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/mar_apr_94/nb031894

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(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00001)

NEC, HP In Color Inkjet Printer Deal 03/18/94
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- Japan's major personal computer
maker NEC has won an agreement from Hewlett-Packard to develop
color inkjet printers for NEC's best-selling PC-9801 family
of computers.

Under this agreement, NEC will provide the printer software and
the controller technology for the PC-9801 to Hewlett-Packard.
Hewlett-Packard will produce the color inkjet printer
incorporating its advanced printer technology. The
new printers will be able to produce letter-quality output.

The major selling point is expected to be the price --
less than 100,000 yen ($1,000). These printers will be sold under
both NEC's and Hewlett-Packard's brand names. Hewlett-Packard will
sell these printers through Yokogawa Hewlett-Packard, a
joint venture it has with Yokogawa Electronics in
Japan. 100,000 units will be shipped by both firms in
the first year, according to their plan.

The low cost of the printers is expected to help boost sales
of the PC-9801 computers for NEC. Currently, Canon is
selling low-cost black-ink inkjet printers for NEC and Apple
Computer. Canon's inkjet printers are called "bubble-jet"
printers, which also offer letter-quality printing.
Canon is also expected to release low-cost color
inkjet printers for NEC, Apple, and IBM in the near future.
This means a color inkjet printer war may loom on the
horizon.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19940318/Press Contact: NEC, +81-3-
3451-2974, Fax, [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00002)

Japan's PC Shipments Up 03/18/94
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- Japan Dataquest reports
that personal computer shipments in Japan recorded a two-
digit increase last year, resulting in a 10.6 percent
increase over 1992. This is the first time in three years
that the increase has been this high.

Total personal computer shipments for 1993 were 2.46 million
units, a 10.6 percent increase over the previous year.

Japan Dataquest says NEC had the top market share of 52.8
percent, followed by Apple Computer (13.9 percent) and Fujitsu
(6.8 percent). Fujitsu had the second largest share in 1992 but
dropped to third place with the ascension of Apple Computer.

IBM Japan assumed fifth place in 1992, but it gained the fourth
place in 1993. Compaq has also increased its share, as did other
DOS/V-compatible PC makers including Japan Digital Equipment.

The increase in PC shipments in the Japanese market can be
attributed to the popularity of multimedia PCs and software
plus a price war in the market has encouraged the purchase of
personal computers, reports the market research firm.

Japan's personal computer boom signals the end to the
economic recession. A variety of new marketing strategies
are being formed to capitalize on the trend. Apple Computer
(Tokyo) has allowed all its dealers to sell Macintosh Performas,
the low-cost entry models. IBM Japan is preparing to release
Fujitsu's FM-Towns compatible DOS/V PC this fall. Fujitsu
is also preparing to release the PC which operates CD-ROM
software of IBM and Apple Computer.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19940317/Press Contact: Japan Data
Quest, [phone], Fax, [phone])


(EDITORIAL)(GENERAL)(WAS)(00003)

To Upgrade Or Not To Upgrade, That Is The Question 03/18/94
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- By Kennedy
Maize. Dear Readers, I need your help. I'm a very conflicted guy.

I've got this new Newsbytes gig, and bit extra in the bank
account, and now the dilemma. Should I upgrade my hardware? If
so, how. Not since the CP/M days has there been so much confusion
on the hardware end of personal computing.

First, some background. Here's what I do with computers. I write,
every day, almost all day, most of it in plain vanilla ASCII
files that are easier to squirt over the phone lines to my
editors around the world. I use PC-Write for most of that, and
WordPerfect 6.0 for DOS for sophisticated stuff.

After that, I connect to other computers, bulletin boards,
online services, and the Internet via modem, I balance my books
with Quicken and do my taxes with TurboTax, and run InfoSelect
all the time to take notes, keep my Rolodex and dial the phone.
That's most it.

Next, my hardware. I'm running a fairly elderly Zeos 386SX20 DOS
machine, with 4 MB of RAM, 89 MB hard drive (of which about 20 MB
are free), 250 MB tape backup, both floppies, and VGA. About a
month ago, I smashed a Cyrix clock doubler on top of my Intel
processor, and it has upped the power of the machine a bit (not
very detectable in DOS, but more noticeable in Windows).

Here are the options:

1. Go for one of those high-end 486DX266 machines, which Zeos is
now unloading for $2,500, and move into the Windows world full
time. I have a closet full of Windows software, so that's no
problem.

2. Go Pentium and the Windows path.

3. Go Power Mac and consign my PC software to the trash heap.

4. Nestle in just under the Power Mac and save a bundle while
still moving to Mac, assuming that Quadra prices fall in a while
under Power Mac pressure.

5. Stick the money in my IRA and wait it out.

Tell me what you think I should do, why, and, in the case of the
Mac options, what software I ought to look at. Assume that I can
spend about $3,000 tops. If you think I ought to stay in the
DOS/Windows world, feel free to mention brands. Who's good, who
is not?

Based on what you tell me, I'll make my decision and then return
to this space later and tell you what I've decided and why.
Thanks in advance.

(Kennedy Maize/19940316)


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

Networking Roundup 03/18/94
PENN VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- This is
a regular Friday feature, summarizing networking news not
covered elsewhere by Newsbytes this week: NetManage, Novell
Inc., Sykes Enterprises Inc., Standard Microsystems Corp., ASP
Computer Products, Data General Corp, Avnet Inc., LSI Logic,
Ascom Tech, Compaq Computer Corp., and Hewlett-Packard Co.

NetManage, (408-973-7171), announced the results of a working
group meeting which tested and reportedly validated the recently
approved WinSNMP networking standard. WinSNMP defines the
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) interface for
Microsoft Windows. Companies participating in the testing forum
include American Computer, Cabletron, FTP Software, Hewlett-
Packard, Novell, and NetManage. NetManage tested NEWTwatch, the
SNMP-based desktop management and analysis system for Windows.
According to the company, NEWTwatch "showed proven compatibility
with all vendors' implementation of their WinSNMP products."

NEWTwatch was reportedly used to monitor and analyze the
performance of each of the SNMP products being tested. The
product's software-only TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/
Internet Protocol) packet trace and analysis package called
NEWTtrace allowed the vendors to capture, view and analyze all
inbound and outbound traffic for immediate testing results.

In Novell (801-429-5933) news, the company announced that it is
partnering with information technology firm Sykes Enterprises
to provide warranty support for its desktop product line beginning
this month. Under terms of the deal, customers will receive "quality
and timely technical support for Novell DOS 7, NetWare Lite, and
Personal NetWare." SEI will provide support through its offices,
located across the United States, Canada and Europe. Customers
who call Novell for warranty support on desktop products will
automatically be routed to SEI.

Standard Microsystems Corp., (516-435-6340), announced the
formation of a corporate sales group that will present the firm's
enterprise LAN (local area network) switching systems and wiring
hubs to Fortune 1000 customers in North America. The company
hopes that the new group will help the firm penetrate into the
high-end internetworking market. The company says that the new
approach is designed to "complement the efforts of SMC's channel
partners and help the company gain access to a class of customers
that was previously unavailable because of the company's indirect
sales channel." The company will also offer advanced technologies,
such as Fast Ethernet and ATM (asynchronous transfer mode), to
customers who are thinking about adding them to their networks.

ASP Computer Products, (408-746-2965), has introduced the
HubWay 10Base-T Ethernet repeater. According to the company, the
compact, palm-size HubWay "easily branches" a single 10Base-T
office connector to accommodate four Ethernet-compatible
devices. The HubWay also functions as a stand-alone hub for
small offices or lab environments that need network services
for five users. HubWay is reportedly fully compliant with IEEE
802.3 10Base-T Ethernet standards.

The company also announced a new line of Category 5,
"high-quality," unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cables for
Ethernet or Token Ring installation. The cables are available
in 5-foot, 10-foot, and 25-foot configurations, with
each cable pre-wired with RJ-45 connectors on each end and
tested for ready use. The HubWay and cables will begin shipping
in quantity in April, 1994. The HubWay HB242, with four RJ-45
ports plus one configurable RJ-45 port has a suggested retail
price of $299. The UTP8W-5 five-foot cable retails for $12, the
UTP8W-10 ten-foot cable retails for $17, and UTP8W-25
twenty-five foot cable retails for $35.

Data General Corp., (508-898-6546), and Avnet Inc., announced
that Avnet Computer will resell Data General's AViiON servers
and CLARiiON storage systems. Avnet will market the Data General
systems to large businesses that are making the transition from
proprietary to open systems computing environments. Data General
already has an agreement with Hall-Mark Computer Products, the
VAR (value-added reseller)-focused division of Avnet CMG which
distributes the AViiON and CLARiiON product lines to companies
that, in turn, resell them to business users.

