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Zapple, business, general, govt, ibm, telecom, trends, unix, other
CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Public Libraries will be lending CD-ROM titles if Compton's plan works. A publisher of storybooks, reference, music, travel, and business titles on CD-ROM, Compton's Newmedia division is offering a specially marked series to libraries for lending to the community.
Projections are one in nine US homes will have a CD-ROM drive by 1995 and Compton's says that is enough to warrant a library lending program in the estimated 30,000 libraries. The company is offering assortments of ten, twenty, and forty titles - ranging in price from $1,700 to $3,800 - that come with accompanying display holders to promote the collection.
Software rental is still illegal in the US without approval from the software publisher. Compton's says it has gotten that special approval and provides special CDs stamped "For Lending Only." The company started the lending program six months ago with video stores and says the plan has been so successful it is expanding the program with more titles and more video stores participating.
The titles include everything from "The Doctor's Book of Home Remedies" to the "Adventures of Pinocchio." Most of the titles operate on IBM compatible personal computers (PCs) running DOS but some titles are for the Macintosh or Windows. Some titles contain software for all three platforms, and Compton's has its own Multiple Operating Systems Technology (MOST) titles that run under DOS, Windows, on the Macintosh, and on the Sony Multimedia Player.
Norman Bastin, senior vice president and general manager of Compton's Newmedia said that adding CD-ROMs to library lending programs, "May attract a whole new segment of the population to libraries."
, tel 619-929-2500, fax 619-929-2555; 800 344-2621)
7/21/93
CD-ROM Lending For Libraries Offered By Compton's
TRENDS
CD-ROM Lending For Libraries Off
Artisoft Ships New T-Runner Conc
TUCSON, ARIZONA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Artisoft Inc., has begun shipping its two new external, 10Base-T concentrators.
The eight-port T-Runner 800/TC concentrator is priced at $449 and the twelve-port T-Runner 1200/TC concentrator is priced at $749.
According to the company, both are compatible with a number of networking environments, including Artisoft's own LANtastic peer-to-peer network operating system (NOS) and Novell's market-leading NetWare NOS.
The company also claims that the non-managed concentrators are in 100 percent compliance with the IEEE 802.3 Ethernet standards and contain a BNC (Bayonet-Neill-Concelman) connector that allows concentrators to be linked to one another via thin coax cable. The BNC connector also allows for the mixing of cable types.
As an example, the company says that the T-Runner concentrators enable users on a 10Base-T segment to connect and communicate with users on a coax segment.
Both concentrators also include an auto partitioning feature that automatically disables ports that do not have link integrity.
(Ian Stokell/19930721/Press Contact: Joe Stunkard 602-670-7145, Artisoft Inc.)
: Joe Stunkard 602-670-7145, Artisoft Inc.)
7/21/93
Artisoft Ships New T-Runner Concentrators
GENERAL
Artisoft Ships New T-Runner Conc
IBM Japan Develops High Capacity
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- IBM Japan has developed a 2.5-inch hard disk drive with a large capacity, called the H2344.
According to the company, it supports 344 megabytes (MB) of data on two disks, which are in the disk drive. It can store 172 MB per disk. This is claimed to be the largest data storage for a 2.5-inch hard disk drive.
According to the company, 322 megabit of data can be stored and read per square inch. This is twice as much as that of current disk drives of IBM Japan.
The drive is 17 millimeters thick, which is the same as those of IBM Japan's current disk drives. The company also plans to ship this disk drive to other computer makers on an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) basis. The sample price of the disk is 53,000 yen ($480).
Other computer makers such as Toshiba have also been selling 2.5 inch hard disks. Toshiba's hard disk, for example, has a 340MB storage capacity, but it is on three disks compared with the two disks of IBM Japan.
The 2.5-inch hard disk is not regarded as a standard. However due to the increasing popularity of notebook PCs and pen-input computers, 2.5-inch disk drives are expected to be used more in the future.
(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930721/Press Contact: IBM Japan, tel +81-3-3586-1111, fax +81-3-3589-4645)
: IBM Japan, tel +81-3-3586-1111, fax +81-3-3589-4645)
7/21/93
IBM Japan Develops High Capacity 2.5-Inch Disk Drive
TRENDS
Lotus Reports Quarterly Results,
High Capacity
NTT Data In Talks With IBM
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- NTT Data Communication, a subsidiary of Japan's major telecom firm NTT, has started talks with IBM concerning a possible business agreement.
While neither firm has commented about the talks, it is expected that the potential agreement concerns the sales of telecommunication-oriented computer systems.
According to the Nikkan Kogyo newspaper, NTT Data Communication is seeking to link with IBM. It is reported that NTT Data wants to sell IBM's computers, telecom-related devices, and software as part of its integrated system.
This is good news for IBM, as it will open paths into Japan's banks and government on-line systems. NTT is a strong player in those markets. So far, NTT has linked with a number of major Japanese computer firms such as NEC, Fujitsu, and Hitachi.
The firm has integrated the hardware and software of these firms into its systems. Currently, NTT Data has been selling its general purpose computer, called the DIPS, which was jointly developed by these Japanese firms.
A business tie up with IBM would benefit NTT Data, and allow it access to such IBM technologies as operating systems, database structure methods, and parallel processors. NTT Data is reportedly planning to sell integrated systems to overseas markets jointly with IBM.
(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930721/Press Contact: NTT Data Communications, +81-3-3509-4647)
unications, +81-3-3509-4647)
7/21/93
NTT Data In Talks With IBM
Compaq 2Qtr Income Triples
Japan - Game Firms Link With US
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- A number of major Japanese game machine makers have begun to tie-up with movie firms in the US, and are preparing to create movies. The tie-ups are possible because of the popularity of game characters among children.
Sega Enterprises is making a movie called "Surf Ninja," which will be released around the end of this month. The firm has linked with Newline Cinema of New York. Upon the release Sega will release the game software which is related to the movie.
Another rival arcade game machine maker, Capcon, will also release a movie based on one of the company's game character. Capcon has tied up with Hollywood's Edward Pressman Film. The firms will create a movie based on Capcon's best-selling game software "Street Fighter II." A reported three billion yen ($27 million) will be spent on the movie, which will be released next summer.
Meanwhile, Nintendo has already released a movie based on the firm's Super Mario character. Nintendo linked with Hollywood's Light Motive on the film.
The companies hope that the tie-ups with movie firms will stimulate sales of their game products.
(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930721/Press Contact: Sega Enterprises, tel +81-3-3743-7603, fax +81-3-743-7830 Nintendo, tel +81-75-541-6111, fax +81-75-531-1820)
do, tel +81-75-541-6111, fax +81-75-531-1820)
7/21/93
Japan - Game Firms Link With US Movie Firms
BUSINESS
Fujitsu, Ricoh To Link Office Ma
Brazil's Giant Computer Trade Sh
SAO PAULO, BRAZIL, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Highlighting the importance of the South American market for both US computer and software suppliers, as well as their foreign competitors, more than 1,000 computer companies, 700 of them from South America are participating in this year's Sao Paulo, Brazil-based Fenasoft computer fair.
Douglas Kilarski, managing editor of Reseller World, has called South America a vital and vigorous, but largely untapped, computer market.
Brazil's computer market was not always this open to foreign competition. In fact, the government once blocked nearly all access to the domestic market to encourage the development of a local computer industry, but this changed several years ago and a number of foreign companies are now engaged in joint ventures and separate business activities in Brazil.
IBM is reportedly concentrating much more on sales to individuals and small businesses this year, rather than continuing its traditional near-exclusive pursuit of big business.
At least as large as the US-based Comdex, the Seventh Fenasoft trade show is expected by sponsors to host about 900,000 visitors over its four-day life.
(John McCormick/19930721)
ur-day life.
(John McCormick/19930721)
7/21/93
Brazil's Giant Computer Trade Show Opens
GENERAL
Microsoft Ships Visual C++ Pre-r
Mitel Names New Chairman, Report
InterVoice In Large Voice Mail S
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Dallas, Texas-based InterVoice has reported that it has received a $0.5 million-plus order for its 144-line RobotOperator System to be installed at a large public utility company. The InterVoice voice-mail system will be used to provide 24-hour answers to callers' usual questions about rates and billing problems.
Intecom, a division of French Matra SA, a multimedia systems developer which has been a business partner of InterVoice for the past year, will buy the system from InterVoice, add its own value-added modifications, and make the installation.
Intervoice has installed more than 3,000 voice response electronic-mail, and fax systems in nearly 40 countries.
Voice-response and fax-back systems customer help systems usually operating in response to signals sent from touch-tone telephones, are gaining a larger market share as companies strive to improve productivity and improve customer service while cutting costs by reducing staff.
Muriel Siebert, the first woman to gain a seat on the New York Stock Exchange, told today's CNN Business Morning viewers that companies such as hers look at the potential for new employment taxes coming out of President Clinton's budget package and look for ways to automate as much as possible to insulate themselves from health-care and other employee-related costs.
This sort of business concern, along with the difficulty in hiring qualified workers, should lead to even more interest in fax-back and voice-response systems.
STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- While other segments of the high-tech industry may be suffering telecommunications companies seem to be reporting solid earnings increases. For example, Electronic Information Systems (EIS) has reported the highest revenue quarter in the company's history with net sales reaching a little over $8 million.
In a statement marking the release of earnings figures, Joseph J. Porfeli, president and CEO of EIS, said, "We set a record for new business this quarter with 21 new customers. This brings the number of new accounts this year to 35, well over the total for all of 1992."
The company is also expanding in Europe, where automatic calling systems are rare, and has just installed its first units in Norway and Scotland. Porfeli says, "The international call center industry is on the verge of great growth potential."
EIS builds and markets outbound call center technology. In other words, their equipment makes what some critics call "junk" phone calls. The company makes automatic calling systems which dial consumers and conduct market research, remind people of unpaid bills, and perform direct marketing and sales functions.
This is yet another business which will be helped by increasing fears of expected new taxes on employees, because it automates calls which were previously made by telephone workers.
(John McCormick/19930721/Press Contact: Jodi Wallace Electronic Information Systems, 203-351-4800)
allace Electronic Information Systems, 203-351-4800)
7/21/93
Electronic Information Systems Posts Record Income
BUSINESS
NetManage Intros New Internet Ac
India - Oracle Sets Up Subsidiar
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Encouraged by the popularity of its relational database management system (RDBMS) in India (reckoned to have crossed Rs 36 crore - around $12 million - in revenues last year), Oracle has set up an Indian subsidiary.
Oracle Software India Pvt. Ltd., will promote, sell and support Oracle products within the country. "The subsidiary has been set up to provide support and service to this growing installed customer base," said Hirendra Gupta, country manager, Oracle.
The Delhi-based firm will also offer consultancy services for software and hardware feasibility. It will carry out duplication of Oracle packages. Regional offices will be opened in Bangalore and Bombay by the year end. A 100 percent export-oriented software development center, subcontracting work to Indian firms, and even a manufacturing unit are in the pipeline.
Oracle set up a liaison office in Delhi in April 1991, and distributes its RDBMS through Tata Consultancy Services, the leading software firm in the country.
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930721)
try.
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930721)
7/21/93
India - Oracle Sets Up Subsidiary
BUSINESS
UK - BT Enhances Telemedicine Te
India - Oracle Sets Up Subsidiar
India - Autodesk Opens More Chan
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Autodesk is strengthening its base in India. The company has recently appointed Delhi-based Hindustan Office Products Ltd., (HOPE), as its second distributor for its AutoCAD computer-aided design and multimedia products. Tata Unisys Ltd., of Bombay, had already been selling those products in India.
A multi-product company, Autodesk has set up different channels for its various products. While the flagship AutoCAD version 11 and 12 and the multimedia products including the 3-D Studio package are being sold by Tata Unisys and HOPE, the scientific modeling package, called Hyperchem, is being dealt by National Informatics Center.
After Autodesk acquired Micro Engineering Solutions Inc., a leading developer of 3-D CAD/CAM software, last year, the latter's products came under Autodesk umbrella. In India, the MES products are being distributed by Pune-based Neil Automation Technology Ltd.
Neil recently introduced three mechanical CAD packages: DesignExpert, which has provisions for product modeling and styling advanced drafting, tool and fixture design and CMM verification; ManufacturingExpert, which is positioned as an integrated CAD/CAM package for modeling, CMM verification, tool and fixture design and advanced 2-5 axis and N/C machining; and DesignExpert Upgrade which is an upgrade path to DesignExpert for existing users of AutoCAD Release 10, 11 and 12. The products are priced between Rs 4-8 lakh (around $13,000 to $26,000).
At the retail manufacturing level, Autodesk has some low-end CAD products for which there is no distributor in India yet. "The state might appear a bit confusing at the outset, but with reciprocal relationship among the distributors, the sales of Autodesk products is bound to increase significantly in the coming days," said Amit Duttagupta, managing director of HOPE.
Apart from the appointment of distributors, Autodesk also has two other programs to promote its packages and strengthen its presence in India. One is the setting up of Autodesk Authorized Training Centers, that would provide training for Autodesk products to end-users. The other is the Autodesk Authorized Developer program, designed to boost the development of software packages that can be integrated with Autodesk's products.
These packages are mentioned in the "Third Party Software" list that Autodesk publishes regularly.
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930721)
ularly.
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930721)
7/21/93
India - Autodesk Opens More Channels
BUSINESS
Compaq 2Qtr Income Triples
CORRECTION - Mac IIfx Accelerato
Apple Executives Accused of Insi
Focus On India At Singapore Info
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- India will be the "feature country" at the Singapore Informatics `93 exhibition to be in Singapore, scheduled for October 14-17, 1993.
"About 15 to 20 Indian companies have shown an interest in participating in the show," said Yonick Pinto, manager of overseas trade fairs and exhibitions for Indtravels - the company promoting the fair in India.
Among the firms said to have shown an interest are Tata Unisys Ltd. Tata Consultancy Services, Larsen & Toubro, Pyramid Business Solutions, Softpack Computers, Silverline Industries, and Birla Consultancy Services.
"IT 2000-Excellence in business quality in life" is the theme for the show being organized by the Singapore Federation of the Computer Industry and co-sponsored by the National Computer Board, Singapore Computer Society, Singapore Telecom and the Microcomputer Trade Association of Singapore.
The feature area for Singapore Informatics this year will be to exhibit a model home or office as it would appear in the year 2000. This will include multimedia, imaging, windows, videoconferencing virtual reality, open systems, networking, data communications and mobile computing.
The show, which was organized for the first time in 1986, is said to attract 1,000 exhibitors and over a 100,000 visitors. Last year visitors from 41 countries were recorded. Also, 27 countries including India, US, France, Germany, Canada, Hong Kong, UK Austria, and Taiwan - took part in the event.
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930721)
in the event.
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930721)
7/21/93
Focus On India At Singapore Informatics '93
GENERAL
Fujitsu, Ricoh To Link Office Ma
Australia - Government IT Spendi
IBM's CD Showcase Is New Angle O
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- IBM has announced plans to put multiple software packages on CD-ROMs so that customers can try before they buy, and then purchase packages instantly by making a phone call.
IBM said CD Showcase, developed by its IBM Software Manufacturing Co., will let computer users test, purchase, and install software without leaving their personal computers.
A single disk may contain as many as 100 different programs. Customers will obtain a disk from a reseller, which may give it away free. They will be able to test the packages a disk contains and, if they want to purchase, dial a toll-free number to obtain a code that unlocks the desired software package. Documentation for the software will also be stored on the CD-ROM.
Company spokeswoman Molly Morgan said software vendors will have a choice about what they put on the disk. Some may choose to provide just a canned demo, others may offer a limited working version of their software - one that can do everything but print, or everything but save files, for example.
According to IBM, software resellers will be able to offer more software without increasing their overhead. Software publishers meanwhile, will get new marketing opportunities and reduced production costs.
IBM said several resellers, including ComputerLand, The Future Now, Government Technology Services, Inc., and Software Spectrum, have already agreed to participate. Resellers will be able to set up their own order numbers for software on the disks, Morgan said, and will receive the same markups as if they sold the software by more conventional means. For smaller resellers or those that choose not to run their own order-taking operations, she added, IBM will be able to provide that service.
Participating software publishers include Borland, Delrina KnowledgeWare, Lotus Development, Visual Software, and IBM. Discussions are also being held with WordPerfect and Microsoft IBM said.
A typical CD Showcase disk would list multiple software titles each with product information, a short demo, and installable code. The user could look at the information and demo without restriction, but the full package would be protected by security.
CD Showcase will offer two security options to control access and usage, IBM said. With IBM's Secure Distribution Control System user access to the software is controlled by encrypting, so that it is unreadable until decrypted with an electronic key. A second protection option, the iFOR license management system from Gradient Technologies Inc., of Marlboro, Massachusetts, modifies executable code so it is unusable until unlocked with a license key. This scheme, supported by the Open Software Foundation (OSF), provides license compliance for stand-alone or local area network (LAN) users, IBM said.
IBM said the first CD Showcase editions will be available in the fall.
(Grant Buckler/19930721/Press Contact: Barbara Cerf, IBM 914-642-4664; Paul McKeon or Ruth Doering, Crescent Communications for IBM, 404-698-8650)
, Crescent Communications for IBM, 404-698-8650)
7/21/93
IBM's CD Showcase Is New Angle On Distribution
IBM Japan Develops High Capacity
Brazil's Giant Computer Trade Sh
IBM's CD Showcase Is New Angle O
IBM Technology Offers PCMCIA Pro
SOMERS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- IBM Technology Products, a unit that until last year only made goods for IBM's own use, has become very visible lately. The operation has launched a handful of wireless adapters and facsimile and data modems, some using the Personal Computer Memory Card Interface Association (PCMCIA) standard.
The products will be sold only to other computer makers, known as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), for use in their products. IBM Technology Products does not plan to sell them directly to end users, company spokesman Jim Smith said.
Last October IBM Technology Products said it would begin selling to outside customers. Earlier in July it announced a microcontroller for disk drives and other board-level applications. Smith said there may be other announcements in the near future.
IBM launched three infrared wireless adapters, which transfer data at one megabit per second (Mbps) and are meant for use in wholly wireless local area networks (LANs) or to add wireless links to existing wired LANs.
One of the adapters fits a PCMCIA slot, one fits IBM's Micro Channel (MCA) slots, and the third is compatible with the Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) or AT bus.
All three use Photonics Corp.'s infrared transceiver and are compatible with Photonics' Collaborate wireless LAN.
The adapters' connection is non-line-of-sight, which means the transceivers do not have to be aimed at each other or at a predetermined spot, IBM said. No prewired access point or other fixed transceivers are required. According to the vendor, the adapters work in rooms as large as 30 by 30 feet.
Unit prices for the cards are $549 for the PCMCIA adapter and $499 for the MCA and ISA adapters. Volume prices are available. IBM Technology Products plans to begin shipping the PCMCIA adapter in August and the MCA and ISA adapters in September.
IBM Technology Products also unveiled two PCMCIA-based fax/modem cards. The 14.4/14.4 Data/Fax modem and the 2.4/9.6 Data/Fax modem are Type II PCMCIA cards that support the AT modem command set and Group 3, Class 1 and 2 commands used by fax and data applications software, IBM said. The cards come with Trio Information Systems Inc.'s DataCom and DataFax software.
The 2.4/9.6 Data/Fax modem has a unit price of $299 and will be available in August. The 14.4/14.4 Data/Fax modem, with a unit price of $499, is due to be available in September. Volume prices are available.
All of the new products are still awaiting approval by the United States' Federal Communications Commission (FCC), but Smith said IBM is confident of receiving approval in time to meet its stated delivery dates.
(Grant Buckler/19930721/Press Contact: Jim Smith, IBM Technology Products, 914-766-4066)
m Smith, IBM Technology Products, 914-766-4066)
7/21/93
IBM Technology Offers PCMCIA Products To OEMs
Microsoft Consulting Group Expan
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Microsoft has announced that it will expand its consulting group and refocus its activities in order to move development skills for its client-server computing platform to value-added resellers (VARs) independent software vendors (ISVs), and other developers.
Under its new charter, Microsoft Consulting Services (MCS) will concentrate on architecture and design services and transferring skills in Microsoft technology, methodologies, tools and training to both corporate developers and third parties. It will also offer a business consulting advisory service to help third parities develop their own consulting organizations. That service is scheduled to be available next year.
The company says adding third parties to the original corporate focus of MCS complements the Microsoft Solution Providers Program. It is designed to encourage the growth of "solution" services such as application development, implementation, support, and training among channel companies. Microsoft says MCS will increase subcontracting and referrals to "solution providers" for such services.
Bob McDowell, VP of MCS, said the first three years of the group saw an explosion of interest in client-server migrations. "With that trend established, our goal is to nurture a community of qualified client-server developers skilled in Microsoft-based development service," said McDowell.
MCS claims it has served more than 300 major clients through offices in eight countries. It plans to increase its international presence and will also increase its staff, which presently numbers 320, in order to fulfill its new role.
As part of its new mission, MCS will refocus its large account services to concentrate on architecting and designing custom applications. It will also expand its focus on information technology and information systems re-engineering, and will offer business consulting advisory service to Microsoft Solution Providers - offering assistance in the areas of operations guidelines, recruiting practices, proposal and contract templates and project management as well as direct transfer of consulting skills.
Microsoft says MCS will offer resources to assist solution builders in porting existing, or developing new, application products to Microsoft platforms. A teaming program is also available that offers contracts for subcontracting MCS resources to solution providers, or solution provider resources to MCS as a time saving device. The company says existing contracts have been modified to make it easier for solution providers to team with MCS as well as to develop their own consulting services.
(Jim Mallory/19930721/Press contact: Collins Hemingway, Microsoft Corporation, 206-882- 8080; Reader contact: Microsoft Corporation 206-882-8080, 800-922-9446 to contact MCS)
poration 206-882-8080, 800-922-9446 to contact MCS)
7/21/93
Microsoft Consulting Group Expands, Changes Focus
BUSINESS
Microsoft Ships Visual C++ Pre-r
@ REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Microsoft is shipping a pre-release of its Visual C++ development system for Windows and Windows NT 32-bit Edition.
The company said more than 70,000 registered users of the Win32 Software Development Kit (SDK) will receive a free CD-ROM containing the new 32-bit development system, which includes the Microsoft Foundation Class version 2.0, this is the first Windows NT-hosted and integrated 32-bit development environment for professional C and C++ developers.
The pre-release version updates the command line compiler and tools shipped with the Win32 pre-release SDK. Having the pre-release version of Visual C++ 32-bit Edition will allow developers to start developing 32-bit applications that take advantage of the recently announced Windows NT operating system using Win32 as well as for Windows 3.1 using the Win32s application programming interface (API).
Shipping a pre-release version of Visual C++ 32-bit provides immediate support for 32-bit development for windows NT with a suite of graphical development tools, according to Microsoft's Roger Heinen, senior VP of database and development tools.
The final version of Visual C++ 32-bit Edition is scheduled to ship within 90 days after Windows NT ships, and will have all the software and documentation on a CD-ROM disk. That saves Microsoft the cost of printing - and developers the need to store - more than 8,000 pages of documentation.
The pre-release includes AppWizard, a tool that lets developers create a skeleton application that can use the building blocks stored in the Microsoft Foundation Class Library version 2.0. The building blocks are segments of reusable C++ code for Windows-based applications. Another tool, ClassWizard, allows developers to connect user-interface elements with application code. Visual Workbench is an integrated editor, debugger, browser, and profiler that can automatically create and maintain project make files, and allows the user to customize the build options.
Microsoft says Visual C++ was written from the ground up as a 32-bit application to take advantage of operating system features such as multithreading.
(Jim Mallory/19930721/Press contact: Catherine Miller, Microsoft Corporation, 206-882-8080; Reader contact: Microsoft Corporation 206-882-8080, 800-426-9400)
Corporation 206-882-8080, 800-426-9400)
7/21/93
Microsoft Ships Visual C++ Pre-release
CE Software Ships Power Pak For
WEST DES MOINES, IOWA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- CE Software Holdings Inc., has announced that it is shipping CE Power Pak, a collection of the company's productivity tools for use with Microsoft Windows.
Included in Power Pak are: Disktop for Windows, a file and document management program; CalendarMaker for Windows, a calendar publishing application; and the newly released version of ProKey for Windows, a scripting and macro tool for Windows 3.1 and Windows applications. For Windows users who also use DOS-based applications, a copy of ProKey for DOS is also included.
DiskTop for Windows gives users the ability to move, copy, delete rename, and sort files. The DT Launch feature allows users to launch applications and documents from a menu. CalendarMaker for Windows lets the user create presentation-quality calendars to keep track of business and personal appointments. The program incorporates the use of imported pictures, cons and text.
Using ProKey for Windows or DOS allows users to automate repetitive tasks by storing frequently used series of keystrokes in a macro, then play the keystroke string back at will. The use selects the key combination the macro is assigned to.
CE Software spokesperson Sue Nail told Newsbytes that the CE offices, located in West Des Moines, Iowa, were dry, but the company's warehouse, located at a different site, was invaded by the flood, and officials haven't been able to assess the amount of damage there yet. Nail said the flooding problems will not delay shipment of CE Power Pak, which is immediately available.
CE Power Pak has a suggested retail price of $129, a little less than half the price of its included programs if purchased separately. CE Software will sell the three programs individually with Disktop for Windows selling for $59. Either version of ProKey is prices at $79, and CalendarMaker for Windows sells for $49.
(Jim Mallory/19930721/Press contact: Sue Nail, CE Software Holdings, 515-221-1801; Reader contact: CE Software 515-221-1801)
Reader contact: CE Software 515-221-1801)
7/21/93
CE Software Ships Power Pak For Windows
P z
Microsoft Ships Visual C++ Pre-r
Punjab Communications Gets Into
Ask Group Restructures Ingres Ch
LA Fingerprint Sys Saves County
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- One in seven residents in Los Angeles County is on welfare, and welfare fraud, or the same people getting duplicate assistance under different names, is a big problem. However, a new electronic fingerprinting system is keeping duplicate welfare applicants off the rolls and has saved LA County over $5.4 million in the first six months of operation.
Welfare fraud is a problem everywhere, but especially in the LA area where the number of welfare recipients increases by 30 percent a year. Those ineligible for other programs can receive just over $300 per month for housing and clothing under the General Assistance program in LA County ($283 per month for housing and a $9 a month clothing allowance distributed every six months). The majority of recipients are homeless males and the distribution of assistance is done on a month to month basis.
The tracking of these cases was done entirely by hand, until the implementation of the Automated Fingerprint Image Reporting and Match (AFIRM) system. The idea was originally generated in 1977 by Eddy Tanaka, director of the department of Public Social Services for Los Angeles County, but county officials said the delay in implementing the idea was simply a wait for the technology to catch up to the concept. In 1990, the county felt the technology was there and it put out a request for bids. Sacramento, California-based EDS won the bid and the system was first implemented in June of 1991.
It was necessary to have a fast system that could check the applicant's identity in about five minutes. In this first non law enforcement application of fingerprinting, welfare applicants simply place their index finger on an electronic scanner which transmits fingerprint images into a computer and matches them against a database of individuals already receiving aid. If a match is confirmed, the application is denied.
To speed response, the AFIRM database was split across several Hewlett-Packard workstations running X Windows that search simultaneously. The custom client/server software written for the system allowed the county to stay away from implementing an expensive mainframe or minicomputer and the system can be expanded and upgraded as the need arises.
Kurt Williams of EDS told Newsbytes the company also used off-the-shelf components, including the fingerprint scanners to keep costs low.
The $5.4 million the county saved in the first six months of operation is 56 percent of the cost of the system, according to EDS. Over the next five years, the savings in reduced welfare fraud will be an estimated $20 million.
LA County officials noticed a difference in the case load even before the system was fully implemented. After piloting the system in three of the county's 14 General Relief district offices, numbers dropped from 150 applicants a day to 100 applicants per day. However, surrounding offices where AFIRM had not yet been implemented had their applications jump from 100 per day to 150 per day. Tanaka asked EDS to speed up implementation of the system county-wide in order to thwart individuals who were attempting to go around the fingerprinting system.
Now that AFIRM has been implemented in all 14 General Relief offices, the county is already planning a $17 million expansion of the system to include its Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program as well, which is projected to see a 23 percent increase in case loads in the coming year. Adding the AFDC roles means the system will expand from tracking 105,000 welfare recipients to nearly 400,000 and the number of offices with fingerprinting capability will go from 14 to 38.
The system has the added advantage of cutting labor costs to the department, because now clerks can be hired to fingerprint applicants where trained welfare fraud investigators were assigned previously.
Alameda County, with the third largest General Assistance case load in the state, is following suit. By installing the AFIRM system in its Hayward and Oakland offices Alameda county estimates it can cut department costs by more than $300,000 in the next five months.
Julie Caig, Alameda County's Program Manager for Information Systems said: "If successful, we hope that other Bay Area counties will join us so that fingerprint information can be shared across county lines." San Francisco County is also evaluating the system and two New York counties have implemented similar systems. LA County representative Karol Matsui said interest in the AFIRM system has been high and the county has had inquiries from across the US and around the world.
With hard times upon California residents, the actual numbers in the General Assistance program have increased, but the AFIRM program helps maintain the intent of the assistance. "I think the biggest plus of the AFIRM system is regaining the integrity of the General Relief program. The system has weeded out several thousand people who shouldn't have been on the rolls," Tanaka added.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930721/Press Contact: Carleen LeVasseur EDS, tel 916-264-1303, fax 916-442-2774; Karol Matsui, LA County AFIRM, 310-908-8311)
6-442-2774; Karol Matsui, LA County AFIRM, 310-908-8311)
7/21/93
LA Fingerprint Sys Saves County $5.4M In Welfare Fraud
Compaq 2Qtr Income Triples
HOUSTON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Compaq Computer has announced its second quarter financial results, with net income more than three times what the company reported for the same period last year.
Net income was reported at $102 million compared to $29 million for the same period in 1992. Earnings per share also increased more than three times, ending at $1.21 per share for this year's second quarter compared to $0.35 per share in 1992.
The period turned in record sales, ending as the fourth consecutive quarter to set a record. Second quarter sales rose to $1.63 billion a 97 percent increase over the $827 million reported for last year in the same period.
Eckhard Pfeiffer, Compaq president and CEO, said the company's effective management of profit margins and its strategic investments are moving Compaq towards its goal of becoming the number one PC manufacturer in the world. "The PC industry continues to be highly competitive, but clearly, Compaq's business strategy has positioned the company to be a winner in the current industry consolidation. Compaq ," Pfeiffer said.
Compaq says unit shipments were up approximately 150 percent over the second quarter of 1992, while worldwide the industry in general has increased about 25 percent. Pfeiffer says the company will continue to aggressively pursue market share with a significant range of competitively priced products.
For the six month period ending June 30, Compaq had invested $78 million in research and development, and says it will introduce new personal computers for the small office and consumer market, as well as a new line of servers, in the third quarter.
Compaq spokesperson John Sweney told Newsbytes the PCs designed for the small office and consumer market will carry the Compaq label and will have a specific line name as well. The systems, which could be sold through mass market channels, may come bundled with various hardware and software options. The new line is expected to use the "plug'-and-play" technology in order to have the user productive as soon as the system is plugged in, with software already installed. Pricing is not yet available.
Sweney told Newsbytes the new line of servers, which will eventually replace Compaq's current server line, will include a number of new features, including the ability to run as many as four processors simultaneously. Sweney said the new server line will also include an enhanced version of its Insight Management server self-diagnostics. Many more of the server sub-systems will be monitored in the new systems, as well as environmental factors such as ambient temperature.
Compaq's present system management is only NetWare-capable. The new systems will also be able to diagnose other systems. They will also incorporate either SCO Unix or NetWare on a CD-ROM, with greatly improved and easier installation and configuration procedures using an intelligent installation engine, said the company. Compaq presently offers the CD-ROM version of SCO Unix only.
(Jim Mallory/19930721/Press contact: John Sweney, Compaq Computer Corporation, 713-374-1564)
r Corporation, 713-374-1564)
7/21/93
Compaq 2Qtr Income Triples
BUSINESS
Motorola & Orion Team Up On Emul
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Motorola's High Performance Microprocessor Division says it has teamed up with Menlo Park, California-based Orion Instruments to introduce a real time emulator/analyzer system for Motorola's low-cost embedded control microprocessor, the 68EC000.
The companies say Orion's 8800 Emulator/Analyzer supports the chip at its full-rated clock speed of 16 megahertz (MHz) with real-time non-intrusive, zero-wait-state emulation support. The Motorola chip is an alternative for applications such as small consumer products where board space is at a premium, which in the past have incorporated eight-bit processors. In such applications the 68EC000 is typically surface-mounted, eliminating a socket for a conventional emulator probe.
Orion's Clip-On Emulation option allows developers to clip onto the chip, which lets them debug and analyze their circuit without removing the central processor unit (CPU) from the board. Motorola says that will reduce development time by eliminating the need for an intermediate socketed layout. It also allows developers to debug firmware (instructions coded into a chip) on production boards without altering or damaging them.
Another feature of the 8800 is real-time trace, the ability to capture and display trace data while the target runs at full speed. Developers say that is crucial for debugging real-time designs where stopping the target with breakpoints can adversely affect important system timing.
In addition to its own high level language support, the 8800 supports three other source level debuggers: Microtec's XRAY Intermetric's XDB, and the Sierra Systems QuickFix. The latter has special 8800 extensions that allow it to incorporate real-time trace information.
Orion's 8800 Emulator/Analyzer is available starting at $9,150 which included 128 kilobytes (KB) of zero-wait-state emulation memory and a 16KB trace buffer. Options are available for 64KB of trace memory and up to 2 megabytes of emulation memory. The clip-on emulation is also an option.
(Jim Mallory/19930721/Press Contact: Fred Stotz, Motorola 512-891-2668; Jan Liband, Orion Instruments, 415-327-8800; Reader Contact: Orion Instruments, 415-327-8800 or 800-729-7700)
rion Instruments, 415-327-8800 or 800-729-7700)
7/21/93
Motorola & Orion Team Up On Emulator/Analyzer
BUSINESS
Desktop Data Offers NewsEdge For
WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Subscribers to Desktop Data Inc.'s NewsEdge, a news filtering service, can now tie their Apple Macintosh computers into the service.
Desktop Data has unveiled NewsEdge/Mac, Macintosh client software to work with the NewsEdge service. It complements existing offerings for Intel-based personal computers and workstations.
NewsEdge filters more than 100 news wires, alerting users to stories that match their individual interest profiles. It also maintains a full-text database of the most recent 250,000 stories on the user's server for quick searching.
The new Macintosh client software will allow a Mac to be hooked up to a local area network with access to NewsEdge. Customers still need a machine running the OS/2 operating system to act as the server, said Marni Hoyle, a company spokeswoman.
Eventually, Hoyle added, the company plans to produce NewsEdge server software for Apple computers, probably to run on the company's upcoming PowerPC-based line of hardware.
Desktop Data has a number of customers whose operations include Macintoshes along with other types of systems and who, to date have been unable to make NewsEdge available to their Mac users Hoyle said.
NewsEdge also supports Microsoft Windows, OS/2, DOS, and Unix, and works with various electronic mail systems and Lotus Development's Notes work-group software.
NewsEdge/Mac requires a Macintosh II-class computer with four megabytes (MB) of memory and System 7. Initially TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) network connections will be supported. The OS/2-based server needs about one gigabyte (GB) of disk storage to maintain the news database, Hoyle added.
NewsEdge is priced on an annual subscription basis beginning at $20,000 for 10 users, with site license packages starting at 100 users. News wire fees are extra. Desktop Data claims to have more than 13,000 users in major corporations, financial institutions and government agencies in the United States and Europe.
KANATA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Mitel Corp., has named a new chairman. Gordon S. Byrn, president of the company that last June bought a 51 percent interest in the telecommunications equipment maker, takes over from Anthony F. Griffiths.
Byrn is president of Schroders and Partners Ltd., the Canadian affiliate of Schroder Ventures, and vice-chairman, North America and Far East for Schroder Ventures. Last June, Schroder bought a 51 percent stake in Mitel for about C$40 million from British Telecommunications PLC, which had been seeking to sell the shares for some time. At the time Byrn and one other Schroder representative joined the Mitel board.
Griffiths, who has been Mitel's chairman since 1987 and was president and chief executive for two years before that, did not stand for re-election to the board, the company said. Griffiths served a second stint as president through most of 1992, after John Jarvis left that post, but was replaced as president by Dr. John Millard in January of this year.
Mitel also reported a profit of C$3 million in its first quarter ended June 25. The profit compares with a loss of C$7 million in the same period last year and is Mitel's third consecutive quarterly profit after a string of losses. Revenues were C$107.4 million, up 13 percent from C$95 million in the first quarter of last fiscal year.
Mitel Names New Chairman, Reports Quarterly Profit
TELECOM
Northern Telecom Expects 1993 Lo
MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Northern Telecom Ltd., has reported a second-quarter loss and admitted that it expects an annual loss in 1993. The company also said it will cut manufacturing capacity and let go about nine percent of its global work force, or 5,200 employees worldwide.
The loss will be largely due to a provision for the cost-cutting measures, which Northern said will cost it about US$282 million. The company will take a special charge for that in 1993, and has also made a provision of US$158 million after tax for work on its software for central-office switching equipment. Third, Northern is taking a US$500 million write-down on goodwill related to STC PLC, the British telecom firm it bought in 1991.
The company said its restructuring will mean consolidating manufacturing plants, including the closure of some operations and cutting its 60,000 work force by about 5,200. The plan is expected to be complete by the end of 1994. Northern did not comment on the plan's possible impact on its 1994 results.
The software provision is to cover the cost of completing modularization of Northern's central office switching architecture "to correct operating issues and enhance performance capabilities," said Jean Monty, president and chief executive, in a prepared statement. This is also due to be complete in 1994.
Northern said it is writing down goodwill associated with STC because of continuing weakness in the European economy and concern that growth in European sales and earnings will be slower in the short term.
Northern also said it has agreed to sell the STC Submarine Systems division to Alcatel Cable of France for UKP600 million. The unit had revenues of about UKP225 million in 1992, company officials said.
In the second quarter of 1993, Northern lost US$1.03 billion on revenues of US$1.87 billion. This compares with net earnings of US$69.1 million on revenues of US$1.95 billion in the second quarter of last year.
Northern had warned at the end of June that it expected the quarterly loss, its first in five years.
The loss follows a disappointing though profitable first quarter which ironically came on the heels of record revenues and earnings for Northern in 1992. In the year ended December 31 Northern's revenues were US$8.41 billion and net earnings increased eight percent to US$536 million.
Northern "has provided us with quite a few surprises in the last five consecutive quarters," said Frederick Larkin, an investment analyst who follows the company for Warburg Inc., in Toronto. He said institutional investors are becoming wary of Northern's stock.
However, Larkin added that while the immediate news is bad, he believes Northern is taking the right steps. The cost-cutting measures will keep the company competitive, he said. Just how soon Northern's fortunes rebound will depend largely on its ability to boost sales of central office gear.
Larkin said he is not yet ready to speculate on Northern's financial prospects in 1994.
(Grant Buckler/19930721/Press Contact: Tom Tropea, Northern Telecom, 416-566-3178; Gary Brandt, Northern Telecom 416-566-3098)
8; Gary Brandt, Northern Telecom 416-566-3098)
7/21/93
Northern Telecom Expects 1993 Loss, Job Cuts
TELECOM
Rasterops Price Cuts On Mac Digi
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Rasterops says it is cutting the retail price of its digital video products Rasterops Editing Aces Suite and Moviepak - for the Macintosh and Quadra line of computers. The move is an attempt to attract the cost-conscious independent artist and consumer, the company said.
Rasterops representatives say price cuts by Apple on its computer line are not forcing the company to lower prices, but instead the goal is to be more competitive in the market.
The company is cutting the price of the NTSC version of the Editing Aces Suite to $3,899 from $4,199 and the PAL version is down to $4,099 from $4,399. The Moviepak daughter card is included in the Editing Aces Suite, but Rasterops also sells the card separately and has announced the new price is reduced fifty percent to $999 from $1,999. The Moviepak card was offered with Adobe Premiere, but users can now get Moviepak with or without the software. With Adobe Premiere, the Moviepak is now $1,499.
The Editing Aces Suite includes: Mediatime, a 24-bit display adapter with 16-bit stereo capabilities; Video Expander II, a video encoder with genlock and red-green-blue (RGB) pass through capabilities; Adobe Premiere 3.0 video editing software; and Moviepak.
The Moviepak card snaps onto Rasterops video display adapters to enable users to record, edit, and playback Quicktime movies and offers Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) compression/ decompression capability. Rasterops says it offers a modular approach to its products to allow custom configuration by users and so users can upgrade to new Rasterops products by simply buying the particular new component.
The Editing Aces Suite requires a Centris 650, Macintosh II, or Quadra-family computer running System 7 or later, 8 megabytes (MB) of random access memory (RAM), and an 80MB hard disk drive. The Movepak card requires a Rasterops 24STV, 24MxTV 24XLTV, or Mediatime display adapter. The products are available through the company's authorized dealers and come with a three-year warranty, Rasterops added.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930721/Press Contact: Michele Janin Cunningham Communications for Rasterops, tel 408-982-0400, fax 408-982-0403; Customer Contact, Rasterops, 800-729-2656)
Rasterops Price Cuts On Mac Digital Video Products
APPLE
Rasterops Price Cuts On Mac Digi
UK - Elonex Posts Record 1992/93
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Elonex, the privately-held direct PC seller, has reported that its 1992/93 turnover is up by 35 percent on previous year figures. Profits for the period are however, down on those of last year.
During the year to the end of April, 1993, Elonex reported profits of UKP6.8 million on sales of just under UKP78 million. The figures compare with pre-tax profit of UKP9.1 million on sales of UKP57.8 million.
According to a spokesman for Elonex, the company is enjoying a positive cash flow at the moment, with net current assets standing at UKP13.2 million with book to bill ratios of 1.83 and reserves of UKP17.5 million.
Micheal Spiro, the company's financial director, claims that these results demonstrate the company's resilience in a year that has seen many other direct sell PC companies turning in heavy losses and even going to the wall. The company expects to launch itself on an international stock market in due course.
According to Spiro, the last year has been a difficult one for the British computer industry, due to the effects of a deepening recession, a price war intensified by cheaper product ranges from the major multi-nationals, and a 25 percent fall in the value of sterling.
All these factors, Spiro notes, have caused severe problems for computer manufacturers. This, he said, has meant that several UK manufacturers have only been kept alive by rich parent companies or government protection.
"At Elonex, on the other hand, we managed to hold our own in the marketplace and sustain the kind of performance that has made us one of Britain's most successful privately-held companies," he said citing April's survey of established unlisted companies in the Independent newspaper.
Spiro went on to say that Elonex has resisted the temptation to prune its profit margins to the bone in order to maintain, or even buy, market share.
"As a result, we have been able to invest millions in research and development, in manufacturing plant and in purchasing our London headquarters, yet still maintain a strong balance sheer. This is in marked contrast to several other major players in the UK who have suffered - and continue to suffer - substantial losses," he said.
Not that Elonex appears to be resting on its laurels. The company has been investing heavily in portable research and development at its R&D operation in the US. According to Spiro, a new range of portables is expected to be launched later this year.
"Our investment in UK manufacturing capacity through an associate company, Cordata, is likely to lead to reduced production costs this year. Cordata's UKP5.5 million plant in Cumbernauld will open next month and will provide electronics sub-assembles and basic PC assemblies for Elonex in the UK and overseas," he said.
(Steve Gold/19930721/Press & Public Contact: Elonex Tel: 081-452-4444; Fax: 081-452-6422)
c Contact: Elonex Tel: 081-452-4444; Fax: 081-452-6422)
7/21/93
UK - Elonex Posts Record 1992/93 Sales, Flotation Due
BUSINESS
Kawasaki Steel, Zilog In Chip Ve
UK - BT Cuts Pricing On Internat
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- British Telecommunications (BT) has announced it is cutting the cost of international Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) calls from the UK. The price cuts take effect from September 29 onwards.
One of the criticisms of BT's ISDN service to date has been that international calls are charged at higher rates than ordinary phone calls. This is in contrast to inland calls, which are billed at the same rate, regardless of whether they are voice or ISDN data.
BT has always claimed that foreign telecoms companies charge it for access to their ISDN services, hence the disparity in charging system. From September onwards, however, many international ISDN call charges fall. BT claims that this is due to foreign telecoms companies cutting their charges to BT, so it is passing these savings along.
A spokesman for BT cited the example of a company using three ISDN-2 connections (six 64,000 bits-per-second channels) for high-quality videoconferencing links between London and New York. Under the new tariff arrangements, they will pay UKP735 for two hours of videoconferencing, rather than UKP1,008 under the old charging system. This is a 27 percent call cost reduction.
In a more practical example, BT claims that the price of transmitting 100 pages by fax over an ISDN-2 links to France which takes five minutes, will fall from UKP4.25 to UKP3.80 a 10.5 percent reduction.
BT currently has 20 ISDN international routes to 18 different countries. They are: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, (for KDD & ITJ), the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Sweden Switzerland, Spain, and the US (for AT&T & MCI).
(Steve Gold/19930721)
the US (for AT&T & MCI).
(Steve Gold/19930721)
7/21/93
UK - BT Cuts Pricing On International ISDN Calls
TELECOM
UK - BT Cuts Pricing On Internat
UK - Thomas Cook Uses GEIS To Ch
PETERBOROUGH, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- GE Information Systems (GEIS) has developed a new application of its international data network to provide the travel agency Thomas Cook with 24-hour access to a database of stopped (usually lost or stolen) travellers' checks.
The database, which is known as the check enquiry status service (CHESS), allows banks and retailers who suspect that a check or checks has/have been stolen, to gain immediate access to a service that gives them an instant - and up to the second - status check on the queried documents.
The central database will be held on a computer located at GEIS' US headquarters. Thomas Cook branches will also have access to the service, so they can update and enter details of the check as they are sold. This will speed up the time it takes to validate a check as it is presented for encashment at a bank or travel office.
"Our Peterborough office receives around 14,000 verification calls a year from around the world," explained James Hopgood, manager of Thomas Cook's refund center. "We are speeding up the entire verification process, reducing the workload of our Peterborough staff and enabling offices to offer a higher standard both to the banks and retailers who accept our checks and to our customers who buy our travellers checks for business and leisure travel," he said.
According to Eamon Walsh, head of information technology (IT) at Thomas Cook, the company is a global organization, "so when we were planning the CHESS system we looked for a development partner who could match our world-wide presence."
Walsh said that the GEIS network has excellent world-wide coverage, and, since Thomas Cook has worked with the company before, it knew that they were able to offer a stable and reliable network service.
CHESS is now available in 16 cities around the world, including Madrid, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Melbourne and Bahrain. Plans call for the service to be made available at 25 Thomas Cook main offices around the world by early next year, and eventually to most major cities world-wide over the next few years.
(Steve Gold/19930721/Press & Public Contact: GE Information Systems - Tel: 081-741-0077)
t: GE Information Systems - Tel: 081-741-0077)
7/21/93
UK - Thomas Cook Uses GEIS To Check On Fraud
TRENDS
Kawasaki Steel, Zilog In Chip Ve
Russia To Get India Computers, D
UK - BT Enhances Telemedicine Te
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- British Telecommunications (BT) has revealed that it is commercializing several new methods of transmitting medical data and expertise over the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) services.
Known as telemedicine, the technology builds on the success that some hospitals have had with using remote-control heart monitoring equipment installed in the homes of patients. If a problem occurs the heart monitoring machine can be used in the home and data transmitted over the phone line using a modem.
BT officials claim that the application of similar technology can be made in many more areas of medicine, as well as in other unrelated areas, such as completing remote diagnostics on computers at a distance.
"In fact our primary interest is not to sell hardware, that is to some extent a separate issue," explained Mike Matthews, section manager of the BT's advanced media unit at the company's research and development headquarters in Martlesham, Norfolk. "Our primary interest is to act as a catalyst in making people think about how they can use advanced networks."
At a conference held in London recently, Matthews and other BT seniors demonstrated several applications of the technology including Camnet (short for "camera over network") and an endoscope imaging system being developed with the science laboratories at Sheffield University. The endoscope system allows images from the inside of a human digestive tract to be transmitted over a phone modem or ISDN link for viewing by doctors at major medical centers.
Camnet involves the use of a camera attached to the head of a medic at a remote site. Images from the camera are transmitted over the phone-modem or ISDN link for interpretation at a medical center. Like the endoscope project, Camnet allows staff at hospitals to spend less time travelling to patients and more time actually treating them.
(Steve Gold/19930721)
y treating them.
(Steve Gold/19930721)
7/21/93
UK - BT Enhances Telemedicine Technology
TELECOM
2 \ @
Spectrum Intros Cellular Fax/Mod
MANHASSET, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Spectrum Information Technologies has introduced a new version of the company's AXCELL fax/modem link for NEC portable handheld cellular telephones. NEC will market the product as the INT 4000 Data Interface and Spectrum will also sell it under the trade name AXCELL.
The AXCELL hardware is compatible with NEC's current full line of portable handheld cellular phones, including the new P100 series and the P400/600 and P200/300 versions of portable cellular phones.
AT&T, Ericsson GE, Fujitsu Network Transmission Systems, and Audiovox all sell private label versions of Spectrum's AXCELL. The new data interface will ship this fall and should have a list price of around $400.
With the ever increasing use of cellular telephone technology it is only natural that portable computer users will want to link their fax and data capabilities to their cellular telephones so they have full communications capabilities while on the road.
When outside the ability to link through a cellular phone means that there is no need to carry a special, and not very dependable acoustic coupler system that allows linking to handsets in phone booths. Business travelers sitting in hotel rooms may find that it is actually less expensive to use the added-cost cellular connection rather than pay the service charges some hotels levy on people who place calls from their room phone.
(John McCormick/19930721/Press Contact: Don Kessler, Spectrum Information Technologies, 516/627-8992 or Kathy L. Bachand investor relations, 800/233-2119, ext. 308)
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- The Centralia Illinois factory operated by Des Plaines, Ill-based Littelfuse has just become the first US electronic circuit protection device manufacturer to receive two ISO quality management certifications.
ISO 9000 certification, which refers to quality control in manufacturing, is being required by more companies which are buying these critical computer system protection components.
This is the second US certification the company has earned in the last nine months. The first was awarded to its Arcola, Ill. Power Fuse manufacturing plant in 1992. In addition to its domestic certifications, Littelfuse was also granted ISO Certifications for its plants in England and Switzerland in 1988 and 1990.
The Centralia facility is the world's primary producer of latest technology sub-miniature surface mount fuses utilized on advanced circuit boards for a broad spectrum of electronic devices, says the company.
Surface mount components can be packed much more closely together than traditional circuit board elements because, instead of having leads which are pushed through circuit boards and soldered to traces on the back of the board, surface mount technology allows components to be mounted on both sides of a board and do not require holes drilled through the board.
The components made by Littelfuse are circuit protectors of various sorts which provide other sensitive components with some protection from power surges.
(John McCormick/19930721/Press Contact: Art Skwerski 708-391-0307, Littelfuse)
s Contact: Art Skwerski 708-391-0307, Littelfuse)
7/21/93
Littelfuse Factory Earns ISO 9000 Certification
GENERAL
Microsoft Ships Visual C++ Pre-r
Punjab Communications Gets Into
Dataware Technology Goes Public
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Dataware Technologies, the Cambridge, Mass-based international CD-ROM service bureau, entered the public stock arena on Tuesday with an initial public offering of 2,250,000 shares of common stock priced at $13 per share. By Wednesday morning the stock was up about 15 percent to 14 7/8.
Dataware is a long-time player in the CD-ROM publishing industry with extensive experience in publishing titles for industry and government agencies around the world.
Although the company is also involved in selling CD-R or CD Recordable systems to clients, its major business is producing CD-ROMs under contract and licensing its data formatting and retrieval software. Recent acquisitions have strengthened the company's market position by improving the breadth of its CD-ROM authoring software line.
Dataware provides the authoring software used by Ziff Desktop Information in publishing the Computer Select CD-ROM industry database which includes all Newsbytes News Network reports and the full text of more than 100 computer- and telecommunications related publications each month.
Dataware Technologies is presently offering a free white paper titled "CD-Recordable Applications Guide. To obtain a copy fax a request to Kathleen Hunter at 617-621-0307.
(John McCormick/19930721/Press Contact: G. Mead Wyman Dataware Technologies Inc., 617-621-0820)
Technologies Inc., 617-621-0820)
7/21/93
Dataware Technology Goes Public
BUSINESS
Supermac Earns Up Again, Allianc
SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- Supermac again announced record second quarter earnings and an alliance with Rocket Science Games, a software company which Supermac's former vice president of marketing Steve Blank co-founded. The company also reported it is increasing its investments in research and development (R&D).
Second quarter revenue was reported at $51.1 million, up 79 percent from the $28.5 million in similar quarter a year ago. Net income rose more slowly than revenue, up 67 percent to $2.4 million compared with $1.4 million last year. Earnings per share were 26 cents, on 9.1 million average shares outstanding compared with 20 cents, on 7.2 million shares outstanding in the second quarter of 1992. The company credits record sales of color publishing systems, shipments of digital video products, E-Machines products, original equipment manufacturer (OEM) shipments to Apple Computer, and increased licensing revenues for its continued financial achievement.
Michael McConnell, president and chief executive officer said: "We continue to increase our investment in ongoing product development in order to turn R&D projects into marketable products. An example of this is our Cinepak Technology, which was licensed by a number of prominent firms including Microsoft, Cirrus Logic, Sega, and Atari in this quarter. For the quarter, SuperMac spent $4.2 million on research and development, or 8.2 percent of revenues, compared to $2.2 million, or 7.9 percent, in the quarter a year ago."
Rocket Science, formed just a month ago, says its focus is to develop a whole new type of compact disc read-only memory (CD ROM)-based game software which blends the storytelling expertise of award-winning Hollywood scriptwriters with some of the best programming talent in Silicon Valley. SuperMac announced its alliance with the Palo Alto-based start-up includes licensing agreement that gives SuperMac exclusive access to any new video compression technology developed by Rocket Science and an investment of an undisclosed amount in Rocket Science which Supermac called "minor."
Michael McConnell, SuperMac's chief executive officer, said "The opportunity for CD-ROM-based video games was created by SuperMac with its Cinepak video-compression software. We spawned the market and, as the company has done in the past with color publishing and digital video, we are announcing the formation of an alliance with a strong software company to grow the market." Supermac has alliances with Adobe, Kodak, Storm Technology, Aldus, and EFI on the color publishing side and Apple, Macromedia, Cosa, and Adobe on the digital video side of things. In fact, Supermac developed the technology behind the popular color publishing product Adobe Premiere and sold it to Adobe.
However, McConnell is pointing to the Cinepak licensing agreements with both computer software giants and entertainment system companies as one of the indications of how far-reaching the Cinepak video compression technology will be in the future. The company also maintains the technology will offer the capability to store a full-length digital movie on CD-ROM.
Sunnyvale, California-based Supermac describes itself as a developer of graphics peripherals to the color-publishing digital video, and business productivity markets. The company went public on May 15, 1992, completed a second offering on February 25, 1993, and currently has approximately nine million shares outstanding. Supermac reported 1992 revenues of $125 million.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930721/Press Contact: Deborah Doyle Supermac Technology, tel 408-541-5372, fax 408-541-6150; Steve Blank, Rocket Science Games, 408-541-5360)
-541-6150; Steve Blank, Rocket Science Games, 408-541-5360)
7/22/93
Supermac Earns Up Again, Alliance W/ Upstart Game Company
BUSINESS
Mitel Names New Chairman, Report
Acer To Manufacture Portables Wi
Sybase Opens Belgium Subsidiary
Borland Earns Up - Sales, Expens
SCOTTS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- Borland announced it is moving strong onto the positive side of the balance sheet with first quarter net income of $6.2 million, up 259 percent compared to net income of $1.7 million reported in the same quarter last year. Borland says the results are due in part to a focus on decreasing sales expenses as well as research and development expenses.
First quarter revenue was reported as $123.4 million, a 7.5 percent increase from the $114.8 million recorded in the same period of fiscal 1993. Borland has been struggling financially since its purchase of database giant Ashton-Tate in 1991. It is nearly two years past its originally announced introduction date of dBASE for Windows, but has introduced Windows versions of its other products and has repackaged its products for the consumer retail market.
Philippe Kahn, chairman, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Borland International, said: "This quarter's results reflect the market reception of Paradox for Windows, Quattro Pro for Windows and dBASE IV version 2.0 for DOS. In addition we introduced the Borland Office for Windows, a software suite that combines Quattro Pro, Paradox, and Wordperfect for Windows in one package."
The company reported a 2.9 percent decrease in its selling general, and administrative expenses for the quarter from $69.2 million to $67.2 million. It has also decreased research and development spending 13.3 percent from $17.8 million to $15.4 million.
Borland also reported an alliance with rival Lotus, to pair its spreadsheet product Quattro Pro with the Lotus Mail product. Lotus and Borland have been embroiled in a long-term legal suit over similarities between Quattro Pro and Lotus 1-2-3. Borland officials said the partnership was to meet demand on the part of large corporate customers.
Investors appear to have taken the Borland earnings announcement with hope. Borland's stock was up to twenty-two and a half from a closing of twenty-one and three-eighths in after hours trading yesterday following the company's earnings announcement.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930721/Press Contact: Bonnie Johnson Borland, tel 408-439-1133, fax 408-439-8080)
e Johnson Borland, tel 408-439-1133, fax 408-439-8080)
7/22/93
Borland Earns Up - Sales, Expenses/R&D Cuts Credited
BUSINESS
StrataCom Net Up 40 Percent
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- StrataCom, a designer of IPX FastPacket cell switching systems for private wide area networks and public carrier frame relay services, has reported that its total revenue for the first two quarters of 1993 was $35 million, an increase of 40% over revenue in the same period in 1992.
Net income for the second quarter of 1993 was $1.8 million, an increase of 78% from a net of $1.0 million for 2ndQ 1992, and for the first two quarters of 1993 was $3.5 million, an increase of 130% from net income of $1.5 million for the comparable period in 1992. Per share earnings for the second quarter were 11 cents versus 7 cents for the like period in 1992, and for the first two quarters of 1993 were 21 cents, versus 11 cents for the like period in 1992.
The company went public just one year ago with an initial public offering of 2,375,000 shares.
StrataCom is in two of the hottest areas of high technology -- data communications and multi-media. Its products support data, voice, video and image transmission over the same digital lines.
This was the first company to actually ship communications systems which support frame relay technology, the standard for interoperability between local area networks.
NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- nVIEW, a US based company that makes high-performance flat-panel projection screens for use in presentations, has gone from a net loss of nearly a half-million dollars in the second quarter of 1992 to a net profit of a quarter-million in the second quarter of this fiscal year.
nVIEW was one of those companies which said that it was prepared to quickly move manufacturing operations overseas in the wake of 1991's Commerce Department implementation of punitive dumping duties imposed on Asian-based suppliers of active-matrix liquid crystal display (AMLCD) panels, which form the basis of most of the company's products. After that extra cost was hit the company, it moved its assembly operations to Canada because while the flat-panel components themselves were subject to large tariff charges, finished products incorporating the panels were not affected.
That 1991 tariff was lifted during the second quarter of 1993, and this allowed the company to return manufacturing to its Virginia plant, reducing its costs.
Other reasons for the turnaround include the company's team-up with Lotus Development to provide free Lotus Freelance Graphics for Windows presentation software program with each nVIEW ViewFrame Spectra C projection panel.
The company also introduced special prices to the education market by as much as 30 percent below list price.
(John McCormick/19930721/Press Contact: James A. Kirkpatrick nVIEW, 804-873-1354)
ntact: James A. Kirkpatrick nVIEW, 804-873-1354)
7/22/93
Flat-Panel Display Maker nVIEW Shows 2Q Profit
BUSINESS
Scitex In Class Action Suit
Motorola Sees Semiconductor Sale
InterVoice Sells Voice Response
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- In the same week when the company announced a major sale to an unnamed public utility, Dallas, Texas-based InterVoice has also sold about $300,000 worth of voice response hardware and software to MCI Communications. MCI is already using InterVoice's RobotOperator interactive voice response system to assist in processing collect and third party calls.
MCI, which is based in Washington, DC, sees the use of RobotOperators as a way to free up 800-number sales representatives by eliminating the need for them to answer routine questions.
InterVoice voice-response systems can support from six to thousands of lines or ports.
With 1992 revenue of over $10 billion, MCI Communications Corporation is the second largest distance provider in the United States and has more than 60 overseas offices in 55 countries.
ss Contact: Dorothy Botnick InterVoice, 214-454-8771)
7/22/93
InterVoice Sells Voice Response Apps Support To MCI
TELECOM
Mitel Names New Chairman, Report
Acer To Manufacture Portables Wi
Cincinnati Bell Telephone Bonds
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- Due to a continuing deterioration in earnings, the Duff & Phelps Credit Rating service has downgraded Cincinnati Bell Telephone bonds from AA to AA-, but reaffirmed parent company Cincinnati Bell's Single-A rating.
CBT, which provides 838,000 access lines to the greater Cincinnati metropolitan area, is asking the state of Ohio for a rate increase amounting to $17 million, the company's first in seven years. This is also the first attempt to gain a raise in tariffs since Ohio passed a new law regulating public utilities.
Because CBT earnings have come in below street estimates, Duff & Phelps discounts this rate increase as being insufficient to support the higher bond ratings.
The reason that Cincinnati Bell isn't being downgraded is that its other major subsidiary, Cincinnati Bell Information Systems is an unregulated information management and software business which is showing considerable strength in overseas operations after a recent restructuring.
Other operating divisions which provide some non-regulated services include Cincinnati Bell Long Distance, Cincinnati Bell Supply, Cincinnati Bell Directory, and Cincinnati Bell Cellular Systems, a joint venture with Ameritech.
(John McCormick/19930721/Press Contact: James J. Stork, Duff & Phelps Credit Rating, 312-368-3125)
, Duff & Phelps Credit Rating, 312-368-3125)
7/22/93
Cincinnati Bell Telephone Bonds Downgraded
TELECOM
CD-ROM Lending For Libraries Off
Tandy Rescues InterTan From Fina
Australia - Apple Tops PC Reliab
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- Apple has been rated as Australia's most reliable computer brand, topping Australian Personal Computer (APC) magazine's annual service and reliability survey. And APC is primarily devoted to the IBM and compatible platforms.
It was rated marginally above AST, Compaq and Osborne (a locally assembled brand that has been compared to Gateway 2000 in the US) in the overall reliability section. Apple also topped the charts for owners who would buy the brand again (97.7 percent), edging out Osborne and Toshiba, and was equal at the top with Compucon for ease of contacting product support.
Apple was rated second for satisfaction with product support, just below Osborne.
More than 3700 APC readers answered the survey which covered printers and monitors as well as PCs.
The bottom position on the reliability section went to Amstrad, with a rating of 7.6 compared to Apple's 9.2. Amstrad also finished last in the brand loyalty section with only 52 percent of respondents saying they would be willing to buy a second Amstrad machine. Other companies rating below average in this section included Commodore, NEC, Olivetti and - surprise, surprise - IBM. IBM also rated poorly in ease of contacting product support. It finished second last, one percentage point above Amstrad. It also rated average on the question, "How satisfactory was product support?"
An accountant quoted by APC commented: "It used to be company standard that we buy IBM PCs. But with so many reasonable quality clones on the market, and the likes of Compaq becoming price competitive, we're now moving away from IBM. We find them overpriced for what they offer."
The survey was printed in July APC with a related report in the February issue. (Editor's note: Unlike the US, magazines in Australia and most of the world are generally published at the beginning of the month on the cover, not two months earlier.)
(Computer Daily News, Australia/19930721)
(Computer Daily News, Australia/19930721)
7/22/93
Australia - Apple Tops PC Reliability Poll
4 ^ |
VTEL Reports Increased Net Loss
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- VideoTelecom Corp. now VTEL, a videoconferencing products company, has reported a net loss of $2,532,000 or 29 cents per share on sales of $6.3 million for the quarter ended June 30, 1993 compared to profit of six cents per share on sales of $6.3 million for the second quarter of 1992.
The company reported a net loss of $2,238,000 or 26 cents per share for the quarter ended March 31, 1993 when the company took in $5 million in revenues.
The company is in a market building stage, pursuing new products with increased research and development spending and recently expanding the sales staff which has resulted in increased sales and a larger backlog of orders.
Rodney S. Bond, VTEL's chief financial officer, pointed out that the company is concentrating on long-term growth, "With $20 million in cash and no long-term debt, we have the flexibility to make such investments. As we discussed earlier this year, the expected results of our aggressive sales staffing should begin to mitigate losses in the third quarter of this year."
In the second quarter VTEL began shipping an enhanced version of the software for its flagship MediaMax product which provides enhanced audio quality, support for programmable camera presets and doubles maximum transmission speeds from 768 kilobits per second to 1,544 Kbps.
MANHASSET, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- Spectrum Information Technologies has licensed its patented cellular data communications technology to Apex Data, a leading builder of portable data modems. Spectrum will get an initial payment and ongoing royalties from the agreement which lets Apex incorporate the proprietary direct connect cellular cables and software in Apex hardware.
Cellular data communication is rapidly becoming as important to many business users as voice communications and the ability to link a laptop computer's modem or fax-modem to a cellular telephone is increasingly required.
Earlier license agreements had been signed with Megahertz Corporation and AT&T Corporation, two other major suppliers of portable data communications hardware.
Just last week Apex became the first company to be designated by IBM as a "ThinkPad Proven" vendor certified to provide ThinkPad notebook computer compatible hardware products.
Apex makes modems for notebook computers sold under the IBM Compaq, Toshiba, Zenith and AST brand names.
(John McCormick/19930722/Press Contact: Don Kessler, Spectrum Information Technologies, 516-627-8992)
trum Information Technologies, 516-627-8992)
7/22/93
Spectrum Licenses Cellular Data Technology
TELECOM
PacTel Cellular and US West Prev
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- San Diego cellular phone users will get a chance to preview Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) digital technology this fall thanks to a joint effort involving service providers PacTel Cellular and US West Cellular, CDMA's Developer QUALCOMM, and CDMA licensee Motorola.
The preview, which will be offered to about 300 participants will be used to evaluate the CDMA technology both from the standpoint of performance and perceived advantages and disadvantages as seen by the users.
CDMA is one of the competing standards being put forward for advanced digital communications over cellular networks and the technology received a big boost late last week when the Telecommunications Industry Association adopted the QUALCOMM digital cellular technology as the basis for an interim standard known as IS-95.
McCaw Cellular and SW Bell had already adopted the older time division multiple access (TDMA) digital cellular technology.
In-house CDMA technical tests were already being conducted by PacTel, US West, AT&T, NYNEX, Ameritech, Bell Atlantic, Bell Mobility and GTE. PacTel and US West Cellular says that it chose to extend its work to include field tests to solicit customer feedback and validate CDMA systems engineering deployment guidelines developed by Motorola.
(John McCormick/19930722/Press Contact: Amy L. Damianakes, PacTel Corp., 510-210-3645)
ct: Amy L. Damianakes, PacTel Corp., 510-210-3645)
7/22/93
PacTel Cellular and US West Preview CDMA Service
TELECOM
Borland, Computerland Sponsor Wh
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1993 JULY 22 (NB) -- The last round of US-Uzbek school computer programming competition is underway in Tashkent, the capital city of Uzbekistan. It was initiated by two computer corporations MBL/Computerland and Borland.
AltSoft company, as Computerland's Tashkent training center conducted several preliminary rounds in the youth programmers' competitions in this Central Asian republic with the help of the Uzbek Ministry of Education.
The tournament between regional "wonder children" and 12 school-age children from New Jersey in the US was then organized.
This event illustrates the growth of regional activities for major computer companies in the territory of the former Soviet Union. While central areas are already saturated with hardware other markets are opening. For instance, MBL/Computerland during the last two years, has opened 16 local offices -- two of them in Taskent, one a commercial, the other a training facility.
In Asian republics, the main customer is still the government. So, computer firms are inviting State companies and ministries to support their presentation programs, as it was with the Uzbek school computer Olympics.
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- To prevent cheating and leakage of question papers, the National Informatics Centre, the India government-owned organization responsible for collating information from the district level upwards, has developed a computer-aided paperless examination system (CAPES).
Initially the system will only test candidates appearing for myriad government jobs. CAPES allows candidates to appear at any of the 30 NIC centres spread across 18 cities of the country, at the time of their choosing.
All an examinee has to do is to log-in his roll number and answer the set of objective type questions that pop up on the computer screen. He can mark the right choice serially or he can skip questions. At the end, just by pressing a key he can get back to the unanswered ones. Also, there is a clock to tell him the time left. The score is evaluated and transmitted to NIC's headquarters, in New Delhi, for consolidation from all centers. The system then shortlists the required number of candidates.
Questions of each subject are prepared with certain parameters like difficulty level, grasp of concept and topic. Then they are keyed in and transferred onto CD-ROMs. About 5,000 different questions are thus stored on a 500 MB CD-ROM. Once the candidate logs in his roll number, stratified random number generation comes into play. It picks up different categories of questions from the pool for each candidate. "No two candidate will get a similar question paper but the variety and difficulty level will remain the same in each set," says N. Seshagiri, director-general of NIC.
In each center, 10 terminals are connected to a 486-based system with CD-ROM drive in the star LAN formation. The test for 10,000 candidates is conducted in four batches a day and is complete in about three weeks. NIC recently used CAPES for recruitment of its programmers.
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930722)
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930722)
7/22/93
India - Paperless Exam System
TRENDS
Lotus Reports Quarterly Results,
Ameritech Offers Schools Discoun
India - Paperless Exam System
Microtest Debuts Innovative CD-R
PHOENIX, ARIZONA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- Microtest has introduced its powerful new Discport hardware which allows Novell NetWare users to mount CD-ROM drives exactly like hard drives on a network server. This means that Novell-based LANs can now access CD-ROM databases using all of the standard Novell high speed disk caching, drive mapping, and security features.
Accessing CD-ROM across a LAN has always been a challenge and the goal of many companies, because of the impressive amount of data which can be stored on even a small bank of CD-ROM drives or a single CD-ROM changer.
Computer Select and Support on Site from Ziff Desktop Information, as well as Novell's own Novell Support Encyclopedia are important candidates for mounting on large networks because they offer significant network and other software support databases.
Because it connects directly to LAN cabling, Discport eliminates the need to connect CD-ROM drives directly to the file server or to each individual network workstation. Discport seamlessly integrates with Novell Netware and needs no redirector or TSR loaded on the workstation, essentially turning the CD-ROM drive into a separate server.
The VHS tape-sized Discport adapter connects to thin Ethernet or 10BASE-T networks and uses a SCSI connector to daisy chain external CD-ROM drives. It is compatible with Netware 3.11 and Netware 4.0, and takes just minutes to install, with, according to the company, no network downtime during installation.
Discport will debut at Interop Fall in San Francisco, August 25 27 and should ship to dealers before then. Estimated list price is just under $700.
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- NetManage's new NEWTNews is a new Windows tool providing users of the Chameleon TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) for Windows software family to access, read, or post Internet messages using a click-and-point GUI (graphical user interface).
Chameleon TCP/IP's remote access capability has been enhanced with the addition of the Point-To-Point protocol and support for serial speeds as high as 115,000 bits per second.
NetManage's Point-to-Point implementation includes support for TCP/IP header compression (VJ header compression).
The company says that these new features dramatically increase transmission speeds over the latest high performance modems and therefore improve the performance of applications such as NEWTNews and e-mail either over the Internet or when dialing into TCP/IP corporate networks.
This is the first TCP/IP applications based completely on the Windows Dynamic Link Library and not a TSR (terminate and stay resident) package. Chameleon 3.11, priced at $400 for a single user license, is a suite of application packages including Telnet, FTP, SMTP/Mail, NEWTNews, TN3270, TFTP, Ping, Bind Finger, Whois, and SNMP.
(John McCormick/19930721/Press Contact: Donna Loughlin NetManage, 408-973-7171 or fax 408-257-6405)
NetManage, 408-973-7171 or fax 408-257-6405)
7/22/93
NetManage Intros New Internet Access Tools
TELECOM
Fujitsu, Ricoh To Link Office Ma
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- Fujitsu and Ricoh say they will both make compatible and sell each others' office equipment. These products are Ricoh's multiple digital copier called the Imagio series, and Fujitsu's best-selling Japanese word processor the OASYS series. Both firms are seeking ways to interconnect these devices.
Ricoh's Imagio is equipped with a floppy disk drive, and functions as a computer printer, a fax machine, and a regular copier. At a glance, it looks like a copying machine, but due to these other functions, it is far more versatile.
Fujitsu and Ricoh will jointly develop an interface to connect Imagio with Fujitsu's OASYS word processor in order to enable users to feed printed documents into the word processor. The read-in data can then be processed with the word processor, and can be printed out again or transmitted to fax machines.
Fujitsu is planning to bundle Ricoh's Imagio with the OASYS word processor for future sales.
Fujitsu has in place a strong sales network which is expected to help increase sales of the Imagio series. Fujitsu does not have copy machines on its sales list and in turn, should benefit by the alliance.
Ricoh has already developed a similar interface for Hitachi's word processor, which means that the development of this interface should be accomplished easily for Fujitsu and Ricoh.
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- NTT Data Communications, a 100 percent subsidiary of NTT, will list its stocks on the Tokyo Stock Exchange next year. NTT's President Hitoshi Kojima has been quoted as saying that NTT Data Communications wants to list stocks by the end of 1994.
NTT Data Communications used to be part of NTT's data communication department, but it was separated from NTT in 1988 to become an independent firm. The firm's fiscal 1992 sales were 433.5 billion yen ($4 billion), and net profit was 10.2 billion yen ($93 million).
According to Kojima, the firm will be able to list its stocks much earlier than was expected -- only five years since the firm was created. NTT's executive want to avoid risks to stockholders as they are still reeling from the plunging NTT stock price. NTT stock skyrocketed and the price tripled just after the stock was listed. However, it dropped sharply, and now costs less than half its original price.
Japan's telecommunication market was deregulated in 1985. Since then a number of telecom firms were created, including NTT and NTT Data Communications. Other private telecom firms are also preparing to list their stocks on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Daini-Denden, which is backed by Kyocera, will list stocks this September. Japan Railway's Japan Telecom is also planning to list its stocks.
(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930722/Press Contact: NTT Data Communications, +81-3-3509-4647)
ontact: NTT Data Communications, +81-3-3509-4647)
7/22/93
Japan - NTT Subsidiary To Offer Stock To Public
TELECOM
UK - BT Enhances Telemedicine Te
IBM Loses Again, Will Cut 35,000
Utah State University Upgrades C
Wollongong's PathWay Messaging T
Japan - Matsushita To Release Vi
Russian US$1 Billion Telecom Pro
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- Russian and German companies are to invest up to 1 billion US dollars in a telecom project linking 50 different cities during the next year, the Russian communications ministry announced.
The development of the new network will allow extended phone and data services to operate in the country over digital long distance trunk lines.
The consortium of three or four large German telecom companies will work out the US$600 million financing, while the rest of funds will come from Russia, according to Russian Telecommunications Minister Vladimir Bulgak.
German companies will receive part of the fees paid for network usage for an undisclosed period of time.
(Kirill Tchashchin/19930722)
time.
(Kirill Tchashchin/19930722)
7/22/93
Russian US$1 Billion Telecom Project
TELECOM
Still No FTC Decision In Microso
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- Microsoft Corporation revealed late yesterday that the Federal Trade Commission decided not to issue an administrative complaint against the software company, but apparently intends to continue its investigation.
Microsoft Corporation has been the subject of a 37 month non-public investigation, based at least in part on complaints by its competitors. Most recently the FTC has reportedly been examining Microsoft's per processor licensing procedures and whether the company designed some of its software in a manner that precluded customers from using rival operating systems. A Microsoft spokesperson explained to Newsbytes that Microsoft negotiates a per-processor price with each PC maker who wishes to use Microsoft's operating system software. Under that contract the computer maker pays Microsoft for each PC that uses the particular microprocessors included in the contract. For example, a manufacturer could choose to contract for only machines that use a 486SX chip, or could cover all their machines. The license gives the manufacturer the right to include Microsoft's operating system with the hardware. Microsoft does not authorize sale of its disk operating system (MS-DOS) unless it accompanies a computer, except in the case of upgrades.
A Microsoft spokesperson told Newsbytes the company received no further indication from the FTC as to the status of the investigation so assumes the case is still open.
A prepared statement provided Newsbytes by Microsoft late Wednesday said, "The company is gratified that after an exhaustive and conscientious review, the commission has determined that these allegations regarding Microsoft's business practices don't justify issuing an administrative complaint." A Microsoft spokesperson told Newsbytes the company doesn't know what other action still might be taken against it.
Legal sources say if the commission decided a company has engaged in unfair competition it would begin a complaint process heard by one or more administrative law judges. Whatever decision that panel reached would be subject to appeals which could last for several years. The FTC could also decide to file suit against the company in federal court.
Microsoft Vice President of Law and Corporate Affairs William Neukom said Microsoft will continue to introduce new products and develop technologies. Said Neukom, "Microsoft is committed to the development of open platforms like MS-DOS and Windows and spends more than three times the national average on research and development, thus creating opportunities for independent software developers worldwide."
That statement could refer to another Microsoft story Newsbytes reported earlier this week. The company said its consulting business would spend more time helping independent software developers and value-added resellers. That could be interpreted as a move to diversify applications development, lessening the company's vulnerability to more anti-trust charges.
The traditionally tight-lipped FTC said yesterday it would have no announcement on how it deals with enforcement cases, one of which is said to involve Microsoft. The commission won't even confirm publicly that it is investigating Microsoft's business practices.
A majority of the five FTC commissioners have to agree on a decision in order to proceed with a formal complaint against a company. At its February meeting the panel reportedly tied, with two commissioners voting in the affirmative, while two others voted "no." A fifth commissioner reportedly excused himself due to conflict of interest. It's not known what that conflict is.
(Jim Mallory/19930722/Press contact: Mary Ann Allison, Waggener Edstrom, 503-245-0905)
Allison, Waggener Edstrom, 503-245-0905)
7/22/93
Still No FTC Decision In Microsoft Case
Lotus Reports Quarterly Results,
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- Lotus Development Corp., has reported a slight year-over-year increase in net income from operations in the second quarter, but a quarterly loss due to the cost of acquiring Approach Software Corp. The company also announced that its Lotus Consulting Services Group acquired Database Management Sciences, a British consulting firm.
In the quarter ended July 3, Lotus reported net income from operations of $15.2 million, or 35 cents per share. That is a two percent increase over net income of $14.9 million, or 34 cents per share, in last year's second quarter.
In June, Lotus bought Approach Software Corp., of Redwood City California, the privately held developer of Approach 2.0 database software for Microsoft Windows. A substantial portion of the acquisition cost, $19.9 million, was recorded as a charge against second quarter earnings, resulting in a net loss of $4.7 million or 11 cents per share. The charge reflects the write-off of purchased research and development, Lotus officials said.
Revenue for the quarter was $235.8 million, up seven percent over sales of $220.3 million in the second quarter of 1992.
In the first six months of 1993, Lotus' revenue grew three percent to $462.8 million from $447.4 million in the first half of 1992. Net income from operations was $27.5 million, or 64 cents per share, a 23-percent drop from $35.7 million, or 81 cents per share, in the first half of 1992. Net income after the acquisition charge was $7.6 million, or 18 cents per share, for the first six months.
"Results for the quarter exceeded our expectations as all of our key product groups achieved or exceeded their revenue targets," said Jim Manzi, Lotus' president and chief executive, in a prepared statement.
Lotus' Consulting Services Group (CSG) also announced the purchase of Database Management Sciences (DMS), a UK-based consulting firm that specializes in client/server computing. The fifth acquisition for the consulting group, the purchase of DMS will bolster Lotus' consulting presence in the UK. The group already had an office in London, said Victor Cruz, a spokesman for Lotus.
Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. DMS has about 30 employees, all of whom will join Lotus, Cruz said.
Within the past year, Lotus Consulting Group has acquired Vanguard Business Solutions of San Francisco, Re/Aims of Dallas Soma Inc., of Toronto, and Pavosoft of Germany. The company also set up operations in the Asia/Pacific region. It has a number of offices in Europe and North America, Cruz said.
With the acquisition Lotus CSG will take over DMS' subscriber-supported publication Client-Server Consultant. Lotus plans to make the monthly journal available worldwide.
(Grant Buckler/19930722/Press Contact: Bryan Simmons, Lotus Development, 617-693-1697; Kay Waxman, Lotus Development 617-693-1540; Victor Cruz, McGlinchey & Paul for Lotus 617-862-4514)
Cruz, McGlinchey & Paul for Lotus 617-862-4514)
7/22/93
Lotus Reports Quarterly Results, Buys UK Firm
BUSINESS
Hitachi Unveils Double-Speed CD-
HAYES, MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- One of the biggest problems facing multimedia PC users is the speed, or rather, lack of it, that data can be read from a compact disc read only memory (CD ROM) drive into a computer. Now Hitachi, claiming to have solved the problem, has announced a CD-ROM drive that runs at double speed.
Double speed CD-ROM drives are nothing new in the data storage industry. Many drive suppliers have been using double speed motors to ensure that data can be pumped at twice the speed into the PC. The problem is that such data speeds can only be achieved in short term bursts, with the actual data flow on a continuous basis difficult to sustain.
Hitachi's CDR1900 is a double speed drive that is compatible with multi-session photo technology -- essentially the downloading of still images from the disc into the PC -- yet still runs at double speed. The company claims that the UKP 680 drive is ideal for use in data intensive applications as well as computer animation.
The drive is a stand-alone unit that uses a technique known as reduced stroke access to boost continuous data transfer speeds to 300,000 bytes per second. This data transfer speed is maintained by using an optimized "look ahead" 128,000-byte caching system.
In order to protect the drive against dust and data transfer errors the CDR1900 uses a triple safeguard system to ensure that the drive spins smoothly. There is an automatic pickup lens cleaning (ALC) mechanism that keeps the lens clear of dust. There is also a double door facility to prevent any dust entering the drive, whether it is empty or full. The chassis is claimed to be airtight to also prevent any dust getting inside the unit.
Despite the complexity of the drive's construction, it can be connected to a simple PC XT or better, using industry standard architecture (ISA) or Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus connectors. Up to eight drives can be daisy-chained together for access to more than 5,000 megabytes (MB) of in-line data storage.
As supplied, the drive comes with all installation DOS software for the PC, as well as a short length bus card.
(Steve Gold/19930722/Press & Public Contact: Hitachi New Media Tel: 081-849-2092)
ic Contact: Hitachi New Media Tel: 081-849-2092)
7/22/93
Hitachi Unveils Double-Speed CD-ROM Technology
TRENDS
Kawasaki Steel, Zilog In Chip Ve
Russia To Get India Computers, D
Banyan Systems Net Income Up 89
V.Fast Will Take At Least Anothe
Visa Intros Anti-Fraud Card Tech
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- Visa International has revealed it expects its newly introduced anti-fraud technology that detects counterfeit credit cards to prevent $20 million in losses this year.
Fraud is a major problem for the credit card industry. Last year worldwide losses due to card fraud totalled $1,180 million for all Visa and Mastercard branded credit cards. Visa card issuers lost $125 million due to counterfeit card fraud last year
According to Visa International, the industry has responded with a wide range of schemes to prevent the illegal use of credit cards. Citibank last year began digitally imprinting cardholders' photographs on its standard cards. In the UK, National & Provincial Building Society and Royal Bank of Scotland have introduced similar schemes.
Visa's new technology, known as card verification value (CVV), was secretly launched in April of this year. The San Francisco-based Credit Card Association claims that the technology, which checks a card's magnetic stripe for alterations, prevented $3.4 million in counterfeit losses in April and May alone.
A spokesman for Visa International is quoted as saying the Visa group expects to prevent as much as $20 million in counterfeit losses in 1993 through use of CVV technology. Under CVV, the three magnetic stripes on the back of Visa cards are encrypted with a numeric value, which is transmitted from EFTPOS (electronic funds transfer at point of sale) machines at the time of purchase to the cardholder's bank for verification.
If the strip has been altered, the transaction is cancelled and the credit card account is shut down.
So far, about 230 million of the 304 million Visa cards in circulation in the US contain the encryption, but only 10,000 merchants have credit card terminals than can detect the CVV coding. Plans are in hand to introduce CVV coding on Visa cards issued in the UK and Europe later this year.
(Steve Gold/19930722/Press & Public Contact: Visa International Tel: 415-570-3200)
t: Visa International Tel: 415-570-3200)
7/22/93
Visa Intros Anti-Fraud Card Technology
TRENDS
P z ^
AT&T Shuffles Executives, Posts
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- AT&T has announced executive moves aimed at accelerating the pace of the company's globalization and its growth in new markets such as multimedia.
The company also announced financial results for its second quarter, showing a modest increase in both revenues and net income.
The management changes, effective August 1, give two senior executives joint responsibility for speeding the globalization of AT&T's business, and formalize the involvement of Robert M. Kavner in moving the company into the multimedia market.
AT&T also recruited Richard W. Miller, the former president and chief executive of Wang Laboratories Inc., to be its new chief financial officer.
About 25 percent of AT&T's revenue comes from outside the United States today, company spokesman Walter Murphy said, but NCR, the computer company AT&T bought in 1991, contributes a large part of that.
Details of the management shuffle:
Victor A. Pelson, 56, currently group executive responsible for communications services, will become executive vice-president and a member of AT&T's board of directors. Pelson will chair the company's global operations team and be responsible for the effectiveness of worldwide operations.
William B. Marx, Jr., 54, currently group executive responsible for AT&T Network Systems Group, will become executive vice-president of AT&T and chief executive of the Network Systems Group. He will also be accountable for AT&T's worldwide purchasing operations and global manufacturing planning.
Pelson and Marx will jointly take responsibility for accelerating the globalization of AT&T's businesses. They will oversee the global integration of AT&T's individual business strategies and the creation of responsive regional and country operations officials said.
Jerre L. Stead, 50, chief executive of NCR, also becomes executive vice-president of AT&T. He will work with Pelson and Marx to use NCR's worldwide presence to speed AT&T's globalization.
Richard A. McGinn, 46, currently senior vice-president for marketing and strategic planning at AT&T Network Systems, will become president and chief operating officer of AT&T Network Systems, reporting to Marx.
Kavner, 50, currently group executive for communications products, will become executive vice-president of AT&T and chief executive of the Multimedia Products and Services Group. Heading this renamed and refocused group, he will take charge of strategic cross-business initiatives. This formalizes a role Kavner had already been playing in creating alliances between AT&T and various Silicon Valley firms, Murphy said.
Alex J. Mandl, 49, currently group executive and chief financial officer, will succeed Pelson as executive vice-president and chief executive officer of the Communications Services Group.
Miller, 52, will join the company as executive vice-president and chief financial officer, succeeding Mandl.
AT&T reported second-quarter net income of $1.044 billion, or 77 cents per share, on revenues of $16.316 billion, compared with net income of $961 million, or 72 cents per share, on revenues of $15.845 billion, in last year's second quarter.
AT&T said it chalked up strong gains in products and systems particularly network telecommunications equipment, and in financial services and leasing operations. Financial services revenues grew nearly 39 percent. Revenues from long-distance calling were about even with the 1992 quarter, although calling volumes rose about five percent, officials said.
The results for the quarter include a $287-million provision for previously announced restructuring, offset by a $217 million pre-tax gain in other income from the sale in June of AT&T's 77-percent stake in Unix System Laboratories and miscellaneous credits. Most of the restructuring costs are for the expected costs of network re-engineering and previously announced staff cuts in operator services through 1995.
NCR, while still feeling the effect of weak overseas markets posted a revenue gain of $61 million to $1.811 billion, but operating income fell from $98 million a year ago to $27 million. The figures include sales of NCR products to other units of AT&T.
In the first six months of 1993, the company's net income excluding the one-time effect of accounting changes for post-retirement benefit expenses and income taxes adopted last quarter, was $2.040 billion, or $1.51 a share, on revenues of $32.035 billion. For the same period last year, net income was $1.844 billion, or $1.39 a share, on revenues of $31.220 billion.
(Grant Buckler/19930722/Press Contact: Ellen Zundl, AT&T 908-221-5017; Dick Gray, AT&T, 908-221-5057; Walter Murphy, AT&T 908-221-6900)
&T, 908-221-5057; Walter Murphy, AT&T 908-221-6900)
7/22/93
AT&T Shuffles Executives, Posts Quarterly Results
TELECOM
Cypress Semi Profits Up 47%
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- Increased demand for ever-cheapening personal computers may have led some PC manufacturers to the wall, but for some semiconductor suppliers it has led to huge increases in revenue. Now Cypress Semiconductor Corp., has reported that revenue for its second quarter, ended June 28, 1993, were $74.8 million, an increase of seven percent from the $69.7 million for the first quarter 1993, and an increase of 14 percent from the $65.8 million reported for the second quarter 1992.
Not only that, but net income for the second quarter 1993 increased a sizeable 47 percent to $3.6 million, or $0.10 per share, compared to net income of $2.4 million, or $0.07 per share for the immediately preceding quarter, and a net loss of $1.7 million or $.04 per share for the second quarter 1992.
The company says that the sale of its SPARC microprocessor subsidiary, Ross Technology, has been completed, effective at the close of the company's second quarter, with definitive agreements having been approved by the Cypress and Fujitsu boards of directors for a sale price of $21.8 million.
Cypress says it has also acquired the minority interests of its two other product subsidiaries, Aspen Semiconductor and Multichip Technology, which are now 100 percent wholly owned by the company. The acquisitions and the divestiture of Ross are included in the second quarter results and amount to a pre-tax gain of $0.4 million.
In announcing the results, Cypress President and CEO T.J. Rodgers said: "Our revenue and profit growth continue, based on the success of our restructuring efforts. Our numbers show significant improvement, even with the inclusion of the Ross Technology results. Each of our six product divisions was profitable in the quarter."
Continued Rodgers, "Our financial condition, as reflected in the balance sheet remains strong, with a cash balance of $74.8 million and zero debt. During the quarter the company repurchased 655,000 shares of our common stock for $6.7 million. Our planned employee reductions continued, and we ended the quarter with 1,218 employees, compared to 1,394 at the end of the first quarter, and 1,945 in mid-1991."
In May, Newsbytes first reported on Fujitsu's intent to purchase the Ross Technology SPARC microprocessor subsidiary from Cypress. While Cypress says it will help during the transition, the company had previously blamed losses on the Ross Technology end and said it will not develop any more SPARC products. Cypress blamed in part its Ross Technology operation for millions in losses reported in 1992.
Rodgers concluded, "With the sale of Ross, Cypress has successfully refocused on its core competencies of high-performance programmable logic and memory integrated circuits."
(Ian Stokell/19930722/Press Contact: Pat Verderico 408/943-2754, Cypress Semiconductor Corp.)
Cypress Semiconductor Corp.)
7/22/93
Cypress Semi Profits Up 47%
BUSINESS
Borland, Computerland Sponsor Wh
Infocorp Says Microsoft To Spur
Cypress Semi Profits Up 47%
Apple Talks About Newton Message
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- Apple Computer has officially announced the first Newton personal digital assistants (PDAs) will be launch the day before Macworld in Boston on August 2, at 10:30 am in the Boston Symphony Hall. The first Newton, officially dubbed the Messagepad, is rumored to be available for sale to Macworld Boston attendees for prices ranging from $699 to $899 depending on whether or not the unit is modem equipped and has special software.
The company has been reluctant to talk about the Newton up until now, but losses of $188 million in its second quarter may have Apple betting on Newton sales to get back in the black. Macworld allows purchases on the show floor by attendees and Macweek reported Apple is readying 2,000 Newtons for sale at the show. The unit's manufacturer, Sharp Corporation, may also have a Newton Messagepad work-alike for sale at Macworld. Apple hopes to sell as many as 1 million Newtons over the next year and Macweek reported the company has ordered 60,000 units per month from Sharp.
The Messagepad is retangular-shaped and designed to be handheld. It is almost all screen, with holes for a speaker on the bottom right, and a pen holder on the right side that holds a special "flattened" pen, instead of a round pen one would expect. The unit offers a permanent menu at the bottom of its screen with icons that feature different functions. From left to right, the icons are: Rolodex cards labeled "Names," a calendar page labeled "Dates," an empty box labeled "Extras," up and down arrows in the center, an arrow in a spiral shape labeled "Undo," a magnifying glass labeled "Find," and a light bulb labeled "Assist."
A Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) slot in the top of the Messagepad allows for extra storage space or applications to be used with the unit.
Five applications on Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) were announced at Digital World in June for the Messagepad, but Apple is not confirming which, if any of the five applications will be available for the launch in Boston. The five are: the Fodor's 94 Travel Manager, which offers interactive maps for directions, dining and lodging tips and prices, places to go, and things to do; the Fortune 500 Guide to American Business, with information on chief executive officers, sales, and profits of the top 500 businesses, and business forms with twelve templates ranging from personal finance to sales; Word Games, such as crossword puzzles, cryptograms, and find-a-word games; and Mystery Games with graphical rendering of an interactive crime scene with clues so the user can figure out who committed the crime.
In addition, a storage card with 1 megabyte (MB) of memory is expected to be priced at less than $200 while a 2 MB version could be around $250, according to Macweek sources. Apple promised wireless communications and that appears to be coming in the form of a Motorola Messaging Card for pages and electronic mail and is expected to cost consumers around $250.
In demonstrations of the Messagepad, the phrase, "lunch Dave Tuesday" was translated by the unit into text and then the only person whose first name was Dave in the "Names" Rolodex, for example Dave Hathaway, was displayed. When the name was confirmed by the user, the calendar turned to the next Tuesday at 12:00 pm and filled in "Lunch Dave Hathaway." If the user confirmed the lunch date, the Messagepad would save the information. The Messagepad also had attractive animations sure to delight consumers. One was an animation of a cloud that "poofs" away a mistake, while in another a document for deletion was wadded up like a piece of paper and tossed into an on-screen trash can.
Newsbytes saw the unit display several error messages in demonstrations and once the Messagepad locked up completely and had to be turned over and the back opened so it could be reset. But Computer Intelligence analyst Dan Ness said he understands the handwriting recognition is superb and has heard about no problems with the Messagepad. Apple said the product's "Golden Master" -- or final software image -- was just released to Sharp Corporation in the last two days for the beginning of the product's manufacturing.
When Newsbytes asked if this was cutting things a little close for a Macworld Boston launch, Apple public relations representative Frank O'Malley said: "Manufacturing can be a very exciting thing." O'Malley confirmed the time schedule was tight, but says he's been assured the Messagepads will be ready in time.
Apple is not releasing retail pricing information, but did confirm three models of the Messagepad will be available. The models will include one without a modem, one with a modem only and one with a modem and the Newton Connection Pro Kit. The Connection Pro Kit includes software and a cable kit to allow data sharing between the Messagepad and a desktop or notebook computer.
A special Newton support phone line will be available for Messagepad purchasers and Apple says an instructional video tape is included with every Messagepad. An interactive tour is included with the PDA as well. Retailers will have the Messagepads as soon as Apple can get them out, but Apple did not say whether or not the retailers would have Messagepads concurrent with the Boston launch.
Apple won't talk much about specifics concerning the new PDA. "We have very few surprises left. We'd like to save them so we have something to say at the launch," O'Malley said.
Today was also the first day that Apple stock climbed a bit ending its free-fall through the last two weeks, up .50 at 1 pm EDT to 26.750 per share.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930722/Press Contact: Frank O'Malley, Apple Computer, tel 408-974-2042, fax 408-967-5651)
omputer, tel 408-974-2042, fax 408-967-5651)
7/22/93
Apple Talks About Newton Messagepad Launch
APPLE
Shared Whiteboard App For Window
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- Future Labs has released TalkShow, a product billed as the first shared whiteboard application to be available for Windows.
In an interview with Newsbytes, John Chua, president, emphasized that TalkShow allows desktop document conferencing among multiple users over standard phone lines, as well as over ISDN and LAN connections.
Chua told Newsbytes that the software allows up to ten users to share, access, and annotate high resolution full-color drawings photos, spreadsheets, and other documents, while talking about the Windows- or DOS-based documents on the telephone.
"The technical challenge in developing TalkShow involved finding a way to transmit high resolution images over low-speed lines," the company president commented.
To meet that goal, Future Labs created a proprietary compression scheme that is incorporated into TalkShow. Unlike JPEG and some other standard compression schemes, the proprietary scheme supplies lossless compression, with no image degradation, he said.
TalkShow comes with simple-to-use annotation tools, including arrow pointers, freehand pencil, lines, circles, rectangles, colored markers, text, and eraser, according to Chua.
Users can save changes made to documents during a desktop document conferencing session, and transfer files during the session. A built-in communications program provides support for Hayes compatible modems, ISDN links, and NetBIOS-compatible networks.
Chua told Newsbytes that Future Labs will be announcing a Windows NT version of TalkShow at some point in the future.
The current version requires a 386- or 486-based IBM-compatible PC running DOS 3.3 and Windows 3.1 or higher. Shipping now, the package retails for $199. Multiple license agreements are also available.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930722/Reader contact: Future Labs, tel 408 973-7228; Press contacts: Kathleen Ping, Future Labs, tel 408-973 7228, or Anne Devine, Interim Communications for Future Labs, tel 408-287-7980)
for Future Labs, tel 408-287-7980)
7/22/93
Shared Whiteboard App For Windows
J t
Scitex In Class Action Suit
HERZLIA, ISRAEL, 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- It seems that whenever a company's earnings for a quarter are down, the lawsuits are bound to follow. Now Scitex Corp., has had a class action complaint filed against it and a principal company officer.
A company spokesperson told Newsbytes that the suit is "the result of the press release the company issued last week, which was that they expect to fall short of analysts estimates for the second quarter."
According to the company, the suit alleges "violations of provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and rules promulgated thereunder, in connection with certain reports concerning the company's results of operations for its second fiscal quarter ended June 30, 1993."
The complaint has been filed in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The company says it is aware of one further class action complaint, on similar grounds, filed against it in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
In a prepared statement, the company says that it, "and the other defendants believe the claims asserted to be without any merit and intend to defend the suits vigorously."
(Ian Stokell/19930722/Press Contact: Laura Wilker 212-838-3777, Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates, Inc.)
Heilshorn & Associates, Inc.)
7/22/93
Scitex In Class Action Suit
Honeywell, AT&T Control Homes Re
PARSIPPANY, N.J., U.S.A., 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- In an effort to expand the telephone paging market, Honeywell Inc., has agreed to sell and install AT&T's Partner Communications System with its TotalHome integrated home control system nationwide.
In announcing the deal, Steve Arnholt, director of home automation and security for Honeywell, said: "AT&T's Partner system provides telephone-based paging throughout the home and expands the capabilities of the automated home by offering features and functions ordinarily found on business telephones."
The TotalHome System allows homeowners to control temperature home security, appliances and lighting from either a wall panel in the home, or remotely by calling through the Partner system.
Concerning the deal, Jim Cowan, marketing director for AT&T Global Business Communications Systems, said: "Home automation is not in the future - it's now. The combination of the TotalHome system with our Partner system is a natural. Many of our business customers already use the Partner system in their homes because it has the flexibility to help them operate a home office telecommute, or manage a business from home. Now it can help them manage their home systems as well."
The Partner Communications System is designed for use by small businesses, people working out of the home, and residential customers who want additional features and lines not available on residential telephones. The system provides such features as hold, transfer, three-way conferencing, automatic dialing and speakerphone. It expands from two lines and six extensions to four lines and 12 extensions and allows users to connect fax machines, modems, answering machines and cordless telephones directly to the system without the need for expensive adaptors.
(Ian Stokell/19930722/Press Contact: Ritch Blasi, 201-581-6947 AT&T; or Anne M. Drake, 612-954-4592, Honeywell Inc.)
M. Drake, 612-954-4592, Honeywell Inc.)
7/22/93
Honeywell, AT&T Control Homes Remotely
TELECOM
MCI Opens National TeleRelay Cen
WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- MCI is set to open its first dedicated national center for telecommunications relay services for deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing consumers all across America, on July 26.
The center will be located in Indianapolis. The National MCI TeleRelay Center will offer a choice to TeleTypewriter (TTY) and voice customers who make interstate and international long distance calls using relay service.
TTY users just have to dial 1-800-374-4TTY and voice users dial 1-800-947-VOICE from anywhere in the United States to reach an MCI person, who will relay conversations between TTY users and standard voice phone users by alternately verbalizing the typed TTY text from one party and then typing the spoken word from the other.
MCI Telerelay service will be available 24 hours a day, every day and there is no limit on the length or number of long distance calls that can be placed. There will be no charge for MCI Telerelay service, with calls being billed at MCI's basic domestic and international long distance rates.
(Ian Stokell/19930722/Press Contact: Kate Fralin, MCI 800-436-9749)
/Press Contact: Kate Fralin, MCI 800-436-9749)
7/22/93
MCI Opens National TeleRelay Center For Deaf
TELECOM
Australia - Government IT Spendi
CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA, 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- Latest figures released in the Australian Commonwealth Government Gazette show a decline in federal Information Technology (IT) spending for the year ended June 1993. But the number of contracts issued, increased.
Norman Kemp, editor of CST Technology, reports that the federal government spent AUS$583.8M, or nine percent less than the previous year. The number of vendors, however, increased from 16,231 to 19,147. According to Kemp, one of the main reasons for the decline in expenditure was the completion of the first phase of the Australian Taxation Office re-equipment and re-development project where $62M less was spent than the previous year. He also said uncertainties about outsourcing and the future of various departments caused postponements of expenditure during the election campaign in the beginning of the financial year.
The two departments which showed substantial increases in expenditure were Defence with $169.6M and Employment Education and Training with $54.1M. Although IBM held on to its previous year's position at top of the list of companies doing government business with revenues of $86.8M generated from 1,835 contracts, Australian companies also did well. Computer Power came in second with $35.2M generated from 276 contracts.
Other Australian companies with revenues above $5M included: Osborne with $18.6M (sixth in the list), BHP IT with $8M, Aspect with $5.5M Protech with $5M, and CSA with $5M. Kemp said the greater number of contracts indicated that the government was paying less for its IT products while the supply had remained fairly constant. He also said that the good showing of Australian companies showed the trend for local and overseas companies to supply product jointly through the Partnerships For Development program.
(Computer Daily News - Australia/19930721)
(Computer Daily News - Australia/19930721)
7/22/93
Australia - Government IT Spending Down 9%
Ameritech Offers Schools Discoun
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 22 (NB) -- The more than 350 colleges and universities in Ameritech's Great Lakes region service area are now eligible for the purchase of heavily discounted ISDN bridges through the new Networking On-Demand for Education (NODE) program which offers base transmission speed of 128 kilobits per second (Kbps). This will make it easier and more economical for off-campus students and faculty to access networked computer systems.
Schools in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin will be eligible to purchase Combinet's Everyware family of on-demand ISDN bridges as prices as low as $495. Data compression techniques will increase the virtual data transmission speeds over the system to as much as 200 Kbps or more.
This cost structure puts ISDN hardware in the same price range as high-end 14.4 Kbps dial-up line modems, but cuts data transfer times by as much as 10 times.
The companies say that installation times for the Everyware bridges will be as little as 10 minutes and that they are compatible with PC, Macintosh, and X terminals. X is the Unix graphical user interface standard comparable to Windows in the MS-DOS arena, but X can even be implemented on a DOS machine using Quarterdeck Office System's DesqViewX multitasking operating environment.
Chicago-based Ameritech is a full-service communications provider in the Midwest and has some overseas operations. Sunnyvale California-based Combinet pioneered on-demand networking technology.
BOMBAY, INDIA, 1993 JUL 23 (NB) -- Sun Microsystems of the US has signed up International Computers Indian Manufacture Ltd. (ICIM) as its value-added reseller (VAR) in India. So far, Bangalore-based Wipro Infotech Ltd., was the only distributor of Sun systems here.
According to Parag Samarth, general manager, ICIM, the modalities of the new relationship are yet to be finalized. "We are negotiating for the entire SPARC server and workstation range," he said.
ICIM earlier had an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) arrangement for Sun workstations with Wipro. As an OEM, ICIM had to cover the warranty on its own and hence, had a price disadvantage and often found itself competing against Wipro's own direct marketing force. Thus the relationship was short-lived.
From the ICIM point of view, the Sun range will complement its existing DRS range of servers which are also based on the SPARC chip. (In fact, Fujitsu, which holds the controlling stake in ICL Plc. of the UK, which, in turn, is the major shareholder in ICIM, is the main sourcing company of Sun.) There is bound to be an overlap specially on the high-end, as both Sun and DRS are highly expandable machines and ICIM would rather push its own machines.
While the company's earlier OEM was for workstations, this time ICIM is looking more for servers. It makes sense considering that ICIM's traditional stronghold has been the financial sector where Wipro has scored over the rest in the recent past.
ICIM's tie-up with Sun is also being perceived as an alternative to overcome DRS 6000's operating system limitations. Remarked a competitor, "With DRS, ICIM has hit a dead end, as it does not have a truly multiprocessing OS like Sun machines. The COSE initiative to back system V.4 kernel also makes it the ideal choice."
Once ICIM starts selling Sun, Wipro Infotech will have a tougher time. But that does not seem to bother the firm. Says A.V. Sridhar CEO, Network Systems Division (the department in Wipro that handles Sun orders), "We would be entitled to overriding commissions on ICIM's sales even if they buy directly from Sun." If this were to happen, ICIM's margins will get squeezed and it would be more or less in the same position as it was as an OEM of Wipro.
(C. T. Mahabharat/19930723)
(C. T. Mahabharat/19930723)
7/23/93
Sun Signs Up Second VAR In India
BUSINESS
Visa Intros Anti-Fraud Card Tech
Satellite Technology Decontrolle
Birds Of Australia Now Available
Morphing On A PC Arrives
Satellite Technology Decontrolle
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 23 (NB) -- Costa Mesa California-based Satellite Technology Management has been notified by the US Department of Commerce's Bureau of Export Administration that the company's VSAT voice and data communications system is decontrolled and is therefore eligible for export under what is known as the General License. What this means is that the company can now export its satellite communications system to many more countries without excessive regulatory burden.
The Bureau of Export Administration has provided a written classification advisory to Satellite Technology Management based on a recent request for shipment of a VSAT system to Brazil, but that order included the same parts which were also being exported to Iran, so the technical analysis of the Brazilian-bound VSAT system would also apply to others.
STM is currently under investigation by the Commerce Department over alleged improprieties involved in the company's export of high technology satellite communications equipment to Iran. The investigation was first reported on May 12 and on June 2 the company reported that its own internal investigation showed no basis for any charges of wrongdoing.
STM builds proprietary satellite communications hardware and software to facilitate the construction of very wide area voice data, video, and fax networks.
(John McCormick/19930722/Press Contact: Emil Youssefzadeh Satellite Technology Management Inc., 714-557-2400)
lite Technology Management Inc., 714-557-2400)
7/23/93
Satellite Technology Decontrolled For Export
TELECOM
Infocorp Says Microsoft To Spur
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 23 (NB) -- If it were not for competition, Intel would release new chips much more slowly in order to boost earnings. The question is: who is going to compete with the company's newly announced Pentium microprocessor? The answer, according to industry analysts at Infocorp, is the reduced instruction set computing (RISC) PowerPC chip and the group is predicting Microsoft will announce a version of Windows NT for the PowerPC to spur that competition.
Kimbal Brown, Infocorp vice president, said: "Recently, Tom Dunlap, Intel's chief counsel, stated that Intel could have achieved an incremental $1 billion in earnings from the 386 products cycle had AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) not entered the market with its 386 clones. This statement shows us that Intel if not pressed by competition, would slow its product cycles to achieve the highest earnings possible -- a reasonable goal."
But it is in the interest of software developers to have faster and better computers to run their software. Microsoft, as the largest personal computer (PC) software manufacturer, has the most interest in the hardware platform. "We believe that Microsoft wants to push Intel into increasing the performance of its microprocessors as quickly as possible," said Brown. "Infocorp believes that Microsoft wants to provide enough competition in the microprocessor market to keep Intel on the fast track."
Microsoft has been searching for another microprocessor to port to and many industry analysts have said the Digital Equipment Corporation's (DEC) Alpha microprocessor is the main rival. However, the PowerPC, announced by Motorola in April, has already been adopted by Apple Computer for future machines and IBM has announced it will use the chip in PCs it designs.
The PowerPC was designed by a joint venture of Motorola, Apple Computer, and IBM and its wider acceptance offers Microsoft the rival to Intel that it seeks, according to Infocorp. By 1997 the industry analysis group claims most major operating systems will be portable so compatibility with Intel's X86 architecture the most widely used chip design today -- will no longer be necessary.
The PowerPC rivals the Pentium in processing power, but is available at a much lower price. The basic 50-megahertz (MHz) PowerPC was announced at a $280 price tag and a more powerful 66 megahertz version is planned for $374. The Pentium is in the $800 price range.
Apple has already announced future Macintoshes will be PowerPC based. Brown said: "If the System 7 port for PowerPC was complete today, Apple could ship a Pentium-class Macintosh with high gross margins and channel markup and still achieve a $3,000 street price ..." Such a scenario could result in sales of 300,000 to 400,000 PowerPC-based Macs in 1994, 1.5 million to 1.8 million in 1995, and at least 3 million in 1996 "...transforming the PowerPC from a niche RISC microprocessor to a high-volume, almost mainstream, PC microprocessor," according to Brown.
"As Intel ramps (up) volumes of the 3.3-volt version of Pentium, the industry should ship 1.5 million Pentium-based PCs in 1993, more than nine million in 1995 and more than 28 million in 1996." However, Intel's pricing and product development will be highly motivated by the movement among leading software developers -- particularly Microsoft -- to port their products to other microprocessors. Microsoft has already shown Windows NT running on workstations based on the DEC Alpha RISC processor as well as the current Intel platform.
Brown said Infocorp expects Microsoft's Windows NT operating system to ship this summer with a maintenance release appearing in the first quarter of 1994. By that time, Brown said, he expects Microsoft will also be offering a version of Windows NT for the PowerPC chip. Representatives at Microsoft told Newsbytes that Windows NT is currently aimed at Intel's X86 DEC's Alpha, Intergraph's Clipper, and RISC chip platforms, but no specific plans have been announced concerning the PowerPC. However, the PowerPC is being considered as are other possibilities.
The bottom line is the entire industry is being driven and Intel is a part of the herd. According to the Infocorp report Intel's successor to the Pentium chip, known by the code-name "P6," should be in production by 1996 and is likely to be the last microprocessor compatible with today's Intel 386 and 486 chip line. By 1997, Infocorp claims Intel will be producing both X86-compatible P6 and non-X86-compatible P7 chips. Eventually, the report said, Intel will move away from the "hindrance of X86 compatibility."
It's compatibility, however, that is slowing the adoption of the PowerPC chip. The PowerPC may need software developers like Microsoft more than Microsoft needs the PowerPC. "The real drawback is getting software developers to port over their software so that software that runs on the Intel (based) PC can also run on the PowerPC processor," according to Jim Feldhan at In-Stat, a market research firm in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Intel will also remain number one in the foreseeable future Infocorp said. "Although we expect PowerPC volumes to be dwarfed by their X86-based competition during the forecast period, PowerPC volumes could easily rival volumes in the high performance end (e.g. DX2 processors currently) .... " Brown added.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930722/Press Contact: Lisa Hayward Infocorp, tel 619-625-4899, fax 619-450-3047; Sheila Ambrose Waggener-Edstrom for Microsoft, 503-245-0905)
ila Ambrose Waggener-Edstrom for Microsoft, 503-245-0905)
7/23/93
Infocorp Says Microsoft To Spur Pentium/PowerPC Rivalry
TRENDS
Motorola Sees Semiconductor Sale
ROSEMONT, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 23 (NB) -- Motorola says industry semiconductor sales worldwide will grow in 1994 and the company will increase its semiconductor production capacity to meet that growth.
Motorola Semiconductor Products President Tommy George says semiconductor sales worldwide will grow next year by 10-13 percent and the company has added additional shifts as well as expanded production. It's also focusing on reducing scrap and speeding up the time it takes to cycle products through the manufacturing process.
Motorola Chairman and CEO George Fisher told analysts this week the company plans to spend $2 billion to beef up its production capacity. That's a 30 percent increase over the $1.39 billion it spent last year. Fisher said Motorola had a strong 1992 and 1993 and apparently will continue the pace, but he declined to make an earnings forecast.
George estimated what the increase in various microcontroller use would be in various industries. He believes the typical automotive microcontroller applications will increase to 35 per vehicle from the current 14. In office-type equipment such as pagers and telephones, he estimates an increase from the present 18 to 42 while in home consumer items from appliances to exercise equipment usage will increase nearly four-fold, from the present 69 to 224.
The company says it is accelerating production ramp-up of MOS11 devices in its Austin plant, and is increasing surface-mount assembly capacity in some of its other plants. George said production of MOS12 eight-inch semiconductor wafers in the Chandler, Arizona plant is expected to begin in mid-1994, and a joint Motorola-Toshiba JV fabrication plant for the production of 16-megabyte DRAM (dynamic random access memory) is scheduled to start up in mid-1995.
George told analysts the market in Japan is strengthening and China has strong potential. He said the personal computer, communications automotive, and consumer segments are among the most vibrant.
George said the industry is still assessing the impact of an explosion at a major epoxy-resin supplier plant. Epoxy resin is used in the manufacture of computer chips. "We currently have sufficient supply," he said. Industry watchers expect the price of computer chips to rise drastically until other plants come on-line to meet demand.
Motorola Senior Executive Vice President Chris Galvin told analysts the company expects to increase its research and development expenditures from the 1992 level of $1.31 billion to $1.5 billion for 1993. Galvin also said accounts receivable has shown some improvement over last year. Galvin said receivables are down slightly to seven weeks in the second quarter compared to 7.8 weeks in the same period last year. He also said inventory turnovers have increased to 5.6 compared to 4.6 in the second quarter of 1992.
Motorola President Gary Tooker said Motorola continues to target compound annual sales growth in the 13 to 16 percent range, and said annual sales could reach $50 billion in 10 years. The company reported sales of $13.3 billion. Tooker said more than half of that is from outside the US, and international sales could reach two thirds within the next five years as markets open in China and the former Soviet Union.
(Jim Mallory/19930722/Press contact: Jeff Gorin, Motorola Media Relations, 602-952-3854)
n, Motorola Media Relations, 602-952-3854)
7/23/93
Motorola Sees Semiconductor Sales Growth
GENERAL
Sharp's Newton Demo Shut Down Af
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1993 JUL 23 (NB) -- Apple has tantalized hacks and analysts for over a year with demonstrations and marketing pitches for its Newton personal digital assistant. Many have been locked down by non-disclosure agreements and embargoes. The idea has been to let enough information filter through to raise expectations while shrouding the new toys with enough mystery to keep them sexy.
With the Newton launch just over a week away, Apple's cleverly manicured strategy almost came undone when Sharp Australia decided to show off its Newton, the Express Pad, yesterday (Thursday) to the Australian press, embargo-free. The Sharp machine is identical to Apple's Newton except for a few cosmetic touches.
"We didn't inform Apple" said Gary Young, sales and marketing manager with Sharp's personal electronics division. But Apple got wind of the demonstration and late on Tuesday night the Australian Sharp office received a directive from Japan to cancel the one-on-one press demos.
Young said an agreement had been reached between Apple and Sharp whereby Sharp would not show its Express Pad until after Apple made its Newton noise at MacWorld in Boston on August 2. Sharp will sell its machine through department and discount stores throughout Australia. Rather than have three models, as Apple Computer will with the Newton, Sharp will sell one model at a list price os AUS$1499 (around US$1000) and let customers decide on bits and pieces such as modems and PC connection kits.
Young said the $1499 price was not locked in and could change according to Apple's price for the Newton, which could be as low as AUS$1100 (US$750).
Sharp and Apple could both be tight for supplies if the product sells as well as both companies hope. Both versions come from the same Sharp production line, and Young said he expects the initial inventory to be sold by mid-August.
(Stewart Kennedy/19930723)
to be sold by mid-August.
(Stewart Kennedy/19930723)
7/23/93
Sharp's Newton Demo Shut Down After Message From Apple
APPLE
* H ~
Russian US$1 Billion Telecom Pro
DEC Expands Distribution Agreeme
Callers Left Holding Empty Bag I
MINNEAPOLIS MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 23 (NB) -- Thousands of people have responded to an offer by a Minnesota company which promised to give away free software, for $6.99 shipping and handling. However few if any, have received their merchandise and the company has disappeared.
The whole thing started when news release service ran a wire report from a company calling itself the Minnesota Software Systems Development Corporation on June 10. The company said it was giving away one million free copies of its Business Strategy and Living Trust software. All people had to do was send $6.99 for shipping and handling to a Minneapolis post office address.
Within a few days, there were indications that something was amiss. The company issued a second press release, saying that a firm called Microsoft Systems of Japan was purchasing the company. Within days, the company's phone number was only answered by a recorded message which stated that the orders would be filled within a week. Within a few more days, the Minneapolis phone was disconnected and there was no forwarding address nor phone number available.
Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Washington, immediately issued a press statement denying any knowledge of such a deal.
Newsbytes, contacted by several readers who sent money to the company to receive the "free" software, pursued an investigation to determine the company's current status.
According to a report in the St. Paul Pioneer Press, US Postal Inspector David Austrum in St. Paul investigated the company within days of the June 10 "free" software announcement. Reporter Walter Parker tells Newsbytes that the Postal Inspector convinced Brent Knapp, the firm's president, to voluntarily agree to cease doing business. Austrum would not discuss the reason for the investigation in an interview with the St. Paul Pioneer Press, but said that the company would voluntarily refund anyone's money. The Postal Inspector was unavailable for direct comment to Newsbytes at deadline. As it turns out, the closure of the post office box automatically meant a return of most people's money through the mail system, with no checks being cashed.
Since some people did send in money, and it never was returned nor did they receive their merchandise, Newsbytes followed up to see where the company might be now, to no avail. According to the Minnesota Secretary of State's office, the place where Minnesota corporations are registered, there is no record of any company by the name Minnesota Software Systems Development Corporation in Minnesota, now or ever. Further, the Better Business Bureau of Minneapolis tells Newsbytes that it has not received a single complaint against the company, which it lists as a business in its roster of Twin Cities firms.
The Minnesota Software Association, a non-profit trade group was asked whether the company was a member. Pat Schultz, its director, said that MSSDC is not one of its members nor are they in its database of 900 software and service companies in Minnesota. Schultz, however, knew personally of the company's name -- her organization has, in fact, been receiving over 400 calls from disgruntled respondents to the offer, which is still circulating as a news item in some publications. These people have received the phone number of the Minnesota Software Association through directory assistance, thinking it is the Minnesota Software Systems Development Corporation.
Schultz tells Newsbytes that all she knows is that days before the company disappeared in late June, a phone recording to its number 612-673-0922, said that the company would honor all orders received and delivery time would be about a week. However, within a week money was being returned by the post office, marked "PO box closed."
There is no estimate as to how many people actually lost money in what may have been a scam, and there is no official agency doing an investigation. Newsbytes contacted the Minnesota State Attorney General's office, the Better Business Bureau, and others, and found that despite this questionable offer, no one has filed a formal complaint. Further, Newsbytes was unable to find anyone who either received or saw the software that was offered free.
No number is currently listed for the company. A number is listed for the man who was said to be the president of the firm, Brent Knapp, in Minneapolis. However the operator said that number is non-published at the customers request.
(Wendy Woods/19930722)
published at the customers request.
(Wendy Woods/19930722)
7/23/93
Callers Left Holding Empty Bag In Minnesota Software Mystery
BUSINESS
NEC PC-VAN Links With SprintNet,
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 JUL 23 (NB) -- NEC's major personal computer network PC-VAN is offering its subscribers links to Sprintnet and British Telecom's Tymnet, a move which is expected to mean cheaper rates for its subscribers.
NEC has signed an interconnection deal with US-based Sprint concerning its SprintNet, which has nodes at 1,041 cities in 40 countries. NEC has also signed a deal with British Telecom's Tymnet, which connects 970 cities in 26 countries. With these interconnections, telecommunications between Japan and overseas is expected to be about 20 percent cheaper than regular public phone lines, or 70 yen (65 cents) per minute.
The major benefit to users of PC-VAN is that they will not have to register as members of SprintNet nor British Telecom. They can connect through the regular PC VAN numbers, and the access fees will be charged to their accounts.
NEC is aiming the service at Japanese business travellers or about 10,000 customers.
NEC's PC-VAN has about 580,000 members, and aims to gain 800,000 members within a couple of years. The network offers a variety of services including Japanese and English news various databases, and language translation services. Also, PC-VAN has a gateway to GEnie.
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 JUL 23 (NB) -- Kawasaki Steel has linked with Zilog Corporation of the US concerning joint development of ASICs (application specific integrated circuits).
Kawasaki Steel has agreed to provide its KC80 technology to Zilog. The KC80 is a super-fast 8-bit processor core which was developed by Kawasaki Steel. It is compatible with Zilog's Z80 chip on a binary basis. Zilog will incorporate this technology into its Z80 chip families. Also, Zilog and Kawasaki Steel will jointly develop Super Integration chips, which are Zilog's application specific ICs.
The ASIC products are expected to be developed and shipped by the end of this year.
Kawasaki Steel is one of the major steel makers in Japan. It entered the semiconductor chip business a couple years ago. The firm has also been selling IBM-compatible personal computers.
BANGALORE, INDIA, 1993 JUL 23 (NB) -- Coromandel Industries the American marketing outlet in India of Bangalore-based database management system developer Coromandel Software Ltd. (Co Soft) has bagged orders from Microsoft Corporation for its Integra VDB a visual database builder for use with Microsoft Visual C++.
While Microsoft has picked up 1,000 copies of Integra VDB Microsoft Sweden has placed an order for another 1,000 copies. Together, the order comes to $1 million (about Rs 3.1 crore).
Co Soft, which developed the tool, would be receiving a royalty from Coromandel Industries for Integra VDB sales.
Integra VDB is integrated with Microsoft Visual C++ to help develop sophisticated ODBC-compliant software. Using VDB programs could be worked out with virtually no code. The tool is claimed to exploit the unique features of Visual C++ by providing visual database objects and functions that tie into the visual workbench and the application studio.
Co Soft has no plans to market Integra VDB in India as it feels the market for such a product is still nascent.
(C. T. Mahabharat/19930723)
nascent.
(C. T. Mahabharat/19930723)
7/23/93
Microsoft Buys Visual Database Builder
BUSINESS
NTT Data In Talks With IBM
India - Oracle Sets Up Subsidiar
India - Autodesk Opens More Chan
Microsoft Buys Visual Database B
Russia To Get India Computers, D
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 JUL 23 (NB) -- Altos India Ltd., an associate of Pertech Computers Ltd., which had shot into fame with a Rs 150 crore export order from Dell Computer, has bagged a $1.1 million (Rs 3.3 crore) export order for computer systems from Scientific Centre, Polinom, Russia.
This order is in addition to the five other orders worth over $1.1 million already under execution by Altos for the Commonwealth of Independent States including a $150,000 order from the Ministry of Armament. These orders, being executed under an escrow account, involves export of modems, PCs, printers and software.
The electronics hardware technology park (EHTP) set up by Altos in Gurgaon, Haryana at a cost of $5 million (Rs 15 crore) for the manufacture of motherboards for Dell Computer is behind schedule. Claimed to be the largest facility of its kind India its production scheduled for April is expected to start only this month. This means supply of 386SX and 486 system motherboards to Dell (claimed to be the largest computer hardware export order for an Indian company) could be delayed beyond October.
Altos blames Dell's demand for a change in design for the delay. To enhance graphics capability of the systems, the new boards will have VL bus, instead of the traditional ISA bus planned earlier. "Not only new testing equipment has to be brought in, but our engineers had to go to Dell twice for the required training," clarifies Arjun Raman, general manager, Altos.
Nevertheless, Altos is now gearing up and hopes to meet Dell's order in time. In addition to motherboards and other populated PCBs, the company is also negotiating with major international companies for supply of riser cards and front cards, both of which have substantial export possibilities. Its other plans include contracting production of switch mode power supply monitors and terminals and computer cabinets.
(C. T. Mahabharat/19930723)
nals and computer cabinets.
(C. T. Mahabharat/19930723)
7/23/93
Russia To Get India Computers, Dell Plant Behind Schedule
BUSINESS
Problem Solving Software From UT
L ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 23 (NB) -- Universal Technical Systems (UTS) has released a decision support software package the company says gives non-experts a sound mathematical basis to design cost effective solutions to a variety of everyday business problems.
The program, called Queuing Theory and TK Solver (QTK), is said to be a fast and cost effective way to analyze problems without requiring complex simulation software and the expertise needed to use it.
"QTK is a breakthrough product that gives the non-mathematician the mathematical basis to solve complex queuing problems quickly and easily," according to UTS President Jack Marathe. UTS spokesperson Nancy Garcia explained the difference between the core TK Solver program and the new software. Garcia says TK Solver is designed for expert users, while QTK makes the power of that program available to non-technical users.
QTK uses the "backsolving" or goal-seeking capability of UTS' TK Solver program, which allows the user to work backwards to reach the solution to a problem.
Dr. Carl Harris of George Mason University demonstrated QTK recently at the International Conference on Operations Research. Harris calls the software "a very powerful programming language which lets a user do the things that are very difficult to do in other languages, such as Fortran, C, etcetera." Harris says computer spreadsheets, a commonly used tool by computer users to solve problems and perform projections, don't have the power to handle many task. Harris says he saved time by a factor of 10 to 100 when using QTK over spreadsheet software. Harris says thanks to TK Solver it took less time to program the mathematics than to write the user manual.
UTS says QTK has a suggested retail price of $595, but is available at the introductory price of $395 if ordered by the end of September. In order to use QTK you have to have the company's TK Solver, Release 2.0 software, which sells for $595. The company publishes an academic version for student and faculty use that sells for $69, with the introductory price of $40 through September 30, 1993. TK Solver Student Version has a suggested retail price of $49.
(Jim Mallory/19930722/Press contact: Nancy Garcia, S&S Public Relations for UTS, 708-291-1616; Reader contact: Universal Technical Systems, 815-963-2220, fax 815-963-8884)
ms, 815-963-2220, fax 815-963-8884)
7/23/93
Problem Solving Software From UTS
UK - BT Enhances Telemedicine Te
IBM Loses Again, Will Cut 35,000
Utah State University Upgrades C
Computerized Beeper Tracks Stole
FARNBOROUGH, HANTS, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 23 (NB) -- A new high technology system, which allows police to trace stolen vehicles electronically, has been launched in the UK, which has the highest rate of car theft in the European Community (EC).
The system, known as Tracker and sold by the Automobile Association involves fitting private vehicles with miniature computers linked to a transceiver that can be activated by conventional TV transmission signals to send out their own signals if stolen.
Plans call for most police cars to have tracking computers on board which will pick up the signals so that police can chase them. Tracker costs about UKP 160 per vehicle, plus a small annual subscription charge to use the system.
"About a third of stolen cars are never recovered. It is here that devices like Tracker have the potential to make a breakthrough in the fight against crime," Home Office Minister Charles Wardle said at the launch of the system.
Tracker is said to have cut car crime by up to a third in areas where it is used in the US.
Car crime in Britain last year accounted for more than a quarter of all recorded offenses, with more than 630,000 vehicles stolen -- an increase of 19 percent on the 1990 figure, and the highest rate in the EC.
(Steve Gold/19930722/Press & Public Contact: Automobile Association - 0256-492632)
act: Automobile Association - 0256-492632)
7/23/93
Computerized Beeper Tracks Stolen Cars
TRENDS
Star Trek Next Generation On A G
UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 23 (NB) -- Hoping to go where no one has gone before, Absolute Entertainment Inc. has introduced a video game designed for the popular Game Boy based on the television science-fiction series, "Star Trek: The Next Generation."
In announcing the product, Garry Kitchen, president and chief executive officer of Absolute Entertainment, said: "We wanted to create a game that would satisfy both video game fans and followers of the show. Working closely with Paramount Pictures we feel we've come up with a game that combines the best of both worlds and actually plays like episodes of the show."
As a result, the main characters of the TV show are featured including Captain Jean Luc-Picard, Lt. Worf, Lt. Cmdr Data, and the crew of the starship USS Enterprise.
The company is also planning a September release date for its second title based on Star Trek: The Next Generation, but for the Nintendo Entertainment System.
The Star Trek television series has something of a fanatical cult following, with admirers known as "Trekkies." Star Trek: The Next Generation, surprised everyone by becoming as popular as the original series, and has since surpassed the original in programs produced.
(Ian Stokell/19930722/Press Contact: Cheryl Morriss 201-818-4800, Absolute Entertainment Inc.)
01-818-4800, Absolute Entertainment Inc.)
7/23/93
Star Trek Next Generation On A Game Boy
GENERAL
Russian US$1 Billion Telecom Pro
DEC Expands Distribution Agreeme
IBM To Offer Info Warehouse Tool
Gateway 2000 Adds To Product Lin
NORTH SIOUX CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 23 (NB) -- Gateway 2000 announced this week it has added several new items to its product line.
The company says it will now sell sound cards, a complete multimedia kit, an extensive selection of software on CD-ROM disk, and a 17-inch low emission color monitor.
The company is handling the Sound Blaster 16 ASP sound card, which usually carries a suggested retail price of $350 but is available from Gateway 2000 for $195. The card creates 16-bit stereo sound with sampling rates up to 44.1 kilohertz, but uses less CPU power than other 16- bit boards, according to Gateway 2000. The board uses a digital signal processor (DSP) and supports advanced speech recognition technology and audio compression. A playback filter is included to reduce spurious noise levels.
Sound Blaster 16 includes interfaces for CD-ROM, joystick, and a built-in MIDI port for connection to MIDI devices such as synthesizers, drum machines, and samplers. A set of speakers is included.
Gateway 2000 is also selling the Sound Blaster Multimedia kit. The kit includes the sound Blaster 16 ASP described above, a CD-ROM drive, and a pair of Labtec speakers. The Gateway 2000 price is $395, which the company says is a $50 savings over purchase of the various components separately.
Gateway's new 17-inch CrystalScan low emission monitor, manufactured by Mag Innovision, is a noninterlaced color monitor that supports resolutions up to 1280 by 1024 and has a 0.26mm dot pitch. The company says the monitor already meets the MPRII Swedish emission standards and Gateway says it will be Energy Star compliant by the fourth quarter this year.
Non-interlaced monitors refresh the screen by scanning every line at least 60 times every second. Interlaced monitors refresh by scanning every other line and can cause some flicker. Energy Star is a program introduced by the Environmental Protection Agency to set voluntary standards for energy consumption.
The monitor has controls for picture size and position on a front panel, as well as an LCD read-out screen that displays the current picture resolution. A removable four-way tilt-and-swivel base is included. The unit ships with 13 pre-programmed video modes, and sells for $960 as a stand-alone unit or for $520 as an upgrade to a Gateway 2000 personal computer system that includes Gateway's 15-inch 1572FS monitor. For systems that come with a Gateway CS1024NI 14-inch monitor, the upgrade cost is $600.
Gateway says it is now offering a selection of CD-ROM based software which can be chosen as a second application choice at the point of purchase or through Gateway's component add-ons department. Software prices start at $50, and include such programs as Microsoft Encarta Dinosaurs, Cinemania, Office, Multimedia Works, and Sound Bits. Programs from other publishers include PCTools, San Diego Zoo, Mayo Clinic Family Health Book, Time Almanac, Microprose Game Collection Multimedia Audio Collection for Windows, Jazz-A Multimedia History and The 7th guest. The company says more titles will be added weekly.
MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA, 1993 JUL 23 (NB) -- An Australian-developed graphics package has ignited a legal dispute between two Montreal software companies, both of which claim to own the software.
SoftImage has announced that it has acquired rights to the source code of Flame, software for professional film and video production, from DA Technology of Australia. But Discreet Logic maintains it owns the rights to Flame, and has cancelled a distribution agreement signed earlier this year that allowed SoftImage to sell Flame in Europe.
SoftImage and Discreet Logic signed the distribution agreement in January. At the time, maintained SoftImage director Louden Owen Discreet Logic assured SoftImage that it owned all rights to the software, which Discreet Logic's director of advanced technology Gary Tragaskis, developed while working at DA Technology.
According to Pat Hunter, a spokeswoman for Discreet Logic Tragaskis was a partner in DA Technology and owned the rights to the Flame software, which he brought with him to Canada and Discreet Logic.
However, according to DA Technology and SoftImage, Tragaskis was an employee of the Australian company, rights to the software belonged to DA, and no rights were ever transferred to Tragaskis or to Discreet Logic.
Owen said his company has investigated the situation carefully and obtained two Australian legal opinions, and is convinced DA's claim is valid, though he said "the courts will ultimately decide."
After SoftImage signed the distribution agreement with Discreet Logic, Owen said, DA Technology approached SoftImage with an offer to sell the rights to Flame. SoftImage bought the rights from DA. Discreet then cancelled the distribution agreement. That, Hunter said, was because of SoftImage's action in buying from DA the rights that Discreet Logic maintains belonged to it.
This week, SoftImage unsuccessfully sought this week to have Quebec Superior Court force Discreet Logic to honor the distribution agreement. Owen said what his company asked for was "a very unusual type of remedy" in this sort of case, a "specific performance" order against Discreet Logic. He said the over-all dispute is still before the court, but added that for the time being SoftImage is unable to continue selling Flame in Europe.
In a press release, SoftImage said it did not expect the proceedings to have a material impact on its revenues. However in documents submitted to the court, the company said it "had projected significant sales in connection with the Flame software and associated hardware products. If SoftImage fails to meet its sales target ... the value of SoftImage shares (approximately US$20) will likely decrease as a result of a loss of confidence by investors, its cost of capital will increase and its over-all ability to obtain capital will be jeopardized."
SoftImage stock is traded on the NASDAQ over-the-counter system in the United States.
(Grant Buckler/19930723/Press Contact: Louden Owen or John Eckert, SoftImage, 514-845-1636; Pat Hunter, Artemis Hunter PR for Discreet Logic, 613-247-0588)
r, Artemis Hunter PR for Discreet Logic, 613-247-0588)
7/23/93
SoftImage, Discreet Logic Battle Over Flame Software
BUSINESS
Comm Software Sends, Receives Da
K BOULDER, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 23 (NB) -- Niwot Networks Inc. has added support for RS-232 modems to its communications package. The program, which supports overlapped "get file" and "send file" functions, also supports V.25 bis dialing.
The company says its PC-based Niwot DFT (direct file transfer) includes a hardware adapter as well as the software, and allows station-to-station or LAN-to-LAN (local area network) file transfers on stand-alone PCs or networks using Novell Netware and other popular network operating systems.
Jay Knutson, VP of Sales for Niwot, says that although the company's focus has been optimizing bandwidth for synchronous communications at 56 kilobits-per-second and higher, Niwot found that many users who need to send large files over conventional telephone lines need to do it via a modem, so the company added RS-232 modem support to the program.
The ability to send large, high resolution files will appeal to organization such as medical imaging companies transferring X-ray images, engineering companies sending and receiving CAD (computer aided design) files, and financial service companies or retailers compiling large amounts of data. "Anyone needing to transfer large amounts of data can use DFT to use their (phone) lines to the fullest potential when costs are lowest," says Knutson. He says some medical imaging services currently using DFT transmit as much as a gigabyte of data daily, either station-to-station or LAN-to-LAN.
Knutson says that while there are other ways to get around the problem of file transfers, DFT can avoid the slowdown caused by protocol overhead. "I don't think anyone else has arrived at a solution as efficient or as adaptable as ours."
The company says DFT's flexibility gives users an open upgrade path to higher capacity services, including Fractional T3, just by plugging in a new modem, DSU, ISDN Terminal or network adapter, or I-MUX without the need to upgrade any of its software or hardware.
Niwot Direct File Transfer has a suggested retail price of $895 per node, including file transfer software, V.25 bis dialing, AT command set dialing, and the adapter.
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 23 (NB) Struggling Cray Computer Corporation announced this week that it had a net loss for the second quarter of 1993 of $11.8 million.
For the same period last year, Cray Computer reported a loss of $11.9 million. This year's second quarter results amounted to a $0.43 per share loss for stockholders. For the same period last year shareholders recorded a $0.49 per share loss.
Cray Computer said the net loss for the six month period ending June 30, 1993 was $23.3 million, or $0.90 per share, compared to $25.8 million, or $1.07 per share for the same six months of 1992.
Cray Chief Financial Officer William G. Skolout says the loss was expected. "The loss for the second quarter of 1993 was expected by management as the company continued the development and manufacture of Cray-3 supercomputer systems and increased its sales and marketing activities."
Skolout said the company's cash position of about $37 million as of June 30, 1993 has increased due to the private equity financing completed in June 1993. For the six-month period ending December 31 1992 the company had a cash position of $27.5 million. Property plant and equipment assets dropped about $5 million from the end of 1992.
Cray's problems started when it lost the contract for its first and at the time only - order for its Cray-3 supercomputer that computer scientist Seymour Cray envisioned as running faster than other supercomputers by using gallium arsenide technology. When Cray couldn't meet a critical milestone for the demonstration of the Cray-3 the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory switched its order to Cray Research Corporation.
In January of last year a shareholder filed a class action suit against the company claiming officials didn't let stockholders know it would miss delivery deadlines, and that positive statements about the company made by then-chief executive officer Neil Davenport were "materially false and misleading." A few months later Davenport resigned. In February the company said it would stop work on the development of a full 16-processor version of the Cray-3 to work on smaller versions.
In December, a senior lawyer at the Livermore Labs was charged with insider trading after learning the lab would cancel its contract for the Cray-3. There was no indication that Cray computer was involved in the incident.
In May of this year Newsbytes reported that the company had delivered its first Cray-3 for a six-month no-income evaluation and demonstration period at the Boulder, Colorado-based National Center for Atmospheric research.
Cray Computer replenished its dwindling cash reserves earlier this year by selling additional stock, with a significant block of the stock being purchased by founder Seymour Cray.
(Jim Mallory/19930723/Press contact: William Skolout, Cray Computer Corporation, 719-579-6464)
ray Computer Corporation, 719-579-6464)
7/23/93
Cray Computer Loses $11 Million In 2Q
BUSINESS
Computers Track US Women's Open
CARMEL, INDIANA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 23 (NB) -- As some of the world's best women golfers shoot their second round in the 1993 Women's US Open Golf Championships, a special computer system will almost instantly relay the results to officials, the media, corporate clients, players, and spectators.
An integrated network that links wireless terminals, distributed workstations, and mainframe servers designed created and operated by Unisys Corporation is tracking the progress of the 156 golfers at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Indiana, a suburb of Indianapolis.
This isn't the first time computers have tracked the event. US Golf Association President Stuart Bloch says the system has worked well through nine tournaments.
Greenside scorers around the course are using hand-held devices to transmit the results into a computer database. The scores are then verified and displayed at more than 50 computer terminals throughout the complex.
The system tracks individual golfers' scores, group summaries course and hole difficulty rankings, cut projections, and news updates on the four-day championship tournament. It also sends instant updates to the four "thru-boards" around the course displays that show spectators the names of the players approaching the green and the cumulative score of the players through the previous hole.
(Jim Mallory/19930723)
the previous hole.
(Jim Mallory/19930723)
7/23/93
Computers Track US Women's Open Golf Scores
GENERAL
President Clinton Showcases High
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 23 (NB) -- At a high-tech photo op (photograph opportunity) held at the White House yesterday President Clinton promoted his Emerging Technologies Act and other high-tech initiatives.
While looking at and sampling state-of-the-art telecommunications facilities, President Clinton spoke to the assembled reporters and high-tech company representatives about the importance of getting the Administration's Emerging Technologies Act passed so companies, especially computer-related companies, could take greater advantage of currently under-utilized or restricted portions of the radio spectrum.
Although it has mostly been ignored by the major media, this move to open up a wider spectrum of radio frequencies, a segment now used by the military and public safety groups, is part of the present budget reconciliation efforts because it would involve sale or licensing of frequencies by the Federal Communications Commission.
The frequencies in question are currently made available free of charge to federal, state, and local agencies, but under the proposed changes these under-utilized frequencies would be sold at auction to telecommunications companies, allowing them to develop new products and services while earning the federal government as much as $10 billion in fees.
The fate of the Emerging Technologies Act currently lies with the joint House/Senate reconciliation committee which has been meeting for several days to iron out differences between House and Senate versions of the Clinton deficit reduction budget.
The Administration is currently pursuing a "full court press" promoting the budget bill but is running into a lot of opposition from Republican lawmakers. Many fear that even more problems lie ahead because the powerful head of the House Ways and Means (tax) Committee, Dan Rostenkowski (D-Ill.), is thought to be implicated in an ongoing investigation about improprieties involving the House Post Office.
Because he is such a key figure in the Administration's push to get this budget bill enacted, worries about Representative Rostenkowski's possible legal troubles are shaking both the White House and financial markets.
(John McCormick/19930723/)
and financial markets.
(John McCormick/19930723/)
7/23/93
President Clinton Showcases High-Tech Wireless Apps
TELECOM
Fujitsu, Ricoh To Link Office Ma
Australia - Government IT Spendi
Fear of Technology Is Phobia of
Power Publishing Seminar Will Vi
Sanctuary Woods Acquires Mind F/
SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 23 (NB) -- Sanctuary Woods Multimedia Corporation has begun what may be a string of acquisitions by announcing its purchase of Mind F/X, Inc., the Toronto-based developer of such compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM) titles as Sitting on the Farm and The Cat Came Back.
Mind F/X is known for its early learning CD-ROMs, especially in the area of language arts, company officials said.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The employees of Mind F/X are to join Sanctuary Woods, and Rosemarie Shannon president of the Toronto company, will become producer of Sanctuary Woods' I-learn line of line of CD-ROM titles. In addition to continuing with its own titles, Mind F/X will be developing products for the I-learn brand, Sanctuary Woods officials said.
"We bought everything," said Sanctuary Woods spokeswoman Renee Courington. Mind F/X's Toronto operations will remain intact, but become part of Sanctuary Woods' CD-ROM development group.
Courington said Sanctuary Woods is working on several other acquisitions as part of an aggressive expansion plan, and hopes to make further announcements soon.
Sanctuary Woods, which has its official headquarters and development operations in Victoria, British Columbia, and its executive offices and U.S. headquarters in San Mateo, California develops entertainment and educational multimedia titles under the I-learn, I-tales, and I-ventures brands, for Intel-based and Apple Macintosh PCs and for 3DO hardware. The company was founded in 1988.
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 23 (NB) -- In a newly announced deal, Acer has licensed ChipUp to Intel, and has also given Intel the right to sublicense the patented CPU upgrade technology to other interested computer makers.
Part of Acer's PC technology for the past 18 months or so, ChipUp allows CPU upgrades to be made by switching just a chip instead of an entire motherboard, said Lee Cannon, Acer's vice president of marketing, in an interview with Newsbytes.
The technology is based on motherboard circuitry with autosensing BIOS that is able to recognize when a new Intel processor has been inserted.
Cannon told Newsbytes that ChipUp will accept any Intel processor being shipped today, along with higher-speed Intel processors including the Pentium, as they become available.
To upgrade the system, the user simply inserts the new chip into a slot in the motherboard and adjusts a couple of jumpers.
ChipUp saves time in the manufacturing process by letting computer makers use one standard motherboard, instead of multiple boards for various configurations, the vice president emphasized.
"In the past, there were different boards for, let's say, an SX and a DX processor. Now computer makers can use the same board, merely plugging in the appropriate CPU at the end of the line," he told Newsbytes.
Under the sublicensing agreement included in the new pact, Intel can offer its CPU customers the right to manufacture, sell or use ChipUp technology, paying royalty fees to Acer for that right.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930723/Press contacts: Lee Cannon or Michelle Fitts, Acer, tel 408-432-6200; Gavin Bourne or Veronica Skelton Wilson McHenry Company for Acer, tel 415-592-7600)
ton Wilson McHenry Company for Acer, tel 415-592-7600)
7/23/93
Acer Licenses ChipUp CPU Upgrade Technology To Intel
CORRECTION - Mac IIfx Accelerato
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 23 (NB) -- Newsbytes wishes to update this story which appeared on this wire July 20 and was written by Computer Currents. The story featured a phone number which has been changed.
Spectrum Computer's $200 hardware upgrade for the Macintosh IIfx accelerates the IIfx to 50MHz and provides as much as a 32-percent improvement in performance over the standard Mac IIfx, the company says.
The Mach 5 Upgrade brings the IIfx to near-Quadra 700 and 900 performance at a fraction of the cost. The $200 upgrade includes on-site installation by Apple-certified technicians (in the San Francisco Bay Area) and comes with a 90-day parts and labor warranty, and one year free telephone technical support. The Mach 5 Upgrade can also be installed by sending your IIfx to Spectrum Computer; upgrades are shipped within 24 hours of receipt.
The new phone number for the company is 408-338-6238. A company spokesman tells Newsbytes that there was trouble with a previous line and the local phone company has not been referring calls to this new number.
(Wendy Woods/19930723)
number.
(Wendy Woods/19930723)
7/23/93
CORRECTION - Mac IIfx Accelerator
APPLE
CORRECTION
Review of - Sesame Street Learni
Runs on: PCs with CGA graphics and as little as 256K of memory MS-DOS 2.1 or higher
From: Hi Tech Expressions, 584 Broadway, New York, NY 10012, 212 941-1224
Price: $49.95 in some stores
PUMA Rating: 3 (on a scale of 1=lowest to 4=highest)
Reviewed for Newsbytes by: Dana and Robin Blankenhorn
Summary: If you've given your preschooler an old PC with CGA graphics, run, don't walk, and find these programs before they're out of stock.
======
REVIEW
======
It's hard to find software for a preschooler's computer. That's because it's usually mom or dad's old, obsolete computer. In the case of Robin Blankenhorn, it's an old XT with a 40-megabyte hard drive, but CGA graphics. It does have a Sound Blaster card attached to a Yamaha keyboard, but the chip's too slow and the graphics are too primitive to handle any of the new software.
The Sesame Street Learning Library is essentially a re-release of some programs originally written in the mid-80s under license from the Childrens' Television Workshop, which produces the show. While they retail for $49.95 each, with three programs in each package, you'll have to hustle to find them. Hi Tech Creations told Newsbytes the license with CTW has expired, and they're just selling out the inventory through the end of the year.
Too bad. Robin likes this stuff. In Volume One, she really liked "Ernie's Magic Shapes." A figure of Ernie is on the left-side of the screen. A shape, or set of shapes, is above him. When a new shape pops up on the right matching part of what's above Ernie hit the up-arrow. If there's no match, hit the down. When you complete the shape, a rabbit appears next to Ernie and applauds you.
Big Bird's Special Delivery is a bit more complex. In its higher level, you see an item, like a car, and four boxes above with other items. You want to match what you see to what's similar up above -- sporting goods with sporting goods, for instance. I got one wrong, matching a baseball glove with a woman's glove. Robin laughed. She likes it when daddy makes mistakes.
Volume Two teachers some higher-level skills. Grover's Animal Adventures have four settings. You place Grover in the picture then place various animals and things like clouds in the picture using the arrow keys. Careful, though -- the software won't let you put the giraffe in the air or the cloud on the ground.
Ernie's Big Splash was frustrating to Robin, mainly because daddy didn't explain the directions well. The idea is to use the space bar to bring up puzzle sections that will help Rubber Ducky reach Ernie in his tub. The F5 and F7 keys move ducky along the path. When dad went to watch TV, Robin got frustrated, because the Ducky kept getting farther from Ernie and she kept looking for places to send Ducky, not necessarily pieces that would send Ducky to Ernie.
There were few problems with either disk. Our copy of "Astro Grover," on the first disk, hung up my machine, but a warm boot fixed that and the company has a liberal return policy, I was told. The disks run under DesqView, and they're among the few games left that will run right off the disks they're on you don't have to transfer the games to a hard drive, so your youngster can fire-em-up in your machine if he or she likes that. Some adult supervision helps, although Robin followed the directions pretty quickly. The supervision is not just so the kid will do the game right -- it's so you and the kid can enjoy some quality time together.
============
PUMA RATING
============
PERFORMANCE: (3.5) Fun for the little ones. And it runs off floppies.
USEFULNESS: (3) The pre-learning skills taught here will be of value in kindergarten or first grade.
MANUAL: (3) Folded sheets explain the games while you play, and there's a simple parent's workbook that explains the skills involved and helps you teach them.
AVAILABILITY: (2.5) You should find these at computer stores and software shops, probably for less than list price. But hurry they'll only be available through the end of the year.
(Dana Blankenhorn & Robin Blankenhorn/19930713/Press Contact: Andy Lavin, Middleburg & Ass., 130 E. 59th St., New York, NY 10022, 212-888-6610)
ss., 130 E. 59th St., New York, NY 10022, 212-888-6610)
7/23/93
Review of - Sesame Street Learning Library, Vol 1 & 2
REVIEW
Russian US$1 Billion Telecom Pro
DEC Expands Distribution Agreeme
IBM To Offer Info Warehouse Tool
Indian Scientists Evolve Code To
SCO In Shareholder Suit; Ships O
Review of - Spanish Assistant Bi
Runs on: IBM PC/XT/AT or compatible with minimum 640K RAM memory; DOS 2.1 or above; hard disk with at least 2.5 megabytes of storage space available.
From: MicroTac Software, 4655 Cass St., Suite 214, San Diego, CA 92109. 619-272-5700 or fax 619-272-9734.
Price: $80
PUMA Rating: 4 on a scale of 1=lowest and 4=highest
Reviewed for Newsbytes by: Rick Bender
Summary: Spanish Assistant version 5 is an excellent bi directional translation tool for people with little/no knowledge of Spanish because it offers grammar hints and helps with verb conjugations as well as word translations.
======
REVIEW
======
With many people having to learn Spanish for the first time, or for those who are taking Spanish as part of their career preparations (like me, a fourth-year college student) bilinguality is increasing in importance. For those who cannot speak Spanish like a native, Spanish Assistant can help build vocabulary and translate words and documents.
Translation is done on a line-by-line basis, or the document may be done all at once in batch mode; Spanish Assistant automatically converts the document from Word Perfect, Microsoft Word and other formats to ASCII standard for batch translation. Text can also be entered from the built-in text editor.
One of the features I like best about Spanish Assistant is the verb conjugator. Verbs are crucial in any language, and help with conjugating the 15 or more verb tenses that exist in Spanish is always appreciated, even by someone with years of Spanish classes. If you don't recall exactly what the present perfect subjunctive tense is, you can pop up the verb conjugator and find out.
Another particularly useful feature is the way the dictionary and grammar helps can be operated in memory-resident (TSR) mode for use while working in a word processor. These tools only take up 8K of RAM in memory-resident mode, whereas in normal operations the entire program occupies 2.5MB.
The translation is reasonably fast, with a short sentence taking about six seconds for the initial translation when running on an older Zeos 16 MHz 80386SX.
The program then systematically checks word by word and prompts with choices, so if any word is incorrect it can be changed interactively. All-in-all, it takes seven to 10 seconds to translate a short sentence of, say, seven or eight words.
