of offering end users a voice processing/recognition system
as a finished product, the company announced a graphical design tool
called Narrator.

According to the company, Narrator is a utility package for Windows
that can be used to develop a wide range of voice processing
applications, ranging from simple telephone announcements through to
unified (voice, fax and e-mail) messaging on C3's Telelink voice
processing and computer telephony systems.

While C3 produces a variety of computer telephony systems, its
Narrator allows the user to set up complex voice control and routing
programs in simple stages. The idea behind the package is that users
can, quite literally, edit and create new routes on-screen as easily
as drawing a flow chart. Under Windows, the package allows the user
to zoom in and out of the routing program, adjusting all the command
structures as required.

For full voice recognition systems, C3 offers a 4Voice computer-
based system that allows interactive access using the spoken word
and/or touch tones on the phone keypad, to a variety of information.
By using Narrator, the company claims that the most complex of voice
recognition systems can be set up in a short while by a relatively
inexperienced programmer or system manager.

(Sylvia Dennis & Steve Gold/19940224/Press & Public Contact: C3
Systems - Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00002)

 ****PowerPC Will Run Windows, Slowly 02/25/94
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 25 (NB) --
Apple's PowerPC may meet all of the pre-publicity promise, but
with the recommended 16MB of RAM to run Windows
applications on Macintosh with PowerPC (PPC), users may find
this feature has a high price tag.

At one of the small seminars conducted at Computer Authority, a
new trade show produced by SuperStores, Inc., Newsbytes learned
that independent testing of Windows applications done in Windows
on Macintosh with Power PC (PPC) were running at speeds similar
to or less than that of a 286 processor.

This information appears as a contradiction to the stated
comparable speeds of a 386 or 486 processor announced
by Insignia Solutions in a Newsbytes article dated 2/7/94.
Insignia Solutions is the developer of SoftWindows for the
PowerPC, the program required to run Windows and Windows
applications on Macintosh with PowerPC.

Responding to the statement, Darin Kotalik, marketing
specialist for Insignia Solutions, said, "It is not surprising
that someone would make that statement. It is important to
realize that software running software is a very complicated
process and unless extended memory is configured with 4 megabytes
of RAM and Delta cache is set at 3 to 4 megabytes, the speed
of the application may be in the range of a 286 processor. We
also want consumers to understand that the software is written
to emulate a 286 CPU, but will run at 386 and 486 speeds when
properly configured with most applications."

Mr. Kotalik further stated, "Certain applications are written in
ways that access the hard drive more frequently, which will
produce different operating speeds depending on the application.
At this time eighty-five to ninety percent of Windows applications
tested will run in our 286 emulation. There are some
applications that will not run on PowerPC and we will be doing
further testing and providing affordable upgrades to run those
programs."

Insignia, in expectation of a greater demand for technical support,
is currently training more support staff for the upcoming debut of
SoftWindows for the PowerPC when it is released simultaneously
with Macintosh PowerPC next month.

According to the company, SoftWindows for the PowerPC will not
be an installed program on all models of Macintosh with PowerPC.
This means users who anticipate running Windows applications
will need to spend $499 for the program unless they purchase PPC
models with 16MB of memory which come bundled with
SoftWindows for the PowerPC. Additionally, Insignia states that
the 8MB required to run PPC will allow SoftWindows to run only
limited DOS applications; 16MB of RAM are recommended by
Insignia to properly run Windows applications on Power PC.

(Patrick McKenna/19940222/Press Contact: Darin Kotalik,
Insignia Solutions, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(APPLE)(DEN)(00003)

New For Mac - Intellidraw 2.0 From Aldus 02/25/94
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- Aldus Corporation
has announced the availability of Intellidraw version 2.0, the
company's drawing program.

Aldus says the new version of 20-month old Intellidraw includes
drag-and-drop templates, enhanced import/export filters and better
performance.

Intellidraw 2.0 includes templates which can be dragged-and-dropped
to provide instant graphics. The user can browse through
pre-designed graphics, dragging desire objects directly into the
drawing. You can also create your own custom templates using the
drag-and-drop technique. Many of the ready made templates have
special properties and controls, such as size matching, alignment
links or flip books, already built in.

Template collections in version 2.0 include space and landscape
planning, flow and organization charting, computers and network
charting, presentations/layouts, and project planning.

Other new features in version 2.0 include special effects such as
Perspective and Envelope Warping which apply realistic perspective
and arbitrary bending and twisting respectively to graphics or text.
A polymorph shape command lets users adjust smoothly through an
infinite number of intermediate shapes and colors between two or
more key shapes. Morphing is the technique often seen on television
and in movies that gradually changes one shape into another.

There is also a Windows version of Intellidraw 2.0 which can import
EPS, Metafile, TIFF, AutoCAD DXF, Adobe Illustrator, CorelDraw!,
CGM, Micrografx DRW, Kodak Photo CD, TWAIN Image Acquisition and
Wordperfect graphics files. Windows export filters include Windows
Metafile, TIFF, Paintbrush, Adobe Illustrator 1l1, CGM, AutoCAD
DXF, and IBM PIF formats.

In the Mac version of Intellidraw you can import EPS, PICT, TIFF,
Adobe Illustrator, AutoCAD DXF, Kodak Photo CD and TWAIN Image
Acquisition files, and export to Windows Metafile, TIFF, Paintbrush,
Adobe Illustrator, ANSI CGM and AutoCAD DXF formats.

Aldus recommends an Apple Macintosh Se/30 or later computer, System
7.0 or later operating system, eight megabytes (MB) of system
memory, and a hard drive. For Windows users, you should have a 386
or 486-based PC, Windows3.1 or later, 8MB of memory, a hard disk, a
mouse, and a VGA or better graphics display.

Intellidraw 2.0 has a suggested retail price of $199 for the Mac
and Windows version. If you are a registered owner of Intellidraw
1.0 you can upgrade for $39 through April 1, 1994. After that date
the upgrade price will be $49. Users who purchased Intellidraw
after August 2, 1993 can get a free upgrade if they return their
registration card and the dated proof of purchase.

(Jim Mallory/19940223/Press contact: Teri Bruno, Aldus Corporation,
714-454-8056; Reader contact: Aldus Corporation, 800-888-6293 or
619-558-6000, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00004)

Credit-Card Sized Drives Shock Tested 02/25/94
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- With
credit-card sized devices serving as the storage and
peripherals of the newest generation of laptops, just how rugged
are they? Could all their data be destroyed by a drop to the
floor?

Personal Computer Memory Card Industry Association (PCMCIA)
cards, used to add memory, Ethernet connections, modems,
applications, disk drives, and storage, are beginning to
appear. Maxtor's MobileMax is a credit card-sized 105MB disk
drive, and the company has released non-operating shock
specification test results for the card.

Mazy Sehrgosha, director of marketing for mobile products,
told Newsbytes, "Our test results are a combination of in-house,
customer-base, and independent lab testing. The typical 2.5-inch
and 3.5-inch drives have a non-operating shock level of 100 to
250 Gs. Our 1.8 MobileMax drive tested at 600 Gs."

Mr. Sehrgosha continued, "This test specification is the result
of using fluid film spindle motor technology and glass media.
We see the need to produce a product that can stand the rigors
of portable computing and be a leader in PCMCIA developments."

Mazy Sehrgosha also stated, "With reduced weight being a
primary goal, Maxtor has reduced the weight of MobileMax
to 65 grams. The standard 2.5 inch drive weighs
approximately 250 grams. We are changing the entire world of
data storage to a point that you can hold it in the palm of your
hand."

MobileMax is currently in production and is readily available
at a price of $359 for OEM quantities with a MSRP of $539.
MobileMax DeskRunner is being produced to install on desktop
bays as the "technology bridge" to the portable computers.

(Patrick McKenna/19940224/ Press Contact: Holly Campbell,
Maxtor Corp., tel [phone])


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

UK - Modem Price Wars Break Out Again 02/25/94
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- Modem price wars have again
broken out in the UK this week, with Hayes and US Robotics taking
the occasion of the Windows Show as the springboard to announce new
products and price shuttles.

Hayes, which has been promoting the V.Fast protocol for some time,
will formally announce its V.FC 288 modem next Thursday. To seed the
sales channel the company is offering the #599 RRP modem in a
#50 twin-pack bundle to a select number of resellers.

According to Mark Cooke, European marketing manager for Hayes,
around a dozen resellers have been signed up to handle the twin-pack
deal, which will be available for the next six to eight weeks. Hayes
is also planning a series of teaser ads in the press.

Mike Spalter, managing director of SEG Communications, a major modem
reseller, told Newsbytes he is not stocking the twin-pack deal,
despite the fact he was offered the special. "It's a good price, but
Hayes wanted us to commit to volume sales and see our name appear
alongside 12 others in press ads," he said.

"My problem is that we can only stock modems we can sell. No one
rings us up and asks for Hayes products, so it's difficult to commit
to a volume supply of modem no one asks for," he added.

Spalter welcomed US Robotics decision to cut the price of its
Sportster 2400 from #149 to #99, although he observed that the modem
is not a major seller in that configuration.

Phil Benge, marketing director with Dataflex Design, scoffed at the
US Robotics price cut, claiming that his company's equivalent Gemfax
product has been on the market for some time at #119. "I'm surprised
that Clive (Hudson) hasn't tried to batter us harder," he said.

(Steve Gold/19940224/Press & Public Contact: Hayes - Tel: +44-252-
775500; US Robotics - Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00006)

Bibliography Management For Macs 02/25/94
TIBURON, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- In
a small field of bibliography management software, Westing
Software announced the release of Bookends Pro, a bibliography
management system for professional writers and graduate students
who track and cite reference information for publication and
research.

Speaking with Newsbytes, John Osborn, founder of Westing,
said, "With Reference Manager as the leader on the DOS
side and EndNote a leading but expensive program, we thought
that there was an opening for the marketing of Bookends Pro. It has
been on the market as Bookends for a long time, but there has not
been a professional marketing of it. It is our intention to develop a
larger audience for this and other new products."

Westing's stated goal for Bookends Pro is twofold in that it is
designed to collect, manage and format referenced citations and
quotes and then automatically generate bibliographies and
footnotes that conform to rigid publication specifications.

According to the company, database size is limited only by the
amount of available hard disk space and the management of
data-intensive reference material from entry to bibliography
form is facilitated by a variety of new features that include
extensive importing tools, 90 pre-defined custom reference
formats, automatic scan and replace options, direct
interface-link to word processors and other software
(System 7 or higher), customizable fields, and search and find
options.