LSI Logic, (408-433-7736), has announced that Swiss
telecommunications company Ascom Tech will use the ATMizer
architecture in its ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) products,
including the Access Unit (AAU) and the Ascom Musketeer hub.
The basis of the ATMizer architecture is reportedly a flexible
single-chip ATM network controller that performs Segmentation
and Reassembly (SAR), and all ATM layer operations. By
supporting ATM adaption layers 1, 2, 3/4, and 5, the ATMizer
can process up to 64K virtual channels (VCs) of voice, data and
video simultaneously.

Meanwhile, Compaq Computer Corp., (713-374-0484), says that
the Compaq ProLiant server line now supports the SAP R/3
integrated business application system running under Windows
NT. SAP R/3 is a claimed to be an open integrated client/server
business application system that provides "complete business
process support covering sales and distribution, manufacturing,
materials management, financial accounting, and human resource
management in the enterprise."

Hewlett-Packard announced an expansion of its HP NetServer
PC family with the new midrange HP NetServer LF Series and
enhanced high-end HP NetServer LM Series. Both are claimed by the
company to be "easy-to-manage file and application servers." HP
also announced NetServer Assistant, version 2.0, software and
the HP Remote Assistant server-management card. The HP
NetServer LF Series are designed for medium- to large-size
workgroups. The series features two Peripheral Component
Interconnect (PCI) slots and seven standard EISA (Extended Industry
Standard Architecture) slots. CPU (central processing unit) options
include the 66 megahertz (MHz) Intel486DX2, 100MHz Intel DX4 and
66MHz Pentium. The HP NetServer Assistant 2.0 is a customizable
software toolset that is claimed to help network administrators
keep servers running, even from PCs that are off the network.

HP Remote Assistant consists of an intelligent EISA
card and software that reportedly give administrators "anytime"
server access regardless of a server's state. The HP NetServer LF
and HP NetServer LM Series start at $3,349 and $4,449, respectively.
All models include HP NetServer Assistant 2.0. HP Remote Assistant
is priced under $1,000. All the products are set to ship in the
second quarter of 1994.

(Ian Stokell/19940318)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00005)

Personnel Changes Roundup 03/18/94
PENN VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- This is
a regular feature, summarizing personnel changes at companies
not covered elsewhere by Newsbytes: Viacom, Borland
International Inc., Turn Technology Inc., Western Micro
Technology Inc., Unisys Corp.

Viacom, (212-258-6346), has named Philippe P. Dauman executive
vice president, general counsel and chief administrative officer
and Thomas E. Dooley has been named executive vice president,
finance, corporate development and communications. Dauman's
responsibilities will include, for the company and all its
subsidiaries, the law department, government affairs, and
administration. In his new capacity, Dooley's responsibilities
will include, for the company and all its subsidiaries, the
finance department, corporate development, and corporate relations.

Dauman joined Viacom as senior vice president and general counsel
in February 1993. He is a member of the board of directors of
Viacom and its parent company, National Amusements Inc. Prior to
joining Viacom, he was a partner of the New York-based law firm
of Shearman and Sterling, where he had spent his entire legal
career and had served as principal outside counsel to Viacom.
Dooley had been Viacom's senior vice president, corporate
development since July 1992 and president, Interactive Television
since August, 1993.

Meanwhile, Jonathan L. Dolgen has been named chairman, Viacom
Entertainment Group. He will head a newly formed Viacom unit that
will oversee the operations of the Motion Picture Group and
Paramount Television Group, including the television station
group and the new Paramount Network. Dolgen was formerly president,
Motion Picture Group of Sony Pictures Entertainment since 1991.

Borland International Inc., (408-431-1621), announced that
Keith A. Maib was appointed chief operating officer. Maib, 35,
was a partner in the business turnaround services group of Price
Waterhouse, an accounting and management consulting firm. Maib,
who had been with the firm for the past 12 years, headed a team
of consultants brought in by Borland's board of directors to
examine the company's overall operations and develop plans for
returning the company to growth and profitability. Maib will
have day-to-day operating responsibility for all worldwide
operations, including finance, administration, manufacturing,
sales and marketing, and product management.

Electronic equipment company Turn Technology Inc., (408-980-1355),
announced that Joseph J. McDowell had resigned from the company.
He previously served as chairman of the board, chief executive
officer, chief financial officer and secretary. McDowell will
continue to serve on the board of directors. The board named
Peter T. Socha to succeed McDowell as chairman and chief
executive officer.

Western Micro Technology Inc., (408-725-4723), a supplier of
electronic components and systems, has announced that Chuck
LaVarnway has been hired as general manager of the company's
Agoura Hills (Los Angeles Area) Branch. Prior to joining Western
Micro, LaVarnway served as senior vice president of sales for
Cypress Electronics, Santa Clara, CA. He also spent 10 years
with Arrow Electronics, most recently as regional vice president
for their Southwest Region.

Malcolm Coster has been appointed senior vice president of
Unisys Corp., (215-986-6948), and president of its Europe-Africa
Division, based in London. Coster replaces Graham Murphy, who
retired. Coster joined Unisys from Coopers & Lybrand where he
was in charge of the firm's management consultancy practice,
served as executive partner in the United Kingdom, and headed
international business development.

(Ian Stokell/19940318)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(SYD)(00006)

Australia - Govt Users Complain About Microsoft Contract 03/18/94
CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA, 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- Microsoft has a special
deal for Australian government users to buy its products at low
prices. After three months of using the method, buyers are
complaining that it may not be worth the problem.

In a story in Australian Computerworld newspaper, Canberra
correspondent John Hilvert reports that the users are complaining
about the paperwork burden, inflexibility, and delays in
delivering product and paying resellers. Bill Nauemberg, the
Federal Treasury's assistant director for software support, said
"It's awkward and we can't seem to negotiate better prices."

The PE54MSFT common use contract is unpopular with everyone
except Microsoft. One user, Peter Howitt, said, "We get the disks
but there is no documentation. We are in the dark. It used to be
a simple process, now it's a bureaucratic nightmare. The
contract's paperwork, in particular, is causing distress at user
and reseller levels."

Stephen Lantham of reseller Clear Technology complained that the
users are confused and that dealers have to work much harder for
much smaller margins, and after all that, deliveries are often
very slow. "I heard of one case where a department was invoiced
but had to wait seven weeks for a copy of DOS 6.2."

One dealer said that some users were so concerned about the
complexity, they ordered retail product with their departmental
credit card. He said this had happened even with the department
that managed the contract in question.

Lotus and Borland are also reported to be keen to develop a
similar direct-purchase contract, but wish to avoid those areas
of Microsoft contracts which have generated complaints. Lotus is
tipped to be allowing resellers a larger margin that they get on
Microsoft purchases. It may be that Lotus drops the Department of
Administrative Services from the loop entirely, passing its three
percent cut to the resellers.

Borland wants to increase the reseller margin but wants to leave
DAS in the loop. WordPerfect is also talking to DAS about a deal.

(Paul Zucker/19940318)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SYD)(00007)

Australia - Computerland Gets A New Life 03/18/94
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- The Computerland group is
on the move in Australia. With backing from Singapore Computer
Systems (a company with $100M turnover) the Computerland
franchise in Australia and New Zealand has been brought into an
Asia-wide Computerland empire.

General Manager John Paull, a former Apple Australia executive,
said the group was looking for more franchisees and expected to
have 31 stores operating around Australia by the end of 1996. He
wouldn't say how much a would-be franchisee would need but said,
"I don't expect many to come running up with $500,000 to spend."

The first new franchise will be in Melbourne where there is no
store at present. All new stores will be in capital cities and
will operate in a way that suits the target market. Paull said
some would leverage a systems-integration mode of operation,
while others would expand more into retail sales, though he said
the retail stores would be more than a walk-in/walk-out operation
and would emphasize service and support.

The new headquarters are close to the Sydney central business
district. Plans include a press campaign to reintroduce the
Computerland name to the computer-buying public. Compaq Australia
boss Ian Penman said SCS would provide the kind of solid backing
and management expertise that had been lacking in previous
Computerland operations. A previous operator had partly blamed
Compaq for his business failure.

(Paul Zucker/19940318)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00008)

Media Vision Multimedia Kit Line 03/18/94
FREMONT, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- As PC
manufacturers bring more systems with multimedia to market,
the multimedia kit market continues expand into the uninstalled
base of 386s, 486s and Macintosh computers without multimedia.
To meet the demands of a broad range of users, Media Vision
has announced a line of five multimedia kits, four of which
are for IBM/DOS PCs and one for the Macintosh.

The kits differ by software titles, CD-ROM technology,
and price; all kits include a Media Vision 16-bit audio
card and speakers. Four of the kits offer fifteen different CD
titles and the Family Deluxe Kit offers nine titles. The premier
release for Media Vision is the "Reno" portable CD-ROM kit for both
the Mac and the PC. The "Reno" weighs about one pound and doubles as
a portable audio CD-player. Introduced at Consumer Electronics Show
in January, "Reno," in the Premium Deluxe Multimedia Kit is,
according to Media Vision, the fastest drive on the market with 180
millisecond access time.