In batch mode (as opposed to interactive mode) it is even faster but accuracy decreases because translation isn't checked by the user as it can be in line-by-line mode.
Spanish Assistant 5 would be very helpful for business use because it can be operated in either line-by-line mode or batch mode. It also helps to have the dictionaries and verb conjugator in memory-resident mode because they can be used to check translation while not taking up much memory space. Another plus is the grammar help, which can explain verbs and other parts of speech to a non-Spanish-speaking client or user.
SA5 is definitely faster than doing things by hand even if you are only translating something as simple as a short letter.
===========
PUMA Rating
===========
PERFORMANCE: 4 Fast, very easy to use, and powerful.
USEFULNESS: 4 Useful for business and student translation tasks.
MANUAL: 4 Simply and clearly written.
AVAILABILITY: 4 Mail order only from MicroTac Software; you aren't likely to find this sort of software at a computer store.
(Rick Bender/19930610/Press Contact: Michael E. Tacelosky Microtac, 619-272-5700, fax 619-272-9734)
el E. Tacelosky Microtac, 619-272-5700, fax 619-272-9734)
7/23/93
Review of - Spanish Assistant Bi-Directional Translator
REVIEW
Hayes Supports V.Fast Modem Tech
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 23 (NB) -- Hayes Microcomputer Products, the modem manufacturer, has announced plans to support an interim version of the V.Fast modem standard, known as V.Fast Class (V.FC), in its next range of modems.
The V.FC standard is capable of data transmissions of 28,800 bits per second (bps) and, according to company President Dennis Hayes in no way attempts to preempt current development work on the full V.Fast modem standard by the ITU-TS (formerly the CCITT) international telecoms regulatory body.
Ironically, Bill Pechey, Hayes' Northern European technical manager is on the ITU-TS study group that is researching and discussing the V.Fast standard. Dennis Hayes told Newsbytes that Pechey is "very comfortable~ with the company's position with V.FC.
Speaking with Newsbytes from his Atlanta headquarters, Dennis Hayes explained that his company has been working closely with Rockwell International, a major producer of modem chipsets, since June of last year. The idea was to develop an interim standard that used most of the V.Fast technology, and that could be introduced in a shorter time frame as possible, given the delays in agreeing the full V.Fast specification.
Dennis Hayes told Newsbytes that two factors influenced his decision to support an interim standard. Firstly, as the company talked to its customers, it realized there was a clear need for pumping data over an analogue modem as fast as possible.
"Secondly, it also became clear to us that V.Fast was not developing as quickly as we first thought. It's now expected in the summer or fall of 1994. That's not a bad thing, but we think there is a need for an interim fast modem standard now," he said.
So is Hayes preempting the ITU-TS on V.Fast? No way, claims Dennis Hayes. If anything, he argues, by teaming with Rockwell on V.FC which he claims produces chipsets for 70 percent of the modems on sale in the market today, will take the pressure off the V.Fast study group.
"The pressure is off them to agree a standard in a rush. They can take their time and produce a modem transmission technology that unless we're mistaken, will push the limits of data over analogue networks as far as it can go," he said.
"Because of the fact that V.Fast is something the modem industry is going to have to live with for some time to come -- possibly as long as we have phone lines -- it's important they get things right. If they need to take a few extra months to get everything just right then they can do," he said.
Dennis Hayes noted that supporting V.FC is not as revolutionary as some people might think. "We supported a proprietary 9600 bps standard with our early V series of modems, just companies such as US Robotics did with their HST modems. We continue to support the V series protocol in our latest modems and intend to support V.FC in our eventual V.Fast modems," he said.
Hayes admitted that there is real way that a V.FC modem can be software-only upgraded to the eventual full implementation of V.Fast. He said that hardware upgrades will be available when the full V.Fast modems start shipping and, anyway, V.Fast modems from Hayes will support the V.FC system for a long time to come.
"Consumers need not worry that their V.FC modems will become obsolete. We've taken care of that," he said.
Newsbytes drew parallels between V.FC and the V.Terbo modem standard announced by AT&T and others earlier this year. V.Terbo pushes modem transmissions to 19,800 bps over standard phone lines. Dennis Hayes rejected any comparison between V.Terbo and V.FC, claiming that V.Terbo does not perform anywhere near as well (as V.Fast) over a standard phone line as V.FC.
"V.Terbo was a compromise and performance tailed off at the high end. V.FC is as much an interim implementation of the V.Fast standard as it stands today," he said.
"While we're first to announce our support of the V.FC standard and expect to ship modems supporting the system quite soon, we also expect other modem manufacturers to follow suit and possibly ship their V.FC modems to market faster than us," he added.
So, how fast does V.FC go? In demonstrations at the COMDEX Fall computer show late last year, Hayes achieved data transmissions of 115,200 bps using data compression. These impressive figures compare very favorably with those achieved over integrated services digital network (ISDN) links, Newsbytes notes.
(Steve Gold/19930723/Press & Public Contact: Hayes - Tel: 404-840 9200)
blic Contact: Hayes - Tel: 404-840 9200)
7/23/93
Hayes Supports V.Fast Modem Technology
TELECOM
Media Vision Intros New Audio Ch
? FREMONT, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 23 (NB) -- Media Vision says sound is no longer a specialty item for Intel-based personal computers (PCs). As a result, the company is offering original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) two new low-voltage audio chipsets for integration into desktop as well as laptop PCs.
Over 50 OEMs currently use Media Vision audio products for PCs the company asserts. Developed with integration onto the motherboard in mind, the company says the Jazz and Jazz16 chipsets are compatible with the popular Sound Blaster and Ad Lib products supported in most software applications. Each offers a "sleep" mode for power conservation and can record and playback digital sound in either stereo or mono at sampling rates of up to 44.1 kilohertz (kHz). Also included is a built in musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) transmit and receive port, a games-compatible joystick interface, and support for OPL2 (mono) or OPL3 (stereo) FM synthesizers.
The 8-bit Jazz supports the multimedia personal computer (MPC) Level 1 standard and the 16-bit Jazz16 supports the MPC Level 2 standard. The Jazz chipset offers the MVD1208 8-bit audio controller, the MVA408 8-bit compression/decompression (codec) and the MVA514 mixer. The Jazz16 chipset offers the MVD1216 16 bit audio controller, the MVA416 16-bit codec, and the MVA514 mixer used by the Jazz chipset. The MVD1216 supports in hardware the IMA (International Multimedia Association) standard audio compression and decompression. Media Vision has already offered a software implementation of the IMA codec standard to software developers royalty-free to get the standard into widespread use in applications.
Media Vision asserts its new chipsets offer the advantages of higher integration than other chip-level sound products, which is particularly important in the new, smaller computers being introduced. While company officials say they can't release the names of OEMs that have already adopted the new chipset for use in hardware applications, officials did mention consumers will begin seeing retail products containing the chipsets probably before the end of the year. In quantity the Jazz chipset sells for $17.50, while the Jazz16 is offered for $21.50.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930723/Press Contact: Elizabeth Fairchild Media Vision, tel 510-623-5856, fax 510-623-5749)
ion, tel 510-623-5856, fax 510-623-5749)
7/23/93
Media Vision Intros New Audio Chipsets
1,500 Developers Interested In N
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 23 (NB) -- Apple Computer's Personal Interactive Electronics (PIE) division said despite the fact that it hasn't officially released the Newton Messagepad personal digital assistant (PDA), it has had inquiries from 1,500 developers concerning its Newton Toolkit for software application development.
The Toolkit, announced in May, has been out in an early, test release but Apple said it won't be in widespread distribution until this fall.
Apple describes the Newton Toolkit as having its own programming language, Newtonscript, as well as offering graphical layout capabilities and built-in Newton components. The company asserts the kit will support content, applications development, and authoring tools. No information as to the pricing of the Newton Toolkit was forthcoming from Apple.
Apple representatives said about twenty developers have had access to beta copies of the Toolkit. Some of the applications developed at the beta sites will be available in August when the first Newton Messagepads are released at Macworld Boston. When asked what the criteria was for determining who got beta copies of the Newton Toolkit, Apple representatives were uncertain. Two criteria mentioned were the resources of the developer and how close the developer was to offering a viable product.
Clones of the Newton are expected, providing a potentially broad hardware base for Newton applications. Philip Ivanier Development Relations Manager at PIE said: "Developers are attracted by Apple's licensing of 'Newton Intelligence' to major corporations such as Matsushita, Motorola, and Sharp. And since Apple's worldwide developer conference in May we have held some workshops for developers in the United States, Japan and Europe, shipped a comprehensive suite of developer tools the Newton Toolkit -- and we are in the closing stages of formulating a full developer program that has been receiving excellent early reviews from the community. This program will encompass a variety of options to address the needs of different developers."
(Linda Rohrbough/19930723/Press Contact: Frank O'Malley, Apple Computer, tel 408-974-2042, fax 408-967-5651; Electronic Contact for Interested Newton Developers, Applelink Newton.dev; Public Contact, 800-776-2333)
elink Newton.dev; Public Contact, 800-776-2333)
7/23/93
1,500 Developers Interested In Newton Toolkit
APPLE
Rasterops Price Cuts On Mac Digi
Wall Data Unveils Rumba Gateway
Windows NT Goes To Manufacturing
Claris Intros ClarisImpact, Clar
Meiko Scientific Wins Lawrence L
WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 23 (NB) -- Meiko Scientific has won a contract to provide a $17.5 million CS-2 computer system to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in California.
John Fuchs-Chesney, spokesperson for the company, told Newsbytes that the contract, "entails the delivery of a large massively parallel supercomputer to the laboratory."
According to the company, the CS-2 system ordered includes hundreds of microprocessors and "massive" global memory with an exceptionally large I/O (input/output) capability and parallel filing system.
The company says that the system will be located in the LLNL computer center and will be configured to support hundreds of simultaneous users in a production environment. They are set to run a large variety of applications, including traditional supercomputing codes and large scale data management applications.
Fuchs-Chesney also told Newsbytes that the contract win "is very important for us, because it is a significant breakthrough into the US marketplace. We've sold other systems before, but not on a scale like this."
The system is being manufactured in the United States and uses a vector supercomputer architecture for its individual processing elements.
The company also says that high performance computing has been a vital ingredient in enabling science and engineering research in recent years. Computational science and engineering is now used to explore and validate issues and details beyond the reach of conventional theory and experiment.
Computational power and cost performance are fueling the revolution, claims the company. The only remaining barrier to this revolution is sufficient available computational power. The company says that the next big push will come from an increase in supercomputer performance of at least a thousand-fold, and that the only means of scaling the performance barriers is with scalable computers containing hundreds of processors.
(Ian Stokell/19930723/Press Contact: John Fuchs-Chesney 415-952-9900, Meiko Scientific Corp.)
Meiko Scientific Wins Lawrence Livermore Lab Contract
Oracle Adds Alpha AXP Support To
REDWOOD SHORES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 23 (NB) -- Oracle Corp., has announced that its Oracle7 database management system product is now in production on DEC OSF/1 for Alpha AXP and OpenVMS for Alpha AXP.
Jennifer Keavney, spokesperson for the company, told Newsbytes that, "Oracle7 runs on over 82 platforms. This is the most recent announcement of a platform. It is significant in that Oracle7's claim is that it runs on practically any platform. This adds to the background for that (claim) and for the whole idea of Oracle7, and Oracle products in general."
The company maintains that Oracle7 for Alpha AXP supports all of the product's features.
Jerry Baker, senior vice president of Oracle's Product Line Division said: "Our commitment to the Digital market and our cooperative efforts with Digital ensure that Oracle7 is the state of the art database for Alpha AXP systems. Oracle is the largest RDBMS vendor in the Digital market and I am confident that new customers, third parties and existing Oracle/VAX customers choosing to migrate will be extremely satisfied with Oracle7 on Alpha AXP systems."
The company says that the Oracle7's adaptable multi-threaded server architecture delivers scalable high performance for very large numbers of users on all hardware architectures.
Performance gains for Oracle7 running in the Alpha AXP environments are claimed to come from the "high speed of the Alpha AXP system and the fact that these two new releases are natively compiled."
The company also claims that investments in Unix-based applications are also preserved due to the portability of Oracle and the flexibility of DEC OSF/1, which can act as any of three familiar Unix standards: SVR4, BSD, or OSF/1.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 23 (NB) -- Apple is under fire from investors who have filed class-action suits and who bought stock between Oct 15, 1992, and July 15, 1993. The charges are the company and its executive officers participated in insider trading.
Several suits, as many as five, may have been filed, but Apple Computer representatives know of only one suit so far. Named in the suit, besides the company, is John Sculley, (former chief executive officer now chairman), Michael Spindler (CEO), Joseph Graziano (chief financial officer), Armas Markkula Jr (director) Arthur Rock (director), and Morris Taradalsky (vice-president).
Apple did report in June it was struggling with lower profit margins on its products and said it would show lower earnings for the first half of its 1993 fiscal year. But the $188.3 million in losses reported July 15 in the company's second quarter earnings statement took investors and analysts by surprise. Apple stock has dropped almost a third in value since the beginning of the year and lost another 23 percent in a single day following the quarterly statement. At Newsbytes' deadline, Apple stock began to climb again, from a low of $26 Thursday to $27.50 per share Friday.
Attorney for the investors, Patrick Couglin of the San Diego firm of Milbey, Weiss is reported as saying the executives named in the suit allegedly could have made as much as $25 million by selling stock. Some of the stock cost them as little as $7.85 per share and sold for as much as $61 a share.
However, Apple representatives said company executives closely follow the Securities and Exchange Commission rules for buying and selling company stock and all the information is public knowledge. Company officials said suits such as the ones reported are commonplace when companies report losses. The company released a statement saying the lawsuit is totally without merit and it intends to oppose all claims and expects to prevail.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930723/Press Contact: Kate Paisley, Apple Computer, tel 408-974-2042, fax 408-967-5651)
Computer, tel 408-974-2042, fax 408-967-5651)
7/23/93
Apple Executives Accused of Insider Trading
APPLE
Computer Associates Supports Nov
SLOUGH, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- Computer Associates (CA) International has announced it plans to provide the software technology to enhance security across Novell networks. The idea behind the link-up with Novell is to assist the networking company as it seeks to obtain a C2 security rating for Netware from the Netware Computer Security Center (NCSC).
C2 security classification is a level of security defined by the US Government (specifically, the Department of Defense and the NCSC).
The idea behind the definition to give defense contractors a yardstick by which they can measure the level of security required before the US Government will consider their technology for inclusion in a Government contract that requires high levels of data integrity and security.
Since it was first defined in the 1980s, C2 has become enormously popular in the US, in both the private, as well as the public sector. In Europe, C2's broad equivalent is known as the Commercial Licensed Evaluation Facilities' (CLEF) E2 classification. Although European figures on E2's acceptance are unavailable, C2 is thought to be in active use across two thirds of public and private sector organizations.
Announcing the company's support for Novell, CA officials said that they intend to work with Novell on three fronts:
[] The provision of advanced security intercepts enabling Netware users to benefit from a real-time security engine that is C2 compliant.
[] CA-Unicenter for Netware will be made available to certified Netware engineers for corporations and federal agencies who are seeking C2 compliance.
[] CA will work with Novell to develop advanced security interfaces (adhering to C2 and E2 standards or better) to Netware, Novell's network operating system.
Kurt Seibert, CA's vice president with responsibility for strategic business alliances, said that he is pleased to be working with Novell on the project.
"Netware enabled with CA Unicenter will bring to network computing environments the same level of security now available to the more than 60 percent of federal and commercial sites using CA mainframe based security software," he said.
It's still very early days on the pooling of research and development (R&D) facilities between the two companies, but Newsbytes notes that CA Unicenter is specifically engineered to take advantage of Netware's features and functionality. This includes NLM, 32 bit addressing, the IPX/SPX communication protocol and Netware directory services.
Computer Associates Supports Novell In NCSC C2 Security Pledge
TRENDS
Dataware Technology Goes Public
VTEL Reports Increased Net Loss
Cray Computer Loses $11 Million
Hitachi To Sell HP PA-RISC In As
s Supports Nov
Nortel Matra To Supply MCI Digit
MAIDENHEAD, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- Nortel Matra Cellular (NMC), the groupe speciale mobile (GSM) network equipment and services supplier, has won a prestigious contract to supply MCI in the US with a complete personal communication system (PCS) mobile phone network, including the core switching office products and cell site radio technology.
Plans call for MCI to make use of the NMC products as part of a three month trial, testing extra facilities such as voice messaging call blocking and call screen, to digital mobile phone users.
MCI has an experimental licence from the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to conduct nationwide testing in the US, across the 1850 and 1900 megahertz (MHz) wavebands. The idea is that the telecoms giant will submit progress reports to the FCC every 90 days. Testing will take place in the Richardson/Plano area, the Texas area and the area enclosed by Washington DC.
"This is an extremely important contract for NMC, for a number of reasons," explained Emile Gratton, NMC's chief executive.
"Firstly, it is our testimony to our ability to deliver complete personal communication system (PCS) solutions, including radios and switches. Second, although GSM is acknowledged as a European standard, this order shows that NMC's products address a truly global mobile communications market," he said.
Gratton added that his company plans to deliver both the 900 megahertz (MHz) GSM and 1800 MHz DCS technologies to the digital mobile phone market-place. "Now we have shown that we have an equally sophisticated solution for the PCS 1900 market emerging in the US," he said.
According to Gratton, the real significance of the MCI digital phone network is that it represents the maturity of mobile telephony. "We are moving from simple mobile telephony to a more far reaching concept of personal communications," he explained.
"The advanced functionality that we incorporate into our intelligent network switches enable operators like MCI to offer their customers a rich set of calling features. In other words, we pass our own competitive advantage to our direct customers," he said.
(Steve Gold/19930726/Press & Public Contact: Northern Telecom Europe Tel: 0628-812483)
ic Contact: Northern Telecom Europe Tel: 0628-812483)
7/26/93
Nortel Matra To Supply MCI Digital Mobile Phone Net
TELECOM
Birds Of Australia Now Available
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- Simpson and Day's "Birds of Australia" book is now in its fourth edition. This edition has been used to produce the first edition of the CD-ROM (compact disc read only memory) version.
Published by Natural Learning, the disk contains 792 bird pictures more than 400 birdsong recordings and a complete list of the bird families of the world. The CD is designed for schools, libraries and naturalists. It requires a multimedia compatible PC.
In use, the disc allows bird species and families to be selected by common or Latin name. Each bird is displayed with picture and song where available. The combination is meant to help users identify species, along with a distribution map and details of food activities and nesting habits.
Newsbytes' one complaint about the disc is that the pre-release version we saw had moire patterns on many of the photos as they had been scanned from published pictures, not the original photos.
127 bird species are under threat in Australia and "Birds of Australia" records the status of each and lists the threats they face. These details are from the Royal Australian Ornithologists Union.
The CD also contains a complete list of Australian bird habitats with photographs and environmental notes. Other features of the disk include a bird trivia quiz, a glossary of bird terms, bird anatomy bird evolution, bird regions of the world, bird fossils and bird nests.
There is an ongoing national census of Australian birds and this information will be progressively added to the CD in new versions. The cost is AUS$199 or AUS$179 for educational use. Contact: Natural Learning at 14 McKinley Place Cherrybrook NSW 2126 Australia, on phone +61-2-875 3627 or fax +61-2-481 8886.
Another new disk of interest is the Macquarie Australian National Dictionary. This AUS$199 has over 110,000 entries and 300,000 definitions. It is perhaps the most up to date reference to the Australian Language. For further details of this disc, contact SCSI Corporation on phone +61-2-894 6033 or fax +61-2-894 6766.
(Paul Zucker/19930723)
1-2-894 6766.
(Paul Zucker/19930723)
7/26/93
Birds Of Australia Now Available On CD
Federal CD-ROM Directory Publish
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- Everyone knows that the federal government in the US collects a lot of information, but did you also know that it offers a great deal of that data on inexpensive compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM) discs?
At $11, the SIGCAT (special interest group, CD-ROM applications technology) CD-ROM Compendium offers an easy way to locate both obscure and popular titles carrying government information.
The April 1993 issue of the directory, which is compiled by the world's largest CD-ROM user's group (sponsored by the US Geological Survey), runs to about 180 pages and contains half-page description of hundreds of titles, with a full index and a cross-reference to the publishing agency.
Some of the CD-ROMs listed are actually published by federal agencies such as the US Geological Survey (USGS), which provides a lot of raw climatic and seismic data for students and scientists; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, with satellite and deep sea data; and NASA, with its near-Earth satellite statistical data and planetary images.
Federally published titles are often very inexpensive (the entire US Federal Code costs $34 on disc vs. about $2,000 for the print version) or even free, while many outside publishers charge high prices to format and publish data already paid for by taxpayers. But some companies such as Quanta Press publish reams of public data at very reasonable prices.
Here are some sample titles found in the directory:
Viking Orbiter Images of Mars; the 10-disc set costs less than $10 per disc from NASA.
US Exports of Merchandise, $150 for a single month's data from the US Bureau of the Census.
Side-Looking Airborne Radar images, $32 per disk (22 available) from the USGS.
Pre-Magellan (radar data of Earth, Moon, Venus, Mars, and Mercury), $32, NASA.
While this is an important directory, the descriptions are very brief and there is no information about CD-ROM technology so it isn't suitable for novice users. But for those business information specialists, librarians, and individual users who are familiar with CD-ROM, this inexpensive directory is a vital guide to government data on CD-ROM.
To obtain a copy of the disc-based directory, send $11 ($13.75 foreign orders) to Superintendent of Documents, P.O. Box 371954 Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954 and specify document #021-000-00158-9.
(John McCormick/19930726/Press Contact: Jerry McFaul, SIGCAT only, 703-648-7126)
y McFaul, SIGCAT only, 703-648-7126)
7/26/93
Federal CD-ROM Directory Published
Mitel Names New Chairman, Report
Acer To Manufacture Portables Wi
Sybase Opens Belgium Subsidiary
Zilog's New Microcontroller Offe
UK Gets Its First Green Notebook
ectory Publish
Oracle UK Adds Six More Companie
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- Six new companies, all specializing in different aspects of desktop system development have joined up to Oracle's System Reseller programme.
The move marks the latest building block in UK general manager Tony Scrivens' decision to shift sales from a direct-sell basis to a reseller-only channel. The System Reseller programme, which has been in operation since August of last year, now has 28 resellers on board, including the six announced today.
The six new companies are Anix Computers, the Database, Instech Michael Business, Morse Data and Olico. Scrivens described the new additions as specialists in their respective areas.
"They have all recognised the opportunities offered by working with Oracle and the potential our products give them in developing new applications for their customers," he said.
Scrivens said that he concentrating on the quality, rather than the quantity, of resellers joining the channel and he does not expect any extra significant increases at this stage.
"Oracle is in the very heart of its transition from selling only through direct channels to selling also through a highly-skilled and professional indirect channel. This first year has been outstandingly successful and we are planning for a three-fold growth in business through resellers in the coming year," he said.
(Steve Gold/19930726/Press & Public Contact: Oracle UK - tel: 0344 860066)
30726/Press & Public Contact: Oracle UK - tel: 0344 860066)
7/26/93
Oracle UK Adds Six More Companies To Its Reseller Channel
Free E-Mail Package On Offer For
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- Systems Support, in conjunction with CE Software of the US, has announced it is offering a free five user local area network LAN) package through a new scheme known as Quickmail Connect Now, for use with Quickmail v2.6, the electronic mail software.
According to Jeanne Razzell, Systems Support's commercial director claims that Connect Now is a unique idea in the software industry.
"CE has taken its number one selling E-Mail package, Quickmail. and provided us with free five user LAN packs, which means we can install five users of Quickmail free to any site which we feel would benefit from an electronic mail system," she said.
"I know of customers who do not currently use E-mail and of others who have an E-mail system installed, but are not satisfied with the performance. By using the Connect Now package from CE Software, we can let them try before they buy," she added.
Quickmail 2.6 is billed as a cross-platform E-mail system that has everything in one box and claims to provide a consistent "look and feel" for messaging from Mac, DOS and Windows users. The five user package is claimed to have a street value of UKP 400.
Razell said that the "great thing about Quickmail is that it is an all in one package."
"With the advent of mixed LOANs -- Macs, DOS and Windows -- all on one network, there's a need for one system that addresses all users in a consistent manner. Quickmail also providers a fairer networking solution as it is sold by number of users, not type of machine," she added.
So why is Systems Support offering a five user version of Quickmail with a nett worth of UKP 400, free of charge? According to Razell the company hopes they will take a full version once they've seen what the package can do. "If they make a decision to install a full version, the free five users stay," she said.
(Steve Gold/19930726/Press & Public Contact: Systems Support - Tel: 0223-462140)
Contact: Systems Support - Tel: 0223-462140)
7/26/93
Free E-Mail Package On Offer For LAN Users
GENERAL
> "
Gateway 2000 Adds To Product Lin
Free E-Mail Package On Offer For
Stac Utility For Doublespace Fil
CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- Although IBM's graphical operating system, OS/2 2.1, supports Microsoft's new MS DOS 6.0 operating system, if DOS 6.0 files are compressed using the DOS 6.0 Doublespace utility, there is no way to access them from OS/2 -- until now. Stac Electronics, claims it has developed a utility to convert those DOS 6.0 compressed files so users can access them under OS/2.
Stacker for OS/2 & DOS product was originally designed with DOS 5.0 in mind. OS/2 is widely regarded as a disk space hog, requiring a minimum of 40 megabytes (MB) of hard disk space, so data compression is attractive to OS/2 users.
Announcing the utility, John Bromhead, Stac Electronics' director of marketing said: "The response to Stacker for OS/2 & DOS has been greater than we expected, and a large portion of these people are using MS-DOS 6.0.
"They are concerned because they are unable to access their compressed DOS files from OS/2. They want to know that they will be able to take advantage of OS/2 2.1 without leaving their DOS data behind," he added.
The catch is only registered users of the OS/2 data compression product, Stacker for OS/2 & DOS, can get the utility which does a one-time conversion of Doublespace compressed files to Stacker's compression format.
Once the files are in Stacker's format the Stacker product installed on the computer makes them accessible under OS/2. Stac is offering the conversion utility to registered Stacker for OS/2 & DOS users for $19.95 and includes 90 days of free technical support.
Since OS/2 2.1 provides for users to boot either OS/2 or DOS, users may find themselves wanting to replace the DOS 6.0 Doublespace compression with Stacker. Stac officials said that the Stacker 3.1 competitive upgrade can be used to transparently replace the DOS 6.0 Doublespace compression system with Stacker compression technology and can be used in conjunction with Stacker for OS/2 & DOS.
IBM has aligned itself with Stac, which is good for Stac since it is currently embroiled in a suit with Microsoft over the data compression in MS-DOS 6.0. In July, IBM Personal Software Products (PSP) Europe and Stac Electronics signed a joint marketing agreement to allow Big Blue to market Stacker for OS/2 & DOS in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Both OS/2 and Stacker are offered in retail stores in the same packaging and IBM Europe supports both products. Stacker representatives said there are no plans for the same arrangement in the US, however.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930726/Press Contact: Lois Leslie, Stac Electronics, tel 619-431-7474, fax 619-431-1001; Public Contact, Stac Electronics, 800-522-7822)
1001; Public Contact, Stac Electronics, 800-522-7822)
7/26/93
Stac Utility For Doublespace File Access Under OS/2
UK Modem Approvals Group Acts On
4 LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- The Modem Approvals Group (MAG) has announced it is stepping up its campaign against unapproved modems by asking magazine publishers to ensure that advertising for such products is not illegal.
Jeremy Hunt, MAG's chairman, has written to all major magazine publishers asking to explain their policies with respect to advertising and product reviews. This idea is to publicize the fact that, under the Telecoms Apparatus Order 1985, it is illegal to advertise most modems without indicating whether they are approved or unapproved.
"Since we launched our campaign last month, I have been sent a number of advertisements for unapproved modems that do not state anywhere that the products are not approved," he said.
According to Hunt, not only is this type of advert illegal, but it is highly misleading for customers. He claims that sorting out this kind of confusion lies at the heart of what we are trying to achieve.
"Given that use of unapproved modems on the public network is a breach of telecoms licensing regulations, publishers should ask themselves whether they ought to accept such products in advertising or product reviews at all," he said.
Newsbytes questioned Hunt on the implication that publishers who accept advertising for unapproved modems may find approved modem manufacturers withdrawing their advertising is correct.
"No," he replied, adding that the aim of writing to the publishers querying their attitude was merely to publicise the fact that advertising unapproved modems without clearly identifying them as such is illegal.
"I'm sure that none of the reputable publishers would want to take such advertisements. Our long-term aim, of course, is to get rid of such advertising altogether, but we recognise that this will take some time to achieve. Our short term aim is to avoid confusing the consumer," he told Newsbytes.
The MAG currently includes seven of the 10 largest suppliers of modems to the UK market-place. Members include: Andest Communications, BT Datacomms, Cray Communications, Dataflex Design Faxback, Microcom, Modular Technology, Motorola-Codex, Penril Datacom, Psion Dacom, PSL, Racal Datacom, Tricom and Pace Electronics.
(Steve Gold/19930726/Press & Public Contact: Clare McCarthy, Profile Public Relations - Tel: 081-332-6932)
Profile Public Relations - Tel: 081-332-6932)
7/26/93
UK Modem Approvals Group Acts On Illegal Ads
TELECOM
Rasterops Price Cuts On Mac Digi
Wall Data Unveils Rumba Gateway
Windows NT Goes To Manufacturing
Claris Intros ClarisImpact, Clar
Creative Labs Relocates Tech Cen
MacWorld - Genie Intros GUI For
MacWorld - Apple Newton In Extre
Australian Service Offers Budget
MacWorld - Rock Calendar Picks U
MacWorld - Claris' From Alice To
UK - Direct Sales Tracking Progr
Pioneer Exports LD-ROM Game Mach
Compaq In Resale Deal With Legat
Cyrix Intros First 386-to-486 Cl
Wall Data Unveils Rumba Gateway
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- Wall Data has introduced version 2.1 of its Rumba gateway system. According to the company by using Rumba v2.1, PC/Banyan users can now access a host system over a local area network (LAN) through the Rumba gateway system while still using their native Banyan Vines protocols.
Julian Rigg, Wall's vice president of European sales, claims that this allows Banyan users to utilize their host computing assets while maintaining the advantages of the Vines system.
As well as supporting Banyan Vines, Rumba now also supports multiplexed TCP/IP, dual Rumba SDLC co-processor links and Windows' Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) within remote management.
"Rumba 2.1 is another element of our strategy to offer the most complete and flexible systems network architecture (SNA)," Rigg explained, adding that, with an installed based of almost half a million users (source: Forrester Research), the Banyan market accounts for eight percent of the total installed LAN node market place in 1992.
"We're committed to providing connectivity to these Banyan users," he said.
Under a TCP/IP-configured Rumba system, up to 64 users can each have a multiple simultaneous host session on a TCP/IP LAN. Coupled with its ability to link dual SDLC network links to SNA computers, Rigg claims that the network becomes more robust and manageable.
A site licence for Rumba 2.1 costs UKP 1,115. The package, which is available immediately, is based on Microsoft Windows, which Wall claims makes it easy to install and efficient to use.
(Steve Gold/19930726/Press & Public Contact: Wall Data - Tel: 081 813-8188)
blic Contact: Wall Data - Tel: 081 813-8188)
7/26/93
Wall Data Unveils Rumba Gateway System 2.1
Sybase Signs Up SHL; Enhances Ch
EMERYVILLE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- SHL Systemhouse has become a member of Sybase's third party Open Solutions Program.
Sybase maintains that SHL will benefit from new, dedicated program resources in technical, sales and marketing areas. SHL will also use Sybase technology in its enterprise client/server systems.
Announcing the deal, Stewart Schuster, Sybase's vice president of marketing, said: "SHL, like Sybase, is one of the pioneers in client/server."
"Our focus on the database engine, connectivity, administration, and tools products combined with the planning, architecture implementation and systems management expertise of SHL, offers our customers best-in-class solutions," he added.
The alliance is seen as an indication of the current trend among software vendors and systems integrators to team up in order to address market demand.
Plans call for SHL to resell Sybase products, while Sybase will support SHL through the Open Solutions Program. The companies maintain that SHL will benefit from demonstration software discounts on educational courses, compensation on joint sales, and access to consulting services.
Phil York, vice president, technology research and alliances for SHL, said: "Our desire to partner with Sybase is driven by its leading client/server technology. Equally important, however, is Sybase's understanding of our role in growing the market by delivering cost-effective solutions to business needs."
Sybase has also announced enhancements to its Open Solutions Program for channel partners, by establishing a new systems integrator channel, and by adding new dedicated technical services sales and marketing support for companies that participate in the program.
Sybase was in the news about a week ago, when Newsbytes reported that the company had introduced a new version of its object oriented, multimedia database application software, Gainmomentum 2.0.
Sybase Signs Up SHL; Enhances Channel Partners Program
BUSINESS
CORRECTION - 1,500 Developers In
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- In the story run July 23, 1993, Newsbytes was informed by Apple Computer Personal Interactive Electronics (PIE) division representatives that about 20 developers have had access to beta copies of the Newton Toolkit. Philip Ivanier, manager of developer relations for PIE has since informed Newsbytes that more than 100 developers have, in fact, beta tested the Toolkit.
When asked what the criteria was for determining who got beta copies of the Newton Toolkit, Apple representatives were uncertain.
Two criteria mentioned were the resources of the developer and how close the developer was to offering a viable product. However Ivanier corrected the statements saying the criteria for choosing developers included the areas of application planned by the developer, as well as the core competency and technical abilities of the developer.
Ivanier was also careful to point out that start-up companies as well as established developers were chosen for beta testing.
The Apple Newton personal digital assistant (PDA) is expected to be launched next Monday, August 2.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930726/Press Contact: Philip Ivanier, Apple Computer, tel 408-974-2042, fax 408-967-5651)
Ivanier, Apple Computer, tel 408-974-2042, fax 408-967-5651)
7/26/93
CORRECTION - 1,500 Developers Interested In Newton Toolkit
APPLE
CORRECTION
Microsoft US OLE Development Tea
WOKINGHAM, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- Microsoft has announced that its object linking and embedding (OLE) development team from Redmond, Washington, is hosting an intensive two-day developer's conference in Europe this September.
The event, which will take place at the Park Hilton Hotel in Munich on September 6/7, along with a repeat at the Olympia Conference Centre in London on September 9/10, aims to provide commercial software developers, solutions providers and consultants with an opportunity to spend some time with Microsoft's OLE experts.
Both events will discuss many aspects of Microsoft's OLE strategy specifically, the company's Object Model for Windows, which the company claims provides the foundation for Object Linking, Object Embedding, In-Place Activation and inter/intra application automation and Drag and Drop.
"The conference should make it easier for those vendors who are looking to develop applications with support for future Microsoft strategies," explained Brian Iddon, Microsoft's marketing manager for developer services.
"In addition, it will provide a unique opportunity for all those interested parties on this side of the Atlantic to participate in the mind share of the Microsoft think tank in Redmond," he said.
Attendance at the event will set you back a fairly hefty UKP 300 plus local taxes. This price includes refreshments and lunch on both days, along with an evening buffet on the first day, plus an OLE 2.0 development kit from Microsoft.
(Steve Gold/19930726/Press & Public Contact: Microsoft Registration Hotline - Tel: 0256-381100; Fax: 0256-381107)
Microsoft US OLE Development Team To Host UK Conference
TRENDS
Rasterops Price Cuts On Mac Digi
Wall Data Unveils Rumba Gateway
Windows NT Goes To Manufacturing
Claris Intros ClarisImpact, Clar
Creative Labs Relocates Tech Cen
Microsoft & 20 Others Get behind
WOKINGHAM, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- More than 20 leading multimedia software and hardware vendors have agreed to standardize on a common joint photographic expert group (JPEG) file format for bit mapped images and compressed video data under Microsoft Windows.
The idea is that JPEG still image files will be supported under Windows as device independent bitmaps (DIB) files. JPEG video files meanwhile, will be supported under Video for Windows as audio/video interleaved (AVI) files.
Mark Edwards, Microsoft's Windows marketing manager, claimed that by standardizing JPEG still image and video file formats, Windows software and hardware producers can ensure that their products will work together.
"The addition of JPEG compliance will strengthen Video for Windows' overall compatibility, making it easier for users to capture and store different types of video data," he said.
According to Microsoft, industry standardization on the JPEG technology will mean that users will be able to choose from a variety of cost-effective products that use JPEG compression technology to lower the storage requirements of high color still images, as as improve the quality and performance of full motion video.
(Steve Gold/19930726/Press & Public Contact: Microsoft UK - Tel: 0734-270001)
ublic Contact: Microsoft UK - Tel: 0734-270001)
7/26/93
Microsoft & 20 Others Get behind JPEG Windows
TRENDS
CORRECTION - PC Retail Sales Pre
DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- In the story that ran July 19, a word was inadvertently left out of the copy. The estimated number of PCs purchased through retail outlets should have read forty-six million instead of forty-six.
Newsbytes apologizes for any inconvenience this may have caused.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930726)
nce this may have caused.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930726)
7/26/93
CORRECTION - PC Retail Sales Predicted To Jump By 1996
CORRECTION
Media Vision Announces Pro Movie
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- Media Vision has unveiled the Pro Moviestudio video card, a card which it claims offers real tine video compression to deliver affordable, high quality video capture for multimedia applications on PCs
According to Media Vision, real time compression is important in optimizing storage requirements on the hard disk. Using the Pro Moviestudio card technology, data is captured from any standard video device, such as a TV, camcorder, laser disk or VCR, and is compressed instantly. The minimum system requirement is an 80386 based PC or better.
"Multimedia video can enhance a variety of entertainment and business applications," explained Paul Jain, Media Vision's president and CEO. "With the Pro Moviestudio, we're taking one more step towards bringing the power of multimedia to the broad base of mainstream PC users."
Media Vision is bundling an MS-DOS player and recorder with the card as well as an AVI to Quicktime converter. This means that data images captured on a Windows PC can be played back on a DOS or Mac computer system, as well as a Windows PC.
This facility is important, according to Satush Gupta, Media Vision's vice president of strategic marketing and development.
"Cross platform video playback is a key benefit of the Promovie Studio. Now, when I'm using desktop video with electronic communications, I'm no longer restricted to those people using Windows on a PC," he said.
The Pro Moviestudio is the first add-in video card to use Media Vision's twin chip Motive video chipset. Without the chipset, one minute of video would take up around 70 megabytes (MB) of hard disk space and eight minutes to compress. With the Motive chipset, this file now compresses down to just 4.5MB and compressed in real time.
The card comes with support for 32,768 colors and can capture screen resolutions of up to 320 x 240 pixels. The card claims to support a wide range of broadcast standards, including NTSC, PAL and SECAM.
The Promovie Studio card costs UKP 350 and is available through UK computer resellers who source their hardware through Merisel, the computer distributors. Merisel handles Media Vision's products on this side of the Atlantic.
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- Most Newsbytes readers will be familiar with the difference between US and UK busy tones, so, if call were to be placed from the UK to the US and a UK engaged tone were returned, you'd presume that all international circuits were busy. Right?
Wrong. If a call from the UK to the US is made and the destination number is a phone or a fax machine linked to an integrated services digital network (ISDN) connection, then the remote US link will signal to the local exchange in the UK if the distant line is busy. This means that the UK caller hears a busy tone generated by his/her local exchange.
Newsbytes encountered this problem when calling earlier today from London to Hayes' US' fax machine in Atlanta. This bureau was amazed to hear a UK engaged tone. On enquiry with the ISDN hotline support desk with British Telecom, it appears this is a normal area of confusion with UK phone users.
The same problem occurs in the reverse direction, with US phone users hearing their own (US) busy tone when attempting to call a UK phone or fax linked to an ISDN connection.
"It's because the distant switch signals to the subscriber's local switch using supervisory circuits. The idea is to cut down on unnecessary use of international circuits," said a BT spokesman.
Eventually, even trunk phone calls will be treated in the same way preventing non-revenue earning trunk calls from clogging up the national exchange network.
So, next time you hear what sounds like a local busy tone on an international call, remember that the network might not be busy it could just be an ISDN link is being used at the other end of your call.
(Steve Gold/19930726)
end of your call.
(Steve Gold/19930726)
7/26/93
When A Busy Tone Is Not All It Might Seem
TELECOM
Fujitsu, Ricoh To Link Office Ma
Australia - Government IT Spendi
Fear of Technology Is Phobia of
Power Publishing Seminar Will Vi
Maxtor Posts Huge Loss For 1Qtr
US West Asks For Rate Hike; Gets
DENVER, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- US West Communications has announced it will seek an eight percent raise in residential phone rates. However the state's Office of Consumer Counsel says it will fight the hike.
US West wants to raise its rates to bring in an extra $28 million in order to offset the cost of paying for employee retirement benefits. The company took a $1.8 billion charge against earnings last year in order to comply with the new rules for reflecting retirement costs.
Previously, many companies have used a "pay as you go" approach but under new rules, publicly held companies with 500 or more employees must carry the entire cost of current and future employee's retirement as a liability. US West employs about 12,000 people in Colorado.
If the Colorado Public Utilities Commission approves the rate increase, it will cost residential users $1.75 each month for the next 17 years. It will also be the biggest rate increase since 1991 when the Colorado PUC approved a residential rate increase of $1.43 and business rates rose $4.21 per month.
US West faces some opposition to the increase from the Office of Consumer Counsel, who says regulators should look at the telecom company's books and consider all expenses and income, including revenue from new services such as Caller ID, as well as lower expenses because of declining interest rates.
OCC Director Ron Binz thinks it's even possible a rate decrease would be appropriate. Binz also feels its unfair for the company to ask only its residential customers to bear the brunt of the accounting rule change. US West also claims that raising business rates would put it at a competitive disadvantage, but Binz discounts that argument, saying US West's competitors have the same expenses.
(Jim Mallory/19930726)
the same expenses.
(Jim Mallory/19930726)
7/26/93
US West Asks For Rate Hike; Gets Thumbs Down
TELECOM
Landmark Announces Two New Packa
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- Landmark Research International has announced two new software packages: one is a Windows troubleshooting program and the other a Windows application that uses the mouse to execute most DOS commands and launch programs.
The company claims that WinProbe troubleshoots hardware problems helps resolve setup conflicts, and optimizes the Windows configuration on your personal computer. WinProbe includes 14 different diagnostic tests, as well as offering several dozen Windows optimization tips and more than 1,000 items of system and Windows information.
Diagnostic tests include CPU and system board testing in 16 and 32 bit operation, testing a math co-processor chip if installed testing conventional, extended, expanded and XMS memory, floppy drive speed and surface analysis, hard drive surface analysis, video adapter and screen, mouse initialization and interrupts, printer operation, and cable testing.
Using the WinProbe Tuneup feature provides the user with up to 35 suggestions on how to speed up his or her system. It analyzes SmartDrive, identifies and explains how to set up a permanent swap file, identifies whether you should run Windows in standard or enhanced mode, identifies the optimum driver for an installed VGA video card, frees fragmented memory, and suggests the best Windows setup for your particular system.
WinProbe also includes the Installation Wizard, which the company says provides detailed information on installing a new hard drive;CMOS display and edit; IRQ, DMA, and UMB usage; what to do when installing an add-in card; ways to clean up .INI and .GRP files; memory allocation and management tips; and how to locate and remove duplicated system files.
Also being announced is DOS for Windows, a utility program Landmark says looks, feels, and acts like DOS but is actually a Windows program. Users can run DOS for Windows instead of shelling out to the DOS prompt. The company says that DOS for Windows activates the mouse, allowing the user to point and clock on any program or associated data file to launch the program. Landmark says DOS for Windows is safer than using the DOS shell when running Windows in the enhanced mode.
WinProbe has a suggested retail price of $99, which includes PC Certify DOS troubleshooting software and DOS for Windows. You can purchase DOS for Windows separately for $49.
(Jim Mallory/19930726/Press contact: Nancy Garcia, S&S Public Relations for Landmark, 719-574-2868; Reader contact: Landmark Research International Corp, 800-683- 6696
rch International Corp, 800-683- 6696
7/26/93
Landmark Announces Two New Packages
Canadian Product Launch Update
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- This regular feature appearing every Monday or Tuesday, provides further details for the Canadian market on announcements by international companies that Newsbytes has already covered. This week: IBM's PC-DOS 6.1 Olivetti's Quaderno 33 subnotebook and M6 Suprema desktop PCs, and Xerox's 4700 II laser printer.
IBM Canada said that its latest version of the DOS operating system PC-DOS 6.1 (Newsbytes, June 30), will be available this week. The Canadian list price is C$189, and an upgrade from a previous version of DOS will cost C$109. IBM Canada also has a 90-day introductory offer, which says that by calling the company at 800-465-7999 customers can get the software for C$59.95.
Olivetti Canada announced the Quaderno 33 (Newsbytes, July 7), a new version of its subnotebook computer that comes with Microsoft Windows 3.1 plus Microsoft's Works for Windows integrated software and Lotus' Organizer personal information manager preloaded. To be available in August, it has a list price of C$3,269.
Olivetti also launched in Canada its M6 Suprema line of personal computers (Newsbytes, May 7), which includes models based on the Intel 33-megahertz (MHz) 486SX, 33-MHz 486DX, and 66-MHz 486DX2 processors. The machines are modular and use Intel's OverDrive technology to allow for later processor upgrades.
Olivetti is now shipping the 486DX and DX2-based models in Canada at list prices of C$3,500 and C$4,300 respectively with eight megabytes (MB) of memory, 240-MB hard drive and video controller. The 486SX-based M6-420 is not yet available in Canada, a spokesman said.
Xerox Canada launched its 4700 II Color Document Printer (Newsbytes July 1), a full-color laser printer that supports both the PostScript and Hewlett-Packard PCL5 page description languages and is rated at 7.5 pages per minute in full color and as fast as 30 pages per minute in black and white. All Canadian customers with Xerox 4700 printers are eligible for a free upgrade to the 4700 II starting in September, the company said.
(Grant Buckler/19930726/Press Contact: Paul MacVicar, IBM Canada 416-474-3037; Frances Critchley-Moore, Olivetti Canada 416-477-8250 ext. 220; Nathan Rudyk, Xerox Canada, 416-733-6726)
dyk, Xerox Canada, 416-733-6726)
7/26/93
Canadian Product Launch Update
GENERAL
Fear of Technology Is Phobia of
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- According to the results of a nationwide survey released today by Dell Computer Corporation more than half of all Americans are still resistant to taking advantage of technology in their everyday lives.
The survey showed that one-fourth of all US adults have never used a computer, set a VCR to record a television show or even programmed their favorite stations on a car radio. The survey gauged the "techno-tolerance" of 1,000 adults and 500 teens across the country.
Dell says that the survey is part of a broader study over the past 10 years which includes extensive market research, focus groups and feedback from some of 35,000 customer calls Dell says it receives daily.
Dell chairman Michael Dell says the company used the survey results to "techno-type" users into one of several broad categories. Dell says techno-typing will help people understand what computers can do specifically for them and how they can go about finding their perfect PC match. Dell sees the low tolerance for technology as an obstacle that must be overcome to achieve broad consumer acceptance for computers in the US.
The survey shows that teenagers are more technically literate than adults, with 92 percent of all teens surveyed saying they are comfortable using technical gadgets such as answering machines VCR's, CD players, and computers. About 74 percent of surveyed adults said they are at ease with the equipment. Teens and adults agree that using computers can save them time, although 32 percent of the adults say they are intimidated by computers and fear they might damage the machine when using it.
Dell's techno-types include techno-wizard, techno-to-go, techno boomer, techno-phobe, and two corporate techno types: techno-teamer and techno-critical. The company says that techno-wizards are usually technology experts or hobbyists who want the hottest technology for the lowest price.
Techno-to-go describes the person who wants a computer that comes ready to work right out of the box, and is interested in what the computer will do but not how it does it. A techno-boomer, says Dell wants to look smart, does research and seeks recommendations before making a purchase. Techno-phobes reject technology or avoid it whenever possible.
Corporate techno-teamers use computers at work, usually on a network. Productivity is their primary concern for work that is largely job or team-oriented. Techno-critical describes the corporate or business user who relies on computers for more sophisticated tasks which are critical to doing the job, such as computer-aided engineering or design.
Often a techno-critical person will be an independent operation who is technically dependent but also practical. His or her greatest concern is system failure because it hurts business.
ss contact: Jenice Murphy, Fleishmann Hillard, 214-522-7550)
7/26/93
Fear of Technology Is Phobia of the 90's, Says Dell Survey
HCL HP, Siva Offer Local Bus On
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- Just as in the US, PCs based around local bus architecture are all the range in India, so it comes as no surprise to learn that HCL Hewlett-Packard, the largest information technology (IT) company in India, has teamed with Sterling Computers, to move into the technology in a big way.
HCL-HP and Sterling have leap-frogged ahead of Siva, a local PC supplier, which has been supplying a local bus card in its PCs. The HP Busybee, Oasys and Meteor range of PCs, which have an 80486SX, DX or DX2 processor, will now include at least two video electronic standard association (VESA) local bus slots as well as their standard ISA (industry standard architecture) slots.
Local bus architecture serves as an extension of the ISA/EISA bus opening up a 32-bit expansion 33 MHz pathway between the video subsystem and the main CPU. This acts as a major speed booster when running Windows programmes. With the VL bus, HCL HP guarantees a response between three and eight times normal when running Windows than when running on a AT bus VGA card.
Considering the speed advantage, the price premium for the local bus technology is not that great, between five and 10 percent. Sterling provides a local bus architecture on all its 80486-based PCs. It's even possible to upgrade your existing machines to local bus technology -- upgrades from VGA to local bus will set you back around Rs 3,000 ($100) or from IDE to local bus around Rs 2,000 ($67).
(C T Mahabharat/19930726)
round Rs 2,000 ($67).
(C T Mahabharat/19930726)
7/26/93
HCL HP, Siva Offer Local Bus On 486-Based Systems
Low-Priced, Customizable Multime
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- Hertz Computer has unveiled a line of highly customizable, Intel-powered 80486-based multimedia PCs with prices starting from $2,295.
The new Hertz 486 multimedia family is based on a choice of Intel 486 SX and DX2 processors. All systems comes standard with a 130 megabytes (MB) hard drive, 4 MB of RAM, an internal 9600/2400 send/receive fax modem, a super VGA monitor, a VGA accelerator, an internal Photo CD-compliant CD-ROM (compact disc read only memory) drive, a selection of CD-ROM titles, and an advanced audio board with speech recognition and text-to-speech software.
"But all of our systems are upgradeable to, basically, anything you want," noted Hertz's Danny Levine. The hard drive, for example, is upgradeable to 3,000 MB.
Hertz specializes in providing customized PCs to businesses, but the company also sells to individual end users, Levine told Newsbytes. Production, systems integration, and service are performed at Hertz's site on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.
"We keep prices low, while using only the highest quality components," asserted the integration specialist. All lower capacity drives used in the systems, for instance, are from Maxstor, and all higher capacity drives are from Micropolis, he said.
The new line of multimedia PCs is targeted at a wide range of applications, including training, education, business research industrial simulation, and informational kiosks.
(Jacqueline Emigh/Press contacts: Wendy Freid, Hertz Computer - tel 212-684-4666, or Linda Kallman, Kallman Communications for Hertz, tel 914-358-5153; Reader contacts: Danny Levine or Fred Hetzel, Hertz Computer Corp., tel 212-684-4666)
ne or Fred Hetzel, Hertz Computer Corp., tel 212-684-4666)
7/26/93
Low-Priced, Customizable Multimedia PCs Debut From Hertz
Power Publishing Seminar Will Vi
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- Aldus Corporation says it will participate in the Power Publishing color seminars hosted by the Power Publishing Alliance visiting 16 cities beginning next month.
The Power Publishing Alliance consists of Adobe Systems, Dell Computer Corporation, and SuperMac Technology. The organization will offer eighteen seminars in 16 cities beginning next month and running through December. The seminars will focus on how to do professional color publishing in the Windows environment. Aldus Pagemaker 5.0 will be used to do the page layout portion of the seminars, and Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator will also be used.
Each seminar will be five hours in length. That includes a three hour presentation that will walk participants through the design production and output of a color project featuring Adobe, Dell Aldus, and SuperMac products.
The demonstration will show how to set up hardware, what types of software are necessary, how color documents are created and printed and what production problems users might encounter. A two hour table-top publishing trade and show reception follows the demonstration.
Dell will be demonstrating its Power Publishing SuperStation, an $8,995 486 EISA-based desktop computer running at 66 megahertz and equipped with 32 megabytes of system memory, a 420 megabyte hard drive, external cache, and Windows 3.1. The system will use a Supermatch 17 17-inch multi-mode color monitor and SuperMatch Thunder/24 EISA video card with color calibration software.
The seminars open August 17 in San Francisco, then move to Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago. Other sites include Atlanta, Boston Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, Orange County (California), Philadelphia, San Jose (California), Seattle, and Washington, D.C. The Alliance operates a tollfree number for more seminar information or registration.
(Jim Mallory/19930726/Press and Reader contact: Power Publishing Alliance, 800-257-8666, ext 174)
wer Publishing Alliance, 800-257-8666, ext 174)
7/26/93
Power Publishing Seminar Will Visit 16 Cities
Wellfleet Reports Strong Growth
BILLERICA, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- Wellfleet Communications has reported strong growth in the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended June 30. Revenues for the year were $180.13 million, up 112 percent from last year's $85.11 million. Net income grew 143 percent, to $27.80 million from $11.46 million.
In the fourth quarter, Wellfleet reported net income of $9.26 million on revenues of $59.22 million, up from net income of $3.98 million on revenues of $27.82 million in the fourth quarter of last year.
The net income figure for last fiscal year does not include the benefit of a loss carryforward that brought last year's final net income figure to $14.26 million. No such carryforward was available this year, Wellfleet said.
Seven-year-old Wellfleet, which has about 300 employees, makes data communications hardware, including network bridges and routers modems, and multiplexors, as well as communications and networking software.
John P. Delea, Wellfleet's assistant treasurer, said that the company expects to grow 10 to 15 percent per quarter in the coming fiscal year. Company officials also said that Fortune magazine named Wellfleet the fastest growing publicly held company in the United States for the second year running.
(Grant Buckler/19930726/Press Contact: R. Stephen Cheheyl or John P. Delea, Wellfleet Communications, 508-670-8888)
eet Communications, 508-670-8888)
7/26/93
Wellfleet Reports Strong Growth
BUSINESS
Fujitsu, Ricoh To Link Office Ma
Australia - Government IT Spendi
Fear of Technology Is Phobia of
Power Publishing Seminar Will Vi
Maxtor Posts Huge Loss For 1Qtr
Color Connections 6 To Start Sun
WordPerfect 3.0 For Mac Goes To
UK - NEC Intros Ultralite Versa
Fujitsu Creates Automatic Mail C
STC Wins UKP100 Million Transatl
Unisys To Deliver Windows NT In
McAfee To Acquire Personal Butto
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- McAfee Associates, the anti-virus software publisher, has signed a letter of intent to acquire the "assets and product rights" of Buttonware the personal database developer.
Phil Talsky, spokesman for McAfee, told Newsbytes that, in terms of a finalized deal, "we expect it to close within 45 working days." He also said that "it is really just a matter of completing the due diligence."
McAfee says that it intends to broaden ButtonWare's distribution with its own network of 180 domestic and international agents and electronic distribution system. McAfee also expects to market ButtonWare's products to its base of over 16,000 corporate accounts.
ButtonWare's flagship product, PC-File, is a personal database with a claimed installed base estimated at over one million users. ButtonFile is a Windows-based personal database product which was released in June 1993.
Talsky also told Newsbytes that, "we are really excited by their new Windows product -- ButtonFile -- and their Windows technology in general. We clearly recognize that Windows is where everybody needs to be, and we are increasing our base of Windows technology."
Announcing the deal, John McAfee, chief executive officer of McAfee Associates, said: "We plan to fully exploit the market potential of PC-File and ButtonFile by reaching a wider audience with their products."
"Our established marketing infrastructure will allow ButtonWare's products to achieve their full potential in the global market-place. In addition, this acquisition will expand our base of Windows products, technology, and programming expertise," he said.
Jim Button, ButtonWare founder and president, says that "McAfee Associates will provide ButtonWare with the resources to develop and enhance our database products and technologies. In addition, these resources will ensure the development of new and exciting products that capitalize on our franchise as the leading value-priced developer of personal database and productivity products."
Terms of the agreement were not disclosed and the letter of intent is not binding. The ButtonWare acquisition marks McAfee's latest move to diversify beyond the anti-virus category. McAfee says that its strategy is to acquire and develop additional products that can benefit from its strong marketing and distribution infrastructure.
(Ian Stokell/19930726/Press Contact: Phil Talsky, 408-980-3629 McAfee Associates)
Talsky, 408-980-3629 McAfee Associates)
7/26/93
McAfee To Acquire Personal ButtonWare
BUSINESS
UK - BT Enhances Telemedicine Te
IBM Loses Again, Will Cut 35,000
Utah State University Upgrades C
Wollongong's PathWay Messaging T
Japan - Matsushita To Release Vi
Newton Demo'd, Sells Out At SIGG
MacWorld - New PIM For PowerBook
LSI Technology Used In Oki LED P
Lawrence Livermore Lab Working O
SPA Conference Scheduled For Oct
Kai's Power Tools 2.0 For Macint
Data General Intros DG/Viision P
Banyan Systems Net Income Up 89
WESTBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- As a further indication that the place to be is in networking products, Banyan Systems has reported that net income for its second quarter ended June 30, 1993 was $3,494,000, an 89 percent increase over the prior year's second quarter net income of $1,846,000.
The company reported that net income per share was $0.19 for the quarter, versus $0.12 per share in 1992's second quarter. Revenues for the second quarter were $32.2 million compared with $27.5 million in the second quarter of 1992.
For the first six months of 1993, Banyan reported net income of $6,272,000, or $0.34 per share, compared with $3,460,000, or $0.22 per share in the same period in 1992. Revenues for the first six months increased to $62.6 million, from $54.6 million in the same six month period of last year.
Announcing the results, David C. Mahoney, chairman and chief executive officer, said: "We are very pleased with our performance this quarter. Our software revenues increased 31 percent to $23.6 million, which reflects the successful growth and leverage of our networking software business."
According to Mahoney, North America was a major market, "The company's business in North America continues to be one of Banyan's strengths as revenues increased to $27.3 million this quarter from $21.6 million for the same period last year. North American software revenues increased 39 percent to $19.5 million this quarter."
However, the international market was not as promising. Said Mahoney, "International revenues were $4.9 million compared with $5.9 million in the second quarter of 1992. International software revenues were essentially flat at $4.2 million, while hardware revenues declined."
Mahoney remained optimistic though, saying: "Despite the very difficult economic conditions in Europe, we are continuing to invest in expanding our international operations. We believe that the strategic realignment of the international sales operations which we initiated in the first quarter of 1993 should begin to improve our performance overseas by year end."
In the past year, Banyan has entered into strategic alliances with Hewlett- Packard, IBM, and Sun Microsystems.
Banyan markets the Vines network operating system (NOS). Until recently, Vines was considered by many analysts the best NOS for internetworking corporate networks over a wide area.
However, Novell, which commands nearly 70 percent of the NOS market with its flagship NetWare NOS, released version 4.0 of NetWare designed specifically to compete against Vines in the internetworking market. It will take some time before the effects of version 4.0 can be properly seen on the market.
a Graziano or Siobhan Carroll, 508-898-1000, Banyan Systems)
7/26/93
Banyan Systems Net Income Up 89 Percent For Second Quarter
BUSINESS
Acer To Manufacture Portables Wi
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- Original equipment manufacturing (OEM) deals are increasingly important for hardware manufacturers that are reluctant to commit their own manufacturing resources to a product. Now Acer America has begun manufacturing the Powerportable portable system that runs AIX Version 3.2.
The system is based on the IBM RS/6000 Powerstation 220 workstation. The company plans to offer the portable system to RS/6000 users who need to use their AIX applications away from the office.
According to the companies, the Powerportable workstation will be made available in the United States exclusively from an IBM fulfilment center at 800-366-3355.
The Powerportable was developed and engineered by San Jose-based QTA. The system uses the RS/6000 Powerstation 220 planar board and claims to offer Model 220 functionality.
The company says that customers will include AIX users who need to perform real-time data analysis away from the office, such as engineers who need to analyze oil, soil, or water.
Lou Bifano, IBM Advanced Workstations and Systems director of OEM and technology licensing, said, "This OEM relationship will enable us to provide customers with a portable workstation based on proven IBM hardware and software technology."
The system will be manufactured at Acer's factory in San Jose. Ken Tai, president of the Acer Open Division of Acer America, said of the deal, "We're excited about dedicating our sophisticated manufacturing capabilities to producing this portable for IBM, which is known for the quality, reliability and longevity of its computer products."
The System features the IBM RS/6000 model 220 Planar Board which features a 33 megahertz (MHz) clock speed, an eight kilobyte (KB) I/O (input/output) cache, a CMOS (complimentary metal oxide semiconductor) 2S RISC single chip processor, 32-bit Micro Channel adapter slot and system I/O control logic.
The unit also offers Gt1 2D graphics, a 10.4-inch 640 by 480-pixel active-matrix thin-film transistor color LCD (liquid crystal display) a 2.88 megabyte (MB) diskette drive, a 457MB or 1.2 gigabyte (GB) removable hard-disk drive, 16MB of on-board RAM (expandable to 64MB), and a keyboard with integrated trackball.
In addition, the system, which includes Ethernet, as well as a SCSI (small computer systems interface), parallel, serial and external CRT ports, weighs 17 pounds and operates on AC power, with battery powered operation to be offered in the future. Preloaded on the system will be AIX version 3.2 and AIXwindows.
The Powerportable workstation will be available in the US through the Advanced Workstations and System's Customer Fulfilment Center in Austin, Texas, beginning August 2. The price for the basic system is $13,495.
(Ian Stokell/19930726/Press Contact: Lee Cannon, or Michelle Fitts, 408-432-6200, Acer America)
or Michelle Fitts, 408-432-6200, Acer America)
7/27/93
Acer To Manufacture Portables With IBM's AIX
Punjab Communications Gets Into
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- Having established its lead as a manufacturer of telecom equipment, Punjab Communications Limited (PCL) is now venturing the realms of consultancy and packaged software.
The diversification for the Punjab government-run enterprise will begin with the launch of the Wizdom series of packaged software in India and South-east Asia later this year. The Wizdom range of ready-to-use interactive menu-driven packages will be priced between Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000 (around $200). One of the packages will enable a PC to also serve as an telephone answering machine.
PCL is the second largest equipment supplier to the Department of Telecommunications, after the Indian Telephone Industries. Its product range includes DTL multiplexing system, modems, PABX, port RAX (rural automatic exchange), digital UHF (ultra high frequency) radio channels and V-SAT (very small apperture terminals) earth stations. The company has recently developed software for switching systems for Fujitsu India.
PCL is one of the few public sector units yielding rich dividends to its invstors. It has declared a 60 per cent dividend for the third consecutive year.
(C T Mahabharat/19930726)
ird consecutive year.
(C T Mahabharat/19930726)
7/26/93
Punjab Communications Gets Into Packaged Software
TRENDS
Hinditron Medical In Joint Ventu
BOMBAY, INDIA, 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- Bangalore-based Hinditron Medical Systems has set up a joint venture with Schiller AG of Switzerland to produce a wide range of mutichannel ECG analysers and pulse oximeter systems.
Plans call for the new company, which is called Hinditron Schiller Medical Instruments, to make the equipment at Hinditron's Bangalore facility. Hinditron is also aiming to diversify into other areas of medical technology and enhance its range of services to encompass application support.
The Schiller Cardiovit AT-3 multichannel ECG analyser, with a liquid crystal display (LCD) meter, will support the simultaneous capture of 12 channels of ECG data. With additional software, the unit will help interpret ECG readings and also enable monitoring of arterial oxygen saturation.
Hinditron Medical Systems made its debut in 1990 with medical cardiagnostic equipment through its distribution tie-up with Schiller AG, the well-known maker of cardiac monitoring and diagnostic equipment.
(C T Mahabharat/19930726)
iagnostic equipment.
(C T Mahabharat/19930726)
7/26/93
Hinditron Medical In Joint Venture With Schiller
GENERAL
Morphing On A PC Arrives
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- ImageWare Software has unveiled MorphWizard, a Windows-based package for creating morph transitions and making "morph movies."
Morphing is the latest craze in video imaging. Newsbytes readers may have seen the technology in use on movies such as Terminator II, but in very high resolution for the wide screen cinema. Morphwizard while not working to the very high definitions necessary for the movies, produces very acceptable morphing images on a PC screen.
According to the company, MorphWizard 1.0 for Windows lets users morph an unlimited number of images of different resolutions, sizes and rotations. Users can also produce video or animation files of the morphing process, saving files in AVI, FLI or FLC format for viewing either within MorphWizard or in third-party applications.
The Morph Video Viewer that is included in the package permits "morph movies" to be viewed on a frame-by-frame basis or over a specified time sequence. Through another capability, the Morph Video Manager, the movies can be stored, cataloged and indexed.
In generating a "final morph," the user can independently control the amount of color and shape to be included from each image according to the company. Entire images can be morphed, or only user-selected portions.
The new morphing software can use images created in TGA, TIFF, GIF PCX, BMP, CMP, JPEG, and RLE, as well as other file formats. The package can be used with ImageWizard+, the company's object-oriented image editing package, or on a standalone basis.
MorphWizard requires a 386SX IBM-compatible PC or higher with at least 4 MB of memory, running Windows 3.1 or later in enhanced mode. A 256-color VGA display or better is also required. The package lists for $139.00, but is available for $89.00 on an introductory basis.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930726/Press and reader contact: ImageWare Software - tel 619-457-8600)
ftware - tel 619-457-8600)
7/26/93
Morphing On A PC Arrives
Newton Applications To Be Demons
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- With the pending introduction of the first Newton, called the Messagepad, scheduled for next week at Macworld Boston, speculation is running high as to details concerning the new personal digital assistant (PDA).
Applications for the Newton are in the works, according to Apple but whether or not users will have many available for the launch of the PDA is not certain.
Newsbytes' sources said there may be as many as 20 applications available at the launch of the Newton at Macworld, but other sources, such as Macweek, are saying applications for the PDA won't be ready until later.
In addition, while it appears to be widely agreed upon that the Messagepad will be offered for sale at the show, there is some speculation that Apple Computer will not sell the unit itself, but have retailers offer the units instead. Macweek reports Apple will not offer the units, but Salem, New Hampshire-based reseller Computer Town Corporation will have 1,000 Newtons for sale at its Macworld booth.
Apple has acknowledged a select group of developers was chosen to receive beta copies of the Newton Toolkit, announced in May, for application development. Over 1,500 developers have inquired about the Toolkit, which should be available beginning this fall, Apple maintains. Most of the development of Newton applications is being done on Powerbook notebook computers and ported over to the Newton Apple representatives said.
Several vendors are expected to demonstrate Newton applications at Macworld according to Macweek. These include: accounting software company State Of The Art of Irvine, California, who show off business expense tracking program Polaris; ON Technology of Cambridge, Massachusetts demonstrating software to link the Messagepad and its Macintosh-based group scheduling program Meeting Maker; Windows-based computer aided design (CAD) software designer Saltire Software of Beaverton, Oregon, who will demo Drawpad; Dubl Click Software of Woodland Hills, California will show Gofigure, a calculator program; CTM
Development of Geneva, Switzerland who will demo Voiceaccess for the Macintosh that comes with a free Newton application for use while traveling; Pastel Development New York will exhibit contact management software Contactpad; Portfolio Systems of Cupertino California will present outline application Dyno Notepad; Chancery Software Limited of Burnaby, British Columbia will demonstrate a program for teachers to do anecdotal report cards about students on the spot and transfer them to a Macintosh called CSL Profiles; and accounting software maker Great Plains Software of Fargo, North Dakota who will demo both Personal Time & Billing and Financial Analyst.
Newsbytes talked with a few of the vendors, such as State of the Art Software, most of whom said while they will demonstrate the applications at Macworld, they are not releasing shipping dates and not talking about the Newton. Prices for the applications range from $100 to $150, according to Macweek reports, and some vendors have not announced pricing information.
The software applications will initially ship on floppy disks according to one vendor, who told Newsbytes that while the Newton is equipped with a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA), the expense of putting software out on PCMCIA cards is prohibitive and time consuming. In lots of 3,000 cards vendors will pay as much as $15 each and it can take 4 to 6 weeks to get cards reproduced once vendors send in a "golden master."
So, most of the software for the Newton will be distributed initially on floppy disks that will require a connection with a desktop computer, either a Macintosh or a IBM-compatible personal computer (PC) running Windows in order to get the software to the Messagepad. The highest priced of the three Messagepads introduced at Macworld will offer a modem, cabling, and software from Apple for connection with desktop computers for data transfer, Apple said.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930726)
transfer, Apple said.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930726)
7/26/93
Newton Applications To Be Demonstrated At Macworld
APPLE
Apple To Intro Servers, Speech R
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 26 (NB) -- Apple Computer has announced it will unveil several models of its workgroup servers next week at Macworld Boston, as well as new Quadras and Centras and new software as well. Some of the Macintoshes will even include long-awaited speech recognition capabilities, sources say.
Apple says that, beginning today, it will offer for the first time its Workgroup Server 60, an entry-level file and print server, and the Apple Workgroup Server 80, a mid-range file and print and communications server.
Both the new machines come with the Macintosh System 7.1 operating system and the newly announced Appleshare version 4.0 pre-installed. AppleShare 4.0 provides file and print server services and is designed to boost server performance approximately two or more times that of its predecessor AppleShare 3.0, Apple officials claim.
The Workgroup Server 60 offers a Motorola 68040 microprocessor running at 20 megahertz (MHz) and comes with 8 megabytes (MB) of random access memory (RAM) expandable to 68 MB, a built-in Apple Superdrive, built-in Ethernet, and a choice of hard drives in either 230 or 500 MB capacities. Prices range from $2,949 to $3,899, Apple said.
The Workgroup Server 80 is equipped with the Motorola 68040 micrprocessor at 33 MHz, comes with a minimum of 8 MB of RAM expandable to 136 MB interleaved, a built-in Apple Superdrive built-in Ethernet, and a 500 or 1000 MB hard disk drive. Apple announced prices start of $5,489 to $9,049, depending on the configuration.
Either of the new Workstation Servers can be optionally equipped with an internal compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM). Apple also announced a deal with Hewlett-Packard to which will allow the company to offer the HP 4-mm Digital Audio Tape (DAT) drive for backup on the new Servers. The HP DAT drive which typically provides four gigabytes of storage of compressed data. Users who opt for the HP DAT drive will also receive the Dantz Development Corporation's Retrospect Remote backup software.
Apple reportedly will introduce other models as well, according to Macweek. The company is expected to introduce the Quadra 840AV with a 40-MHz 68040 microprocessor. The unit reportedly will be offered with a minimum of 8 MB of RAM up to 16 MB of RAM, and hard disks from 230 up to 1000 MB in price. Suggested retail prices will start at $4,069 up to $6,249, an internal, dual-speed Applecd 300i CD-ROM drive.
A Centris 660AV is also expected with a 25-MHz 68040 and priced from $2,139 for an 8 MB of RAM, 80 MB hard disk configuration to $3,499 for an 8 MB, 500 MB hard disk configuration with CD-ROM. In addition, both models reportedly will come with two Apple programs, Applephone and Apple Plaintalk. processor.
ApplePhone uses an American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T) digital signal processor (DSP) to offer a virtual speakerphone and answering machine on the Mac desktop. Apple Plaintalk uses Casper voice recognition technology to offer text-to-speech capabilities so users can control the Macintosh by voice commands, Macweek added.
In addition, Apple announced At Ease 2.0 and At Ease 2.0 for Workgroups, which it says will be available in mid-August. The company says the software will make it easier for customers to share Apple Macintosh computers among multiple users.
At Ease 2.0 customers offers the ability to share a single system with up to 10 named users. Apple claims a new easy-to-use setup application features enhanced file management, security and privacy capabilities, providing owners with the ability to customize At Ease folders for each user.
At Ease 2.0 for Workgroups is designed for administrators of multiple Macintosh computers in workgroup or multi-user environments, such as classrooms, training labs, service bureaus and large offices. The new product features an application for setting up At Ease on groups of Macintosh computers, allowing administrators to create customized security and desktop settings for different groups and users, Apple said.
At Ease 2.0 is retail priced at $59 and At Ease 2.0 for Workgroups is $295 with a license for up to 10 Macintosh computers.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930726/Press Contact: Cindy McCaffrey Apple, tel 408-974-1578; Public Contact, 800-769-2775)
pple, tel 408-974-1578; Public Contact, 800-769-2775)
7/26/93
Apple To Intro Servers, Speech Recog Macs, Software
APPLE
ComputerWorks - Your High Tech G
PHOENIX, ARIZONA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- A new PC package from Software Marketing Corporation is designed to explain the inner workings of computers to students, hobbyists, and other technical novices.
Illustrated with full-color animated graphics and embellished with hypertext links, ComputerWorks -- Your High-Tech Tour Guide offers information on each component of the computer system, including monitors, drives, printers, mice, and other peripherals.
The package also provides historical facts on key technological developments, from the invention of the abacus to the evolution of today's microprocessors.
A special "related topics" section explores such subjects as virtual reality, artificial intelligence, hacking, and computer viruses.
An interactive pop-up pad lets users take notes as they go. Online bookmarks can be used for tagging key sections and referring back to them later.
Users can export text and graphics to create customized reports and print out documents in a choice of styles.
The software also includes detailed lesson plans, quiz sections online help, and "smart search" indexing for locating entries phonetically.
ComputerWorks requires an IBM-compatible PC with a hard drive running PS/MS-DOS 3.3 or above. A VGA card and monitor and 512K free RAM are also required. The package is priced at $79.95.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930726/Reader contact: Software Marketing Corp., tel 602-893-3377; Press contact: Wyndi Ballard, Software Marketing Corp., tel 602-893-3377)
are Marketing Corp., tel 602-893-3377)
7/27/93
ComputerWorks - Your High Tech Guide
Symantec, ParaGraph Cyrrilize Wi
RUSSIA, MOSCOW, 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- Symantec and the Russian-American joint venture ParaGraph have announced the signing of agreement which gives ParaGraph an opportunity to localize and distribute Symantec software in CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States).
The deal was announced at the new ParaGraph Moscow office by representatives from both companies. Under the agreement, ParaGraph a leading Russian firm in the area of computer fonts design, and handwriting recognition, receives Symantec corporate reseller status in order to sell selected Symantec products.
The deal focuses mainly on a Russian version of the JustWrite text processor, a Windows-based Russian language editor announced three months ago at the Comtek exhibition. The problem is that no Russian Windows is yet available on the market, so JustWrite cannot be used without a special Cyrillization software package. Now all legal users of Russian JustWrite can purchase Parawin which is Paragraph's Cyrillization software for Windows at a 25% discount. This discount is effective for all users, not only those buying directly from ParaGraph.
Michael Titkin of Symantec's Moscow office told Newsbytes that he expects rapid sales growth of Russian JustWrite in the coming months due to both the agreement and the aggressive price of the product itself -- US$44 -- which is about a quarter of the price of Microsoft Word for Windows.
Symantec is targeting JustWrite as the low-cost fully functional text processor.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- Elias Ladopoulos known in the hacker world as "Acid Phreak" and Paul Stira, also known as "Scorpion," have each been sentenced in US Southern District Federal Courthouse to six months in prison and six months home detention for conspiracy to commit computer-related crimes.
Ladopoulos and Stira were indicted with three other individuals, Mark Abene, a/k/a "Phiber Optik;" Julio Fernandez, a/k/a "Outlaw;" and John Lee, a/k/a "Corrupt," on July 8, 1992 on charges of conspiracy. All parties have since pled guilty to the charge of conspiracy and Abene, the last of the individuals to enter a plea, also pled guilty to unauthorized access to computers on July 2, 1993. Stira and Ladopoulos entered their pleas on March 17.
Lee was sentenced on June 4th to serve one year and a day in prison and Abene is scheduled for sentencing on November 3rd. A sentencing date for Fernandez, who is said to have agreed to cooperate with authorities if the Abene case went to trial, has not yet been set. Assistant US Attorney Geoffrey Berman told Newsbytes that Fernandez will be sentenced some time after Abene.
Stira, speaking on his own behalf, said, "I realize that I broke the law. My intent was never to hurt anyone or to make money. I did what I did from intellectual curiosity. I hope that your honor will give me a chance to prove that I have something to give."
Judge Owen, addressing Stira, said, "You're all so bright. This distresses me. Maybe you don't break into an auto dealership and take a crow bar to cars but you do cause damage."
Owen also brought up damage caused to the computers of New York television studio WNET. Stira denied causing any damage to WNET. Owen then imposed the sentence which requires Stira, in addition to the prison and home detention, to perform 750 hours of community service.
Ladopoulos' attorney, Scott Tulman, said that while "Ladopoulos and Stira are equally culpable and I am bound by the plea agreement not to seek a downward departure from the sentencing guidelines I must point out that incarceration for Mr. Ladopoulos will have a devastating effect on his family. Mr. Ladopoulos's mother works to support her family and Mr. Ladopoulos is the only one there for his younger sister. His father's whereabouts are unknown."
Tulman continued, "He goes to school, works and donates time to working with the handicapped, teaching them to use computers. He acknowledges his culpability and has been attempting to atone for it. His probation officer noted his sincere efforts to rehabilitate himself. The stupid young person, Acid Phreak who was involved with other person's computers no longer exists. It is Elias Ladopoulos that will be sentenced and that will cause a hardship to his family."
Berman replied, "The government believes that there is no reason to distinguish between the defendants. The government will acknowledge that they both have loving families."
Ladopoulous said, "I regret what I did. It was stupid. At the time that I did it, I did not realize the stupidity. I was carried away with the momentum."
In response to questions from Judge Owen concerning his involvement with the damage to the WNET system, Ladopoulous said, "Another hacker whose name I have already provided to the government was the one who took the system down. When I saw the problem, I called the station and left my own phone number and offered to help. If I had caused the damage, I would not have done that. The person who caused the damage is a very deranged person."
Owen said that he could not believe that it was merely a coincidence that the damage was done to the WNET system in the same time frame that Ladopoulous was on the system. Ladopoulous replied by saying that the system log showed that he was off the system when the damage occurred. A discussion followed on the entire incident.
Owen then said, "In almost 20 years on the bench, it has saddened me on the occasions that I have had to inflict a hardship on families. But I must also use sentences as a deterrent. We can not have people running around and damaging computer systems."
Owen then sentenced Ladopoulous to the same sentence as Stira.
Assistant US Attorney Berman told Newsbytes, "We think that it is entirely an appropriate sentence in view of the damages caused."
Stira's attorney, John Harris, told Newsbytes, "Paul is looking forward to finishing his sentence and beginning his life. He wants to use his great talents constructively."
Ladopoulous, commenting on the court experience to Newsbytes, said, "It was terribly frustrating. The judge just didn't understand about WNET. I tried to explain that I did not damage the system but he didn't understand.
Stira's attorneys asked for a two-month stay before the beginning of sentence and Ladopoulous' asked for a month. Both were granted and they remain free on bail.
(Barbara E. McMullen & John F. McMullen/19930726/Kate Cosenza United States Attorney Southern District of New York, 212-791-1937)
trict of New York, 212-791-1937)
7/27/93
NY Hackers Sentenced To Prison
GENERAL
Russian Font Contest
RUSSIA, MOSCOW, 1993 JULY 27 (NB) -- Russian-American Joint Venture ParaGraph has announced the results of the font contest which the company held during the "PoligrapBushMash" exhibition which took place in Moscow earlier this month.
ParaGraph is one of the largest computer font designers worldwide and its fonts dominate the Russian publishing market. The contest required contestants to correctly identify 55 ParaGraph fonts. As Alexei Tarbeev from the ParaGraph font design team has said "The company was not sure that anybody could guess all the fonts right because some fonts were supposed to be used only internally." But to the amazement of organizers there were 10 winners. They were awarded ParaType software font libraries in a ceremony in the new ParaGraph office.
Interestingly, all ParaGraph offices have moved practically simultaneously -- in United States ParaGraph changed its office location in California, its Moscow research team moved from downtown to an outlying district, and ParaGraph headquarters is now situated side by side with the notorious Moscow Criminal Police headquarters (MUR).
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- In the story that ran August 3, 1993 the personal digital assistant (PDA) Sharp PI-7000 was sometimes referred to as the Expert Pad and sometimes as the Express Pad. It should have been the Expert Pad. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930805)
y have caused.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930805)
8/6/93
Correction - Sharp Express Pad, Differences
APPLE
CORRECTION
India - Datamatics Focuses On Ba
BOMBAY, INDIA, 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- As part of its reorientation program, Bombay-based Datamatics Ltd, has earmarked airlines banks and re-engineering segments to focus its activities.
Rechalking strategies was necessary since Wang Laboratories its partner of yore, "ran into trouble and we decided not to put all our eggs in one basket," explained Lalit Kanodia chairman, Datamatics. The company had been providing software support and services in the USA, Middle East and Africa to Wang customers. The vendor agreement came to an end about a year ago.
Datamatics recently undertook a project for Singapore Airlines to train 30 graduates as TPF programmers. TPF, which stands for Transaction Processing Facility, is an operating system to run applications like passenger reservations, cargo handling and departure control. The training is being executed on an IBM ES 9000 in an MVS environment. Kanodia hopes this project will lead to the formation of a joint venture with Singapore Airlines to sell services in the open market.
On the export front, the company is executing projects for three overseas banks. The first, in the US, involves re-engineering of the bank's fund transfer. Expected to take two to three years, this order is worth Rs 1.5 crore. Datamatics is executing another re-engineering project involving the conversion of several Cobol programs to a Sybase RDBMS environment for Riyadh-based Saudi American Bank (SAMBA). The ongoing work at SAMBA includes converting an Oracle-based VISA card system to Sybase, revamping SAMBA's personnel system and developing a marketing database on Sybase for SAMBA. Datamatics is also developing software for certain front office operations in a LAN environment for the National Bank of Dubai.
Besides these export projects, the company is in the process of developing packages for the domestic market. It has recently introduced an Auto-Tester package. Priced at Rs 3,500 (over $1,000) the PC-based automated personnel skills evaluation package operates on MS-DOS and comes with three standard broad-based evaluation tests called the Clerical Aptitude Test (CLAP), Mental Ability Test (MAP) and the Typing Test. The company claims to have sold about 100 copies since the product's launch in February last.
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930727)
n February last.
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930727)
7/27/93
India - Datamatics Focuses On Banking Segment
BUSINESS
Public Interest Communications P
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- The Center For Civic Networking has issued a draft of a paper entitled, "A Vision of Change: Civic Promise of the National Information Infrastructure." The recipients of the draft were asked to respond with comments by August 15th by "letter, phone, or e-mail."
The six-page draft is concerned with the potential of a "National Information Infrastructure" and the importance that Congress understand this potential as it considers funding requests and future legislation.
The draft says "Grassroots telecommunications initiatives providing civic and community services are creating new state policies that will in turn influence federal communication policy for the 21st Century. The Administration and Congress have a solemn obligation to understand the full civic promise of the NII and to swiftly reframe the current debate driven by telecommunications carriers.
"The value of activities in the United States that could be affected by networked, imaged information to the home for health governance, informal education, job training, literacy numeracy, and English as a second language could be in the range of several hundreds of billions of dollars annually.
"Congress in particular must understand and respond to the economic and social costs to our society if ubiquitous access to this national multimedia nervous system is impeded by limited visions of telephone and cable companies motivated to maintain entrenched positions in a rapidly evolving marketplace."
The draft then details areas the authors feel a National Information Infrastructure can make a difference: revitalizing local economies; improving the delivery of government services and reducing costs of government; revitalizing civic institutions and public debate; reducing poverty and changing welfare as we know it; saving billions of health care dollars through prevention and early detection of disease and by streamlining health care administration; bringing all of our children's education into the 21st Century, regardless of income, location or background; reducing social costs of defense cutbacks, layoffs, and plant closings; and reducing costs of pollution, road maintenance, and child care.
The draft then makes recommendations for the next steps in the development of a comprehensive National Information Infrastructure policy.
(Barbara E. McMullen & John F. McMullen/19930726/Miles Fideman, The Center For Civic Networking, 617-241-9205,voice; ccn@civicnet.org e-mail on the Internet)
voice; ccn@civicnet.org e-mail on the Internet)
7/27/93
Public Interest Communications Policy Drafted
GENERAL
Tandy Rescues InterTan From Fina
BARRIE, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- InterTan Inc., the company that operates Radio Shack stores in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, has been bailed out of financial trouble by its former parent, Tandy Corp. of Fort Worth, Texas.
Tandy has agreed to acquire all of InterTan's C$54-million bank debt from a syndicate of banks. Tandy also said it would renew for seven years InterTan's license and supply agreements, which entitle the Canadian company to use the Radio Shack name and sell Tandy products outside Canada, and provide temporary credit to the company. In exchange, Tandy is to get warrants to purchase stock in InterTan.
The companies must still work out a detailed agreement with the banks to which InterTan owes money, Jim Williams, president of InterTan, told Newsbytes. He said that as a number of the creditor banks were represented at the discussions between InterTan and Tandy, he expects them to support the deal.
Once Tandy acquires the debt it is expected to be extended and restructured, InterTan officials said.
Formerly Tandy's Canadian subsidiary, InterTan was spun off from Tandy in 1986 to take over operation of Radio Shack outlets in Canada, Europe, and Australia. Last year, the company closed its money-losing operations in Europe.
Tandy's sales to InterTan amounted to US$171 million in 1992.
(Grant Buckler/19930726/Press Contact: Keith Wettlaufer InterTan, 705-739-6268, fax 705-726-5748)
aufer InterTan, 705-739-6268, fax 705-726-5748)
7/27/93
Tandy Rescues InterTan From Financial Trouble
BUSINESS
NCR 3000 To Be First With CA-Uni
DAYTON, OHIO, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- NCR Corp.'s System 3000 will be the first hardware to run Computer Associates International's CA-Unicenter for Microsoft Windows NT, the two companies have announced.
NCR signed an alliance in March providing for Islandia, New York-based Computer Associates to adapt the Unicenter systems management software to NCR's System 3000 computers. The companies also said they would work together on marketing and sales.
Computer Associates has now chosen the NCR System 3000 as the Intel-based reference platform for the NT version of CA-Unicenter. CA officials described the NCR machine as one of the industry's leading hardware platforms.
Microsoft announced the NT operating system at the COMDEX/Spring show in Atlanta at the end of May, and is due to begin shipping it imminently.
Earlier, a Computer Associates spokesman said a beta-test version of CA-Unicenter for NT on the System 3000 was likely to be available by the end of this year.
According to Computer Associates, CA-Unicenter addresses fundamental systems management needs such as automated production control, security, data center administration, resource accounting, and storage management.
CA-Unicenter is already offered for a variety of Unix systems including IBM's RS/6000 and systems from Hewlett-Packard, Data General, Pyramid, and Sequent, as well as IBM's OS/2 operating system. It has been announced for Novell's NetWare local-area network operating system, and beta testing of that version is expected to begin in the fourth quarter, a spokesman said recently.
NCR's System 3000 is a seven-level family of general purpose scalable systems ranging from pen-based notepads to massively parallel systems. All use Intel Corp. processors.
"NCR's position is to offer our customers a choice among the industry's leading open operating systems, including Unix and Windows NT," said Jim McGinley, director of enterprise alliances at NCR, in a prepared statement.
(Grant Buckler/19930727/Press Contact: Chris Stellwag, NCR 513-445-4178; Bob Gordon, Computer Associates, 516-342-2391, fax 516-342-5329)
ter Associates, 516-342-2391, fax 516-342-5329)
7/27/93
NCR 3000 To Be First With CA-Unicenter For NT
Apple To Launch Quadra And Centr
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- The Mac III-generation Quadra 840av (or Cyclone) and the Macintosh Centris 660av (or Tempest) are expected to be introduced at Macworld Expo the first week of June. Both new Macs -- rumored to be the last generation of Macs as we know them today -- will feature built-in digital video, 32-bit digital signal processors, a new direct memory access bus and a high-speed serial port known as GeoPort.
The 840av has a 40MHz 68040 CPU, three 13-inch NuBus slots, 8MB of RAM expandable to 128MB and a 230MB hard drive. Estimated street price is $4,200.
The Centris 660av, with an estimated street price of $2,300, features a 25MHz 68LC040 (no math coprocessor, but users can add one later) 7-inch NuBus slots, which require an adapter card (sold separately) 4MB of RAM, expandable to 68MB, and an 80MB hard drive. 500MB hard drives and CD-ROM drives will be options on both av Macs.
The "av" indicates the improvements in audio and video, as both machines are able to input and output high-quality video and sound. The video end will be compatible with 16-bit color, NTSC and PAL video in composite and S-video formats.
The audio processing features AT&T's 3210 digital signal processor. This chip has voice recognition and synthesis capabilities, and will let both Macs process 16-bit stereo sound. The machines will debut Apple's Casper voice recognition technology, opening the door for developers to write voice-compatible applications.
(Chris Oakes/19930727)
applications.
(Chris Oakes/19930727)
7/27/93
Apple To Launch Quadra And Centris av
APPLE
Quicken 4 Adds Personal Finance
MENLO PARK, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- Quicken Investments and Loans: Quicken 4 for the Macintosh computer adds investment tracking and loan amortization, tracking stocks, bonds mutual funds, and more. It also calculates a loan's principal and interest.
With new features like investment tracking, loan amortization and graphs, version 4.0 of Intuit's popular Quicken financial software has expanded its handling of personal and small business finances.
Version 4's investment tracking applies Quicken's interface in tracking stocks, bonds, mutual funds, brokerage accounts and other investments. The interface is forms-based and allows users to see their exact portfolio mix and performance as of any date.
"It's much more of a complete program," says Eric Tilenius project manager for Quicken for Macintosh. "We now cover loans investments and financial planners." Quicken 4 also provides detailed capital gains, investment transaction and internal rate of return reports.
Loan amortization features include loan payment schedules, principal and interest calculation, and loan balances and interest paid updates. The program tracks fixed and variable rate loans, balloon payments prepayments and negative amortization.
Explaining the move to a fuller financial-management package, Tilenius says the company found that 45 percent of Quicken users were using the software for both personal and business finances, thus the company saw the need for more features related to both uses.
While there are new areas of financial management, the program is still for those seeking simple financial tracking tools. "Quicken is aimed at the broad market," he says. "It's really geared toward someone who's working with investments as part of their overall financial portfolio."
Quicken's graphing features provide users with point-and-click access to the numbers behind graph elements. "One big advantage [of Quicken's graphing] over a program like Excel is a feature called QuickZoom," Tilenius says. "You can just double-click on a graph element to see what numbers go into it."
New features designed to save users time include QuickFill IntelliCharge and Automatic Transaction Entry. With QuickFill Quicken recognizes newly entered characters from a previous transaction and fills in the rest of the new transaction automatically.
IntelliCharge works with the Quicken Visa Gold Card, which delivers statements electronically via disk or modem, automatically entering credit card transactions directly into the Quicken register for $3 to $5 per month.
Automatic Transaction Entry learns (from user-provided information) when and how often regular transactions occur and enters them automatically.
The suggested retail price for Quicken 4 remains $69.95. Upgrades are $29.95. Call Intuit at 415/322-0573 or 800/624-8742.
(Chris Oakes/19930727)
r 800/624-8742.
(Chris Oakes/19930727)
7/27/93
Quicken 4 Adds Personal Finance Features
APPLE
IBM Loses Again, Will Cut 35,000
ARMONK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- IBM has announced another quarterly loss and said it plans to cut 35,000 more jobs and reduce manufacturing capacity further.
At a New York press conference, IBM Chairman Louis Gerstner announced the company will take a pre-tax charge against earnings of $8.9 billion, or $8 billion after taxes, to cover further restructuring. Of this, he said, about $2 billion will cover the cost of staff cuts that have already taken place as more employees than expected left under incentive plans. Another $4 billion is earmarked to cover the cost of cutting the work force by a further 35,000. The remainder is to cover reductions in manufacturing and office space.
With the special charges, IBM lost $8 billion, or $14.10 per share, in the second quarter. Before the special charges, the loss was $40 million, or eight cents per share. This compares with net earnings of $734 million in the second quarter of 1992.
Revenue for the quarter was $15.5 billion, down 4.3 percent from the second quarter of last year, the company said.
The company also cut its dividend for the next quarter to 25 cents from 54 cents.
Gerstner said his first priority is to return IBM to profitability, and he expects that the moves announced today will do the job.
IBM has taken "the actions that we thought were necessary to make the company profitable," he said, and if those assumptions are correct IBM should start making money without further cuts. He would not discuss the assumptions behind the latest moves saying they were very complex.
He said the second priority is to make IBM more competitive through several actions. The company is emphasizing adherence to standards. "We're going to interconnect with everybody," Gerstner said. It is becoming more aggressive in the important client/server computing market, he claimed, noting that 60 percent of installed AS/400 machines are acting as servers today.
Gerstner also said IBM means to continue to be "the only full service provider in the industry." And he added that a number of other actions are underway to boost responsiveness to customers.
In the longer term, he went on, IBM will focus on strategic issues aimed at ensuring its growth. Possible growth areas include microelectronics and the services business, he said.
Gerstner shied away from sweeping statements about strategy. "There's been a lot of speculation as to when I'm going to deliver a vision of IBM," he said, "and what I'm going to say to you it that the last thing IBM needs right now is a vision."
He was reluctant to talk about what he called "process," such as management and structural changes.
Responding to questions about IBM's rumored plans to reorganize its sales force, Gerstner said the company is talking to customers to determine their needs, and "we're going to organize our sales force to give the customers what they want."
Gerstner acknowledged that there is morale trouble at IBM as a result of the last few years' problems.
IBM also announced that Charles Knight, chairman and chief executive of Emerson Electric, has been elected to its board of directors. Stephen Bechtel Jr., chairman emeritus of Bechtel Corp., and J. Richard Munro, chairman of the executive committee of Time Warner, resigned, citing personal reasons.
(Grant Buckler/19930727/Press Contact: Rob Wilson, IBM 914-765-6565)
Press Contact: Rob Wilson, IBM 914-765-6565)
7/27/93
IBM Loses Again, Will Cut 35,000 More Jobs
Stratus, IBM Revise Relationship
MARLBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- Stratus Computer has announced changes in its marketing relationship with IBM, which resells Stratus hardware under its own System/88 label. Stratus also announced flat earnings for the second quarter.
Stratus officials said Stratus and IBM are making a transition from a worldwide agreement under which IBM sells Stratus Continuous Processing Systems under the System/88 logo to local reseller agreements between the two companies in various regions.
Such agreements already exist in Australia, Canada, Switzerland and Hong Kong, the companies said.
David Hayward, a spokesman for Stratus, said the move reflects a growing emphasis at Stratus on selling to specific vertical or geographic markets. He said general original equipment manufacturer (OEM) agreements, including the IBM one, are bringing in declining revenues.
Hayward said IBM continues to sell Stratus hardware as the System/88 for the time being, but the move will be toward forming relationships between the companies at a local level. This will let Stratus provide IBM with local service and support, he said.
Stratus does not expect the change to affect its revenues from the IBM relationship, Hayward said. He added that the company's revenues from the IBM connection have been declining since 1989 and are expected to continue doing so.
In 1989, Stratus' revenues from sales through IBM were $102 million or 30 percent of Stratus' revenues. In the first half of 1993 they were $8.1 million, or three percent of the total officials said.
Stratus also said it had net income of $13.5 million on revenue of $124.1 million in the second quarter, which ended July 4. Revenue was up six percent from $117.4 million in the same quarter of 1992, while net income was the same, the company said.
(Grant Buckler/19930727/Press Contact: David Hayward, Stratus 508-460-2796)
vid Hayward, Stratus 508-460-2796)
7/27/93
Stratus, IBM Revise Relationship
Hitachi To Sell HP PA-RISC In As
PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- Hitachi will sell Hewlett-Packard (HP) Unix workstations, mostly in the Asia Pacific area, thanks to a $100 million, five-year agreement between the two companies.
Both HP's Precision Architecture-Reduced Instruction Set Computing (PA-RISC) and the HP X stations were included in the deal as well as licensing of additional HP system software. This will not preclude Hitachi's sale of its own workstations however.
HP was first with the PA-RISC architecture in 1986. Hitachi has been aligned with HP since the companies first announced in July of 1989 their intention to cooperatively develop PA-RISC chips. Hitachi's own workstation is based on its own PA-RISC chip and the company is a member of the Precision RISC Organization (PRO). Later this year, Hitachi and other members of the PRO group will announce new PA-RISC chips and applications for those chips, according to HP representatives.
Earlier this year, the companies announced it would share development to improve performance and quality of the Open Software Foundation's (OSF) Distributed Computing Environment (DCE). Hitachi also has licensed the HP Openview network and system management software and Softbench, HP's framework for creating open, integrated software-development environments.
HP has reported its workstation business is growing at twice the average rate of any of its competitors, with an estimated 15 percent in unit volume between the company's first quarter of 1992 and the first quarter of 1993. The company claims its HP 9000 Series 800 is especially popular as evidenced by an increased unit shipment volume three consecutive years in a row.
Hitachi describes itself as the world's largest electronics and electrical equipment manufacturer. Hewlett-Packard is the third-largest computer company in the US and reported 1992 revenues of $12 billion.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930727/Press Contact: Jim Christensen Hewlett-Packard, tel 408-447-1678, fax 408-447-1734)
Packard, tel 408-447-1678, fax 408-447-1734)
7/27/93
Hitachi To Sell HP PA-RISC In Asia/Pacific
T ~
Video Market Avid For Avid - Ven
TEWKSBURY, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- Avid Technology Inc., maker of Media Composer 5.0 and other video and film editing hardware and software, has reported record revenues of $26.3 million for the most recent financial quarter.
Avid's revenues for the second quarter of 1993 represent an increase of 139 percent over the $11.0 million produced during the comparable period in 1992. Also for the second quarter of this year, the vendor's net income totaled $1.01 million, or $0.09 cents a share, up from $363,000, or $0.04 per share, for the same quarter last year.
"We are very proud of these results, which reflect the continued acceptance of our products," stated Curt Rawley, president and CEO.
In announcing the financial gains, though, officials also pointed to the shipment of several new offerings at the end of the quarter and noted that bringing new products to market requires heavy investment on Avid's part.
Avid's second quarter rollouts included a new generation of the Media Composer digital nonlinear editing system with Version 5.0 software. Also introduced were Version 2.0 of the Audio Vision digital audio workstation, Version 1.1 of the Media Pro desktop digital editing package for the corporate/industrial market, and a new series of Digital News Gathering products for the broadcast news industry.
"We believe we will have to continue to spend aggressively to keep pace with rapidly changing technology and increasingly competitive markets. As a result, our challenge will be to maintain the balance between meeting our short-term objectives and positioning the company for long-term growth," commented Rawley.
Avid employs more than 350 people worldwide. The company's products are currently in use at over 1,800 sites, officials said.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930727/Press contacts: Ned Hazen, Avid, tel 508-640-3211, or Mimi Englander, Avid, tel 508-640-3157)
tel 508-640-3211, or Mimi Englander, Avid, tel 508-640-3157)
7/27/93
Video Market Avid For Avid - Vendor Reports Record Results
BUSINESS
Zeos Closes 2Q With $3.4M Loss
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- Zeos International closed its second quarter with a net loss of $3.4 million, or $0.40 per share on net sales of $52.7 million. It's the second quarter in succession that the personal computer maker has lost over $3 million, but an improvement over the same period last year when net sales were $4 million less and the net loss was $11 million.
The company said its year-to-date pretax operating loss and net loss decreased by $13 million and $6.2 million respectively for the first half of 1993 compared to the same period last year, and attributed the improvements primarily to increased efficiencies in its manufacturing processes and being able to decrease operating overheads. Overhead was down by $885 thousand compared to the first quarter of the year, and by $3.6 million compared to the 1992 second quarter. Year-to-date operating overhead declined by $5.5 million from the first half of 1992.
Zeos Chairman and CEO Greg Herrick says the financial results were affected by the intense industry competition, but points out that revenue growth continued over the same period last year while overhead expenses dropped by 30 percent. He said the company has no outstanding short term borrowings or long term debt. Herrick says unit productivity per employee increased by 87 percent while sales per employees were up 70 percent over the same period in 1992.
Zeos says its sales mix is about 74 percent desktop products, 15 percent notebook computers, and 11 percent from non-system revenue. That's an increase of about four percent for desktop systems while notebook sales were up one percent and nonsystem revenues dropped about three percent.
Zeos launched its 486SL-based Contenda subnotebook and its Freestyle notebook computers during the second quarter. Both systems were initially launched as 386SL systems. Zeos also introduced its ColorNote 486, a 486SX-based 33 megahertz color notebook unit during the period.
HOUSTON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- Compaq Computer Corporation says it will sponsor a worldwide technology conference and exhibition to highlight technology and look at the future of computing.
The event, dubbed Innovate '93, will be held at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston from September 13 through September 17. Keynote speakers will include Compaq President and CEO Eckhard Pfeiffer, Intel Corporation President and CEO Andy Grove, Microsoft Corporation Executive Vice President Steve Ballmer, and Novell President Ray Noorda.
Other computer industry luminaries scheduled to participate in the more than 120 specialized seminars include Stewart Alsop editor-in-chief of Infoworld; Infoworld columnist Cheryl Currid; columnist and author John Dvorak; Computer Reseller News International Editor Holly Hubbard Sr.; and Marshall Loeb, Fortune Magazine managing editor.
Other participants include Jim Louderback, director of PC Week Labs; Bill Machrone, columnist and vice president, technology at Ziff Davis Publishing; Seymour Merrin, president of Merrin Information Services; Ron Peri, chief technology officer of Ultimate Corporation; and Andy Seybold, editor of Outlook on Professional Computing.
Compaq says Innovate 93 will have about 60,000 square feet of exhibit space that will spotlight products from company such as Apex Data, Angia Communications, Banyan, Borland, Digiboard, Informix Intel, and Key file. The exhibitor list also includes Lante Microsoft, Next Computer, Novell, Oracle, Piiceon, Powersoft Quarterdeck, Sybase, Univell, Viewstar, and Wordperfect. Compaq will be showing the latest technologies from its Desktop, Portable Systems, and Peripherals divisions.
Compaq says it expects the attendance at Innovate '93 to go as high as 5,000. A Compaq spokesperson told Newsbytes general attendees who make their reservation before August 6 will pay $600, while the per person fee for each attendee in a group of more than five from a single company is $550. For specific pricing, Compaq has toll-free number for event registration or for more information.
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- Microsoft Corporation said today that Windows NT and the Windows NT advanced server software has been released to manufacturing, putting the long-awaited software one step closer to shipping.
Microsoft says the Windows NT Advanced Server operating system software is being released 30 days ahead of schedule, and both products are now scheduled to ship to value-added resellers, systems integrators, computer manufacturers, and software retailers within three weeks.
Paul Maritz, Microsoft senior vice president of the systems division, says Windows NT is one of the largest software projects ever undertaken, occupying developers for more than four years to produce the first truly new personal computer operating system to appear since IBM's OS/2. Microsoft Windows is not an operating system, but rather a link between the user and the underlying DOS (disk operating system) that has been the heart of millions of PCs. Users who install Windows NT will no longer have to have DOS installed. Windows NT is expected to be available for three different chip architectures and will run on single and multi-processor systems.
Microsoft says Windows NT was tested by more than 70,000 developers and over 10,000 corporate end-user sites, and has been in use internally at Microsoft for two years as a development platform and as the corporate server platform. The company says it also subjected daily builds of Windows NT to heavy stress testing in order to locate and potential "bugs," or coding problems.
Microsoft says it has already shipped more than 70,000 Windows NT development kits, and that over 2,000 32-bit applications for Windows and Windows NT are being developed for release over the next few months.
As reported by Newsbytes, a number of software companies have already said they will ship their NT- based products concurrently with, or within 30 days after the shipment of Windows NT.
(Jim Mallory/19930727/Press contact: Collins Hemingway, Microsoft Corporation, 206-882-8080; Reader contact: Microsoft Corporation 206-882-8080 or 800-426-9400)
t: Microsoft Corporation 206-882-8080 or 800-426-9400)
7/27/93
Windows NT Goes To Manufacturing, To Ship In 3 Weeks
Aldus Acquires Digital Video Sof
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- Aldus Corporation announced it has acquired The Company of Science & Art (CoSA) a privately held developer of digital-video software tools used to create and manipulate multimedia moving images and graphics on personal computers.
Aldus President Paul Brainerd says the acquisition is important because its extends Aldus' strategic focus on professional graphics. Brainerd says Aldus will use CoSA's development expertise and core technology to accelerate the pace of its multimedia product introductions and its entry into electronic publishing.
Aldus spokesperson Brad Stevens told Newsbytes the company will eventually release a separate product that would perform layout tasks that allows the user to combine text and graphics with sound and video to create a new electronic form of communications. He said Aldus will also provide workgroup tools that will allow teams of people to assemble documents.
Stevens told Newsbytes that Aldus is interested in digital media and transmission of data over fiber optic cable and via cellular technology. "That will allow our users to communicate in a different way. Instead of just producing documents for print they will be increasingly producing communications which include not only text and graphics but also sound and motion."
Providence, Rhode Island-based CoSA was founded in 1990 and has 14 employees, whom Stevens says will be retained. Its flagship product is the $1,295 CoSA After Effects Macintosh-based video post-production software used to create broadcast-quality digital special effects and animation.
After Effects has been used by both Industrial Light & Magic and Paramount Pictures. It has been used in work on the current movie hit "Jurassic Park." Principal Engineer Enrique Godreau says the software can produce digital effects and animation equal in quality to those produced on high-end computer systems costing $100,000 or more. Godreau says the company will continue evolution of After Effects, and expects several related-product announcements later this year.
CoSA also developed and markets PICS Animation Compiler, software technology that allows users to compress and play digital-video and animation on a microcomputer.
Aldus says it has acquired all shares of CoSA, its complete product line, all source, copyrights, and trademarks, for an initial payment of $1.6 million in cash and Aldus common stock. Additional $1.6 million payments are tied to specific CoSA performance objectives and other contingencies over the next two years. Aldus says it will take a one-time charge against third-quarter earnings of up to $2.3 million, or 13 cents per share. CoSA will operate as a subsidiary of Aldus, and will remain at its present location.
Brainerd stresses the importance of CoSA's core technology, saying it will help Aldus establish its position in the electronic publishing business. "I don't believe print communications will go away in our lifetime," according to Brainerd.
Multimedia is a relatively recent computer technology which incorporates text, motion video, sound and still images, usually stored on a CD-ROM (compact disc read-only memory) due to the typically large size of the files.
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- Motorola says it will build a $1 billion semiconductor research lab and wafer fabrication plant in Austin, Texas to met the strong and growing worldwide demand for its microprocessor and memory semiconductor products.
The company says the new facilities will add about 700 jobs to its workforce at the Ed Bluestein Campus in Austin. Construction is scheduled to begin immediately. The lab is scheduled to be completed in 1995, and the fabrication plant, called MOS-14, to be finished the following year. The cost of both facilities is estimated in the range of $850 million to $1 billion.
Motorola spokesperson Jeff Gorin told Newsbytes that, when finished, the facility will have 90,000 square feet the Class 1 clean room space, making it about 15 percent bigger than the present MOS-11 wafer fabrication plant on Motorola's Oak Hill campus located in southwest Austin.
Senior Vice President and Director of Manufacturing Bill Walker says the new facility will fabricate semiconductors using .25 micron circuits on eight-inch wafers, eventually including parts with geometries as small as .12 microns. It will include state-of-the-art environmental protection systems and equipment such as sulfuric acid reprocessors and waste-water recyclers.
(Jim Mallory/19930727/Press contact: Jeff Gorin, Motorola Corporate Communications, 602-952-3854)
in, Motorola Corporate Communications, 602-952-3854)
7/27/93
Motorola Building $1 Billion Semiconductor Complex
GENERAL
Nat'l Semi Files To Bar Mitsubis
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- National Semiconductor has not only filed a lawsuit against Mitsubishi charging patent infringement, the company has gone to the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) and filed a complaint. The company says it has been negotiating for two years with Mitsubishi for a cross-licensing agreement of its patented semiconductor technology, but negotiations broke down last Friday and so it is now attempting to use legal means to stop the Japanese electronics giant.
National asserts that Mitsubishi is using the technology covered by ten patents-in-suit in a wide variety of semiconductor devices. These devices include as dynamic random access memories (DRAMs), static random access memories (SRAMs) erasable programmable read only memories (EPROMs) microcontrollers and analog circuits, as well as packaging and wafer processing technology.
Not only is National trying to stop Mitsubishi from importing its products in these categories, it is trying to get a ban in the US on any products imported that contain the Mitsubishi devices. These products could include computers, communications systems, and automobiles. The patents listed in this action are part of a large intellectual portfolio which includes both National and Fairchild Semiconductor technology inventions National maintains.
While litigation through the courts can take years, National representatives said it expects ITC to make a ruling within eighteen months as to whether or not the Mitsubishi devices and the "downstream" products containing these devices will be allowed into the US markets. "We've been very successful in negotiating cross-licensing agreements in the past with other Japanese companies, and we would still prefer to do that here as well," said Mary Ann McKay of National. McKay said the cross-licensing agreements prohibit her disclosing the names of other companies who have such agreements with National.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930727/Press Contact: Mary Ann McKay National Semiconductor, tel 408-721-2646, fax 408-245-9655)
l Semiconductor, tel 408-721-2646, fax 408-245-9655)
7/27/93
Nat'l Semi Files To Bar Mitsubishi Devices From US
Apple To Offer HP DAT Drives Via
PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- Apple Computer will include Hewlett-Packard (HP) 4-mm digital audio tape (DAT) drives as an option for those who purchase its newly announced Apple Workstation Server 80 computer. The inclusion of the drives is due to an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) agreement between Apple and HP.
The HP DAT drive, HP 35480A, can provide as much as 4 gigabytes (GB) of storage, depending on the data being compressed. Apple's new workstation servers can have drives as large as 1000 megabytes, or about 1 GB, meaning the DAT drive can easily handle backups of the server since these tapes can store as much as 4 GB of compressed data.
While DAT drives tend to be more expensive in price than other tape backup drives, they hold more data and the tapes used to store the data are very economical. The typical DAT drive costs around $1,000 but tapes for the drive can run from $10 to $20 each. Other tape backup drives can cost as little as under $200, but the tapes are $20 each and the capacity is one-fourth that of the average DAT tape drive.
Analysts at International Data Corporation claim the HP DAT drives hold the largest market share worldwide with 43 percent of the market.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930727/Press Contact: Irene Economou Hewlett-Packard, tel 408-447-7371, fax 408-447-1734)
ett-Packard, tel 408-447-7371, fax 408-447-1734)
7/27/93
Apple To Offer HP DAT Drives Via OEM Agreement
APPLE
Claris Intros ClarisImpact, Clar
Y SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- There is a continuing trend among software vendors to introduce products for both the Macintosh and Windows platforms. Now Apple's own Claris Corp., has introduced two graphics applications ClarisImpact and ClarisDraw - designed for both environments.
In announcing, what the company calls, a new cross-platform strategy, Daniel L. Eilers, Claris president and chief executive officer, said, "Many business users have told us they need high levels of intelligent assistance embedded within their graphics applications. Claris intends to meet their needs with a family of cross-platform solutions providing breakthrough capabilities."
The company says that ClarisImpact for Macintosh and Windows integrates the process of creating, editing and communicating business graphics. ClarisImpact automatically creates seven types of common business graphics, such as organizational charts data charts and timelines. The user can make style choices from a selection of pre-defined styles, and the graphic is automatically created. Word processing and presentation capabilities are built-in.
ClarisDraw for Macintosh and Windows is a drawing program that replaces MacDraw Pro and MacDraw II. It offers over 75 new features to the approximately 800,000 MacDraw customers. The company says that ClarisDraw is designed for "graphics generalists who need a broad range of tools for creating freeform art, technical drawings, flyers, floor plans or light desktop publishing."
Claris Draw offers such capabilities as "advanced" text handling and image editing, as well as "built-in intelligence for precision and increased productivity." A 3,400 piece drag-and-drop clip art library is also included.
ClarisImpact for Macintosh is set to ship this fall. ClarisDraw for Macintosh is set to ship in the first quarter of 1994. Both products have a suggested retail price of $399. ClarisImpact and ClarisDraw for Windows are scheduled to ship in the first half of 1994, also at the price of $399.
Registered owners of MacDraw Pro can upgrade to ClarisDraw for $99, or buy ClarisImpact for a special price of $99. Registered users who purchased MacDraw Pro after June 1, 1993 can upgrade to ClarisDraw for $29.
(Ian Stokell/19930727/Press Contact: Greg Cornelison 408-987-7542, or Steve Ruddock, 408-987-7202, Claris Corp.)
-987-7542, or Steve Ruddock, 408-987-7202, Claris Corp.)
7/27/93
Claris Intros ClarisImpact, ClarisDraw For Mac/Windows
APPLE
Sybase Opens Belgium Subsidiary
i BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- The European market is aggressively being pursued by Sybase. Five months after opening a subsidiary in Spain, client-server software publisher Sybase Inc., has opened a new European subsidiary - Sybase NV/SA - this time in Belgium.
The subsidiary was formed through the acquisition of Sybase Software NV/SA, a former Sybase distributor.
This company says that the acquisition is part of Sybase's "aggressive expansion plan in Europe," and makes Sybase NV/SA Sybase's third acquisition in 1993, and eighth European subsidiary.
The company intends to market and support Sybase products throughout Belgium and Luxembourg with the new subsidiary which is located in Brussels.
In February 1991, Sybase and BIM NV/SA formed a joint venture under the name Sybase Software, to distribute Sybase products. According to Sybase, BIM has been a distributor of Sybase products since 1987. Through Sybase's recent acquisition of BIM shares Sybase Software became a wholly owned subsidiary of Sybase.
Bernard Geubelle has been named as managing director of Sybase NV/SA and BIM will continue its relationship with Sybase. However BIM will now be a systems integrator for France, Belgium Luxembourg, and Holland.
In announcing the subsidiary, Rob Albers, vice president, European operations at Sybase said, "This acquisition is Sybase's fifth new subsidiary in Europe since July 1992. Acceptance of client/server technology is growing at a rapid pace in the European market. While we are providing Sybase systems, we're also providing the service and support necessary to help our customers successfully implement client/server solutions while preserving long-term investments."
Sybase says it was first established in Europe over five years ago and now has eight subsidiaries in Belgium, Switzerland, Spain Italy, France, Germany, Holland and the United Kingdom, with 14 distributors throughout the rest of Europe.
In February, Newsbytes reported that Sybase had opened a subsidiary company in Spain, called Sybase Iberia.
In June, Newsbytes reported that the Macau government is using Sybase client-server technology to develop a central database of legal documents that can be accessed by users in some 40 different government offices around the territory.
ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- The ASK Group has restructured its North America channels strategy for its Ingres relational database management system (RDBMS) and tool products, by quadrupling the number of people dedicated to indirect channel operations.
Additionally, the company says that the new program has the company reducing channel conflict through new compensation strategies and offering a global partner assistance program targeted to helping ISVs (independent software vendors) and VARs (value-added resellers) enter new markets worldwide.
The company claims that the new program puts the company at the forefront of a growing trend among RDBMS vendors to strengthen their indirect sales efforts as competition for client/server business intensifies.
A May 1993 Forrester Research report says that revenues from turnkey business applications for client/server environments will grow to $6 billion by 1995 - more than doubling the sales of database server and tool products alone.
In announcing the restructuring, Peter Micciche, vice president of operations for The ASK Group North America, said: "Today's corporate information managers demand sophisticated systems solutions for their client/server environments. And because client/server business solutions will by definition incorporate technologies from numerous vendors, VARs and system integrators will be the primary solutions providers, especially in such key vertical markets as telecommunications, government, and manufacturing."
Continued Micciche, "Our new channel strategy recognizes this basic fact, and eliminates the barriers to providing complete and productive business solutions through indirect as well as direct sources."
ASK has increased the number of people that concentrate on the indirect channel in North America from 10 to 41.
The company's new compensation strategies are based on broad measures of relationship success - such as how well VARs and ISVs integrate Ingres into their products - rather than short-term revenue, says the company.
The company hopes to eliminate channel conflict altogether, with the new compensation program rewarding direct sales people for all sales, regardless of the channel. The company says that, as a result, direct sales representatives are encouraged to work through system integrator and VAR partners to ensure delivery.
The new channels program includes assistance for VARs and ISVs who want to leverage international opportunities in Europe Japan and the Pacific Rim, including the use of facilities overseas introductions to key partner and customer prospects, and cooperative software development efforts for vertical markets.
At the beginning of July, Newsbytes reported that ASK had begun shipments of a new release of its Ingres/Gateway to Digital Equipment's Rdb relational database management system.
(Ian Stokell/19930727/Press Contact: John Humphreys 510-748-3550, The ASK Group Inc.)
ohn Humphreys 510-748-3550, The ASK Group Inc.)
7/27/93
Ask Group Restructures Ingres Channel Program
BUSINESS
BoCoEx Index
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- Boston Computer Exchange for the week ending July 23, 1993.
Machine Main Closing Price Ask Bid
Drive Price Change
IBM PS1 386SX/25 130 MgB 850 900 750
IBM PS/2 Model 70-A21 120 MgB 875 950 800
IBM PS/2 Model 56SLC/20 120 MgB 1050 1300 900
IBM PS/2 Model 55SX 60 MgB 650 800 700
IBM ThinkPad 500 80 MgB 2000 2000 2000
IBM ThinkPad 700 80 MgB 1850 2400 2000
IBM ThinkPad 700C 120 MgB 3500 down 100 3600 3500
IBM V\P 3/25T MOD. 80 80 MgB 1500 1600 1500
IBM PS/2 Model 90-OH9 160 MgB 1700 1700 1600
IBM PS/2 Model 95-OJF 400 MgB 3000 3300 2700
Compaq Prolinea 4/66 340 MgB 2000 2150 2000
Compaq Prolinea 486/50 240 MgB 1450 1500 1200
Compaq Portable 386 100 MgB 650 800 600
Compaq SLT-386 120 MgB 925 950 850
Compaq LTE-286 40MgB 600 700 600
Compaq LTE-LITE 3/25 120MgB 1350 1450 1200
Compaq LTE-LITE 4/25C 120MB 3450 3600 3400
Compaq SysProXL 1.02 8,100 12,500 6,000
Compaq Syspro 486/50 Mod 1 6700 8500 6500
Compaq Prosigna 486 /33 550 MgB 3500 3800 3350
Compaq Prosigna 486/66 1GiG 6000 6300 6000
Compaq DeskP 486DX2/66i 240 MgB 2100 2400 1900
AST Prem Exec 386SX20 40 MgB 675 750 650
NEC UltraLite 25C 80 M0gB 2000 3400 3300
NEC UltraLite Versa 20C 80 MgB 2850 2950 2800
Zenith Mastersprt-386SX 60 MgB 800 900 800
Zenith SuperSport 386SX 40 MgB 650 800 650
Macintosh Classic 40 MgB 575 600 550
Macintosh Classic II 40 MgB 700 DOWN 50 750 700
Macintosh SE 40 MgB 550 DOWN 25 600 550
Macintosh SE-30 80 MgB 950 DOWN 100 1050 900
Macintosh LC 40 MgB 1000 1300 800
Macintosh II 40 MgB 1250 1300 1250
Macintosh II SI 80 MgB 1200 1300 1200
Macintosh II CX 80 MgB 1400 DOWN 50 1450 1400
Macintosh II CI 80 MgB 2050 DOWN 100 2150 2000
Macintosh II FX 80 MgB 2500 DOWN 100 2650 2400
Macintosh Quadra 800 230 MgB 3750 3800 3700
Macintosh Quadra 950 230 MgB 3400 3500 3300
Macintosh Powerbk 165C 80 MgB 2200 DOWN 200 2300 2100
Macintosh Powerbk 145 40 MgB 1250 DOWN 200 1350 1100
Macintosh Powerbk 180 80 MgB 2700 DOWN 225 2800 2700
Apple Imagewriter 2 200 ` 225 175
Apple Laserwriter IINT 875 DOWN 25 900 850
HP Laserjet II 675 700 650
HP Laserjet IIISI 2200 2300 2000
Toshiba T-1200 20 MgB 350 375 350
Toshiba T-1600 40 MgB 525 575 500
Toshiba T-2000 SX 40 MgB 700 800 700
Toshiba T-2000 SXE 40 MgB 800 900 750
Toshiba T-2200 SX 40MgB 750 800 700
Toshiba T-3100 20 MgB 400 400 400
Toshiba T-3200 40 MgB 450 DOWN 100 600 400
Toshiba T-3200 SX 40 MgB 575 DOWN 25 650 500
Toshiba T-4400 SXC 120 MgB 2550 2700 2400
Toshiba T-4400SX 120 MgB 2000 2200 1900
Toshiba T-4400C 200 MgB 3525 3700 3500
Toshiba T-5200 100 MgB 1200 1300 1100
BoCoEx Index data is compiled by Market Analyst, Gary M. Guhman
Here are some current retail-oriented Seats on the Exchange, presented in a cyclic basis.
Dallas - Ft. Worth, TX - DFW Computer Exchange - M.B. Lee - 817-244-7833
Escondido, Ca. - Affordable Computer Solutions - Dean Jacobus - 619-738 4980
New Orleans, Louisiana - Audubon Computer Rental - Mike Barry - 504-522 0348
Detroit, Michigan - CompuCycle - Walt Hogan - 313-887-2600
Albuquerque, NM, Western Computer Exchange - David Levin - 505-265-1330
Fresno, California - MacSource Computers - Mike Kurtz - 209-438-6227
BoCoEx Index prices are based on complete systems with keyboard, VGA monitor and adapter, less the value of any software or peripherals. Boston Computer Exchange is available at: 617-542-4414, Buyer's HotLine: 1 800-262-6399, In Alaska and Canada 1-800-437-2470, FAX: 617-542-8849.
(BOCOEX/19930727)
COEX/19930727)
7/27/93
BoCoEx Index
BUSINESS
Apple's Newton To Support PC/Mac
UXBRIDGE, MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- As the information tap starts to flow at Apple Computer and from third-party vendors who support the Newton personal digital assistant (PDA), which is scheduled to be unveiled next week, Apple Computer UK has revealed plans to release a Newton Connection Kit (NCK).
According to Apple, the NCK will allow data to be moved between the Newton and a PC or an Apple Mac, using semi-intelligent software that will allow intelligent transfer, synchronization, backup and updating for information between the two machines.
The NCK is based upon Apple's claimed unique "Smart Synchronization" technology that automatically updates information between the Newton and a PC or a Mac. Any changes made to the information on the Newton or the personal computer will be synchronized and updated when the two machines are connected.
Interestingly, the Newton side of the NCK is programmed to keep track of deleted information and keep a copy of it on the personal computer "just in case" it is needed later.
The NCK comes with a set of complimentary Newton applications that allow users to create, view and edit Newton information on a Mac or a PC, even when that machine is not connected to a Newton. This information can be automatically synchronized and updated between the personal computer and the Newton the next time they are connected.
In addition to this, the NCK is designed to enable users to backup their Newton information to the personal computer's hard disk for safe keeping and, if required, to move back on to the Newton if a full restore is required.
According to Apple, there are plans in hand to develop a "professional" version of the NCK that includes additional information translation capabilities.
These new information translators will enable users to directly share their Newton information with popular Windows and Mac graphics, word processing, spreadsheet, database and personal information manager (PIM) applications, Apple claims.
Mike Tchao, Apple's Newton product line manager, claims that the NCK is a significant improvement on the handheld to desktop connectivity packages on the market today.
"We have designed the Newton environment around the concept of integrated communication. The NCK demonstrates that we have create a platform that can intelligently communicate and co-exist with both the PC and the Macintosh," he said.
Pricing on the NCK will be announced at the launch of the Newton in the US next week and a month later, when the machine is expected in the UK and Europe.
(Steve Gold/19930727/Press & Public Contact: Apple Computer - Tel: 081-569-1199)
ess & Public Contact: Apple Computer - Tel: 081-569-1199)
7/27/93
Apple's Newton To Support PC/Mac Seamless Connections
APPLE
Digital Quill Awards Competition
Lotus Alliance With Staffware
STAINES, MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- Lotus Development Corporation has announced a worldwide alliance between itself and Staffware, a division of FCMC, the London-based office automation specialists.
The idea behind the agreement is to bring together Lotus Notes, the client/server applications environment for workgroups and Staffware a workflow automation package from FCMC.
According to Lotus, Staffware allows users of Notes to share common data and pass messages between the two environments; invoke Notes from Staffware and vice versa; and use Notes as the Staffware form where required.
Under the alliance between the two companies, Notes will be integrated with Staffware's workflow automation package. The roll out of Lotus Notes 3.0 in recent months has, Lotus claims, created a market for users to incorporate both Notes and Staffware in their organization.
Lotus also claims that any companies interested in running both packages in conjunction will be able to do so with the availability of the new interface in the third quarter of this year. Plans call for packages containing the new interface to be distributed to more than 30 countries through Staffware's worldwide reseller network, as well as Lotus' international sales outlets.
Mike Fitzpatrick, the director of Lotus' European Communications Business Unit, said that, as Notes becomes more widely used throughout organizations, "our customers are asking us to ensure that we work with other `best of breed' technologies throughout the world."
"Workflow is certainly key component of our users; applications and as such, we are delighted to be announcing our partnership with Staffware. Notes users can take maximum advantage of the additional Staffware workflow capabilities," he said.
(Steve Gold/19930627/Press & Public Contact: Lotus Development Tel: 0784-455445)
s Development Tel: 0784-455445)
7/27/93
Lotus Alliance With Staffware
BUSINESS
h Staffware
NatSemi Intros Twisted-Pair FDDI
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- National Semiconductor says it is sampling the Twister and Cyclone networking products for the Physical Media Dependent (PMD) layer of twisted-pair FDDI (Fiber Distributed Data Interface).
Leslie Davis, spokesperson for the company, told Newsbytes that "This new technology has been developed to help lower the cost of FDDI. They have been developed specifically to run over unshielded twisted pair. The (products) would reside on an adapter card, which could go either into your desktop PC or a concentrator where a number of different computers are connected in an office network."
The Twister is the transceiver for twisted-pair FDDI, and the Cyclone is the twisted-pair stream cipher scrambler/descrambler.
Davis also told Newsbytes, "The important thing about this, is that up until now, the technologies that have been developed for chips have been designed to run over fiber, which is a much more expensive medium for getting 100Mbps or very fast transmission of information."
In announcing the products, Jim Jones, manager of FDDI product marketing at National Semiconductor's Advanced Networks Division said: "We project, from our own bookings, a five-fold increase in adapter card sales between 1993 and 1994. People have been waiting for a standards-based, interoperability-proven, copper solution for high speed networks."
The two BiCMOS (bi-complimentary metal oxide semiconductor) integrated circuits offered are the Twister, which is a standards based transceiver, and the Cyclone, the standards-required scrambler/descrambler circuit.
According to the company, the Twister takes advantage of National's strength in mixed analog and digital technology and BiCMOS process expertise to provide the MLT-3 encoding required by the copper FDDI PMD standard. The Twister's on-chip adaptive equalization, is claimed to be unique, and allows reception of signals over any length of copper up to 100 meters in length. The company says that on-chip adaptive equalization means that no external tuning circuitry is required thereby increasing the reliability of FDDI connections and reducing manufacturing costs.
The company also says that the Twister also meets FDDI PMD draft standard requirements, and can be programmed to operate in NRZI mode to support such emerging standards as 100Mbps Ethernet and ATM (asynchronous transfer mode).
The Twister also includes on-chip filters that would normally be found on the transformer required in all copper LANs (local area networks), says the company.
The company says that, unique to the Cyclone, it sends and receives serial bit streams rather than the parallel bit streams found in some other devices. The serial feature of the Cyclone reportedly allows manufacturers to offer modules with the same footprints and pinout as optical datal links (ODLs), which can be used by designers as a direct replacement for ODLs without requiring board re-design.
The DP83223 Twister is priced at $18 each in lots of 1,000, while the DP83222 Cyclone is set at $11.75 each in 1000 lot quantities. Both are sampling now and are scheduled to be in volume production by September 1.
(Ian Stokell/19930727/Press Contact: Leslie Davis 408-721-5000, National Semiconductor)
Leslie Davis 408-721-5000, National Semiconductor)
7/27/93
NatSemi Intros Twisted-Pair FDDI Twister, Cyclone
GENERAL
New Credit-Card-Size Motherboard
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- Seiko Epson and its privately held affiliate S-MOS Systems have announced a 386 personal computer (PC) motherboard that is the size of a credit card. The company says it will show off the tiny Cardio system board at the Integrated Circuit (IC) Card Expo in Santa Clara, California this week.
Epson says the main market for the Cardio is in industrial applications such as factory automation and navigation systems but says the card might also be used in handheld computers.
Joel Silverman, S-MOS System's director of marketing said: "The card increases design possibilities by enabling OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) to incorporate a general purpose PC into a wide variety of applications such as point-of-sale (POS) terminals, portable equipment, video cassette recorders (VCRs) facsimile machines, vending machines and other devices."
Cardio is IBM PC AT compatible and measures 85.6 millimeters (mm) by 54.0 mm by 5.5 mm or roughly the size of a credit card. The microprocessor, an Intel 80386SL low-voltage chip, is in a tape carrier pack (TCP) and with an input/output (I/O) controller is mounted to the card using tape automated bonding (TAB) technology. The memory devices on board are in thin small outline packaging (TSOP). Other integrated circuits (ICs) are assembled with chip-on-board (COB) technology. A new 236-pin connector interface was developed to support functions on Cardio, including industry standard architecture (ISA) and I/O ports.
In addition, the card's on-board chip design provides direct support for peripheral devices, such as liquid crystal display (LCD), hard and floppy disk drives, and keyboards. CARDIO versions using 8086 chip technology and 80486 microprocessor units (MPUs) that incorporate industry standard architecture (ISA) interfaces or the proprietary Epson All-in-one System Interface (EASI), are also in development.
The development of other Cardio motherboards based on other microprocessors leads to Epson's biggest selling point -- easy upgradability. Because all main motherboard components are housed in a single card, systems incorporating this technology can be easily and quickly reconfigured simply by replacing the card. Epson also claims the Cardio saves product development time and resources because the packaged design allows OEM system manufacturers and vendors to concentrate on the development of system I/O ports and dedicated circuits.
The Cardio will be available in full production quantities beginning in October, Epson added.
S-MOS Systems Inc. designs, develops and markets custom and semicustom ICs and board-level products, and a variety of standard ICs for low-power applications in desktop and smaller computing systems. The company also provides contract manufacturing services through corporate affiliate, Seiko Epson.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930727/Press Contact: Dan Beck, S-MOS Systems, tel 408-922-0200; Kathleen Buczko, Manning, Selvage & Lee, tel 818-509-1840, 818-509-1972)
ning, Selvage & Lee, tel 818-509-1840, 818-509-1972)
7/27/93
New Credit-Card-Size Motherboard From Epson Demo'd
TRENDS
Computer Sciences Reports Revenu
EL SEGUNDO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- Known for its large government contracts and last year's allegedly over billing of the Environmental Protection Agency reported first quarter earnings up 13 percent over the same quarter last year. The company reported earnings of $18.2 million, or $1.07 per share, before the effect of an accounting change, in its fiscal first quarter, up from last year's $16.1 million, or 96 cents per share, on a greater number of shares outstanding.
The company lost the remaining two years of an EPA contract for which it was accused over over-billing about $13 million in 1992. The EPA announced last summer it decided not to exercise the final two years of the $347 million, five-year contract due to a Congressional investigation. Representative John D. Dingall (D MI), chair of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight, was quoted as saying that he had never before seen such dominance of an agency by a contractor.
CSC reported its revenues rose slightly, from $605.1 million to $608.1 million and said the rise was due to solid growth in the commercial sector, partially offset by a modest decline in federal revenue. William Hoover, CSC's chairman and chief executive officer said CSC reached settlements on July 16 with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Civil Division of the Department of Justice concerning a contract with the EPA. The settlements include payments totaling $2.1 million and the lifting by the agency of a temporary suspension it had imposed on June 21 prohibiting a CSC business unit from bidding on new federal contracts. The payments were $1 million to the EPA and $1.2 million to the Civil Division of the Justice Department for alleged misstatements made during the bidding process, CSC representatives said.
Hoover said CSC's federal revenue is expected to resume growth in the second half of the year. CSC has already announced it will negotiate a seven-year software development contract worth about $16.8 million with NASA to design, develop and install software for NASA's Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility at the Huntsville, Alabama Marshall Space Flight Center.
Headquartered in El Segundo, California, CSC describes itself as a $2.5 billion company with revenues divided equally between federal and commercial markets, and 26,000 employees in 300 office locations, principally in the United States and Europe. The company says it offers information technology services including business reengineering and management consulting systems development and integration, and systems operations and outsourcing.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930727/Press Contact: Bill Lackey, Computer Sciences, tel 310-615-0311, fax 310-322-9805)
Computer Sciences, tel 310-615-0311, fax 310-322-9805)
7/27/93
Computer Sciences Reports Revenue Up, EPA Ban Lifted
BUSINESS
Computer Associates Extends Free
ISLANDIA, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 27 (NB) -- Computer Associates has reached its goal of a giveaway of one million free copies of Kiplinger's CA-Simply Money and since response is still overwhelming, will give away more for the next 100 days, the company reports.
The announcement on June 8 that CA would give away one million copies of the program prompted hundreds of thousands of calls the company's chairman, Charles Wang, says. "We've heard from so many people who thought the giveaway ended long ago that we felt it only fair to keep the phone lines open a while longer."
Through November 4, CA will keep open its 1-800-FREE MONEY line 24-hours-a-day to accept calls. Callers need to pay a $6.95 shipping and handling charge.
Designed for computers equipped with Microsoft Windows 3.1 Kiplinger's CA-Simply Money offers financial management and assists with mortgages and refinancing of investments, household help and payroll, college tuition, retirement, taxes, and debt. Also Kiplinger Financial Advisor is built-in. The program also offers the ability to print personalized checks, record electronic payments, update stock portfolios by modem, and track investments and the value of home improvements.
(Wendy Woods/19930727/Press Contact: Bob Gordon, 516-342-2391)
ds/19930727/Press Contact: Bob Gordon, 516-342-2391)
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- Centrum Communications Inc., has announced that its CentrumRemote remote server will support remote access networking for Apple Computers' PowerBooks as well as the company's other computer products within multiprotocol enterprises.
According to the company, the combination of the AppleTalk Remote Access Protocol (ARAP) with Centrum's network server CentrumRemote, allows users of Apple computers to access enterprise-wide network resources as if they were directly connected to the corporate network.
Kevin Gallagher, spokesman for the company, told Newsbytes that CentrumRemote, "Allows a laptop or PowerBook user to access an enterprise local area network via telephone lines. Remote access or remote networking, is a new emerging, relatively hot marketplace."
CentrumRemote is claimed to be the only hardware server to provide PowerBooks and Macintoshes remote networking support through the same multiprotocol server used for IBM PCs and Unix users.
The new software release will support ARAP version 1.0, and the company has also announced plans to continue development in concert with Apple's plans to support ARA over Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP).
Gallagher told Newsbytes that the announcement is actually "an offering of AppleTalk capabilities. Up to now the product only (worked with) PC users. Now it works with the Macintosh and Apple PowerBooks as well."
In addition to AppleTalk Remote Access Protocol, CentrumRemote also supports Banyan Vines, DECNet, Novell's IPX (Internetwork Packet Exchange), NetBEUI, TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/ Internet Protocol), and XNS (Xerox Network Services).
Gallagher told Newsbytes that "The CentrumRemote is a 19-inch rack-mount server. It has an i960 RISC processor in it. And it sits on the corporate or host side (of the network). There is sophisticated software within the server. Then each laptop user has software as well that allows you to point-and-click on an icon - it does automatic dial-up. It actually fakes the network into thinking that the laptop is a node on the network. It almost emulates a network interface card."
In announcing support, David Helfrich, Centrum's vice president of marketing, said, "CentrumRemote is the only server that fully addresses the needs of the enterprise network manager, and with the addition of ARAP, offers the broadest protocol support as well as security and network management."
The company says that, residing directly on the network CentrumRemote comprises specialty hardware optimized for remote access, and software for network management and end-user access. CentrumRemote can support both multiple users and multiple protocols from one server.
Said Gallagher to Newsbytes, "The companies charter is to allow virtually all protocols to access the enterprise regardless of either side's capabilities. It is one of the last links in providing full connectivity."
The company also says that no dedicated phone lines, modems or computers are required at the corporate site.
The new version of CentrumRemote is implemented through a software upgrade and is set to ship in September 1993. Pricing begins at $3,495 fora four-port configuration, $4,495 for eight ports, and $6,295 for a 16-portunit.
(Ian Stokell/19930727/Press Contact: Kevin Gallagher 510-865-4963, Centrum Communications Inc.)
Gallagher 510-865-4963, Centrum Communications Inc.)
7/28/93
Centrum Intros AppleTalk Support For CentrumRemote
APPLE
Ungermann-Bass & Raylan In Fiber
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- The trend towards bringing fiber optic technology to the desktop continues. Sometimes this entails OEM (original equipment manufacturing) deals between companies. Now Ungermann-Bass and Raylan Corp. have announced such a relationship.
Laura Irwin, spokesperson for Ungermann-Bass, told Newsbytes that, "Raylan designed a fiber optic media converter for us - its an OEM agreement. And we are incorporating that with our Access/One network hub - to bring fiber to the desktop. It is sold separately by Ungermann-Bass."
The ASP840 media converter is incorporated into Ungermann-Bass' Virtual Network Architecture (VNA) and adds fiber functionality to the Access/One 10Base-T modules (ASM320/ASM324) product family and Ethernet switching module, DragonSwitch. The media converter connects the 10Base-T modules and the DragonSwitch via a 50-pin telco connector.
Also, the media converter is claimed to be integrated with Ungermann-Bass' NetDirector network management system to provide over 30 port-level statistics and supports the IEEE 802.1F threshold and gauges standards. The converter is also reported to be fully compliant with the IEEE 802.3 Fiber Optic Inter-Repeater Link (FOIRL) standard.
In announcing the deal, Surya Panditi, general manager of the Access/One business unit at Ungermann-Bass, said: "Customers can now cost-effectively implement fiber optic cabling to interconnect Access/One hub backbones as well as run fiber-to-the-desk by installing the ASP840 media converters. Not only can we offer more flexibility in wiring choices, but by integrating the converters under the VNA umbrella and with NetDirector, the customer benefits from much greater management capability."
D'Arcy Roche, president and founder of Raylan, said, "A healthy percentage of Ungermann-Bass customers have expressed interest in enhanced fiber Ethernet connectivity, and we're workingwith Ungermann-Bass to deliver a cost-competitive solution to satisfy this demand."
According to the company, the ASP840 is a 12-port system enclosure that supports four-port fiber and twisted-pair interface modules. The fiber interface module provides ST receptacles while the twisted-pair interface module is equipped with RJ45 receptacles.
Each interface module is claimed to be "hot swappable" and can be removed or inserted without affecting the other installed modules increasing network uptime and supporting more flexible maintenance and troubleshooting, says the company.
The company also says that, as per the FOIRL standard, the media converter supports fiber links up to a distance of one kilometer. In addition, 10Base-T twisted-pair links up to 100 meters on Type 3 cable are supported. The system also features an auto sensing power supply that will operate at the correct local AC within an input range of 100V to 240V.
The ASP840 enclosure can be mounted in a 19-inch telco rack, or toa wall with mounting ears to provide system compatibility with rack- or wall-mounted Access/One enclosures.
The ASP840 is scheduled for availability in August 1993. The ASP840ENC Media converter system enclosure carries a list price of $299; the ASP840ST Fiber converter module with four ST ports is set at $1,995; and the ASP840RJ45 Twisted-pair converter module with four RJ45 ports costs $125
(Ian Stokell/19930727/Press Contact: Laura Irwin 408-987-6509, Ungermann-Bass)
ontact: Laura Irwin 408-987-6509, Ungermann-Bass)
7/28/93
Ungermann-Bass & Raylan In Fiber Optic OEM Deal
BUSINESS
Artisoft Offers 900 Number Enhan
TUCSON, ARIZONA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- In an increasingly competitive marketplace, many software publishers are concentrating on after-sales support as a way to help distinguish their wares from rival products. Now Artisoft Inc., has implemented a new telephone service that provides "priority" technical support, in addition to the company's free technical support service.
Adriana Gomez, spokesperson for the company, told Newsbytes that, "We support our resellers as well as our end users. So we like to have that first channel of communications to our dealers as well as the end users. Some of them occasionally need a priority service and that's why we came out with a '900' number."
Artisoft is best known for its LANtastic peer-to-peer network operating system. The company says that, using this new phone line - 900-555-8324 - for a cost of $2.50 per minute, Artisoft end users and resellers in the domestic United States can receive a "quicker response to their request fortechnical assistance."
The company also says that this line is in addition to Artisoft's current free, unlimited telephone technical support line, at 602-670-7000, and its on-line BBS at 602-884-8648. The company also offers support via facsimile at 602-884-8665 on CompuServe by typing "GO ARTISOFT," and on AppleLink at ARTISOFT.TS.
Gomez told Newsbytes that she envisions quite a demand for the 900 service, which is already available. "We've had a few calls (on the number) already. It looks like it has been pretty well received by people who like the idea of being able to have (answers) right away. Perhaps they are at a client's site or on their way out of town -they can call the priority service and get help right away."
Artisoft networking products that will be serviced by the new priority line include the LANtastic network operating system (DOS andWindows), the LANtastic/AI network, the Central Station connectivityprocessor, the Articom modem-sharing software and the LANtastic Z network.
Technical support will be available on the new priority line between the hours of 7 am and 5 pm, Mountain Standard Time.
Technical support for Artisoft's Connectivity Series and other networking products such as the LANtastic for TCP/IP connectivity software, the LANtastic for Macintosh connectivity system, the LANtastic for NetWare software, and the ArtiScribe NetMedia document and dictation system will continue to be supported through the current free, unlimited technical support line, says the company.
In announcing the new support line, Dave Hallmen, Artisoft's vice president of sales & marketing, said, "In keeping with Artisoft's commitment to supporting all users, we have provided this priority line that will give prompt technical assistance during time-critical situations. Now customers can choose between using this new priority line or receiving free, unlimited technical support with our main line."
(Ian Stokell/19930727/Press Contact: Joe Stunkard 602-670-7145, Artisoft Inc.)
Contact: Joe Stunkard 602-670-7145, Artisoft Inc.)
7/28/93
Artisoft Offers 900 Number Enhanced Tech Support
GENERAL
Zilog's New Microcontroller Offe
CAMPBELL, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- Zilog Inc., has announced a new microcontroller that the company claims provides safe system operation features for low-cost consumer, industrial control, and automotive applications.
The company says that the Zilog Z86C07 is designed for applications such as integrated control units for automobiles, battery charge units, and small appliances in the consumer market.
The company claims that, through the combination of the Z86C07's on-board power-on-reset (POR), watchdog timer, and low voltage protection circuitry, a fail-safe system can be attained.
Low-voltage protection, sensing "brown-out" conditions that occur when batteries age and are replaced, holds the microcontroller in a known safe reset state until voltage is restored, says the company. This low-voltage sensing capability works in conjunction with Zilog's proprietary on-board POR circuit to guard against a malfunction when battery voltage falls below normal operating levels.
The watchdog timer circuitry will time out and reset the microcontroller when software strays outside the bounds of normal operations, returning the device to a normal operating state. The company claims that, because the watchdog timer oscillator/ clocking circuits are separate from the Z8 MCU circuitry, consumer products using the Zilog Z86C07 operate with greater overall safety and reliability.
The Z86C07 operates over an extended temperature range of -40 degrees C to+105 degrees C, and includes two kilobytes (KB) of ROM and 128KB of RAM. It functions at clock speeds of eight and 12 megahertz (MHz). Two comparators are also incorporated along with two programmable eight-bit counter/timers each with a six-bit programmable prescaler, six vectored priority interrupts from sixdifferent sources, and 14 input/output lines.
The Zilog Z86C07 is now available in 18-pin DIP (dual in-line package) and SOIC packaging options for $1.45 each in OEM (original equipment manufacturer) quantities. A development kit that includes hardware and software samples designed to speed up the design cycle is also available.
Just recently, Newsbytes reported that Kawasaki Steel had linked with Zilog concerning the joint development of ASICs (application specific integrated circuits). Kawasaki Steel agreed to provide its KC80 technology to Zilog.
In April, Newsbytes reported that Zilog was expanding its wafer production facilities in Nampa, Idaho, because of triple growth in the last eight years. The company said it would invest $200 million to expand its existing Idaho facility.
(Ian Stokell/19930727/Press Contact: Chris Bradley 408-370-8246, Marketing Communications)
act: Chris Bradley 408-370-8246, Marketing Communications)
7/28/93
Zilog's New Microcontroller Offers Safe System Operation
GENERAL
UK - Dataease Gets Into Consulti
ILFORD, ESSEX, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- Dataease International has announced the acquisition of Sapphire UK's specialist consultancy business, Sapphire Consultancy Services.
Sapphire was Dataease's distributor operation in the UK until last year, when Dataease International acquired the company. This latest move follows on from that acquisition and, according to Dataease International, is a natural progression.
The main reason for the acquisition was, according to Dataease after observing that many of its competitors, who were increasingly leaving service provision to third parties, found that the support offered was inadequate for customers' more advanced requirements.
The new Dataease division, which will be known as the Dataease Professional Services Division, is headed worldwide by John Grieg former technical director of Dataease International. According to Grieg, 90 percent of the division will comprise of former Sapphire employees, with additional resources drawn from the Dataease International Advanced Technical Services Group.
Plans call for the Professional Services Division to focus on high end client-server and local area network (LAN) systems, with a special emphasis on IBM mainframe and mini database servers Oracle, Sybase, and Microsoft Server
"Some of our competitors have recently announced they are defocusing from services and leaving it all to third parties. As a strategy, that's a pretty limited approach," commented Alistair Trickett, Dataease International's marketing manager. "The problem comes at the very high end, where customers are looking for advanced expertise to help maximize their investment in mission critical systems," he said.
"Apart from the shortage of quality third parties operating at this level, this is the sort of support that requires ownership of the core technology and direct access to the research and development team behind it," he said.
According to Trickett, this is where Dataease's Professional Services Division comes into the frame, acting as a "natural" extension to the company's policy of certifying third parties in the areas where they are strong and the providing complementary services to fill the gaps.
"Dataease customers are therefore assured of a continuum of high quality services to meet all their needs, from single user personal databases through to enterprise-wide, mission critical client/server solutions. In fact, we regard services as so important that we fully expect they will account for 20 percent of our revenue in the near future," he said.
(Steve Gold/19930727/Press & Public Contact: Dataease International - Tel: 081-554-0582; Fax: 081-518-4150)
el: 081-554-0582; Fax: 081-518-4150)
7/28/93
UK - Dataease Gets Into Consulting
BUSINESS
Fujitsu Europe Unveils Two Compa
WEST DRAYTON, MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- Fujitsu Printer Products of Europe has launched two new compact six pages per minute (ppm) A4 office laser printers. According to the company both units provide high speed processing of fonts and graphics under Windows.
The two new lasers - the VM600 and the VM600E - are fitted with an internal processor - the AMD 29200 - which is specifically designed to cut down on printer processing time under Windows applications even when complex graphics are combined with pictures and text.
The VM600 comes with one megabyte (MB) of RAM, 14 bitmap and eight scalable fonts, as well as serial and parallel interfaces. Standard emulations are HP Laserjet III, Epson, and IBM Proprinter. The printer can be enhanced to Postscript capabilities using an optional expansion kit that includes TrueImage emulation, 36 Truetype fonts, an Appletalk interface and up to 5MB of extra RAM using standard in-line memory module (SIMM) technology.
Trueimage emulation comes as a standard feature on the VM600E model, which has 2MB of RAM with 14 bitmap, eight scalable and 14 Truetype fonts. Using an optional kit, the Appletalk interface and another 22 Truetype fonts can be added; the input buffer can also be boosted to 6MB of RAM.
Both printers handle paper from B5 to A4 sizes, and come with an automatic sheet feeder, 150-page input bin and a 100 sheet face down stacker as standard. Input capacity can be boosted by adding an optional 250 sheet second bin.
Print resolution on both units is 300 dpi, although Newsbytes notes that Fujitsu is using an image resolution enhancement system to make 300 dpi produce crisper graphics. The Fujitsu system is, Newsbytes understands, similar to the HP system, although the Japanese giant calls it, "Fine Art technology."
Reiner Kratz, marketing communications manager with Fujitsu Printer Products of Europe, said that the VM600 and VM600E retail respectively, for UKP780 and UKP985.
"We're targeting the VM600 series at the busy office environment. They are small, fast, produce quality output and can suit a wide range of applications because of the choice of fonts, emulations and expansion options that have been included. With Windows becoming more and more prevalent today, their faster processing of Windows documents will also contribute to the printers' attractiveness to office users," he said.
(Steve Gold/19930727/Press & Public Contact: Fujitsu Europe Tel: 081-573-4444; Fax: 081-813-7371)
tsu Europe Tel: 081-573-4444; Fax: 081-813-7371)
7/28/93
Fujitsu Europe Unveils Two Compact 6ppm Lasers
GENERAL
UK - New Vehicle Anti-Theft Netw
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- Securicor Datatrak is set to announce an "install and run" vehicle tracking and immobilizer system, known as Trakbak. The system, which is installed by Trakbak Limited, costs UKP760 for installation and a year's airtime, and uses the Securicor Datatrack packet radio network.
The idea behind the service is to offer a reliable method of tracking vehicles with high value consignments, such as cash tobacco, or even computer chips. If the vehicle is stolen or lost then the police can track its location, speed, and direction of travel very easily, claims the company.
If necessary, the equipment can be triggered to immobilize the vehicle. With suitable equipment at their premises, the vehicle's owners can also track the vehicle as a matter of routine.
The system is being launched in response to the increasing pressure from the government and the insurance industry for private and commercial vehicle owners to increase their levels of effective vehicle security. According to British government figures, an astonishing 625,000 vehicles were stolen in the UK last year. Around 200,000 of these were never recovered.
The Trakbak "black box" can be covertly installed in most vehicles and, since the Datatrack system covers around 95 percent of the UK the vehicle's position can easily be monitored. Securicor, a parent company to Securicor DataTrack, has been using the technology for several years, and claims to have saved around UKP10 million as a result.
Steve Perham, Trakbak's business development director, claims that the security industry has been under pressure for some time from insurance companies and car manufacturers to come up with an integrated immobilizer/tracking device both as a deterrent and as a means of recovering stolen vehicles.