The importing feature allows entry of references from CD-
ROMs, tab delimited text files, keyboard entries and online
database services without additional software. The customizable
fields include authors, title, editor, journal, keywords, notes
and abstracts.

Bookends Pro requires System 6.0.5 or higher.

The company is marketing to the writing community at-large and
targeting the scientific community. Among their users are
academicians, ministers, and scientific journal writers.

Westing Software was founded by John Osborn, who started
Jandel Scientific, a scientific software developer known for
SigmaPlot, scientific graphing software. Bookend Pro, priced at
$149, is currently being offered at special introductory prices upon
request.

(Patrick McKenna/19940223/ Press Contact: Nan Wieser, Westing
Software, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(SFO)(00007)

Creative Labs Claims #1 Sound Card 02/25/94
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- Sound
Blaster continues to blast away at the top of a PC audio market
that more than doubled in 1993 to 5.3 million units shipped
from 2.5 million shipments in 1992. Dataquest's report, "Consumer
PC Audio in the 1990s" shows Creative Labs dominating the field
with a 60% share of the market and growing percentages for Media
Vision with 18% and Aztech Labs with 17%.

A number of other cards were grouped in the remaining 5%.

According to Dataquest, developments of sound solutions on
motherboards will pressure audio card manufacturers to provide
more high-end technology achievements and a decline in growth
may occur for audio card manufacturers, especially in 1995.

Rick Spence, industry analyst at Dataquest, told Newsbytes,
"Audio card manufacturers will be aided by Microsoft's Plug and
Play software in 'Chicago.' This will make it easier to install
audio cards and sound software and new refinements in sound
quality will help them remain competitive as motherboards come
with built-in sound."

The study revealed that PC systems with multimedia grew
worldwide by 1,833% from a volume of 127,000 in 1992 to 2.46
million in 1993. Stand-alone kits grew 59% from 928,000 units in
1992 to 1.47 million in 1993. Rick Spence continued, "The
tremendous growth of PC systems with multimedia predicts a
decline of stand-alone multimedia kits, but the bundling of
multimedia in systems will provide audio card manufacturers a
continued source of sales. While 8-bit cards continue to sell on the
low end of the market, the shift to 16-bit clearly defines the area
of growth for audio cards."

Newsbytes learned that Dataquest has changed from a subscriber-
only service to include a new service which sells stand-alone
reports. Previously, customers had to subscribe to Dataquest to
receive its surveys. This new addition will provide a customer with
a single report for a specified price. "Consumer PC Audio in the
1990s" is available for $2,495.

(Patrick McKenna/19940224/Press Contact: Paul Wheaton,
Dataquest, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(BOS)(00008)

Online's CD-ROM Tower Lets Users Reconfigure Drives 02/25/94
GERMANTOWN, MARYLAND, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- Online Computer
Systems has announced a CD-ROM drive tower aimed at easy re-
configurability by stand-alone and networked PC users.

The tower lets end users easily add or remove drives, officials
said. The product is compatible with ISA (Industry Standard
Architecture), EISA (Extended Industry Standard Architecture), and
MCA (Micro Channel Architecture) systems.

The tower supports up to seven double-speed SCSI (small computer
systems interface)-2, CD-ROM (compact disc - read only memory)
drives, and is available from Online configured with either four,
five, six or seven drives.

An optional docking kit -- which includes a drive, mounting kit,
and other installation supplies -- allows the user to add drives in
the field.

Each of the tower's drives supports 200 millisecond random access
speeds and sustained transfer rates of up to 330 kilobytes per
second, according to the company.

Each drive also features a 256K buffer, MPC (Multimedia PC)-2
compliance, fully integrated audio, and support for multi-session
Kodak Photo CD.

The tower can be used with any member of Online's Opti-Net family
of CD-ROM networking software, officials added. The
family includes Opti-Net NLM (NetWare Loadable Module), for
enhanced management of information stored on shared, server-based
CD-ROM drives under NetWare, and Opti-Net Lite, which adds caching
and prefetching to shared CD-ROM drives on peer-to-peer networks.

Online also offers Opti-CDcache CD-ROM caching software for
stand-alone workstations, plus stand-alone and network-license
versions of these CD-ROM titles: "The New Grolier Multimedia
Encyclopedia," the "Living Books" series, "The 1993 Guinness
Multimedia Disc of Records," and "Where in the World Is Carmen
SanDiego?"

The new tower is available immediately, Pricing is $3,875 for a
tower pre-configured with four drives, $4,415 with five drives,
$4,955 with six drives, and $5,495 with seven drives. The optional
docking kit with a drive and supplies is $595.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19940224/Reader contact: Online Computer
Systems, 800-922-9204; Lisa Wolin, Online, 800-922-9204)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(TYO)(00009)

Japan - NCR Beefs Up Macintosh Maintenance Business 02/25/94
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- NCR Japan plans to expand
aggressively its existing maintenance business for
Apple Computer's Macintosh in April. NCR Japan has been
offering service Macintoshes, based on a license from
Apple Computer Japan, for about 8 years.

NCR Japan will increase its maintenance service dealers from
a current 15 to 60 locations. Also, the company will accept
maintenance service requests at its 152 office locations in
Japan. On-site maintenance will also be performed for
customers starting in April.

This is good news for Apple Computer Japan, which will be able
to better compete with other Japanese personal computer firms
that are offering convenient maintenance service to users.

NCR Japan's decision to beef up its maintenance business
is in response to the growing popularity of the Macintosh
in Japan. Sales of the Macintosh rapidly increased last
year despite the slow economy in Japan. It is expected that
one million units will be sold by the end of this year.

Through this maintenance service, NCR Japan expects to gain
over 5 billion yen ($50 million) within 5 years. This is well over
twice as much as it earned on maintenance services in fiscal 1993.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19940225/Press Contact: NCR Japan, +81-
3-3582-6111, Fax, [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00010)

Networking Roundup 02/25/94
PENN VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- This is
a regular Friday feature, summarizing networking news not covered
elsewhere by Newsbytes this week: Standard Microsystems Corp.,
MICOM Communications Corp., Emerald Systems, Extension
Technology, Novell, Apple Computer, Cisco Systems, Wellfleet
Communications, UnixWare Technology Group, Asante Technologies
Inc., and Simware Inc.

Standard Microsystems Corp. (516-435-6255), says it is one of the
first major network adapter vendors to publicly demonstrate an
Ethernet adapter that supports Microsoft's Plug and Play. Plug and
Play allows ISA (Industry Standard Architecture) network
adapters, as well as other PC peripheral or add-in devices, to be
installed and configured automatically, thereby cutting installation
errors and eliminating user intervention during configuration. The
company says that Plug and Play support has been integrated
directly into a new version of SMC's UltraChip with SimulTasking
that will appear on SMC adapters later this year.

MICOM Communications Corp. (805-583-8600) announced an number
of new features that the company claimed increases the
"functionality and performance" of its Marathon and NetRunner
Data/Voice Integration (DVI) products. The new features available
in software release 3.1 include a new WAN (wide area network)
backup feature. The company says that, in the event of a link
failure, Marathon and Netrunner will automatically establish a
backup link with no operator intervention required. Once the primary
link has been restored, the DVI unit automatically returns to the
primary link service. Another feature of version 3.1 is Multihop
Rate Adaption (MHRA), which allows MICOM's DVI products to
reduce network bottlenecks by automatically reducing the voice-
digitizing rate when bandwidth congestion occurs.

Networking trade paper Network World selected Emerald Systems'
( 619-673-2161) Xpress Librarian 3.0 Windows-based network
backup software for its "1994 Short List" of LAN (local area
network) backup systems. Xpress Librarian 2.0 won Editors' Choice
awards in PC Magazine and Computer Reseller News. Xpress
Librarian 3.0 contains all of the features of version 2.0, but adds
such new features as support for the Adaptec SCSI (small computer
systems interface) interface card, and Novell's NetWare 4.0 by
backing up Directory Services.

Extension Technology (800-856-2672) lowered the price on its Long
Distance LAN product, the LD-LAN remote network interface adapter.
LD-LAN provides a way for PC users to create virtual, long distance
LANs of any size or configuration, claims the company. The LD-LAN
hardware/software combination transforms the digital public
telephone network into a virtual LAN wiring hub. The new LD-LAN
price of $1,195 represents a twenty percent reduction over the
previous price, and is effective immediately. The company also
introduced the LD-LAN Dial-Up Router Enhancement which the
company claims provides a "fully bundled solution for networking
two LANs together over economical digital telephone service."
The LD-LAN Dial-Up Router Enhancement is hardware and software
that converts a Novell server or multiProtocol router (MPR) into a
high performance dial-up router. The LD-LAN Dial-Up Router
Enhancement is priced at $3,495 for two nodes and is available
immediately.

Novell was featured in a number of announcements. In one, the
company, in cooperation with Apple Computer Inc., announced an
upgrade path for DataClub customers to move to NetWare 3 or
NetWare 4 or AppleShare. DataClub is Novell's distributed virtual
server software that allows users to access files without needing
to know where they reside on the network. The company says that
the upgrades enable Macintosh users to have access to NetWare
resources, as well as services such as network management,
messaging and multimedia. Through Aug. 31, 1994, DataClub users can
upgrade to AppleShare 4 by obtaining the AppleShare Upgrade Kit for
the suggested retail price of $699.

Cisco Systems, (415-903-8847) says that its multiprotocol routers
now include enhanced support for Novell IPX (Internetwork Packet
Exchange) and are certified for compliance with Novell NetWare
networking products. Also, Cisco routers running the company's
current Release 9.21 software have been certified as providing full
IPX router functionality, and will carry a "Novell Labs Tested and
Approved" certification mark. Cisco says it joined Novell's Router
Development Program in January 1993, when it received the IPX
router specification and compliance test program for internal
testing.

Wellfleet Communications, (508-436-3636) and ALANTEC Corp.,
announced a cooperative agreement to provide a fully interoperable
internetworking "solution" targeted for customers building
multivendor, enterprise-wide networks. The companies maintain
that the alliance is the result of increasing customer focus on
purchasing best-in-class internetworking products and services
that seamlessly interconnect mixed local and wide area networks,
while ensuring optimal levels of vendor-to-vendor interoperability.
The companies also say that their cooperative marketing and
technical support alliance will focus on: interoperability testing;
technical training; coordinated technical support; and joint sales
and marketing.