Greg Reznick, vice president of marketing for Media Vision,
told Newsbytes, "It is our intention to offer multimedia kits
to every price point in the market. It seems that the
uninstalled base of users are continuing to flock to upgrade
kits as the most affordable means of entering multimedia
computing.

"We see this trend lasting well into the winter of 1995, as more
system manufacturers include multimedia as part of the basic system.
We offer the latest CD titles available to our customers."

The Premium Deluxe Multimedia Kit (a Mac kit and PC kit) has a
suggested retail price (SRP) of $599. The Pro Deluxe Multimedia Kit,
highlighted with a triple speed NEC drive is $799 (SRP); a Super
Deluxe Kit is the standard double speed drive at $499 (SRP) and the
Family Deluxe Kit, with a 320ms drive, is an affordable entry-level
priced at $399 (SRP). A thirty minute installation video is included
and Media Vision provides toll-free technical support seven days a
week.

(Patrick McKenna/19940317/Press Contact: Elizabeth Fairchild, Media
Vision, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TYO)(00009)

Japan - Multimedia Telecom Project 03/18/94
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- Mitsubishi Trading, Mitsui
Bussan Trading, Tokyo Electric and Tokyu Railway are
setting up a multimedia network research association aimed at
the creation of an information highway that supports
video-on-demand, TV shopping, karaoke and games online.

The network, which will also offer digital phone services and
Personal Handy Phone service, will run on Tokyo
Telecommunication Network's optical fiber network. Tokyu
Railway's cable TV network and Tokyo Electric's telecommunication
network will be connected with Tokyo Telecommunication Network's
optical fiber network.

The work is being organized through what they have dubbed the
"Next Generation Network Research Association" in Tokyo. This
group will experiment with interactive telecommunication services,
exchange technical information on networks and do research
on multimedia networks. Actual experimental interactive
telecommunication services will be conducted with members
of Tokyu Cable television network, which is the second
largest cable TV network in Japan with about 80,000
members.

Altogether the group wants 20 firms to participate and is
actively soliciting potential new members.

Other trading conglomerates and cable TV firms are
planning to start multimedia network services. Among them
are NTT as well as well as Sumitomo Trading and TCI
(Telecommunication Inc.).

The Japanese Ministry of Posts & Telecommunication is
planning to further deregulate the telecommunication market to allow
telecom firms and electronics firms to provide new businesses
involving telecommunications and broadcasting.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19940317/Press Contact: Mitsui Bussan
Trading, [phone], Fax, [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00010)

Company Results Roundup 03/18/94
PENN VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- This is
a regular feature, summarizing company results not reported
elsewhere by Newsbytes: NTN Communications Inc., Adobe Systems
Inc., Measurex Corp., Excel Technology Inc., and SofTech Inc.

The enormous diversity of companies involved in high-tech
industries is often mirrored by the range of financial results
posted. While NTN, part of the growing market of interactive
entertainment, posted increased revenues, it still managed to record
a loss. In contrast, Adobe Systems continued to post high revenue
and income for its latest quarter. Niche players Measurex and
SofTech both posted small incomes, while laser company Excel
reported a huge increase in revenue.

NTN Communications Inc., ( 212-687-0061), an international producer,
programmer and broadcaster of interactive television games, shows,
educational programs and a developer/distributor of interactive
video game software, reported an increase in total revenues and a
improved balance sheet for the year ended December 31, 1993. NTN's
revenues increased 84 percent to $11,123,000 from the prior year's
$6,047,000. New World Computing (a recently acquired 100
percent wholly owned subsidiary) revenues increased 32 percent to
$6,135,000 from $4,655,000 for the year ended December 31, 1992.

The consolidated revenues for NTN Communications increased 61
percent to $17,258,000 from $10,702,000 for the year ended December
31, 1992. NTN earned $61,000 during the fourth quarter prior to
consolidation with New World. For fiscal 1993, New World had a gross
profit of $610,000 and after-tax profit of $329,000. NTN's
consolidated net loss of $1,301,000 for 1993 decreased as compared
to a net loss of $2,240,000 for 1992.

Software maker Adobe Systems Inc., (415-962-3840), fared much
better, reporting its operating results for the first quarter of
fiscal 1994. Revenue for the first quarter ended February 25, 1994,
was up 19 percent to $81,251,000 from $68,535,000 in the first
quarter of fiscal 1993. Net income was $15,055,000 or 32 cents per
share, compared to $15,462,000, or 34 cents per share, in the 1993
first quarter. Net income for the first quarter of 1993 included a
non-operating gain of $3,920,000 on the sale of common stock held as
an investment, resulting in 5 cents earnings per share benefit.
Licensing revenue for the first quarter totaled $36,326,000 compared
to $40,545,000 in the first quarter of fiscal 1993. Application
products revenue for the quarter increased 61 percent to $44,925,000
from $27,990,000 reported in the first quarter of 1993.

Measurex Corp., a provider of computer-integrated control and
information systems, reported 1994's first quarter earnings from
operations were $2.2 million, a 72 percent increase from $1.3
million in the prior year. Net income for the quarter, which ended
on February 27, 1994, was $2.7 million, or 15 cents per share,
compared with $1.7 million, or 10 cents per share, in the last
year's first quarter, which ended on February 28, 1993. Revenues for
the first quarter were $61.6 million, compared with $61.8 million in
1993's first quarter.

Laser system company Excel Technology Inc., (516-273-6900),
announced that for the year ended December 31, 1993, revenues were
$29,027,825 as compared to $5,163,514 in 1992. Net income was
$2,878,419 or $.41 per share primary and $.37 per share fully
diluted, as compared to a 1992 net loss of $(8,566,668) or $(2.03)
per share. Said Dr. Rama Rao, chairman and CEO of Excel, "Excel's
record revenues in '93 was the result of strong performance
particularly in our mask repair laser systems for the semiconductor
industry and marking laser systems for industrial applications with
the automotive industry as the largest single market."

Software company SofTech Inc., (617-890-6900), reported net income
from continuing operations for the third quarter of fiscal year 1994
ending February 28, 1994, of $349,000 or $.09 per share as compared
to $25,000 or $.01 per share for the same period in fiscal year
1993. Revenue from continuing operations was $6,190,000 for the
third quarter fiscal 1994, an increase of 66 percent from the third
quarter fiscal 1993 revenue of $3,718,000. The results do not
include the gain of $1,018,000 from the sale of the company's
Government Systems Division (GDS) which was completed on December
1, 1993, and which translates into a one-time additional profit of
$.26 per share.

(Ian Stokell/19940317)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(DEL)(00011)

Apple Gears Up For Indian Market 03/18/94
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- Apple Computer has a
new distributor in India -- Odin Computers India Ltd., a
company owned by none other than Rakesh Gandhi, owner of Raba
Contel, Apple's first distributor in India. Odin Computers,
headquartered in Europe, has operations in Singapore, Hong Kong,
and India.

As the distributorship of the Apple range shifts to Odin, RCL
Ltd., the previous distributor, will now deal only in publishing
software for Macs.

Interestingly, Raba Contel has been embroiled in controversy
this past year as its co-promoter, Pravin Bhambri, left the
company after his alleged involvement in a scam involving a
Classic Computers deal with the Karnataka Government. Later,
Raba Contel was renamed and also had a new management,
headed by Arun Nath.

The new president, Sanjiv Krishan, earlier assistant president,
Jeraisy Computers of Saudi Arabia, has begun on a confident note.
Odin Computer's ambitious plans include introducing PowerPC systems
within a month. The month-old firm claims to have 30 dealers in
place already. "We will bring in an international flavor to the
campaign," he says.

Besides, strengthening its distributor network, Apple has launched a
massive ad campaign in the country. Its advertisements
emphasize that Mac is more "fast, efficient and friendly" than
any other PC and "costs less."

"Although Mac is primarily seen as a DTP (desktop publishing)
machine, good numbers are selling in the office automation segment,
especially after the entry of multinationals," says Sandip Bhagi,
country manager, Apple Computer.

Earlier, Wipro Infotech became the second distributor for Apple,
replacing Digital Equipment India Ltd. Wipro is picking up increased
orders for Macs in the office automation segment. "I won't say that
we will sweep that segment. But there would be a good number of our
corporate clients who would want Macs," says Som Mittal, chief
executive of Wipro's Business Solutions Division.

(C. T. Mahabharat/19940318)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(TOR)(00012)

Canada - Head Of Info Highway Council Named 03/18/94
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- The Canadian
government has named the chairperson of its National Advisory
Council on the Information Highway, a committee announced at the
beginning of February. He is David Johnston, principal of McGill
University in Montreal.

Johnston is a lawyer and educator whose specialties include
securities regulation, corporate, and labor law, and law related to
the environment and sustainable development.

Jon Gerrard, Minister Of State for Science, Research and
Development, announced plans for the advisory council during the
Powering Up North America conference in Toronto February 2. He said
the body would include representatives of government, industry,
labor, and consumer groups, and would advise the government on
issues related to the information highway.