"Not only have we delivered the first on the market, but it also combines two tried-and-trusted technologies. Immobilizers have proved to be effective and Securicor Datatrack has been tracking thousands of vehicles nationwide of years, resulting in the recovery of multi-million pound loads as well as fleet vehicles. We foresee a strong demand for the product," he said.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- The weekly news magazine Time will be available electronically through America Online starting in September.
The Vienna, Virginia-based on-line information service will offer the full text of the current issue of Time, plus searchable back issues, starting this fall. Initially, graphics and charts will not be included, but there are plans to add them later, said Amy Arnold, a spokeswoman for America Online.
The service will also include on-line forums with journalists who work for Time, allowing readers to discuss the news with those who cover it. It will also let readers write letters to the editor and send them directly from their PCs.
For those who sample the magazine through America Online but decide they prefer hard copy, the system will also accept orders for subscriptions to the paper version.
Officials of Time said the deal will make the magazine the largest available on an interactive basis and the only news magazine publishing an on-line version of its current issue.
Each issue of Time will become available on America Online on Sunday afternoon, which is earlier than the magazine arrives on the news stands, officials said.
Current subscribers to America Online will have access to Time at the cost of connect time, Arnold said, as there is no premium charge for the service. Subscribing to America Online costs $9.95 per month, which includes five hours of free connect time per month. Additional connect time is $3.50 per hour.
(Grant Buckler/19930727/Press Contact: Robert Pondiscio, Time 212-522-5196; Jean Villaneuva, America Online, 703-883-1675; Public Contact: America Online, 800-827-6364)
blic Contact: America Online, 800-827-6364)
7/28/93
Time Magazine To Appear On America Online
TELECOM
New Software Brings Database Pub
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- "Lots of organizations have been downsizing, but there still aren't very many database publishing tools that can be used on the desktop," stated Tony N. Domit, president and CEO of Document Sciences Corp.
To help fill that gap, the San Diego-based Xerox subsidiary has just ported its CompuSet 6.0 document composition and assembly software from the mainframe, VAX, and Unix environments to Windows, at the same time introducing the CompuSeries suite of Windows-based document design and prototyping tools.
End users will not be installing CompuSet and CompuSeries on their home PCs, but they can expect to see some major changes in the insurance policies, product catalogs, newsletters, and other documents that crop up in their mailboxes, noted Domit speaking with Newsbytes during a visit to Boston.
"We draw a distinction between 'desktop publishing' and 'database publishing,'" commented the company chief. CompuSet and CompuSeries are geared to insurance firms, banks, retailers, and other organizations that pour out hundreds of thousands of pages or more per month, generally from information stored in large databases, he said.
CompuSet uses a rules-based language to speed publishing of these documents. The software imports and merges information from a variety of page description, word processing and database languages, converts data into Compuset's content-independent publishing format, and produces finished pages for output to a range of multivendor printers and image setters.
One organization, a PPO (preferred provider organization) in southern California, has reduced production time from several weeks to a couple of days by switching from traditional desktop publishing and offset printing methods to using CompuSet on the VAX, the CEO said.
In the process, the PPO has been able to replace its thick provider directory with a series of briefer documents, tailored to specific geographic areas. Each of the new documents supplies detailed information on medical specialists in the health care consumer's own community, along with a short summary of providers elsewhere in southern California.
According to Domit, CompuSet's newly announced PC port, and the CompuSeries tools, will bring database publishing to the departmental level, resulting in more frequent updates and a greater prevalence of customized documents.
The new CompuSeries tools are aimed at letting the people who actually create the documents get the pages ready for production without relying on MIS (management information systems) professionals for assistance.
One tool in the series, CompuSpec, allows departmental users to determine CompuSet styles for documents, he said. CompuSpec is intuitively organized into functional areas that represent the formatting elements of the document, such as bullets, boxes headers, and text blocks. Within each area, the user can define the CompuSet formatting tags that will be used in the final document. A page simulation window lets the user see the effects of the attributes applied to each tag.
Another tool, CompuMerge, lets the user describe the position and attributes of any variable information - such as the name and address in a form letter, for instance - that is to be merged with the page during production. The variable information is kept independent of the page boilerblate, for easy reuse in customizing any number of documents.
Once the style has been developed and the merge elements are ready for production, a third tool - CompuBuild - comes into play. CompuBuild permits the user to view the document exactly as it will appear in production, and make interactive modifications to text, style, and data tagging. The tool includes a text editor extensive search and replace, a spell checker, multi-buffer cut/copy/paste, and key bindings.
Domit told Newsbytes that some CompuSet users, mainly within government, have been building maps between CompuSet and the format-independent SGML (Standard Generalized Markup Language) document description language. Next year, Document Sciences will introduce a new version of CompuSet that will take care of the SGML mapping step automatically, he said.
The upcoming update of CompuSet will also act as a server to the existing CompuSeries tools, supplying a full-fledged client-server solution, he claimed.
CompuSet has its roots in XICS, an application Xerox first introduced back in 1982. Document Sciences spun off from Xerox as a separate subsidiary in 1991, launching CompuSet 6.0 early in 1992 and initial ports to Unix later that year. Version 6.0 imports pages produced in TIFF, PostScript, HP PCL, Metacode IMG, RES, and the Xerox XES, Interpress, and Metacode page description languages.
Through the CompuPrep option, CompuSet users with some programming background can develop custom conversion programs that will automatically tag information from outside databases word processors, and other formatting systems.
In the Unix arena, CompuSet now runs on Sun, IBM RS 6000, and NCR. "We're just getting ready to port to Data General, and we'll probably have that done by the end of August. We're also interested in working on (Unix-based) products for Hewlett Packard and DEC," the company president said.
Also in 1993, Document Sciences will probably bring out an edition of CompuSet for Windows NT, Domit told Newsbytes. "We'll be starting some experiments shortly to look at OS/2. But we have no plans for Macintosh, and no plans for Motif," he added.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930728/Press contacts: Frederick Reynolds Phyllis Grabot or Susan Shippey, Capital Relations for Document Sciences, tel 818-889-9100)
l Relations for Document Sciences, tel 818-889-9100)
7/28/93
New Software Brings Database Publishing To Desktop
GENERAL
Micrografx Ships Designer 4.0 Fo
RICHARDSON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- Micrografx Inc. is now shipping release 4.0 of its Windows-compatible graphics illustration program Designer.
The company says the latest version of Designer includes a bitmap editor with more than 30 special effects, a slide show utility, and a CD-ROM disk that contains more than 13,000 ClipArt images.
Color enhancements include Trumatch, Pantone, and Focoltone color-matching systems for more accurate color creation. There is also a new color palette that allows the user to mix custom colors and an advanced color separation utility to accurately adjust and correct color and generate four-color separation from any Postscript file, maintains the company.
The Windows-based illustration program also includes three-dimensional drawing capabilities, precision symbol creation and editing to one micron, and a more streamlined interface that includes an interactive tool ribbon and a hint line.
Micrografx Chairman and CEO J. Paul Grayson says the company has spent two years re-tooling its technology base to ensure it will continue to develop what Grayson calls "best-of-breed" graphics applications. "Designer 4.0 represents a new generation of software from Micrografx. The advanced features in Designer 4.0 only begin to scratch the surface of the new technology Micrografx has developed."
Designer 4.0 has a suggested retail price of $695. Registered users of full versions of Designer can upgrade for $149.95. To run Designer 4.0 users will need at least a 386-based PC with four megabytes (MB) of RAM, at least 10MB of available hard drive space VGA or better video, and a mouse. To take advantage of the clip art selection, you will also need a CD-ROM drive.
WEST DES MOINES, IOWA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- CE Software Holdings Inc., plans to ship a new version of its Quickeys desktop automation software next month.
Quickeys 3.0 is scheduled to ship August 16, despite the flooding problems residents of the area are experiencing. CE Software spokesperson Sue Nail says the company is operational despite the flooding.
CE Software Vice President and Quickeys lead engineer Donald Brown says the new release represents hundreds of hours of planning as well as the results of market research with present and potential users.
The company says the new release includes a redesigned user interface and enhanced shortcut recording methods. Quickeys automates frequently used actions in both applications and Apple Computer's Macintosh operating system by storing the keystrokes and mouse actions that execute the actions in what are commonly referred to as "macros".
A "trigger" key combination is assigned by the user, and when pressed, replays the keystrokes. The new release is open scripting architecture (OSA)-compliant and can interact with other OSA compliant products such as AppleScript and Frontier. It is that capability that makes Quickeys a powerful tool, according to Ford Goodman, CE Software president.
A feature called Instant Quickeys walks the user through an interview of how they use their computer, creating dozens of shortcuts for the delegation of tasks such as application and desk accessory launching, selecting server volumes or printers, typing text, or dialing a phone number. The user can also assign the macros to function keys on an extended keyboard and can map a numeric keypad on a Powerbook keyboard.
The company says Quickeys 3.0 will have a suggested retail price of $169. If you are a registered user of Quickeys 2.1.2 or later you can upgrade to version 3.0 for $49.95. Users who upgrade by the end of September will get a $10 discount off the $49.95 price. Registered users of earlier versions can upgrade for $79.95. The upgrade prices are good until the end of November.
The company sells two companion products, Prokey for Windows and Prokey for DOS, to automate repetitive tasks on computers running under DOS or Windows. CE Software recently announced it is shipping Powerpak, a collection of software that provides file and document management, a calendar publishing application, and Prokey.
(Jim Mallory/19930728/Press Contact: Sue Nail, CE Software Holdings Inc, 515-221-1801; Reader contact: 515-221-1801)
5-221-1801; Reader contact: 515-221-1801)
7/28/93
Quickeys 3.0 For Mac To Ship Next Month
APPLE
UK - Free Guide To Tape Backup
ADA Expo 93 Big Hit In DC
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- Although political heavy hitters Vice President Gore and Senator Dole were too tied up with the budget fight and Midwest flooding, no one at this first ADA Expo appeared to miss them anyway.
Both exhibitors and attendees with whom Newsbytes spoke expressed satisfaction with the first two days of the exposition and trade show related to helping companies and government agencies comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, better known to many as the ADA.
Newsbytes Washington bureau chief, John McCormick, gave a speech on Tuesday afternoon and shared an exhibition booth with Maridean (Mari) Shepard. Mari (MARI.S) moderates the disABILITIES Information Services Online RoundTable and Database on GEnie and was the first to begin such a service on a commercial BBS (bulletin board system). Mari is hosting a nightly live on-line roundtable on GEnie with some show attendees and exhibitors at 9 pm.
President Clinton expressed strong support for the ADA Expo and the First Lady has been invited to visit, as the expo and speaker series continues through Thursday, July 29.
Nearly 80 exhibitors - ranging from General Electric (which owns GEnie) to MCI and the US Forest Service - either showed products or showcased how they were accommodating disabled individuals either in accommodations or as employees.
John Williams, former publisher of the SAINT (special needs newsletter) and current publisher of the new Assistive Technology News and one of the ADA Expo's organizers, told Newsbytes that they selected The Washington Hilton as the conference site because it is fully accessible. Newsbytes verified that the hotel has TDDs.
Exhibits will be open again today but closed Thursday, while the conference sessions began Monday and will continue through Thursday afternoon.
(John McCormick/19930728/Press Contact: John Williams tel 301-445-4400 or fax 301-445-5722)
5-4400 or fax 301-445-5722)
7/28/93
ADA Expo 93 Big Hit In DC
GENERAL
Nortel Matra To Supply MCI Digit
CORRECTION - 1,500 Developers In
CORRECTION - PC Retail Sales Pre
NatSemi Intros Twisted-Pair FDDI
ADA Expo 93 Big Hit In DC
GEnie disABILITIES Forum Takes A
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- Maridean (Mari) Mansfield Shepard, operator of the GEnie BBS (bulletin board system)-based disABILITIES Information Services, Online RoundTAble, DataBase, and Equal Access Cafe BBS, is not only exhibiting at this week's ADA Expo 93 held at The Washington Hilton, she also put many of the conference exhibitors on-line last evening and will do so again at 9 pm (East Coast time) Wednesday evening on GEnie.
Among Mari's guests last night was deaf magician/comedian Ken Glickman, who also operates the Deaf New World BBS at 301-587-2277 or FidoNet 1:109/468.
The file generated from last night's six guests and those who interacted with them on-line will soon be available on GEnie probably by Wednesday evening.
Another of Mari's guests on Tuesday evening was a representative of Microflip, the company that sells an innovative and inexpensive TDD/modem card for PCs.
Mari (user name MARI.S) told Newsbytes that she has several on-line guests already lined up for tonight and expects to have even more guests confirmed after the ADA Expo 93's exhibit area closes later in the day.
(John McCormick/19930728/Press Contact: Mari Shepard disABILITIES Information Services, 818-899-1598 voice or TDD, MARI.S on GEnie.)
es, 818-899-1598 voice or TDD, MARI.S on GEnie.)
7/28/93
GEnie disABILITIES Forum Takes ADA Expo Online
TELECOM
ADA Expo 93 - Philips Demos Adva
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- A representative of Philips, who was sharing the MCI booth at the ADA Expo 93 exhibition and conference held this week at The Washington Hilton in Washington DC, is exhibiting a very interesting new combination Caller ID, 500-name phone directory, modem, and text telephone/TDD (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) executive telephone which will carry a list price well under $1,000.
The approximately 10-inch-square P100 Philips Screen Phone is a desktop telephone with a 16-line, 40-character LCD (liquid crystal display) screen, standard handset, speakerphone, mute, hold auto-redial, and four speed-dial buttons. However, a full chiclet style keyboard is also hidden inside the unit in the form of a slide-out tray that disappears into the unit when not in use.
Since the 55-key QWERTY keyboard is only meant for entering data into the telephone's directory memory or for occasional TDD use the small keys appear to be adequate for most users' needs.
This powerful system is operated by an Intel 8086-compatible microprocessor with memory expandable to four megabytes (MB). It also includes a standard PCMCIA-1 (Personal Computer Memory Card Interface Association) slot for adding memory, a smart card reader station, auxiliary parallel printer output port, and a 9,600 bits-per-second (bps) fax, in addition to the standard 2,400 bps modem.
Although the system initially uses a non-backlit LCD screen, the individual representing the product told Newsbytes that the addition of a backlit LCD is planned for the near future.
(John McCormick/19930728/Press and Public Contact: Information Access Systems, 404-728-9554 voice/TTY or fax 404-728-9572)
ccess Systems, 404-728-9554 voice/TTY or fax 404-728-9572)
7/28/93
ADA Expo 93 - Philips Demos Advanced TDD/Caller-ID Phone
GENERAL
3D Microcomputers Intros Multime
MARKHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- 3D Microcomputers, a manufacturer and distributor of PCs and related products, has announced a lower-cost version of its multimedia ready PC.
The IPC486CD/FXi is a personal computer with a compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM) drive built in, plus a stereo sound card, and external speakers. 3D describes it, and a slightly more powerful version called the IPC 486CD/FX, announced last month as "multimedia-ready."
Like the IPC 486CD/FX, the new machine has an Intel 486SX microprocessor, but the FXi's chip runs at 25 rather than 33 megahertz (MHz). The standard package includes four megabytes (MB) of memory and a 120MB hard disk drive, plus a Super VGA monitor and display adapter.
Chuck Yeung, vice-president of marketing at 3D, said the multimedia-ready machines are aimed at home rather than business applications. They are meant to give home and small business users a sense of what sound hardware and CD-ROM can do for them he said.
Like the earlier model, the new system will come with a bundle of CD-ROM titles, though the list is slightly different. The IPC CD/FXi will come with: Microsoft Bookshelf '93, a collection of seven popular reference books; the multimedia edition of the Microsoft Works for Windows integrated software; Family Doctor; and Beauty and the Beast.
The suggested retail price is C$1,949, compared to C$2,579 for the CD/FX.
3D is focusing on the Canadian market, Yeung said, but is also looking at the United States. Sales in many international markets will have to wait until the CD-ROM titles bundled with the machines are available in other languages, he added.
(Grant Buckler/19930728/Press Contact: Chuck Yeung, 3D Microcomputers, tel 416-479-8822, fax 416-479-7688)
ers, tel 416-479-8822, fax 416-479-7688)
7/28/93
3D Microcomputers Intros Multimedia PC
WordPerfect 3.0 For Mac Goes To
DEC Expands Distribution Agreeme
MAYNARD, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- Working to shift more of its personal computer sales into indirect channels Digital Equipment Corp., has announced three new distribution agreements involving two major resellers and a systems integrator.
DEC signed new agreements with distributors Tech Data Corp., of Clearwater, Florida, and Gates/FA Distributing Inc., of Greenville South Carolina. It also signed with systems integrator EDS Corp. of Plano, Texas.
These deals follow close on the heels of a distribution pact with MicroAge Computer Centers Inc., of Tempe, Arizona. Digital also said it expects its sales through Merisel Inc., the world's largest publicly held computer products distributor, to increase in the coming year.
In fiscal 1993, which has just ended, about 30 percent of DEC's personal computer sales were through indirect channels, said company spokeswoman Michelle Hoey. In 1994 the company is predicting about a 50-50 split between direct and indirect, she said, and by the following year indirect channels are expected to make up about 70 percent of sales.
Hoey said Digital could not predict to what extent the shift would mean a net increase in sales.
Officials said Digital's Personal Computer Business Unit plans to make use of all "appropriate channel segments," and will choose a strategic player as an initial partner in each segment, then expand coverage with added agreements.
Tech Data will sell Digital's full line of Intel-based personal computers, networking products, mass storage systems, and terminals.
Digital broadened an existing deal with Gates/FA, which has been distributing DEC's local and wide area networking products since last summer. Gates/FA will now also sell Digital's entire Intel-based PC line.
Digital announced a systems integration agreement with EDS' Technical Products Division, which specializes in distributed technologies. The division will integrate and sell Digital's complete line of Intel-based PC products, as well as printers terminals, and networking products.
Digital expects to sign deals with other distributors and integrators in future, Hoey said. She added that the company also plans moves into other distribution channels, starting with an agreement with a computer superstore chain this fall, and followed later with a venture into mass-market retailing.
(Grant Buckler/19930728/Press Contact: Michelle Hoey, Digital 508-496-8972; Alysen Northern, EDS, 214-470-5083; Jerry Lumpkin Gates/FA, 803-234-0736; Elizabeth Cronin, Merisel, 508-485-4100; Charles Miller, Tech Data, 813-539-7429; Ann Videan, MicroAge 602-968-3168)
9; Ann Videan, MicroAge 602-968-3168)
7/28/93
DEC Expands Distribution Agreements
BUSINESS
Voice Processing Software Replac
PHOENIX, ARIZONA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- Syntellect Inc., says it has made deliveries of its first PC-based voice processing system that accepts instructions made by pressing keys on a touch phone. The software also recognizes simple voice commands.
Called VocalPoint, the software runs on an Intel 486DX-based 33 megahertz (MHz) personal computer under IBM's OS/2 operating system, and is LAN (local area network)-compatible. Syntellect says Vocalpoint can handle from four to 24 phone lines per module and modules can be connected to handle larger capacities.
Other features include analog-digital switch capabilities host connectivity options, a text-to-speech capability, voice messaging, and audiotext.
Scott Coleman, VP of Syntellect's PC products, said that one of Vocalpoint's strengths is its open architecture, as well as controller/terminal emulation in large departmental call centers.
Craig Sparkes, Syntellect VP of marketing, told Newsbytes the Vocalpoint voice messaging capability is more than a voice mail system. Vocalpoint can place messages in a supervisory box or a transaction area for action. Sparkes said that Vocalpoint's audiotext capability is twofold. "It is a broadcast capability where every time you dial a number you get a broadcast message. It is also a menu driven set of messages, so you can select what you want to hear." Vocalpoint can provide either capability.
Syntellect says voice processing technology can be used to enable callers to access information and execute transactions from a touch-tone telephone. The caller selects from a numbered menu in the familiar "press 1 for..." format or issues simple voice commands to perform operations that might otherwise require a human operator.
The company says example applications include retrieving bank account balances, paying bills, and transferring funds. Also, investors can gain access to stock prices, students can register for courses employees can obtain payroll or pension information, or consumers could access a wide range of entertainment, travel, weather or directory services.
Coleman said the program has an application generator that allows Vocalpoint customers to easily develop their own voice processing applications. Syntellect offers pre-packaged applications or will design a custom application. Coleman also said some third-party business partners are also developing specific applications such as 401(k) benefits management packages.
Vocalpoint pricing starts at $17,000 per module. Large scale, high volume applications are addressed with rack-mounted modules.
(Jim Mallory/19930728/Press contact: Mary Ann Johnson Syntellect, 602-789-2800; Reader contact: Syntellect, tel 602-789-2800, fax 602-789-2899)
act: Syntellect, tel 602-789-2800, fax 602-789-2899)
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- A Colorado Springs, Colorado-based company has introduced a desktop computer-based software program that captures and transmits photographic-quality still video images that can be used to reduce the time needed to perform tasks such as resolving engineering flaws.
Called Imagine, the Microsoft Windows-based system was developed by Interactive Image Solutions Inc., and consists of an image capture device such as an ordinary camcorder, CAD (computer-aided design) program, or scanner, a video expansion card, modem, and Imagine software. Once the image has been captured it can then be transmitted to another similarly equipped PC anywhere in the world that can be reached via a telephone line.
After the phone link between the two computers is established, a few mouse clicks sends the image. Once the sending and receiving PCs are displaying the still video image, users can communicate in real time using an interactive arrow, adding text, or making freehand annotations directly on the image with a mouse. The annotations appear on both screens simultaneously.
In a demonstration of Imagine for Newsbytes recently, IIS displayed a high quality image of a defective circuit board. Pointing to the defect with a mouse, a single click added a red arrow pointing to the defective area. The arrow can be rotated in 45-degree increments with another mouse click. The arrow appeared on both screens simultaneously. By holding the mouse button down, the I-beam pointer becomes a John Madden-like freehand drawing tool football fans will recognize that allows the user to draw, highlight or otherwise annotate the image.
If the image is captured with a camcorder, the user plays the video on the computer monitor until the desired image appears. A click on a pull-down menu captures the image for transmission. If you don't like the image you selected, you can play the motion video again until you get the picture you want. Pull-down menus perform other functions such as controlling hue, contrast, and brightness. When IIS showed Newsbytes an image of a soft drink can that was lightly scratched, the operator was able to make the scratches stand out using the controls.
IIS President Michael Schell told Newsbytes one of the applications for Imagine is to resolve quality control problems. Imagine a manufacturer discovers a hairline defect in a product. Instead of an engineer flying to the plant, or the part being returned to the designer, Imagine could have the factory representative and the engineer examining the defect together in a matter of minutes.
Imagine can not only transmit the images, it can also print a hard copy to a color or laser printer, or fax it. Images are stored in a JPEG-format compressed file, and can be exported to other file formats for use in word processing or database programs for documentation purposes.
IIS Marketing Administrator Jan Hruz told Newsbytes system requirements include Microsoft Windows and a 386 or better PC with four megabytes (MB) of memory and 14MB of hard disk space. Hruz said the Imagine software does not require that much disk space, but the user will need it in order to store the image files.
(Jim Mallory/19930728/Press and reader contact: Jan Hruz Interactive Image Solutions, 719-598-3894, fax 719-594-0925)
Desktop Still-Video Communications Software For PC
The Enabled Computer
Apple Intros Quadra 950 For Publ
India - HCL HP Wins Big Order In
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- HCL Hewlett-Packard Ltd., the Indian computer industry leader with a turnover of Rs 249 crore in 1992-93, has won an order from the Madhya Pradesh Electricity Board worth Rs 11.2 crore.
A part of the World Bank-funded project in India, the order comprises 45 Meteor minicomputers, 112 Busybee 486-based multi-user systems running Unix SVR4, 1,200 Busybee PC/XTs and 667 printers. The entire installation will be supported by the Sybase database management system.
The systems will be used for running a financial management system, a personnel management system, and CAD/CAM (computer aided design/manufacturing) applications such as power transmission and simulations of distribution logistics.
"The order sum excludes customs duty, excise and sales tax. If these were included it would be worth nearly Rs 20 crore," claimed Ajay Chowdhry, director of HCL HP.
In the current wave of deregulation by the Indian government the power public sector, like telecommunications and oil exploration, is one of the biggest modernization prospects and hence a lucrative target for information technology companies.
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930728)
n technology companies.
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930728)
7/28/93
India - HCL HP Wins Big Order In Public Power Sector
Nintendo To Produce Game Boy In
Canadian Firm Pleads Guilty To P
Indian - US-Based Gulf Publishin
BOMBAY, INDIA, 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- Hinditron Informatics Ltd. has been appointed the Indian distributor for Houston-based Gulf Publishing Co.'s chemical plant equipment design software products.
The Bombay-based company will sell over 30 packages ranging in price from Rs 20,000 to Rs 8 lakh. Packages being distributed include 3D/SIM for 3D petroleum reservoir simulation; Paula Natasha, and Simple, for surge analysis in pipelines; Triflex, for pipe stress analysis; Projocon, for project scheduling and management; Chemcalc 8, for centrifugal pump selection and rating; Chemcalc 15, for centrifugal compressor design and rating; Chemcalc 17, for emission analysis; Chemcalc 18, for underground storage and petroleum transportation analysis; and Instrucalc 3 for instrument and control element sizing.
Hinditron is also planning to introduce ChemShare Corp.'s MirrorModel systems into India. Hinditron has been distributing the US-based firm's products for over a decade. MirrorModel, a generic software for on-line optimization of process plants in real-time, is positioned for the petrochemical and refineries sector.
The systems, used as a modeling foundation for process Computer Integrated Manufacturing, are priced between "Rs 90 lakh to Rs 3 crore," said Ram N. Iyer, divisional manager of Hinditron.
Although no orders have been received yet, the firm is said to be negotiating with Madras Refineries Ltd.
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930728)
Madras Refineries Ltd.
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930728)
7/28/93
Indian - US-Based Gulf Publishing SIgns Distributor
BUSINESS
India - HCL HP & Siva Offer Loca
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- PCs based on a local bus architecture are the latest trend in the domestic Indian market.
Both HCL Hewlett-Packard Ltd., and Sterling Computers Ltd., have announced this architecture in their 486-based systems to score an edge over their rivals.
While Siva will provide an additional local bus card in all its AT 486 machines, HCL HP's Busybee, Oasys and Meteor range of PCs based on 486SX/DX and DX2 will include at least 2 VESA (Video Electronics Standard Association) local bus slots in addition to ISA (Industry Standard Architecture) slots.
Local bus architecture serves as an extension of the ISA/EISA (Extended ISA) bus, and opens up a 32-bit expansion 33 megahertz (MHz) pathway between the video subsystem and the main CPU (central processing unit). This becomes a major factor when running Windows programs. With the VL bus, HCL HP guarantees a three to eight times better response on Windows 3.1 than the AT bus VGA card.
The HCL HP systems which will now come out with VL bus slots will be priced five to 10 percent more than the previous systems.
Sterling provides the local bus architecture standard for all its 486-based machines. If separately purchased, upgrades from VGA to local bus will cost Rs 3,000 and IDE to local bus Rs 2,000 at Sterling.
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930728)
at Sterling.
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930728)
7/28/93
India - HCL HP & Siva Offer Local Bus PCs
Nintendo To Produce Game Boy In
Canadian Firm Pleads Guilty To P
UK - Softvision Intros Three Lot
India - Atomic Center Considers
BOMBAY, INDIA, 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- The Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC) is exploring the possibility of selling its technical knowledge of high security electronic locks to traditional lock manufacturers.
R.K. Nigam of the center's electronics systems division, said the electronic lock was designed by BARC about five or six years ago for in-house use. It has been modified for industrial use. Nigam said the electronic lock has tremendous export potential. It is suitable for security arrangements in high access control areas such as treasury houses, banks, and diamond retailers.
The entire locking operation is code-operated. Once a new code is programmed in, the old one becomes obsolete. While locksmiths have eyed the high technology system with interest, they have several reservations about it - not the least of which is the price. The lock is expected to retail for Rs 65,000 (around $2,200).
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930729)
s 65,000 (around $2,200).
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930729)
7/28/93
India - Atomic Center Considers Selling Lock Knowledge
GENERAL
Philips DCC Claimed As A Runaway
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS, 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- Philips Electronics claims that its digital compact cassette (DCC) system is starting to take off in a way that no-one could have predicted.
The company, which developed the original "compact cassette" in the 1960s and went on to co-develop the compact disc (CD) with Sony in the 1970s, claims that the take-up by consumers of DCC far exceeds the early take-up of CD technology.
Abraham Pasman, Philips consumer electronics marketing director claims that DCC has been a runaway success owing to its backwards compatibility with the original analog compact cassette. DCC tapes are the same size and shape as the C60s and C90s that we all load into our tape decks every day. The advantage of DCC, like digital audio tape (DAT), is that the recorded music retains every last nuance, no matter how many times the tape is copied, thanks to its digital nature.
According to Pasman, a million DCC players will be sold this year a figure that will rise to 16 million by 1997, and 50 million by the year 2000. "Early sales indicate our projections are on line," he is quoted as saying in the latest Philips magazine.
So far, DCC is only available in selected parts of the US and Europe, including the UK. Software for the tape format is very limited and, like DAT, has a recording block system in place to prevent direct digital-to-digital recordings from CD.
In a quick stroll earlier this week down Tottenham Court Road London's electronics nirvana for hi-fi and technology enthusiasts Newsbytes noted that DCC is still as rare as the Sony minidisc, a recordable CD format. DCC still has the edge in the hi-fi magazines however, because of its backwards compatibility with analog compact cassettes.
(Steve Gold/19930728)
mpact cassettes.
(Steve Gold/19930728)
7/28/93
Philips DCC Claimed As A Runaway Success
TRENDS
Prague Phones Dragged Into 20th
PRAGUE, CZECHOSLOVAKIA, 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- Prague Czechoslovakia, has inaugurated a new telephone exchange for its citizens. Plans call for the city's telephone users to be moved from their ageing step-by-step Strowger exchanges to the new $33 million exchange over the coming weeks, on a selected block-by block basis.
The wait for the exchange has taken several years, resulting in a massive build-up in waiting lists and a saturated cellular phone network for the city. The existing exchanges are reported to be so overloaded that almost 30 percent of all calls fail for several reasons.
So far, around 60,000 city subscribers have been switched over to the computerized exchange, with plans calling for other blocks of subscribers switching over to the new exchange over the next four weeks.
The slightly bad news is that the mish-mash of exchanges installed around Prague, with their four, six, seven, and eight digit numbers could not be transferred to the new exchange without a numbering chaos.
Officials with the Czech state telephone company have therefore opted for a city-wide eight-digit phone numbering system. Wherever possible, old numbers are being re-routed to the new numbers although officials have admitted that the re-routing is temporary and patchy in parts.
Czech telephone company officials say that any problems with obtaining numbers can be referred to the directory enquiry service. Unfortunately, the service, though free of charge, is hopelessly overloaded. On a visit to Prague a few years ago, Newsbytes was unable to obtain a ringing tone to directory assistance, except when calling around 2am to 3am.
(Steve Gold/19930728)
und 2am to 3am.
(Steve Gold/19930728)
7/28/93
Prague Phones Dragged Into 20th Century
TELECOM
UK - Cellular Tariffs Set For Sh
SLOUGH, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- As the British mobile telecoms war hots up in preparation for the launch of the Mercury One-2-One digital network next month, as well as the Vodafone and Cellnet low-cost Groupe Speciale Mobile (GSM) sub-set services later this year, Cellnet has revealed it plans to revamp its charges to meet the competition.
In a specially prepared statement, Stafford Taylor, Cellnet's managing director, said that he is planning to rejig tariff packages in the fall, in a clear attempt to upstage the digital competition.
The bulk of the initiative is likely to involve the abolition of the so-called "Gold" tariffs for calls within London's orbital M25 motorway area. Currently, standard rate calls cost UKP1 for three minutes inside the ring, compared with four minutes for that sum elsewhere in the country. The abolition of the Gold/M25 surcharge is equivalent to a 25 percent rate reduction.
"Unlike other expected competitor offerings, Cellnet also gives customers the freedom to use their cellphones throughout the rest of the UK," Taylor said in his statement.
Taylor's comments are a direct answer to the mercury One-2-One digital mobile phone service that, for the first year at least, will only be available in London and the South-East of England.
Mercury's One-2-One is actually a joint initiative with US West drawing on the company's experience with digital phone technology in the US. The service claims to undercut existing cellular tariffs by as much as a third. Cutting Cellnet's Gold tariff by 25 percent could seriously undermine its cost advantage, Newsbytes notes.
Sources close to Cellnet have suggested that, as well as cutting its Gold M25 tariffs for standard business customers, some price cuts are likely for the so-called "Lifetime" low subscription/high charge service. Lifetime, since being launch late last year, has attracted around 250,000 new subscribers to Cellnet, Newsbytes notes.
(Steve Gold/19930728/Press & Public Contact: Cellnet Tel: 0753-504000)
ublic Contact: Cellnet Tel: 0753-504000)
7/28/93
UK - Cellular Tariffs Set For Shake-up
TELECOM
DEC Posts Quarterly Profit, Annu
MAYNARD, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- Another old-guard computer maker has weighed in with financial results and unlike IBM, Digital Equipment Corp. is showing signs of recovery.
DEC lost $251.33 million or $1.93 per share in the fiscal year ended July 3, on revenues of $14.37 billion. This is much better though, than last year's loss of $2.79 billion or $22.39 per share on revenues of $13.93 billion.
In its fourth quarter, DEC had net earnings of $113.2 million or 85 cents per share, on revenues of $3.91 billion. This compares with a net loss of $1.86 billion or $14.76 per share on revenues of $3.91 billion in the fourth quarter of fiscal 1992. The loss in last year's fourth quarter included a restructuring charge of $1.5 billion, to be used mainly for cuts in staff and facilities asset retirements, and related costs.
The loss for fiscal 1992 included the restructuring charge plus a one-time charge of $485.5 million for the cumulative effect of an accounting change.
In a prepared statement, DEC President and Chief Executive Robert Palmer pointed out that the company has posted a cumulative net profit of $9 million in the three quarters since his management team took over last fall. "With our new customer-focused business unit structure now in place, we are poised to grow revenues and increase our market share, while continuing to work diligently to reduce our costs," he added.
Palmer did admit to some concern about "the seasonally soft September quarter" now beginning, and a statement from the company expressed doubts about its ability to turn a profit in that quarter.
Officials said growth was strong in Asia in fiscal 1993, and revenues grew slightly in the United States, but European business was weak.
DEC said a comparison of the fourth quarters of 1993 and 1992 shows a cut in research and engineering spending of 24 percent or $116 million, and a 17 percent or $215 million drop in selling general, and administrative expenses. Capital spending was $529 million for the full year, the lowest level since 1984, the company said.
(Grant Buckler/19930728/Press Contact: Bradley D. Allen,
508-493-7182; James Chiafery, Digital, 508-493-8009)
2; James Chiafery, Digital, 508-493-8009)
7/28/93
DEC Posts Quarterly Profit, Annual Loss
BUSINESS
Russian US$1 Billion Telecom Pro
DEC Expands Distribution Agreeme
IBM To Offer Info Warehouse Tool
Indian Scientists Evolve Code To
SCO In Shareholder Suit; Ships O
One-Of-A-Kind Product In The Gui
Second BBSCON Show Scheduled For
Visicalc Creator Frankston Joins
World's First PIN-Less Cashcard
Awards Honor 10 Companies At Gro
Japan - Hitachi Shifts VCR Produ
VOD, CD-I, 3DO More Hype Than Re
BT Links UK ISDN Net To Ireland
Acclaim Entertainment, Probe Sof
OYSTER BAY, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 Jul 28 (NB) -- Software publisher Acclaim Entertainment Inc., has announced a multi-year development agreement under which Probe Software Ltd., of London will develop a number of games software packages for various hardware platforms, to be sold by Acclaim.
Probe, which has already designed the Alien 3 and Mortal Kombat titles for Acclaim, will develop additional titles for compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), ROM cartridge, and personal computer formats, officials said.
The deal is not for a fixed length of time but is expected to run for several years, said Allyne Mills of Acclaim. "They'll be doing, I can tell you, dozens of titles for us," Mills told Newsbytes. Other titles designed by Probe include Terminator 2, Lemmings SimCity, Dracula, and Outrun.
Mills said Acclaim relies largely on other developers for product development, though it maintains an internal production team to develop ideas and supervise the work of other developers. The company recently signed a deal similar to the Probe agreement with Park Place Productions, which is to develop a series of sports titles.
Acclaim Entertainment has offices in Canada, France, Germany Japan, and the United Kingdom, and sells products under the Acclaim, LJN, Flying Edge, and Arena labels.
` 0 MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- US Vice President Albert Gore Jr., a strong backer of the nationwide "information highway," received a free copy of a software package for smaller networks this week during a trip to LANovation in Minneapolis.
"We fully expect that the vice president will have his copy of LAN Escort installed at the White House," said Anne Peterson, a LANovation spokesperson, in recounting the official event for Newsbytes.
But the presentation of LANovation's software was merely a sidelight of the official visit, summed up by Peterson as an opportunity for Gore and local small businesses to exchange information.
After preparations were made by Gore's advance team, the VP took a tour of LANovation and several other small businesses in the same building on SE 5th Street. "He was trying to see what else he can do to promote small businesses and the high tech sector," Peterson explained.
When the tour was over, Gore hosted a Small Business Success Roundtable in the LANovation office suite, meeting with owners of 18 companies to air his views on how the Clinton administration's recently proposed economic plan would help small businesses.
Gore told the business owners that the Clinton plan would result in a tax decrease for 98 percent of all small businesses, according to Peterson.
The VP also asserted that the plan would raise the investment tax credit from $10,000 to $25,000 a year, provide a special capital gains tax cut for small firms, cut borrowing costs by keeping interest rates low, and make it easier for banks to extend credit to small businesses.
"In addition, Gore emphasized that a lot of the brains and innovation in this country can be found in small businesses," Peterson told Newsbytes. Gore said that small businesses are creating "the vast majority of new jobs each year."
As corporations downsize, more and more highly technical people are taking jobs with small businesses, so that investing in small businesses makes sense for the overall economy, he said.
Even before Gore's appearance, the LANovation staff was familiar with the Clinton plan. "We had downloaded some of the proposals off the Internet," Peterson revealed.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930728/Press contact: Anne Peterson LANovation, tel 800-747-4487 or 612-379-3805)
ion, tel 800-747-4487 or 612-379-3805)
7/28/93
VP Al Gore Airs Small Business Views
Univ Puts Economic Archives On I
ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- Washington University has announced the establishment of an electronic archives for the collection of working papers on economics. The archives will be available at no charge to all economists having access to the Internet.
The archive, set up by Bob Parks of the Washington University department of economics, provides an automated system for archiving and distribution of working papers in all areas of economics. The archive also maintains mailing lists to inform participants of new papers in their areas of interest, and a discussion list (LISTSERV) to discuss problems in using the archive and related issues.
Parks told Newsbytes that enthusiastic support has been received from both the University and from the National Science Foundation (NSF). He said that he has been provided with two gigabytes (GB) of storage to work with and that he expects that, once the system is under normal use, to utilize approximately 2GB of storage a year.
The Internet address of the new archive is "econwpa.wustl.edu." Additional information may be obtained by sending electronic mail with "Help" as the subject and a blank message body to "econ-wp@econwpa.wustl.edu."
Parks also pointed out in his conversation with Newsbytes that the archiving of working papers in no way interferes with the author's ownership of the work and the announcement of the archives states "Copyrights to papers in the archive remains with theauthors or their assignees."
Parks told Newsbytes that Thomas Kritchel in England has posted some economic information and that there is some economic information concerning economics and forestry. He said, "The new archives should add to the ability of economists to collaborate."
Parks also mentioned that he was using the same software that some other Internet archives are also using and thanked Paul Ginsparg for making it available to him.
The release named some of the other sites as: alg-geom@publications.math.duke.edu (algebraic geometry); astro ph@babbage.sissa.it (astrophysics); cond-mat@babbage.sissa.it (condensed matter); e-mail@xxx.lanl.gov (e-mail address database, physics); funct-an@babbage.sissa.it (functional analysis); gr-qc@xxx.lanl.gov (general relativity/quantum cosmology); hep-lat@ftp.scri.fsu.edu (computational and lattice physics); hep-ph@xxx.lanl.gov (high energy physics phenomenological); and hep-th@xxx.lanl.gov (high energy physics formal).
(Barbara E. McMullen & John F. McMullen/19930726/Press Contact: Bob Parrks, Washington University, 314-935-5665 (voice); 314-935-4156 (fax); bparks@wuecona.wustl.edu (e-mail on the Internet)
uecona.wustl.edu (e-mail on the Internet)
7/28/93
Univ Puts Economic Archives On Internet
GENERAL
AT&T & Sierra Online Offer Virtu
FOSTER CITY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 28 (NB) -- Sierra Online, owner of the graphical bulletin board service The Sierra Network (TSN), has announced a deal with American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T) to create "virtual communities." The TSN service is being renamed the Imagination Network, and AT&T has purchased an equity interest to make the virtual communities possible.
TSN has become widely known for its work in developing interactive on-line amusement parks and allowing users to actually choose how they appear to other users on-line.
Rick Selvage, AT&T Consumer Products vice president and general manager of interactive systems said: "We're taking the new types of products AT&T is creating with such companies as 3DO Sega of America and PF.Magic, and adding them to the computer based game capabilities of The Imagination Network. This combination will allow consumers to tie into an electronic 'virtual community' of networked entertainment, information and transaction services."
Like TSN, the Imagination Network will also provide an interface for entry to on-line "areas" where subscribers can meet, play games, "chat," and exchange information in real time.
TSN users have already had access to the Clubhouse, were players can play backgammon, bridge, chess; the amusement park Sierraland with the Red Baron dogfight simulation game, Graffiti collaborative art drawing board, and Paintball battlefield; and Medievaland where players can engage in a fantasy role-playing game called "The Shadow of Yserbius" that includes monsters wizards, dungeons, and magic spells.
However, independent content developers will also be encouraged to create new interactive areas such as "virtual shopping malls" to browse and purchase products, or "communities of interest," where they can discuss and learn about various topics.
Prodigy, another graphical on-line service, is also involved in this deal, as it just recently signed a joint development and marketing deal with TSN for Prodigy members to access TSN beginning in September of this year. TSN was to receive revenues from Prodigy members who access its service. Despite its estimated two million members, Prodigy has yet to turn a profit.
AT&T and private investment firm General Atlantic Partners have each purchased a 20 percent interest in TSN, for a total of $10 million, giving AT&T a controlling interest. In addition, The Imagination Network will pay Sierra On-Line $5 million to develop content for the network, which will be managed by a board of directors representing AT&T, Sierra On-Line, and General Atlantic.
AT&T says Imagination will become a network platform for users of a number of devices including the 3DO player - expected this fall - and the Sega Genesis game system, as well as personal computers. AT&T recently announced plans to develop interactive video game and multimedia equipment with The 3DO Company with Sega of America, and PF.Magic.
The Sega deal included the development of a device called The Edge 16, that allows two Sega Genesis systems to be connected via a single telephone line for interactive play and voice communication at the same time. AT&T added that The Edge 16 would also be developed for use with the Imagination Network. The 3DO player has been heralded as the video cassette recorder (VCR) of the 90's offers workstation-like graphics capability, and can also be used for real-time interactive access.
Bob Kavner, recently named AT&T executive vice president and chief executive officer of the new AT&T Multimedia Products and Services Group, said, "Consumer demand for interactivity goes beyond video games, and includes access to video and audio libraries, electronic shopping, news services and magazines and virtual classrooms. With strengths in a number of underlying communications technologies, AT&T is positioned to provide interactive multimedia products and services that are available on demand, and customized to consumers' needs."
Sierra Online has been pouring resources into TSN for some time now, putting the company in the red. However, in its first quarter financial statement just released, Sierra showed less red ink, which it credited to growth in TSN.
The company also said it would continue to invest heavily in developing new 3DO and CD-ROM products and platforms. The company sold more CD-ROM units during the quarter than it anticipated and says the growth in this emerging platform has encouraged it to strive for CD-ROM versions of new titles within 30 days of releasing the floppy disk products.
The company also said it released 10 new products during the quarter, which included six new education and entertainment titles and one CD.
Revenues for the quarter were reported up approximately 12 percent, to $10,648,000, compared with $9,539,000 for the same period a year ago. Net loss for the quarter was $3,603,000, or $0.49 per share, compared to net income of $127,000, or $0.02 per share, last year.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930728/Press Contact: Ken Williams Sierra Online, tel 209-683-4468 ext 333, fax 209-683-3633)
ine, tel 209-683-4468 ext 333, fax 209-683-3633)
7/28/93
AT&T & Sierra Online Offer Virtual Communities
TELECOM
Another Syquest Suit Against Nom
FREMONT, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- Syquest manufacturer of removable Winchester disk drives, says it has filed another suit against the French company Nomai and the consultant Srinivasan "Ravi" Chari and has added Nomai's US distributors Iomega and the Sun Microsystems subsidiary Ramtek. The suit alleges the companies are in violation of Syquest patents by making and selling compatible removable cartridges for the Syquest drives.
Syquest officials told Newsbytes the company would not have even known about the compatible cartridges if Nomai had not invited Syquest representatives to the French company's factory and given them samples of the cartridges. Syquest filed suit against Nomai in December of last year, before the compatible cartridges were even available for sale. Chari, the consultant named in the suit, had worked for Syquest before working for Nomai and allegedly is the vehicle by which Syquest's trade secrets were transmitted to Nomai.
Syquest claims any compatible cartridge is a violation of its patents and therefore no other company can make the cartridges. Nomai says Syquest is simply using US patent law in an attempt to stifle competition. Syquest has gone as far as to announce to users that the Nomai cartridges are faulty and those who use the cartridges void the warranty on the Syquest drive.
A Syquest preliminary injunction against Nomai, filed in the Santa Clara Superior Court, failed in April. However, Iomega known for its Bernoulli drive that also uses a type of removable cartridge, and the Sun Subsidiary Ramtek agreed to begin US distribution of the Nomai cartridges in June of this year.
Syquest says the European Patent Office will grant it a patent on features of its 5.25" disk cartridges and claims that when issued this patent, it will cover cartridges manufactured and sold in Europe by Nomai. Syquest says it has informed Nomai of the European patent, which it says it can use to stop the distribution of compatible cartridges in Europe. However the patent covers a lock on the cartridges that neither Nomai nor Syquest use, and not the removable cartridge technology itself.
Nomai official Marc Frouin called the announcement of the patent "legal marketing" on the part of Syquest. Frouin says the Nomai has shipped 70,000 cartridges altogether by the end of June and plans to continue to ship the cartridges.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930728/Press Contact: Michael Perez Syquest, tel 510-226-4000, fax 510-226-4114; Marc Frouin Nomai, tel 011-33-33-89-1600, fax 011-33-33-89-1601)
in Nomai, tel 011-33-33-89-1600, fax 011-33-33-89-1601)
7/29/93
Another Syquest Suit Against Nomai Adds Iomega/Ramtek
Electronic Freedom Foundation Ta
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has issued a statement clarifying its position in relation to the groups that it has joined to form the "Telecommunications Policy Roundtable."
The statement, posted on the Internet to the "Interesting People List," supports the new group and pledges EFF support. It says, "With market actions fast outpacing the public policy process, it is critical that citizens groups articulate basic public interest goals which can help frame the debate over information infrastructure policy."
Organizations such as the Association of Research Libraries, the Center for Media Education, Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility, and the Institute for Civic Networking all played leading roles in initiating the Roundtable. "We thank these organizations for creating the very important forum in which a wide range of public interest organizations work together to frame common communications policy goals." In addition to participation in the group, EFF has agreed to focus its efforts on the public policy and legislative strategy task force of the Roundtable.
The statement then defended past EFF positions that may have differed from other Roundtable members. It said, "The initial announcement of the Roundtable (posted to com-priv) contained some suggestion that EFF's work on infrastructure policy issues over the last year was narrow and lacking in vision. Though we have never pretended to know, or be able to pursue, the solutions to all communications policy problems, we do feel that we have made a significant contribution to the infrastructure debate and to the effort to protect free speech and privacy in new electronic media. Some criticize our emphasis on ISDN and other affordable digital media as too narrow. We believe that our Open Platform policy efforts in support of ISDN have caused a major change in the way that communications infrastructure policy is discussed."
As an example, the statement points to ISDN, and says, "We showed that citizens do not have to wait around 20 years while RBOCs lay fiber-to-the-home. Rather, with affordable, available technology, those who don't own telephone networks or cable television networks can start to create the applications and services which will shape our experience of the information age. Our Open Platform efforts are aimed to increasing the diversity of information sources, expanding the notion of universal service increasing access to information, and protecting privacy."
The statement adds that ISDN is not its final goal, but a first step that shows the benefits of digital networking technology at affordable rates, and with nondiscriminatory terms.
EFF convened a meeting of 20 major public organizations on June 1, 1993 to discuss EFF's long-term policy concerns and hear the views of other groups. A section of the paper that was prepared for that meeting is appended to the EFF message.
"We hope that this will clarify that EFF does have a view of communications policy goals beyond ISDN. We certainly invite comments on this document, but hope that in the future people who write about our positions will take the time to read our work first," the item concludes.
For a general perspective on EFF's communication position there is an article in the July/August '93 issue of Wired Magazine by Mitch Kapor, EFF's chairman of the board, entitled, "Where Is the Digital Highway Really Heading? A Case for a Jeffersonian Information Policy."
EFF recently closed its former Cambridge, Massachusetts headquarters and consolidated its activities to its Washington office under the direction of Jerry Berman, former director of the ACLU's Technology Project. With the consolidation, EFF also moved away from a previous direction toward a grass-roots organization with local chapters.
EFF was founded in 1990 by Mitch Kapor, co-founder of Lotus Development Corporation, and John Perry Barlow, writer songwriter and ex-cattle rancher. Among its other activities EFF was know for its work in sponsoring the successful lawsuit initiated by Steve Jackson Games (SJG) against the US Department of Justice and the Secret Service for activities relating to the Secret Service's March 1990 raid on SJG.
(Barbara E. McMullen & John F. McMullen/19930726/Press contact: Daniel J. Weitzner, Electronic Frontier Foundation., 202 347-5400; djw@eff.org (e-mail on the Internet)
2 347-5400; djw@eff.org (e-mail on the Internet)
7/29/93
Electronic Freedom Foundation Takes On Telecom
GENERAL
Electronic Freedom Foundation Ta
Windows Tool Converts Files From
TRUMBULL, CONNECTICUT, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- DataViz is shipping Conversions Plus for Windows, a tool designed to convert dozens of file formats from PC-to-Mac, Mac-to-PC, and PC-to-PC while keeping the "look and feel" of documents intact.
The new software comes with a disk mounting utility that lets the user move files to and from a high-density Macintosh disk inserted into a 3.5-inch high density floppy disk drive on an IBM-compatible PC.
The package also includes a translation library that supports over 350 combinations of popular word processing and text formats, along with conversions between the PICT (PICTure), PICT 2, and WMF (Windows Metafile) graphical formats and binary transfers within Excel and PageMaker.
A short series of clicks is all that is needed to translate one file format to another, officials said. Headers, footnotes, style sheets, paragraph attributes, and other formatting information, as well as embedded graphics, emerge from the conversion process the same as they were in the original document.
Conversions Plus supports translation of ASCII, RTF (Rich Text Format) and DCA/RFT files, along with various versions of WordPerfect, Ami Pro, Word, WordStar, Works, MacWrite, and Multimate. Most of these translations are two-way, although Ami Pro 1.2, Ami Pro 2.0, Multimate Advantage, and Multimate 3.2 can be converted in one direction only.
PICT graphics files can be translated from the Macintosh to WMF. Files can also be converted to and from PICT 2 and WMF.
Conversions Plus for Windows requires an IBM-compatible PC running Windows 3.0 or higher. At least 2 MB of RAM is recommended. On a standard basis, the package ships on 3.5-inch high density floppy disks. Users can also specify 5.25-inch or 3.5-inch low density disks, although the Macintosh disk mounting utility operates with 3.5-inch high density PC floppy drives only.
Retail pricing is $149.00. The package is also available on an introductory basis for $99.00, directly through DataViz.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930728/Reader contact: DataViz, tel 800-773 0030 or 203-268-0030; Press contact: Stacey Graham, DataViz, tel 800-733-0030 or 203-268-0030)
acey Graham, DataViz, tel 800-733-0030 or 203-268-0030)
7/29/93
Windows Tool Converts Files From PC-To-Mac, Mac-To-PC
Netherlands Open Telecom Marketp
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS, 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- The Dutch Ministry of Transport and Communications has announced plans to open up its telecom market-place over the next five years, in line with the free market nature of the European Commission (EC).
Unusually, the Netherlands will be one of the last of the EC member states to open up its telecom market fully. Plans call for telecom hardware and circuit provision to be liberalized first by 1995, with telecom services following on by 1998.
Both of these time scales and, indeed, the entire liberalization project must be agreed by the Dutch Parliament. The government is also likely to liaise with Konikklijke Nederland, the state controlled Dutch telecom company, before it gives full approval.
Hanja Maij-Weggen, the Minister for Transport and Telecommunications, has announced that she accepts that telecom market liberalization as a natural progression for the country. Last year, the Dutch Government sponsored a major study into the country's telecom services from McKinsey & Company. The results of that study recommended opening up the telecom market to free competition.
The report also recommended that, as in the UK, large private telecom users, such as the electricity companies, cable TV firms and the state railways, be allowed to offer their own telecom services to the public.
As in the UK, which many EC member states are using a role model for their own liberalization, the Dutch plans call for a licensing system to be used to control the companies which provide telecom services.
(Steve Gold/19930729)
om services.
(Steve Gold/19930729)
7/29/93
Netherlands Open Telecom Marketplace
TELECOM
Taxi Cellular Pay Phones Tested
Netherlands Open Telecom Marketp
V.Fast Will Take At Least Anothe
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- Fresh from a US meeting of the ITU-TS (formerly known as the CCITT) international telecom regulatory body, Garry Stansfield, development manager with Dataflex Design, the London-based modem manufacturer, has confirmed that it will be late 1994 -- and possibly into 1995 -- when the V.Fast modem standard is formally accepted.
The V.Fast standard was first proposed by the modem manufacturing community almost three years ago when it became clear that the 14,400 bits per second (bps) V.32Bis standard did not make full use of the bandwidth of the telephone network available. The original planned date for its introduction was a year ago, but as meeting upon meeting took place, the standard moved further and further into the distance, prompting some people in the communications industry to rename V.Fast as V.Slow.
In the meantime, Dataflex Design has announced it is following the lead taken last week by Hayes, and adopting the V.Fast Class (V.FC) unofficial standard developed by Rockwell Corporation. Rockwell is a supplier of modem chipsets to around 70 percent of the modem manufacturing business.
"Unfortunately, the ITU (International Telecom Union) has changed its budgets and, as a result, increased the length of time there will be between the V.Fast study group meetings from six to nine months. That means that the whole ratification process is starting to telescope out," Stansfield told Newsbytes.
According to Stansfield, there was a possibility that the V.Fast study committee could have agreed on a formal V.Fast standard at a meeting earlier this week in the US. Unfortunately, a group of US modem manufacturers agreed last week that there was still some ground work to be done on the V.Fast standard, he told Newsbytes.
Gerry O'Prey, technical director of Dataflex, called the ITU's decision to extend the time between study group meetings to nine months "a real disaster."
"There is now a distinct possibility that the V.FC `standard' will become the real standard, leaving V.Fast on the sidelines. This is a great shame, given the potential that V.Fast has," he said.
O'Prey and Stansfield said that, because of the ongoing situation with V.Fast, Dataflex has decided to actively support V.FC, with plans to release a number of modems supporting the "standard" later this year.
"Rockwell has told us that the full 28,800 bps implementation of V.FC is still 90 days away from chip sampling, so we're looking at the end of the year before we can ship modems supporting this data transmission rate," O'Prey told Newsbytes.
In the interim period, O'Prey added, Dataflex plans to ship modems supporting the 19,200 bps speeds of V.FC. He confirmed, however that such modems would be difficult to upgrade to a 28,800 bps version of V.FC when those chips arrived from Rockwell.
Stansfield said that, if nothing else, the ITU V.Fast study group tried to get a standard thrashed out at this week's meeting in the US. "There was a definite air of urgency about the meeting. There were small working groups that went off at lunchtimes, but it just wasn't enough," he said.
Incredibly, the V.Fast study group may take until April 1995 to agree upon the V.Fast standard as, according to Stansfield, papers for the August, 1994 meeting in Geneva must be in by next March, "as they have to be translated into other languages such as French and Spanish.
"On that time scale, it could be very difficult to get a full V.Fast standard worked out, so we could be looking at April of 1995 before we can all sit round a table and agree on the standard," he said.
V.Fast Will Take At Least Another Year To Be Ratified
TELECOM
Interleaf, Phoenix Sign Deal On
WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- Interleaf and Phoenix Technologies Ltd., have signed a deal that will see Interleaf add Phoenix's PhoenixPage PostScript Level 2 technology to its products, beginning with WorldView 2, a new release of its electronic document viewer due by year-end.
Adopted by 500,000 users internationally since it began shipping over a year ago, WorldView takes documents from all major word processing, desktop publishing, spreadsheet, graphic and CAD software packages and reformats them for online viewing. It currently supports PostScript Level 1, and with the addition of Phoenix's technology WorldView 2 will work with any application that uses PostScript Level 2 features, Interleaf said.
In future, Interleaf plans to use the Phoenix technology across its product line, including the Interleaf 5 authoring software package.
Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
The PhoenixPage PostScript Level 2 software is based on a core graphics kernel that supports the extended set of PostScript Level 2 imaging operators, including such features as data compression, forms and patterns caching, and the CIE color space. It also supports Type 1 and TrueType fonts.
Phoenix spokesman Tom Spillane said some 25 vendors currently license the PhoenixPage PostScript software, and about 15 of those currently use the PostScript Level 2 version of the product. It has been available for close to 18 months, he said.
WorldView 2, due to be available at the end of 1993, will add such new functions as support for Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML), color, new search and navigation tools interface improvements, and extended support for application program interfaces (APIs).
-4990 ext. 6344; Tom Spillane, Phoenix, 617-551-5030)
7/29/93
Interleaf, Phoenix Sign Deal On PostScript Software
BUSINESS
Ungermann-Bass Forms Networking
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- Ungermann Bass Inc. (UB), and Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc., have announced that they have signed a letter of intent to form a new company to develop and market networking products based upon asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) technology.
Ungermann-Bass has also announced a major realignment of its corporate strategy and worldwide operations to respond to "changing market requirements," which includes a reduction in personnel. At the same time UB has also announced the promotion of Stephen Diamond to vice president, corporate marketing.
The new networking company - LightStream Corp. - will be based in Massachusetts. BBN has reportedly been developing an ATM switch for the past two years, while UB has been developing complementary ATM products, based upon that same technology, for over a year.
Under the terms of the agreement, BBN and UB would combine these activities, including technology, staff, and other resources, to form LightStream. BBN would own 80 percent of the company and UB would own 20 percent. In addition, BBN and UB would contribute $15 million and $5 million in cash, respectively, to fund the enterprise. BBN and UB would also sign non-exclusive OEM (original equipment manufacturing) agreements with LightStream under which they would distribute the company's products.
In announcing the new company, Stephen R. Levy, chairman and CEO of BBN, said: "We see ATM as the future of telecommunications. We believe that BBN's expertise in wide area networking, UB's expertise in local area networking, and the technology currently under development in both companies will be a strong combination in the market. Establishing strategic alliances is a key aspect of BBN's overall product strategy."
Asynchronous transfer mode is the hot topic in communications these days. Under ATM, all information is carried in fixed length "cells" and switched at very high speeds.
UB also announced the resignation of Ralph Ungermann as president and CEO, effective immediately. The company says that Ungermann has been on medical leave of absence, recuperating from major spinal surgery. Wayne Benoit, executive vice president, will manage the company during the search for a new CEO.
Ralph Ungermann and Charlie Bass formed UB in 1979.
UB says it will "shift its product and distribution strategies and realign resources to broaden its presence in high-volume mainstream network sales." Traditionally, UB has focused on providing global network integration products and services primarily to a select group of large high-end customers. With today's economic climate this focus has resulted in declining market share in the overall network market.
The company plans to cut personnel by 200-300 people worldwide while redeploying others "from overhead functions into direct revenue producing positions." According to the company, the realignment "will yield net increases in resources devoted to new product development and sales positions, while significantly reducing management infrastructure and overhead costs."
According to the company, Stephen Diamond will be responsible for UB's worldwide marketing activities including strategic marketing, corporate communications, sales and customer training, and marketing programs.
Diamond joined Ungermann-Bass in 1991 as director of product planning and was later promoted to group director, corporate strategy. Most recently, he had been group director of worldwide field marketing.
L MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- While many other computer companies, both hardware and software feel the heat of tough economic conditions in the US and worldwide, Sun Microsystems Inc., continues on its merry way by reporting record fourth quarter revenues of $1.26 billion, up 30 percent from the $973 million reported for the corresponding period of fiscal 1992.
According to the company, net income for the quarter ended June 30, 1993, more than doubled to a record $76.1 million, or 72 cents per share, compared to $37.7 million, or 37 cents per share, for the like period a year ago.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 1993, Sun posted record revenues of $4.31 billion, up 20 percent from the previous year. Net income for the year was $156.7 million, or $1.49 per share, compared to $173.3 million, or $1.71 per share, reported in the corresponding period a year ago.
In announcing the results, Kevin C. Melia, Sun's chief financial officer, said, "We are very pleased with these results. We are particularly pleased with our 30 percent year-over-year revenue growth in the fourth quarter given the difficult economic environment in Europe. Revenue growth in the US and other geographies more than compensated for weak growth in European revenues."
SunSoft, the company's system software subsidiary, distributed 140,000 Solaris and Unix licenses, 117,000 of which were Solaris 2. The company's computer systems subsidiary, Sun Microsystems Computer Corp., shipped a record 71,000 systems and 92,000 SPARC processors during the quarter.
"In addition to our strong fourth quarter revenue growth, we achieved several important operational successes," said Melia. "We are realizing the benefits of the processes we initiated more than a year ago to control spending growth. As a percentage of revenues we reduced fourth quarter operating expenses more than 5.5 percentage points compared to the prior year, which more than offset the corresponding decline in gross profit margins."
Melia concluded, "While weak economies in Europe and other international markets pose a significant challenge for our first fiscal quarter and could exacerbate the normal summer seasonal weakness, our product lines are in an excellent position."
(Ian Stokell/19930729/Press Contact: Rick Van Hoesen 415-336-0117, Sun Microsystems Inc.)
oesen 415-336-0117, Sun Microsystems Inc.)
7/29/93
Sun 4Qtr Income Doubles; Record Revenues
Animated Cursor Software With Ap
Sun 4Qtr Income Doubles; Record
RasterOps Posts Fiscal 1993 Loss
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- While the company has still posted large losses for the year, RasterOps claims that restructuring has already had a beneficial financial effect in its fourth quarter. The company posted a net loss of $12.2 million, or $1.49 per share, for its fiscal year ended June 30, 1993.
According to the company, sales for the year were $100 million down 18 percent from sales of $121.7 million for fiscal 1992. The losses compare to net income of $5.2 million, or 64 cents per share, for the prior year. An operating loss of $17.3 million for fiscal 1993 included restructuring and pooling costs of $9.6 million.
Sales for the fourth quarter ended June 30, 1993, were $24.5 million, down 31 percent from sales of $35.8 million reported for the comparable period of fiscal 1992. Net loss for the fourth quarter was $290,000, or a loss of three cents per share compared with net income of $1.7 million, or 21 cents per share for the fourth quarter of the prior fiscal year.
In announcing the results, Keith E. Sorenson, chief executive officer said, "At the end of last quarter, we announced a restructuring program to downsize our organization to make it leaner and more optimized to compete in today's business climate. The reduction in operating costs of $1.6 million from the prior quarter and our financial improvement to near break-even were gratifying."
The company says of particular significance during the fourth quarter were the equity investment of $10 million in RasterOps by Scitex Corp, and the naming of Paul J. Smith to the position of president and chief operating officer.
(Ian Stokell/19930729/Press Contact: Kent Robertson 408-562-4200, RasterOps)
Robertson 408-562-4200, RasterOps)
7/29/93
RasterOps Posts Fiscal 1993 Loss
BUSINESS
India - Atomic Center Considers
UK - Cellular Tariffs Set For Sh
RasterOps Posts Fiscal 1993 Loss
Maxtor Posts Huge Loss For 1Qtr
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- All is not well in the computer disk drive market, as Maxtor Corporation has announced a net loss of $72.2 million for the first quarter of fiscal year 1994, ended June 26, 1993.
According to the company, revenues for the first quarter of fiscal year 1994 were $260.6 million, down 24.6 percent from $345.6 million in the fourth quarter ended March 27, 1993 and down 22.7 percent from revenues of $337.2 million for the first quarter of fiscal year 1993.
Net loss for the quarter was $72.2 million, or $2.50 per share fully diluted, compared to a net loss of $19.7 million or $0.69 per share fully diluted for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 1993 and net income of $28.5 million or $0.93 per share fully diluted in the year earlier period.
The company claims that revenues were down primarily due to pricing pressure on lower capacity drives, lower unit demand and a delay in ramping the MXT-540 540-megabyte (MB), one inch-high 3.5-inch disk drive, and the 25252 250MB, 2.5-inch disk drive. The company says that both the drives are now in volume production with "firm" OEM (original equipment manufacturer) orders.
In announcing the losses, Larry Hootnick, president and CEO, said "This is a difficult period for the company. We are impacted by one of the worst price wars that the industry has ever experienced. We are also going through a major product transition. The transition to volume production of new products is critical to our future success and this requires continuing strong investment in research and development."
Maxtor says that, to reduce losses and conserve cash, the company plans to "maintain its focus on various cost reduction efforts by limiting capital spending, closely managing inventory levels and implementing other expense control measures as appropriate."
The company has already shut down its Singapore manufacturing facility for one week in July to "bring production in balance with the current market demand.
(Ian Stokell/19930729/Press Contact: Melonie C. Brophy 408-432-4459, Maxtor Corp.)
C. Brophy 408-432-4459, Maxtor Corp.)
7/29/93
Maxtor Posts Huge Loss For 1Qtr 1994
BUSINESS
Kulicke & Soffa Reports Strong S
WILLOW GROVE, PENNSYLVANIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- Eastern Pennsylvania-based Kulicke & Soffa, a major international supplier of high-performance microchip assembly hardware, has announced a turnaround from a loss of ten-cents per share for June 30, 1992 to a 47-cents per share profit for the same quarter this year.
K&S has also made a donation of nearly $38,000 worth of used engineering test equipment to nearby Temple University's School of Engineering.
Kulicke & Soffa's sales for the nine-month period ended June 30 1993, were $96,914,000, with a net income of $6,325,000, or 78 cents per share, compared with sales of $68,241,000, with a net loss of $5,881,000, or 74 cents per share, for the same period last year.
In its recent earnings report, the company said that bookings remained strong at $43 million, about the same level as last quarter, and $16 million higher than the comparable period last year. The company's backlog at the end of the most recent quarter totaled $41 million.
Because of its position as a major supplier of semiconductor assembly equipment, K&S's sales may be used as a leading indicator of the worldwide growth in microchip production capabilities.
Kulicke & Soffa is currently negotiating to acquire the business of ASM-FICO Tooling B.V. (FICO), a wholly owned subsidiary af Advanced Semiconductor Materials International N.V. (ASMI), a Netherlands-based supplier of packaging equipment.
The K&S product line includes wafer dicing, die bonding, and wire bonding systems.
Temple University, which announced the equipment donation, says that the donated test equipment is "state-of-the-art, high quality," and will be very useful to the Engineering Department.
Dr. Richard Klafter, professor of electrical engineering, said "Sometimes, schools receive used equipment from companies that is in really poor shape. But this equipment is great."
Speaking about the donation, K&S's vice president of engineering Walt Von Seggern, said, "Our future depends on the ability of our engineers."
(John McCormick/19930729/Press Contact: Leon Oboler, K&S, 215 784-6818 or Jennifer Mullen, Temple University, 215-204-7476)
llen, Temple University, 215-204-7476)
7/29/93
Kulicke & Soffa Reports Strong Sales
BUSINESS
US West Sells Rural Systems
DENVER, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- US West has apparently found a way to rid itself of its problems providing rural phone service in the Rocky Mountain region, saying it will sell its 45 rural service areas to Pacific Telecom Inc.
The potential buyer is based in Vancouver, Washington, and is the 16th largest telephone company in the US. It's 87 percent-owned by PacifiCorp, an electric utility that operates Utah Power Company and Pacific Power Co. It currently provides phone service to customers in 11 states, and jointly owns North Pacific Cable the first direct overseas fiber-optic system between the this country and Japan. The company already provides service to eight exchanges with 7,600 access lines in Eagle County, Colorado.
Terms of the deal to provide service to the 48,000 customers in northern, southern and western parts of Colorado were not disclosed. More information is expected to be available once US West files an application with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission in about a month. However, Pacific Telecom VP Brian Wirkkala reportedly told The Denver Post the company expected to finance the acquisition using proceeds from the sale of about 4.5 million shares of IDB Communications stock that it will receive when it completes a deal to sell its TRT Communications unit to IDB for stock. At current market value, that stock is worth about $171 million.
As reported earlier by Newsbytes, US West has been widely criticized for the quality of its service in rural service areas and its failure to upgrade party lines to private service, particularly important to rural residents who use the phone lines to access data services and send or receive data. Earlier this month the Colorado PUC told US West to upgrade all its existing multiparty lines in Yuma and Washington counties located in the northeastern part of the state by the end of the year. US West VP John Scully reportedly told The Denver Post work would continue on those improvements and the sale agreement would include a joint effort to complete the work on schedule. Pacific Telecom is expected to take over most of that work in Yuma and Eagle counties. It's also reportedly working on a construction proposal to convert the systems it is buying to digital switching.
Scully told the Denver newspaper that it would join with US West to hold a series of informational meetings in the affected areas, with participation by the PUC. The commission has seven months to decide if it will approve the sale, which also requires federal approval and will include public hearings.
(Jim Mallory/19930729/Press contact: US West Public Relations 303-782-1800)
ublic Relations 303-782-1800)
7/29/93
US West Sells Rural Systems
TELECOM
Adobe Type On Call 3.0 For Macin
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- Adobe Systems has introduced Type On Call version 3.0 for the Macintosh, a CD-ROM disc containing more than 1,700 typeface packages from the Adobe Type Library.
The disc also includes the Adobe Type Browser - an on-line font catalog, Adobe's PostScript Level 2 Printer Driver for increased printing capabilities - and Adobe Acrobat Reader software for reading and printing Portable Document Format (PDF) files.
According to the company, Type On Call enables users to license individual typefaces, or entire families, from Adobe Type Library. Users gain access to typefaces on the locked CD-ROM by purchasing access codes over the telephone from Adobe. The company says that the typefaces then become immediately available for installation and use in Macintosh applications.
The company also says that, as part of the initial purchase with Type On Call version 3.0, registered users may immediately access any two of the following eight type packages: AG Old Face; Concorde; Caslon 3/Caslon 540; Berthold Script/Boulevard/Bellevue; Franklin Gothic; Post-Antiqua; Albertus/Castellar, and Adobe Wood Type 1.
Also, Type On Call owners automatically receive Adobe Type Reunion software, the Adobe Type Manager program with 13 standard typefaces, the Adobe Type Browser, Adobe's PostScript Level 2 Printer Driver and Adobe Acrobat Reader software.
The suggested retail price of Type On Call 3.0 for the Macintosh is $99 and is expected to ship in August 1993. Upgrades will be sent automatically to registered owners of version 2.0. Type On Call version 1.0 owners will receive a free upgrade registration card in the mail.
Through October 30, registered owners of Type On Call version 3.0 for the Macintosh can purchase any of the 74 new typeface packages included on the disc for $89, a savings of up to $281 off the suggested retail price of each package.
(Ian Stokell/19930729/Press Contact: Sonya Schaefer 415-962-2630, Adobe Systems Inc.)
efer 415-962-2630, Adobe Systems Inc.)
7/29/93
Adobe Type On Call 3.0 For Macintosh
APPLE
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Russian US$1 Billion Telecom Pro
DEC Expands Distribution Agreeme
IBM To Offer Info Warehouse Tool
Indian Scientists Evolve Code To
SCO In Shareholder Suit; Ships O
One-Of-A-Kind Product In The Gui
Second BBSCON Show Scheduled For
Visicalc Creator Frankston Joins
World's First PIN-Less Cashcard
Awards Honor 10 Companies At Gro
UK - In-Store Radio Stations
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- Asda, the UK supermarket chain has announced it is to use Maxat as a means of broadcasting its in store radio station around the UK. Maxat, a satellite TV company will expand the Asda radio station's coverage from its present 160 stores to all 204 stores around the British Isles.
In parallel with the move to Maxat, Asda FM, which has been broadcasting for the last 18 months over the Astra satellite, will be fleshed out to provide an in-store magazine-style service to customers of the supermarket.
Asda FM is an interesting alternative to the "Muzak" played in many supermarkets. Originally started 18 months ago, the service was designed for supermarket shelf fillers who worked through the night to replace stock sold during the day. Soon, the service developed into a near 24-hour radio station, interspersing music for customers and shelf fillers with details of in-store offers and other information.
The appointment of Maxat, a satellite TV and radio uplinking company, completes the evolution of what appears to be the UK's first satellite-distributed in-store supermarket radio station. An interesting spin-off is that anyone tuning in to the secondary audio channels of the Astra satellites will be able to hear Asda FM in the comfort of their own home.
Maxat handles several TV uplink services to Astra. The company is one of two UK firms that provide these services, and currently handles uplinks for UK Gold, The Childrens Channel, and Japan Satellite TV.
Commenting on the choice of Maxat, Phil Hampson, managing director of Hampson Associates, the company that manages Asda FM, said that his company has worked with Maxat before and had been impressed by the company's professionalism. "We will be relying very heavily on the team to manage and maintain the network as it expands," he said.
(Steve Gold/199230729/Press & Public Contact: Maxat - Tel: 071-430 4400)
ct: Maxat - Tel: 071-430 4400)
7/29/93
UK - In-Store Radio Stations
TRENDS
UK - Free Guide To Tape Backup
STONEHOUSE, GLOS, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- Cristie, the British data recoding and security company, has announced it is issuing two free guides to potential users of tape backup systems.
The first booklet, entitled "Why to take care," claims to explain the basic reasons why it is necessary to make tape backups of hard disk information. The second booklet, entitled "Taking Care," aims to give advice on how to complete tape backups.
Robin Burton, marketing director at Cristie, said that the guides are intended to assist computer professional educate and train PC users on the subject of tape backups.
"Although all computer professionals carry out regular backups, a recent survey shows that less than 15 percent of everyday corporate PC users do them. We hope that these guides will help improve that percentage," he said.
` - PORTSMOUTH, HAMPSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- This Saturday sees IBM unveil its first foray into retail trading, with the opening of its first "shop within a shop" at the UK's largest trading estate.
The IBM PC Centre will open its doors within Office World, the office supplies superstore, as pilot project devised by IBM and First Stop, one its authorized resellers. The center is aimed at home and small business users, and plans to focus heavily on the PS/2 range of computers.
According to Big Blue, shoppers will get a chance to look at the complete range of PS/1 machines, as well as other PCs from IBM including the PS/Valuepoint series, Thinkpads, notebooks and IBM operating system software. Plans also call for the shop to sell Lexmark printers and the complete range of Lotus application software packages.
"The center will make buying an IBM PC easier than ever before for the first time user and small to medium-sized businesses," explained Steve Rowley, general manager of IBM UK's Personal Systems operation.
"For the first time, IBM is bringing expert advice and practical assistance on buying information technology to business people in an easily accessible, local retail environment, seven days a week," he added.
According to Rowley, based on the experience that Big Blue and First Stop have acquired from speaking with customers at shows and exhibitions, they believe that buying computers from a shop within a shop will be popular with the target audience.
Richard Thompson, chairman of First Stop, said that the IBM PC Centre meets a pressing need in the small business marketplace. "Expert advice on information technology (IT) from people who understood the needs of the smaller business isn't easy to find," he explained.
"First Stop is in the business of offering its customers solutions and on-the-spot advice that will help them enrich their business processes. That means offering an on-the-spot service tailored to their needs, including education and support," he said.
"We have many years' experience selling to first time users and small business off the stand at shows such as Computer Shopper and we are convinced that this IBM PC Centre will prove successful," he added.
(Steve Gold/19930729/Press & Public Contact: IBM UK - Tel: 0705 321212; Fax: 0705-385081)
- Tel: 0705 321212; Fax: 0705-385081)
7/29/93
IBM Announces New Retail Initiative
Digital Quill Awards Competition
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- The Digital Publishing Association (formerly the Disktop Publishing Association), the first and only trade organization for the electronic publishing industry, has announced the opening of this year's Digital Quill awards competition for literature and graphic material published in computer-readable, digital format.
Entrants must be created on computers and distributed in digital format for others to read through their computers.
The Second Annual Digital Quill Awards for Excellence in Electronic Publishing is open to all authors and publishers regardless of DPA membership status.
According to DPA Founder Ron Albright, the term "digital" is meant to include everything from plain ASCII text, which can be read on any computer, to complex, hypertext publications that rely on machine-specific programs to view and navigate.
The only requirement is that the materials submitted for judging must have been previously published in electronic format. Submitted materials must either have been uploaded to an online system or distributed on disk for reading by computer as digital materials. In clarifying, Albright said, "Materials that were simply created on computer - most writers use those for composition anyway - do not meet the criteria of having been electronically published for reading and are ineligible."
This year's award categories include:
Serial Publication - a weekly, monthly or otherwise regularly scheduled publication that has been issued for at least 6 months (or at least 3 editions) available prior to July, 1993. This category includes both fiction and non-fiction magazines and newsletters.
New Serial Publication - a weekly, monthly or otherwise regularly scheduled publication that has been issued for less than 6 months but has been published at least for two issues. This category will include both fiction and non-fiction magazines and newsletters and is proposed to recognize and encourage new issues.
Fiction Book - an original (not reprints of the classics) electronically published novel. Length: 50,000 words, minimum.
Non-fiction article - a single originally article appearing either alone or as part of a magazine and published in digital format. This category shall exclude reprints of articles originally published in paper. Length: 1500 words, minimum.
Publishing software - a software program (shareware or traditionally marketed) designed for publishing text and/or graphics and facilitating their distribution and viewing. Nominations will be accepted from users as well as original authors.
Miscellaneous - this niche will encompass poetry, graphic collections, comics, and other publications outside the standard categories.
A certificate, suitable for framing, will be awarded to first second, third winners in each category.
Submissions will be accepted from original authors or from the editors of a publication in which the submitted material appeared. Submissions must be made in digital format (via modem or on disk) to any of the "electronic addresses" listed below. Deadline for submissions is September 30, 1993. Winners will be announced in conjunction with the DPA activities surrounding "Electronic Publishing Month" which is celebrated every November.
Submit entries to the DPA at CompuServe: 75166,2473; GEnie: RALBRIGHT; MCI Mail: 370-7474 (RALBRIGHT); PRODIGY: DXBD80A; or directly to the DPA BBS at 205-854-1660 (1200/2400/9600).
Disk submissions should be sent to: The Digital Publishing Association, 1160 Huffman Road, Birmingham, AL 35215.
Digital Quill Awards are not limited to publications dealing with computers, telecommunications or other high-tech topics, it is only the publishing media that is high-tech, the actual text can be everything from children's stories to poetry, but computer related topics are also eligible.
(John McCormick/19930729/Press Contact: Ron Albright, 205-856 9510, fax 205-853-8478, or BBS 205-854-1660)
205-853-8478, or BBS 205-854-1660)
7/29/93
Digital Quill Awards Competition
GENERAL
Screen Savers Will Include Photo
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- Microsoft says it will ship a new line of screen saver products in about 60 days that will include photographic images from the worlds of nature, art and outer space.
Called Microsoft Scenes, the product line will kick off with the Sierra Club, Impressionists, and Outer Space collections. The Sierra Club scenes will include photos of nature and wilderness, national parks, pristine nature regions, and other outdoor settings. The Impressionists Collection contains paintings from world-renowned artists such as Claude Monet and Paul Cezanne. Outer Space is a collection of photos that include the moon, earth, and Halley's comet.
Each collection includes 48 color images and are accompanied by information provided by experts in the field as well as a variety of special effects for transitions between the various scenes. The information in the Sierra Club collection includes passages from the John Muir Library published by Sierra Club Books. The Impressionists Collection contains information by Alicia Craig Faxon, professor of art history and chairperson of the department of art and music at Simmons College in Boston. The Outer Space collection descriptions were prepared by Damond Benningfield, writer and producer for the daily radio program "Star Date."
Microsoft says it will include with each a collection a coupon that the user can use to convert up to three personal photographs into Microsoft Scenes images. The conversion will be done by Genigraphics Corporation. Bit-mapped images from the Microsoft Windows operating system can also be added to Scenes using Scenes Wizards. Scenes is compatible with Berkeley Systems' After Dark 2.0 and other screen saver programs for Windows 3.1.
Each title sells for $29.95, and requires Windows 3.1 or higher, a VGA display capable of displaying 256 colors, and a 386SX or better personal computer with at least two megabytes of system memory, or RAM. Microsoft says a portion of the price of each Sierra Club collection sold will go to support the club's efforts to protect the environment. An introductory membership for the Sierra Club is also included. All three collections come in recycled packaging.
(Jim Mallory/19930729/Press contact: Beverley Flower, Microsoft 206-882-8080, 800- 426-9400)
y Flower, Microsoft 206-882-8080, 800- 426-9400)
7/29/93
Screen Savers Will Include Photographic Images
CompuAdd Files Reorganization Pl
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- In what might be world record time, CompuAdd Corporation has filed its plan of reorganization with the US Bankruptcy Court in Austin, Texas just 36 days after seeking Chapter 11 protection.
The personal computer seller voluntarily filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code June 22, 1993 after it had trouble settling the claims of creditors arising out of the company's closing of all 111 of its retail outlets. CompuAdd CEO Bill Hayden said the bankruptcy petition was filed after a three month effort to settle claims with creditors such as landlords and suppliers of the retail outlets. In addition to the landlords creditors include Lexmark, IBM, Texas Instruments, and Samsung, a CompuAdd spokesperson told Newsbytes.
The company's announcement said the plan provides for reorganization through an outside investment or internal reorganization in which unsecured creditors will receive substantially all of the stock of the reorganized company. Hayden CompuAdd's founder, would remain as CEO under the plan.
(Jim Mallory/19930729/Press and Reader contact: CompuAdd Corporation, 512-250-2000)
CompuAdd Corporation, 512-250-2000)
7/29/93
CompuAdd Files Reorganization Plan
BUSINESS
Microsoft Quarterly Revenue Hits
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- Microsoft released its fourth quarter earnings this week, reporting earnings for the period were up 26 percent. The software company also reached the $1 billion quarterly revenue mark for the first time in the company's history.
The earnings report is about in line with the prediction of financial analysts. The company said its fourth quarter earnings were $265 million, or $0.87 per share, compared to earnings of $210 million, or $0.71 per share, for the same period last year. Quarterly revenues reached $1.04 billion, up from $815 million for the 1992 fourth quarter, a 27 percent increase. For the fiscal year 1993, Microsoft earned $953 million, or $3.15 per share, compared to the $708 million ($2.41 per share) for fiscal 1992. Revenues totaled $3.75 billion, compared to $2.76 billion in FY 92.
Microsoft stock rose sharply Wednesday in anticipation of the financial results being released, going as high as $79.50 on trading of more than three million shares. The stock closed up $3.50.
The financial report, which was released after the stock market closed Wednesday, comes just one day after Newsbytes reported Microsoft has released its long-awaited Windows NT operating system for manufacturing. The company said the software should be in retail channels within three weeks. Windows was initially expected to ship last year.
It's been a good month for Microsoft. In addition to the earnings report, the company dodged a bullet last week as the Federal Trade Commission still couldn't come to a decision about Microsoft's businesses practices. The agency doesn't comment on ongoing investigations, but Microsoft has acknowledged that the FTC is looking into its business practices, specifically trying to determine if the company has engaged in unfair competition practices. It was the second time the commission couldn't reach a final decision, although it reportedly did agree not to issue an administrative complaint against Microsoft.
Microsoft Chairman and CEO Bill Gates says Microsoft is spending money on the development of home and office products, but didn't disclose further details. However, Newsbytes recently reported that the company was working on software to link office machines such as faxes, computers, copiers and printers, and the company is also working on Windows-like software to control interactive television.
"While the ongoing success of Windows, Word (the company's word processing program), and many other products make us confident that our current product strategies are headed in the right direction, we're also making many other long-term investments in key technologies for the future, including software for office machines and personal home devices," said Gates.
Microsoft has shipped more than 30 million copies of Windows which is selling at the rate of one million copies each month.
(Jim Mallory/19930729/Press and reader contact: Microsoft corporation, 206-882-8080 or 800-426-9400)
ft corporation, 206-882-8080 or 800-426-9400)
7/29/93
Microsoft Quarterly Revenue Hits $1 Billion
BUSINESS
Sales Of Home Fax Devices Leaped
NORWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- Sales of fax devices for use at home leaped dramatically last year, and will eventually overtake purchases of business fax machines, according to a new study by BIS Strategic Decisions.
In arriving at these and related results, the Norwell, MA-based market research firm surveyed three segments of the home market: home offices, where revenue-generating business is generated from the home; work-at-home households, where work is done that has been brought home from the office; and personal fax.
"Over 47 percent of home offices and 89 percent of work-at-home fax device owners surveyed by BIS indicated owning their fax devices for less than one year. The home is starting to emerge as the next important market segment for the fax industry," stated Judith Pirani, director of BIS' Image Communication Systems Market Advisory Service.
The boom in the home fax market is due to growing need rather than declining prices, the study says. More than half (51 percent) of respondents with home offices bought a fax device because they thought they were losing business without one.
About four of every ten respondents from work-at-home households (41 percent) purchased a fax device to communicate with the office while working at home.
In contrast, less than 5 percent of home office respondents and less than 18 percent of work-at-homers were prompted to purchase fax devices by lower prices. "A $100 fax machine or a $25 fax modem is not going to automatically ignite this market," Pirani noted.
BIS attributed the accelerating need for fax devices to changing business patterns. More people today are telecommuting or bringing work home in the evening, and new business startups from the home are on the rise, the researchers explained.
In the home office segment, the company discovered that 23.7 percent of survey participants had owned their fax devices for one to six months, and another 23.7 percent for seven to twelve months. Exactly 28.9 percent had owned their devices for 13 to 24 months 9.2 percent for 25 to 36 months, and 13.2 percent for over 36 months. A total of 1.3 percent of these participants responded "don't know."
Among the work-at-homers, 69.4 percent had owned their fax devices for one to six months, 19.5 percent for seven to 12 months, and merely 11.1 percent for over 12 months.
BIS also determined other differences among the three segments. For example, personal use of fax was much higher in work-at-home households than home offices.
Distinctions were unearthed, as well, between fax machine and PC fax owners within each segment. PC fax owners, for instance, tend to do more research before choosing to buy a specific model than fax machine owners, according to the results.
Detailed findings from the fax-at-home research can be purchased from BIS in a series of three reports. Collectively entitled User Requirements for Home Facsimile Products, the reports delve into such topics as buying behavior, feature evaluation, price sensitivity, and usage patterns.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930729/Public contact: Robin Osborne, BIS, tel 617-982-9500; Press contact: Martha Popoloski, BIS, tel 617-982 9500)
; Press contact: Martha Popoloski, BIS, tel 617-982 9500)
7/29/93
Sales Of Home Fax Devices Leaped Dramatically Last Year
TRENDS
Editorial - Reflections On Hacke
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- By John McMullen. I sat in federal court this week and watched two young men get sentenced to prison. It was not a pleasant experience.
The young men, Ellias Ladopoulos, known in the hacker world as "Acid Phreak," and Paul Stira, also known as "Scorpion," were each sentenced to six months of imprisonment, six months of home detention seven hundred fifty hours of community service, and given a $50 assessment charge for conspiracy to commit computer crimes. Both had pled guilty on March 17th on this charge so there was not a question of guilt or innocence.
The six-month imprisonment also does not seem Draconian -- six months doesn't seem very long unless you happen to be the one serving it. Time is extremely relative as I found out when I spent five years at Fort Sill, Oklahoma between January 1963 and April 1963. It is safe to say that these young men will find the six-month loss of freedom to be a very long period.
The penalty, however, may be reasonable. It is certainly well within the sentencing guidelines for the infraction. (The maximum sentence quoted for the crime is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.)
If I think that the sentencing may be just, or at least defensible then what is the problem? Well, first, I have known the young men for over three years and like them both. I would have preferred that they not go to prison. I also personally feel that Stira never should have been a part of the indictment, a view shared by some law enforcement authorities. He is only mentioned in the papers twice and any illegal activities stopped in January 1990. The activities involved possession a "trap door" program and a list of user passwords to systems.
I recognize that is a personal feeling and that all people want their friends not to bear hardship.
Another problem relates to the procedures that got the defendants to the sentence. Stira and Ladopoulos (along with Mark Abene, also known as "Phiber Optik") were the subjects of a search and seizure by Secret Service agents in January 1990. Stira and Ladopoulos' fate then languished until July 1992 when they were indicted along with Abene and two new players, John Lee, also known as "Corrupt," and Julio Fernandez or "Outlaw," on conspiracy to commit computer crimes.
During the three years that have gone by, Stira and Ladopoulos have undergone changes. They are both college students -- Stira would have graduated had his college not pulled his computer account when he pled guilty, an action which prevented him from completing his last course requirement.
Both have performed community service through contacts provided by Robert Ambrose, a director of the New York Amateur Computer Club (NYACC). Ladopoulos is employed by a major New York broadcasting company and has impressed his employer to the extent that the employer wrote a letter to the judge, asking for leniency, and came to the sentencing.
Ladopoulos' attorney, Scott Tulman, speaking at the hearing, said "He goes to school, works, and donates time to working with the handicapped, teaching them to use computers. He acknowledges his culpability and has been attempting to atone for it. His probation officer noted his sincere efforts to rehabilitate himself. The stupid young person, 'Acid Phreak,' who was involved with other person's computers no longer exists. It is Elias Ladopoulos who will be sentenced and that will cause a hardship to his family."
There are those who may say, "It doesn't matter how long ago they did something wrong. They did it and they have to pay the piper." They may well be right in some cases but these are not serial killers; they are two young men who have been under tremendous pressure for a substantial part of their lives (3 years out of 21 is significant) since the indictment. Perhaps that should have been considered sufficient punishment.
There is, further, an overriding problem. From day one of the case, the judge, Richard Owen, showed a complete lack of understanding of the technology related to the case. At the initial scheduling meeting, then-assistant US attorney Steve Fishbein pointed out that the discovery process might take a long time as the government had intercepted over "50 megabytes" of electronic evidence. The judge asked what a megabyte was and, when told it was a million characters, seemed to look rather panicked. The judge said, "You're not going to show all that to a jury are you?" Fishbein assured him that he would not.
It seemed obvious to those of us in attendance that Judge Owen had visions of 50 million pieces of paper being delivered to a jury. He was understandably concerned.
That was only day one and a federal judge may not be computer literate at the start of such a case. That would certainly be a lot to expect. One might expect, however, that, a year later at the conclusion of the case, knowledge would have been acquired. Sadly, that did not seem to be the case.
One of the charges made against Stira and Ladopoulos (and Abene) was that they both pulled a prank and caused damage to a computer system belong to WNET, the PBS television channel in New York. While Stira and Ladopoulos admitted being on the system, both deny causing any damage. (It is a common belief that another hacker, known for malicious actions, was left unindicted by the federal government because of his age, and knowingly committed the damage.)
A major part of the sentencing dialogue between Ladopoulos and Judge Owen had to do with this incident. Newsbytes reported that in response to questions from Judge Owen concerning his involvement with the damage to the WNET system, Ladopoulous said "Another hacker whose name I have already provided to the government was the one who took the system down. When I saw the problem, I called the station and left my own phone number and offered to help. If I had caused the damage, I would not have done that. The person who caused the damage is a very deranged person."
Judge Owen said that he could not believe that it was merely a coincidence that the damage was done to the WNET system in the same time frame that Ladopoulous was on the system. Ladopoulous replied that the system log showed that he was off the system when the damage occurred. A discussion followed on the entire incident.
The discussion actually had knowledgeable persons in the court room shaking their heads. The judge didn't understand. He said that there was too much work for this mysterious hacker to have done to copy messages from Ladopoulous, add destructive material to it, and shut down the system all on the same day -- just too much typing. Ladopoulous tried to explain about capture routines, editors, and other aspects of online communication and then, seeming to realize the futility of it, just gave up.
Speaking later to Newsbytes about the experience, Ladopoulous said "It was terribly frustrating. The judge just didn't understand about WNET. I tried to explain that I did not damage the system but he didn't understand."
Perhaps the prosecution was satisfied because the defendants were being punished for their illegal acts -- perhaps the defense took it in stride because of the relative lightness of the sentence -- perhaps it was a good sentence. However, anyone with an understanding of computers and telecommunications had to feel that the judge had no grasp of these issues.
What happens next? Organizations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), the Society for Electronic Access (SEA), and Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility (CPSR) are trying to close the knowledge gap between public officials and technologists. Congress is holding hearings on technology issues. There is recognition at the national level on the importance of understanding the changes that the telecommunications revolution has brought. Progress may be made. I hope so. Can you imagine if it were your case -- or that of a member of your family was being sentenced? Scary, isn't it?
(John F. McMullen/19930729)
ary, isn't it?
(John F. McMullen/19930729)
7/29/93
Editorial - Reflections On Hacker Sentencing
EDITORIAL
!D!b!
New Mac Product Roundup
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- Here is a quick look at some new Macintosh products on the market:
Fontographer 4.0
Fontographer 4.0 font creator/manipulator adds auto-spacing and edit-in-preview features, the latter letting users edit Bezier points in Preview mode. Also new are Advanced and Beginner levels Path Smoothing and floating tool palettes. $495 suggested retail. Upgrades from all versions: $99. Free to users who purchased version 3.5 after April 1. Altsys Corp. (Richardson, Texas); 214/680-2060.
Reduced PowerBook AppleLink Rates
AppleLink rates for PowerBook users have been cut 40 percent from the standard price. Sign-up is now $19.95 instead of $70, and the hourly rate is $24.95 per daytime hour for 9600bps access, down from a $37 rate. Access at 2400bps is $14.95 per daytime hour with no kilocharacter surcharge. The offer is available to existing AppleLink subscribers, but they still must pay the $19.95 registration fee. Call 800/877-8221 with your PowerBook serial and model numbers to order. The offer expires Dec. 31, and the lower rates will remain in effect indefinitely for users who sign up by then.
Digitalfilm Deluxe System & Bundle
Adobe Premiere, software for creating digital video QuickTime Movies on the Mac, is one of several programs bundled with SuperMac's Digitalfilm NuBus card. SuperMac's (Sunnyvale, CA) Digitalfilm Deluxe, a video capture, editing and authoring bundle, combines the company's Digitalfilm NuBus card with video-editing software. Digitalfilm features real-time, full-screen capture, the ability to output to videotape, and support for QuickTime, JPEG compression and XCMDs. Editing software bundled with the card includes MacroMind Director, Adobe Premiere, the Cosa After Effects special-effects package and Diaquest's DQ-Timecoder for stamping timecodes on video frames. Suggested retail is $5,999. Currently available only through Tech Data, Intelligent Electronics, Falcon GTSI, Computerland and MicroAge. Upgrades are available to registered users through SuperMac by contacting the company directly at 408/541-6100.
The Last Dinosaur Egg
Probably not a coincidence: Jurassic Park is out and Sanctuary Woods (San Mateo, Calf.) has released The Last Dinosaur Egg, a children's CD-ROM title that sets up players as museum archivists who retro-travel backward to get the egg of the last surviving Tyrannosaurus Rex. Features up-to-date information on the dinosaurs and their surroundings with 100 hand-painted backgrounds animated characters, video clips, digitized sound effects, and original music. Distributed by Electronic Arts, the title's suggested retail price is $59.95. Call 604/684-8177.
PrecisionColor Pro
The Radius PrecisionColor Pro is an accelerated 24-bit display board. Available this month with a suggested retail price of $2,499, the 7-inch NuBus card is designed to speed up QuickDraw tasks. It features on-the-fly switching among several resolutions. Radius is in San Jose, CA at 408/434-1010.
Astound
Interactive presentation software uses outline and slide metaphor with ability to add music, narration, QuickTime movies, moving text transitions and cel animation. Runtime player lets Windows users run Astound presentations. Features 20 drawing tools charting, and interactive buttons. Suggested retail price is $399.95. Gold Disk, Torrance, CA 310/320-5080.
(Chris Oakes/19930729)
(Chris Oakes/19930729)
7/29/93
New Mac Product Roundup
APPLE
Acrobat & Common Ground: Pathway
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- Do you laugh when you hear the phrase "paperless office?" Well, listen up cynics.
No Hands' Common Ground and Adobe Acrobat, designed to let complex electronic documents flow between two computers like simple text does now, are both now shipping. Using this technology anyone can view, search and print any electronic document without having the creating application or fonts.
No Hands Software says the key to Common Ground's promise is "DigitalPaper," a cross-platform file format that lets a user turn a document (via a Chooser extension) into an electronic format that can be universally viewed and printed. Both Mac and PC users will be able to see this "digital paper" with Common Ground viewing software for their particular computer. (The Windows version is scheduled to ship later this year.)
More than just inert "paper" on your display, the elements of digital paper can be copied and pasted like any other text or graphic. Common Ground also lets you search digital paper for keywords, as you do now with your word processing or database document.
Meanwhile, Adobe's Acrobat turns documents into its "Portable Document Format" (PDF), which is also designed for compatibility across various platforms. Whereas No Hands' DigitalPaper format creates documents in bit-mapped form, Acrobat's PDF is tied to Adobe Type Manager, which it uses to render the type in electronic documents.
Acrobat also employs two other Adobe technologies: the PostScript page description language and SuperATM's multiple-master font substitution.
What if the receiving computer doesn't have the Acrobat or Common Ground software to view the document? With Common Ground the sender can include a "Mini-Viewer," a free, stripped-down version of Common Ground's viewing software that allows the receiver to both view and print the document. Its small size allows it to be embedded into any Common Ground document, so that all the receiver need do to see the document is double-click on it.
With Acrobat, the receiving user needs Acrobat Reader, a stripped-down version of Adobe's viewing software, Acrobat Exchange. Reader allows users to view, navigate and print PDF files, but it cannot generate bookmarks, thumbnails notes or links, all of which Acrobat Exchange is able to do. There is no free viewer available for Acrobat documents, but for third-party developers interested in creating one, Adobe will make an application programming interface available.
Common Ground, which claims a smaller size and faster speed than Acrobat, retails for $189.95. No Hands Software is in Belmont, CA at 415/321-7340 or 800/598-3821.
Acrobat Exchange is priced according to the quantity ordered with a range of $146 to $195 per user. Acrobat Reader will range from $35 to $50 per user. Documents that contain PostScript or high-resolution color images need to be "distilled" to PDF format with the Acrobat Distiller. A single-user version of Acrobat Distiller will list for $695, while a version that allows unlimited network users will list for $2,495. Adobe is in Mountain View, CA at 415/961-4400.
(Chris Oakes/19930729)
ountain View, CA at 415/961-4400.
(Chris Oakes/19930729)
7/29/93
Acrobat & Common Ground: Pathways To The Paperless Office?
APPLE
One File Leads To Another -- Lin
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- Step on a cat's tail and a loud, high-pitched sound follows -- there is a link between the two actions.
It can be very convenient to have the same kind of linking between two actions on your Apple Computer Mac -- and this is the idea behind hypertext, and now "HyperMedia." LinksWare (Monterey, CA) has announced version 3.0 of its HyperMedia product of the same name. LinksWare 3.0 is designed to let users link together text, paint and image files, as well as sound and QuickTime movies.
In LinksWare, which can access a multitude of file formats, you click on an element (the word "stomach," for example) and you are linked to another document, be it in the form of words pictures, or video (perhaps an illustration detailing the stomach in all its splendor). "Linked to" means that the linked document is opened and displayed by LinksWare, regardless of whether the creating application is present.
Linked files can also include those residing on CD-ROM discs all this is on the $99 version. An advanced version is also available for $164. The advanced version lets users create stand-alone hypertext documents that can create hypertext links within itself.
A demo of version 3.0 is available on CompuServe, American OnLine, AppleLink and GEnie. The demo version can be converted to the full running version by calling the company. For more information on availability, call 408/372-4155.
(Chris Oakes/19930729)
ilability, call 408/372-4155.
(Chris Oakes/19930729)
7/29/93
One File Leads To Another -- LinksWare 3.0 For The Mac
APPLE
Tandem Losses Force Move To Down
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- Tandem known for its mainframe and supercomputers, is reporting losses of $44 million in its third fiscal quarter. The Fortune 500 company says it will probably report a loss in its next as well quarter and will lay off 15 percent of its workforce, or about 1,600 to 1,800 people, in the next 12 months.
This is the second restructuring in as many years for Tandem. The company started 1992 reporting it expected to lose money and laid off 9 percent of its workforce during the year. This time, in addition to layoffs, a 5 percent cut in employee compensation and a reduction in benefits is being instituted. The company says the change in the salary structure is a permanent one.
The current losses are being blamed on weak economic conditions, particularly in Europe, and the company's belief that customers are waiting on new products to buy. Analysts are saying the market is moving away from mainframe computers to smaller and less expensive client/server systems and Tandem like IBM, has been slow to follow.
However, Tandem last week announced a line of lower-priced parallel, open systems and servers aimed at attracting buyers. In a deal with Unix System Laboratories (USL), Tandem will integrate the USL Tuxedo Enterprise Transaction System software with the Tandem Nonstop Kernel operating system. The resulting product, called Nonstop Tuxedo, will be the first open transaction monitor for business-critical client/server systems, Tandem claims. Applications for such systems include intensive, transaction-based uses such as bank automated teller processing.
But selling a higher volume of systems at lower prices means an adjustment for Tandem. James Treybig, president and chief executive officer said: "We are aware that becoming a low price provider requires we adopt a new business model if we are going to achieve our profitability goals. This requires more than just cutting costs; it requires re-engineering the business, changing our culture, and continuously reducing our cost structure."
Steps have already been taken to reduce costs, according to Treybig, who said the changes have begun at the Tandem Telecom division, in many of Tandem's European operating subsidiaries and at its subsidiary Ungermann-Bass.
Revenues for the third fiscal quarter of 1993, ended June 30 were $476 million, and for the nine month period were $1.5 billion. In the same period during fiscal 1992, Tandem reported revenues of $503 million for the third quarter and $1.5 billion for the nine-month period.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930729/Press Contact: Tom Waldrop, Tandem tel 408-285-7277, fax 408-285-6938; Sally Smith, Tandem, tel 408-285-7515)
85-6938; Sally Smith, Tandem, tel 408-285-7515)
7/29/93
Tandem Losses Force Move To Downsized Systems
Austin Launches Pentium-Based Ma
Quantum Posts 1Q Earnings, As Ma
UK - First Byte PC Superstore
New for Windows - Video Wallpape
PHOENIX, ARIZONA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- Moon Valley Software, known for its previous release of animated icons for Windows called Icon Do-It, has released Romaterial, a collection of "gadgets" for Windows on compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM). The CD includes Windows wallpaper that springs into real video, more animated icons, more animated cursors and the ability to add multiple sounds to a single command.
Video Savers are video clips that springs into life full-screen when there has been no keyboard input for a predetermined amount of time. The videos include scenery, such as an Alaskan cruise, or high tech stuff such as actual footage of a space shuttle launch, Moon Valley said. Other screen saver options include a slide show or the ability to play a favorite list of regular screen savers. Video lists are play lists comprised of one or more videos (Windows AVI files). Slide shows take bitmaps (.BMP files) and display them one at a time and in succession.
The company says the CD has 500 designer icons, 200 animated icons, 200 cursors, 100 Backdrop wallpapers, 75 Screenbreak screensavers, and 50 animated cursors. Its 500 sound effects include six foreign languages, five English and American accents, animal noises, machinery sounds, and musical instruments.
The product requires an IBM or compatible personal computer (PC), running Microsoft Windows 3.1, at least 2 megabytes (MB) of random access memory (RAM), 10 MB of hard disk space, a CD ROM drive, a mouse, and a video graphics array (VGA) monitor. A sound card is recommended and Moon Valley boasts no special hardware is required, as the video will work with any VGA monitor. Retail price for Romaterial is $29.95.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930729/Press Contact: Pat Meier, Pat Meier Associates for Moon Valley Software, tel 415-597-5999, fax 415 957-1733; Moon Valley Software, 602-375-9502)
fax 415 957-1733; Moon Valley Software, 602-375-9502)
7/29/93
New for Windows - Video Wallpaper Via Romaterial CD
Creative Labs Revenues Up 240% F
MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- It appears to be either the best of times or the worst of times for many high tech firms. Lining up on the best side appears to be Creative Technology which said revenue for its fourth quarter was up 248 percent from the $25.1 million reported last year to $87.4 million. For the year, revenue was up 240 percent from $85.8 million last year to $291.7 million.
The company was reporting losses in its net income in the fourth quarter last year of $15.0 million, but says net income is in the black this quarter at $17.8 million. For the year the company made $44.8 million, compared to the 0.6 million figure last year.
The company is pointing to growth in the multimedia hardware and software market as the cause of the growth. Competitor Media Vision is reporting the same type of expansion.
Creative Labs went public in August of last year, purchased Macintosh video teleconferencing products company Sharevision and music synthesizer company E-mu. The company is also boasting it is the first to ship the Supermac Cinepak video compression/decompression (codec) with its Videospigot for Windows video capture product. The Cinepak compression codec is expected to pick up in popularity in the multimedia marketplace as it has been licensed from Supermac by companies such as Microsoft and 3DO. The company also introduced two MPC Level 2 compliant multimedia upgrade kits and its new Sound Blaster 16 sound card during the period.
Creative Technology is headquartered in Singapore, but its primary US subsidiary, Creative Labs, is located in Milpitas California. The company also boasts other subsidiaries in the US, Europe, Taiwan, and China.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930729/Press Contact: Benita Kenn, Creative Labs, tel 408428-6600)
nita Kenn, Creative Labs, tel 408428-6600)
7/29/93
Creative Labs Revenues Up 240% For FY 93
BUSINESS
Digital, Online Video Production
MARLBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 29 (B) -- Data Translation's Multimedia Group announced its new product, Media 100, has been installed in 52 beta sites across the United States and final product ships to customers on August 31, 1993.
Media 100 is said to be the first 100 percent digital, online nonlinear video production system for creating high quality (NTSC or PAL) video programs directly from a Macintosh computer.
"The initial response from our beta testers has been very favorable," said John Molinari, general manager of the Multimedia Group. "The feedback has been consistent; both corporate users and video professionals give high marks for the product's intuitive interface and feature set and say that Media 100's video output quality exceeds what they thought possible in a digital, nonlinear system."
Among those who have used the product, are these comments. "From somebody who has researched the options quite thoroughly I'm very impressed that Media 100 is an open system. I can buy the computer and off-the-shelf drives on my own. This means big savings for me. We've already placed our order," David Westerhof-Shultz Producer of video documentaries -- Veritas International, St. Louis, says.
"The product looked superb, I was thoroughly impressed," says Mike Backes codirector, American Film Institute, Hollywood and computer specialist for the film Jurassic Park.
Three years in development, Media 100 lets users digitize analog video and audio, store it in the computer, edit a complete video program using a picture-based interface, and record the finished program back onto videotape. Consisting of two NuBus boards and video production software compatible with Apple System 7 and QuickTime Media 100 is for corporate and industrial video production animation, and multimedia authoring.
The system's video output is 60 fields and 30 frames per second meeting all broadcast NTSC standards and supports input/output of 4 independent tracks of CD-quality, stereo audio.
At Macworld and Siggraph Data Translation will simultaneously make the first public demonstrations of Media 100's implementation of Adobe Premiere technology for special effects. The Media 100 FX Option allows the system to render, play, edit, and record 62 effect types as high-quality video, not just as on-screen effects for multimedia. Effects include standard translations like wipes and dissolves, filtering through posterizing blurring, solarizing and embossing video; and DVF-effects such as page turns and squeezes.
To output finished video, Media 100 requires a Macintosh Quadra 800 840 AV, 900 or 950 with 2 NuBus slots, 24 Mbytes RAM memory Apple System 7 & QuickTime; SCSI hard drive(s) for video/audio storage (1 GB or higher capacity recommended), video monitor (NTSC or PAL), videotape recorder (VTR, VCR, or camcorder) for video program input/output. The Media 100 system is priced at $11,995 and ships to all customers on August 31, 1993. Beta shipments of the product have been in effect since June 11, 1993. The FX Option is priced at $995, and is also available on August 31, 1993.
(Wendy Woods/19930729/Press Contact: Data Translation, Patrick Rafter 508/460-1600, ext. 877)
ion, Patrick Rafter 508/460-1600, ext. 877)
7/29/93
Digital, Online Video Production On a Mac
APPLE
Animated Cursor Software With Ap
PLEASANTON, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 29 (NB) -- Input device maker Appoint says it will include Delta Point's "Animated Desktop" software with each Mousepen Pro, Thumbelina and Gulliver pointing device it sells. The software allows the cursor in Microsoft Windows to be changed from the normal arrow to other objects including a flying witch, a rotating "glob," or walking fingers.
The Animated Desktop software package offers a selection of icons as well. Appoint says an "Animation Toolbox" utility allows more creative users to design their own icons and cursors.
Appoint describes its pointing devices as input device technology designed to work on any surface and at almost any angle -- without a mouse pad. The three input devices that will include the Animated Desktop are part of the company's Business Line. Mousepen Pro is described as an ergonomically designed input device shaped like a pen and particularly suited to graphics applications. Thumbelina, is a miniature handheld trackball. Gulliver is described as the only mouse designed especially for portable computers.
Appoint says the Animated Desktop is a $69 value, but will not increase the price of the bundled pointing devices. Retail pricing for the Mousepen and Thumbelina is $99 and Gulliver is priced at $119.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930729/Press Contact: Michele Cimera Appoint, tel 510-463-3003, fax 510-463-3204; Public Contact 800-448-1184)
-3003, fax 510-463-3204; Public Contact 800-448-1184)
7/29/93
Animated Cursor Software With Appoint Input Devices
UK Gets Its First Green Notebook
ELSTREE, HERTFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- Opti International, a new name to the PC scene, has announced plans to release the Chameleon Pro notebook, which it claims is the UK's first "green" notebook, in keeping with the Energy Star campaign announced in the US recently.
Based around Intel's 3.3-volt 80484SX chipset, the machine claims to conform to all the latest European Commission (EC) guidelines on energy efficient and conservationist machines. The case, manuals and packaging are all manufactured from recycled materials and CFC free materials are used in the machine's construction. Opti's European sales manager, Martin Bailey, claims that the machine is the first in Europe to be manufactured to the US Energy Star guidelines.
The main feature of the Chameleon Pro is its upgrade path. The base system is a based on low-power (SL) version of the Intel 80486SX chipset running at 25 megahertz (MHz), which can be upgraded to DX33, DX2/50 or DX2/66 speeds. RAM can be upgraded from the standard 4MB to 8, 12 or 20MB as required.
Hard disk options start at 210MB, ranging to 300 and 500MB. Even the display is upgradable, from monochrome to super twist nematic (STN) dual scan color or thin film transistor (TFT) active matrix color. Newsbytes notes that both color screens will not be available for another six months, although Opti plans to offer a buy-back scheme for the mono screens as users upgrade.
Albert Ingber, Opti's managing director, said that he wanted to offer users the option to buy a base model machine, which at any stage could be upgraded to whatever specification a particular job required.
"With 32-bit operating systems such as Windows NT and OS/2 beginning to become standard for many people, and notebooks becoming more popular, large network users are looking to combine the two, even using notebooks as servers," he said, adding that a notebook can be viewed as a server with a built-in uninterruptible power supply.
PCMCIA type II and III card slots are available as standard options on the Chameleon Pro, as are a wide range of card expansions including small computer systems interface (SCSI) II, a fax modem and shortly a Soundblaster Pro-compatible type II card.
A docking station will also be available that has two industry standard architecture (ISA) cards and a 5.25-inch drive bay for a tape streamer or compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM) drive.
So, how much does the Chameleon Pro cost? The standard specification of a 486SX 25MHz SL machine with 4MB of RAM, a 120MB hard disk mono screen, PCMCIA II and II expansion slots, MS-DOS 6.0 and carry case, is UKP 1,299. This price includes a carry case and mains adapter charger unit.
(Steve Gold/19930720/Press & Public Contact: Opti International Tel: 081-599-1137; Fax: 081-590-0433)
l Tel: 081-599-1137; Fax: 081-590-0433)
7/30/93
UK Gets Its First Green Notebook PC
Rank Xerox Desktop Laser Printer
UXBRIDGE, MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- Rank Xerox has unveiled the Xerox 4213-II, a high performance duplex desktop laser printer that it claims is designed to provide the most cost effective and versatile printing for business users.
The machine is also claimed to be one of the most powerful network printers on the market, support PCL5 and Postscript page description languages. It can be configured to work with Ethernet, Token Ring and Appletalk network interfaces, allowing it to support Netware LAN Manager, TCP/IP, Ethertalk and Tokentalk network protocols.
Interestingly, the new printer can print edge-to-edge, which is highly unusual for a laser in this range. The printer can also switch emulations via software commands. This, Xerox claims, is a useful enhancement for multi-host installations.
Xerox also claims that the printer is the only mid-range unit of its type that offers duplex (two sided) printing. In use, it runs at 13 pages per minute (ppm), working to 300 dots-per-inch (dpi) and can cope with print volumes of 45,000 pages per month.
Pricing on the 4213-II starts at UKP 3,325. According to Chris Burley, a spokesman for Rank Xerox, all toner, developer and photoreceptor cartridges are customer-replaceable so as to optimize printer uptime and minimize service call outs.
The printer comes with a three-year warranty, with the backup of what Xerox calls its total customer satisfaction guarantee. This scheme allows customers who feel that their machine is not being maintained to their satisfaction, to ask for a replacement that the company will supply at no extra cost, including the cost of exchanging, to the user.
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- Ending months of anticipation, the first of Apple Computer's new Newton product line is here. Apple Canada Inc., took the wraps off the new personal digital assistant (PDA), just ahead of its expected unveiling to the United States market at the MacWorld show Monday.
Apple Canada also announced several alliances with communications companies and information providers to offer services and products to go with the Newton.
The first Newton, called the MessagePad, is a handheld device that relies on a pen for input and control. It recognizes both printing and cursive writing, though Apple Canada's demonstration left some doubts about accuracy. In the demonstration, Greg Dalzell, market development manager for personal interactive electronics at Apple Canada, tried several times to enter information in one Newton and it was wrongly interpreted. Finally he switched to a different unit which performed better.
Apple officials said the MessagePad is 60 to 70-percent accurate in translating writing or printing initially, and "learns" the user's handwriting to become about 90-percent accurate over time.
A short-range infrared device allows Newtons to "beam" information to each other, and optional wired and wireless data and facsimile modems provide further communications features.
The Newton MessagePad contains the Advanced RISC Machines Ltd. ARM 610 reduced instruction set computing (RISC) chip. Advanced RISC Machines is based in Cambridge, England, and Apple is one of its major shareholders.
The basic device has 640K bytes of random-access memory (RAM). The software that makes it work is stored in four megabytes (MB) of read-only memory (ROM). The MessagePad will run for about four hours of continuous use on nickel-cadmium or alkaline batteries said Dalzell.
Weighing less than a pound, the MessagePad has a Personal Computer Memory Card Interface Association (PCMCIA) type 2 card slot for expansion options, which will include one and two-megabyte storage cards and a Messaging Card that allows the MessagePad to act as a pager. Apple also said it will offer an external data and fax modem option.
Apple Canada officials exuded optimism about the Newton's future success. Peter Jones, president of the subsidiary, said he expects the Newton to account for at least 10 percent of Apple's sales volume in Canada in its first year on the market.
It will not do much of that in the next two months, however. The company said a very limited supply of the devices will be available, in the Toronto area only, for the coming 60 days.
To help the Newton's sales along, Apple Canada also announced partnerships with several Canadian companies.
Cantel Paging, a unit of the Cantel Inc. wireless communications operation, will provide national alphanumeric paging services to Newton owners. The deal will "reposition Cantel's services" into the field of critical information distribution, said Tom Pirner vice-president and general manager of Cantel Paging.
WorldLinx, a Bell Canada subsidiary, will make available to MessagePad owners access to The Net, its electronic mail and database access service, which has about 80,000 subscribers according to Michael Neuman, WorldLinx president and chief executive.
Southam Electronic Publishing, a unit of newspaper and magazine publisher Southam Inc. of Toronto, is working on various information services for the Newton product line. Huw Morgan director of marketing and operations, said these will probably include a news headline service, and future possibilities include electronic television listings and advertising.
Not to be outdone, The Globe and Mail, a national newspaper published in Toronto, will offer Newton users the Report on Business Canadian Company Information Card, a database of financial and other data on major Canadian companies on a PCMCIA card. Michael Ryan, general manager of the Globe Information Services subsidiary of the newspaper, said this "will be the first of many information products and services developed in co-operation with Apple's Personal Interactive Electronics division."
Dalzell said Apple is working with several other Canadian developers.
The Canadian suggested retail price for the Newton MessagePad is $899.
(Grant Buckler/19930730/Press Contact: Franca Miraglia, Apple Canada, 416-513-5511)
ca Miraglia, Apple Canada, 416-513-5511)
7/30/93
Apple Canada Unveils Newton MessagePad
APPLE
IBM Extends ValuePoint Line Down
SOMERS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- If sheer volume of product introductions counts for anything, the IBM Personal Computer Co., should be gaining ground in the PC market. Not satisfied with a string of product announcements in recent months, the company has now launched new low-end models in its ValuePoint line and cut prices across the rest of that product group.
Also recognizing that new products do little good if you can't deliver them -- a problem IBM has had with its ThinkPad notebook computers and to a degree with ValuePoint models -- IBM chose some different components for the new ValuePoints to avoid putting pressure on the supplies it needs for other models.
The six new ValuePoint Si computers use Intel 25-megahertz (MHz) 486SX and 33-MHz 486DX processors, and come with local-bus graphics and an upgradable processor. They are offered with a choice of 120-megabyte (MB) or 212-MB hard disks, or with no hard disk, a setup meant mainly for use on a local-area network (LAN).
All the models also come with four MB of memory, upgradable to 64 MB, and those with hard drives come with IBM DOS 6.1 and Microsoft Windows 3.1 preloaded. Buyers have a choice of IBM's basic or enhanced keyboard.
The company has substituted several components to avoid putting further strain on its supplies of parts for the rest of the ValuePoint line. Liz Arends, a spokeswoman for IBM, said the Si machines use a standard "black" processor socket instead of Intel's Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) socket, which is designed for easy upgrades. They also use Cirrus and Tseng Laboratories graphics chips instead of the S3 chips used in other ValuePoints. Third, Arends said, two different motherboard designs are used in the new models.
While IBM is making these moves to avoid straining its parts supply for the rest of the ValuePoint line, Arends denied there are serious supply problems with the products. While not claiming there are no shortages at all, Arends said, "we're almost there with supply and demand."
Prices for the new ValuePoint Si models start at $899 for a diskless 486SX-based machine. The cheapest model with a hard disk is the same machine with a 120-MB disk, at $1,090. Prices range up to $1,640 for the 33-MHz 486DX-based system with 212-MB drive and enhanced keyboard.
Prices on other ValuePoint models have been cut by as much as 11 percent. No existing models are being dropped, Arends said.
(Grant Buckler/19930730/Press Contact: Liz Arends, IBM 914-766-3942)
Contact: Liz Arends, IBM 914-766-3942)
7/30/93
IBM Extends ValuePoint Line Downward
Hummingbird Communications To Go
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- Hummingbird Communications Inc., a Toronto-based maker of X Window software tools, plans to raise about C$41 million with an initial public offering.
The X Window System is a standard for displaying graphic applications across a network, used mainly with Unix-based computers. Hummingbird's products include HCL-eXceed, HCL-eXceed Plus, and HCL-eXceed/W, all X server software products. It also offers X development tools. According to a share prospectus obtained by Newsbytes, Hummingbird was founded in 1984 as a consulting firm and launched its first software product in 1989.
In its prospectus, Hummingbird claims to have captured about 39 percent of X server software sales in 1992, making it the market-share leader in that field.
Hummingbird prospectus says the company had net income of C$1.17 million on sales of C$3.46 million in its second quarter, ended March 31. It forecasts net income of C$1.74 million in the third quarter and C$2.11 million in the fourth.
In an offering underwritten by RBC Dominion Securities of Toronto, Hummingbird is offering 2,562,500 common shares at a price of C$16. The offering includes new shares as well as shares to be sold by present shareholders. Net proceeds to the company are anticipated to be C$25.3 million, and to the present shareholders C$13.0 million.
The company said the Toronto Stock Exchange has conditionally approved listing of Hummingbird's common shares provided the company fulfills certain requirements by mid-October.
The company plans to use about C$5 million of the proceeds from the share offering to redeem existing Series A and Series B shares. Of the balance, up to $6 million, is to be spent on expanding sales and marketing, including the possible opening of new United States and European offices. Up to C$9 million is to go for acquisition of new products, technologies, or businesses and up to C$5 million is to be used for research and development. Whatever remains will go into working capital, the prospectus says.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- The phones are running hot in the offices of Australian PC assemblers as clone suppliers attempt to bargain their way around the mounting shortage of DRAM memory chips.
Price pressure on the chips used in every computer has been building all year as more and more users move to memory-hungry software such as Microsoft Windows and its fat applications. No PC operator wishing to stay competitive advertises a machine with less than 4MB of memory and many users are requesting 8MB or more.
Neil Waterhouse, principal of Cam 1 Computer Wholesale, a small Sydney PC assembly business, watched the local price of 1MB DRAM jump US$7 following news of the explosion. He said the low point for DRAM prices was in December 1992 when the chips wholesaled for around US$24 in Australia. This rose to around US$40 in the middle of this year when the Australian dollar suffered against the yen and a shortage mentality started to invade the market. The wholesale price recently has been as high as US$75 a megabyte.
Waterhouse said this is largely the result of speculation, fuelled by sharp operators in the market who had "dollar signs jumping out in front of their eyes." Another local assembler said he had a box with $50,000 worth of chips in it. "I dole it out as the assembly line needs it, and at night I take it home and sleep on it." He believes the price will continue to rise for a few weeks then stabilize as the profit-takers release their stocks.
(Computer Daily News/19930730/Contact CDN on fax +61-2-958 3847)
930730/Contact CDN on fax +61-2-958 3847)
7/30/93
DRAM Shortage Hits Australian PC Makers
TRENDS
Borland's Kahn Drops Out Of Aust
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- Borland chief Philippe Kahn was to have keynoted Borland's Australian roadshow next week but he has been replaced by Dr. Richard Schwartz, senior VP in charge of technology.
When he was in Australia last year Kahn got into a verbal joust with Microsoft and Lotus execs who were also visiting. He had been scheduled to address a number of user group meetings.
Still, Schwartz is no lightweight in the industry - he was a founder of Ansa Software, creator of Paradox. He will fulfill Kahn's engagements, starting with a press briefing on Tuesday.
(Paul Zucker/19930730)
ss briefing on Tuesday.
(Paul Zucker/19930730)
7/30/93
Borland's Kahn Drops Out Of Australian Road Show
MCI Consortium Proposes Frequenc
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- According to a report in today's Washington Post, MCI Communications has sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) suggesting that the federal agency consider MCI's plan for a nationwide wireless telecommunications system. MCI has formed a coalition of 150 telephone, cable, publishing and paging service providers to lobby the FCC to restrict the entrance of existing cellular phone provider's into this new arena.
Interestingly, this plan was announced just a few days before Apple's Newton personal data assistant, which will provide an optional cellular link, will be debuted.
The MCI plan calls on the federal licensing agency to auction frequency assignments to two local and two national service providers in each service area.
The move is of course opposed by the Cellular Telephone Industry Association which calls it uncompetitive.
The FCC is currently looking at ways to raise money for the federal government and to provide new business opportunities by auctioning under-utilized radio frequencies currently occupied by some military and emergency service providers.
With Apple and other companies rushing to promote personal data assistants and other radio-linked hardware for individual and business use, the present frequency assignments are not sufficient to provide room for the expected customer demand for services.
Personal data assistants or personal communications assistants will feature communications features such as those now provided by cellular telephones, beepers, real-time portable stock market data displays, calendars, pocket computers, and e-mail.
(John McCormick/19930730/)
cket computers, and e-mail.
(John McCormick/19930730/)
7/30/93
MCI Consortium Proposes Frequency Allocation Plan To FCC
TELECOM
The Enabled Computer
Apple Intros Quadra 950 For Publ
Broadband Commits To MPEG
Taxi Cellular Pay Phones Tested
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- Ever been stuck in a taxicab in traffic and needed to contact a client to tell him or her you would be a bit late? Well, passengers in 150 New York City taxicabs won't face that problem if they have a credit card with them because a Seattle, Washington-based cellular company is proposing to put pay cellular telephones in the back seats of taxicabs.
Cellular Technical Services Company is starting a pay cellular phone service trial in New York City taxicabs to determine if the service is both attractive to users and can be installed on a cost-effective basis.
The 90-day pilot program will see 150 of the 3-watt CTS Rental Phones installed where they can be accessed by rear-seat passengers, but there is also a 911 emergency call button accessible to the driver.
To use the telephone, a passenger passes a credit card through the telephone's scanner which then uses the CTS proprietary Real Time Rental System software to approve the call instantly. This auto credit verification software is, according to the company already in use in more than 4,000 rental car installations and is scheduled for use in about 20,000 rental vehicles by 1994.
With about 12,000 licensed taxicabs operating in New York City alone, there is a massive market to be tapped if the Cellular Technical Services product is approved by the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission.
Of course, this service doesn't offer any way for the office to reach a taxicab-bound executive, but the company is banking on the idea that handheld personal cellular telephones have not yet fully penetrated the entire market of users who might want to make calls from a taxicab but don't already have their own cellular telephones.
(John McCormick/19930730/Press Contact: Cellular Technical Services, Michael McConnell, 206/727-6342)
rvices, Michael McConnell, 206/727-6342)
7/30/93
Taxi Cellular Pay Phones Tested In NYC
TELECOM
Roundup - Stories Carried By Oth
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- Roundup is a brief look at some computer stories carried in other publications received here this past week.
PC Magazine with an August cover date is a special portable computing issue. Out of the 68 notebooks evaluated, Compaq's Contura 4/25CX, two Gateway Nomad models, IBM's ThinkPad and the TI TravelMate 4000 series all won "Editor's Choice" ratings.
IEEE Spectrum for August says that improvements in efficiency due in part to information technology and automation advances have contributed to the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs from major multinational companies. According to the article, from December 1991 to December 1992 there was a US job loss of 5.8 percent in the computer industry, 1.6-percent in semiconductor companies, and 10.6-percent in the defense/commercial guidance system industry. The only bright spot was in the prepackaged software market which expanded employment by 1.5-percent.
The July 26 issue of Communications Week reports that interest in OSI or Open System Interconnection, a seven-layer protocol system intended to insure data communications compatibility, is increasing with the growing popularity of OSI-compatible applications such as X.400 message handling and X.500 directory services. New OSI interfaces like IBM's Multi Protocol Transport Network and the X/Open Company's XTI are also enhancing the interest in OSI.
(John McCormick/19930730/)
the interest in OSI.
(John McCormick/19930730/)
7/30/93
Roundup - Stories Carried By Other Media This Week
GENERAL
The Enabled Computer
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- The Enabled Computer is a regular Newsbytes feature covering news and important product information relating to high-technology aids for the disabled.
The Enabled Computer by John McCormick
This begins a five-part report on my recent participation in the ADA Expo '93 trade show and conference held earlier this week in Washington, DC.
At the show I shared a booth with Maridean (Mari) Mansfield Shepard, familiar to many of you as the founder of the disABILITIES Information Services conference and database found on GEnie. What you may not realize is that Mari and GEnie were the pioneers in this area of providing coverage of interest to the disabled on commercial BBS systems.
She and I had a great time both in Washington and at the booth talking with everyone from government agency buyers looking for information on enabling technology and services to the other booth sponsors, and I for one was very impressed with the strong response we saw.
I was there both to discuss my forthcoming book on adaptive technology and to give a talk on the problems facing companies needing to locate new adaptive products, while Mari, in addition to promoting the GEnie forum, was also speaking and moderating a panel discussion.
In wandering around the venue, I once again saw the impressive Dragon Systems' Dragon Dictate voice recognition system and got a preview of the soon-to-be-released version, but I also received a repeat of the usual excuses as to why the company doesn't send me a review unit so I can really test it out and report how easy or difficult it might be for my readers to actually use.
Russell Mark, special projects director for the San Antonio Texas-based Silent Network, stopped by for a chat but forgot to give me any of the necessary information about what satellite and transponder their monthly service is now carried on.
IBM was showing a sound-cue OS/2 operating environment for visually impaired users, but the people presenting the system seemed to be a lot more interested in talking with each other than in demonstrating their product. They eventually got around to telling me how long it took to develop, but the representatives got a bit nasty when I asked what happened to the superior system developed at another IBM office in Texas. The other program had won a prize in last year's Johns Hopkins National Search for Computing to Assist Persons With Disabilities.
I never did get a business card or price for the software/hardware combination. IBM was also showing VoiceType but that is just a relabeling of the Dragon Systems' Dragon Dictate system.
Most of the other companies were very forthcoming, and some, such as MCI and the Discover Card people, appeared to be there mostly to show the flag and provide visible corporate support for the efforts to promote employment of the disabled. This sort of corporate support is very welcome, but it is certainly nothing new for MCI which was also a major sponsor of the National Search.
Actually, there was a fantastic new Philips TDD at the MCI Booth and MCI was also promoting its own videophone and relay services while Discover Card was demonstrating the Special Touch terminal which lets visually impaired users manage credit card transactions without assistance.
Prodigy was represented by John Williams's Assistive Technology News, which was announcing that the new publication would be placing information on disabilities services on Prodigy once a month. That isn't much compared to the regular coverage on GEnie or even the CIS and Delphi support for disabled users, but it is a start from a service which has rejected all earlier attempts to put such information online.
I want to mention Loomis, California-based HumanWare especially because these folks were kind enough to loan Mari a replacement ink-jet cartridge for her printer which was used to print out sample disABILITIES sessions. HumanWare is well-known in the adaptive technology field for providing talking computers and Braille equipment both for visually impaired users and the learning-disabled.
I also had a nice chat with Susan L. Lakso, president of Chicopee, Massachusetts-based ABOVO Company, which was showing a new handheld, battery-operated personal communication device. The ABOVO PCD has a large-character display and can even be linked to a remote display unit which can be seen at up to 20 feet. Data recorded on the PCD can be downloaded to a computer.
In a letter to the ADA Expo '93 attendees, President Clinton said, "Our country doesn't have a person to waste, and we must invest in each person's enormous potential by fully implementing the ADA.
"We must improve employment opportunities by increasing special education, professional training, and job training efforts; and we must reduce the extraordinarily high unemployment rate among Americans with disabilities as part of national adult education job training, and apprenticeship programs."
(John McCormick/19930730/)
n McCormick/19930730/)
7/30/93
The Enabled Computer
GENERAL
The Enabled Computer
Review of - The Family Doctor On
Runs on: IBM version: MS-DOS-compatible with Dos 3.1 or later; 640K RAM; supports VGA graphics, but SVGA recommended, with 512K color memory capable of 640x480x256 colors; CD-ROM drive with MS CDEX 2.0 or later. Macintosh version: System Software 6.0.5 or newer; 2MB RAM; 8-bit color, 32-bit QuickDraw and color monitor (for color display); CD-ROM drive with CD-ROM extensions. For the Macintosh version, System Software 6.0.7 or newer; 2MB RAM; 8-bit color for color display; CD-ROM drive with CD-ROM extensions; ISO 9660 File/Foreign File Access.
From: Creative Multimedia Corporation, 514 NW 11th Avenue, Suite 203, Portland, OR 97209. 503-241-4351 voice or 503-241-4370 fax.
Price: $179 list (substantially discounted through mail order)
PUMA Rating: 3.875 on a scale 1=lowest to 4=highest
Reviewed for Newsbytes by: Rick Bender
Summary: The Family Doctor is a good source for the answers to common medical questions that families may have and which today's busy doctors may not take the time to answer.
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REVIEW
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People want to remain healthy, and this CD-ROM contains 2,000 questions people just like myself have asked of Allan Bruckheim M.D., through his weekly syndicated column, "The Family Doctor."
The Family Doctor can help you diagnose and treat some common ailments, such as canker sores, backaches, and swimmer's ear, but its primary purpose is to educate you about their cause and prevention. You can search through the database for health related issues by specific word, subject, author, or title, or you can browse a list of specific topics with the "browse" option. If you don't know quite where to begin, you can use the "contents" option to peruse a broad, general category, such as "Questions and Answers."
Topics covered in "Questions and Answers" include: tips on breastfeeding (and other parenting tips), digestive problems with aging, ways to stop smoking, dangers of snow shoveling, and many more.
The Family Doctor on CD-ROM is very easy to use; all you have to do is pick a word, subject, title, etc., and press Enter. The menus guide you through the rest.
The graphics and colors are of excellent quality. The 300 or more illustrations of human anatomy would be good memory aids for a biology student, as would the series of diagrams on medical procedures that is included under the "contents" heading. In addition, the Macintosh version adds audio capabilities to the already fine graphics and text descriptions to make this a very good study aid even for early pre-med students.
For those not taking high school or college classes but still wanting to increase their knowledge of medical terms, there is a glossary of anatomical terms in understandable, non-jargon language and a list of common prescription drugs, brand names ingredients, uses, side effects, interactions, and other such information.
The Family Doctor on CD-ROM would be ideal for anyone wishing to increase his/her medical/health knowledge and not have to look through five different magazines, two medical encyclopedias, and a dictionary to do so.
===========
PUMA RATING
===========
PERFORMANCE: 4 Fast and easy to use.
USEFULNESS: 3.5 Some uses limited by the vocabulary used, but suitable for many home and school users.
MANUAL: 4 Sufficient for the easy-to-use program.
AVAILABILITY: 4 Mail order direct from Creative Multimedia Corporation, Bureau of Electronic Publishing, or many other CD ROM dealers.
(Rick Bender/19930611/Press Contact: CMC, 503-241-4351 voice or 503-241-4370 fax)
Contact: CMC, 503-241-4351 voice or 503-241-4370 fax)
7/30/93
Review of - The Family Doctor On CD-ROM For Mac, PC
REVIEW
Borland Earns Up - Sales, Expens
Shared Whiteboard App For Window
SoftImage, Discreet Logic Battle
ComputerWorks - Your High Tech G
Computer Sciences Reports Revenu
Interleaf, Phoenix Sign Deal On
The Enabled Computer
Apple Intros Quadra 950 For Publ
Broadband Commits To MPEG
SIGGRAPH - Trip Hawkins Demos 3D
AT&T Wins TDS Switch Contract
Coming From CA - Client/Server B
Review of - USA Wars, Korea On C
Runs on: MS-DOS-compatible; CD-ROM player; 640K of RAM; MS-DOS CD-ROM extension; MS-DOS 2.11 or higher. Macintosh version also available.
From: Quanta Press Inc., 1313 Fifth Street SE, Suite 208C Minneapolis, MN 55414. 612-379-3956 voice or 612-623-4570 fax.
Price: $99
PUMA Rating: 4 on a scale 1=lowest to 4=highest
Reviewed for Newsbytes by: Rick Bender
Summary: One of a series, USA Wars: Korea is a complete presentation of the battles, personnel, and action which comprised the Korean conflict during the years from 1951 to 1953.
======
REVIEW
======
In this CD-ROM presentation of the Korean War, objects, persons and individual battles have been indexed with the Textware retrieval software. This database includes thousands of references to the Korean war, including more than 1,000 digitized photographs of weapons, people, and battle scenes.
You can very easily explore any word related to the war by typing that word at the prompt and pressing Enter. A list of references in an index card metaphor will appear, and you have the option of viewing the cards, marking them to be compiled into a linked file, and then either exporting them to an ASCII file or to a printer. The card metaphor doesn't limit the amount of text provided because the entire card seldom can be presented in full on a single screen.
If you don't know exactly what to look for, you can use the wildcard feature to look for variations of that word. For example, to search for variations of the word "tact" (tactical tactic, or tactics) type "tact*" and then press Enter. The screen will display all the cards containing any form of "tact" - in this case, 113 cards.
You can also conduct a Boolean search for several words by just typing your key word, then "and," "or," or "andnot," then the second word; the screen will display all the cards which contain the combined references. You can also use the F2 function key to search for a key phrase - Sherman Tank, for example.
Once you get to the card, the simple push of a button will take you instantly to the first appearance of your search word; in this way, you can quickly determine whether the word in this particular context will further your research, or whether you should keep on looking.
A student of war history would love to spend hours just going over the hundreds of battles and accounts of military life. The digital photos are intriguing to look at and probably have a quality better than the original photos without the originals' relative fragility. As well as photos, maps of various battles are represented under "map" entries.
The text itself is mostly accounts and descriptions rather than statistics; the greatest strength of this CD-ROM is the instant simultaneous access to all the records of the Korean War, not statistics. USA Wars: Korea is especially useful if one were going to write, say, a chapter in a history textbook, because included with descriptions of the war effort are personal accounts and interviews with Korean War veterans.
Research or remembrance of the Korean War effort can be done with the USA Wars: Korea CD-ROM disc.
===========
PUMA RATING
===========
PERFORMANCE: 4 Good use of VGA capabilities.
USEFULNESS: 4 Good reference tool for historians and students.
MANUAL: 4 Simple and easy to follow.
AVAILABILITY: 4 Mail order direct from Quanta, Bureau of Electronic Publishing, or many other CD-ROM dealers.
(Rick Bender/19930611/Press Contact: Mark Foster, Quanta Press 612-379-3956 voice or 612-623-4570 fax)
uanta Press 612-379-3956 voice or 612-623-4570 fax)
7/30/93
Review of - USA Wars, Korea On CD-ROM For PC, Mac
REVIEW
Editorial -- CD-ROMs On The PC
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- By Paul Zucker. I've had a CD-ROM drive in the Mac for quite a while now and I've been impressed with it both as a delivery mechanism for large systems and as a source of high-quality, high information content material ranging from education software to raining videos. But, being a PC person at heart, I felt long overdue for a CD drive on the old Whykickamookow clone.
The murmur over recent months has said that anyone looking for a new drive should insist on a double-speed, multi session Photo CD drive. Basically that means that the drive is capable of reading data at twice the normal rate (and this is important for applications like video) and that it will read images from Kodak Photo CDs that have more than one photo group. I also felt like moving up from my old faithful mono sound card. In most countries it's cheaper to buy a multimedia upgrade kit consisting of CD drive, sound card and possibly a collection of CD-ROMs.
After looking around it came down to the Media Vision and the Sound Blaster kits. The first uses a NEC drive with a SCSI controller on the sound card. The second uses a Panasonic drive with AT controller on the sound card.
For various reasons I bought the third. Installation involves installing the CD drive, just like a disk drive, then the sound card. There are various cables that run between devices, but the entire hardware installation took just a few minutes. You can also run the cable that normally goes to the PC speaker to the sound card, so even the normal beeps and grunts come out in "hi-fi."
Software was just as easy - I ran the installation under DOS but it found my Windows directory and did that too. Next time I ran Windows it completed the sound card installation automatically.
The CD drive software was easy to install, too. In fact, I was playing with the Multimedia Encyclopedia within 30 minutes of opening the box. The kit also included a pair of powered loudspeakers and a budget-quality microphone, so it wasn't long before I was playing my favorite audio CDs through the PC and singing along, karaoke style - a horrible thought.
The encyclopedia, and certain other disks I have subsequently tried installed Microsoft Video for Windows. (Not once has the installation program recognized that it has already been done. On my machine it produces a motion video screen that is about 16th the area of the full screen. While hardly TV quality, it really is impressive to see a standard PC running video.
Having loaded Corel Draw from a fist full of diskettes, I decided to give the Corel CD a try. Believe me, installing from just one disk is sheer luxury. And not only that, but I've used the minimal installation which uses very little hard disk space, and runs the programs from the CD.
My next adventure was a CD full of 1.5 gigabytes of shareware most of it is quite recent (1993). I did notice that is some cases the compiler was a bit lax, sometimes putting the same program on the disk in three or four differently named files. Now, if you'll excuse me, I unpacked 2403 MIDI (music) files from the disk last week and at 50 a day I still have a LOT to listen to!
(Paul Zucker/19930723)
n to!
(Paul Zucker/19930723)
7/30/93
Editorial -- CD-ROMs On The PC
America Online Sales Increase
VIENNA, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- With the end of its fiscal year has come the announcement that independent commercial online service America Online had an increase of 68-percent in sales accompanied by a strong 38-percent increase in profits for the fourth fiscal quarter ended June 30.
America Online also announced this week that leading computer companies will begin pre-installing the company's access software and that the online service has purchased the 100,000 square foot building which currently houses their operations.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 1993, revenues increased 50 percent to $40,019,000 and fully taxed net income increased 39 percent to $3,077,000.
In addition to the $11.78 million in net revenues from service revenues for the three months ended June 30, up from $7.37 million for the same period in 1992, the company's financial report showed "other revenues" of $624 thousand up from only $3,000 for the same quarter of the previous year.
America Online scored a major coup last year when it sold a version of its complete online service software to Apple Computer for use in a coming version of Applelink.
As he announced the financial results in a press release, Steve Case, president and chief executive officer of America Online said, "This was a very successful quarter for the company. We more than doubled our previous record - set in the March quarter - of the number of new subscribers added."
IBM, Tandy, and Apple Computer have all recently agreed to preinstall America Online software on their computers.
The company, which already uses about half of the Vienna Virginia building which house its headquarters, has spent $7.6 million to buy the facility because, according to senior vice president and chief financial officer, Len Leader, it will lower the company's ongoing facilities costs and provide the business with better control over its office space.
(John McCormick/19930730/Press Contact: Jean Villanueva of America Online, 703-883-1675)
f America Online, 703-883-1675)
7/30/93
America Online Sales Increase
TELECOM
F p T
Editorial - Reflections On Hacke
Iridium In Business
Adobe Premiere 3.0; Acrobat Read
Skytel, Reuters To Offer Headlin
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- Skytel, the wireless text messaging service, and Reuters, the worldwide news and financial reporting company, have announced that they will jointly provide a free twice-a-day headline news service to users of Skytel's "SkyWord" text pagers. Four headline groups, covering business, economic, political and general news, as well as stock market indexes, will be sent at 12:30 pm and 5 pm weekdays.
The new service, called SkyNews, will be supplemented by occasional breaking news headlines of major interest, and begins later this month. It is positioned as a value-added service to current and future SkyWord subscribers.
Basic SkyTel services are currently supplied to about 240 thousand customers.
(John McCormick/19930730/Press Contact: Kathleen Baum, Burson Marsteller for SkyTel, 212-614-4239)
Baum, Burson Marsteller for SkyTel, 212-614-4239)
7/30/93
Skytel, Reuters To Offer Headline Pager Service
TELECOM
Wang Narrows Losses
LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- Wang Laboratories Inc., nearing the first anniversary of its fall into Chapter 11 protection under US bankruptcy law, has reported a smaller fourth-quarter loss and may be showing signs of recovery.
Wang lost a total of $43.8 million in the fourth quarter including restructuring charges of $16.4 million and other reorganization costs of $20.7 million. This compares to a net loss of $333.7 million in the fourth quarter of last year including a $306.7-million restructuring charge, and to a loss in this year's third quarter of $87.2 million.
More important than the net loss is the operating loss, said Lewis Brentano, group vice-president for systems and applications at industry-watcher InfoCorp. Wang's fourth-quarter operating loss was $10.4 million, an improvement over last year's $34.2-million fourth quarter deficit.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, Wang chalked up an operating loss of $57.1 million, compared to an operating loss of $45.4 million last year. After restructuring and reorganization charges, Wang had an annual net loss of $197.2 million, compared with $356.6 million last year.
Revenues were $1,247 million in the year and $241.0 million in the fourth quarter. This compares with $1,896.2 million in fiscal 1992 and $473.6 million in the year-ago quarter.
"Good news is always relative," Brentano said, but the results are good news for Wang's backers and creditors. He said the company's revenue this quarter is about where it should be, and if Wang can continue as it is it will at least come close to meeting its revenue targets in fiscal 1994.
The 1993 revenues do include some sales of older products whose market is declining, Brentano noted, and one risk for Wang is that these -- notably the proprietary VS minicomputers -- will tail off faster than the company is projecting. However, he added, Wang is only counting on its newer image processing products to provide about 11 percent of revenues in the coming year, and this could well turn out to be conservative.
Wang still has some work to do on its operating costs, Brentano said, but he gives the company about a 60-percent chance of meeting its targets in the coming year, and thinks there is only about one chance in four Wang will lose money next year.
Wang has said it hopes to emerge from Chapter 11 protection this fall.
(Grant Buckler/19930730/Press Contact: Frank Ryan, Wang 508967-7038; Ed Pignone, Wang, 508-967-4912)
, Wang, 508-967-4912)
7/30/93
Wang Narrows Losses
BUSINESS
Canada's BCE Reports C$520-Milli
MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA, 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- Canada's largest company, BCE Inc., has lost C$520 million in its second quarter which ended June 30. Subsidiary Northern Telecom Inc., which took a US$940-million writedown in the quarter, has to take most of the blame.
BCE had total revenues of C$4,920 million in the quarter, down 1.1 percent from C$4,977 million in the same period last year.
The quarterly loss compares with C$246-million net earnings in the second quarter of 1992.
For the first half of 1993, revenues were C$9,925 million, up 0.9 percent from $9,837 in the first half of 1992. The net loss was C$346 million, compared to C$496 million in net income in the first half of last year.
Officials said the second-quarter results were significantly hurt by Northern Telecom's poor quarter and restructuring provisions. Bell Canada, the telephone company serving Ontario and Quebec also suffered from declining long-distance revenues.
As Newsbytes reported earlier, Northern lost US$1.03 billion on revenues of US$1.87 billion in the second quarter. This compares with net earnings of US$69.1 million on revenues of US$1.95 billion in the second quarter of last year.
Northern said it expects a year-end loss for 1993, largely due to a provision for cost-cutting measures, which Northern said will cost it about US$282 million. The company will take a special charge for that in 1993, and has also made a provision of US$158 million after tax for work on its software for central-office switching equipment. Third, Northern is taking a US$500 million write-down on goodwill related to STC plc, the British telecom firm it bought in 1991.
Frederick Larkin, an investment analyst who follows Northern for Warburg Inc. in Toronto, said that while the immediate news is bad, he believes Northern is taking the right steps. The cost-cutting measures will keep the company competitive, he said. Just how soon Northern's fortunes rebound will depend largely on its ability to boost sales of central office gear. Larkin said he is not yet ready to speculate on Northern's financial prospects in 1994.
BCE said its telecommunications business, including Northern and Bell Canada, lost C$466 million in the second quarter, including the special charges at Northern. This compares with net earnings of $302 million in the second quarter of 1992. In the first six months of 1993, the telecom businesses lost C$243 million compared with earnings of C$606 million in the same period last year.
Bell Canada's contribution to BCE earnings in the second quarter fell to 58 cents per common share from 75 cents per share in the same period of 1992, officials said. In the first half, Bell's input was C$1.07 per share versus C$1.47 in the year-earlier period.
Bell Canada's net income in the second quarter was C$179 million down from C$231 million in the second quarter of 1992. For the six months the figure was C$327 million, down from C$453 million in the first half of last year. Bell took a C$86-million charge in the first quarter of this year to pay for incentives to employees to leave the company.
BCE's earnings were also adversely affected by its interest in a non-telecommunications company, troubled Montreal Trustco. The trust company was hurt by securities losses and by loan loss provisions related to lending to the Toronto developer Olympia and York, whose problems have sent reverberations through a number of financial institutions.
SOMERS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- You no longer have to have an IBM personal computer to buy an IBM monitor. The company, which formerly sold only monitors that worked with its own systems, has announced a handful of new monitors that can be used with any PC.
Formerly IBM's monitor sales were limited by its market share in personal computers, said company spokesman Michael Corrado. Now IBM can go after the entire market, he said.
The company said intends to offer a full line of multi-frequency products compatible with other vendors' PCs.
IBM launched four new color monitors, designed and built by IBM and all with energy-saving features that meet or exceed the US Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star program. They also comply with MPR-II, the Swedish guidelines for low electromagnetic emissions, and meet the International Organization for Standardization's (ISO) standard 9241-3 for ergonomic design.
The 14 and 15-inch monitors are available in standard versions called the 14V and 15V and premium models labelled the 14P and 15P. IBM said they support all popular display modes, including VGA, XGA, and XGA2.
IBM also unveiled the Model 9504 21-inch monochrome monitor aimed at advanced imaging applications with 1,600-by-1,280 resolution and a 77-Hertz refresh rate. This monitor complies with the MPR-II emissions guideline and ISO standard 9241-3.
The firm also announced the MM-1 Audio Option, which integrates a full stereo system into the new monitors. The option comes with speakers, amplifier, built-in microphone and accessory jacks, IBM said.
In September, the 14P and 15P will also be made available as touch-screen models 14PT and 15PT. The touch monitors will use capacitive-overlay technology to provide precise fingertip control, IBM said, and will be compatible with all multimedia applications.
Corrado added that IBM plans this fall to launch 17-inch and 21-inch monitors meant to work with the Apple Computer Macintosh.
A three-year warranty on the 14P, 15P, 14PT and 15PT delivers on-site service the first year and mail-in or carry-in service for the next two. Extended service contracts are available. The 14V, 15V and MM-1 come with one-year, on-site warranties.
The 14V, 14P, 15V, 15P, and Model 9504 are available now through resellers and IBM Direct, Corrado said. Touch-screen models will be available in September.
List prices are: $520 for the 14V; $693 for the 15V; $633 for the 14P; $807 for the 15P; $13,67 for the 14PT; $1,593 for the 15PT; $1,333 for the Model 9504; $187 for the MMM-1 Audio Option; and $120 for a Lift-Tilt-Swivel Stand.
(Grant Buckler/19930730/Press Contact: Michael Corrado, IBM 914-766-3929)
ntact: Michael Corrado, IBM 914-766-3929)
7/30/93
IBM Enters Stand-Alone Monitor Business
Spectrum Intros Cellular Fax/Mod
Littelfuse Factory Earns ISO 900
Still No FTC Decision In Microso
Computerized Beeper Tracks Stole
Nat'l Semi Files To Bar Mitsubis
New Software Brings Database Pub
UK - Free Guide To Tape Backup
Wang Narrows Losses
Canada's BCE Reports C$520-Milli
Sega Links With Disney, Virgin
IBM Rolls Out Pentium-Based Serv
SOMERS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- IBM Personal Computer Company has joined the growing number of computer vendors offering machines based on Intel's new top-of-the-line processor, the Pentium. IBM announced the PS/2 Server 95 560, a Pentium-based server using a 60-megahertz (MHz) version of the chip.