Meanwhile, a coalition of vendors supporting the UnixWare operating
system and "with a common commitment to industry standards"
announced formation of the UnixWare Technology Group,
(908-522-6474). The mission of the not-for-profit organization
is to "provide a forum in which members can cooperatively advance,
promote, and facilitate the evolution and deployment of UnixWare
and allied technologies." Founding sponsors include AT&T Global
Information Solutions (formerly NCR), Fujitsu, ICL, NEC, Novell,
Olivetti, Sony, UniSoft, and Unisys.

Asante Technologies Inc., (408-435-8401) introduced AsanteView
Lite, a lower-cost version of its SNMP (Simple Network
Management Protocol)-based network management application for
managing networks based on Asante's smaller intelligent hubs.
AsanteView Lite, available in both Windows PC or Macintosh
versions, offers all of the features of AsanteView for managing
the AsanteHub 1012, the AsanteBridge/Hub 1012 and Asante's
new NetConnect-Remote Access Server, and is priced at $399.

On the Novell front again, Simware Inc., (613-727-1779)
announced that its REXXWARE scripting language successfully
completed all requirements to be classified as "Yes" tested and
approved by Novell. REXXWARE is a LAN administration tool that
lets network administrators automate and schedule NetWare 3
and 4 administration and management functions, increasing
productivity and reducing network administration overhead,
according to the company. Certification means Novell has tested
REXXWARE to ensure that it operates in an "acceptable manner"
in NetWare 3 and 4 environments.

(Ian Stokell/19940225)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(BOS)(00011)

Tadpole Packs SPARCBooks With Features 02/25/94
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- Tadpole has introduced
SPARCbook 3. The new family of SPARC-compliant notebook computers
offers a larger processor and lighter weight than SPARCbook 2,
along with the addition of PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card
Industry Association, integrated ISDN (integrated services digital
network), removable drives, and other new features.

The new SPARCbook models are the first and only Unix-based
workstations to use the PCMCIA interface, a company spokesperson
told Newsbytes.

The new family consists of SPARCbook 3, a full-featured portable
workstation, and SPARCbook 3, an economy version. SPARCbook 3
provides a color TFT screen, a removable 2.5-inch disk drive,
PCMCIA slots, a 2 megabyte (MB) frame buffer, 16-bit audio, and on-
board ISDN.

The lower-cost SPARCbook 3LC is equipped with a mono passive
display, removable 2.5-inch disk drive, PCMCIA slots, a 1 MB frame
buffer, and 8-bit audio.

Both models are pre-loaded with the SunSoft Solaris 1 or 2
operating environments and Version 2.0 of Tadpole's Nomadic
Computing Environment, a graphical user interface (GUI) and power
management system aimed at supporting mobile Unix computing.

The new Unix-based notebooks use a 50 megahertz (MHz) microSPARC
central processor unit (CPU), in contrast to the 40 MHz CPU used in
SPARCbook 2, and are at least 30 percent lighter than the earlier
model, according to the spokesperson.

The removable drives reflect a modular approach designed to allow
the disk drives, system board, and memory to be easily upgraded.
The built-in ISDN capability in the higher-end model is aimed at
remote networking, telephony and teleconferencing applications.

Both models can run SunSoft's Windows Applications Binary Interface
(WABI) or Insignia Solution's SoftWindows, providing the ability to
operate Windows-based applications.

In addition, the pre-loaded software provides a fully SPARC-
compliant version of Solaris in less than 55 megabytes (MB),
according to the company. Tadpole's NCE provides notebook tools
such as save and resume, power management functions, and built-in
facilities for handling e-mail between a SPARCbook and a remote
mail server.

Under NCE 2.0, save and resume has been enhanced to the point where
it now takes only 20 seconds to start-up or shut-down a system
configured with 32 MB random access memory (RAM), officials said.

In addition, users are now able to configure different "locations,"
each with its own network databases, server locations and
facilities, time zone, and Internet address. The user can change
locations through simple menu selection, without rebooting the
computer.

Another new feature in NCE 2.0 synchronizes local files and
databases to those on a remote machine or server, for
automatic backup and the ability to synchronize calendars and other
files and data.

Each of the new SPARCbook 3 machines offers card- and socket
services-compliant PCMCIA slots supporting either two Type I/II
devices or one Type III device. Custom PCMCIA driver support is
available from Tadpole for specialized card applications.

The SPARC-based notebooks also provide user-upgradable memory
SIMMS from 16 to 64 MB, an on-board Weitek P9000 graphics
accelerator, plus an IBM keyboard with an integrated pointing stick
and multi-lingual options that include Kanji.

Two battery choices are available: an internal 12-volt nickel
metal hydride (NiMH) and an external 12-volt nickel cadmium (NiCD)
pack. Each model comes with a spare internal NiMH battery and
charger.

SPARCbook 3 is priced at $10,950, and SPARCbook 3LC at $7,500.
Pricing for system peripherals such as removal disk drives, PCMCIA
105 MB disk drive and flash memory cards, SIMMS, and external
battery packs will be announced when units are shipping.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19940225/Reader contact: Tadpole Technology, 512-
219-2200; Press contact: Robert Walt, Charles Sommerhauser, or
Kerry Swanson, Walt & Sommerhauser Communications for Tadpole, 408-
496-0900)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BOS)(00012)

Sony CatsEye Camera, Digital Printer, Video Scanner 02/25/94
PARK RIDGE, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- Sony has
unveiled a digital CatsEye camera, digital color printer, and
flatbed color video scanner, three new products that are designed
to provide high-end color at affordable prices.

The new DKC-5000 CatsEye camera, UP-D1500C printer, and UY-T35V
scanner reflect Sony Electronics' mounting expansion from the
professional prepress market into high-end color applications for
the desktop, a company spokesperson told Newsbytes.

Billed as the first digital camera system able to capture a series
of ten action shots, the DKC-5000 "filmless" camera produces
electronic images that can be previewed on a color monitor,
transferred to a computer for retouching and printing, or output
directly to Sony's UP-D7000 dye sublimation digital color printer
without a computer intermediary.

Sony's new UP-D1500C printer, which uses a standard parallel
interface for connection to virtually any computer, combines dye
sublimation thermal transfer technology with a yellow, magenta cyan
(YMC) printing process in a package priced at under $2,000.

The new UY-T35V video scanner is aimed at converting almost any
flat art source into a high quality video image in seven seconds.
The UY-T35V can interface with a range of display, image
manipulation and reproduction devices, such as videotape recorders,
video image transceivers, and video printers, the company said.
For live presentations, users can transfer scanned images to video
monitors or projection systems.

Sony's new "second generation" CatsEye camera offers a two-frame
memory, with up to eight additional frame memories available as an
option, providing faster throughput as well as the ability to
capture a series of ten action shots, officials said.

The camera performs real-time, full-color image capture, and can
transfer images to the computer in 10 to 20 seconds, according to
Sony. The system includes a Photoshop plug-in module for Macintosh
computers to let the user control camera functions directly from
the computer, as well as standard remote control, a camera
cable, a small computer systems interface (SCSI) cable, an A/C
power cord, and half-inch bayonet lens mount.

The digital camera uses three 440,000-pixel half-inch charged
coupled device (CCD) chips for a total of 1.3 million pixels. In
contrast to competing color wheel camera systems, which require
three separate shots to capture red, green and blue (RGB), the
three CCD chips capture RGB color information separately and
simultaneously for more accurate color interpretation, officials
maintained.

The camera also uses Sony's "spatial pixel offset," a technique
intended to double the resolution previously available with digital
cameras, and to capture the full range of 256 color gradations
with wide color and tonal ranges.

In "spatial pixel offset," the red and blue images are mounted on
the optical block in complete alignment to allow light to strike
corresponding pixels on the red and blue sensors, the company
explained. The green sensor is shifted horizontally and vertically
to allow light to strike it at a mid-way point between the red and
blue sensors.

The DKC-5000 also offers traditional functions such as strobe-
synchronizing and photo-proofing for "photographer friendliness."
Other capabilities include 10-bit analog to digital conversion for
wide dynamic range; a signal to noise ratio of more than 56 dB;
programmable LUT; and programmable gamma, knee and white clip.

The camera is slated for availability in April at a manufacturer's
suggested list price (MSLP) of about $15,000.

Sony's new UP-D1500C digital printer, which is expected to ship in
early summer at an MSLP of under $2,000, supports 256 gray levels
per color for a palette of over 16 million colors.

In combining thermal transfer technology with YMC printing, the
printer allows thousands of heating elements to come into contact
with the YMC-colored ribbon, according to Sony. The amount of heat
emitted by each heating element controls the amount of dye
transferred to the paper.

The UP-D1500C outputs 4-by-5 1/2-inch, photorealistic 24-bit RGB
images with a maximum resolution of 664-by-512 pixels, with 5.6
dots per millimeter. The new printer offers 60-second print speed
and a 100-sheet paper capacity, and uses A6 size paper.

"The UP-D1500C is Sony's response to the market demand for an
economical, smaller-size printer with a digital interface. The new
printer's high quality, superb color reproduction, high speed and
low suggested list price make it well-suited to a wide variety of
applications that require hard copy output of color images from a
computer," said Steven Blum, director of electronic imaging in the
Business and Professional Products Group at Sony Electronics.

Sony's new UY-T35V flatbed color video scanner, available now at an
MSLP of $3,800, is designed for use as an input source for a variety
of applications, including photo novelty and amusement, computer
graphics, advertising, presentations, video production,
videoconferencing, image transmission, and image filing.

The new scanner reproduces the RGB elements of an image with 256
gradations each, for more than 16 million colors, according to the
Sony. The scanner outputs RGB, composite and S-Video signals to
any computer equipped with a video capture board. Images scanned
with the UY-T35V have a horizontal resolution of more than 500 TV
lines.

A "trim function" lets the user enlarge any part of an image
without degradation or loss of horizontal resolution, and also
permits repeat trimming to further enlarge an area that has already
been trimmed.

In novelty and amusement applications, still video prints and other
flat images can be scanned in to the UT-T35V for printing and
transferring on to mugs, T-shirts, buttons, and so forth.