The council will be asked for an interim report, based in part on
the Powering Up North America conference at which Gerrard made his
announcement and on a follow-up conference scheduled for May. But it
will also be asked to provide day-to-day advice to government
departments.

As many as 25 people are expected to be appointed to the council,
and John Manley, Minister of Industry, is expected to name them in a
videoconference to be broadcast to 12 cities from St. John's,
Newfoundland, on April 8.

The council is to hold closed meetings every four to six weeks with
ministers Manley and Gerrard. The public will have a chance for
input through several means, including electronic mail. Several
working groups are expected to be set up to deal with issues such as
industry competition, technology, protection of privacy, and
affordability, sources said.

(Grant Buckler/19940318/Press Contact: Peter Broadmore, Information
Technology Association of Canada, 905-602-8510 ext. 225)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEN)(00013)

Infocom Comes To Denver 03/18/94
DENVER, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- Denver, Colorado put
on its annual Infocom show computer trade show this week and the
hottest items were projection panels, computer-literate temporary
help workers, and computer training.

The annual event attracted about 50 vendors, although the day
Newsbytes visited the show several booths were empty at mid-day.

Various companies were showing projection panel devices, including
Sharp and Polaroid. Others offered temporary workers with
assorted computer skills such as Robert Half Associates with their
accounting temporaries. In tight economic times the use of
temporary workers is one of the ways companies economize, bringing
in the extra staffers to take care of work during peak periods,
then sending them back to the agency for reassignment.

Computer skills training was also prominent at Infocom, including
Random Access' hands-on training on specific software at several
dozen PCs set up at the show. Show-goers were able to sit down
at one of the company's PCs and get some experience with programs
like Microsoft Excel, the software being used during Newsbytes visit.

Random Access has just announced the opening of a training center in
Colorado Springs, Colorado which will have its debut on May 1, 1994.
The company offers training on a wide range of software, including
word processing, spreadsheets, project management, databases,
desktop publishing and operating systems on Macintosh, DOS
and Windows platforms. Random Access offers students the opportunity
to re-take any course within a six-month period without cost.

(Jim Mallory/19940318)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEN)(00014)

Infocom - Polaroid To Intro Projection Panel 03/18/94
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- Polaroid
Corporation says it will ship its new Polaview projection panel by
the first week of April 1994.

Polaview will be available in three models, all equipped with an
infrared mouse control device; a stereo sound amplifier that will
drive passive speakers; treble, bass and balance sound controls;
and an on-screen pointer that can be used for data and video
displays. The system can project a computer display or real-time
video.

The Polaview 3000 has an 8.4-inch active matrix, 16.7-million color
display, can handle NTSC, PAL, SVHS, RGB and SECAM input from video
and is compatible with both IBM-compatible PCs and Macintosh systems
from Apple Computer. Built-in speakers handle the sound from the
video or from a lapel microphone. It has a suggested retail price of
$6,695.

The Polaview 1800 can project up to 2.1 million colors, is
available with an optional video adapter, and can handle Super VGA
in compressed mode or the display from a Mac II LC. The 1800 sells
for $4,995.

The Polaview 1500 is a passive matrix system capable of projecting
256,000 colors. Its suggested retail price is $3,495.

All of the projection panels come with a 13-foot Y-split cable to
accept computer and video input. The 1500 and 1800 have a built-in
fan for cooling, and the wireless mouse can blank the screen, flip
the image horizontally for rear projection, freeze the video,
and control the palette, contrast and brightness. On the 3000 it
can also operate a timer and zoom. All models come with a hard
carrying case. PC or Mac compatibility is handled with the use of a
small video cable-end adapter that is included.

(Jim Mallory/19940318/Press and reader contact: Polaroid
Corporation, 617-577-2000, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(APPLE)(DEN)(00015)

Pagemaker, Other Products For Power Mac 03/18/94
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- Aldus Corporation
has announced several programs for Apple Computer's newly
introduced Power Macintosh.

Aldus says it will ship PowerPC native versions of Aldus Pagemaker
5.0, its popular page layout program, and Aldus Freehand 4.0, its
design and illustration software, within the next 60 days.

Aldus says both applications have been recompiled and optimized to
take advantage of the speed of the PowerPC microprocessor that
powers Apple's latest offering. PowerPC is marketed as a
competitor to Intel's Pentium chip. Aldus says Pagemaker and
Freehand for the Power Macintosh perform between two and ten times
faster than the same software running on Apple's fastest Quadra
computers. The actual performance depends on what task they are
performing.

According to Aldus engineers the most significant performance
improvement during early benchmark tests were in operations such as
screen redraw, rotation of text and graphics, placement on
a page, and text flowing and reformatting. They report those
operations were performed "almost instantaneously."

Aldus said the Power Mac versions of Freehand and Pagemaker will
have the same feature sets as their counterparts running on
current models of the Macintosh, and will be able to exchange files
forward and backward across hardware platforms.

The company plans to ship Power Mac versions of Persuasion,
Trapwise, Gallery Effects, Fetch, Color Central and CoSA After
Effects later this year.

Pagemaker for Power Macintosh will have a suggested retail price
of $895, while Freehand will be priced at $595. Registered users of
the 68K-based Mac version of Pagemaker 5.0 can upgrade for $179.
The upgrade for Freehand is $129. Users of earlier versions of the
two programs can upgrade for $299 and $249 respectively.

(Jim Mallory/19940318/Press contact: Brad Stevens, Aldus
Corporation, 206-628-2361; Reader contact: Aldus Corporation,
206-628-2320)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(DEN)(00016)

MCC Wants Healthcare Info System 03/18/94
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- Two organizations have
launched an effort to accelerate the deployment of open,
interoperable and integrated healthcare information systems.

Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation (MCC) and the
Computer-based Patient Records Institute (CPRI) have joined to
launch the Healthcare Open Systems and Trials (HOST) program. The
program would allow doctors, hospitals and insurance companies to
exchange information on a timely and cost-efficient basis,
according to MCC spokesperson Cynthia Williams.

David Morgan, chairman of the HOST Executive Committee and Board
of Directors, as well as the director of applied research for
Motorola's Wireless Data Group, calls HOST "a promising partnership
among the many businesses serving the healthcare community and users
of healthcare information systems."

Williams explained that the ability to exchange patient medical data
has a number of benefits. Medical information necessary for
timely patient care would be quickly accessible regardless of the
patient's location relative to the records. "You control costs, you
give the patients access to better care," says Williams. HOST hopes
to use the "information superhighway" for the delivery method.

Joining co-developers MCC and CPRI on the roster of HOST members are
3M Health Information Systems, American Health Information
Management Association, American Organization of Nurse Executives,
American Hospital Association, Digital Equipment Corporation,
Hewlett-Packard, Infomart, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
and a host of other organizations across the continent.

HOST's three primary areas of activity include a network of
laboratories called OSL that will support prototype experiments to
test systems prior to use at "live" sites. Vendors, systems,
integrators, university and national lab research teams, and others
say they will contribute hardware, software and infrastructure
systems at various stages of development to the HOST laboratory.
Healthcare delivery system managers and developers will be able to
use the OSL to test connectivity and performance of larger systems
before purchase and installation. OSL will also be available on a
usage-fee basis to standards organizations for the development and
testing of proposed standards.

HOST will also conduct large-scale, multi-year integration trials as
the centerpiece of its program. A series of community-wide trials of
health information networks and enabling technologies will be used
to test and validate emerging technologies for healthcare
information systems, and to demonstrate the potential benefits of
widespread deployment of such networks. Trials are expected to
begin in late 1994 and be complete by the end of 1996.

The group says it will sponsor technology development projects to
fill any technology gaps that may be identified. Those projects will
be separately funded and conducted at MCC.

To fund HOST five membership categories have been developed, with
annual dues structures ranging from $2,500 to $500,000. The
organization says it will also seek funding from foundations and
government sources.

(Jim Mallory/19940318/Press contact: Cynthia Williams, MCC,
512-338-3512; Reader contact: Michele DeSimone, MCC, 512-338-3556)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(WAS)(00017)

TIA Moves To Slow Baby Bells Entry To Manufacturing 03/18/94
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- The
Telecommunications Industry Association is lobbying the Senate to
slow the entry of the regional Bell operating companies into
equipment manufacturing as part of the congressional rewrite of
US telecommunications law.

The trade association for the telecommunications manufacturers
says it wants to link the entry of the regional Bell operating
companies into manufacturing with access by competitors to the
Baby Bell's core business, local telephone service. TIA also says
it would like to see the rewrite of the communications law
include a mechanism for reviewing the entry of the Baby Bells
into manufacturing similar to reviews that occur when the Bells
want to enter any new line of business.

Testifying to the Senate Commerce Committee, Motorola Vice
President John Major urged the committee "to revise the proposed
framework for BOC entry into manufacturing, to establish a more
explicit link between removal of the ... manufacturing
restriction and the development of competition in the BOC's local
exchange service markets, and to implement a review process for
BOC entry into manufacturing similar to procedures BOCs must
comply with to enter other adjacent lines of business."