IBM said the Server 95 560 has various features needed in data-intensive, high-performance computing, such as error correction code (ECC) memory, 256K bytes of Level 2 write-back cache to boost performance, a Small Computer System Interface (SCSI-2) controller enabling data transfer rates between peripherals as speeds as high as 20 megabytes (MB) per second eight expansion slots, five drive bays, and security features.
Standard equipment also includes 16 MB of ECC memory, expandable to 128 MB. A one-gigabyte hard disk drive is standard and disk storage can be expanded, a company spokesman said. The machine also uses data streaming to speed the transfer of data between the processor and storage devices.
It is IBM's first Pentium-based product, and not surprisingly the company said this will be the first of a number of servers using the Pentium.
Security features include power-on and privileged-access passwords, electronic diskette ejection, covers designed to show tampering, and high-security locks. IBM said such features make the machine well suited to commercial customers that need very high levels of security, such as banks and other financial services firms, or government agencies.
The PS/2 Server 95 560 will be available for ordering in September, with a list price of $13,400, the spokesman said.
(Grant Buckler/19930730/Press Contact: Kevin Bourke, Brodeur and Partners for IBM, 617-894-0003)
and Partners for IBM, 617-894-0003)
7/30/93
IBM Rolls Out Pentium-Based Server
Compaq PCs To Automate Russian P
HOUSTON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- Compaq Computer announced this week its personal computers will be used to automate the phones in Moscow.
The company said the Moscow General Telephone Service has purchased more than two hundred Compaq Deskpro/M and Compaq Prolinea PCs and related options to automate the Russian city's telephone operations. Compaq spokesperson Linda Parsons told Newsbytes the deal is worth over US$1 million.
The desktop units will be integrated into the Moscow General Telephone Service computer network beginning immediately. The network will automate the phone company's entire accounting system enabling it to track actual telephone usage for the first time. Currently users are charged a monthly flat fee, regardless of the number of length of calls made.
The contract, which is being fulfilled by MBL Computerland, also calls for the purchase of Novell Netware and SCO Unix operations systems, also to be provided by Compaq. Parsons told Newsbytes the system is also being installed by MBL Computerland in Moscow.
Compaq's European Senior VP Andreas Barth called the sale a "significant strategic win" for the company. "Moscow, like the rest of Eastern Europe, is rapidly embracing information technology, and Compaq is determined to play an important role in this movement," Barth said.
Compaq initially entered the Eastern European market in June 1990 and now has resellers in the former Eastern Germany, Hungary Croatia and Slovenia, Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, the Czech and Slovak Republics, the Baltic States, and Russia.
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- Microsoft Corporation Chairman Bill Gates spoke out this week on the FTC probe into his company's alleged anti-competitive practices, saying that while the investigation had raised no troublesome issues, Novell is trying to keep the inquiry open.
Gates told financial analysts Novell has been lobbying the FTC to proceed with its investigation, saying Novell is seeking to promote its own DR-DOS as a substitute for Microsoft's MS-DOS. He said that even after a more than three-year investigation by the FTC, "There has been nothing that has come up that causes us the slightest concern." He said he does not expect Novell's objections or any resulting actions to force Microsoft to change its business practices, and told analysts Microsoft supports Novell products and has included features in Windows NT and other Microsoft products to ensure that they work well with Novell software. Windows NT is Microsoft's new operating system scheduled to ship next month.
Microsoft and Novell compete in both the operating system and networking markets, with Novell's Netware and DR-DOS going up against Microsoft's LAN Manager and DOS. Microsoft reportedly tried to buy Novell at one time.
Gates may be getting impatient with Novell's complaining, however. Gates said the dispute between the two companies is not personal but told analysts, "They (Novell) are running around in the back room politicking." He also hinted at his displeasure by saying, "Perhaps you are getting the idea that we're disappointed by the way that Novell is pursuing this."
Microsoft told the analysts it expects sales growth to stabilize next year, and company officials hinted that prices would at least remain stable, saying Microsoft pricing would be guided by its desire to protect market share.
(Jim Mallory/19930730/Press and reader contact: Microsoft Corporation, 206-882- 8080 or 800-426-9400)
oration, 206-882- 8080 or 800-426-9400)
7/30/93
Gates Speaks Out On FTC Investigation
Electronic Information Systems P
InterVoice Sells Voice Response
PacTel Cellular and US West Prev
Video Market Avid For Avid - Ven
IBM Extends ValuePoint Line Down
Skytel, Reuters To Offer Headlin
Austin Launches Pentium-Based Ma
Quantum Posts 1Q Earnings, As Ma
UK - First Byte PC Superstore
New Newsletter On Global Network
Aldus To Unveil Pagemaker 5 For
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- Aldus Corporation says it will unveil Aldus Pagemaker 5.0 for Apple Computer's Macintosh platform next week at the Macworld Expo trade show in Boston.
When Aldus started shipping the Windows version of Pagemaker 5.0 in mid-June, the company said the Mac version would ship in about 30 days.
Aldus also announced its second quarter financial results this week with revenue for the quarter up 17 percent at $45.6 million from $38.9 million in the same period last year.
Net income didn't fare as well as revenue, reported at $0.2 million or $0.02 per share. For the same period last year Aldus reported a net loss of $0.9 million ($).06 per share) last year. This year's net income included a one-time pre-tax charge of $1.98 million, or $0.10 per share related to the acquisition of After Hours Software. That acquisition was announced last month. When that charge is excluded, net earnings were $1.5 million, or $0.12 per share. The company said revenues for the year to date were $87.2 million compared to $82.9 million for the first half of 1992.
Aldus Chief Financial Officer Bill McAleer said results were better than anticipated primarily due to initial upgrade demand for the Windows version of Pagemaker 5.0. "We have been encouraged by customer response to the new version of Pagemaker and were able to ship more upgrade orders than we expected."
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- Motorola says the newest Apple Computer Macintosh systems are powered by a Motorola 68040 microprocessor produced by Motorola's High Performance Microprocessor Division.
Called the Macintosh Quadra 840AV and the Macintosh Centris 660AV Apple's newest Mac platforms combine telecommunications, video and speech technologies into a single desktop computer.
Apple Computer calls the technology on which the new systems are based "AV Technologies," designed to access voice mail, electronic mail, and faxes from a single workstation. The computers can also be used as a hands-free speaker phone and answering machine, and participate in video conferencing. The systems recognize speech commands for control and navigation.
The Quadra 840AV is powered by a Motorola 40 megahertz (MHz) 68040 chip that achieves 41.8 VAX MIPS (million instructions per second). Motorola says Ingram Laboratories testing shows the Quadras operate at 15 to 20 percent faster than 50MHz Intel 486-based systems.
The Centris 660AV runs on a 25MHz 68040. Motorola chips also power other recently announced Apple systems, including the Powerbook 180c, a color version of the Powerbook 180. The Powerbook 180 and 180c both use a Motorola 33MHz 68030 chip.
(Jim Mallory/19930730/Press contact: Tom Starnes, Motorola 512-891-2125)
ntact: Tom Starnes, Motorola 512-891-2125)
7/30/93
Motorola Chip Powers New Apple Computers
APPLE
IBM To Offer Info Warehouse Tool
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- This fall, IBM will be announcing new end user and development tools for Information Warehouse, the company's enterprise-wide framework for storage and delivery of multivendor data, Newsbytes has learned.
At a press briefing in Boston, Christopher R. Arnold, director of programming systems for IBM's Enterprise Data Solutions, told Newsbytes that the upcoming products will include locator service and copy management tools for data delivery, along with development software based all the way from Cobol to fourth-generation language (4GL).
The locator service tools will save time for users by telling them whether data on a given subject exists in the warehouse, even before a query is entered, said Arnold. "If you want to perform a query on salary levels within the organization, you can look first to see whether that information is on file," he illustrated.
The copy management tools will let multiple users work with the same information simultaneously by providing copies of the core data. "You could make copies of a particular file for all business managers, for instance," Arnold commented. At the same time, the core data will be safeguarded from harm.
All of the new Information Warehouse products will incorporate new process management services, added Arnold. One function of the new services will be to automatically convert Legacy data into industry standard formats. The conversion will involve using the new copy management tools to copy the Legacy data, he reported.
The new products and services will fill the few existing gaps in IBM's Information Warehouse Framework, an architecture aimed at solving the problems end users now face in accessing online data.
"Data access is becoming increasingly significant," remarked Arnold. The change has been forged by technological factors -- such as the boom in data, fax, voice and multimedia communications and the evolution of the microprocessor -- as well as business considerations, he said.
On the business side, the definition of the technology customer has expanded from the MIS manager to all levels of the organization from CEOs to departmental end users. Meanwhile, the prevailing "business equation" has been transformed from a low volume/high margin formula to one of high volume and low margins, making fast access to needed information more critical than ever.
IBM's Information Warehouse consists of four layers, said Arnold. Connectivity and process management services are at the bottom followed in successive order by enterprise data, a layer of data delivery and "object-oriented access" tools for access to data and an applications layer on top.
The applications layer is made up of applications development software in addition to decision support, online transaction processing, and systems management tools.
The connectivity services are intended to let users link up to mainframe, midrange, and desktop computer systems, along with network equipment, databases, and a plethora of other distributed hardware and software, from outside vendors as well as from IBM.
Housed in the enterprise data layer, the databases include flat files, hierarchical systems such as IBM's IMS, relational database management systems (RDBMSes) like IBM's DB/2 2, and the emerging category of object-oriented databases. The latest version of DB/2 2, an edition for IBM RS 6000, will ship in August Arnold noted.
Object-oriented access, located along with data delivery in the layer above enterprise, can be approached from either the RDBMS or object database directions, he said. IBM is working on access to RDBMSes internally, while engaging in joint development with Cambridge, MA-based Object Design Inc., on object databases, he elaborated.
The data delivery component of the Information Warehouse consists of direct access, along with locator services and copy management. The Information Warehouse uses Standard Query Language tools for direct access. "SQL has come forward as the industry standard in this area, providing a consistent API (applications programming interface) for accessing relational data," he explained.
At the uppermost layer of the warehouse, OLTP is handled by large numbers of multivendor software packages already on the market, according to Arnold.
IBM is addressing the need for decision support tools with its Personal Application System (PAS) software, and for systems management with DataHub, a family of software products, announced in May, that provides a common workstation control point and screen appearance for multivendor software tools.
Also this fall, IBM will be releasing Version 3 of the PAS decision support product, the director of programming systems informed Newsbytes.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930730/Press contact: Barbara S. Cerf, IBM, tel 914-642-4664; Christine Bock, GCI Group for IBM, 714-587-6946)
istine Bock, GCI Group for IBM, 714-587-6946)
7/30/93
IBM To Offer Info Warehouse Tools This Fall
Color Connections 6 To Start Sun
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- "Color Connections 6," the latest edition of an annual conference, will take place August 1 through 3 in Cambridge, leading into the August 3 to 6 timeframe of MacWorld Boston.
Sponsored by the Graphic Communications Association, the color publishing event will feature three days worth of keynotes, panels and other discussions, with a focus this year on "workflow and profit."
The conference will kick off early Sunday afternoon with a welcome from Bob Schaffel, Color Connections 6 chair, and a keynote speech by Apple Computer's Lisa Wellman, entitled "A Vision of Imaging for Today and the Future."
Later in the conference, individual speakers will address subjects ranging from "Macs in a PC Universe" to "Object-Oriented Database Modeling for Graphics Management," and from "Re-engineering and Process Analysis" to "ISDN and Networking for Image Applications."
Additional conference highlights will include roundtable discussions on Photo CD, enterprise-wide color calibration, device independent workflow methods, and the "ultimate" color production facility.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930730/Press and public contact: Graphic Communications Association, tel 703-519-8160)
Graphic Communications Association, tel 703-519-8160)
7/30/93
Color Connections 6 To Start Sunday In Cambridge, MA
GENERAL
Atari Loses To Nintendo, But It'
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- Nintendo says it has won in a jury verdict against Atari Games (a separate entity from Atari, maker of computers) concerning patents on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The real issue here, according to analysts, is whether or not a hardware maker can command control and revenue from the development of compatible software for its hardware system -- an issue that affects the entire computer industry.
In the vicious electronic games market, hardware manufacturers Nintendo and Sega have both been accused of attempts to use US patent law to prevent developers from distributing games compatible with their systems. Nintendo did it by placing code into the hardware that "locks out" a game. The firm only provides the access code to developers who pay licensing fees and abide by the hardware manufacturers rules. Sega did it by changing its hardware so the message "Produced By or Under License From Sega Enterprises Ltd" appeared automatically whenever the proper code was accessed by a cartridge. Sega then sued Accolade, which wouldn't pay the licensing fees, saying Accolade was attempting to deceive consumers into believing the games were licensed from Sega.
The licensing rules for developers include how many games may be released a year. The agreements are usually nonnegotiable as well -- a take it or leave it situation. Third party developers cry these are monopolistic practices and the patent suits are tricks to attempt to force developers into submission. The hardware manufacturers argue their licensing rules are a way to obtain quality control as game makers will put more effort into a few games to make them really good if they can release fewer games, and that will boost sales of the hardware systems.
What the developers usually do is reverse engineer the lock out code, meaning they disassemble the hardware to find out how it works, then come up with a way around it. Then the issue ends up in court, where developers hope it will be decided in their favor. The problem is, the courts haven't made a definitive decision because the issue was settled out of court, as in the Sega/Accolade case, or some other issue muddied the water.
In the Nintendo/Atari Games case, the other issue is that Atari is accused of obtaining the patented code, from the 1989 Patent No. 4,799,635 issued to Nintendo, by tricking the US Copyright Office into releasing a copy.
An eight-person jury unanimously rejected Atari Games' defenses that the '635 patent was invalid for reasons of "obviousness" or for failure to disclose the "best mode" for practicing the invention described in the patent, Nintendo said. The judge in the case, Judge Fern Smith of the US District Court in San Francisco, previously held that Atari Games had wrongfully obtained this computer program from the US Copyright Office and had used it to reverse engineer Nintendo's security system and to manufacture compatible Atari Games cartridges for play on NES.
In the Sega/Accolade case, the American Committee for Interoperable Systems (ACIS) came out against Sega. Peter Choy chairman of ACIS and deputy general counsel of Sun Microsystems said: "The life blood of the computer industry is the ability of any competitor to make and distribute interoperable software and hardware." The ACIS includes companies such as Chips and Technologies, Phoenix Technologies, Seagate Technology, Zenith Data Systems, and Sun Microsystems.
But the jury verdict isn't the end, according to Dennis Wood senior vice president of Atari Games. Wood said Atari plans to appeal the jury decision and added that: "...this is only the first of three scheduled trials between the parties. Today's decision involves only Nintendo's patent and trademark claims.
"The second trial involves Atari Games' claims of patent infringement by Nintendo of its US '114 patent. Atari Games asserts that Nintendo infringed the '114 patent through Nintendo's unauthorized use of Atari technology in all 32 million 8-bit NES hardware units and the majority of NES software sold in the US since 1986." Atari sources said the '114 patent is on the scrolling used in video games.
"The third trial will involve, among other things, Atari Games claims that Nintendo improperly monopolized the US home video game market in the late 1980s and early 1990s." In addition Atari Games says the suit is over Nintendo's obsolete 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System for which it has not made or distributed products in more than two years.
Woods' claims of monopoly are supported by other third party developers. One developer, Michael Crick, claims Nintendo definitely had a monopoly with nearly 80 percent of the market during the time period of 1984 and 1988. A jury also said Nintendo had a monopoly, but ruled in May of 1992 that the monopoly did not harm Atari. Nintendo as been fined as much as $25 million in a single year by the Federal Trade Commission for anti-trust violations.
Other developers are fighting Nintendo. Paul Liu, chairman of American Video Entertainment (AVE), told Newsbytes Nintendo changed the internal design of its hardware so the machines will no longer play his company's game cartridges. Liu is in the process of suing Nintendo for $105 million.
Commenting on the jury verdict, Nintendo's Senior Vice President Howard Lincoln said: "It's been a long fight and it is not over yet. I have asked our attorneys to see whether individuals at Atari Games and at Time Warner -- both present and former officers and directors -- and at Time Warner itself can be held liable for the misappropriation and use of the Nintendo computer code from the US Copyright Office."
Atari Games and Atari Incorporated are affiliated, but Time Warner has a substantial interest in privately held, Milpitas California-based Atari Games. Tengen, a subsidiary of Atari Games, actually manufactures and distributes games for the NES system. Nintendo of America, based in Redmond, Washington, is a subsidiary of Nintendo Company Ltd. of Kyoto, Japan, one of the world's largest manufacturers and marketers of video games.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930730/Press Contact: David Ellis, Rogers & Associates for Atari, tel 310-552-6922, fax 310-552-9052; Perrin Kaplan, Nintendo of America, 206-861-2509)
errin Kaplan, Nintendo of America, 206-861-2509)
7/30/93
Atari Loses To Nintendo, But It's Not Over Yet
Apple's US Intros Of New Speech-
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- Hoping to take advantage of all those Macintosh users that need to voice and speech capabilities in a system, Apple has introduced two new Quadras - the 840AV and the Centris 660AV - that take advantage of what the company is calling its new "AV Technologies" capabilities.
According to Apple, the two new Quadras bring together telecommunications, video, and speech technologies.
The company says that the new Quadras enable users to access voice mail, electronic mail and faxes from a single location of their desktop; use the computer as a hands-free speaker phone and answering machine; utilize desktop videoconferencing capabilities; and use speech for command, control and navigation.
The new Quadras feature a Motorola 68040 microprocessor, which handles the general-purpose computing work, and an AT&T 3210 digital signal processor, which handles the specialized tasks and real-time data, such as speech, audio and telephone.
Apple says that it intends to integrate the new AV Technologies capabilities into future systems that use the PowerPC RISC processor.
The AV Technologies capabilities includes the GeoPort software based telecommunications architecture that integrates data, fax and voice telephony. The software is used with the $129 GeoPort Telecom Adapter and associated software, which is sold separately in order for the user to connect to telephone services and support phone calling and answering.
The new Quadras also allow for the display of full-motion video from external sources, as well as the digitization and capture of single frames as pictures and video sequences. The NTSC, PAL and SECAM video standards are supported, and composite and S-video ports are provided.
The systems also come with Apple's PlainTalk speech technology which supports both speech recognition and text-to-speech capabilities as a standard user interface extension. The company says that the PlainTalk recognition system offers a speaker independent, continuous speech system for voice commands.
Using PlainTalk, standard menu commands can be manipulated. Users can also create their own speech-activated commands, using either AppleScript or QuickKeys as a scripting language.
The Quadra 840AV features a 40-megahertz (MHz) 68040 processor and a 66MHz AT&T 3210 DSP. The system comes with 8 megabytes (MB) of DRAM, expandable to 128MB. Four standard expansion bays are included for internal storage. The system also comes with 2MB of VRAM and supports 24-bit color on displays up to 16-inches and 16-bit color on 21-inch displays.
The Macintosh Centris 660AV features a 25MHz 68040 processor and a 55MHz AT&T 3210 DSP. Only one internal drive bay is provided and the 8MB of DRAM is expandable to just 68MB. The system offers 1MB of VRAM for supporting 16-bit color on displays up to 16-inches and 8-bit color on 21-inch displays.
Both systems come standard with Ethernet and feature the NuBus 90. Prices range from $4,069 for the Quadra 840AV with a 230MB drive to $5,119 for a system with 16MB of DRAM and a 500MB drive. CD-ROM-equipped options start at $4,399 for the 8/230 version. The Centris 660AV with a 230MB is priced at $2,489, while the 500MB version costs $3,139. CD-ROM versions start at $2,799 for the 8/230 version.
(Ian Stokell/19930730/Press Contact: Betty Taylor 408-974-3983, Apple Computer)
ntact: Betty Taylor 408-974-3983, Apple Computer)
7/30/93
Apple's US Intros Of New Speech-Capable Quadras
APPLE
Apple Intros Display With Built-
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- Apple Computer has introduced the AudioVision 14 Display designed to enhance the telecommunications, speech and video technologies of Macintosh computers. The display features integrated audio and video capabilities and features built-in stereo speakers and microphone.
The display is particularly intended for use with the company's new Macintosh Quadra 840AV and Macintosh Centris 660AV, as reported elsewhere by Newsbytes.
In announcing the new display, Don Strickland, vice president Imaging Systems Division, said: "By combining audio and video capabilities, Apple has greatly enhanced the communications and computing experience for Macintosh customers, particularly those interested in teleconferencing and telecommuting, and in multimedia authoring and interactive learning."
The display works with all Macintosh II, LC, Centris and Quadra systems, as well as PowerBooks with video out.
The AudioVision 14 features a directional microphone embedded in the front center bezel of the display. Apple says it has patents pending for the placement of the integrated microphone and speaker placement.
The AudioVision 14 is priced at $775 and provides flicker-free performance and 640 by 480 pixel resolution in its 14-inch Trinitron cathode ray tube (CRT).
A power saver mode that complies with the EPA's Energy Star guidelines is also included. The company also says that the system meets SWEDAC MPR-2 international guidelines for ELF/VLF magnetic and electric emissions.
(Ian Stokell/19930730/Press Contact: Betty Taylor 408-974-3983, Apple Computer)
ss Contact: Betty Taylor 408-974-3983, Apple Computer)
7/30/93
Apple Intros Display With Built-in Stereo/Microphone
APPLE
Newton Messagepads To Go On Sale
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 30 (NB) -- Apple Computer announced it will ship the Newton Messagepad personal digital assistant (PDA) on Monday, August 2, the day of the official launch of the product. Messagepads will be available first from computer resellers in Boston and New York as well as sold at the Macworld Expo in Boston next week.
By mid to late August, Apple says the Messagepad should be available throughout the US in more than 2,000 retail locations. Three versions of the PDA are being launched and will range in price from $699 to $949, depending on the retailers offing the unit.
The Newton Messagepad is 7.25 in. (184.75 mm) high by 4.50 in. (114.3 mm) wide by 0.75 in. (19.05 mm) deep and weighs 0.9 lb. (0.4 kg). It is powered by a Advanced RISC Machines reduced instruction set computing (RISC) 610 processor running at 20 megahertz (MHz), has 4 megabytes of read-only memory (ROM), 640 kilobytes (K) of random access memory (RAM), and offers Apple's own custom system application specific integrated circuits (ASIC).
The PDA has a low-power, reflective liquid crystal display (LCD) display at a resolution of 336 by 240 picture elements (pixels) covered by a transparent tablet with passive pen for handwriting input. For communication and translation of data between desktop machines the unit offers a Localtalk compatible serial port; a single Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) 2 card slot; and a low power, half-duplex, infrared transceiver which can transfer data from one Messagepad to another at 9600 baud from a distance of no more than 1 meter.
Built-in applications include the capture and filing of notes sketches and other details, a calendar, alarms and reminders an address book, and the ability to "clean up" drawings and diagrams by straightening lines and making circles round.
The Messagepad can also be turned into a pager with the new Motorola Newton Messaging Card, a credit-card sized receiver that can receive wireless messages, data and news services virtually anywhere. Motorola says users can put the Messaging Card in their pocket where it can receive and store messages and then retrieve the messages by plugging the card into the PCMCIA slot of the Messagepad. Upon receiving a message, the card notifies the user with a beep or a flashing light.
The Messaging Card is 5.0 mm thick (.196 inches), with housing on one end for a AAA battery and an internal antenna. It has 128K bytes of memory for incoming messages, a battery life of approximately 21 days, and up to 512 addresses for the receipt of multiple information services, including personal messages electronic mail, voice mail updates, and news alerts.
The card is an extension of the wireless communication capability Motorola already announced with its Newsstream (Advanced Information Receiver1/8TM) product that connects to DOS-based Hewlett-Packard, and Macintosh personal and mobile computers via a cable or cradle to the RS-232 port. Pricing information for the Newton Messaging Card was not yet available.
Applications for the Newton are being announced by more than 20 developers including: CE Software's Quickaccess product to allow Newton users to send and receive mail from a mailbox on a number of local area network (LAN)-based mail system transports, including CE's own Quickmail, Novell's Netware MHS and Apple's AOCE; Great Plains' Personal Time & Billing software; Penmagic, which with Money Magazine and Apple Computer has developed Money Magazine Business Forms and Money Magazine Financial Assistant; and Oracle's Glue technology described as a Application Programming Interface (API) capable of connecting databases, mail systems, and file systems across virtually all platforms to link the Oracle7 cooperative server database and Oracle Office messaging systems to the Newton Messagepad.
Over 1,500 developers have expressed interest in developing products for the PDA, according to Apple. In addition, Apple's Personal Interactive Electronics (PIE) Publishing group Starcore, announced six titles ranging from financial assistance to interactive city maps.
Apple is hoping the new PDA will catch on the way the IBM personal computer (PC) did and to facilitate that it has licensed the Newton technology to other manufacturers including Sharp and Kyushu Matsushita Electric in Japan and Motorola in the United States. Siemens/ROLM has also announced it will be incorporating Newton technology in its forthcoming Notephone product.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930730/Press Contact: Cindy McCaffrey Apple, tel 408-974-1578; Public Contact, 800-769-2775; Mike Keating, Ogilvy Adams & Rinehart for Motorola, tel 312-9988 2918)
Rinehart for Motorola, tel 312-9988 2918)
7/30/93
Newton Messagepads To Go On Sale Monday
APPLE
Spinnaker's New PFS:Resume & Job
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- The next time you're ready to make a career move, you won't have to pay a small fortune to a resume shop. Neither will it be necessary to try to track down the last unsold 1993 appointment book in town. You can leave your exhaustive library of job hunting manuals on the shelf along with your 1,000-page thesaurus, thanks to Spinnaker.
All these resources, plus a whole lot more, can now be found in a single, easy-to-use software package, Spinnaker's PFS:Resume & Job Search Pro for Windows.
The new application is the only package on the market to combine a professional resume builder with a contact database, calendar, and full-blown word processor, according to Katrina Hanewich, product manager, in a demo for Newsbytes at Spinnaker's headquarters in Cambridge, MA.
What's more, the manual that comes with the Resume Pro is packed with useful job search tips, ranging from sample cover letters to suggestions on how to locate job openings and what to do at an interview, noted Dan Chmielewski, a Spinnaker spokesperson who was also on hand at the demo.
Hanewich emphasized that Resume Pro yields top quality results. To prove it, she showed Newsbytes a pair of resumes she had prepared with Resume Builder. Each had the highly polished look traditionally available only through professional designers and typesetters.
The software lets the average PC user create resumes of that calibre in 30 minutes or less, Chmielewski told Newsbytes. Resume Builder offers ten different resume templates, including General, Business Academic, Recent Graduate, Military, and Technical, he said.
The user personalizes the templates by adding the appropriate information to sections on Objective, Education, and Experience. Users can also delete sections of the templates, add sections such as Summary and References, and customize their resumes in countless other ways.
Hanewich showed Newsbytes how, with a few quick clicks, the appearance of the resume can be completely changed simply by switching to another font. Resume Pro uses all the TrueType fonts in Windows 3.1, and adds three more, she said.
You can reformat the resume by clicking on any of a series of Resume Format buttons. Clicking on Resume Format button number two, for instance, will format the resume so that section headings are left aligned, with colons. Geographic locations and dates in the Experience and Education sections will be right-aligned.
Clicking on button number five will add a horizontal line to the head of the resume, separating the name from the rest of the data. The dates will now be left-aligned, but geographical locations will still be right-aligned. Items in the resume will be separated by bullets. No matter which button is clicked, Resume Pro makes sure that the format selected is followed consistently throughout the resume, said Hanewich.
From the Resume Builder, the user can access a Verify Dates utility that scans the chronological sections for date errors. The utility checks for illogical dates (such as "1790" versus "1970") and misspelled text items associated with dates. It also flags any time gaps that appear, preventing a serious resume sin.
From either the Resume Builder or Word Processor, the user can access a built-in Houghton-Miflin spellchecker and thesaurus, as well as an extensive glossary of "action words," a language job seekers are expected by now to use.
Hanewich demonstrated how, when you key in Control+Shift+F9, the action words appear in alphabetical order, each followed by several synonyms. The synonyms for "accelerated," for example, are "expedited," "hastened," and "stepped up." Any of the action words can be copied to the Clipboard with a click or two, and pasted from there into a document.
The Word Processor also provides WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editing, instant paragraph alignment (left, right and center) a full suite of writing and editing tools, and the ability to merge with the Contact Database for personalizing cover letters and other mailings.
Together, the Contact Database and Calendar form a third component of Resume Pro called Job Search Manager. Through the Contact Database, the user enters the name, address, phone and fax number of each job search contact, along with contact activities.
The user selects the type of activity -- resume, interview, phone fax, letter, or other -- from a dropdown menu, and types in when the activity will start and end. You can also ask Resume Pro to post reminders of an upcoming activity, and specify when the reminders will begin.
Until deleted by the user, the contact activity entries will automatically appear on the weekly and monthly calendars in the Job Search Manager. The weekly calendars show the contact name for each activity, the time of the activity, and a graphic representation of the activity's expected duration.
The monthly calendars represent activities with icons, one each for resume, interview, phone, fax and letter. Users can readily click back and forth between the weekly and monthly calendars and the Contact Database.
A utility for the Job Search Manager called Time Conflict Check will automatically scan the activities in the current database to see if you have more than one activity planned at the same time, or if any activity overflows into another activity's time buffer.
For example, if you plan to send a fax at 2:00 p.m. and make a phone call at 2:15 p.m., and your "time conflict margin" to get ready for phone calls is 30 minutes, a conflict is detected. You set the time conflict margins through a dialog box known as Preferences.
When Time Conflict Check uncovers a conflict, you are given the choice of changing one of the activities or ignoring the warning.
With all these features, Resume Pro for Windows lists for just $59 95. "But the best part of all is that, like other job search resources, he software is tax deductible. I got that information straight from my CPA," said Chmielewski.
The Spinnaker spokesperson told Newsbytes that the new Windows based package complements two other Spinnaker offerings that are priced even lower, the DOS-based PFS:Resume Pro and Easy Working Resume Kit.
Spinnaker holds a 70 percent share of the resume software market-place, Chmielewski pointed out. The company also develops and markets an extensive range of other personal productivity software.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930802/Press contact: Dan Chmielewski Spinnaker, tel: 617-494-1200, ext 453; Public contact: Spinnaker tel 800-826-0706)
200, ext 453; Public contact: Spinnaker tel 800-826-0706)
8/2/93
Spinnaker's New PFS:Resume & Job Search Pro For Windows
Utah State University Upgrades C
DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- Utah State University has upgraded its existing communications system with Intecom E, a platform that the university claims will allow it to build a campuswide multimedia communications network.
The multi-million dollar Intecom Inc contract replaces the two existing systems -- an AT&T Dimension 2000 PBX private branch exchange and a US West Centron system. The school says it sought a telecommunications system capable of providing the same benefits it already has in its fiber-distributed local area networks (LANs).
Intecom spokesperson Sara Knaggs told Newsbytes that one of the principal features of the Intecom network is its telemanagement capabilities. Telemanagement is the method of capturing information what phones in a system receive and initiate calls in order to track information for chargeback.
It also provides information that allows system managers to track abuse of the phone system, such as individuals who charge personal calls to the employer or overusing the phones, particularly to what Knaggs called "inappropriate numbers."
Knaggs explained that the Intecom system integrates data tracking in the switch and telemanagement packages. Intecom requires a single database entry that updates both systems. There is also a wiring spares database that tracks the location of all wiring spares making it easier to make changes to the system or add additional phones.
The system also integrates an emergency call system that records the location and other pertinent information and displays that information at a designated terminal.
For example, if the university elects to assign the digits 9-1-1 as the emergency call number, the Intecom database would not only display the location of the phone for the campus police dispatcher but could also display such other information as special medical problems of that particular dorm room.
The 400-acre USU campus is presently being re-cabled with new fiber and copper. The school says the fiber backbone allows transmission of all current future voice, data and video communications, and they will be able to economically link the 100 campus buildings for voice and data processing over the fiber-based E network.
The plan calls for administrative building to be on-line with digital voice communications by March 1994 and the classrooms and dormitories are scheduled to be on-line by September 1994.
The contract calls for Intecom to manage the cable installation telecommunications, voice mail, telemanagement, campus security, and message center systems for the university.
Knaggs claims that the integration of the databases from a single input greatly reduces the possibility of error, as well as dramatically reducing the amount of data entry required.
The university says that, initially, it will utilize only the voice networking capacities, but purchased the complete system with an eye to the future.
According to USU Dean Glen Wilde, "It (the Intecom network) supports our current voice communications needs, and has the bandwidth we will require as we expand the network to support voice, data, and video." In this case, bandwidth is the term used to describe the capacity of computer systems to move data on networks.
(Jim Mallory/19930802/Press contact: Sara Knaggs, Intecom, 214-390 8863 or 800-468-3266; Reader contact: Glen Wilde, Dean, Learning Resource Center, USU, 801-750-1201)
de, Dean, Learning Resource Center, USU, 801-750-1201)
8/2/93
Utah State University Upgrades Communications System
TELECOM
Wordperfect Ships Wordperfect 5.
OREM, UTAH, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- Wordperfect Corporation (WPC) has announced it is now shipping Wordperfect 5.2, its first product for IBM's OS/2 2.1 operating system.
The company claims that this OS/2 implementation of its popular word processor takes advantage of OS/2's 32-bit technology by supporting drag and drop on the Workplace Shell, multi-threaded background printing, and the OS/2 High Performance File System for the use of file names longer than the eight character limitation imposed by DOS-based systems.
One feature of the software is a patent-pending Automatic Document Detection (ADD) feature that automatically registers existing Wordperfect files with the Workplace Shell and associates them with Wordperfect. Users can then drag any Wordperfect file to the printer icon and print the document complete with Wordperfect formatting without having to launch the WP application.
The company claims that ADD also gives uses 32-bit document management on the Workplace Shell by letting them view Wordperfect documentary summary information such as author, subject, or abstract from both the Wordperfect Object Settings notebook and the Detail View of any folder.
Users can launch WP and automatically open any WP file by clicking on the file name in the Workplace Shell. Drag and drop capabilities allow the user to drag any WP file, supported graphics image, or spreadsheet data and insert it into an open Wordperfect document. Spreadsheet data is automatically converted to a table when inserted into the document.
Wordperfect 5.2 for OS/2 supports both Wordperfect and OS/2 printer drivers, and also ships with 14 new Postscript fonts. The new fonts area installed in the system font palette so they can be used with other OS/2 applications.
The company claims that WP 5.2 for OS/2 is identical to the Wordperfect 5.1 or 5.2 for Windows format for easier transportability of files between platforms, including Rs/6000 and VAX/VMS systems. Users can also exchange WP files from the AS/400 and IBM System 370 systems.
Wordperfect for Windows users will recognize the familiar graphical interface, Ruler and Button Bar, and feature and functions can be assigned to a Button Bar. Clicking the right mouse button (buttons can be reversed if desired) brings up a QuickMenu that lists all available Button Bars.
A Quickfinder facility speeds up searching, and users can choose to index any number of drives and directories, with Quickfinder building an index the company says is about five percent the size of the selected files. A 32-bit version of Grammatik, the popular grammar checking program, is also included.
WordPerfect 5.2 for OS/2 has a suggested retail price of $495. Present WP users can upgrade from DOS or Windows for $129, and users of other Windows and OS/2 word processors with a retail price of $395 or more can switch for $149.
(Jim Mallory/19930802/Press contact: Liz Tanner, Wordperfect Corporation, 801-228-5004; Public contact: Wordperfect Corporation 801-225-5000 or 800-451-5151, fax 801-228-5077)
-225-5000 or 800-451-5151, fax 801-228-5077)
8/2/93
Wordperfect Ships Wordperfect 5.2 For OS/2
Datacraft Appointed First Overse
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, 1993 JULY 30 (NB) -- Datacraft Australia has been appointed as the first Synoptics authorised customer service partner outside the US. According to the company, this level of accreditation is the highest level of technical certification available to a Synoptics products reseller and network service provider.
The world-wide program was launched just over two years ago. To qualify, a company has to demonstrate a long track record of providing network service, and demonstrate a set of technical capabilities and product knowledge such that it can fully support a customer.
Datacraft national support manager Bernd Rottinger said that the authorization process was a rigorous test of technical capabilities. "It includes primary and secondary levels of engineers, technical certification training, and specific rules for test equipment spares inventory and problem-escalation procedures," he said.
"Once these requirements have been met, an on-site inspection of the reseller's service facility is conducted, then five customer references are contacted to assure Synoptics that the reseller has a proven track record for providing quality support. It's quite an honor to be the first company outside the US to get this accreditation," he added.
Datacraft is a publicly listed Australian company that provides products and services in networking communications and integration with annual revenues in excess of AUS$100M and more than 500 staff. The company develops, manufactures and markets an extensive range of networking products for markets around the world.
(Paul Zucker/19930802/Contact: Datacraft on phone +61-3-727 9111 or fax +61-3-726 5300)
: Datacraft on phone +61-3-727 9111 or fax +61-3-726 5300)
8/2/93
Datacraft Appointed First Overseas Synoptics ACE Partner
FGS Ships Utility For Mac Powerb
O BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- Fifth Generation Systems (FGS) says it is now shipping MacPak, its new utility software for Apple Computer's Mac desktop and Powerbook computers.
Product marketing manager Julie Boudreaux says that MacPak is a collection of the company's top Mac utilities. MacPak includes file launching, automatic background file compression, an access security program, file backup, file management, and a fast copy utility. The program also includes a group of personal information managers that provide a calendar, phone pad, and two calculators.
The company claims that Launch Pad is a quick-launch program through which all the other utilities are integrated, and allows users to instantly access applications, files, and folders. Launch Pad is installed in the startup folder, making the utilities automatically available when the system is turned on.
The automatic background compression utility uses AutoDoubler's compression algorithm to compress or expand all files on the hard disk except those in the System Folder. File compression makes more disk storage space available without having to install a larger capacity hard drive.
FGS calls the DiskLock PB access security system "bulletproof" and claims that access security prevents anyone who doesn't have the correct password from accessing files and programs on the computer.
The backup utility included in MacPak uses FGS' Fastback Express to backup and restore files. Backup can be scheduled for unattended operation, and files can be selectively identified by the user for inclusion in the backup.
MacPak also includes DiskTools, a desk accessory for file management that allows users to easily find, copy, move, rename, and delete files individually or by groups.
CopyDoubler Lite is a replacement for the System 7 operating system Finder copy function that FGS says speeds up file copying by as much as five times. It also empties the trash up to ten times faster than the System 7 Finder and supports AutoDoubler compression while copying.
MacPac runs on all Macintosh Plus and later models, including PowerBooks with System 7.0 or later. The program has a suggested retail price of $149.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A.. 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- One of the major benefits of having a local area network (LAN) using a dedicated server is that it is easier to backup data than in a peer-to-peer networking environment. Now Emerald Systems says it is set to introduce in August a network fileserver-based backup software product called XpressSERVE.
According to the company, the package utilizes "NextWave," a new modular architecture which the company says "enables quick modification, end-user customization and easy expansion to fit market needs."
XpressSERVE is a NetWare Loadable Module (NLM). According to the company, it has a NetWare-like C-Worthy interface on the workstation, a server console interface and a DOS command line interface to allow job submittal and status from any workstation in the network or the server. Individual users on the network also will be able to initiate their own backup and restore operations.
Announcing the package, John E. Jones, Emerald president, said: "We have invested much time and resources in this new software technology because network growth and expansion demand high performance products which are flexible and can support a variety of platforms, interfaces and hardware devices."
Dr. Lawrence Rogers, vice president/general manager of Emerald's Software Systems Division, said that, "Speed, ease of use, and flexibility were the main design criteria in XpressSERVE. We believe we have built a product which is significantly faster than anything comparable on the market today. We also wanted to build a product which would be fully SMS (Storage Management Services) compliant."
The company is offering two versions of the software, supporting both NetWare 4.0 and 3.11. XpressSERVE Enterprise will provide full SMS support, including standard data and tape format compliance.
SMS allows enterprise-wide backup and restoration of multiple-file systems so that all DOS, Windows, Unix, Macintosh and OS/2 files on the server may be backed up. Through SMS, the company says that XpressSERVE Enterprise also allows backup and restore of local workstations running DOS/Windows and OS/2. The company also says that Unix and Macintosh backup capabilities will be available soon.
The company expects complete Novell certification of XpressSERVE Enterprise "in the near future" because to its full SMS support.
The product will be available in 50-user, 250-user, 500-user and 1,000-user versions, priced at less than $800 for the 50-user and less than $4,000 for the 1,000-user version. For networks not requiring full NetWare 4.0 and SMS support, a high-speed backup/restore XpressSERVE package will be available for less than $600.
Both versions will support all industry-standard 0.25-inch DAT (digital audio tape) and eight millimeter (mm) tape drives as well as a number of SCSI (small computer systems interface) cards.
The company also says that XpressSERVE has an integrated scheduler for handling backup operations in a completely unattended and automated mode, including the use of the editable job script files. A file history database for tracking backup information and locating archived files is also included.
Emerald Systems Intros XpressSERVE Backup Software
GENERAL
Adobe Illustrator 5.0 For Macint
z MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- Adobe Systems has announced the availability of Adobe Illustrator version 5.0 for the Macintosh. The graphics illustration and design application is available in both floppy format and in the Deluxe CD-ROM (compact disc read only memory) edition.
According to the company, the new version offers plug-in filters including Adobe's Pathfinder technology - a set of filters that allows users to modify the intersecting areas of overlapping objects.
Additionally, the new software offers a number of other features including layers, multiple levels of undo and redo, edit in preview custom views, gradient fills with multiple colors, custom page sizes and support for a pressure-sensitive calligraphic pen with a variable nib.
User interface improvements include floating palettes for paint styles, gradient fills, layers, tools, and character and paragraph styles. Version 5.0 also includes 40 of Adobe's Type 1 typefaces.
Adobe's Pathfinder filters allow users to create special effects and techniques such as shadowing, transparency and preview overprinting. In addition, the company says that Pathfinder filters can be used to perform shortcuts such as subtract objects from one another or use lines to slice through and divide objects.
Adobe Illustrator 5.0 for the Mac is available now for the suggested retail price of $595. Registered owners of Adobe Illustrator for the Macintosh may choose either a regular upgrade on standard diskettes or the Deluxe CD-ROM Edition upgrade. Both versions include Adobe Separator and Adobe Type Manager (ATM) software.
The regular upgrade from version 3.2 to version 5.0 will be free to registered users who purchased the Adobe Illustrator program for the Macintosh after March 1, 1993. For customers who purchased the program prior to March 1, version 5.0 costs $149 through October 31 1993, and $199 after that. The Deluxe CD-ROM Edition will be offered to registered users at the introductory price of $199 through October 31, 1993, and $249 after that.
Adobe Illustrator 5.0 for the Mac requires a 68020-based Macintosh computer with 3.1 megabytes (MB) of RAM available for the application, running Apple System Software 6.07 or greater and a CD ROM drive for those who buy the Deluxe CD-ROM Edition.
(Ian Stokell/19930802/Press Contact: Patricia J. Pane 415-962-3967, Adobe Systems Inc.)
ia J. Pane 415-962-3967, Adobe Systems Inc.)
8/2/93
Adobe Illustrator 5.0 For Macintosh Debuts
APPLE
Cisco To Support DLSw Interopera
Wordperfect Announces Back-To-Sc
OREM, UTAH, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- Wordperfect Corporation says it will discount its popular word processing program Wordperfect for DOS, Windows or Macintosh platforms as a special back-to-school offer for the first time in the product's history.
The company says the special prices are available to teachers faculty members, college students, and schools. Those individuals can purchase their preferred version of Wordperfect 6.0 for DOS or Wordperfect for Windows for $99, while Macintosh users can get Wordperfect for Macintosh for $79. Both offers are available until October 1, 1993.
All three versions of Wordperfect usually sell to the education community for $135. The company continues to offer Wordperfect Presentation, DataPerfect, Plan Perfect, and some other products to educators and students for $135.
Wordperfect Corporation spokesperson Laura Fankhauser told Newsbytes that the package offered to educators and students is identical to that sold to retail buyers. "It's the full package," she said. Readers can contact Wordperfect Corporation to learn the location of education resellers in their area.
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- Margaret Gees Media Guide is the 'bible' for public relations companies in Australia. It is the media "Who's Who" of Australia, giving contact details for more than 10,000 people in the Australian broadcast and print media, and now it is available on a monthly-updated disk.
The print version is 560 pages, but this is now all contained in database form on a disk. The service is available three, six or twelve times a year. The full subscription is AUS$640 a year (around US$440) and this includes the hardcopy version.
The system is designed for non-computer users, and auto-installs on most PCs. It is written in Dataflex, and requires a runtime version of that product to operate. It can be supplied in a form suitable for many non-PC platforms, including Xenix, Vax, CP/M and Concurrent Dos.
Searching can be completed on any of the data fields, such as circulation, region, name, medium or, of course, name. Special features include: area covered by broadcast stations; latest personnel changes; multicultural media; media ownership.
Because the data is already in an electronic form, it can easily be used for mail-merge applications, or production of personalized faxes, and so on. The software is capable of doing this, though the information can also be sent to third-party products.
(Paul Zucker/19930802/Contact: Information Australia on phone +61-3 654 2800 or fax +61-3-650 5261))
tralia on phone +61-3 654 2800 or fax +61-3-650 5261))
8/2/93
Popular Australian Media Guide Now Available On Disk
MacWorld - New PIM For PowerBook
LSI Technology Used In Oki LED P
Multiprotocol Router From Interl
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- ACE Router is claimed to be one of the most fully featured routers available. The product was designed in New Zealand and is manufactured in Australia.
According to the Prentice Hall Dictionary of Computing, a router is used to transfer data from one local area network (LAN) to another though the two are not normally compatible. The ACE router's network options include both user and manager levels of priority.
A full event log is available with SNMP MIB II support plus private extensions. It has a built-in data scope for on-line monitoring of traffic and performance. System management can be on PC, SUNnet Openview or NMC 1000/3000.
One example of the product's use is the New Zealand private virtual network "TuiaNet" which uses ACE routers running Frame Relay to link 3,500 users in various government departments, national libraries and universities.
Australian user Gerald Molly from the Department of Corrective Services said "It provides us with integrated features not currently available in competitive products, and a price/performance ratio to match."
Features include:
[] Multiprotocol support - TCP/IP, IPX/Novell, X.25 and DECNet
[] Multiple simultaneous WAN ports at up to 10 Megabits per second
[] Full implementation of Frame Relay conforming to both CCITT and ANSI standards and supporting the important extensions including LMI.
[] An integrated ISDN terminal adaptor supporting both basic and primary rate access including automatic switchover to ISDN dial backup.
[] An integrated terminal server to provide transparent access for Remote Terminal and Host-to-Server connectivity.
[] G.703/G.704 interfaces for efficient connectivity over microwave and satellite links as well as high-speed PABX port connections.
(Paul Zucker/19930802/Contact: Interlink Communications on phone +61 2-975 2577 or fax +61-2-452 5397)
mmunications on phone +61 2-975 2577 or fax +61-2-452 5397)
8/2/93
Multiprotocol Router From Interlink Communications Debuts
, J ~
Second BBSCON Show Scheduled For
Visicalc Creator Frankston Joins
Computer Associates To Charge $1
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- Computer Associates has announced that it will sell its Simply Money product in Australia for AUS$19.95 plus postage, making it around twice as expensive as in the US where it costs only US$6.95 for shipping.
The company expects to sell around 100,000 copies in Australia, but around four million in the US. After this the price will increase to $99 suggested retail -- the same as a number of other CA products such as the word processor, Textor.
Computer Associates is believed to be keen to establish a strong following in the Australian PC market-place and is forging ne relationships with distributors and master resellers, while ending others.
(Paul Zucker/19930802)
er resellers, while ending others.
(Paul Zucker/19930802)
8/2/93
Computer Associates To Charge $19.95 For Simply Money In Oz
Digital Quill Awards Competition
Wordperfect Ships Wordperfect 5.
Apple Signs Newton Deal with Bel
New Mouse Systems Turns Technolo
READING, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 02 (NB) -- Elinnor Technology has announced that its force sensing platform (FSP) will now run under both DOS and Windows. The touchpad can now effectively replace a mouse, the company claims.
According to John Rodger, sales manager with the company, the touchpad can now be adapted to allow users to customize various single and double click mouse actions.
"With the introduction of the new DOS mouse driver, supplied with every new Touchmate, the number of applications which users will be able to control is significantly increased. The driver also represents an important development for system integrators ho now have more flexibility when writing software for Touchmate," he said.
So, what is Touchmate? According to the company, it's a completely new type of touch screen where no glass panel or membrane is placed in front of the screen. Instead, Touchmate is a compact platform that is placed underneath a monitor -- any force exerted on the screen of the monitor is carried through to the touchpad and translated into a three dimensional plot of the monitor.
By extrapolating force and directional co-ordinates peculiar to the monitor, Touchmate claims to be able to work out where on the screen the user is touching. This is translated into a mouse-style command.
Touchmate costs vary, depending on the type of monitor it is being used with. The company describes its products as price competitive and notes that, unlike competing systems, Touchmate does not void any warranties or service agreements.
KEMPSTON, BEDFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- Austin Computer Systems claims to have taken the lead by shipping a range of Pentium-based workstations and server systems. The HE series, the company claims, are based around a unique modular stacking system that allow a large number of configurations and for virtually unlimited expansion.
The HE Pentium workstation comes with a 60 megahertz (MHz) Pentium chipset, 16 megabytes (MB) of memory, a 2MB VESA VGA RAM card and a VESA fast small computer systems interface (SCSI) 540MB hard disk in a standard desktop casing.
"This machine is fast with a capital F," explained Richard Choi, the company's sales and marketing director, who added that, supplied with a choice of 14 or 17 inch mono-interlaced monitors, the HE system costs UKP 3,850 or UKP 4,270, respectively.
The server version of the HE series comes in what Austin claims is a unique box, known as the MS box. Designed with the same dimensions as the workstation, the MS box allows up to six additional SCSI devices to be plugged in.
According to Choi, the HE series can also be supplied with an 80486 chipset. @t's another example of the leading technology and innovative design no available to Austin users in the UK," Choi said, adding that he plans to start shipping the entire range to users this coming September.
"You can expect the GE Pentium to take a large slice of the high end server and workstation markets in a very short space of time," he enthused.
(Steve Gold/19930802/Press & Public Contact: Austin Computer Systems Tel: 0254-69252; Fax: 0254-680478)
stems Tel: 0254-69252; Fax: 0254-680478)
8/2/93
Austin Launches Pentium-Based Machines
IDC Surveys Australian Computer
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- Sales and Marketing Issues were given low ratings by personal computer and printer resellers in the recent IDC Australia Reseller satisfaction survey. The survey which was conducted between March and May 1993, identified a number of key issues for which resellers considered PC and printer vendors were not providing adequate service and support.
Sales and marketing issues were given a far lower rating than various issues in the three other categories. The respondents to the survey covering all PC vendors gave sales and marketing issues an average score of only 2.57 out of a possible 5.00. Support issues for PC vendors were given an average rating of 3.24, while financial issues were given an average rating of 3.36 and corporate issues an average rating of 3.63.
PC and printer resellers of all sizes participated in the survey which was conducted across all states of Australia. The purpose of the survey was to examine the current satisfaction levels of resellers with their major suppliers of personal computers and printers. Each vendor rated in the survey by resellers was rated on 36 separate issues. The survey showed a notable dissatisfaction with most PC vendors on four specific issues within the sales and marketing category.
Resellers considered PC vendors were of little help in generating sales leads and gave an average rating of only 2.15 out of a possible 5.00. Product sales training was also considered to be quite weak, as indicated by the average rating of 2.43. Reseller incentive programs were not given a good rating at 2.52, nor was PC vendor marketing support at 2.58.
Even the two highest scoring categories within the sales and marketing group, vendor advertising, at 2.77, and effectiveness of the vendors' representatives at 2.98, were given relatively low scores.
Printer vendors were also given a serve by the respondents to the reseller satisfaction survey. The average scores for printer vendors, however, were a little better than the scores given to the PC vendors. Sales and marketing issues were given an average score of 3.05, support issues an average score of 3.21, financial issues an average score of 3.70 and corporate issues an average score of 3.98.
Of course, there was considerable variation between the ratings given to individual PC and printer vendors. The survey has provided a very clear means to identify the particular strengths or the particular weaknesses of any one PC or printer vendor. For example one particular PC vendor scored a rating of 4.17 for the effectiveness of its representatives, compared with the industry average of 2.98.
The differences between the scores given to particular vendors suggests that resellers are well able to differentiate between their various vendors in terms of policies and support.
Although support issues were generally given higher scores than sales and marketing issues, three of the issues in the category were given low average ratings. Resellers gave PC vendor telephone support beyond the normal 8 Hours a low rating of 2.35.
Resellers also expressed their general dissatisfaction with the product technical training being provided by PC vendors, as indicated by the average score of 2.58. Similarly, PC resellers were not at all certain of PC vendors' alternate channels policies and gave an average rating of 2.79.
The support issues, out of the twelve which were rated by resellers of PCs in the survey, which scored higher average ratings were willingness to assist at 3.65, ability to assist at 3.64, and product maintenance availability at 3.60.
The average ratings for printer vendors were similar with these same issues being given the highest ratings. Product technical training was also given a low rating of 2.83 by survey respondents, although this was higher than the rating of 2.08 given for PC vendors.
The average ratings for financial issues for PC vendors were somewhat higher. Even in this category, however, margin flexibility at 2.89, and credit terms at 3.06 were not rated particularly strongly.
In contrast, the average ratings for corporate Issues given to PC vendors by respondents to the survey were quite favourable. Once again there was notable differences between PC vendors. This confirms that resellers are well able to distinguish between each vendor on these issues.
Interestingly, the two highest average ratings given to PC vendors in the survey were for product performance (3.98) and quality of product (3.97). Given that almost 700,000 PCs were shipped in 1992 and 760,000 PCs are expected to be shipped in 1993, the strength of the average ratings for these issues would be reassuring for prospective purchasers.
There were notable differences between PC vendors in the PC section of the survey and similar differences between printer vendors in the printer section of the survey.
The reseller satisfaction survey has highlighted key issues of concern to resellers. It has also provided a means to assess the current level of satisfaction with a particular vendor in comparison with the industry average or with a direct competitor.
Further details regarding the survey and the availability of reports can be obtained from IDC Australia. Contact Graham Penn on phone +61 2-922 5300.
(Paul Zucker/19930802/Contact: Reseller Magazine on fax +61-2-652 2771)
/Contact: Reseller Magazine on fax +61-2-652 2771)
8/2/93
IDC Surveys Australian Computer Resellers Market
TRENDS
Russian US$1 Billion Telecom Pro
DEC Expands Distribution Agreeme
IBM To Offer Info Warehouse Tool
Indian Scientists Evolve Code To
SCO In Shareholder Suit; Ships O
One-Of-A-Kind Product In The Gui
Second BBSCON Show Scheduled For
Visicalc Creator Frankston Joins
World's First PIN-Less Cashcard
CommWorld Continues Comeback
DENVER, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- Communications World International, a 10-year old franchisor of telephone product stores doing business as CommWorld, is continuing its comeback. The company, which was purchased from its original owners two years ago has announced it has signed four new dealers in July, bringing the total number of affiliates to 49.
A spokesman explained how the system works to Newsbytes. "Dealers used to pay a royalty on gross revenues. Now they pay a royalty only on products purchased from CommWorld," he explained, adding that the royalty system is a non-exclusive arrangement. According to the spokesman, all franchisees also use the CommWorld name and signage as well as its advertising programs.
President Richard Olson expressed pleasure that the company has signed 16 new franchises since last October, and said he's now optimistic about the long term growth of the franchise. He said most of the nation's 10,000 telephone equipment dealers are small operations which can use the marketing strength of a franchisor to compete against AT&T and the regional Bell companies.
Since taking over the company two years ago, Olson and his management team claim to have converted 97 percent of their franchises to the new program, learned how to identify potential new franchisees, and established an operating network of franchisees with better prospects than competitors who go-it-alone. Olson said that the value of the franchise will only improve as more dealers sign-on and the company can get better prices from suppliers.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930802/Press Contact: Communications World International, Richard D. Olson, 303/721-8200; Beth Lawrence for CommWorld, 303/393-7044)
e for CommWorld, 303/393-7044)
8/2/93
CommWorld Continues Comeback
TELECOM
Borland Earns Up - Sales, Expens
Shared Whiteboard App For Window
SoftImage, Discreet Logic Battle
ComputerWorks - Your High Tech G
Computer Sciences Reports Revenu
Interleaf, Phoenix Sign Deal On
The Enabled Computer
Apple Intros Quadra 950 For Publ
Broadband Commits To MPEG
SIGGRAPH - Trip Hawkins Demos 3D
Dell Announces New PC Lines, New
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- Dell Computer Corporation announce three new families of personal computers today, each targeting a different customer market.
The company, which likens the strategy to Tsunami (Japanese for Big Wave) claims that the announcement introduces a major shift in how it will market its products. The three new families of PCs are: the NetPlex 486/P, the Optiplex 486/MX, and the Dimension XPS.
The NetPlex 486/P line is aimed at corporate customers who use a computer network that allows users to share files and programs. Dell spokesperson Kellie Leonard told Newsbytes that NetPlex systems range in price from $1,349 to $3,523.
Priced from $1,699 to $3,749, the OptiPlex 486/MX line offers upgradeable PCs for what Dell calls a "techo-critical" user. As Newsbytes reported last week, that is one of several categories the company designated to help users understand what computers can do for them and how they can go about finding their perfect PC match.
Other categories include techno-wizard, techno-to-go, techno-boomer techno-phobe, and techno-teamer. A techno-critical user is defined by Dell as a corporate or business user who relies on computers for more sophisticated tasks which are critical to doing his or her job such as computer-aided design or computer-aided engineering.
The third new line is an upgrade of Dell's Dimension line called the Dimension XPS, and targets the more sophisticated user who knows the specific system they desire. Dimension XPS systems will carry price tags ranging from $2,449 to $3,365 and will include sound boards and CD-ROM drives.
Referring to the new marketing strategy -- the targeting of specific user groups -- Dell Senior VP for sales, marketing and services, Rob Howe, said the new PC lines are "a major part of our strategies from here forward." Howe called the strategy a tsunami, saying "This is the next huge wave from Dell." A tusnami is a very large ocean wave caused by an underwater earthquake or an underwater earthquake.
The company said it will sell the new systems through it's direct mail order system, but they may appear later in the retail channels that currently handle Dell PCs. The new line will be unveiled tonight at Palmer Auditorium in Austin.
All the new systems will include Microsoft DOS 6.0, Microsoft Windows 3.1, a Dell mouse, and a 3.5 inch or 5.25 inch floppy drive. Memory configurations range from 4 megabytes (MB) to 16MB, and hard drives are available from 170MB to 450MB capacity. Various monitors are available.
Dell established the techno-type categories after commissioning a study that the company says shows half of all Americans are still resistant to taking advantage of available technology in their everyday lives.
According to the survey, one-fourth of all US adults have never used a computer, set a VCR to record a television show, or even programmed their favorite stations on a car radio.
Dell Announces New PC Lines, New Marketing Strategy
UK - BT Enhances Telemedicine Te
IBM Loses Again, Will Cut 35,000
Utah State University Upgrades C
Wollongong's PathWay Messaging T
Japan - Matsushita To Release Vi
Newton Demo'd, Sells Out At SIGG
MacWorld - New PIM For PowerBook
LSI Technology Used In Oki LED P
Lawrence Livermore Lab Working O
Ambra Computer Corp., A New IBM
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- Ambra Computer Corporation, new wholly owned IBM subsidiary that will make and market custom PCs for North American "enhanced users," was announced today at a press conference in Boston.
At the company launch, Ambra introduced an initial line-up of 16 base models, including two color notebooks, a tower, a minitower and a variety of desktop configurations. Available immediately, the systems range from 486SX to dual Pentium-processor models. Pricing for the desktop PCs starts at $999.
The systems produced by Ambra are quite different from the computers that the IBM PC Company sells in Europe under the Ambra brand name Dave Middleton, president of Ambra, told Newsbytes in an interview.
"Our products are designed for people who use their PCs extensively with multiple applications, and therefore have very demanding requirements," he told Newsbytes. At the same time, this target market is price sensitive, he added.
In another point of distinction, Ambra's products will be marketed through direct telephone sales, in the US and Canada only. In contrast, the IBM PC Company sells its Ambra brand through local distributors, in Europe only. Last year, some of the IBM PC Company's Ambra PCs were exported to Canada, but now, only the Ambra Computer Corp.'s products will be sold in Canada, he said.
According to Barry Baxter, head of Ambra's European sales operation the US range of machines are very different to those sold in Europe. He told Newsbytes that no decision on whether to source the US products, which are manufactured by SCI Corporation, for the European operation, had yet been made.
"They're extremely aggressive on price, but I have to say that Ambra in the US is a completely separate operation. Whether we source machines from them or anywhere else in the world has not been decided upon," he said.
Ambra in the US was formed after IBM made an extensive study of "enhanced" or power users in the US and Canada. "IBM found that the enhanced user has a particular set of requirements that necessitates a unique strategy. In looking at the requirement set, IBM decided it made the most sense to create a new company tailored to meet those needs," commented the company president.
Although Ambra is headquartered in Raleigh, NC, a city where IBM has manufacturing facilities, company operations are separate from IBM's. "We've woven together a business organization that allows us to achieve a very low cost of operations, while producing outstanding products at very rapid time to market," Middleton said.
Ambra's business strategy is based on the concept of a "virtual corporation," in which Ambra subcontracts several key services to outside companies specializing in those areas. Each company contributes on the basis of core competencies.
"Ambra's core competency is to understand technology, keep in close touch with customers, and quickly marry technology to customer needs," said Middleton.
Ambra has out-sourced telemarketing to Merisel's new Channel Services Group, and customer support and maintenance to the IBM Service Organization and IBM Help Line Organization.
This "virtual corporation" model will permit Ambra to introduce new or refreshed PCs every 90 to 120 days, Middleton told Newsbytes. All systems will be built-to-order, and shipped within 72 hours of order acceptance. On site service and support will be offered Monday through Saturday, and telephone help will be available seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930802/Reader contact: 1-800-25AMBRA; Press contact: Anne Marie Clark, Cunningham Communications for Ambra tel 617-494-8202)
Cunningham Communications for Ambra tel 617-494-8202)
8/2/93
Ambra Computer Corp., A New IBM Subsidiary, Is Born
Northern Telecom Expects 1993 Lo
Australia - Apple Tops PC Reliab
AT&T Shuffles Executives, Posts
Sanctuary Woods Acquires Mind F/
Digital, Online Video Production
DRAM Shortage Hits Australian PC
Cisco To Support DLSw Interopera
MacWorld - Gryphon Software Intr
International Phone Update
MasterCard International Intros
MacTV Schedule for Week of Augus
MARLOW, NEW HAMPSHIRE, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- Here are the scheduled for MacTV, the daily one hour satellite computer product news program broadcast every day on Galaxy 6, Channel 22 starting at 8 am Eastern time. Some shows are also broadcast on the Mind Extension University cable channel, as well as on a number of European and Asian satellite stations.
For Newsbytes readers without access to satellite, previously broadcast programs are available by mail order in NTSC format at $9.95 plus $3 shipping.
Monday, August 2, 1993: MacroMind Director 3.1, the multimedia communications standard; ElectricImage, software that provides animation for popular films; CPU Accelerators, how to get more from your Mac; CD-ROM ToolKit, how to boost your CD-ROM drive performance; Encore 3.0, professional music notation; ToasterLink this will join your Mac and the well-liked VideoToaster.
Tuesday, August 3, 1993: Buying Educational Software, what to look for when purchasing software for children; Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?, see if you can locate Carmen and her band of ruffians; Electronic Map Cabinet, one-of-a-kind CD-based software for mapping; World Atlas, combination of almanac, atlas, and world fact book; Swamp Gas Visits USA, an extraterrestrial aids you in learning geography; Shakespeare's Life and Times, use this CD-ROM to find out all you ever wanted to know about the Bard of Avon; Berlitz: Think & Talk, how to learn a foreign tongue the Berlitz way.
Wednesday, August 4, 1993: Maintaining Hardware, how to keep your computer running and healthy; Personal Press 2.0, no-frills, low cost desktop publishing software; Reader Rabbit's/Letters, this program will make learning fun for your child(ren); Miracle Piano, a remarkably easy way to learn to play the piano; Dvorak on Typing the truly top-notch "talking" typing tutor; Beginning PageMaker 4.2 tutorial on cassette and/or disk.
Thursday, August 5, 1993: IntelliDraw, drawing is easy when you use this program's features; 24-Bit Color Card, find out if you need a 24-bit color card; Color-It!, software with basic image editing and paint features; An Introduction to CCI, view what some students have done with digital mapping; Cachet 1.01, this software brings you the very latest color editing technology; Bitmap vs. PostScript, what their differences are.
Friday, August 6, 1993: TeachText, tells you what you have and why you might have several copies of it; MacWrite Pro, another look at this word processing program; WordPerfect 2.1, a detailed view of this advanced word processing software, loaded with extras; The Writing Center, how you can do school reports, create brochures, and more; Word/FMP: Print Merge, how to import database-stored addresses; FrameMaker, professional publishing software.
Monday, August 9, 1993: Quicken; CheckWriter Pro, simple yet sophisticated; best books, good, old-fashioned bookkeeping program for your Mac; TaxCut, software that helps you account for your complete taxes; KeyPad/Adding Machine, this little number is a great combination; WealthBuilder 2.0.
Tuesday, August 10, 1993: Clean Up Your Desktop; TouchBASE 2.0, how to keep track of your business/personal contacts; ACT!, software activities and contacts management; LapTrack, reporting of your time and expenses; TeleMagic V12, follow up sales leads; Office Manager 2.5.
Wednesday, August 11, 1993: Ultima Home Office, combines answering machine, fax, modem, and other features; MASSfm 24/96, another external fax-modem that is portable; Going On- line/Research, a look at several ways to do research on-line; Remote Network Access, a look at how remote access affects work styles; PowerKey/Remote, how to power-up your Mac no matter where you are; QuickMail 2.6, a quick look at this total e-mail solution.
Thursday, August 12, 1993: Meeting Maker XP, this is a cross platform group and resource scheduler; Now Up-to-Date 2.0, gives you built-in "what to do" lists and a calendar; File Management Strategies, stores your documents as if into a file cabinet; Power Team, helps you organize all your general office chores; M.Y.O.B.: "To Do" List, tells you when to pay bills and collect monies owed you; Personal RecordKeeper.
Friday, August 13, 1993: System 7.1: Application(s) & Memory, lets you improve computer performance by designating memory; Illustrator 5.0: New Tools, detailed advice on blending/gradient tools that professionals can use; Ashlar Vellum, blueprint floor plans drawn up easily and quickly; Excel 4.0; MS Word: Tool Bar, gives you some methods to make your toolbar one-of-a-kind; MacWrite Pro, a quick look at MacWrite Pro; FileMaker Pro 2.0, expert advice on how to use this software; Rebuilding the Desktop.
Monday, August 16, 1993: Authorware Professional, interactive learning provided with an authoring tool; Persuasion 2.1, for presentations that are top-notch; Apple Color Printer, a report on this printer's features; Magic Scroll 2.0, create TV teleprompting on your Mac; PowerLink Presenter, PowerBook Duos get presentation dock.
Tuesday, August 17, 1993: EtherNet Tutorial, what you should know about EtherNet; Asante EtherNet; System 7.1: Publish/Subscribe teaches you about this unique feature of System 7; Timbuktu 5.0, a package for cross-platform collaborating and connectivity; FileMaker Pro 2.0, how to use and share this software's files over networks; SnapBack, automatically back up your networked Macs.
Wednesday, August 18, 1993: The Future of the Mac, what may be in store for Apple; Aladdin Desktop Tools, a program that takes over from the Finder; Magnet, give your Mac this premier smart agent; Infini-D 2.5, software to enhance your sales presentations; Passport Producer, provides almost instantaneous presentations; Bodymapper teaches children about their bodies.
Thursday, August 19, 1993: PowerBook Travel, what to take on the road; Hard Shell Cases, how to protect your PowerBook while traveling; PBTools, good PB power; Shadowgate & Deja Vu; On The Road, how to fax and print: PowerPort internal PB fax-modem.
Friday, August 20, 1993: Panorama II, database, almost a mindreader; Aldus Fetch, a graphics database that gives you all you might want or need; 32-Bit Memory Address, how to use this package most efficiently; Dynodes 3.0, helps you get in touch with your contacts quickly and with no fuss; FileMaker Pro 2.0.
(John McCormick/19930802/Press Contact: Wayne Mohr, Executive Producer PCTV and MacTV, 603-863-9322)
ecutive Producer PCTV and MacTV, 603-863-9322)
8/2/93
MacTV Schedule for Week of August 2-20, 1993
APPLE
ScanMan EasyTouch Aims To Initia
FREMONT, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- Logitech has announced a piece of imaging hardware aimed at the estimated 98 percent of PC users who are not yet scanner owners.
The new ScanMan EasyTouch Boardless Hand-Held Grayscale Scanner offers a parallel port interface with a passthrough adapter allowing a printer and the scanner to be connected to the parallel port at the same time. According to the company, ScanMan EasyTouch also features a new ergonomic design that lets the user hold the unit with the hand extended straight out from the wrist, for greater scanning comfort.
Priced at $399, the scanner is bundled with a pair of Windows 3.1 based applications that includes scanning software from Logitech and an OCR (optical character recognition) package from Caere.
The scanner's parallel port interface is intended to make scanning available to all PC users, including those with notebooks or laptops and those who do not enjoy installing hardware inside their machines, according to Molly Carlson, product manager.
"Today, only two percent of the installed base of PC users owns a scanner, so there's a tremendous untapped market out there," she said, adding: "We believe the ability to easily integrate images into a document without having to open up computers or worry about DMA channels and interrupts will help to bring scanning into the mainstream of personal computing."
ScanMan EasyTouch plugs directly into the parallel port. The special passthrough adapter permits the user to operate a printer through the same port without disconnecting the scanner. Also, as part of the scanner's new design, the main roller is made of a polycarbon material that can be more precisely machined facilitating straighter, smoother scanning.
The scanning software that comes with the product, Logitech's FotoTouch Version 1.2 Color Image Editing Software, is now being bundled with all of Logitech's Windows-based scanners.
FotoTouch offers an extensive set of editing tools and effects along with the ability to open multiple images on screen and cut and paste among them. A new feature, printer profiles, is meant to optimize tone and contrast for specific types of printers.
The OCR package that is included, OmniPage Direct AnyFont OCR Software for Logitech, was designed by Caere specifically for Logitech, and will be sold exclusively with ScanMan handheld scanners.
"OmniPage Direct AnyFont OCR Software for Logitech offers the power of Caere's recognition technology and basic tools while leaving the `bells and whistles' -- such as spell- and grammar-checking, cutting and pasting, and other editing tasks -- to the destination applications," explained Patricia Smith, another product manager for Logitech.
More than 70 word processing, desktop publishing, and spreadsheet applications are preregistered. The software will instantly register any Windows application that is not preregistered.
The OCR package offers single-column, full-page, and spreadsheet recognition modes. Other features include threshold grayscale scanning for optimizing image contrast on colored or soiled backgrounds, the ability to accept Rich Text (RFT) files for font retention, and the ability to open and recognize existing files and fine mode fax documents.
ScanMan EasyTouch is slated to ship at the end of August. System requirements include a 386SX processor or above, 4 MB RAM, 5 MB free disk space, a VGA or better graphics card, DOS 3.1 or higher Windows 3.1, and a Logitech or compatible pointing device.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930802/Reader contact: Logitech Customer Sales Center, tel 800-231-7717; Press contacts: Betty Skov, Logitech, tel 510-713-4463 or Amy Rupley, Logitech, tel 510-713-4516)
Rupley, Logitech, tel 510-713-4516)
8/3/93
ScanMan EasyTouch Aims To Initiate
Satellite Tech Wins New Contract
COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- Satellite Technology Management said it won expansions of existing contracts with Mexican and US publishers.
Investor's Business Daily, a daily business newspaper based in Los Angeles, said it is installing a new 5-meter C-band antenna this month, which includes a return Ku-band VSAT link. The system supports the daily transmission of the paper from its editorial offices to a Boston printing facility. STM has served the company since 1985, when it was basically a regional publication.
Organizacion Editorial Mexicana, the largest newspaper publisher in Mexico with more than 70 dailies, is expanding its network with a third, Ku-band 192,000 bit/second inbound satellite channel for its Mexico City hub. This will permit the addition of transportable very-small aperture terminals, or VSATs, to the 32 station network.
Satellite Technology Management makes proprietary VSAT-based satellite equipment and software designed to support data, fax voice and video.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930802/Press Contact: Satellite Technology Management, Emil Youssefzadeh, 714/557-2400; Daniel Saks, for STM, 818/783-2400)
557-2400; Daniel Saks, for STM, 818/783-2400)
8/2/93
Satellite Tech Wins New Contract Extensions
TELECOM
UK - BT Enhances Telemedicine Te
IBM Loses Again, Will Cut 35,000
Utah State University Upgrades C
Wollongong's PathWay Messaging T
Japan - Matsushita To Release Vi
Newton Demo'd, Sells Out At SIGG
MacWorld - New PIM For PowerBook
LSI Technology Used In Oki LED P
Lawrence Livermore Lab Working O
SPA Conference Scheduled For Oct
Apple Signs Newton Deal with Bel
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- As part of its roll-out of the Newton Personal Digital Assistant, Apple has signed a deal with BellSouth's Mobile Systems Group for wireless communications products and services.
BellSouth Cellular spokesman Larry Shealy emphasized to Newsbytes that the deal is non-exclusive, and several units of the company are involved. BellSouth Cellular, for instance, is promising only to "investigate the market opportunities for a series of wireless communications products and services based on Newton technology." There is no commitment to make or sell anything.
MobileComm, the company's paging unit, however, has committed to producing links between its local, regional and national networks and the Newton MessageCard, a credit card-sized receiver made for Apple by Motorola, and due to be marketed by Apple's Personal Interactive Electronics division. The service itself will be launched this fall.
Today, Shealy noted, Newton users can use a such as BellSouth Cellular service called ProLink, a "one-number" service which lets you link a single phone number to your home, office and cellular phones, fax and pager. ProLink, combined with Newton technology will give customers visual interface for prioritizing and managing their communications, said Shealy. All Newtons linked to cellular phone services will be able to access their carriers' custom calling features.
Separately, the PIE division said it signed contracts with Sprint owner of SprintNet, and BT North America, owner of Tymnet, for packet network access to future online services. Apple currently owns a single online service, called AppleLink, which market researcher Jupiter Communications estimates has about 40,000 members.
But Apple is anxious to create new communication networks around the Newton which can also be accessed by Macs, PCs and Windows-based machines. Sprint will be primary contractor, BT North America the secondary. BT North America is expected to be transferred to the control of MCI under a deal MCI signed with BT earlier this year. Sprint said its network has been customized to support users of Apple's Online Services.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930802/Press Contact: Larry Shealy, BellSouth Cellular, 404-604-6493)
healy, BellSouth Cellular, 404-604-6493)
8/2/93
Apple Signs Newton Deal with BellSouth
TELECOM
Low-Cost Tool For Embedding Fuzz
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- Horizons Technology has begun shipping a tool designed to let developers quickly and cost effectively embed "fuzzy search" as a native feature in DOS- and Windows-based applications.
According to the company, the new Fuzzy Search Engine Developer's Kit employs an algorithm that, when incorporated within a standalone or networked application, permits users to search for and find words and phrases despite missing, extra or out-of-position characters.
The Fuzzy Search Engine also allows proximity searching (find "algorithm" within ten words of "fuzzy") and accepts Boolean logic ("and," "or," "not"). In addition, the engine can locate numbers that are the same as or numerically close to a target number searching for these numbers either as text or by numeric string value.
The mechanics of fuzzing searching are handled entirely by the Fuzzy Search Engine library modules, said Shelley Draminski, product manager. All a developer needs to consider is the selection and syntax of the API (application programming interface) calls to be used in the application.
Developers can set such parameters as single word or phrase, and proximity or Boolean search. Other selectable features include wildcard search, searches for "sound-alike" characters, on-the-fly or indexed search, and for networked applications, an "index merge" function that can combine search indexes from multiple machines to speed indexing of large amounts of data on a network.
The development kit comes with an object code library that is compatible with the most popular C compilers and a dynamic link library (DLL) that works with most Windows development environments. Sample source code and complete documentation are also provided.
The kit is available now for $3,995, plus variable run-time fees. According to Draminski, comparable products can cost $20,000 or more.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930802/Reader contact: Horizons Technology tel 619-292-8320; Press contact: Brian Ferrario or Shelley Draminski, Horizons Technology, tel 619-292-8320)
elley Draminski, Horizons Technology, tel 619-292-8320)
8/2/93
Low-Cost Tool For Embedding Fuzzy Search In PC Apps
Low-Cost PC Video Via New Standa
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- Intel and ATI Technologies are planning to unveil a new multimedia hardware architecture that will bring low-priced, fast video capture and playback to PCs.
The technology, dubbed Shared Frame Buffer Interconnect (SFBI) reportedly works by integrating the video and graphics on one board going around the computer's motherboard and bus so the video is not restricted by the bandwidth of the computer.
Santa Clara, California-based Intel and Scarborough, Ontario Canada-based ATI are expected to officially announced the SFBI standard this week. While the standard has been reportedly called the Shared Frame Buffer Architecture (SFBA), Intel verified it is correctly called Shared Frame Buffer Interconnect (SFBI).
Currently, separate graphics and video boards require video data be passed to the graphics controller over the system bus for display. The SFBI shares the computer's memory and components, offering a 64 bit wide memory bus and fast data throughput of 200 megabytes (MB) per second, according to reports from the August 2 edition of PC Week. Further, the specification is reported to provide the ability to synchronize audio and video data and can use either dynamic random access memory (RAM) or video RAM.
Current prices for video capture boards are in the $500 to $1,500 range, but this new standard could bring prices down significantly into the $200 to $400 range of graphics boards -- the report asserts. However, compatibility with the Video Electronic Standards Association (VESA) standard for PC video is important to the success of the new standard.
The claim has been made that the standard will be compatible with the Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA), Industry Standard Architecture (ISA), VESA-Local Bus, Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) and IBM's Micro Channel. Reports are ATI will release the SFBI board in the first quarter of 1994.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930802/Press Contact: John Thompson, Intel tel 408-765-1538, fax 408-765-1513; Henry Quan, ATI, 416-765 0781, fax 416-765-0720)
3; Henry Quan, ATI, 416-765 0781, fax 416-765-0720)
8/2/93
Low-Cost PC Video Via New Standard From Intel/ATI
Northern Telecom Expects 1993 Lo
Australia - Apple Tops PC Reliab
AT&T Shuffles Executives, Posts
Sanctuary Woods Acquires Mind F/
Digital, Online Video Production
DRAM Shortage Hits Australian PC
Cisco To Support DLSw Interopera
MacWorld - Gryphon Software Intr
International Phone Update
MasterCard International Intros
Wordperfect Office To Incorporat
IBM Canada In Facilities Managem
Nintendo To Produce Game Boy In
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- Nintendo, Japan's major game machine company, has announced plans to manufacture its Game Boy pocket game machine in China. This is the first time for the firm to produce this machine outside Japan.
The main reason for the company's decision to move production outside of the country is the strength of the Yen versus other currencies -- moving production to China means that non-Japanese pricing on the Game Boy can be lower in order to compete with other games manufacturers.
Nintendo is currently producing the Game Boy at its Kyoto, Japan plant, but plans are already in hand with the electronics giant sounding out a number of firms in the Canton region of China for production. The successful Chinese firm is expected to form a joint venture with Nintendo, with production slated for early 1994.
Game Boy could even sell to the Chinese market, Newsbytes notes. The wage levels of the Chinese man in the street has been steadily rising in recent years. Nintendo estimates that around 10 percent of the 1,200 million population of China will be in a position to consider buying a Game Boy -- that's a lot of potential revenue for the company.
Even without the expected sales rush on the domestic Chinese market place, Nintendo is planning to manufacture an astonishing 10 million Games Boy units a year at the Chinese facility. Initially, the machines will be shipped abroad for sale in the West, but ultimately, a good portion of production could find its way on to the Chinese market-place at local price levels.
Will the price of the Game Boy fall as a result of this? Nintendo isn't saying, although Newsbytes notes price falls of around 20 percent in several European countries so far this year.
If all goes well with Game Boy production, Nintendo claims it wants to start producing its 16-bit Super Famicon TV games console at the facility.
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- A fundamental need in the market is driving the personal digital assistant (PDA) revolution, according to market research firm Dataquest. The group is predicting the number of PDAs will reach 70,000 units by the end of this year and surpass 3 million units in 1997, displacing the palmtop computers and electronic organizers of today.
"PDAs represent a ray of hope, a light at the end of the personal information tunnel," said Gerry Purdy, Ph.D., Dataquest's vice president and chief analyst of mobile computing. While John Sculley former chief executive officer at Apple Computer has been widely credited for the PDA concept, Dataquest says the market would have been driven to it with or without Sculley's intervention.
It appears consumers will have several choices of PDAs by the end of the year and other companies have hinted they too will enter the PDA market. The AT&T/EO Personal Assistant launched this summer, was the first PDA to be available to consumers. Now Apple is launching the Newton Messagepad and has licensed the technology to Sharp, Kyushu Matsushita Electric, and Motorola so consumers can expect to see Newton clones.
Casio/Tandy have announced the Zoomer PDA for fall availability and even workstation manufacturer Sun Microsystems said it plans to enter the PDA market. Computer manufacturer AST has hinted at entering the PDA market as well and has the resources to do so with its purchase of Tandy's manufacturing facilities and pen-based technology.
The most immediate effect PDAs will have is to replace the currently popular electronic devices such as the Sharp Wizard. "The palmtop and organizer markets will start fade away as their cramped keyboards and limited message ability become obsolete, compared with the pen-based PDAs," said Purdy.
However, PDAs are in their infancy. Future PDAs will have color, speech recognition, speech synthesis, compact disc quality sound, video capability, excellent handwriting recognition, and world-wide wireless connectivity, Dataquest maintains.
"Remember what portable computers were like 10 years ago? Today's PDA products will pale in comparison to the PDAs of the year 2003. It is conceivable that personal communications are on the verge of a paradigm shift of a dimension not seen since the introduction of the telephone," Purdy said.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930802/Press Contact: Paul Wheaton Dataquest, tel 408-437-8245, fax 408-437-0292)
tel 408-437-8245, fax 408-437-0292)
8/2/93
PDA's -- The Paradigm Shift Begins
TRENDS
Northern Telecom Expects 1993 Lo
Australia - Apple Tops PC Reliab
AT&T Shuffles Executives, Posts
Sanctuary Woods Acquires Mind F/
Digital, Online Video Production
DRAM Shortage Hits Australian PC
Cisco To Support DLSw Interopera
MacWorld - Gryphon Software Intr
International Phone Update
MasterCard International Intros
IBM Canada In Facilities Managem
NetWare for OS/2 Due This Week
PROVO, UTAH, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- NetWare for OS/2, enabling software that will let Novell's NetWare local-area network (LAN) operating system run on top of IBM's OS/2, will be formally announced tomorrow (Tuesday).
Novell and IBM have invited customers to a launch event for the software, which Novell spokesman Steve Genova said is aimed largely at branch offices that want to run NetWare and OS/2 on a single server. Usually, NetWare runs without another operating system on the same machine.
A corporate license for the software will cost $200 -- "basically we're giving it away," Genova said. However, NetWare for OS/2 itself is only a software "patch" that makes it possible for the standard NetWare operating system to run on top of OS/2. The customer must still buy NetWare 4.0 or 4.1 separately.
Users will be able to run their OS/2 applications while also taking advantage of NetWare's file and print resources and other features, Genova said.
IBM and Novell, which have been working together for some time promised NetWare for OS/2 about two years ago.
Novell has also announced that it has selected Stac Electronics' Stacker LZS as a data compression standard for its operating systems and network services.
Under a strategic development agreement, Stac has granted Novell a multi-platform license to its patented compression technology and has agreed to work closely with Novell to develop new compression products for Novell networks and operating systems.
Stac's Stacker LZS Compression technology will be integrated into Novell DOS 7, the personal computer operating system Novell inherited when it bought Digital Research. The companies said they also plan to make Stacker LZS compression technology available for NetWare.
With this announcement Novell joins the other two companies that sell versions of DOS -- Microsoft and IBM -- in offering data compression with the operating system.
(Grant Buckler/19930802/Press Contact: Steve Genova, Novell, 801 429-5809)
ve Genova, Novell, 801 429-5809)
8/1/93
NetWare for OS/2 Due This Week
( R p
InterVoice In Large Voice Mail S
Cincinnati Bell Telephone Bonds
India - Paperless Exam System
Honeywell, AT&T Control Homes Re
Microsoft & 20 Others Get behind
Landmark Announces Two New Packa
Quickeys 3.0 For Mac To Ship Nex
India - HCL HP Wins Big Order In
EO & GO To Merge
Tandem Losses Force Move To Down
Gates Speaks Out On FTC Investig
NEC Ramps Up For 64-bit RISC Chi
Datacraft Appointed First Overse
Ricoh In Joint Venture With Chin
Microsoft Files To Get Stacker O
PC-Interlink Printer Sharing For
Apple To Intro New Low-Cost Powe
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- Apple Computer is getting ready to introduce a new low-cost Powerbook 33 megahertz (MHz) notebook computer, the Powerbook 165, according reports in Macweek. Users can expect to see the new Powerbook toward the end of this month.
While pricing hasn't been finalized, the report said the Powerbook 165 equipped with 4 megabytes (MB) of random access memory (RAM) and a 40 MB hard drive will be about $1,600, which is the same price 25 MHz Powerbook 160 sells for now. Apple does currently offer a 165C color Powerbook, but the price is significantly higher.
The lower price is due to a less expensive manufacturing design, use of less expensive on-board random access memory (RAM), and leaving out disks containing the operating system which is already pre loaded on the Powerbook's hard disk, the report claims. However Apple representatives told Newsbytes that the Macworld reports sounded speculative and they had no comment.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930802/Press Contact: Jennifer Almonte Apple Computer, tel 408-974-2042, fax 408-967-5651)
mputer, tel 408-974-2042, fax 408-967-5651)
8/2/93
Apple To Intro New Low-Cost Powerbook 165
APPLE
IBM Reorganizes Consulting Group
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- IBM is reshuffling its Consulting Group in North America into eight units focused on specific industry sectors. The entire IBM Consulting Group will also now report through IBM North America.
IBM spokesman Scott Brooks said the North American operations of the IBM Consulting Group will become known as IBM Business Transformation Services North America.
Except for a small headquarters staff, all of this unit will be divided along industry lines into eight groups: financial services insurance, retail, health care, production (manufacturing and related areas), communications, a diversified group for utilities and other industries, and emerging technologies.
This restructuring along industry lines applies only to North America, Brooks said, but IBM's consulting operation is increasing its industry specialization everywhere. "This type of thing, while maybe not this specifically, is going on everywhere," he said.
Brooks described the move as more an expansion of what the group was already doing than a complete change of direction. The organization had already built up groups focused on particular industries, he said, and this is being formalized and resources added to these groups.
IBM Business Transformation Services North America will be a unit of the world-wide IBM Consulting Group, which in turn will report to Robert Labant, general manager of IBM North America and a senior vice-president of IBM, Brooks said.
IBM's computer outsourcing business, Integrated Systems Solutions Corporation (ISSC), also reports to Labant.
The organizational changes are effective right away, Brooks said.
IBM created the Consulting Group in October, 1992.
(Grant Buckler/19930802/Press Contact: Kevin Clark, IBM 914-642-5085)
ct: Kevin Clark, IBM 914-642-5085)
8/2/93
IBM Reorganizes Consulting Group
Apple Denies Delay To PowerOpen
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- A report in PC Week says that Apple Computer, is likely to delay the delivery of its PowerOpen operating system, because of staff cuts. The report also says that the company may also delay the porting of its Macintosh Application Services for Unix.
However, Rene Austin, spokesperson for Apple, told Newsbytes that "It is ironic that this report came out this week, because we are just getting ready to mail a letter out to some of those that we briefed on PowerOpen when we first announced it after the World-wide Developers Conference. And it is definitely still in the plans for Apple and on the same schedule that it originally was." Austin confirmed that that schedule would be by the end of 1993.
Apple had previously also announced its intention of porting its Macintosh Application Services to a number of Unix platforms.
In answer to a question from Newsbytes as to whether the porting of the Macintosh Application Services for Unix was still on the same timetable, Austin said: "I believe so."
Macintosh Application Services had previously been promised by the end of 1993 for a number of Unix strains, including AIX, Sun Microsystems' Solaris, Hewlett-Packard's HP/UX. That date now appears to be in question.
PC Week reports that the porting effort is a vital element in Apple's cross-platform development plans, code-named Companion, and that providing application services for IBM's AIX is the first step toward PowerOpen.
As part of Apple's sweeping work force reduction program, reported on extensively by Newsbytes, the company is also said to have halved the number of employees working on open systems projects.
In speaking to Newsbytes, Austin could not confirm cuts to the number of staff allocated to those projects.
(Ian Stokell/19930802)
jects.
(Ian Stokell/19930802)
8/2/93
Apple Denies Delay To PowerOpen
APPLE
Fast Ethernet Alliance Formed
PORTLAND, OREGON, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- Ethernet is close to being the most popular local area network technology. However, its maximum data transfer rate is 10Mbps, which compares to 16Mbps for Token-Ring.
Even that speed, though, is considered unsuitable for many new applications. With the trend towards larger files and multimedia the move is on to increase that speed with a specification that can capable of 100Mbps. Now a number of leading networking companies have announced that they have joined forces to form the Fast Ethernet Alliance.
The group plans to support the CSMA/CD (carrier sense multiple access with collision detection) protocol of the original Ethernet standard.
Those involved in the alliance include 3Com, Grand Junction Networks, Intel, LAN Media, LANNET, National Semiconductor, SMC, Sun Microsystems Computer, and SynOptics Communications.
Specifications developed by Alliance members will be submitted to the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.3 standards committee.
The alliance claims that this announcement comes after the July 15 IEEE 802 meeting in Denver, at which the IEEE approved the CSMA/CD project. At the same time, over 80 members, representing 50 companies, voted unanimously to retain CSMA/CD in the 802.3 subcommittee.
According to the Alliance, it "is committed to providing interoperable 100Mbps specifications for multiple wiring structures offering customers the flexibility to choose from among UTP (unshielded twisted pair) Category 3,4,5, Type 1 STP (shielded twisted pair) and fiber structures.
Paul Sherer, chairman of the Fast Ethernet Alliance and director of technology development at 3Com, said: "Interoperability is critical to the successful evolution of a fast Ethernet technology that meets real customer needs now and in the future."
The Alliance says that its approach to fast Ethernet will support enterprise-wide networks and existing network management products as well as provide a bridge to other existing and emerging technologies, such as ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) and FDDI (fiber distributed data interface).
The alliance says that the Fast Ethernet Alliance is "expected to exist until formal standardization of 100Mbps CSMA/CD is complete and the relevant standards have been published by the IEEE."
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 3 (NB) -- By Dana Blankenhorn. The Justice Department is reviewing anti-trust complaints against Microsoft now. At issue is the fact that Microsoft writes both Windows and software running under it.
The control of both an operating system, or environment, and applications which depend on it can be very damaging to competitors. Microsoft has been accused, for instance, of using undocumented features in Windows to give its applications an edge. It's assumed by most people these days that Microsoft controls the computer industry.
That assumption is known as "conventional wisdom." Such "wisdom" exists on every beat. In sports, "conventional wisdom" says the Giants will win the National League West over the Braves. But a few months ago, "conventional wisdom" said the Giants were a second-division outfit. At the movies, "conventional wisdom" says Steven Spielberg is king and Arnold Schwarzenegger is in trouble. A few months ago, "Jurassic Park" was still a much-delayed vapor movie, sort of a Dinosaur-NT, and Arnold was the big gun.
In politics, "conventional wisdom" can change moment-to-moment. There were a lot of complaints about this during the last campaign. That, too, became "conventional wisdom." But the knowledge that such "wisdom" is bogus doesn't prevent it from weakening President Clinton today, and won't stop it from weakening his opponents should he win a few battles tomorrow.
What's common in all this "conventional wisdom" talk is one element -- the press. Us. Me. We spread it, we change it, we call it our power. In computing, "conventional wisdom" is generally driven by advertising. DesqView and GeoWorks may be great programs, but Microsoft has more money to spend, and thus it's Windows NT that was the hit of the last Comdex, despite the fact it wasn't shipping, that it was, truly, vaporware. You, the reader, come to a computer magazine or newspaper looking for truth, for unvarnished judgment. Instead you're fed assumptions based on ad revenues.
But here's the point. You have the last laugh, always. The computer press doesn't control this market. You do. Not you personally -- you can still get ripped-off or stuck with rotten software. But the "jungle telegraph" of customer response, passed through user groups, bulletin boards, and word-of-mouth, is what controls the market. Just 10 years ago, IBM was the 800-ton gorilla, and "conventional wisdom" held it would always be so. For a time, Digital Equipment rode high. Then Apple. Wasn't it just a few months ago that John Sculley was considered a genius?
The point is that no lead is secure, that the crown always hangs heavy, that one misstep can be fatal. If NT continues to be delayed, or if it doesn't work as advertised -- and as promoted by editors -- you'll get something else. Maybe in a few years we'll all be worrying about Ray Noorda and Novell. The question of whether one company should be allowed to control both operating systems and applications is a valid one. Justice and the FTC should be looking at it. But in this business, such control is no guarantee of tomorrow. Because, given time, all "conventional wisdom" turns out wrong.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930802)
isdom" turns out wrong.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930802)
8/3/93
Editorial - Microsoft Victim Of Conventional Wisdom
EDITORIAL
TRENDS
Creative Labs Relocates Tech Cen
MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 3 (NB) -- Just a few days after reporting that revenue for its fourth quarter was up 248 percent from the same quarter last year, Creative Labs Inc., has opened of a new technical support center in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
A company spokesperson told Newsbytes that the center was originally in Milpitas, California. According to the spokesperson the Milpitas support location has already been closed down, to be centered in Oklahoma. "We expanded, and actually hired over 100 new people."
The company already had a facility at the new location. "It is our headquarters building for Creative Labs. (The new center) is contained within the building," said the spokesperson.
According to the company, the hours of operation have been considerably expanded and the number of technical support agents has increased four-fold. Creative's new facility now operates seven days a week, extending its hours from Monday through Friday to include Sunday and Saturday.
In announcing the center, Edward M. Esber Jr., Creative Labs' president and chief operating officer, said: "With the increase in manpower and hours, our customers will experience a significant improvement in response time when placing a call to the new center. Our decision to relocate our technical support center was in response to the dramatic increase in the number of Creative Labs customers."
Creative Labs technical support hours of operation are Monday to Thursday and Saturday 9 am to 9 pm; Friday 9 am to 3 pm; and Sunday 12 pm to 9 pm Central Time.
Just last week Newsbytes reported that the company's revenue for its fourth quarter was up 248 percent from the $25.1 million reported last year to $87.4 million. For the year, the company said revenue was up 240 percent from $85.8 million last year to $291.7 million. The company said growth in the multimedia hardware and software market was the reason for good showing.
Creative Labs went public in August of last year. It also purchased Macintosh video teleconferencing products company Sharevision and music synthesizer company E-mu.
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 3 (NB) -- Adobe Systems has announced the availability of version 3.0 of Adobe Premiere for the Macintosh, designed for creating digital video movies videotapes, and multimedia presentations. In other news Adobe also says that Hewlett-Packard has introduced a PostScript software option for its HP DeskWriter 550C color printer. Adobe has also announced that it will offer Adobe Acrobat Reader software in single-unit packaging.
According to the company, new features in version 3.0 include faster previewing, 99 stereo audio tracks and 97 superimpose tracks, sub-pixel motion and field rendering, plus a video waveform monitor, multiple layering, batch digitizing and an enhanced Title window.
In addition, the company says that the program offers a variety of effects and filters, and more powerful motion and transparency controls.
The standard floppy diskette version of Adobe Premiere 3.0 for the Macintosh is available at a suggested retail price of $695. The Deluxe CD-ROM Edition is set for availability by the end of August at a suggested retail price of $795.
The Deluxe CD-ROM Edition will also include a number of other extras, such as QuickTime tutorials on new features; QuickTime tips and techniques demonstrations; Sixth Sense, a QuickTime movie created by artist John Sanborn; Adobe Acrobat Reader software and key documentation in PDF format; demo versions of Adobe and third party products; as well as the Type On Call CD-ROM.
The minimum system requirements for Adobe Premiere 3.0 for the Mac include a system with a 68040 or better processor; an 80 megabyte (MB) hard drive and 4MB of available RAM; Apple System Software 6.0.7 or better and QuickTime 1.6 software (included with the Adobe Premier 3.0 program).
HP's PostScript software option for its HP DeskWriter 550C is set at $249. According to the company, the product is called PostScript Software for the HP DeskWriter Family, and is a software raster image processor (RIP) option that allows Mac users to produce "full-color PostScript language-based pages from any application." The RIP is based on Adobe's Configurable PostScript Interpreter (CPSI) and includes 35 of Adobe's Type 1 fonts.
CPSI is a PostScript interpreter that resides in a workstation and performs the PostScript language rasterization function usually done in RIPs embedded in an output device.
In announcing the offering of Adobe Acrobat Reader software in single-unit packaging, John Kunze, Adobe's director of product marketing for the Application Products Division, said: "When we introduced Adobe Acrobat in June, we envisioned primary demand for Acrobat Reader coming from large corporations and commercial publishers that bundle viewers with information content for wide scale distribution. However, individuals, and small business users have also expressed tremendous interest in Acrobat Reader."
Adobe Acrobat enables one to view, navigate, and print electronic documents received as Portable Document Format (PDF) files. The viewer was previously available only in multipacks involving 50 seats, 100 seats, or 500 seats.
The Adobe Acrobat family of products includes Acrobat Reader Acrobat Exchange and Acrobat Distiller.
Individual packages of Acrobat Reader is expected to be available by August 16 for both Macintosh and Windows platforms at a suggested retail price of $50 per copy.
(Ian Stokell/19930802/Press Contact: Patricia J. Pane 415-962-3967; or Linda Prosser, 415-962-3840, Adobe Systems Inc.)
2-3967; or Linda Prosser, 415-962-3840, Adobe Systems Inc.)
8/3/93
Adobe Premiere 3.0; Acrobat Reader Singles; HP PostScript
APPLE
Canadian Product Launch Update
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 AUG 3 (NB) -- This regular feature, appearing every Monday or Tuesday, provides further details for the Canadian market on announcements by international companies that Newsbytes has already covered. This week: IBM's new stand-alone monitor business and Pentium-based server.
IBM Canada Ltd. of Markham, Ontario, like its US parent, has announced plans to sell monitors that will work with personal computers from other manufacturers (Newsbytes, July 30). The IBM 14V, 14P, 14PT, 15V, 15P, and 15PT color monitors, and the 21M monochrome monitor, are all due to be available in Canada in August. Suggested retail prices will range from C$650 to C$2,100.
IBM Canada said it had about a 10.9-percent share of the Canadian monitor market in 1992, and it expects the market to grow at 11.4 percent through 1997.
IBM Canada also joined its parent company in announcing the PS/2 Server 95 560, the company's first piece of hardware based on Intel Corp.'s Pentium processor (Newsbytes, July 30). The Server 95 560 is to be available for ordering in Canada in September the company said, and prices will be announced then.
(Grant Buckler/19930802/Press Contact: Jim Harper or David Keating, IBM Canada, 416-946-4138 [re monitors]; Lyle Turner, IBM Canada, 416-946-4652 [re Server 95]; Anne McDonagh, IBM Canada 416-946-4841 [re Server 95])
ada 416-946-4841 [re Server 95])
8/3/93
Canadian Product Launch Update
GENERAL
NEC Ramps Up For 64-bit RISC Chi
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 3 (NB) -- NEC is preparing to start quantity production of 64-bit RISC (reduced instruction set computing) chips this fall.
NEC is currently producing 64-bit RISC processors called the VR4000 family, which includes the VR4200 and the VR4400. These chips are based on MIPS Technologies' architecture. Currently, only 10,000 units of these chips are being shipped per month from NEC's plant but the company expects to raise shipments to a whopping 100,000 units per month by early 1994.
Personal computer firms plan to use the RISC chips in personal computers when Microsoft's Japanese Windows NT begins to gain popularity. Taiwan's Acer is planning to ship a PC based on the VR4400 as early as this fall.
NEC's RISC processors are currently produced at its Hiroshima plant in Japan. The firm will expand production to its Roseville, California plant in April 1994.
Other RISC chip makers such as Toshiba are also planning to increase production of the chips in the near future, meaning competition will heat up.
BANGALORE, INDIA, 1993 AUG 3 (NB) -- Even as Digital Equipment India Ltd.'s accountants are assessing the spoils, they are certain that the DEC subsidiary in India is in the red. While exact figures are not yet out, sources put the losses for July 1992-June 1993 between Rs 4 crore to Rs 6 crore (around $1.3 million to $2 million).
Turnover, at Rs 111 crore (around $37 million), has grown only marginally over the previous year's Rs 98 crore (around $32 million). With software exports totalling Rs 35 crore (around $11.7 million) last year, DEIL made a profit of Rs 10 crore (around $3.3 million) in that area. But in the hardware segment the company has suffered heavy losses. Sources say hardware losses could be anything from Rs 10 crore to Rs 14 crore (around $3.3 million to $4.7 million).
While the general recessionary trend in hardware sales did have a bearing on the losses, observers feel that large-scale recruitments and increases in operational costs coupled with the company's inability to penetrate certain target market segments spelled a dismal year for DEIL.
Anticipating the consequences, DEIL put a ban on fresh recruitments a couple of months ago. Denying rumours that the company has cut 80 jobs in the recent past, Maya Reddi, vice president, indicates that retrenchments may have to be made in the days to come. A cost cutting exercise has already been put into motion. A reorganization in terms of dropping certain products also seems to be on the anvil. Hints Kapil Jain, general manager, marketing, "We may not drop any product line, we will focus more on certain products."
Digital's main problem last year appears to have been variety of overlapping products and the resulting confusion as to which products to promote. Almost around the same time DEIL announced the manufacture of DEC PCs and Macintosh LC IIs. There were new additions to its MIPS R-3000/R4000 based workstations and the launch of DEC's Alpha AXP workstations. "All these besides its VAX range must have put DEIL's marketing force into confusion," remarks a former DEIL executive.
The product clash was most evident in the PC segment. The focus suffered as the same sales force sold DEC PCs and Macs. The result was that DEIL ended up building up a huge inventory of Macs. "It was true that we had a big inventory during the Jan-Feb-March period," admits Jain. "But increased sales of Macs during June have enabled us to bring it down to 100 which I think is normal."
Yet another reason for the poor performance could have been DEIL's relative inexperience in the desktop market where distribution networks are important. DEIL had to make do with a handful of resellers and with its direct force doing most of the selling, it was not able to get beyond its regular customer base. Realizing this drawback, DEIL has beefed up its channel to 25 dealers. Lack of proper R&D is cited as yet another cause for DEIL's debacle. According to one analyst: "R&D would have helped them customize products to changing local needs."
DEIL is not giving up on the Macintoshes, though local manufacturing may be discontinued. User seminars have already begun. The company's marketing planners are figuring out ways of managing overlapping products without losing focus. The mini and workstation ranges are likely to witness rationalization and there is talk of discontinuing some models in the VAX range. DEIL is likely to restrict manufacturing only to PCs and low-end workstations.
(C T Mahabharat/19930802)
tions.
(C T Mahabharat/19930802)
8/3/93
Digital Equipment India In The Red
BUSINESS
Indian Scientists Evolve Code To
BANGALORE, INDIA, 1993 AUG 3 (NB) -- Indian scientists have evolved an aerodynamic code for a wide range of missile configurations including the most advanced of them all the cruise missile. The development makes it possible to design a number of missiles like large ballistic, small heat seeking and even cruise missiles.
The comprehensive aerodynamic code enables rapid estimation of aerodynamic forces acting on the missile's surface when in flight. It is called the Missile Aerodynamics Design Manual. A team from the National Aeronautical Laboratory (NAL) and the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) in India worked on the complex mathematical project for over four years. Defence scientists describe this as the "most significant development in the Indian missile calendar since the first flight of the intermediate range ballistic missile, Agni."
Some details of the project classified as "secret" were revealed during a recent symposium at NAL on fluid dynamics. It was disclosed that with the new code, it will be possible to shorten the time taken for a new missile development by at least one-third.
The most laborious aspect of any aerospace project is the time taken to study the effects of wind on a projectile. The movement of a missile is dependent on wind flow and scientists worked out an optimum surface design that can cruise through the most difficult wind conditions. This is a complex process involving several hundred man hours using powerful computers. NAL sources said at least 25 different missile types can be configured with the new missile prediction code.
Though there are rumors of India developing a cruise missile official confirmation is not forthcoming. The authoritative Jane's Defence Review on Missiles lists an Indian cruise missile program with a 600 km range and 450 kg warhead. The US has been crying wolf over missile proliferation in the subcontinent and has already placed India at the top of a list of nations that are "potential missile threats to the United States."
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930803)
ats to the United States."
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930803)
8/3/93
Indian Scientists Evolve Code To Design Cruise Missiles
India A Stop On Global Digital H
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 AUG 3 (NB) -- Bombay will be on the route of a major global telecom pipeline from New York to Tokyo. The New York-based Nynex Corporation and a consortium of international telecom companies are setting up the submarine telecom pipeline, reports the Economic Times.
The global digital highway, an underwater fiber optic cable pipeline which will directly compete with AT&T's global lines and with satellite transmission, will cater to telecom firms which wish to utilize the channel for routing international telephone traffic.
Work on the $3-billion project has already begun and in the first phase, the pipeline is being built from London to Tokyo. According to Jagdish Sheth, a consultant to major US telecom firms, the pipeline can be easily utilized by Indian telecom firms. All they have to do is set up short feeder pipelines to access the main pipeline which will pass a short distance offshore from Bombay.
(C.T.Mahabharat/19930803)
om Bombay.
(C.T.Mahabharat/19930803)
8/3/93
India A Stop On Global Digital Highway
TELECOM
Japan - Major NEC Dealer To Sell
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 2 (NB) -- Tokyo-based major NEC PC dealer Otsuka Shokai will sell IBM Japan's personal computers alongside NEC PCs. The firm has until now been an exclusive NEC dealer in Japan, but due to the popularity of DOS/V PCs, will now add IBM Japan's personal computers to its stable.
Otsuka Shokai has strong sales channels at corporations and organizations in Japan. The firm made 200.3 billion yen ($2 billion) on sales of personal computers in fiscal 1992 and about 90 percent of the machines sold were from NEC.
Otsuka Shokai is responding to a market trend. Many firms including Dell, Compaq, and IBM Japan have been selling low-cost PCs and consumers are gradually shifting to these low-cost high performance personal DOS/V computers.
Otsuka Shokai will sell the desktop PS/V and the notebook type ThinkPads as part of its LAN (local area network) offerings. Otsuka Shokai will further get assistance from IBM Japan concerning network technology to support its customers.
This is seen as extremely good news for IBM Japan. IBM Japan's PCs will be sold through Otsuka Shokai's 80 sales outlets in Japan.
Currently, NEC has more than a 50 percent PC market share in Japan but that share has gradually been chipped away by makers of Intel-based PCs and Apple Computer.
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 3 (NB) -- The first of a long line of expected flat panel display televisions will roll off the Matsushita Electric assembly line this fall. Matsushita's 14-inch color television set has a screen which is only 98-mm thick. It is called the Flat Vision TV, and will sell for 288,000 yen ($2,750) in Japan in October and in North America late next year.
Matsushita began to develop this flat panel display in 1980. The first version was complete in 1985 and was shown at the Tsukuba Science Expo in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture. This flat panel has similar picture quality to a CRT (cathode ray tube) display, which is in most current TV sets. It is unique, however, in that it uses electrostatic deflection instead of current magnetic deflection. The screen consists of about 10,000 units of matrix screens, and each one has an independent electron beam source. With these matrix screens Matsushita was able to create a display which is three times thinner than the average CRT TV. The actual screen size of this flat panel display is 27.2 cm x 20.2 cm, and it has 442 x 440 pixels. It weighs 16.2 kg. It supports VHF, UHF and CATV.
Matsushita plans to develop a larger, wall-hanging type of Flat Vision display in the near future which will support HDTV (high definition TV). In order to do this, however the resolution of the display must be raised to make the picture even sharper.
Matsushita has registered 133 patents on the Flat Vision technology in Japan, and will apply for an additional 1,300 patents. Overseas, the firm has applied for 67 patents and 50 patents have already been granted.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 3 (NB) -- American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T) is struggling to differentiate its AT&T/EO Personal Communicator from the newly announced Newton Messagepad from Apple Computer. Market analysts are saying AT&T, Apple, and the rest of the crowd who will announce pen based personal digital assistant (PDA) devices, have much work ahead to educate the public as to what the differences are and how the devices will be beneficial to users.
AT&T is complaining loud and bitterly that the Newton is getting undue attention as a business communication device. AT&T describes the Messagepad as "little more than an advanced organizer with 'add-on' capabilities that provide limited communication."
The EO was the first of the new breed of personal digital assistants (PDAs) to market, available by special order beginning in April. However, the AT&T/EO 440 just became available in the retail market last month in select AT&T Phone Center stores around the country. Dataquest analyst Janet Cole said the EO has many of the organizer functions the Newton Messagepad has, but offers cellular phone capabilities (at additional cost), a larger size screen, and a built-in 20 megabyte hard disk drive.
The retail prices of the EO start at $2,000 and go to $4,000 but the Messagepad starts at $699 and goes to an estimated $949. According to Cole, the difference in price gets much smaller when you consider that the 2-megabyte Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) memory cards for storage of data and applications on the Newton are $300 each compared to the built-in 20-megabyte drive offered with the EO. Apple claims the Messagepad's operating system requires less storage space for data than the Penpoint Operating system for the EO, so users don't need as much additional storage space but Cole says that remains to be seen.
AT&T's Kevin Cole said the EO is designed as a lightweight highly portable replacement for that "15 pounds of stuff you have to pack along to keep in touch when you travel." The unit incorporates a computer, a date book, a notebook, cellular phone capabilities, send/receive fax capabilities via normal phone lines, and other business functions.
AT&T has been heavily advertising, but Dan Ness, an analyst with Computer Intelligence, said AT&T doesn't have quite the marketing clout of Apple. Also it is difficult to expect consumers to buy something they can't see and put their hands on, which was the case with the EO until last month, Ness said.
He feels Apple has more experience in reaching the new market at which the PDAs are aimed, but the entire PDA realm is a big gamble for a lot of people. "Remember the Momenta?" Ness added, referring to a pen-based laptop computer and company by the same name that made a big splash, but went out of business just about as quickly a couple of years ago.
Apple, like AT&T, is also aiming at the business market, but hopes the device will become a consumer item as well. The company announced a deal with Motorola and BellSouth that will allow users to add paging capability to the Newton. A credit card-sized pager called the Message Card, developed by Motorola can receive messages, mail, and news electronically, even when carried in a jacket pocket. Once it has been plugged into the PCMCIA slot on the Messagepad, the Message Card enables a user to go through and read the messages the device picks up.
One of the things consumers probably will understand is paging Cole said, which will be an advantage to Apple Computer. However it remains to be seen whether or not the larger screen, and larger size, of the EO is an advantage in use.
"This has added a chance for new excitement in the computer industry, but it is still a 'wait and see' proposition," Ness cautioned.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930803/Press Contact: Paul Wheaton Dataquest, tel 408-437-8245, fax 408-437-0292; Kevin Compton AT&T, tel 408-452-3966, fax 408-437-0398; )
on AT&T, tel 408-452-3966, fax 408-437-0398; )
8/3/93
Is It EO vs Newton, Or Will PDAs Fly At All?
TRENDS
Oracle Has Lion's Share Of Unix
REDWOOD SHORES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 3 (NB) -- Oracle known for its cross-platform database product of the same name has the lion's share of the worldwide Unix relational database management software (RDBMS) market and the company is growing fast.
Oracle held 44 percent of the 1992 market share according to market research firm International Data Corporation (IDC), and its fourth fiscal quarter 1993 net income increased 140 percent or to $69 million on record revenues of $473 million.
The company credits its flagship product, Oracle7, a distributed relational database management system (DBMS) that is available on Intel Unix, Sun Solaris 2, and Apple A/UX platforms. Oracle said its performance was balanced across all its markets worldwide, despite the struggling European economy.
In addition, Oracle and Novell say they can capture even more market share and may even take on industry giant Microsoft with their recently announced alliance. The companies announced they plan to combine technology, distribution, and service in order to offer enterprise network computing products under the brand name Oracleware. Oracleware will combine Novell's popular Netware or Unixware network operating systems with the database server Oracle7 and multiserver messaging system Oracle Office. Thus Oracleware will support small to large workgroups on a single server while multiple servers automatically cooperate to support enterprise and inter-enterprise applications, Oracle said.
The companies said the Oracleware System Netware 3.x Edition will be available in September of 1993, while the Oracleware System Netware 4.0 Edition will be released toward the end of 1994.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930803/Press Contact: Christine Mossmer Oracle, tel 415-506-4176, fax 415-506-7150)
er Oracle, tel 415-506-4176, fax 415-506-7150)
8/3/93
Oracle Has Lion's Share Of Unix RDBMS Market
Russian US$1 Billion Telecom Pro
DEC Expands Distribution Agreeme
IBM To Offer Info Warehouse Tool
Indian Scientists Evolve Code To
SCO In Shareholder Suit; Ships O
One-Of-A-Kind Product In The Gui
Second BBSCON Show Scheduled For
Visicalc Creator Frankston Joins
World's First PIN-Less Cashcard
Awards Honor 10 Companies At Gro
Japan - Hitachi Shifts VCR Produ
VOD, CD-I, 3DO More Hype Than Re
British Govt Opens Telecoms Mark
BT Links UK ISDN Net To Ireland
Atari Jaguar To Compete With 3DO
IRS Employees Caught Tapping Com
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 3 (NB) -- Ever wondered what your neighbor, father-in-law, or mortal enemy was doing with their money, or just how much they had? Well, according to an internal study just completed by the Internal Revenue Service some IRS employees have been using their computers to satisfy just that sort of curiosity - illegally. Sen. John Glenn (D Ohio), chairman of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee yesterday released a multi-year study of the Southeast Region completed by the tax agency last fall.
Several hundred employees in just one IRS region were found to have been perusing the personal tax records of friends neighbors, and even celebrities with no agency authorization and not as part of any compliance program. Inotherwords, these IRS workers were looking at other people's private financial records for their own personal profit or just out of curiosity.
Some enterprising workers even set up a side-line in selling refunds in which they received payments for altering reports which resulted in lower tax obligations.
Using the opportunity to promote the need for its new multi billion dollar computer system, IRS officials pointed out that the sort of abuses discovered in last-year's investigation would be caught and eliminated on a more sophisticated system.
All of the agency employees concerned were using the Integrated Data Retrieval System, which only contains a tiny fraction of the total tax-data files for any individual.
Many civil-liberties concerns have been raised over the move to provide more information online so agents and the public can quickly access more information.
Senator Glen, who just learned about the IRS study last month has called for an expanded investigation which would look at employees in all IRS regions, not just the Atlanta-based workers.
Nearly half of the more than 100-thousand IRS employees currently have access to the Integrated Data Retrieval System, and if the same pattern applies to other regional offices, more than 1,000 IRS employees would be expected to routinely be looking at private records.
Senator Glenn has scheduled a hearing on the IRS computer security problem for this Wednesday before his Governmental Affairs Committee.
(John McCormick/19930803/)
irs Committee.
(John McCormick/19930803/)
8/3/93
IRS Employees Caught Tapping Computer Files
Canadian Firm Pleads Guilty To P
BELLEVILLE, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 AUG 3 (NB) -- Rexcan Circuits Inc., the first computer user slapped with criminal charges for software piracy in Canada, has pleaded guilty on four counts and been fined C$50,000. Related charges against two individuals have been dropped.
In late May, the Canadian Association Against Software Theft (CAAST) announced that after an investigation carried out with its support, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police had laid 63 charges against Rexcan, a circuit-board manufacturer, and two of its executives, for copying and distributing software illegally.
These were the first criminal charges laid against a computer user in Canada -- as opposed to a dealer -- for software piracy said James Courtney, general manager of Quarterdeck Office Systems Canada Inc., one of CAAST's member companies.
The court also ordered Rexcan to submit to a software audit by CAAST within the next three months.
In a statement from CAAST, Michael Eisen of the Toronto law firm Morris/Rose/Ledgett, CAAST's legal counsel, said CAAST is considering civil claims against Rexcan for copyright infringement as well.
CAAST is a group of software vendors working together to combat software piracy. Its member companies are Autodesk Canada Borland Canada, Computer Associates Canada, Lotus Development Canada, Microsoft Canada, Novell Canada, and Quarterdeck Canada.
Software involved in the Rexcan case included products from Lotus, Microsoft, Software Publishing, and WordPerfect.
At the same as it announced the Rexcan charges in the spring CAAST announced creation of software piracy "hotlines" to let people report suspected cases of software piracy. The organization said a number of calls have been received and it is evaluating them.
(Grant Buckler/19930803/Press Contact: Michael Eisen, Morris Rose Ledgett, 416-981-9322; Allan Reynolds, CAAST, 416-598-8988, fax 416-598-3584)
eynolds, CAAST, 416-598-8988, fax 416-598-3584)
8/3/93
Canadian Firm Pleads Guilty To Piracy Charges
> ~
WordPerfect 3.0 For Mac Goes To
OREM, UTAH, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 3 (NB) -- WordPerfect Corporation announced this week that release 3.0 of its WordPerfect for Apple Computer's Macintosh platform has entered beta testing and is expected to ship this fall. The software is being shown at the Macworld Expo in Boston this week.
The company says WordPerfect 3.0 for Macintosh users will get an innovative interface that simplifies the menu structure for some of the program features. It's also feature-compatible with the newest version of WP for other platforms, and supports the Apple Open Collaboration Environment, AppleEvents, AppleScript, WorldScript and QuickTime. Grammatik 5 for Macintosh, the grammar checking software WordPerfect Corporation acquired several months ago, is incorporated into the word processing program and is directly accessible from a menu.
WP Corporation says the ruler in each document window in release 3.0 can expand to display various ruler bars that give quick access to both basic and advanced features. A Control Bar allows the user to control which Ruler Bars appear. In addition to the Ruler, uses can display additional bars from which they can choose layout, font style, table, list, and merge functions.
The new release also included three pre-defined Button Bars for use in editing text, graphics, or equations. Users can customize multiple Button Bars and perform tasks such as bullet indent, quick sort, headers and footers. The Button Bar appears outside the document window, and its location (left, right, top or bottom edge of the screen) is user-selectable. Button Bars are context-sensitive, with the correct bar appearing depending on what you are doing.
The company says a new tables feature allows the user to create tables of information in columns, rows, and cells. Tables can be freestanding or contained in a moveable box within a document. Buttons on the Tables Ruler Bar allows users to insert or delete rows and columns, join or split cells, and fill cells with colors or patterns. Users can also create custom borders around a table and manipulate the graphical lines that separate the columns and rows of the table. Existing text can be converted to a table, or a table can be converted to text. Basic math functions such as column or row totals can be inserted in a table to allow it to work like a mini-spreadsheet.
The program will also include an equation editor that lets the user create the elements of an equation such as a fraction, or exponent. Equations can also be displayed and edited in DOS or Windows versions of WordPerfect . Drag and drop is supported, and an Open Dialog box permits document and graphics preview without opening the file.
WordPerfect 3.0 for Mac runs on any Macintosh computer with a hard drive. It needs two megabytes (MB) or system memory on systems running under System 6.0.5 or higher, and 4MB on computers using System 7.x.
` ' REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 3 (NB) -- In what one company calls "the evolving business of electronic commerce that could revolutionize the way goods and services are bought and sold," two companies announced this week that users will be able to buy software from Microsoft and other publishers instantly via a CD-ROM disc included with their new personal computer just by phoning in their credit card number and getting the secret access code.
Gateway 2000 says it will initially offer its Store-on-a-Disc service to 25,000 existing customers using its personal computers. The company will distribute the discs at no charge in a pilot program that will offer 33 Microsoft titles. Available programs include Money, Publisher 2.0, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Word Golf, and the MS-DOS 6.0 upgrade. An on-line version of the MS-DOS 6 user's guide is also included.
Boulder, Colorado-based InfoNow says it has signed a deal with IBM to offer a similar service to Big Blue buyers. Called Options by IBM, InfoNow's electronic catalog of titles includes more than 80 popular software titles from Microsoft, Aapen Software Corporation Arro International, Berkeley Systems, Campbell Services, Central Point Software, Metz, Micrografx, Symantec and T/Maker. The InfoNow discs will allow potential software purchasers to test-drive the pre-installed, encrypted programs before they purchase.
Dale Christensen, product manager of Microsoft's Desktop Division says the distribution system also benefits Microsoft. "Our relationship with InfoNow allows Microsoft to explore customer buying habits from CD distribution of software."
Once you browse through the electronic catalog and select the programs you want to buy, you call a toll-free number and provide the operator with your credit card number. The operator gives you a special access code that unlocks access to the selected program. When you enter the access code, the software is automatically installed on your hard drive.
InfoNow initiated its program for OEM (original equipment manufacturers) PC makers in October 1992, and says it can customize a software catalog and user interface for each manufacturer.
(Jim Mallory/19930803/Press contact: Anne Theriault, InfoNow 303-442-6666; Glynis Gibson, Gibson Communications for Gateway 2000 312-868-9400)
unications for Gateway 2000 312-868-9400)
8/3/93
Software Available In Store-on-a-Disc
TRENDS
Fujitsu, Ricoh To Link Office Ma
Australia - Government IT Spendi
Fear of Technology Is Phobia of
Power Publishing Seminar Will Vi
Maxtor Posts Huge Loss For 1Qtr
Color Connections 6 To Start Sun
WordPerfect 3.0 For Mac Goes To
UK - NEC Intros Ultralite Versa
Fujitsu Creates Automatic Mail C
STC Wins UKP100 Million Transatl
Lotus Adds Group Scheduling Vers
Unisys To Deliver Windows NT In
Lotus Signs Bull To Market Notes
Editorial - PC Prices, How Low C
SPA Report On US Regional Softwa
Insiders Speculate On FTC/Justic
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1993 AUG 3 (NB) -- Just when it seemed safe for Microsoft to give its legal staff a day off, word came out of Washington late last week that the Federal Trade Commission had passed along its investigation to the Justice Department. At the very least this will mean a very prolonged investigation and mounting legal fees, according to a number of Washington insiders, many of whom say the FTC was too weak to properly pursue the investigation.
Newsbytes has talked with several well-placed Washington insiders who say that the reason the FTC was unable to come to any real decision on the Microsoft case, where the software giant has been accused by some other companies of anticompetitive practices, is mostly due to the very weak position of the FTC.
For the past decade the FTC, which can institute a civil case before an administrative law judge, has been operating on a year-to-year basis because of low funding, a legacy of the hands-off low-regulation stand of the Reagan and Bush Administrations. In addition, one Washington insider pointed out that the FTC lacks the statutory authority to really dig into such a complex case.
By moving the Microsoft case to the much more powerful Justice Department, which could pursue either civil or criminal court cases the FTC has ensured that the investigation will be more thorough and will, in all likelihood, continue for several more years at a minimum.
The FTC has twice failed to reach a decision either way on the Microsoft case.
One observer also pointed out that there were some new staff members at Justice who were better connected and more able to pursue such a complex case.
Another Washington insider said that she felt part of the problem was just that the FTC didn't understand what was going on with high-tech industries and, like many law-enforcement and regulatory agencies, was poorly equipped to investigate such cases.
Yet another Washington, DC-based specialist in regulatory affairs told Newsbytes that part of the reason for the transfer of the case might be that Justice could pursue criminal cases.
Microsoft is also currently in a prolonged battle with the General Services Administration over releasing its confidential sales data and is therefore not on this year's GSA Microcomputer Schedule. This has caused American Telephone & Telegraph to carry Windows NT on its Standard Multi-user Small Contract Requirements Contract so it would be available to the US Defense Department and to civilian government agencies.
One reason Microsoft has been reluctant to open up its books to the GSA is thought by many observers to be related to the ongoing anti-trust investigation.
Of course, none of this indicates that Microsoft has done anything wrong nor will be found guilty of any improprieties or illegal actions and the company may eventually be held totally blameless but just the need to defend itself is certain to cost a substantial amount of money.
For more than three years the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been conducting its investigation, but has deadlocked twice this year when it tried to decide if it would bring charges against Microsoft. The commission was able to decide that it would not issue an administrative complaint. One commissioner has reportedly excluded himself from the two votes.
Microsoft told Newsbytes it has provided the FTC with "hundreds of thousands" of documents in connection with that agency's inquiry. In the meantime the FTC case remains open.
Last week, apparently about the time the Justice Department was beginning to get involved, Newsbytes reported that Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates told financial analysts the FTC probe hasn't created any problems for the company. "There has been nothing that has come up that causes us the slightest concern," said Gates.
While the FTC inquiry continues at least in part because of complaints from Microsoft's competitors, Justice may have entered the case based on congressional pressure. Reportedly Ohio Democratic Senator Howard Metzenbaum, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee's antitrust committee, and Utah Republican Senator Orrin Hatch, have both urged the Justice Department to look at the case.
A Microsoft spokesperson told Newsbytes the company has no comment at this time, and has not been notified of any inquiry by the Justice Department. Microsoft shares dropped $1.25 yesterday closing at $72.75 in heavy trading after news of the possible Justice Department inquiry became known. More than 4 million shares were traded.
(Jim Mallory & John McCormick/19930803/Press contact: Microsoft Public Relations, 206-882-8080)
ess contact: Microsoft Public Relations, 206-882-8080)
8/3/93
Insiders Speculate On FTC/Justice Probe Of Microsoft
HP Offers CD-ROM Technical Answe
PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 3 (NB) -- Hewlett-Packard Company is offering a CD-ROM information tool called the HP Support Assistant. It provides technical and product information on the HP NetServer series, HP Vectra personal computers, HP LaserJet printers, and networking and accessory products.
The CD-ROM is indexed and searchable, and is designed to give support administrators and MIS managers quick and easy access to technical documentation and information, including graphics.
A Windows application based upon Microsoft Multimedia Viewer, the HP Support Assistant looks and works like Windows Help, the company says, and allows users to do keyword searches, annotate topics and set up hotlinks between related topics.
"The HP Support Assistant saves me time and energy by providing answers with greater speed and convenience than traditional documentation," said Greg Scott, computing services manager, College of Business, Oregon State University, in an HP press statement. "Since it looks like Windows Help, there's no learning curve, and the search capabilities are very advanced."
The HP Support Assistant includes technical reference manuals service manuals, user manuals printable from CD ROM, application notes, product certifications, service notes, data sheets and workarounds. The HP Support Assistant, available worldwide, is provided as a yearly subscription service and includes four CD-ROM disks. One disk will be mailed each quarter and will include the latest support and product information, as well as all the data included on previous HP Support Assistant disks.
The HP Support Assistant requires an 80386SX processor, 2MB RAM 30MB hard-disk storage, 4-bit VGA graphics adapter, VGA color monitor, MPC-compatible CD ROM drive, two-button Microsoft-compatible mouse, 101-key keyboard, MS-DOS 3.30 or higher and Microsoft Windows 3.1 or higher. The yearly subscription price for the HP Support Assistant is $395 (U.S.), and an evaluation disk is available for $45 (U.S.). To subscribe to HP Support Assistant, or to receive an evaluation disk, contact authorized HP resellers, or call 1-800-457-1762.
(Wendy Woods/19930803/Press Contact: Larry Sennett, HP, 408/720-3061)
ntact: Larry Sennett, HP, 408/720-3061)
8/3/93
HP Offers CD-ROM Technical Answerbook
Iridium In Business
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1993 AUG 3 (NB) -- After months of speculation and press leaks, Motorola officially launched Iridium Inc., which will offer mobile phone service worldwide through a network of 66 satellites in low-Earth orbits of 250-310 miles, or 400-500 kilometers above the ground. The project is expected to go online in 1998, with calls costing about $3 per minute.
Motorola said that $800 million in equity has been raised from companies in the US, Europe and Asia, and it's confident of getting another $800 million. Motorola Vice Chairman John Mitchell said in a press conference the $800 million was the "minimum" needed for a formal announcement of the project, and predicted it will bring thousands of jobs to the troubled US aerospace sector. Motorola said another $1.8 billion needed to launch its satellite group will be raised through debt, and Motorola's final interest in the project, now worth $270 million will decline to about 15 percent of total equity in time. Motorola stock closed on the day of the announcement at about $95 per share, nearly twice the $50 per share price quoted in January, in the wake of a health scare involving cellular phones.
Perhaps the biggest surprise in the announcements was the Chinese component. China Great Wall Industrial Corp., the state-run commercial launch concern, will invest $40 million in the project and gain an equity stake. Great Wall will also win some Iridium launches, with the first launch of two satellites scheduled for 1996. That's a big win for the Chinese, who have been fighting to gain credibility in the market since the failure of launches for Australian interests. The Chinese said their contract with Iridium was signed in April. Great Wall also has pending contracts with the Intelsat consortium and two Hong Kong groups offering much lower prices than US or European launching alternatives.
Also, as reported in April, a group of Japanese companies organized as Nippon Iridium, including the DDI long distance concern, Kyocera, and Mitsui, formalized their relationship with Iridium, putting in $120 million for a 15 percent stake in the project. A Saudi Arabian industrial group, the Mawarid Group also put in $120 million. From the US, Sprint Corp., put in $40 million, Lockheed and Raytheon teamed to put in $40 million, BCE Mobile Inc., of Canada put in $40 million, and so did Muidiri Investments BVI Ltd. of Venezuela, and United Communication Industry Co. Ltd. of Thailand, STET of Italy, and Khrunichev Enterprise of Russia.
Like Great Wall, Khrunichev is expecting to launch some of the rockets carrying Iridium satellites into orbit. Motorola said each $40 million of investment equity brings with it a seat on the new Iridium Inc., board, which will be based in Washington, D.C. Sprint will operate the company's North American gateway, while Nippon Iridium will operate a gateway to the service in Japan.
Broad international investment in Iridium is needed not only to spread the risk, but to assure that frequencies needed to provide service in all countries are allocated to Iridium. The company must compete with plans by the International Maritime Satellite Organization, or Inmarsat, which has a group headed by British Aerospace PLC planning its own "constellation" of satellites. There are also a number of other groups, especially in the US working on their own low-Earth orbit systems.
The biggest competitor to Iridium calling, however, will be Earth-based cellular telephone systems, which are spreading throughout the world. To belay that industry's objections to Iridium, Motorola has promised that it will offer dual-mode phones, which look for a cellular signal first before seeking out a satellite. Cellular services also cost about 50 cents per minute, one-sixth the cost of an Iridium call, and some analysts question whether there will be enough "cellular free" areas by 1998 to let Iridium make a profit. In addition to voice services Iridium will offer fax, paging, and geographic positioning service, but there, too, there is competition.
One reason that Motorola stock rose on the news is that it is already making some money from Iridium. The new company signed a five-year $3.4 billion contract to purchase the Iridium space system from Motorola's Satellite Communications Division, along with a follow-up contract for $2.8 million covering operation and maintenance of the system for five years. Motorola said that it has executed significant subcontracts with other industrial suppliers, so it's not getting all that cash. Motorola expects the two contracts will pay for its own development expenses payments to subcontractors, and liabilities. Among the subcontractors are other Iridium owners, including Lockheed Raytheon, Khrunichev, Great Wall, and STET. Siemens of Germany will also be making Iridium equipment.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930803/Press Contact: John Windolph, Iridium 202-371-6889)
Iridium 202-371-6889)
8/3/93
Iridium In Business
TELECOM
Toshiba To Distribute PictureTel
DANVERS, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 3 (NB) -- Toshiba signed a deal with PictureTel to distribute its videoconferencing systems in Japan and to work together on development of new multimedia applications. The deal could, in time, open use of the system to videophones and laptop computers.
PictureTel's videoconferencing systems were originally based on digital phone lines and special equipment which would often be wheeled around a company on a dolly. In recent months, PictureTel has committed to producing add-in boards which let PCs use PictureTel services. Digital phone lines of 64,000 bits/second or faster are still needed.
A PictureTel spokesman told Newsbytes that it and Toshiba will explore a wide range of technologies aimed at making videoconferences more practical when used with desktop and laptop computing software applications. Toshiba will bring a wide range of computer chips, cameras, flat screens and other products to the table, while PictureTel retains the underlying technology.
The two companies hope they can find a way, in time, to link videophones, multimedia workstations, and even PDAs like the Apple Newton into PictureTel videoconferences using software based codecs.
PictureTel has about a 70 percent share of the TV conference system market among systems with a transmission speed of 384 kilobits per second. The firm has also developed the PCS1000 system, which supports advanced pictorial and audio data transmission on personal computers.
PictureTel Japan currently has agreements with 10 Japanese electronic firms, including Oki Electric and Otsuka Shokai to sell PictureTel TV conference systems in Japan.
(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa & Dana Blankenhorn/19930803/Press Contact: Toshiba, +81-3-3457-2100; Ron Taylor, PictureTel 508-762-5178)
7-2100; Ron Taylor, PictureTel 508-762-5178)
8/3/93
Toshiba To Distribute PictureTel Equipment
TELECOM
Apple Targets Youngsters On MTV
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 3 (NB) -- To attract 18 to 25-year-old students at universities and community colleges nationwide, Apple Computer says it will start advertising its Macintoshes on the Music Television (MTV) Network. The company says a variety of "frenzied techniques" will be used by a "college-aged" spokesperson in 30-second spots designed to get students to call an 800 telephone number for Macintosh student pricing information.
The commercials will run over 400 times through the 12th of September on a number of popular MTV programs such as "Alternative Nation," "MTV Jams," "Big Picture," and "Week in Rock."
Five different commercials - two general awareness and three direct response - will offer a series of flashing titles depicting a myriad of complex questions and issues faced by college students. The spot will then end with the statement, "A lot of stuff in life is complicated -- at least your computer doesn't have to be. Macintosh - It's Easy, It's Powerful. What Else Is There?"
According to Diane Brundage, director of marketing for Apple USA's Higher Education Division, the campaign represents a departure from Apple's previous advertising efforts on major television networks, which traditionally targeted more mainstream business and elementary education markets.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930803/Press Contact: Bill Keegan, Apple Computer, tel 408-974-5460, fax 408-967-5651)
l 408-974-5460, fax 408-967-5651)
8/3/93
Apple Targets Youngsters On MTV
APPLE
Borland Earns Up - Sales, Expens
Shared Whiteboard App For Window
SoftImage, Discreet Logic Battle
ComputerWorks - Your High Tech G
Computer Sciences Reports Revenu
Interleaf, Phoenix Sign Deal On
The Enabled Computer
Apple Intros Quadra 950 For Publ
Broadband Commits To MPEG
SIGGRAPH - Trip Hawkins Demos 3D
AT&T Wins TDS Switch Contract
Coming From CA - Client/Server B
Wolfram Research Isn't Connected
Results Of Telecommuting Study P
Quantum Posts 1Q Earnings, As Ma
MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 3 (NB) -- It is not just the PC hardware markets that are feeling the profit crunch as a result of intense price wars - it is also highly competitive in the hard disk drive market as well. Now Quantum Corp., has posted substantially reduced income for its first fiscal 1994 quarter ended July 4, 1993.
The company reported sales for the first quarter as $479 million an increase of 30 percent over the $369 million reported for the first quarter of fiscal 1993. However, like the PC hardware manufacturers that have been reporting an increase in sales but a decrease in income, Quantum too has reported a net income for the first quarter of just $3.4 million, or $0.08 per share fully diluted, which compares pretty unfavorably with $21.5 million, or $0.41 per share fully diluted reported for the first quarter of 1993.
It was the market's fault, said William J. Miller, chairman and chief executive officer, in announcing the results, "Our unit shipments increased relative to the March quarter, but weak demand in distribution channels and the aggressive pricing environment led to the sequential quarter decline in our sales and earnings."
The company says that sales to its top five OEM (original equipment manufacturer) customers represented 57 percent of sales in the first fiscal quarter. Sales to Apple and Compaq represented 29 percent and 14 percent of sales, respectively for the quarter.
Things are unlikely to get much better in the short term because of the price battles. Said Miller, "We believe we are positioned well for long-term success and leadership in our industry, but the current aggressive pricing environment will have a negative impact on our September quarter results. Although we expect to increase our unit shipments relative to the June quarter, the positive revenue impact of that increase will be more than offset by price declines."
The company plans to cut back production for some products. "Given the current oversupply condition and continuing intense price competition, we are working aggressively to reduce our inventory in terms of weeks of sales. This includes scaling back production of certain products," said Miller.
Quantum intends to cut its workforce as one way of reducing expenses. According to Miller, "One aspect of this program is a reduction in employment which is being implemented this quarter. Although we are still in the planning stages, we expect this reduction to impact between five percent and seven percent of our worldwide permanent workforce of approximately 2,100 employees."
The company has also announced the ProDrive 1800 seven-platter two gigabyte (GB)-class 3.5-inch drive to be available in volume this quarter.
The half-height ProDrive 1800 SCSI-2 (Small Computer Systems Interface-2) drive provides 1.8GB of formatted capacity. The drive will be available this quarter for both original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and distributors.
In addition to average seek times of 10 milliseconds (reading), the ProDrive 1800 drive include a 512-kilobyte (KB) segmented cache buffer with DisCache and WriteCache firmware, proprietary AutoRead and AutoWrite ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) hardware, tagged command queuing with seek reordering and an embeded SCSI-2 controller which supports Fast SCSI. Single unit evaluation pricing to qualified OEMs is $1,295.
International Data Corporation reports that shipments of 1.2GB to 2GB drives will grow seven times over from 1993 to 1995, reaching 2.4 million units by 1995.
In September, the company plans to announce four new families of drives for notebook systems, personal computers, and the workstation and server markets
The company also announced that William J. Miller has been named chairman of the board of directors of Quantum Corp., succeeding Stephen M. Berkley who remains on the board as a director.
Hartsog, or Kelli Trask, 408-894-4000; Quantum Corp.)
8/3/93
Quantum Posts 1Q Earnings, As Many As 147 Jobs To Go
BUSINESS
SCO In Shareholder Suit; Ships O
SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 3 (NB) -- Any time a company commits to a public stock offering, it runs the gauntlet of possible litigation. It has not taken the Santa Cruz Operation long to find that out. Now the company has announced that a lawsuit has been filed against it alleging securities law violations in connection with statements made by the company relating to its initial public offering of stock in May.
According to the company, the lawsuit "purports to be a class action brought on behalf of all purchasers of SCO stock during the period May 27, 1993 and July 26, 1993."
Not much more information is available at the moment. Zee Zaballos spokesperson for the SCO, told Newsbytes that, "I have not seen the suit so I cannot really address any more than what was in the release. The plaintiffs have indicated a suit based on statements that had been issued earlier. Not reading the entire briefing I am not really in a position to address it in detail. Currently our company is going through the entire briefing."
The complaint was filed in the United States District Court in San Jose, California, on July 29, 1993, and asserts that SCO and certain of its officers and directors made "misleading statements about the company's prospects."
In an official release the company says it, "strongly denies the allegations made against it, and intends to vigorously defend this lawsuit."
In other news, the company has announced that it is shipping version 2.0 of its SCO OSI. The company claims that SCO OSI is the most widely available GOSIP 2.0-compliant product in the federal market for industry-standard microcomputers running the Unix system.
Version 2.0 is now available to federal and commercial customers from GSA schedule holders, select systems integrators and resellers, and on the RCAS and Super Minicomputer Program contracts.
SCO OSI 2.0 is compatible with the SCO Open Server and SCO Open Desktop operating systems. Products in the suite include: LAN Transport; FTAM; Virtual Terminal; X.400 Message Server; OSI Transport for TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol); SMTP Gateway to X.400.
In announcing version 2.0, Jeffrey Ait, vice president of SCO's Federal Systems Group, said, "The enhanced SCO OSI product suite reinforces our commitment to provide our federal customers with products that incorporate the latest technologies, meet the latest government standards, and are widely available from established vendors."
Suggested list prices vary with individual products and type of user license, but range from $495 to $1,995.
(Ian Stokell/19930803/Press Contact: Zee Zaballos, 408-427-7156 or Rebecca Somers, 408-427-7103, The Santa Cruz Operation Inc.)
427-7103, The Santa Cruz Operation Inc.)
8/3/93
SCO In Shareholder Suit; Ships OSI 2.0
Northern Telecom Secures $100M C
HONG KONG, HONG KONG, 1993 AUG 3 (NB) -- Northern Telecom has announced the sale of US$102 million worth of its flagship DMS family of central office switching systems to the Chongqing, Hebei and Jilin provinces of the Peoples Republic of China.
According to Ming Li, senior managing director with Northern Telecom's Asian operation, the contracts with the respective provincial Post and Telecoms administrations call for the installation of large capacity DMS-100 and DMS-100 Supernode switching systems.
"We're extremely pleased that the three provinces have chosen us to support their growing telecom needs," commented Li, who added that Northern Telecom has established a healthy name for itself in the Chinese telecom market-place over the past few years.
This deal, however, is one of the largest in the region undertaken by Northern Telecom. The company claims it has more than two million telecom lines installed or on order in China. In 1992, the company claims it was the largest producer of digital private branch exchanges (PBXs) in China, through its joint venture manufacturing operation, Tong Guang Nortel, which is based in Shekou, in the Shenzen province of China.
Li said that the $102 million contract will be implemented with amazing speed over the next 18 months. Plans call for the installation of telecom equipment in all three provinces to be up and running within the next two years.
(Steve Gold/19930803/Press & Public Contact: Tom Koppel, Northern Telecom Asia Pacific - Tel: +81-3-5420-3363)
thern Telecom Asia Pacific - Tel: +81-3-5420-3363)
8/3/93
Northern Telecom Secures $100M Contract In China
TELECOM
Correction - MacWorld - Apple Fo
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 4 (NB) Newsbytes regrets that a disk error led to the inadvertent filing of a story on Monday August 3, 1993, written about a previous MacWorld.
Newsbytes will have extensive on-the-spot coverage of this year's MacWorld over the coming days.
Please accept our apologies for the mistake.
(Wendy Woods/19930804)
apologies for the mistake.
(Wendy Woods/19930804)
8/4/93
Correction - MacWorld - Apple Focusing On Speedy R&D
APPLE
CORRECTION
Apple Targets Youngsters On MTV
UK - Compulink Information Excha
SURBITON, SURREY, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 3 (NB) --- A system operator's worst nightmare came true on July 29 when conference coordinators on the Compulink Information Exchange (CIX) learned that users had downloaded a virus-infected file.
The alarm was raised by CIX subscriber Swami Anahata who had downloaded a PC communications utility only to find his anti-virus utility reporting that his system had been infected with a virus. At first, Anahata believed the report to be false, but later the file was examined by S&S International, the company that runs CIX, who confirmed it was a new virus.
The CIX conference coordinator immediately removed the virus infected file from the download area. Meanwhile, System Manager Matt Sims was able to check the download registers and immediately electronically mailed (e-mailed) the 36 subscribers who had downloaded the file, with a message about the infection.
Malcolm Muir, the conference coordinator on CIX, told Newsbytes that he had checked the file prior to allowing it to be downloaded using version 106 of McAfee's Scan. The anti-virus package however had failed to detect the virus and thus it had slipped through.
CIX has announced it intends to beef up its anti-virus security by checking files made available for download with three anti-virus scanners. The company plans to continue with McAfee but will be adding Dr Solomon's Toolkit (the package which detected this virus) and F-Prot.
The virus, which is so new it has not yet been named, apparently has no payload. However, that was a small consolation to CIX subscriber Ken Haylock, who was working on a client's system and was not able to detect the extent of any infection using either McAfee or Microsoft's anti-virus utility bundled with DOS 6.
CIX has now mailed copies of the public domain version of F-Prot to all users who downloaded the infected file. According to Sims, the likelihood of users catching a virus from a downloaded file is now very significantly reduced; users should, however, continue to take sensible precautions.
(Paul Robinson/19930803/Press & Public Contact: CIX - Tel: 081 390-8446)
3/Press & Public Contact: CIX - Tel: 081 390-8446)
8/3/93
UK - Compulink Information Exchange Hit By Virus
TELECOM
Apple Newton Launched At Symphon
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 3 (NB) -- Apple Computer expects the Newton to match or exceed the success of the Macintosh, top company officials chorused yesterday to the ringing cheers of a packed audience at the official launch of the new PDA at Symphony Hall, Boston.
In addition to hearing Apple's plans and dreams for the Newton the hundreds of Newton fans in the audience got a chance to see the personal communicator in action, in dozens of demos of real applications from Apple and third-party vendors.
"We have a rosy future with the Newton," Bob Puette, president of Apple USA, told the crowd. After shipping to destinations throughout the US in August, the Newton will become available in Canada, Australia, and the UK in September, Germany later this fall and France and Japan early next year, he announced.
Apple is aiming the Newton not only at consumers, but at business users in the corporate enterprise computing market and professional service providers in segments like health care and finance. In a recent market study for the Newton, Apple determined that the business and professional service markets represent potential markets of 11 and six million, respectively, said Puette.
At many companies, mobile applications haven't even been implemented yet, because prior to the Newton, automation couldn't be done in a "natural" way, he said. The Newton has a "human element" that will set it far above any other PDA.
Companies will be motivated to use the Newton by the bottom line, he predicted. "Their revenues increase with the services they can provide, and the Newton will allow them to provide more services."
In the future, Apple will offer the Newton in a variety of versions, according to Puette. "We realize that a `one-size-fits-all' model doesn't meet everyone's needs," he noted.
"The Macintosh was a revolution for the desktop. The Newton is a revolution for the pocket," echoed another speaker, Apple's John Sculley.
"The two technologies are complementary, but quite different," he added. Where the Mac made it easier for end users to create documents on the desktop, the Newton will let them communicate from virtually anywhere.
"But while the Mac was easy for end users, it wasn't necessarily easy for developers," he acknowledged. In contrast, developers are finding the Newton Developers Kit extremely easy to use. Already some 1500 of them are at work on applications for the Newton, he explained.
"When PDAs become a reality, we'll be very well positioned," Sculley asserted. "We'll make money at every step of the value chain, and so will our third-party developers."
Ultimately, there might be desktop versions of the Newton, and Newton technology might be integrated into other office equipment such as telephones, he revealed.
Applications of all kinds will get a major boost in 1994, with the arrival of fax receive capability, said Apple's Gaston Bastiaens vice president of Apple Personal Interactive Electronics Division (PIE). Owners of the original Newton will be able to upgrade to that feature, he disclosed.
"The Newton has arrived, that is clear. And it's not about being a `souped up' pen computer," stated Bastiaens. "The Newton is more intelligent, and easier to use, by far."
To back up its contentions, Apple presented a series of Newton demos on stage, featuring actual and hypothetical users. In one demo, for instance, an Apple employee showed how she uses the Newton to upload spreadsheets from the hotel to a Windows-based PC while on the road. In another, a "doctor" depicted the use of the Newton to call up X-rays and fill out prescriptions while doing his rounds.
Apple and third-party developers demonstrated a mind boggling array of additional applications after the presentation, in booths dotting the floor of a Symphony Hall decked out for the day with huge purple Newton banners.
Chancery, for instance, showed CSL Profiles in Hand, a tool that will let teachers call up student records and lesson plans, take attendance, and enter grades while walking around the classroom.
CSL Profiles will be integrated with desktop software for entering classroom-related data, a Chancery spokesperson told Newsbytes. Teachers will upload this information from the desktop to the Newton.
In another corner of the floor, an Apple representative showed how a clothing designer might use the Newton's electronic ink mode to sketch out and label his work. The electronic ink mode operates through a combination of gestures and menu choices.
Placing a line straight across the page will automatically move you to the next page, the rep told Newsbytes. To file your work, or copy or send it, you touch the pen to one of two buttons in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. To change fonts or type faces for electronic ink text, you use menus on the bottom of the screen.
Also in the electronic ink mode, you can train the Newton in handwriting recognition. After you enter a word in your own handwriting, the Newton will come back with a series of possible interpretations. You then tell the Newton which one is correct. At each step of the way, the Newton informs you as to its level of confidence in understanding what you've written -- 25 percent, for instance, or 74 percent.
Other applications shown yesterday included Pastel's ContactPad contact manager; MobileSoft's MobileCalc spreadsheet; Fingertip and Stats, Inc.'s Stats baseball statistical software for modem updates, and Avalon Engineering's PresenterPad, a suite of tools for creating and monitoring meetings and presentations.
Also shown were Ex Machina's PocketCall terminal program and Notify! wireless messaging software; Saltire Software's DrawPad; Medical Software from ComputerBooks; DublClick's GoFigure calculator, and a great many more.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930803)
a great many more.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930803)
8/3/93
Apple Newton Launched At Symphony Hall In Boston
APPLE
Apple Intros Quadra 950 For Publ
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 3 (NB) -- Apple Computer introduced the Apple Macintosh Quadra 950 Publishing Configuration, a special version of the Quadra 950 just for publishing and graphic arts. The announcement was made at the Siggraph Show in Anaheim, California.
Based on the Motorola 68040 microprocessor running at 33 megahertz (MHz), this special floor-standing Quadra 950 comes preconfigured from the factory with a Supermac Thunder II Light card for 24-bit color graphics on 21-inch displays. Designed to work with Adobe's popular Photoshop product, dual Digital Signal Processors (DSPs) can offers users up to five times the performance on many Photoshop functions.
In addition, the Quadra 950 Publishing Configuration comes with Micronet Technology's Raven 040 small computer systems interface (SCSI) one gigabyte hard disk array, designed specifically for the built-in dual channel SCSI drive architecture of the Quadra 950 to handle transfer rates that are approximately twice that of the single drive architecture Apple added. The SCSI hard disk array achieves higher transfer rates by simultaneously transferring data in parallel to each of the dual SCSI channels of the Quadra 950.
Features standard to the Quadra 950 include Ethernet networking, a built-in 24-bit color video system that allows the addition of a second monitor, and microprocessor-based caching and floating-point processing. An additional 5.25-inch half-height SCSI drive, a removable media device such as a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) drive, magneto-optical cartridge drive, can also be added to the Quadra for additional storage or backup capability.
