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/may_jun_94/nb063094

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(NEWS)(TRENDS)(DAL)(00001)

MIPS Offers Free Design - Workstation On PC Board 06/30/94
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- MIPS
Technologies, a subsidiary of Silicon Graphics Inc. (SGI), says
it is offering an "UltraP" design to original equipment
manufacturers (OEMs) of Intel Pentium personal computers (PCs)
to incorporate a MIPS reduced instruction-set computing (RISC)
processor into the PC board.

In this way, the company argues, OEMs can offer the use of both
processors in a manner that allows the user to switch back and
forth between each, running Windows NT on the MIPS processor
and DOS on the Intel processor.

Like having a workstation inside the PC, the MIPS design offers a
custom application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) daughter-
board module that will plug into the existing Pentium P5 slot
on a PC motherboard. MIPS claims the addition of its R4600
microprocessor on a daughter-board does not require any
modification of the PC motherboard design or modification to
add-in peripheral cards.

The MIPS R4600 runs at 150 megahertz (MHz). The way the UltraP
system would work is both the Pentium and the R4600 reset
simultaneously upon start-up. The Pentium then completes all
system start-up and initialization tasks and boots DOS. At that
point, the user can select Windows NT on MIPS, Windows NT on
Pentium, or Microsoft Windows on Pentium. If the user selects
Windows NT on MIPS, system control is passed over to the MIPS
R4600 processor, and if not, control stays with the Pentium
processor.

Currently, the UltraP requires rebooting to return to a
DOS/Windows environment on the Pentium, but MIPS says it already
has plans to add a "switcher" software utility to enable users to
toggle between processors and operating systems.

MIPS claims OEMs do not need to change the substantial investment
already made in custom diagnostics, self-check routines, a system
basic input/output system (BIOS), hardware set ups and other
necessary software components to incorporate the UltraP design.

Adding that the RISC capability is also affordable, MIPS says the
cost of manufacturing UltraP modules in production quantities
using an ASIC chip-set is approximately $40, while the overall
incremental cost of an UltraP board including a MIPS R4600
microprocessor is approximately $365.

In addition, MIPS processors are also available from other
manufacturers including Integrated Device Technology, NKK,
and Toshiba.

To attract, OEMs the company said it is offering the reference
design free of charge to qualified manufacturers of PC systems.
Also, the UltraP card can be offered as a factory option or the
module can be sold as an upgrade.

(Linda Rohrbough/19940629/Press Contact: Steve Schick,
MIPS Technologies, tel [phone], fax [phone],
MIPS940630/PHOTO)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00002)

UK Networks '94 - Attachmate Intros AS/400 Connectivity 06/30/94
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- Attachmate Corporation
has announced Rally! for personal computers (PCs) running Windows
that allow interconnection with the AS/400 series of
minicomputers.

According to the company, which unveiled the connectivity software
at the Networks '94 show which takes place in Birmingham, UK, all
this week, the application is aimed at the growing number of
AS/400 users with a need for client/server options linking to a
PC-Windows environment.

"There is a dramatic move in the AS/400 market towards
clients/server solutions, and users want to take advantage of
this technology while still getting the most out of their current
investment in AS/400 applications," explained Graham Jones,
Attachmate's Northern European managing director.

"One of the meanings of the word rally is to rejuvenate and
revitalize -- and Rally! for AS/400 provides a premier platform for
users to revitalize their investment with dramatic ease-of-use
capabilities and comprehensive client/server tools," he said.

According to Attachmate, Rally! eases the transition to client/server
computing by providing transparent database access, application
programming interfaces (APIs) and useful application development
toolkits and sample applications. The Windows application offers
users all the usual Windows graphical user interface (GUI) facilities,
including a toolbar and full function text editor that links to IBM's
OfficeVision host application.

Other features of Rally! include what the company calls "flexible
connectivity options to the AS/400." These options include TN5250,
which provides a Windows-based 5250 terminal emulation under
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet protocol) network
links, local area network (LAN) connectivity to Novell NetWare in
SAA (Systems Application Architecture) Gateway, Token Ring,
Ethernet, async, SDLC (Synchronous Data Link Control) and Twinax
interfaces.

Plans are also in hand to support Windows New Technology
Synchronous Network Adapter (SNA) Server product in a future
edition of Rally!

Rally! for Windows is available immediately, with prices varying
depending on site license requirements. French and German versions
are expected later this year.

(Sylvia Dennis/19940629/Press & Public Contact: Attachmate UK,
tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00003)

UK Networks '94 - Artisoft Intros LANtastic 6.0 06/30/94
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- Artisoft took time out
from the general "flag waving" and general customer meeting at this
week's Networks '94 show to launch version 6.0 of its LANtastic
network operating system (NOS). The package is billed as "fully
compatible" with Simply LANtastic v5.x, as well as earlier versions
of Artisoft's NOSes.

According to officials on the Artisoft stand at the show, this latest
version includes a number of additions and enhancements, including a
new universal client technology.

The universal client technology is claimed to provide "seamless"
desktop connectivity to  Novell NetWare, Microsoft LAN Manager and
IBM network servers. The package includes an integral groupware
system that offers electronic mail, network scheduling, faxing, and
paging facilities.

The universal client technology includes support for the NetWare Core
Protocol (NCP) that allows the package to access Netware 2.xx, 3.xx
and 4.xx servers for file and print services. This support, officials
with Artisoft told Newsbytes, allows users to operate both LANtastic
and NetWare networks transparently on the same network.

"We've been working closely with Novell over the last year to ensure a
high degree of cooperation between our two companies. The market is
big enough for both of us to realize that our customers don't want to
only talk to other users of the same product. This industry is moving
towards an open systems environment, so cooperating in this way
makes life very much easier for our customers," a spokesman told
Newsbytes.

LANtastic 6.0 is being sold in the UK on a per node basis with 1-, 5-,
10-, 25-, 50- and 100-user kits available. The pricing starts at
UKP79 for a single node kit, and add-on node packs cost from UKP26
per node, ranging downwards for larger networks,

(Steve Gold/19940629/Press Contact: Lindy Dragsta, Artisoft
Netherlands [phone])


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

Create Your Own Crossword Puzzle 06/30/94
SAN ANSELMO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- Cogix Corp.
is bundling its Crossword Wizard custom crossword puzzle software
and Idea Wizard, developed at Princeton's Cognitive Sciences
Laboratory, for both Windows and Mac users.

Regardless of difficulty levels, users of Crossword Wizard may
create custom crossword puzzles based on combinatorial search
algorithms and WordNet, an artificial intelligence lexicon.

The bundle is the first offering by the new company headed by
Camilo Wilson, who developed Volkswriter, claimed to be the first
commercial word processor for the IBM PC. Wilson also published
Correct Grammar and the American Heritage Dictionary.

Users of Crossword Wizard may create an unlimited number of
custom designed puzzles built around their own words and clues.

For beginners, age 12 and up, Crossword Wizard provides simple
puzzles or, for the experienced crossword puzzle fan, it delivers
"competition-quality puzzles." Hints are provided when difficult
clues are encountered and a warning feature with "uh ohs" or
other custom sounds may be chosen to alert a user to the
insertion of an incorrect word.

Puzzles may be printed, copied, pasted and resized, using a word
processor or page layout application. The program also provides
background classical music, as well as a "zoom" feature for those
who need an easier reading style.

Speaking to Newsbytes, Camilo Wilson, said, "Chess software has
made a very difficult game accessible to millions of people by
offering tips, strategies and video and audio affects. I want to do
the same for crossword puzzles."

The other program in the bundle, Idea Wizard, is designed to build
word power by revealing the lexicon behind the crossword clues.
By showing the relationships of words and concepts it improves
vocabulary, as well as crossword puzzle skills, claims the company.

This bundle for Mac and Windows versions is directly available from
Cogix for $39.95 until September 30, 1994, when the suggested retail
price will list at $49.95. The Mac version requires a 68020 or better
processor, two megabytes (MB) of RAM, 5MB of hard disk space and
System 7 or higher. The Windows version requires a 386 or higher
processor, 2MB of RAM, 5MB of hard disk space and Windows 3.1
or higher. A pointing device is recommended.

(Patrick McKenna/19940628/Press Contact: Eileen Ebner, McLean
Public Relations, tel [phone], Public Information,
tel [phone], International, 415-456-8182)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(HKG)(00005)

DEC & Anixter Asia In Networking Distribution Deal 06/30/94
CENTRAL, HONG KONG, 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- Digital Asia has signed a
strategic deal with Anixter Asia Pacific to distribute its networking
products throughout the region.

"Signing a distributorship deal is in line with Digital's corporate
strategy of embracing channel partners in Asia," said John Winchester,
Digital's Asia region director of Network Products. "Although we've
been strong within our existing customer base and believe we are
among the top three networking vendors in the region, we realize the
urgency of working with channel partners to increase our market
share."