Committee Chairman Ernest Hollings (D-S.C.) is the key sponsor of
legislation, S. 1882, the "Communications Act of 1994," that
generally tracks the bills that recently passed two House
committees. While the Senate is moving a bit slower than the House
on the creation of the law designed to foster the information
superhighway, most observers expect Senate action this spring,
soon after the legislation clears the House.

Giving the Bells immediate entry into manufacturing, Major told
the Hollings committee, would not "enhance the competitiveness of
US manufacturing in domestic or foreign markets. To the
contrary, total removal of the ... restriction would place at
risk the continued leadership of the US in the global
marketplace for advanced network switching equipment and other
high-end telecommunications products."

What would happen, Major predicted, is that the Baby Bells would
form "joint ventures with foreign manufacturers in the
strategically significant central office switch market and
potentially in other product areas as well."

Removing the manufacturing restriction "at a time when the Bell
operating companies still retain monopoly control of the local
exchange network within their respective regions," Major said,
"would have significant adverse impacts on competition,
innovation, consumer welfare, domestic employment, and the
competitiveness of the US equipment industry in domestic and
foreign telecommunications markets."

TIA is also opposing the domestic content requirements of the
Senate and House communications bills. They require that
equipment manufactured have no more than 40 percent foreign
component content.

"This will hurt our member companies just when we are making
great strides," spokeswoman Kathy Hammond told Newsbytes.
Is TIA trying to prevent the Baby Bells from competing with TIA's
members? "We want the BOCs in manufacturing," Hammond said, "but
we want a level playing field."

(Kennedy Maize/19940318/Contact: Kathy Hammond, TIA, tel 202-457-
4935, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(WAS)(00018)

Semiconductor Sales To Japan Soar 03/18/94
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- American
semiconductor manufacturers are posting new record sales in
Japan, according to the Electronic Industries Association of
Japan. Demand for foreign semiconductors will continue to grow,
says the trade group representing the Japanese electronics
industry.

According to EIAJ, sales of foreign-made semiconductors topped
$4.5 billion in 1993, eclipsing the 1992 figures of $3.3 billion
by almost 50 percent. Nearly 90 percent of all foreign
semiconductor sales to Japan come from the United States.

Foreign suppliers continued their growth, despite the economic
downturn in Japan that has seen many companies reporting record
losses. According to EIAJ, Intel, Motorola and Texas Instruments
have all reported double-digit sales increases during 1993. Intel
reports a 10 percent increase in 1993, with sales approaching 70
billion yen.

Most of the foreign sales increases have come in the high-end
sectors, with chips used for computers and advanced information
processing gear. But the largest piece of the Japanese chip
market--some 40 percent--is consumer electronics.

In Tokyo, the US and Japanese government announced that the
foreign share of the semiconductor market has again topped 20
percent, the target under the US-Japan semiconductor agreement.
The US had proposed to use that agreement as a model during
recent trade negotiations, but Japan resisted, applying the
numerical target approach.

"Encouraging results are being achieved in many of the market
access measures outlined in the semiconductor arrangement," said
Hidekiko Yoshida of Toshiba Corp. and EIAJ. "These achievements
are the result of efforts by both Japanese semiconductor users
and foreign suppliers to expand market access opportunities."

But Yoshida stressed that Japan does not believe market share is
a particularly good way to measure success. "Market share alone
is not a reliable measure," he said, "since constant changes in
the size of the market and the market demand structure inevitably
create fluctuations in market share."

In Washington, US Trade Representative Mickey Kantor said he
was pleased with the market share figures, adding that he is
"concerned that US and other foreign semiconductor suppliers
are not achieving improved access to the Japanese market on a
sustained basis."

(Kennedy Maize/19940318/Contact: Brent Gilroy of Powell Tate,
registered foreign lobbyist for Electronic Industries Association
of Japan, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00019)

Cable & Wireless Readies Global Network 03/18/94
HANOVER, GERMANY, 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- Cable & Wireless (C&W), the
parent to Mercury Communications, has announced plans to offer a
global telephony network to its international customers by the end
of the year.

According to officials with the company, which announced its plans
at the Cebit Computer Faire in Germany this week, the move marks the
culmination of a plan of several years, which got underway in the
late 1980s as C&W established its own network in Europe, after
creating its own networks in the US and the Far East.

"We will set up cooperative agreements with local PTT's to set up
global virtual private networks," Achille de Tommaso, the managing
director of C&W Europe, said.

According to de Tommaso, the switch to a global network is a lot
more than combining several networks together under one brand name.
Instead, he said, major companies will be able to deal with one
office of C&W and receive one bill at the end of each period.

Newsbytes notes that Mercury Communications has been offering a
European virtual private network (VPN) to its customers in the UK
for some time. This expansion into a global service for global
customers, however, puts the company on the same footing as the
other global players, notably AT&T, British Telecom, MCI and Sprint
to mention but a few.

(Steve Gold/19940318/Press & Public Contact: Cable & Wireless: +49-
69-6652-6200)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00020)

Microsoft Predicts Period Of Growth For Europe 03/18/94
HANOVER, GERMANY, 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- Bernard Vergnes, the president
of Microsoft Europe, has revealed that he expects the company to do
extraordinarily well in the European marketplace for the rest of the
decade.

The spur to the expected growth of 20 percent per year for the next
four years, he said, is the emergence of the East European
marketplace, which he predicts as increasing massively over the next
few years.

Newsbytes notes, however, that while sales will grow immensely in
new markets such as Poland and the Czech Republics, software pricing
in those countries is such that several units of a package will have
to be sold to match the profit margins normally seen in Western
Europe.

This is caused by the economies of Eastern European countries
generating a much lower average wage. This, couple with the
inevitable software piracy problem, has meant that companies such as
Microsoft have had to offer their packages in, for example, Poland,
at much lower prices than in the West, in order to sell realistic
amounts and not encourage piracy.

(Sylvia Dennis/19940318/Press & Public Contact: Microsoft Europe -
Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00021)

Cebit - Rockwell Predicts ISDN May Be Dead On Arrival 03/18/94
HANOVER, GERMANY, 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- In an interview with
Newsbytes, Angelo Stephano, product line manager with Rockwell
International's digital communications division in Newport Beach,
California, told Newsbytes that he expects to see a major
convergence of telecom services over the next few years.

The company is working on a "universal" chipset that will offer
several telecom services, ranging from voice through data comms
through fax communications services, all from a small box. The idea,
Stephano outlined to Newsbytes, is to offer a universal
communications box that will function over virtually any
communications topology, including wireless, wireline, packet data
and digital mobile telephony.

Stephano claimed that Rockwell is already talking to several major
communications products producers about manufacturing comms devices
that will incorporate the universal technology within the next year.
Such devices will be ideal, he said, for plugging into portable
computers, especially the latest generation of personal digital
assistants (PDAs) such as the Casio Zoomer and the Apple
Computer Newton.

"Things have moved on markedly since last fall's Comdex," Stephano
told Newsbytes, adding that, because of the sheer speed of current
technology, which includes the 28,800 bits per second (bps) speeds
seen on V.FC/V.34 modems, ISDN service could be relegated to
the sidelines.

"The industry is already talking about V.34bis, pushing data comms
over the wireline network to more than 30,000 bps without data
compression," he said, adding that, against this backdrop, the
64,000 bps data speeds of ISDN are falling behind, especially since
modem communications can easily outstrip 64,000 bps with data
compression facilities.

So where will this lead? Will modems become obsolete? Stephano said
no. "Our existing modem business, plus that of the rest of our
divisions, will remain for many years to come. This new technology
will be in demand, but not by everyone," he predicted.

(Steve Gold/19940318/Press & Public Contact: Rockwell International
- Tel: (US) 714-833-4710; Fax: [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00022)

Cebit - IBM Previews Under-$1000 Speech Recognition On PC 03/18/94
HANOVER, GERMANY, 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- IBM has previewed a $995
speech recognition system that it claims will work on a PC running
OS/2. The key to the system is a $499 card plus a $496 software
package that can cope with up to 32,000 spoken words.

This astonishing system will be available in the stores by June of
this year. The only slightly negative point is that OS/2 2.1 needs
16 megabytes of memory and an 80486 processor to run effectively.

Once installed, the system requires about 90 minutes to learn a
user's voice. After that, provided the user leaves a distinct pause
between the words, the system works to near 100 percent accuracy,
IBM spokespeople claimed.

In a demonstration for Newsbytes, the IBM Personal Dictation System
worked at around 70 words a minute and even allowed macros to be
used.

The $995 system consists of an IBM personal dictation PC card, a
microphone and software. The initial version will be for
everyday business language, while special versions for legal and
medical markets are under development.

According to Anne-Marie Derouuhault, IBM's speech language program
manager, the system has been in development for more than two
decades, but only really came to the PC environment in the last two
years.

"Originally it was a dedicated computer concept with a 1,000-word
vocabulary. The past few years have seen us working on the software
to cope with the different languages that people use. The system
will be available in several languages, including UK and US English,
plus French, Germany, Italian and Spanish," she told Newsbytes.