While it sounds like Apple Computer may have thought of everything publishers and graphic artists might want, there are limitations. The most critical is that while the Quadra 950 can be configured with up to 256 megabytes of dynamic random access memory (DRAM), no DRAM comes installed in this special Publishing Configuration. Apple's reasoning is this offers publishers maximum flexibility in adding the amount of DRAM they prefer, as previous Quadra 950 models came with 8 MB of DRAM expandable to 64 MB. However, a recent fire in a factory of a major supplier to DRAM manufacturers has limited supply and DRAM prices are nearly double the prices of a month ago. This means users may find they're not saving the estimated $1,333 Apple points to in comparing the Publishing Configuration, priced at $8,995, to buying each of the components separately.
In addition, the Quadra 950 usually offers five open Nubus slots, but only four are available in the Quadra 950 Publishing Configuration.
Apple Macintosh computers have had a strong foothold in the publishing and graphics communities for some time. However Apple again mentioned a comparison between the Quadra 950 and a similarly configured IBM compatible personal computer (PC) made by ALR running Microsoft Windows. In benchmark tests conducted by Ingram Laboratory using productivity applications built for both Windows and Macintosh, the Quadra 950 ran the same application 20 percent faster than the 50 MHz 486-based ALR Business Visa machine. However, no tests were reported as to how the Quadra 950 compared to a PC equipped with the newly announced top-of-the-line Intel microprocessor, the Pentium.
Users can expect to see the Quadra 950 Publishing Configuration in September of this year, Apple said.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930803/Press Contact: Stacey Byrnes, Apple Computer, tel 408-974-6076, fax 408-967-5651; Apple Reseller Location 800-538-9696)
8-967-5651; Apple Reseller Location 800-538-9696)
8/3/93
Apple Intros Quadra 950 For Publishing/Graphics
APPLE
Broadband Commits To MPEG
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NORTH CAROLINA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 3 (NB) BroadBand Technologies Inc., which sells fiber-in-the-loop systems to local phone companies, said it will commit to the Moving Picture Experts Group-2 (MPEG-2) standard and abandon its proprietary compression system.
BroadBand will also work with Compression Labs and the US consumer products unit of Holland-based Philips NV to create set-top converters which will link TVs with phone networks for "video dialtone" services. MPEG-2 will then be used to transmit interactive video programs over Broadband's Fiber Loop Access, or FLX, platform to phone subscribers. CLI and Philips will make the set-top boxes, which will be sold by local phone companies. Compression Labs has long used a system related to MPEG for its videoconferencing gear, and is working with General Instruments to make cable set-top converters that work under a version of Microsoft Windows.
Broadband has been selling its FLX platform for some time, and originally it was offered in a form that could be upgraded simply to offer video. This year the company has been turning the video on its systems, as local phone companies have won the right from the Federal Communications Commission to offer video to consumers. In addition to movies-on-demand, the phone companies are looking to home shopping, electronic yellow pages, education and medical markets, and Bell Atlantic has been a big booster of the FLX platform for that. Switching makes phone-fed video far more interactive than existing cable services, but normally fewer channels are offered because of the low capacity of most phone wires. The three companies hope to have their equipment delivered by the end of 1994, a Broadband spokesman told Newsbytes.
Using MPEG-2 compression, Broadband added, it hopes to allow phone customers access to up to 640 channels of on-demand interactive switched digital video, based on the system's current 10:1 compression capability, and FLX' capability of handling 64 45 megabit/second input ports. Broadband is also committed to making sure the systems it produces are offered at a cost phone companies consider affordable, the company pledged. Because the Broadband FLX platform is now based on a standard, it could also be used by video game boxes, multimedia PCs, CDI players, and other devices.
Newsbytes discussed the new deal with Salim Bhatia, president of Broadband. "We have always looked forward to standardized compression algorithms," he said, and "We're happy MPEG-2 is coming along. The core of our system is designed with head-room for all kinds of standards, including HDTV. We will be phasing out the proprietary compression."
Many in the cable industry are now addressing on what software the converters attached to their new systems will be based. Bhatia said his company is working with a number of companies on that question. "Our approach is to have an open system. We know we're good at managing bandwidth and delivering it with lots of flexibility. We believe they'll be a lot of people with consumer electronics in the house that, if they can hook up with our system, will offer even more." He added that Bell Atlantic one of Broadband's largest customers, will take the MPEG system as the proprietary compression is phased-out of the product line.
CAMPBELL, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 3 (NB) -- Apple has announced still more price cuts, ranging from 18 to 33 percent in this its fourth round of price cuts this year. The products affected this time are the Powerbook Duo Notebooks, the Centris 650s, and the Quadra 800s.
Apple just introduced the Macintosh Quadra 800 in February of this year when it also introduced the first color Powerbook notebook computer. Depending on their configuration, the Quadra 800s have been reduced from 17 to 27 percent and to a range from $3,139 to $5,289.
In addition, this is the second round of price cuts this year on the Powerbook Duo 210 and 230 line which has gone from a price range of $2,249 to $2,969 at their introduction in October of 1992 to a range of $1,499 to $2,319. The portable Duos "dock" with a desktop station that is available for about $1,000 and a keyboard is extra.
The Centris 650 models have seen some of the largest reductions ranging from 27 to 33 percent. Starting prices are now $2,139 and go to $3,139.
Apple suffered an enormous and motivating financial blow reporting losses in excess of $188 million in its most recent quarterly financial statement. The company says the new pricing strategy has helped unit shipments and it intends to continue to cut prices to attract consumers.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930803/Press Contact: Jayme Curtis, Apple Computer, tel 408-974-6296, fax 408-967-5651; Public Contact 800-776-2333)
296, fax 408-967-5651; Public Contact 800-776-2333)
8/3/93
More Price Cuts On Powerbook Duo, Centris, Quadra
APPLE
Sharp Express Pad, Differences F
^ BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 3 (NB) -- As anticipated, Sharp Electronics of Japan, the manufacturer of the Apple Newton Messagepad personal digital assistant (PDA) has introduced the PI-7000 Expert Pad PDA at the Macworld show in Boston a day after Apple stole the limelight with the introduction of the Messagepad. Sharp is featuring the Expert Pad in its booth today, the official first day of Macworld, and Sharp officials told Newsbytes the differences between the new PDAs.
It doesn't come as any surprise that the PI-7000 Expert Pad is very similar to the Messagepad. Mark Deltufo, product planning and development manager for Sharp, said the Expert Pad has the same operating system and the same software as the Messagepad. Deltufo confirmed for Newsbytes that the delightful animations as seen in the Newton are included in the Expert Pad. These include discarded documents wadded up and thrown into an on screen trash can and the sound of pages turning. In addition all software that will run on the Apple PDA will run on the Expert Pad.
The main differences are in the housing of the units. Sharp has a thin, protective door that acts as a cover to the screen of the unit. Also the pen of the Express Pad is housed on the front of the unit beside the screen instead of on the right side of the unit as in the Messagepad. The modem is external in both the Messagepad and the Expert Pad, so users may purchase the modem for the Express Pad as a separate item.
Retail pricing of the Express Pad has been announced at $899 but the street price is expected to be lower. Exactly how much lower Sharp officials were reluctant to say. Sharp is planning to offer the Express Pad bundled with accessories that could effect its pricing, Deltufo added. Retail availability of the Sharp PDA is expected in a week through many of the channels through which Apple will distribute the Messagepad.
Sharp officials in the booth at Macworld Boston said they do not plan to offer the Express Pad for sale at the show. However, they did not know whether or not distributors of the unit would do so. Apple has already said Macworld attendees can expect to see Messagepads for sale at the show as well as at limited retail outlets in Boston and in New York.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930803/Press Contact: Lisa Daniele, Dorf & Stanton Communications for Sharp, tel 212-420-8100)
& Stanton Communications for Sharp, tel 212-420-8100)
8/3/93
Sharp Express Pad, Differences From Newton Explained
APPLE
Electronic Information Systems P
InterVoice Sells Voice Response
PacTel Cellular and US West Prev
Video Market Avid For Avid - Ven
IBM Extends ValuePoint Line Down
Skytel, Reuters To Offer Headlin
Austin Launches Pentium-Based Ma
Quantum Posts 1Q Earnings, As Ma
UK - First Byte PC Superstore
New Newsletter On Global Network
Russia - SovAm Opens Tashkent Of
India - Mastek Prepares Mamis Re
Lexmark Offers Japanese Printers
Iridium Signs Satellite Deal Wit
Standard Global Pricing On Corel
Coopers & Lybrand & Lotus Consul
Apple Clarifies PowerOpen Timeta
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- Further to Newsbytes previous story published August 2nd, concerning the timetable for Apple Computer's PowerOpen operating system the company has since contacted Newsbytes to clarify the date.
In the original story, PC Week was quoted as saying that Apple Computer is likely to delay the delivery of PowerOpen.
At the time, Rene Austin, spokesperson for Apple, told Newsbytes that, "It is ironic that this report came out this week, because we are just getting ready to mail a letter out to some of those that we briefed on PowerOpen when we first announced it after the Worldwide Developers Conference. And it is definitely still in the plans for Apple and on the same schedule that it originally was."
While Newsbytes originally said that some industry reports had that date as the end of 1993, Austin has since been in contact to clarify the timetable.
Said Austin to Newsbytes, "We are still on the timetable that we were looking at originally, but I cannot confirm whether that will be 1993 or 1994. Our plans for PowerOpen in general are still on schedule. As to what platforms we are going to focus on first I can't comment."
(Ian Stokell/19930802)
comment."
(Ian Stokell/19930802)
8/4/93
Apple Clarifies PowerOpen Timetable
APPLE
MacTV Schedule For Week Of Augus
MARLOW, NEW HAMPSHIRE, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- MacTV, is the daily one hour satellite computer product news program broadcast every day on Galaxy 6, Channel 22 starting at 8 a.m. Eastern time. Some shows are also broadcast on the Mind Extension University cable channel.
Previously broadcast programs are available at $9.95 plus $3 Shipping.
Note to readers: MacTV is going electronic and Newsbytes does not yet know if it will be able to carry further MacTV schedules, if not, call the MacTV BBS at 603-446-0100.
Monday, August 23, 1993: QuicKeys2 [squared], useful both for customizing keyboards and for command shortcuts; TimesTwo give your disk twice as much capacity; SAM 3.5, another virus detection/prevention package; Now Utilities 4.0.1, seven utilities for system enhancement in one package; DynoPage 2.0 this software will enable you to print more than you dreamed possible; Cachet 1.01, the highest-technology editing software on the market.
Tuesday, August 24, 1993: Centris 650, more of our report on this newest Mac; VideoShop, this is not just another QuickTime editor for movies; VideoVision, you can create multimedia with this software and 24-bit board; CD-ROM Software, just as the name implies - this is software that only CD-ROMs can use; Replicas if you have Infini-D, you'll want these 3-D clip-art files; SoundEdit Pro, for the best in sound - either recording or editing.
Wednesday, August 25, 1993: Buying Educational Software, what teachers should know before buying software for children; Grade 3.0, teachers can apply this to managing their students; Millie's Math House, children's math-based educational program; Treasure MathStorm!, a math game, with lots of adventure in the Alps; OXYD 3.4, use your imagination to solve on these puzzles; Miracle Piano, a thorough report on the section about the Recording Studio: Just Grandma and Me, a one-of-a-kind CD-based book for children.
Thursday, August 26, 1993: PowerPCs; Discussion, as the name implies, a discussion on the future of PowerPCs; Quicken 4.0 this package can now be used to manage your portfolio; OnAccount how to produce top-notch invoices almost instantly; FrameMaker/Reader, state-of-the-art electronic publishing; Common Ground, digital paper technology and what it can give you; Near Future of Faxing, where fax technology may go from here.
Friday, August 27, 1993: SuperPaint 3.5, details about this popular software; Expert Color Paint, an inexpensive, feature laden package; Kid Pix/Companion, any child can use this paint program, no matter how young; Color Monitors, two monitor models for the Mac; Tesserae, this game is great and in the MacWorld Hall of Fame; Illustrator 5.0: Filters, amuse yourself with these filters; Apple Color OneScanner, a look at the scanner's functions and how you can use them.
Monday, August 30, 1993: Hard Drive Problems/Solutions, what some routine problems may be and suggestions to solve them; Safe & Sound, analyze and repair your disk, with little or no maintenance; Hard Disk ToolKit, if you need top-quality SCSI control software; StuffIt SpaceSaver/Deluxe, a pair of compression packages for files and hard drives; NightWatch II, an easy way to keep your Mac safe and secure; TrashGuard, you can't do any better than this for managing your trash can.
Tuesday, August 31, 1993: ClarisWorks 2.0, the new-and-improved version of this immensely popular software; WordPerfect Works another contender for integrated package honors; Navigating the Desktop, useful suggestions for working with the Desktop; Photoshop 2.5, the best package for photo design and production work; Color Printers, extremely useful information on their features, such as dye-subs, thermal wax, and more.
(John McCormick/19930802/Press Contact: Wayne Mohr Executive Producer PCTV and MacTV, 603-863-9322)
xecutive Producer PCTV and MacTV, 603-863-9322)
8/4/93
MacTV Schedule For Week Of August 23-31, 1993
APPLE
A Different Flavor PC Compressio
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO U.S.A., 1993 AUG 4 (NB) Colorado Springs-based Brown Disk is marketing a program from What Software that allows the user to compress or decompress entire directories on your hard drive with a single keystroke.
File compression and decompression programs, some offered on a free (freeware) or low cost (shareware) basis, have been available for some time. However recent controversy over the compression/decompression features of Microsoft's recently introduced MS-DOS has focused renewed interest on this space saving technology.
Depending on the type of file (program or data) disk compression can make 30 to 40 percent more storage available on crowded hard drives that were considered more than adequate a few years ago. Users who considered a 20 megabyte (MB) hard drive to provide all the storage space they would ever need now routinely buy systems with hard drives holding several hundred megabytes of storage space.
Brown Disc says when "Whatnot" is installed, it scans the hard drive and builds a menu of all the directories. Within each directory the user is presented with information regarding the amount of space the directory occupies and how frequently he or she accesses that directory. The user can then decide which directories to compress. Once compressed, the entire directory can be left in place or moved to a floppy disk or other storage media.
Whatnot does not re-partition the hard drive, does not compress data on the fly, and does not require the re-formatting of the disk if Whatnot is de-installed. "It's a simple program that allows the user to manage hard drive capacity without the major risks of data loss," Brown Disc spokesperson Adrian Reed told Newsbytes.
Whatnot has a suggested retail price of $69.95. Reed said Brown Disc also plans to market several other programs from What Software and other developers. "A lot of software developers have good software they are trying to market. We're making an effort to help some of our customers market their products," says Reed.
(Jim Mallory/19930803/Press contact: Adrian Reed, Brown Disc 719-593-1015; Reader contact: Brown Disc, 719- 593-1015, fax 719-590-7466)
rown Disc, 719- 593-1015, fax 719-590-7466)
8/4/93
A Different Flavor PC Compression Utility
UK - Siemens Nixdorf Unveils Gre
BRACKNELL, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- Siemens Nixdorf Information Systems (SNIS) has announced the availability of the PCD-4L - its so-called "Green PC" - in the UK. The machine appears to conform to the "Energy Star" green PC standard outlined by the US Administration recently.
According to SNIS, the machine is based around the Intel 80486SL processor and works with exceptionally low power consumption. As supplied in the UK, the machine is shipped network ready, and costs UKP1,988.
SNIS is making some bold claims for the "green-ness" of its PCD-4L. The machine's casing is constructed from two types of plastic only with each type claiming to bear clear identification marks to recycling purposes.
"Organizations are increasingly looking to vendors such as Siemens Nixdorf to provide Green PCs - not just to meet their environmental concerns, but because they can benefit from the significant energy savings," explained Jennifer Perry, Industry Marketing Manager for SNIS' PC Business Unit.
According to SNIS, the PCD-4L achieves up to 96 percent energy savings when compared to conventional PCs. This is possible, the company claims, because the machine uses a two-stage set-up power management facility based around the Intel 486SL chipset.
This technology, Newsbytes notes, was originally designed for portable PCs, but has been adapted for use with the new desktop machine, meaning that it does not need a fan to cool the motherboard down. In practical terms, this translates into the machine only needing a smaller cabinet, so saving on raw materials and reducing background noise.
The PCD-4L can be run in a power conservation mode, which allows the machine to power down after a pre-defined period of inactivity. This technology is similar to that found in many portables, notably those from Toshiba. When not used, the PC's hard disk stops rotating while the monitor's power consumption is halved. For longer periods of inactivity, the monitor is switched off and power consumption for the whole machine is a mere five watts.
SNIS claims that, for a 2,000 user site using these new PCs, energy savings of as much as UKP50,000 could be achieved.
What about the system board itself? Newsbytes notes that the PCD-4L has a clock speed of 25 megahertz (MHz), an integrated math coprocessor and an 8 kilobyte cache to improved hard disk performance. The standard machine comes with 4MB of memory and a 120MB hard disk. Optional expansions push memory to 32MB and hard disk capacity to 210MB.
BRENTFORD, MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- Zenith Data Systems (ZDS) has unveiled its first sub-notebook PC, the Z-Lite 320L. The machine, which tips the scales at 3.9 pounds, is claimed to be the smallest and lightest PC ever produced by the company.
ZDS also claims that the machine is the world's first sub notebook to use the ultra low power 3.3 volt Intel 386SL microprocessor. This, the company claims, pushes battery life to between three and six hours.
So, who will buy the new machine? According to the company, it's ideal for Microsoft Windows applications that need a bright screen and powerful processor, but which are used in a portable environment.
"The Z-Lite represents ten years of portable computing experience. We've significantly reduced size and weight without sacrificing key features," explained John Lonergan, ZDS managing director.
As well as a full-size 8.5 inch backlit VGA display, the 320L has an interesting "Litepoint" integrated pointing device that attaches to the front slope of the keyboard. Other features include 2 megabytes (MB) of memory (expandable to 4 or 6MB internally), a 60MB hard drive and two PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card Industry Association) slots.
Pricing on the machine will be announced when it ships later in the year, according to ZDS.
(Steve Gold/19930803/Press & Public Contact: Zenith Data Systems - tel 081-568-5050, fax 081-479-2267)
ata Systems - tel 081-568-5050, fax 081-479-2267)
8/4/93
UK - Zenith Data Systems Intros Sub-Notebook PC
CompuServe Bundling Software Wit
COLUMBUS OHIO, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- CompuServe said it is bundling its graphic CompuServe Information Manager program with a number of modems and PCs.
Three PC makers - PC Brand Inc., Swan Technologies, and Advanced Logic Research Inc. - have begun pre-installing the software on the hard drives of computers they make. Swan is bundling the MS-DOS version of the software, PC Brand and ALR are offering both that and the Microsoft Windows version. It is the first time CompuServe has put its software on a computer hard drive, said Marketing Manager Doug Martin.
On the modem front, CompuServe said it has reached agreements with Best Data Products Inc., and Cardinal Technologies Inc., to bundle CIM with their products. Best is offering the Windows version of the software, Cardinal the MS-DOS or Windows version with its 14,400 bits-per-second (bps) modems offering the Windows software.
The software comes in three versions - for MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows and the Apple Macintosh. Guides to the service, a membership offer, and discounts on usage are bundled.
CompuServe has about 1.3 million users worldwide, and the three PC vendors involved in the bundling all have support forums on the service.
CompuServe has also put a special area on-line for Cardinal buyers with some free files available for downloading, including Norton AntiVirus Scan, a game program called Commander Keen, a pre-school education program called ABC Fun Keys Icon Manager and Ziff's Tips and Tricks for Windows 3.1.
Supra Corp., had previously announced a deal bundling versions of CIM with its modems.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930803/Press Contact: David Kishler CompuServe, 614-538-4571)
ontact: David Kishler CompuServe, 614-538-4571)
8/4/93
CompuServe Bundling Software With PCs, Modems
TELECOM
Borland, Computerland Sponsor Wh
Infocorp Says Microsoft To Spur
Star Trek Next Generation On A G
President Clinton Showcases High
Review of - Sesame Street Learni
Apple To Intro Servers, Speech R
Artisoft Offers 900 Number Enhan
Prague Phones Dragged Into 20th
Atari Loses To Nintendo, But It'
Apple Intros Display With Built-
Compaq Canada Cuts ProLinea Pric
Corel Intros CorelSCSI For Mac
Patent Issued For 10,000-Terabyt
New For Macs - Sneak Preview Doc
ZDS Intros Six Notebook PCs
MICA IV Version 2.01 Accounting
Ricoh Developed Recycling Copier
Calling Cards Come To Casinos
TAMPA, FLORIDA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- The Las Vegas casino market is fiercely competitive. Customers who stay at one hotel may do their gambling at many others. Hotels are always looking at new ways to retain their loyalty.
One method is with "casino cards," plastic cards which are used at gaming tables and in slot machines to give credit to players for gambling, win or lose. Points put on cards, like those at Sahara Resorts, can be used for free meals, room discounts, and other prizes. But now Sahara has found a new premium - long distance calls.
Sahara has worked out a deal with ComCentral, formerly Southnet, to offer long distance calling through its Gold Card and Preferred Card. For ComCentral, this means new users for its services. For Sahara, it could mean that people staying at its Sahara Hotel, Hacienda Hotel, and Santa Fe Hotel in Las Vegas or Pioneer Hotel in Laughlin will not leave the building to gamble. Even better, the cards, when used as calling cards out-of-state act as small ads for the Sahara resorts.
ComCentral entered the Nevada market with just such deals in mind when it won its license to do business there in May. It also has a contract with Nevada Communications, which also serves the gaming industry, to service its clients.
President Robert J. Zradicka of ComCentral credited Nevada Communications with helping it win the Sahara deal. He also said in a press statement that his company could win $6 million a year in new calling traffic through the Sahara card. Zradicka said final details will be worked out over the next 30 days to coincide with distribution of new cards to Sahara's existing membership base, which he estimated at several hundred thousand.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930803/Press Contact: Matthew A. Veal ComCentral, 813-287-2880)
Veal ComCentral, 813-287-2880)
8/4/93
Calling Cards Come To Casinos
TELECOM
SunConnect To Certify Third-Part
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 4 (NB) Compatibility between different vendor's networking software is an increasingly important issue, especially as corporate networks become more complex. In response to this problem, SunConnect has enhanced its SunNet Manager Partners' Program and implemented a certification program in order to ensure customers that SunNet Manager Partner third-party products comply with the company's "standards of performance and interoperability."
As a result, partners can request products be certified on an individual basis or as part of a package of related applications.
In announcing the enhanced program, Stan Baldwin, director of marketing for SunConnect, said: "Helping customers build a system where network management information is shared and distributed across platforms and applications is central to the philosophy of a cooperative management environment. A key element of cooperative management is compatibility. This new program assures our customers that the applications they choose have been tested by SunConnect and meet the certification criteria."
Continued Baldwin, "Our partners also directly benefit by leveraging the SunConnect Labs as a resource for product certification and they can use the results to augment their own sales and marketing programs."
The SunNet Manager Partners' Program has been structured into three tiers: Classic Developer, Executive Developer, and Strategic Developer.
With Classic Developer, the vendor's product can be accessed through the SunNet Manager console and must be currently shipping or shipping within 12 months of joining the program. The vendor must also have plans to port the product to the Solaris 2.x operating system.
With Executive Developer, the vendor's product requires the SunNet Manager platform in order to run. The product may be integrated with SunNet Manager APIs (application programming interfaces), or is developed so that it can read log reports. The vendor must have plans to port the product to Solaris 2.x.
The Strategic Developer requires that the product meets the criteria for Executive Developer and enables the SunNet Manager console to fulfill a specific market requirement. The product must be currently shipping and will be ported to Solaris 2.x.
The first SunNet Manager Partner Certification certificate is expected to be issued in August. The company says that, currently 3Com Corp., Frontier Software Development Inc., Hewlett-Packard Network Test Division and Remedy Corp., all have products submitted.
The company is initially waiving the $1,000 certification fee for members of the SunNet Manager Partners Program (as of July 1 1993), or have submitted a product for testing under the preliminary Verified Products Program, or are a new member (joined after July 1, 1993) and submit a product for testing within 60 days of joining. The new member fee waiver offer is good through November 30, 1993, says the company.
(Ian Stokell/19930803/Press Contact: Bill Jeppesen 415-336-4768, SunConnect)
act: Bill Jeppesen 415-336-4768, SunConnect)
8/4/93
SunConnect To Certify Third-Party Products
BUSINESS
RasterOps Intros MoviePak2, Pain
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- RasterOps has introduced two new PaintBoard display adapters - the PaintBoard Turbo XL and PaintBoard 8Li - as well as Centris 610-compatible version of the PaintBoard Turbo. The company has also Introduced the MoviePak2 video compression/decompression daughtercard.
RasterOps says that the PaintBoard Turbo XL is an accelerated 24-bit color display adapter for monitors up to 21 inches (1152 x 870 pixels). The Turbo XL is compatible with Apple Macintosh, Quadra and Centris computers, including the compact Centris 610 which requires a seven inch display adapter.
The PaintBoard Turbo XL, which will retail for $1,899, is claimed to be the fastest Centris 610-compatible, large-screen, 24-bit color display card on the market.
According to the company, the Turbo XL features photorealistic large-screen support, QuickDraw acceleration 20 to 65 times faster than a standard Macintosh with 24-bit color, and a nine-bit DAC (digital-to-analog converter). The Turbo XL is designed for graphic artists, designers, desktop publishers and other professionals working with color-critical applications.
In announcing the new boards, Jon Bass, RasterOps product marketing manager, said: "Our target market for the PaintBoard family of products demands professional quality, productivity-enhancing design tools at affordable prices. The PaintBoard Turbo display adapter with 20-inch support has been extremely successful in meeting these needs since it was introduced in early June. With the PaintBoard Turbo XL we're taking that success one step further by adding 21-inch support."
The PaintBoard Turbo XL features an extended desktop up to 4096 by 1024 pixels. Other productivity-enhancing features are said to include hardware pan and zoom.
Priced at $399, the RasterOps PaintBoard 8Li is claimed to be the least expensive large-screen, eight-bit color, accelerated display adapter on the market.
RasterOps says that the 8Li uses a proprietary acceleration ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) to provide performance up to six times faster than a standard Macintosh with eight-bit color. This is claimed to reduce idle time when users redraw, scroll, or otherwise manipulate their documents.
The 8Li supports a range of displays from 13-inches to 20-inches. The PaintBoard Turbo XL, the PaintBoard 8Li and the Centris 610 compatible PaintBoard Turbo will be available in mid-August and include a three-year warranty.
The new MoviePak2 video compression/decompression daughtercard is claimed to feature full-motion (60 fields per second), real-time (30 frames per second), video digitizing, and full-screen (640 by 480) playback from the hard disk.
In announcing the product, Scott Rawlings, RasterOps product marketing manager, said: "This technology advancement - moving from 30 fields to 60 fields per second - essentially doubles our market potential. With the original MoviePak we successfully created a market for digital video products that previously did not exist. With MoviePak2 we'll leverage that success into high-end video production, on-line editing, promotional and training videos and other areas that require professional-quality digitized output."
The MoviePak2 is claimed to snap onto RasterOps video display adapters to enable users to record, edit and playback Apple QuickTime movies on the desktop. The product is set to ship in a seven-inch form factor to work with all Apple Macintosh Quadra and Centris family computers.
MoviePak2 uses the same LSI Logic JPEG technology as the original MoviePak, but the company says it integrates faster components that can process four times the video data (60 fields per second versus MoviePak's 30 fields per second).
In addition to full 640 by 480 resolution, MoviePak2 provides variable resolutions including 640 by 240, 320 by 480, and 320 by 240. MoviePak2 also supports resizeable windows up to 640 by 480 in any of the modes.
Both MoviePak2 and MoviePak feature user-selectable, variable compression ratios from 2:1 up to 100:1. MoviePak2 will be available for $1,999 in October. MoviePak costs $999. Both products come with a three-year warranty.
(Ian Stokell/19930803/Press Contact: Diane Scott 408-562-4200, RasterOps Corp.)
ntact: Diane Scott 408-562-4200, RasterOps Corp.)
8/4/93
RasterOps Intros MoviePak2, PaintBoards For Mac
APPLE
Wollongong's PathWay Messaging T
PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- For an electronic mail system to be a serious contender in the enterprise-wide networking market, it has to support as many standards and "would-be" standards as it can. Along those lines, the Wollongong Group has announced plans to support emerging, "standard" messaging APIs (application programming interfaces) in future releases of its PathWay Messaging product.
These APIs include Microsoft's Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI), Common Messaging Calls (CMC), OSI Object Manipulation API (XOM), X.500 Directory Services (XDS), and X.400 Messaging API (XMHS).
The company hopes that, by providing these common interfaces mail enabled applications will gain access to Wollongong's X.400/SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer protocol) and X.500 Directory Services backbones.
The company says that the first interface to be supported will be Microsoft's MAPI.
PathWay Messaging is the company's new mail system. PathWay Messenger client electronic-mail software is available for Windows Macintosh, Interactive Unix, SCO, and Sun SPARC.
The company says that there is a growing recognition in the market for standard messaging APIs that will bridge multiple computer platforms and mail transports and reduce the current confusion over multiple APIs.
The company hopes that the standards will allow users of compatible third party mail-enabled applications to send files and documents directly from within their programs, using open standard mail transport protocols provided by PathWay Messenger, as well as giving mail-enabled applications direct access to X.500 Directory Services.
According to Douglas Ambort, product manager for directory services, messaging and OSI at Wollongong, "Current messaging APIs do not provide enough functionality. Also, vendors are waging the same old battles over who will control the architecture. This causes confusion in the market and inhibits industry growth. Acceptance of common messaging APIs will give end users platform and vendor independence."
(Ian Stokell/19930803/Press Contact: Earle Speranza 415-962-7156, The Wollongong Group)
ontact: Earle Speranza 415-962-7156, The Wollongong Group)
8/4/93
Wollongong's PathWay Messaging To Support Messaging APIs
GENERAL
Cisco To Support DLSw Interopera
MENLO PARK, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- Few corporate users feel perfectly safe about committing to a single vendor for all their networking needs. As a result, the move towards implementing accepted industry standards into networking equipment is increasing. Standards, theoretically, allow users to buy equipment from multiple vendors and have them all work together on the network without too much configuration. Along those lines, Cisco Systems has announced it will support the new DLSw interoperability "standard" currently being defined by the Data Link Switching Working Group.
The DLSw interoperability standard is a method for integrating SNA (Systems Network Architecture) and NetBIOS over the TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) protocol. Cisco says that the new DLSw standard provides interoperability and functionality not currently offered by Informational RFC 1434 or existing DLSw implementations.
Cisco says that it expects that its IBM internetworking software will support the new DLSw standard in mid-1994, although specific shipment dates will depend on the availability of the working group's DLSw specification.
The multivendor Data Link Switching Working Group was initiated by Cisco and is now operating as part of the APPN (Advanced Peer-to-Peer Networking) Implementors' Workshop.
Speaking of connectivity, Michael Zadikian, Cisco SNA product manager, said: "We believe the question is one of interoperability not functionality, because Cisco and other vendors already ship routers with functionality beyond that currently defined in the Data Link Switching Informational RFC 1434 and existing DLSw implementations."
Continued Zadikian, "A multiplicity of incompatible implementations - including Cisco's, IBM's, Proteon's, Wellfleet's and Crosscom's - exist in the market today. Now is the right time to introduce multivendor interoperability."
Some analysts argue though, that "standards" are relative and plentiful in the computing industry. Alliances and groups are often set up to define "standards" based on the technologies of those vendors involved in the group. As a result, vendors excluded from the groups promptly go out and form another one with other vendors. The more market-leading and high volume vendors involved in an alliance, the more weight it carries in the industry.
KENNESAW, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- The big trend in communications is to require you to buy different software for each service. In some cases the idea is to give users a graphical interface like that of the Macintosh or Microsoft Windows. In other cases the user interface is dealing with a plain-text system.
A small Atlanta-area company, best known until now for a modem sharing product called Sparkle, is now trying to address that problem with a program called Cyberdesk. Cyberdesk works with most major text-based on-line systems, including the cc:Mail package used on LANs (local area networks), CompuServe, and MCI Mail.
The company claims that it offers a simple way to manage all these accounts under Microsoft Windows. The program can dial-into the services, scan and download mail, upload messages, and let the user save money by responding off-line in things like CompuServe Forums which charge by the minute.
In some ways, Cyberdesk is a lot like the off-line mailing programs which have been around for bulletin boards for some time. However, the company says its package makes many different systems easy to use, regardless of the terminal emulation or preferred download protocol a user may maintain on each.
Newsbytes discussed the package with the company's director of sales and marketing, Nan Atwell. "The only thing that works now on many systems are generic communication products" like Procomm Plus" and specialized products for specific systems like CompuServe's Information Manager. "There's nothing that does this. Now you have to use multiple programs to retrieve and respond off line."
Atwell noted, however, that while the user interface for Cyberdesk is graphical, the on-line interaction is not. So it will not work on graphics-based systems like America OnLine or Prodigy. She said the company is looking at the RIPScript standard for bulletin boards and may support it in the future.
Atwell also addressed the question of MS-DOS - Cyberdesk is available only under Windows. "We wrote this in a way so we could offer a DOS version. But because that market is shrinking I don't see us offering that platform. We do have the hooks in place to allow it. And we can move to other platforms, like OS/2, Unix and the Macintosh."
Atwell said the company is looking to work with small resellers and Corporate Software is handling the product, but the company has not yet contacted superstores about stocking Cyberdesk. The 60-day introductory price is $179, after which the retail price will be $395.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930803/Press Contact: CyberCorp, Nan Atwell, tel 404-424-6240, fax 404-424-8995)
rCorp, Nan Atwell, tel 404-424-6240, fax 404-424-8995)
8/4/93
Cyberdesk Information Manager For On-Online Services
TELECOM
MacWorld Opens In Boston
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- MacWorld Boston, the biggest end-user show to hit "The Hub" each year, will be held through Friday at two sites, with six keynote speeches, dozens of conference sessions, and over 400 new product rollouts.
This year, MacWorld has expanded from the World Trade Center located in Boston's Waterfront, and the Bay Side Expo Center on the south side of town to Symphony Hall in downtown Boston. Symphony Hall, the same historic building where the Newton received its official sendoff, will be the home of MacWorld's Apple Newton Showcase for the remainder of the week.
Since MacWorld will be organized into 15 separate conferences this year, each with its own slate of session offerings, there is sure to be something for every Mac user.
In a "New Horizons" conference, analysts from MacWeek will present their insights on emerging technologies from Apple. In a "You-Asked For-It" conference, speakers will respond to requests from attendees for information on specific market developments.
A "Special Interest Group" conference will address the concerns of senior citizens and legal, health care, and real estate professionals. A series of application workshops will offer training in the use of major Macintosh applications, as well as such technologies as fonts and networking.
Other conferences will be geared to design, entertainment "how-to-get-started," science/technology, enterprise computing connectivity, home office/small business, education, multimedia advanced users, and programmers and developers.
The six keynote speeches will cover the topics "Digital Convergence," "Macintosh for the 90s," "Career Retooling," "Opening Up New Worlds for Multimedia and the Mac," "Totally Awesome Multimedia and CD-ROM Artists and Authors," and "The Macintosh from Tools to Titles."
Product introductions will encompass the same universal range as the conference offerings and keynotes. To give you just an inkling of the scope, the launches will include a new Macintosh front-end for Genie, Gryphon Software's Morph 2.0, a new GPS (global positioning system) application for the Newton from Geosystems and a new fax service for the Mac from Sprint and PSI.
Conference hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 10:30 am to 6:00 pm and Friday, 10:30 am to 2:30 pm. Show hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm and Friday, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930803/Press & Public Contact: Mitch Hall Associates, 617-361-8000)
Associates, 617-361-8000)
8/4/93
MacWorld Opens In Boston
APPLE
India - Expert System On Cabbage
BANGALORE, INDIA, 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- Bangalore-based Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) has launched, what it claims, is the "world's first comprehensive databank on integrated management of pests of cabbage."
Compiled on floppy disks, the 'Cabbage pest expert system 1.0' program describes the international pest scenario, the biology of insects that damage cabbage, the application of alternative hosts predators, and biocontrol measures. A special feature on utilization of Indian mustard as the trap crop has been incorporated in the system which proves a treasure-house of information for farmers as well as the scientists working on pests across the globe, says IIHR director R.M. Pandey.
The project was part-financed by a grant from the US Department of Agriculture under the US-India fund. The program, which runs on a personal computer, will soon be released for researchers and farmers, Pandey informed.
IIHR is the only institute among the dozen offshoots of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) which is attempting to computerize cultivation methodologies.
The institute's earliest efforts were in the form of some menu driven utilities written in BASIC with answer to problems for day-to-day problems for beginner mushroom and grape cultivators. The package was later improved upon.
Mushroom Expert 1.0, the current version of the package, is written in GW-BASIC and comes in a 48 TPI double density floppy. Content includes information on the merits and demerits of different type of mushrooms, production of spawn, various stages in production processing of mushroom and more than 80 recipes on mushroom delicacies. The software is aimed at growers, teaching staff of agricultural universities, and state departments of agriculture and horticulture.
Indian Grape Expert 1.0, is the other expert system, and covers the entire range of grape cultivation under Indian conditions. The information is provided under five menus: raising a vineyard, cultural practices, plant protection, harvest and utilization, and special aspects. Besides standard information, the system covers information on fertilizer application, and interpretation of analytical values to modify fertilizer doses. The only other expert system which deals with grape cultivation at this length was developed at Pennsylvania University in the US.
To popularize the package, IIHR is allowing users to copy the packages free of cost. "We have not put a price tag as we want to popularize them," said Ramachander, the one-man development team of IIHR.
So far the institute has distributed 200 copies to cultivators as well as universities. Upgraded versions of these packages are expected to be ready in a few months. "We have been receiving ample feedback on the limitations of the package and it is helping us to build in more features," said Ramachander.
Encouraged by the response to its software packages, the institute is planning to develop a suite of expert systems on the cultivation of a variety of crops for the use of agriculture and horticulture departments of various states. The packages will cover a whole range of crops such as coconuts, potatoes, mangos, tomatoes, and bananas. The packages will incorporate data on methods of cultivation and the techniques. They will be customized to each region depending on soil conditions, weather conditions and availability of cultivation resources. "Initially, we will be taking up all cultivable regions in South India," informs Ramachander.
(C T Mahabharat/19930802)
nforms Ramachander.
(C T Mahabharat/19930802)
8/4/93
India - Expert System On Cabbage Pest Developed
TRENDS
Wang Sets Private Stock Placemen
LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- Wang Laboratories Inc., said it has arranged a $60 million private placement of preferred stock and warrants in another step toward emerging from Chapter 11 protection under US bankruptcy law.
Wang said unnamed institutional investors bought $60 million in 12 percent exchangeable preferred stock, 2.4 million shares of the new common stock that Wang will issue as part of the plan of reorganization it filed with the US Bankruptcy court July 7 and warrants to purchase 1.2 million shares of the new common stock at an exercise price of $7.50 per share. Proceeds from the transaction will be used primarily for post-confirmation funding needs, the company said.
In a prepared statement, Michael F. Mee, chairman and chief financial officer, called the placement the financing cornerstone of the company's reorganization plan.
The company also said that on July 28, the US Bankruptcy Court authorized Wang to enter into an interim secured lending credit facility for as much as $50 million. The firm added that it has made significant progress in talks aimed at obtaining permanent financing for general corporate needs.
The Bankruptcy Court has scheduled a disclosure hearing for August 5, when Wang will seek court approval of the disclosure statement. This would clear the way for approval of the plan by unsecured creditors and stockholders, confirmation by the court and emergence from Chapter 11 protection as early as the fall company officials said.
Under its reorganization plan, Wang means to issue 30 million share of new common stock to unsecured creditors and others. Holders of the company's old common stock are to get warrants allowing them to buy the new stock within seven years and nine months.
The company expects to emerge from Chapter 11 with about 6,000 employees and to earn about $53 million on revenues of about $955 million in the 12 months from October 1.
As Newsbytes reported recently, Wang recorded an operating loss of $57.1 million in the year ended June 30, compared to an operating loss of $45.4 million last year. After restructuring and reorganization charges, Wang had an annual net loss of $197.2 million, compared with $356.6 million last year.
The company lost a total of $43.8 million in the fourth quarter including restructuring charges of $16.4 million and other reorganization costs of $20.7 million. This compares to a net loss of $333.7 million in the fourth quarter of last year including a $306.7 million restructuring charge. The fourth-quarter operating loss was $10.4 million, an improvement over last year's $34.2 million fourth quarter deficit.
Revenues were $1,247 million in the year and $241 million in the fourth quarter. This compares with $1,896.2 million in fiscal 1992 and $473.6 million in the year-ago quarter.
Lewis Brentano, an industry analyst who follows Wang for the research company Infocorp, said the company has a good chance of meeting its revenue targets in the coming year.
(Grant Buckler/19930803/Press Contact: Frank Ryan 508-967-7038; Ed Pignone, 508-967-4912, Wang Laboratories Inc.)
8-967-4912, Wang Laboratories Inc.)
8/4/93
Wang Sets Private Stock Placement
BUSINESS
Corel Intros CorelSCSI For Mac
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- Corel Corp. has unveiled an Apple Macintosh version of CorelSCSI, its Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI) driver software. The company already offers CorelSCSI and CorelSCSI Pro for personal computers built on the Intel processor line.
Due to ship in August, CorelSCSI will let users seamlessly integrate and optimize the performance of any SCSI optical or compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM) drive attached to their Macintosh systems, the company said.
While Macintoshes have been supplied with SCSI connectors for longer than Intel-based PCs, some optical storage devices that use SCSI don't come with software support for the Mac, Corel spokeswoman Janie Sullivan said.
CorelSCSI for Macintosh will support all SCSI optical drives including write-once read-many (WORM), rewritable, multifunction and CD-ROM drives, the vendor said. The software will also include comprehensive diagnostic tools and management utilities to optimize performance of SCSI peripherals.
Corel said its software will support all CD-ROM standards including ISO 9660, High Sierra, XA (extended architecture) multi-session CD, and Kodak Photo CD. CorelSCSI will come with CorelMosaic, a visual file manager, and Corel CDAudio, which allows a CD-ROM player to play audio compact disks.
Other features include automatic mounting of Mac-formatted optical disk cartridges and automatic ejection on dismount if the drive supports it, support for file sharing and the AppleShare file server, individual device configuration, and device and system status displays.
Corel first released its SCSI software in 1987. For a time the company also sold SCSI hardware, but it dropped the hardware product late in 1991.
In selling the PC version of CorelSCSI, Corel has set up several alliances with manufacturers of SCSI peripherals and host adapters who ship CorelSCSI to ship with their products. In the last six months, Corel has signed alliance agreements with NCR Always Technologies, Buslogic, DPT, Future Domain, DTC, Adaptec Rancho, and Acculogic. Sullivan said the company is not ready to disclose any similar deals for the Macintosh product.
CorelSCSI for Macintosh will carry a suggested list price of US$99 or C$119, and is to be available through Corel distributors worldwide.
RICHMOND, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- It will not turn you into Steven Spielberg, but a package of hardware and software from Adda Technologies Inc., will make your PC into a video effects, titling, and mixing station.
Adda's AVer Video Producer consists of three AT-bus expansion cards - a VGA video card, a frame buffer card, and a fader card plus an external fader box and software, said company spokesman Jan Piros. Together, all these pieces will let a desktop computer take video input from four sources and do digital video effects such as strobe, flyby, and posterizing, as well as titling, special video effects, and video transitions in eight directions.
Various image composition tricks such as gradient screens, boxes and lines are also possible, the vendor said. Video Producer is compatible with Video for Windows and can do frame capture as well.
The package, which sells for less than US$2,000, will work with any PC that meets the Multimedia PC (MPC) specifications, Piros said.
Adda sells a line of video products under the AVer name. The company has offices in Richmond (a suburb of Vancouver), in Fremont, California, and Taipei, Taiwan.
(Grant Buckler/19930804/Press Contact: Jan Piros, Adda Technologies, 604-278-3224, fax 604-278-2909)
logies, 604-278-3224, fax 604-278-2909)
8/4/93
Adda Intros PC Desktop Video Software
Compaq Canada Cuts ProLinea Pric
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- Compaq Canada Inc., has cut prices by as much as 18 percent on its ProLinea line of personal computers, and has added another superstore chain to the roster of resellers selling the ProLineas and its Contura notebook machines.
Price cuts on the ProLinea line are a Canadian initiative, a company spokeswoman said. They affect ProLinea 4/25s, 4/25 CDS 4/33DX, 4/50, and 4/66 models. At the low end of the range, the ProLinea 4/25s Model 120 with Microsoft Windows has been marked down from C$1,629 to C$1,399. At the upper end, the ProLinea 4/66 Model 340, also with Windows, had its price cut from C$3,269 to C$2,879. The ProLinea line was introduced in June, 1992.
Compaq also announced a distribution deal with Future Shop, a Vancouver-based chain of computer and electronics superstores. Future Shop will sell the ProLinea and Contura lines through its 37 stores in western and central Canada.
Compaq started selling through consumer electronics and office products retailers in June, 1992, at the same time as the Contura and ProLinea lines were launched. Currently Compaq Canada has distribution deals with the MultiTech chain of electronics superstores, consumer-oriented computer retailer Compucentre and office products chains Business Depot, Office Depot, and Club Biz.
The company expects about 20 percent of its Canadian sales to come through these channels in the second half of this year, the spokeswoman said.
Future Shop, established in 1982, projects 1993 revenues of about C$500 million.
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- ATI Technologies Inc., has begun shipping its CD Sound Dimension multimedia upgrade kit at a price $100 below that originally announced.
Company spokesman Andrew Clarke said the Sound Dimension kit launched at the PC Expo show in Boston in June, turns an ordinary personal computer with a 286 or later chip into one complying with the Multimedia PC (MPC) specification.
It include an ATI Stereo F/X-CD sound card, an internal compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM) drive that can also play Kodak Photo CD and Audio CD disks, and two CD-ROM disks containing more than 2,500 software applications for DOS and Microsoft Windows according to ATI.
Available now, the package has a new suggested retail price of C$499 or US$399, marked down from the original announced price of C$599 or US$499. It is aimed at people just getting into multimedia computing, Clarke said.
The package does not require Microsoft Windows, although computer users without Windows will not be able to run some of the applications supplied on CD-ROM, he added.
(Grant Buckler/19930804/Press Contact: Andrew Clarke, ATI Technologies, 416-882-2600 ext 8491)
w Clarke, ATI Technologies, 416-882-2600 ext 8491)
8/4/93
ATI Ships CD Sound Dimension For PCs, Cuts Price
International Telecom Update
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- Nations worked to protect their sovereignty as US companies continued making inroads into their phone systems.
China is raising the biggest noise. It needs foreign technology to meet ambitious goals for network growth. But it also wants control of the technology so it can undercut those same firms on price and take their markets. The most important technology involves satellites. China is already undercutting Western prices on launchers, and wants to build its own satellite parts and win business there, too.
However, because of the 1989 Tienanmien massacre, the US has denied access to the technology. This has Chinese officials angered promising to break the ban by buying from Europe, while at the same time saying they'll sell to whoever has money, even to nations like North Korea which might want to build nuclear missiles aimed at the US. American policymakers, however, know they currently have China where they want it, since China-based customers can now buy and are buying, Western-made satellites.
The Greek government is also concerned with its national interest as it moves to privatize its phone network, OTE. The government has promised to legislate the sale of 35 percent of OTE this month, to either NTT, France Telecom, GTE, Telefonica de Espana or Italy's STET. The winner will take over the management of the company, but the bidders may not get control of the board. The conservative government, which has a one-vote majority in the legislature, has promised the state will retain a six-member majority on the company's board. Organized labor, which opposes the plan, has promised a four-day strike to protest the privatization plan.
In the Philippines, where President Ramos has been trying to break the PLDT monopoly, IDB Worldcom signed an operating agreement with Globe Telecom, a local teleport. The agreement brings to 52 the number of such deals for IDB, and allows it to handle voice and fax traffic through the teleport. Cable & Wireless has been seeking its own Philippine teleport, and tried to make the right to one a condition of expanding its operations with Digitel in Luzon. When the teleport didn't come through, C&W backed out, angering Digitel.
Elsewhere in Asia, MCI and Korea Telecom began virtual network service between their networks. MCI's is opening what it calls a Vnet VNC, or Virtual Network Connection, between its US-based network and Korea Telecom's KT-IVPN service. The result is that Korean companies can create their own private networks linking local and US offices, and US companies can connect their MCI virtual networks to Korean offices. MCI now has 19 such connections.
In Israel, McCaw Cellular announced it will bid for that country's second cellular phone license, in cooperation with Telrad, an Israeli telecom firm with 1992 revenues of $240 million. Two investment groups, headed by Bank Hapoalim of Israel and the Belzberg Group of the US, are also in on the bid. If successful, the McCaw-Telrad company would compete with a system run by Bezek - a state-owned company the government wants to privatize - and Motorola of the US.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930804/Press Contact: Kim Dewling, IDB Communications Group, 212-478-6185; Paul Charles, MCI 914-933-7167; Telrad, Deborah Piper, 516/921-8300)
, Deborah Piper, 516/921-8300)
8/4/93
International Telecom Update
TELECOM
FCC Takes Another Baby Step Towa
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- A unanimous Federal Communications Commission ruling which lets long distance companies work more closely with Bell competitors may be less important than it appears. Spokesmen on both sides called it inadequate.
The ruling was made at the behest of MFS Communications Co. of Oak Brook, Illinois, which operates fiber "rings" surrounding many major US cities. The rule lets MFS, and companies like it link to local phone companies' central offices and move calls from those switches to the systems of long distance companies. Until now, MFS had to provide its own links between customers and their long distance providers, reducing its potential market. This "long distance inter-connect" market is estimated to be worth about $4 billion. MFS can also create private phone nets on a local level for companies located near its systems.
In a press statement, MFS President Royce Holland said he was only partly satisfied. Most of the money, roughly 80 percent which his company would get from handling the local link on a long distance call would still have to go to the local phone company, usually a regional Bell, to compensate it for overhead and the lost revenue. While Holland called it comparable to "forcing customers of the Delta Shuttle to compensate AMTRAK for lost market share," the regional Bells see it quite differently. They say they're subsidizing rural and poor customers to the tune of $20 billion, while companies like MFS are "cherry-picking" their best customers and not picking up the tab for such universal service. Without compensation, the Bells assert, local call rates in rural areas will skyrocket.
The next step for MFS is to go to individual states where it does business, asking for the right to compete directly for companies' local phone business. In those proceedings, the regional Bells will claim MFS gets to choose its customers, but they must serve everyone, and note that the MFS only passes the most lucrative customers. However, companies like MFS could easily enter into ventures with local cable television companies to transport calls from residences to their networks, bypassing local Bell companies entirely. Teleport Communications, the second largest firm in MFS' business, is in fact owned by TCI, the largest cable operator, and Cox Enterprises, another large cable operator, and it has agreements with a number of other operators to do just that when the time comes.
The bottom line for regional Bell companies like Ameritech is that the FCC should scrap the 1982 Bell break-up decree and let all companies compete in all markets. "Consumers would be much better served by revolutionary rather than further incremental change," noted Ameritech Vice Chairman Richard Brown in a press statement. To the extent that the FCC decision requires subsidies for universal service, then, regional Bells like Ameritech and US West consider it a victory. In any case, the specifics of the plan will not be implemented until next spring at the earliest.
In the end, all the public statements by all sides are playing to Reed Hundt, the newly appointed but unconfirmed chairman of the FCC, and to President Clinton, who must still fill a second nominally Republican, seat on the panel and set forth a coherent telecommunications policy.
FCC Takes Another Baby Step Toward Local Competition
Callers Left Holding Empty Bag I
Acer Licenses ChipUp CPU Upgrade
Apple To Launch Quadra And Centr
New Credit-Card-Size Motherboard
Fujitsu Europe Unveils Two Compa
Time Magazine To Appear On Ameri
Animated Cursor Software With Ap
Editorial - Microsoft Victim Of
Is It EO vs Newton, Or Will PDAs
Insiders Speculate On FTC/Justic
Gateway 2000 Intros New Portable
SIGGRAPH 93 - VR Rides, Art, Job
Colorado Braces For 11-Digit Dia
Rockwell Intros New Nethopper Di
Newton Version Of Dyno Notepad N
Canvas 3.5 For Macintosh
Windows Positively Affects Softw
Best Signs Modem Bundling Deal W
CHATSWORTH, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- Best Data Products, which earlier in the week signed a deal to bundle CompuServe software with its modems, announced a new bundle called The Game Modem, in cooperation with Sierra OnLine and its Sierra Network.
Sierra operates a game network which looks and feels like an electronic amusement park. The Game Modem will combine a 2,400 bits-per-second (bps) internal Best Data Products modem, a Sierra membership kit with three hours of free network use, and a $30 credit towards Sierra membership and usage costs, all for $50.
The total price is competitive with other products on computer store "game shelves," Sierra executives noted. Sierra's basic membership costs $12.95 per month and offers 30 hours of evening or weekend access to the network's basic features. Some game areas, called SierraLand, MedievalLand and LarryLand, cost another $4 per month each, and mail service costs another $2 per month.
In addition to showing an innovative response to new competition in the on-line market, the Best-Sierra deal also shows how modem makers are trying to beat their continuing price war.
Modem prices, even for the fastest units, have plunged 30 percent or more per year, squeezing margins dry, and if on-line services can be bundled with the modems, perhaps those margins can be maintained. Or so modem makers hope.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930804/Press Contact: Liz Wax, for Best tel 708-291-1616, fax 708-291-1758)
for Best tel 708-291-1616, fax 708-291-1758)
8/4/93
Best Signs Modem Bundling Deal With Sierra
TELECOM
Russia - 62 Cellular Licenses To
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- The Russian communications ministry has announced a tender to issue licenses to own and operate cellular communications systems in 62 regions of the country. Results will be available not later than November 1.
Seventeen licenses, covering administrative regions of Russia will be issued for European GSM standard licenses. A further 45 will be issued for the old NMT-450N - using the older 450 megahertz (MHz) technology.
Only one license per region will be issued, according to Ministry. The selection covers most of the Russian republic territory.
The tender committee will accept applications accompanied with the US$5,000 non-refundable fee until the August 25, 1993.
The committee is located at 7 Trverskaya Street, Communications Ministry building, and can be reached by the telephone at 7 095 292-7010.
(Kirill Tchashchin/19930804)
5 292-7010.
(Kirill Tchashchin/19930804)
8/4/93
Russia - 62 Cellular Licenses To Be Issued
TELECOM
Japan - Matsushita To Release Vi
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- Matsushita Electric is been preparing to release a video game machine as well as game software.
The game software will be jointly developed with 3DO in the US. It is the first time the major Japanese home electronics firm has developed game software.
Matsushita Electric is preparing to release the game system called "The Real," under the Panasonic brand name sometime around October in the US.
It is a CD-ROM-based game device that is reported to support advanced sound and pictures, as well as multimedia. It is connected to a regular television set.
The software is being developed by a number of software makers in the US, in addition to 3DO. The firm intends to develop both game and educational software for the device.
The game system is reported to be similar to Fujitsu's latest game device called the "Marty," which also connects to a television set. It is also a CD-ROM-based device and supports both game and educational software.
Matsushita's game device is expected to be released slightly later in Japan and may directly compete with Fujitsu's Marty. However it may be hard to compete with Nintendo or Sega Enterprise. The best hope for Matsushita's device appears to be the educational market.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- At MacWorld Genie (GE Information Services) announced a new GUI (graphical user interface) for its on-line services, to be offered in versions for the Mac and Windows.
In an interview with Newsbytes, John F. Barber, Genie's general manager, said that Genie 1.0 will enter beta testing in October and is slated for availability by the end of this year.
Users will be able to download the GUI from Genie. In addition the interface will be bundled on floppy disks with some manufacturers' products, and possibly with other OEM (original equipment manufacturer) products as well, the general manager told Newsbytes. "Genie will probably charge a nominal fee for downloading," he said.
The Mac and Windows versions of Genie 1.0 will offer identical functionality, but will vary in design according to operating environment, said Pam Angelis, senior product manager.
Genie 1.0 follows a series of other enhancements Genie has recently made to its services, added Barber. The improvements include Internet access, a revamped rate structure, and load balancing on the Genie network, a measure aimed at smoothing delivery of Genie services.
In a demo of the Macintosh version for Newsbytes, Angelis showed how the GUI greets the user with a screen that allows for quick and easy logon.
After logon, the user can quickly navigate through mail, bulletin board and related services via a series of icon-driven options including Filing Cabinet and To Do, for items and submenus on eight different menus: File, Edit, Online, Libraries, Boards, Mail Window, and Help.
The Filing Cabinet is a storage database on Genie 1.0, and To Do is an interface between the Filing Cabinet and the Genie network Angelis explained. By choosing the To Do option, the user can set messages and other items aside for later action, during the current or a future session.
From within the To Do Manager submenu, the user can tell Genie 1.0 to post reminder notices of pending To Do items, designating whether these messages will be posted at Genie login or logoff. The user can also choose to "do all" items, "do all checked," and edit or delete items.
From within submenus such as Read Mail, Bulletin Board Reader, and Software Browser, the user can quickly act on items by double clicking on additional icons. All three submenus, for example provide right- and left-arrow icons for "(go to) next" and "(go to) previous."
Read Mail and Software Browser each provide a downward icon for "download." Read Mail also has icons for "reply," "reply all," "status, "and "forward." Bulletin Board Reader supplies icons for "get" and "reply to topic."
Barber told Newsbytes that, in an upcoming edition of the GUI Genie will add the ability for To Do items to carried out automatically. The user will able to set times for actions to be performed, without the need to be on-line at the designated times he added.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930804/Press contact: Vivian Kelly 301-340-4494, Genie)
ress contact: Vivian Kelly 301-340-4494, Genie)
8/4/93
MacWorld - Genie Intros GUI For Mac & Windows
APPLE
MacWorld - Radius Intros PhotoBo
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- At MacWorld Radius has announced PhotoBooster, a graphics accelerator billed as the fastest ever to be rolled out for the Mac.
In an interview with Newsbytes, Richard Buchanan, director of product marketing, said that PhotoBooster is a Processor Direct Slot (PDS) daughtercard for Radius' new 24-bit PrecisionColor Pro, a NuBus graphics card that supports display of full-motion, full-frame video.
PhotoBooster arrives at its high speed by using twin AT&T DSP3210s the same digital signal processing (DSP) chips used in Apple's new Quadra 840AV and Centris 660AV computers, according to Buchanan. In contrast, competing accelerators are still based on the older AT&T DSP16A processor, he told Newsbytes.
Unlike other mothercard and daughtercard combinations, the PrecisionColor Pro and PhotoBooster together take up only a single NuBus slot, he added. The PrecisionColor Pro is built on a very small, 6.5-inch form factor that allows "in-line" installation of a daughtercard such as PhotoBooster in the PDS slot.
PhotoBooster's DSP3210 engine boosts performance through bus mastering, reported Buchanan. The new DSP runs on the main processor bus of the Quadra 840AV and Centris 660AV as a peer to the Motorola 68040 central processing unit (CPU), achieving access to all the memory, NuBus, and I/O resources available to the 68040.
In addition, the DSP3210 is a 32-bit floating point processor capable of carrying out rendering and other high-end applications that require floating point accuracy and precision, he maintained.
In comparison, he claimed, the DSP16A is a 16-bit, fixed point processor originally designed for standalone embedded systems such as modems.
PhotoBooster supports Adobe Photoshop as well as the new Apple Real-Time Architecture (ARTA). According to Buchanan, support for ARTA further contributes to fast performance, by assigning processing of audio, speech, modem signals, and other real-time tasks to the DSP and thereby freeing up the CPU.
ARTA also provides a standard application programming interface (API) that will let developers write digital video, color publishing, and other applications capable of running on any ARTA compliant hardware, he added.
Radius developed PhotoBooster with more than just the Quadra 840AV and Centris 660AV in mind, Buchanan said. "PhotoBooster is designed to be aware of the Power PC environment," he told Newsbytes.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930803/Press contacts: Stacy Williams Radius Inc., tel 408-954-6454; Andrew Ramm, A&R Partners tel 415-363-0982)
4-6454; Andrew Ramm, A&R Partners tel 415-363-0982)
8/4/93
MacWorld - Radius Intros PhotoBooster Accelerator
APPLE
Electronic Information Systems P
InterVoice Sells Voice Response
PacTel Cellular and US West Prev
Video Market Avid For Avid - Ven
IBM Extends ValuePoint Line Down
Skytel, Reuters To Offer Headlin
Austin Launches Pentium-Based Ma
Quantum Posts 1Q Earnings, As Ma
UK - First Byte PC Superstore
New Newsletter On Global Network
Russia - SovAm Opens Tashkent Of
India - Mastek Prepares Mamis Re
Lexmark Offers Japanese Printers
Iridium Signs Satellite Deal Wit
Standard Global Pricing On Corel
Coopers & Lybrand & Lotus Consul
Sigma Ships WinSound 16 CD-ROM M
US Computer Maker Sues Taiwanese
FREMONT, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- A Fremont California-based computer maker has sued Acer Inc., claiming the Taiwan-based PC manufacturer pirated the idea for its latest product.
"The suit was filed because Acer pirated my idea for its product ChipUp," said Hensen Mou, Chinese-American president of Zeny Computer Systems. ChipUp is a product that enables the functions of a personal computer to be upgraded by adding a single chip to the central processing unit (CPU).
Acer Vice President Robert Chen disagreed with Mou. "We came up with the original idea a long time ago. Maybe we are not the only one to have it, but we did not steal any idea," said Chen. He also said that Acer has obtained patent rights for Chipup from Taiwanese authorities and is currently applying for patent rights in the US.
Numerous recent Newsbytes stories have reported alleged patent infringement problems between US and Taiwanese companies involving software.
In June Newsbytes reported that the Taiwan High Court had ordered a Taiwan company - Datastate Corporation - to pay $1.1 million to Microsoft for counterfeiting Microsoft DOS software. Last month Microsoft was awarded $12.5 million in a software piracy case involving another Taiwan-based company - BEC Computer. However few hardware counterfeiting or piracy cases have come to light.
In May, 1992, Newsbytes reported that based on pressure from the US, the Taiwan government had passed a bill making major changes in that country's copyright laws, but it appears those changes have not put a stop to the problem.
Just one year after that law was implemented, the US government placed Taiwan on a priority watch list of countries suspected of violating American copyrights, saying Taiwan faces trade sanctions if it doesn't take action to stamp out copyright piracy. US companies estimate they lose hundreds of millions of dollars annually because of copyright violations by Taiwan-based firms.
Acer introduced its first upgradable PC using the ChipUp in September 1991. Last month Newsbytes reported that Acer had licensed ChipUp for use by Intel and had authorized Intel to sub-license the patented CPU upgrade technology to other PC makers.
The ChipUp technology allows the motherboard to automatically sense when a new Intel processor has been installed. Lee Cannon Acer VP of Marketing, told Newsbytes ChipUp will accept any Intel processor being shipped today, and will also be compatible with Pentium when it becomes available. Cannon emphasized that ChipUp allows PC manufacturers to use one standard motherboard instead of multiple boards for various configurations.
(Jim Mallory/19930804/Press contact: Zeny Computer Systems 510-659-0386; Lee Cannon, Acer, 408-432-6200)
9-0386; Lee Cannon, Acer, 408-432-6200)
8/4/93
US Computer Maker Sues Taiwanese Firm
MacWorld - Apple Newton In Extre
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A. 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- The Apple Newton launch, held at the opening of the Boston MacWorld show was marred by a complete failure of Apple to have any final production Newtons on sale to show goers, despite promises made by Apple recently.
According to Gareth Powell, computer editor of the Sydney Morning Herald, the machines on show at yesterday's launch were the same beta test units shown to the press around the world over the last few weeks.
"I was particularly annoyed at being unable to buy a Newton for myself from Apple, having been told that I could get one at $699. The best that Apple could do for me was to take orders for units for delivery after the show, and then at $799," Powell told Newsbytes.
The shortage of production Newtons caused a lot of annoyance amongst show goers, Powell said, adding that he actually witnessed a "punch-up" over the affair.
Powell claimed that the software in the beta test Newtons shown at yesterday's press launch was particularly flaky. "I couldn't see any difference between the unit that I've had on test for the past few weeks and those they had on show," he said, adding that battery consumption on his beta unit was only 40 minutes per set of batteries.
"They eat batteries like there's no tomorrow. Apple says they'll fix this in the production versions, but we were all amazed that we couldn't see any production versions," he told Newsbytes.
Powell, who jetted back to the UK after yesterday's launch, said that launch of the Newton was a disappointing affair, given the fact that Apple had been hyping the event for months.
"While Apple didn't have any Newtons, nor could they quote me a firm delivery date for volume shipments, Sharp had their own personal digital assistant on show at Boston. The machine is a dead ringer for the Newton, apart from a screen that folds over to protect the glass screen and a slightly different pen," he said.
Powell added that Sharp was able to offer a "Newtonalike" at the show to anyone interested. A Sharp spokesman told Powell that while the company could physically ship their own Newtons outside of the US, to Australia for example, it would not do so, owing to an arrangement with Apple.
(Steve Gold/19930804)
n arrangement with Apple.
(Steve Gold/19930804)
8/4/93
MacWorld - Apple Newton In Extremely Short Supply
APPLE
UK - Softvision Intros Three Lot
HAVANT, HANTS, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- Softvision, the video training company, has announced the availability of three additions to its Lotus range: 1-2-3 for Windows 4.0, Integrating Lotus Smartsuite and Lotus Improv. All the new videos sell for UKP99.95.
According to the company, the first of the videos, on 1-2-3 for Windows 4.0, is shipping in parallel with the software from Lotus itself. The video details 1-2-3/Win 4.0's special ability to track changes to a spreadsheet that is being shared among users. This feature, Softvision claims, allows the video to make full use of its "look-listen-repeat-learn" system.
The video on integrating Lotus Smartsuite, meanwhile, claims to mark the latest new development in Softvision's ongoing work with Lotus. The video was co-produced with Lotus and claims to offer a unique complement to existing Softvision Lotus videos, since it is the only product of its kind to explain interoperability features between separate Lotus applications.
Rob Ingram, European brand manager with Lotus UK, said that, during the company's long association with Softvision, customers have been very enthusiastic about the learning videos.
"In fact, they don't just use them as a learning aid, but also as a convenient and effective means of evaluating software before they buy. The Integrating Lotus Smartsuite video gives users a handy guide full of tips on how to get the most from the new Smartsuite 2," he said.
Softvision was founded last year by software industry veteran Nigel Lovatt-Turner. The company produces a range of learning videos on a variety of software packages. This trio of titles brings the total library available from the company to 23.
(Steve Gold/19930804/Press & Public Contact: Softvision UK Tel: 0705-610041)
ss & Public Contact: Softvision UK Tel: 0705-610041)
8/4/93
UK - Softvision Intros Three Lotus Learning Videos
Is Clinton Budget Plan Good For
F WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- What with all the smoke and mirrors, Windex and air cleaner sales are hitting new highs here in Washington, but when you clear all the intentional misrepresentations away is it just possible that the Clinton Budget plan will actually boost high-tech sales? Yes, according to some observers who point to the 75-percent increase in the new plant and equipment tax credit which is often used by small businesses to help pay for computer purchases.
In previous years a small business could purchase up to $10,000 worth of office or other equipment and deduct the entire amount from their gross income, essentially giving them about 1/3 off the purchase price by reducing the total tax burden.
In the earliest form of the so-called deficit reduction bill this plant and equipment deduction was pegged at $25,000, later pared to $20,000 in the Senate-passed version of the budget bill.
Last week's reconciliation negotiations between the US House and Senate saw the tax credit cut still further to $17,500 and this is the amount which will be deductible for small businesses if the bill is passed by both houses of Congress this week.
One CPA specializing in small business tax accounting told Newsbytes that many businesses, especially home offices and other operations with only a few employees, look to this tax credit each year to determine just how much money they can afford to invest in the equipment they need to help them expand their business or improve efficiency.
By nearly doubling this investment incentive, the Clinton budget bill, if passed, would probably spur an increased investment in computer equipment.
Another part of the bill would provide a targeted capital gains incentive for long term equity investments held longer than 5 years. This means that high-tech companies could see a new influx of investment funds as high-income individuals seek to shelter their investments from the new, much higher regular income tax costs which are especially big for those who have incomes over $250,000 per year.
Combined with very low interest rates, this big incentive to switch investments into long-term capital gains areas, could produce a real surge in investments which would remain available for research and development for a minimum of five years.
(John McCormick/19930805/)
f five years.
(John McCormick/19930805/)
8/5/93
Is Clinton Budget Plan Good For High-Tech?
Electronic Information Systems P
InterVoice Sells Voice Response
PacTel Cellular and US West Prev
Video Market Avid For Avid - Ven
IBM Extends ValuePoint Line Down
Skytel, Reuters To Offer Headlin
Austin Launches Pentium-Based Ma
Quantum Posts 1Q Earnings, As Ma
UK - First Byte PC Superstore
New Newsletter On Global Network
Russia - SovAm Opens Tashkent Of
India - Mastek Prepares Mamis Re
Lexmark Offers Japanese Printers
Iridium Signs Satellite Deal Wit
Standard Global Pricing On Corel
Coopers & Lybrand & Lotus Consul
BellSouth-Cox Get Ads by Phone P
Sigma Ships WinSound 16 CD-ROM M
Former Who Guitarist Townshend W
BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- Will rock and roll or virtual reality save our mortal souls? Rock and roller Pete Townshend warned the audience at the Berkeley Community Theatre against trusting technology to deliver the truth this week.
In a performance of his latest extended musical narrative "Psycho Derelict," the former Who guitarist spun a tale of a widely distributed virtual reality system called "Gridlife" where society escapes daily concerns by slipping on VR suits. In a subplot that echoes the main narrative's concerns with truth and deceit, Townshend caustically sang about being "safe from harm on the grid." At one point in the story, users demand a "universal grid" -- echoing current calls for a data superhighway.
Spinner, Gridlife's hacker protagonist, plants a bug in "Gridlife" to entice users out of their suits in order to attend a rock concert.
Townshend worked similar technology themes in 1971 with the "Lifehouse" project -- an aborted follow-up to the "Tommy" rock opera. The songs from that effort latter became the basis for "Who's Next," the first album to incorporate computer synthesizers with mainstream rock and roll.
"Gridlife" updates the "Lifehouse" ideas by incorporating new technologies such as virtual reality and networks. Ultimately "Psycho Derelict" focuses on the story of an aging rock star without fully examining the technology themes in the "Gridlife" subplot. Atlantic Records hints in its press materials that Townshend may resurrect "Lifehouse" in its entirety. If so maybe the Who rocker will expand on his thoughts and give techno-ethicists grist for their mills.
(Chris Sandlund/19930805)
ists grist for their mills.
(Chris Sandlund/19930805)
8/5/93
Former Who Guitarist Townshend Warns Of Virtual Reality
GENERAL
Microsoft Acquires Part Of Gates
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- Microsoft Corporation announced yesterday that it will acquire some of the technology and product development efforts of Continuum Productions Corporation, a company owned by Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates.
Gates is the chairman of the Bellevue, Washington-based firm which now plans to focus on its core activity - development of a broad digital archive and mediabase of photographic images, video footage, sound clips, and other media types. Gates is known to be a digital art aficionado. The company says the archive and mediabase will cover the gamut of human interest topics, from architecture to art, to nature and science, to pop culture and personalities, plus more.
However, the announcement says the portion of Continuum to be purchased by Microsoft, once the deal is approved by the software company's board of directors, will only include some previously unannounced research and product development projects. "The agreement will not include Continuum's previously announced core activities of creating a media and content-rich digital database and its licensing agreements with the arts and other content communities," according to Gates. Continuum President Steve Arnold said he will be actively recruiting a senior executive to lead the company. At the end of the recruiting and transition period, Arnold will assume a yet-to-be-announced senior position at Microsoft.
Microsoft declined to make public the terms of the deal, but said "Microsoft is acquiring certain research and product development projects related to unreleased advanced technology and consumer products. Microsoft will not be purchasing Continuum's licensed rights to content nor its database." Microsoft says the projects it is purchasing are in areas where it was logical to combine some aspects of the work being done by both companies integrating those efforts at Microsoft.
Continuum currently employs about 115 people. While the specific details of who will move, where, and when haven't been worked out yet, the approximately 55 Continuum employees affected will reportedly be offered jobs at Microsoft.
(Jim Mallory/19930805/Press contact: Richard Brudvik- Lindner Waggener Edstrom for Microsoft, 206-637-9097)
r Waggener Edstrom for Microsoft, 206-637-9097)
8/5/93
Microsoft Acquires Part Of Gates' Own Company
BUSINESS
Dell Begins Shipping 486 Systems
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- Dell Computer Cooperation said this week it has started shipping 486-based personal computer systems to the 117 Best Buy retail outlets in the central US. Best Buy is headquartered in Minneapolis.
Under an agreement reported several weeks ago by Newsbytes, Best Buy will carry three of Dell's 486-based models. Those include the 433s/L, 433/L, and 466/M. The systems will be configured with a hard drive, monitor, and factory-installed software program. The 466/M will also be available in a multimedia package which will include a factory-installed sound board, a CD-ROM drive speakers, and a library of CD-ROM-based software.
In addition to installing the various applications, Dell provides an icon for each application, so the computer can be removed from the box, plugged in, and immediately used. "Once you get the computer home, all you have to do is plug everything in, flip the switch, and you'll be ready to run a whole suite of software applications," according to Denis Jolly, Dell group vice president of indirect sales.
Dell systems sold through Best Buy come with unlimited toll-free telephone support for the life of the product, and one-year of next-business-day onsite service provided through a Dell contract with BancTec Service Corporation. Dell guarantees that when you call their tech support line you will be speaking with a "live" technician within five minutes, or they will send you a check or a credit for $25. Similarly, if Dell can't fulfill its next-day onsite service warranty, it will extend your warranty coverage for one additional month.
Dell Begins Shipping 486 Systems To Best Buy Outlets
Avid Technology's New Business U
TEWKSBURY, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- Avid Technology a mainstay in random-access video editing, has announced three new business units to deal with desktop, broadcast, and professional video. New products for each division have also been announced and are shipping.
This comes as Avid posted record revenues for the second quarter of '93. Avid is reporting $26.3 million for this year over the '92 second quarter earnings of $11.0 million.
Avid's goal is to see the basic news and programming production chain in television broadcasting completely digitalized. This market has been dominated by videotape-based technologies manufactured by Sony, Panasonic and JVC, among others. The exception in this digitization path is the field camera which still captures the image on tape. But once in-house images can be digitized with equipment like Avid's new Media Recorder, cut on its new non-linear Newscutter, and the master transferred to and played back from its new AirPlay system. If Avid has its way, the jargon will shift from ENG (electronic news gathering) to DNG (digital news gathering).
According to Stevan Vigneaux, senior product manager at Avid there are about a dozen broadcast facilities worldwide including the British Broadcasting Corporation, which use either part or all of the new product line. The products have been shipping since June 30. All these units have record capabilities.
Vigneaux also noted that the US market has been somewhat slow to explore digitization in the everyday world of television news and programming.
Newsbytes contacted a television station where the Newscutter was demonstrated. The general consensus of the crew was that compression technology is still not up to standards offered by videotape. The picture quality was not as good as tape, they told Newsbytes, but the bigger consideration was time. Daily broadcast news organizations have minimum turn-around time. Stories are brought in, edited, and are on the air within hours. The need to digitize the field tape edit it, and then dump back to tape for actual broadcast was felt to be simply too time consuming.
These complaints are not new and represent a stumbling block for Avid and others involved in digital video.
However, Vigneaux disagreed, saying Avid's research estimates that 50% to 70% of all source material arrives at broadcast station not on tape but by satellite or microwave. This means it can be dumped to disc immediately. Also, field tapes often sit unedited while reporters write scripts or take care of other business. The tapes could be digitized during that time, with automatic clip lists generated by the time code breaks on the video tape, he suggests. Select reels can also be put together without regard to order of shots.
Vigneaux commented that for about the same capital outlay as videotape one could use digitization and go three times faster. Vigneaux's basic argument is that very minimal procedural changes in current daily news methods could accommodate a technology which could maximize production flexibility and speed.
The other business units and products from Avid are aimed at two different groups. Traditional high-end video professionals are familiar with the Media Composer and Audio Vision, which allow random access editing of picture and sound. The CBS network will be using the Media Composer to produce two upcoming specials a look at the year 1968 hosted by Mike Wallace and the 60 Minutes 25th anniversary special.
A new group for Avid deals with desktop video. For freelance and corporate producers, Avid is offering Media Suite Pro and the VideoShop editing package using QuickTime. Avid is announcing ver 2.0 of Media Suite Pro at Macworld. VideoShop was obtained when Avid acquired DiVA corporation in February of1993.
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- Microsoft Corporation will enter into a number of partnerships in the coming 12 months involving interactive television.
That's what Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates told reporters yesterday. Interactive television allows the viewer to respond in some fashion to what they see on their TV screen. Gates wants that fashion to be a version of Microsoft's Windows software.
Gates told reporters most of the partnerships will be small pilot projects to test equipment and software, but some will be hard core joint ventures. As reported previously by Newsbytes, Gates has already had discussions with Time Warner and TV system operator Telecommunications Inc., about forming an interactive TV system, as well as with every regional telephone operating company and "every significant cable company, say all the top 10," according to Gates, but no deal has been finalized.
Gates said he is amazed at what he described as "the feeding frenzy or the gold rush" around digital convergence of TV and computers. Gates confirmed that Microsoft has several hundred employees working on the development of interactive technology under the direction of Nathan Myhrvold, senior VP of advanced technology. Microsoft reportedly already has an agreement with Intel Corporation and General Instrument corporation to collaborate on a new machine that could be used for two-way interactive television transmissions.
Gates, who describes himself as an optimist, admits the large amounts of money being spent on interactive TV projects could be wasted, but he doesn't think that will happen. "There's no doubt we could bomb," he told reporters. "I could take this $50 million a year (Microsoft's interactive technology budget) and it could all be wasted. That's the name of the game."
Microsoft is also reportedly looking into possible launch of or participation in an on-line computer dialup service as a means of distributing information and even software. Gates did not identify any possible partners in such a venture. Gates' former partner Paul Allen holds a significant ownership share in America Online (AOL) one of the online subscriber services. Allen recently notified the Securities and Exchange Commission he might acquire AOL, a step that could make that service a candidate as the distribution vehicle.
Gates told reporters Microsoft has nothing to fear from a potential Justice Department investigation into the company's business practices. Newsbytes reported earlier this week that the Justice Department might enter or take over the three-year long probe presently being conducted by the Federal Trade Commission. Gates said Microsoft has not been formally notified Justice has or will enter the investigation. "If Justice wants to look at everything we've done, that's fine. There's nothing that causes us the slightest concern," said Gates. The FTC has deadlocked at least twice in votes to take action against Microsoft.
(Jim Mallory/19930805/Press and reader contact: Microsoft Corporation, 206-882-8080)
r contact: Microsoft Corporation, 206-882-8080)
8/5/93
Microsoft Interactive TV Involvement Heats Up
GENERAL
Mainframe's Future Dim, Forreste
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- There are sad days ahead for mainframe computers, a recent study concludes. Once the mainstay of corporate computing, they are slowly fading into irrelevance. Some have already been put out to pasture, and more will follow as the world moves to client/server computing and smaller, cheaper hardware.
In a report entitled The Mainframe's Fate, Forrester Research Inc., concludes that despite what some diehard mainframe manufacturers say, the big machines have little place in client/server computing. Forrester asked 50 companies from the Fortune 1000 list of the biggest US firms whether they are using mainframe computers as servers or would consider doing so. Only 20 percent said they are using a mainframe as a server now and 34 percent were adamant they would never consider it.
That points to a continuing decline in mainframe sales, said Neal Hill, senior analyst for computing strategy at Forrester. "I think what's happening is the dollars are flowing out of the centralized position that the mainframe has held," he told Newsbytes.
Forrester is not predicting the mainframe's extinction any time soon. It will continue to see some use as a central data warehouse. Of those surveyed, 45 percent said they would use a host system as a central data repository. Only 20 percent said the mainframe has no future at all, and at the other extreme, 20 percent said it will remain their primary application platform. Fifty-two percent said its future is in supporting large databases.
However, Hill said, five of the 50 companies surveyed, or 10 percent, had already unplugged their mainframe computers. Another 18 percent said they are aiming to reduce their dependence on mainframes.
Forrester predicts the emergence of a new class of corporate servers, which will fill the role some mainframe vendors have tried to claim for their machines. These will be larger and more powerful than today's departmental servers such as Compaq Computer Corp.'s SystemPro, Hill said. They will use the most powerful microprocessors, such as Intel's recently launched Pentium or various reduced instruction set computing (RISC) chips Digital Equipment Corp.'s Alpha or the PowerOpen design from IBM, Apple, and Motorola's joint venture.
In many cases, Hill added, these corporate servers will use multiple processors.
According to Forrester, IBM, the quintessential mainframe company, could have a future in this corporate server market but it will need to work with other partners to succeed.
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 4 (NB) -- NEC has unveiled the Ultralite Versa 33, the latest member of its modular notebook range of PCs. The Versa 33 is based around a 33 megahertz (MHz) 80486SL processor and is available in a variety of configurations from UKP 2,575 upwards.
This price tag gets you a monochrome screen unit with two PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card Industry Association) card slots and a 180 megabyte (MB) hard disk. The active matrix color TFT (thin film transistor) screen version with the same specifications costs UKP 3,525.
According to NEC, the modular nature of the machine means that the mono screen can be upgraded to color if required and, if extra battery power is needed, the floppy drive unit can be slotted out and replaced with a second battery.
Steve Finnimore, NEC PC Division's product marketing manager, claims that the Versa 33 excels in terms of fast performance with low power consumption. This new machine, he said, pushes the already high performance of the first Ultralite machine.
"The first Ultralite Versa was greeted with much critical acclaim. The level of modularity attained is still unmatched in the market. Innovations such as local bus video and Doubletime set it apart as a feature-rich and user-friendly notebook PC, providing professional and domestic users with greater control over their computing requirements," he said.
"The Ultralite Versa 33 builds on this by adding greater system performance, a 180MB hard disk as standard, and the introduction of any easy-to-use trackball mouse," he added.
NEC was the pioneer of TFT active matrix screen technology and, as a result, the Versa 33's color screen can display up to 256 colors on screen at the same time in 640 x 480 pixel resolution, from a total palette of 226,000 colors.
Unlike passive matrix, which NEC claims is the norm on many color notebooks, the active matrix screen provides a wider viewing angle faster screen refresh rates and higher contrast than before. The 9.4 inch super twist nematic monochrome LCD screen, meanwhile, can display up to 64 shades of grey.
(Steve Gold/19930804/Press & Public Contact: NEC PC Division - Tel: 081-993-8111)
NEC PC Division - Tel: 081-993-8111)
8/4/93
UK - NEC Intros Ultralite Versa 33
NSTL Rates Access, FoxPro DMBS P
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- Microsoft Corporation says recent testing by the National Software Testing Laboratories (NSTL) rated its two database programs the top multiuser database management systems (DBMS) for Windows. The test results appeared in the July 1993 Software Digest Rating Report published by NSTL.
Access received the highest overall score with a 7.7, while FoxPro 2.5 for Windows got a 7.6. The ratings range from 0 to 10 with 10 being the highest possible score. In its comments, NSTL said about Access "a comprehensive usability evaluation of both end user and developer functionality finds Microsoft Access the easiest to learn and use." Of FoxPro the lab said "it brings powerful screen builder and Rushmore indexing technology to the Windows environment. The product maintains a reputation for outstanding performance earned by earlier versions for MS-DOS."
Microsoft Senior VP of Database and Development Tools Roger Heinen called the testing "detailed and rigorous." He said the report will help hundreds of thousands of customers to decide to select Access and FoxPro.
Microsoft Access is available as a stand-alone product and is also packaged as part of the Microsoft Office software suite. FoxPro is sold as a stand-alone package.
NSTL said Access scored "excellent" in 13 of the 17 categories it uses, with the remaining scores being "good." It said, "By and large the best product overall, combining reasonably good speed...with unsurpassed usability."
The testing lab said FoxPro got a 9.7 out of 10 in performance, and an 8.4 in the power category.
(Jim Mallory/19930804/Press contact: Catherine Miller, Microsoft Corporation, 206-882-8080 or 800-426-9400)
oft Corporation, 206-882-8080 or 800-426-9400)
8/5/93
NSTL Rates Access, FoxPro DMBS Programs Best
Compuserve Offers British Travel
BRISTOL, AVON, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- Compuserve has announced a deal with Intacom and the British Tourist Authority, under which the companies will offer "Travel Britain Online" on Compuserve.
The aim of the service is to offer subscribers based in the UK, as well as those intending to travel to the UK, the ability to access information on upcoming cultural and sports events, as well as details of that important British landmark, the pub.
A total of 21 types of events are listed on the Compuserve service including anniversaries, art exhibitions, concerts and recitals, as well as literature festivals and events at historic houses.
Travel Britain Online also includes a listing of recommended London pubs catalogued by location (City, West End or Riverside) and the latest travel news, including news from the British Tourist Authority.
According to a spokesman for Compuserve, the addition of the Travel Britain Online service is part of an ongoing plan to enhance the range of English services on Compuserve, for UK subscribers.
In the past the online service has acknowledged to Newsbytes that the ratio of US to European information is weighted heavily in favor of the US. This is something the company claims it wants to change for its European subscribers.
(Steve Gold/19930804/Press & Public Contact: Compuserve UK - Tel: 0734-391064; Fax: 0734-566458; Email on the Internet: 70006.101@compuserve.com)
ail on the Internet: 70006.101@compuserve.com)
8/5/93
Compuserve Offers British Travel Information
TELECOM
Correction - Apple Newton In Ext
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A. 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- Newsbytes wishes to issue a correction on the story by this title which appeared on the Newsbytes wire yesterday. The report said that Apple Computer failed to have any final production units of the Newton on sale at the Boston MacWorld show, and was based on comments of an Australian newspaper reporter. Apple Computer and showgoers have responded to say that report is false.
Gareth Powell, computer editor of the Sydney Morning Herald, had told Newsbytes that the machines for sale were "beta test units shown to the press around the world over the last few weeks" and not final production units.
There were in fact thousands of final production units available at the show, according to Apple Computer spokesman Christopher Escher. One Newsbytes reader testifies that he, too, actually purchased a final production unit after a 10-minute wait in line. Some, however, told Newsbytes they had to wait three hours in line, but finally were able to purchase one.
Powell further states that he couldn't buy a Newton direct from Apple and was annoyed about that. "Apple doesn't sell direct," responds Escher. "We were not taking orders," and adds that all Newtons were sold through resellers at the show.
Powell concluded by saying that Apple could not quote a firm delivery date for the production unit Newtons. Escher responds that Apple is already shipping them in volume and anyone could have read that on the press release.
Newsbytes apologizes for publicizing Powell's comments which are expected to appear in the Sydney Morning Herald this weekend.
(Steve Gold & Wendy Woods/19930804)
this weekend.
(Steve Gold & Wendy Woods/19930804)
8/5/93
Correction - Apple Newton In Extremely Short Supply
APPLE
CORRECTION
MacWorld - Claris' CrossPlatform
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- In a press conference at MacWorld this week, Claris unveiled a new cross platform graphics strategy that will start out with ClarisDraw and ClarisImpact, two packages that feature "intelligent assistants" and libraries of predefined objects.
The Mac and Windows editions of both applications will be based on the new Claris Graphics Engine (CGE), allowing files to be shared across applications and platforms without the image degradation that can come from format conversion, officials told a standing room-only crowd of journalists.
Daniel I. Eilers, president and CEO, said that ClarisImpact 1.0 and ClarisDraw 1.0 are directed at business and generalist users who need easy-to-use yet powerful graphics.
ClarisImpact combines all the tools needed for creating reports and presentations in a single package, preventing the need for a hodgepodge of different drawing spreadsheet, charting, word processing, and presentation products, he stated. ClarisDraw, a "smart" update to MacDraw, is the first drawing application from Claris to be offered for Windows as well as the Mac.
Each application comes with more than 3,000 predefined objects organized into libraries based on subject matter. Intelligent assistants are used to automatically size, positioned and otherwise manipulate the objects.
Mel Badgett, product line manager for graphics, showed journalists how the software works. To build an organizational chart in ClarisImpact, Badgett selected the OrgChart Model, or library. A dialog box came up that asked how many subordinates he wanted, how the chart should flow, and what styles (colors, fonts, etc.) he desired.
The application then automatically brought up objects (in this case boxes) for the chart, creating, connecting them with lines and arranging them in correct relationship on the page.
Badgett also showed how the user can easily modify or edit the boxes if a change such as a company reorganization occurs. The "smart helpers" will then automatically resize, reconnect, and realign the objects.
In another illustration, Babbage portrayed how ClarisImpact can be used to construct a golf course, and to automatically insert an object from the golf library into text, complete with word wrap.
ClarisDraw provides smart tools for freeform art. Badgett demonstrated how a Point Guide in the 24-bit color package automatically finds the centers of objects.
Other intelligent assistants in ClarisDraw include a Shapes tool that automatically creates 16 common geometric shapes, a SmartShadow tool that produces drop-shadows in a single click, and more.
ClarisDraw also comes with a full suite of standard tools palettes image editing effects, and text editing tools, as well as special effects that include fades, drops, automatic advance, and background colors.
The intelligent agents in ClarisDraw can be employed with user created custom objects. In addition, ClarisImpact and ClarisDraw each provide "smart support" for the predefined objects, and for imported and scanned-in graphics and Quicktime movies.
In developing ClarisImpact, ClarisDraw, and other products, Claris pays great attention to detail, and also incorporates features that are easy to learn and remember because they follow logical patterns, said Tony Fernandes, manager of human interface design.
To underscore the importance of patterns in learning, Fernandes reeled off a long list of random numbers, and then asked whether any of the journalists present could recall the sequence. "Even if you remember it now, you'll probably forget it later on," he noted. In contrast, the sequence 1-0-1-0-1-0-1-0-1-0 is relatively easy to recall, he explained.
Claris also conducts in-depth usability studies at customer sites to find out what users really want in software, according to Fernandes. One company finding is that "Drag-and-drop is not always useful," he said. One respondent told Claris, for instance that having to drag-and-drop ten separate objects for a chart representing ten people would be unnecessarily time consuming.
Claris has also discovered the importance of using objects that are "natural" in appearance, he said. A bookshelf object, for example is easier for users to recognize as a library icon if some of the books are tilted slightly to the right or left.
ClarisImpact 1.0 for the Mac is expected to ship in October of this year, and ClarisDraw 1.0 for the Mac in early 1994. The Windows editions of both applications are slated for availability in the spring of 1994. Each package will be priced at $399.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930805/Reader contact: Claris Customer Relations, tel 800-544-8554; Press contacts: Greg Cornelison Claris, tel 408-987-7542; Steve Ruddock, Claris, tel 408-987-7202)
tel 408-987-7542; Steve Ruddock, Claris, tel 408-987-7202)
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- Patel's Widecom has tied up with Widecom R&D Inc., a Canadian multinational company, to make a product which has been certified as the first of its kind in the world by the Guinness Book of World Records.
The multifaceted product features a plotter, a photocopier, a blue printer and a 36-inch wide fax. The firm has set up a 100-percent export-oriented unit near Bombay. The company has already established a well-equipped R&D department to expedite the indigenous manufacture of the product in a phased manner. The department is also working on superior quality components to compete with international quality components and also cope with the fast-changing scenario in the electric and telecommunications fields.
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930803)
tions fields.
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930803)
8/6/93
One-Of-A-Kind Product In The Guinness Book
GENERAL
Rep Condit Urges Sensible CD-ROM
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- In the wake of a recent General Accounting Office which showed a wide, and apparently senseless variation in the prices charged by government agencies for public data published on CD-ROM discs Representative Condit, Democrat from California, has called for closer monitoring of prices charged for public data.
Titles carried in the federal catalog of CD-ROM titles published by the US Geological Service range from under $20 to nearly $2,000.
Replication costs for a single CD-ROM (which excludes the cost of gathering and preparing data) is in the $2-$5 range depending on quantity, but some federal data is being sold by the National Technical Information Service at prices over $1,000, while the Government Publishing Office charges about $30 per disc.
The problem here is that the NIST, a part of the US Department of Commerce, is a self-sustaining agency. That means it is supposed to charge enough for its publications that it can break even at the end of the year rather than require large subsidies.
This means that if an agency chooses to publish its data on a CD ROM sold by the GPO it will cost very little, while if it sends the data to the NIST it will probably be relatively expensive.
Since the public has already paid for the collection of all this data, many public interest groups are concerned that information is essentially being withheld from the public by high prices to publish the data.
Federal Computer Week dated August 2 says that Rep. Condit chairman of the House Government Operations Committee's Subcommittee on Information, Justice, Transportation, and Agriculture, has written to the Office of Management and Budget calling for closer monitoring of agency charges to determine if some are in violation of the new Clinton Administration Circular A-130 which directs that data be made available to the public at cost.
(John McCormick/19930805/)
ic at cost.
(John McCormick/19930805/)
8/5/93
Rep Condit Urges Sensible CD-ROM Pricing
IBM Forms Environmental Health A
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- Drawing on expertise it has built up over years of complying with -- and sometimes anticipating -- health and safety regulations, IBM is going into the business of helping other companies clean up their acts.
The company has set up Environment Health and Safety Technology Services (ETS) as a unit of its Industrial Sector Division, a group that offers various products and services to manufacturing customers.
ETS will have a core staff of about five full-time people, who will draw on IBM's resources worldwide to tackle projects for clients, said company spokesman Andy Russell.
The company does not plan to hire added staff to run the new unit, Russell said. He said IBM has a good deal of existing knowhow in the field, having been "way ahead of regulation" in its environmental and safety provisions for many years.
In a prepared statement, Pat Toole, senior vice-president of manufacturing and development at IBM, said: "Within IBM we have long applied our information technology skills and management resources to achieve our world-class reputation in pollution prevention and compliance management. We are now taking our experiences and providing custom services to meet our customers' EHS management needs."
The new ETS unit will provide services "wherever customers want," Russell said, but will probably do most of its early business in the United States.
(Grant Buckler/19930805/Press Contact: Andy Russell, IBM 203-973-7644)
5/Press Contact: Andy Russell, IBM 203-973-7644)
8/5/93
IBM Forms Environmental Health And Safety Unit
PenMagic, Apple, Unite On Newton
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- PenMagic Software Inc., Apple Computer Inc., and Money Magazine have worked together to create two software packages for Apple's new Newton MessagePad personal digital assistant (PDA). Under an agreement among the three companies, Apple will have the sole right to sell the two new packages for the Newton's operating system.
The packages are called Money Magazine Business Forms and Money Magazine Financial Assistant. PenMagic worked with Money Magazine to define the needs of Newton users, and created the software.
Money Magazine Business Forms is a collection of 14 intelligent business forms meant to automate tasks such as sales orders invoices, estimates, time billings, and expense tracking. A user writes data onto an electronic form called a chit, and the software automatically organizes the data, the companies said.
Money Magazine Financial Assistant is a financial calculator that comes with 45 pieces of "smart digital paper" for doing chores like currency conversions, borrowing and interest calculations bond yields, purchasing power and inflation analysis, and retirement savings calculations.
The suggested retail price of Money Magazine Business Forms is US$39.95, and Money Magazine Financial Assistant will list for US$99.95.
While only Apple will sell the two packages for the Newton, there is a good chance PenMagic will be offering them, or something similar, for other pen-based operating systems, said Ron McIntyre, vice-president of sales and marketing at the Vancouver firm. He said the company has already done some work with business forms for Go Corp.'s PenPoint operating system, on which PenMagic's own existing products run. However, he said it is not yet certain whether PenMagic would have the right to use Money Magazine's name on similar offerings for PenPoint or any other operating system.
On the other hand, McIntyre said PenMagic has no immediate plans to offer its existing Numero financial software or its LetterExpress letter-writing software for the Newton. Both are currently available for PenPoint.
McIntyre said the first Newton's memory limitations would probably rule out offering a version of Numero at the moment. LetterExpress could be made to run on the MessagePad, he said but PenMagic is not announcing any plans to do so for now.
(Grant Buckler/19930805/Press Contact: Ron McIntyre, PenMagic 604-988-9982, fax 604-988-0035)
e, PenMagic 604-988-9982, fax 604-988-0035)
8/5/93
PenMagic, Apple, Unite On Newton Software
APPLE
Intel, Cyrix Reach Coprocessor A
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- Ever since the end of 1990, chip-giant Intel and tiny innovative Cyrix have been in a legal dispute over Cyrix's sale of a Taiwan-produced Intel compatible math coprocessor chip which was not only much less expensive than Intel's, but was also faster. That dispute may have finally been settled with a new agreement between the parties which will take effect if the court agrees to drop a Cyrix antitrust case against Intel.
The original case, which went to trial before the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas in January, 1992, was decided in Cyrix's favor a bit more than a year ago. It had to do with cross licensing agreements between Intel and Cyrix's supplier SGS-Thomson.
The second case, scheduled for October, 1993, would have involved Cyrix's allegations that Intel had violated antitrust laws and the company's contention that certain Intel patents are both invalid and unenforceable.
Under the recently concluded agreement, if Intel's appeal of the July 1992 case is denied then the company will make a one-time payment to Cyrix of $500,000 and if the ruling is overturned (decided in Intel's favor), then Cyrix would pay a one-time license fee of $2 million to Intel. In either case Cyrix would be deemed to have a license to produce math coprocessors under the disputed license.
Math Coprocessors, which are used with 80486SX or any 80386 80386SX, 80286, or 8086-88 compatible microprocessor, performs certain advanced math calculations much more rapidly because they contain special algorithms geared just to handle these operations.
The 80486 and Pentium microprocessors come with built-in math coprocessor segments except for the 80486SX chips which have that portion of the chip shut off.
In reality, math coprocessors are not used by very many programs other than those which perform a lot of graphics operations, but when a program does make use of the math coprocessor's functions it will operate as much as 10-times faster than it would if relying on a microprocessor without the special coprocessor functions.
(John McCormick/19930805/Press Contact: CONTACT: John Thompson Intel Corporation, 408-765-1279 or Jodi Shelton, Cyrix Corporation, 214-994-8238)
Shelton, Cyrix Corporation, 214-994-8238)
8/5/93
Intel, Cyrix Reach Coprocessor Agreement
GENERAL
Borland, Computerland Sponsor Wh
Infocorp Says Microsoft To Spur
Star Trek Next Generation On A G
President Clinton Showcases High
Review of - Sesame Street Learni
Apple To Intro Servers, Speech R
Artisoft Offers 900 Number Enhan
Prague Phones Dragged Into 20th
Atari Loses To Nintendo, But It'
Apple Intros Display With Built-
Compaq Canada Cuts ProLinea Pric
Corel Intros CorelSCSI For Mac
Patent Issued For 10,000-Terabyt
New For Macs - Sneak Preview Doc
MICA IV Version 2.01 Accounting
Microsoft Flight Simulator 5.0 &
Prodigy Signs Second Newspaper C
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- Prodigy signed Times Mirror to its second newspaper chain affiliation agreement. Earlier it had signed a deal with Cox Enterprises to link newspapers to its online service.
The main difference between this and the Cox deal is that, in addition to owning cable systems and newspaper properties, the Times Mirror also owns a number of magazines, including The Sporting News. Such tie-ups are seen as an important way for online services to attract new customers, and for publishers to protect themselves from possible online competition.
Under the agreement, Times Mirror will offer stories from its newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times and Newsday, starting early next year, then expand that to its Baltimore Sun; Allentown, Pa., Morning Call, Hartford Courant, Stamford Advocate and Greenwich Time later in the year. The newspaper services, and interactive discussions arising from them, will be marketed on a local level. All this is similar to the Cox deal, which will first cover The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Times Mirror said it will sell access to the local version of Prodigy for a flat fee, with optional access to Prodigy's national service on a per minute or per-month basis. National Prodigy subscribers will also be able to add the Times Mirror services for an added fee.
The rush first started last year when The Tribune Co., owners of The Chicago Tribune, bought an equity stake in America Online and began producing local versions of the service with Tribune papers. Analysts like Josh Harris of Jupiter Communications have written that deals like this are a real threat to CompuServe, the most profitable consumer online services, because they could draw customers away from it. But CompuServe is handicapped, Harris has written, because of its text-only service and limited number of tools available for system managers, a product of the fact its basic system software dates from the 1970s.
Prodigy has said it is also interested in links with cable television companies, and has set up a group to search for those tie-ups. Under the deal with Times-Mirror, such links will only be explored. Prodigy would be able to deliver screens of information much faster on cable, with its high bandwidth, than it can presently through the phone network, where speed is usually limited to 9,600 bits/second. Prodigy is a joint venture between IBM and Sears which claims Prodigy has 2 million members including all family members using shared IDs. It has yet to turn a profit.
Throughout the late 1980s, a number of newspaper companies, most notably Times Mirror and Cox, had explored the idea of creating their own online services. They backed off, sometimes after experimenting with small services, due to the cost and difficulty of turning a profit, as well as the limited graphics capability of the systems that resulted.
COLUMBUS, OHIO, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- A recent controversy on CompuServe's White House Forum illustrates some of the problems faced by online system operators as their offerings reach the mass market.
While Prodigy strictly limits what users can post online, and many bulletin boards let practically anything go, CompuServe has long tried to find a middle ground. The system's message bases organized in what are called "forums," all have moderators, who issue roughly similar guidelines to keep down personal insults. These moderators have the power to move messages and lock-out users from message sections, but they try to use their power with discretion, since their job is to stimulate message traffic and not kill it. Controversy is also reduced, in part, by CompuServe's long-standing policy of deleting all messages from public view after about a week -- sometimes more, sometimes less depending on the popularity of a board.
Georgia Griffith is one of CompuServe's more experienced moderators, and handles some of the roughest topics, including political and religious issues. When the service recently decided to create a White House forum, with a CompuServe-directed message based backed up by library file postings directly from the top of the US government, Griffith and some assistants took the job of monitoring it. She posted a fairly standard set of rules warning against obscene language, personal insults advertisements, and the like. While President Clinton is not known to have signed onto the Forum, Griffith listed him as a member, meaning personal insults directed at him were forbidden.
Within Griffith's IssuesForum, perhaps the most popular section is devoted to fans of the Rush Limbaugh show. There, Scott Place is the section manager, and his policies are more freewheeling. "I tend to run a very loose ship and unless things really get nasty, I let the participants go with the flow," he wrote Newsbytes in answer to an online note. The Limbaugh section is also one of the system's most popular, and many of the titles for "threads," or series of messages, in the Limbaugh section are personal insults against the President which, based on her guidelines, Griffith would feel obliged to delete from the White House Forum.
Thus, the stage was set. Some CompuServe members, mostly Limbaugh section users, began posting to the White House Forum. Some of the messages were sent to Newsbytes by Griffith, who notes that she personally saves controversial threads for an extended period in order to defend her decisions. She dealt with the messages she found objectionable in her usual way, posting some to sections where only the posters and their targets could see them, warning other users of the rules. Offended at the atmosphere, some of those who'd been dealt with cried "censorship," first in the Limbaugh section, later on the service's Journalism Forum and elsewhere. The result was to stir up reporters on the eve of crucial votes over the President's budget, with some wondering before they investigated, whether the White House was trying to stifle its critics.
It seems clear, from Newsbytes' investigation, that didn't happen. In fact, the White House had no involvement in any of the resulting message threads. What did happen is that moderators had different interpretations of the same set of guidelines, which collided in a rash of what online users call "flaming," angry messages which read as though flames were coming out of their authors' fingertips. It's also an object lesson on how difficult it is to maintain a middle ground, between an "anything goes" policy and complete control of the online environment.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930805/Press Contact: CompuServe, Dave Kishler, 614-457-8600)
ompuServe, Dave Kishler, 614-457-8600)
8/5/93
White House Forum Hit By Controversy
TELECOM
Disney Signs With America Online
BURBANK, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- The Walt Disney Co. took its first small step online, as its Disney Adventures magazine signed to make the publication available through the America Online service. Issues of the publication will be loaded a week before they hit newstands, and the service will also be used for daily focus groups and online chats with up to 1,000 users at once in the AOL "auditorium."
The move is important, not only because the magazine sells nearly 1 million copies per month, but strategically as well. Industry analysts like Josh Harris of Jupiter Communications are predicting that major media companies like Disney and Time Inc. will be dominating the online market in coming years, and alliances with existing online companies are the first step toward reaching the market. America Online already has an agreement to load issues of Time Magazine, as well as news items from Cable News Network. It also has copies of Knight-Ridder and Tribune Co. newspapers, with local versions of the service available in cities where those newspaper companies do business.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930805/Press Contact: The Walt Disney Co. 818-560-1026; America Online, 703-448-8700)
026; America Online, 703-448-8700)
8/5/93
Disney Signs With America Online
TELECOM
US West Upgrades Analog Cellular
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- US West Cellular has completed the upgrade of its analog cellular network in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and announced new messaging services offered by the new system.
The new system is called Narrowband Advanced Mobile Phone Service, or NAMPS, and it's an enhancement from Motorola of the AMPS system long used on North American cellular networks. As its name implies, NAMPS divides a cellular system's frequency into more calling channels, increasing capacity without digitizing every call. NAMPS increases a system's capacity but retains the same basic analog design, although new phones which can handle both NAMPS and AMPS are needed, just as is the case with digital services. Most analysts, however, consider NAMPS an interim step toward digital systems like Time Division Multiple Access, or TDMA, and Code Division Multiple Access, or CDMA.
US West has said in the past it wants to upgrade to the CDMA system which offers 10 times the capacity of present analog networks instead of the TDMA system endorsed by the industry's trade association, which offers just three times analog capacity. Recent releases of NAMPS by Motorola offer about the same capacity increase as TDMA.
As an enhancement to NAMPS, Motorola is also offering a number of new messaging services, which US West is implementing in its Minnesota upgrade, available to users of Nokia or Motorola branded cellular phones. These include a short messaging service with messages like "call home," displayed on a small screen on each phone, notification of waiting messages, using a short beep a "call-back number" feature which lets calls be returned by pressing one key, and new services to improve call hand-offs between cells.
US West is offering what it calls its new Digital Messaging Services as a package for $9.95 per month, which include a voice mailbox. All the services were introduced when the company upgraded its Seattle and Denver systems earlier this year.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930805/Press Contact: US West Cellular Wendy Carver-Herbert, 303/782-1800)
act: US West Cellular Wendy Carver-Herbert, 303/782-1800)
8/5/93
US West Upgrades Analog Cellular Network In Minneapolis
TELECOM
AlphaGraphics, Apple, Kodak Team
TUSCON, ARIZONA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- Tucson-based international franchiser AlphaGraphics has teamed up with Eastman Kodak and Apple Computer to offer CD-ROM technology at its printing stores.
Jean McKnight, spokesperson for AlphaGraphics, told Newsbytes that, "We've been working with Apple and Kodak to offer CD-ROM technology in our stores. Which means that AlphaGraphics customers can bring a CD of any information they want printed. It can be a rough copy or a completed sales brochure or annual report. It allows our customers much greater flexibility in transferring documents and also much greater accuracy in getting documents printed."
McKnight explained briefly each company's role in the deal, by saying, "The CD-ROM technology is actually coming from Kodak. Apple is involved in the alliance because Alphagraphics stores use Apple Macintosh equipment."
The process involves Kodak's Photo CD technology. Customers will be able to convert full color images to digital form on a Mac which can then be integrated into color documents.
In terms of the information on the CD-ROM, McKnight said that "It depends on what the customer would like to have printed. AlphaGraphic stores employ graphic designers, so they can create something for a client and print it at the store - the client can take the CD with them."
She gave an example, "Let's say they are in LA and they need to produce a annual report in Japan. They can take the CD-ROM that was designed by AlphaGraphics, print their annual report in LA, take the CD-ROM on their flight with them to Japan, and have the exact same thing printed in Japan. They just carry a disk with them. They don't have to fool with shipping the actual annual reports. They save money and time. It's just a great convenience."
AlphaGraphics is reported to have 330 franchises in 18 countries.
(Ian Stokell/19930805)
in 18 countries.
(Ian Stokell/19930805)
8/5/93
AlphaGraphics, Apple, Kodak Team On CD-ROM
BUSINESS
Japan - Game Firms Link With US
Focus On India At Singapore Info
CE Software Ships Power Pak For
Hitachi Unveils Double-Speed CD-
HCL HP, Siva Offer Local Bus On
Microsoft Quarterly Revenue Hits
Editorial - Reflections On Hacke
Iridium In Business
Adobe Premiere 3.0; Acrobat Read
UK - Siemens Nixdorf Unveils Gre
Russia - 62 Cellular Licenses To
India - Expert System On Cabbage
MacWorld - Apple Demonstrates AV
MacWorld - High-End Green Monito
Multimedia Market Barely Tapped,
Jean-Louis Gasse Resurfaces On 3
Hong Kong Gang Arrested In Mobil
Microsoft Australia's MD Jackson
Correction - White House Not On
Russia's Central Bank Linked Via
Artisoft Earns $9.4M In Fiscal 1
TUCSON, ARIZONA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- As further indication that publishing networking software is the place to be, Artisoft Inc. has posted net sales of $84.6 million, and net earnings of $9.4 million, or $0.52 per share, for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1993. Artisoft's main product is the popular LANtastic peer-to-peer network operating system (NOS).
Peer-to-peer NOS products, like LANtastic, are highly popular alternatives to high-end NOSes such as the market leading NetWare because they do not need a dedicated server. With peer-to-peer systems any computer on the local area network (LAN) can be both a client and a server if need be.
For the fourth quarter, 1993, net sales were $19.6 million, and net earnings were $2.2 million, or $0.12 per share, compared to net sales of $21.4 million and net earnings of $4.2 million, or $0.23 per share, for the same quarter of 1992.
Foreign sales continue to be a major source of revenue for Artisoft. International sales for fiscal 1993 were 29 percent of total sales. In fiscal 1992 they were 26 percent of total sales. For the fourth quarter of 1993, international sales accounted for a high 36 percent of total sales.
In announcing the results, William C. Keiper, president and chief executive officer, said, "The company was challenged by upgrading and improving management systems, by a change in product sales mix that adversely impacted revenues and operating margins, and by new entrants into the marketplace. Market changes and competitive challenges will continue to be part of our business."
In speaking of the networking market generally, Keiper said, "For network operating system products, we recognize that end users in small business, home, workgroup, corporate and enterprise environments have networking needs that cannot be optimized by one product, no matter how flexible. We are developing a family of LANtastic products scaled to the needs of various network environments."
Just a week ago, Newsbytes reported that Artisoft had implemented a new "900 number" telephone service providing "priority" technical support. The company already offered free technical support service. The company said that, using the new phone line for a cost of $2.50 per minute, end users and resellers in the domestic United States can receive a "quicker response to their request for technical assistance."
In July, Newsbytes also reported that Artisoft had begun shipping its two new external, 10Base-T concentrators - the eight-port T-Runner 800/TC concentrator priced at $449, and the twelve port T-Runner 1200/TC concentrator priced at $749.
Also in the past month, Artisoft has added fault tolerance to its LANtastic product via an agreement with No Stop, as reported by Newsbytes. No Stop calls its fault tolerant technology "No Stop Networking." Artisoft is offering the network upgrade to all users of LANtastic. Once installed, the upgrade duplicates all hard disk writes to a second driver, which writes them to a second hard drive.
WESTBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- Banyan Systems Inc., has opened a new 100,000 square foot manufacturing and distribution facility near its existing corporate offices. The company says that the new facility offers twice the space of the previous site in nearby Marlboro.
The move comes just a couple of weeks after posting what the company claims is its 27th consecutive profitable quarter, and a year after going public.
Banyan markets its high-end Vines network operating system (NOS). Up until the release of Novell's NetWare 4.0, Vines was generally considered the best NOS for internetworking large groups of networks over large distances. It remains to be seen if NetWare 4.0 will have any effect on Vines sales as the new version matures.
In announcing the expansion, Banyan Chairman and Chief Executive Officer David C. Mahoney, said, "We are very pleased that, over the past decade, Banyan Systems has evolved into a mainstay MetroWest growth company helping to strengthen the Massachusetts economy. Expanding our presence in Westboro is one of the best ways for us to say that we have a high level of confidence in the future of both our business and this region."
The company posted 1992 annual revenues of $113 million. In the second quarter of 1993, Banyan posted profits of $3.5 million against revenues of $32.2 million, an 89 percent increase in profit over the same period of the preceding year.
Banyan employs 660 persons worldwide, with 450 of those in Westboro.
(Ian Stokell/19930805/Press Contact: Lucia Graziano or Gary Wolfe, 508-898-1000, Banyan Systems)
no or Gary Wolfe, 508-898-1000, Banyan Systems)
8/5/93
Banyan Systems Expands Manufacturing Facility
BUSINESS
AST Posts Record Year-End Revenu
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- Not all computer hardware manufacturers are posting losses and reduced sales. Some like Compaq, have recorded record income. Now AST Research Inc. can join that pretty exclusive company, because the PC manufacturer has announced record revenues of $409.2 million for the fourth quarter ended July 3, 1993, and record fiscal year end revenues of $1.412 billion.
According to the company, the figures represent quarter-over-quarter growth of 54 percent and annual growth of 50 percent for fiscal year 1993. The figures compare to revenues of $266.3 million for the fourth quarter of the prior year and $944.1 million for fiscal year 1992.
However, the acquisition of Tandy Corp.'s PC manufacturing operations resulted in a fourth-quarter $125 million pre-tax restructuring charge "to realign the company's existing operations and integrate the acquired businesses." The net loss for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 1993 was $87 million, compared with net income of $18.6 million for the prior year period.
The net loss per share was $2.76 for the fourth quarter of 1993 compared with prior-year fourth quarter earnings per share of 59 cents. Without the fourth-quarter restructuring charge, pre-tax income would have been $11.3 million.
The fourth-quarter restructuring charge also created a net loss for 1993 of $53.7 million, compared with net income of $68.5 million for 1992. The net loss per share was $1.72 for fiscal year 1993, which compared with earnings per share of $2.16 for 1992. Without the fourth-quarter restructuring charge, pre-tax income would have been $59.8 million.
In announcing the results, Safi Qureshey, AST president and chief executive officer, said: "Fiscal year 1993 was a period of significant accomplishment for AST, demonstrated by strong revenue growth and high unit volume increases. With the acquisition of Tandy's PC manufacturing operations and expansion of our senior management team, AST is executing a high-volume/low-cost manufacturing model that offers the industry's broadest range of products, encompassing personal digital assistants to high-end superservers. We believe the acquisition, an expanded senior management team, and our intense focus on customer satisfaction will continue to result in increased worldwide market share."
The company shipped a record 804,000 units worldwide, which represented a 69 percent volume increase for the year. This included a 73 percent increase in desktops and a 52 percent growth in notebooks. Shipments of Intel-486-based PCs represented 58 percent of the total year's volume.
AST also says it shipped a record 241,000 PCs during the fourth quarter of fiscal year 1993, a 76 percent increase over the same prior year quarter.
The company also says that its revenues for 1993 increased in all geographic regions, particularly in North America. Revenues of $829.7 million for North America rose 56 percent over the prior year. International sales increased 42 percent to $582.5 million. Total revenues for 1993 rose 50 percent over 1992.
(Ian Stokell/19930805/Press Contact: Emory Epperson 714-727-7958, AST Research Inc.)
son 714-727-7958, AST Research Inc.)
8/5/93
AST Posts Record Year-End Revenues
BUSINESS
SIGGRAPH 93 - VR Rides, Art, Job
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- The SIGGRAPH Show was full of surprises from unusual art to actual virtual reality rides for show goers. Much emphasis was made on kids supercomputers, art, and employment opportunities as well.
Games, entertainment, and education were the themes of the show. Trip Hawkins, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of 3DO, and chairman of computer game maker Electronic Arts, was the keynote speaker. Childcare was offered at the show, but many show goes had their children with them as many of the booths and exhibits featured games or hands-on activities for children and adults. An entire portion of the show floor was given to Sigkids, an exhibit of hands-on computer activities by and for elementary age children.
But many of the adults were acting like children at play in virtual reality exhibits from Silicon Graphics Incorporated (SGI), Evans and Sutherland, and in an area where interactive art exhibits were displayed. The SGI exhibit was obviously inspired by the movie Jurassic Park and show goers where waiting over an hour in winding Disneyland-like lines to enter a giant box and get a chance to climb into a saddled Teradactyl. Of the groups who entered the box only three were allowed to actually ride, but the watchers could see the virtual scene as well.
Evens and Sutherland offered a chance to ride a virtual hang glider through a crowded city-scape. Two hang-glider simulations were running and show goers were helped into body-length slings that hung them suspended in front of a viewing screen. Their faces were then situation in virtual space. They controlled their movement through the space via a hang-glider bar grasped with both hands. Speakers on each side of their heads provided the sound. Lines were long to ride and riders told Newsbytes the sensation of hang-gliding was very real despite the comic book appearance of the city landscape through which they flew.
In an area featuring electronic art, show goers could stop at an electronic confessional to confess their sins. Based on the confessions of the Catholic church, the automated religion kiosk, called "Catholic Turing Test" by Gregory P. Garvey of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, was a thin, shiny, black plastic structure with a red neon cross at the top and a red kneeling bench in front. Only large enough for one, an Apple Macintosh SE and Hypercard were used to create the confessional program which started by asking how long it had been since you'd been to confession and gave you the option of typing in a number and choosing either days, weeks, months, or years. Users selected sins from a menu and were told at the end of the confession what type of sins they were and how many "Hail Marys" were needed for penance.
Next door was a group of tables where show goers who sat down to relax were eventually bumped and mumbled at by what appeared to be a giant bowling ball. Called "Adelbrecht" by Momevideo Amsterdam, Netherlands designer Martin Spanjaard, the mobile robot moved around under its own power, bumping into chairs and people, and changing direction while making beeping and whirring noises, and mumbling unintelligible speech to show goers.
The "Neuro Baby" was a monitor in a crib that displayed a pink cartoonish, buggy-eyed "baby" face that bounced around on the screen and responded to attendees who bent down to speak into a microphone by the crib. Monitors near the crib showed people who were waiting in line the responses of the baby. The baby laughed cried, said "Hi," rolled its eyes, and even got red-faced mad when Newsbytes laughed at it. Lines were long to talk to the baby and it was surprising how many people simply yelled into the microphone. Naoko Tosa of Ogikubo Suginami-Ku, Tokyo said the voice analysis was performed by a neural network emulator that converted voice input into "emotional" patterns based on the wave patterns to which the computer had been "taught" to respond. A Fujitsu FM Towns multimedia personal computer was used for the voice analysis, another FM Towns for voice generation, and a SGI Iris 4D was used to generate the image of the baby.
"The Flock," by Ken Rinaldo and Mark Grossman of San Francisco California, was a room of robotic arms hanging from the ceiling and extending just a few inches above the floor. The arms responded to the movement and voice intonation of visitors. The arms were unusual as they were partially made from the dried branches of vines so they appeared to be a strange mix of organic and electronic material and looked like the limbs of live trees reaching toward and moving away from visitors. The artists described the arms as "cybernetic sound sculptures that exhibit behaviors found in natural groups such as birds, fish, and bats." Acoustic, kinetic, and infrared sensors on the arms detected sounds and movements and responded. The exhibit had visitors talking, waving their hands, and walking around these strange arms. One of the artists was seen to yell and pull at a visitor saying, "Don't let it touch you" and explained that the arms are fragile and could be broken by contact. However it was difficult with the unexpected movements of the long, jointed arms to stay out of the way.
Much talk among show goers concerned supercomputers and virtual reality and the San Diego Supercomputer Center was represented at the show. The use of supercomputers for complex techniques such as reconstructing the shape of a fetus from ultrasound measurements or visualization of global climate research was emphasized by the San Diego group.
Interactivity was emphasized, not only between people and computers, but between show attendees. Several locations had tables and comfortable seating, an international center was available, and even a jobs and message center was near the show floor. The jobs board took up two sides of the large four-sized cubical structure that housed it and every inch of space was filled with jobs postings. Newsbytes was curious to see if the jobs postings were for positions wanted, but the jobs were all help wanted ads for graphics artists, designers, and programmers who had graphics experience from large companies such as Avid and Microsoft as well as from small companies.
Attendance figures were not available by press time, but the show took up most of the huge Anaheim Convention Center and it was crowded. SIGGRAPH runs until Friday in Anaheim. SIGGRAPH '94 has been announced by for July 24-29 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930805/SIGGRAPH, Smith, Bucklin & Associates, tel 312-321-6830, fax 312-321-6876)
& Associates, tel 312-321-6830, fax 312-321-6876)
8/5/93
SIGGRAPH 93 - VR Rides, Art, Jobs Highlight Show
GENERAL
UK - BT Enhances Telemedicine Te
IBM Loses Again, Will Cut 35,000
Utah State University Upgrades C
Wollongong's PathWay Messaging T
Japan - Matsushita To Release Vi
Newton Demo'd, Sells Out At SIGG
MacWorld - New PIM For PowerBook
LSI Technology Used In Oki LED P
Lawrence Livermore Lab Working O
SPA Conference Scheduled For Oct
Data General Intros DG/Viision P
MacWorld - High-End Green Monito
; BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- In a booth at the Bay Side Expo Center at MacWorld, Sony is displaying the prototype for an upcoming 17-inch high-end "green monitor."
In an interview with Newsbytes, Jeff Edelstein, senior product development manager, said that the Multiscan 17se monitor will offer sophisticated features previously found only in 20-inch monitors, while also meeting the US federal government's Energy Star specification for low electrical consumption.
Compatible with Macs as well as IBM-compatible PCs, the multiscan monitor will produce images of the same quality as those generated by Sony's larger single-scan video board/monitor systems, he told Newsbytes.
The Multiscan 17se will offer a 76 Hz refresh rate at 1280-by-1024 resolution (noninterlaced), for a virtually flicker-free picture he stated. Overscan capabilities will be provided as well permitting the visible display area to be expanded without distortion.
Sony's all-digital geometry control system will also be featured. This system automatically optimizes screen images for the leading Mac and PC video modes, from VGA up to 1280-by-1024, Edelstein said.
Users will be able to select from between three digitally preset color temperature settings: 5000, 6500 and 9300 degrees Kelvin. They will also be able to define custom settings for 11 other parameters, including image brightness and contrast, horizontal and vertical sizing and centering, and horizontal and vertical static convergence.
The digital system will also allow for Raster Rotation, an adjustment that compensates for the effects of terrestrial magnetism, according to Edelstein.
Further, the CRT in the new Multiscan 17se will be 33 percent flatter horizontally than Sony's present 17-inch CPD Trinitron models, he noted.
The Multiscan 17e is scheduled to ship this fall. In prototype form, the monitor consumes 10 watts of power, Edelstein told Newsbytes. By the time of shipment, however, consumption will be lowered to under 8 watts, bringing the product into full compliance with Energy Star, he added.
(Jacqueline Emigh/199308/Reader contact: Sony Computer Products Company, tel 800-352-7669; Press contacts: Manny Vara, Sony Electronics Inc., tel 201-930-7005; Barbara Hagin or Marilyn Young Technology Solutions for Sony, tel 415-617-4523)
lyn Young Technology Solutions for Sony, tel 415-617-4523)
8/5/93
MacWorld - High-End Green Monitor On The Way From Sony
APPLE
Fujitsu, Ricoh To Link Office Ma
Australia - Government IT Spendi
Fear of Technology Is Phobia of
Power Publishing Seminar Will Vi
Maxtor Posts Huge Loss For 1Qtr
Color Connections 6 To Start Sun
WordPerfect 3.0 For Mac Goes To
UK - NEC Intros Ultralite Versa
Fujitsu Creates Automatic Mail C
STC Wins UKP100 Million Transatl
Lotus Adds Group Scheduling Vers
Unisys To Deliver Windows NT In
New Software For Realistic Light
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- Lightscape Graphics Software announced Lightscape, a tool for creation of virtual reality interior space that simulates various types of lighting. The effect is to make a computer-simulated three dimensional (3D) architectural simulation appear much closer to reality, the company said.
Lightscape allows designers to place lights in computer generated models and select the lighting using the kind of light bulb or fixture, such as 100-watt incandescent. Once the user selects the type of lighting, the program automatically calculates the correct light energy distribution. The company says natural daylight and sunlight can also be automatically calculated by specifying the location, date, time of day, and degree of cloud cover.
Based on a technique known as radiosity, Lightscape offers visualizations of lighting effects such as soft shadows and color bleeding to produce more realistic views. The program also allows the user to interactively move throughout the simulated environment, so 3D walk-throughs have a much richer and more realistic feel to them, Lightscape maintains. The program can also simulate reflections on shiny surfaces and refraction through transparent materials, though not on an interactive basis.
The company is currently offering the software in beta release only and the full version of Lightscape is planned for first quarter of 1994 release on the Unix platforms from Silicon Graphics and Hewlett-Packard. Retail price has been set at $7,500.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930805/Press Contact: Stuart Feldman Lightscape Graphics Software, tel 416-862-2628, fax 416-862 5508)
aphics Software, tel 416-862-2628, fax 416-862 5508)
8/5/93
New Software For Realistic Lighting In Simulations
Intel, Unisys Team Up On Paralle
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- Chipmaker Intel Corp. and Unisys Corp. of Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, have agreed to work together on building parallel processing systems around Intel's Pentium processors.
Intel and Unisys extended their corporate technology development alliance, announcing plans to build a scalable parallel processing system that will use the Unix operating system.
The systems will be aimed at commercial markets. Intel spokesman Mike Bernhardt said they are likely to be used for applications such as database management and online transaction processing and will not be limited to the more esoteric supercomputer-type applications many people may associate with parallel processing.
A recent study by Forrester Research of Cambridge Massachusetts forecasts a role for corporate servers built on multiple microprocessors include the Pentium.
Intel said this will be the first use of the Pentium chip with its SPP mesh interconnect technology, the communication basis of the company's Paragon XP/S supercomputer architecture.
While Unisys is the only company Intel has agreed to work with on this type of project so far, Bernhardt said, the deal is not exclusive.
Unisys and Intel's Supercomputer Systems Division (SSD) are to develop a scalable parallel system using Pentium processors Intel's scalable parallel processing (SPP) mesh interconnect technology, Unisys' microkernel-based implementation of the Unix System V.4 operating system, and other Unisys software.
Unisys will use the first systems to develop advanced environmental and application software for parallel processing. Later, Unisys expects this system to become the basis for a line of scalable parallel systems, the company said.
Under a multi-phase deal, Intel will provide Unisys with prototype development platforms resulting from joint design efforts. Besides designing and developing the system, Unisys will develop advanced software, using the microkernel Unix it has developed with Chorus Systems and Unix System Laboratories and its own parallel database tools and parallel versions of its fourth-generation language (4GL) application development systems.
Unisys plans to develop distributed applications, as well as the utilities needed to administer and maintain parallel processing systems, officials said.
Bernhardt said Unisys expects to deliver three to six beta-test systems to customers in 1994, and to begin volume shipments in 1995.
(Grant Buckler/19930805/Press Contact: Oliver Picher, Unisys 215-986-5367; Brian Daly, Unisys, 215-986-2214; Mike Bernhardt Intel SSD, 503-531-5333; Doug Black, Miller Communications 617-536-0470)
oug Black, Miller Communications 617-536-0470)
8/5/93
Intel, Unisys Team Up On Parallel Processing
Rasterops Price Cuts On Mac Digi
Wall Data Unveils Rumba Gateway
Windows NT Goes To Manufacturing
Claris Intros ClarisImpact, Clar
Creative Labs Relocates Tech Cen
MacWorld - Genie Intros GUI For
MacWorld - Apple Newton In Extre
Australian Service Offers Budget
MacWorld - Rock Calendar Picks U
MacWorld - Claris' From Alice To
UK - Direct Sales Tracking Progr
Pioneer Exports LD-ROM Game Mach
Up On Paralle
Newton Demo'd, Sells Out At SIGG
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- To the surprise of SIGGRAPH 93 show attendees, Apple Computer was offering demonstrations of the Newton Messagepad personal digital assistant (PDA), plus Apple resellers had already sold out of the PDAs and were taking orders. Newsbytes talked with resellers Marty Kassowitz and Loriann Lippy of Personal Support Computers of West Los Angeles, California concerning the PDA.
Demos of the Newton in the Apple booth were slow and painstaking with handwriting recognition close, but not good enough. However, Lippy told Newsbytes her prototype PDA recognizes her handwriting without problems. "The Newton is designed for the individual, so allowing large groups of people to try it makes it difficult for it to work properly," according to Kassowitz.
Kassowitz said his company received 15 Messagepads for retail sale, all of which were sold the first day. All resellers received an allotment of 15 Newtons each, according to Kassowitz and he added that his company has taken orders for over 100 Messagepads during the SIGGRAPH show. Kassowitz said his contacts at Macworld said all 5,000 of the new Newtons for sale there were sold the first day of the show.
Like most Apple hardware, Kassowitz says his profit margin on the Newton was small, about $50, but he expects to make up for it on the add-ons. Kassowitz is selling the units, when he gets them, for the $699 retail price. The add-ons are not yet available to Kassowitz's company, including the external modem or the Newton Connection Kit, and none are expected until late September or October.
Instructional videotapes played by Apple at the booth told users they should attempt to improve their handwriting when using the Newton -- making a's look like a's instead of o's and so on. Battery life for the 4 AAA batteries was estimated by one Apple representative who has a beta version of the Newton as a week if the PDA was used as one would use an organizer. However, if someone wrote with it all the time and the unit never went into power-saving "sleep" mode, battery life could easily be less than a day, the Apple representative added. The length of time before the unit goes into sleep mode is determined by the user.
The Newton does come with a protective plastic sleeve and two pens. While other objects can be used to write on the Newton Apple representatives said the pens have been specially designed to maximize the handwriting recognition of the unit.
No estimates were available as to when those who ordered Newtons would get them, according to Lippy. "I'm just taking purchase order numbers from corporate customers instead of cash deposits because I don't know when we'll get them."
(Linda Rohrbough/19930805/Press Contact: Loriann Lippy or Marty Kassowitz, Personal Support Computers, tel 310-474-3142, fax 310-475-3275)
s, tel 310-474-3142, fax 310-475-3275)
8/5/93
Newton Demo'd, Sells Out At SIGGRAPH
APPLE
MacWorld - Gryphon Software Intr
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 5 (NB) -- At MacWorld Gryphon Software has introduced Morph 2.0, an upgrade that adds "dynamic morphing" as well as a number of other features to the Apple Computer Macintosh edition of the company's pioneering morphing software.
"`Dynamic morphing' is the ability to create transitions between moving images," said Michael B. Peay of Gryphon's technical support staff, speaking with Newsbytes at the Bayside Expo Center. Morph 2.0 supports dynamic morphing for Quicktime movies as well as PIX animation files, he added.
In contrast, the previous edition of the package, Morph 1.0, could build transitions between still PICT file images only, he explained. In one form of this art, "still morphing," transitions are made between different images. Another form, "warping," involves choosing certain features or areas within a single still image and distorting them.
Still and dynamic morphing each call for interpolating along key point in two digitized video clips, said Peay. Gryphon's product can perform the interpolation automatically, but if the images are very different, the user can manually set key points for a smoother transition.
To warp a still image, the user selects the areas to be distorted with key points. In a demonstration for Newsbytes, Peay showed how this technique can be used to elongate a person's nose or stretch a person's jaw.
Morph 2.0 adds the ability to select multiple key points. Also in the new version, the user is no longer required to match resolutions of starting and ending images. In addition, images may now be saved in resolutions higher than 72 dpi.
Other new features include rotation and scaling of key points morphing in the background, and export of TIFF and PhotoShop files.
For advanced users, the upgrade brings ease in and ease out animation timing, place markers, in and out points, and display of SMPTE time codes.
Morph 1.0 was recently ported to Microsoft Windows. Peay told Newsbytes that Morph 2.0 will also be ported to Windows, probably by the end of the year.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930805/Reader contact: Gryphon Software Corp. tel 619-536-8815; Press contact: Kim Moffitt, Moffitt/Young Associates for Gryphon, tel 619-759-0398)
offitt/Young Associates for Gryphon, tel 619-759-0398)
8/5/93
MacWorld - Gryphon Software Intros Morph 2.0 For Mac
APPLE
WordPerfect's Intellitag For DOS
OREM, UTAH, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- WordPerfect Corporation says it is now shipping a DOS version of Intellitag, the software that gives users markup capabilities and a two-way path between WordPerfect and SGML (Standard Generalized Markup Language).
SGML is a non-proprietary system-independent, standard data structure that enables users to move marked data between differing hardware platforms and software applications without the need for conversion. It also allows marked data to be reused for multiple output devices. The standard was first adopted by the International Organization for Standards (ISO) for electronic document markup and storage in 1986.
In an interview with Newsbytes, Wordperfect spokesperson Paul Eddington explained that tags identify specific items in documents. Tags are structure codes that identify elements such as dates, headings, revision dates and other components. That differs from formatting codes in printed documents that identify such characteristics as boldface, italics, and other printing codes. SGML stores documents as ASCII code which can be used in various dissimilar applications on hardware platforms.
WP says the SGML conversion software looks and feels like WordPerfect and includes most of the document editing tools found in WordPerfect 5.1, but is not considered a complete SGML authoring tool. Instead it broadens WordPerfect 5.1's scope by providing several SGML conversion tools, including a pre-tagger Next Valid Tag, All Tags, and Open Tag pop-up menus. There is also an Interactive Validator, user-supplied Document type Definition (DTD) support, Table Standards support and the ability to save text in the WordPerfect of SGML file format.
Popping up the Next Valid Tag menu displays a list of all valid tags anywhere in the document. The user moves the cursor to any point in the document, pops up the menu, and selects a tag for insertion at that point. Pre-tagger automates the tagging process by allowing users to create conversion rules to search for WordPerfect codes and insert SGML tags, or vice versa. The pre tagger can run in batch mode to tag multiple documents without operator intervention.
The Internal Validator is an interactive validation and parsing tool used to ensure the accuracy of each SGML tag. Once the tagging process starts, tags are checked for errors against the selected DTD. An error list can be retrieved at any point in the document, and errors can be searched out by selecting the error on the pop-up list. The validation tool automatically moves the cursor to the selected error. When a document is saved in the SGML format, the validator scans the document and warns the user if any errors remain in the document.
Intellitag ships with two DTDs and can also use DTDs provided by the user. The company says it may add additional DTDs to interim releases of Intellitag. Files created in WordPerfect or Intellitag are interchangeable. When a document has been tagged and validated, the user selects which format in which to save the document. If the document is saved as a WordPerfect 5.1 file, the tags remain intact. If it is saved in the SGML format, all WordPerfect codes are stripped. Intellitag recognizes and supports ISO, AAP, CALS, and WordPerfect SGML Table Standards.
Intellitag has a suggested retail price in the US of $495, and 4595 in Canada for a single user. Each additional license costs $295 US/4359 CAN.
(Jim Mallory/19930805/Press contact: Paul Eddington, WordPerfect Corporation, 801-228-7246; Reader contact: WordPerfect Corporation, 801-225-5000 or 800-321-4566, fax 801-228-5077)
or 800-321-4566, fax 801-228-5077)
8/6/93
WordPerfect's Intellitag For DOS
US Robotics Pitches For Corporat
SLOUGH, BERKSHIRE, 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- Over the last few years, US Robotics has carved out a successful name for itself in the mainstream modem market-place. Now it wants more -- the company has announced plans to pitch hard for the corporate market.
Unfortunately for the modem manufacturer, while its policy in the UK has been to route its sales solely through dealers, other manufacturers have been selling direct on major contracts, allowing them to cut pricing to the bone. This is why US Robotics wants to help out its dealers.
In support of this strategy, US Robotics has announced the Bid Protection Program (BPP) for its resellers. Under the program any reseller that handles US Robotics modems, yet finds itself bidding against another company's direct sales force on a contract for 50 or more high speed units, will be guaranteed to be able to better the competitor's direct sales price.
The only restriction on this offer is that the competing modems must be V.32Bis (14,400 bits per second - bps) and BABT-approved. The BABT is the approval body for telecom equipment in the UK.
Clive Hudson, US Robotics sales and marketing director, told Newsbytes that some of his resellers may have been losing out on larger deals because of the customer's perception that buying through resellers is more expensive than buying direct.
"Our research has shown that customers prefer to go through the reseller, but pressure on corporate information technology (IT) budgets is forcing them to go direct. In view of our 100 percent dealer-only policy, we have had to walk away from some major opportunities," he said.
"The Bid Protection Program will show our commitment to helping dealers break into the corporate sector. I believe it will demonstrate once and for all to corporate customers the value of local specialist support and advice they can only get through the reseller," he added.
(Steve Gold/19930805/Press & Public Contact: US Robotics - Tel: 0753-811180; Fax: 0753-811191)
S Robotics - Tel: 0753-811180; Fax: 0753-811191)
8/6/93
US Robotics Pitches For Corporate Modem Market
TELECOM
8 b F
UK - Advanced Gravis' Macintosh
WINDSOR, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- Advanced Gravis Computer Technology has announced two new games devices for the Apple Computer Mac -- the Gamepad and the Mousestick II.
The Gamepad costs UKP 42-99 and is an ADB controller for adventure and arcade games. The unit is designed to replace traditional keyboard commands on games. Using a multi-directional thumb control and four independent fire buttons, the Gamepad is designed to provide Mac users with a firm and comfortable grip for both left and right-handed people.
Mousestick II, meanwhile, is a UKP 89-99 optical joystick that also plugs into the Mac's ADB port designed to provide simplicity and power to the Mac user. The joystick also by-passes the need for a small computer system interface (SCSI) box seen on earlier optical joysticks.
The Mousestick II features five independent fire buttons, including a trigger, that execute mouse clicks and keyboard commands. The control panel software driver includes various options and enables users to set up button assignments and speed controller.
Both units are being marketed in the UK through Logi UK, which has a controlling interest in Advanced Gravis, the Canadian company that developed the Gamepad and Mousestick II.
Announcing the two games devices, Yvonne Kasprzyk, marketing programs manager with Logi UK, said, "The launch of these two brand new devices not only confirms our commitment to supplying the sophisticated needs of Mac users, it also clearly demonstrates our determination to continue to consistently upgrade and improve our product range across the board wherever possible," she said.
The new Mac games devices will be available in the UK within the next few weeks. Newsbytes understands that the units are already available in Canada through Advanced Gravis' Canadian distribution channels.
(Steve Gold/19930805/Press & Public Contact: Logi UK - Tel: 0344 891313; fax: 0344-891151)
: Logi UK - Tel: 0344 891313; fax: 0344-891151)
8/6/93
UK - Advanced Gravis' Macintosh Games Devices
APPLE
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AST Research UK Follows US Price
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- Five months after the machines were launched on both sides of the Atlantic, AST Research has cut the price of the Premmia range of PCs in the UK by as much as 15 percent. The price cuts, which take effect today, are in response to market trends in recent weeks which, predictably are downward.
Willson Howe, AST's marketing manager, told Newsbytes that, while price is not a major criteria for high-end machines such as the Premmia, as it is at the budget end of the industry, it is becoming increasingly obvious that customers are more aware of pricing.
"I'm not saying that pricing is a major issue at the high end of the market, but it's certainly a contributing factor and one whose importance is increasing," he said.
To get the message of the price cuts across, AST Research will be mailing literature to its UK dealers over the next few weeks, Howe told Newsbytes. The company's ongoing media campaign from the Premmia, he said, will now include the new pricing.
Example pricing on the entry level Premmia 4/33s Model 3 is UKP 1,395 -- down seven percent from the previous UKP 1,495 price tag. The Premmia 4/33s model 343B/4, meanwhile, has fallen from UKP 2,695 to UKP 2,295 -- a fall of 15 percent.
(Steve Gold/19930805/Press & Public Contact: AST Research - Tel: 081-568-4350)
act: AST Research - Tel: 081-568-4350)
8/6/93
AST Research UK Follows US Price Cut
IBM Japan Develops Optical Data
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- IBM Japan has developed a chip and an adaptor card to transmit optical data, and claims that these are an industry first.
The optical transmission chip and card were actually developed by IBM Japan's Tokyo Basic Research Laboratory. The optical chip is a logic chip called the Optical Serial Micro Channel/ AT-Bus. The chip analyzes data on the bus at an extremely fast speed, converts and compresses it. Then, the data is transmitted to other device as optical signals. The chip also can restore the received data.
The chip supports two kinds of busses -- the AT bus, which is used on the PS/V, and the Micro Channel, which is used on the PS/2 and the PS/55 -- the Japanese PS/2.
It is said no software or special hardware is required for this chip, making it convenient for PCs makers who wish to give their machines optical transmission ability. IBM Japan is also thinking of licensing this technology to third party PC makers and peripheral equipment makers.
The optical chip can be equipped not only on personal computers but also printers, displays, CD-ROMs and host computers. This would enable easy exchange of data between these devices. For instance, notebook-type PC users could input data outside the office, and at the office, could transfer the data to the host computer or printers.
IBM Japan continues to study ways to actually apply this chip which is expected to be available in the near future.
(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930805/Press Contact: IBM Japan, +81 3-3586-1111, Fax, +81-3-3589-4645)
: IBM Japan, +81 3-3586-1111, Fax, +81-3-3589-4645)
8/6/93
IBM Japan Develops Optical Data Transmission Chip
Microwave Amplifiers To Be Shipp
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- Intech International Ltd. is setting up a 100 percent export-oriented business to manufacture microwave amplifiers. The company is expected to go into commercial production in September of this year, and is slated to attain a turnover of Rs 10 crore (around $3.3 million) in its first year of operation. The project entails an investment of Rs 7.5 crore (around $2.5 million).
Intech will manufacture a range of microwave amplifiers and related systems, which are used in cellular phone base stations, satellite dish antennae, and general purpose microwave radios used in defense and civil applications. According to Chuni Ghosh, the US-based NRI (non-resident Indian) promoter of Intech, the market for microwave amplifiers worldwide is worth $4 billion per annum -- for microwave systems it is worth $30 billion.
Currently, says Ghosh, most microwave manufacturers are based in the US, with Japan and Europe accounting for a minor portion of the total production. The manufacture of microwave amplifiers is labor intensive and most US microwave companies consequently have high labor costs. By contrast, labor is inexpensive in India, and Intech will be able to manufacture these amplifiers at a fraction of the cost prevailing in the US. For instance, Intech will sell amplifiers to US retailers at $15 per piece, compared to the $50 price at which US manufacturers sell them, claims Ghosh.
To start, Intech's products will be marketed primarily in the US and the UK. Intech's technical collaborator, Amplifonix Inc., of the US will buy one-third of the company's product as part of its technology transfer contract. The UK-based Continental Microwave Ltd., claimed to be world's largest distributor of low-noise block-down converters a microwave device fitted to dish antennae, is currently negotiating with Intech to source a significant amount of it $50 million sales from Intech. At a later stage, Intech will create a global marketing infrastructure to service the markets of Europe, Japan and even the developing countries, claims Ghosh.
(C. T. Mahabharat/19930806)
, claims Ghosh.
(C. T. Mahabharat/19930806)
8/6/93
Microwave Amplifiers To Be Shipped From India
TELECOM
Scitex In Class Action Suit
Motorola Sees Semiconductor Sale
Meiko Scientific Wins Lawrence L
Stac Utility For Doublespace Fil
Quicken 4 Adds Personal Finance
Stratus, IBM Revise Relationship
Acclaim Entertainment, Probe Sof
Sun 4Qtr Income Doubles; Record
US West Sells Rural Systems
UK - In-Store Radio Stations
Mainframe's Future Dim, Forreste
ATI Ships CD Sound Dimension For
MacWorld - Newton Spreadsheet Sl
Rep Condit Urges Sensible CD-ROM
PICA Of Australia To Distribute
Online Patent Makes Home Banking
AST Opens Facility In Dubai, UAE
PowerPC Workstation From IBM Due
Kurzweil Applied Intelligence In
UK - Computer Games Watchdog Est
Fujitsu Creates Automatic Mail C
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- Fujitsu says it has developed a system that automatically checks electronic mail on personal computer networks, and the system is now available on one of the largest personal computer networks, Nifty-serve.
Fujitsu's system consists of a personal computer, a network server, a multiple purpose telephone, and software. The system automatically accesses the PC network and shows how many electronic mail messages have been received. When the mail is downloaded the telephone turns a red lamp on. Also, at the same time, it displays the number of electronic mail messages received on a small LCD (liquid crystal display) on the telephone. An automatic access time can be set by the user. With this system, users do not have to check the mail, saving time and money, Fujitsu contends.
Fujitsu's system can be customized according to the needs of customers. For instance, the number of telephones and servers is flexible. A system price of 50 telephones is about 5.4 million yen ($51,500).
Nifty-serve currently has about 510,000 registered members. A joint venture of Fujitsu and Nissho Iwai Trading, Nifty-serve has a gateway to CompuServe.
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- Sumitomo Chemical's resin plant explosion last month has led to a major shortage of resin supplies to worldwide chipmakers.
Sumitomo Chemical's plant made 60 percent of world's high-quality epoxy resin, a substance in use in about 80 percent of the packages of computer chips.
Most of the chip makers have on hand a supply of about two month's worth of resin. Hitachi and Toshiba will run out of stock by this October if a supply isn't found.
Sumitomo Chemical hopes to get about half of its supply from US-based Dow Chemical, according to Reuters. However, Dow already closed its resin plant in 1991, and a Dow spokesman says start-up costs for the plant would be as high as $5 million. Unless Sumitomo Chemical guarantees to purchase the resin for five years, Dow is reluctant to do it.
Due to the unstable supply of resin, some chipmakers including Toshiba are seeking replacement substances for resin.
Chemical Plant Explosion Causes Chip Resin Shortage
GENERAL
Japanese Game Firm Claims World'
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- Taito, one of the major game and toy firms in Japan, listed stocks at the Tokyo Stock Exchange Market this week. The price of a single share was sold at a whopping 9.01 million yen ($85,800), making this the most expensive stock in the world.
Taito is an affiliated firm of Kyocera, a major high tech firm in Kyoto. The actual face value of Taito's stock is 50,000 yen ($475). However, it was selling for 9.01 million yen per share when the stock was listed for the first time on August 5. The stock price ended at 9.2 million yen ($87,600), which was even higher.
This price is higher than NTT's stock at 3.18 million yen ($30,000), which was first listed on April 22, 1987. Prior to the listing of the stock, the firm had held a bidding to decide the market price on July 23. At that time the price was 7.27 million yen ($70,000), and 2,000 units were sold.
Japanese Game Firm Claims World's Most Expensive Stock
BUSINESS
Borland Earns Up - Sales, Expens
Shared Whiteboard App For Window
SoftImage, Discreet Logic Battle
ComputerWorks - Your High Tech G
Computer Sciences Reports Revenu
Interleaf, Phoenix Sign Deal On
The Enabled Computer
Apple Intros Quadra 950 For Publ
Broadband Commits To MPEG
SIGGRAPH - Trip Hawkins Demos 3D
AT&T Wins TDS Switch Contract
Coming From CA - Client/Server B
Results Of Telecommuting Study P
SIGGRAPH - Trip Hawkins Demos 3D
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- Trip Hawkins president and chief executive officer of 3DO, demonstrated the 3DO player during his keynote address at the SIGGRAPH Show in Anaheim, California. Hawkins' topic was interactive multimedia and he used the reduced instruction set computing (RISC)-based 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, hailed to be the next generation video cassette recorder (VCR), as an example.
Developed by the Panasonic subsidiary of the Japanese manufacturer Matsushita, the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer will be marketed under the brand name "Real" and is expected to be available this October, Hawkins said. The unit comes with a single controller, three megabytes of random access memory (RAM) and has a small motherboard that will be less expensive to manufacture as time passes. Current costs for the motherboard are $250 each but by next summer Hawkins expects the boards to cost $180 and by the summer of 1995, $150. Retail pricing for the 3DO player is expected to be in the $700 price range.
The unit is simple to install to a television set, Hawkins maintains, and will have built-in support for Supermac's Cinepak (codec) for compression/decompression of video. The eventual goal is to use the standard compression codec designed for video, the Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) standard. But MPEG level 1 is the only standard available and it just doesn't compress the video small enough. Hawkins did say the 3DO player is built with connector for the addition of an MPEG compression module and anticipates advances in MPEG to level 2 as well as in optical technology will allow full-length movies to be placed on compact discs (CDs) for play on the 3DO.
The unit plays audio, Kodak photo CDs, and CDs designed for the unit with games or other material. The audio is designed so graphic images, such as spheres and squares, move in conjunction with the music if the television is on during the audio playback. In viewing photo CDs, users can manipulate the images, such as blow up areas of an image for closer viewing or turn a photograph right side up that was taken sideways.
Hawkins pointed out some history in consumer electronics in making a case for the success of the 3DO player. He mentioned when radio was introduced there was one year when thirty-five percent of the furniture purchased in the US was radios and with inflation, the cost of the radio then was the equivalent of $1,600 now. RCA, which was in the radio business, leveraged that capability by using the FM signal to start television broadcasting. The company also started NBC to broadcast content for television, Hawkins said.
While Hawkins said 3DO needs the support of the third party software industry, he pointed out that VCRs were sold before there were a large variety of titles available for them. He also pointed to the introduction of color television as a case where backward compatibility slowed the growth of the acceptance of the new technology. Since color television also allowed black and white broadcasting to be viewed, the adoption of color television was much slower than black and white television. Therefore, Hawkins concluded that backward compatibility slows down the progress of new technology.
While Hawkins said there were 317 developers working on titles for the 3DO player, only a handful of titles are expected for availability in October. The unit can also be connected to a cable television system to decompress video coming into the home so consumers can have a wider variety of channels to choose from. Five hundred channels is the number you hear the most, but Hawkins added that some of those channels may contain repetitive broadcasting staggered so that top movies could start every ten to fifteen minutes for the convenience of the home viewer.
There is a large group of the population who will be teenagers soon. The number of teenagers is expected to grow from 13 million to 19 million in the next few years, Hawkins said. In addition, the group of kids who first played Atari are now in their twenties and will soon be in their early thirties with adult buying power. With better graphics and increased capability, Hawkins said he believes the 3DO player will have a wide enough range of applications to attract a large buying audience.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930805)
large buying audience.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930805)
8/6/93
SIGGRAPH - Trip Hawkins Demos 3DO Player In Keynote
GENERAL
Sprint, Call-Net Announce Cross-
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- Sprint Corp., the United States' third-largest long-distance telephone service supplier, has formed an alliance with Canadian long-distance reseller Call-Net Enterprises. Sprint also bought a 25-percent stake in Toronto-based Call-Net.
The deal is in a sense a parallel to existing relationships that link AT&T with Toronto-based Unitel Communications and MCI with Ottawa-based Stentor, the consortium of Canada's regional phone companies.