Anixter, a company that focuses specifically on reselling networking
products, recently opened a distribution hub in Hong Kong that is
permanently online to its 150 offices throughout the United States,
Europe and its Pacific Rim headquarters in Singapore. The warehouse
provides inventory information and sales and support systems.

"Our worldwide distribution network handles more than one million
transactions a day," said Steve Kung, Anixter's managing director
for North Asia. "Our computer system in Quarry Bay (Hong Kong)
enables our sales staff to locate the desired products immediately
so they can be shipped in the shortest possible time. We welcome
this expansion into Asia of our partnership with Digital."

Added Winchester, "The Asia Pacific region represents about 15
percent of Digital's global revenue. Our networking products will
contribute approximately US$600 million in sales throughout the
world. While Asia presents a lot of opportunities, it is also a vast
and diverse territory to cover effectively."

Kung said Anixter and Digital will build on a relationship which has
already proved successful in the United States, where the two
companies have combined to sell Digital's networking products for
more than eight years, and in Europe where the companies have
worked together for the past six years.

"We're going to work together to recruit dealers in a new twist --
what we call a 'double relationship,'" said Kung. "We'll send out
people from both companies to make sales calls and to educate
dealers. To help these dealers differentiate themselves in the
marketplace, we will offer them a chance to participate in Digital's
networking product certification program, which ranges from basic
networking all the way up to planning a network from scratch."

Anixter specializes in the distribution of products for the
transmission of data, voice and multimedia applications, as well
as electrical and electronic wire and cable. Regionally, Anixter
has offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and China, with plans
to open others soon in Indonesia and Thailand.

(Keith Cameron/19940628/Press Contact: Bonnie Engel, DEC,
852-805 3510)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SYD)(00006)

Australia - OSI/Internet Users Argue In Seminar 06/30/94
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA 1994 JUNE 30 (NB) -- A seminar organized by
the Electronic Messaging Association of Australia had both OSI
(Open Systems Interconnection) and Internet devotees reportedly
hurling abuse at each other.

Billed as a debate between OSI and Internet that could explore
the way the two communities could work together, it had nine
guest speakers.

The Internet community was represented by Geoff Huston from
AARnet and Simon Hackett from Internode Systems. OSI was
represented by Alan Lloyd from Datacraft and David Higginbottom
from Telecom Advanced Services. Government, private industry,
and academia were also represented.

Much of the debate was reduced to arguments about who had
the best method of setting standards, whether the Internet
protocol was adequate for commercial networks, and whether
there were enough OSI products available.

Summing up, Michael Aikins, from the Australian Stock Exchange
said that no one technology could solve the problems. He said that
if the Internet wished to be used as a commercial network it had
to address issues such as service level responsibility, billing and
contractual obligations to users.

Aikens concluded that both camps could add value by using each
other's technologies. He said the most important issue was to
agree on interconnection standards for messaging between OSI
and Internet protocol systems.

(Kester Cranswick & Computer Daily News/19940627)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEL)(00007)

India - Aspen Technology & Onward Sign Distribution Deal 06/30/94
BOMBAY, INDIA, 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- Aspen Technology Inc.
(AspenTech) of the US has appointed Onward Engineering
Technologists Pvt. Ltd. as its distributor in India.

The range of AspenTech's computer-aided chemical engineering
software, to be marketed and supported by Onward, is aimed at the
process simulation market, including the petroleum refining,
petrochemical, chemical, pharmaceutical, and metallurgical
industries.

The suite of software products includes: Aspen Plus, Speedup,
Maxtm, Advettm, BPSTM, and Ratefractum. While Aspen Plus is
designed for steady state modeling, Speedup is intended for
dynamic simulation, according to the company.

AspenTech, which set up Asian office in 1989, claims an
appreciable market share in countries such as Japan, Korea, Taiwan,
and the People's Republic of China. Headquartered in US, the thirteen
year old company has international offices in Hong Kong, Tokyo,
Brussels, and Cambridge.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19940630)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(DEN)(00008)

Is Justice Dept Ready To File Microsoft Anti-trust Suit? 06/30/94
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- The US Justice
Department is reportedly in the final stages of negotiation with
Microsoft Corporation and is close to filing an antitrust lawsuit
against the software company.

The Justice Department entered the case in August, 1993, after the
Federal Trade Commission closed its own 37-month investigation
after being deadlocked on whether to take action against Microsoft.

At issue is whether Microsoft engages in anti-competitive practices
against its business rivals. Microsoft rivals are critical of
Microsoft's practice of offering discount prices on its MS-DOS
operating system, the heart of millions of personal computers
worldwide, to PC manufacturers.

Microsoft says it is just offering a discount for volume business.
Rivals say that closes the potential market to them. Critics also
charge that Microsoft uses undocumented code in the Windows
software to give its word processing and other applications
software an advantage when running under Windows by using
features not known to competitors.

When contacted by Newsbytes, Microsoft spokesperson Mich
Mathews would only say that, "It's an ongoing non-public
investigation. We have cooperated with the Justice Department
in everything they have asked for."

(Jim Mallory/19940630/Press contact: Mich Mathews, Microsoft
Corporation, 206-882-8080)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TOR)(00009)

Microcom Intros 28.8Kbps PCMCIA Modem 06/30/94
NORWOOD, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- Microcom,
Inc., has announced what the manufacturer claims is the first
28.8 kilobit-per-second (Kbps) modem that fits in a Personal
Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA)
expansion slot.

Microcom also claimed that, thanks to data compression and the
new TravelCard Fast 28.8 modem's use of a parallel, rather than
a serial interface, data throughput of as much as 300Kbps is
possible.

That throughput is possible when sending a highly compressible
data file and using Microcom's Carbon Copy software, which
compresses data with run-length encoding in addition to the
compression built into the modem, Microcom's product manager for
modems, Dan Greenfield, told Newsbytes. Without Carbon Copy and
sending a typical text file, effective throughput would likely be
a bit less than 200Kbps, Greenfield said.

Microcom has produced modems with parallel interfaces before --
its DeskPorte Fast and TravelPorte Fast 28.8 unit. Like them, the
TravelCard Fast 28.8 uses the Advanced Parallel Technology (APT)
developed by Microcom to overcome the bottleneck created by
moving data one bit at a time through a serial interface.

With Microsoft Windows and a serial connection, Microcom said,
transmitting at speeds of more than 38.4 Kbps leads to errors due
to lost data. A parallel interface solves the problem by handling
eight bits of data at a time.

Optionally, the modem can act as a serial device for use with DOS
or Unix operating systems.

Most communications software expects the modem to be attached
to a serial port, and may not allow data to be directed to a
parallel device. Microcom gets around this problem with APT
driver software that intercepts the data stream directed to the
serial port and redirects it to a "phantom parallel port,"
Greenfield explained.

The modem also supports Microcom Networking Protocol Class
10 (MNP 10), which allows it to transmit data over cellular
telephone connections and to cope with poor-quality phone lines,
the vendor added. Microcom claimed the new unit is the fastest
PCMCIA modem now available for cellular transmission.

Based on the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) V.Fast
standard, the modem also can work with non-V.Fast modems
including those that conform to ITU-T V.32bis, V.32, V.22bis,
V.22, V.21, Bell 212A, and Bell 103 standards, Microcom said.

The TravelCard Fast 28.8 comes with a Windows utility that
installs PCMCIA drivers and Microcom's APT driver, and with the
vendor's Modem Watch Windows application, which provides modem
status indicators on the computer screen. Security features
include a built-in security database that lets as many as nine
users choose from password, fixed callback, and variable callback
options, and Enhanced Password Connection Security, which can
store up to 50 encrypted passwords.

The modem comes with SofNet's FaxWorks facsimile software, a
starter kit for the Compuserve online information service, and a
trial membership kit for the America Online service.

It uses flash memory so that software upgrades can be added
from a diskette or through Microcom's bulletin board system.

The suggested retail price is $599 and the modem is due to ship
June 30. It will be upgradable to the ITU-T V.34 standard for
$99, Microcom said. Discounts are available for bulletin board
system operators. The TravelCard Fast 28.8 comes with a five-year
warranty.

(Grant Buckler/19940629/Press Contact: David Powers, Microcom,
tel [phone], fax [phone]; Amy Novekaoff, Microcom,
tel [phone]; Public Contact: Microcom, tel
800-822-8224/FASTMODEM940630/PHOTO)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(MSP)(00010)

Mexico - Telecom News Briefs 06/30/94
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO, 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- In today's news
from Mexico, Cuban telephone deal progresses, Grupo Domos
preparing for Mexican long distance telephone market, more
information on Motorola's communications investments, and
Northern Telecom opens telephone plant.

Cuban Telephone Deal Progresses

Mexico's president visited Cuba and officials of both
governments confirmed the deal, but would not discuss details,
whereby Grupo Domos will buy a 55-year concession for 49% and
operating control of Cuba's telephone system. The actual shares
involved will be those of Telefonia Antillana. The exchange will
also take over some Cuban debt. The president is urging the US
to normalize relations with Cuba.