Sony recommends use of the scanner with its new UP-1200 and UP-1800
printers, which offer the inverted, mirror-image print capabilities
needed for novelty and amusement applications, along with a 60-
second print time and 100-sheet paper capacity.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19940225/Reader contact: Sony, 800-472-SONY;
Press contacts: Gerrie Schmidt, Sony Electronics 201-930-7454;
Patricia Mozzillo, Technology Solutions for Sony, 212-505-9900)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00013)

Company Results Roundup 02/25/94
PENN VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- This is
a regular feature, summarizing company results not reported
elsewhere by Newsbytes: Novell Inc., Magic Software Enterprises
Ltd., Northstar Computer Forms Inc., Digital Systems International
Inc., Westcott Communications Inc., Merisel Inc., Logic Devices Inc.,
Xylogics Inc., Tandy Corp, Davidson & Associates Inc., InterTAN Inc.,
Autodesk Inc., and Cablevision Systems Corp.

Leading network operating system publisher Novell Inc.,
(801-429-7000) reported net revenue of $311 million for its first
quarter ended January 29, 1994, up 20 percent from net revenue of
$260 million for the same fiscal quarter in 1993. Net income was
$73 million, up three percent from $71 million posted for the
same period of fiscal 1993. On a per share basis, net income was
$0.23 per share, the same as the year before. Novell net revenue
from the US grew 27 percent in the first fiscal quarter 1994,
compared to the year before.

Client/server software tools vendor Magic Software Enterprises
Ltd., (212-370-4500), reported its results for the year ended
December 31, 1993. Sales rose by 68 percent in 1993, and reached
$16,864,000, compared with $10,037,000 in 1992. Net income for
1993 increased by 93 percent, reaching $2,530,000, compared with
$1,312,000 in the preceding year. Sales for the fourth quarter of
1993 were $6,115,000, up 100 percent from sales of $3,050,000
for the same period in 1992. Net income for the fourth quarter was
$1,160,000 or $0.29 per share based on 3,989,000 weighted average
number of shares outstanding, compared with $504,000 or $0.14
per share based on 3,578,000 weighted average number of shares
for the fourth quarter 1992, an increase of over 130 percent in net
income.

MICR encoded document manufacturer Northstar Computer Forms
Inc., (612-338-8601), announced record first quarter sales and
earnings for the period ended January 31, 1994. First quarter sales
were $5,697,749 compared to 1993 first quarter sales of
$4,837,054, an increase of 17.8 percent. Net income rose 54.5
percent from $172,116 to $265,870. Earnings per share were $.15
compared to 1993 first quarter of $.10. The company says it has
reported profitable results for the past 23 consecutive years.

Digital Systems International Inc., (206-881-7544), a provider of
inbound and outbound Intelligent Call Management systems and
related services released results for the fourth quarter ended
December 31, 1993. Net sales for the quarter were $8.8 million,
down 40 percent from net sales of $14.8 million in the fourth
quarter of 1992. The company reported a net loss of $1.7 million
for the quarter (17 cents per share), down from net earnings of
$1.2 million (13 cents per share) for the same period in 1992.
For the year ended December 31, 1993, net sales were $41.1 million,
down 27 percent from net sales of $56.7 million in 1992. The
company reported a net loss of $6.8 million for the year (72 cents
per share), compared to net earnings of $5.7 million (61 cents per
share) in the prior year.

Westcott Communications Inc., (214-716-5141), a company which
provides workplace training and education utilizing various
multimedia technologies., reported net income of $3,069,000, or
16 cents per share, for the three months ended December 31, 1993,
as compared to a net income of $1,070,000, or 6 cents per share,
for the like quarter of 1992. Revenues for the fourth quarter of
1993 were $19,541,000 as compared to $14,108,000 for the like
quarter of 1992. For the year ended December 31, 1993, Westcott
Communications had net income of $8,837,000, or 47 cents per
share, on revenues of $69,262,000, as compared to net income of
$4,281,000, or 25 cents per share, on revenues of $52,694,000
for the year ended December 31, 1992.

Computer hardware and software wholesale distributor, Merisel
Inc., (310-615-1259), has announced significant growth in fourth
quarter and annual net sales and net income for 1993. Net sales for
the fourth quarter ended December 31, 1993, increased 39 percent
to $949 million, from $685 million in 1992. Net sales for the year
ended December 31, 1993, increased 38 percent to $3.1 billion,
from $2.2 billion in 1992. Net income for the quarter ended
December 31, 1993, increased 58 percent to $11.9 million, or 39
cents per share, from $7.5 million, or 25 cents per share for the
same period in 1992. Net income for the year ended December 31,
1993, increased 55 percent to $30.4 million, or $1 per share, from
$19.7 million, or 67 cents per share in 1992.

Logic Devices Inc., (408-737-3300), reported net income for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 1993 of $277,000 or 6 cents per
share, up 226 percent from $85,000 or 2 cents per share, for the
year ended December 31, 1992. Revenues for the year ended
December 31, 1993 were $12,817,000 up 5 percent from the
$12,255,000 recorded for the previous year ended December 31,
1992. Net income for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 1993
was $99,000 or 2 cents per share, against $40,000 or one cent per
share, for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, 1993, and $55,000 or
one cent per share, for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 1992.
Revenues for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 1993 were
$3,165,000 compared to $3,171,000 for the third quarter of 1993.
Revenues for the fourth quarter of 1992 were $3,207,000.

Internetworking vendor Xylogics Inc., (617-272-8140), announced
results for its first fiscal quarter ended January 29, 1994.
Revenues for the first quarter of 1994 were $11.32 million or 22
percent higher than the $9.25 million reported one year ago. Net
earnings for the first quarter of 1994 were $673,000 or $.25 per
share compared with $552,000 or $.20 per share for the first
quarter of 1993.

Computer vendor Tandy Corp., (817-390-3730), announced that for
the quarter ending December 31, 1993, continuing US retail sales
were up 18 percent over the prior year quarter. Consolidated sales
and operating revenues for the quarter resulted in an increase of
13 percent to $1,454,831,000 when compared to the prior year
quarter of $1,285,299,000 which included sales from the 110
closed Tandy Name Brand stores. Income from continuing operations
for the December 1993 quarter was $80,659,000 or $1.03 per
average common and common equivalent share outstanding compared
to $28,644,000 or $0.36 per share in the prior year quarter. Net
income including income from discontinued operations for the
fourth quarter of 1993 was $96,481,000 or $1.24 per share. This
compares to a net loss of $28,337,000 or $0.39 per share in the
prior year period.

Davidson & Associates Inc., (310-793-0600), an independent publisher
of multimedia educational software for the home and school markets,
announced operating results for the fiscal year ended December 31,
1993 and for the fourth quarter ending on the same date. For the
year the company reported revenues of $58,569,000, a 48 percent
increase over the $39,608,000 reported for 1992. Net income was
$6,559,000 or $.41 a share versus $3,863,000 or $.26 per share last
year, an increase of 70 percent and 59 percent respectively. Net
income for the quarter totaled $2,951,000 or $.18 per share,
compared to $1,571,000 or $.10 per share in the fourth quarter of
1992, an increase of 88 percent or 80 percent on a per share basis.
Revenues in the quarter were $16,855,000, a 25 percent increase
from the $13,499,000 reported during last year's fourth quarter.

Ontario-based InterTAN Inc., (705-728-6262), announced that
its net income for the second quarter of fiscal 1994 was
$9,063,000 compared to net income of $152,000 in the same
quarter of the prior year. Income for the first six months of
fiscal 1994 was $4,567,000 or $0.49 per share compared to a
loss of $7,720,000 or $0.87 per share for the same period in
fiscal 1993.

Computer-aided design (CAD) software vendor Autodesk Inc.,
(415-507-5707) reported net revenues for the fiscal year ended
January 31, 1994, were $405.6 million, an increase of 15 percent
over net revenues of $353.2 million for the previous fiscal year.
Net income for fiscal 1994 increased by 42 percent, growing from
$43.9 million, or $1.76 per share in fiscal '93 to $62.2 million or
$2.50 per share in fiscal 1994. Net revenues for the fourth quarter
ended Jan. 31, 1994, increased to $102.1 million from $98.6
million for the like quarter in the prior fiscal year. Net income
for the fourth quarter was $15.3 million, or 63 cents per share
compared with $11.2 million, or 44 cents per share in the prior
fiscal year. The company says that the increase in net income
resulted primarily from revenue growth, improved operating
margins, and a one-time charge of 12 cents per share recorded
in the prior year.

Cablevision Systems Corp., (516-496-1271), net revenues for the
quarter and year ended December 31, 1993, were $171,968,000
and $666,724,000 compared to net revenues of $157,540,000 and
$572,487,000, respectively, for the same periods in 1992. The
increase of nine percent for the quarter was attributable to
internal growth in the number of subscribers, increases in other
revenue sources and to rate increases, said the company. Net
losses for the periods amounted to $ 86,880,000 and $246,782,000,
respectively, or $3.78 and $10.83 per common share, as compared
to net losses of $65,899,000 and $250,503,000, respectively, or
$2.94 and $11.17 per common share for the same periods in 1992.

(Ian Stokell/19940224)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SYD)(00014)

Australian News Briefs 02/25/94
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- Here's a roundup of
computer and telecom industry news this week from down under.

[] VTEL launched its MediaConferencing video conference gear
in Australia by hooking up with its Austin, Texas headquarters.
The system combines sound, video, file and document transfer
simultaneously. In Australia the system will be distributed by
Inchcape Telecommunications.

[] Wellfleet Communications has established a $3M Asia/Pacific
support center in Sydney. "Australia will represent the Asia/Pacific
segment of a global support network where a customer can contact a
Wellfleet specialist 24 hours a day anywhere in the world." The
other two centers are in Massachusetts and France.

[] It's modem week in Australia. Or so it seems, with a number of
manufacturers setting up down-under offices. The first is Microcom
with an office headed by regional sales manager Chy Chuawiat.
General Datacomm has started direct operations with offices in
Sydney and Melbourne. Brian Brearton is the MD. Hayes has opened
a Sydney office, headed by MD Andrew Phillips.

[] InfoMagic founder David Fox has sold the last of his shareholding
in Australian software distributor InfoMagic. The company made
its name in the Mac and later, Windows arena, specializing in
graphics and publishing products. Fox now runs Instant Access in
Europe and the US, a company specializing in CD-ROM disks
containing demo software plus unlockable full copies.

[] Borland Australia's dBASE guru Ross Dembecki has been promoted
to senior product marketing manager for the dBASE Business Unit
at Borland head office. Dembecki was one of just a couple of
people who made the transition when Borland absorbed Ashton-Tate
in Australia.