In this case as in those, the Canadian company gets access to intelligent network technology from the US partner. And in all three cases, the partners are providing the same services on both sides of the border.
The AT&T-Unitel relationship also gives AT&T an ownership stake in Unitel. There is no cross-ownership in the MCI-Stentor connection.
Call-Net is the largest of Canada's long-distance resellers companies that provide long-distance service using communications links they buy from the established phone companies. Call-Net also has a subsidiary, Lightel Communications Inc., that has been given permission by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to set up its own long-distance network.
Call-Net serves only three provinces: Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia. It claims to be the second-largest long-distance provider in those provinces and the fourth largest in Canada overall.
Sprint and Call-Net said the alliance will let them offer customers, and in particular multinational corporations with offices in both countries, seamless cross-border telecommunications services.
The first Sprint service to come to Canada will be The Most which gives a 20-percent discount on the most frequently called number each month.
Sprint has bought about three million non-voting shares of Call-Net and will get three seats on the company's board of directors. Sprint officials said the company does not expect to expand its stake in Call-Net in the future.
WIMBLEDON, LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- Dataflex Design, a company that has pioneered low-cost integrated services digital network (ISDN) technology, has reported receiving feedback from potential ISDN users regarding some of the restrictions surrounding British Telecom's ISDN network.
According to Dataflex, while it is widely acknowledged that ISDN is the way forward for public network services, currently users do not have full access to all ISDN channels limiting potential business applications and resulting in higher tariff rates.
Currently, BT's ISDN-2 service offers two 64,000 bits per second (bps) "B" (for bearer) channels and a single 16,000 bps "D" (for data) channel. Dataflex asserts that only the "B" channels are available for data transmission, with the "D" channel used exclusively for control data.
As a result of this, Dataflex claims that users are unable to take up the full bandwidth available to them on the ISDN-2 service.
"Nobody denies that ISDN is the way forward because of the speed and volume of data transmission it allows. There are plenty of business applications crying out to use ISDN, but it's just too expensive as it stands," explained Gerry O'Prey, technical director with Dataflex.
As an example, O'Prey cited credit card transactions. "The banks are increasingly demanding that all credit card transactions are validated because of the increase in fraud. Each time validation occurs, a tiny packet of information is sent across the network and yet, under present tariff rates, a unit charge is made relating to a fixed period time, rather than the volume of information sent," he said.
"The key benefit of the D channel is that charges are based on the volume of data sent, not on the time it takes, so that companies are not penalized for sending small packets of information," he added.
Because of these tariff strictures, O'Prey said that he sees two potential growth areas for ISDN that are being held back, electronic point of sale (EPOS) and security technology. This latter potential growth area could, O'Prey claims, take off if video imaging is transmitted over an ISDN link.
"The Police are now disinclined to attend security calls unless they have visual verification of the problem. This is why there has been enormous growth in the use of security cameras, and using ISDN it is possible to send visual images direct to security firms, although the cost of doing this is still too restrictive for small companies," he said.
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- Ambra Personal Computers has announced it is reducing the price of all its desktop PCs and peripherals by between six and 12 percent in the UK. This move follows a similar 10 to 15 percent reduction in May.
The price shuffles mean that users in the UK can now source an 80486-based machine through Ambra for UKP 749 plus value-added tax. For this money, users get a 25 megahertz (MHz) 80486SX-based PC with 4 megabytes (MB) of memory and a 100MB hard disk, as well as VGA monitor. The previous price of this system was UKP 849.
Barrie Baxter, head of European sales for Ambra, said: "Competition in the market-place is very intense at the moment. We have cut our prices to maintain our competitive edge in the market-place and anticipate that other manufacturers will follow our lead and cut their prices this summer."
In parallel with the price cuts, Ambra is running an August promotion. This gives savings of up to UKP 63 on the cost of an extra three years on-site warranty on the company's machines, as well as a free PC game -- Civilization -- worth UKP 39-99.
Ambra claims that more than 100,000 of its PCs have been sold since June. The machines have won best buy awards in What PC (VNU) and PC Today (Europress), as well as Editor's choice classifications in PC Magazine (Ziff-Davis).
(Steve Gold/19930806/Press & Public Contact: Ambra Personal Computers - Tel: 081-758-4600)
mputers - Tel: 081-758-4600)
8/6/93
UK - Ambra Reduces Pricing
Northern Telecom Expects 1993 Lo
Australia - Apple Tops PC Reliab
AT&T Shuffles Executives, Posts
Sanctuary Woods Acquires Mind F/
Digital, Online Video Production
DRAM Shortage Hits Australian PC
Cisco To Support DLSw Interopera
MacWorld - Gryphon Software Intr
International Phone Update
MasterCard International Intros
Wordperfect Office To Incorporat
IBM Canada In Facilities Managem
Solitec Subsidiary To Buy Assets
Telescan Has Deal With Editor An
Australian Directory Assistance
Australian 1991 Census Available
NetFrame Superservers To Be Sold
Adobe Intros Premiere For Window
Quantum In Flash Alliance With S
UK - Compuserve, US Robotics Off
SLOUGH, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- US Robotics (USR) has teamed with Compuserve and three of its dealers to offer a 14,400 bits-per-second (bps) modem at the almost unheard-of price of UKP 239. Until the end of September, Compuserve members can buy the Sportster 144 data fax modem for this low price.
The three dealers are Brilaw International, Readycrest, and SEG Communications. Mike Spalter, managing director of SEG Communications, told Newsbytes that US Robotics had been very helpful in arranging the mail shot.
"Normally I'm quite skeptical about mail shots, but this one is being carefully targeted, so we know that the people receiving the advertisements are existing modem users. We've been very busy with people taking up the offer," he said.
The normal retail price on the Sportster is UKP 399 plus value-added tax. Spalter revealed that his company's normal price tag on the modem is UKP 255.
(Steve Gold/19930806/Press & Public Contact: US Robotics - Tel: 0753-811180; SEG Communications - Tel: 081-959-3377)
: 0753-811180; SEG Communications - Tel: 081-959-3377)
8/6/93
UK - Compuserve, US Robotics Offer Cheap, Fast Modem
TELECOM
Australia's PC 93 Melbourne Show
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- Australia's largest computer show is held twice a year, in Sydney and Melbourne, and the Melbourne show runs next week on Tuesday to Friday, 10th to 13th August. As usual there will be a good range of new products updates and old faithfuls.
Organizers expect more than 40,000 visitors, each to have a bar-coded badge so the more than 230 exhibitors can "swipe" them as they stop at a stand. Children under 18 are not admitted to the show as it is designed for business computer users.
Big names at the show include Apple, IBM, Microsoft, Lotus Canon, Telecom, Optus and Toshiba. The show is split into four zones: software, training and education, multimedia, and communications and office technology.
While Taiwan computer manufacturers are regulars at these shows this year the Hong Kong Trade Development Council has mounted a display of the many computer products from that colony, and will take trade enquiries and orders on the show floor.
Lotus will be showing its Smartsuite, consisting of 1-2-3 release 4, Ami Pro word processing, Freelance Graphics, Lotus Organizer and Lotus cc:Mail - for AUS$1150 (around US$800). Microsoft is taking its largest stand ever, and will spend much of the space on Windows NT demonstrations.
The Apple Zone will have around 30 third-party suppliers showing their add-on products for Apple computers. Apple will showcase the just-announced Newton with a Newton Classroom where visitors can get hands-on experience with the new type of computer.
(Paul Zucker/19930806/Contact: Australian Exhibition Services on phone +61-3-867 4500 or fax +61-3-867 7981)
phone +61-3-867 4500 or fax +61-3-867 7981)
8/6/93
Australia's PC 93 Melbourne Show Next Week
GENERAL
Editorial - Australia's Long Dis
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- By Paul Zucker. Today was ballot day. They've been building up to it for months now, and I'm not sure that it wasn't all a big anticlimax.
You see, a few years ago they decided to deregulate the Australian long-distance telecommunications industry by the end of the nineties, and the first step was to appoint a single alternative to the monolithic state-owned carrier Telecom. The winner, Optus, has been operating for some time now, but users had to remember to prefix any long distance domestic or international call with a "1." Now the ballot is being held progressively around the country, and phone subscribers are being asked to choose their carrier of choice.
If they wish to change back again they will get "at least one change in the next six months at no charge" though we don't know what will happen after that. Using the other carrier is also allowed, but will require the use of a four-digit prefix for EVERY call. The ballot (non-compulsory) asks subscribers to choose, but if they don't they will simply stay with Telecom.
Optus, however, is able to ask for repeat ballots if the response rate is insufficient. As an incentive, Optus is giving away a number of randomly selected $10,000 cash prizes to people who do vote in the ballot (regardless of which way they vote).
Both companies have been conducting what is undoubtedly the largest and most expensive advertising campaign in Australian history, with appeals to patriotism, common sense, greed, and everything else right down to good old apple-pie family values. From my point of view, these are the general thrusts of the two companies:
Telecom: It's 100 percent Australian-owned while Optus is 49 percent overseas owned. It's the only true phone company as Optus doesn't connect to your house or offer any services other than long distance and mobile phones. It has size and a reliable history on its side. There are no compelling financial reasons to change. (This last one is presumably because Optus is cheaper in almost all cases.)
Optus: It has an Australian boss while Telecom has an American. It's cheaper. It caused the dramatic drop in call costs and the dramatic increase in the level of service in the industry. It is much more contactable - much more human than big old Telecom. It is adding jobs and opportunities for local industry. (In fact, the competition will probably mean a reduction in total jobs of at least 50 percent, but that's hardly Optus' fault.)
There's no doubt at all that the presence of Optus has made incredible differences to the Australian phone system. It has always been good and low-priced, but suffered from the typical "public servant" lethargy and gross inefficiencies that left plenty of room for the massive staff cuts that have been made.
Until recently Australian phone users didn't get itemized long-distance phone bills, but simply a total meter registration - like it or lump it! Now, both companies are outdoing themselves in the information provided, even going so far as to show on the bills where the lucky customer has saved some more cents by striking one of the "extra specials" that are used to tempt users.
This writer (being blessed with a particularly well-developed ability to forget things) was used to getting a follow-up letter a couple of days after the phone bill should have been paid. It always read "Disconnection Notice" and threatened all sorts of dire repercussions if this second notice were not attended to within minutes, in person, as mail was no longer an option. Now, the second notice is a polite: "It probably slipped your attention."
I won't tell you which way I voted, I do think it could have been better organized though. We get 98 percent turnout at elections down here, but that's only because they fine you if you don't vote. I think they'll be lucky to get a 25 percent return for this ballot - even though they have included a post-free envelope!
(Paul Zucker/19930806)
luded a post-free envelope!
(Paul Zucker/19930806)
8/6/93
Editorial - Australia's Long Distance Carrier Ballot
EDITORIAL
TELECOM
Australia - Microsoft Claims 400
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- Microsoft Australia has signed a major agreement with the Queensland State government and claims to be on the verge of similar software distribution deals with other governments covering more than 400,000 units of software, deals that could be worth a conservative US$40-55M a year.
The deals could have major implications for the distribution of software to major corporate and government sites around Australia. Under the Government Information Technology Conditions (GITC) deal signed by Microsoft MD Gary Jackson and Queensland State Premier Tome Burns last week, Microsoft will provide the government with licences to copy its products. They will come at "highly competitive" prices. What does that mean? Microsoft says the Microsoft Office suite of programs will be offered at 60 percent off suggested retail price, but has given no other pricing examples.
Microsoft has already signed a similar GITC deal with the State of Tasmania and says it is negotiating with other states and territories and the federal government. According to Microsoft Australia Finance Director Tony Weber, the group expects to generate up to 30 percent of its entire revenue in Australia in 1993 from GITC government sales. Projected sales for that year are in excess of US$130M. Microsoft has said that dealers will be involved in the Queensland GITC sales, though the margin is unknown.
(David Frith - Computer Daily News/19930806)
nown.
(David Frith - Computer Daily News/19930806)
8/6/93
Australia - Microsoft Claims 400,000-Unit Govt Deals
Geac Buys ECI Computer
MARKHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- Geac Computer Corp. Ltd. said it has purchased all issued and outstanding shares of ECI Computer Inc., a Santa Ana, California company that provides computer systems for hotels, resorts, and convention centers.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, and Geac spokeswoman Heidi Riffert could not say whether ECI will be integrated into Geac or remain as a separate subsidiary.
Riffert did say that ECI recorded about C$10 million (roughly US$7.8 million) in sales last year.
The privately held company was founded in 1990 and has roughly 115 employees. It sells systems designed to work in real time suitable for hotels ranging from 50 to more than 3,000 rooms.
Geac, with operations in 10 countries covering North America Europe and the Pacific Rim, sells computer systems for several vertical markets, including libraries, financial institutions hotels, clubs, construction, property management, manufacturing and distribution. Geac is a publicly traded company with its common shares listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- Script X, an object-oriented language now under development at Kaleida Labs will become the major delivery platform for interactive TV as well as for multimedia computing, Kaleida Co-Chairman Nat Goldhaber said in a keynote speech at MacWorld.
Apple and IBM, the two parent companies in the Kaleida joint venture, have each agreed to bundle the upcoming crossplatform development tool with their desktop computers by the end of 1994 he said. The pact covers all of Apple's Macintoshes and most of IBM's PCs.
"So, by then, there will be on the order of five or six million machines out there (with Script X), just from IBM and Apple alone. I would like to respectfully suggest that (Script X) will be the most ubiquitous platform for multimedia title development and playback," remarked Goldhaber.
Further, Kaleida has already formed two major outside alliances and expects to establish more, he said. One of the existing alliances is with Toshiba/Hitachi/Mitsubishi/Creative Labs, and the other with Scientific Atlanta/Motorola.
"Now that (Kaleida has) real technology to demonstrate, I think a number of other companies will start using the Script X technology," noted Goldhaber, who along with newly appointed Kaleida CEO Mike Braun gave a demo of Script X at the close of the presentation.
"(The alliance with) Scientific Atlanta and Motorola will (result in) the first set-top box based on Power PC that will run Script X on people's television tops. This will give somewhat more horsepower than a Macintosh has today," Goldhaber continued.
"We believe we can bring in that box at a price no higher than the cable TV community's current expectations for set-top boxes that do no more than decode MPEG II for display on TV set," he vowed.
Fully bidirectional interactive TV will become nationally available within the next five years, supplying the key to social and economic revolution within the US, he added.
With the rise of the information highway, the decline of the heavy manufacturing sector, and the perpetuation of most Americans' addiction to TV, the US will become a land where most people create or modify multimedia titles for a living, he predicted.
"We will become a country that `just says no' to work, when that work involves manufacturing. A whole new kind of business will open up to Americans. We will become a nation of information and entertainment providers and consumers, transmitting this information over a nationwide network," he asserted.
Developers should not waste precious time waiting for studies that prove interactive TV will become a reality, he said. "If your own gut doesn't tell you (interactive TV) is going to happen, then certainly the fact that Bill Gates is spending half his time on it ought to prove that this is the right place to be," he maintained.
Script X will be the "magic potion," providing all the capabilities needed for development and playback, he continued. These include ease of use, crossplatform operability, strong interactivity, reusable parts, and application binding, or the ability to incorporate outside applications into a program.
"In an ideal world, you will be able to buy pieces of application programs from others and include them in your own applications," he elaborated.
Script X, he added, will also support all the major metaphors for interactive multimedia: Hypercard, shared virtual space, modular publications, and interactive magazines. Interactive magazines, he said, will let users build a template, and then simply insert new information for each new edition.
"Script X will also let you `mix metaphors,' by working on two different metaphors simultaneously in a single application program," he commented.
The second version of Script X, to be delivered in the late 1994 to 1995 time frame, will include full distributed client-server capabilities, according to Goldhaber. This functionality will allow objects to be coordinated on multiple machines in real time. "So, for example, a group of people could all congregate in a `cafe' and play (interactive multimedia) games in a shared space," he illustrated.
Also in the future, "key lock" capabilities will be added to Script X that will permit the protection of intellectual property Goldhaber emphasized.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930806)
haber emphasized.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930806)
8/6/93
MacWorld - Script X Holds Key To Interactive TV
APPLE
Aldus Shipping Pagemaker 5.0 for
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- Aldus Corporation is now shipping Aldus Pagemaker 5.0 for Macintosh, its popular desktop publishing program.
The company says the new version includes a significant set of new product features and enhanced services designed specifically for graphic design and production professionals. Lori Birtley, Aldus senior product marketing manager, says the program includes a revamped printing engine, advanced text and graphics controls broader import and export capabilities, and several new Aldus Additions. The company has also added a 24-hour technical support phone line, beefed up the number of Aldus Imaging Centers, and is offering a rebate.
Aldus says the printing speeds, including those for background printing, are as much as twice as fast as competing products, and users can now print non-consecutive pages and page ranges. Printer marks such as crop, registration, and plate identification marks can now be added.
One of the new Additions allows users to save frequently used print settings and to send multiple files, each with a unique print setting, to different output devices simultaneously. Other new printing features include an Addition for simple page-imposition diagnostic messages of PostScript printing errors, and the ability to print multiple EPS files of publications simultaneously.
Version 5.0 can also output process-color separations and can convert spot colors to process for all imported and user-defined colors. New text and graphics controls allow rotation and skewing of text and graphics in .01- degree increments, and vertical or horizontal flipping of images. Rotated text can be edited and rotated graphics can be cropped directly in the page layout mode.
The company says the new release has a Control Palette that can precisely place and size both text and graphics through the palette and it can also be used to apply type attributes such as font, size and leading. Paragraph attributes such as style and alignment baseline shift, and object nudging, skewing, rotation and flipping can also be controlled through the palette.
The new export/import capabilities include support for automatic compression and decompression of TIFF images; the option to link or embed any EPS or TIFF graphic through OLE support; and the ability to send only cropped image data to the printer to reduce printing time. An Expert Kerning Addition automatically adjusts the spacing between characters, and Tracks customizes font tracking information on a point-size basis.
The new release includes KeyServer, a technology from Hanover, New Hampshire-based Sassafras Software that limits the number of users to the number of licenses purchased. When a network user launches Pagemaker (or any Macintosh-based program supporting KeyServer) the software management program checks out a key from a central KeyServer. The KeyServer maintains a usage count, and will not issue a key if the count would exceed the maximum number of licenses allowed.
If all the licensed copies of the application are in use, the user is notified via a dialog box on-screen, and the program offers to notify you when a key becomes available, i.e., when a person using the software exits the program. The person waiting to use the application has five minutes after notification to launch the program, or the key is made available for other users.
The new around-the-clock telephone support is available to first-time purchasers for 90 days, starting from the time of the first call. After the 90- day period, 24-hour support is available through the Aldus CustomerFirst support subscription.
The Aldus Imaging Centers are participating in a short-term promotion that offers a $25 rebate to customers who upgrade to Pagemaker 5.0. Good until August 31, the rebate is available to users through the Imaging Centers. You can contact Aldus to get a list of the centers.
Recommended system configuration for Pagemaker 5.0 for Macintosh includes any Apple Mac II series, Quadra or SE/30 computer, System 7.0 or later, five to eight megabytes (MB) of system memory, and at least an 80MB hard drive. Minimum configuration is an Apple Mac LC series or Classic II, System 6.0.7, four MB of memory, and a 20MB hard drive. The program can print to any PostScript or QuickDraw-compatible laser printer or imagesetter.
For first time buyers, version 5.0 carries an $895 suggested retail price. If you bought version 4.2 after January 1, 1993 you can get the upgrade free with a product registration card and proof of purchase. Users who upgraded to version 4.2 from an earlier version can upgrade directly from Aldus for $75. All other registered users can upgrade for $150 from Aldus or one of the company's resellers. Users who have an Aldus service contract receive a discount off the published upgrade price.
(Jim Mallory/19930806/Press contact: Barbara Burke, Aldus, 206-628 6594; Reader contact: Aldus Corporation, 206-628-2320, fax 800-685-3501 for Imaging Center information; Sassafras Software 603-643-3351)
nformation; Sassafras Software 603-643-3351)
8/6/93
Aldus Shipping Pagemaker 5.0 for Macintosh
APPLE
MFS Turns On ATM Network
OAK BROOK, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- MFS Communications said it has become the first company to offer a nationwide data network under the emerging Asynchronous Transfer Mode, or ATM, standard.
ATM will move data at speeds of from 1.544 million bits/second to as high as 622 million bits/second, and is often considered a follow-on to existing frame relay networks offered by a number of long distance phone companies.
MFS says its 14-city network Datanet can transmit the data contained in the average set of encyclopedias in 24.5 seconds versus 5.15 hours for present networks, and adds that demand for data communications is growing at 35 percent per year, against 5 percent annual growth for voice. MFS Datanet is adaptable to linking local area networks in companies with widely dispersed facilities at speeds as high as the LANs themselves work. The company also sees markets in the law, publishing, and design work for the new network.
While many frame relay leaders, like AT&T, MCI and Sprint are expected to enter the ATM market, they are primarily long distance companies and are thus prevented by regulation from taking calls end-to-end. They must pick up and terminate calls at central locations within each city, then pass them to either a local phone company or a firm like MFS. Only MFS has end-to-end fiber connectivity, a spokesman told Newsbytes.
All this comes just days after MFS won the right from the Federal Communications Commission to use local phone company switches in connecting their customers to local networks, a deregulatory move which greatly increases the potential market for local MFS services.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930806/Press Contact: Steve Ingish, MFS, 708 218-7316; FAX: 708-218-1216)
8-7316; FAX: 708-218-1216)
8/6/93
MFS Turns On ATM Network
TELECOM
UK - BT Enhances Telemedicine Te
IBM Loses Again, Will Cut 35,000
Utah State University Upgrades C
Wollongong's PathWay Messaging T
Japan - Matsushita To Release Vi
Newton Demo'd, Sells Out At SIGG
MacWorld - New PIM For PowerBook
LSI Technology Used In Oki LED P
Lawrence Livermore Lab Working O
SPA Conference Scheduled For Oct
Kai's Power Tools 2.0 For Macint
Data General Intros DG/Viision P
Quickeys 3.0 For Macintosh
BT, MCI Finalize Joint Venture
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- MCI and British Telecom released final details on their alliance under which BT will buy 20 percent of MCI for $4.3 billion.
Under the deal, originally announced in June, the two companies will also form a new joint venture aimed at handling the total communication needs of companies, a market previously handled in part by BT's Syncordia unit, which aimed at what's called the "global outsourcing market," according to a BT spokesman.
BT will hold 75 percent of the new company's equity with MCI holding the remaining 25 percent. Chris Earnshaw, BT's managing director of worldwide networks, will be chief executive of the joint venture, which will be based in northern Virginia. Syncordia had been based in Atlanta. In addition to its exact headquarters, another unknown of the new venture is its name. BT and MCI marketing staffs will both share sales duties for the new venture, with about 1,000 people to be working for it at its start. A BT spokesman in Atlanta added, however, that the Georgia city will be a major site for the joint venture, and in fact its BT-MCI employment will actually increase as a result of the deal.
The equity deal is that BT will buy its 20 percent stake in MCI in the form of newly authorized shares of MCI Class A common stock at a blended price per share of $32 per share. BT's shares will entitle it to designate up to three members of MCI's 15 member board of directors. MCI's chairman, Bert C. Roberts Jr. will become a member of BT's board of directors. In addition, BT gets what it calls "investor protections with respect to certain corporate actions of MCI," but also executed a 10-year standstill period during which it will not increase its percentage holdings in MCI, and promised not to transfer its Class A stock for at least four years. Any transferred Class A stock after that would automatically be converted to common stock.
Finally, MCI will acquire most of the assets and business of BT North America, which runs the Tymnet data network. Most of BT North America's operations are in San Jose, California. After the agreement, the BT spokesman said, MCI will discuss with its partners in Infonet and BT on how to "rationalize" its investment in Infonet in light of the new joint venture.
All this, of course, is still subject to approvals by stockholders, both the UK and US governments, and the European Commission. It's all expected to close in the first half of 1994.
Separately, MCI said it signed an agreement with Intertel Communications' Teleport Denver unit to become part of a broad based long distance consortium if MCI wins a nationwide license for so-called PCN services, which operate at microwave frequencies. The US government will soon begin the process of selling 200 MHz of new frequency, between 1.8 and 2.2 GHz, for commercial use, and MCI has proposed that it be one of a number of national consortia which will make sure PCN callers can link with national and local networks.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930806/Press Contact: Intertel Communications, Phil Allen, 303/572-5984; Pam Small, MCI, 202 887-3000, Jack Baird, British Telecommunications, 404-333-4640)
elecommunications, 404-333-4640)
8/6/93
BT, MCI Finalize Joint Venture
TELECOM
Bell Atlantic Signs With Cellula
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- Bell Atlantic, the regional Bell company for the mid-Atlantic states, became the partner of CellularVision in its plan to offer wireless cable service in New York City. The company is already offering 41 channels of TV service to customers in Brooklyn at $29.95, a price competitive with cable. The company hopes to double that number of channels soon.
CellularVision said Bell Atlantic will operate its licensed system in New York City. The system uses very high frequencies about 28 GHz, to deliver over 30 channels of television to flat five-inch wide antennae mounted on subscribers' windows. In some markets, like New York, where some areas do not yet have cable television service, the CellularVision offering can be installed for less than the cost of wired service.
CellularVision said it will also work with Bell Atlantic to test the capability of CellularVision technology to support interactive video and data services. The topology of the network is similar to that of cable television, so two-way capability should be possible.
In a December interview with Newsbytes, CellularVision developer Bernard Brossard explained that the key to his system is frequency modulation, or FM. FM is the same transmission system which gives radio stations on those bands better reception than AM, which use amplitude modulation to transmit sound. "There are also properties that can be used in cellular structures -- you can re-use frequencies, and you have enormous bandwidth at higher frequencies," he added. The problem with the higher frequencies is that, because the waves are so short, they attenuate or dissipate very, very quickly. By using cellular technology dividing a service area among many antennae just as cellular telephone companies do, this problem is eliminated, Bossard said.
In December, Bossard said that his system could make regulation of either phone or cable rates irrelevant, because wireless systems like his can offer competition. In fact, because it will cost so little in comparison to upgrades of cable or telephone systems, systems like CellularVision could win out offering broadband data services and wireless telephone service in addition to cable television service off a single platform.
In a press statement, Bell Atlantic vice president-business development, Brian Oliver, said CellularVision's technology "complements Bell Atlantic's commitment to a full service network strategy," calling it a complement to existing cable and phone networks.
As the CellularVision plan moves ahead, the government is also moving ahead. The two companies said the FCC is expected to re allocate the needed spectrum nationwide within a few months after it adopts rules for the use of the spectrum.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930806/Press Contact: Herb Corbin, for CellularVision, 212-682-6565; Nancy Stark, Bell Atlantic, 215 963-6777)
Nancy Stark, Bell Atlantic, 215 963-6777)
8/6/93
Bell Atlantic Signs With CellularVision
TELECOM
Roundup - Stories Carried By Oth
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- Roundup is a brief look at some computer stories carried in other publications received here this past week.
Federal Computer Week for August 2 reports that corporate bidders seeking government contracts have nightmares about being banned from doing business with the feds because of some minor and probably inadvertent violation of the FAR or Federal Acquisitions Requirements issued by the General Services Administration. Apparently more than 5,800 companies are currently on the suspended list, but is this all their fault? FAR is so large and complex that it is published on a CD-ROM.
Network World dated August 2 says that IBM's APPN or Advanced Peer-to-Peer Network 3172 Network Node Interconnect Controller may eliminate the need for front-end processors. The 3172 attaches local area networks to mainframe channels and can be used to replace FEPs in remote sites or small Systems Network Architecture shops.
Computer Reseller news for the week of August 2 reports that Microsoft is backing up its debut of Windows NT with a "sizable" soft-dollars program which provide training, joint sales, and other incentives to resellers and value-added resellers.
(John McCormick/19930806/)
alue-added resellers.
(John McCormick/19930806/)
8/6/93
Roundup - Stories Carried By Other Media This Week
GENERAL
Rep. Markey Intros Bill To Limit
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- Representative Edward Markey, Democrat from Massachusetts, has followed up on his earlier warnings to the television industry with the introduction of a bill which would require all televisions sold in the US to include a so-called "V" chip that would allow parents to set the TV circuitry to automatically blank out any "V"iolence rated broadcast.
The way this would work is that all new sets would have a chip which could be set to automatically reject any programs transmitted with a violence encoding.
A similar system is already in use on all satellite receivers which can be set to lock out adult-rated movies.
There are many concerns in the industry that this would be a needless added cost, possibly leading to censorship, and say that parents who now let their children watch violent programs are not exercising any control over their kids viewing habits and would be unlikely to do any better in the future.
The situation might be different if most adult-type programs with a high-level of violence (those likely to be given the "V" rating) occurred during traditionally unsupervised daytime viewing hours, but in actuality the majority of programs which would be affected are those shown during so-called prime time the exact time when most parents are also watching television and could easily select non-violent programs for their children.
As anyone who has seen an episode of The Simpsons' "Itchy and Scratchy" cartoon-inside-a-cartoon knows, extreme violence is often present in programs which are unlikely to be rated "V" for violent by the studios. Many Saturday morning TV shows contain violent cartoons as do such popular "children's" shows as Nickelodeon's Ren and Stimpy.
There are also questions about whether television news would have to be either rated "V" or cut most of the video it currently includes of war scenes and criminal violence.
(John McCormick/19930806/)
minal violence.
(John McCormick/19930806/)
8/6/93
Rep. Markey Intros Bill To Limit TV Violence
@ ^
TV Archives To Develop Index Dat
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- Using a $95-thousand grant from The Ford Foundation, Nashville, Tennessee-based Vanderbilt University's Television News Archive is beginning the development of an electronic database of the indexes and abstracts for thousands of evening newscasts and will place these files on the internet.
Called the Archive-Internet link, the school says that electronic access to abstracts (not the full text of transcripts) will be available to Internet users by spring of 1994.
The Television News Index and Abstracts, created by the Archive's staff, are already published monthly in hard copy.
The national evening news broadcasts of ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN are all included in the archive.
Newsbytes contacted the Television News Archive to learn if the new Fox Network news would be included in the archives and also to find out if the abstracts and index are now or would soon be available on CD-ROM and was told that both issues are currently under review.
Because of lack of outside funding, the University recently considered shutting down the Archive but this major news resource was reprieved when it cut staff and reduced services to lower costs.
(John McCormick/19930806/Press Contact: Jean Moore, Vanderbilt University, 615-322-2706)
e, Vanderbilt University, 615-322-2706)
8/6/93
TV Archives To Develop Index Database
GENERAL
MacWorld - Newton Spreadsheet Sl
K BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- In MacWorld's "Newton Showcase" at Symphony Hall, MobileSoft Corp., has unveiled spreadsheet software being billed as one of the first applications that will be available for the Newton.
MobileCalc will ship in September, officials said in announcing the product. The application offers more than 70 built-in financial statistical, engineering, scientific, and general math functions.
Specific applications include sales forecasting, cost estimating portfolio and cash flow analysis, and project profit-and-loss statements.
Users will be able to take advantage of the Newton's communications capabilities to send spreadsheets created in MobileCalc to their clients via fax or electronic mail.
The user interface for MobileCalc is designed to provide a simple and uncluttered viewing area while exploiting the "power of the pen" as a command and control device.
Through a feature called "smart cell input," the user can write outside the cell where a number should appear. MobileCalc will then automatically insert the number where it is needed.
Users can also select widely used row and column headings from a list and drop them directly into a chosen cell. The same can be done from a list of common formulas. The formulas can be modified by tapping in changes with the pen.
The software provides directional arrows to ease the process of navigating a spreadsheet. The arrows let the user jump to and from various sections of the sheet with the stroke of a pen. Also included is a zoom feature that magnifies the spreadsheet by a factor of up to four.
The mission of Campbell, CA-based MobileSoft is to develop publish, market and distribute software for PDAs produced by Apple Sharp, and other vendors, according to officials.
The company receives financial backing from venture capital firms including Draper Associates, InterWest Partners, and Merrill Pichard, Anderson & Eyre.
MobileCalc will be distributed on PCMCIA card and floppy disk. The diskette version requires software such as the Newton Connection Kit for transfer into the Newton. The PCMCIA version is priced at $149, and the floppy version at $99.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930608/Reader contact: Pete Snell, MobileSoft tel 408-376-0497; Press contact: Denny Brisley, CKSPartners for MobileSoft, tel 408-378-2444)
ny Brisley, CKSPartners for MobileSoft, tel 408-378-2444)
6/8/93
MacWorld - Newton Spreadsheet Slated For Sept. Shipment
APPLE
Long-Standing Member Of Apple Bo
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- Arthur Rock part of the board of directors at Apple Computer, announced his resignation effective immediately. Apple's statement is he resigned to avoid any perception of conflict of interest arising from his other affiliations in the computer industry.
A member of the board of directors at Intel as well as at other computer industry corporations, Rock joined Apple's board of directors clear back in 1981. There is speculation that the conflict might be Rock's interests at Intel. Some industry analysts are asserting the PowerPC chip, developed in partnership with Apple, IBM, and Motorola, might be a serious competitor for Intel -- especially if Microsoft ports its Windows NT operating system to the PowerPC platform. Rock was unavailable for comment.
Rock was also named in a recent group of class action suits brought against Apple computer and its executives alleging insider trading. Apple took a beating in its second quarter earnings, announced July 15, with losses of $188.3 million.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930806/Press Contact: Kate Paisley, Apple Computer, tel 408-974-2042, fax 408-967-5651)
Computer, tel 408-974-2042, fax 408-967-5651)
8/6/93
Long-Standing Member Of Apple Board Resigns
APPLE
MacWorld - 4 New Interactive Mul
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- To fascinated onlookers at the Bay Side Expo Center, Creative Multimedia is demonstrating four new interactive multimedia CD-ROM titles for the Apple Computer Macintosh and Microsoft's Multimedia PC (MPC): Dinosaur Safari, The Chaos Continuum, The Magic Death, and Parenting.
Dinosaur Safari, an interactive game for children, was developed in collaboration with the Oregon Museum of Science, the same organization that provided advice on dinosaurs to the makers of the blockbuster movie Jurassic Park, said Judith D. Grillo, associate publisher, in an interview with Newsbytes.
The Chaos Continuum is the first interactive CD-ROM title to incorporate movie-quality 3-D animation, renderings, and morphing effects, Grillo told Newsbytes. The science fiction adventure was developed on the same Silicon Graphics workstations and software used to create the images seen in Jurassic Park, Terminator II Batman II, and The Abyss.
The Magic Death, the second in a mystery game series called Virtual Murder, uses more than 100 minutes of video, sound and animation to present a murder case that players try to solve in the shortest time possible. The game offers several different outcomes, each with a different killer.
Parenting, the only nonfiction title in the group, covers such issues as adoption, fertility, problem pregnancies, and childbirth as well as the milestones of child development from birth through age five.
Parenting contains more than 100 color and black-and-white photos of parents and children from various cultural and ethnic settings plus photos showing fetal development from four to 32 weeks. Also included are audio depictions of the normal development stages of language in children, starting with the sounds of the newborn infant.
In a demonstration of Dinosaur Safari, Grillo showed Newsbytes how the title teaches children about the dinosaurs, terrain, and plant life of various prehistoric periods.
In the Dinosaur Safari scenario, the time is the distant future. The National Chronographic Society publishes a multimedia "datazine" that shows members lifelike pictures, movies and information from the past. You have agreed to be a freelance photojournalist for the society, despite the dangers, because you are rather bold and can use the money.
Each mission starts in the Cladogram Room, where players enter the program and make selections from 60 different dinosaurs and other close relatives, such as flying and aquatic marine reptiles. All dinosaurs are presented through 3D rendered animations that accurately depict the animals' physical features, sizes, and behavior, as well as the sounds they made (as best as can be scientifically determined).
One you have your mission, you will be paid according to the quality of the still and moving images you bring back. Compensation for images of other locations or animals than those required for your mission will be at a lower rate. Moving images will pay better than stills, and the more interesting the image the higher your compensation.
The Troid, described by Grillo as an agent or "sherpa," guides you through the program by providing information about the locations to be visited. You travel to your prehistoric destination in a time machine that shows the information needed to complete the mission and displays the time location by Era, Epoch, Period, and Number of Years Ago.
The objective is to capture images from the past, store them in data crystals, and return to the Cladogram Room, where you will download the images and receive energy credits, along with more crystals for further adventures.
To capture the type of dinosaur you have selected, you must locate it in the terrain and fauna, distinguishing it from other dinosaurs. More than 100 species of Mesozoic plants are identified. Globes and other safari reference aids show the land forms as they existed during particular time periods.
Dinosaur Safari is available now for the Mac, and is expected to be available for MPC in late August. The Magic Death and Parenting are both shipping for Macs as well as MPC. The Chaos Continuum is scheduled to ship for both platforms in mid-September.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930806/Reader contact: Creative Multimedia tel 503-241-4351; Press contact: Bill Warner, Alliance Consulting Group for Creative Multimedia, tel 503-452-5920)
Group for Creative Multimedia, tel 503-452-5920)
6/8/93
MacWorld - 4 New Interactive Multimedia CD-ROMs
APPLE
Callers Left Holding Empty Bag I
Acer Licenses ChipUp CPU Upgrade
Apple To Launch Quadra And Centr
New Credit-Card-Size Motherboard
Fujitsu Europe Unveils Two Compa
Time Magazine To Appear On Ameri
Animated Cursor Software With Ap
Editorial - Microsoft Victim Of
Is It EO vs Newton, Or Will PDAs
Insiders Speculate On FTC/Justic
Gateway 2000 Intros New Portable
SIGGRAPH 93 - VR Rides, Art, Job
Colorado Braces For 11-Digit Dia
Rockwell Intros New Nethopper Di
Newton Version Of Dyno Notepad N
Canvas 3.5 For Macintosh
Logitech Intros CyberMan 3-D Con
Windows Positively Affects Softw
Sinbad Helps Inner-City Kids Att
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 6 (NB) -- Actor and comedian Sinbad picked up the tab to bring a group of inner city kids in Washington, DC, who had created an award-winning computer animation project, but couldn't afford to get to the SIGGRAPH conference in Anaheim, California, to show off their work. A special portion of the show floor was dedicated to the computer work of elementary through high-school age kids and dubbed SIGKids.
The Washington group is composed of four eleventh graders who created a computer animation that visually depicts violence in their neighborhood. The kids made accurate replicas of city storefronts and rendered scenes with animations added that included gun chases and other real life threats.
Coco Conn, head of the SIGKids project, said traditionally the nitty-gritty has been hidden from kids so all that's seen is nice neat computers and software programs already set up. She's attempted to change that so that kids have to work together and actually get involved in plugging in the components and handling the hardware just as you would in any real project. In fact, one computer had a sign posted on the back on top of the cabling protruding out that said, "You touch these cables, you die."
Forty students from across the United States demonstrated their computer skills and got to see the latest in computer graphics technology at the SIGGRAPH show.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930806/Press Contact: Elizabeth Bailey Pacific Visions Communications, 310-274-8787)
ific Visions Communications, 310-274-8787)
8/6/93
Sinbad Helps Inner-City Kids Attend SIGGRAPH
GENERAL
Delrina Releases WinFax API To I
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- Hoping to establish its WinFax Pro facsimile software as a standard method of moving information around, much as electronic mail vendors have set out to do with their mail-enabling specifications, Delrina has released its application program interface (API) to the computer industry.
According to Delrina, 20 vendors of Windows software, including Symantec, Polaris Software, and DacEasy, are already supporting its Winfax Pro API.
At its simplest level, explained Delrina spokesman Shelly Sofer, the API means someone using another application can send a fax using WinFax Pro without exiting the other application.
Personal information managers (PIMs) are prominent in the first wave of applications using the API. Sofer mentioned Symantec's Act Polaris' PackRat, and Arabesque Software's Echo. For example, he said, a user might prepare a note to a contact, select the person's name and fax number from an address list in one of these packages and send off the note by fax at the click of an on-screen button.
Sofer said that computer-based faxing is gaining importance, and "virtually every application wants to be integrated with it." In future, he said, the WinFax API will allow more sophisticated integration between fax and other applications.
The API allows for integration with event logs, Delrina said, so that correspondence or actions taken regarding a particular contact can be recorded in a single file.
Delrina is providing its API to selected software developers on request. Sofer said that the company wants to see a standard established for links between fax software and other applications much as several vendors have proposed standards for mail-enabling.
(Grant Buckler/19930809/Press Contact: Shelly Sofer or Josef Zankowicz, Delrina, 416-441-3676, fax 416-441-0333)
Delrina, 416-441-3676, fax 416-441-0333)
8/9/93
Delrina Releases WinFax API To Industry
Second BBSCON Show Scheduled For
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- BBS operators and users who attend the One BBSCON show later this month will get a look at the latest computer communications products offered by Hayes Microcomputer Products.
The second annual get together of the people who operate public and private access electronic bulletin boards is being held at the world famous Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colorado, from the 25th to the 29th of August.
Hayes, the company that established the communications standards by which most modems, the device that connects your personal computer to the telephone line and lets it talk to other computers, says it will demonstrate various modems and software.
Products scheduled to be demonstrated at the event include the V.Fast Class 28.8 kilobits-per-second technology, the Millenium 8000 Network system, Hayes ESP Communications Accelerator for Windows and Smartcom for Windows communications software. Hayes will also display some of its ISDN products.
Hayes President Dennis Hayes will share his vision of ISDN (integrated services digital network) technology on August 28th, and Alan Clark, Hayes Vice President for Product and System Planning will participate in the Future of Modem Technology roundtable on August 27th.
Plans also call for Randy Cooper, Hayes marketing specialist, to talk about the scripting capabilities of Smartcom for Windows for bulletin board use and will demonstrate a script that provides advanced directory dialing capability to Smartcom for Windows. Cooper's presentation will be Saturday morning, August 28th.
Show attendees will also be able to pick up a Hayes Smartmodem Optima 144 + Fax 144 pocket modem for DOS or Macintosh computers for the special show price of $339. That's about $200 off the usual retail price. The company will also hold prize draws to give away 300 free copies of Smartcom for Windows.
According to Boardwatch Magazine's Jack Rickard, President of One attendance is expected to double at this year's event, with about 2,000 participants. BBS operation is big business, bringing in more than $80 million annually in subscriptions and over $170 million in hardware and software sales for use specifically on bulletin boards. An estimated 12 million callers in the US dial into their favorite bulletin boards on a daily basis.
Included in the seminar subjects are "How To run A BBS For Profit" "Internet Connectivity" , "Legal/Social Issues", and conference tracks devoted to technology, applications, education and government, and general connectivity.
MCLEAN, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- Online Resources & Communications Corporation claims that it has won a patent for a system which links screen-based telephones directly with networks used by Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).
This "ATM in the home" concept, according to president Matthew P. Lawlor, will make it possible for people to pay bills and perform other banking chores, at home, for as little or less than the cost of writing checks.
Lawlor, a former executive with Chemical Bank in New York, is already offering the system as a service to Maryland National Bank customers at $6.95 per month, plus a $79 charge for the phone, which has a small screen that acts like a bank's own ATM machine, except that it doesn't dispense cash.
Home-based banking has been tried for years, but it has always foundered because both the phones and the service cost more than consumers were willing to pay. AT&T, for instance, worked for years with the Huntington Banks of Ohio to produce a screen-based home banking system, but dropped the project after an investment of $10 million. Huntington is now going it alone.
This problem, Lawlor told Newsbytes, has been negated as his system links directly to an ATM switch, in this case the MOST system operated by banks in the middle Atlantic states, so that transactions using his phone cost no more to process, and take no longer, than other debit card transactions.
To the banks' computer, transactions made with the system look just like debit card purchases made at cash stations or on other merchant terminals. Since Lawlor's system offers the same interface used on bank ATM machines, many consumers already know how to use them.
There's also something in it for merchants, he adds. "Let's say you were calling Prodigy, and wanted to place an order with PC Flowers. You'd use a credit card. That costs PC Flowers 2-3% more more," a commission charge taken out by the credit card company.
If the transaction were carried out using the home ATM, Newsbytes notes, then the commission charged by the credit card company to the retailer would not be payable, as the debit would occur as if the customer had been in the store and swiped his/her card through the debit terminal on the counter.
With many merchants' profit margins being squeezed, this is good news for the retailers and, in some situations, good for the customer, as some merchants -- notably in Europe -- are starting to surcharge the use of credit cards over debit cards. The increasing acceptance of the Maestro debit card system in the US, which is a Mastercard debit card, is spurring on retailers in surcharging credit card transactions, Newsbytes notes.
Lawlor claims that he's not looking to make a killing on the patent and is willing to license it at low royalty rates to anyone.
"The challenge in home banking is the consumer -- who's going to pay and do they want it. Convenience is nice, but it's not enough. You'd better be simple and low cost. If a phone or cable company wants to get into someone's home, the low-cost provider will be most attractive. We pay bills quicker and at lower cost than anyone because we route through an ATM network," he said.
Banks can move people over to the new system based on how they charge for services, he adds. Since a debit card transaction costs less to process than a check, because there's less paper, banks might charge less for using his screen phone than processing a check. Some merchants already recognize the value of debit cards.
"If I go to Exxon and use my ATM card I am not charged for the transaction, and I get Exxon's cash discount."
Lawlor says his system can also help debit cards make it in the mass market. Already, he notes, "point of sale, or POS volume, is growing by leaps and bounds. It's previously been restricted to gas stations and grocery stores, where you'd otherwise use cash. If you could provide it for shopping and delivery of other services, instead of a check, you sharply reduce the cost." Maryland National's charge of about $7 per month is on a par with the costs of using its checking accounts.
"MOST is now seeing 20 transactions per month per customer going through their network that never existed before," he says, thanks to the 4,000 Maryland National customers using his system, which looks like a regular phone, with a chassis on top, and a 4-line screen with 4 buttons and ATM-machine like menus.
"We'll soon announce a new model of our phone," compatible with other screen phones, "so users of our phones can get telephone company services" like Caller ID using the same unit. "We've been working with telcos to find ways for co-marketing telephone and banking services. What this is all about is getting costs down finding simple applications, then doing joint-marketing. Newsbytes also asked Lawlor about his company's own strategy," he said.
"We're not a technology company, we're a marketing company aimed at banking services. We're offering services to banks for resale to users. This is just another reason to do business with us. Plus we'll license others at a modest fee. This is such a broad patent that we could bottle up the debit world," but he doesn't want to do it. And his existing agreements are non-exclusive, so he can work through other networks like Cirrus, Honor, and NYCE. "We have talked to a variety of networks. They're interested in getting more transactions going across the network," he told Newsbytes.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930809/Press Contact: Matthew Lawlor, Online Resources, 703-442-4646)
ew Lawlor, Online Resources, 703-442-4646)
8/9/93
Online Patent Makes Home Banking Cheaper
TELECOM
Spectrum Picks Up New Patent
MANHASSET, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- Spectrum Information Technologies said it will get a patent which can put links between cellular phones and PC modems inside a PC, allowing for a wireless modem connection as simple as today's wired modem connections.
A Spectrum spokesman explained that, while the underlying technology is similar to that found in the company's existing Axcell product no product implementing it has yet been delivered. The patent covers new technology that lets a modem control the operation of a cellular telephone with software through a simple connection inside the PC.
In order to work on a wireless network, cellular phones need some way to fool regular modems into thinking they're still on a wired connection, because wireless networks don't use the same kinds of signals. Spectrum said that its existing license agreements with AT&T, Megahertz and Apex Data include rights to the new technology.
Separately, Spectrum announced that former Apollo X astronaut Thomas Stafford as become a member of its technical advisory board. Stafford, now a retired Lieutenant General in the Air Force, already sits on nine boards of directors, including six companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930809/Press Contact: Spectrum, Don Kessler 516-233-2119x308)
Don Kessler 516-233-2119x308)
8/9/93
Spectrum Picks Up New Patent
TELECOM
Spectrum Intros Cellular Fax/Mod
Littelfuse Factory Earns ISO 900
Still No FTC Decision In Microso
Computerized Beeper Tracks Stole
Nat'l Semi Files To Bar Mitsubis
New Software Brings Database Pub
UK - Free Guide To Tape Backup
Wang Narrows Losses
Canada's BCE Reports C$520-Milli
Sega Links With Disney, Virgin
UK - Tricom Intros Dealer Volume
Iomega Intros Bernoulli Drives F
MCI's Akerson Goes To General In
Another Cellular Provider Enters
Canadians To Pay For Long-Distan
Motorola Codex Reports Soaring V
PicoPower Supplies Power Managem
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- A California-based company stands ready to help laptop computer maker make their PCs compatible with the Environmental Protection Agency's voluntary power consumption standards that earn the manufacturer the "Energy Star" designation.
PicoPower markets energy-efficient system logic chips for IBM compatible computers that actively manage power in the systems. In contrast to the passive power management techniques originally offered that reduce power consumption only when the system is idle PicoPower's Evergreen HV logic chip minimizes power consumption even when the system is operating at full speed. The company claims that using its chip can reduce power consumption as much as 80 percent and can extend battery life to as much as six hours between charges.
The Evergreen technology, which was demonstrated recently for Newsbytes, revolves around clocking techniques including dynamic clocking, modular clocking, clock stretching, quiet bus, and keyboard clock control and doesn't not require intervention by software drivers or hardware interrupts.
Because the CPU does not constantly run at full power, the heat generated by the CPU is significantly reduced. In the demonstration for Newsbytes, the microprocessor in a unit not equipped with an Evergreen HV chip was almost too hot to touch, while the Evergreen equipped similar unit radiated almost no heat.
In situations where the CPU runs constantly for extended periods the PicoPower chip includes a Heat Regulator function, a statistical algorithm that correlates CPU activity to heat generation. When engaged, Heat Regulator throttles back on the CPU to ensure a maximum safe heat threshold.
The company says that a typical 32-bit 486DX chip will operate near 35 degrees Centigrade when using active power management compared to about 70 degrees Centigrade. The dramatic reduction in heat levels can eliminate the need for heat sinks, devices to dissipate heat.
Heat sinks take up a significant amount of space, and will limit the amount in which PC form factors can be reduced. Heat is expected to be an increasingly serious problem as faster chips, such as Intel's soon-to-be-released Pentium, are released.
PicoPower engineers told Newsbytes that it will soon introduce two new products, Fir and Redwood, that will enhance power management and support increasing CPU speeds, write back cache, and other advanced features.
Fir is a chip designed specifically for portables and very small handheld systems, while Redwood supports second level cache, and is targeted for high end notebooks and desktop Extra-Green PCs. The company says it expects to have a chip that will support the Pentium chip and the PCI bus standard by early 1994.
FREMONT, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- Media Vision has introduced its first add-in sound board with sampled-sound music synthesis -- the Pro AudioStudio 16XL. PC card is the first result of a joint development and marketing agreement with Korg USA, a manufacturer of electronic musical instruments.
According to Media Vision, the two companies have been working together to combine Korg's wavetable synthesis with 16-bit sound technology developed by Media Vision.
Announcing the card, Paul Jain, Media Vision's president and chief executive officer, said: "The products in our Pro Audio 16 line are the leading add-in 16-bit sound cards available for the PC today. This new board, with its distinguishing features like studio-quality reverb and bundled voice recognition software, will address the needs of high-end users."
Media Vision claims that its Pro Audio 16 products hold about 85 percent of the total 16-bit sound board market.
Michael Kovins, Korg's executive vice president, said: "Media Vision was our first and only choice as a partner to bring our advanced audio technology to personal computers. We intend to market this product to professional musicians who are using personal computers to compose and edit music."
According to the company, the Pro AudioStudio 16XL add-in board offers "professional-quality" music recording and playback to desktop personal computers. The company says that these capabilities can be used to enhance the playback of multimedia presentations and popular interactive games, as well as to compose and generate music via a computer. The company says that any MIDI (musical instrument digital interface)-compatible keyboard can be hooked up to record and play through the sound card.
The 32-voice wavetable synthesizer uses digitized recordings of real instruments to generate music, and is based on the identical chipset found in Korg's other professional electronic music synthesizers. The company says that it can produce the sounds of 128 different musical instruments plus four drum sets. Special effects include studio-quality digital reverb and chorus which add ambience and depth to musical compositions. Up until now, the companies claim these features have not been available on PC multimedia sound cards.
The Pro AudioStudio 16XL features a Korg synthesizer, an on-board FM-synthesizer, a software controllable mixer, a game port and an industry-standard SCSI (Small Computer Systems Interface) CD-ROM controller interface. A built-in MIDI interface allows control of other MIDI music synthesizers, or the Pro AudioStudio 16XL card can be controlled from an external music keyboard.
The sound card can record and playback 16-bit stereo digital audio up to sample rates of 48 kilohertz (kHz), according to the company. An on-board audio mixer allows simultaneous recording of multiple audio sources.
The Pro AudioStudio 16XL comes bundled with a variety of software including: Dragon Systems' ExecuVoice voice recognition software, a text-to-speech synthesizer called Monologue for Windows, a MIDI sequencer, a professional digital audio editing package, and Media Vision's Pocket Tools. The Pro AudioStudio 16XL is priced at $499 and is expected to be available in late August.
(Ian Stokell/19930809/Press Contact: Elizabeth Fairchild 510-623-5856, Media Vision)
Contact: Elizabeth Fairchild 510-623-5856, Media Vision)
8/9/93
Media Vision Intros PC Audio Card With Music Synthesis
AST's Survey Highlights Trend To
BRENTFORD, MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- A survey undertaken by PC Lan magazine, carried out in co-operation with AST Europe, has found that more than one in five network managers are considering buying or leasing multiprocessor-based systems this year.
The survey, which was carried out in April of this year, polling network managers and information technology (IT) managers in the UK found that a hefty 38 percent of the 750 respondents are planning to downsize their systems over the next few years. This figure compares with 36 percent who are downsizing their systems at the moment. The survey also reported that 47 percent of respondents are looking at multiprocessor systems.
The survey adds considerable weight to industry reports that there is a significant shift from the minicomputer users towards multiprocessor-based platforms. It also suggests, Newsbytes notes that Intel's Pentium chipset -- in a multiprocessor environment could become a best seller. This flies directly in the face of some press analysis in the UK, which has questioned Intel's position with the Pentium chipset, alongside alternative computing technologies such as the reduced instruction chipset (RISC) platform.
Respondents to the survey were also asked to rate which factor they considered important in their choice of servers or superservers. 47 percent of those responding said they rated compatibility with industry standard operating systems as extremely important.
This was followed by 39 percent who said they saw service and support as very important, and 35 percent who considered the use of industry standard disks and memory options in the same way.
One interesting trend gleaned from the survey was that 59 percent said that the high (volume) availability of systems was a key factor in their decision in looking at alternative computing technologies.
Other key influences included high performance LAN cards (64 percent) and ease of servicing (23 percent).
AST's Con Mallon, the company's product marketing manager, said that the results of the survey illustrate that downsizing and rightsizing are clear priorities for organizations in today's computing environment. "Over one third of respondents indicate that they are involved in downsizing applications to PC-based systems this year," he said.
"It's also clear that there is much greater awareness of multiprocessor systems, with one in five respondents considering the use of such systems, with one in five respondents considering the use of such systems today. Nearly half the respondents indicated they would be considering multiprocessor based systems in the next two to three years," he added.
(Steve Gold/19930809/AST Europe - Tel: 081-232-5000)
(Steve Gold/19930809/AST Europe - Tel: 081-232-5000)
8/9/93
AST's Survey Highlights Trend Towards Computer Downsizing
International Phone Update
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- A privatization drama in Greece highlights the week's telecommunications news.
The conservative government of Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis presented a bill to partly privatize the Hellenic Telecommunications Company, known as OTE, and workers there have responded with a one week strike. The government wants to sell 35 percent of the company to one of six foreign firms, half of which are still state-owned themselves, 10 percent more on the public market. It would give away 4 percent of the equity to workers and pensioners. But OTE is profitable, the Socialists are against it, and the conservatives have just a one-seat majority.
In East Asia, meanwhile, Cold War policies are giving Japanese companies a big advantage. The US government refused to lift restrictions on the same of high-end phone switches to China scuttling a deal with AT&T.
The company notes that, through joint-ventures, China will soon be making the switches itself, but the Administration is adamant because, it's feared, fiber cable and the newest switches are harder to tap. Meanwhile, a fiber cable to Japan was completed by KDD, AT&T and China's government. KDD also announced plans to improve links to Vietnam, where a US trading ban remains in place.
Otherwise, the news for US companies was mixed. Mobile Telecommunications Technologies, known as MTel, sold its 20 percent interest in Shinawatra Paging of Thailand for $7.3 million to Singapore Telecom. Shinawatra was using TV frequencies, not the 931.9375 MHz band that MTel's other systems world-wide use. Singapore Telecom itself is teaming with French and British companies to open a cable television and phone service in Yorkshire Britain. The UK has become a hotbed for experimentation in this area in the last few years.
And Taiwan's largest wire and cable manufacturer said it will invest in the Iridium venture, aimed at putting up 66 satellites in low earth orbit to deliver mobile phone services world-wide. Ironically this could put Pacific Electric Wire and Cable on the same board as China's own Great Wall company, which will launch satellites for the system.
In the Western Hemisphere, all eyes are on Bolivia, as the new government of President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada announced that the first state-owned firm to be privatized under his economic plan will be the Entel communications company. Foreigners could take up to 49 percent of the Bolivian phone firm, with the rest transferred to a Bolivian foundation funding social development causes until the entire economy is privatized, at which point they will be given away to Bolivia's people.
Jamaica, meanwhile, whose phone service is run by a unit of Cable and Wireless, has announced that fraud losses have forced the company to disconnect some of its overseas connections. Company officials have announced that it will no longer be possible to make overseas calls from pay phones or for local phone service customers to accept overseas collect calls starting at the end of this month because of toll fraud. Several US cities have also barred collect credit card and pay phone calls to Jamaica because of fraud.
In Brazil, a unit of the state-owned Telebras phone company opened its cellular phone network in San Paulo, the nation's largest city. Some 30,000 lines are being made available, but Telesp already has 100,000 service applications. Brazil wants to sell-off its Telebras stake in part to improve service, but the opposition is fierce.
In the CIS, meanwhile, Nokia announced delivery of two of its DX200 digital exchanges to the Eesti Telefon in Estonia, which will bring 16,000 new lines into the country. Nokia, which is based in Finland will open an office in the Estonian capital of Talinn to service the new business. And IDB Communications Group of the US opened service on an earth station at Baku, Azerbaijan.
The elected government there was overthrown recently, mainly because of a failed war policy with neighboring Armenia, but the vast oil deposits of the area still make it an attractive site for IDB, which expects that the western firms locating in the area, including Amoco and Pennzoil, will use the new system. New acting president Geydar Aliyer attended the opening of the earth station.
Finally, Morocco set plans to invest $375 million in its telecommunications network this year, nearly double last year's $209 million investment. The nation's telecommunications network remains under state control. The beneficiaries are expected to be Bell Canada, Alcatel Alsthom of France and Ericsson of Sweden. Morocco is hoping for western loans to continue its service expansion.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930809/Press Contact: David Allan, for MTel 212-614-5163; Kim Dewling, IDB Communications, 212-478-6185)
ommunications, 212-478-6185)
8/9/93
International Phone Update
TELECOM
Australian Service Offers Budget
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- A Sydney-based company is offering a service for storing mass data on CD for archiving or on line access. CD-Rom Services is promoting the service to what it calls the "ordinary computer user."
A one-off disk costs just AUS$150 (around US$100) and contain up to 640 Megabytes (MB) of uncompressed data. Subsequent copies of the disk are cheaper. All the user has to do is send his/her 640 MB of data to the company.
Considering that this amount of data could be 400 or more diskettes the company offers and alternative. For $100 extra it will send you a stand-alone 640MB hard disk for 24 hours. Alternatively CD-Rom Services will visit the customer's site and copy data onto tape from one or more machines, at $100 per 640MB, and use that to create the disk. And if you're really in a hurry, for $250 extra they'll bring the disk writer to your premises and create the disk on the spot.
"This is a lot of data!" said MD Bernhard Kirschner. "It's 15 Syquest cartridges or several hard disks. People can use our hard disk to arrange their select and arrange their data and have it put on a medium that can be used for archiving, security, instant access or distribution. They can have spreadsheets, databases, scanned images, fonts and even applications that can be run straight off the CD."
He added that his system allowed users to recycle disks, tapes and even entire hard drives that would otherwise be tied up with data. The inevitable need for a larger hard drive can also be solved in most cases. The company guarantees that the data remains confidential and tests each disk created to ensure that the data is intact.
The machine used for writing the disks is the Sony CDW-900E which is capable of creating PC, Unix and Mac-readable disks in the standard 12cm or the mini 8cm (which holds up to 180 Megabytes). The company will also arrange mastering and quantity pressing of disks, if required.
And for customers who need full multimedia presentations, disks can be created with a mixture of data and CD audio (mixed mode).
(Paul Zucker/19930809/Contact: CD-ROM Services on phone +61-2-954 9885 or fax +61-2-363 9612 or Bernhard Kirschner's mobile phone on 61-18-25 2233)
9612 or Bernhard Kirschner's mobile phone on 61-18-25 2233)
8/9/93
Australian Service Offers Budget CD-ROMs For Data Storage
MacWorld - Apple Unveils Six New
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- At MacWorld last week, Apple unveiled six new titles for the Newton aimed at letting users check out travel tips, entertain themselves with games, and carry out business and financial tasks from practically anywhere.
The upcoming titles were developed by the new Starcore publishing group within Apple's Personal Interactive Electronics (PIE) division, in association with leading publishers. The titles are as follows:
Fodor's 94 Travel Manager: Top US Cities details 500 points of interest in eight US cities, such as restaurants, hotels, airports and tourist attractions. Information on restaurants, for instance includes credit cards accepted as well as type of cuisine. The application comes with interactive maps that highlight destinations and routes. List price is $119.95.
Dell Crossword Puzzles & Other Games contains hundreds of crossword puzzles, along with cryptograms and word searches. The full version of the product lists for $79.95, and an abbreviated version for $49.95.
Fortune 500 Guide to American Business, an electronic edition of the Fortune 500 and Service 500, supplies facts on all aspects of America's largest companies. Sophisticated search and sort options permit users to compare financial performance, using five years of data on two companies. Graphs and custom calculations can be prepared. Suggested retail price is $99.95.
Columbo's Mystery Capers consists of more than 40 capers that tease the brain while tickling the funny bone. Each mystery comes complete with a text introduction and an illustration of the scene of the crime. Players use the Newton's stylus to uncover graphical and text-based clues. Suggested retail price is $79.95.
Money Magazine Financial Assistant provides calculation templates for common financial decisions, including investments, loans, and property transactions. List price is $99.95.
Money Magazine Business Forms offers templates for filling out expense reports, project plans, loan calculations, and other financial forms on the Newton. Suggested retail price is $39.95.
Some of the newly announced titles will be delivered on PCMCIA card. Others, such as Money Magazine Business Forms and the abbreviated version of Dell Crossword Games, will come on floppy disk, for transfer to the Newton via the Newton Connection. The titles are expected to ship early this fall.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930809/Reader contact: Apple Computer, tel 408-996-1010; Press contact: Christopher Escher, Apple, tel 408 974-2202)
ontact: Christopher Escher, Apple, tel 408 974-2202)
8/9/93
MacWorld - Apple Unveils Six New Titles For Newton
APPLE
MacWorld - Rock Calendar Picks U
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- Tired of traditional day-planners? LizardTech is offering an alternative solution that picks up the beat of day-to-day scheduling by letting the Beatles, Elvis, and hundreds of other artists from rock's early years into the act.
The new Rock Calendar Planning Journal is an online version of The Rock Calendar, LizardTech's popular paper-based page-a-day calendar, said Jim Cochran, marketing rep, in an interview with Newsbytes at MacWorld, where the product was launched last week.
Like the original desktop calendar, the Planning Journal provides milestones from the annals of rock 'n roll, 1955 to 1975, as well as stories and rock trivia quizzes for each day of the year, he told Newsbytes.
The online version, though, goes beyond the paper calendar by letting the user call up memos, messages and meetings instantaneously, searching either by day or entry.
In addition, users can create "to-do" lists, and cut-and-paste entries to other dates in the calendar or to outside programs Cochran said.
The daily entries feature a menu bar at the top of the screen along with icons at the bottom for accessing stories, milestones and quizzes.
Organized into an "on this day in rock" format, the 1,200 milestones on the disk cover birthdays of artists, beginnings and breakups of groups, history-making concerts and tours, and releases, chart-toppers, and gold records.
The 365 stories give inside glimpses at fads, fans, producers record execs, DJs, and rock writers, in addition to musicians of the era.
The trivia questions are not necessarily easy to answer, noted Cochran, who was doing brisk business in the LizardTech booth. "Some of the questions are rather esoteric," he told Newsbytes.
Offered for the Macintosh as well as for Windows, LizardTech's new Rock Calendar Planning Journal is priced at $49.99.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930809/Press and reader contact: LizardTech tel 505-989-7117)
ress and reader contact: LizardTech tel 505-989-7117)
9/8/93
MacWorld - Rock Calendar Picks Up Day-Planning Beat
APPLE
PICA Of Australia To Distribute
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- One of the original PC software companies was Micropro, the producers of Wordstar. The company, which is now known as Wordstar International, has gone through many ups and downs over the years, including a number of distribution changes in most markets. Now PICA Software in Australia has been given exclusive rights to distribute the Mac products, and non-exclusive rights to the DOS and Windows lines.
PICA has immediately reduced suggested retail prices across the board. WriteNow 3.0 has been dropped 43 percent to AUS$129 (around US$90). The Mac range of products includes Under Cover fax header sheets, Just Joking library of 2,800 jokes, WriteNow word processor Correct Grammar (standard and medical versions), Correct Letters Correct Writing. Correct Quotes, and a bundle called Star Performers. For AUS$99 it contains Correct Letters, Just Joking and After Dark screen saver.
Wordstar has a total of 23 products (many available in languages other than English) and has announced that it is merging with SoftKey Software Products which has another 90 titles that sell through the retail mass market channel. Pica Software has accreditation with Apple, Sun Microsystems, IBM and DEC.
(Paul Zucker/19930809/Contact PICA Software on phone +61-3-326 5255 or fax + 61-3-326 6410)
are on phone +61-3-326 5255 or fax + 61-3-326 6410)
8/9/93
PICA Of Australia To Distribute Wordstar Software
APPLE
MacWorld - New PIM For PowerBook
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- At MacWorld FIT Software rolled out Field Assistant 1.0, a personal information manager (PIM) and contact management program for the Apple PowerBook that the company claims features extensive relational database capabilities.
According to the company, the database engine in Field Assistant written in the C language, can operate 10 to 100 times faster than competitive relational programs that run on flat-file or "notecard" structures, the company said in announcing the product.
Unlimited numbers of contacts, addresses, activities, and phone numbers can be attached to each company or contact record in the database, officials asserted. A separate correspondence module provides full-function word processing and automatic mail merge.
Field Assistant is a standalone product targeted at individual users, but the software is also designed to offer an upgrade path to a forthcoming family of workgroup productivity software from FIT.
The company envisions the upcoming products as allowing mobile professionals to share company, contact, project, activity, and time management data via dial-up access and local and wide area networks.
Santa Clara, CA-based FIT is a software start-up founded by former members of the Apple and ComputerLand sales forces. Field Assistant the company's initial offering, operates on Macs running System 7 with 1 MB of available RAM and 2 MB of available hard disk space. Retail pricing is $249.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930809/Reader contact: FIT Software, tel 408 562-5990; Press contacts: Wendy Bulawa or Jonathan Bloom McGrath/Power West for FIT, tel 408-727-0351)
nathan Bloom McGrath/Power West for FIT, tel 408-727-0351)
8/9/93
MacWorld - New PIM For PowerBook Provides Large Database
APPLE
Autodesk Buys Ithaca, Announces
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- Autodesk, known for its computer aided design (CAD) software announced at the SIGGRAPH it will purchase privately held Ithaca Software, headquartered in Alameda, California for an undisclosed sum.
Ithaca Software is perhaps best known for its flagship product Hoops, a portable, open graphics framework used to create interactive two- and three-dimensional graphics applications.
Autodesk, who has already licensed Hoops from Ithaca for its CAD products, says the programming language will be integrated into Autocad and its other products. In fact, the company said it hopes to integrate Hoops in the next release of Autocad. The integration will make Hoops directly available to Autodesk third party developers via an Autocad application programming interface (API) as well, the company added.
Autodesk says that Hoops is a complementary technology to its own 3D Studio product, but not a direct competitor. The company describes Hoops as an interactive graphics display subsystem that can be thought of as a software component incorporated into a larger application and 3D Studio as a stand-alone photo realistic renderer.
Ithaca says it plans to continue to operate from Alameda as a subsidiary of Autodesk, will continue development on Hoops, and will continue to support the 700 commercial, 150 research and educational, and 100 software development organizations that currently license the software. The company boasts five of the ten top Mechanical CAD (MCAD) vendors, including a Autodesk license Hoops.
Autodesk also announced Autodesk 3D Studio Release 3. The company says the new release targets rendering speed and image quality -- areas where it feels PCs have fallen short of workstation computers.
3D Studio has captured 56.5 percent of the 3D animation market according to Robi Roncarelli who publishes the Roncarelli Report on Computer Animation. The product received much attention when it was used by the prosecution in the Mitchell murder trial in Marin County, California Superior Court where Jim Mitchell was accused of voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of his brother Artie.
Wound ballistics expert Alec Jason and criminal expert Lucien Haag were hired by the prosecution to construct a ballistic recreation of how the shots were fired and the team used 3D Studio. Jim Mitchell the older of the Mitchell Brothers, who ran a pornography business was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter on February 19, 1992.
However, Mitchell's defense attorney announce the pursuit of an appeal of the verdict based on the use of the computer animation in the trial.
Autodesk plans to release the new version of 3D Studio in the third quarter of this year at a retail price of $2,995. Those who purchase Release 2 between now and the shipment of Release 3 will receive a free upgrade. Upgrades from Release 2 will be offered to registered users for $497.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930809/Press Contact: Lynne Saunders Autodesk, tel 415-332-2344 ext 8753, fax 415-491-8305; Public Contact 800-879-4233)
8753, fax 415-491-8305; Public Contact 800-879-4233)
8/9/93
Autodesk Buys Ithaca, Announces 3D Studio Release 3
Alias Announces Poweranimator 5.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- Alias, known for its cinematic imagery software used in the creation of the film Jurassic Park, announced at the SIGGRAPH show in Anaheim, California its newest version of Poweranimator version 5.0.
According to the company, new features in the 5.0 version include Cinematics, which was described as a way to direct digital cinematic effects such as headlights shining through fog and "Star Wars"-like space explosions.
Cinematics is made up of three modules, Digital Opti/FX Motionsampler, and Dynamics. Motionsampler allows the motions of an animated character to be choreographed by attaching motion sensors to real actors whose movements are translated to the character.
At the show, an actor was connected to the sensors via black bands that were surprisingly unobtrusive. A band around the head like a head band, and bands on the arms and legs were connected to the computer via black wires and allowed the actor a range of movement within about a 10 foot space. As the actor moved, the movements were translated in real-time to a wire-frame model of a duck-like character on the screen of the computer workstation.
Alias says this is a much faster way to produce long format animations such as full-length three-dimensional (3D) films, weekly 3D animated television shows, theme park rides, and even interactive movies for use in video games.
The Dynamics module allows for the simulation of physical phenomena such as wind, gravity, friction, and collisions between large numbers of objects, Alias maintains. Combined with the OptiF/X module which allows the user to create visual explosive effects, a realistic looking explosion can be created digitally.
The company demonstrated the creation of a space ship being hit and the accompanying explosion at the show showing how the color and intensity of the explosion could be altered by adjusting "sliders" with the mouse.
The other important advance in the 5.0 version of Poweranimator is the surface blending tool, which allows two complex animated models composed of many surfaces to be joined. Alias did a demonstration of how an upper and lower arm could be joined by a computer-generated elbow that moves and attaches itself properly depending on the location of the lower and upper arms.
As the operator moved the lower arm, the program calculated and drew the elbow in the proper place bent correctly and seamlessly attached. The company asserts that the technique can be used with its 3D Inverse Kinematics (I/K) to animate the legs and arms of a model and place it in motion.
Poweranimator also adds I/K constraints so a joint in an object can be constrained to a fixed point or move along a curve or surface. So, for example, the point of a dancer's ballet slipper can be constrained to slide along the dance floor as the rest of the dancer's body moves.
Rendering of images has also been speeded up, up to two times faster, the company asserted. An Open Digital Studio (ODS) allows for the sharing of data such as Autocad files from IBM compatible personal computer (PC) systems that use the .DXF format and the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer.
The Silicon Graphics Performer data files (.SGO) can also be converted for use in virtual reality applications. Quicktime Pixar's Renderman, Interface Bytestream, and the Avid Open Media Framework data may also be integrated, Alias maintains.
Alias says it will ship Poweranimator 5.0 by the end of the year.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930809/Press Contact: Rick Rhodes, The Bohle Company for Alias, tel 310-785-0515, fax 310-785-0459; Bill Vanek, Alias, 310-312-9580)
9; Bill Vanek, Alias, 310-312-9580)
8/9/93
Alias Announces Poweranimator 5.0
Canadian Product Launch Update
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- This regular feature appearing every Monday or Tuesday, provides further details for the Canadian market on announcements by international companies. This week: Lotus Canada ships SmartSuite 2.0 for Windows, and Sun Canada unveils an X terminal.
Lotus Development Canada is now shipping Release 2.0 of SmartSuite for Windows (Newsbytes, June 16), an applications suite that includes 1-2-3 Release 4 for Windows, Ami Pro Release 3.01 Freelance Graphics for Windows Release 2.01, Lotus Organizer 1.0 and a single-user license to cc:Mail for Windows 2.0. Both English and French versions of the package are now available. The suggested retail price is C$959, with upgrades available to users of single Lotus applications or competing products at C$719.
Sun Microsystems of Canada, meanwhile, launched the SPARCclassic X Sun's first X terminal. The base price for the unit, which comes with four megabytes of memory and a microSPARC processor, is C$3,690.
(Grant Buckler/19930809/Press Contact: Marsha Connor, Lotus Canada, 416-364-8000; Michael Douglas, Sun Canada, 416-477-6745)
uglas, Sun Canada, 416-477-6745)
8/9/93
Canadian Product Launch Update
GENERAL
Internet Business Journal Respon
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- The first issue of a new publication devoted to the Internet has appeared, and its publisher is so happy with the response he plans two more new publications this fall.
Michael Strangelove, Ottawa-based publisher of the new monthly journal, said subscriptions have been coming in from such distant locations as Australia and Germany. The Internet Business Journal supported mainly by subscriptions, appeared in July as a 46-page black-and-white publication filled with articles about the information and services available on the Internet, a world-wide computer network.
Strangelove said that the publication uses the Internet as a backbone for its own business, with contributors around the world. There is also an abbreviated online edition of the new publication but it contains only an editor's letter, the table of contents, and one complete column.
There is "no known model of generating a revenue stream" with a publication offered both in print and on the Internet at the moment Strangelove said, but he added that the journal's publishers may explore offering more of its content online later.
The Internet Business Journal has a regular subscription rate of US$149 or C$179, with a discounted rate of US$75 or C$89 for educational libraries and small businesses. Overseas subscribers must pay another $50 for overseas postage.
Later this year, Strangelove plans to launch a newsletter for online publishers called Internet Publishing News, and Internet Magazine, a general-interest magazine about the Internet that he plans to sell through newsstands.
Internet Magazine will be different from the existing Wired magazine, which has a more technical focus while Internet Magazine will aim at a more general audience, Strangelove said.
(Grant Buckler/19930809/Press Contact: Michael Strangelove Strangelove Press, 613-747-6106; Public Contact: Strangelove Press, 613-747-6106)
6106; Public Contact: Strangelove Press, 613-747-6106)
8/9/93
Internet Business Journal Response Pleases Publisher
TELECOM
H ,
Jurassic Park-Like CD-ROM Progra
PORTLAND, OREGON, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- Creative Multimedia has introduced a CD-ROM (compact disc - read only memory) based Jurassic Park-like interactive multimedia program that allows players to travel back through time to the three major periods of the Age of Dinosaurs.
Called Dinosaur Safari, the program gives players the opportunity to view various types of dinosaurs and other animals in their native habitats. Each of the three time periods reflects the terrain flora, fauna, sights, and sounds in color, with more than 100 species of plant life identified. The program uses globes and other safari reference aids to show the lands forms as they are believed to have existed during each time period. The company says the game is designed for children aged 8-12 and adults of all ages.
The dinosaurs and other animals are presented via three-dimensional animations that depict the creature's physical features, size, and behavior. Game creators have even included what they believe are the sounds the animals made, as closely as scientists can estimate.
Creative Multimedia President Eric Pozzo claims that the company set out to recreate the world that a traveler would encounter if time travel were a reality. "We wanted to make this learning safari more fun than anyone could believe, whether the player is a 10-year-old or her 40-year old father."
Pozzo says Dinosaur Safari differs from other CD-ROM based dinosaur products in that it is not just an encyclopedia or reference, but a suspenseful, highly interactive game based on the latest scientific understanding and realistic renderings of the animals that existed in the Mesozoic era. The Mesozoic era refers to the geologic time rock systems, and deposits between the Paleozoic and Cenozoic periods. The program contains 60 different animations and graphics. The Mesozoic period began about 120 million years ago, and includes the Jurassic period, according to Webster's New Dictionary.
Players assume the role of a freelance photo-journalist for the fictitious National Chronographic Society, and get a copy of the group's multimedia "datazine" with pictures, movies, and information from the past. Sixty Mesozoic reptiles are represented in the program, with 43 of those classified as dinosaurs. The remainder are flying reptiles, aquatic marine reptiles, proto-mammals, and other dinosaur relatives. You can click on the name of any animal to hear the correct pronunciation of the classification.
Players are paid according to the quality of the still and moving pictures they bring back to the Society, trying to fill orders for specific photos. You are paid for images of other locations or animals, but at a lower rate. Moving pictures pay more than stills and the more interesting the image, the more money you get. The program provides the player with information about the locations to be visited.
In addition to getting the pictures they need, the player has to be concerned with the status of the time machine, and has a communicator, and navigational and time-travel controls. Dinosaur lures, a field guide, radar, and a movie camera are also in the tool set.
In addition to the Apple Computer Macintosh version currently shipping, Creative Multimedia says it expects to ship a Windows version later this month. Both versions are written in the C programming language and use QuickTime movies. Dinosaur Safari has a suggested retail price of $69.99.
(Jim Mallory/19930809/Press contact: Bill Warner, Alliance Consulting Group for Creative Multimedia, 503-452-5920; Reader contact: Creative Multimedia, 503-241-4351, fax 503-241-4370)
DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- while microprocessor giant Intel Corporation and David-like Cyrix Corporation have settled some of their ongoing court battles, the war itself may not be over.
The two companies have been locked in conflict since 1990 when Intel charged that Cyrix copied its designs for math coprocessors, the chips that speed up calculations in personal computers. While math co-processor chips don't do much for word processing and some other programs, they can dramatically increase the speed of operations that are heavily numeric intensive such as graphics and computer aided design or engineering.
While Intel microprocessors are estimated to be used in three-fourths of the world's IBM-compatible personal computers Cyrix and a few other companies have started to make inroads on that hold, and caused Intel to reduce the price of its chips.
As Newsbytes reported last week, Intel and Cyrix settled three of the four state and federal lawsuits pending. But Intel continues to appeal a federal judge's July 1992 ruling that Cyrix did not violate Intel's patent on the math chip design.
Intel is also continuing to press two other cases that claim Cyrix infringed on patents held by Intel. Cyrix has continually denied it infringed on Intel designs, but had many of its chips manufactured by SGS Thomson, a company that has a cross-licensing agreement with Intel.
Settlement of some of the suits has eliminated one potential problem having to explain to jury members the highly technical differences in the two company's products. One of the remaining cases is scheduled to go to trial in January 1994, and the other is scheduled to be heard by the International Trade Commission in December 1993. The stock of both companies rose Friday, with Cyrix being up $2.75 to $31, while Intel rose $1.50 to $57.50.
NORTH SIOUX CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 8 (NB) -- Gateway 2000 has announced two new portable personal computers lines, one of them a color unit.
Gateway President and CEO Ted Waitt says that the company is determined to be the value leader in portable PCs, and has come of age as a technology and market leader with the new units. "No one else is offering an all-color line of notebooks like our ColorBooks or a sub-three pound 486 line like our Handbook 486s," he said adding that the price points for the new units are "unbelievable."
The new ColorBook, weighing under 5.7 pounds and measuring less than 1.8 inches thick, is available in three basic configurations. All models are expandable and use Intel 486SL microprocessors and a 9.4 inch dual scan STN color LCD screen. An integrated trackball is located in a slideout compartment below the spacebar, and the units have a PCMCIA Type III card slot, a removable hard drive, and support simultaneous internal and external monitors.
Hard drives ranging in capacity from 80 to 170 megabytes (MB) are currently available. 4MB of system memory is standard on the machine, although this can be upgraded to 20MB. A 1.44MB floppy drive and a suspend/resume facility are also standard.
Gateway says the units are available with 25 and 33 megahertz (MHz) 486SX microprocessors as well as a 33 MHz 486DX-based model. Additional processors and larger hard drive units are expected to be available in the fourth quarter. A selection of PCMCIA adapter cards is also planned, says the company. All systems ship with MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System) version 6.0 and Microsoft Windows 3.1 pre-installed.
Gateway says the ColorBook's nickel-metal-hydride batteries will have an average life of over four hours on a charge using the built in power management features and about 2.5 hours without power management. Pricing for the ColorBook starts at $1,995 for the 486SX-25 system, with the top of the line model 486DX-33 equipped with a 170MB hard drive set at $2,595.
The ColorBook, like the new subnotebook unit being announced, uses an instant-on feature that a Newsbytes review recently found particularly useful. The auto-resume feature allows the user the turn off the computer and be returned to the same point when the unit is turned on the next time.
Also being announced today is a 486 version of Gateway's Handbook. Called the HandBook 486, the subnotebook also comes with Windows installed. It measures 1.6 inches by 9.75 inches by 5.9 inches and weighs 2.9 pounds, and uses a backlit VGA screen. Two basic models will be available when the HandBook and the ColorBook ship begin shipping in mid-September, according to Gateway.
It features a 2.5 inch hard drive, 4MB of system memory, a PCMCIA Type II slot, and can operate on AA batteries installed in a removable battery pack, or on the included nickel-metal-hydride batteries. The company says that the HandBook will run for more than four hours with power management, or about two hours without. One of the PCMCIA cards expected to be available in the fourth quarter for the HandBook is a VGA adapter that will provide simultaneous internal/external video.
One of the basic configurations uses a 486SX 25MHz chip, and will carry a $1,495 price tag with an 80MB hard drive. the 486DX2 40MHz model, with a 130MB hard disk, is priced at $1,995.
Gateway Director of Product Marketing Bob Burnett says the company decided to avoid 386-class processors because testing shows that Windows users in the portables market want all the system speed they can acquire. "In that regard, they're no different than in the desktop market," he said.
(Jim Mallory/19930809/Press contact: Glynis Gibson, Gibson Communications for Gateway 2000, 312-868-9400; Reader contact: Gateway 2000, 605-232-2000 or 800-523-2000, fax 605-232-2023)
or 800-523-2000, fax 605-232-2023)
8/8/93
Gateway 2000 Intros New Portables
MacWorld - Claris' From Alice To
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- At MacWorld Claris entered the multimedia content market with the announcement of "From Alice to Ocean: Alone Across the Outback."
The new pair of CD-ROM (compact disc - read only memory) discs combines an account of Robyn Davidson's trek across Australia previously popularized in the bestselling book "Tracks," with photos by Rick Smolan, the internationally recognized photographer who created the "Day in the Life" series.
One disc, which runs on Mac with a CD-ROM, allows users to imagine themselves joining Davidson on her 1700-mile journey. The other disc, for Kodak PhotoCD players, contains over 200 of Smolan's photos in PhotoCD format.
When the disk for the Macintosh CD-ROM drive is run from a Mac with at least 4 meagbytes (MB) of RAM and a color monitor, the user can learn interactively about the Australian outback by calling up sidebar menu topics such as aboriginal culture and bush medicine.
A large-format book that comes with the CD-ROM disc duo includes photos by Smolan, along with excerpts from "Tracks."
In "Tracks," Davidson detailed her 1977 odyssey from Alice Springs in Australia's Northern Territory to the Indian Ocean off Australia's west coast. Then a 27-year-old ex-grad student, Davidson made the trip with four camels and a dog, leading her to become known as the "Camel Lady."
Along the way, she overcame many physical challenges, became acquainted with Australia' aboriginal people, and discovered her spiritual self.
Prior to the publication of "Tracks," Davidson's story was covered in a widely circulated article in the National Geographic. By now "Tracks" has been translated into 11 languages.
"From Alice to Ocean" was named the "Best Interactive Book CD-ROM" by MacWorld in March, 1993, and also garnered the Gold Award for best new CD title at the 1993 Intermedia Exposition in San Jose, CA.
For Claris, the new multimedia title could be the start of a series, suggested Bruce Chizen, vice president and general manager of Claris Clear Choice.
"We are looking at other content-based products -- products that present wide-ranging information in an educational or entertaining format -- as strategic additions to the Claris Clear Choice line of products," he said.
The Macintosh version of "From Alice to Ocean" is available now through Claris distributors and authorized resellers and directly from Claris. A Windows edition is expected to ship this fall. The suggested retail price is $69.00.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930809: Reader contact: Claris, tel 408-987 7000; Press contact: Natalie Barreriro, Regis McKenna for Claris, tel 415-354-4497)
talie Barreriro, Regis McKenna for Claris, tel 415-354-4497)
8/9/93
MacWorld - Claris' From Alice To Ocean CD-ROM Set Debuts
APPLE
MasterCard International Intros
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- Mastercard International has revealed it is introducing a number of new card security features that it claims will make its credit and debit cards the most protected against fraud in the industry.
Commencing on January 1, 1994, new or reissued cards will feature security measures such as two card validation codes, which are algorithmically derived numbers encoded on the magnetic stripe and on the signature panel.
Mastercard has only revealed a small number of its security enhancements, claiming that the less the public know about the measures, the less chance there is of them being negated by fraudsters.
The international card issuer has revealed that the measures will include printing a copy of the card number on to the tamper resistant signature strip on the back of the card. This strip is to be further enhanced so that it will discolour if altered.
Mastercard claims that, as a result of increasing the number of transactions that have to be validated, either online or by the sales staff, it has cut card fraud considerably over the last year. During 1992, the company reported a 14 percent drop in counterfeit card fraud alone in the Asia-Pacific region, an area notorious for its fraudulent use of credit cards.
The new physical security measures to be implemented on a mandatory basis for all Mastercard cards by January 1, 1997, are expected to cut world-wide fraud by as much as $35 million. Counterfeit fraud accounts for about 16 percent of total fraud on Mastercard cards which in 1992 totalled $460 million, the card issuer said.
(Steve Gold/19930809/Press & Public Contact: Mastercard International - 212/649-4600)
s & Public Contact: Mastercard International - 212/649-4600)
8/9/93
MasterCard International Intros New Card Security Features
TRENDS
Apple To Move Entirely To PowerP
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- Apple Computer may move more quickly to the PowerPC than expected according to reports from Macweek. Today's issue of the paper claims that Apple is planning to move to the PowerPC reduced instruction set computing (RISC) chip in all its desktop computers in the next 18 months.
PowerPC is the name of the new microprocessor that Apple, IBM, and Motorola announced they would begin work designing in October of 1991. "Power" is an acronym based on IBM's Performance Optimization with Enhanced RISC (reduced instruction set computer) technology.
Apple has already shown a prototype of the its PowerPC-based Macintosh that zipped along at 80 megahertz (MHz), and reportedly will run Macintosh applications without modification. The PowerPC Macintosh is expected to ship some time next year.
Apple needs a high-performance, low-cost microprocessor to compete in the price sensitive personal computer (PC) market and the PowerPC appears to be the answer. Kim Brown, an analyst with Infocorp, said: "If the System 7 port for PowerPC was complete today, Apple could ship a Pentium-class Macintosh with high gross margins and channel mark-up and still achieve a $3,000 street price ..."
According to Brown, this scenario could result in sales of 300,000 to 400,000 PowerPC-based Macs in 1994, 1.5 million to 1.8 million in 1995, and at least 3 million in 1996, "...transforming the PowerPC from a niche RISC microprocessor to a high-volume, almost mainstream, PC microprocessor."
Apple plans to ship as many as 1.5 million PowerPC-based Macintoshes in 1994, Macweek maintains. The PowerPC Macintosh is to be a Centris 610-style machine with a PowerPC 601 chip and a price tag of less than $2,000 to be introduced in January, according to Macweek sources. Other PowerPC Macs, including Centris 650-like units, are expected around March, and a second generation of PowerPC 601 systems with hot performance are anticipated by early fall of next year.
Reports are some of the PowerPC models will also incorporate some of the audio/visual (AV) technology such as telephony, voice processing, and digital video. Apple introduced the AV technology in its Centris 660AV and Quadra 840AV models unveiled last week at the SIGGRAPH show in Anaheim, California. Macweek even said that Powerbooks could be introduced based on the PowerPC 603 microprocessor by as early as next summer.
Apple has also announced it will adopt the Intel Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) Local Bus standard in its future systems. The bottom line is that Apple's adoption of the PCI Local Bus will make its computers compatible with the same hardware peripherals IBM-compatible computers will use.
Apple representatives said that the company is planning to introduce PowerPC processor-based Macintoshes as it previously announced, but called the Macweek reports speculative. The company will also continue to produce models based on the 68xxx microprocessors from Motorola, as previously announced, according to Apple spokesperson Jennifer O'Mahony. No specific announcements as to what products will incorporate the PCI standard have been announced either O'Mahony added.
"I haven't seen the Macweek piece myself, but based on what I've heard, it does sound speculative. The only thing I can add is that we will be shipping PowerPC processor-based Macs during the first half of next year," O'Mahony told Newsbytes.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930809/Press Contact: Jennifer O'Mahony Apple, tel 408-862-3362, fax 408-974-6412; Lisa Hayward Infocorp, tel 619-625-4899, fax 619-450-3047)
isa Hayward Infocorp, tel 619-625-4899, fax 619-450-3047)
8/9/93
Apple To Move Entirely To PowerPC Processor Technology?
APPLE
Lotus To Offer Messaging Standar
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- Lotus is getting ready to come out with a single standard for its messaging products, according to reports from PC Week. Pressure to do so has been strong from customers who don't want to support both the Lotus Notes and cc:Mail message stores.
Lotus is expected to make the announcement of its "next-generation communications" products at the Interchange conference in San Francisco next month. The company hopes it can keep clients from moving to other platforms by offering the ability for its Lotus Notes groupware and the cc:Mail E-mail program to share message transport and directory engines, in addition to including support for X.400 and wide area management features.
Kevin Ryan, director of management information systems (MIS) at Hartford, Conneticut-based Aetna Casualty and Life is quoted as saying that his company switched away from the Lotus products to Microsoft Mail because of the difficulty in dealing with multiple transport application programming interfaces (APIs).
The two new versions of cc:Mail are being developed under the code name Sequoia and are expected to debut in late 1994, according to today's edition of PC Week.
One version, like the current product, will address the needs of users who want electronic mail only, while the other will offer client/server capability. For example, the user of the client/server version of cc:Mail would be able to use Lotus Notes' administrative and text-searching features.
If the Lotus product comes about, Lotus will be the first local area network electronic mail vendor to jump into the popular client/server architecture. Hewlett-Packard's Openmail, Digital Equipment Corporation's (DEC's) All-In-1, and Lotus Notes Mail are the three products based on a client/server architecture in the market now.
Lotus has been moving quickly to appease customers and keep business. Despite its long-term conflicts with spreadsheet rival Borland International, the company announced in July it would integrate its Lotus Notes product with Borland's Quattro Pro spreadsheet product at the API level.
Lotus has been fighting Borland for several years now over alleged similarities between Quattro Pro and its own Lotus 1-2-3 product. The integration move was to accommodate large customers of both companies, such as the accounting firm Price Waterhouse, which prefer the Lotus Notes/Quattro Pro combination.
In addition, Mark McHarry, director of press relations for Lotus said the company has done a lot of work to make cc:Mail and Lotus Notes inter-operate. However, McHarry said Lotus was unwilling to comment on its plans for the two products.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930809/Press Contact: Mark McHarry, Lotus tel 415-335-6786)
9/Press Contact: Mark McHarry, Lotus tel 415-335-6786)
8/9/93
Lotus To Offer Messaging Standard For cc:Mail, Notes
Wang Reorganization Clears Court
LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- A United States Bankruptcy Court judge has approved the disclosure statement for Wang Laboratories Inc.'s reorganization plan, clearing the way for Wang shareholders to vote on the plan. If they approve it, Wang could get the final go-ahead to emerge from protection under Chapter 11 of the bankruptcy law on September 20.
Judge William C. Hillman, who approved the disclosure statement also scheduled a confirmed hearing for that date. In the meantime Wang will put its reorganization plan to shareholders and unsecured creditors.
Under its reorganization plan, Wang means to issue 30 million share of new common stock to unsecured creditors and others. Holders of the company's old common stock are to get warrants allowing them to buy the new stock within seven years and nine months.
The company expects to emerge from Chapter 11 with about 6,000 employees and to earn about $53 million on revenues of about $955 million in the 12 months from October 1. At its biggest, in the late 1980s, Wang had more than 30,000 employees.
Wang recorded an operating loss of $57.1 million in the year ended June 30, compared to an operating loss of $45.4 million last year. After restructuring and reorganization charges, Wang had an annual net loss of $197.2 million, compared with $356.6 million last year. Revenues were $1,247.0 million, down from $1,896.2 million in fiscal 1992.
Wang is turning away from its old proprietary VS minicomputer systems, sales of which have been declining, and pinning its future hopes largely on document image processing systems.
(Grant Buckler/19930809/Press Contact: Frank Ryan, Wang 508-967-7038; Ed Pignone, Wang, 508-967-4912)
967-7038; Ed Pignone, Wang, 508-967-4912)
8/9/93
Wang Reorganization Clears Court Hurdle
BUSINESS
Apple's Data Access Language For
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- Apple Computer may be looking for a buyer for its Data Access Language (DAL), according to today's edition of Macweek. Rumors at Macworld Expo in Boston were that the company is looking to unload DAL because it has yet to be profitable for Apple.
DAL is a client-server product offering Macintosh users access to structured query language (SQL) databases on a variety of computing platforms including mainframe, mini, workstation, and personal computers. It was bundled with System 7.0, but Apple unbundled DAL from System 7.1 to free memory and to offer simpler set up for customers who don't need database access in a network situation.
In Apple's reorganization following its $188 million in losses reported last month, the Enterprise Systems Division, which offers DAL, became Apple Business Systems and the profitability of each project was reviewed.
Macweek reported that Apple is talking about KPMG*Exis of Palo Alto California about buying DAL. Newsbytes contacted KPMG*Exis representative Rod McGeary, but McGeary had no comment to make. KPMG*Exis is a subsidiary of accounting firm KPMG Peat Marwick, also of Palo Alto.
Reports are that a DAL development kit for Microsoft's Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) standard was announced by Apple for June release, but no further information on the kit is available. Macweek says the kit is still in the beta test stages.
Apple representatives said Apple is investigating a number of options and business opportunities with DAL. However, the company feels it would be inappropriate to offer comment on unproductive speculation based on unsourced rumors. Representatives further emphasized that Apple is committed to the DAL technology.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930809/Press Contact: Renee Austin, Apple Computer, tel 408-862-5671, fax 408-967-5651; Rod McGeary KPMG*Exis, 415-473-1400)
51; Rod McGeary KPMG*Exis, 415-473-1400)
8/9/93
Apple's Data Access Language For Sale?
APPLE
LSI Technology Used In Oki LED P
MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- LSI Logic says that the company provided the technology which enabled Oki Electric Company Industry to develop what is claimed to be the world's most compact light emitting diode (LED) printer.
The OL400e has a footprint of 12.6 by 14.2 by 6.3 inches and weighs only 17.6 pounds. Oki Electric developed the OL400e using LSI Logic's CoreWare system level integration capabilities which according to the company, drastically reduce the number of components and overall cost of the system.
The companies maintain that the size of the printed circuit board has been cut in half. Also, the printer design went from four boards with 15 conventional integrated circuits (ICs), to a single board with four ICs.
The design work was completed at LSI Logic's Design Center in Japan and Oki Electric is claimed to be the first major printer company to use LSI Logic's CoreWare Program.
LSI Logic's CoreWare Program allows for the combining of microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs) and peripheral functions on a single chip, says the company.
LSI Logic's CW33000 RISC (reduced instruction-set computer) CPU (central processing unit) core contains a MIPS 33000-based 32-bit RISC CPU, four kilobytes (KB) of instruction cache, 1KB of data cache, and three timer-counters. Oki says it added its own memory controller, LED engine controller and printer control logic.
The two companies say they worked together to develop system-level simulation models to verify the functionality of the chip before committing it to silicon.
Brian Halla, executive vice president of LSI Logic's Products Group said: "By using LSI Logic's core system building blocks, high-level system design tools and expertise in ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) technology along with the customer's proprietary logic and system level expertise, we work together to drastically reduce our customers time-to-market."
LSI claims that Oki Electric can easily re-use the core logic to modify the design and expand their product line, using the CoreWare methodology.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- At MacWorld last week, Epson announced two Mac-based desktop 24-bit color scanners one for entry-level users and the other for professionals.
Also debuting in the Epson booth was the first PCMCIA (personal computer memory card industry association) cards from the company to be sold in retail stores. Available in one-half, one, and two megabyte versions, the new Static Random-Access Memory (SRAM) card can be used with the Newton as well as with IBM-compatible PCs.
In an interview with Newsbytes, Jim Sutton, product manager, said that the new ActionScanning System is geared to supplying high quality, 600 dpi (dot-per-inch) results at a minimal learning curve for the end user.
ActionScanning ships with a special easy-to-use version of Adobe Photoshop known as Photoshop 2.5 LE, along with Scantastic, a plug-in module Epson has devised to make LE even simpler yet.
Sutton told Newsbytes that, once the user has chosen a device Scantastic will automatically select the right resolution.
The software also contains features unavailable elsewhere that allow the user to select one, two or three passes, and establish such settings as brightness and darkness, all without having to leave the program and enter PhotoShop. "All the scanning tasks that need to be performed can be done from within Scantastic," he noted.
Epson's new professional-level ES-800 C scanner provides similar capabilities, but outputs at up to 800 dpi. The ES-800C is bundled with Adobe Photoshop 2.5 and Kai's Power Tools as well as a Scantastic driver.
Each scanner with a DA and SCSI cable. ActionScanning lists for $999, and the ES-800C for $1649, but actual street prices will be considerably less, said Walter Rivera, technical sales engineer. A document feeder and other options can be purchased for additional fees.
In another interview with Newsbytes, Rivera told Newsbytes that each of Epson's new RAM cards contains two batteries: a main replaceable battery with a lifetime of one to three years depending on memory capacity of use, and a nonreplaceable rechargeable rechargeable backup battery with a ten-minute charge to ensure protection of data when the main battery is charged.
Access time for the Epson RAM cards is 200 nanoseconds, or about 50 times faster than floppy and hard disk drives, said Rivera.
In addition, the cards can withstand 1000G of shock vibration if accidentally dropped, in comparison to only 70G for a floppy drive, he said.
Pricing for the SRAM cards if $169 for the one-half-megabyte card, $249 for the one megabyte card, and $389 for the two megabyte card.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930809/Reader contact: Epson Connection, tel 1-800-BUY-EPSON; Press contacts: Jan Marciano, Epson, tel 310 782-5161, Epson; Rhonda Lee or Cynthia Lempert, Manning, Selvage & Lee for Epson, tel 818-509-1840)
, Manning, Selvage & Lee for Epson, tel 818-509-1840)
8/9/93
MacWorld - Epson Announces Scanners And PCMCIA Card
APPLE
Microsoft Files To Get Stacker O
CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- Microsoft has filed a preliminary injunction to stop sales of Stacker 3.1 for Windows & DOS, according to compression software maker Stac Electronics. Stac and Microsoft have been embroiled in legal battles since early this year over the Doublespace compression utility introduced in Microsoft's new MS-DOS 6.0 operating system.
The Microsoft motion was filed in Central District Court in Los Angeles, alleging misappropriation of trade secrets. When asked if the injunction was because Stacker 3.1 for Windows & DOS requires MS-DOS 6.0 in order to run, Microsoft representative Collins Hemmingway told Newsbytes that the injunction is under seal, meaning it cannot be publicly discussed.
Stacker 3.1 requires DOS 6.0 because it replaces the Microsoft Doublespace compression with Stac's own LZS compression scheme. Stacker 3.1 uses the "hooks" built into DOS 6.0 to make integration of the compression into the operating system seamless.
Gary Clow, president and chief executive officer of Stac, said in a prepared statement that the Microsoft action was in response to problems with Microsoft's Doublespace data compression contained in MS-DOS 6.0 and Stac's Strategic Development Agreement announced last week with Novell, a supplier of network operating systems.
"I believe this is only the beginning of a Microsoft plan to lock up the application software business and impermissibly restrict the legitimate use of MS-DOS. Now that the FTC is off Microsoft's back I have to assume that Lotus, Borland, WordPerfect and Oracle are next. This is the industry's worst fears coming true," Clow said.
Stac Electronics is fighting Microsoft very hard in the legal battle. The battle is especially bitter on Stac's part as Microsoft is said to have negotiated with Stac last year to use its LZS compression scheme in MS-DOS 6.0, but Stac company officials maintain Microsoft wanted the technology "for free."
Microsoft says it offered Stac several different deals that would have meant "real money" to the software compression maker, but after months of frustrating negotiation ended up licensing the basis for its Doublespace compression from Verisoft.
Stac has just cut an attractive deal with Novell to use its LZS technology in all the popular Novell networking software, but unfortunately just lost a deal with IBM who is going to competitor Adstor for compression in the newest PC-DOS operating system.
However, Stac does have a deal with IBM to bundle its Stacker for OS/2 & DOS compression product with the OS/2 2.1 operating system in Europe.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930809/Press Contact: Lois Leslie, Stac Electronics, tel 619-431-7474, fax 619-431-1001; Collins Hemmingway, Microsoft, tel 206-882-8080, fax 206-936-7329)
way, Microsoft, tel 206-882-8080, fax 206-936-7329)
8/9/93
Microsoft Files To Get Stacker Off Retail Shelves
MacWorld - Apple Demonstrates AV
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 9 (NB) -- "Computer, call John Sculley." "Computer, open OutBasket." "Computer, open Mailbox." "Computer show me things to do first."
This string of commands might sound like part of a futuristic script for "Star Trek," but, in actuality, though, the dialogue comes from a demonstration of the current capabilities of Apple's new speech capable, multimedia AV computers, given during a keynote presentation at MacWorld last week.
During the presentation, keynote headliner Ian Diery, executive vice president for world-wide sales and marketing, noted that the demo represents a promise Apple made a year ago to provide "comprehensive systems solutions" to its customers.
"For the first time in our history, we've integrated solutions from all our businesses, and these technologies, when combined, produce powerful solutions much stronger than the sum of their parts," he said.
After an initial showing of Apple's new PlainTalk technology in the phone call to Sculley, Diery and other presenters provided an overall look at Apple's new systems approach in a scenario based on a "day in the life" of a hypothetical advertising executive.
In the example, the on-the-road executive meets with a client, where they jointly modify a sketch for an upcoming ad on the Newton. The exec then returns to his hotel room, where he uses the Newton Connection to reconcile the changes to the sketch, as well as newly made appointments and contacts, with software running on the PowerBook.
The executive then sends the sketch to a desktop Mac AV computer being used by a graphic designer at the home office. Meanwhile the exec returns to his desktop Mac AV, where he uses a series of voice commands to open and respond to his multimedia mail. Among his messages is voicemail from the PR department urging him to give the upcoming ad campaign top priority.
The exec places a videoconferencing call to the artist, views the artist's preliminary work, and makes a few suggested changes. The graphic designer is then able to put together the final copy with a single voice command -- "Computer, Build Ad Using Template 5" -- via a trio of third-party applications.
An electronic forms application, Informed Manager, retrieves preapproved content from the Apple Server 80. Fractal Design's Painter modifies the image for production. QuarkXpress is used to perform the final page layout.
"The point of the story is that throughout the entire exercise, the ad exec was using roughly a dozen applications that were turned into a single Apple solution that incorporated elements from our family of mobile products, imaging products, desktop systems and business systems," Diery said.
The story also shows how Apple's new systems approach can save time and money for end users, shielding them from the complexities of computing and allowing them to concentrate on what they do best, he added.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930809)
they do best, he added.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930809)
8/9/93
MacWorld - Apple Demonstrates AV Multimedia Computers
APPLE
Bar Code Fonts For Windows, OS/2
SHINGLE SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- Are you producing packaging artwork on your PC, yet you still have to get someone else to print the barcode for you? Nevermore! PrintBar bar code fonts will let your PC do the whole job, their producer contends.
The PrintBar fonts are for Windows and OS/2 applications, and support all high resolution printers such as ink jet, laser and film typesetters. The barcode standards supported include: Code 39; UPC; EAN; ISBN; Bookland EAN; Interleaved 2 of 5; POSTNET and FIM. If you need barcodes you'll probably know what those names mean.
Bear Rock President Ken Futernick said that people who need to be able to print bar include graphic artists, secretaries accountants, clerks, executives and production and manufacturing employees. "Most of these people don't specialize in producing bar codes but they need the ability to do it."
PrintBar simply translates a string of numbers and letters into a bitmap image of the barcode, according to the selected type. This can then be used in most popular DTP, graphics and word processor packages, as required. The fonts are packaged in four packs, so it is important to select the appropriate one. Three of them retail for $179 and the fourth for $79. Each contains both PostScript and TrueType fonts in a number of sizes.
Bear Rock also produces a range of bar code printing and reading products for PC and Macintosh. The company can be contacted toll-free on 800-232-7625 in the US and Canada, or phone 916-672-0244 or on fax 916-672-1103.
(Paul Zucker/19930809/Press contact: Irwin Ink on fax 619-483 3444)
ct: Irwin Ink on fax 619-483 3444)
8/10/93
Bar Code Fonts For Windows, OS/2
Mitel Names New Chairman, Report
Acer To Manufacture Portables Wi
Sybase Opens Belgium Subsidiary
Zilog's New Microcontroller Offe
UK Gets Its First Green Notebook
Apple's US Intros Of New Speech-
Apple Clarifies PowerOpen Timeta
UK - Zenith Data Systems Intros
RasterOps Intros MoviePak2, Pain
Aldus Shipping Pagemaker 5.0 for
TV Archives To Develop Index Dat
BT, MCI Finalize Joint Venture
IBM Files Patent Suit Against Co
Groupware '93 - Remote Access To
Cisco Routers Adopt Novell's IPX
Cisco Systems Posts $53 Million
Harvard Graphics 2.0 For Windows
HP Orders Slower, But Growth Sti
PC Monitor R
Radio Shack Intros Video Door Ph
FORT WORTH TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- With news stories appearing almost daily about intruders gaining entry to homes and committing violent crimes, Radio Shack has introduced a home security system that allows you to see and talk to the person at your front door before you drop the security chain and unlock the locks.
Called The Safe House Video Door Phone, the system allows the user to hear the doorbell and observe and talk to the person on the doorstop before deciding to open up.
The wall or surface mounted system resembles Radio Shack's speaker phones, and incorporates a handset and black and white monitor. The monitor is on the right side of the unit where the phone touch-tone pad would be located. A surveillance camera is in the doorway capturing a visitor's image when the call button mounted just below the camera lens is pressed. A doorbell or chime sounds inside the house. The resident can see the visitor's face on the screen and carry on a two-way conversation using the handset or through the built-in intercom. The system can also be left on for continuous sound and picture monitoring.
Radio Shack says all it takes to connect the interior unit with the camera and call button is a two-wire cable such as the existing doorbell wiring. Mounting hardware and an AC adapter is included in the kit. The monitor is a two-inch by three-inch, high resolution LCD screen with 32,500-pixel resolution. The 9.7-ounce camera offers low-light sensitivity and infrared capability for nighttime viewing. An automatic electronic iris control changes the camera aperture to meet changing light conditions. The monitor unit incorporates video contrast and voice/chime volume control. The camera can transmit picture and sound up to 150 feet within the home.
The Video Door Phone has a retail price of $399.95.
(Jim Mallory/19930808/Press contact: Tony Magoulas, Radio Shack 817- 878-4582)
t: Tony Magoulas, Radio Shack 817- 878-4582)
8/10/93
Radio Shack Intros Video Door Phone System
GENERAL
Synopsys Intros SOLV-IT! E-Mail-
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 10 (NB) --Technical and customer support is becoming increasingly important as companies try to separate their products from the competition. Now Synopsys Inc., has introduced SOLV-IT! (Synopsys On-Line Vehicle for Information Transfer).
According to the company, SOLV-IT! is the first electronic-mail based customer support system that combines high-level design expertise with advanced information retrieval technology.
According to Synopsys, SOLV-IT! enables customers to "solve design problems themselves, so they can spend more time designing and less time searching for information." The company says that high-level design software tools are in the critical path for an engineer trying to get a product to market, and that delays caused by unanswered software questions cost money.
The company's advanced information retrieval technology included in the product, minimizes the user's search for the correct answer and uses the customer's e-mail query to quickly conduct a full-text search of the Synopsys knowledge base. The technology was originally developed to search the Library of Congress databases. The company says that possible answers are then ranked based on their relevance to the question.
According to Synopsy, the SOLV-IT! knowledge base is updated daily and is "screened and edited for accuracy, usability, and clarity." It includes information "directly from the Synopsys technical staff such as answers to questions frequently asked of the Synopsys hotline engineers." It also includes excerpts from documentation application notes, and release notes; bug fixes and workarounds; specific information on the development of device libraries; and system administration issues.
Holly Cohen, Synopsys product marketing manager for services, said: "At a 1992 user group meeting, our customers asked for automated access to the high quality knowledge available within Synopsys. The SOLV-IT! system satisfies this request by making this information immediately available through e-mail. Customers can use SOLV-IT! to solve problems or build their design expertise on their own."
SOLV-IT! goes on-line August 18, and provides immediate access to the Synopsys knowledge base 24-hours a day, seven days a week. The company says that response time, which is dependent upon each customer's e-mail system, has averaged between two and five minutes. SOLV-IT! is available to all registered Synopsys customers worldwide at no extra charge.
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- When the White House released details of its proposed encryption system just one day after tax day, companies, knowledgeable consumers and groups concerned with individual privacy were heard loudly complaining about the weakness of the system and especially the provision for easy government access to encrypted information. Now the NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) has opened up the subject for written comments before final implementation.
The SKIPJACK cryptographic algorithm is a voluntary standard which would be used to improve the security of telephone-based communications. There is no way to be certain just how secure this particular implementation would be because, as is normal the actual algorithm is kept secret.
What isn't secret is the back-door or Law Enforcement Access Field key which would allow authorized wire tapping of communications encrypted using the new voice scrambling system.
Those concerned with privacy say that the ability of law enforcement agencies to read private communications is unwarranted and virtually eliminates the usefulness of the voice encryption system because having any designed-in back-door compromises security.
Law enforcement agencies say that they need this ability to access encrypted voice communications, only when approved by court orders, to allow them to pursue terrorists and drug dealers as well as other criminal activities.
The proposed system could be used by the government and private sector, but it is only suitable for confidential, not secret government communications.
Written comments (from anyone) on the proposed standard are due by September 28, 1993, to Director, Computer Systems Laboratory Attn: Proposed FIPS for Escrowed Encryption Standard, B154 Technology Bldg., NIST, Gaithersburg, Md. 20899-0001.
(John McCormick/19930810/Press Contact: Media Contact: Jan Kosko NIST, 301-975-2767 or Internet: kosko@micf.nist.gov)
301-975-2767 or Internet: kosko@micf.nist.gov)
8/10/93
NIST Calls For Comments On Encryption System
6 ` ~
Sun Workstations Dropped By NSA
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- The super-secret National Security Agency (NSA), based at Fort Meade in the Maryland countryside between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, has reportedly dropped further purchases of Sun Microsystems' workstations on the current contract. This decision, reported widely in the media and finally confirmed by Sun Microsystems on Monday afternoon, came in the wake of complaints from both International Business Machines and Digital Equipment, competing workstation makers who objected to Sun SPARCstation 10 computers which failed to meet all of the requirements set forth in the original contract.
There has been no mention of any penalties being imposed on Sun Microsystems beyond the loss of between $200 and $500 million in sales, so there is nothing to bar the company from bidding on future workstation contracts for the same or other government agencies.
The NSA is so secret that for years the government even denied its existence, but now it is widely known to be responsible for creating all major government cryptographic systems for use by military and civilian agencies, as well as for intercepting and decoding the encrypted cable, microwave, and satellite signals sent both by foreign governments and by commercial agencies.
Rumors in the computer industry and intelligence community have for many years suggested that the NSA is in possession of the world's most sophisticated supercomputers, but everything about the agency is either confidential or secret, and that includes all advanced computer technology as well as the size of the agency's payroll or total budget.
(John McCormick/19930810/)
(John McCormick/19930810/)
8/10/93
Sun Workstations Dropped By NSA
ICL To Play Major Role In Tatars
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- British ICL has big plans to help the government of the Tatarstan Republic, in the Ural region of Russia, to get more computer power and to get more independence from Moscow authorities.
ICL President Peter L. Bonfield is to visit Kazan, Tatarstan, on August 25 to discuss the selling of a small interest in the joint venture in Kazan to the local government. The plan is to provide more computers to Tatar republic's governmental offices and businesses.
With the growing trend of regionalization of power in the former Soviet Union, ICL is backing the regional government of this small oil-rich enclave, which is trying to be as independent of central authorities in Moscow as possible.
ICL's joint venture in Kazan is called ICL-KPO WS. It is organized by ICL and Kazan Industrial Computer Technics Enterprise (KPO WS) in which ICL holds the majority stake.
The restructuring and selling of an undisclosed minority stake to the government is to be complete by the beginning of September. ICL will still hold at least 51% in the venture, according to Kirill Murafa, ICL-KPO WS spokesman.
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- Japanese major electronics firm Pioneer will export its latest laser disk ROM-based game machine this September to the US. It is called Laser Active, and the retail price will be around 100,000 yen ($950), which is slightly more expensive than the unit is in Japan.
The laser disk-ROM-based game machine was jointly developed with Sega Enterprises and NEC Home Electronics. The device is based on Pioneer's laser disk player, and has sockets for game machines made by Sega and NEC. With proprietary adaptors, the device will be able to operate Sega's and NEC's game software. In addition to the games the device can be used as a regular laser disk player and a Karaoke laser player when connected with a television set.
The unique device, already released in Japan, has yet to catch on big with the Japanese buying public, mainly due to the price. With the NEC and Sega adaptors, the total price exceeds 130,000 yen ($1,200). This is quite costly for families given Japan's currently slow economy. Also, many families already have game machines made by Sega, Nintendo, or NEC.
Despite this situation, Pioneer hopes to sell over 100,000 units during this, its first year in Japan. If sales go well in the US the firm is planning to sell them in Europe and Southeast Asia.
` + BANGALORE, INDIA, 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- Bangalore-based Wipro Infotech Ltd. Orbit-1, an on-line support facility set up and manned by Wipro for Sunsoft Inc., in the US, has been functional for about nine months. Now, the company is gearing up to establish Orbit-2, another on-line support and development facility for Sunsoft at Bangalore.
Sunsoft is a company set up by Sun Microsystems to develop and sell the Solaris operating system.
Unlike Orbit-1 which is primarily a support center for independent software developers porting applications to Solaris and OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) porting Solaris to their Intel hardware, Orbit-2 would focus more on development. "Developing device drivers and more powerful processor boards would be the kind of work Orbit-2 is likely to handle," says Sridhar Mitta, executive vice president, technical, Wipro Infotech. The agreement with Sun for Orbit-2 is expected to be finalized very soon.
Wipro Infotech is perhaps the first computer company in India to be running a support center such as Orbit-1. Wipro won the contract for maintaining Orbit-1 against competition from American companies such as Prime Computer. The hardware for Orbit-1 was loaned to Wipro by Sun. Wipro's input was in terms of communication facilities, manpower, and training of manpower. Today Orbit-1 has seven of Wipro's R&D personnel drawn from areas like kernel, I/O sub-systems, graphical user interfaces and communications. The facility is connected worldwide through Internet. In continental US it has it has toll free 1-800 lines through which Sunsoft's OEMs and software developers can consult Orbit-1's team.
Orbit-2 would use a high-speed 64 kbps satellite link to hook to Sun. The new project will have 20 people working in it. In addition they will have the back-end support of 260 engineers in Wipro Infotech. According to Mitta, the Orbit-1 project would, however continue and be used in the US where interaction with the customer is required.
The two Orbit projects are being handled by the International Technology Division of Wipro. The division has grossed Rs 9 crore in revenues in 1992-93, with the bulk coming from projects with Sunsoft. The division has set a target of Rs 15 crore (5 million) in turnover for the current financial year.
(C T Mahabharat/19930810)
al year.
(C T Mahabharat/19930810)
8/10/93
India's Wipro Moves Into Sun's Orbit
India - Crime Information System
BOMBAY, INDIA, 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- In India, the Maharashtra police are involved in hectic deliberations with Mafatlal Consultancy Services (India) Ltd (MCS), for nothing ominous though. MCS, the Bombay-based IT outfit of the Arvind Mafatlal group, is developing a Crime Information System (CIS) for the police force.
The first phase of developing the system commenced last March. With an outlay of Rs 80 lakh, this phase involves developing of a database with details of crimes, modus operandi, name of complainant, fingerprints of the accused and other crime-related information. The database is being developed on Integra Structured Query Language (SQL) RDBMS of Coromandel Software.
The second phase will encompass linking of the 30 districts in the state and subsequent merging of the 800 police stations in the districts with their respective head offices. Finally, the third phase will involve automating the administrative tasks including the payroll and inventory applications. The sum and systems involved for the second and third phases have not yet been chalked down.
MCS, which came into being in 1973, has diversified from operating more as a data center to look after inhouse computer requirements. It is now taking up developing, selling and supporting its own as well as other company packages. The company is also into implementing turnkey projects, training and consultancy work. The shift of gears was prompted in the late eighties after taking stock of the "growing opportunities in the Indian computer industry and the group work done," says Yusuf Lanewala, vice-president marketing, MCS.
All activity is divided among three strategic business units. The first, financial information processing division, looks after turnkey projects for investor services. The second division deals in domestic projects including selling and supporting software. Tally of Peutronics, Supernova from Four Seasons Software of the US, and MainPac of Cruick Share Technologies of Australia are some of the other-company packages distributed by MCS. Its own packages include Cobag, a Cobol application generator, Clarient, a maintenance tool for Cobol, Hotlink, a package for data transfer over telephone lines and SpeedVat, a documentation package.
The company is also developing X-Chequer, a package for electronic banking. MCS has been signed on by ten branches of three banks, the Kapol Co-operative Bank, New India Co-operative Bank and Chembur Nagrik Co-operative Bank for installing X-Chequer. This division also takes up IT training and consultancy work. The third unit essentially performs the same functions as the second but in the exports sector. MCS is in the process of tying up with a US company for setting up a re-engineering centre at Pune.
By 1996, MCS hopes to be "among the top ten software exporters with revenues to the tune of Rs 75 crore." MCS turnover, which has grown from about Rs 3 crore in 1988-89 to Rs 4 crore the following year took a dip to Rs 3.9 crore in 1990-91 and rose to Rs 5.3 crore in 1992-93. Projected figures for the ongoing financial year are Rs 11 crore.
(C. T. Mahabharat/19930810)
(C. T. Mahabharat/19930810)
8/10/93
India - Crime Information System
IBM Canada In Facilities Managem
MARKHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- IBM Canada Ltd., has turned its real estate unit -- the part of the company that managed its buildings and related services -- into a separate joint venture with a Toronto-based electrical contractor.
IBM Canada will hold a minority interest in the new Triax Infrastructure Management Corp., said Doug Wise, former director of real estate at IBM Canada and now executive vice-president of Triax. Ainsworth Electric Co. Ltd., is the majority shareholder.
IBM wanted to outsource its facilities management, security cleaning, food and general services, asset control and related activities so management could "concentrate on their core business," Wise said. Ainsworth, whose primary business is electrical contracting in the construction field, wanted to diversify to offset the effect of the currently weak construction market.
Most of Triax's staff -- about 28 people -- came from IBM, Wise said. Its president is Paul Gooderham, former vice-president of marketing and corporate development at Ainsworth. One financial person also came from Ainsworth, Wise said.
Triax will provide services to IBM Canada, which at present is the company's only client, Wise said. The joint venture hopes to sign up other clients for space planning, energy management retrofit, and relocation services.
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- IBM Japan promises to release Japanese language versions its operating systems and software this fall: Take5, a new OS/2 version, and Workplace. Also some PC kits will be released soon.
The Japanese version of Take5 is a combination word processor spreadsheet, and a graphics program. The upgraded Japanese OS/2 is called the OS/2 Ver 2.1 and it has a 32-bit processing feature. It offers large scale PC networking, and can handle 600 to 1,000 personal computers.
IBM Japan has been talking with 15 to 16 Japanese personal computer makers concerning licensing of this operating system according to a published report.
IBM Japan is ready to release the Workplace operating system early next year.
With sales of these products, the firm expects to make 10 billion yen ($95 million) worth of sales in fiscal 1993, which will end in March 1994.
IBM Japan's other new products include a NiCad battery charger kit and battery pack for the A4-size notebook-type PC, the ThinkPad. CPU accelerator kits called the VIPER486 and the VIPERe486 can be used to upgrade the 80386 PC to an 80486 PC. These VIPER modules are designed to be easily placed on the 80386 processor chip. Other product includes Ethernet kits for the PCs.
IBM Japan has placed a priority on personal computer sales due to the recent downsizing trends in computing. As part of this strategy, the firm has moved a "touch-and-feel" user display room to its new, larger building in Makuhari, which is the vicinity of Makuhari Messe Exhibition center in Tokyo.
(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930803/Press Contact: IBM Japan, +81 3-3586-1111, Fax, +81-3-3589-4645)
: IBM Japan, +81 3-3586-1111, Fax, +81-3-3589-4645)
8/10/93
IBM Japan Lines Up New Products, Technical Center
Sega Links With Disney, Virgin
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- Tokyo-based major game machine maker Sega Enterprises has signed an agreement to develop animation game software with California's Disney Computer Software and Virgin Games. These firms have already started developing movie-based game software for Sega's pocket game machine.
To start, Sega, Disney and Virgin will release a game version of Alladin in October, based on the movie of the same title.
Sega reports it has incorporated Disney's advanced animation technology and Virgin's pictorial data compression technology to create high resolution, fast moving animation at a rate of 60 screens per second. This is more than twice the speed of a television or a movie.
The software operates on Sega's 16-bit game machines, the Mega Drive or the Genesis. It will be released in Japan and the US at around 7,800 yen ($75).
Sega has actively courting movie firms -- it tied up with New Line Cinema of New York, and has been developing a game version of Surf Ninja. Movies are the place to be for game companies, as evidenced by the recent release of Super Mario Brothers, based on the Nintendo game. Other Japanese game software firms such as Capcom are also linking with movie firms on sales of game software.
(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930810/Press Contact: Sega Enterprises, +81-3-3743-7603, Fax, +81-3-3743-7830)
3743-7603, Fax, +81-3-3743-7830)
8/10/93
Sega Links With Disney, Virgin
BUSINESS
Yokogawa Links With Apple Comput
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- Yokogawa Electric has linked with Apple Computer and Hewlett-Packard in a new, systems integration business. Yokogawa has already incorporated HP workstations in its complete systems for sale to customers.
Yokogawa already has a joint venture with Hewlett-Packard in Japan, so it already has established strong ties.
Yokogawa's Information System Center will open for business in October with 20 engineers who will offer sales and business support to integrate systems by HP and Apple Computer, among others. Yokogawa Engineering will offer maintenance services through its 106 offices in Japan.
Yokogawa will receive particularly strong support from Apple Computer which will introduce Yokogawa's system directly through its Apple Centers located in about 22 places in Japan.
Yokogawa will sell the systems to distribution or service firms and expects to sell 2 billion yen ($19 million) worth of system integration hardware in this fiscal year. Next fiscal year, the firm projects 10 billion yen ($95 million) in sales. The total market for system integration hardware is reported to be currently worth 800 billion yen ($7.6 billion) in Japan.
Yokogawa Links With Apple Computer, Hewlett Packard
APPLE
Coming From CA - Client/Server B
ISLANDIA, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- Computer Associates International is readying several new releases that will help the software company's customers move toward client/server computing.
At its Technicon conference next month, CA will reveal more details of Visual Objects, an object-oriented database tool that Marc Sokol, the company's director of product strategy, describes as central to enterprise applications.
Sokol told Newsbytes CA is also beta-testing support for Microsoft's Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) standard in its mainframe database management systems Datacom and IDMS. Since Visual Objects also supports ODBC, this will mean computer users will be able to use Visual Objects to work with those databases as well as with Clipper, the dBase-compatible system that CA acquired with its purchase of California-based Nantucket last year. Visual Objects grew out of the object-oriented database development project code-named Aspen that was underway at Nantucket at the time CA bought it.
CA also plans to incorporate other acquired object-oriented technology -- the CA-Realizer development tool it got from Within Technologies of Mount Laurel, New Jersey, in May of 1992 -- into at least two more of its software packages.
Realizer has already been incorporated in the company's project management package for personal computers, CA-SuperProject. Sokol said it will also be used to provide graphical interfaces for Accpac for Windows, a new version of CA's PC accounting software and for a human resources package called CA-HRISMA (pronounced "charisma").
CA-HRISMA will enter beta testing in September, a company spokesman said. Sokol said Accpac for Windows is due for release in the first quarter of 1994.
As new releases of other packages appear, Sokol added CA-Realizer will be incorporated into many of them.
CA-Realizer will be used to write graphical user interface "front ends" for these packages, Sokol explained, and will also emerge as a common macro language across CA's personal computer software packages.
Also in CA's client/server plans are client versions of its systems management software, Unicenter. A Windows NT version is in the works, Sokol said, though no target dates are available. "We haven't even named it yet," he said.
Sokol said CA is facing increasing demand from its customers to make it easier to move applications from mainframes and minicomputers to lower-cost client/server setups. "The demand is there to save some money on mainframe MIPS and to provide connections to graphical environments such as Microsoft Windows," he said.
(Grant Buckler/19930810/Press Contact: Bob Gordon, Computer Associates, 516-342-2391, fax 516-342-5329)
uter Associates, 516-342-2391, fax 516-342-5329)
8/10/93
Coming From CA - Client/Server Building Blocks
GENERAL
PowerPC Workstation From IBM Due
t AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- IBM's Advanced Workstations and Systems (AWS) group will produce the company's first computer based on the new PowerPC architecture that IBM is developing jointly with Apple Computer and Motorola.
The group showed a "technology demonstration" -- IBM's word for a prototype -- at the recent SIGGRAPH show in Anaheim, California. Company spokesman Steven Malkiewicz confirmed that the system is due for shipment "by the end of this year."
Malkiewicz would not confirm rumors that the machine -- and possibly a notebook computer also based on PowerPC technology will be formally announced in September.
He did say that a price in the same range as existing entry-level RS/6000 workstations would be a "reasonable ball park" for the price tag on the new workstation.
Last December, IBM announced a deal with Tadpole Technology which is to build notebook systems based on the PowerPC chips. At the time, an IBM spokeswoman said those machines would take 12 to 18 months to reach the market.
AWS will be one of two IBM units to produce PowerPC-based systems. At the beginning of July, the company created the Power Personal Systems Division in Somers, New York, to build personal computers based on the technology. Its first products are expected within a year.
IBM and Motorola announced first fabrication of the PowerPC 601 chip, which will be the basis of the early PowerPC systems, last October, and began shipments later that month.
The 601 chip has 2.8 million transistors, in a package about four tenths of an inch per side. It is being manufactured at IBM's Burlington, Vermont, plant using IBM's .6-micron complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process.
The chip includes the Motorola 88110 bus, which provides an advanced interface that supports a range of computer systems including personal computers, workstations, and multiprocessing systems, the companies said.
Based on the processors used in IBM's RISC/System 6000, the PowerPC design incorporates a number of change to streamline the chip and make it more suitable for high-powered, low-cost computer systems, according to an IBM spokeswoman. The PowerPC design also adds symmetric multiprocessing to the IBM design quadruples its cache to 32K bytes, and increases the chip's speed.
(Grant Buckler/19930810/Press Contact: Steven Malkiewicz, IBM 914-642-5449)
10/Press Contact: Steven Malkiewicz, IBM 914-642-5449)
8/10/93
PowerPC Workstation From IBM Due, Maybe In September
InterVoice In Large Voice Mail S
Cincinnati Bell Telephone Bonds
India - Paperless Exam System
Honeywell, AT&T Control Homes Re
Microsoft & 20 Others Get behind
Landmark Announces Two New Packa
Quickeys 3.0 For Mac To Ship Nex
India - HCL HP Wins Big Order In
EO & GO To Merge
Tandem Losses Force Move To Down
Gates Speaks Out On FTC Investig
NEC Ramps Up For 64-bit RISC Chi
Datacraft Appointed First Overse
Ricoh In Joint Venture With Chin
Microsoft Files To Get Stacker O
Storyboard Quick - Fast Storyboa
PC-Interlink Printer Sharing For
AT&T Wins $50 Million Worldspan
an Scien
Digi Signs US West Deal
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- In another move toward making digital services under ISDN a standard business phone-line offering, US West signed a deal to resell the some of the products of Digi International.
US West will sell the company's line of remote LAN connection products, which work with phone company ISDN services to provide connections among Local Area Networks. US West said this will help it evaluate demand for LAN links under ISDN. Ham Mathews general manager for the DigiBoard Telecom Group, said in a press statement that ISDN lets companies link their LANs 12 times faster than with modems, at one-quarter the cost.
ISDN has been advertised heavily by US phone companies for years, but few customers yet access it. In theory, it divides a standard T-1 trunk line of 1.544 million bit/second into 23 64,000 bit/second channels and a 64,000 bit/second signaling channel, which business customers can use as they see fit. Residential customers get two 64,000 bit/second digital lines and a 16,000 bit/second signaling channel. But until recently public switch companies like AT&T and Northern Telecom implemented this in different ways. And now services like frame relay and ATM are offering even faster digital services to businesses, while most switches still don't offer ISDN. Critics have also charged that the phone companies don't know how to sell ISDN, the old joke being that "if the phone companies were selling sushi, they'd call it cold dead fish."
Recently some of the phone companies have started selling ISDN with US West being among the more aggressive. Ameritech has begun offering ISDN priced at one-third more than a standard business line, for the residential version of the service. And BellSouth has begun offering price lists, or tariffs, on ISDN in the various states where it does business, and creating alliances with re-sellers who will help business use the service.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930810/Press Contact: Julie Thometz DigiBoard, 612-943-0469; Bob Meldrum, U S WEST, 303-965-7004)
, U S WEST, 303-965-7004)
8/10/93
Digi Signs US West Deal
TELECOM
@ j N
Unisys Shuffle Cuts President, S
BLUE BELL, PENNSYLVANIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- Unisys has announced a reorganization that does away with the job of president and chief operating officer and creates three highly autonomous divisions reporting to James Unruh, chairman and chief executive.
Unruh himself will head one of the divisions, the Information Services and Systems Group (ISSG) that will sell services and systems to Unisys customers. The company named two senior executives to the post of president for each of the other groups.
The job of president and chief operating officer of the entire company has been eliminated, company spokesman Peter Hynes said in order to remove a layer of management and shorten communications channels between Unruh and the rest of the company.
Reto Braun, who held the president's job, has left the company. Toronto-based Moore Corp., a maker of business forms, has hired him as president and chief executive, effective Sept. 1.
No other jobs were lost in the shuffle. Hynes said the reorganization "was not a downsizing decision at all. It really was a philosophical decision about how you're going to run your business."
The new ISSG will include three geographic sales divisions, and will be responsible for selling Unisys products and services to all of the company's customers except the United States government.
The Government Systems Group (GSG) will serve the US federal government "and its allies," a company statement said. The Paramax defense systems operations and Unisys Government Systems Inc., will be rolled into GSG. Albert F. Zettlemoyer has been named president of GSG and an executive vice-president of the company.
The Computer Systems Group (CSG) will design, develop, and manufacture products, handle sales to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and do product marketing. Hugh J. Lynch, an executive vice-president of Unisys, was named president of CSG.
Unisys also created two independent business units. One, within ISSG, will be concerned with information services. The other within CSG, will focus on client/server systems.
Hynes said Unisys expects the new structure to speed its decision-making almost immediately. The effect on the company's revenues will take a little longer to appear, he said, but is expected to show next year, though overall results will depend on the economy. "There's no question that the ultimate objective is to create an organization that will help grow revenues," he said.
(Grant Buckler/19930810/Press Contact: Peter Hynes, Unisys 215-986-6948)
ss Contact: Peter Hynes, Unisys 215-986-6948)
8/10/93
Unisys Shuffle Cuts President, Sets 3 Units
BUSINESS
Lotus Reports Quarterly Results,
Ameritech Offers Schools Discoun
Ungermann-Bass & Raylan In Fiber
GEnie disABILITIES Forum Takes A
Kulicke & Soffa Reports Strong S
New Mac Product Roundup
Acrobat & Common Ground: Pathway
Editorial -- CD-ROMs On The PC
Computer Associates To Charge $1
CommWorld Continues Comeback
Apple Denies Delay To PowerOpen
Apple To Intro New Low-Cost Powe
Compuserve Offers British Travel
Digital Equipment India In The R
Delrina Releases WinFax API To I
Sinbad Helps Inner-City Kids Att
Apple's Data Access Language For
Internet Business Journal Respon
Sega To Open Luxor Virtual Arcad
Bar Code Fonts For Windows, OS/2
Knowledge Adventure In Collabora
Reaction To AT&T-McCaw Deal
UK - First Byte PC Superstore
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- Specialist Computer Holdings (SCH), the computer reseller group, has opened what it claims is the first in a national chain of PC superstores. The first store, operating under the "Byte the Computer Superstore" banner has opened for business at the Team Valley Retail World near Gateshead in the northeast of England.
According to Peter Rigby, SCH's founder and chairman, plans call for several other stores to be opened across the UK over the next year. The company has committed UKP 20 million to the project and, Rigby predicts, superstore operations will become the major part of SCH's operations over the next five years.
SCH has quietly made its mark on the British computer reseller industry in recent times, Newsbytes notes. In 1992, the group achieved pre-tax profits of more than UKP 5 million on a turnover of UKP 83.2 million. The company claims it is the most profitable of its type in the UK.
Rigby claims that the Byte stores have been set up with the best model for the UK computer store industry. Unlike major warehouses such as the PC World operation, acquired earlier this year by the Dixons group, plans call for all the Byte stores to cover only a relatively modest floor space.
SCH claims that, at 16,000 square feet, the Gateshead store is the optimum size. The company also claims that, with an excessively large store, it is impossible to create a personalized, service oriented environment.
"We will give the customer a unique combination of freedom to choose and ease of access to technical advice and support," explained Rigby, adding that Byte will offer customers the widest possible range of products, "demonstrated in a meaningful way."
"These products will be supplied and serviced to the highest standards and will offer tremendous value for money," he enthused.
32 staff have been recruited for the Gateshead store and, unlike the competition, SCH claims that all of the staff have been on training courses. Interestingly, SCH claims that more than 50 percent of the marketing expenditure for the new store will be targeted at the business community.
This, SCH claims, reflects the company's expected demand from the commercial sector. This, Newsbytes notes, contrasts heavily with the approach of PC World, which pitches for the SOHO (small office, home office) marketplace with its advertising.
The Gateshead site includes an in-store network of PCs. This feature according to the SCH, allows customers to see live demonstrations of leading PCs running most of the popular DOS and Windows applications. Similar networks are planned for all the Byte stores.
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- Confirming plans outlined at the Networks '93 electronics show last month, Mercury has taken the wraps off its plans for a new charging system for residential subscribers to its trunk and international telephone service.
Over the last year, British Telecom (BT) has progressively introduced a complex series of discounts available to most of its subscribers. The net effect of these changes, Newsbytes notes, has been that, at certain times and on certain routes, BT has actually undercut Mercury's tariffs.
Now Mercury wants to change all that. From September 1, the company will reshuffle its tariff bands and discounting system to match that of BT, with the proviso that its rates will always be cheaper than those of BT, no matter what trunk or international route and whatever the time of day.
According to David Wickham, Mercury's business and consumer marketing director, the Mercury BT-beating scheme even extends to a discount scheme to reward loyal customers. For customers whose Mercury bill comes to over UKP60 a quarter, an automatic five percent discount will kick in.
The existing frequent caller program (FCP) is replaced by a new UKP 3 a quarter scheme that cuts the cost of calls still further during office hours. This scheme aims to persuade customers to make better use of the phone during the day.
"We asked our customers what they liked and didn't like about our pricing policy. That certainly like the fact that Mercury calls are cheaper, but said they wanted to be able to make simpler comparisons with BT. Our new pricing system makes it easier to compare like with like," Wickham explained.
Mercury's formalization of its plans announced last month comes in the wake of a ruling by Oftel, the government-sponsored telecom watchdog, that states that BT's recent special deals, under which certain tariffs are offered at special rates for short periods, are unfair marketing techniques.
The ruling, though not binding, means that BT is unlikely to continue the campaigns. This will relieve the pressure on Mercury which would, observers suggest, have had to work hard to match the BT special offers.
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- Context, the European market research company, has announced it is extending its activities to include direct sales trends tracking. Previously, Context confined its computer marketing trend tracking service to the indirect (reseller) side of the marketplace.
Jeremy Davies, a senior partner in Context, told Newsbytes that the decision to start tracking the direct sales channel was taken after the company realized that activity in the channel was increasing.
"There's a shakeout happening with smaller and medium-sized direct sell companies going bust, while bigger players who used to indirect-only are getting more involved," he explained.
"At the same time, until now, there's been no accurate data covering PC sales in the direct marketing channel. Who knows what the true proportion of total PC sales goes out direct? Most of what's been published to date has been based on -- at best -- 'guessitimates' and crystal ball gazing. I don't think anyone can tell with accuracy what's really going on," he said.
According to Davies, the Context "Direct Channels Data Collection" program collates data from those PC vendors marketing their products directly to end users. This information is then passed to Stoy Hayward, a UK firm of accountants and business advisors, who then pass on a generic set of data to all participants.
This generic data is then used by Context to compile its own monthly sales tracking figures. These reports are available on subscription for an annual fee.
"We've been working on this for some months now and already have the cooperation of many of the major PC direct marketers," said Davies who added that, unlike other initiatives in the past, the Context system costs participants nothing while at the same time preserves the company's confidentiality.
` - REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- Microsoft Corporation said this week it will begin shipping a set of ODBC (Open Database Connectivity) drivers by mid-September, perhaps sooner.
The company says its Open Database Connectivity Desktop Database Drivers can be used in conjunction with ODBC-enabled applications, or users can develop their own applications that use the drivers. ODBC is the database component of Microsoft's Windows Open Services Architecture (WOSA), which provides a standard interface for access to a wide variety of services such as mail, databases, and networking communications. The drivers deliver data to applications from desktop databases and file formats that include Microsoft Access versions 1.0 and 1.1 Foxpro versions 2.0 and 2.5, Microsoft Excel 3.0 and 4.0, Btrieve 5.1, dBase III, dBase IV, Paradox 3.0 and 3.5, and formatted text files.
Microsoft says it is making the drivers available for commercial redistribution so software vendors can easily provide broad database compatibility to their customers by including the drivers with the custom applications.
Each driver includes a help file that provides information about what functionality is available to the developer. Microsoft says the drivers will allow developers, system integrators, training organizations and businesses that create their own applications to offer a single application that supports the popular database programs.
ODBC Desktop Database Drivers version 1.0 requires Windows 3.0 or higher, an EGA or higher display, a hard disk with at least three megabytes (MB) of available disk space, and a high density floppy drive. Software developers will also need the ODBC software developers kit (SDK) version 1.0, the Windows 3.1 SDK, and Microsoft C version 8.0 or a compatible compiler. The Novell WBTRCALL.DLL is also required in order to use the ODBC Btrieve driver.
Microsoft says the software is scheduled to ship in two to three weeks, and will have a suggested retail price of $49, although reseller prices may be different. Licenses for commercial and non-commercial, or corporate internal, redistribution will also be available.
(Jim Mallory/19930810/Press contact: Catherine Miller, Microsoft Corporation, 206-882-8080; Reader contact: Microsoft Corporation 206-882-8080 or 800-426-9400)
tion 206-882-8080 or 800-426-9400)
8/10/93
Microsoft Announces ODBC Drivers
Visicalc Creator Frankston Joins
d REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- Microsoft Corporation says Bob Frankston, co-creator of Visicalc, has joined the software company. A Microsoft spokesperson told Newsbytes Frankston will work on the architecture and design of advanced technology projects, but could not be more specific. Visicalc is believed to be the first commercially marketed spreadsheet for personal computers.
Microsoft Senior Vice President of Advanced Technology Nathan Myhrvold, to whom Frankston will report, called Frankston "one of the few people to have had a revolutionary impact on the software industry." Myhrvold said Frankston's software design experience will be invaluable to the development of the next generation of software products for the digital highway, and proves Microsoft is "one of the premier companies for leading scientists and engineers to come and work."
Frankston called his new position "a wonderful opportunity," and said Microsoft is capable of following through on ideas and enthusiasm, turning them into products and services. "We've been through the first decade of personal computing, and it's only a prelude."
Prior to joining Microsoft, Frankston was at Slate Corporation, a developer of software for pen-based computers, where he developed software for the hand-held and portable market. Prior to that he was at Lotus Development Corporation, and was instrumental in developing Lotus Express. Before joining Lotus, Frankston was president of Software Arts, a company he co-founded with Dan Bricklin in 1979. He holds a master's degree in computing and a bachelor of science in both mathematics and computer science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
In other Microsoft news, Microsoft announced the promotion of Joachim Kempin to senior vice president of worldwide OEM sales. Kempin will be responsible for Microsoft's relationships with hardware vendors worldwide. Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates praised Kempin's performance with the company since he assumed responsibility for OEM sales in 1987. "One of the keys to Microsoft's continued success is the active development of our relationships with computer manufacturers. Joachim has done an outstanding job," said Gates.
(Jim Mallory/19930810/Press contact: Michelle Mathews, Microsoft Corporation, 206-882-8080; Reader contact: Microsoft Corporation 206-882-8080 or 800-426-9400)
ft Corporation 206-882-8080 or 800-426-9400)
8/10/93
Visicalc Creator Frankston Joins Microsoft
GENERAL
Nextstep For Intel Gets Mathemat
CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- Scientific and engineering community users who run Nextstep on Intel processors will soon be able to use Mathematica, a software package that performs numeric, symbolic, and graphical computation, according to Mathematica publisher Wolfram Research.
The company says it will soon ship Mathematica 2.2 for Nextstep for Intel processors, Next's object-oriented software for Intel 486 and Pentium-based computers. Next users use Mathematica notebooks, described as interactive documents that combine live computations, plots, animated graphics, and text to create technical reports, class courseware, and publication-quality books. Wolfram Research says Mathematica 2.2 will have a suggested retail price of $1,295 and is scheduled to ship early this fall. Academic pricing starts at $995, and the company plans to offer volume discounts and academic site licenses.
(Jim Mallory/19930810/Press and public contact: Wolfram Research 217-398-0700 or 800-441-6284)
esearch 217-398-0700 or 800-441-6284)
8/10/93
Nextstep For Intel Gets Mathematica
Compaq Picks Name For New Home,
HOUSTON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- Compaq Computer Corporation has reportedly picked a name for the line of home-use personal computers Newsbytes reported three weeks ago.
The name selected for the new line of plug-and-play computers that will ship with a selection of installed software and in some cases modems or CD-ROM drives is believed to be Presario. Plug and-play is a term frequently used to describe computers that can be unpacked, plugged in, and used immediately without the user having to endure lengthy software installation procedures.
At least one of the three models will reportedly be equipped with a modem and have software installed that will allow immediate access to the online subscription service Prodigy. Services such as Prodigy offer a host of services for computer users, including downloadable software, electronic mail services, sharing of information with other users with similar interests, and a massive source of reference information.
The Presario line will reportedly be sold through some mass merchandising channels such as Sears. Since the line is targeted to the home user rather than small businesses, it is not expected to be initially available through outlets such as CompUSA or Compaq's own Direct Plus mail order service. Presario pricing has not been announced.
Many industry analysts believe that the home and small business market will be one of the fastest growing markets for PC makers in the next few years.
Compaq is also expected to introduce a new line of servers, some of which can run as many as four processors simultaneously, a Compaq spokesperson told Newsbytes. It's unclear yet whether the new line will replace Compaq's Deskpro servers, but that is deemed unlikely. A Compaq spokesperson told Newsbytes the new line of servers would enhance the abilities of existing lines such as the Deskpro. New models that perform similar functions but better, frequently do replace the older equipment in a manufacturer's product line.
SCOTTS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- Great Wave Software has started to ship two software packages for children that support PlainTalk, the new speech technology Apple announced a week ago in conjunction with the rollout of the new Macintosh AV multimedia computers.
The new versions of NumberMaze and KidsTime each incorporate PlainTalk Text to Speech (TTS), but not the speech recognition features of the PlainTalk System 7 extension, a Great Wave spokesperson told Newsbytes.
Further, new upgrades of NumberMaze as well as ReadingMaze and Decimal & Fraction Maze, two other interactive board-like learning games, bring support for a newly revamped edition of At-Ease, a multi-user shell that Apple distributes as a separate application, she said.
Daisy's Castle, a just released sequel to Great Wave's DaisyQuest program for early and pre-readers, does not support either of these two Apple technologies, due to nature and purpose of the application, she added.
KidsTime and NumberMaze each integrate TTS engines for both levels of the newly announced PlainTalk, MacinTalk 2 and MacinTalkPro 2, the spokesperson told Newsbytes.
MacinTalk 2 will operate on most Mac systems, but MacinTalkPro 2 can only be used on Mac AVs, she said. The Great Wave applications will employ the MacinTalkPro 2 engine when run on an AV, and the MacinTalk 2 engine when operated on other models of Macs.
According to Apple officials, Apple is providing developers with TTS capabilities via the PlainTalk Text To Speech Developer's Toolkit, which consists of various voices, the two TTS engines and an application program interface (API) that developers can use to interface to either engine.
The MacinTalk 2 engine provides a basic TTS capability, while consuming only 150K of system memory, Apple officials said. In contrast, MainTalkPro 2 provides higher quality voice output, as well as sophisticated powers in the areas of text processing and interpreting speech context.
For example, MacinTalkPro 2 is able to pronounce "Dr." as either "drive" or "doctor," depending on the context in which the abbreviation is used. MacinTalkPro 2 also requires more system memory.
The beta version of the PlainTalk TTS Developer's Toolkit was shipped in July to 18,000 Apple developers on a developer CD that Apple puts out monthly, Apple officials said.
Great Wave used the final version of the toolkit to develop its new applications, the Great Wave spokesperson told Newsbytes. General availability of the final version of the kit is planned for mid-September, according to Apple.
MacinTalk 2 and MacinTalkPro 2 each use "concatenative" text-to speech technology. In this technology, speech is constructed by reassembling tiny sound fragments. In contrast, the traditional technology of recorded TTS consists of prerecorded word samples.
The Great Wave spokesperson told Newsbytes that KidsTime previously supported MacinTalk, an earlier technology introduced by Apple in 1986 but never widely used. Through the concatenative capabilities of the original MacinTalk, the Mac was able to read back stories that children created on a "story writer" in KidsTime.
MacinTalk 2 and MacinTalkPro 2 will provide the same functionality for KidsTime, but the sounds produced by MacinTalkRo 2 are more "natural" than those of either MacinTalk or MacinTalk 2, she noted.
The new versions of NumberMaze, ReadingMaze and Decimal & Fraction Maze all have interfaces to the new Version 2 of At Ease, and each can take advantage of a new user name feature in classroom use, she added. When the presence of At Ease is detected, the application will automatically select the student's previous set-up information and statistics.
When the Mac is running the workgroup edition of At Ease Version 2, the application will also automatically select the class document that matches the current setup. When children log on to the Mac, they need only select their own names and the name of the class. They can then start in where they left off last in the program.
The new Daisy's Castle program for early and pre-readers is used primarily by younger children working individually with their parents at home, the spokesperson suggested. Like DaisyQuest Daisy's Castle uses "fixed" or prerecorded sounds to teach the ability to recognize and blend phonemes.
Daisy's Castle and the upgrades of KidsTime, NumberMaze ReadingMaze, and Decimal & Fraction Maze are all shipping.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930810/Reader and press contact: Elia Ramirez, Great Wave Software, tel 408-438-1990; Press contacts: Nancy Morrison, Apple, 408-862-6200, or Cindy McCaffrey, Apple tel 408-974-1578)
8-862-6200, or Cindy McCaffrey, Apple tel 408-974-1578)
8/10/93
New Releases Of Great Wave Support PlainTalk, At-Ease
APPLE
NetPro Offers StreetWise StreetT
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- The trend towards graphical user interfaces (GUIs) continues to dominate even in the network management world. Now NetPro Computing Inc. says it is shipping a new Windows interface to Banyan StreetTalk network management services.
Joanne Carthey, spokesperson for the company, told Newsbytes that there is a trend within Vines users towards Windows. "Banyan's naming conversion, StreetTalk, is excellent, but it is a DOS command-line (product). There is no GUI interface for Banyan. Even with ENS opening up the Novell world, they have been losing sales because they don't have a GUI interface."
Carthey quoted a Banyan salesman as saying that the company is losing about $400,000 a month in sales for not having a GUI.
The company says that its new graphical directory services "dashboard" replaces StreetTalk's non-intuitive DOS interface. The product provides both hierarchical and flat views to help manage the network, and offers information and control over network directories and full management of users, groups, nicknames lists, organizations and services.
Carthey told Newsbytes that, "We recognized the need for this early this year, and began developing it. The pre-release goes out this Friday, and the 1.0 release is a week from Friday. We have already sold almost a 100 servers. We have done no printed advertising yet, no direct mail advertising - this is just out of our customer base. For NetPro, this is the first time that something that isn't shipping yet has begun to sell like this."
Carthey also told Newsbytes that she believes there are "close to 350 to 400 server orders being processed."
The company says that StreetWise provides customizable views of both the physical network and its StreetTalk logical organization and also offers complete hierarchical StreetTalk searches. It lets network managers save frequently used names, groups or servers as click-on icons.
NetPro StreetWise for Vines network operating system (NOS) and ENS networks is available now, at prices starting at $499 per server. As an introductory promotion, NetPro is offering a 20 percent discount on August orders.