Grupo Domos Preparing For Mexican Long Distance  Market

Grupo Domos is planning to compete for the Mexican long
distance telephone market. It expects to invest US$4.263
billion. Its investment in Cuba will be US$2.176 billion. In
addition to long distance, it hopes to develop a fiber optic
network, wireless basic service, mobile communications, value-
added services, subscription TV and systems of networks.  It is
looking for foreign partners for each of the segments it chooses.
BellSouth is said to be interested. It is talking to Southern
Pacific concerning the extension of its fiber optic network into
Mexico. It has financial arrangements with Serfin and invites
other investors to participate in those ventures.

More Information on Motorola's Communications Investments

As previously reported, Motorola is buying 49% of Celular de
Telefonia.  This portion was owned by Milicon. Grupo Protexa
owns the balance of the firm. Protexa is active in oil industry
construction and services and has interests in food, tourism and
airlines. Protexa said the strategic alliance with Motorola will
bring a new investment of US$800 million into cellular
operations. It also said the alliance would pursue the long-
distance market with an initial investment of $700 million in
preparation and a potential long-range investment of US$6
billion. The alliance is also interested in integrated personal
communications, wireless rural telephones, and satellite
communications.

Northern Telecom Opens Telephone Plant

Northern Telecom formally opened its previously announced plant
in Apodaca, a suburb of Monterrey. The plant will produce high-
technology digital telephones, cable harnesses, and fiber optic
products, among other items. The 250,000 square-foot plant will
employ about 1,000 (growing to 1,500 soon) and will produce
US$100 million annually. The firm is offering technology to
eliminate CFC solvents free to other electronics firms. It also
supports education programs in telecommunications at ITESM and
UNAM.

(Terry Silveria/19940630)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(MSP)(00011)

Vietnam Advancing As New Component Production Base 06/30/94
HANOI, VIETNAM, 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- Korea's component
makers are actively advancing into Vietnam by setting up local
corporations or local production facilities, as the US cut the
export embargo against the country.

Vietnam appears to be becoming a new production base with
its highly trained human resources, low labor cost and
improving conditions for foreign investment, according to
various companies that are moving into the country.

Daewoo Electronic Components and Daewoo Electronics Company Ltd.,
affiliates of the Daewoo Group recently set up "Daewoo Hannel
(phonetic),"  a 70%-30% joint venture with Hannel of Vietnam
and a $20 million investment in Hanoi, starting establishment
of a local plant to operate at the latter half of next year.

200,000 color TVs, 100,000 refrigerators and one million DYs
(deflecting yokes) will be produced annually at the plant in
Hanoi. Daewoo Electronic Components plans to design the
facilities to meet production of one million FBTs (high
voltage sound-changing machine) and tuners next year,
investing a total of $200 million by 1998.

Orion Electric Company Ltd. is building a joint plant with
an annual output of 1.6 million black/white and color picture
tubes by investing a total of $170 million.  Completion is
scheduled for June next year. The company also seeks joint
ventures with cooperative companies like  Daemyung Electronics,
Orion Metal, Kangseo Ind., Taesung Metal, and Pungjin Electronics.

GoldStar-Foster Company Ltd. is also setting up  a local plant for
monthly production of one million speakers, to be completed at
the end of this year, and plans joint advancement with related
companies in order to reduce component supply costs.

Sungeum Electronics plans to invest $200,000 after finishing a
market survey for establishment of local production, while
Jungdong Precision and Yongpung Precision already supply
domestic speaker makers.

(Terry Silveria/19940630)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(MSP)(00012)

Korea - Computer News Briefs 06/30/94
SEOUL, KOREA, 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- In today's news from Korea,
AST goes direct in Korea, and GoldStar moving into the US
multimedia market.

AST Goes Direct

AST will set up AST Computer, a local company, to reinforce
its marketing for PC sales in Korea, the second largest market in
Asia following Japan. The Asia-Pacific vice-president of AST
said the company plans to raise its Korean PC market share to
3% within two years and 10% eventually by extending the
warranty period to three years and upgrading outlets to
technology support centers. He also announced AST is aiming at
the domestic PC server, notebook PC and CAD/CAM (computer-
aided design/manufacturing) market this year. The company
previously sold its products through domestic small and medium
companies since 1989 and operated a liaison office.

GoldStar Moving Into US Multimedia Market

GoldStar Company Ltd. announced on June 15 that it will buy
CD-Is (Compact Disc Interactives) from Philips of the Netherlands
on an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) basis and sell them
in the US under the "GoldStar" brand, which is the first time for a
domestic company to advance into the US multimedia market. CD-I
for home and office use will be sold by GSEI, a GoldStar US company,
and 5,000 units will be reportedly supplied. The selling price will
be $299 for home use and $530 for office use. GoldStar said that it
is pushing for an early presence in the US market and it plans to
sell its own developed products, including portable CD-Is, after
promoting its brand image through OEM supply of Philips's products.

(Terry Silveria/19940630)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TYO)(00013)

Japan - News Briefs 06/30/94
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- In today's news from Japan,
Canon to raise ink-jet printer production by 50% to over four
million units in fiscal 1994, Seiko-Epson develops IBM-compatible
card computer, Fujitsu to restructure, create eight new divisions,
Sanyo Electric commissions home fax production in China, memory
shortage spreading to 1Mbit DRAMs and SRAMs, Kubota Computer
marketing VR application development system.

Canon To Raise Ink-Jet Printer Production

Canon will raise ink-jet printer production by 50% to over four
million units in fiscal 1994. Thanks to brisk PC sales, demand
for ink-jet printers is growing worldwide. The company markets
two office-use color printers and a low-end color printer, and
plans to release a color printer priced at about 70,000 yen
($700) by year end and ship another color printer priced at about
50,000 yen ($500) next year. Canon will particularly focus on
production expansion abroad, increasing overseas output from the
current 20% of total shipments to 30% by 1996. It is aiming to
boost color printer production from the current 25% of total
ink-jet printer production to 50% in 1995.

Seiko-Epson Develops IBM-Compatible Card Computer

Seiko-Epson has developed, and will release in August, a card
board computer compatible with the IBM PC/XT. The CARD-86, which
comes in four models, uses the Chips and Technologies F8680A
microprocessor as its CPU (central processing unit), which the
company claims is comparable to the Intel 386SX. The card computer,
which measures 54.0 millimeters (mm) by 85.6 by 3.8mm, supports
either a PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International
Association) or EISA (Extended Industry Standard Architecture)
interface and features embedded flash memory of 128-256 kilobytes
(KB). A model with 128KB of flash memory is sample-priced at
43,400 yen ($434). The annual sales target is set at 20,000 units.
The company also plans to introduce in December the CARD-486, a
high-end model based on an MPU compatible with the i486.

Fujitsu To Restructure, Create 8 New Divisions

In a move aimed at clarifying its response to market changes
amid the trend toward open systems and growing multimedia
demand, Fujitsu will reorganize July 29, adding eight
newly-created divisions to its existing 44 divisions. The new
divisions will handle the following areas: client-server
promotion, multimedia projects promotion, contents business
promotion, planning, network development, sales office, and retail
business, China projects promotion, and agricultural, forestry,
and fishery sales. The new divisions will encompass approximately
2,500 employees.

Sanyo Electric Commissions Home Fax Production In China

Sanyo Electric has commissioned production of home facsimiles
in China, where demand is rising rapidly. The fax market in China
was estimated at 200,000 units in 1993. Production of some models
being made by its subsidiary Tottori Sanyo Electric has been
commissioned to Disheng Communications of Guangzhou, which is
expected to produce about 55,000 units this year. Commissioned
production will be raised to 100,000 units in 1995. Key components,
such as thermal heads, sensors and semiconductors, will be
supplied from Japan. The local content will initially be about 30%,
and this will gradually be increased.

Memory Shortage Spreading To 1Mbit DRAMs, SRAMs

Japan's memory shortage has spread even to previous-generation
products such as 1Mbit DRAMs and SRAMs. Supplies of such chips
have fallen amid strong exports to the US and an across-the-board
shift by manufacturers to production of 16Mbit and other
leading-edge products. The shortage of 1Mbit DRAMs is
particularly pronounced. According to one chip trader, the demand-
supply gap for such chips has reached nearly 10%. What is more,
prices for some 1Mbit DRAM chips have even gone up 2-3%,
observers say.

Kubota Computer Marketing VR Application Development System

Kubota Computer has started marketing a virtual reality
application development system. The company has ported US
Sense8's World Tool Kit (wtk) to its Titan2 mini-supercomputer.
The Titan2 version lists at 2.4 million yen ($24,000), and the
system including the mini-supercomputer and peripheral devices
will sell for 20 million yen ($200,000). Asahi Electronics of
Kitakyushu, which has been marketing PC and workstation versions
of WTK as the sole agent for Sense8 in Japan, will work with
Kubota to promote the tool. Kubota projects first-year sales of
50 sets.