[] BellSouth Mobile Data has opened its Sydney wireless data
network and expects to have Melbourne online soon. The plan is
to have Australia-wide coverage by late 1995, using the Ericsson
Mobitex technology.

[] Australia is to get its own version of the famous Micrografx
Chili Cookoff. The US event is held annually at Comdex/Fall
and brings the industry together to raise money for charities.
The Aussie event will be held in May at the PC World exhibition
in Sydney, with proceeds going to the Salvation Army for
its missing Children's appeal.

[] Concurrent Computer has appointed Peter Seaward as regional
business manager for Australia following a worldwide
reorganization. He reports to Asia/Pacific boss Kenneth Ramsey
in Singapore.

[] Sydney Electricity, one of Australia's largest power
companies, has launched a 'powersmart' campaign pushing the
energy efficient concept to PC users with the assistance of
AST, Intel, Epson, Microsoft, Wang and Media Vision. A large
finance company is jumping on the bandwagon by offering
100-days or free finance for purchasers of energy efficient
machines.

[] Radius, the Mac monitor and enhancement product manufacturer,
has opened an Australian office. Country Manager Deidre Jordan
was previously marketing manager for Claris in Australia.

[] AT&T Easylink Services has made a deal with Geecon Services
in Australia to enhance the ALATA EDI messaging services for
PCs. Alata is a locally written package for managing electronic
document interchange (EDI). It handles international trade,
bookings, export advice notes, forwarding instructions,
bills of lading and so on.

[] The networkable computer game Doom has been banned at
Microsoft Australia. Staff noticed that the network was being
heavily used around 6pm each day as technical staff became
heavily involved in playing the game across the network, and
in some cases with overseas enthusiasts.

(Paul Zucker and Computer Daily News/19940225)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEN)(00015)

Cray Research Spins Off Engineering Software 02/25/94
EAGAN, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- Cray Research has
announced the spinoff of its MPGS engineering post-processing
software package to an independent company.

Cray says Computational Engineering International Inc. (CEI), is an
independent company formed by former Cray Research employees to
develop support and expand the market for the product. Previously
the software, which will be known as "Ensight," a contraction of
Engineering Insight, was available only to Cray supercomputer
customers.

Cray will hold a 30 percent equity interest in CEI and will
continue to market Insight to its customers under a licensing
agreement with CEI. The new company will be based in Research
Triangle Park, North Carolina and will continue development and
product support for all Ensight customers while directing its
marketing and sales efforts towards the workstation market.

Ensight is a distributed engineering post-processing package used by
engineers and scientists to display and manipulate the results of
large computational analyses. Dr. Anders Grimsrud, Ensight's
principal author, will head the product development and support
division of the new company.

According to Derek Robb, Cray VP of marketing, the latest version of
Ensight does not require the user to have access to a supercomputer.
He says that makes the potential market nearly all engineering
workstation users as well as users of Cray Research supercomputers.
"Current customers have found the software to be an excellent
post-processing tool for all types of finite element modeling,
including structural analysis, fluid dynamics, electromagnetics,
injection molding and thermodynamics," according to Grimsrud.

Cray says Ensight is already in use at most major automotive
companies, as well as several national laboratories and major
universities.

Ensight 5.1 was developed in collaboration with Electricite de
France, the world's largest public utility. It runs on workstations
from Silicon Graphics, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Sun Microsystems, and
Digital Equipment/Kubota. It is compatible with various finite
element and fluid dynamics analysis software packages, including
MSC/NASRAN, ANSYS, LS-DYNA3D, FLUENT, FIDAP, and STAR-CD.

(Jim Mallory/19940225/Press contact: Steve Conway, Cray Research,
612-683-7133; Reader contact: Computational Engineering
International, 919-481-4301)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(DEN)(00016)

Bill Gates Had A Bad Day 02/25/94
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- "I had a
pretty bad day yesterday," Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates told
attendees at a computerconference yesterday.

Gates was referring to the news that a U.S. District court jury had
ruled that Microsoft has to pay Stac Electronics $120 million
dollars after Microsoft lost a patent infringement case filed by
Stac.

Gates said he was disappointed over losing the patent dispute with
Stac Electronics but vowed to find another way to offer the
disputed data compression feature that was implemented in MS-DOS 6
to increase the available storage space on computer hard disks. "My
lawyers came in and told me we might have to pay $120 million,
which is a serious amount of money," Gates was quoted as saying.

So is the more than $93 million Gates got when he sold 1.12 million
shares of Microsoft stock the last week in January. Microsoft has
repeatedly declined to comment on why its officers sell any of their
stock. Microsoft stock dropped 1-1/8 to 79-7/8 yesterday after news
of the ruling in the Stac case was announced. Stac shares gained
2-1/8 to 6-1/2 on the news.

(Jim Mallory/19940225/Press contact: Microsoft Public Relations,
206-882-8080)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TOR)(00017)

 ****Bell-Northern Planning Star Trek-like Communicator 02/25/94
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- The Orbitor, a
device being designed at Bell-Northern Research, would provide a
variety of wireless communications in a unit small enough to hold
in one's hand.

Still in the planning stages, the Orbitor would compete to some
extent with devices such as the Personal Communicator from AT&T's
Eo unit. It would emphasize communications more heavily than do
personal digital assistants such as Apple Computer's Newton.

According to a recent article in Bell-Northern's corporate
magazine Telesis, the Orbitor would incorporate a cellular
telephone that the user could dial by simply speaking the name of
the person to be called. The unit would recognize the name,
retrieve the person's number from its storage, and dial the
number.

The Orbitor would also have a small display screen that could
display written messages. The screen would also be
touch-sensitive, allowing users to select operations by touching
icons. While a pen-like stylus is apparently included in the
design, BNR's scientists said nothing in the Telesis article
about handwriting recognition.

They said animation -- such as an envelope closing and moving off
the screen -- would help make it easy for users to understand the
operations the device performs.

The researchers likened their concept to the personal
communicators used by crew members on the television series Star
Trek. Like those devices, it would let users be contacted any
time, anywhere, and like them, BNR sees the Orbitor being clipped
on to clothing for easy carrying. The developers also say their
device might be sold in an assortment of colors, suggesting it
could be treated as a fashion accessory.

A small earpiece would allow users to listen to messages
privately, the article added.

Users would also be able to choose who could get through to them
directly. For instance, a meeting mode would screen out calls
from all but selected people, or a quiet mode might accept only
emergency calls. Others messages would be sent to a voice mail
system or message center.

When responding to messages, users would have the option of
choosing from a selection of prepared responses, such as "can't
make it" or "I'll be there" for invitations to meetings.

So far, BNR has only conducted market tests of the concept with
groups of potential customers. The Telesis article reports that
reaction was very positive. John Hewer, a spokesman for
Bell-Northern, said he could not comment on possible plans to
manufacture and sell the Orbitor. That job would fall to Northern
Telecom Ltd. Bell-Northern, which is jointly owned by Northern
Telecom and Bell Canada, only does research and development.

(Grant Buckler/19940225/Press Contact: John Hewer, Bell-Northern,
613-763-5342)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(LAX)(00018)

Legislator's Environmental Voting Records Via Internet 02/25/94
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- Econet, a
San Francisco-based environmental computer network, has released
the 1993 National Environmental Scorecard onto the Internet.
Compiled by the League of Conservation Voters' (LCV), the
National Environmental Scorecard is an annual publication.

The document contains the detailed voting records of House and
Senate Representatives on environmental issues in 1993. Steve
Fram, Econet's technical director said: "We think it's crucial
that important environmental information like LCV's Scorecard
gets disseminated as widely and as quickly as possible, to as
broad a public as possible. Most of the information out there on
the Internet is not that useful to people. This is information
that really matters, that people can really use."

In addition to publishing the text version, Econet has prepared a
graphical, interactive World Wide Web version of the Scorecard --
World Wide Web being a multimedia portion of the Internet. The
graphical version has a map of the United States divided into
regions users can click on to retrieve voting records and photos
of the legislators.

The Scorecard is available by via the World Wide Web (WWW) using
the following universal resource locator (URL):
http://www.econet.apc.org/lcv/scorecard.html. Those using the
Internet user interface Gopher can access the Scorecard in text
mode via the gopher address: gopher.econet.apc.org; port 70. For
those with electronic mail (email) access only, a request sent to
[e-mail] will bring back a copy of the Scorecard
by return email.

(Linda Rohrbough/19940225/Press Contact: Sara Hutchinson, The
Institute for Global Communications, tel [phone], fax 415-
546-1794; Public Contact, League of Conservation Voters, 1707 L
Street NW, Suite 550, Washington, DC, 20036, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(WAS)(00019)

EFF Details Complaints About FBI Surveillance Bill 02/25/94
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- The FBI-Justice
Department legislation to give law enforcement authorities access
to telecommunications traffic is receiving a beating from the
Electronic Frontier Foundation, which is representing high-tech
industry and civil-liberties groups.

An EFF analysis of the administration legislation, called the
"Digital Telephony and Communications Privacy Improvement Act of
1994," concludes that it "lays the groundwork for turning the
national information infrastructure into a nationwide surveillance
system, to be used by law enforcement with few technical or
legal safeguards."

The bill would require common carriers to deliver "call setup
information," such as a list of phone numbers dialed by the telephone
currently under surveillance.

"As we all come to use electronic communications for more and
more purposes," says EFF, "this simple call setup information
could also reveal what movies we've ordered, which online
information services we've connected to, which political bulletin
boards we've dialed up, etc. With increasing use of
telecommunications, this simple transactional information
reveals almost as much about our private lives as would be
learned if someone literally followed us around on the street,
watching our every move."

In wiretap cases, a court order is required and courts are
careful about authorizing taps, notes EFF. But "authorizations
to call setup information are routinely granted with no substantive
review. Some federal agencies, such as the IRS, even have the
power to issue administrative subpoenas on their own,
without appearing before a court."

Under existing law, says EFF, the government can get the setup
information, but generally has to install a device called a
pen register and monitor it manually at the telephone company
switching office. The new law would require that carriers
"deliver this call setup information in real time, directly to a
remote listening post designated by law enforcement."

The FBI bill, according to EFF, "takes a major step beyond
current law in that it allows for a tap and/or trace on a person,
as opposed to mere surveillance of a telephone line."