The company says that a demonstration version of StreetWise is available from the NetPro BBS (bulletin board system) at 602-998-5093.
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- Microsoft and PC Magazine report a new exhibition -- Windows Expo/Moscow'93 -- will be held November 29 - December 2 at the VVTs exhibition center in Moscow.
A localized version of Windows is to be exhibited, along with other Windows programs and hardware. An industry conference will run simultaneously.
No details about prospective participants were available at deadline, although organizers claim it will be a major event in the Russian software industry with extensive participation.
Some 250,000 computers capable of running Windows are installed in Russia at the moment, according to Robert Clough, managing director of Microsoft AO, the company's Moscow subsidiary. This number is expected to double during the next year.
(Kirill Tchashchin/19930817/Press Contact: Microsoft AO, Ilia Billig phone +7 095 262-23-13; or WP International 212-702-4830)
ational 212-702-4830)
8/17/93
Windows Expo Moscow
GENERAL
isys Shuffle Cuts President, S
Adaptec Settles Class Action Sui
MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- Adaptec Inc. has settled its class action shareholder suit for $4.2 million. The company says that "a substantial portion" of that sum will be covered by insurance.
As a result, the company says it will take a one-time charge of about seven cents per share against earnings for the current quarter ending October 1, 1993.
A company source told Newsbytes that the suit resulted from lower-than-expected earnings reported for the third quarter of fiscal 1991, ended December 28, 1990.
The suit alleged violations of federal securities laws by the company's directors and some of its officers.
In a prepared statement Adaptec said that the company "believes it had meritorious defenses to all claims, but decided to settle the suit in order to avoid the continuing distraction of its management and the ongoing expense of litigation."
The company source told Newsbytes that the company decided to settle "because the cost of taking it to full term would be so much more than settling the case. Based on an economic decision made by the corporation, it would be more cost-effective to settle the case than to take it to court."
(Ian Stokell/19930810/Press Contact: John G. Adler, or Paul G. Hansen, 408-945-8600, Adaptec Inc.)
Hansen, 408-945-8600, Adaptec Inc.)
8/10/93
Adaptec Settles Class Action Suit
AST Opens Facility In Dubai, UAE
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- AST Research Inc.'s international expansion continues. Targeting the Middle Eastern market, AST has now opened a new 30,000 square-foot facility in Dubai, United Arab Emerates. The facility will house the operations of its Middle East Ltd.
The company says that the new sales, marketing, technical support warehouse and distribution center is located in Jebel Ali Free Zone and serves 20 countries in the Middle East, North Africa and the Indian subcontinent.
The facility is six times larger than the original facility, The company says it has experienced "tremendous growth in business since its entry into the region in 1991."
According to Safi Qureshey, AST's president and chief executive officer, "The Middle East represents a high-growth area for the company. SInce setting up in Jebel Ali, AST has been able to enhance its service and user support programs in the region leading to a dramatic increase in sales."
Mizra Basravi, general manager of AST Middle East Ltd, said that the company has its reseller network established in nearly all of the key countries in the region. "AST is one of the largest suppliers of PCs in the region, serving customers in banking government, major oil corporations and other large privately owned companies."
The company is planning to implement a number of new customer services, including access to an on-line bulletin board system and reseller training.
As reported extensively by Newsbytes, 1993 has been a busy year for AST in the international markets.
In April Newsbytes reported that Research had opened its first sales office in Finland to service what it claims is the growing market for its products in the country.
In July Newsbytes reported that AST had inaugurated a new office in Shanghai with the concept of expanding and enhancing its marketing and support service, and increase its foothold in the Eastern Chinese computer market.
AST's acquisition of Tandy's personal computer (PC) manufacturing operations put the company in the red for its 1993 fiscal year. The acquisition resulted in a fourth-quarter $125 million pre-tax restructuring charge "to realign the company's existing operations and integrate the acquired businesses." The net loss for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 1993 was $87 million, compared with net income of $18.6 million for the prior-year period.
The fourth-quarter restructuring charge also created a net loss for 1993 of $53.7 million, compared with net income of $68.5 million for 1992. The net loss per share was $1.72 for fiscal year 1993, which compared with earnings per share of $2.16 for 1992. Without the fourth-quarter restructuring charge, pre-tax income would have been $59.8 million.
(Ian Stokell/19930810/Press Contact: Gerry Lynne Baker 714-727-7959, AST Research Inc.)
r 714-727-7959, AST Research Inc.)
8/10/93
AST Opens Facility In Dubai, UAE
BUSINESS
Speculation Rampant On Microsoft
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- Speculation is rampant that Microsoft will jump behind the PowerPC microprocessor developed in partnership between Apple, IBM, and Motorola, if for no other reason than to spur Intel into releasing new microprocessor chips sooner.
While Microsoft is saying it has been looking at the PowerPC as a possible platform for its new Windows NT operating system some reports have gone as far as to say Motorola has purchased the rights to Windows NT.
Microsoft representatives said they are not commenting on specific deals, but have confirmed the company is looking at all important architectures for Windows NT, including the PowerPC. Plans at Microsoft include moving Windows NT to all important architectures within the next 18 months, company representatives said. However, the Wall Street Journal reported Motorola had purchased the rights to and was planning to modify Windows NT for the PowerPC.
Infocorp analyst Kimbal Brown said Microsoft's interests are served by pushing Intel to develop new microprocessors and release them faster. Microsoft can do that by fostering competition in the marketplace. However, it is not politically astute for Microsoft to say it is porting Windows NT to the PowerPC, so other platform manufacturers are announcing the NT ports. Brown's assertion is, in the end, it will be uncovered that Microsoft was doing the ports all along. However, for now having other manufacturers announce their doing the ports keeps the peace.
While previous speculation was that the Digital Equipment Corporation's Alpha microprocessor was to become the biggest rival to Intel's new top-of-the-line Pentium microprocessor Intel downplayed the Alpha saying DEC couldn't ramp up production fast enough to meet market demand. Motorola could be a different story, however. Brown says IBM, which is working with Motorola on the chip, is at least 12 months ahead of Intel technology-wise and will get more microprocessor chips per wafer in production. This will not only increase production quantities, it will decrease costs. By 1995 to 1996 PowerPC production could be at millions of units per year, Brown predicts.
Apple has already announced it will introduce PowerPC-based Macintoshes next year. Microsoft has already announced it is working on moving its applications software, such as Word Excel, and Powerpoint, to the Macintosh PowerPC platform. It is applications that make a hardware platform, and according to Brown, Microsoft's move of its largest selling applications to the PowerPC is a sure sign of the company's intent.
The attraction of the PowerPC is the price and the speed. The 50 megahertz (MHz) PowerPC carries a $280 price tag, and the 66 MHz version is $374, while Intel's 60 MHz Pentium is in the $800 price range. The price tag is attractive to hardware vendors because it means they can reduce prices and still compete in the vicious personal computer (PC) price wars that have driven some manufacturers out of business.
While Brown doesn't think the PowerPC will take over Intel's dominance in the microprocessor marketplace, he does think it could be a significant player -- significant enough to continue to drive the computer industry at the break-neck pace to which we've all become accustomed.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930810/Press Contact: Shelia Ambrose Waggener-Edstrom for Microsoft, tel 503-245-4333; Lisa Hayward Computer Intelligence, 619-625-4899, fax 619-450-3047)
elligence, 619-625-4899, fax 619-450-3047)
8/10/93
Speculation Rampant On Microsoft/PowerPC
Apple System Enabler, Hardware S
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 10 (NB) -- Apple Computer has announced a bug fix and diagnostic disk for users the Apple Macintosh Hardware System Update version 2.0, and a single floppy disk with all the system enabler files Apple has released between October 1992 and May of 1993, called the Apple Macintosh System Enabler Collection 1.0.
The Hardware System Update 2.0 disk offers the following fixes to Apple users: possible floppy disk and hard disk problems for users of the Macintosh IIsi, Macintosh IIci Macintosh IIvx, Macintosh IIvi, Macintosh Centris computers Macintosh Quadra computers, and Macintosh Powerbook computers; improved accuracy of the system's clock in Macintosh LC, LC II IIsi, IIvx, IIvi, Macintosh Classic II, Macintosh Quadra 900 and Macintosh Quadra 950 models; corrects problems ejecting floppy disks when the computer is shut down on Macintosh IIsi IIci, IIvx, IIvi, Macintosh Quadra 700, and Macintosh Quadra 950s; corrects color problems with the Apple Basic Color monitor on Macintosh Centris and Macintosh Quadra computers; removes horizontal white lines that may appear while scrolling on Quadra and Centris systems with a Macintosh 16 inch Color Display; updates Memory Control Panel (version 7.1.1) to reduce memory problems occurring while using large random access memory (RAM) disks with System 7.1; updates the System Enabler (version 1.0.5) for the Macintosh Color Classic, to correct mouse movement problems with Apple IIe Card; and improves the reliability of high-speed modems and similar devices connected to Macintosh LC, LC II, IIsi, IIvx, IIvi, Macintosh Classic II Macintosh Quadra 900, and Macintosh Quadra 950s.
The disk also includes: Sound Manger 3.0 for enhanced sound performance; software for the Apple Adjustable Keyboard to allow users to connect the keyboard to any Macintosh computer without separately installing special keyboard software; Apple Disk First Aid version 7.1.1 utility for repair of damaged disks; HD SC Setup version 7.2, which gives users more flexibility to format large hard disks between 1 and 2 gigabytes; and includes updates so fonts are managed in the computer's memory more efficiently.
The Apple Macintosh System Enabler Collection 1.0 is for users who have purchased Macintoshes before October of 1992. Performa users are also excluded from the group at which the Enabler is targeted.
However, Apple says the System Enabler will be especially useful to system administrators, service organizations, rental agencies, users of portable hard disk drives, or anyone else who has to work with a number of different Macintosh systems.
The System Enablers create a single Macintosh folder to consolidate the different system enabler files so that any Macintosh system can be started. It will also allow System 7.1 to run on Macintosh computers released since October of 1992. This includes Powerbook Duo 210 and 230, the Powerbook 160 180, 165C, the Macintosh IIvx, IIvi, the Color Classic, the Macintosh LC III, Quadra 800, and Centris 610 and 650.
Both disk are available without licensing charges to Apple computer users. They can either be downloaded from various on line sources such as Applelink, America Online, and Compuserve obtained from Macintosh user groups, or ordered directly from Apple. A $10 duplication, shipping, and handling fee will be charged by Apple per disk ordered.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930810/Press Contact: Cindy McCaffrey, Apple Computer, tel 408-974-1578, fax 408-967-5651; Disk order line 800-769-2775 extension 6717, Apple USA Customer Assistance Center 800-776-2333)
, Apple USA Customer Assistance Center 800-776-2333)
8/10/93
Apple System Enabler, Hardware System Update Disks
APPLE
New Newsletter On Global Network
HADDONFIELD, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- Joe Raimondo, who heads a small technology design house, has begun publishing Encapsulations: Design Points for Global Access, a newsletter devoted to designing global networks.
The monthly newsletter is designed for "technology designers and researchers," he writes, "and for strategic planners in the computer and communications fields." The newsletter will also project possible technology adoption patterns according to the models developed by its editors.
Co-editor Rich Thoma writes that, "Prevailing design practices focus on making the past into the future," which "has fogged the path for killer applications." By starting with a clean slate, he hopes the newsletter will help technology planners break free of hierarchical structures toward the peer-to-peer capabilities of today's networking technology.
"We promise to be more than a guide for the perplexed. We will be an observation point providing the philosophical possibilities for navigation into the future." The first issue, published last month, dealt with the potential of Intel's Pentium chip as a global processing platform. The newsletter costs $295 per year.
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- Teleadapt, a company specializing in providing worldwide kits for modem users to plug their systems into the local phone network, is targeting next month's Business Computing Show in London as a means of meeting up with potential customers.
Teleadapt was formed last year as a one-stop hardware and support shop for the increasing number of modem users who travel abroad with laptops and notebooks, but who find their modems will not work with the local phone company, usually because of problems with the phone connectors.
Founder Gordon Brown, Teleadapt's managing director, claims to have spent a large number of hours in aeroplanes and hotel rooms experiencing the same sort of problem that his company helps to solve.
"Travelling with technology can be frustrating, particularly if there is no one you can turn to for a solution. Teleadapt provides customers with the reassurance that whatever problem they are experiencing when using a portable computer abroad, someone here has already been through the same problem and come up with the answer," he said.
The company is currently site-testing a cellular system for mobile computer users, called Axcell Cellular. The product, which will be demonstrated at next month's show, is only available in the UK from Teleadapt.
(Steve Gold/19930810/Press & Public Contact: Teleadapt 081-429-0479)
blic Contact: Teleadapt 081-429-0479)
8/11/93
UK - Teleadapt Targets Mobile Users
TELECOM
Rockwell Intros New Nethopper Di
SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- Rockwell International Corp.'s CMC Network Products has introduced the NetHopper NH-P dial-up router. The company also plans to add IPX (Internetwork Packet Exchange) routing to its NetHopper routers.
According to the company, users are turning to dial-up routers as a low-cost "solution" for electronic-mail, file transfer and access to remote databases and the Internet.
The company also says that NetHopper removes the traditional installation and usage problems common with other remote LAN (local area network) access products.
In announcing the product, Subhash Bal, director of marketing said: "The new NH-P provides the vehicle for remote networks to access other networks, without the pain of installation, the investment of a traditional router and the high costs of leased lines."
NH-P offers memory expansion from one megabyte (MB) to 16MB. The company claims that NH-P's internal modem will upgrade to the V.Fast standard, once it is completed.
Full IPX protocol routing will available in the fourth quarter of 1993, with Data Encryption Standard (DES) encryption targeted for release in 1994. DES attempts to safeguard the transmission of data over the public switched telephone network.
The company says that NetHopper dial-up router products are targeted to LAN users needing occasional access to remote networks. Through automatic scripts, the product installs in less than five minutes. The company says that the user just has to connect the NetHopper to a telephone line and Ethernet network running TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) for "transparent" network use. NetHopper automatically detects whether it is a 10Base-T or AUI (Attachment Unit Interface) Ethernet connection.
Rockwell claims that NetHopper is the only dial-up router that keeps line costs under control as it tracks telephone usage, and that the company is the first dial-up router vendor to provide built-in dialer scripts that guarantee interoperability with other asynchronous products running the Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP).
Speaking of the IPX support, Chris VandenBerg, product line manager said: "By nature, NetWare tends to broadcast packets throughout the network. This can cause trouble for dial-up products that activate phone links based on network traffic. NetHopper, however, is more selective about which packets get sent over the link. Only when remote access is required by a client will the connection be initiated. This 'spoofing' means line charges are incurred only when access is demanded by the user."
Rockwell says that its IPX implementation will provide full protocol routing across Netware versions 3.X or better.
Priced at $1,695, the product is targeted for shipment for October 1.
(Ian Stokell/19930810/Press Contact: Marianne McCarthy 805-562-3138, Rockwell International Corp.)
hy 805-562-3138, Rockwell International Corp.)
8/11/93
Rockwell Intros New Nethopper Dial-up Router
GENERAL
BBN & UB's LightStream Offers 20
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- Just over a week after announcing the LightStream Corp., joint venture Bolt, Beranek and Newman Inc. (BBN) and Ungermann-Bass Inc. (UB) have announced a new family of enterprise backbone ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) switches that are designed to offer integrated wide and local area network (WAN/LAN) capabilities.
According to the company, the LightStream 2010 ATM switch is the first enterprise backbone ATM product with an architecture designed from the outset to "efficiently support the functions of both a wide area bandwidth manager and a multiprotocol bridge/router." The switch has two gigabits-per-second switching capacity.
Speaking of the new switch, Stephen R. Levy, chairman and chief executive officer of BBN, said: "The LightStream switch will allow network users to protect their investment in existing equipment while allowing for growth in network capacity. It will afford a smooth migration from current networks to ATM based networks."
The companies claim that the LightStream 2010 ATM switch has a "fully modular design" with a variety of multi-port line cards for various functions. All common components of the unit can be configured with optional redundancy, and are "easily" removable and hot-swappable to provide for maximum up-time and serviceability.
Dr. W.B. Barker, senior vice president of BBN, who is heading the formation of LightStream Corp, said: "Unlike other ATM products announced to date, the LightStream switch is designed to be used in today's networks to solve today's problems, without requiring customers to discard their existing equipment or networking facilities. While using this product to solve the current problems of network infrastructure such as traffic congestion, users will be able to lay a foundation for the growth and applications of tomorrow's networks."
Continued Barker, "Furthermore, through use of sophisticated network control algorithms, the LightStream switch can use expensive leased lines more efficiently than other networking equipment, while ensuring that each application receives the quality of service that it requires."
The product will be managed via standard SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) network management systems, including HP OpenView, SunNet Manager, as well as Ungermann-Bass' NetDirector.
The companies maintain that native LAN interfaces supporting bridging and multiprotocol routing along with support for OC-3 speeds will be added to the platform for availability by mid-1994. This will supposedly allow users to interconnect their LANs over an ATM network without additional bridge/routers or special ATM interfaces. Also, support for constant-bit-rate voice and video is set for availability around the end of 1994.
It is planned for the new product to be marketed by LightStream as well as BBN and UB. The companies are also looking for additional distributors and end-users.
BBN intends to sell the switch in conjunction with its network systems activities. UB plans to market the LightStream product under the name of EagleSwitch.
The LightStream 2010 switch will start at $25,000, with availability set for the fall of 1993.
BBN and UB signed a letter of intent to form the new LightStream company at the end of July. At the time, Newsbytes reported that LightStream will be based in Massachusetts. BBN will own 80 percent of the company and UB will own 20 percent. In addition BBN and UB would contribute $15 million and $5 million in cash respectively, to fund the enterprise. BBN and UB also plan to sign non-exclusive OEM (original equipment manufacturing) agreements with LightStream under which they would distribute the company's products.
(Ian Stokell/19930810/Press Contact: Ben Barker, 617-873-3462 Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc; or Suzan Woods, 408-562-7958 Ungermann-Bass Inc.)
Suzan Woods, 408-562-7958 Ungermann-Bass Inc.)
8/11/93
BBN & UB's LightStream Offers 2010 ATM Switch
GENERAL
The Gui
India - Mastek Prepares Mamis Re
BOMBAY, INDIA, 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- Mastek Ltd., the Bombay-based software developer and distributor of the Ingres relational data base management system (RDBMS) in India, is preparing to release Mamis, an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) package.
Mamis has more than 20 modules, such as the executive information system, distribution requirements planning, master production schedule, material requirements planning, and shop floor control engineering.
Developed with object-oriented programming (OOP), it can run on all the RDBMSs available, claimed Ashank Desai, managing director of Mastek. "Nowadays organizations do not want just a manufacturing resource planning package, but one which can take care of other activities like sales also," he said. Priced between Rs 15 lakh to Rs 40 lakh, development of Mamis involved an effort of 35 to 40 person-years.
The fact that Mamis is based on OOP, a technology which is still in its nascent stage in India, does not deter Desai. He insisted that "OOPS will definitely become popular here and we want to be prepared in advance for that time." Mastek has already installed the eight modules (45 percent) of Mamis at Precision Fasteners Ltd. for beta testing.
Mamis took off from Merit, an object-oriented CASE (computer-aided software engineering) tool, that generated the source code for the former. Said Desai, "Merit was designed for developing Mamis. But Merit, per se, can also be sold."
However, Mastek does not intend selling the product in India, but is targeting it at the US market. To do so, Mastek is scouting for a marketing partner in the US.
Meanwhile, Mastek is executing an order processing and manufacturing system for Grindwell Norton Ltd., and has also undertaken total computerization of the Cadila group of companies and the computerization of the marketing operations of NRB Bearings. Another on-hand assignment is the development of a buyer underwriting system for Export Credit Guarantee Corp of India.
In the exports sector, Mastek is working on a project for petrol pump automation for the Singapore-based Caltex. The company is working jointly with IBM Singapore for this contract which began in December, 1992.
By the end of 1994, Mastek is expected to conclude computerization of the life insurance system of the Malaysia-based Honk Leong Assurance. Under the contract, valued at over Rs 1.2 crore, Mastek will help the firm develop and implement its new IT (information technology) strategy which will be based on open systems and relational database technology.
A warehousing package for Singapore's Changi Airport is being developed on the IBM RS/6000 platform. To scout for new orders and provide on-site services, Mastek has two export arms, Mastek Asia Pacific Pte Ltd., (MAP) in Singapore, and Mastek Software Inc. (MSI) in the US.
Mastek, with Rs 10.16 crore ($3.39 million) turnover in 1992-1993 expects to grow by 180 percent and gross more than Rs 25 crore ($8.5 million) in the ongoing financial year.
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930811)
ngoing financial year.
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930811)
8/11/93
India - Mastek Prepares Mamis Resource Planning Pkg
GENERAL
Russia - SovAm Opens Tashkent Of
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- SovAm Teleport, one of the competing on-line data communications providers, has opened an access point in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Other electronic communications networks - Relcom and Sprint already have a presence and businesses in Uzbekistan.
DHL courier service, which recently opened the office in Tashkent was the first client, with a dozen more companies set to join the electronic communications network soon, according to SovAm.
Electronic mail-only access from Uzbekistan will cost the end user an initial charge of US$120 and $12 per month. Access to other on-line services will be provided at the competing rates.
According to SovAm, it hopes outperform Sprint - which established a network node in the city by the order of local government - by lowered prices and targeting individual work with local clients.
SovAm Teleport is a joint venture established in 1990 by the Institute of Automated Systems of Moscow, Russia, and SFMT company of San-Francisco, California. Cable & Wireless bought a substantial minority interest in the company in 1992.
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- Japan's major international telephone firm KDD has developed an advanced automatic text reading program with a motion picture of a human face.
According to the company, the program automatically changes the facial expressions of the motion picture while reading written texts aloud.
KDD's system is a combination of a text reading system with synthetic voice and a human facial expression. It can be used as an electronic mail reader for a personal computer.
First, the user needs to input a still-facial image through a video camera or a computer graphics system. Then, they need to input instructions for the facial movement between the regular texts. Sample instruction sets can be angry or happy, can blink, turn left or say "hello." The face will then move its lips according to the text being read.
It can be used with electronics mail if the facial movement data and regular text are sent at the same time. The computer can also be a secretary, with a face appearing on screen to ask what the user wants to do.
According to a KDD spokesman, the screen is as clear and as vivid as that of a regular television set. KDD's system was developed on a Silicon Graphics workstation, called the SkyWriter.
The system is still in the prototype stage. However, the company says that the program can be, for example, run on Apple's Macintosh QuickTime. In the future, the software will be licensed to third party software developers through such KDD subsidiaries as KDD Technologies.
(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930810/Press Contact: KDD tel +81-3-3347-6934, Fax, +81-3-3275-4430)
tact: KDD tel +81-3-3347-6934, Fax, +81-3-3275-4430)
8/11/93
Japan - KDD's Reading Pkg With Moving Facial Image
TRENDS
Mitsubishi Talks HDTV Chips With
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- Mitsubishi Electric has begun talking with AT&T concerning the joint development of integrated circuit chips for high definition television (HDTV).
It is expected that the chips will be manufactured by Mitsubishi. Mitsubishi and AT&T want to develop the chips for digital HDTV for the US market. The discussions been going on between Mitsubishi and AT&T Microelectronics, which is a subsidiary of AT&T.
Major electronics firms and organizations in the US agreed to standardize the digital TV standard in this past May. Those firms include AT&T, Zenith Electronics, General Instrument and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. They have now begun discussions on the specifications of the TV.
According to a Mitsubishi spokesman, the talks have just started and nothing is concrete at the moment. However, the possibility of joint development is quite high because both firms have already been in a close relationship on the development of a next generation telecommunications semiconductor laser and other semiconductor chips.
The link with Mitsubishi would benefit AT&T a great deal, because Mitsubishi has already developed the chips for the Japanese version of HDTV. Mitsubishi is already selling Japanese HDTVs and has been developing increasingly powerful LSI (large scale integration) chips for the technology.
If developed, the new chips are expected to reduce the price of HDTVs, which currently cost around one million yen ($9,500).
(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930810/Press Contact: Mitsubishi Electric, tel +81-3-3218-2332, fax +81-3-3218-2431)
l +81-3-3218-2332, fax +81-3-3218-2431)
8/11/93
Mitsubishi Talks HDTV Chips With AT&T
BUSINESS
TI Intros New Travelmate Color N
TEMPLE, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- Texas Instruments (TI) has introduced a new member of its Travelmate notebook computer line, a six-pound color system powered by a 25 megahertz (MHz) 486SX chip.
TI says the Travelmate 4000E has a suggested retail price of $2,499, and uses a passive display that enhances the color display through the use of improved filters, smaller pixels (picture elements, the dots that make up the picture on a computer monitor).
The screen, measuring 8.2-inches diagonally, can display 256 colors simultaneously at 640 by 480 VGA resolution. The 4000E supports simultaneous use of an external monitor. TI says an in-house designed application specific integrated circuit( ASIC) with a high speed video bus and 512 kilobytes (KB) of video memory improves video performance and will repaint screen, erase or move windows and create hatches and fills much faster.
The 4000E also has 12 separate function keys and dedicated "page up", "page down," "home," and "end" keys. A feature called "N-key rollover" prevents lockup if multiple keys are depressed simultaneously. The keyboard was developed by Brother Industries and is also used on TI's recently announced WinDX2/50 active matrix color notebook computer.
Both MS-DOS 6.0 and Microsoft Windows 3.1 are pre-installed on the 4000E's 120 megabyte (MB) hard drive, and TI claims the user will be in Windows within 15 seconds after the computer is turned on.
Other features include a snap-on Microsoft Ballpoint mouse with QuickPort, battery power management, and a larger-than-normal cursor. A utility called Drop N' Go allows users to move files into applications quickly. TI says the battery management feature provides 3-4 hours of battery life in a single charge. A utility program displays the estimated battery time remaining before a charge is required.
Available options include snap-on modules for connection to an Ethernet local area network (LAN) and SCSI (Small Computer System Interface)-compatible devices. You can also get an internal 14.4K V.32 bis modem that can send and receive faxes at rates up to 9600 bits-per-second, as well as data.
TI says the 4000E meets the Environmental Protection Agency's voluntary standards for reduced power consumption, qualifying the system for EPA's Energy Star designation. Standard configuration of the 4000E includes four MB of main memory, which can be expanded to 20MB.
(Jim Mallory/19930811/Press Contact: Jerry Rycaj, Texas Instruments, 817-774-6110 (do not publish this number); Reader contact: Texas Instruments, 800-527-3500)
contact: Texas Instruments, 800-527-3500)
8/11/93
TI Intros New Travelmate Color Notebook
Iomega Intros Bernoulli Drives F
ROY, UTAH, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- Iomega Corp., says it is now shipping two versions of its popular Bernoulli drive designed for use with Commodore Amiga personal computers.
Called the Box 150, the unit is compatible with Commodore computers that are SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) capable. Iomega says the 150 megabyte (MB) capacity of the Box makes it particularly suited for personal video production.
The Box 150 Transportable is an external unit, while the Box 150 Insider installs inside the Amiga chassis. The Transportable has a suggested retail price of $1,225, while the Insider will carry a $1,099 price tag. Both models include a read and write cache which Iomega says make them up to three times faster than competitive removable hard drive products.
The company says Iomega drives, which use removable cartridges for data storage that can be removed from the drive and locked up or used in other Bernoulli-equipped computers, can withstand up to 1,000 Gs of shock. "We literally tossed a disk from a speeding car at 60 miles-per-hour onto a concrete highway with 100 percent data survival," according to Paul Losee, director of Iomega's channel development.
In addition to its Bernoulli product line, Iomega also markets minicartridge tape drives that use both QIC-80 and Irwin formatted tapes, and a Floptical drive which used the company's proprietary second generation holographic technology to read and write data.
Iomega Intros Bernoulli Drives For Commodore Amiga
GENERAL
Faro Intros Portable, Electronic
LAKE MARY, FLORIDA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- Faro says it has developed a three-dimensional (3D) measuring tape to allow data input into computer-aided design (CAD) programs.
The company claims its founders, Simon Raab, Ph.D. and Gregory Fraser, Ph.D. have created portable, computer-assisted 3D measurement arms connected to the serial port of a laptop computer that allows the user to simply run the end of the arm over an object to input the dimensions into a CAD program.
Appearing much like a jointed electronic arm, the coordinate measuring machine (CMM) - Industrial Metrecom - allows the user to go on site and, by running the pencil-like end of the device over a surface, input the measurements of even large objects in real time to a CAD system such as Autocad, Cadkey, or Geomet Faro said.
The company started with Genucom, a 3D knee analysis device to document knee ligament injuries. Since then, the development of Metrecom has been used to detect and correct scoliosis in children by providing postural and flexibility measurements of the human skeletal system without the use of x-rays. The Metrecom is in use by over 1,000 hospitals, clinics, private offices, and teaching institutions worldwide, Faro claims.
In addition, the company has introduced Surgicom, to work in combination with a 3D imaging system to guide a surgeon and provide visualization and location information in real time during actual surgery. Faro says that if the system is used in conjunction with the patient's MRI or CAT scan information on the 3D imaging system, brain surgery can be conducted with the surgeon able to see the actual position in the patient's brain in real time.
The Industrial Metrecom is designed for use in industrial environments to digitize simple and complex shapes, surfaces or points in 3D. Faro says the product is in use by the seating division of General Motors and can be used for quality control design, reverse engineering, and product development applications.
While the company has offered stationary systems, it will offer a portable CMM with a working envelope of 12-feet in the fourth quarter of this year. Objects larger than the unit can encompass are measured in sections using a "leap frog" technique, company officials said.
In addition, Salt Lake City, Utah-based Mira Imaging is releasing its Hyperspace 3D digitizing and modeling system based on Faro's Metrecom CMM. Retail pricing for the Hyperspace-Metrecom hardware and software system is $18,850.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930811/Press Contact: Tina Keen, Faro, tel 407-333-9911, fax 407-333-4181; Public Contact 800-736-6063)
-9911, fax 407-333-4181; Public Contact 800-736-6063)
8/11/93
Faro Intros Portable, Electronic, 3D Measuring Tape
GENERAL
InterVoice In Large Voice Mail S
Cincinnati Bell Telephone Bonds
India - Paperless Exam System
Honeywell, AT&T Control Homes Re
Microsoft & 20 Others Get behind
Landmark Announces Two New Packa
Quickeys 3.0 For Mac To Ship Nex
India - HCL HP Wins Big Order In
EO & GO To Merge
Tandem Losses Force Move To Down
Gates Speaks Out On FTC Investig
NEC Ramps Up For 64-bit RISC Chi
Datacraft Appointed First Overse
Ricoh In Joint Venture With Chin
Microsoft Files To Get Stacker O
Storyboard Quick - Fast Storyboa
PC-Interlink Printer Sharing For
AT&T Wins $50 Million Worldspan
Create 2.0 Drawing Program For N
Nextstep Selling Above Expectati
First Direct Desktop Interface T
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- Sprint and PSI Integration Inc., a leading maker of fax modems for PowerBooks and other Macs, have jointly announced the first direct desktop interface to Sprint's fax broadcast service.
Mike Perry, group manager of product marketing for Sprint, told Newsbytes that starting in September, users with recently purchased PSI modems will be able to send faxes to thousands of recipients from within any Mac-based program, all through a single local dial-up call.
The Mac connection will be made possible by FAXcilitate 1.5, a software package that has been bundled with all PSI modems sold in the US and Europe since earlier this year.
Sprint is also pursuing similar arrangements with other vendors of computer fax-based products, including companies in the IBM compatible PC realm, Perry told Newsbytes. "We are now moving ahead on several opportunities, and there will be subsequent announcements," he commented.
The Sprint service - SprintFAX Broadcast Distribution - received the American Facsimile Association's nod as Best Fax Broadcast Service for 1993.
By sending faxes to multiple destinations simultaneously, fax broadcasting saves time and money for users, according to Perry. "Without a service like SprintFAX, you'd have to fax the same document 100 times if you wanted that document to go to 100 different places," he explained.
Up to now, SprintFAX customers have needed to transmit the document, along with user password and a list of destinations, to Sprint, he said. Typically, users have conveyed this information by fax machine or traditional postal service.
FAXcilitate, on the other hand, allows the entire fax broadcast operation to be performed from within the application where the document was created.
"You start by clicking on 'Fax' on the menu bar at the top of the screen," Perry illustrated. From the fax menu, the user can choose a series of individual fax numbers, or alternatively, a previously prepared list of destinations, he said. Finally, the user clicks on "Broadcast." The document and destinations are then automatically sent to the SprintFAX broadcast network.
Also in FAXcilitate, the user can create broadcast lists and specify whether the broadcast will be carried out immediately or at a later time. By deferring fax transmission, the user can take advantage of off-peak rates.
Just after the broadcast is complete, SprintFAX will fax back a report detailing date and time of broadcast initiation, number of fax numbers on the list, delivery status, and related information.
"The FAXcilitate interface solidifies Sprint's intentions to leverage the desktop as regards fax," Perry told Newsbytes. "The numbers are showing that the computer-based fax market is on the rise, while the fax machine segment remains flat."
FAXcilitate requires a Macintosh Plus or higher, System 7.0 or higher, and 2 megabytes (MB) of available RAM, in addition to a PSI modem. The SprintFAX service is free of setup and monthly fees but usage costs are charged for online time.
To sign up for the Sprint fax broadcast service, PSI customers can call 408-559-8544, or mail in the registration card that comes with the modem.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930811/Reader contact: PSI, tel 408-559 8544; Press contacts: Robert Thomsen, PSI, tel 408-369-5708; Alexandrea Todd, McLean Public Relations for PSI, tel 415-513 8800; Robin Pence, Sprint, tel 202-828-7454; Juanada Teas, Sprint tel 202-828-7426)
l 202-828-7454; Juanada Teas, Sprint tel 202-828-7426)
8/11/93
First Direct Desktop Interface To Sprint Fax Service
APPLE
UK - Computer Games Watchdog Est
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- After several months of seeing increasingly sexual and violent computer games released on to the market, the British government has set up a watchdog to monitor - and advise - on how far games can go.
The watchdog, a sub-group of the Video Standards Council (VSC) has not insisted on actual legislation to curb the levels of alleged pornography and violence in the computer games industry, but has instead, issued a series of guidelines its wants the British computer industry to adhere to.
The VSC was originally set up in 1989 at the request of the British government, but funded jointly by the government and the video and TV industry. Since then, it has acted as an independent organization which claims to match the needs of the video and TV industry with those of the government.
The computer games industry has been working with the VSC to draft the guidelines, since it does not want to see computer games receiving the same classifications as movies and videos. At the moment, only videos have the U, PG (parental guidance), 15 (15s and over), A (adult) and X (18s and over) rating in the UK.
The whole affair over computer games being classified blew up earlier this year when, seemingly as an experiment, Sega submitted its Night Trap game to the British Board of Film Classification. The game, which puts the user into the role of an undercover agent attempting to stop aliens from killing five scantily-clad women in a ghostly house, received a 15 certificate.
According to press reports, the BBFC will also be looking at an interactive compact disc (CD) game called The Joy of Sex, after the book and video of the same name, later this year. Newsbytes understands that the VSC has been instrumental in suggesting that the game be submitted for approval and classification by the BBFC.
According to Roger Bennett, head of the European Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA), a not-for-profit group of more than 60 companies, games producer members of the group will have to observe a code of conduct. Plans call, he said, for an approved "kite" mark to be implemented on games by the beginning of next year. "It is very important to our members that they should be clearly separated from illegal, anarchistic, pornographic and offensive software," he said.
Newsbytes understands that, while it is possible for a games company to produce a pornographic or excessively violent game if a retailer sells that game in the UK, then they could be prosecuted under the 1984 Video Recordings Act, just as if they had sold a pornographic or similar video.
(Steve Gold/19930812)
r similar video.
(Steve Gold/19930812)
8/11/93
UK - Computer Games Watchdog Established
Borland Earns Up - Sales, Expens
Shared Whiteboard App For Window
SoftImage, Discreet Logic Battle
ComputerWorks - Your High Tech G
Computer Sciences Reports Revenu
Interleaf, Phoenix Sign Deal On
The Enabled Computer
Apple Intros Quadra 950 For Publ
Broadband Commits To MPEG
SIGGRAPH - Trip Hawkins Demos 3D
AT&T Wins TDS Switch Contract
Coming From CA - Client/Server B
Wolfram Research Isn't Connected
Results Of Telecommuting Study P
Borland Loses Again, Macro Key R
Sierra On-Line In Licensing Deal
Mac Utility To Monitor Use & Con
ATI & Intel Announce Shared Fram
Canada - Simpler Phone Services
IBM Aims PowerPC At Embedded Con
STC Wins UKP100 Million Transatl
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- STC Submarine Cables Ltd. a part of the Northern Telecom group, has been awarded a UKP100 million contract to supply and install part of TAT-12, the planned trans-oceanic high-capacity fiber optic telecommunications link.
Under the terms of the contract - which was awarded by AT&T British Telecommunications (BT) and France Telecom - STC will provide almost 4,000 kilometers (km) of cable and 85 undersea optical amplifies for the link between Greenhill, Rhode Island, in the US to Lands End in the UK.
TAT-12 is expected to enter service in two years time. It is expected to be operational for the next 25 years. STC claims that the cable should only give one failure in its planned life span thanks to the technology being used in the repeaters.
Early last year, STC managed to beat the minimum technology specification to allow it to tender for the contract by a claimed 100 percent. The company successfully demonstrated transmissions of 5.0 gigabits-per-second over a 6,300 km cable. The data transmissions were the equivalent of more than 60,000 telephone circuits per fiber pair.
This kind of data transmission was made possible using erbium doped fiber amplifies installed at 45 km internals on a cable linked using "dispersion shifted" optical fiber.
Phil Black, STC's technical director, said that undersea communications requires the use of the latest technology in order to meet customer demands for error-free transmissions, high capacity and lower costs per circuit.
"Since 1986, we have increased the capacity available per fiber pair from 4,000 to 60,000 without a corresponding increase in system cost. TAT-12 represents our sixth order for a transatlantic system and our fifth generation of technology in that time interval," he said.
(Steve Gold/19930812/Press & Public Contact: STC Submarine Systems - Tel: 081-293-2000)
ontact: STC Submarine Systems - Tel: 081-293-2000)
8/11/93
STC Wins UKP100 Million Transatlantic Cable Deal
TELECOM
UK - Tricom Intros Dealer Volume
NEWBURY, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- Tricom has announced a new volume pricing structure on its modems. The aim of the scheme is not to reduce modem pricing, however, but to increase profit margins for the company's dealers.
Mike Hafferty, Tricom's CEO, told Newsbytes that profit margins in the UK dealer channel on modems has fallen in recent times to where the company is concerned about the dealer being able to support the customer fully. The new scheme - called Much More Profit for Dealers (MMP4D) - aims to solve this situation.
"Obviously our dealers can discount prices to the customer, but that isn't what we're looking for. We're looking to ensure that our dealers offer the best levels of service to the customer," he said.
According to Hafferty, the MMP4D will offer volume discounts as high as 51 percent on the company's mainstream modems, and as much as 41 percent on the Pearl pocket acoustic modem series
"To supplement this price initiative, we will be offering dealers the same technical and back-up support that we give our corporate accounts. Coupled with this will be the full Tricom product customization service that will let them react faster and more precisely to their customers' needs," he said. "What we're doing is passing on the economies of scale we've achieved recently in terms of our production. This has been due to increasing sales."
Part of these economies of scale in production are due to a new JIT (just-in-time) flowline manufacturing technique that Tricom has implemented at its 30,000 square foot factory in Swindon. The company claims that applying JIT to its production has saved it a lot of money.
(Steve Gold/19930812/Press & Public Contact: Tricom Tel: 0489-483851; Fax: 0494-480232)
SIDCUP, KENT, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- Silica Distribution Ltd. (SDL) has announced it has slashed the cost of its 16-bit PC sound card, the Galaxy Business Audio Card (GBAC) from UKP149 to UKP99. The company claims that is due to economies of scale in production and supply.
The Galaxy card supports a 16-bit PC bus, CD-ROM interfaces, and compatibility with the Microsoft Windows Sound System and Adlib sound standards.
In parallel with the card price cut, the Sound Galaxy NX Pro Extra an enhanced upgrade card for PCs, has also been cut, from UKP199 to UKP149.
According to Andy Leaning, a press officer with SDL, the aim of the price cuts is to allow the company's dealers, most of whom are independent, to compete with the bulk purchasing power of the multiples.
"High Street multiples typically snap up everything that sells in bulk, but PC sound cards, while approaching mass market status, are distinctly technical and multiples don't have the knowledge to sell them - only specialists have this kind of knowledge," he said. "As such, we're eager to help the independent dealers maximize this opportunity. Cutting the prices is one way of helping them."
(Steve Gold/19930812/Press & Public Contact: SDL Tel: 081-309- 5000)
d/19930812/Press & Public Contact: SDL Tel: 081-309- 5000)
8/11/93
UK - SDL Offers Lowest-Ever Price 16-Bit PC Sound Card
Japan - KDD To Enter Personal Ha
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- Japan's major international telecommunication firm, KDD, plans to enter the Personal Handy Phone market. The firm may even create a joint venture firm with other telecommunication firms.
The Personal Handy Phone is an advanced powerful cordless phone which is set to be approved by the Japanese Posts and Telecom Ministry in the near future.
According to KDD, the firm wants to start a service for the Personal Handy Phone jointly with Japan Telecom and a few more telecom firms. In this way, KDD will be able to create a nationwide network to provide the service.
KDD and Japan Telecom have already been preparing to start the test in Hokkaido in October. Both firms have been setting up the ground bases for the service in the Sapporo area of Hokkaido. Also, they have already developed a prototype version of the Personal Handy Phone.
The Personal Handy Phone is a simplified version of a mobile phone. Although the communication area will be limited to the same city, for example, the Personal Handy Phone is expected to replace many mobile phones in the future.
The actual service is expected to start in 1995 provided that all necessary approvals are given by the Ministry.
KDD has already invested in a digital mobile phone firm, which was created by six telecom firms in Japan.
(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930811/Press Contact: KDD tel +81-3-3347-6934, fax +81-3-3275-4430)
act: KDD tel +81-3-3347-6934, fax +81-3-3275-4430)
8/11/93
Japan - KDD To Enter Personal Handy Phone Market
TELECOM
Apple Newton Wins award At PC93
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, 1993 AUGUST 13 (NB) -- Hardly out of the box and already winning awards! Apple's controversial new personal productivity machine, the Newton, has won the best hardware category at Melbourne's PC93 show this week.
Handing out the awards, Australian PC Week Editor Geoff Ebbs said that in winning best software, WordPerfect 6.0 was probably the last DOS product to win such an award. He added, "It provides a graphical user interface to DOS users in such a way as to make the inevitable transition to graphical environments less painful for thousands of DOS users."
Sharp announced its version of the Newton, the PI-7000 Expert Pad, at the PC93 show. It has a 20 megahertz 32-bit RISC processor, 640k of memory and 4 megabytes of read-only memory (ROM). The suggested retail price including tax is $1499 (around US$1000). It runs from four AAA cells or a NiCad pack for a claimed life of 40 hours. The built-in infra-red communications carry data at 19600 bits/second at distances up to 1m (around three feet).
(Paul Zucker/19930813)
up to 1m (around three feet).
(Paul Zucker/19930813)
8/13/93
Apple Newton Wins award At PC93 While Sharp Also Shows
APPLE
Wordperfect Office To Incorporat
OREM, UTAH, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- Wordperfect Corp., says it is teaming up with several companies to bring electronic imaging to its Wordperfect Office software suite.
According to David Clare, Wordperfect's senior director of marketing workgroup applications, there is already lots of imaging technology available to scan, store, and manipulate images. Clare says Wordperfect is concentrating on providing a means of distributing those images without having to retype, reformat, or photocopy documents.
Wordperfect Office allows users to exchange electronic mail messages (e-mail), schedule tasks, and send electronic forms. Using the new technology users will be able to synchronize the routing of images, perform rules-based message management to act on messages with embedded images, and track any message with an embedded image. Users will also be able to send images to remote users through WordPerfect Office Remote.
The company says partners participating in the project include Imagery Software, KeyFile Corp., Paperclip Imaging Software Simplify Development Corp., and Watermark Software. "Each of these partners provides a unique technology in the rapidly evolving imaging market, and combined with Wordperfect Office, will help uses share more types of information than ever before and drive image-enabling to the desktop, says Mark Calkins, VP of corporate and strategic marketing at Wordperfect Corporation.
Imagery Software's Full View allows users to combine scanned faxed and Kodak's Photo-CD images into Windows applications. Wordperfect Office and Full View users will be able to use and communicate both black-and-white and color images across platforms and networks with the new technology.
The Paperclip product line enables users to electronically organize and manage application files, faxes, electronic mail, and scanned documents. Simplify Development's Mailroom allows users to include paper documents in their business communications using e-mail and computer-bases faxes, working with Simplify's network scanning product Sharescan.
Watermark Software's Discovery Edition allows users to convert fax or paper-based documents into images that can then be incorporated into OLE (object linking and embedding)-compliant Windows applications. OLE is Microsoft's technology that allows images to be embedded or linked to a file. Watermark allows Wordperfect Office users to electronically view, route, make comments on, and file documents and faxes.
(Jim Mallory/19930811/Press contact: Brian Chapman Wordperfect Corp., 801-228-5037; Reader contact: Wordperfect Corp., 800-451-5151 or 801-225-5000, fax 801-228-5077)
Corp., 800-451-5151 or 801-225-5000, fax 801-228-5077)
8/11/93
Wordperfect Office To Incorporate Imaging Technology
Wordperfect Shipping InForms 1.0
OREM, UTAH, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- Wordperfect Corp., is now shipping Informs 1.0, its electronic forms and database access package that allows users to create and fill in forms electronically and even add digital signatures.
According to Royce Bybee, director of Informs marketing, users can create forms without having to know a programming language, then distribute the forms with Wordperfect Office 4.0 and other popular e-mail (electronic mail) systems. "With Wordperfect InForms virtually anyone can design and fill in a form," says Bybee.
InForms is actually two separate applications: Designer creates and maintains the forms, while Filler is the tool to fill in and distribute them. Filler can directly read and write to 16 databases and can be used to query those databases for specific information. A security module provides digital signatures for each record created by WP InForms.
Supported database formats include ASCII delimited, Btrieve Clipper, Dataperfect, dBase, FoxPro, Paradox, and Wordperfect's Secondary Merge. It also supports SQL databases such as DB2 Informix, Microsoft's SQL Server, Novell's Netware SQL, Oracle SQLBase, Sybase SQL Server, and XDB. Since the databases are supported in the native form, information can be written directly to, or read from, the databases without the need to go through an import or export step.
The program uses a graphical query interface that allows joins to be defined between databases of different types, and the user can express a query to any combination of SQL and desktop databases. Once retrieved, the results of the query can be printed, e-mailed or saved into one of the supported database formats.
Designer includes a floating tool palette that is used to add entry forms, radio buttons, check boxes, bar codes, action buttons, tables or graphics to the electronic version of your favorite form. Snap-to grids and alignment guides are provided to aid in the accurate placement and alignment of items. The forms designed can also include drop-down list and text boxes, and can be up to 99 pages in length. Designer ships with 100 sample forms, which are user modifiable.
When a user uses Filler to complete a particular form, he or she will receive on-screen prompts and is asked to validate responses for accuracy. A spreadsheet-like calculation capability can provide financial, statistical or arithmetic values than automatically calculate values as the form is completed. More than 100 built-in calculations can be used to convert dates to a specified format reveal hidden fields, add a record to a database, or prompt the user to explain an entry. The company says calculations can be used alone, within other calculations, or as part of a larger formula.
Once a form is completed, it can be sent via e-mail, returned to a specified location on the network, or printed.
The digital signature feature uses security at the form-data level and at the security database level using the RSA Public Key Cryptosystem technology from RSA Data Securities Inc. Wordperfect's TamperSeal also detects attempts to tamper with the data on every record created in a form that has a signature file. A digital signature set used by the security database administrator is also provided to secure the security database.
Available now for Windows, Wordperfect spokesperson Frank Sessions said InForms will also be available in the fourth quarter for DOS, Macintosh, and OS/2. Unix and PenPoint-based systems are expected to ship in the first quarter of 1994.
Sessions told Newsbytes users can purchase Designer and five Filler licenses for a limited time for $495. Sessions said that offer will probably last until the end of the year. The regular suggested retail price is $495 for one Designer and one Filler license. Users of competitive products can switch to Designer and Filler for $149 or get one Filler license only for $59.
(Jim Mallory/19930811/Press contact: Frank Sessions, Wordperfect Corp., 801-228-5053; Reader contact: Wordperfect Corp. tel 801-225-5000, fax 801-228-5077)
fect Corp. tel 801-225-5000, fax 801-228-5077)
8/11/93
Wordperfect Shipping InForms 1.0 For Windows
MCI's Akerson Quits Suddenly
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- MCI President and Chief Operating Officer Daniel F. Akerson has quit the company suddenly, effective at the end of August. MCI said he will "pursue an opportunity in another industry" and would not be working for a competitor.
Until a successor is named, Chairman Bert Roberts will hold Akerson's duties. The announcement of Akerson's departure comes just a few months after MCI announced it would sell 20 percent of itself to British Telecommunications in a worldwide alliance.
Akerson joined MCI in 1983 after working for AT&T and Phillips Petroleum. In addition to serving on the MCI board, he is also on the boards of General Instruments Corp., and Cray Research.
Akerson delivered a press statement praising MCI and its management team. Reports to Newsbytes indicate that Akerson was recently offered the CEO spot at his new employer, and that he felt he had to take the opportunity because, since he is just a few years younger than Roberts, it was unlikely he would ever head MCI.
"The board of the company he's going to is meeting today on this and will make an announcement on this some time this afternoon," said MCI spokesman Jim Collins. "There's been absolutely no speculation about who would be Dan's successor. Bert Roberts had been president until recently, and he will assume Dan's duties until a successor is named. But there's no time frame on that.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930811/Press Contact: Jim Collins MCI, 202-887-3000)
Jim Collins MCI, 202-887-3000)
8/11/93
MCI's Akerson Quits Suddenly
TELECOM
AT&T Wins TDS Switch Contract
BASKING RIDGE, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- AT&T has won a big contract but has been sued over a trademark.
The company's equipment division won a $100 million deal with TDS Telecom, which runs 92 small companies in rural areas. Under the deal, part of a seven-year modernization effort, AT&T will supply its flagship 5ESS switch, some subscriber loop equipment used to send signals between the switch and TDS customers, and a compact version of the 5ESS called the 5ESS-2000 Switch CDX, announced in January.
It's the first major sale of the CDX since its announcement, an AT&T spokesman told Newsbytes. The CDX can work economically for just a few hundred subscribers.
Under the deal, which AT&T called a "strategic alliance," AT&T will also offer marketing help so TDS can sell some of the services offered by its new switches, like Caller ID. "AT&T is determined to be a full-service supplier" to small phone companies, said spokesman Carl Blesch.
The deal is also important for TDS, since many rural phone systems offer poor service compared to their urban counterparts. TDS President Jim Carr said the modernization effort will let him provide customers "with a full range of advanced telecommunications services such as telemedicine, distance learning, telecommuting, telebusiness, and video entertainment." TDS Telecom is a unit of Telephone & Data Systems of Chicago.
The suit involves a technology dubbed TrueVoice which AT&T said recently it would begin putting into its long distance network aimed at improving sound quality by raising the bass quality and decibel levels on all calls at no cost to the caller.
Centigram Communications Corp., filed suit against AT&T for violating its trademark, "TruVoice," which covers a text-to-speech technology. An AT&T spokesman said the company would answer the charges in a court hearing August 13 and indicated it will contest the suit.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930811/Press Contact: AT&T Network Systems, Carl Blesch, 708-224-4196; TDS TELECOM, Marguerite Kelly, 608-845-4047; Centigram Communications, George Sollman, 408-428-3502)
, George Sollman, 408-428-3502)
8/11/93
AT&T Wins TDS Switch Contract
TELECOM
Study Details Growing On-line Se
WILTON, CONNECTICUT, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- According to Simba's latest study of the on-line services market, brokers remain the biggest buyers, Reuters remains the biggest factor but consumer services like Prodigy and CompuServe are finally a billion-dollar opportunity.
In a study called "Online Services: 1993 Review, Trends & Forecast," priced at $645, the company says total on-line service sales topped $10 billion in 1992, and forecast them to grow to $15 billion in 1997, with consumer services showing the fastest growth. The detailed study profiles 40 companies, with an analysis of each firm's strategic direction and lots of charts.
Newsbytes discussed the study with author Chris Elwell. He said that business and professional on-line services still represent 95 percent of the business, worth $4.5 billion. Reuters is the largest factor, mainly with services offered to brokers and other financial dealers to help in their trading. Information services distributed by print or other media, in contrast, were worth $11.9 billion in 1992 sales.
But the consumer segment saw its sales rise 34.9 percent, led by Prodigy and CompuServe, to $463.4 million, becoming the fastest growing segment of the business, and Elwell's research indicates a cumulative gain for the industry of another 218 percent, to roughly $1.3 billion in sales, by 1997. The legal-regulatory market grew more slowly, hurt by the economy.
If you are interested in buying an on-line service, the report indicates, North American companies are where the action remains selling 56 percent of the world's total volume. Reuters is based in the United Kingdom. Leading vendors have managed to raise prices 16 percent in the last year, and those companies which were sold in the last five years were priced at 2.8 times annual revenue, or 12 times annual operating income, on average.
Despite a continuing price war on computers and modems penetration of on-line services in the consumer market remains in the single digit, Elwell said, which he blamed on high and confusing pricing schemes, shrinking markets, and competition from other new media. That is why there is so much interest in alternative delivery methods, like screen phones, cable and interactive television, hand-held devices like Apple Computer's Newton personal digital assistant and videogame consoles.
Said Elwell, "After 10 years of watching the consumer business and hearing people say it's going to be a billion-dollar business, we're finally seeing growth rates indicating it will really be a billion-dollar business, and it's really going to be a business."
He continued, "In the consumer segment the growth rates will continue, but they'll get harder to track. When Scientific-Atlanta sells a cable box with a full-blown operating system, you'll see as part of basic cable what we now think of as retrieval off CompuServe or America Online. We don't know how to count subscribers when cable systems are offering AccuWeather Online as part of the basic package."
Elwell confirmed other analysts' numbers indicating Prodigy has about two million members and no profits while CompuServe has 1.3 members and good profits. "GEnie is third with about 400,000 subscribers," he said, and America Online is fourth. "AOL will probably catch GEnie on the strength of their marketing," he indicated. "But it's going to be a while before they challenge either CS or Prodigy in terms of sheer numbers."
Elwell gave all credit for growth to the price war in hardware saying, "We haven't seen any editorial innovations responsible for growth in the consumer area. The growth is directly tied to the declining computer prices and the war that's gone on there."
Elwell also addressed predictions that media companies are going to take over the market. "The large companies, both AT&T and the newspapers, have demonstrated no ability to run this kind of a business. With the exception of Prodigy, the leading players in the consumer market have all been bootstrapped. Allowing Ken Williams and the people at Sierra to run the Imagination Network and allowing Scott Case to run AOL is probably the smartest strategy the big companies could have followed."
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930811/Press Contact: Simba, Chris Elwell 203/834-0033 ext 130)
tact: Simba, Chris Elwell 203/834-0033 ext 130)
8/11/93
Study Details Growing On-line Services Market
TRENDS
Iridium Signs Satellite Deal Wit
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- As expected Iridium has signed a deal with Lockheed worth $700 million to help launch its 66-satellite constellation in low-earth orbit aimed at offering mobile phone services worldwide by 1998.
Earlier, Lockheed had combined with Raytheon on a $40 million investment in Iridium, part of the $800 million equity package which Motorola claimed it needed to get the project off the ground. For their investment, Lockheed and Raytheon will share a board seat on Iridium Inc., which will be based in the Washington D.C. area and 15 percent owned by Motorola.
Under the deal, Lockheed will build most of the Iridium satellites, although communications gear and antennae will be supplied by Motorola and Raytheon. It is Lockheed's first commercial satellite contract, and was hailed by the firm as a significant move into peace time work for the defense contractor which at the peak of the 1980 "Star Wars" program employed over 30,000 people, building weapons aimed for use against Russia and China.
Ironically, both Russian and Chinese firms have been signed to launch Iridium satellites. In addition to building the 125 "spacecraft buses" for the 66-satellite constellation, Lockheed will also build replacement satellites.
Thanks to the Iridium contract, Lockheed is now a competitor in the space satellite market with Loral Corp. , Martin Marietta Corp., and General Motors' Hughes Aircraft Company unit.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930811/Press Contact: John Windolph Iridium, 202-371-6880)
ontact: John Windolph Iridium, 202-371-6880)
8/11/93
Iridium Signs Satellite Deal With Lockheed
TELECOM
IBM Canada Cuts PC Prices Across
MARKHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- IBM Canada Ltd. has announced price cuts on all four of its personal computer product lines, with reductions of more than 20 percent on some models. The move is strictly a Canadian initiative, a spokeswoman said.
The biggest price cuts affect the PS/ValuePoint line, where, for example, the price tag on the 6384-M50 model with a 33 megahertz (MHz) Intel 486DX processor, eight megabytes (MB) of memory and a 212MB hard disk is being cut 21 percent from C$2,349 to C$1,849. Prices on ValuePoint SpaceSaver models will now start at C$1,479.
Prices on PS/1 models are being reduced by C$50 to C$100, the company said. PS/2 desktop models are being marked down by a maximum of 20 percent, while PS/2 servers are being reduced as much as 15 percent.
Finally, prices on ThinkPad notebooks are being cut. As an example IBM Canada said the price of the ThinkPad 720 monochrome notebook, equipped with 120MB of memory, is being reduced to C$3,636.
The changes, which take effect immediately, are in IBM's direct and suggested list prices. Dealer prices may vary, the company said.
(Grant Buckler/19930811/Press Contact: Anne McDonagh, IBM Canada, 416-946-4841)
ct: Anne McDonagh, IBM Canada, 416-946-4841)
8/11/93
IBM Canada Cuts PC Prices Across The Board
Unisys To Deliver Windows NT In
BLUE BELL, PENNSYLVANIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- Unisys Corp., said it will offer some of its PW2 Advantage and Advantage Plus systems with the new Microsoft Windows NT operating system by the end of September.
The company also said it is planning to add support for Microsoft's Windows Open Services Architecture (WOSA) to its Unisys Architecture, allowing Windows applications to work with software on larger Unisys host machines. Also, Unisys said it is porting its FPA Navigator branch banking software to Windows NT.
Unisys said it will offer Microsoft Windows NT on selected PW2 Advantage and Advantage Plus personal computers, including the recently launched Advantage Plus model 5606, which uses Intel Corp.'s new Pentium processor.
The tentative list of machines to support NT initially includes the Advantage models 4333, 4336, and 4666, and the Advantage Plus 4666 and 5606, company spokesman Oliver Picher said, although he added that the list is "subject to last-minute adjustments."
Windows NT, announced by Microsoft in late May, is the newest addition to the Windows line of operating environments, and is meant for the high-end desktop and LAN (local area network) server markets. It supports existing Windows applications.
Unisys said a set of pre-installed configurations will make it easy for users to order a Windows NT client system with all necessary parts, including a built-in CD-ROM drive. Custom configurations will also be available.
Picher said support for WOSA, a Microsoft initiative to integrate the Microsoft Windows operating system into enterprise computing environments, is planned for late in the third quarter or early in the fourth quarter of this year.
Unisys also said it plans to deliver Advanced Server NT, a version of NT intended to run on servers in networks or client/server installations, in the fourth quarter of this year.
Details on pricing and availability for both Microsoft Windows NT and Advanced Server NT will be announced later, the company said. FBA Navigator, a complete software package for retail banking, is to be available for NT in the first half of 1994, Picher said.
(Grant Buckler/19930811/Press Contact: Oliver L. Picher Unisys, 215-986-5367)
act: Oliver L. Picher Unisys, 215-986-5367)
8/11/93
Unisys To Deliver Windows NT In September
Lotus Adds Group Scheduling Vers
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- At the Groupware '93 show, Lotus Development Corp., announced a new version of its Organizer personal information manager (PIM) for Microsoft Windows that uses links to Lotus' cc:Mail electronic mail software to allow group scheduling.
Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Lotus has put heavy emphasis on "mail-enabling" its applications recently, and now has hooks to cc:Mail in all of its desktop applications except the recently acquired Approach database management software.
With the new Organizer 1.1, Lotus officials said, users can search the schedules of other Organizer users for free time when meetings can be set up. Organizer 1.1 also books meetings into users' Organizer calendars and uses existing cc:Mail networks to deliver meeting messages to users in the same office or miles away. Non-Organizer users receive meeting invitations as standard cc:Mail messages on all cc:Mail platforms, Lotus said, and gateways can carry meeting invitations to users on other mail systems.
Using the mail system's directory services to select meeting attendees, an Organizer user requests a meeting with other Organizer or mail system users. The person requesting the meeting can look at the calendar of each person being invited.
Through cc:Mail, requested attendees are notified of the proposed meeting time, its location, and whatever subject the requester has included. They can respond by clicking one of three choices: accept, decline, or delegate. The Lotus Organizer Scheduling Agent, a process run on a PC connected to the corporate local area network, handles responses.
Lotus said Organizer 1.1 takes advantage of the recently launched cc:Mail for Windows 2.0, which has a rules-based architecture that allows mail to be managed automatically through sorting routing, forwarding, or filing, based on user-defined criteria.
Jim Carroll, a Toronto-based consultant and electronic mail specialist, forecast that mail-enabling of applications, "is going to have a profound impact. A lot of organizations are sitting back and looking at mail systems and saying: 'We can use this for a lot more than just messages.'"
Lotus said Organizer 1.1 will support all popular network operating systems, including Novell Netware 2.x and 3.x, Microsoft LAN Manager 1.x and higher, IBM LAN Server, Artisoft LANtastic and 100 percent-compatible MS-Net network operating systems.
The group scheduling features of Organizer 1.1 will require a cc:Mail post office version 6.0 or above and cc:Mail for Windows version 1.1 or above. Organizer for Windows runs on a PC with an 80286 or later microprocessor, a hard disk drive, Windows 3.0, a VGA monitor, and a mouse. It needs four megabytes (MB) of hard disk storage on the client and 6MB on the server.
Lotus Organizer 1.1 with group scheduling is due to be available by the end of August from Lotus authorized resellers, with a suggested retail price of $149 in the United States. Organizer 1.1 Multi-License Packs will be available for 10, 20, 50 and, 100 licenses, for $116, $99, $83, and $58 per user, respectively.
Volume purchase plans for resellers and corporate buyers will also be available. Organizer 1.0 users can upgrade for $49. Language translations for French, German, Spanish, Italian, and Dutch are expected to be available in September, with Swedish Danish, Norwegian, and Finnish versions to follow in October.
(Grant Buckler/19930811/Press Contact: David Grip or Victor Cruz McGlinchey & Paul for Lotus, 617-862-4514; Public Contact: Lotus 800-343-5414)
617-862-4514; Public Contact: Lotus 800-343-5414)
8/11/93
Lotus Adds Group Scheduling Version Of Organizer
3DO Losses Reported, Red Ink Exp
SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- In reporting its first quarter financial results for 1993, 3DO showed a net loss of $29.9 million, or $1.60 per share. The company said it expects to continue to report losses through fiscal 1994.
An unusually positioned company, 3DO went public as a development stage firm, and as such, says it has no revenue yet. The company's chief executive officer (CEO) is Trip Hawkins, known for his role in founding software game company Electronic Arts. Investors snatched up 3DO stock when it was offered earlier this year and companies like American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T), Matsushita (Panasonic), Time Warner, and Sharp have all aligned themselves with 3DO.
A large portion of the loss, ($21.4 million) was due to the one-time expense of acquiring the New Technology Group (NTG) L.P. and NTG Inc., in April. NTG is responsible for the hardware development for the 3DO player. While the company has always been tied to 3DO, representatives said it made more sense for 3DO, once it went public, to buy out NTG.
The company is said to be the catalyst for the next generation of home entertainment via the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer which Matsushita's subsidiary Panasonic will release under the brand name "Real" later this year. 3DO reported it was on track for delivery of the Multiplayer to consumers in time for the 1993 Christmas selling season. The company's proprietary graphical chipset was cleared for volume production in June and in July it started shipping development systems to software licensees that incorporate the final version of the graphics chipset.
The number of software licensees for the 3DO player is now at 350, up from the 317 reported recently by Trip Hawkins. Demonstrations of the player were offered by Hawkins during his keynote address at the recent SIGGRAPH show in Anaheim California.
Revenue for 3DO is tied to both hardware and software sales. Software licensees pay the company a flat fee, payable when the compact discs (CDs) for the player are manufactured. A royalty per CD is also assessed but as the volume of hardware goes up the royalty-per-CD goes down, company officials said. This is to encourage the establishment of the player as a "standard." The actual amount of the licensing agreements were not disclosed.
In addition to its financial results, 3DO reported it is moving its headquarters, effective August 13, from San Mateo to Redwood City, California.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930811/Press Contact: Rex Golding, The 3DO Company, 415-574-6794, Lee McEnany, The Bohle Company for 3DO tel 310-785-0515, fax 310-286-9551)
mpany for 3DO tel 310-785-0515, fax 310-286-9551)
8/11/93
3DO Losses Reported, Red Ink Expected Thru 1994
BUSINESS
SIA Book-To-Bill Up For 21st Con
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- In a seasonally slow period, the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) has reported increases, especially in orders for semiconductor products. The preliminary book-to-bill ratio for July was reported up to 1.12, compared to the 1.08 figure from July, 1992, and marks the 21st consecutive month the book-to bill ration was at 1.0 or better.
Orders, or bookings, showed the largest increase, up 42.7 percent at $2.259 billion compared to $1.590 billion last July based on a three-month moving average. Billings, or shipments were up 36.8 percent to $2.021 billion compared to last year's figure of $1.477 billion.
The credit for the increases still belongs to the explosive growth in the personal computer (PC) industry, according to the SIA. Market research firm Channel Marketing is predicting the growth will continue. Over the next six years Channel Marketing predicts the 0.3 PCs per household in 1992 will grow to 2.5 PCs per household.
The SIA arrives at its figures by compiling the results of surveys of key semiconductor manufacturers participating in the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) program. The group also announced it revised its preliminary June 1.10 book-to-bill ratio up to 1.11. A book-to-bill ratio of 1.11 means for every $100 of products shipped (billed), a $111 worth of new orders (bookings) were received.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930811/Press Contact: Tom Beerman Semiconductor Industry Association, tel 408-246-2711 fax 408-246-2830)
Association, tel 408-246-2711 fax 408-246-2830)
8/11/93
SIA Book-To-Bill Up For 21st Consecutive Month
TRENDS
Borland Earns Up - Sales, Expens
Shared Whiteboard App For Window
SoftImage, Discreet Logic Battle
ComputerWorks - Your High Tech G
Computer Sciences Reports Revenu
Interleaf, Phoenix Sign Deal On
The Enabled Computer
Apple Intros Quadra 950 For Publ
Broadband Commits To MPEG
SIGGRAPH - Trip Hawkins Demos 3D
AT&T Wins TDS Switch Contract
Coming From CA - Client/Server B
Wolfram Research Isn't Connected
Results Of Telecommuting Study P
Borland Loses Again, Macro Key R
Sierra On-Line In Licensing Deal
Mac Utility To Monitor Use & Con
ATI & Intel Announce Shared Fram
Canada - Simpler Phone Services
IBM Aims PowerPC At Embedded Con
Tribune Buys Part of Home Shoppi
Superbase For Windows 2.0 Price
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- The Software Publishing Corp. (SPC), has cut the price of Superbase for Windows version 2.0 to encourage the further adoption of the product in the market, the company said.
The announcement was made at one of the largest computer user groups - the Houston, Texas-based HAL PC user group.
The product was one of the first to enter the Windows database arena and SPC claims it has captured ten percent of that market. To encourage users to adopt the product, the company has cut the retail price from $795 to $495. Upgrade pricing has also been cut from $199 to $99 and the developer's edition is now $995, reduced from $1,395. In addition, an educational version is $139 each and $679 for academic ten-packs, SPC said.
The product offers the ability to integrate multimedia data, and allows the use of point-and-click or drag-and-drop techniques for developers to customize the user interface (UI). SPC is hoping the graphical approach to development and the reduced pricing will attract both new and experienced developers to the product.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930811/Press Contact: Susan Rozmanith Software Publishing Corporation, tel 415-772-8418 fax 408-450-7925)
n, tel 415-772-8418 fax 408-450-7925)
8/11/93
Superbase For Windows 2.0 Price Cut
IBM Adds To AS/400's Multimedia
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 11 (NB) -- IBM has beefed up the multimedia support in its AS/400 line of midrange computers. The company enhanced two multimedia software products: Ultimedia Video Delivery System/400 and Ultimedia Host Support/400.
Announced at the recent Downsizing Expo '93 show in Santa Clara California, the changes will make multimedia support on the AS/400 more flexible and cheaper, company officials said.
The AS/400's multimedia role is typically as a server in networked or client/server multimedia applications, IBM spokeswoman Barbara McNair said.
IBM's Ultimedia Video Delivery System/400 is meant to integrate video input from various sources such as satellite feeds television, videocassette and videodisk players, and live video cameras into computer applications.
IBM has enhanced it by adding the ability to deliver digital video and audio directly from the AS/400's disk storage, and to capture and digitize video and audio input for later playback.
The Ultimedia Host Support/400 software provides a front-end for AS/400 applications, supporting touch-screen interfaces, video and audio prompting, and images and graphics, IBM said.
IBM has enhanced it to allow full-motion digital video display and digital audio playback. The company also said it improved the still-image capabilities of Host Support/400 and added support for more credit card and magnetic card readers, often used in multimedia kiosks.
Enhancements to the two products are due to be available in December. Ultimedia Video Delivery System/400 has a list price of $8,000, and Ultimedia Host Support/400 lists for $5,500.
(Grant Buckler/19930811/Press Contact: Barbara McNair, IBM 914-642-5357; Jeff Cross, IBM, 914-642-5358)
M 914-642-5357; Jeff Cross, IBM, 914-642-5358)
8/11/93
IBM Adds To AS/400's Multimedia Capabilities
Japan - Game Firms Link With US
Focus On India At Singapore Info
CE Software Ships Power Pak For
Hitachi Unveils Double-Speed CD-
HCL HP, Siva Offer Local Bus On
Microsoft Quarterly Revenue Hits
Editorial - Reflections On Hacke
Iridium In Business
Adobe Premiere 3.0; Acrobat Read
UK - Siemens Nixdorf Unveils Gre
Russia - 62 Cellular Licenses To
India - Expert System On Cabbage
MacWorld - Apple Demonstrates AV
MacWorld - High-End Green Monito
Multimedia Market Barely Tapped,
Jean-Louis Gasse Resurfaces On 3
Hong Kong Gang Arrested In Mobil
Microsoft Australia's MD Jackson
Correction - White House Not On
Russia's Central Bank Linked Via
India - Insat-2B Starts Beaming
Lotus Ships VIM Developer's Tool
Groupware '93 - Remote Access To
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- At the GroupWare '93 Conference and Exhibition, Edify Corporation announced an application of its Electronic Workforce software that gives users touch-tone phone and fax access to Lotus Notes.
Edify's Electronic Workforce automates administrative tasks with intelligent applications called "agents." An administrative staff person might answer the phone, take a request for information find, assemble, and communicate that information, and then update a database. Electronic Workforce agents combine voice and fax response features with the process management capabilities typically found in workflow software to automatically answer phones and process information.
The new Electronic Workforce application demonstrated at GroupWare '93 lets remote Lotus Notes users use a touch-tone phone to access their Notes messages. Previously, remote users had to connect to the home office by modem to retrieve messages. Using the new application, they can listen to message headers via telephone and choose to receive messages by fax. The application can also be programmed to fax messages to a designated fax number at a specific time.
Someone traveling to four different hotels in a week could instruct the application to fax messages to each hotel on a different day.
Some of Edify's customers include large companies such as Applied Materials, Baybank, Borland, and Hewlett-Packard. But Tom Glassanos, Edify's vice president of marketing, says Edify's products can enable even smaller companies to automate complex voice, fax, and electronic mail transactions. "You don't have to buy weird hardware," Glassanos says. Electronic Workforce applications run using off-the-shelf PCs hardware.
Programming Electronic Workforce applications is simplified with Edify's Agent Trainer, an object-oriented application generator. Working through several levels of abstraction in much the way a writer might use an outlining program, the user "trains" the software agent to respond to events such as a phone call or the entry of a customer number.
Edify's products include Electronic Workforce, Agent Trainer packaged software agents for order status and literature fulfillment called Express Applications, and the Workforce Developer's Kit which bundles the Electronic Workforce and Agent Trainer. Electronic Workforce integrates data, fax, phone, and electronic mail information from host-based applications and PC-based DOS OS/2, and Unix applications. Edify currently sells through a network of certified application affiliates through out North America.
(Audrey Kalman/19930812/Press Contact: Edify Corporation Santa Clara, CA, 408-982-2000)
ify Corporation Santa Clara, CA, 408-982-2000)
8/12/93
Groupware '93 - Remote Access To Lotus Notes
GroupWare '93 - Software For Mor
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- If you've ever sat through a poorly organized, unproductive meeting dominated by one or two egos, you may appreciate some recent developments announced at the GroupWare '93 Conference and Exhibition. Two companies announced new products that aid group decision-making during meetings and longer term projects.
Though it may sound counterintuitive, putting computers and specialized software between meeting participants actually helps people work together better, according to Jim Ewing, the developer of Council, decision-support groupware for Macintosh PowerBooks. The Council System, developed by Executive Arts and marketed by CoVision, Inc., consists of software, basic training on-site installation, and an advanced coaching and design clinic by author Ewing.
With Council, each meeting participant (called a Council member) sits in front of an Apple Computer PowerBook, connected by LocalTalk or equivalent networking to other participants' PowerBooks. A Council guide leads the meeting, which can be done from any machine (no server is required). The guide designs a set of "moves" -- basically, meeting-related activities such as brainstorming, commenting, ranking, or voting on items and sends the moves to Council members.
Individuals can share comments and input anonymously with all other Council members. At the end of a Council session, a Council document saves the data and the structure of the meeting for later reference.
For Windows users, there's Ventana Corporation's GroupSystems for Windows, previewed for the first time at GroupWare '93. Ventana also produces GroupSystems V software, launched in June of 1992. GroupSystems for Windows provides group decision-making using networked PCs running Windows. GroupSystems also builds off the meeting metaphor, using the agenda as the central organizing theme of each collaborative work session. Tools such as Electronic Brainstorming, List Maker, Group Outliner, Topic Commenter, and Voting allow meeting participants to share ideas and input.
GroupSystems for Windows takes advantage of Windows data exchange and object linking capabilities. For example, the Handouts component allows meeting participants to drag documents from the Windows File Manager on their own machine to the GroupSystems Handouts window, making them instantly accessible to others in their native format. The Briefcase is a window containing personal items (such as a calculator and notepad) that an individual might bring to a meeting. Participants can drag and drop their favorite Windows applications into the Briefcase.
For the session leader, GroupSystems for Windows offers the ability to create a customized startup screen and to graphically monitor the level of activity around activities such as brainstorming or commenting.
Both Council and GroupSystems for Windows work for meetings with participants in remote locations, as well as those where everyone is in the same room.
Tools such as Council or GroupSystems for Windows have the potential to make meetings more productive, accommodate input from team members who may be shy about speaking up in a group, and provide almost instantaneous feedback on group consensus about issues. But, as Council developer Jim Ewing points out, "The group is more important than the ware." Without a good understanding of human psychology and the process of group work, "groupware" tools won't work any better than their old-fashioned counterparts.
Council runs on Apple PowerBooks and Duos and requires 2.5 MB of RAM, LocalTalk cabling or equivalent, and HyperCard 2.1. It is available through CoVision, Inc., San Francisco, CA, 415-563-2020. GroupSystems for Windows is expected to enter beta testing in September and will be available from Ventana Corporation Tucson, AZ, 602-325-8228.
(Audrey Kalman/19930812)
Tucson, AZ, 602-325-8228.
(Audrey Kalman/19930812)
8/12/93
GroupWare '93 - Software For More Productive Meetings
TRENDS
Delrina's FormFlow
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- Delrina Corp. known for its PerForm PRO Plus forms product, announced FormFlow a forms-based workflow development tool at the GroupWare '93 Conference and Exhibition.
Delrina's FormFlow product combines four technologies critical to so-called "workflow automation" (automating the daily transfer of information within a business): forms design and processing database, electronic mail, and application development. Forms designed with FormFlow (based on Delrina's PerForm PRO Plus software) are more than just forms. They're intelligent applications with custom user interfaces that can connect to data residing in dBASE, Paradox, Clipper, ASCII, Microsoft SQL Server, OS/2 Database Manager, DB2, and Oracle files. FormFlow also connects with industry-standard electronic mail packages such as Microsoft Mail and Lotus cc:Mail.
FormFlow includes The Intelligent Forms Language (IFL), a high-level language that allows developers to add "intelligent" routing and other capabilities to forms. For example, a designer can develop a form to be routed sequentially from one level of management to another for approval, or one that is broadcast simultaneously to a group. IFL also gives forms such as check requests and purchase orders intelligence based on business rules -- e.g., a check request for more than $1,000 is programmed to skip the supervisor level and go directly to the manager.
According to Forms Product Manager Robert Horwood, Delrina is targeting the end of August for availability of FormFlow.
(Audrey Kalman/19930812/Press Contact: Delrina Corp., 800-268-6082 or 416-441-3676)
082 or 416-441-3676)
8/12/93
Delrina's FormFlow
Borland, Computerland Sponsor Wh
Infocorp Says Microsoft To Spur
Star Trek Next Generation On A G
President Clinton Showcases High
Review of - Sesame Street Learni
Apple To Intro Servers, Speech R
Artisoft Offers 900 Number Enhan
Prague Phones Dragged Into 20th
Atari Loses To Nintendo, But It'
Apple Intros Display With Built-
Compaq Canada Cuts ProLinea Pric
Corel Intros CorelSCSI For Mac
Patent Issued For 10,000-Terabyt
New For Macs - Sneak Preview Doc
ZDS Intros Six Notebook PCs
MICA IV Version 2.01 Accounting
Ricoh In Joint Venture With Chin
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- Ricoh has signed an agreement with a Chinese governmental firm to produce fax machines in China.
Ricoh and the Chinese government are preparing to create a joint venture firm called Shanghai Ricoh Fax Corporation. It will be located in the Shanghai area of China this September. The fax machines to be made there will be based on Ricoh's technology. The plant itself will be constructed in mid-1994, and production of fax machine is scheduled for the fall of 1994. About 50,000 units are to be shipped the first year. The joint venture firm will also start produce laser fax machines and the goal is to ship 40,000 units per month by 1996.
The total capitalization of this joint venture firm is $15 million financed 49.5 percent by Ricoh, 45 percent by Shanghai Fax Corporation, and 5.5 percent by Champion Technology in Hong Kong.
Several Japanese fax machine makers are already selling fax machines in China. However, Ricoh is the first firm to participate in a major joint venture with the Chinese government on fax machines.
The fax plant is planned to be 30,000 square meters in size and will employ 800 people.
The Chinese government expect to have access to Ricoh's advanced fax machine technology in this joint venture.
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- The number of victims of personal computer viruses have been increasing in Japan. According to Japan Information Technology Promotion Agency (IPA), a record number of virus incidents were reported in July.
The agency received 97 reports of computer virus infestations in July, the highest number on record since the agency began this survey. The numbers has been increasing each of the last three months in a row.
In July, 13 different computer viruses were reported. Among these viruses, 47 cases were caused by a virus called "Yankee Doodle" which emits music at 5 pm. 31 cases were caused by "Cascade." The most frequently hit PCs included NEC's PC-9801 and IBM PCs and compatibles.
56 cases were reported from the Tokyo area, 13 cases were reported from the Osaka area, and 10 cases were reported from the Chubu area in mid-Japan.
37 cases were reported by corporate users, 20 cases were reported by individual users, and 10 cases were reported by educational institutions and research laboratories.
(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930812/Press Contact: Japan Information Technology Promotion Agency, +81-3-3437-2301)
ogy Promotion Agency, +81-3-3437-2301)
8/12/93
Computer Viruses Increasing In Japan
GENERAL
Lexmark Offers Japanese Printers
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- Kentucky, US-based printer maker Lexmark will start selling a series of printers in Japan this fall. They include laser and ink-jet printers which can output various languages with proprietary printer software. Lexmark is a 100 percent-owned subsidiary of IBM.
Lexmark will release a monochrome laser printer called the "4039" and a color ink jet printer, the "4079." Both of the printers can be connected with IBM PCs. The major advantage of these printers is that they support a multiple number of languages including Japanese, Chinese and Korean. These languages can be printed out with proprietary printer driver software under Windows 3.1. The software is provided on floppy disks.
Lexmark has already developed Japanese, Chinese and Korean language software, and the firm is planning to develop software for other languages, as well.
Sales of these printers will be handled by Japan Office System, an affiliate of IBM Japan in Tokyo. The prices have not been set, but they are expected to be quite cheap in order to compete with rival products.
The price war in the Japanese printer market has been reached a fevered pitch. Many printer makers, including IBM Japan, Seiko-Epson NEC, and Canon, have released laser printers with competitive prices. Most of them cost under 200,000 yen ($1,900). Prices of ink jet type printers are even more aggressive at 35,000 yen ($330) to 50,000 yen ($470), and are expected to drop further.
(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930812/Press Contact: Japan Office System, +81-3-3490-0431)
an Office System, +81-3-3490-0431)
8/12/93
Lexmark Offers Japanese Printers
GENERAL
Behemoth Cyclist Steve Roberts D
LA JOLLA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- The nomadic Steve Roberts is slowly settling down. After spending over a year in Santa Cruz working on his Behemoth, a 350-pound recumbent bicycle and technology test bed, he's now settling into a two year stint working at the University of California at San Diego.
His latest project is the Microship, an water-borne version of Behemoth to travel lakes, rivers and canals. While Behemoth was done mainly with corporate support from Sun Microsystems, his new lab in the UCSD engineering building is bringing with it a host of new student assistants, and new energy. Roberts is commuting between UCSD, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the Mission Bay Aquatic Center, and his home, mainly by bicycle.
Besides offering a new mode of travel, the Microship can also carry Behemoth's weight without losing mobility or requiring a crew. The sea offers many new purposes for electronics, and a challenging new environment for them. The hulls of the Microship are still a trio of sea kayaks, the longest 21 feet long, linked by stainless steel framing. On top are 4x10 foot solar arrays hinged like bi-fold closet doors, with a mast near the back supporting a jib sail. Power will again come from the sailor, in the form of a new recumbent bicycle on its way from Iowa. Steering is a pair of sliding armrests with split-keyboards.
Roberts' main problem now is the same trade-off among comfort weight, and technology which turned Behemoth into a 350-pound monster. "As this machine veers further away from "kayak," it encounters more and more the legal and practical issues that affect yachts -- including lighting, anchorage, and sewage discharge," he notes.
"Forward of the head, there is a bulkhead and main beam mounting platform that also includes the mast step," he continues. "Forward of this is the main pressurized electronics bay Qualcomm satellite antenna, a small gear hatch, and some glassed in flotation foam. Aft of the after beam assembly is the tower for a small Furuno radar antenna, then a bulkheaded hatch for desalinator, water filtration and analysis, and the air compressor/tank/filter/dryer. Distributed all over the deck are antennas, radomes, grablines, cleats, and the myriad fixtures of safety and convenience. He notes that all this is subject to change, as with Behemoth, which turned out quite different from its original description.
Another concept floating around Roberts' head these days is the idea of an "intentional community" among aquatic nomads. For a time, he fantasized about bringing people with him on his bike tours, but rejected it when he decided it would turn him into a tour guide for many "nomadlings," in his word. "The idea of having a small aquatic nomadic community is extremely appealing: on-water bivouac/parties, mutual support in challenging conditions, a stable group of friends..."
Electronic networking remains key to his vision. "Communication is the essence of any relationship." He's looking for both voice and data contacts with the world, just as he's in the course of getting as far away from it as possible.
Where will he go once the design is a real boat? "One possibility is to launch from San Diego in early 1995, head up the Pacific Coast, then spend a few months in Puget Sound and the protected waterways of Western Canada. I'd like to investigate starting a trip in Edmonton, taking the North Saskatchewan River across Canada, then meander down via the myriad lakes to the Mississippi and thence to the Gulf... and of course, from there around Florida and up the ICW to the Atlantic Provinces. Along the way are countless interconnected rivers, fascinating convoluted coasts, and other surprises... the journey sketched in this paragraph could easily take 2-3 years before we turn our attention to the canals of Europe, exploring the Pacific Rim, and so on."
Behemoth and Steve Roberts will be at the Mobile World Expo in San Jose, September 21-23. His internet address is wordy@ucsd.edu.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930810/Press Contact: Steven K. Roberts e-mail: wordy@ucsd.edu)
Press Contact: Steven K. Roberts e-mail: wordy@ucsd.edu)
8/12/93
Behemoth Cyclist Steve Roberts Designing Aquatic Model
TRENDS
IBM Files Patent Suit Against Co
ARMONK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- A patent dispute has broken out between IBM and Conner Peripherals Inc., a San Jose, California, maker of disk drives.
After patent cross-licensing negotiations between the two firms broke down recently, IBM has filed a suit against Conner in Federal District Court in San Jose, claiming the company is infringing nine IBM patents covering various aspects of disk drive manufacture.
IBM also asked the court to rule that five patents held by Conner are invalid and therefore not infringed by IBM's use of the technology they cover.
Conner countered that it has valid rights to patents that formerly belonged to Prairietek Corp., a company that went bankrupt in 1992. Conner acquired the patents from the PrairieTek estate after IBM bid unsuccessfully for them, according to a statement from Conner.
David Harrah, an IBM spokesman, said the two firms had talked about a cross-licensing agreement that would give each the right to use the other's patents. Talks broke down because they could not agree on the relative value of the patents and therefore could not settle which company should make a cash payment to the other to even out the exchange, he said.
Both companies indicated the matter might still be resolved through negotiations. "Obviously our feeling is that going to court is our last and final alternative and not one that we would prefer," Harrah said.
IBM has asked the court for unspecified damages for alleged past infringement by Conner, plus an injunction against further sale of products deemed to infringe its patents.
Harrah said some other disk drive manufacturers have licenses from IBM for the patents in dispute with Conner, while others do not and might be in violation of IBM's patent rights.
(Grant Buckler/19930812/Press Contact: David Harrah, IBM 914-765-6666; Kevin Burr, Conner Peripherals, 408-456-3134; Lynda Laszlo, Conner Peripherals, 408-456-3019)
EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CANADA, 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- Edmonton Telephones, an independent phone company serving this city, has become the first telephone company in Canada to offer public Frame Relay service.
Based on Frame Relay switching equipment from Newbridge Networks Corp. of Kanata, Ontario, the service became available commercially on July 15, though no formal launch has been held. An official announcement is due in September or October, said Dave Moloney, product manager for Frame Relay at Edmonton Telephones.
Frame Relay is meant to connect local-area networks (LANs) at different locations. The technology is a kind of variation on the packet-switching model widely used in long-haul data communications networks. It is faster than the widely used X.25 packet switching standard, mainly because it does no error-checking. This is possible because local- and wide-area networking protocols do their own error checking today.
According to Edmonton Telephones, Frame Relay offers data communications users lower LAN-to-LAN internetworking costs better performance, increased interoperability, and simpler networks.
Currently the Edmonton Telephones service offers transmission speeds up to 56 kilobits per second (Kbps). An expansion planned soon will add more capacity and let the company offer full T1 transmission speeds, Moloney said.
Because the service hasn't been formally launched yet, only companies that were involved in an earlier trial are using it Moloney said. Among the early users is Canadian Utilities Ltd. one of Canada's largest investor-owned utilities. Canadian Utilities, which produces and distributes natural gas and electrical power, is preparing to install a client/server telecommunications network needed for a new customer information system.
Another company which Edmonton Telephones cannot name is also using the service to interconnect its dispersed LANs, Moloney added.
Other Canadian telephone companies have run trials of frame relay technology and can be expected to launch commercial services soon.
In time, Moloney said, Edmonton Telephones plans to offer access to Frame Relay services from other carriers, including AGT Inc. which serves the rest of the province of Alberta, and rival national carrier Unitel Communications Inc. of Toronto. Later, he added, the company may be able to integrate its services with those of the other carriers.
(Grant Buckler/19930812/Press Contact: Stuart Adams, Edmonton Telephones, 403-441-2116; Graham Deacon, Edmonton Telephones 403-441-2120)
2116; Graham Deacon, Edmonton Telephones 403-441-2120)
8/12/93
Edmonton Telephones First In Canada With Frame Relay
TELECOM
Results Of Telecommuting Study P
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- With businesses cutting back on expenses and the federal government's Environmental Protection Agency, as well as some state agencies pressuring companies to reduce commuting, it the time finally here for telecommuting to take off? Some industry observers think so and the recent federal report showing the results of a study of Agriculture Department employees who work at home several days each week may really boost the move to work-at-home offices.
The report, which also included studies done by some large U.S. companies, was extremely positive in showing that both the quantity and quality of work done by those who did at least a portion of their job at home during normal business hours was well above average.
Strangely enough for such a conservative employer, the federal government has been at the forefront in testing the idea of telecommuting - working at home using telephone and telecommunications links to the office.
Part of this is due to the strange situation around the Washington area where housing costs are so high close to the city that many government workers routinely commute as much as 4-5 hours each day from as far away as West Virginia. For such workers telecommuting would be an obvious advantage, saving both time and commuting costs.
One telecommuter profiled on today's CNBC business news did his reading and report writing at home, but many telecommuters go further and access databases or process claims at home using high-speed modems connected to their computer systems.
But if the Clinton Administration really wants to spur telecommuting then it will have to get all players on the same side. Currently the IRS puts a heavy emphasis on auditing those who claim home office expenses. Certified public accountants routinely caution clients to avoid deducting any home office expenses unless they are prepared to fully document every use of that space.
(John McCormick/19930812/)
hat space.
(John McCormick/19930812/)
8/12/93
Results Of Telecommuting Study Positive
TRENDS
New For Macs - Sneak Preview Doc
ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- Logical Solutions has unveiled Sneak Preview, a software package that lets Macintosh users preview the contents of a text, graphics or multimedia document directly from the System 7 Finder.
Unlike other previewing programs, Sneak Preview does not require the user to slow down operations by opening an application to preview the document, according to Ed Klemz, company president.
"You do not have to own the application that created a document to preview it. This straight-shot approach is a godsend, particularly for the multimedia user, who can sometimes spend more time looking for a document than working on it," he asserted.
Sneak Preview is made up of three components: the Sneak Preview application, the Sneak Preview Control Panel, and a group of document translators, including translators for PICT, TIFF, EPS JPEG, QuickTime, text, sound files, and a variety of other document types.
The package allows users to point to documents they wish to preview. The documents will then automatically pop up in the Finder as graphics.
Previews can be automatically created for all existing documents. Alternatively, users can create previews of individual documents by dragging and dropping the document onto the Sneak Preview application icon.
Sneak Preview will optionally indicate file format and the number of colors used in the image. The software also provides an area that lets the user include a descriptive summary of the document. Each summary can be up to 256 characters in length.
The document previews are portable across Macintoshes, but each computer used for previewing must be installed with Sneak Preview.
Logical Solutions is also offering a developers kit for use in producing translators for applications which are not already compatible with Sneak Preview.
Sneak Preview requires a Macintosh with a 68020 processor or higher, 4 MB of RAM, System 7 or higher, and a hard disk drive. A color monitor is recommended.
Sneak Preview will be priced at $129.95. The Sneak Preview Translator Developers Kit will be available free of charge to third-party vendors and other qualified developers. Both programs are expected to ship in about eight to ten weeks.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930812/Reader contact: Logical Solutions Inc. tel 612-659-2495; Press contact: Stefana Young, Moffit/Young & Associates for Logical Solutions, 503-293-8171)
offit/Young & Associates for Logical Solutions, 503-293-8171)
8/12/93
New For Macs - Sneak Preview Document Previewing Software
APPLE
IBM PS/2 Model 50Z Now Available
ST CLOUD, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- How the mighty have fallen! You can now buy an IBM PS/2 Model 50Z through at least one national liquidator outlet for $499.
The Model 50Z (the Z indicates zero wait state), which the liquidator says originally had a retail price of $3,645, was introduced in 1988 and uses a 80286 microprocessor running at 10 megahertz (MHz). Currently buyers can obtain 80486-based systems running at 66MHz and even faster microprocessors such as Intel's Pentium chip are in the offing.
The liquidator, Comb Authorized Liquidators, is advertising the system, which has only one megabyte (MB) of memory and a 30MB hard drive, three expansion slots, and DOS 5.0 installed as "factory renewed by IBM" at the $499 price plus $19 shipping and handling without a monitor.
While the low cost may seem an inexpensive way to get into entry level computing, the Boston Computer Exchange (BoCoEx), a Boston Massachusetts-based national clearing house for used computers last carried the Model 50Z in its May price listing as available for the asking price of $500 and was getting bids of $400 including a VGA monitor. Asked why BoCoEx no longer listed the system, BoCoEx Senior Broker Nadder Afshar told Newsbytes there is virtually no commercial value in 286-based systems. However Afshar said the clearing house did handle one transaction recently getting $525 for a Model 50Z with a monitor.
Afshar did say the Model 50Z is one of the few 286 models that has some market demand, limited though it may be." But it's not what most buyers of used equipment want. "They are looking for 486 notebooks, active color matrix color notebooks, and high end Macintosh systems."
(Jim Mallory/19930812/Press and reader contact: Comb Authorized Liquidators, 800-438-2662; Boston Computer Exchange, 617-542-4414)
800-438-2662; Boston Computer Exchange, 617-542-4414)
8/12/93
IBM PS/2 Model 50Z Now Available Through Liquidators
Colorado Braces For 11-Digit Dia
| DENVER, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- Telecommunications provider US West has started notifying large businesses and government agencies that they need to start gearing up for 11 digit dialing, even for calls within the same area code.
The notification was prompted by approval by the state Public Utilities Commission of a plan that will eventually spread across the country requiring callers to dial an area code for every long distance call, even within the user's same area code.
The change would mean that a Denver caller would have to dial a "1" and then the area code (303), then the seven-digit phone number even to call nearby cities like Fort Collins or Greeley, 65 and 54 miles away respectively. In southern Colorado, Colorado Springs callers will have to use the same method to call Pueblo, just 42 miles further south. Colorado has only two area codes, 303 in the northern part of the state, and 719 in the southern portion.
The new dialing rules will be phased in beginning in mid-October according to US West Communications spokesperson Ron Dulle. The changes are necessitated because planners are running out of area codes to use. The plan, called the North American Number Plan will make an additional 640 area codes available by adding all telephone prefix codes - the first three digits of your phone number - to the area code number pool.
Dulle said US West is notifying its large business customers now so they can make the necessary changes to their PBX (private branch exchange) systems and pre-program modems and other systems that take advantage of least-cost routing services. During the changeover period from October 17,1993 when the new dialing system takes effect, until the system becomes mandatory on February 27 1994 the US West phone network will recognize both the old and new dialing methods.
The system has been in use in Arizona since 1990, and Washington and Oregon have phased it in over the past two years. All 14 states in the US West service area will have it in place by the end of 1994, according to Dulle.
The company said it will run an extensive advertising campaign in February and March to educate users, and residential customers will receive an insert in their phone bill beginning in January. Dulle said the change will not affect phone rates.
(Jim Mallory/19930812/Press contact: Ron Dulle, US West Communications, 303-782-1800)
, US West Communications, 303-782-1800)
8/12/93
Colorado Braces For 11-Digit Dialling
TELECOM
Another Cellular Provider Enters
DENVER, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- A Denver-based mobile radio company has entered into competition for cellular customers, announcing a 4.75 million share public offering.
Four-year-old CenCall Communications Corporation, the company created by Denver-based venture capital company Centennial Fund is offering the $19 per share stock in a bid to become the third mobile phone service provider in the Rocky Mountain region. CenCall joins US West Cellular and Cellular One in the fight for customers. CenCall said it will initially target fleet customers such as taxi cabs and truckers. The company plans to offer mobile phone, paging, customized messaging, and dispatch services over its digital network.
CenCall President Justin Jaschke told the Denver Post newspaper the service will appeal to customers because they can receive multiple services from a single provider. However, CenCall customers will reportedly not be able to use their phones on competing systems, such as when they travel to an area where a compatible service doesn't exist.
CenCall said its cellular service will be available along the Rocky Mountain Front Range - the area east of the Rocky Mountains that includes Denver, and in Seattle and Portland Oregon by the second quarter of 1994. Kansas City, Missouri; and Oklahoma City Tulsa, and Wichita, Kansas are scheduled to come on-line in the first quarter of 1995. Service will be available in the remainder of CenCall's service area, which includes parts of Colorado Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming and Texas, is scheduled by the end of 1996.
FOUNTAIN, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- Thanks to Apple Computer's manufacturing plant in Fountain, Colorado Pope John Paul II may soon be computing just like millions of other people around the world.
The facility, where all of Apple's PowerBook units are built donated three of its Powerbook portable computers for use by the pope and other church officials. The other two systems were presented to Cardinal Eduardo Pirono, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity and Cardinal Carla Maria Martini of Milan Italy. The cardinals will give the pope his PowerBook.
The computers were presented during World Youth Day ceremonies taking place in Denver this week. The Pope, in his first visit to the US since 1987, and President Bill Clinton will both arrive in Denver today. The leader of the world's Catholics and the US President will meet briefly later today before President Clinton and his family continue on a combination business and vacation trip. The Clintons will go first to California then return to Colorado for a political fundraiser and some vacation time in colorful Aspen, a premier ski and vacation resort in Colorado. The computer screens on the gift machines display a picture of the Maroon Bells, a picturesque mountain area outside Aspen. The screens also carry a message that reminds the user the computer is "A gift from the school children of the state of Colorado USA."
As part of the World Youth Day activities, the pontiff will say a special mass in Cherry Creek State Park southeast of downtown Denver on Sunday morning. Most of the 170,000 World Youth Day participants as well as hundreds of thousands of everyday citizens from around the world are expected to attend the mass. Everyone will have to walk at least three miles one way from the nearest parking and bus dropoff points to reach the park Sunday.
In addition to television network news anchors and nearly everyone else who could get credentials, Saturday Night Live star and pseudo-priest Father Guido Sarducci (his real name is Don Novell) will be on hand as a Vatican commentator to explain the Pope to non-Catholics in his usual tongue-in-cheek style. Novello is heard daily this week on a local radio station and on National Public Radio.
Over 900 employees at the Fountain plant assemble more than 70 different Powerbook configurations. Apple engineers work closely with factory workers to tweak performance and cut costs of the PowerBooks in an attempt to retain or gain market share as Apple's profit margin erodes. Last month a Newsbytes story reported Apple's largest quarterly loss, $188.3 million for the third quarter.
Ideas Apple engineers are reportedly working on include a new material that would cut down on radio frequency interference with other electronic devices. That interference, which might cause problems with navigation equipment as well as radio and television sets, is the reason many airlines now ban the use of portable computers on aircraft in flight. They have also made changes in the cabling that connects the hard disk drive to the printed circuit board, or motherboard, of the computer using lower-cost insulating materials.
(Jim Mallory/19930812/Press contact: Christopher Escher, Apple Computer, 408-974-2202)
cher, Apple Computer, 408-974-2202)
8/12/93
A Powerbook For Pope John Paul II
APPLE
Borland, Computerland Sponsor Wh
Infocorp Says Microsoft To Spur
Star Trek Next Generation On A G
President Clinton Showcases High
Review of - Sesame Street Learni
Apple To Intro Servers, Speech R
Artisoft Offers 900 Number Enhan
Prague Phones Dragged Into 20th
Atari Loses To Nintendo, But It'
Apple Intros Display With Built-
Compaq Canada Cuts ProLinea Pric
Corel Intros CorelSCSI For Mac
Patent Issued For 10,000-Terabyt
New For Macs - Sneak Preview Doc
ZDS Intros Six Notebook PCs
MICA IV Version 2.01 Accounting
Microsoft Launches Worldwide Tec
Ricoh Developed Recycling Copier
IBM Develops High-Density Magnet
Borland's Philippe Kahn To Keyno
Review of: Laser Business Cards
Motorola To Expand Scotland Plan
A Powerbook For Pope John Paul I
Wolfram Research Isn't Connected
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- Wolfram Research apparently in response to some confusion among customers and investors, has released a statement assuring interested parties that the Champaign, Illinois-based maker of an advanced PC and workstation mathematics program called Mathematica is in no way associated with the Florida-based Mathematica company which recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Mathematica (the software) is a very sophisticated and powerful numeric and symbolic analysis program for engineers, scientists and mathematicians. The program runs on more than 20 systems including those which support MS-DOS, Windows, Unix, and the Apple Macintosh operating system.
Mathematica (the company), which last month filed for protection from creditors, markets the Tempra Pro and other multimedia creation and playback software.
Wolfram Research, a privately held company, has recently stated that is continues to expand its leadership in its market segment and has exceeded its revenue projections for the past year. Because it is privately owned there is no requirement for Wolfram to disclose financial details to the public, but Prem Chawla, the chief operating operator, stated in a recent press release that the company is "extraordinarily" profitable.
(John McCormick/19930812/Press Contact: Jane Rich, Wolfram Research, 217-398-0700)
ress Contact: Jane Rich, Wolfram Research, 217-398-0700)
8/12/93
Wolfram Research Isn't Connected With Mathematica Inc.
BUSINESS
NASA Tests Computers In Simulate
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- A joint venture between PC World magazine and NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration) is expected to produce some new information about the use of small personal computers in a zero gravity environment. Of particular interest is the ability of astronauts to work with mice and other pointing devices required to operate the graphical user environments which have recently become so popular.
This control and even normal keyboard activity are a complex problem in a weightless environment where a user must be anchored to prevent the equal and opposite force applied to his or her body by the keys from pushing the person away from the computer as they try to operate it.
Tests are not scheduled for a shuttle mission and will actually take place on the so-called "vomit comet," the specially configured KC-135 airplane which is used to train astronauts in maneuvering in a weightless environment. The McDonnell Douglas plane simulates zero-gravity by flying a special course, and taking advantage of an effect similar to the one experienced in high-speed elevators where passengers feel themselves become lighter.
The test software developed by PC World's San Francisco-based Test Center, is supposed to be used during flights this week.
Tests will be made on an IBM ThinkPad notebook computer using both its built-in pointing device and an external Microsoft clip on mouse.
On another note, NASA's expected shuttle launch this morning was aborted after the main engines had started and only two seconds before launch. The safe shutdown was performed entirely by Cape Kennedy launch computers.
PC World is a division of IDG (International Data Group) which publishes a number of computer-related magazines and newspapers.
(John McCormick/19930812/Press Contact: Lee Doyle, PC World, 415 978-3168 or James Hartfield, NASA, 713-483-4934)
978-3168 or James Hartfield, NASA, 713-483-4934)
8/12/93
NASA Tests Computers In Simulated Zero Gravity
" @ ~
International Telecom Update
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- Growing resistance to privatizing phone firms and breaking monopolies highlights the week's telecommunications news.
The world's eyes remain on Greece, where it appears the conservative government may not be able to pull off the sale of 49 percent of OTE, that nation's phone system. The government has a single-seat majority in parliament but at least one of its deputies has said he'll vote against the government. Greece wants to sell 35 percent, and operating management control, to either NTT, GTE, Telefonica de Espana, Stet, Korea Telecom or France Telecom. Another 10 percent of the shares would go public and four percent is reserved for employees, who nevertheless oppose the move and have staged strikes in protest.
Elsewhere, opposition is rising to restructuring and breaking monopolies. In New Zealand, unions won an interim injunction against Telecom's efforts to shed 40 percent of the workforce in an effort to compete with Clear Communications. In Chile, a lower house of the nation's Congress voted against letting Cia de Telefonos de Chile, known as CTC, enter the international long distance market. They fear that CTC, which now controls 95 percent of the local market, would subsidize its entry and destroy three firms that now compete there. CTC ADRs trade on the New York Stock Exchange, and shares were hammered after the vote even though CTC is expected to win-out eventually.
Elsewhere, most of the news is positive, as international calling volumes continue to increase. IDB Communications of the US, for instance, said traffic on its IDB Worldcom unit more than doubled. The company is best known for serving the former Soviet Union, but officials said only five percent of their current calling volume goes there. The optimism is boosting shares of even state-controlled companies, like SIP and STET of Italy which have risen 400 percent in price over the last 10 months since the depths of that nation's corruption scandal.
The optimism is especially pronounced among equipment makers, who see a growing number of big bids on offer. Telecom Malaysia will spend billions to add 3 million lines over the next four years. Sri Lanka has formed a new company to expand its telecom system competing with an existing state-run company. The new Sri Lankan firm will seek to provide 100,000 new lines in 18 months through a joint-venture with an outside firm, and duties are being lifted on cellular phones to encourage imports.
Most of the current orders are going to European and American firms, with Siemens winning a Lebanese contract for 420,000 new lines, and AT&T winning its first order in South Korea, for an 81,000 line exchange. But Taiwan is looking to increase its share of the market, with the national government pumping $750 million in new capital into the nation's high-tech sector, and telecommunications seen as a key area.
Finally, two stories from Eastern Europe show more progress in bringing that area's communications systems up to world standards. A Hungarian company announced plans to launch its first satellite in 1996, using local capital and loans. And Bulgarian offered a concession for a new paging system to Cable and Wireless of the UK.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930812/Press Contact: Steve Carroll, IDB Worldcom, 212-478-6210)
l, IDB Worldcom, 212-478-6210)
8/12/93
International Telecom Update
TELECOM
BellSouth Launches New ScreenPho
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- BellSouth is launching a test of screenphone-based banking in Nashville which it hopes to turn into a commercial service next year.
The test, with First Tennesse Bank, will involve between 600 1,000 selected customers within the range of a single Nashville central office. They will use a number of different brands of screenphones, all compatible with a new standard called ADSI and a home banking system created by US Order of Virginia, which delivers bill payments to First Tennessee computers in batches but allows for the transfer of balances between accounts online.
Newsbytes discussed the First Tennessee trial, and the company's screen phone strategy, with BellSouth Telecommunications vice president-marketing Rod Odom. BellSouth Telecommunications is a unit of the parent company. "There's been a lot in print recently about the lackluster performance of many home banking trials," he acknowledged. "Our view is that, from a consumer perspective, people are interested in it but they don't want a single-function terminal. They want something that can help them deal with many applications. ADSI defines the interface specifications so that when I go out and buy or lease a screenphone I can be assured that the only application is not going to be with my bank."
In the First Tennesssee trial, "we want to find out what services and applications people will look for in screenphones. And we think future screenphones will have many different types of service providers and types of equipment." For instance BellSouth will offer its own "custom calling features," including a version of Caller ID which displays the name of the person to whom a phone is registered, called Caller ID Deluxe. "We'll be offering home shopping through catalogs and perhaps through local grocery," he says. "Development of the banking application is being done now between US Order, which will provide the banking service, and First Tennessee, which will determine how it works."
The test will involve 600-1,000 people, and if successful the company will go to a limited public roll-out. "It's not a simple market test -- it goes directly to roll-out. In Nashville. We'll select customers from a combination of those who would be served from a single central office and First Tenn's customer list. We're very enthusiastic about this market, especially in the last 12 months with new applications, dropping prices for equipment, and adherence to standards."
Odom is especially excited about the potential screenphones have for increasing the penetration of Caller ID. "Strictly speaking there are few things your 12-button phone won't do. The problem is the complexity of relating functions to buttons, or having other prompts," Odom said. "Today, if you have out Memory Call voice mail service and another call comes in, you can't make a pro-active decision on whether to put your present call on hold terminate it, or handle the new call. What we're doing is combining services, like caller identification, along with call forwarding and memory call, so you can determine who the call is from and what the disposition should be."
BellSouth is currently selling special Caller ID boxes, which cost about $50 or rent for $4 per month, and connect directly to existing phones. "The first service gave the calling party's number. The deluxe version, which we're now rolling out, provides the name under which the number calling is registered. We have a company called BellSouth products that sells phones, and many of the phones have both built-in Caller ID and the adjunct units."
Odom said he's excited about the recent drop in prices for the units. "The adjuncts," which offer a 3-line, 40 character per line display, now cost just $50. Basic screenphones cost about $500.
What can knock back timetables of all market players, including BellSouth, is the recent explosion at an epoxy plant owned by Sumitomo in Japan. BellSouth spokesmen told Newsbytes the loss of that epoxy is slowing everyone's chip-making capacity, holding up not just BellSouth's suppliers for US industry giants like Motorola and Intel.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930812/Press Contact: Dick Miles, BellSouth 404-529-8003)
Press Contact: Dick Miles, BellSouth 404-529-8003)
8/12/93
BellSouth Launches New ScreenPhone Banking Trial
TELECOM
Scitex In Class Action Suit
Motorola Sees Semiconductor Sale
Meiko Scientific Wins Lawrence L
Stac Utility For Doublespace Fil
Quicken 4 Adds Personal Finance
Stratus, IBM Revise Relationship
Acclaim Entertainment, Probe Sof
Sun 4Qtr Income Doubles; Record
US West Sells Rural Systems
UK - In-Store Radio Stations
Mainframe's Future Dim, Forreste
ATI Ships CD Sound Dimension For
MacWorld - Newton Spreadsheet Sl
Rep Condit Urges Sensible CD-ROM
PICA Of Australia To Distribute
Online Patent Makes Home Banking
AST Opens Facility In Dubai, UAE
PowerPC Workstation From IBM Due
Kurzweil Applied Intelligence In
UK - Computer Games Watchdog Est
Philips Worried About DCC Market
UK - Elonex Lands Ministry Of De
MCI's Akerson Goes To General In
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- In a crowded teleconference, MCI President Daniel Akerson revealed he's leaving the company to become chief executive of General Instrument Corp. in Chicago, which makes cable set-top converters and other equipment. He also will become a partner in Forstmann Little & Co., a leading buyout firm.
He said he was personally recruited by Forstmann Little head Ted Forstmann and couldn't pass it up.
Forstmann Little is a privately held corporate buy-out firm which compensates its top people handsomely. As one of just seven equity partners in the company, Akerson, 44, can expect to become a multi-millionaire pretty quickly. A graduate of the US Naval Academy and London School of Economics, Akerson also once worked for AT&T. MCI is expected to look inside for a successor.
At General Instrument Akerson succeeds Donald Rumsfeld, a former chief of staff for President Ford who is retiring at the end of the month. He earned a reported paper profit of $10.9 million on his own GI stock when the company was taken public last year. And he won high praise for his work at GI, a job he took on after leading G.D. Searle through the triumph of aspertame, the low calorie sweetener sold under the brand Equal. GI is presently involved with Intel and Microsoft in a deal to put a version of Microsoft Windows into cable set-top converters, and is a leading candidate to supply a new standard for HDTV based on the MPEG computer standard.
In the wake of the news, General Instrument stock, which was taken public at $15 per share, rose $2 to $47, while MCI was up marginally. Some of those profits should go directly to Akerson -- Forstmann Little still owns a 39 percent stake in General Instrument.
During the teleconference, there was also speculation over MCI's plans for the $4.3 billion windfall it's picking up as the result of its deal with British Telecom. MCI has put together a consortium of companies interested in microwave-based cellular licenses, a service called PCN, and the billions will help guarantee it a place in the market, since the needed frequencies will be auctioned to help pay-down the US budget deficit.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930812/Press Contact: Jim Collins, MCI, 202 887-3000; George Sard, for General Instrument, 212-687-8080)
ard, for General Instrument, 212-687-8080)
8/12/93
MCI's Akerson Goes To General Instrument
TELECOM
Telescan Has Deal With Editor An
HOUSTON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- Telescan continued its diversification into private online services for professionals, announcing a deal with Editor and Publisher, a trade magazine for the newspaper industry.
Under the deal Telescan, which is best known for information services sold to money managers and investors -- Charles Schwab and Fidelity both offer it -- will create a custom online service for E&P, using Telescan's software and E&P databases. The magazine will then sell the service to its subscribers. Telescan already has deals for similar services with the American Institute of Architects, Billboard Magazine and The Hollywood Reporter, and with Knowledge Express.
Newsbytes discussed the deal with Telescan CEO David Brown. He noted that Telescan hosts all its own services, but that the professional systems run on their own computers. His main service is "a parallel processing application of microprocessors," he explained, to get fast response at low cost. "The computer system is designed by our head of research, built from off the shelf components. We refer it to as PC-based. The key is we use hundreds and hundreds of processors working simultaneously.
"We are known for our display capabilities," he continued, and interactive graphics. "We anticipate they'll be graphics in the Editor and Publisher service. "You can use a mouse or keyboard we have a DOS-based graphical interface, with Windows products near release, and Mac products also near release, for the first quarter next year. We created everything. To have the speed we do have requires a sophisticated relationship between user and host they're both working at top speed." He said the company's Telescan financial analysis system has over 15,000 customers.
"Some of our databases run 10 gigabytes." He said that quick access to questions, allowing professional money managers to get answers in 10 seconds, requires proprietary software.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930812/Press Contact: Richard Ames, Telescan Inc., 713-952-1060, FAX, 713-952-7138)
lescan Inc., 713-952-1060, FAX, 713-952-7138)
8/12/93
Telescan Has Deal With Editor And Publisher
TELECOM
Kuwait Resumes Recording All Int
KUWAIT, MIDDLE EAST, 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- Kuwait's Ministry of Communications (MOC) has resumed recording all outgoing and incoming international calls. Telephone numbers of anyone making a call from Kuwait and receiving calls from abroad are now registered with the ministry's computers, a high ranking MOC official has revealed.
According to the Arab Times, Salman Al Roumi, the Under-secretary of the Ministry of Communications, said: "This is the first step in a strategy to help counter telephone piracy which has defrauded the ministry to the tune of millions of dinars."
Al Roumi has admitted that his ministry used to record all international phone calls as a matter of course before Kuwait was invaded, using two switches installed by Ericsson, the Swedish telecoms giant. Since the invasion, when the switches were destroyed, a new switch from AT&T allows the calls to be recorded once again.
"We have not yet been successful in tracking down telephone pirates in Kuwait," Al Roumi said, "but it is a major concern. So far all we have from our computers is the telephone number of the receiver but not the number of the calling party."
"However," he added, "we have access to the latest technology where the computers could be digitally instructed to register the number of the caller, just as in the paging system."
In a recent report, the Arab Times, upon investigation had found out that telephone piracy involves international gangs operating across the globe and that operatives in Kuwait and other GCC countries conduct their business without the apparent knowledge or involvement of the Ministry of Telecommunications.
Officially, the Kuwaitis are known to be upset that foreign telecoms companies are offering people in Kuwait access to international phone services at rates considerably below the Kuwait international rates. Critics have claimed that recording all international phone calls, including originating and destination numbers and their duration, is a gross invasion of privacy.
(Steve Gold/19930812)
s invasion of privacy.
(Steve Gold/19930812)
8/12/93
Kuwait Resumes Recording All Int'l Phone Calls
TELECOM
World's First PIN-Less Cashcard
SINGAPORE, SEA, 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- Singapore's Network for Electronic Transfers (NETS) has announced a smart card debit card without a personal identification number (PIN). The cards, which have a maximum spending limit of $100 before needing to be recharged, have hit a storm of protest from banks and consumers who are worried about stolen cards. NETS has confirmed that anyone stealing the card can milk the account for up to $100.
NETS says it intends to introduce more than nine million cashcards and 15,000 cashcard terminals by the year 2000. Cards will start being distributed from the beginning of next year and, initially, be available only in the Ang Mo Kio and financial districts of the city later this year.
NETS officials have admitted that, since the cards have no PIN, the cards are effectively "finders, keepers" devices. Officials say that the amounts involved (less than $100 per card) and the use of smart card technology to prevent counterfeiting, will make the system very secure against fraud.
According to the Straits Times, a local newspaper in the area, most professional people are highly skeptical of the concept of a PIN less card. Many industry experts have expressed astonishment that such a card could even be considered, let alone implemented, in a high-tech region such as Singapore.
(Steve Gold/19930812)
gh-tech region such as Singapore.
(Steve Gold/19930812)
8/12/93
World's First PIN-Less Cashcard Set To Debut Amidst Furor
TRENDS
Nextstep Selling Above Expectati
REDWOOD CITY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- Next says it has an installed base of over 50,000 users and its Nextstep 3.1 is selling above distributor Ingram Micro's expectations. However, neither Ingram Micro or Nextstep would reveal figures regarding current sales nor what the distributor expected in terms of sales.
Next representatives said sales on "white" hardware, meaning personal computers with Intel microprocessors, are climbing despite the fact that the current version of Nextstep cannot run software from the DOS or Windows operating systems. ("Black" hardware refers to the Nextstep computer itself, which Next stopped production on beginning this year.) The version of the Nextstep operating system planned for October shipment will integrate SoftPC, allowing users to run their current DOS and Windows applications under Nextstep 3.2, the company added.
Over 500 applications, including word processing, spreadsheet presentation graphics, and others, are currently available for the Nextstep operating system. Interested users may call Next directly for a list of applications available, company officials said.
However, Nextstep is aimed at the speedy development of custom applications and says that is why it is gaining in the marketplace. The company asserts its object-oriented operating system can be used to develop and deploy custom applications comprising custom and off-the-shelf software with an integrated user interface that allows all applications to seamlessly interoperate.
Nextstep 3.1 retails for $795 and requires an Intel 486 or Pentium-based PCs. The Nextstep Developer version is $1,995 and requires Nextstep 3.1. However, distributor Ingram Micro is offering the $299 Nextstep evaluation kit which includes: the Nextstep product and documentation; the Developer compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) with visual application construction tools, reusable object kits, and a 50% off coupon to purchase full technical documentation; an Advantage Kit which includes a booklet, a video cassette and a diskette with sample software; and the Garfinkel & Mahoney book Nextstep Programming. The evaluation kit will only be available through Ingram Micro until September 30, Nextstep officials added.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930812/Press Contact: Karen Logsdon, Next Computer, tel 415-780-3786, fax 415-780-3950, Public Contact Next, 800-879-6398; Kirsten Kappos, Ingram Micro, 714-566-1000 ext 2727)
WOKINGHAM, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- Microsoft has announced the planned availability of no less then four new simulation products from its consumer group: Flight Simulator v5.0 for DOS; two scenery enhancement packages -- Paris and New York; and Space Simulator.
According to Microsoft, these new packages move the already high standards of the company's simulation products to a new plane. The Space Simulator, in particular, is claimed to offer an entertaining and education means of exploring space.
"These announcements illustrate our long term commitment to the entertainment and consumer markets," said Gillian Kent, Microsoft's consumer product manager.
"Flight Simulator is a proven success and v5.0 enhances this timeless classic and carries on the heritage of unmatched photo realism in PC flight simulation. It offers users countless hours of fun, presents expert pilots challenging situations with great scenery and engaging entertainment value for all skill levels," she added.
The new Flight Simulator, which will ship towards the end of this year, has a number of new features including: the ability to fly round the world; a new longitude and latitude position and tracking system; "Land Me," which allows novices to complete their landing while learning at the same time; and a new weather system that allows the user to control the weather they will encounter in flight.
The Space Simulator, meanwhile, is a complete rework of Flight Simulator, substituting a spacecraft for the planes available within the package. Space Simulator has attracted a lot of interest from its beta testers, who will continue to test the package until it ships early next year.
"This package has the ability to reawaken an interest in space exploration," explained Don Williams, a former NASA astronaut and crew member on two Space Shuttle missions.
"While a large percentage of the Earth's population doesn't remember the first Apollo missions to the moon 15 years ago, the urge to explore, to investigate and to understand is still strong within us all. Until Space Simulator came along, there wasn't a way for the majority of civilians to focus their quest," he said.
Williams describes the package as an extraordinary software product. "It offers everyone a chance to see the Earth as it appears from space, to understand how space flight is achieved and to experience the adventure of exploration -- all this and with amazingly accurate details," he said.
Flight Simulator v5.0 will get its first showing in the UK at the European Computer Trade Show (ECTS) on September 6. The package is expected to be available late in September in the UK with a provisional price tag of under UKP 40.
The scenery packs are expected to be available within the same time scales, with a per-pack price of under UKP 20.
System requirements for Flight Simulator 5.0 are an 80386-based or better PC with DOS 3.2 or later, 530K standard and 1 megabyte (MB) extended or expanded memory, plus at least 9MB of free space on a hard disk.
Space Simulator, meanwhile, is still undergoing final "tweaking," but is expected to require an 80386SX-based PC running at 20 megahertz (MHz) or better, with DOS 4.0 or later and similar memory/hard disk requirements to Flight Simulator 5.0.
(Steve Gold/19930812/Press & Public Contact: Microsoft - Tel: 0734 270001)
/Press & Public Contact: Microsoft - Tel: 0734 270001)
8/12/93
Microsoft Flight Simulator 5.0 & Space Simulator Due
Solitec Subsidiary To Buy Assets
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- Solitec Inc. says that a subsidiary plans to purchase trademarks and assets of Mac and More Inc.
Solitec's privately held subsidiary, Compumart Inc., (dba MacFriends) based in Portland, Oregon, has signed a letter of intent to purchase "certain trademarks and intangible assets" of Mac and More Inc., a privately held company in Tampa, Florida, which competes with MacFriends.
Joe McDowell, chairman of Solitec and Compumart, said that Mac and More is one of the largest direct resellers of Macintosh computer systems and had estimated revenues of over $30 million in calendar 1992. McDowell added that the transaction was expected to allow MacFriends, which serves mainly domestic markets, to have an East Coast sales office and gain access to international markets.
The parties expect to sign definitive agreements in the next two weeks.
Gabriel Calvo, president of Mac and More Inc., claims the company is restructuring its business and will "continue its corporate existence."
Under terms of the deal,MacFriends will obtain "certain intangible assets of Mac and More, including the right to use the Mac and More name and advertising materials, and succeed to Mac and More's 800 series phone numbers."
MacFriends plans to offer employment to "certain" Mac and More employees and sublet space for an East Coast sales office and maintain "certain supplier arrangements with non-domestic sales agents."
According to MacFriends, the company will pay Mac and More a fee based upon future revenues resulting from the use of the trademarks and trade names.
Solitec is an established manufacturer of semiconductor production equipment. However, the company recently diversified with the November 1992 acquisition of privately held Service Plus Technology Inc., a San Jose electronics distributor focusing on networking and connectivity products, and the December 1992 acquisition of Compumart Inc., and its subsidiary, Mountain View Leasing.
Solitec claims that it announced in July 1993 that it had entered into a letter of intent with an underwriter for a public offering of MacFriends' securities. The offering, which will be made only by means of a prospectus, is planned to occur in the last calendar quarter of 1993. Solitec plans to maintain a 50 percent or greater interest in MacFriends after the proposed public offering.
No one was available for comment from the companies by Newsbytes deadline.
(Ian Stokell/19930812/Press Contact: Joseph McDowell 408-980-1355, Solitec Inc.; Gabriel Calvo, 813-884-2863; Mac and More Inc.)
.; Gabriel Calvo, 813-884-2863; Mac and More Inc.)
8/12/93
Solitec Subsidiary To Buy Assets Of Mac And More
BUSINESS
Jean-Louis Gasse Resurfaces On 3
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- Jean-Louis Gasse, chairman and chief executive officer of Be Inc., and one-time executive of Apple Computer, has been elected to 3Com's board of directors effective July 7, 1993.
David J. Abramson, spokesman for 3Com, told Newsbytes that Gasse, "adds a dimension, both as a technologist of great renown and as an innovator in the field of computer technology. He is extremely well-respected internationally for his work in growing Apple France. And he adds a number of dimensions to the board."
Gassee, 49, was previously president of Apple Computer's Products division with responsibility for Apple's research and development product marketing, and manufacturing. He has also held management positions with Hewlett-Packard and Exxon Office Systems.
In announcing the appointment, Eric A. Benhamou, CEO of 3Com said: "Jean-Louis Gasse is a technology visionary, and his industry perspective will be a tremendous resource for our board."
In a prepared statement, Gasse said: "Right now there is no more dynamic area of computing than networking. 3Com has fought for and earned the leadership position and I'm excited to be part of their team."
At Be Inc., a company spokesman was playing his cards close to his chest in terms of disclosing what the company is all about. The press statement said that Be Inc., is "a personal computing technology company in the development stage working on products at the intersection of communications, consumer electronics and personal computing."
All the spokesman would tell Newsbytes was that, "We are not really saying much more than we said in the press release. We're a three-year-old start-up and have products under development but we haven't announced anything."
(Ian Stokell/19930812/Press Contact: David J. Abramson 408-764-6621, 3Com Corp.)
: David J. Abramson 408-764-6621, 3Com Corp.)
8/12/93
Jean-Louis Gasse Resurfaces On 3Com's Board
BUSINESS
Sierra On-Line In Licensing Deal
OAKHURST, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- Sierra On-Line Inc., has announced a licensing agreement with Berlitz Publishing in which Sierra's Bright Star Technology will develop manufacture and market a new CD-ROM-based foreign language and culture series called "Berlitz Alive!"
Audrey Mann, spokesperson for Bright Star, told Newsbytes that The significance of the deal, "is that Bright Star has this lip-sync technology. Now when you learn a foreign language you are actually going to taught by an 'electronic tutor.' It is fairly revolutionary. We are so used to trying to learn a language by listening to audio tapes or by buying books. This allows you in the privacy of your own home to have your own 'personal tutor,' so you can repeat things speak into a microphone, and actually hear your accent, and then hear how it is supposed to be pronounced."
The first foreign language educational series will be called "Japanese Alive!" The product is scheduled for release in late September, 1993.
Speaking of Japanese Alive!, Mann told Newsbytes, that the user "Will fly to Japan and go through customs. And be taught what to say and how to say it in Japanese. You will go to an exchange clerk to change money. You will go to a hotel. It will take you through the actual travel, and everything associated (with the trip). Berlitz has travel information and language information, business practices. It is going to be the first time they put all this on a CD-ROM. Actually have somebody talking to you. You will actually have this actor teach you, encourage you, test you, actually have a person moving their mouth.
The product should be especially useful to business people. "In the Japanese program, they can really go into the culture. The position for the businessman is terrific. There are so many customary and cultural things you should know before you go to Japan - how to present you business card," for example, she said.
In announcing the deal, Alan J. Higginson, president of Bright Star Technology and executive vice president of marketing and sales for Sierra, said, "This licensing agreement sets a new, positive direction for building Sierra's brand name and strengthens Bright Star's presence in the educational software market. In addition combining Sierra's interactive multimedia technology with Berlitz's language content, name recognition, and proven learning methodology opens new markets for our educational products, expanding into adult education and foreign language."
The company says that the deal calls for a series of six language products, including Japanese, Spanish, French and German, which will be distributed through Sierra's retail channels and mail order. Suggested retail price will be $195.
Berlitz Publishing Co. publishes language instruction worldwide. Sierra develops and publishes interactive entertainment and educational software for IBM PCs, Macintoshes, and Sega-CD systems.
(Ian Stokell/19930812/Press Contact: Richard Gelhaus 209-683-2598, Sierra On-Line)
: Richard Gelhaus 209-683-2598, Sierra On-Line)
8/12/93
Sierra On-Line In Licensing Deal With Berlitz
BUSINESS
Lawrence Livermore Lab Working O
LIVERMORE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- The Fibre Channel Systems Initiative has announced the first prototype implementation of the new high speed fiber optic technology, which is designed to reduce the time it takes to transfer large, complex files between computers.
The Fibre Channel Systems Initiative is a joint effort of Hewlett Packard Company, IBM and Sun Microsystems Computer Corp., to create high-speed "on-ramps" to the digital information highway.
The companies say that the first implementation of the prototype technology is at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Northern California, the test site for interoperability for the Fibre Channel Systems Initiative (FCSI).
The Fibre Channel Systems Initiative was launched in February. Its goal is the "advancement of Fibre Channel as an affordable, high speed interconnection standard for workstations and peripherals used in thousands of commercial and technical applications."
The results of their research will, supposedly, be open and available to the public.
The companies say that the national laboratory will use the technology in complex computer simulations of occurrences, such as fusion experiments. The simulations are said to be so complex that often a supercomputer cannot complete them without first having a physicist manipulate the model on a workstation, which requires transferring the data, approximately 160 megabytes (MB), from a supercomputer to a workstation for manual correction and then transferring the data back to the supercomputer for completion.
This process can take up to 40 minutes using an Ethernet connection. However, with the prototype Fibre Channel interconnect it will take just eight minutes. The companies say that, with a full gigabit speed interconnect available in the near future, it will take two seconds.
In announcing the test, Dr. Ed Frymoyer, program manager, Fibre Channel Systems Initiative, said: "Lawrence Livermore's needs were ideally suited for Fibre Channel interconnects because their applications involve so many different computers, ranging in scale from workstations to supercomputers, and include several major brands."
Fibre Channel's speed is reportedly not affected by additional connections and it simplifies the connection between workstations from companies like Sun, HP, IBM and others with supercomputers. Fibre Channel allows data to be transmitted bi-directionally at one gigabit per second at distances up to 10 kilometers.
(Ian Stokell/19930812/Press Contact: Stephen Wampler 510-423-3107, Lawrence Livermore Laboratory; or Kelly Emo 408-447-5334, HP; or Deeanna Franklin, 415-336-7226, SMCC)
-447-5334, HP; or Deeanna Franklin, 415-336-7226, SMCC)
8/12/93
Lawrence Livermore Lab Working On Fibre Optic Highway
TRENDS
Sequent To Ship WinServer NT Ser
BEAVERTON, OREGON, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 12 (NB) -- Coinciding with Microsoft's introduction of the Windows NT operating system Sequent Computer Systems Inc., is planning to ship production versions of its new WinServer database and application servers by mid-August.
The WinServer systems are preinstalled and preconfigured with Windows NT Advanced Server. The company says that three of the four announced systems - the WinServer 1000, 1500 and 3000 are set to begin shipping. The WinServer 5000 is scheduled to ship in the fourth quarter, 1993.
According to Sequent, the WinServer family scales from one to 30 Intel processors and supports both 486 and Pentium products. The company claims that the WinServer symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) architecture provides "the ideal platform for Windows NT, which was designed as an enterprise-wide multiprocessing operating system."
Paul Maritz, senior vice president of the systems division at Microsoft, said: "We anticipate the WinServer platform will provide corporate customers with a powerful and scalable means to exploit the full potential of Windows NT Advanced Server, and we look forward to continued joint development efforts between the two companies."
The company has reportedly been shipping WinServers with beta versions of Windows NT to a number of Fortune 500 companies.
Sequent claims to have been working closely with Microsoft since 1992 to provide turnkey SMP application and database servers.
The WinServer family is to be sold through a Sequent sales channel called WinCentral Direct, in addition to Sequent's direct sales force. WinCentral Direct is staffed by Sequent technical and business consultants who, according to the company, "assist customers in making appropriate technology and configuration decisions to deploy WinServer systems."
(Ian Stokell/19930812/Press Contact: Mike Green or Tami Sturdevant, 503-626-5700, Sequent Computer Systems Inc.)
ant, 503-626-5700, Sequent Computer Systems Inc.)
8/12/93
Sequent To Ship WinServer NT Servers Mid-August
" @ ~
The Enabled Computer, ADA Expo '
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- Following is the first of a four-part look at the full text of John A. McCormick's talk at the Tuesday, July 27, 1993, ADA Expo '93 held in Washington D.C. The fourth part will contain contact information for products and services mentioned in the talk.
The presentation was made to corporate and government MIS department buyers and office managers and concerned the difficulties encountered in finding adaptive technology and evaluating these products for a business setting, especially when they are needed to meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Technological Advances for ADA: Computers and ADA Implementation
Ladies and Gentlemen, I looked over the topics chosen by the other presenters and decided that the most useful service I could offer was to provide a look at how you can go about locating and evaluating the latest technology.
As regular buyers of technology and services, you are used to dealing with highly polished presentations and aggressive sales staffs from major companies.
A word of warning: DON'T expect that same level of marketing and sales support when dealing with most companies that cater to the disabled community.
Many of the companies involved in providing services and products for the disabled are very small, unused to dealing with big businesses, and often geared more to providing extensive one-on-one support than negotiating contracts or making impressive presentations.
But that doesn't mean that their products are any less professionally designed and manufactured, and this is a critical point to remember when dealing with these vendors because if you let your normal prejudice against their small size and lack of marketing skills control your selection then you may be led to ignoring a vital piece of technology.
But before you get to the vendors you must first locate products.
Adaptive technology companies are generally very small and, until the ADA went into force, they were almost always dealing with individuals or social service agencies on a retail basis; therefore, they do not have the resources to market their products by mailing out a hundred thousand catalogs.
There are some catalog publishers who handle products for a lot of smaller suppliers, but as often as not you will need some specialized product that has a small market and is only available from the manufacturer or importer.
This situation could represent a real nightmare to buyers if you don't know how to go about locating products.
Fortunately, there is a federally funded free consulting service operating under the sponsorship of the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities.
The Job Accommodation Network provides direct advice to businesses from professional human factors counselors.
This information is provided to employers as well as people with disabilities and covers both available technology and advice on custom job and worksite accommodations.
The JAN office also conducts individualized searches for specific workplace accommodations, based on the job's functional requirements, the physical or mental limitations of the individual, environmental factors, and other pertinent information.
JAN experts assist employers and individuals with disabilities in the use of a variety of public programs dealing with disability including the Job Training Partnership Act, Projects with Industry, Supported Employment, Targeted Jobs Tax Credit, and barrier removal incentives.
The ADA Work Line is staffed by people experienced in discussing the application of the ADA, especially as it relates to accommodation and accessibility issues.
JAN is also the publisher of the videotape "Bridging the Talent Gap," which features a variety of individuals with disabilities successfully employed as a result of vocational rehabilitation and on-the-job accommodation.
General descriptive literature on JAN services is available directly from JAN, and you can contact the counselors or view the results of other consultations on an electronic bulletin board service.
ABLEDATA
The other basic resource for adaptive technology buyers is the ABLEDATA data base.
You can access this information by contacting REHABDATA in Silver Spring, Maryland, with specific search requests or buy a subscription to the Co-Net CD-ROM which has all the new and even discontinued products which were known to the publishers at the time the disc was published.
The next release, which the Center says will be available in August, will include an expanded text library containing documents covering special funding, the full text of the new Rehabilitation Act, and many ADA legislation and technical assistance manuals.
A new cooperative service directory will include information about state and nation-wide disability-related services providers. This is a Macintosh and MS-DOS compatible CD-ROM and individual two-issue subscriptions cost less than $50.
To be continued in the next issue.
(John McCormick/19930730/)
d in the next issue.
(John McCormick/19930730/)
8/13/93
The Enabled Computer, ADA Expo '93 Speech, Part 1
GENERAL
Editorial - PC Prices, How Low C
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- By John McCormick. Should you buy now or wait for lower prices?
That question, often ignored by computer publications, is really more important to most users than whether the latest microprocessor is 2.5-times faster than the last release or will really only run their software 2.25-times more quickly.
Because most users never push their hardware or software anywhere near the limits, few buyers really care about the fastest hardware and instead are far more interested in the cost of just enough power to meet their particular needs.
These days, that generally means a 386SX if you don't run Windows, and a 486 if you do, or whatever Macintosh you can afford if you are Apple-oriented.
With the steady deterioration in profit margins for manufacturers and a consequent Dutch-auction atmosphere among buyers, you really have to give some serious thought to non-essential new hardware purchases. (A Dutch-auction just means that, unlike normal auctions where people keep bidding prices up, prices are constantly marked down until products sell.)
Obviously, if you need new hardware then you buy it now selecting among vendors based on price, quality, and options. This also holds true if you don't have a computer yet - they are such powerful tools that virtually every business and many individuals really need one and the price/pay-off ratio for a first computer has been right for almost a decade.
But what if you would like to upgrade although you don't really need to yet? In that case, your real problem is not selecting a vendor but deciding if prices will continue to drop.
Apple Computer, after suffering the worst fiscal quarter in its history, will obviously have to continue its recent price-cutting ways and work at reducing costs if it wants to improve or even maintain its market share.
Price cuts continue for two basic reasons. First, competition is really getting to cutthroat proportions as more and more buyers are discovering that, to paraphrase Gertrude Stein, a PC is a PC is a PC. And, second, efficient PC makers can afford to cut prices because component prices are continuing to fall. Intel's 486 processor prices are falling and will probably plunge when AMD starts selling large numbers of its compatible chip.
Also, if you have delayed buying a large hard drive because of high costs, then you obviously haven't been paying attention because many drive prices have dropped by as much as 50 percent just since January.
Don't look for prices to ever go much below $1,000 for a decent computer simply because it costs that much to package, market warehouse, and support a hardware package at a reasonable profit but if you are looking at desktop computers priced in the $2,000 to $3,000 range then you can expect to see more features along with larger memories and hard drives added to specific clone models and lowered prices on big-name computers in that price range.
If you are looking at workstations, and especially servers priced from $5,000 to $20,000 or more, then hold on to your hats because it looks as if hardware prices will really plunge.
Why wouldn't they, when you can assemble a 66-megahertz 80486 based server-type system with 16 megabytes of memory and a pair of gigabyte plus hard drives for less than $5,000?
Notebooks are the one major area where prices may have bottomed out and could even increase. Recently Compaq's notebook manufacturer, Citizen, stopped shipping computers to the Texas based company because the drop in value of the US dollar versus the Japanese yen has meant that Citizen had lost its entire profit margin on the deals.
This upward price pressure may well continue and spread since most notebook computers and all notebook display screens are made overseas and the dollar shows no real signs of strengthening.
(John McCormick/19930716/)
strengthening.
(John McCormick/19930716/)
8/13/93
Editorial - PC Prices, How Low Can They Go?
EDITORIAL
TRENDS
SPA Conference Scheduled For Oct
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- Every year for the past eight, North American software industry leaders have gotten together under the auspices of the Software Publisher's Association and this year The Ninth Annual Conference will take place from October 10 through the 13th at the Chicago Hilton and Towers Hotel. Targeting piracy concerns and the direction the industry is taking, the annual SPA conference is expected to host the top executives from nearly 1,100 leading software publishing companies.
Keynote speakers this year will be Michael Vitelli, senior vice president for sales and marketing at Sony, and IBM's personal software products president, Lee Reiswig.
Sony's VP, who was in charge of Sony Walkman and Diskman roll outs, will focus on marketing lessons software companies can learn from the consumer electronics industry.
IBM's representative will discuss current trends at Big Blue and the high-tech industry in general.
This conference is not open to the public, but it a major industry event where hardware and software makers network discuss changes in the industry, and try to interest developers in their latest product concepts.
The renowned Evangelical Reception, where the latest hardware from Apple, Intel, IBM, Philips, and other high-flyers will be previewed, is scheduled for Sunday night, October 10.
Since the conference is open to the press, computer users can expect to see reports emerging from the conference that will preview the major products that will be publicly exhibited at fall COMDEX.
The rest of the time on Monday and Tuesday will be taken up by the interactive seminars which will use panel sessions to focus on various topics of special interest to software development and marketing executives.
SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- Worthington Data Solutions, a company which focuses on data collection technologies, has introduced a portable bar code scanner which adds customizable voice prompts to a new, smaller reader. Worthington's new TriCoder Portable Reader uses a non-contact laser scanner or CCD (charge coupled device) surface scanner to read and record bar code data.
Adding up to 30 1/2 second voice prompts to a hand-held bar code scanner may make it much easier to use, especially by semi literate users or in adverse lighting conditions where the 4-line by 20-character non-backlit LCD screen is difficult to see.
Since the voice prompts are recorded by the user rather than hard-wired, they can be fully customized and in any language.
Besides the 30 half-second prompts, a typical setup includes 25 longer 1-second messages and 10 2-second messages.
Data collected either from the built-in keypad or scanned from barcodes, is stored in the 64- 256-kilobyte memory, none of which is used by the voice-prompt messages.
Data can be downloaded via a Macintosh or PC keyboard port, or standard RS-232 or RS-422 ports.
Pricing for the 64 kilobyte model begin at $799 complete with wand and the 256 kilobyte model is priced at $999 with voice prompt, $100 less without voice prompt capabilities.
The company says that this bar code scanner is targeted at libraries, manufacturing, retail, and insurance markets as well as at government agencies. Applications include meter reading quality control, inventory management, fixed asset management control, and records management.
(John McCormick/19930812/Press Contact: Patti Kemp, S&S Public Relations for Worthington, 415-986-0966, fax 415-986-8270, MCI Mail 555-0908. Public Contact: Worthington Data Systems, 408-458 9938)
hington Data Systems, 408-458 9938)
8/13/93
Speech Synthesis Bar Code Scanner
GENERAL
Artisoft Ships New T-Runner Conc
Comm Software Sends, Receives Da
Media Vision Intros New Audio Ch
Oracle UK Adds Six More Companie
US West Asks For Rate Hike; Gets
Public Interest Communications P
Newton Messagepads To Go On Sale
Wordperfect Announces Back-To-Sc
IDC Surveys Australian Computer
Dell Begins Shipping 486 Systems
Correction - Apple Newton In Ext
Avid Technology's New Business U
UK - Compuserve, US Robotics Off
WordPerfect's Intellitag For DOS
Apple To Move Entirely To PowerP
Cyrix-Intel Battles Not Over Yet
IBM PS/2 Model 50Z Now Available
3DO Losses Reported, Red Ink Exp
Newton Easter Eggs, Bugs
Take A Letter Makes Business Let
AT&T Scores $50M Contract With W
SCO & Informix In Formal Allianc
Adobe Ships Illustrator For Sun
Take A Letter Makes Business Let
KIRKLAND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- A Kirkland Washington-based company has released a software program it says will help writers of business correspondence say what they want to say in less time and solves the problem of writer's block.
Called Take A Letter, the software works with popular Microsoft Windows word processors to help users create a professional looking and sounding letter, or know what they want to say but just want a "jump start." Centric says a poll of 200 business executives conducted by New York-based consulting firm Communspond showed that 95 percent of the executives say most correspondence is either too wordy or unclear as is its meaning.
Take A Letter comes with more than 150 "fill in the blanks" business letters, and provides examples of what information it needs to complete each field. Once you have done that, a click on the Send To Word Processor button converts the letter to your favorite word processor. When you invoke Take A Letter from inside your word processing program, you will see lists of available subjects and categories. As you highlight each one, a preview windows at the bottom of the screen shows you what the letter says.
Once you select the specific letter you want to prepare, Take A Letter walks you through the letter, opening dialog boxes for your specific information to replace the generic fields such as "your name," "your phone number," "salutation," "close," and other information. When you are finished, you click on the "send to word processor" button. That automatically launches that application opens a new document, and moves the Take A Letter document to the clipboard. All you have to do is paste it into the document. Once in your word processor, the letter can be edited like any other text file.
The Take A Letter templates are organized into categories like Sales and Marketing, Personnel Relations, or subjects like Introductions or Market Research. You can also do a search on key words and select from the list of letters than contain those words. If your favorite word processor is not already running in Windows, Take A Letter will launch it. The developer, Centric Development, says it plans to release additional bundles of letters later, including those for personal correspondence and some vertical markets, including law, medicine, and accounting. Take A Letter installs as a menu item or an icon on Word for Windows, Wordperfect for Windows, Lotus Ami Pro, Works for Windows, and Windows Write. The program has a suggested retail price of $99, and is being offered initially for the promotional price of $74.95.
Centric Development spokesperson David Kaufer told Newsbytes the product will be rolled out at the Home Office Technology show being held at the San Jose Convention Center in San Jose California August 24-25.
(Jim Mallory/19930812/Press contact: David Kaufer, Kaufer Miller Communications for Centric Development, 206-450-9965; Reader contact: Centric Development, 206-820-5057)
Take A Letter Makes Business Letter Writing Easier
BT Intros 9600 BPS Access To Dia
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- After months of testing British Telecom (BT) has announced its 9,600 bits per second (bps) access ports for its Dial Plus packet data network (PDN) are now open to all users of the network.
So far, 24 access points on the network are operational, working to 9,600 bps standards with V.42Bis and MNP Class 4 error correction and data compression standards.
The 9600 bps access network claims to cover 77 percent of existing Dial Plus customers and 69 percent of the business modem-using population of the UK. Plans are in hand to steadily increase the number of access points around the UK in the coming months.
Although Dial Plus has taken almost two years longer than Mercury to upgrade its network to 9,600 bps working, Newsbytes notes that the Dial Plus network supports V.42Bis, rather than the V.42 system that Mercury's PDN supports. Although this is countered by Mercury's support for MNP Class 5 (as against Class 4 on Dial Plus), the effective data throughput on BT's PDN can be higher -- provided the distant host system can accept data at high speeds -- than via Mercury's PDN.
Some services, notably Compuserve, "throttle back" their network interfaces so that, unless the access is made at off-peak times, data transmission speeds are rarely faster than 9,600 bps.
According to BT, a total of 24 companies have taken part in the beta test trials of the 9,600 bps Dial Plus network. Kevin Hart, market sector manager of the Bankers Automated Clearing System (BACS), one of the network beta testers, said that, using the faster network has improved data throughput by more than 500 percent.
"Since we introduced BT's Dial Plus service three years ago, we have seen asynchronous access into BACS' online telecoms service Bacstel, grow to over 2,000 users and become the most popular method of connecting directly into BACS," he said
Announcing the official opening of the Dial Plus 96 network, Bill Kirkwood, BT's commercial manager for GNS Dial Services, said that although many customers will be happy to continue using Dial Plus at the lower speeds, there are a number of applications, such as file transfer, or interactive sessions, where high speed transmission leads to marked economies.
"Consequently, BT will continue to investigate the feasibility of providing future services at speeds between 9,600 and 64,000 bps," he said.
Kirkwood seems to be referring to recent advances in modem technology which include the informal agreement on the V.Fast high speed modem standard in the US.
BT's Dial Plus subscription rates remain the same for the high-speed network. Sign-up charges are UKP 60, with ongoing annual rental of UKP 60. Usage charges for inland UK calls range from UKP 2-65 an hour off-peak to UKP 3-20 peak. International rates are based on time plus data volume charges.
(Steve Gold/19930812/Press & Public Contact: BT Dial Plus Sales Tel: 0800-282444)
& Public Contact: BT Dial Plus Sales Tel: 0800-282444)
8/13/93
BT Intros 9600 BPS Access To Dial Plus Packet Network
TELECOM
ISDN Video Shopping Terminal
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- British Telecom (BT) has announced it is working with Applied Interactive Marketing (AIM), a specialist multimedia agency, to develop a multimedia touch-screen sales system that links over BT's integrated services digital network (ISDN) service.
The idea behind the terminal is to allow a product or service vendor to assemble all their sales information onto a computer-based multimedia system at their headquarters. Then, when dealers have an interested customer, they access the system using their local terminal over ISDN.
According to BT, this removes the expense of producing glossy catalogues which can frequently be out of date by the time the customer gets to see them. Pricing information held on the central computer can be downloaded to the local terminal and printed out as required.
In an example cited by BT, a car manufacturer can load all its information onto a multimedia PC, allowing access to its dealers over ISDN. On the shop floor, a color picture of the customer's car requirements can be built up, even down to the color of the trim required, and, when complete, the image can be transferred to the customer's file at headquarters for order processing.
Ray Pritchard, ISDN supply liaison manager with BT, said that this technology makes life a lot easier for all concerned.
"This new interactive selling tool signals the imminent arrival of a whole range of multimedia applications, using sound, video and image to bring benefits both to BT's business customers and to consumers BT is currently working with a number of suppliers to encourage new ISDN business applications," he said.
Both BT and AIM remain coy on the exact costs of the multimedia terminal. Newsbytes understands that AIM is currently beat testing the interactive multimedia system with major companies in the fashion, home furnishings and domestic appliance retailing industries.
(Steve Gold/19930812/Press & Public Contact: Penn Communications for BT - Tel: 081-569-9768; Fax: 081-569-9667)
1-569-9768; Fax: 081-569-9667)
8/13/93
ISDN Video Shopping Terminal
TELECOM
F p T
UK - Central Point Ships New Bac
UXBRIDGE, MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- Central Point Software (CPS) has announced the simultaneous release of new versions of its DOS and Windows backup programs. The packages Backup v8.0 for DOS and Backup v2.0 for Windows -- are available immediately.
"The increasing size of hard disks combined with the volumes of data stored on those disks are increasingly valuable corporate and individual resources," explained Jim Horsburgh, Central Point's managing director for northern and international regions.
"Neglecting to back up data is like playing Russian Roulette. People bet it won't happen to them, but in a recent Central Point customer survey, we found that more than half of those surveyed needed to restore data at least once, while ten percent needed to do so at least four times," he said.
Although the DOS and Windows backup packages were developed for different environments, they both have identical features and interfaces. Claimed to be top of the list of new features is support for small computer system interface (SCSI) tape drives, in addition to CPS' support for QIC drives.
Other new features of both packages include support for multiple levels of data encryption, a file viewer system, tape tools expanded virus protection and a facility for backing up the Netware bindery and trustee information to a SCSI tape drive.
Both packages retail for UKP 99. Existing customers of either DOS or Windows backup software from the company can upgrade to the new edition, switching environments if required, for UKP 22-50.
(Steve Gold/19930812/Press & Public Contact: Central Point Software Tel: 081-848-1414)
tact: Central Point Software Tel: 081-848-1414)
8/13/93
UK - Central Point Ships New Back-Up Software
UK - Borland Offers C++ Programm
READING, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- Borland International has announced it is offering a high-end special collection of professional tools for C++ programmers, for a single price of UKP 439-95 plus tax.
The package, which includes the Brief 3.1 programmers' editor and Protogen for C++ 2.2 visual application generator, together with the C++ development environment, as well as DOS and Windows applications frameworks, is claimed to cost the same as C++ and Application Frameworks on their own.
Announcing the programmer's bundling deal, Guy Martin, Borland's UK languages product manager, said that the company continues to provide the best value support for the developer community.
"We are aware of the need, not only to simplify and enhance application development, but to improve programmer productivity. We are sure that this new deal will prove extremely attractive to professional C++ developers," he said.
So why is Borland apparently giving away its C++ development software? Newsbytes notes that the company is currently at the top of the C languages ladder in UK programmer's terms. The current recession has forced many companies developing C++ applications to look to cheaper solutions from other software houses. This bundling deal goes a long way to persuading C++ development software developers to stay with Borland.
(Steve Gold/19930812/Press & Public Contact: Borland International 0734-320022)
ress & Public Contact: Borland International 0734-320022)
8/13/93
UK - Borland Offers C++ Programmers All In Collection
PC Shipments Up In Japan
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- Shipment of personal computers increased for the first time in nine quarters in Japan. However the increase was small, and it will take more time for the PC industry to recover from its slump.