(Terry Silveria/19940630)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TYO)(00014)

Japan - Telecom News Briefs 06/30/94
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- In today's telecom news
from japan, MPT to divide the country into 10 personal handy
phone (PHS) service areas, MPT sets target and schedule for
preparation of nationwide fiber-optic network, Microsoft and
NTT to jointly develop set-top box from late 1994.

MPT To Divide Country Into 10 Personal Handy Phone Areas

MPT has decided to divide the country into 10 personal handy
phone system (PHS) service areas. The ministry has also decided
that up to three carriers will be able to provide a PHS service
in each area, that NTT itself will not be permitted to provide
the service, and that basic subscription and monthly charges will
be set about one-third the current levels. In the Tokyo metropolitan
area, Tokyo Electric Power, Japan Telecom, KDD, and Tokyo
Telecommunication Network will form a group to enter the market
in the fall of 1995. NTT will also launch its service about the
same time using its subsidiary, and a Daini Denden affiliate will
enter the market as well. MPT will initially allocate 12 gigahertz
(GHz) to the PHS service, enough to support six million subscribers.

MPT Sets Target & Schedule For Nationwide Fiber-Optic Network

MPT has set the year 2010 as its target date for having a
nationwide fiber-optic network in place. The decision, made June
24, was based on a May 31 report from the Telecommunications
Council concerning Japan's data communications infrastructure
program. MPT also determined a specific schedule of milestones
for achieving the goal, including having public-use applications
at the practical stage by 2000 and having the network cover 60%
of Japan's population by 2005.

Microsoft & NTT To Jointly Develop Set-Top Box From Late 1994

Microsoft and NTT will jointly develop a set-top box from late
this year. The two companies, which teamed up in March for
multimedia information distribution services and agreed this
month to cooperate in experimental services, will also join
forces to develop multimedia equipment. Microsoft plans to use
Windows PCs for experimental services, but will need a set-top
box to provide full-fledged services to households. The set-top
box will support two-way, broadband digital transmission and run
on the Windows operating system. A graphical user interface will
be newly developed. Microsoft will rely on NTT for data
transmission control technology.

(Terry Silveria/19940630)


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

Korean Firms Target Chinese Computer System Business 06/30/94
SEOUL, KOREA, 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- Samsung Electronics,
Hyundai Electronics, and Dacom are competing with foreign
companies to win an order to set up a computer system in China
which needs hundreds of medium and large computers.

Dacom and Samsung Electronics, which were formally invited
by China in March, jointly submitted a report including overall
system design and consulting.

Chinese Mail Finance Business is to set up test systems in
Shanghai, Dialim, and Beijing with a $9.5 million investment as
a first stage and link 2,300 main post offices nationwide and
around 10,000 by 2000. While seven companies including IBM,
Fujitsu, and Siemens participated in the bid with Samsung and
Dacom, four companies, IBM, Unisys, NEC and the Korean
companies remained for the final competition.

For the project, Dacom plans to take charge of overall software
development and consulting while Samsung Electronics plans to
supply its SSM6000. Hyundai Electronics is also negotiating
with Pyramid of the US and a Chinese computer system company
to supply medium-size computer servers from Pyramid for
computerization of the Chinese taxation affairs.

The company suggested local production of the Pyramid model
and transfer of the related technology to China.

(Terry Silveria/19940630)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(TOR)(00016)

 ****IBM To Sell Solaris With Power PCs 06/30/94
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- IBM and SunSoft
Inc. have agreed that SunSoft will port its Solaris operating
system to run on IBM's upcoming PowerPC-based personal
computers (PCs), and IBM will resell the Unix-variant operating
system.

SunSoft also said it will establish a support program for
independent hardware and software vendors, with help from IBM.

The Solaris software environment will be available on IBM's
PowerPC-based PCs during the first half of 1995, the companies
said, and will comply with IBM's PowerPC Reference Platform
specifications.

IBM's Power Personal Systems division, formed last summer to
build PCs based on PowerPC chips, is expected to deliver its first
products some time in the second half of this year.

Tim Ohsann, a spokesman for the division, acknowledged that
Solaris will compete with IBM's own Unix variant, AIX, which is
also to be available on its PowerPC-based personal systems. But
he told Newsbytes that comes with the territory, because PowerPC
"is an open platform."

A version of IBM's OS/2 operating system, Windows NT from
Microsoft Corp., and Taligent, from the company of the same name
that is a joint venture of IBM and Apple Computer Inc., will also be
available for the Power Personal Systems machines.

The SunSoft deal applies only to PowerPC systems coming from
the Power Personal Systems units, not to models in the RISC
System/6000 line that use the PowerPC chips, Ohsann said.

SunSoft said the PowerPC version of Solaris will contain the same
features, functionality and application programming interface
(API) as Solaris 2.4, which will be available on SPARC- and
x86-based systems this summer. In most cases, SunSoft claimed,
software developers will only need to recompile their Solaris
applications to move them to the PowerPC.

Customers will be able to buy Solaris from IBM, pre-loaded on
PowerPC-based PCs or in CD-ROM format for later installation.

To help independent vendors move to the PowerPC systems,
SunSoft will launch, with IBM's assistance, support programs
such as technology conferences, worldwide porting centers,
expert technical support, seminars, and early access for end
users.

SunSoft also said it will expand its third-party Catalyst
program to include PowerPC developers and make Early Access
Developer Kits for Solaris on PowerPC-based personal systems
available in October.

(Grant Buckler/19940630/Press Contact: Carol Sacks, SunSoft, tel
415-336-1462; Emily Cohen, Hi-Tech Communications for SunSoft,
tel [phone]; Tim Ohsann, IBM, tel [phone]; Amy
Palladino, GCI Group for IBM, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TOR)(00017)

 ****Equal Long-Distance Access Starts In Canada 06/30/94
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- Starting July 1,
Canadians will begin to be able to use alternative long-distance
telephone carriers without dialing extra digits. Many will
welcome the added convenience, though with long-distance
competitors in a frenzy to attract business at the moment,
customers may be feeling like turkeys on Thanksgiving.

Starting July 1, some member phone companies of the Stentor
consortium, which provide local phone service in most areas and
until last year had a monopoly on long-distance, must begin
converting their switching equipment so that customers can use
other long-distance carriers without dialing extra access codes
as they have in the early months of competition.

This is a boon for the rival long-distance carriers, the biggest
of which is Toronto-based Unitel Corp., because it will make
their services easier to use. But the changeover has also put the
alternative carriers under the gun.

As equal access goes into effect, each telephone customer must
choose whether or not to designate Stentor or another carrier as
his or her long-distance carrier. Customers who do not explicitly
choose will stay with Stentor by default. Even those who have
been using another carrier have to make their choice official.

So, explained Unitel spokeswoman Carleen Carroll, Unitel, Sprint
Canada and various long-distance resellers have had to "re-sell"
their customers on their services.

Stentor's competitors are also hoping that with the nuisance of
dialing extra digits removed, they will be able to lure more
customers away from Stentor. So there has been a rash of
advertising and publicity stunts to draw attention to the various
services.

Unitel staged a major media event in Toronto, June 29, offering
free calls anywhere in the world. TelRoute Communications Inc.,
a Toronto reseller, announced a contest in which the top prize is
free long-distance calling anywhere in the world for life plus
C$10,000 worth of Air Canada travel vouchers.

Stentor, meanwhile, has been doing its own media blitz urging
customers to be skeptical about the savings claims and service
quality of its new competitors.

Equal access will not happen across the country overnight. It
will be phased in over the next few weeks in Ontario, Quebec, and
the Atlantic Provinces, as quickly as technicians at Bell Canada
and the four telephone companies in the Atlantic region can make
the switching changes.

British Columbia Telephone Co. will start implementing equal
access later this summer, AGT Inc. in Alberta in October, and
Manitoba Telephone System early next year. Due to a clause
in federal telecommunications legislation delaying federal
regulation of provincially owned Saskatchewan
Telecommunications, Saskatchewan still lacks long-distance
competition.

(Grant Buckler/19940630/Press Contact: Carleen Carroll,
Unitel Communications, tel [phone]; Paul Nagy, TelRoute
Communications, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(DAL)(00018)

HP Video Servers For BellSouth Video-On-Demand Trial 06/30/94
PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- Hewlett-
Packard (HP) has announced it is providing interactive video servers
for BellSouth's 18-month field-trial program, in which the
Regional Bell Operating Company will deliver video programs and
services "on-demand" to approximately 12,000 homes in the greater
Atlanta area beginning in mid-1995. This is the second such
agreement for HP, the first being with Pacific Telesis Video
Services for video servers in four California markets.

It appears HP it will be a major player in the burgeoning video-
server market, which is expected to climb to an estimated $5.2
billion in sales in 1997, according to market research firm
Dataquest. The company is supplying the hardware for a catalog
order-fulfillment system on the digital, multimedia Time Warner
Cable Full Service Network (FSN) scheduled for debut in Orlando,
Florida, later this year. Further, HP is building set-top boxes
for use by consumers on the delivery end of interactive networks
and printers designed for home users to print what appears on-
screen.