The bill requires that carriers be able to deliver information
associated with any subscriber, says EFF, "even if that person is
moving around from place to place with a cellular or [personal
communications system] phone. It is conceivable that law
enforcement could use the signaling information to identify the
location of a target, whether that person is the subject of a
wiretap order, or merely a subpoena for call setup information."

The administration would also expand government access to
communications services such as the Internet, online services,
and bulletin boards. While it would still take a court order
to get the contents of electronic mail, "the FBI bill suggests
that common carriers might be responsible for delivering the
addressing information associated with electronic mail and
other electronic communications. For example, if a user
connects to the Internet over local telephone lines, law
enforcement might be able to demand from the telephone
company information about where the user sent messages, and
into which remote systems that user connects. All of this
information could be obtained by law enforcement without ever
receiving a wiretap order."

Finally, complains EFF, the bill would give the attorney
general "the power to shut down any common carrier service that
fails to comply with all of these requirements," which some have
called the "war powers" provision. "Granting the Department
of Justice such control over our nation's communications
infrastructure is a serious threat to our First Amendment
right to send and receive information, free from undue government
intrusion," says EFF.

EFF, founded in 1990 by former Lotus executive Mitch Kapor, is
a public interest group that focuses on the potential of computer
and telecommunications technologies to foster democracy. It has
had a Washington office since 1992. The administration's draft
bill and the EFF analysis are available on the Internet via ftp,
gopher, or www.

For the bill: ftp://ftp.eff.org/pub/EFF/Policy/Digital_Telephony/
digtel94_bill.draft

For the analysis: ftp://ftp.eff.org/pub/EFF/Policy/Digital_Telephony/
digitel94_analysis.eff

(Kennedy Maize/19940225/Contact: Jerry Berman, EFF, tel 202 347
5400, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(WAS)(00020)

High-Tech Interests Hammer Export Act Rewrite 02/25/94
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- The Clinton
Administration's newly unveiled rewrite of the Export
Administration Act is getting bad reviews from hardware and
software interests. High-tech industries will be backing
alternative legislation in both the House and Senate.

The Electronics Industries Association slammed the
administration's draft bill, saying it "would harm the
competitiveness of the American high technology industry."

EIA President Peter McCloskey said, "If the object is to
help our industry compete, then our government should ensure
that trade laws and regulations don't hamper our industry's
competitiveness." The latest draft, said McCloskey, "is
woefully inadequate."

EIA complained that the administration bill ignored several
principles the trade group told the White House and Congress
were needed to win its support.

Those include "a means to account for the rapid pace of
technological change," a control system that focuses "only
on those choke point products and technologies that are unique,
and specifically designed for the development of weapons of
mass destruction," and multilateral, not unilateral, controls.

"Today," said McCloskey at a Washington press conference,
"rapidly changing product life cycles necessitate an export
control system that can react quickly and focus only on those
technologies" aimed at mass destruction. EIA is backing the
rival "Computer and Communications Trade Freedom Act,"
introduced by Reps. Donald Manzullo (R-Ill.) and Maria
Cantwell (D-Wash.) and the "High Technology Export Reform Act,"
sponsored by Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.).

Software interests were also unimpressed with the administration
legislation. "The administration legislation does nothing
to change" earlier proposals to limit export of software
programs that have strong encryption capabilities," Diane
Smiroldo of the Business Software Alliance told Newsbytes.

The administration has been pushing a position that only the
clipper chip key encryption technology can be exported, and it
wants to prevent export of software with encryption schemes
it cannot break. The clipper chip is a system developed by the
National Security Agency. Its use would give NSA the ability
to decode encrypted messages. The software industry says it
believes few buyers would want encryption technology that
gives the US government the ability to break the code.

"We've told the administration that we would support clipper
as a voluntary option," Smiroldo said. "They say they have
moved in that direction, but their definition of voluntary
is so restrictive it is meaningless."

BSA President Robert Holleyman said his organization will
work with Congress to get the export freedom it needs, including
supporting the Cantwell legislation. "It makes no sense to
prevent American companies from giving their customers the
information security capabilities they need and demand,
particularly when they can get them from numerous foreign
companies," said Holleyman. "The clipper chip or other key
encryption systems developed by the government are highly
unlikely to be acceptable to many customers."

(Kennedy Maize/19940225/Contacts: Mark Rosenker, Electronic
Industries Association, tel [phone]; Diane Smiroldo,
Business Software Alliance, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(DEN)(00021)

Will Microsoft Launch Online Service? 02/25/94
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- A Microsoft
spokesperson said she is unable to confirm a story in Computer
Reseller News that the software giant will launch an online
service by year-end.

Microsoft spokesperson Mich Matthews said she has no knowledge of
such as project and is not aware of any Microsoft project called
"Marvel," the code name designating the project according to CRN.

The weekly magazine says Marvel will be part of Chicago, the code
name for windows 4.0 scheduled to ship by the end of 1994.
According to CRN Marvel will initially provide access to technical
information such as technical notes, forums, and third-party vendor
support. It said the service will be geared to resellers, solution
providers and independent software vendors. A second version,
scheduled for 1995, would reportedly target consumers wanting access
to online banking, financial information, travel services, bulletin
boards and electronic magazines. Those services are already
available from a number of other sources.

CRN said its information was based on "internal documents examined
by CRN."

(Jim Mallory/19940225)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00022)

Another Home Banking Test 02/25/94
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- There
will be a third trial of home banking in the Washington suburbs,
the first of the current crop not sponsored by a phone company.

Visa International, Crestar Bank and US Order of Herndon,
Virginia said they signed an agreement to test US Order screen
phones starting March 1, for one year. About 400 Crestar
customers in the area who hold the Crestar Premier MoneyCard, a
Visa debit card, will participate, getting $200 US Order
Scanfones through which they'll swipe the card and input a four-
digit personal ID number or PIN, like those used in bank money
machines. This will allow access to bill payment and electronic
shopping services.

Two other screen phone tests are presently going on. In
Nashville, BellSouth is working with First Tennessee Bank and US
Order, with hopes of expanding the market trial into full-blown
marketing later this year. In Chicago, Ameritech recently
announced it would work with NV Philips and Citibank on a test
of screen phone technology, using $200 units which otherwise
would cost $600.

Consumers in the Washington test will lease their Scanfones,
which include specialized bill payment software that interfaces
with the Visa system and, through it, Crestar's bank software.
Technically, the three participants will be testing US Order's
BankPlus host billing system, Visa's VisaNet bank card network,
and Crestar's security software, on each transaction. Once the
customers are put online, businesses through their member banks
will be put into a direct remittance process, through VisaNet,
just as though they were taking credit cards. Initially, however,
they'll be paid directly through US Order.

US Order Chairman William Gorog said in a press statement the
company has been working with Visa for over two years to develop
the home banking program being tested in Washington.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19940225/Press Contact: Roseann Clavelli, Visa,
415-432-3439; Tony Mattera, Crestar, 804-782-7844; Elizabeth
England, US Order, 212-979-9645)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00023)

Southwestern Bell Buys New York Cellular Properties 02/25/94
DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- Southwestern Bell,
already the second-largest US cellular company, is buying the
US cellular interests of Associated Communications Corp. for
$680 million in Southwestern Bell stock.

Those interests include majority stakes in "A" band properties
around the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, and Albany, New York.
Combined with purchases announced by the company last year in
central New York, the deal gives the Texas-based company a
contiguous cellular operation across central New York state.

Walter Patterson, a Southwestern Bell spokesman, added that the
customers of those operations shouldn't see much change, least
of all in the name of the company to which they write checks.
"They use Cellular One today, and we use the name in many of our
markets," he explained. "The group is made up of hundreds of
licensees around the US," with the logo managed out of Dallas.

Also included in the deal are a 35.7 percent stake in a Cellular
One operation in Pittsburgh and a 3 percent stake in Bay Area
Cellular Telephone serving Northern California. The Pittsburgh
interest, however, is subject to a buy-sell arrangement with
McCaw, the majority owner there, under which either partner can
sell its interest to the other after September, 1995. McCaw is in
the process of being acquired by AT&T.

Once the deal is done, Associated shareholders will also own a
new security including Associate's stock in Tele-Communications
Inc. and Liberty Media, an interest in Portatel del Sureste, a
cellular system in southeastern Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula;
investments in Specialized Mobile Radio licenses throughout
Mexico, other stocks, and the company's interest in a competitive
access provider in Los Angeles, some radio stations and a New
York City art gallery. The company's president bragged that
Associated, capitalized at $6.6 million in 1979, will now be
worth over $1 billion to its shareholders. The deal is expected
to close by the end of the year.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19940225/Press Contact: Walter Patterson,
Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems, 314-733-2132; Dick Lyons,
Cellular One, 214-387-5225)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00024)

Ripples Spread From Failed TCI-BA Merger 02/25/94
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- The failed merger
of TCI and Bell Atlantic may have broad impact on many companies,
and on government policy, but the two companies seem to be
emerging as winners.

Bell Atlantic stock rose sharply in price after the deal was
called off, and after falling over $2 per share in trading on
February 24, TCI stock rose sharply the next day as analysts
speculated on Chairman John Malone's next move. Malone blamed
collapse of the deal on the Federal Communications Commission,
which cut allowable rates for "expanded basic" cable service 7
percent, on top of an earlier 10 percent cut.

In a press conference Bell Atlantic President James Cullen
corroborated that story, but privately officials reportedly
called FCC Chairman Reed Hundt to say the company didn't feel
the agency did anything wrong. Before it announced its intent
to buy TCI last October, Bell Atlantic had favored even
more-drastic cuts in cable service prices than those the
commission eventually imposed.

Stocks in firms which support the "Information Superhighway" also
fell in sympathy with the deal's death, including Scientific-
Atlanta and General Instrument. GI even put out a press release
and held a phone call with analysts at which it said the market
was overreacting, and it was comfortable with public estimates
of its 1994 earnings.

TCI, like other major cable operators, was already in the process
of using fiber cable to turn itself into more than a TV
retransmission firm. It owns a major stake in Teleport
Communications Group, which announced the day of the merger's
death it now has operations in 18 markets through which companies
can "bypass" local phone companies for the local leg of their
long distance services. TCI also has its own competitive access
operations in conjunction with its franchises, with the largest
being in Pittsburgh. Both CAP companies and upgraded cable nets
are based on the same technology -- a fiber "ring" which routes
optical signals from a central point. CAP companies make sure
their fiber routes pass large office parks, then offer phone and
data services. Cable firms' first priority is linking with
neighborhood systems, increasing the capacity of the coaxial
cable going into subscribers' homes. But, with a little planning,
the cable firms can also make sure their fiber lines pass-by
those same office parks, with extra fiber pairs to handle new
voice and data customers, and perhaps a separate subsidiary to
handle sales.