(Steve Gold/19940318/Press & Public Contact: IBM France - Tel: +33-
1-4905-7694)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00023)

Cebit - Seagate's IDE Drive Barrier Breaking Technology 03/18/94
HANOVER, GERMANY, 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- Seagate Technology has
outlined its plans to work with the rest of the computer industry to
break the 528-megabyte (MB) addressing barrier that currently limits
the usable capacity of AT/IDE interface disk drives.

According to Dave Tang, Seagate's marketing manager and co-chairman
of the High Capacity Storage Integration Conference (HCSIC) group
unveiled at last November's Comdex Fall, the specifications are
supported by several companies, including IBM, Microsoft, Novell,
SCO and Western Digital.

To integrate the AT interface drive system into a PC, Seagate's plan
calls for the drive, system BIOS, and operating system to be capable
of addressing each other in a common data format. The new system of
data addressing put forward by the HCSIC group will, Newsbytes
understands, allow drives of 8,400MB in size to be addressed
properly by an IDE-connected PC.

Seagate claims that it is now confident enough of the specification
that it is offering copies of the specification to interested
parties. According to Tang, the formulation of the draft
specifications, less than six months after the creation of the
group at Comdex Fall, is a major feat in itself.

"We are very pleased to have reached such a comprehensive solution
in such an expedient manner. It clearly demonstrates that a focused
effort by key industry leaders can lead to the necessary results,"
he said.

(Sylvia Dennis/19940318/Press & Public Contact: Seagate Corporate
Communications - Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(ATL)(00024)

Education Stock Update 03/18/94
FREMONT, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- Following a
disappointing earnings report which sent its stock price
tumbling, The Learning Co. approved a "shareholder rights plan"
aimed at stopping an unwanted takeover. Such plans, sometimes
called "poison pills," give preferred rights for new stock to
directors and other insiders in the event of a bid for the
company. The Learning Co. produces IBM PC-based learning games
like the Reader Rabbit series.

Bill Dinsmore, the company's president, sent out a press release
explaining that, while results are often bad in the first quarter
of the year, and the company believes it may have bad debts $1.2
million over its current bad debt reserves, overall demand for
educational software continues to increase and sales of the
company's products at retail remains strong. Essentially, the
board fears that a bidder might try to take advantage of seasonal
or one-time weakness to get the company on the cheap.

Other earnings news from the group was more positive. Scholastic
said its revenues rose 14 percent for the quarter ending in
February, to $150.3 million, but net income was stable at $6.4
million. The company credited strong domestic publishing
revenues, especially from its book clubs and book fairs. That was
offset by start-up costs for the Scholastic Network, an online
network on America Online, and costs associated with the firm's
instructional publishing initiatives.

American Educational Products said its sales grew 27 percent to
$16.675 million and net income grew 44 percent to $1.287 million
for the year ending in December. The company used the strong
stock price generated by those numbers to buy Churchill Films, a
producer of educational videotapes, which will become its
multimedia division.

In non-earnings news from the group, Edmark won two "Codie"
awards for excellence from the Software Publishers Association,
for its "Thinkin' Things" and "KidDesk Family Edition." And
KidStar Magazine, a radio magazine for children in Seattle, won
an award from the local chapter of the International Association
of Business Communicators. The show complements a radio station
formatted for children under 13, and an interactive phoner
system, as well as a proprietary database.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19940318/Press Contact: Susan Ward, for
KidStar, 206-223-6457; Scholastic, Linda Lehrer, 212/343-6898;
John Swenson, for American Educational Product, 612-371-0000; Sue
Whitcomb, Edmark, 206-556-8825; Les Schmidt, The Learning
Company, 510-792-2101)


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

CompuServe In Public Dispute With Software Developer 03/18/94
COLUMBUS, OHIO, U.S.A., 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- Following release of
a blast from Brian Livingston in "Infoworld," CompuServe has
decided to allow a software developer with whom it is engaged
in a lawsuit to debate the issue on its service.

CompuServe had sued Richard Patterson, creator of a file
management program called WinNAV, in January after beginning
release of its own Windows-based program to navigate CompuServe
under the same name. Before filing its suit, which seeks a
declaratory judgement allowing CompuServe to distribute its
product, Compuserve gave the product a new name after protests from
Patterson.

But Patterson told Newsbytes he still feels his
copyright has been infringed by copies of the program downloaded
with the old name, as well as press releases and other publicity
sent out by the service under the WinNAV name. The product is now
called CompuServe Navigator for Windows.

Livingston, the Infoworld columnist, entered the fray after
receiving copies of a letter Patterson got from CompuServe
outside counsel Keith Osterkamp, and an e-mail from general
counsel Kent Stuckey, which he said threatened to terminate
his CompuServe membership if he tried to debate the issue
online. He ended his column by urging readers to e-mail
the head of CompuServe, and printed his e-mail address.

Stuckey told Newsbytes Livingston misinterpreted the letter,
insisting CompuServe only wants the discussion to take place on
sections like its Legal Forum and Journalism Forum, where users
pay for their access time, and not on free support forums like
the one which was distributing the software.

Livingston told Newsbytes he intensely disliked the Osterkamp
letter, which he considered an attempt to intimidate a critic,
and asked what this implies for the information superhighway. If
people begin depending on these services for a livelihood, he
asked, then threats to stop service over arguing legal issues
should not be allowed. Patterson told Newsbytes he'd seen
CompuServe play "hardball" with other small developers, adding
that he released the exchange of letters so his side of the case
would be heard.

It is being heard since, in the last 10 days the
CompuServe Legal Forum has had about 60 messages on the
controversy, many from Patterson. The Journalism Forum has also
received posts on the matter, although SIGop James Cameron moved
them to the "off the record" section, considering them extraneous
to the practice of journalism. On the legal question, Patterson
said when Newsbytes talked with him, he'd yet to be served papers
in the case, and would then have to decide whether to file a
counter-suit and seek to have the venue changed from Columbus to
his home town of Houston.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19940318/Press Contact: CompuServe, Dave
Kishler, 614-457-8600; Richard Patterson, 713-660-7240)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(LAX)(00026)

Radius Cuts Prices On 20-inch Color Displays 03/18/94
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- Monitor
manufacturer Radius announced it is cutting prices on two of
its Macintosh 20-inch color monitors. While Radius offers
products for other computer platforms, the company said 95
percent of its business is in the Macintosh arena.

The company said it has cut $900 off the price of its
Intellicolor Display/20 reducing the price to $2,299. The
Precisioncolor Display/20v has been cut 9 percent or $200 to a
suggested retail price of $1,999.

Radius claims software that comes with the monitors
provides attractive features to users. The company's Dynamic
Desktop software provides users the ability to change display
resolution and bit-depth without having to reboot the Macintosh
or re-launch applications. A simple desktop menu allows the
selection of one- or two-page views or changes from black and
white to color, the company said.

In addition, Intellicolor software included with the
Intellicolor/20 offers color and display management
capabilities including control over convergence, image shape,
and size positioning. Radius maintains the interface for the
software is user-friendly and offers control options in six
different languages.

The monitors are available from authorized Radius resellers,
system integrators, and distributors. The company offers a
toll-free number for locating its product outlets. Also, Radius
boasts its warranty program offers on-site, overnight
replacement of its products.

San Jose, California headquartered Radius (NASDAQ: RDUS)
reported a strong showing in its last fiscal quarter compared
to the red ink it faced last year. Net revenues for its first
fiscal 1994 quarter were up 13 percent to 39.5 million. Company
officials credited new product acceptance, better European
sales, new distribution programs, and a new original equipment
manufacturer (OEM) agreement with Apple Computer for the
revenue gains.

(Linda Rohrbough/19940318/Press Contact: Bob Major, Radius, tel
408-954-6403, fax [phone]; Public Contact: Reseller
Locator, Radius, 800-227-2795/PHOTO)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00027)

Spectrum Signal, QSound In Multimedia Joint Venture 03/18/94
BURNABY, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, 1994 Mar 18 (NB) -- Spectrum
Signal Processing Inc., based here, and QSound Labs Inc., of
Calgary, have signed a letter of intent to form a joint venture
to make and sell personal computer multimedia products.

The letter of intent also provides for an ongoing cooperative
development relationship. Spectrum has also agreed to invest US$1
million in QSound in exchange for common shares and share
purchase warrants. The joint venture and financing are
conditional upon final documentation, the companies said.

QSound develops audio technology and is best known for its QSound
Virtual Audio, a multi-dimensional sound localization technology
that can be played back through standard stereo systems and,
according to the vendor, can make sounds seem to come from
locations completely unrelated to the speakers. Last November,
QSound licensed this technology to IBM Microelectronics for use
in its Mwave audio hardware for personal computers.

Spectrum develops engineering tools, boards and software and
industrial digital signal processing (DSP) applications. In
January, the company announced Spectrum Envoy, a combination
audio card, answering machine, and fax card based on the IBM
MWave technology.