Re-designed to be a video "juke-box," HP says its video server
has the advantage of being more than just a retrofitted
mainframe adjusted to handle digital graphical data.

William Reddersen, senior vice president of broadband strategies
at BellSouth said: "HP's approach of building a hardware
architecture specifically for interactive video provides us with
significant performance, expandability, and cost benefits."

HP claims it has designed a new architecture -- the video transfer
engine -- specifically for streaming large quantities of video data
across networks. By focusing on moving data rather than
processing data, as traditional large mainframe and supercomputers
do, the video transfer engine can offer fast video-on-demand for a
lower cost per video stream than competitors, claims the company.

In addition, says the company, the video transfer engine architecture
is designed to be open, scalable, and modular so single HP servers
can have their video-data-transmission capabilities augmented,
multiple servers can be linked together, and its hardware can work
with a variety of software, hardware and network components from
different vendors. "BellSouth's credible, realistic approach to
the implementation of its interactive video services fits well
with HP's focus on real-world solutions," said James D. Olson,
general manager of HP's Video Communications Division.

Oracle and Scientific Atlanta are also involved in the HP/BellSouth
deal. Oracle Media software will be used to manage interactive
video applications on the HP interactive video server and in this
case, Scientific Atlanta is to provide the set-top boxes.

While the Time Warner catalog deal is quite different, involving
HP's standard PA-RISC (Precision Architecture reduced instruction-
set computing) 3000 Series 987/150 workstations running the
Mail Order and Cataloging System (MACS) software from Smith-
Gardner to process and fill orders that come in on FSN. Company
officials said there is more to interactive television than just
serving up video, meaning there is an entire market in computers
and processing equipment needed to handle the expected responses
from customers generated by the network.

The Orlando customers will receive an FSN box, also made by
Scientific Atlanta in conjunction with Silicon Graphics Inc.
(SGI), Time Warner officials said. These customers will also
receive a remote control, and an HP printer to participate in the
new interactive, digital multimedia network. HP says it has not
released specifics concerning the printers.

SGI is probably HP's largest competitor, although it appears both
companies have to work together. Besides providing its MIPS
RISC processors for set-top boxes, SGI also has video servers
and is supplying them for the Time Warner Orlando, Florida project.

(Linda Rohrbough/19940630/Press Contact: Michele Pritchard,
Hewlett-Packard, 408-447-1259; Dave Wilt, Copithorne & Bellows
PR, tel [phone], fax [phone]/HP940630/PHOTO)


(NEWS)(IBM)(BOS)(00019)

PC Expo - SPC Intros Harvard Graphics 3.0 For Windows 06/30/94
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- In a press and
end-user event at PC Expo, Software Publishing Corporation (SPC)
introduced Harvard Graphics 3.0 for Windows, an edition of the
presentation package that has been redesigned to help users give a
more polished look to their presentations.

SPC decided to take this tack after conducting extensive testing
among end users, said Infran Salim, SPC's president and chief
executive officer (CEO), in a talk to reporters and members of
the Intergalactic User Group Officers Conference, held at the
Intercontinental Hotel in Manhattan.

When asked what capabilities are "most important to them" in a
presentation package, users listed "ease of use" high on the list,
Salim explained. But the number one answer was the ability to
prepare slide shows and other presentations that "look professional"
and have a "strong impact" on the audience, the CEO said.

In response, SPC has enhanced its flagship product with new
features that include Advisor Design Checker, Quick Presentations,
Quick Advice, and Animation Player & Clips, according to Salim.

Advisor Design Checker is a feature that "interactively checks" a
user's presentation against design guidelines developed by
"presentation experts" and the Harvard Graphics Advisor Team, he
reported.

Conceived of as a "spelling checker" for presentations, Design
Checker has built-in rules that provide such feedback as "color
is too close to that of the background," according to Salim.

For feedback from "the pros" on either a single slide or a whole
presentation, the user selects the Check Design option in the
Advisor panel.

The new Quick Presentations feature, on the other hand, provides a
series of prepackaged presentations of the kinds typically needed
by business users. Users merely add their own data to quickly come
up with a complete presentation, he said.

The prepackaged presentations include a marketing plan and an
annual report, for instance. Quick Presentations also incorporates
a series of "real life examples," chart styles, and tips on use of
the examples and charts.

The Animation Player and Clips feature supplies 15 prepackaged
animations aimed at business presentations, along with a
mechanism for quickly adding these clips, he said.

The new Quick Advice capability, on the other hand, provides
advice on subjects such as whether to use a bar or line chart to
illustrate a certain point, and whether slides or a hard copy
presentation is the best way to go, according to Salim.

Also in Version 3.0, SPC has expanded user's access to Design Tips
and Advisor Quick, two features previously added to Harvard
Graphics. The Advisor Panel now appears in the Outliner and Slide
Sorter views, in addition to the Master Templates, Backgrounds,
and Slide Templates.

In addition, the company has added autotrace capabilities to
Harvard F/X, an OLE (object linking and embedding) server for
creating special effects. Autotrace is aimed at transforming
existing bitmapped images to "smoother" vector images, the
company chief said.

Harvard Graphics 3.0 for Windows also adds "efficiency" and
"usability" features, such as the ability to send a presentation by
electronic mail without exiting Harvard Graphics, simpler dialogs
and menus, the ability to launch applications from the icon bar,
and new previews in black-and-white and for special effects.

In a meeting with Newsbytes at the close of the presentation, a
company spokesperson said that the Harvard Graphics Advisor
Team, the group that helped to develop Advisor Design Checker,
also produces "Advisor," SPC's recently introduced newsletter for
users, and answers users' questions via a new help phone line.

Harvard Graphics 3.0 for Windows is slated to ship next month, at
a price of $395. Upgrades are $99 for users of competitive products
as well as for owners of previous editions of Harvard Graphics.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19940630/Reader Contact: SPC, 408-986-8000;
Dorothy Meunier, SPC, 408-430-7915)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(ATL)(00020)

Cirrus Logic Intros New V.32bis Chip-Set 06/30/94
FREMONT, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- Cirrus Logic
has introduced the CL-MD1414UN and CL-MD1414UNP data, fax,
and voice modem chip-sets designed to handle most international
and cellular communication applications under the V.32bis
standard.

This is achieved by moving the necessary controller software
to an external ROM (read-only memory), EPROM (erasable
programmable ROM), RAM, or flash memory chip. The company
claimed that modem makers will now have to do no additional
programming to handle international or cellular products.

All internationally compliant controller code for the new
chip-sets, including country-specific blacklisting and call
progress support, are provided by Cirrus Logic.

The new chip-sets support all international communications
standards including CCITT V.23, V.21, V.32bis, and V.22bis, for
data, and CCITT V.17, V.29, V.27ter, and V.21 ch2 for fax. For
voice support, they implement an expanded AT for "Attention"
command set modeled after current standard efforts and
V.25bis for international operations. For error correction they
incorporate up to 4-to-1 data compression capabilities of
V.42bis/MNP 5 and V.42/MNP 2-4 error control.

They also support such voice functions as answering machine,
dictaphone, and telephone emulation, as well as cellular
telephone communications and flash memory. Pricing for the
chip-sets in quantities of 1,000 is $50. Sample quantities will
be available in the fourth quarter of 1994.

Spokesman Connie Duncan added in a Newsbytes interview that
the new chip is also physically smaller than other two-chip
solutions. "It's ideal for PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card
International Association) or other designs that require small
form factor solutions, like portables and handhelds and cards,"
she said. "We've achieved a smaller form-factor with even more
features."

There are also power-saving features. "We have the lowest
operating power, and power management features included," she
said. Products using the chips could be announced as early as the
coming Fall Comdex show, but deliveries are not expected until
next spring.

"Europe is a key market these new products are addressing,"
Duncan added. "We will be supplying the software that will make
modems compliant for operation in other countries. And each
country has different requirements. We'll supply firmware that
accommodates all of them. We can support up to about 16 different
countries."

(Dana Blankenhorn/19940630/Press Contact: Cirrus Logic,
Connie Duncan, 510-226-2346)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00021)

 ***NYNEX, Bell Atlantic Combine Cellular Units 06/30/94
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- Hoping to create
a national wireless brand, Bell Atlantic and NYNEX have combined
their cellular phone units. The combined entity will have a value of
about $13 billion, the two companies said.

Under terms of the deal, Bell Atlantic will eventually own half
of the new company, and NYNEX will own half. Bell Atlantic's
Larry Babbio will head the new company, and the rest of the five-
man executive committee will consist of equal people from both
companies.

The two firms hope to close the transaction in the second quarter
of next year. The combined firms expect to initially be the fourth-
largest cellular outfit, behind McCaw Cellular, GTE, and
Southwestern Bell, and just in front of BellSouth. NYNEX Chairman
William Ferguson estimated the new company will be 70 percent
of the size of McCaw.