While Wall Street analysts were selling deal stocks in the
telecom sector in the immediate wake of the merger's collapse,
some say such mergers still make sense. Cable companies offer an
excellent platform for upgrading to full video-voice-data
services in local markets, but they lack capital. Phone companies
have more inefficient plants, but they have capital to spare.

Other, smaller deals, like Southwestern Bell's buy into Cox Cable
and US West's deal with Time Warner, the nation's second-largest
operator, show no signs of collapsing.

The question now is what John Malone, the TCI chairman who made
the final decision to squash the deal, will do next. He's suing
the FCC over its decision, and may use arguments like those of
the National Cable Television Association, which compares its
systems to newspapers and claims the price controls thus violate
the First Amendment to the US Constitution. An argument will
also be made that the rules violate the Fifth Amendment's
prohibition against government taking property without
compensation or proof of a crime.

Bell Atlantic and TCI have not closed the door on possible
joint-ventures, other large companies like AT&T and IBM may
be interested, and both Matsushita and Sony are reportedly
shopping their movie studios. Few analysts expect
Malone to ride off into the sunset.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19940225)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00025)

Final Version Of V.34 Goes To Test 02/25/94
GAITHERSBURG, MARYLAND, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- The
International Telecommunications Union, formerly the CCITT, has
settled technical disputes and approved a final version of the
V.34 or "V.Fast" modulation standard.

Testing of the standard among various companies has already
begun, according to Penril Datability Networks, and final
approval is now slated for June in Geneva, Switzerland.

V.34 is a proposed modulation standard for modems running at
28,800 bits/second, twice as fast as the V.32bis modems now in
general use. Many companies have already introduced "V.Fast"
products using a variety of systems similar to the proposed
standard, and some have said they'll upgrade their customers'
modems free, through calls to bulletin board systems, once V.34
is finalized.

There remains a risk to the standard, however, according to
Richard Stuart, chairman of the Rapporteur Group for High Speed
Modems and vice president of technology at Penril. There are many
owners of intellectual property relevant to the standard who
could require that V.34 users incur substantial license and
royalty costs. Any ITU member country can kill the deal.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19940225/Press Contact: Richard L. Stuart,
Penril Datability Networks, 301-921-8600x8650)


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

Phylon Takes On AT&T VoiceSpan with SingleCall 02/25/94
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- Modem makers
will be offered a choice in data-over-voice technology. Phylon
said it has a technology called SingleCall which is superior to
AT&T's VoiceSpan, which was announced at the Winter CES show.
SingleCall is expected to be unveiled at the Intermedia show in
San Jose next week.

Bill Nicholson, Phylon's vice president-marketing, discussed the
differences with Newsbytes. "VoiceSpan operates under the V.32
modulation standard at 4,800 bits/second" while a voice call is
going on. "That's a 4-point constellation, very robust to noise.
They take standard analog voice and modulate it simultaneously
with the V.32 data stream. Because it's such a robust signal it
acts nicely. At the receiving end they take out the voice.

"What we have on our Single Call is a dynamic bandwidth
allocation. When both sides of a phone conversation talk
simultaneously, it's 4,800, but when you're not talking the data
speed moves up as fast as V.32terbo," 19,200 bits/second. "When
you're transferring graphics 4,800 is slow. I think Single Call
is much more effective in its throughput."

Nicholson also discussed Radish' VoiceView offering, which has
already won support from Intel, Microsoft and other heavy-
hitters, and which AT&T has said is compatible with VoiceSpan.

"VoiceView is a protocol. It's not simultaneous. It's even worse.
There is also some hardware that needs to be changed. It's very
minor stuff, $2-3, just as with our system. But ours is basically
all software as well -- it's just more complex."

Phylon also announced a cross-licensing agreement with Aox Inc.,
under which it will port its TruSpeed modem, fax, and voice
software onto Aox' SingleMaster products. The result will be a
single chip-set for other companies which combines fax, modem,
voice, and sound on a single board.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19940225/Press Contact: Bill Nicholson, Phylon,
510-656-2606)


(REVIEW)(IBM)(SFO)(00027)

Review of - Zug's Dinosaur World, 02/25/94

Runs on: MS-DOS machines; Supports different sound boards

From: First Byte, P.O. Box 2961, Torrance, CA 90509, 310-793-0610

Price: $34.95

PUMA rating: 3.25 (on a scale of 1=lowest to 4=highest)

Reviewed for NEWSBYTES by: Naor Wallach

Summary: A collection of four different activities that are geared
for the 4- to 9-year-old set. The box claims that this program helps
teach reading - an assertion which I believe is a little
far-fetched.

=======

REVIEW

=======

Remember Zug? He was the dinosaur that you helped in his adventures on
Eco-Island. You don't remember? Do you remember that it was really his
buddy's spaceship that we were all trying to repair with recycled
parts? Still no memory?? Oh well...

Zug's latest adventure is really not an adventure at all. Zug's
Dinosaur World is a collection of four different activities for
children aged 4 to 9. First Byte claims that these activities are
well suited for teaching prereading concepts, so this game is listed
in the educational section of the catalogs.

There is a unifying theme to these games and that is your host: Zug.
Zug is a Megasaurus. When you enter the program, you are actually
visiting Zug's room. If you click on various objects
within this room, several things happen. Some of the things lead to
quick animations. Some are control functions like quit.
And finally, four of the items lead to the four different activities:
Color-A-Square, DinoMatch, Excavation, and PreHistory.

Color-A-Square is a coloring book with several twists. All the
pictures that it displays have something to do with dinosaurs,
and all are animated. You cannot color a picture that is in
motion, so your first task is to stop the picture. Obviously,
this means that you can have many different pictures that
have the same theme depending on when you stop the animation.

DinoMatch is a game that is much like the old concentration game. You
are shown a panel of granite cards. When its your turn, you can flip
over any two cards. On the other side is a picture of Zug in various
disguises. If your two picks match each other, you get a point and
another round. If you do not match, the cards turn back around again
and the next player gets his turn. In addition to the panel of cards,
there is an area on the screen where text appears to help explain the
different costumes. There is also a score keeping area and the usual
control buttons.

Excavation is a matching game of a different sort. In this game, you
are shown a panel covered with a bunch of granite blocks. Along the
bottom of the screen are several cards with pictures of dinosaurs on
them. When you click on a granite block, Zug comes over and breaks the
block into little pieces using a pickax. Once he's done, he leaves and
you get to see that portion of a dinosaur's skeleton that was covered
up by the block. The object of the game is to click on the proper
dinosaur picture with the fewest blocks excavated.

Each of the activities is well crafted and designed to
engage your child's interest and keep it. The activities are
colorful, interesting, and allow sufficient latitude for
customization so that you can keep the kids at it for a while.

Overall, I found that the children were drawn to the game and enjoyed
learning how to play the different activities. While different ages
gravitated to different activities, I was besieged for requests to
play the game. There are many areas where sounds are played and in
several locations, Zug - or another dinosaur friend - talks to you.
The box claims that this program supports many of the popular sound
boards. This I was unable to test. When the program attempts to use
the standard PC speaker, speech quality is very poor.

============

PUMA RATINGS

=============

PERFORMANCE: 3 The program operated properly and displayed no bugs. I
was surprised by how long most operations took on a fast 486 class
machine. Speech quality is very poor if you do not have a sound card
installed.

USEFULNESS: 3 Although billed as an educational program concentrating
on reading skills, I found that this program has little to do with
that. Instead, view it as a collection of fun activities for the
children to use.

MANUAL: 4 The manual explains everything that you need to know to
operate the program.

AVAILABILITY: 3 Available from mail order and software stores. This
program is being distributed by Davidson. First Byte does not
maintain a toll-free number for support which might be needed
with the sound card features.

(Naor Wallach/19931223/Linda Duttenhaver, Davidson & Associates)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(SFO)(00028)

Creative Technology Hits Sound Card Makers With Lawsuits 02/25/94
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 25 (NB) --
Creative Technology has filed a complaint in the US District
Court against Orchid Technology, Computer Peripherals, and
Prometheus Products. The complaint claims Sound Producer Pro,
Maestro, and Aria audio cards, respectively, have been falsely
claimed to be compatible with Sound Blaster, the sound
standard for IBM/compatible PCs.

Creative Technology recently also filed suit against
Cardinal Technologies for claiming to be Sound Blaster
compatible.

It is Creative's claim that these cards do not fully emulate Sound
Blaster capabilities, specifically in generation of speech and sound
through ADPCM (Adaptive Differential Pulse Code Modulation).
Creative further claims that this failure causes improper operation
of sound in games such as "Monster Bash," Mortal Kombat," and
"4-D Boxing."

Creative has petitioned the court to issue injunctions that
prohibit Computer Peripherals, and Prometheus Products from
"falsely claiming that its products are "Sound Blaster compatible."
The suit also seeks a recall of all products and related
materials which "falsely advertise compatibility with Sound
Blaster." Further, Creative wants Computer Peripherals and
Prometheus Products to "print corrections in the trade journals and
provide corrective, identifying stickers to its distributors and
retailers with instructions to place stickers on all applicable
units."

Creative Technology is seeking a similar injunction against Orchid
Technology in a separate proceeding.

Speaking with Newsbytes, Matt Afflixio of Cunningham
Communications, said, "It is my understanding that the case with
Cardinal Technologies has concluded and a decision has been
declared in favor of Creative Technology. The decision, as I
understand it, rewards an undisclosed amount of money and similar
provisions as stated in the other injunctions."

(Patrick McKenna/19940225/ Press Contact: Steffanee White,
Creative Technology, tel [phone], Matt Afflixio,
Cunningham Communication, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00029)

Philips Teams With US Company On TV Venture 02/25/94
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS, 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- Philips Electronics,
the electronics division of the Dutch technology giant, has entered
into a long-term joint venture with United International Holdings
(UIH). The venture with the Denver-based company aims to set up a
Europe-wide cable TV operation.

Although precise details of the venture have yet to be finalized,
Newsbytes understands that the project will be the largest of its
type in Europe. Both companies have existing cable TV operations in
several countries. Philips has interests in Austria, Belgium,
France, Germany and The Netherlands. UIH, meanwhile, has cable TV
companies operational in Hungary, Ireland, Malta, Norway and Sweden.