Officials said the joint venture complements an agreement between
QSound and Mitsumi Electric Co. Ltd. of Japan, which will focus
on development of PC multimedia products. Christine Anderson, a
spokeswoman for QSound, told Newsbytes that Spectrum and QSound
will develop a chip that Mitsumi plans to use in PC multimedia
products which it hopes to release by Christmas of this year. The
co-operative effort will draw on Spectrum's hardware expertise
and QSound's software knowhow, Anderson said.

Mitsumi makes various electronic components for the consumer
electronics market and personal computer components including
compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM) drives for the multimedia
industry.

(Grant Buckler/19940318/Press Contact: Martin McConnell,
Spectrum, 604-421-5422; Christine Anderson, QSound, 403-291-2492)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00028)

Novell Software Developer's Kit On CD-ROM 03/18/94
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- Novell is
offering all its core software developer's kit (SDK) on compact
disc read-only memory (CD-ROM). The company said the CD-ROM
includes developer tips and information as well as the needed
documentation and will be updated regularly.

The Novell SDK CD-ROM includes the Netware Loadable Module
(NLM) SDK, the Netware Client SDK, the Netware SMF v71 for MHS
Developer's Kit, the Netware for SAA Tools SDK, and the Novell
Labs Test Tools. Also offered are the files and information
most frequently downloaded from the company's Compuserve forum,
tips from Novell Developer Support, and online documentation
with scan, search, link, annotate and print capability.

Novell says the SDK CD-ROM will begin shipping Monday, March
21, 1994 at a retail price of $190 per year. Those who
currently own the diskette/hardcopy manual version will receive
the CD-ROM as a final update without charge. A toll-free number
has been set up in the US and Canada for CD-ROM orders, but
those outside those areas are being advised to contact their
Novell distributors.

Recent reports in the Wall Street Journal claim the networking
software vendor is planning to make an equity stake in
developer tools maker Borland International. Speculation about
the two companies has been going on for some time, however,
Novell investor relations official Peter Troup told Newsbytes
the company does not comment on possible investments.

This time the speculation could have been energized by the
$82.5 million cash influx Novell just received from Unix vendor
Sun Microsystems. Sun bought its way out of a 1987 contract it
had with Unix System Laboratories, which Novell bought from
American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T) last year and purchased
the rights to Novell's Netware.

(Linda Rohrbough/19940318/Press Contact: Claire Campbell,
Novell, tel [phone], fax [phone]; Peter Troup, Novell
Investor Relations, 408-577-8361; Public Contact: SDK CD-ROM
Orders in US and Canada, Novell, 800-733-9673 or 303-894-4135)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00029)

Software Dispatch Ships Windows Version 03/18/94
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- Apple's
Software Dispatch for Macintosh, a software delivery system on
CD-ROM, was released at Macworld in January with the promise
of a Windows' version in the spring of 94. It's here.

The new Windows CD provides more than 80 software titles
encrypted on a CD and will be shipping March 29. Customers
see a short video advertisement/demonstration of the products
and work with a limited version of the software to try it
out.

When a program is chosen, the customer calls the 800 Dispatch
number, gives a credit card number and is given the encryption
code to release the program and all necessary installation
text, including any accompanying manuals, from the CD. At
the same time, registration is automatically implemented, and
customers have a back-up copy in the CD. All software titles
have a 30-day guarantee. ClarisWorks, Imaginaria,
OnTime, Microphone Pro, Carbon Copy for Windows, Home Office
Organizer, 123 Release 4, PTS: Getting Started with Windows,
Total Recall, and Smart Suite are among the eighty-plus
titles that are available.

Adobe Acrobat Reader for Windows has been licensed to Apple
Computer as the software for viewing documentation and
Rainbow Technologies' VendorSystem provides the encryption
technology that keeps the software secured while the potential
buyer previews and demos the product.

Apple claims the advantage of this system is that software
publishers receive competitive royalties, customer registration,
and information, free product publicity and exposure through
Dispatch advertising, while avoiding documentation costs, packaging,
handling and shipping tasks. Additionally, their product is
available 24 hours per day through the 800 number.

Mike Looney, marketing manager for Software Dispatch, told
Newsbytes, "We plan to make quarterly updates of the CD and,
while this first CD is a broad collection of software titles,
in the future we will release category-specific CDs. Our
Windows version offers a new guided tour for first time
users and there are log-on promotions and a guide manual."

According to the company, the disc offers carefully select programs
that offer seamless operation and strong customer support. On
the disc are pure Windows programs as well as cross-platform
programs which range in price from $14.95 to $535.

The CD is available directly from Software Dispatch at
1-800-937-2828 ext 600.

(Patrick McKenna/1994/Press Contact: Mary Devincenzi, Regis McKenna,
tel [phone]; Public Contact: 1-800-937-2828 ext 600)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(BOS)(00030)

Island Graphics To Show Power Mac Software At Seybold 03/18/94
SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- Island Graphics
today announced Macintosh and Power Macintosh editions of
IslandTrapper 2.0, plus a new Macintosh-based utility called
IslandChecker, and three new packages for prepress workflow that will
be displayed next week at Seybold Boston.

In an interview with Newsbytes, Larry Berkin, product marketing
manager for the San Rafael, CA-based vendor, said that
IslandTrapper 2.0 is an enhanced edition of a trapping, color
separation, and output package first introduced in October, 1993,
and newly offered for Apple's new Power Mac as well as 68K-based
Macs.

IslandChecker, he added, is a Mac-based "preflight" utility
aimed at streamlining the prepress workflow at service bureaus,
color trade shops, and commercial printing firms by alerting
service providers to elements that are missing from customers'
Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) files.

Performance of prepress tasks on computers, particularly on
affordable desktop systems such as the Mac, is a relatively new
phenomenon, Berkin told Newsbytes. Jobs like trapping, color
separation, and output were originally done manually, and some
service bureaus continue to use manual methods even today.

Before the advent of Mac-based software like Island Graphics'
products and Aldus' TrapWise, a company called Scitex debuted a
computerized prepress system. But the Scitex system uses
proprietary hardware and is relatively expensive, Berkin
maintained.

Trapping, also known as "choking and spreading," is the process
used by prepress professionals to compensate for the
misregistration of offset printing presses.

Instead of allowing slivers of light-colored paper to show through
between areas of color on a page that are printer "out of
register," printers will expand some areas of color or compress
surrounding areas of color.

The process of trapping creates small overlaps of color which are
less noticeable than having light paper show through, according to
Berkin.

Unlike competing, raster-based products, Island Graphics'
IslandTrapper is object-oriented, permitting more flexibility on
the part of the user, noted the product marketing manager.

In Version 2.0, the product has been enhanced with a range of new
features, including an automated batch process that accepts pages
from other sources, with or without embedded EPS files such as
illustrations created in Adobe Illustrator or Aldus Freehand.

The Macintosh and Power Macintosh editions of IslandTrapper 2.0
provide the same capabilities, except that the Power Macintosh
edition is four to five times faster.

QuarkXPress is the first external source to be supported by the
batch trapping. Although QuarkXPress can trap elements generated
within QuarkXPress, it cannot trap embedded EPS files, according to
Berkin.

IslandTrapper 2.0 addresses this dilemma by allowing users to
create object-oriented traps for all objects contained in a page,
including EPS files.

Berkin told Newsbytes that most IslandTrapper users also employ
QuarkXPress. Island Graphics will be supporting more external
sources in the future, he said, but is not yet ready to make
additional announcements in this regard.

Also new in Version 2.0 is the ability to color separate files
within IslandTrapper, meaning that trapped files no longer need to
be color separated in another program.

Through another new feature, users can find images associated with
Open Press Interface (OPI) and Desktop Color Separation (DCS)
files, and replace them before output with high resolution images.
OPI and DCS files contain low resolution versions of the actual
high resolution images, Berkin explained. These files are smaller
and easier to work with at the desktop level than the actual high
resolution images.

In addition, users can now specify output device, screen ruling,
paper size, orientation, and inks, as well as OPI support.

Version 2.0 also adds an IslandTrapper QuarkXTension that lets
users set custom trapping and ink settings from directly within
QuarkXPress.

Island Graphics' new IslandChecker utility is aimed at solving
another problem associated with EPS files, said Berkin. Customers'
EPS files, originally generated in QuarkXPress, PageMaker, Adobe
Illustrator, or Aldus Freehand, often arrive at color trade shops,
service bureaus and commercial printers without their required
fonts or continuous tone images, he reported.

When this happens, the prepress shop must contact the customer and
request the missing elements, a process that is time consuming on
both ends.

The new package addresses this issue by supplying a job ticket form
that appears onscreen after an EPS file is loaded into
IslandChecker. The job ticket displays the file's size, name and
source applications, along with information about embedded EPS
files, their creator applications, and the fonts, spot inks,
process inks, and OPI/DCS images used in the job.

IslandChecker also lets the user add other information to the job
file, including client information, billing information, and
information on output device, film, separations, emulsion,
resolution, and line screen.