In a press conference attended by Newsbytes, Bell Atlantic
Chairman Ray Smith emphasized the deal will set the two firms
up to compete nationally in the PCS (personal communications
services) spectrum auctions now being organized by the Federal
Communications Commission. "The combined resources of this
new joint venture will enable us to compete" in those auctions,
he said. The new company will seek other partners as well, and
talks are ongoing, but he added that just because Sprint owns
10 percent of the new firm's New York operations they are not
necessarily going to be one of the partners.

"Customer requirements won't be met by the current industry
structure," he added. "AT&T and MCI's challenge can't be met by a
single regional cellular company on its own. So we put together a
partnership that gives us a unified strategy, the ability to
package services including long distance and establish a national
brand, and a market-based management team focused exclusively
on the anytime, anywhere market."

In his remarks, Ferguson emphasized that the two companies have
long had combined operations in the New York metropolitan area,
with NYNEX owning 54% of it, Bell Atlantic 26%, and Sprint
10%. "We've worked together a long time, and gotten comfortable
with each other," he said. "To a great degree, this is an extension
of our partnership."

Larry Babbio, Bell Atlantic's chair operating officer, will run
the executive committee of the new company. In his remarks he
emphasized the economies available by combining companies, in
marketing, research, and back-office expenses. But in response
to a question, he added, there will be no lay-offs. "There will
certainly be some jobs changed. But we plan to grow jobs," he
said.

Added NYNEX Chairman William Ferguson, "Even though you reduce
costs and improve structure, you still will grow in terms of
people," adding that NYNEX's customer count grew 60 percent
last year.

Added Ray Smith, "Wireless is one of the greatest growth markets
in the next 10-20 years. This industry can now organize itself
and provide the world's best wireless infrastructure. With this
and our new networks, we will have an economic engine that can be
the source of American competitiveness into the next century."

He called the deal, "The first step toward capitalizing on these new
opportunities" and that, "Only a handful of companies will drive
the market," including Bell Atlantic-NYNEX. He also predicted
that 35 percent of people will use cellular in 10 years, against
six percent today. "It's been evident to me an alliance of this
sort is required if the average person would be able to take
advantage of this new information age. We will build the
wireless lane of the information superhighway," he added.

Babbio was asked about digital technology. "We're fully committed
to digital. All our switches are digital. The major cell sites
are digital-ready, and we're trialing both CDMA (code division
multiple access) and TDMA (time division multiple access)," the
two competing standards. "We're still evaluating" which one to
use. "I don't think the choice means a lot to the customer -- we
want a common standard we can deploy quickly."

As to the regulatory hurdles to the deal, Smith said, "There are
no rules that prohibit combining cellular properties. We will
need approval on licenses from the FCC, and the Justice
Department, but we don't expect any problems."

The only problems are two million of the firms' 55 million
potential customers in "conflicted" areas, where Bell Atlantic has
one local license, NYNEX the other. "We'll trade out or sell one or
the other," he said, as happened in buying Metro Mobile a few years
ago. And Smith emphasized that, unlike last year's TCI deal, this is
a definitive agreement, not a letter of intent. It's a done deal."

Executives from both companies also addressed the long distance
market, expressing confidence they will be able to offer long
distance service under evolving laws and rules.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19940630/Press Contact: Bell Atlantic, Eric
Rabe, 703-974-1720)


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

FCC Adopts Final PCS Auction Rules 06/30/94
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- The Federal
Communications Commission has adopted final rules for auctioning
200 megahertz (MHz) of new spectrum between 1.8-2.2 gigahertz
(GHz) for personal communications services (PCS) wireless
operation. FCC Chairman Reed Hundt predicted PCS could be a $50
billion business in 10 years.

The final rules include a "Competitive Opportunity Plan" under
which small businesses, rural entrepreneurs and women can pay
for their licenses on installments and get bidding credits to help
them compete. The decision follows a plan announced June 9 under
which all broadband PCS licenses are being placed on a contiguous
band and the number of 30MHz licenses are being increased, which
will enable operators to allocate them more flexibly.

An "unlicensed" band, for low-power devices like cordless phones,
is being established right in the middle of the licensed band,
between 1.910-1.930MHz. All the other frequencies in the
auctions lie on either side of that band, between 1.850-1.990MHz.

Licenses will be auctioned in a "simultaneous multiple round"
procedure, with three separate auctions. The first will be for 99
30MHz blocks in Major Trading Areas defined by the 1993 Rand
McNally Commercial Atlas. The second auction will be for 986
30MHz and 10MHz blocks in Basic Trading Areas, the third for
another 986 blocks in Basic Trading Areas. The BTAs are smaller
geographic areas than MTAs.

To get into the broadband auction, applicants will have to make
an up-front payment of two cents per MHz per prospective customer.
Winning bidders must then make a down payment of 20 percent of
their winning bids, except for minorities and small businesses,
which will have down payments of five percent. There are also
some provisions aimed at preventing collusion.

Two blocks are designated "entrepreneurs blocks" and eligibility
for them will be limited to companies with gross revenues over
two years of not over $125 million and total assets no larger
than $500 million. Special rules were also established to enable
such businesses to compete.

In separate statements, a number of commissioners commented on
the procedures. Commissioner James Quello acknowledged that the
procedures are not perfect, and said he would be willing to consider
additional changes. Commissioner Andrew Barrett called the result
a "pro-competitive license structure."

New Commissioner Susan Ness warned the unscrupulous that "The
cost of acquiring a PCS license is likely to be substantial, and the
business risks are high." She said a concerted effort should be
made before the auction to warn consumers against risking their
savings on promises by "charlatans."

Reaction to the new rules was swift and generally favorable.
Fairly typical was that of Columbia PCS, formed by venture
capitalists under Steve Zecola, who formerly headed MCI's PCS
efforts, who said the rules provide "an attractive market
structure" and "good policy."

(Dana Blankenhorn/19940630/Press Contact: FCC Press,
202-418-0500)


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

More On BBN, NEARNET 06/30/94
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- BBN
Technology, which just put its NEARNET Internet service business
into the New York market, has revealed more information detailing
its efforts to become a major presence in the market.

Perhaps most important, the company lowered its prices. The new
NEARNET installation package goes for $3,950, regardless of
connection speed, and includes equipment, telephone circuits,
on-site installation, a day of consulting, integration with the
client's network, and telephone support.

In the New York metro area, the company said it is offering
advanced network design and custom security services aimed
specifically at financial and publishing businesses.

In addition, BBN said it would acquire the Bay Area Regional
Research network, or BARRNet, from Stanford University, and
integrate that with NEARNET. Financial terms were not disclosed.

BARRNet has been the Bay Area's leading Internet service provider
since 1986, and its customers include Apple Computer, Hewlett
Packard, the University of California, and NASA's Ames Research
Center.

Finally, the company said it would stage a celebration in
Boston on September 10 to commemorate the 25th birthday of
ARPANET, the network which is called the direct technology
forerunner of the Internet. BBN was a key contractor on the
ARPANET project.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19940630/Press Contact: Brenda Nichols, for
BBN, 508/389-2100; e-mail Catherine Miller, [e-mail])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SFO)(00024)

Internet Offers Personal Finance Center 06/30/94
SEBASTOPOL, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994  JUN 30 (NB) -- Trying to
find something on the Internet is often like trying to find tech
support when your computer is on the fritz -- the resource is there
but how to find it presents quite a challenge. Joining in the trend
to offer resource centers, Global Network Navigator (GNN) has
announced  Personal Finance Center (PFC).

Among its information, PFC offers: financial and investing
"frequently asked questions" (FAQs), a Homebuyers Fair, market
reports, market data and US Government interest rate archives,
federal and state tax forms, credit cards, interest rates, funds,
financial planning, and insurance.

Abbot Chambers, editor of PFC for Global Network Navigator, told
Newsbytes, "As well as an information center, we also want to
offer news items relevant to personal financing. We will be
presenting a number of interviews, columns and articles that we
think are important to readers."

PFC will carry fifteen minute-delayed stock quotes, stock and
mutual fund data in chart form, and the complete 1994 electronic
Security Exchange Commission filings.

Funded by advertising sponsors, PFC has no charges for its
service. Currently numbered among the advertisers is National
Semiconductor.

Chambers continued, "I think users will enjoy special selections
such as our 'True Tales of Personal Finance' where we present
articles from GNN readers who have had both successful and
difficult financial situations, as well as 'The Brain Trust' where
we offer the advice of experts."

GNN's directory and information services are directly available
and free to anyone with full Internet connections through Mosaic
software for Mac, Windows, or Unix.

(Patrick McKenna/19940630/Press Contact: Ron Pernick, Niehaus
Ryan Haller Public Relations, tel [phone]; Public Information,
GNN's URL address: http//gnn.com or [e-mail])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(DEN)(00025)

Lexis/Nexis Offers O.J. Simpson Case Legal Info 06/30/94
DAYTON, OHIO, U.S.A., 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- The online information
service Lexis/Nexis is now carrying information that can help
attorneys, journalists and others who need information about the
issues involved in the O.J. Simpson hearings that opened in Los
Angeles today.