According to a press statement issued by Philips office in London,
the venture aims to have around five million subscribers signed up
within the next few years.

The decision to pitch into the cable TV market is very timely,
Newsbytes notes. Within a matter of weeks, the Astra 1D TV
satellite, which will broadcast to most of Europe, will start
broadcasting on a test basis. Unfortunately, Astra 1D transmissions
are in a particularly low band of the broadcast frequencies, with
most transmissions in the sub-10,000 megahertz (MHz) waveband. Most
"Astra" satellite TV receiver/decoders do not tune down this far.

The result of this is that many potential and existing satellite TV
subscribers may be dissuaded from investing in a next-generation
satellite TV receiver and instead opt for cable TV, which offers a
wider range of channels, but without the need for a receiver and
dish. Already, many cable TV companies are feeding multi-satellite
channels through their system feeds, allowing subscribers a much
better choice than normal dish users.

(Steve Gold/19940225/Press & Public Contact: Philips - Tel: +31-40-
736242 Fax [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00030)

Attachmate Acquires KEA Systems Limited 02/25/94
WOKINGHAM, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- Attachmate, which
claims to be the world's largest supplier of IBM compatible 3270
connectivity systems for PCs, has announced it is acquiring KEA
Systems Limited of Canada for an undisclosed amount.

With its headquarters in Vancouver, Canada, KEA is a privately held
software development company. Founded in 1985 and with a current
staff of 45, the company has a turnover of C$12.6 million, Newsbytes
understands.

KEA claims to be a leading developer of VT emulation products with
just under 20 percent of the worldwide market. 35 percent of the
company's revenue is derived outside of the US and Canada. The
company's products are designed for DOS, Windows and Windows NT,
providing workstation connections to DEC VAX and Unix host systems.

According to Attachmate, the acquisition was formalized on December
31, 1993 and, as a result, KEA will become known as Attachmate
Canada. Graham Jones, Attachmate Northern Europe, announcing the
acquisition at the Windows Show in London this week, said that he
sees the addition of the range DEC emulators from KEA as broadening
the company's solutions to provide clients with a single product
for mixed platform environments.

"KEA already has a significant user base in the European DEC market,
with over 50 percent of sales coming directly from the UK. Clearly,
this endorses the existing UK distribution network which we intend
to continue running in the same format," he said.

"This addition to our portfolio makes Attachmate the leading
European DEC supplier which matches our existing dominance of the
3270 and 5250 European marketplace. The current trend towards
down-sizing and right-sizing require multi-platform connectivity
which we can fulfill completely from a single vendor," he added.

(Steve Gold/19940225/Press & Public Contact: Attachmate - Tel: +44-
734-890390; Fax: [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(MSP)(00031)

Newsbytes Daily Summary 02/25/94
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1994 FEB 25 (NB) -- These
are capsules of all today's news stories:

1 -> Windows Show - Voice Recognition Development System 02/25/94
Another company showing off its voice recognition technology at the
Windows Show, which is being held this week at London's Olympia, is
C3, the Cambridge-based software house.

2 ->  ****PowerPC Will Run Windows, Slowly 02/25/94
 Apple's PowerPC may meet all of the pre-publicity promise, but  with
the recommended 16MB of RAM to run Windows  applications on Macintosh
with PowerPC (PPC), users may find  this feature has a high price tag.

3 -> New For Mac - Intellidraw 2.0 From Aldus 02/25/94 Aldus
Corporation has announced the availability of Intellidraw version 2.0,
the company's drawing program.

4 -> Credit-Card Sized Drives Shock Tested 02/25/94 With credit-card
sized devices serving as the storage and  peripherals of the newest
generation of laptops, just how rugged  are they? Could all their data
be destroyed by a drop to the  floor?

5 -> UK - Modem Price Wars Break Out Again 02/25/94 Modem price wars
have again broken out in the UK this week, with Hayes and US Robotics
taking the occasion of the Windows Show as the springboard to announce
new products and price shuttles.

6 -> Bibliography Management For Macs 02/25/94 In  a small field of
bibliography management software, Westing  Software announced the
release of Bookends Pro, a bibliography  management system for
professional writers and graduate students who track and cite
reference information for publication and  research.

7 -> Creative Labs Claims #1 Sound Card 02/25/94 Sound  Blaster
continues to blast away at the top of a PC audio market  that more
than doubled in 1993 to 5.3 million units shipped  from 2.5 million
shipments in 1992.

8 -> Online's CD-ROM Tower Lets Users Reconfigure Drives 02/25/94
Online Computer Systems has announced a CD-ROM drive tower aimed at
easy re- configurability by stand-alone and networked PC users.

9 -> Japan - NCR Beefs Up Macintosh Maintenance Business 02/25/94 NCR
Japan plans to expand aggressively its existing maintenance business
for  Apple Computer's Macintosh in April. NCR Japan has been offering
service Macintoshes, based on a license from  Apple Computer Japan,
for about 8 years.

10 -> Networking Roundup 02/25/94 This is a regular Friday feature,
summarizing networking news not covered  elsewhere by Newsbytes this
week: Standard Microsystems Corp.,  MICOM Communications Corp.,
Emerald Systems, Extension Technology, Novell, Apple Computer, Cisco
Systems, Wellfleet Communications, UnixWare Technology Group, Asante
Technologies  Inc., and Simware Inc.

11 -> Tadpole Packs SPARCBooks With Features 02/25/94 Tadpole has
introduced SPARCbook 3. The new family of SPARC-compliant notebook
computers offers a larger processor and lighter weight than SPARCbook
2, along with the addition of PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card
Industry Association, integrated ISDN (integrated services digital
network), removable drives, and other new features.

12 -> Sony CatsEye Camera, Digital Printer, Video Scanner 02/25/94
Sony has unveiled a digital CatsEye camera, digital color printer, and
flatbed color video scanner, three new products that are designed to
provide high-end color at affordable prices.

13 -> Company Results Roundup 02/25/94 This is  a regular feature,
summarizing company results not reported  elsewhere by Newsbytes:
Novell Inc., Magic Software Enterprises Ltd., Northstar Computer Forms
Inc., Digital Systems International  Inc., Westcott Communications
Inc., Merisel Inc., Logic Devices Inc., Xylogics Inc., Tandy Corp,
Davidson & Associates Inc., InterTAN Inc., Autodesk Inc., and
Cablevision Systems Corp.

14 -> Australian News Briefs 02/25/94 Here's a roundup of  computer
and telecom industry news this week from down under.

15 -> Cray Research Spins Off Engineering Software 02/25/94 Cray
Research has announced the spinoff of its MPGS engineering
post-processing software package to an independent company.

16 -> Bill Gates Had A Bad Day 02/25/94 "I had a pretty bad day
yesterday," Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates told attendees at a computer
conference yesterday.

17 ->  ****Bell-Northern Planning Star Trek-like Communicator 02/25/94
The Orbitor, a device being designed at Bell-Northern Research, would
provide a variety of wireless communications in a unit small enough to
hold in one's hand.

18 -> Legislator's Environmental Voting Records Via Internet 02/25/94
Econet, a San Francisco-based environmental computer network, has
released the 1993 National Environmental Scorecard onto the Internet.
Compiled by the League of Conservation Voters' (LCV), the National
Environmental Scorecard is an annual publication.

19 -> EFF Details Complaints About FBI Surveillance Bill 02/25/94 The
FBI-Justice  Department legislation to give law enforcement
authorities access to telecommunications traffic is receiving a
beating from the  Electronic Frontier Foundation, which is
representing high-tech  industry and civil-liberties groups.

20 -> High-Tech Interests Hammer Export Act Rewrite 02/25/94 The
Clinton Administration's newly unveiled rewrite of the Export
Administration Act is getting bad reviews from hardware and  software
interests. High-tech industries will be backing alternative
legislation in both the House and Senate.

21 -> Will Microsoft Launch Online Service? 02/25/94 A Microsoft
spokesperson said she is unable to confirm a story in Computer
Reseller News that the software giant will launch an online  service
by year-end.

22 -> Another Home Banking Test 02/25/94 There  will be a third trial
of home banking in the Washington suburbs,  the first of the current
crop not sponsored by a phone company.

23 -> Southwestern Bell Buys New York Cellular Properties 02/25/94
Southwestern Bell,  already the second-largest US cellular company, is
buying the  US cellular interests of Associated Communications Corp.
for  $680 million in Southwestern Bell stock.

24 -> Ripples Spread From Failed TCI-BA Merger 02/25/94 The failed
merger  of TCI and Bell Atlantic may have broad impact on many
companies,  and on government policy, but the two companies seem to be
emerging as winners.

25 -> Final Version Of V.34 Goes To Test 02/25/94 The  International
Telecommunications Union, formerly the CCITT, has  settled technical
disputes and approved a final version of the  V.34 or "V.Fast"
modulation standard.

26 -> Phylon Takes On AT&T VoiceSpan with SingleCall 02/25/94 Modem
makers  will be offered a choice in data-over-voice technology. Phylon
said it has a technology called SingleCall which is superior to
AT&T's VoiceSpan, which was announced at the Winter CES show.
SingleCall is expected to be unveiled at the Intermedia show in  San
Jose next week.

27 -> Review of - Zug's Dinosaur World, 02/25/94 Runs on: MS-DOS
machines; Supports different sound boards

28 -> Creative Technology Hits Sound Card Makers With Lawsuits
02/25/94 Creative Technology has filed a complaint in the US
District  Court against Orchid Technology, Computer Peripherals,
and  Prometheus Products. The complaint claims Sound Producer Pro,
Maestro, and Aria audio cards, respectively, have been falsely
claimed to be compatible with Sound Blaster, the sound  standard
for IBM/compatible PCs.

29 -> Philips Teams With US Company On TV Venture 02/25/94 Philips
Electronics, the electronics division of the Dutch technology giant,
has entered into a long-term joint venture with United International
Holdings (UIH). The venture with the Denver-based company aims to set
up a Europe-wide cable TV operation.

30 -> Attachmate Acquires KEA Systems Limited 02/25/94 Attachmate,
which claims to be the world's largest supplier of IBM compatible 3270
connectivity systems for PCs, has announced it is acquiring KEA
Systems Limited of Canada for an undisclosed amount.

(Wendy Woods/19940225)