IslandChecker then prints a job ticket that provides the prepress
professional with all the information extracted from the customer
file, together with information added by the user, on a single
form.

IslandTrapper 2.0 and IslandChecker are both scheduled to ship in
the second quarter. The Macintosh and Power Macintosh editions of
Island Trapper will each carry a suggested retail price (SRP) of
$4495.

Users who purchased IslandTrapper 1.x for the $2195 introductory
price will be able to upgrade to either edition of Version 2.0 for
$995. Users who bought IslandTrapper 1.x at its $4495 SRP will be
able to upgrade free of charge. Pricing for IslandChecker will be
announced when the product ships.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19940318/Reader contact: Island Graphics, 415-
491-1000 or 800-255-4499; Press contacts: David Newman, Island
Graphics, 415-491-1000; Chip Hall, Niehaus Ryan Haller Public
Relations for Island Graphics, 415-615-7914)


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

Newsbytes Daily Summary 03/18/94
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1994 MAR 18 (NB) -- These are
capsules of all today's news stories:

1 -> NEC, HP In Color Inkjet Printer Deal 03/18/94 Japan's major
personal computer maker NEC has won an agreement from
Hewlett-Packard to develop color inkjet printers for NEC's
best-selling PC-9801 family  of computers.

2 -> Japan's PC Shipments Up 03/18/94 Japan Dataquest reports  that
personal computer shipments in Japan recorded a two- digit increase
last year, resulting in a 10.6 percent  increase over 1992. This is
the first time in three years  that the increase has been this
high.

3 -> To Upgrade Or Not To Upgrade, That Is The Question 03/18/94 By
Kennedy Maize. Dear Readers, I need your help. I'm a very
conflicted guy.

4 -> Networking Roundup 03/18/94 This is a regular Friday feature,
summarizing networking news not  covered elsewhere by Newsbytes
this week: NetManage, Novell Inc., Sykes Enterprises Inc., Standard
Microsystems Corp., ASP  Computer Products, Data General Corp,
Avnet Inc., LSI Logic,  Ascom Tech, Compaq Computer Corp., and
Hewlett-Packard Co.

5 -> Personnel Changes Roundup 03/18/94 This is  a regular feature,
summarizing personnel changes at companies not covered elsewhere by
Newsbytes: Viacom, Borland  International Inc., Turn Technology
Inc., Western Micro  Technology Inc., Unisys Corp.

6 -> Australia - Govt Users Complain About Microsoft Contract
03/18/94 Microsoft has a special deal for Australian government
users to buy its products at low prices. After three months of
using the method, buyers are complaining that it may not be worth
the problem.

7 -> Australia - Computerland Gets A New Life 03/18/94 The
Computerland group is on the move in Australia. With backing from
Singapore Computer Systems (a company with $100M turnover) the
Computerland franchise in Australia and New Zealand has been
brought into an Asia-wide Computerland empire.

8 -> Media Vision Multimedia Kit Line 03/18/94 As PC  manufacturers
bring more systems with multimedia to market,  the multimedia kit
market continues expand into the uninstalled  base of 386s, 486s
and Macintosh computers without multimedia.  To meet the demands of
a broad range of users, Media Vision  has announced a line of five
multimedia kits, four of which  are for IBM/DOS PCs and one for the
Macintosh.

9 -> Japan - Multimedia Telecom Project 03/18/94 Mitsubishi
Trading, Mitsui  Bussan Trading, Tokyo Electric and Tokyu Railway
are setting up a multimedia network research association aimed at
the creation of an information highway that supports
video-on-demand, TV shopping, karaoke and games online.

10 -> Company Results Roundup 03/18/94 This is  a regular feature,
summarizing company results not reported  elsewhere by Newsbytes:
NTN Communications Inc., Adobe Systems  Inc., Measurex Corp., Excel
Technology Inc., and SofTech Inc.

11 -> Apple Gears Up For Indian Market 03/18/94 Apple Computer has
a  new distributor in India -- Odin Computers India Ltd., a company
owned by none other than Rakesh Gandhi, owner of Raba Contel,
Apple's first distributor in India. Odin Computers, headquartered
in Europe, has operations in Singapore, Hong Kong, and India.

12 -> Canada - Head Of Info Highway Council Named 03/18/94 The
Canadian  government has named the chairperson of its National
Advisory  Council on the Information Highway, a committee announced
at the  beginning of February. He is David Johnston, principal of
McGill  University in Montreal.

13 -> Infocom Comes To Denver 03/18/94 Denver, Colorado put on its
annual Infocom show computer trade show this week and the hottest
items were projection panels, computer-literate temporary help
workers, and computer training.

14 -> Infocom - Polaroid To Intro Projection Panel 03/18/94
Polaroid Corporation says it will ship its new Polaview projection
panel by the first week of April 1994.

15 -> Pagemaker, Other Products For Power Mac 03/18/94 Aldus
Corporation has announced several programs for Apple Computer's
newly introduced Power Macintosh.

16 -> MCC Wants Healthcare Info System 03/18/94 Two organizations
have launched an effort to accelerate the deployment of open,
interoperable and integrated healthcare information systems.

17 -> TIA Moves To Slow Baby Bells Entry To Manufacturing 03/18/94
The Telecommunications Industry Association is lobbying the Senate
to slow the entry of the regional Bell operating companies into
equipment manufacturing as part of the congressional rewrite of US
telecommunications law.

18 -> Semiconductor Sales To Japan Soar 03/18/94 American
semiconductor manufacturers are posting new record sales in Japan,
according to the Electronic Industries Association of Japan. Demand
for foreign semiconductors will continue to grow, says the trade
group representing the Japanese electronics industry.

19 -> Cable & Wireless Readies Global Network 03/18/94 Cable &
Wireless (C&W), the parent to Mercury Communications, has announced
plans to offer a global telephony network to its international
customers by the end of the year.

20 -> Microsoft Predicts Period Of Growth For Europe 03/18/94
Bernard Vergnes, the president of Microsoft Europe, has revealed
that he expects the company to do extraordinarily well in the
European marketplace for the rest of the decade.

21 -> Cebit - Rockwell Predicts ISDN May Be Dead On Arrival
03/18/94 In an interview with Newsbytes, Angelo Stephano, product
line manager with Rockwell International's digital communications
division in Newport Beach, California, told Newsbytes that he
expects to see a major convergence of telecom services over the
next few years.

22 -> Cebit - IBM Previews Under-$1000 Speech Recognition On PC
03/18/94 IBM has previewed a $995 speech recognition system that it
claims will work on a PC running OS/2. The key to the system is a
$499 card plus a $496 software package that can cope with up to
32,000 spoken words.

23 -> Cebit - Seagate's IDE Drive Barrier Breaking Technology
03/18/94 Seagate Technology has outlined its plans to work with the
rest of the computer industry to break the 528-megabyte (MB)
addressing barrier that currently limits the usable capacity of
AT/IDE interface disk drives.

24 -> Education Stock Update 03/18/94 Following a  disappointing
earnings report which sent its stock price  tumbling, The Learning
Co. approved a "shareholder rights plan"  aimed at stopping an
unwanted takeover. Such plans, sometimes  called "poison pills,"
give preferred rights for new stock to  directors and other
insiders in the event of a bid for the  company. The Learning Co.
produces IBM PC-based learning games  like the Reader Rabbit
series.

25 -> CompuServe In Public Dispute With Software Developer 03/18/94
Following release of  a blast from Brian Livingston in "Infoworld,"
CompuServe has  decided to allow a software developer with whom it
is engaged  in a lawsuit to debate the issue on its service.

26 -> Radius Cuts Prices On 20-inch Color Displays 03/18/94 Monitor
manufacturer Radius announced it is cutting prices on two of its
Macintosh 20-inch color monitors. While Radius offers products for
other computer platforms, the company said 95 percent of its
business is in the Macintosh arena.

27 -> Spectrum Signal, QSound In Multimedia Joint Venture 03/18/94
Spectrum  Signal Processing Inc., based here, and QSound Labs Inc.,
of Calgary, have signed a letter of intent to form a joint venture
to make and sell personal computer multimedia products.

28 -> Novell Software Developer's Kit On CD-ROM 03/18/94 Novell is
offering all its core software developer's kit (SDK) on compact
disc read-only memory (CD-ROM). The company said the CD-ROM
includes developer tips and information as well as the needed
documentation and will be updated regularly.

29 -> Software Dispatch Ships Windows Version 03/18/94 Apple's
Software Dispatch for Macintosh, a software delivery system on
CD-ROM, was released at Macworld in January with the promise  of a
Windows' version in the spring of 94. It's here.

30 -> Island Graphics To Show Power Mac Software At Seybold
03/18/94 Island Graphics today announced Macintosh and Power
Macintosh editions of IslandTrapper 2.0, plus a new Macintosh-based
utility called IslandChecker, and three new packages for prepress
workflow that will be displayed next week at Seybold Boston.

(Wendy Woods/19940318)