Lexis/Nexis parent company Mead Data Central says a new option
within the Lexis/Nexis "Extra" file available in the States and
Genfed (General Federal) libraries makes available selected
documents related to the high profile murder case. Authorities
have charged the former professional football player and television
sports announcer with the murder of his former wife and her friend.

To make it easy to access the information, subscribers can select
the type of documentation they want to review from a menu without
having to enter a traditional search request, using the Lexis/Nexis
hypertext Link feature.

Mead Data Central says the file contains the legal, social, news,
and forensic aspects of the case. In addition to selected court
documents filed in the case and news stories, users can also review
transcripts of court proceedings, press conference transcripts,
relevant California statutes, attorney profiles, previous testimony
by the forensic experts hired by Simpson, pretrial publicity
materials, and domestic violence reference materials.

Commenting on the decision to carry the material, Rebecca Wendy
Bass, vice president and general manager of Lexis/Nexis Legal
Information Services, said, "The case involves a variety of complex
social and legal issues, some of which will have an impact on the
future of American jurisprudence."

Lexis/Nexis is a subscriber service. However, Mead Data Central
spokesperson Monica Schiffler told Newsbytes the company offers
Lexis/Nexis Express, a service that non-subscribers can use to
request information via a toll free number. Nexis/Lexis staffers
do the research and will provide a cost estimate in advance of
doing the work. The cost is charged to the customer's credit card.
The results of the research can be delivered via fax or regular or
overnight mail.

Mead Data Central offers a 90-day introductory offer that carries
a cost of $500 per month for unlimited computer access to all
Lexis/Nexis information including the Simpson case files.

(Jim Mallory/19940630/Press contact: Monica Schiffler, Mead
Data Central, 513-865-1519; Reader contact: Mead Data Central,
513-859-1611 or 800-732-5305 for Express service)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00026)

CD-ROM Drive PC Accelerator Intro'd 06/30/94
SILVERDALE, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- Ballard
Synergy Corporation has announced a software accelerator for DOS
and Windows-based personal computers (PCs) it claims makes a
CD-ROM drive as fast as a disk drive.

The company says d-Time10 (an acronym for "decreases your wait
time by a factor of ten") combines system RAM and hard disk space
to provide CD-ROM performance equivalent to the system disk drive.

On the first access, d-Time10 stores data on the disk drive and in
RAM, allowing subsequent reads at speeds much faster than usual for
a 300 kilobyte-per-second CD-ROM drive. Saved data is kept on the
disk for future use even when the system is turned off.

Ballard says most users access about 20 percent of the available
data 80 percent of the time. d-Time10 automatically stores the most
commonly used data and its associated directories to the disk
drive, reducing the number of times the system will need to access
the slower CD-ROM. The technique is known as caching and is
commonly used by PCs to more quickly access frequently used data
stored on the system's hard drive.

According to the company the use of d-Time10 allows developers to
offer demanding applications using less expensive CD-ROM drives.

d-Time10 is expected to have a street price of about $65. The
program comes with an installation utility that allows each user
to configure the RAM buffer size and disk file size that is best
suited for that particular PC's environment. After installation,
parameters can be changed to fine tune performance.

(Jim Mallory/19940630/Press contact: David Skinner, Ballard
Synergy Corp., 408-246-5258; Reader contact: 206-692-9660)


(CORRECTION)(GENERAL)(DEN)(00027)

Correction - Motorola Announces Reference Design Spec 06/30/94
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- A recent Newsbytes
story about Motorola's Digital Signal Processing (DSP) Division
announcing a multimedia reference design specification which
combines key communications and multimedia sound functions
in a single, low-cost Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus
hardware platform contained an error.

Motorola DSP spokesperson Cathy Keller informed Newsbytes
of the correct information.

Motorola says the Hardware Reference Design specification
will be available at no cost next month. Motorola will also offer
a PC Media technology developer's kit with tools to help PC
makers and software vendors develop PC Media-based technology
at a later date. The cost for that kit has not yet been determined.

Newsbytes regrets the error.

(Jim Mallory/19940630/Press contact: Cathy Keller, Cunningham
Communication Inc. for Motorola, 408-764-0782; Reader contact:
Motorola DSP Marketing, 512-891-2030)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00028)

UK Networks '94 - Compaq Adds OS/2, LAN Server 06/30/94
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- Claiming to be
responding to customer demand, Compaq Computer has announced
the availability of IBM OS/2, LAN (local area network) Server and
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) on
Compaq Smartstart, as well as support for IBM OS/2 and LAN
Server on Compaq Insight Manager.

Compaq claims that cooperation with Big Blue is no overnight
phenomenon. Compaq officials told Newsbytes at the Networks
'94 computer show in Birmingham this week that both companies
have been working together for the last three years on
compatibility issues.

SmartStart is Compaq's auto-installation utility for operating
systems. The utility is shipped with the company's ProLiant and
ProSignia range of server personal computers (PCs) and comes in
CD-ROM format. The actual operating systems are encrypted on
the disc and, when the customers buys a license to install the OS
on their PC, the appropriate unlock code is issued. Once entered
into the SmartStart utility, the OS is auto-loaded from the CD-ROM.

Commenting on the deal with IBM, Dan Lautenbach, assistant general
manager with IBM's Personal Software Products division, said that
the inclusion of the IBM operating systems on the SmartStart disc
was due to customer demand. "This partnership gives customers
another choice of platforms optimized for OS/2 and LAN Server,"
he said.

The Insight Manager, meanwhile, is a Windows-based network
management package that is billed as "assisting network
administrators to more efficiently manage Compaq-based network
environments." Customers who purchase OS/2 or LAN Server via
SmartStart will get an activation key for Insight Manager and its
OS/2 management agents free of charge.

(Steve Gold/19940630/Press & Public Contact: Compaq UK,
tel [phone]; Compaq (auto-fax BBS) [phone])


(NEWS)(UNIX)(LON)(00029)

UK Networks '94 - Firefox Teams With Worldtalk 06/30/94
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- Firefox has obtained
the UK distributor rights for Worldtalk's messaging integration
for Novell UnixWare.

Under the terms of the agreement, Solihull, UK-based Firefox will
port the Worldtalk product set to Novell's operating system on
Intel platforms and integrate it with its X.400 and X.500 message
handling suite of applications.

X.400 is the message handling system (MHS) standard devised by the
International Telecoms Union (ITU) and its predecessor, the CCITT.
Messages adhering to X.400 format standards can be exchanged
between completely different messaging systems. X.500 is the
directory standard for X.400 systems.

"The combination of Firefox and Worldtalk products will, for the
first time, offer a full X.400 capability, with address translation
and directory synchronization, to the Novell market, allowing
proprietary PC mail systems to partake fully in standards-based
corporate backbone networks," claimed Peter Simkin, Firefox's
vice president.

"Previously, mail integration solutions were only available on non-
Novell platforms and, in particular, on mini and mainframe systems,"
he added.

Worldtalk's product set is billed as providing "messaging integration
solutions," giving users address management services, auto-
registration of names between dissimilar mail systems and mail
forwarding services.

Commenting on the UK distribution deal with Firefox, David Atlas,
vice president with Los Gatos, California-based Worldtalk, said
that the agreement means that Worldtalk can now "encompass the
requirements of the Novell market within our strategy which, to
date, has delivered mail and address translation services, and
directory synchronization on HP 9000 and SCO systems. Many of
our customers want to integrate their Novell-based mail systems
and this agreement will deliver what they need."

The first products from the linkup between the two companies
will be available later this year, Newsbytes was told. Pricing
will be announced along with the product details later.

(Steve Gold/19940630/Press & Reader Contact: Peter Simkin,
Firefox, [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00030)

UK Networks '94 - Newbridge Tops Frame Relay Survey 06/30/94
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- Newbridge Data
Networks took time out from the general customer meeting and
"flag waving" at the Networks '94 show in Birmingham, UK, this
week, to bang the drum over the last market research figures from
Dataquest. According to Newbridge, the figures show that the
company is in pole position when it comes the provision of private
frame relay services in Europe.

According to Dataquest, Newbridge has 43.9 percent of the market,
way ahead of any of the competition.

"The results of this survey reflect the effort we have put into the
frame relay market, the importance we place upon the technology, and
the quality of the solutions we have delivered to our customers," said
John Everard, Vice President and General Manager of Newbridge Europe.
"We are very optimistic that Newbridge will continue its penetration
of the European frame relay market in fiscal year 1995."

Spokespersons with Newbridge at the Networks '94 show told
Newsbytes that the Dataquest survey results showed that the
company had achieved the top slot in the frame relay marketplace
in Europe. "We've been big in the UK market for some time, but this
confirms our own findings for the European market," a spokesman
told Newsbytes.

Dataquest's report predicts that the frame relay market in Europe
will carry on growing as more and more companies become aware
of what it can do for their networks.

The market for frame relay in Europe seems a lot less fragmented
than in the US, Newsbytes notes. Following Newbridge in top slot
comes Telematics with 18.0 percent, while Hughes and Motorola-
Codex come in third and fourth places with, respectively. The
rest of the market account for 21.2 percent of the industry's 1993
sales.

(Steve Gold/19940630/Press & Public Contact: Newbridge Europe,
tel [phone], fax [phone])


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

Newsbytes Daily Summary 06/30/94
PENN VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1994 JUN 30 (NB) -- These
are capsules of all today's news stories:

1 -> MIPS Offers Free Design - Workstation On PC Board 06/30/94 MIPS
Technologies, a subsidiary of Silicon Graphics Inc. (SGI), says it is
offering an "UltraP" design to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs)
of Intel Pentium personal computers (PCs)  to incorporate a MIPS
reduced instruction-set computing (RISC) processor into the PC board.

2 -> UK Networks '94 - Attachmate Intros AS/400 Connectivity 06/30/94
Attachmate Corporation  has announced Rally! for personal computers
(PCs) running Windows  that allow interconnection with the AS/400
series of minicomputers.

3 -> UK Networks '94 - Artisoft Intros LANtastic 6.0 06/30/94 Artisoft
took time out  from the general "flag waving" and general customer
meeting at this week's Networks '94 show to launch version 6.0 of its
LANtastic  network operating system (NOS). The package is billed as
"fully  compatible" with Simply LANtastic v5.x, as well as earlier
versions  of Artisoft's NOSes.

4 -> Create Your Own Crossword Puzzle 06/30/94 Cogix Corp.  is
bundling its Crossword Wizard custom crossword puzzle software  and
Idea Wizard, developed at Princeton's Cognitive Sciences Laboratory,
for both Windows and Mac users.

5 -> DEC & Anixter Asia In Networking Distribution Deal 06/30/94
Digital Asia has signed a  strategic deal with Anixter Asia Pacific to
distribute its networking  products throughout the region.

6 -> Australia - OSI/Internet Users Argue In Seminar 06/30/94 A
seminar organized by the Electronic Messaging Association of Australia
had both OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) and Internet devotees
reportedly hurling abuse at each other.

7 -> India - Aspen Technology & Onward Sign Distribution Deal 06/30/94
Aspen Technology Inc.  (AspenTech) of the US has appointed Onward
Engineering Technologists Pvt. Ltd. as its distributor in India.

8 -> Is Justice Dept Ready To File Microsoft Anti-trust Suit? 06/30/94
The US Justice Department is reportedly in the final stages of
negotiation with Microsoft Corporation and is close to filing an
antitrust lawsuit against the software company.

9 -> Microcom Intros 28.8Kbps PCMCIA Modem 06/30/94 Microcom, Inc.,
has announced what the manufacturer claims is the first 28.8
kilobit-per-second (Kbps) modem that fits in a Personal Computer
Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA)  expansion slot.

10 -> Mexico - Telecom News Briefs 06/30/94 In today's news from
Mexico, Cuban telephone deal progresses, Grupo Domos  preparing for
Mexican long distance telephone market, more  information on
Motorola's communications investments, and  Northern Telecom opens
telephone plant.

11 -> Vietnam Advancing As New Component Production Base 06/30/94
Korea's component makers are actively advancing into Vietnam by
setting up local corporations or local production facilities, as the
US cut the  export embargo against the country.

12 -> Korea - Computer News Briefs 06/30/94 In today's news from
Korea, AST goes direct in Korea, and GoldStar moving into the US
multimedia market.

13 -> Japan - News Briefs 06/30/94 In today's news from Japan, Canon
to raise ink-jet printer production by 50% to over four million units
in fiscal 1994, Seiko-Epson develops IBM-compatible card computer,
Fujitsu to restructure, create eight new divisions, Sanyo Electric
commissions home fax production in China, memory shortage spreading to
1Mbit DRAMs and SRAMs, Kubota Computer marketing VR application
development system.

14 -> Japan - Telecom News Briefs 06/30/94 In today's telecom news
from japan, MPT to divide the country into 10 personal handy  phone
(PHS) service areas, MPT sets target and schedule for  preparation of
nationwide fiber-optic network, Microsoft and  NTT to jointly develop
set-top box from late 1994.

15 -> Korean Firms Target Chinese Computer System Business 06/30/94
Samsung Electronics,  Hyundai Electronics, and Dacom are competing
with foreign companies to win an order to set up a computer system in
China  which needs hundreds of medium and large computers.

16 ->  ****IBM To Sell Solaris With Power PCs 06/30/94 IBM and SunSoft
Inc. have agreed that SunSoft will port its Solaris operating system
to run on IBM's upcoming PowerPC-based personal computers (PCs), and
IBM will resell the Unix-variant operating system.

17 ->  ****Equal Long-Distance Access Starts In Canada 06/30/94
Starting July 1, Canadians will begin to be able to use alternative
long-distance telephone carriers without dialing extra digits. Many
will welcome the added convenience, though with long-distance
competitors in a frenzy to attract business at the moment, customers
may be feeling like turkeys on Thanksgiving.

18 -> HP Video Servers For BellSouth Video-On-Demand Trial 06/30/94
Hewlett- Packard (HP) has announced it is providing interactive video
servers for BellSouth's 18-month field-trial program, in which the
Regional Bell Operating Company will deliver video programs and
services "on-demand" to approximately 12,000 homes in the greater
Atlanta area beginning in mid-1995. This is the second such agreement
for HP, the first being with Pacific Telesis Video Services for video
servers in four California markets.

19 -> PC Expo - SPC Intros Harvard Graphics 3.0 For Windows 06/30/94
In a press and  end-user event at PC Expo, Software Publishing
Corporation (SPC) introduced Harvard Graphics 3.0 for Windows, an
edition of the presentation package that has been redesigned to help
users give a more polished look to their presentations.

20 -> Cirrus Logic Intros New V.32bis Chip-Set 06/30/94 Cirrus Logic
has introduced the CL-MD1414UN and CL-MD1414UNP data, fax, and voice
modem chip-sets designed to handle most international and cellular
communication applications under the V.32bis standard.

21 ->  ***NYNEX, Bell Atlantic Combine Cellular Units 06/30/94
Hoping to create a national wireless brand, Bell Atlantic and NYNEX
have combined their cellular phone units. The combined entity will
have a value of about $13 billion, the two companies said.

22 -> FCC Adopts Final PCS Auction Rules 06/30/94 The Federal
Communications Commission has adopted final rules for auctioning 200
megahertz (MHz) of new spectrum between 1.8-2.2 gigahertz (GHz) for
personal communications services (PCS) wireless operation. FCC
Chairman Reed Hundt predicted PCS could be a $50 billion business in
10 years.

23 -> More On BBN, NEARNET 06/30/94 BBN  Technology, which just put
its NEARNET Internet service business  into the New York market, has
revealed more information detailing  its efforts to become a major
presence in the market.

24 -> Internet Offers Personal Finance Center 06/30/94 Trying to find
something on the Internet is often like trying to find tech support
when your computer is on the fritz -- the resource is there but how to
find it presents quite a challenge. Joining in the trend to offer
resource centers, Global Network Navigator (GNN) has announced
Personal Finance Center (PFC).

25 -> Lexis/Nexis Offers O.J. Simpson Case Legal Info 06/30/94 The
online information service Lexis/Nexis is now carrying information
that can help attorneys, journalists and others who need information
about the issues involved in the O.J. Simpson hearings that opened in
Los Angeles today.

26 -> CD-ROM Drive PC Accelerator Intro'd 06/30/94 Ballard  Synergy
Corporation has announced a software accelerator for DOS  and
Windows-based personal computers (PCs) it claims makes a  CD-ROM drive
as fast as a disk drive.

27 -> Correction - Motorola Announces Reference Design Spec 06/30/94 A
recent Newsbytes story about Motorola's Digital Signal Processing
(DSP) Division announcing a multimedia reference design specification
which  combines key communications and multimedia sound functions  in
a single, low-cost Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus  hardware
platform contained an error.

28 -> UK Networks '94 - Compaq Adds OS/2, LAN Server 06/30/94 Claiming
to be responding to customer demand, Compaq Computer has announced
the availability of IBM OS/2, LAN (local area network) Server and
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) on  Compaq
Smartstart, as well as support for IBM OS/2 and LAN  Server on Compaq
Insight Manager.

29 -> UK Networks '94 - Firefox Teams With Worldtalk 06/30/94 Firefox
has obtained  the UK distributor rights for Worldtalk's messaging
integration  for Novell UnixWare.

30 -> UK Networks '94 - Newbridge Tops Frame Relay Survey 06/30/94
Newbridge Data  Networks took time out from the general customer
meeting and  "flag waving" at the Networks '94 show in Birmingham, UK,
this  week, to bang the drum over the last market research figures
from  Dataquest. According to Newbridge, the figures show that the
company is in pole position when it comes the provision of private
frame relay services in Europe.

(Ian Stokell/19940630)