Japan Electronics Industry Development Association reports that its survey of personal computer shipments during the most recent quarter (April to June) indicated 635,000 units were shipped, a 21 percent increase over the same quarter last year. The shipments were worth 266.4 billion yen ($2.5 billion) a one percent increase over the previous year.
However, exports of PCs amounted to 201,000 units, or 2.2 times more than this time last year. Total overseas sales amounted to 47.1 billion yen ($450 million), a whopping 91 percent increase. Many of the PCs were exported to the US and Canada.
PC shipments in Japan's domestic market were still slow. Some 434,000 units were shipped, representing a minus 2 percent decrease (185.3 billion yen/$1.75 billion) from the previous year.
The most popular computers were 32-bit laptop and notebook-type PCs. Sales of notebook-type PCs were 1.6 times more than the previous year.
In order to help the industry recover, the Japanese government is planning to purchase a large number of PCs for public schools over the next few years.
(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930813/Press Contact: Japan Electronics Industry Development Association, +81-3-3433-6296 Fax, +81-3-3433-6350)
6296 Fax, +81-3-3433-6350)
8/13/93
PC Shipments Up In Japan
TRENDS
Multimedia Market Barely Tapped,
SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- Less than one percent of the total market for multimedia has been tapped according to a report from Market Vision. The market research group is projecting that by 1997 multimedia will generate $9 billion in revenue for the computer industry and $15 billion in consumer-related products.
Over the next five years multimedia products will increase at an 80 percent compounded annual rate. Market Vision says growth in multimedia is because it is seen as a way to solve problems in information access, presentation, and communications.
Professionals dedicated to multimedia make up half the market for multimedia now, but in two years that will change dramatically. The business user and the consumer user will each separately generate annual revenues that exceed those of all computer professionals, Market Vision predicts. That trend will continue and by 1997 the group is predicting consumer appliances will outperform every other category, accounting for nearly two-thirds of all multimedia businesses.
The research group says the drop in the cost of consumer multimedia appliances to below $300 in 1997 will accelerate the boom at the consumer level. Quality titles will also be below $50, which is the level Robert Ashton, principle researcher at Market Vision, believes consumer buying accelerates.
Niche markets, such as business use of multimedia, will also grow. Now businesses generate an estimated $550 million, but that figure is expected to boom to nearly $5 billion by 1997. Educational markets are also expected to triple in size from $344 million now to $1.27 billion by 1997.
The top applications will be entertainment, communications information, and instruction, Ashton asserts. Entertainment applications include video games, movies on demand, interactive movies, and electronic photo albums. Under communications electronic mail was number one, and in information, home shopping and personal data management were at the top of the list. Teaching children was the application that stood out under the instruction category.
However, there are hurdles. Distribution channels for the multimedia information need to be put in place and smooth operating infrastructure will also need to be organized. This means more alliances between companies, and some necessary alliances that the research group said will be "sensitive" and even "distasteful" to participants.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930812/Press Contact: Robert Ashton, Market Vision, tel 408-426-4400, fax 408-426-4411)
on, Market Vision, tel 408-426-4400, fax 408-426-4411)
8/13/93
Multimedia Market Barely Tapped, Huge Growth By 1997
TRENDS
Awards Honor 10 Companies At Gro
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- Teams of judges awarded honors to companies in nine categories of groupware during a luncheon ceremony at the GroupWare '93 Conference and Exhibition.
"Groupware is tough to implement and tough to run in a bulletproof fashion, and we have the scars to show it," said Carlene Ellis vice president and director of information technology for Intel Corporation, co-sponsor of the Best of Show Awards. Ellis noted that groupware, applied creatively, can address three key business challenges: leadership, innovation, and competitiveness.
Gary Bolles, editor-in-chief of Network Computing magazine the awards' other co-sponsor, urged groupware vendors to continue to do more for users. He ended his opening remarks by challenging vendors to develop groupware tools that automate underlying business processes, not simply mechanical tasks.
This year, there were twice as many entries as for 1992's Best of Show Awards, according to master-of-ceremonies David Coleman who is also the conference chairman for GroupWare '93. Last year's six categories were increased to 10, though the judges eliminated the group editing category because of overlap with other categories.
Panels of judges -- each consisting of a user, an industry analyst, and a member of the press -- spent two days studying the finalists in their respective categories and viewing product demonstrations on the trade show floor.
The judging teams all agreed that reaching their decisions had not been easy. The winners in the eight product categories were:
Electronic Mail and Messaging (two winners): BeyondMail from Beyond, Inc., and WordPerfect Office 4.0 from WordPerfect Corporation
Document and Image Management: C.A. Facilitator from McCall Szerdy and Associates Workflow: WorkMAN from Reach Software
Calendaring/Scheduling: Network Scheduler 3 from Powercore, Inc.
Shared Screen: DeskTop Conferencing from Fujitsu Networks Industry
Group Decision Support Systems: GroupSystems V from Ventana Corporation
Groupware Development Tools: Edify Agent Trainer from Edify Corporation
Shared Memory/Database: Lotus Notes Release 3.0 from Lotus Development Corporation
In presenting the final award, the Groupware Achievement Award co-judge Esther Dyson commented, "If you think defining groupware is difficult, try defining 'achievement' in an industry where nobody's dead or retired yet." The award went to Jay Nunamaker CEO of Ventana Corporation and director of the Center for the Management of Information at The University of Arizona.
The GroupWare '93 Conference and Exhibition was held in San Jose CA, August 9-12. Produced by The Conference Group, The GroupWare conference will appear in Boston, London, San Jose, and Sydney during 1994. The Conference Group: Scottsdale, AZ, 602-661-1260.
(Audrey Kalman/19930813)
, 602-661-1260.
(Audrey Kalman/19930813)
8/13/93
Awards Honor 10 Companies At GroupWare '93
GENERAL
A Vision of the Future at GroupW
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- If the 1980s was the decade in which technology helped create isolated pools of information, the 1990s may be the decade when technology brings that isolated information -- and the people who work with it together. Computer-based tools that assist, enable, or improve group work processes have become commonly known as "groupware."
For the second year in a row, the GroupWare Conference and Exhibition has showcased those products and technologies and brought together pioneers and neophytes.
GroupWare '93, held August 9-12 at the San Jose Convention Center was produced by The Conference Group, who projected attendance of 4,000 for the event. With a tutorial program, general and track sessions, and a one-day executive conference, GroupWare addressed hundreds of topics from real-time video conferencing and the virtual corporation to the human side of groupware and whether workflow management is really working.
Sixty groupware vendors, including Digital Equipment Corporation IBM, Lotus, Microsoft, and WordPerfect as well as other less widely known companies displayed and demonstrated products during three days of exhibits.
On Thursday, August 12, Paul Saffo, research fellow at the Menlo Park, CA-based Institute for the Future, delivered the final general presentation of the conference, titled "Groupware and the End of the Corporation." Saffo put groupware in its historical context, describing how, through history, humans have invented technology that changes organizations; the organizations in turn influence technology.
Citing developments such as the invention of the printing press, double-entry book-keeping, and the fountain pen, Saffo pointed out that the "dance between organization and technology continues," with groupware but the latest step.
"The PC is obsolete," Saffo said, "because microprocessors are no longer driving change." Instead, the 1990s will be shaped by the communications laser -- that ubiquitous and invisible technology already found in music CD players, scanners printers, and CD-ROM drives. Saffo predicted "a shift from the processing-driven 1980s to the access-driven 1990s." In this access-driven world, the devices (whether computers or "information appliances" such as personal digital assistants) won't be as important as the information channels to which they're connected.
As in the past, technological change redefines the organization. Saffo described a move from the flattened corporate structures of the 1980s to "the fractal company," in which the structure of each group within the organization mimics structure of the whole much as the branch of a tree repeats the structure of the entire tree. In this new organization, Saffo said, "boundaries will matter more than centers," and groupware will help us define and manage those boundaries."
The very vagueness of the term "groupware" is one of its advantages Saffo argued. Just as nobody understood exactly what a "personal computer" was in the early 1980s when they began using the term today people use the term groupware as a shorthand for the emerging opportunities made possible by what Saffo referred to as the "laser-enabled world."
But groupware isn't just a fancy academic concept or a vaporous technology buzzword. Applications in place at companies like American Airlines, Kraft General Foods, or Applied Materials prove that groupware exists and can be applied in the real world. Many of groupware's component technologies -- such as electronic mail, document imaging/management/retrieval, fax voice processing, forms, and databases -- aren't revolutionary. What's new is the way groupware innovators combine these technologies and apply them to a key area of business productivity: group work processes.
(Audrey Kalman/19930813)
k processes.
(Audrey Kalman/19930813)
8/13/93
A Vision of the Future at GroupWare '93
TRENDS
McCaw, PacTel Win Approval To Co
WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- McCaw Cellular and PacTel announced that regulatory approval has been obtained for their proposed combination of interests in the Southwest and Far West.
The deal is the two companies will combine their interests in San Francisco, San Jose, Dallas, Kansas City and adjacent areas into a 99-year joint venture with equal ownership. The result, once it closes in October, will be two large cellular clusters covering 9.2 million potential customers. PacTel Mobile Services, which resells McCaw's Cellular One service in the Bay Area, will be merged into the McCaw operation. No phone numbers will be changed in California, and the only thing customers will notice there is the Cellular One brand on their bills. In the Midwest PacTel will buy McCaw's Wichita and Topeka systems, and contribute its 34% interest in a Dallas cellular system to the joint venture.
PacTel president Lee Cox explained that the deal will help his company mainly in the Midwest, where it already has a successful joint venture with Cellular Communications Inc. covering over 15 million potential customers in Michigan and Ohio. He also noted that this gives PacTel interests in cellular systems covering 10 of the top 30 US metropolitan areas, as it works to spin off its wireless operations from the main phone company, which is the regional Bell for California and Nevada. McCaw chairman Craig McCaw called it another step in his vision of a seamless cellular network across North America.
BETHESDA, MARYLAND, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- Did you miss your favorite show and forget to set the VCR to tape it? Do you think that what you really need from the new, advanced cable system your operator promises is more re-runs? More important are you willing to pay for it?
Discovery Networks, and your cable operator, want to know. So Discovery's Your Choice TV Incorporated unit will start testing pay-per-view re-runs in eight cable systems owned by major operators, starting with Comcast's West Palm Beach, Florida system in October. The re-runs will cost just a dollar or two and will give the industry some insight into what people will want out of the 500 channel systems Time Warner, TCI and other major operators are promising.
In addition to Comcast's system, other operators participating in the tests, which run through March, include the Time Warner system in Columbus, Ohio; TCI's network in the Chicago suburbs; Continental Cablevision's Dayton, Ohio operation; Cablevision's Nassau County, Long Island, system, Time Mirror's San Diego network; NewChannels system in Syracuse, New York, and Cox Cable's system in Spokane, Washington. Consumer research has shown households with digital cable are willing to spend about $20 per month to see pay-per-view programs, but saying you'll buy something and buying it are two different things.
Meanwhile, hardware and software for the new systems continues under development. Microsoft is working with General Instruments on a new set-top converter under Microsoft Windows, while Scientific-Atlanta is working on one based on Kaleida Labs' Scriptx. Telephone suppliers like Broadband Systems are also moving to install higher-capacity fiber cable for phone companies like Bell Atlantic, meaning the new 500-channel cable world could be quite competitive.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930813)
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930813)
8/13/93
Discovery Testing Paid Reruns
TELECOM
New Dyno Notepad Aimed At Note-t
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- If you are frequently taking notes, Portfolio Software says it has the Personal Information Manager (PIM) for you. The company says its new Dyno Notepad product uses the familiar note-pad metaphor to help users quickly gather and organize their thoughts, "to do" lists, and information.
The product uses an outline to format information, allowing the user to expand or contract the outline to see just the information they need. The outline elements can be labeled with bullets, triangles, and checkboxes, as well as traditional labels such as Harvard (1.A, 2.B) and Legal (1.0, 1.1) labels. The company says users can define their own labels as well.
A version is available for both Windows and the Macintosh and Portfolio maintains data can be shared between the different platforms on a network. In addition, the data can be saved in .RTF TXT, and Dyno Notepad for the Macintosh formats and brought into a word processor for use. Dyno Notes has also been designed to be small, 800 kilobytes (K), and can run in as little as 40 K so notebook and laptop computer users can take advantage of the product, the company added.
Dyno Notepad for Windows requires an IBM or 100% compatible computer with 2 megabytes (MB) of random access memory (RAM) Microsoft Windows 3.1 or higher, MS-DOS 3.3 or higher and any printer supported by Windows 3.1. The Macintosh version requires 2 MB of RAM and System 6.04 or later. The retail price is $59.95, but Portfolio is offering the product directly to users for $39.95 until September 15, 1993.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930812/Press Contact: Elizabeth Reed Portfolio Software, tel 408-252-0420, fax 408-252-0440)
re, tel 408-252-0420, fax 408-252-0440)
8/13/93
New Dyno Notepad Aimed At Note-takers
Microsoft Australia's MD Jackson
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- Microsoft Australia boss Gary Jackson has resigned without warning. The first journalists knew of the situation was when a terse press release was faxed out yesterday. It was strangely reminiscent of the press release which announced that Jackson's predecessor David Miller left Microsoft a couple of years ago.
Yesterday's announcement quoted Jackson as saying, "Rumors about lawsuits between Pyramid and myself are not doing this company any good, and I feel it is in my own and Microsoft's interests to separate so that matters can be pursued independently." The release went on to say that Microsoft wishes Jackson all the best for the future and will appoint a new MD without delay.
It is believed that Jackson's problems with Pyramid may center around sponsorship of the Australian Masters Golf Tournament which had switched from Pyramid to Microsoft. While at Microsoft Jackson has seen the company move through very successful, if interesting times. This especially includes the decision to start charging for support on all Microsoft products from late this year. It is generally believed in the Australian computer press that Jackson had been doing a good job, both for Microsoft, and for the software industry.
Former Microsoft Australia MD Daniel Petre is presently moving back to Australia from the US, to take up the new position of managing director for Microsoft Asia/Pacific.
(Paul Zucker/19930813)
Microsoft Asia/Pacific.
(Paul Zucker/19930813)
8/13/93
Microsoft Australia's MD Jackson Resigns Suddenly
GENERAL
Australia PC Week Story Stirs De
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- The lead story in this week's PC Week Australia newspaper has drawn a swift and vehement reaction from its subject, Dell Computer Australia. The story, while not critical of Dell, states that initial shipment numbers have been far smaller than Dell hoped for. Dell now says this is untrue.
The story states that less than 2000 machines (1150 from Dell's factory in Ireland) have been shipped to the Australian subsidiary since it started business in January. "The 1150 represents just half a day's output for us," PC Week quotes Dell's Limerick facility's human resources manager Dick Kennedy. He is also quoted as saying that initial shipments to Australia were just a trickle - perhaps two or three dozen in the first three months.
Kennedy went on to say that this was not unusual for a start-up subsidiary, and more recently the volumes had ramped up significantly. For instance, 300 PCs were shipped in the most recent two weeks. He also said that all the machines they had shipped to Australia were presumably in customer's hands as the facility acts as a fulfillment house, building machines to the Australian customers' specifications and shipping them to Australia within two days.
Dell has positioned itself as the Compaq killer with a concerted ad campaign that has had the desired effect - a response ad campaign from Compaq.
In Today's (Friday) Computer Daily News faxed news service Dell is reported to be quite angry at PC Week, denying the accuracy of the story. Dell marketing manager, Denis Rowe is quoted as saying that although he would never reveal actual sales figures, the Computerworld newspaper story this week is much nearer the correct figure - it suggested sales of around 1000 units a month. He also said that the fact that a Dell staffer in Ireland had given information was "ludicrous beyond belief" and that it was already the subject of discussions at presidential level within Dell Headquarters in Texas.
In chapter three of this story, PC Week Editor Geoff Ebbs issued a statement to Newsbytes today. It said, "In fact the 'fewer than two thousand' figure was supplied by Mr Rowe himself when PC Week contacted him for confirmation of the story during the research by our news team. The information on which the story was based was offered to PC Week technical editor Paul Paradigm during a visit to Dell's Irish factory. The day before going to press Julie Robotham (PC Week business editor) called the factory to get an up-to-the-minute shipment figure. Darren Edwards (news editor) contacted Mr Rowe to inform him of the content of the story, and to give him the opportunity to comment. The story marked the first time firm figures on Dell shipments have been published in Australia. It could not have been researched more thoroughly and I have every confidence in its accuracy."
(Paul Zucker/19930813)
ccuracy."
(Paul Zucker/19930813)
8/13/93
Australia PC Week Story Stirs Dell
GENERAL
UK - BT Cuts Pricing On Internat
Sybase Signs Up SHL; Enhances Ch
India - Datamatics Focuses On Ba
Computer Associates Extends Free
Centrum Intros AppleTalk Support
Ungermann-Bass Forms Networking
Adobe Illustrator 5.0 For Macint
SunConnect To Certify Third-Part
US West Upgrades Analog Cellular
Artisoft Earns $9.4M In Fiscal 1
Media Vision Intros PC Audio Car
Correction - Sharp Express Pad,
Digi Signs US West Deal
India - Crime Information System
PC Shipments Up In Japan
IBM Canada Cuts PC Prices Across
Newsbytes CD-ROM For $12.95
Dell Reports $2.03 Per Share Los
XyWrite For Windows
Roundup - Stories Carried By Oth
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- Roundup is a brief look at some computer stories carried in other publications received here this past week.
Unix World for September takes on PCs with a list of 50 things that are wrong with them. Unfortunately, most of these ignore developments like third-party utilities, PS/2 and EISA bus designs, and the fact that you can run MS-DOS completely from a floppy while Unix is gigantic. Some of the comments are right on target while others are meant to be humorous (and are), but some are more than a bit silly. Still, this is a good article to read if you don't own either a Unix workstation or an MS-DOS PC, but take it with a grain of salt.
The Washington Post dated the 13th carries commentary from a Los Angeles Times writer who suggests that personal digital assistants like the Apple Newton should have an entry level price set at $99 to $300 to catch the mass market rather than try to expand the market from the top down. The author may be correct but he apparently forgets that early VCRs cost more than $1,000 and they eventually caught on as mass-production, lowering costs. Also, considering inflation, a basic 1983 $300 VCR actually cost as much as a Newton does now. The author also says the Newton feels more like a prototype than a finished product.
August 9's Federal Computer Week reports that the US Court of Appeals has reversed the earlier General Services Administration ruling and allowed the addition of new T3 (45 megabyte-per second) service to the existing FTS 2000 contract. This decision allows agencies to add advanced services without going through the long and costly delays normally involved with awarding a new contract. MCI, which wanted to bid on a new T3 contract is the big loser, while AT&T and Sprint are now able to offer T3. Sprint has announced availability within a couple of months.
Computer Reseller News for the week of the 9th reports that a cash strapped Borland is seeking a cushion of new money to meet potential obligations to Lotus (under the copyright-infringement suit), a fancy new headquarters, and large-scale workgroup or network development projects.
(John McCormick/19930813/)
development projects.
(John McCormick/19930813/)
8/13/93
Roundup - Stories Carried By Other Media This Week
GENERAL
Shuttle Launch Failure Delays Ne
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- Thursday's glitch which stopped the Space Shuttle launch with only 2-3 seconds to go on the countdown clock, has caused a multi-week, perhaps multi-month delay in the launching of the first of a new generation of communications satellite which will offer new frequencies and data transmission speeds up to 622 megabytes per second (mbps) per channel, about 20 times the current maximum speed.
Because Space Shuttle launches are taken almost for granted these days, with CNN providing only a few minutes of coverage for the actual launch compared to nearly 24-hour coverage provided by the major networks back in the early days of astronaut launches people tend to ignore the impact of either delays or successful launches.
This week's failure to launch the Shuttle could have a marked impact on businesses like American Express which are waiting to begin a two-year test of the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS).
As a testbed, the first ACTS would allow the segmentation of three 960 mbps transponders into low and high-speed channels which could be accessed using ground stations only four feet in diameter. The new Ka-band satellite, operating in the 20- 30 gigahertz (GHz.) band would use smaller antennas than the current Ku-band (8- 12-GHz.) satellites and would also focus their transmissions onto a smaller footprint, increasing the power per square meter at the receiver site.
Tests are expected to begin this fall, or about two to three months after the eventual successful launch date.
(John McCormick/19930813/)
successful launch date.
(John McCormick/19930813/)
8/13/93
Shuttle Launch Failure Delays New Data Comm Services
TELECOM
Canvas 3.5 For Macintosh
MIAMI, FLORIDA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- Deneba is shipping Canvas 3.5 for Apple Computer's Macintosh, an update that brings crossplatform compatibility as well as new design and desktop publishing capabilities to the general purpose drawing tool.
At its inception back in 1987, Canvas was tailored to technical drawing on the Mac. In subsequent editions, the scope of the product has broadened to embrace computer art and general office use.
Canvas 3.5 is the first version for the Mac to be compatible with the newly released Canvas for Windows. Also new in 3.5 are enveloping and 3D extruding features, a pressure pen tool, Smart Lines, column-to-column text flow, style sheets, and a graphics engine aimed at improved output to high resolution image setters.
Enveloping and extruding are long-time favorites in Windows drawing programs, officials noted. Enveloping lets the user change the shape of text blocks and other objects by dragging control handles.
Extruding creates 3-D effects by "pulling" a copy of an object out to a point, and then connecting it to the original with perspective lines.
Another new feature in 3.5, Smart Lines, connects objects to each other with dynamic links that are maintained even when the objects move or change.
The pressure pen tool allows Canvas 3.5 to be used with pressure sensitive drawing tablets, a type of small-format digitizer that is gaining increasing popularity with artists. The tool supports tablets from Wacom and Calcomp, as well as other from other vendors.
The new column-to-column text flow and style sheets are geared to use in one- or two-page layouts. Version 3.5 also includes the text wrapping, binding and typography tools for page layout that were offered in Version 3.
The upcoming September issue of MacWorld gives Canvas two new awards, officials said. MacWorld readers have voted Canvas "Best Illustration Program." The software also receives an Editor's Choice as best overall program in a comprehensive roundup of drawing software. In the past, Canvas has garnered Editor's Choice honors from such publications as MacWeek, MacUser, MacUP (Germany) and MacUser/Spain.
In-depth profiles of both Canvas 3.5 and Canvas for Windows are slated to be uploaded shortly in Deneba's first-ever electronic newsletter on the Deneba forums on CompuServe, America On Line AppleLink, and Genie.
The Deneba electronic newsletter is to be posted in Common Ground format, with an embedded viewer that lets any user of a Mac or a Windows-based PC look at the document.
The English-language version of Canvas 3.5 carries a retail price of $399. Registered users of Canvas 3 can upgrade for $99.95. Deneba plans to ship German, French, Swedish, Italian and Spanish versions of Canvas 3.5 by the end of the summer. Canvas for Windows is expected to be released in German, French, Swedish and Italian by this fall.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930813/Reader contact: Deneba Software, tel 305-596-5644; Press contact: Marc Hall, Deneba, tel 305-596-5644)
Deneba, tel 305-596-5644)
8/13/93
Canvas 3.5 For Macintosh
APPLE
Patent Issued For 10,000-Terabyt
DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- A Texas company has been granted a commercial patent for a technology that can store up to 10,000 terabytes of computer data. A terabyte is one trillion bytes, or the equivalent of about 500 billion pages of text.
EMASS, a unit of E-systems, announced recently that after nearly four years it has been granted a US patent for the architecture through which unique hardware and software is integrated to create a storage system that can store the huge amounts of data.
Mike Allred, E-Systems VP, said receiving the patent is a significant event in the company's plans to bring tremendous storage capacities to the commercial market. "The patent further secures the competitive position of EMASS systems in the market and is a critical step in the evolution of an industry standard against which all else will be judged."
The company said the patent, with its 36 claims, covers mass data storage systems, which with supporting technology will be available for licensing under a program being formulated at E Systems.
Garland Division Counsel Earle D. Munns Jr, who handles the protection and licensing of EMASS system technologies, says that while technology patents tend to cover very small segments of a total system, the E-MASS patent is unique. "(It) is a unique end-to-end patent which is a benefit to customers as well as our technology partners," according to Munns.
The E-systems products covered by the patent include the DataTower archive, a phone booth-sized structure that can store nearly 6 terabytes of data; the DataLibrary archive, with a capacity up to 10,000 terabytes; and the technology that drives the high-speed ER90 tape drive at 15 megabytes per second. FileServ and VolServ software and the D2 DataCassettes that can store up to 25 gigabytes on a VHS-size cassette are also included.
While the average PC user may not need terabyte-capacity storage projects such as seismic research used by the petroleum industry to locate underground oil and gas reserves routinely require data storage that is almost incomprehensible to a PC user. E-MASS spokesperson Kim Todora told Newsbytes other typical applications include the financial community, where workstation information is archived then available through large transaction-based recall.
Todora also said the technology is applicable to backup large networks of workstations. She cited one example in which backup time for a 10-workstation network has been cut from 40 hours to just 18 hours using E-MASS technology.
Even if your application requires storage of massive amounts of data, the technology is not cheap. Todora told Newsbytes a six terabyte system costs over $1 million, depending on the configuration of the system.
(Jim Mallory/19930813/Press contact: Kim Todora EMASS Storage System Solutions, 214-205-8621; Reader contact: EMASS Systems 214-272-0515, fax 214-205-7200)
act: EMASS Systems 214-272-0515, fax 214-205-7200)
8/13/93
Patent Issued For 10,000-Terabyte Storage Device
TRENDS
Lasermaster Sets FY93 Sales Reco
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- Lasermaster Technologies says it set a sales record for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 1993 but lost $710,000.
The Minneapolis-based company said sales for the fiscal year were a record $68.2 million, up 14 percent over the $59.9 million it recorded for fiscal 1992. Net sales for the four quarter also set a record at $19.7 million, a 19 percent increase over the same period last year.
Earnings for the fourth quarter were $824,000, or $0.08 per share an eight-fold increase over the previous year, but ended the year with a $710,000, or $0.07 per share loss. Quarterly losses were limited to the first two periods prior to the company implementing cost reduction measures that totaled about $1.5 million per quarter.
Lasermaster CEO said sales of the company's typesetter products contributed significantly to Lasermaster's growth. "Typesetting sales increased over 40 percent from last year's fourth quarter," said Masters. In May of this year Newsbytes reported the introduction of Lasermaster's "Big Color" printer, with about $1 million in sales during its first month on the market.
Big Color printers can print images up to 36 inches wide, and are targeted at the professional graphic arts, pre-press, and service printing industries. They can produce large-scale display advertisements, point of purchase displays, trade show exhibits renderings, posters, and other large color print advertising.
Big Color uses a four-color inkjet engine, a high speed color image processor, and Lasermaster's proprietary Colorspan technology for color matching and image enhancement. It is compatible with PC and Macintosh personal computers and uses conventional PostScript printer drivers.
Masters says the Big Color printer offers quality and features previously found only in systems that cost as much as 10 times as much. "\We are working to repeat some of the success we have enjoyed by bringing typesetting to the desktop by creating a similar market for desktop Big Color output from PCs and Macintosh computers.
Masters says Lasermaster, like other companies in computer-related industries, has had some rough sailing in recent times, but believes that has strengthened the company. "We have been strengthened by that journey, returning to profitability in our March and June quarters.
(Jim Mallory/19930813/Press contact: Michael Dreis, Lasermaster Technologies, 612-941-8687)
Lasermaster Sets FY93 Sales Record, But Posts Loss
BUSINESS
Microsoft Consulting Group Expan
UK - Thomas Cook Uses GEIS To Ch
Supermac Earns Up Again, Allianc
Spectrum Licenses Cellular Data
Japan - NTT Subsidiary To Offer
Apple Talks About Newton Message
Gateway 2000 Adds To Product Lin
Free E-Mail Package On Offer For
UK Modem Approvals Group Acts On
When A Busy Tone Is Not All It M
McAfee To Acquire Personal Butto
Wellfleet Reports Strong Growth
Fast Ethernet Alliance Formed
DEC Posts Quarterly Profit, Annu
Sharp Express Pad, Differences F
Software Available In Store-on-a
Is Clinton Budget Plan Good For
CompuServe Bundling Software Wit
Microwave Amplifiers To Be Shipp
MacWorld - Claris' CrossPlatform
IBM Adds To AS/400's Multimedia
Delrina's FormFlow
Faro Intros Portable, Electronic
Review of: Fidelity Online Xpres
UK Pizza Huts Computerize
A Powerbook For Pope John Paul I
Speech Synthesis Bar Code Scanne
Digiboard Intros High Speed X.25
We're On A Roll, Says CompUSA Ch
DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- CompUSA Chairman Nathan Morton says the computer superstore company is on a roll and doesn't see any letup thanks in part to the ongoing price war among personal computer makers.
Morton told the British news service Reuters CompUSA sales are growing 40 percent annually and predicted that growth will continue for the foreseeable future. "The declining PC prices have broadened the market, made PCs more affordable to a larger group of people. We are really just at the beginning of the expansion of the PC market into the home," Morton told Reuters.
Morton estimates only 23 percent of US homes have personal computers, leaving plenty of room for more sales. At least one PC maker agrees with him. As reported earlier this week by Newsbytes Compaq Computer Corporation is expected to shortly announce a new line of PCs targeted specifically for the home market. Compaq's Presario line is expected to be marketed through mass market channels such as Sears that appeal to the home, rather than small business market. Sources indicated to Newsbytes that Presario would not initially be available through CompUSA.
CompUSA has opened seven of its 25,000 square foot stores in the past six weeks, after opening 20 new outlets during the fiscal year that ended June 30. Morton is well versed in retail operations. Prior to joining CompUSA in 1989 he was a senior vice president for operations at Home Depot, known for its well stocked stores carrying products at low prices and staffed with knowledgeable employees. "We approach the business as retailers. We believe that what was wrong with the last generation of computer stores was that the managers were technical people," he told Reuters.
CompUSA will report its 1993 fiscal results next week. In the first three quarters of the fiscal year, net earnings before taxes rose 85 percent, and 11 percent after taxes. Financial analysts estimate the company will report earnings of about $0.71 per share. Morton declined to comment on the estimates.
MENLO PARK, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- As a further indication that, if you have to be manufacturing hardware, then be manufacturing internetworking equipment, router-vendor Cisco Systems Inc., has reported net income of $53,719,000, or 41 cents per share, for its fourth quarter, ending July 25, 1993.
Net sales for the fourth quarter were $205,223,000. This compares with net sales of $110,691,000 and net income of $27,240,000 in the like period last year.
Net sales for the 1993 fiscal year were $649,035,000, and net income was $171,955,000, or $1.33 per share, versus net sales of $339,623,000 and net income of $84,386,000 for fiscal 1992.
The company says that net income per share and number of shares used in per-share calculations for the periods ended July 26, 1992 reflect the two-for-one stock split which was effective March 5 1993.
Speaking of the results, John Morgridge, president and chief executive officer of Cisco, said: "From a results perspective, we are particularly pleased to report that both net sales and net income grew at a faster rate in fiscal year 1993 than in fiscal year 1992. For net sales we grew at a 91 percent increase from fiscal 1992 to 1993, compared to 85 percent from fiscal 1991 to 1992, and for net income we grew at a 104 percent increase from fiscal 1992 to 1993, versus 95 percent growth from fiscal 1991 to 1992."
In speaking of the router industry, he said: "This was a pivotal year in the development of our marketplace, as router-based networks are now being perceived as strategic assets by our customers. To help them deploy these networks to all of their employees, in June Cisco launched a number of new remote access router products to make large-scale and effective network deployment both financially and logistically attractive. We remain optimistic about the growth prospects for the internetworking systems industry."
Newsbytes reported on the release of the Cisco 2000 and 3000 remote-access routers in June.
The two-port Cisco 2000 is aimed at small corporate branch offices. Two versions were made available, one for Ethernet and one for Token Ring networks. Cisco also launched two new models in its Cisco 3000 router line. These are also remote access routers. One of the new models comes with an Ethernet network port, two serial ports, and an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) Basic Rate Interface (BRI) port. The other comes with a Token Ring connection, two serial ports, and an ISDN BRI connection.
In August Newsbytes reported that Cisco announced it will support the new DLSw interoperability "standard" being defined by the Data Link Switching Working Group. The DLSw interoperability standard is a method for integrating SNA (Systems Network Architecture) and NetBIOS over the TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) protocol.
(Ian Stokell/19930813/Press Contact: John Russell, 415-326-1941; or Jeff Paine, 415-903-7191, both with Cisco Systems Inc.)
, 415-903-7191, both with Cisco Systems Inc.)
8/13/93
Cisco Systems Posts $53 Million 4Qtr Income
BUSINESS
Hong Kong Gang Arrested In Mobil
CENTRAL, HONG KONG, 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- A gang of people have been arrested Hong Kong for allegedly selling equipment which allowed users to run up bills on other people's mobile phones.
Hong Kong Commercial Crime Bureau officers raided an electronic goods store in Mongkok, seizing 130 mobile phones and computer software which allows computerized information to be copied from phones and charges by-passed.
At a press conference, Detective Superintendent William Tang How kong said that the case is the first time "we have cracked a major supplier of computer equipment that can copy electronic serial and mobile identification numbers of legal mobile phones since the enactment last year of the Crimes (Amendment) Ordinance."
During the raid, five men and two women aged between 20 and 39 were arrested and released on bail of between $20,000 and $100,000 each. No specific charges have been laid against the group, although press sources in the colony suggest that they will be made later this month.
Detective Chief Inspector Simon Leung Sai-man said that police believed the syndicate supplied software and hardware which could copy genuine account details for illegal phone users.
This technique is well known in the US, where fraudsters typically rent a cellphone for a day, copy the phone ID details from the phone's EPROM (erasable programmable read only memory) chip to a blank one, then insert the new chip into another phone.
Network operators in the US have implemented intelligent software on their networks to identify excessive network usage, but, since most cellular networks collate their data from magnetic tape several days in arrears, identifying a rogue phone number can take a few days, by which time the fraudsters can have racked up a very large bill.
Detective Superintendent Tang said that, over the last year, his bureau had received 800 complaints involving $7.7 million worth of phone calls. In June of last year, there were about 10 complaints a week but the number surged to more than 40 a week in June of this year.
"I would not want to say whether the problem has become serious by looking at 800 complaints out of a market of 200,000 mobile telephones," he said. "But we are concerned because it seems the numbers are increasing."
Justin Wong Chun of the "Fight Crime Committee" in Hong Kong has said that he is worried that the police have insufficient money manpower and expertise to deal with the problem.
"Very often the victim has to bear the cost even though he did not make those calls as it is very difficult to prove one's phone details have been copied," he said.
(Sylvia Dennis/19930813/Press & Public Contact: Commercial Crime Bureau - Tel: +852-860-2000)
Commercial Crime Bureau - Tel: +852-860-2000)
8/13/93
Hong Kong Gang Arrested In Mobile Phone Scam
TELECOM
Dow Jones To Offer Video News Se
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- Dow Jones & Company announced it will start delivering a video news feed to customers' desktop computers in September.
The Dow Jones Investor Network will transmit video interviews with corporate officers, government policymakers and others along with coverage of corporate announcements and other programming. Initially the service will probably offer two to three items each day, said Martin Schenker, managing editor of the service.
Unlike a television station, the service will not try to broadcast continuously or maintain a regular programming schedule, though it will give its subscribers advance information on upcoming items, Schenker said. Besides providing a list of planned items that customers can check at their convenience, the service will use an alerting device that will produce a message on customers' computer screens notifying them of an impending news event.
Dow Jones, a worldwide financial information and news company said it will use its existing news-gathering resources to produce content for the service. Dow Jones publishes The Wall Street Journal, Barron's magazine, and other publications.
The service will initially be aimed at large institutional investors, including brokerage firms and banks. Schenker said users will pay a site-license fee and a per-terminal charge for access to the service, and the charges will not vary according to how much they actually watch it.
The total cost per user will be less than $100 per month, he said.
Schenker said any personal computer with a VGA color monitor will be able to display the video feed. Dow Jones will be providing each subscriber with IBM's PS/2-TV video input device, and will run analog video communications lines to subscribers' premises.
The service comes from the Dow Jones Multimedia Group, and officials said it will be the first in a planned series of multimedia business-news services from Dow Jones. Dow Jones is also testing an interactive multimedia news service developed by the Multimedia Group in collaboration with Nynex Corp. That product will include DJIN information, the company said.
(Grant Buckler/19930813/Press Contact: Roger May, Dow Jones 212-416-2601; Public Contact: Simon Langdon, Dow Jones 212-416-2793)
c Contact: Simon Langdon, Dow Jones 212-416-2793)
8/13/93
Dow Jones To Offer Video News Service This Fall
TELECOM
NEC Printer For Small To Mid-Siz
BOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- NEC has launched a RISC-based 600 dpi (dot-per-inch) PostScript laser printer tailored to small and mid-sized businesses equipped with Macs and IBM-compatible PCs.
The Silentwriter Model 1097 outputs at a rate of 10 ppm (pages per minute), officials said. The printer comes with LaserJet III emulation, Adobe PostScript Level 2 software, PC and LocalTalk connectivity, hot ports, automatic emulation switching, a 250 sheet paper tray, and a "convenience tray" for up to ten automatically fed envelopes.
Optional LAN Cruiser Ethernet and Token Ring print servers allow the printer to be shared on a network among multiple users.
A PostScript facsimile option offers the ability to send and receive faxes to and from conventional fax machines and other printers outfitted with PostScript fax.
An extra paper tray, accepting an additional 250 sheets, is also optionally available. The Silentwriter Model 1097 is shipping now. Pricing starts at about $1,499.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930819/Reader contact: NEC, tel 508-264 8000; Press contacts: Geoff Spillane or Beth Anderson Golin/Harris Communications for NEC, tel 508-264-8759 or 312-836 7358)
Summary: FOX is a required software program for doing online stock trading with Fidelity Brokerage; it works - barely.
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REVIEW
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FOX, Fidelity Online Xpress, can't be reviewed without also reviewing Fidelity Investments' brokerage service because the two work together. What FOX does is automate access to stock and option quotes as well as manage all record-keeping and place trade orders at a discount directly in a trading computer.
FOX works and I will continue to use it, but mostly because it is the only game in town. I am unhappy with FOX for what it should have but lacks.
My first problem was in obtaining a copy of the software. I sent my order in May and got the program in mid-July. In fact, the only reason I can review the program now is that I got tired of waiting and obtained a review copy.
The next problem was that Fidelity has to open two databases to authorize trades. This took four phone calls and nearly two weeks.
With FOX, you can easily obtain stock quotes and place trades doing so with confidence that you have placed just the order you meant to place because the current cost of your order is displayed before you confirm that order. Selling stock or options is even simpler because the program reminds you just what you own.
But FOX falls far short in other areas.
Last weekend I tried more than 20 times to obtain closing quotes and account status for the previous Friday. The software just wouldn't connect.
The problem turned out to be the extremely sensitive nature of the Fidelity trading hardware, which requires a very clean line - so clean that, even using a Hayes Optima modem and the same phone line which easily accessed CompuServe, GEnie, MCI Mail, and supported my own BBS, I was unable to make contact using FOX.
Other problems are entirely in FOX.
Options are traded using a paired letter code that specifies whether the option is a put or call, when it expires, and what its base or strike price is. Even experienced options traders need a quick reference to remind them of what the 52 different letter codes mean; this is exactly the sort of thing that you would expect trading software to contain, but FOX doesn't.
The other thing that an online trader especially may need is information about commissions charged by the broker. This is because people who really need to trade online may be buying and selling stocks or options as soon as they offer a small profit. Commission structures can be complex and I have always used a Lotus spreadsheet template to do the job for me. Unfortunately I must still do so because FOX doesn't offer any help on commission costs other than to report commission costs after you have made a buy.
In Portfolio Analysis the present value of a stock or option holding is reported without regard to commission costs which would reduce that value if it were actually sold, but three columns later the total initial cost does include the commission you paid.
ESC doesn't always back out of a menu tree in the usual fashion. In particular, when you are viewing notes you have written you can't exit without pressing the F7 key. This makes some sense because if you have made any changes they won't be saved unless you specifically request that. But what sense does it make to have to use the same F7 key to exit a help screen?
FOX is definitely not user-friendly. Another place it could easily be improved is where you enter an options code either in the order or quote request section. For example, IBMJJ is the code for an IBM October put option with a strike price of $50 meaning that it gives you the right to buy IBM stock for $50 per share until a date in October, even if the price has risen above that amount.
It would be nice if, when you keyed in that code, FOX confirmed that IBMJJ did mean October and either 55, 155, or 255.
FOX lets you customize the note feature to emulate Display Write 3, IBM Writing Assistant, Microsoft Word, MultiMate, XpressWrite PFS Write, WordPerfect, or WordStar. Unfortunately, even common keystroke combinations such as WordPerfect's CTRL-backspace word delete aren't included in the emulation.
One would also expect at least rudimentary graphing capabilities in a program like this, but there aren't any.
Intra-day trading is now supported; that is, you can buy and sell the same stock on the same day. FOX also offers automatic access to added-cost investment information and charting services.
Bottom line: If you use Fidelity Brokerage, and already have a computer and modem, then FOX makes trading much easier despite its many shortcomings. If you trade 20 or 30 times a year, then get FOX and get a 10 percent discount on trades; if not, just call the broker or use Fidelity's touch-tone trader system.
============
PUMA RATING
============
PERFORMANCE: 2 Slow, even on a 486.
USEFULNESS: 2 It works but is not nearly as friendly as it could be.
AVAILABILITY: 2 Poor from Fidelity and MECA; the only saving grace is that it can also be bought in many software stores.
MANUAL: 4 The documentation is quite good.
(John McCormick/19930716/Press Contact: Bob Bogard, Connors Communications for Meca Software, 212-995-2200)
ommunications for Meca Software, 212-995-2200)
8/13/93
Review of: Fidelity Online Xpress 2.0 (FOX),
REVIEW
Review - The Far Side Daily Plan
Runs On: IBM PC-compatibles running Windows, PCs running DOS, and Macintosh computers
From: Amaze, 11810 115th Avenue NE, Kirkland WA 98034 206-820-7007
Price: $59.95 for Daily Planner and one theme pack. Additional theme packs are $24.95 or less, depending on the particular theme pack.
PUMA Rating: 3.95
Reviewed for Newsbytes by: Jim Mallory, Midwest Bureau Chief
Summary: Nearly everyone needs some kind of daily planner to keep track of appointments, things to do, and important dates. If you want to clear up some of the clutter on your desk by using an electronic version, Amaze's version will not only do the job nicely but will also start your day off with a chuckle with its animated versions of Gary Larson's Far Side or Cathy cartoons that millions of newspaper readers chuckle over, or the Trivial Pursuit or Word-A-Day packs to improve your knowledge or vocabulary.
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REVIEW
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The Far Side Daily Planner from Amaze does all the things you would expect an electronic version of a scheduler-list keeper to do. It lets you enter appointments and keep lists of things to do, and allows you to set alarms with user-selectable lead times. It allows you to view the calendar in daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly formats. You can display your schedules two days at a time side by side, or the to-do list next to today's schedule. It's the extra things Amaze has added that sets the program above its competitors.
When you activate The Daily Planner, you are greeted by an animated version of one of cartoonist Gary Larson's famous Far Side cartoons. The smooth animation displays a cartoon strip panel by panel, and frequently ends by having something or someone - a caveman, an arrow, or a teddy bear, for example - swoop across your screen. A wonderful way to lighten up the start of your work day.
Scheduling appointments is simple, and a variety of options are available. You can assign priorities (1,2,3), set an alarm, with a choice of sounds, to ring as far ahead of the appointment as you want, and assign categories such as business, meetings, trips lunches, and a host other choices. You can also assign a status such as not started, in progress, completed, or canceled to each event or item in your list of to-do's. It's also easy to move appointments using your mouse. You just put the mouse pointer on the event, hold down the mouse, and drag it to another location.
There's also a clipboard you can use to move events. You drag the event to the clipboard icon on the tool bar at the top of the screen, move to the target day or list, and drag the clipboard icon to the place you want it. Events can also be copied in the same manner, and if you change your mind there is an Undo feature.
Repeating events are also handled well. While some electronic scheduler/planner programs let you schedule events weekly, monthly or for a specified number of days, Daily Planner lets you schedule things at irregular intervals. All of these things are done with a few mouse clicks. The standard event file that ships with the program already has entries for all the standard US and Canadian holidays.
If you take advantage of the category assignment feature, you can also view events and items selectively. Want to know all your lunch appointments for the next month? Click on the filter icon (a pair of sunglasses) click on the category button and voila! You can also set up different categories of lists. Make one list for shopping, and one for to-do, or one list for each person in the office or at home. Each list can be displayed individually.
The Daily Planner can also print your schedules and lists. A Printer Setup screen lets you select which of your installed printers you want the output on, whether to print in horizontal (landscape, in computer terminology) or vertical (portrait) orientation, the size of the paper, font size to use, and the number of copies. Heads and footers can be set up, you can allow for a binder margin, and the software will even print the binder holes where you can punch the pages for insertion into a ringed notebook. A Use Ruled Events prints blank lines so you can add notes. The current display can be printed quickly by clicking on the Printer button on the tool bar. A general options screen lets you choose various settings such as fonts for the various lines on the display, the default view (daily monthly, etc), turn the sound on and off, the size of the icons that represent each event's category, and to select icon animation for the icons that are animated. You can also change the icons that represent the various categories, choosing from the wide selection of icons provided with the program.
The Daily Planner can be run on a network, although each person using an event file is required to have a licensed copy of the software installed on his or her workstation. Only one person at a time can have a particular event file open. The software is available on either 5.25-inch or 3.5-inch floppy disks. If you get the wrong ones, the package includes a coupon so you can switch. You have to send the original set back to get a replacement set in a different size.
Newsbytes reviewed The Daily Planner with the Far Side Theme Pack installed, but there are other them packs that are available.
===========
PUMA RATING
===========
PERFORMANCE: 4.0 The Far Side Daily Planner does exactly what is designed to do, and does it very well. It is fast (we tested it on a 486SX- based system) and it is extremely flexible.
USEFULNESS: 4.0. We gave the program our highest PUMA rating. It's a good value for the money at $59.95 compared to the $90 the reviewer paid for his last hard copy scheduler/appointment book with all the little tabs and dividers. It's useful and does things other similar programs that we have reviewed don't do. The Gary Larson cartoons by themselves are probably worth the price.
MANUAL: 3.8 One of the best manuals we have reviewed in terms of readability and ease of use. Lots of screen pictures and easy to understand. It didn't receive the top PUMA rating only because we had to search through the entire manual to find out how to call for support. "Help" and "Support" are not listed in the manuals index. We also couldn't find any information in the manual about other Theme Packs that are available, and had to call the company for that information. On-line help is available from a pull-down menu, and covers most situations adequately.
AVAILABILITY: Available through most software outlets. Phone tech support is available, but not toll-free, or you can fax your questions to Amaze. The fax number is not free either. When we called tech support, they answered promptly and we were connected to a support person immediately. He was polite, knowledgeable, and quickly resolved our questions. Additional Theme Packs are available only from Amaze at $24.95 or less, depending on the particular theme pack. Amaze accepts Visa, Mastercard, and American Express.
(Jim Mallory/19930716/Press contact: Linda Berlin, Amaze, 11810 115th Ave NE, Kirkland, WA 98034)
, 11810 115th Ave NE, Kirkland, WA 98034)
8/13/93
Review - The Far Side Daily Planner 2.0
REVIEW
Borland Loses Again, Macro Key R
SCOTTS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 13 (NB) -- While Borland claims the current versions of spreadsheet product Quattro Pro removes any of the commands that could infringe on Lotus Corporation's 1-2-3 spreadsheet, Federal Judge Robert E. Keeton of the United States District Court in Boston ruled that the product still infringes on Lotus's product. Borland says the verdict is outrageous and plans to appeal.
Lotus and Borland have been fighting court battles over Quattro Pro's similarity to 1-2-3 since 1991, and Borland has lost in the suit at almost every turn. Last year Judge Keeton announced Borland was guilty of infringing on Lotus' patents by copying some of the menu structure in 1-2-3. Keeton said at the time: "I conclude that no reasonable jury could find for Borland that Borland did not take the menu commands, menu command structure macro language, and keystroke sequences substantially as they were."
Borland claims it removed the offending menu structures but wanted to keep compatibility with Lotus automated keystroke sequences created by users called macros. Keeton ruled Borland's "key reader" which makes Lotus macros work in Borland's Quattro Pro product, also infringes on Lotus' copyrights.
Jack Blount, senior vice president of business development Borland International stated: "This ruling is a broadside attack on consumers' rights to use compatible software products. If this decision stands, it could have wide-ranging impact on the computer and other industries that make devices or appliances that depend on software compatibility."
Unfortunately, Lotus has a strong track record with this judge in winning this type of suit. Paperback Software International lost to Lotus with its VP Planner spreadsheet product and the Santa Cruz Operation (SCO) never made it to trial over similarities between SCO Professional and 1-2-3 but settled out of court. Some industry analysts have said Borland could face paying out damages of $10 million to $100 million, but Lotus has declined to comment on damages it might seek.
However, Borland says the macros are computer programs, which are treated as languages by the legal system, and as such cannot be copyrighted or patented. It says it will continue to ship Quattro Pro in its present form as well.
Lotus might have problems pursuing this line, however. Lotus has already bowed to customer demand and announced in July it would integrate its Lotus Notes product with Borland's Quattro Pro spreadsheet product at the application programming interface (API) level. The integration move was to accommodate large customers of both companies, such as the accounting firm Price-Waterhouse, which prefer the Lotus Notes/Quattro Pro combination. Making 1-2-3 totally incompatible with Quattro Pro could hurt Lotus as much as it hurts Borland.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930813/Press Contact: Steve Grady, Borland tel 408-439-1621, fax 408-439-9273; Richard Eckel, Lotus Development Corporation, tel 617-693-1284, fax 617-693-1779)
ent Corporation, tel 617-693-1284, fax 617-693-1779)
FILLMORE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- The first 100,000 callers to Central Computer Products can obtain the company's Do-It Yourself Accounting For Windows package free of charge. The company inspired by Computer Associates' similar promotion of Simply Money claims that its product is a double entry accounting system aimed at small to medium-sized businesses.
There is, however, that there is a non-refundable shipping and handling charge of $6.95, but the company will pay for the call according to Akhil Shahani of Central Computer Products. Central Computer Products claims that this shipping and handling charge is fair and points to the fact that more than 200,000 copies of its DOS version of the accounting program, to the Windows version should be worth at least $6.95.
Six modules make up the program including General Ledger, Checkbook Invoicing/Accounts Receivable, Inventory, Budgeting, and Payroll. Features of the package include on-line help, unlimited data file capacity, and export capability to dBase, Lotus 123, ASCII, and the Windows Clipboard.
The suggested retail price of Do-It-Yourself Accounting For Windows is $69.95. The package requires Windows 3.0 or higher, 2 megabytes (MB) of random access memory (RAM), 2.8MB of hard disk space, and a high density 3.5-inch drive for installation. Users who request it can get the product on 5.25-inch floppy disks.
To order, call a toll-free number at 800-373-3946 or write the company at 330 Central Avenue, Fillmore, CA 93015.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930816/Press Contact: Akhil Shahani, Central Computer Products, tel 805-524-4700, fax 805-524-4026)
ter Products, tel 805-524-4700, fax 805-524-4026)
8/16/93
First 100,000 Get Windows Accounts Package Free
Australian 1991 Census Available
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- MapInfo and the Australian Bureau of Statistics have released CDATA91 -- a combination of MapInfo desktop mapping software and the 1991 Australian census data in CD-ROM (compact disc, read only memory) disc format.
According to the company, users can select information on specific data and geographic areas, then view the results on screen as tables, maps or graphs. They can also combine their own market or demographic data, overlaying it with census results.
There are 57 Basic Community Profile tables of data for all census areas and postcodes. A digitized topographic base for the entire country incorporates major roads, census boundaries, major rivers railways and other features.
There are currently two versions of the disc available -- PC and Mac though Unix versions will be available at a later stage. The package rates as expensive in conventional software terms -- AUS $10,500 for the whole of Australia -- but, compared to other country information on CD-ROM of its type, the license is reasonable, given the utility the package offers.
(Paul Zucker/19930816/Contact MapInfo Australia on phone +61-2-437 6255 or fax +61-2-439 1773)
ia on phone +61-2-437 6255 or fax +61-2-439 1773)
8/16/93
Australian 1991 Census Available On CD-ROM Disc
Australian Directory Assistance
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- An Australian company is offering everyone a service that has been available for the select few for a number of years -- a phone information system that operates in reverse.
Most phone companies provide an information system that will provide a phone number if you supply the name and approximate address (except for unlisted numbers, of course). Now, this new service will provide the subscribers name and address if you know the phone number.
This sort of information has been available for a number of years from CD-ROM (compact disc, read only memory) discs containing the entire Australian phone book collection, and from Telecom itself which sells the information on a per-use basis to businesses usually for direct marketing. The up-front charges for such discs however, has prohibited all but the larger companies from gaining access to the information.
The new service is only providing information on business numbers for the first week or so of operation. This is to allow sufficient publicity to the service so those telephone users who wish to have their information suppressed may register on an exclusion database. Operators say that this will be permanently logged, although the data is freshly keyed-in from phone books each year (and not obtained directly from the Telecom computers).
Initial public reaction is largely one of horror as this is the first time most people have realised how easily their privacy can be sold.
In the UK, Newsbytes notes that British Telecom (BT) has expressly banned this type of informational service, owing to worries over privacy.
BT's Phonebase CD-ROM disc is available in a special format with a data access program to prevent large-scale "reverse" searches being carried out and BT, since it owns the copyright on telephone directories, has threatened dire consequences for anyone providing an address enquiry system using BT copyright data from whatever source.
(Paul Zucker/19930816)
yright data from whatever source.
(Paul Zucker/19930816)
8/16/93
Australian Directory Assistance Service In Reverse Offered
Coopers & Lybrand & Lotus Consul
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- The Consulting Services Group of Lotus Development Corporation has announced an alliance with accounting and consulting firm Coopers & Lybrand to offer services related to work-group software, sometimes known as groupware, and in particular Lotus' Notes groupware package.
New York-based Coopers & Lybrand has been in the process of implementing Notes internally for about 18 months, a spokesman for Lotus said. The companies will use their joint experience to create reports for clients dealing with groupware use.
Both companies also plan to offer their consulting and implementation services world-wide, dealing with areas such as client/server computing, business re-engineering, document management, and training, the Lotus spokesman said.
"We will focus on the point where business processes and enabling technologies converge, and our goal is to increase fundamental competency and to build distinctive capabilities at the point of this convergence," explained Ellen M. Knapp, Coopers & Lybrand's vice-chairman of technology and business process.
The alliance was announced at the Workflow Conference on Business Process Technology in San Jose.
Coopers & Lybrand has more than 16,000 professionals and staff in offices in 100 cities in the United States and more than 66,000 people in 120 countries world-wide. Lotus Consulting Services Group has about 200 professionals in 20 countries.
(Grant Buckler/19930816/Press Contact: David L. Nestor, Coopers & Lybrand, 212-536-2965; Victor Cruz, McGlinchey & Paul for Lotus 617-862-4514)
; Victor Cruz, McGlinchey & Paul for Lotus 617-862-4514)
8/16/93
Coopers & Lybrand & Lotus Consulting Ally On Groupware
BUSINESS
Lotus Signs Bull To Market Notes
PARIS, FRANCE, 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- Lotus Development Corporation has announced it has contracted with Bull to distribute its Notes electronic groupware package world-wide.
According to Lotus, the idea is to allow the French Government controlled computer company to promote Notes into areas where the package is not a major seller. Plans call Notes to be sold for use across multiple platforms, including DOS and Windows, OS/2, Unix and the Apple Mac environment.
Notes will be badged and sold as part of Bull's Distributed Computing product portfolio, as well as part of the company's existing imaging and office product range.
Announcing the deal, Najah Naffah, Bull's vice president for imaging and office solutions, said that Notes "embodies the functions and services that companies and people need to work together, and brings a new dimension to our existing office solutions: Imageworks Officeteam, Flowpath and now Notes, which are all integral elements of Bull's strategy for redesigning business processes."
According to Lotus, the deal will give the company access to new markets for Notes, particularly in Europe, where Bull has an established reseller and distribution network.
(Steve Gold/19930816/Press & Public Contact: Lotus - Tel: 0784 455445)
s & Public Contact: Lotus - Tel: 0784 455445)
8/16/93
Lotus Signs Bull To Market Notes World-Wide
GENERAL
NetFrame In Superserver Distribu
MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- The trend towards downsizing of corporate computer systems, and the implementation of client-server networking architectures, has led to increased interest in superservers. Now NetFrame Systems has signed a US distribution deal with Ingram Micro, through the NetFrame Authorized VAR Associate Program.
Under the terms of the deal, the Ingram Systems Sales Division (SSD) will "target, identify and recruit Unix network VARs (value added resellers) and system integrators, who may apply to be authorized by NetFrame to resell the company's superservers."
Announcing the agreement, Amy Hoffman, senior director of Ingram Micro's Technical Products Division, said: "Our Unix VARs are telling us that networked PCs with conventional PC-based servers are not always an adequate solution in business critical situations." "Compared to conventional high-end PCs, NetFrames are much better at moving large amounts of data around networks because their internal bus design mimics that of a mainframe," he added.
The company estimates that, while the need is likely to remain constant for simple PC fileservers, MIS and network managers are increasingly aware of the benefits derived from flexible, fault tolerant superservers such as NetFrame, which allow for the managing of fewer computers with superior reliability features for enterprise-wide networks.
Said Hoffman: "NetFrame's architecture is particularly well engineered and has the power to make PC networks the backbone of a corporate information system. NetFRAMEs include important features such as I/O (input/output) scalability, data integrity and fault tolerance that corporate MIS (management information systems) managers have come to expect from a business critical large-system solution."
NetFrame Systems is a public company founded in 1987. Its superservers start at $12,950 for a three processor superserver and are expandable to a 10 processor system with up to 89 gigabytes (GB) of mass storage.
Ingram Micro, meanwhile, claims to be the world's largest wholesale distributor of microcomputer products. The company says it sells to 60,000 reseller customers in 65 countries and has distribution operations in nine of them, including international subsidiaries in Canada, the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, the Netherlands Germany, Italy, and a majority interest in Mexico's distributor Ingram Dicom.
me Systems; Kirsten Kappos, 714-566-1000, Ingram Micro)
8/16/93
NetFrame In Superserver Distribution Deal With Ingram
BUSINESS
AMD Funds Carnegie Mellon ATM Ne
SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- Asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) is the hot technology in the networking world at the moment. Now Advanced Micro Devices, the chip manufacturer, has awarded a $1 million research grant for research into the technology to Carnegie Mellon University.
ATM transfers data in fixed-length packets called cells. ATM networks can transmit voice, video and data at high speeds. Because of this, the technology is thought to be ideal for multimedia and computer modeling applications.
Researchers at Carnegie's College of Engineering have been developing highly integrated ATM switches. AMD has now entered into a licensing agreement with the university for the rights to the technology. However, AMD says it has "no immediate plans" to develop products based on ATM.
Carnegie Mellon professors Ron Bianchini and Hyong S. Kim claim that their designs will transmit data twice as fast as the current generation of ATM switches with a capacity of 2.4 gigabits-per second.
Announcing the funding, Andy Robin, director of operations and marketing for AMD's I/O and network products division, said: "AMD believes close co-operation between universities and private industry is an important element in maintaining world-wide technology leadership for US manufacturing."
(Ian Stokell/19930816/Press Contact: Jim Lochmiller, 408-749-5703 Advanced Micro Devices)
im Lochmiller, 408-749-5703 Advanced Micro Devices)
8/16/93
AMD Funds Carnegie Mellon ATM Networking Research
GENERAL
ATI & Intel Announce Shared Fram
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- ATI Technologies and Intel have announced the Shared Frame Buffer Interconnect (SFBI) specification, which defines a method for combining full-motion video, graphics, and other multimedia functionality into a single, integrated multimedia subsystem.
According to the companies, the SFBI "defines a memory organization and arbitration protocol that enables video and graphics data to share a single memory buffer."
The specification also features ATI's SynchroLink technique that allows dedicated controllers in multimedia subsystems to communicate and synchronize time-critical input/output activities without host processor intervention, claim the company. A common API (application programming interface) is also defined, which allows software developers to create applications that can make use of the shared memory and SynchroLink capabilities.
The companies maintain that, historically, the integration of multimedia information such as full-motion video has led to high cost, low performance, poor synchronization of multiple data streams, as well as difficulty of installation and use. The companies claim that the SFBI specification was designed to overcome the problems.
Commenting on the specification, Henry Quan, vice president of marketing for ATI, said: "The SFBI specification will enable a new category of display controllers that incorporate full graphics and multimedia functionality. This technology will drive multimedia into the mainstream PC market by accelerating the growth of low cost hardware."
The companies claim that, since video and graphics share the same frame buffer memory in an SFBI implementation rather than having separate dedicated video and graphics memory or two or more boards the overall memory requirements are lower. Other areas are also claimed to reduce costs, such as the elimination of extra circuit board area.
The SFBI technical information is scheduled to become available in November, 1993. The specification will be distributed free of charge to any interested developers.
ATI has also announced that it is shipping the CD Sound Dimension Multimedia Upgrade Kit at the suggested retail price of $399. The company says that the kit features a switchless installation process, and includes the ATI Stereo F/X-CD sound card, a CD-ROM drive, all necessary cables and two CDs with applications, fonts and utilities.
(Ian Stokell/19930816/Press Contact: Andrew Clarke, 416-882-2600 ext 8491, ATI Technologies; John Thompson, 408-765-1279, Intel)
, ATI Technologies; John Thompson, 408-765-1279, Intel)
8/16/93
ATI & Intel Announce Shared Frame Buffer Interconnect
TRENDS
Mac Utility To Monitor Use & Con
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- To help businesses track and assign a cost to printing or faxing on a network Kansasbay Systems has introduced Desktracy version 2.0. The package is a suite of network utilities which monitor use and control system access on a network.
Kansasbay Systems said that the original 1.0 version was specifically designed for use in copy shops, service bureaus, and university Mac labs where Apple Mac rental was popular and there was a need to monitor usage.
According to the company, version 2.0 is aimed at a much broader market, such as individual users who wish to bill time or document use for tax purposes; by corporate users to audit use by department or billback by customer, project, or employee; and by computer labs who need to charge for time and prints.
Desktracy can track prints from any Laserwriter device to any application invisibly, meaning without spoolers. The company says the product takes less than five minutes to configure and can be used on an entire network or on an individual Macintosh. Version 2.0 is redesigned for ease of use in the interface, for increased systems protection, and expanded reporting, the company said.
Once logged into a network equipped with Desktracy, the user's name appears in the pull-down menu in the menu-bar of the Finder. This allows users to view current rates, preferences and usage totals. The product allows controlled access to the network so log-in features can be defined, folders can be locked, access passwords assigned, and copy protection and deleting of applications can be controlled.
Rates for each computer on the network can also be assigned individually by hour, increment, minimum, and starting rates as well as for each printer in each zone on the network. Default printers can be set for report or proof printing to prevent costly prints to more expensive printers. In addition, formats for use in database reports can be selected, screen savers can also be chosen and played in any order or interval, and a custom log-in screen can inform users in the beginning of a session the charges associated with use of the equipment connected to the network.
Desktracy v2.0 will be available from later this month onwards with an individual version user price of $149. Five and ten user packs cost, respectively, $495 and $695, while site licenses for major installations are available. Plans call for a Windows version of the package to be launched in November of this year.
ms, tel 510-339-7300, fax 510-339-1179; 800-754-7300)
8/16/93
Mac Utility To Monitor Use & Control Network Access
APPLE
New Denver Airport Uses Fiber-Op
DENVER, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 16 ( NB) -- Technicians at the new Denver International Airport are hurrying to install what the contractor claims is the largest single-project fiber-optic network ever installed.
The $70 million 5,300 mile fiber-optic network links every corner of the vast complex east of the Mile High City, integrating telephone conversations, computer data transfers, baggage handling, operation of the underground passenger train that links the main terminal to outlying concourses, and even lets the runways "talk" to the control tower via sensors that are installed in the tarmac.
The network consists of two separate systems. One is a $5 million network that provides air traffic controllers with information from instrument landing systems on the runways, while the other links just about everything else at the sprawling complex. The air traffic control system ties in information from the runway sensors, radar weather sensors, and voice communications. A spokesperson for the company managing the design and installation told The Denver Post newspaper the system "is about as smart as a building can get with current technology."
Designers say they chose fiber-optic cable because it has the ability to carry very large amounts of information very fast with few problems, and is immune to lightning and other types of electrical interference. However, to make sure nothing goes wrong, a second fiber optic network provides backup, and a third copper wire based system provides further backup for critical systems.
The fiber optic networks are laid out in rings, with an outer ring at major traffic centers intersecting smaller rings from concourse buildings and remote locations around the airport. Each ring has a duplicate that kicks in automatically if something foes wrong in the primary systems. The system even keeps track of what engineers estimate will be about 3,500 commercial vehicles -- buses, taxis vans, and limos so regular commercial users can be automatically billed for their parking.
To do that, the city is equipping the commercial fleet with special ID decals that contain bar codes. As the vehicle enters the airport a special reader mounted over each lane reads the bar codes, noting the time of entry and later when the vehicle departs. That information is automatically sent to a billing computer, and the vehicle operator is billed monthly.
Airport security and the fire alarm system also depend on the network. The 750 closed circuit cameras will feed pictures to 40 monitoring stations, and if a fire breaks out the cameras will automatically swivel to provide control room operators with a live picture of the affected area.
Fiber-optic cables are made up of thousands of tiny wires made from fine sand and spun into threads smaller than a human hair that carry tiny pulses of light.
(Jim Mallory/19930816)
y pulses of light.
(Jim Mallory/19930816)
8/16/93
New Denver Airport Uses Fiber-Optic Network
GENERAL
MICA IV Version 2.01 Accounting
PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- MICA Accounting Software is now shipping version 2.01 of its accounting software package, MICA IV.
The program is a DOS-based program that integrates General Ledger Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Inventory Control, Payroll Job Cost, Sales Order, Purchase Order, Bank Reconciliation, and Point of Sale modules. According to the company, the package has a Windows interface module to access the program from the Microsoft Windows Program Manager screen.
MICA President Mark Lee claims that version 2.01 includes improved reporting features as well as an enhanced user interface. "These new enhancement will provide users with an even greater history and increased description capabilities on their reports," he said adding that the new edition will handle a wider array of businesses.
MICA says that the general ledger changes include a List Transactions function that allows transactions to be listed in sequence by posted transaction number, an expanded account balance history that can now keep up to five prior years of actual account balances, and a new Comparative Balance Sheet and Comparative Income Statement feature that allows the user to print a six year comparison.
In accounts receivable, users get two new sort characteristics on the G/L Distribution Report and the Transaction Journal that allow you to select entries to be listed by range of dates. Options to select "only transactions dated on or after" and "only transactions dated on or before" are now included. A List Transaction feature has also been added to allow transactions to be listed in sequence by posted transaction number.
In the AP module, a general characteristic that allows the user to select which transaction description is transferred from the invoice entry to Job cost now also controls the description that is transferred to General Ledger when posting in detail. The user can choose vendor name, vendor/invoice ID, or invoice description.
The Payroll module has a new option that allows the user to select multiple state tax codes for processing W-2s and 1099s. MICA says this feature is designed for users in states which require the ability to set up multiple tax codes in order to handle all of the possible taxing situations.
In Inventory Control, the user can now perform Physical Adjustment transactions for serialized and lot inventory items. The Transaction Journal report has been expanded to include Cost of Sales, Work in Process, and Assembly Quantity information, and transactions can be listed in posted transaction number sequence.
In the purchase order module the user now receives an on-screen warning if the order quantity drops below user-specified minimum levels, and ten lines of descriptive text can be entered for each line item on a purchase order.
MICA IV version 2.01 runs on IBM-compatibles and PS/2 systems. It requires only 640 kilobytes of system memory, and at least 20MB of hard disk storage space. Each module has a suggested retail price of $795.
Current users can upgrade for $150 per module. MICA provides free technical support for thirty days, and has a support plan that costs $100 per year per module after the free support period expires.
(Jim Mallory/19930816/Press contact: Chris Oliver, MICA Software 800-448-6422
930816/Press contact: Chris Oliver, MICA Software 800-448-6422
8/16/93
MICA IV Version 2.01 Accounting Software Debuts For PC Users
Newton Easter Eggs, Bugs
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- Newton Messagepad (NMP) users appear to agree that the unit far surpasses their expectations. While bugs and problems have emerged, users are still enthusiastic about the new personal digital assistant (PDA) and already actively trading Newton tips and tricks.
A couple of those tips are "Easter Eggs," undocumented surprises that users can activate by a certain sequence of commands. Programmers have been putting in hidden code sequences into software products for years and users take a certain delight in activating the eggs -- knowledge which is usually a carefully guarded secret passed from user to user.
Two Newton Easter Eggs have been uncovered. If you enter About Newton, highlight the words (by holding the pen down until it beeps and dragging it across the words), and choose Assist, the names of the Newton Team in various funny fonts will scroll by, ending with a dedication. If you enter Find Elvis, highlight the words, and choose Assist, the phrase "The King was last seen..." with a random city and date will be displayed.
Newton users on the new Compuserve forum devoted to the PDA are especially fanatical about their units. One user said: "I have seen the future, and it is NEWTON!" Shortages of the units have made those that have them celebrities in their respective workplaces.
Newsbytes contacted Apple dealers who said they have Newtons on back order and expect them in a month. Apple Computer isn't releasing any specific sales numbers yet, but said sales have been brisk and West Coast buyers can look for Newtons in the retail outlets around Labor Day. However, the supply is expected to fall far short of the demand.
Reported bugs in the PDA appear to center around: loss of time in the unit's internal clock, loss of the handwriting recognition unusual side effects with AC power, data loss, and other miscellaneous problems.
The error getting the most complaints is the failure of the handwriting recognition. Reports suggest heavy Newton users are finding the recognition screeches to a halt at least once a day requiring them to reset the unit to correct the problem. In addition, users who have experienced a reduction of recognition while plugged into AC power are being encouraged not to use the AC power at all to operate their Newtons.
Apple representative Tricia Chan told Newsbytes she was unable to verify these specific bug reports, but said there were isolated incidents of people needing "tweaks." In addition, Chan emphasized improper use of the AC power, such as unplugging the unit while it was still on, could cause problems.
A program billed to help cure some of the bugs, MINIS.SIT, is available for download on the Newton forum, but requires a Macintosh Connection Kit and a Macintosh to get the software into the PDA.
While Macintosh Connection Kits are not officially available Macworld attendees who paid for the kit at Macworld Boston the week of August 2nd received the 0.9 beta version with a coupon for a free copy of the shipping version when it is released.
A program included in MINIS.SIT, memory manager, is reportedly able to free up critical areas of the Newton's memory that become cluttered, which is one hypothesis as to why the recognition freezes.
Updates of the unit's read-only memory (ROM) are already coming out and the latest one reported is version 1.02. Some users have version 1.0 while others have reported their units are already equipped with version 1.02. Users can tell what version of the ROM they have by bringing up preferences which also displays the ROM version number at the bottom of the screen.
Apple representatives would not confirm the latest version of the ROM, but said there will always be ROM updates, especially in such a new product.
Apple has a help line for "Newtonians," 800-SOS-APPL, and support has been praised by the PDA's early adopters. In addition, the number offers a fax back option where users can find tips on everything from how to insert or replace batteries to how to beam information (using the infrared connection) to and from a Sharp OZ.
Reviews of the Newton vary widely from high praise to sharp criticism. Some Newton users said they have a love/hate relationship with the unit, but are willing to stick with it because the technology is so attractive. Just over 4,000 messages from enthusiastic users have been posted on the Compuserve forum in the two weeks since the unit's introduction.
Even the first Newton shareware program, a game called "Mr Advisor," is available for download already. The Newton Developer's Kit was also available in beta form to Macworld attendees for $795.
Overall, the Newton has been well received and users are supportive. The general attitude has been gratitude to Apple for introducing such exciting new technology.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930816/Press Contact: Tricia Chan, Apple Computer, tel 408-974-2042, fax 408-967-5651)
74-2042, fax 408-967-5651)
8/16/93
Newton Easter Eggs, Bugs
APPLE
Canadian Product Launch Update
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- This regular feature appearing every Monday or Tuesday, provides further details for the Canadian market on announcements by international companies that Newsbytes has already covered. In this week's issue: Apple's PowerBook 165, plus Duo 230 price cuts and a bundling promotion, and Sharp's Expert Pad.
Apple Canada launched the PowerBook 165 notebook computer (Newsbytes, August 2), cut the price of the PowerBook Duo 230, and announced a promotion offering the Duo 230 and a docking station at a special price. Available now in Canada, the PowerBook 165 has a list price of C$3,149 and comes equipped with four megabytes (MB) of memory and a 160-MB hard disk.
The Duo promotion offers a PowerBook Duo 230 notebook with the Duo Dock 230HD docking station for C$4,260 if the Duo has an 80-MB hard disk or C$4,750 with a 120-MB disk. New prices for the Duo 230 by itself are C$2,490 with an 80-MB hard disk and C$2,980 with a 120-MB disk. The Duo 230 was among several models affected by price cuts Apple announced in the United States earlier this month (Newsbytes August 3).
Sharp Electronics of Canada announced the PI-7000 or Expert Pad (Newsbytes, August 3), its version of the personal digital assistant that Apple sells as the Newton. Sharp builds the Newton hardware for Apple. The Expert Pad will be shipping in Canada in October, the company said. No price was announced.
(Grant Buckler/19930816/Press Contact: Franca Miraglia, Apple Canada, 416-513-5511; Betty Alexander, The Communications Group for Sharp Canada, 416-696-9900; Public Contact: Apple Canada 416-477-5800; Sharp Electronics of Canada, 416-890-2100, fax 416-890-7453)
416-890-2100, fax 416-890-7453)
8/16/93
Canadian Product Launch Update
GENERAL
Court Rules White House Must Sav
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- In the ongoing saga concerning the question of whether the government (employees of the people) must preserve electronic records which might later prove embarrassing, the government seems to have lost a major round, but expect to hear more from the White House before this battle is finally over.
The Washington Post reported on Saturday that a three-judge panel has ruled that thousands of Reagan and Bush Administration e-mail messages must be kept intact. But this ruling will effect the entire government, including the present occupants of the executive mansion, not just the defeated Republican Administration.
In essence, it all began with President Nixon and his Watergate Tapes, and continued with the midnight shredding parties held by Colonel North, but the question of whether executive branch officials must preserve their e-mail and other electronic records really came to a head when the outgoing President Bush's White House staff prepared to wipe almost 6,000 computer tapes full of messages exchanged between executive branch staff members since 1980.
The previous administration and President Clinton's White House both contend that the electronic records are mere copies of the "real" memos which were printed out.
Historians and reporters contest this position pointing out that such printed records may be missing some vital details such as who sent a message, who read it, and when both events occurred. Some observers have also pointed out that there is no assurance that all electronic records were ever printed out and that in any case, if they originated as electronic messages then the computer records are the first and best record of any messages.
The White House had appealed a January decision by US District Judge Charles R. Richey who agreed with plaintiffs that the electronic records were important and of a different nature than the paper records and therefore must be preserved, but last week the appeals court sided with Judge Richey and upheld his ruling that the files must be kept as part of the record of what government does.
This case, first brought more than four years ago by the non-profit National Security Archive, pitted the bureaucrats with their penchant for keeping as much as possible secret, against the people's right to know what their elected and non-elected representatives are doing and how decisions are actually made.
But, even if this decision holds through anticipated further legal challenges, not all White House records will be covered by the requirement that they be preserved and made available to researchers.
The rules are complex, but essentially any messages sent directly to the President from one of his (or someday her) advisors which goes no further than the chief executive, will remain a confidential presidential record, preserving the confidentiality necessary to assure independent advice on sensitive issues. These records are kept private for a minimum of 12 years.
What is covered by the court ruling is what is termed federal or non-presidential messages, basically those used to implement policy or exchanged by lower-level personnel.
Every federal agency will be effected by the ruling which greatly broadens the coverage of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), an open-government law under which reporters and any other interested party can petition agencies for the release of any non-classified documents whose release would not unduly violate the privacy of other individuals or harm national security.
About the only bright spot for the Clinton Administration is that the three-judge panel disallowed an earlier civil contempt ruling which was imposed because the Clinton White House had not moved quickly enough to formulate and implement new rules for the preservation of electronic records.
The most important aspect of this ruling may be that it opens up the possibility that these records may someday be available for electronic indexing and retrieval. One of the best protections bureaucrats and elected officials have has always been their ability to generate such a large amount of paper that it was nearly impossible to locate the real information that underlay policy decisions.
Forcing agencies to retain electronic versions of their documents means that even relatively unsophisticated researchers may someday be able to quickly scan millions of words for a few pertinent facts. It will also lessen the ability of agencies to delay granting FOIA requests based on the claim that it takes a lot of clerical work to locate and retrieve records.
(John McCormick/19930816)
ve records.
(John McCormick/19930816)
8/16/93
Court Rules White House Must Save Files
AT&T Buying All of McCaw for Sto
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- Taking advantage of its own rising stock price, AT&T agreed to buy all of McCaw, not just a one-third stake, for stock worth $12.6 billion. AT&T was the most active issue on the New York Stock Exchange on the first day of trading after the deal, with the price of the stock down slightly.
The deal is that AT&T will take each McCaw share for one new share of AT&T. There's a "collar" on the deal so fewer shares would be issued if AT&T stock goes above $72, and more will be issued if the stock goes below $53. AT&T closed August 13 at about $62, while McCaw closed at about $51, but was up over $5 per share in early trading August 16.
AT&T's existing shareholders will see a 10 percent dilution in the deal, meaning their own holdings will be worth one-tenth less of AT&T than previously. AT&T said that's well worth it, because McCaw profits are growing at 40-50 percent per year. The deal is cash free, defined as a "pooling of interests".
The biggest winners, ironically, could be British Telecom and MCI. British Telecom will get the same price as other McCaw holders when the deal is finalized. Earlier, the company had agreed to a lower price for its block of shares. Thus British Telecom, which is buying a 20 percent stake in MCI, will have a major stake in the success of MCI's main rival, AT&T. BT will be selling 35.8 million McCaw shares in the deal, which could be worth over $2.2 billion at AT&T's recent stock price. The boards of AT&T, McCaw and BT have all approved the transaction.
AT&T chairman Robert Allen said that he hopes to get the deal done in less than a year, but regional Bell companies may react angrily. AT&T's November decision to take a one-third interest in McCaw led to charges that it was re-entering the local phone business it was locked out of by the 1982 decree breaking up the Bell system. Those charges are certain to be renewed. Or Bell representatives may renew their call for the whole 1982 decree to be scrapped, with the whole telephone sector de-regulated.
At a telephone press conference attended by Newsbytes, Allen called Craig McCaw's decision to merge courageous, and McCaw himself acknowledged the decision to merge was difficult, since he's losing control of a dream he's held for a decade. In response to a question about regulatory approvals, Allen said "we see no obstacle in our path we believe we can't surmount. There's no regulatory or legal reason we can see that will prevent the culmination of this merger."
Allen denied in response to a second question that the deal puts AT&T back into the local phone business. "That spectre has been raised by a number of opponents to this deal," he said. McCaw himself noted that, in a recent agreement between US West and Time Warner, US West itself decided to get out of cellular and buy into cable facilities, if necessary.
"They're voting with their feet," he said, for their existing business and against cellular. Besides, noted Allen, "99 percent of the cellular business Craig handles today is handled on local phone company facilities -- start there, end there, or move through there."
"What drove us in this deal was the difference between wired and wireless communications," something Allen said McCaw recognized first. "We didn't want to get into arguments about what one could do and the other could do."
Since AT&T shares had gained over 50 percent in value after the November announcement, from under $40 to over $60 per share, there was also suddenly an explosion of capital with which to deal. Allen also said that the actual merger proposal wasn't put forward by AT&T until after his return from China last Friday.
"We've been invited to cause a little trouble at AT&T with some of our ideas," added McCaw, "and to be even a small part of AT&T is a great opportunity." Added Allen, getting the best laugh of the morning, "I expect McCaw's ideas to be worth just what we paid for them."
Craig McCaw, who is selling out in this deal, is a leading cellular industry visionary whose dream has been to have a single cellular system covering all 50 states. Through the purchase of LIN Broadcasting, alliances like a recent deal with PacTel on sharing interests in California and the Midwest, and affiliation agreements he has been steadily moving toward that goal. His ability to move further may be hampered by the AT&T name, however, as opposition to AT&T from the regional Bells hardens.
McCaw has done business as Cellular One, a moniker that is also used by some other companies, including Southwestern Bell, for non wireline or non-Bell owned cellular systems. McCaw is expected to move to the AT&T brand name. This comes just months after most of the Bell-owned cellular companies united in a group called MobiLink which was aimed at competing with the Cellular One grouping.
Perhaps recognizing the possibility of political trouble, Craig McCaw's own statement on the deal emphasized the patriotic side of the coin, saying it will allow America to remain the leader in wireless communications.
McCaw himself said he will join AT&T's board, while James Barksdale who joined McCaw in 1991 after a stint as chief operating officer for Federal Express, will remain as head of the new AT&T wireless services business. Allen, trying to shortstop Bell protests of the deal, noted that 99 percent of all cellular calls go through local phone companies like the regional Bells, and it will be years before that changes, if it ever does.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930816/Press Contact: AT&T, Bill Weiss 908/221-3070)
tact: AT&T, Bill Weiss 908/221-3070)
8/16/93
AT&T Buying All of McCaw for Stock
TELECOM
Newton Version Of Dyno Notepad N
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- Portfolio Software plans to offer a package for jotting down and organizing lists, agendas, and outlines on the Newton MessagePad.
Dyno Notepad for the Newton, a product slated for release in the fourth quarter, will partner intelligently with the just released DynoNotepad for the Macintosh and Windows, allowing users to share information between Newtons and desktop machines.
"Newton is a natural place for Dyno Notepad because MessagePad users will naturally take notes. Agendas, lists and outlines will be the most frequent type of writing on PDAs. Dyno Notepad delivers any easy way to assist these daily note-taking tasks," commented Brian Smiga, Portfolio's co-founder and general manager.
Dyno Notepad will supply structural elements lacking in many other upcoming writing tools for the Newton, Portfolio officials contended. The product will offer visual command buttons that let Newton users easily access frequently performed tasks. The Newton tool will also provide a ruler that helps with word, line and paragraph positioning, and word and line "handles" that furnish a quick means of dragging and navigating notes.
Newton users will be able to expand and collapse their notes, track the x/y position of notes as they write, and attach due dates and other data to notes and topics.
Like the Macintosh and Windows versions, the Newton software will be delivered as a series of "pads," each with customizable attributes for different types of notetaking. Users will be able to organize their thoughts by employing a "family" metaphor that describes relationships between ideas.
The tool will allow outline elements to be labeled with bullets triangles, checkboxes, and user-defined labels, as well as the traditional Harvard (1.A, 2.B) and Legal (1.0, 1,1) labels. Users will be able to save files in common desktop formats, including MacWrite, Word, .RTF and .TXT.
Suggested retail pricing for Dyno Notepad for Apple's Newton MessagePad will be announced by Portfolio when the product ships.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930816/Reader contact: Portfolio Software Inc. tel 408-252-0420; Press contacts: Elizabeth Reed, Portfolio, tel 408-252-0420; Judy Marie Merrill, Shepherd Merrill Communications Group, tel 415-965-7452)
d Merrill Communications Group, tel 415-965-7452)
8/16/93
Newton Version Of Dyno Notepad Now In The Works
APPLE
Easel Launches Enterprise Workbe
BURLINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- Easel, a vendor of client/server development software, has updated its product line with Enterprise Workbench, the successor to its Easel Workbench tool kit.
Enterprise Workbench includes software from the old Easel Workbench along with some new packages, said Douglas Clauson, a spokesman for the company. In effect it replaces Easel Workbench, he said.
Enterprise Workbench has a new architecture based on IBM's OS/2 2.1 operating system, and takes advantage of OS/2's flat memory model which turns over memory management to the operating system.
One of the new pieces is DB/Assist, a visual tool meant to provide access from client/server applications to central databases that support the Structured Query Language (SQL) standard.
The first release of DB/Assist will provide access to databases that fit within IBM's Systems Application Architecture (SAA) framework. In future releases, Clauson said, Easel plans to provide support for other SQL-compliant databases such as Oracle Server, Sybase Server and SQL Server. The next release will probably come some time in 1994, he added.
DB/Assist lets developers generate both static and dynamic SQL statements, the vendor said, so they can create routines for applications that handle many similar transactions or constantly changing transactions.
Easel also announced Continuity for Enterprise Workbench, a piece of software meant to integrate its software with computer-aided software engineering (CASE) products from a variety of other vendors.
Continuity takes output from so-called Upper CASE tools, which are used for initial system analysis and design, in a standard format called External Source Format (ESF), and converts it to the Easel language used in Easel's development tools. More than 30 CASE vendors support ESF, Clauson said.
With Continuity, the company claimed, developers can quickly take analysis and design information created in CASE tools from vendors such as Bachman Information Systems, Knowledgeware, and Texas Instruments, and build it into an Enterprise Workbench application.
Easel has also enhanced its Easel/Win and Easel/32 (formerly Easel/2) production systems, used to create applications. Changes include support for Microsoft Corp.'s Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) standard and a new feature in the Easel language called a table object, which displays large amounts of data in a spreadsheet like, row-and-column format.
Also, Easel announced Renovator Plus, a tool kit for adapting older "legacy" applications to client/server computing. It combines Enterprise Workbench with the firm's CommBuilder tool, which automates development of communications logic for 3270 and 5250 terminal protocols.
Enterprise Workbench, including DB/Assist, is scheduled to be released in October. Prices are $5,995 for the OS/2 edition and $3,995 for the Microsoft Windows edition.
Continuity is available separately right away, for $10,000 per server license, with an introductory price of $7,500 through September 30. Renovator Plus, available now, is $9,900 for the OS/2 version and $7,900 for the Windows version.
(Grant Buckler/19930816/Press Contact: Douglas Clauson, Easel 617-221-3088)
Contact: Douglas Clauson, Easel 617-221-3088)
8/16/93
Easel Launches Enterprise Workbench Tool Kit
GENERAL
International Phone Update
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- AT&T is the focal point of international as well as domestic telecommunications news for this week's international phone update.
While the company has announced it will buy McCaw Cellular for stock, it's still trying to crack the China market wider. Chairman Robert Allen is calling on the Clinton Administration to lift Cold War export restrictions that keep him from selling his top-of-the line gear to Beijing. He rejects government fears that the equipment might go to the military, and notes that China can always get its needs supplied elsewhere.
Allen made his point in Beijing, where he opened a new AT&T China business unit under William Warwick. He spoke a week after the government declined to lift a ban on AT&T exports of high-speed phone switches and called China's policy of monitoring telephones none of his business.
Allen and Warwick are trying to follow-up on February agreements which include joint-venture production of telephone switches that could be worth billions of dollars, but could also come to nothing if AT&T's China exports are restricted. Allen noted that the February deal resulted from an October pact between China and the Bush Administration aimed at opening the market and reducing China's trade surplus with the US.
As if to emphasize that point, Northern Telecom of Canada signed a $53 million contract with the Beijing Telecommunications Administration to supply its top of the line DMS switches to China.
Northern also signed a memorandum of understanding similar to AT&T's February agreement covering manufacturing, research and development technical and training projects, including a joint venture for the development, manufacturing, engineering and service of DMS-100 SuperNode switching systems. China also agreed to import $92 million worth of telephone exchanges from Alcatel's Spain unit, in a deal financed by Spanish banks.
AT&T also has opportunities and competitors in Latin America, in the wake of the Clinton Administration's signing of side agreements on the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico. AT&T signed a deal in Brazil with SID Telecom to make its network equipment, with SID holding 51 percent of the AT&T Network Systems do Brasil unit.
The company's head estimated that Telebras, the state-owned phone company, will need to buy $500 million in new switches over the next five years, and hopes his venture can get 20 percent of that. AT&T already sells $2 billion of equipment to Latin America each year.
But here too AT&T has big competition. Marconi of Portugal set up a consortium with Embratel of Brazil to re-sell equipment world-wide. The big problem remains NAFTA, with opponents vowing to scuttle the agreement and, with it, some of the Latin markets' gains. Those jitters sent shares throughout Latin America falling as the week ended.
In Europe, the Greek government celebrated its 51-47 win in the parliament clearing the way for its sale of one-third of OTE, the state-owned phone company, to one of six foreign companies. To win the agreement, the government agreed to continue controlling phone rates and the OTE board of directors.
Also, Ericsson won an order from Bulgaria for a mobile phone system on the 450 MHz frequency, which will be installed by a joint venture between Bulgarians and Cable and Wireless of the UK. Also, German Economics Minister Guenter Rexrodt renewed his call to quickly privatize Deutsche Bundespost Telekom, that nation's phone network claiming privatization would make Telekom equipment competitive in world markets and boost the German economy.
Finally, in Asia, Philippine officials urged that telephone firms operating in the country to merge their operations and avoid duplication of facilities. This seems to be a reversal of President Ramos' policy of deregulating the market.
Foreign companies like Cable and Wireless and Singapore Telecom have urged limits to competition so that foreign capital can be guaranteed a profit for making risky investments. Singapore Telecom itself is in the process of being privatized, and the government will sell shares at a discount to its citizens.
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- Under former campaign official Jeff Eller, the White House is going online in a big way. It first made news on this front a few months ago, getting accounts on the Internet with IDs that make sense, like Clinton's President@white.house.gov, and on CompuServe.
Now the Administration has taken steps to make itself available on every major online network. For now, e-mail will still be answered by paper mail, although the electronic files will have to be saved based on recent court decisions. If you do send an e-mail to President Bill, then, remember to add your mailing address to the bottom.
Here are some of the online Clinton addresses. On America OnLine message "Clinton PZ". On CompuServe, send mail to 75300,3115. On GEnie, the address is "WHITEHOUSE". You can access the White House on MCI Mail, too, or ID 589-5485. On ZiffNet, which has sections on both Prodigy and CompuServe, it's "Go ZNT:EXEC."
Such files as transcripts of the daily White House briefing are also available on special sections of most major services, with files fed directly from the White House. This is the same stuff the White House Press Corps reads every day, which may be why they have such a reputation for surliness.
Anyway, on CompuServe type "Go White House". On AOL it's "white house." On GEnie it's "move 1600," which refers to the page number of the service. The MCI Mail bulletin board can be seen by entering "view White House," and it's "GO ZNT:EXEC" on ZiffNet.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930816)
" on ZiffNet.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930816)
8/16/93
White House Gets EMail Addresses Everywhere
TELECOM
Mitel Names New Chairman, Report
Acer To Manufacture Portables Wi
Sybase Opens Belgium Subsidiary
Zilog's New Microcontroller Offe
UK Gets Its First Green Notebook
Apple's US Intros Of New Speech-
Apple Clarifies PowerOpen Timeta
UK - Zenith Data Systems Intros
RasterOps Intros MoviePak2, Pain
Aldus Shipping Pagemaker 5.0 for
TV Archives To Develop Index Dat
BT, MCI Finalize Joint Venture
IBM Files Patent Suit Against Co
Groupware '93 - Remote Access To
Cisco Routers Adopt Novell's IPX
Cisco Systems Posts $53 Million
Harvard Graphics 2.0 For Windows
HP Orders Slower, But Growth Sti
Autodesk Revenues Up 21% In 2Qtr
Nokia Scores Chinese Radiopaging
Cyrix Intros First 386-to-486 Cl
RICHARDSON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- Cyrix Corporation today introduced what it says is the computer industry's first 386 to 486 clock doubled single chip upgrade microprocessor.
The company says that the new chip allows the user to upgrade a personal computer that presently uses a 386DX-16, 20 or 25 megahertz (MHz) chip to 486 class performance and extends the life of existing 386-based systems. The upgrade chip cannot be installed in a 386 based 33 MHz or 40MHz system, nor in PCs that use a 386SX chip.
Cyrix claims that no changes are necessary to the BIOS, and no additional system memory is necessary. The upgrade chip does support a math coprocessor when one is installed. the company says the chip is not compatible with Sun i386 systems, Memorex 386 systems, IBM PS/2 Model 70/16MHz systems unless it has a 85 nanosecond memory and early Compaq Deskpro 386/16MHz systems that have a 287 math coprocessor installed.
Cyrix says its marketing strategy will focus on resellers who are being serviced through major distributors such as Merisel, Ingram Micro, and Tech Data. The chip will also be available through Xerox Corporation's customer service organization and through GTSI.
The 16/32 MHz version of the Upgrade Microprocessor is designated the Cx486DRx216/32 and has a suggested retail price of $299. The 20/40 MHz version is listed at $349, and the 25/50 MHz edition will carry a #399 price tag. Cyrix recommends the use of a heat sink (a device to quickly dissipate heat) with the 20/40 and 25/50MHz chips and includes it with both those models. That requires about 0.24 inch additional vertical clearance above the 0.30 inch needed for the Upgrade Microprocessor.
Cyrix claims that the chip is compatible with industry standard 386DX microprocessor sockets. Clock doubling circuitry, combined with a 1K on-chip cache, and improved input/output of data allows the Upgrade Microprocessor to improve performance by 100 percent or more, according to Cyrix.
The company furnished Newsbytes with benchmark information that shows a 129 percent increase when the new chip is tested against a 386 using Norton's Sysinfo 6.0, and a 375 percent increase using the Landmark CPU Speed version 2.0 program.
Cyrix claims it ran the comparisons on an IBM Model 70 20MHz and Everex Step 20 MHz systems. It says it made tests using specific software applications, and reported a performance increase of 2.77 times when using Microsoft Word software. Similar tests with Microsoft's Excel spreadsheet reported as much as a twofold increase, while Micrografx Designer ran as much as 2.64 times faster.
Cyrix also claims it has implemented a patent pending cache coherency technique to ensure data integrity between the new chip's internal cache and the PC's external memory. There is also a clock duty cycle correction circuit that is designed to ensure a good signal where a system's clock varies between high and low periods.
The new chip is being shipped in a kit that includes a set of 386DX chip removal tools, an installation manual, and cache installation software that comes on both 5.25 and 3.5 inch floppy disks. The cache software can be installed under DOS, Windows, or OS/2 with the automatic installation routine. Cyrix says installation takes about 15 minutes. The upgrade chip has a lifetime limited warranty and tollfree technical support.
Cyrix says that corporate users presently account for about 20 percent of the installed desktop PC systems. The company expects that number to almost double in the next twelve months. If they are right, that is a tremendous market for the new chip.
Instead of having to spend $2,000 or more to replace their existing 386-based systems, corporate buyers could upgrade for just a few hundred dollars. They also wouldn't have to decide what to do with all those 386-based systems.
rporation, 800 462-9749 or 214-994-8388, fax 214-699-9857)
8/16/93
Cyrix Intros First 386-to-486 Clock Doubled Upgrade Chip
New Jersey Follows Other States
TRENTON, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- Following the lead of a number of other states, including Oregon and Georgia, New Jersey has imposed a ban on the use of automated telephone solicitation. Companies which want to pitch consumers using the phone must use live operators who can assure that consumers want to hear the pitch. Violators are subject to fines of $500-800.
While lawmakers patted themselves on the back for the move, there is a question how effective they'll be, or whether they can implement the law at all. In Georgia, which passed a junk call ban a few years ago, merchants with autodialers simply moved across the state line to Alabama, taking advantage of lower interstate calling rates to solicit Georgia customers.
When Oregon's legislators tried to ban both automated voice and fax calls, they were met by lawsuits, and the rules against "junk fax" calls were overturned by a state court.
Trade groups for the auto-dialer users claim that bans on junk calls and junk mail violate their rights to free speech. Lawyers for the states with bans have noted that the rights to commercial speech have never been as far-reaching as those on political or public speech.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930816)
cal or public speech.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930816)
8/16/93
New Jersey Follows Other States With AutoDialer Ban
TELECOM
MCI Continues Staffing BT Joint
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- MCI continues to staff-up the upper reaches of its still-unnamed joint venture with British Telecom.
BT and MCI are engaged in a joint venture, based in northern Virginia, aimed at handling the global telecommunications services needs of multinational companies. Chris Earnshaw of BT will head the new concern. In the latest moves Mike Read of BT the company's global networks director, was named senior vice president for worldwide planning and operations in the new venture, while MCI controller Roy Nash was named chief financial officer for the new venture, and chief information officer. The new venture remains unnamed.
BT will own 75 percent of the new venture, and 20 percent of MCI after the deal is done. Nash is a former partner at Arthur Young the accounting firm, while Read was once chairman of the CCITT working party responsible for worldwide network operations.
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- A Michigan company is offering on-site testing of the electromagnetic field (EMF) radiation emitted from your computer monitors.
Experts have long debated whether EMF radiation from computer monitors causes cancer, miscarriages and other medical ailments. While a definitive link between human illness and EMF radiation still has to be proven beyond doubt, researchers say they have proven low-frequency EMFs can disrupt the way cells function and how animals develop.
Magnagard Laboratories' President Robert Craig claims that it is inconvenient for companies to package up their monitors and send them to laboratories across the country for testing. "Businesses not only lose downtown in productivity, but they can incur tremendous expense in shipping the monitors," says Craig.
Magnagard vice president and co-founder Kenneth Wolthuis also points out that companies cannot be sure the testing meets the international standards, known as the Swedish MPR2 guidelines. "We have designed and created a mobile workstation, which enables technicians to inspect monitors in offices for EMF levels meeting the Swedish standard," he said.
According to Magnagard a total of 104 separate readings have to be taken from various degrees relative to the terminal to correctly measure the radiation level of a monitor. "It's virtually impossible to conduct this test manually and receive accurate readings," according to Wolthuis.
The Magnagard mobile workstation uses a rotary turntable and slotted arms upon which the testing equipment is mounted. The workstation can be adjusted to the precise heights, angles, and distance in which the testing needs to be done. That allows the test operator to determine the areas within the monitor which require shielding from high EMF levels.
The workstation also adjusts for reading according to the size of the monitor. Craig also points out that all monitors of the same brand and model are not identical in their EMF. "Just because the same brand of monitor may be used throughout an office doesn't mean each terminal will have the same radiation levels," he said.
Craig also claims that the testing can serve as a preventative measure against potential employee health and any resulting lawsuits. "Just as companies have insurance against disaster and theft, They should also have computer monitors tested and analyzed for high radiation levels.
Not only will this put employee's minds at ease in knowing that their monitors meet acceptable standards, but it could generate low Workman's Compensation insurance rates and reduce the risk of legal problems for the company itself."
Magnagard spokesperson Edward Nakfoor told Newsbytes that the testing service is available anywhere in the US and costs $60 to test each monitor.
(Jim Mallory/19930816/Press contact: Edward Nakfoor, Marx Lane Marketing & PR for Magnagard, 313-855-6777l; Reader contact: Magnagard, 800-635-2929 or 313-464- 2929)
Magnagard, 800-635-2929 or 313-464- 2929)
8/16/93
On-Site Testing For PC Monitor Radiation
GENERAL
VOD, CD-I, 3DO More Hype Than Re
MENLO PARK, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- Nobody has enough hours in the day to use all the digital video services we're being promised in the next five years and some of these services we're seeing announced now are going to die, according a recent study by SRI International.
The two services which seem likely to be the most disappointing in terms of user adoption in the next five years are Video-on-demand (VOD) and the new interactive multimedia players.
Less than two million households, or under 10 percent of the residential population, will subscribe in the next four years to the new VOD services planned by cable companies and entertainment providers. Ed Christie, SRI project leader said: "With all the excitement in the press, people tend to forget that VOD is barely out of the conceptual stage. The first trials are just beginning to start, and we believe those trials will demonstrate that it's a lot more difficult to implement an attractive VOD service than the technology's present proponents assume."
Competition with video tape rental is the biggest drawback to VOD. It has been said that VOD is going down to the video store and renting a tape. Advanced pay-per-view will be more successful, capturing five million users by 1997, or nearly two and a half times that of VOD, the SRI study said.
Advance pay-per-view is based on having the cable channels compressed, with decompression setting in the home users' set top box. With so many more channels, the same movie could start every 15 minutes on four channels.
However, the huge video rental chains are fighting VOD. The Blockbuster Entertainment video store chain succeeded in getting dates of pay-per-view movies on cable moved back until weeks following their arrival in video stores by threatening to cut-off studios which did not comply with their demands.
The early adopters of VOD won't be the heavy television watchers that the companies offering VOD are counting on, according to the market research group. Instead they will be upscale, novelty-seeking people who may subscribe but who probably won't use the service very often. If true, this scenario spells financial trouble for VOD whose financial structure is built on intensity of use rather than market share, Christie added.
The "omni-box" Interactive multiplayers that connect to television, such as Philips' compact disc-interactive (CD-I) and 3DO's Interactive Multiplayer 3DO Real by Panasonic may also be left out in the cold. As with information appliances Christie is predicting the multimedia players will fail on that front as well.
"To the degree they want to be information/education/everything machines they've got the wrong I/O [input/output] -- text on a television works poorly and entering information with the point-and click remotes of today's systems is awkward at best."
As an entertainment machine, Christie maintains the CD-I and 3DO players are simply too expensive for short term mass markets. "Any competitor in the home market will have Nintendo and Sega aggressively squeezing from the bottom and Apple and PC-based systems squeezing from the top. That's a very harsh environment to try to establish something that will have the success of VHS or CD audio" he said.
In addition, there just aren't enough hours in the day for consumers to be talking on digital video with grandma, watching a movie via VOD, playing an interactive game, thumbing through electronic coupons, and shopping electronically. "There are too many services competing for the same upwardly-mobile technology-oriented consumer," explained Steve Krause of SRI. "Some of these services are going to cannibalize each other."
What will work? Outside the residential realm, SRI says it sees the most opportunity short-term in applications such as high end digital-video-editing systems, digital-video-based integrated learning systems in education, and group videoconferencing systems in business. Low-cost, high-volume applications such as videophones, low-end digital-video-editing systems, and desktop videoconferencing will see slower growth constrained to niche markets through 1997, SRI maintains.
Christie asserts, "...there's a lot of real short-term opportunity in selected areas and a tremendous amount of hype in most of the big-payoff applications."
SRI describes itself as a research, development, and consulting service firm. Its analysis is derived from an annual survey of 1,500 early-adopter households as well as more generalized data from the annual Simmons Market Research Bureau survey of 20,000 households nationally.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930816/Press Contact: Ed Christie, SRI International, tel 415-859-2400, fax 415-326-5512)
International, tel 415-859-2400, fax 415-326-5512)
8/16/93
VOD, CD-I, 3DO More Hype Than Reality, Study Says
TRENDS
Adobe Intros Premiere For Window
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- Just two weeks after announcing version 3.0 of Adobe Premiere for the Macintosh platform, Adobe Systems has introduced the first version of video editing software for the Microsoft Windows graphical user environment.
The company says that Adobe Premiere version 1.0 for Windows provides a user interface for "combining digital video and audio content, transitions, special effects and filters to create digital video movies." The software also includes tools for combining video footage, audio, animation, still images and graphics to create digital movies in either the MS-Video for Windows AVI (Audio Visual Interleaved) or Apple's QuickTime format.
A company spokesperson told Newsbytes that, because the hardware available for the Mac is of a more advanced level, the Windows version is designed "for more of an internal audience," such as "integrating interactive multimedia presentations and employee training," whereas Premier for the Macintosh is "targeted at an external audience - post-production houses, for broadcast quality. (The Windows version) is also going to be for the home- hobbyist at this point."
The available hardware is the problem. "The fact that there are not really any JPEG boards out there right now. So that doesn't really give you the high quality that you need for outside marketing of video with Windows," added the spokesperson.
The company maintains that video clips in the QuickTime format can be imported for additional manipulation within the Windows environment and then exported to the Macintosh for playing and editing.
The digital movies created with Adobe Premiere can be viewed at variable sizes up to full screen, using a variety of compressors.
Announcing the product, Bryan Lamkin, product marketing manager for Adobe Premiere for Windows, said: "While digital video is just getting started in the Windows market, we believe there is significant growth potential there. Corporate business, training and graphic arts professionals are expected to be the early users for Windows video.
Adobe Premiere gives those people an economical, highly functional product for working with video under Windows, and one that will support both the current level of hardware and the high-end compression-based boards that will be available soon."
Adobe Premiere for Windows is designed to work with other Adobe graphics and digital type products, said the company. For example Adobe Illustrator for Windows graphics can be imported into Premiere 1.0 and combined with video and sound.
Adobe Premiere 1.0 also supports Adobe Photoshop plug-in filters and its film strip file format allows video clips to be exported to Adobe Photoshop for retouching and painting on individual frames.
The spokesperson told Newsbytes that there are a number of feature differences between the Windows version and the Mac 3.0 version.
"The Windows 1.0 version doesn't have any of the new features that go into 3.0. It is based on version 2.0 of the Mac. The main areas that push 3.0 into the professional area are the edit-decision list capability, which Windows version does not have and the ability to integrate titling within the program, so you have to use an external titling program and bring titles in. Also there is no device control or motion control," he said.
Adobe Premiere Version 1.0 for Windows carries a suggested retail price of $295 and is expected to be available in the third quarter of 1993. Minimum system requirements are an Intel 386-, 486- or Pentium processor-based PC with eight megabytes (MB) of RAM and a 100MB hard drive, running Windows 3.1 and MS-DOS 5.0 or greater and either, QuickTime/Windows or MS-Video software.
At the beginning of August, Newsbytes reported that the company had released version 3.0 of Adobe Premiere for the Macintosh. According to the company, new features in version 3.0 included faster previewing, 99 stereo audio tracks and 97 superimpose tracks, sub pixel motion and field rendering, plus a video waveform monitor multiple layering, batch digitizing and an enhanced Title window.
SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- Informix Software Inc., and Santa Cruz Operation (SCO) have entered into a "strategic alliance" involving sales, marketing, engineering and end user support.
Jaye Prosser, spokesperson for Informix, told Newsbytes that, "SCO was already considered one of our strategic partners. This is an agreement to do more formal marketing and sales partnering. In the contract there is a stipulation for different requirements that both parties have to go through -- as far as training on each others products, co-marketing, co-sales development, publicity -- it is more formalized, which is what we didn't have prior."
According to the companies, the agreement includes "co-operative sales and marketing activities" for all Informix database products and SCO's 32-bit operating systems.
Announcing the deal, Phil White, chief executive officer and chairman at Informix, said: "We currently enjoy a long-standing relationship with SCO where both companies share a strong mutual customer base in the US and around the world. The strategic alliance agreement takes our relationship one step further in providing greater shared knowledge and improved technical training to SCO's and Informix's sales force with the ultimate goal - better service and customer satisfaction."
The companies said that the agreement designates specific areas of co-operation, including: co-operative support, to develop communications channels between support organizations and provide cross-training on selected products; co-operative marketing, in the areas of trade shows, public relations, collateral marketing materials and joint channel activities; joint sales activities, such as the education and training of both companies' sales and systems engineering personnel on each others' products.
Prosser also told Newsbytes, "We already had an on-going relationship with SCO, prior to the agreement. They are in the top ten of the platforms that we work with. We do tremendous business with SCO. For instance, we have an on-site Informix rep that works with the SCO rep."
Informix products include Informix-OnLine, an on-line transaction processing (OLTP) database server; Informix-SE, a multi-user relational database management system; and Informix-4GL, a fourth-generation application development environment. SCO's main Unix products include the SCO Open Server network server operating system (OS) and SCO Open Desktop workstation (client) OS. The OS products are based on SCO Unix System V/386 Release 3.2 Version 4.2.
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- Hoping to target the potentially lucrative personal communicator market, EO Incorporated and GO Corporation, intend to merge into a single company.
AT&T became the majority owner of EO in an agreement finalized recently. EO's will produce personal communicators -- pen-based equipment such as Apple's newly release Newton MessagePad. GO is the developer of the high profile operating system for personal communicators, PenPoint.
According to the companies: "By bringing EO and GO engineers together under one roof, with access to AT&T Bell Laboratories technology, the combined company can best achieve the right integration of communications functions required for these products.
In any developing technology, "standards " are the key. By combining the resources of the companies, they are seeking to establish a de facto standard which other companies will incorporate. This, they hope, will ensure themselves a sizeable piece of the "personal communicator" pie.
Announcing the intended merger, Robert Kavner, AT&T executive vice president and CEO for multimedia products and services, said: "What we have done is form one entity, with one technology platform through which we and our partners can offer the best solution for those who need to stay in touch, anywhere, anytime."
Continued Kavner, "This underscores our commitment to the mobile communications market, and to combining AT&T's Hobbit microprocessor, GO's PenPoint operating system, and EO's personal communicator design to meet that need."
The companies maintain that the merger will "accelerate the licensing of their combined technologies as an open platform for other vendors to design personal communicators and related software."
According to the companies, more than 2,000 software developers are trained and working on products based on PenPoint, and NEC Toshiba, Matsushita and Olivetti have already committed to the Hobbit/PenPoint platform.
(Ian Stokell/19930816/Press Contact: Sharon Miller, 415-904-7070 ext 272, Access Public Relations for EO; Mike Homer, 415-358-2070, GO Corporation).
, GO Corporation).
8/16/93
EO & GO To Merge
BUSINESS
> V
Motorola Codex Reports Soaring V
WALLINGTON, SURREY, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- Motorola Codex, one of the first companies to ship a pseudo V.Fast modem range, reports that sales of its 326XFast modem series are running at a steady 250 a month. The company predicts that this rate will rise to more than 350 units a month before the end of the year.
"The 326XFast is proving so popular that we confidently expect to be selling 1,200 units a quarter by the end of the year," said Mike Burnham, general manager of the company's UK operations.
According to Burnham, customers are typically involved in applications that require fast and reliable data transfers today, with the added security of a free upgrade to compatibility with the full V.Fast standard when it is agreed by the International Telecoms Union (ITU) over the next year.
To back up its claims that its modems are selling so well, Motorola Codex has begun publicizing the cases of some of its customers ISMA, a designated investment exchange, and Quality Software Products (QSP), a UK financial software house -- which it claims have proven the advantages of V.Fast in action.
ASMA is said to have chosen the company's fast modems to link its subscribers into its Luxemburg office as quickly and efficiently as possible. "The ability to upgrade and be compatible with the V.Fast standard was important to use because the use of technology within the finance industry advances so quickly," explained Kanesh Ghandi ISMA's deputy communications manager.
At QSP, meanwhile, three 3265Fast modems are being used to provide remote access to the company's mainframe, mid-range and local area network (LAN) systems. The company's pre-sales team are said to have been the major users when taking the LAN equipment out to prospective client sites and connecting to headquarters to demonstrate the company's software.
"We've come to expect a data rate of between 21,600 and 24,000 bits per second (bps). Nothing else could have given us that kind of throughput over the public switched telephone network (PSTN) with the reliability we need," said Derek Robinson, QSP's network administrator.
Motorola Codex claims that, while its modems were the first to implement a proprietary pseudo V.Fast system last year, its products are still at the leading edge technologically. The company also claims that, despite the impending closeness of the V.Fast standard being ratified by the ITU, its modems will continue to sell well, as the company has committed to an upgrade path for its customers.
(Steve Gold/19930816/Press & Public Contact: Motorola Codex - Tel: 081-773-7632)
Public Contact: Motorola Codex - Tel: 081-773-7632)
8/16/93
Motorola Codex Reports Soaring V.Fast Modem Sales
TELECOM
Cisco Routers Adopt Novell's IPX
MENLO PARK, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- Hoping to ensure compatibility between routers from Cisco Systems and Novell NetWare networking products, the two companies have entered a "strategic partnership."
According to the companies, the first phase of the partnership calls for Novell to certify that Cisco routers support all necessary IPX (Internetwork Packet Exchange) router functionality. It will also entail Cisco implementing Novell's NetWare Link Services Protocol (NLSP) to improve internetwork performance and scalability. Also the two companies will work together to ensure that Cisco routers will support IPXWAN in order to provide "seamless interoperability" of IPX across wide area networks.
In announcing the agreement, Kanwal Rekhi, executive vice president of Novell's Interoperability Systems Group, said: "As major companies deploy client-server systems with legacy systems, they are looking to tie these new systems together in open, router-based enterprise internetworks."
Cisco joined Novell's Router Development Program in January 1993 receiving the IPX router specification and compliance test programs. Cisco says it is using these test programs in its internal test labs. Later this year it will submit its router software to Novell for compliance testing. Support for NLSP on Cisco routers is expected in 1994.
NLSP is Novell's protocol that the company says, "provides improved performance, reliability, scalability and manageability of IPX traffic in large LAN-WAN internetworks."
Added Rekhi: "With 30 million Novell NetWare nodes and 100,000 Cisco routers installed in the world's largest internets, our partnership will ensure Novell customers that they can send data over Cisco backbones in the enterprise as easily as they can over a departmental or branch network."
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- Who's doing the shopping at computer superstores? The typical superstore customer is knowledgeable about computers, highly involved in purchasing PCs affluent, and well educated, say the results of a new survey.
In fact, most superstore shoppers walk into the store with exactly the PC products and brands they want to purchase in mind, and of those who buy, nine out of ten purchase precisely what they had intended.
A lack of existing research on the increasing important superstore channel prompted the large-scale study, conducted by Directions for Decisions Co., for InfoCorp and Ziff-Davis Publishing Company.
"Prior to this study, virtually no information existed about the shopping process in this rapidly growing channel. Many assumed it was reaching first-time buyers," explained J. Scott Briggs president of Ziff-Davis.
Over the past three years, microelectronics stores have doubled to represent 13 percent of the US market, according to InfoCorp, and PC sales in this channel will reach 2.5 million units by 1995.
The study was conducted in two waves, measuring pre-holiday shopping in November/December 1992 and customary shopping in March/April 1993. Thirty-eight individual stores in 10 major markets of the US were covered, with equal representation from computer superstores office products superstores, and consumer electronics stores.
The study divided superstore customers into two groups: shoppers who planned to purchase or actually made a purchase of a personal computer product in the retail outlet they were visiting on the day of the interview, and "browsers," who said they were "just looking" in the computer department.
Among the shoppers, more than two-thirds are male and 62 percent are college graduates, according to the results. Median age is about 40 and median income is over $55,500. Nine out of ten are employed, and over 42 percent hold management positions.
The shoppers have considerable PC experience. Ninety-six percent use a PC at home or at work, 86 percent consider themselves to be knowledgeable about PCs, and at least six in ten are often asked for buying advice. More than three-quarters have purchased PCs before, and at least 63 percent are involved in acquiring microcomputers, peripherals or software for their companies.
Superstore shoppers also do serious research before deciding what to buy. They shop in multiple channels. At least seven in 10 have bought PC products at other computer stores in the past, and more than two-thirds have previously purchased by mail.
More than six in ten "usually use" computer publications for information, and 38 percent said they considered computer publications to be their primary information source. At least 45 percent usually get information from friends and relatives, and about one-fifth said they considered friends and relatives to be their primary source.
As a result, they generally know what specific type and brand of product they're interested in before walking into the store. Only a quarter of the shoppers said they usually used salespeople as an information source, and no more than six percent regarded salespeople as their primary information source.
More than three-quarters of the PC buyers knew the configuration they wanted before visiting the store, and at least 85 percent of them bought it. Six in ten buyers knew what specific brand of PC they wanted before the store visit, and at least 87 percent purchased that brand. Similarly, of those buyers who knew what brand of peripherals, software, supplies or accessories they wanted, at least 94 percent bought that brand.
Also, according to the study, browsers are almost as knowledgeable experienced and involved in buying PCs for their businesses as shoppers. But when they enter a superstore, they are in the discovery phase, "seeing what's new" or "getting ideas" for themselves.
Nonetheless, six in ten browsers reported that they usually use computer publications to get information about PC products, and at least 45 percent cited publications as their primary information source.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930816/Reader contact: Joseph Gillespie Ziff-Davis Magazine Networks, tel 212-503-5650; Press contacts: Brenda Wheeler, Ziff-Davis, tel 212-503-3256, or Greg Jarboe Ziff-Davis, tel 617-393-3313)
03-3256, or Greg Jarboe Ziff-Davis, tel 617-393-3313)
8/16/93
Computer Superstore Buyers Know What They're Buying
TRENDS
Sega To Open Luxor Virtual Arcad
REDWOOD CITY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 16 (NB) -- Sega and Circus Circus have announced a three-dimensional (3D) interactive arcade entertainment center, Virtualand, to be opened in October (just in time for Fall COMDEX November 15 through 19) with the opening of the new Luxor hotel in Las Vegas. The Luxor is described by Circus Circus as a 30 story, bronze, pyramid-shaped hotel/casino with the world's largest atrium and an Egyptian theme.
Virtualand will be 20,000 square feet of state-of-the-art virtual reality entertainment, including an eight person interactive "motion theater" simulator called AS1, according to Sega. Michael Jackson has agreed to be filmed as the electronic "host" to AS1 riders.
An interactive racing game, measuring 14-by-50 feet and dubbed Virtua Formula will also be available. Virtua Formula incorporates a big screen, live monitors, and individual motion-based race cars to pit eight racers against each other in racing competition.
A real dog fight simulator, the R360, will also be available offering visitors 360 degree maneuvering with a gyro-moving spherical cockpit system, Sega officials said.
Sega's agreement with Circus Circus includes the development and management of a new canyon arcade within the Grand Slam Canyon, an amusement park which will open next week (August 23). In addition Sega is taking over the management of Circus Circus' midway entertainment center, with plans to update and renovate it with its own 3D interactive commercial products.
Circus Circus, known for its low priced meals and mobile home parking lot at its circus-themed casino in Las Vegas, also owns casinos in Reno and Laughlin for a total of seven Nevada properties. Sega is probably best known for its home entertainment systems.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930816/Press Contact: Brenda Lynch, Manning Selvage, & Lee for Sega, tel 818-509-1840; Sega, 415-508-2800 fax 415-802-1448)
l 818-509-1840; Sega, 415-508-2800 fax 415-802-1448)
8/16/93
Sega To Open Luxor Virtual Arcade W/ Circus Circus
GENERAL
How Much Disk Space Does OS/2 2.
CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- In the July 26 article, "Stac Utility For Doublespace File Access Under OS/2," Newsbytes called OS/2 2.1 a disk space hog and said it required a minimum of 40 megabytes of hard disk space. However several Newsbytes readers objected to the 40 MB figure Newsbytes decided to find out just what the real minimum disk space requirement was for OS/2 2.1.
After literally ten calls to IBM and its public relations agencies, Newsbytes was directed to IBM's technical support where very polite and gracious support technicians spent the better part of an afternoon determining the answer. It seems no one knew because no one in technical support had ever installed OS/2 in its minimum configuration.
According to IBM technical support, OS/2 2.1 in all its glory takes approximately 40 MB depending on the configuration of the machine on which it is installed. The files installed with OS/2 are dependent on the type of devices connected to the computer in question. For example, if the computer has a video graphics array (VGA) display, a different video driver would be installed than if the computer has an Extended VGA (XVGA) display and that type of difference could change the amount of disk space installation requires.
However, the answer is the minimum configuration takes approximately 8.4 MB. This installation does not include the following options: documentation, fonts, operational utilities, the swap file, tools and games, the high performance file system, DOS support, Windows 3.1 support, power management, PCMCIA, Rexx, serviceability and diagnostics, or additional bitmaps.
The swap file is the biggest variable in the installation and varies greatly in size depending on the amount of random access memory (RAM) installed in the computer. With 32 MB of random access memory (RAM) the swap file could be as small as under 2 MB, but with only 4 MB of RAM the swap file can be as large as 15 MB.
While it can be argued that performing a minimal installation of OS/2 2.1 is like taking the seats out of an automobile to make it weigh less so you can get better gas mileage, it can indeed be done in significantly less than 40 MB.
While we're looking at OS/2, a recent Ziffnet survey showed OS/2 appears to be gaining in popularity. Of those who responded 37 percent said they planned to install OS/2 2.1 as their primary operating system and 21 percent said they already had done so. The top three reasons given for installing OS/2 were: to multi-task different applications from DOS, Windows and OS/2; the ability to run 32-bit applications; and the graphical user interface. Some of the comments made by those surveyed included:
"... Windows apps run as well on OS/2 2.1 as or better than Windows 3.1."
"Object orientation. Since they wear blue underwear in MIS (management information systems), do I have a choice?"
"It's very stable....I can do lots of different things at once."
"It is simply the best operating system solution on the market at this time. It is highly compatible with DOS and Windows existing applications and is robust at allowing multitasking. The Workplace Shell is nice. They've had time to work the bugs out."
Of the 16.5 percent who said they would not install OS/2 2.1 the top three reasons were: it requires too many system resources (disk storage, memory); the person surveyed was waiting for Windows NT; and the person surveyed wouldn't buy an IBM product. One of those surveyed commented that Windows was the "shop standard" while another said, "My system doesn't have sufficient power to run it."
(Linda Rohrbough/19930817/Press Contact: Bruce Willman, IBM Technical Support, tel 512-823-3045, fax 512-823-3047)
port, tel 512-823-3045, fax 512-823-3047)
8/17/93
How Much Disk Space Does OS/2 2.1 Take?
Mitsubishi Stops Producing AX PC
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- Mitsubishi Electric has ceased production of personal computers based on a so-called AX standard and has shifted production to DOS/V-based personal computers. It is expected that other AX PC makers will follow suit.
Mitsubishi Electric started producing AX PCs in 1988, but with the popularity of DOS/V PCs, Mitsubishi started producing them as well. Both PCs support Japanese features.
Mitsubishi wants to push the sales of the DOS/V PCs to corporate users as network terminal systems. By 1995, the firm expects to gain 10 billion yen ($100 million) sales.
The AX PC standard was initially advanced by Japan's ASCII and many personal computer makers including Mitsubishi Sanyo, Sharp, and Sony, created the AX Association. AX personal computers are compatible with IBM's PC/AT and also support a Japanese language feature. At first, the PCs were welcomed by Japanese users because they can run both original English programs and programs developed by Japanese software makers.
When the DOS/V PCs were introduced in 1990, however, they gradually gained the largest share of the Japanese market. Now most Japanese computer firms, with the exception of NEC have gathered under IBM Japan's Open Architecture Developers' Group banner, which is an association to encourage production of DOS/V-compatible PCs.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- The figures are in for the first region in a vote which had Australians choosing their preferred long-distance carriers. The choice was Telecom or newcomer Optus.
Voter response was higher than expected, and so was the size of the vote for Optus.
Around 50 percent of subscribers in the capital territory of Canberra returned their ballot papers, and although Optus is allowed to call for a second ballot with returns of less than 60 percent, it has said it will not. The vote for Optus was around 22 percent, giving it around 11 percent of the subscribers in Canberra. However, analysts believe the total traffic going to Optus will be much higher than the number of subscribers who voted for Optus. That's because they are much more likely to be people who regularly use long-distance services - inotherwords the business vote is probably quite high.
Even the 11 percent vote is believed to be the largest start-up ever achieved in any country introducing a second or subsequent carrier. The next ballot area is Sydney.
(Paul Zucker/19930820)
rea is Sydney.
(Paul Zucker/19930820)
8/20/93
Australia's Optus Wins 11% Of Customers
TELECOM
Japan - Hitachi Shifts VCR Produ
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- Hitachi has decided to move production of VCRs (video cassette tape recorders) to its overseas plant in Malaysia due to the surging Japanese currency, which had risen over 20 yen (20 cents) during the past six months.
Hitachi is currently producing VCRs at its Tokai plant in Ibaraki, and Fukushima plants. Both of these plants have a production capacity of 170,000 units per month. However, due to the slump in the industry, they have been shipping only 100,000 units per month since the end of last year.
About 60 percent of Hitachi's VCRs were shipped from these plants. However, the rapid rise of the Japanese yen has seen Japan lose money on them. Where once Hitachi made 120 yen to the dollar now it gets only 100 yen to the dollar. As a result Hitachi has decided to shift all production of VCRs to the Malaysian plant in order to cut costs.
Hitachi had instituted what it calls a temporary layoff of some of its employees, and also transferred 100 of them to its subsidiary Hitachi Sales last December. Another 100 are shortly expected to join them. Also, Hitachi will change production at its Japanese plants to popular products such as home fax machines or mobile phones.
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- Japan Victor Corporation (JVC) will release a new karaoke machine called Digital Vision in Taiwan in October.
JVC's Digital Vision is based on a regular-size 5-inch compact disc and it vies with Pioneer's laser disk karaoke system in that region.
JVC is preparing to release 165 software discs with 2,008 music titles by next March.
About 100,000 karaoke machines are sold for corporate users per year in Taiwan, according to industry figures. Some 90 percent of these karaoke machines are VCR-type, and the laser disk-type is not yet popular in this region. So, JVC wants to get a head start by offering the new technology. Within 5 years, the firm expects to sell at least 30,000 units.
Digital Vision karaoke supports motion pictures and displays musical lyrics on the screen. This Digital Vision is an advanced version of the firm's pictorial karaoke machine, which is called CD Graphics. The CD Graphics player supports only still pictures and not motion pictures.
(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930816/Press Contact: Japan Victor Corporation, +81-3-3241-6311, Fax, +81-3-3246-1254)
poration, +81-3-3241-6311, Fax, +81-3-3246-1254)
8/17/93
JVC To Release Digital Video Karaoke In Taiwan
GENERAL
Russia's Central Bank Linked Via
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- Russian Central Bank is starting the trial phase of implementation of an interbank satellite communications system called Bankir. It is expected to cover the whole country in late 1994 and finally provide secure and fast communications for bankers.
The Geiser satellite was leased by Central Bank from the Defence Ministry, and satellite terminals have been installed in Tver, Tula, Kaluga, Caucausus region, Tyumen, Krasnoyarsk and Yuakutia as a first stage of the project.
Four more satellites are to be launched in 1994 by the Global Information Systems consortia consisting of Central Bank a Russian banks association and Lavochkin research center. The estimated project cost is US$1.5 million, according to a published report.
The system is expected to allow the bank to solve two problems. First, payments within the country may take weeks to clear. Second, the current paper-based clearing technology is very vulnerable to crime.
Economists at Commersant weekly predict that a speed-up of banking services may result in a substantial rise of the ruble-to-dollar exchange rate and an increase in foreign trade.
(Kirill Tchashchin/19930817)
eign trade.
(Kirill Tchashchin/19930817)
8/17/93
Russia's Central Bank Linked Via Satellite
TELECOM
Apple Teams Up On Something Good
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- Japanese software maker Something Good has launched a software sales campaign with Apple Computer in which both firms are offering a CD-ROM drive full of software for only 30,000 yen ($300) to Macintosh owners.
Something Good and Apple Computer call the campaign "Apple Carnival" and the software includes a desktop presentation program, a sound data production program, data clips, and a Japanese language conversion program. This campaign lasts until the end of September.
Meanwhile, Something Good is trying to beef up its multimedia offerings by inking an agreement with Seihokei Systems and Midi City Corp. Both firms will develop and support music-related multimedia software.
Something Good is also starting a program to train people to use its multimedia production program, "Director," in October.
In this strategy, Something Good aims to gain 1 billion yen ($10 million) in fiscal 1993, which ends in March 1994. By March 1995 the firm aims to double its sales.
(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930816/Press Contact: Something Good 81-3-3232-0803)
Press Contact: Something Good 81-3-3232-0803)
8/17/93
Apple Teams Up On Something Good In Japan
APPLE
UK Pizza Huts Computerize
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- If you live in England Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales and eat at your local Pizza Hut your order can now be processed more quickly thanks to a computerized point-of-sale system being installed in 270 of the chain's outlets in those countries.
CompuAdd Computer Corporation says it has a $1 million contract with Pizza Hut UK to provide the touchscreen terminals. The company says the deal is the first international contract for its point of sale (POS) division, and is similar to a contract to install its TR5 terminals in MacDonald's restaurants in the US.
Andrew Payne, field system manager for Pizza Hut UK, says the terminals will speed up the chain's ability to determine buying habits. "CompuAdd's systems will allow us to have a communications link back from each restaurant to our central computers, which allow us to analyze what our customers are buying overnight instead of the three to four week delay we now have."
CompuAdd director of POS sales and marketing, Mike Breichheisen, says the system will also speed up employee training and serve customers more efficiently. "The shift to PC- based point-of-sale technology not only provides Pizza Hut with competitive advantages, its ease of user will allow employees to be trained faster and more efficiently at the front counter," says Breichheisen.
CompuAdd says about half of the terminals have already been installed, and it expects the remainder to be on line by the end of the year.
The TR5 terminal processes customer transactions and integrates with databases for inventory management and market development. It's powered by an Intel 25 megahertz 486SX chip, and has an 11-inch liquid crystal touchscreen display that can be programmed for multiple menus, an optional magnetic stripe reader for credit cards, and has an attached ink-cartridge receipt printer. All the peripherals connect to the POS terminal via one cable.
Last year Newsbytes reported a similar deal between CompuAdd and Sears, Roebuck and Company for up to 28,000 CR5 systems.
(Jim Mallory/19930817/Press contact: John Pope, CompuAdd 512-250-2000)
ope, CompuAdd 512-250-2000)
8/17/93
UK Pizza Huts Computerize
BUSINESS
CA Unicenter Coming To SCO Syste
ISLANDIA, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- In the latest of a string of moves to bring its CA-Unicenter systems management software to new platforms, Computer Associates International has announced a deal with Santa Cruz Operation of Santa Cruz, California. Computer Associates announced it will port CA-Unicenter for Unix to the SCO Open Server and Open Desktop operating systems.
Scheduled for release in 1994, CA-Unicenter for SCO Unix Systems will join existing versions for IBM's RS/6000 and systems from Hewlett-Packard, Data General, Pyramid, and Sequent, as well as IBM's OS/2 operating system. Versions of Unicenter have also been announced for Microsoft's Windows NT operating system, Novell's NetWare and UnixWare, and NCR 3000 machines.
Unicenter deals with four areas of interest to systems managers. It handles security, control, and audit features such as user registration, access control, and security for all systems-management functions. It manages storage, helping ensure proper backup and file management. It deals with production control issues such as workload balancing and batch-queue management, and it provides tools for data center administration and user support.
The SCO announcement comes close behind CA's announcement in mid-July that it would produce a version of Unicenter for UnixWare. The NT, RS/6000, and NCR System 3000 versions were also announced earlier this year.
CA's director of product strategy, Marc Sokol, also said recently that CA plans client versions of Unicenter for use in client/server computing.
Computer Associates and SCO said the Unicenter port is just one part of an agreement under which they will cooperate in engineering, marketing, distribution, training, and support. As part of this deal, CA will make a 120-day trial license to Unicenter for SCO available through SCO dealers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
(Grant Buckler/19930817/Press Contact: Bob Gordon, Computer Associates, 516-342-2391; Zee Zaballos, Santa Cruz Operation 408-427-7156)
, Santa Cruz Operation 408-427-7156)
8/17/93
CA Unicenter Coming To SCO Systems
L v
Windows Positively Affects Softw
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- According to a recent survey conducted by Culver City, California-based Telecommunications Research Group (TRG), more than 500 computer industry companies have sprung up in the US because of Microsoft's popular Windows program.
The survey says Windows has spawned more than 17,300 jobs and is responsible for at least $280 million in annual revenue for those companies. TRG says more than 16,000 commercial software firms including many small consulting or custom development shops, are now developing applications for Windows.
Microsoft Corporation, developer of Windows as well as its own Windows-based applications, agrees. "There is no doubt that the Windows operating system has helped build a profitable industry," says Jonathan Lazarus, Microsoft VP of systems strategy. Lazarus says the 30-plus million Windows users continue to create a tremendous market opportunity for custom and shrink-wrap hardware and software developers of all kinds and all sizes.
The companies that benefit from Windows also are happy. John Barow at Melco Industries, says Windows has increased Melco's revenues by an estimated 12 percent. Robert Bloom, manager of marketing communications at Project Software & Development Inc, says, "Without Windows we'd have about $10 million less in revenues."
According to the survey, the typical software firm employs six people and generates about $560,000 in annual revenues. Windows is also gaining software developers faster than any other operating system, according to TRG. It says there were about 9,700 firms offering revenue-producing Windows-based applications in 1992. By May 1993 an additional 3,000 companies had completed Windows applications, while another 3,000 programs were in development. TRG says about half of all Windows developers are already developing software to run on the Windows NT system, which hasn't shipped yet.
More than one-fourth of the development companies told TRG they had hired additional employees to work on their windows-based programs with an average staff increase of three employees per company.
The research firm says is randomly surveyed 275 US software publishers, drawn from the more than 20,000 firms listed under the SIC code 7371 (Computer Programming Services) and 7371 (Computer Software Prepackaged) in the records of the independent national database firm Survey Sampling Inc., based in Faifield, Connecticut.
(Jim Mallory/19930817/Press contact: Beverley Flower, Microsoft Corporation, 206-882-8080; Reader contact: Microsoft Corporation 206- 882-8080 or 800-426-9400)
ntact: Microsoft Corporation 206- 882-8080 or 800-426-9400)
8/17/93
Windows Positively Affects Software Industry, Says Survey
CNTC Files For Public Stock Offe
M MAPLE GROVE, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- Channel networking developer and marketer Computer Network Technology Corporation (CNTC) announced today it has filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for approval to offer more than 3 million shares of its common stock for sale to the public.
The company is registering for sale 3,037,615 common shares, and will authorize an overallotment of 455,642 shares. More than half million of the shares are being offered by specific shareholders.
Piper Jaffray Inc., is the underwriter of the proposed offering. CNTC says it will use the proceeds for general corporate purposes including additions to working capital, the continued development of products and services, and expansion of facilities. It says it may also use part of the proceeds to acquire businesses, products, or technologies complementary to its present business.
CNTC develops, manufactures, and markets high-speed channel networking systems that link high performance computers, peripheral devices, and local area networks (LANs) in enterprise-wide backbone networks. One of its products is Channelspeed, a software package designed to increase the volume of file transfers between mainframes. CNTC completed beta testing of Channelspeed at the Bank of Montreal in April. The bank is one of North America's 10 largest transferring data at the rate of 70 gigabytes per day between its branch offices. Channelspeed enables simultaneous bi-directional data communication by using a pipelining technique. CNTC stock trades on the NASDAQ National Market under the symbol CMNT, and is currently selling for $7.
Newsbytes reported recently that CNTC had reached an agreement to acquire Ultra Network Technologies, issuing 432,000 newly issued shares of its common stock to cover the cost of the acquisition.
Ultra, located in San Jose, California, produced the Ultranet Hub 1000 with supercomputer and IBM host channel interfaces, as well as other networking products. It reported 1992 revenues of $13 million. Ultra President Mike Paul told Newsbytes that 50 Ultra employees have been offered positions with CNTC in Minnesota, where the company plans to move the Ultra operations.
SOMERS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- The PowerPC processor, much talked about as a coming force in the personal computer and workstation market, isn't just for computers. IBM sees potential for it in the embedded controller business too and has announced three products meant to help it grab that chance.
Embedded controllers are used in a wide range of electronic devices, such as office equipment, home stereos and television sets, networking technology, and personal communications.
IBM has announced plans for a new processor line called the PowerPC Embedded Controller 4xx family, the first models of which are to be launched early in 1994.
IBM also announced two pieces of software meant to help developers make use of the PowerPC in embedded controller applications.
OS/Open is a real-time operating system for the PowerPC. It will run on all PowerPC chips including the upcoming 4xx, and will comply with the Portable Operating System Interface X (POSIX) standard.
RISCWatch 601 is a debugging and development tool that will run on the PowerPC 601 processor -- the first member of the PowerPC family, now available in limited quantities -- and is meant to help developers work on embedded-controller applications which they will later implement using the new chip.
The 601 will be used as a development platform for embedded-controller applications, said Jim Smith, an IBM spokesman, but is not expected to be used as an embedded chip itself.
Both OS/Open and RISCWatch 601 can also run on existing IBM RISC System/6000 workstations, IBM said.
A single-user development license for OS/Open costs $19,500 and RISCWatch 601 is priced at $22,500. Beta-test versions are available now and the final releases are expected in December.
(Grant Buckler/19930817/Press Contact: Jim Smith, IBM Technology Products, 914-766-4066)
im Smith, IBM Technology Products, 914-766-4066)
8/17/93
IBM Aims PowerPC At Embedded Controller Market
Canadians To Pay For Long-Distan
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- Many Canadians who don't already pay to obtain phone numbers in other area codes from directory assistance soon will.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has given Canada's three largest regional phone companies Bell Canada in Ontario and Quebec, British Columbia Telephone and AGT of Alberta -- approval to start charging 50 cents for every call to long-distance directory assistance by the end of this year.
Maritime Telegraph and Telephone in Nova Scotia got the go-ahead in June to charge 95 cents for each such call. The latest decision leaves New Brunswick Telephone and Newfoundland Telephone as the only federally regulated carriers not charging for the service, said Bell Canada spokeswoman Valerie Ward. Saskatchewan Telecommunications, which is owned and regulated by the provincial government, applied for such a charge and then withdrew the application.
Customers of the three companies will pay 50 cents each time they call the 555-1212 directory assistance in any area code other than their own. The charge will apply to calls within the phone company's own territory, to other Canadian area codes, or to the United States.
In the case of US calls, the 50-cent charge on every call will replace an 80-cent charge with an exemption for the first 50 calls each month, Ward said. There was previously no charge for long-distance directory assistance within Canada, no matter how many calls a subscriber made.
People calling into the service area of one of the affected phone companies won't pay the charge -- that is, a caller from New Brunswick, Newfoundland, or Saskatchewan, where there is no charge for the service, would not be billed for a call to directory assistance in a province where there is.
Bell Canada expects to lose about C$88.5 million on its long-distance directory assistance service this year, Ward said. The new charge is expected to cut the annual loss to about C$60.9 million.
(Grant Buckler/19930817/Press Contact: Bell Canada, 613-785-3377)
uckler/19930817/Press Contact: Bell Canada, 613-785-3377)
8/17/93
Canadians To Pay For Long-Distance Directory Assistance
TELECOM
Free Software Offer Unexpectedly
X FILLMORE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- A company which was the subject of a Newsbytes story published yesterday entitled, "First 100,000 Get Windows Accounts Package Free 08/16/93," has changed its offer.
After Newsbytes confirmed the existence, since 1986, of a company called Central Computer Products, with both the Fillmore Chamber of Commerce and City Hall, Newsbytes published its offer of free software in exchange for a shipping and handling fee.
However, within 24 hours of the story's publication, Central Computer Products changed the message on their toll-free number to say the company is only accepting orders by mail not by phone.
The company had told Newsbytes, both in writing and in interviews that it would accept orders by phone, but a call to the 800 number now produces a message that asks users for a check or money order for $6.95 in the US and $9.95 in Canada. The message also asks users to allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery.
Newsbytes did request and received a copy of the product being offered, Do-It-Yourself Accounting For Windows.
In addition, while company officials assured Newsbytes in writing and in the interview that the product was available by special request on 5.25-inch disks; the toll-free number now says 3.5-inch disks only are available.
In speaking with Darren Kosinski, product manager at Central Computer Products, Newsbytes was told that the company cannot afford to have a live representative on the phone answering calls. Akhil Shahani, marketing and public relations manager, tells Newsbytes that "due to the large volume of calls received, our system was overloaded well beyond its capacity."
Kosinski and Shahani both emphasized that their company has every intention of filling the orders for its software product. Shahani further promised that anyone ordering the product who cited that they read about it in Newsbytes could receive a 5 1/4-inch disk or replacement disk. He also promised that Newsbytes readers would be allowed to purchase the product by credit card, if they wrote down the number and expiration date along with their mailed-in order.
Due to the unexpected changes made in the offer, Newsbytes suggests readers use caution in responding to it.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930817/Press Contact: Akhil Shahani, Central Computer Products, tel 805-524-4700, fax 805-524-4026)
ducts, tel 805-524-4700, fax 805-524-4026)
8/17/93
Free Software Offer Unexpectedly Changed
Reaction To AT&T-McCaw Deal
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- Reaction was swift and predictable to AT&T's announcement that it will buy McCaw Cellular for $12.6 billion in stock, although AT&T also found itself fighting what it termed press mistakes.
The two most common were these, according to AT&T. Some reporters said the deal puts AT&T back into local telephone service. AT&T specifically denies this, asserting that nearly all cellular calls are carried principally by existing local phone companies mainly the regional Bells. Some reporters also asserted that McCaw is Cellular One. In fact, the Cellular One brand is held by a number of companies, including Southwestern Bell, although it has been most prevalent on McCaw systems. In many cases, cellular operators with the Cellular One brand are owned by a number of different companies.
All that aside, reaction from the markets was generally positive. Stocks of cellular companies were generally higher, although AT&T itself fell about $1 to under $61 per share, and McCaw rose to just over $56, indicating either lower AT&T prices may be expected or the market still questions whether regulators will approve the deal. The biggest gainer was LIN Broadcasting, in which McCaw holds a 52 percent stake. Its stock surged nearly $8 per share, to over $110, on speculation AT&T would next proceed to buy it.
Analysts reacted positively, predicting AT&T will be able to bundle its long distance service with McCaw's cellular services and gain advantages over rivals MCI and Sprint. McCaw is also putting in a wireless packet data network using a technology called Cellular Digital Packet Data, or CDPD, which turns unused calling channels into 9,600 bit/second digital data streams.
Most of the regional Bell companies called the deal evidence that they need more regulatory freedom, specifically the right to compete for long distance business against AT&T. Ameritech vice chairman, Richard H. Brown, wrote that "AT&T now will compete head to head with Ameritech and other local exchange companies. Yet Ameritech continues to be barred from markets open to AT&T, such as long distance services." He concluded, policy makers must make competition, not market entry barriers or outdated restrictions the law of the land." Ameritech is presently pushing a plan before federal and state regulators under which it will let competitors into its local network in exchange for access to the long distance market.
Statements from BellSouth and Pacific Telesis were along the same lines. Southwestern Bell also said it wants to be deregulated as a result. Wrote Chairman Edward E. Whitacre Jr., "The AT&T of 1993 will look like the AT&T of 1983, offering long-distance service, manufacturing and a substitute for local phone service. If this transaction is going to be approved, the Bell companies should be freed to offer long-distance services and manufacturing at the same time."
But only Bell Atlantic said it would fight the merger proposal before regulators and the courts, unless of course it gets the "parity" it wants. James Young, general counsel for the parent company, said his company would oppose the merger if Bell Atlantic doesn't win the right to compete in long distance at the same time. "The Modified Final Judgment restricting Bell Atlantic and the other regional operating companies is an anachronism," Young wrote. "The MFJ serves only to give fewer choices for telecommunications equipment and long distance service to millions of Americans while at the same time enriching those companies, like AT&T, which benefit from the MFJ's restrictions on potential competitors."
They may get a favorable hearing. Interim FCC Chairman James Quello, who must approve license transfers, said he'd keep an open mind. The deal must win antitrust approval from the Justice Department, and be approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission as a tax-free "pooling of interests." Edward Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat who heads the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications, said Congress should review the deal with an "arched eyebrow," because "the marketplace may be putting back together what the Justice Department and the courts 10 years ago put asunder."
Among the other winners here could be makers of telephone equipment other than AT&T, including Northern Telecom, DSC Communications and Motorola. AT&T is the leading supplier of digital switches to the regional Bells, as well as a leading supplier of equipment to cellular phone companies, alongside Motorola. Regional Bell companies may now be loathe to spend a penny on AT&T equipment. Stock in DSC, for instance, rose $2.50 per share.
Buried under all this hoopla is the great personal story of Craig McCaw, who inherited just a small cable television system from his father, John Elroy McCaw, who died of a stroke in 1969. He stands now as a billionaire and the largest owner of AT&T, with a 3 percent stake in the phone giant. The McCaw family, including three brothers and their families, will share in stock worth about $2.5 billion. Another big winner in the deal could be Stanford University -- Craig McCaw graduated from there in 1973.
Finally, the view from the investment bankers and bond rating agencies was mixed. Brokers raised their rating of AT&T common while Standard & Poor's considered downgrading the company's debt, predicting that it will take another $3 billion to buy LIN.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930817/Press Contact: Southwestern Bell David Martin, 210/351-2120; Eric Rabe, Bell Atlantic, 215-466 5611; BellSouth, Larry Stevens, 404-249-2832; Ameritech, Mike Brand, 312-750-5219)
ch, Mike Brand, 312-750-5219)
8/17/93
Reaction To AT&T-McCaw Deal
TELECOM
State Cellular Health Lawsuit Di
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- Cook County Circuit Judge Edwin Berman dismissed a suit against Motorola which alleged its cellular phones can pose health risks. He said the suit, filed in state court, cannot be pursued because it's a question for federal law and regulators. Berman also said the suit was deficient because it did not offer any specific injuries for which they wanted compensation.
The suit was filed last winter and named Mitsubishi, Nokia Audiovox, Toshiba, Panasonic, Oki and Southwestern Bell's Cellular One operation in Chicago, in addition to Motorola. It was filed just days after a publicity explosion over a Florida man's suit which claimed a hand-held cellular phone had caused his late wife's brain cancer.
Motorola immediately issued a statement praising the decision. "We stand firmly behind the safety of our cellular phones," the company said. "All Motorola portable cellular phones are designed and engineered to meet safety standards set by government agencies and independent standard-setting bodies." The statement quoted Robert N. Weisshappel, general manager of its cellular subscriber group.
Motorola still has to defend itself against individual suits by people claiming their phones harmed them. But the market has discounted any impact -- Motorola stock is presently trading at around $97, double the $50 per share price it had at the height of the health scare in January.
The dismissal was actually entered on August 12, and brought to public attention by the industry's trade group, the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association. "We have seen no scientific evidence linking cellular phones to cancer," wrote Thomas Wheeler, president of the CTIA. "However I have no doubt that plaintiff lawyers will be back in court trying to make money out of unproven fears."
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930817/Press Contact: Motorola, David Pinsky 708-523-2841; CTIA, Ron Nessen, 202-785-0081)
523-2841; CTIA, Ron Nessen, 202-785-0081)
8/17/93
State Cellular Health Lawsuit Dismissed
TELECOM
America Online Makes Deal With O
VIENNA, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- America OnLine signed an alliance agreement with General Media, publishers of Compute and Omni Magazine, to create online homes for their readers starting this month. The deal does not include General Media's flagship magazine, Penthouse.
Omni Online will provide interviews and articles, while offering debates and forums to readers of the publications. Omni Editor Keith Ferrell promised that the new service will not just duplicate the printed magazine, but "extend both the subject matter and ongoing dialogue with the future." Compute, which is based in Greensboro, North Carolina, will offer hands-on reviews buyers' guides, and tutorials.
America Online will offer the special areas as part of its regular $9.95 per month package, which provides 5 hours of service.
The service, which has about 350,000 members and is the fourth largest consumer online service after Prodigy, CompuServe and GEnie, signed a deal with The Reference Press to post its Hoover's Handbook database of public and private company profiles on the system. Hundreds of additional profiles, including those concerning foreign companies, are slated for addition by the end of August. Like the General Media sections, the Hoover's Handbook offerings are part of the basic monthly fee.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930817/Press Contact: Jean Villanueva America Online, 703-883-1675)
: Jean Villanueva America Online, 703-883-1675)
8/17/93
America Online Makes Deal With Omni Publisher
TELECOM
Dow Jones Put On Signal
SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- Data Broadcasting Corp., which offers the Signal financial information service, said it made a deal to offer Dow Jones News Headlines over its service, which comes in over FM radio, cable and satellite.
The added services will be part of Signal 4.0, the latest upgrade to the service. Data Broadcasting was once part of the same group which owned Financial News Network, a basic cable service covering finance which was eventually sold to NBC at auction in order to take the parent company out of bankruptcy.
Signal has based its offering on real-time stock quotes, but the Dow Jones release will add sports scores, commentary, and buy sell recommendations from major brokers. The new version of the software also lets users set up their own customized tickers which can include debt as well as equity instruments, or search the whole database by keyword to retrieve data on companies or stories.
Data Broadcasting estimates it has over 20,000 subscribers worldwide. Its other major product is QuoTrek, a pager device offering stock quotes. It also offers a product called Shark to securities industry professionals.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930817/Press Contact: Julie Craig, Data Broadcasting, 415-571-1800)
oadcasting, 415-571-1800)
8/17/93
Dow Jones Put On Signal
TELECOM
McCaw Signs Supply Contract With
SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- Retix said it will supply routers to McCaw Cellular's wireless packet network, under the Cellular Digital Packet Data standard. A Retix spokesman said the contract would not be impacted, to the company's knowledge, by McCaw's pending acquisition by AT&T, a major cellular equipment supplier.
CDPD was developed by IBM and a consortium of large cellular service providers, and allows data to be sent in packets during idle times on existing cellular voice channels, at speeds up to four times faster than competing services. Because CDPD devices use existing cellular technology, the costs of deployment is lower, and existing investments are preserved.
The two companies said they've been researching CDPD for some time. McCaw said Retix was named a supplier because of its open networking expertise linking its bridges and routers under standards including X.400, X.500, CMIP and OSI.
The promise of wireless data under CDPD was one reason AT&T became interested in buying McCaw, since it can let the company earn even more money from the same systems installed for voice calls.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930817/Press Contact: Retix, Lori Hultin 310/828-3400)
ontact: Retix, Lori Hultin 310/828-3400)
8/17/93
McCaw Signs Supply Contract With Retix
TELECOM
IBM Foresees Many Uses For Compr
SOMERS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- IBM Technology Products has unveiled new technology that compresses data without any loss of detail in real time. IBM expects the technology which uses hardware rather than software to do the compression to see a wide variety of uses.
IBM calls the new development Adaptive Lossless Data Compression (ALDC). According to company officials it differs from existing data compression technology, which is mostly software-based and quite slow. The company said ALDC doubles or triples storage capacity without hurting CPU performance.
The first product in the ALDC line is the ALDC 1-5S, a single-chip product meant for in-line use and able to compress and decompress data at five megabytes (MB) per second. It is available now, IBM said. The chip needs no added external memory.
The ALDC 1-5S comes in a thin quad flat package 14 millimeters square and 1.4 millimeters thick, said Ted Lattrell, compression subsystems development manager at IBM Technology Products. This means it can fit in Personal Computer Memory Card Interface Association (PCMCIA) Type 1 cards -- the thinnest of the three PCMCIA specifications, he said.
The second product, called ALDC Macro, is a software core for use in application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) designs that operates at 40MB per second, which IBM claimed is a new record speed for lossless data compression. IBM said the ALDC Macro is the first data compression tool for in-line use at the system bus and CPU level. It is meant to let customers customize their use of ADLC, IBM said.
IBM Technology Products plans further chips in future, suitable for a range of systems such as personal communicators, cellular fax machines, desktop computers, and mainframes.
IBM's data compression system, based on a Lempel-Ziv 1 algorithm adapts to the type of data it is compressing to achieve maximum compression ratios, averaging three to one. Lossless means that there is no loss or corruption of data in compression or decompression process -- a key point in applications such as database, general office, and financial applications.
Because the technology is lossless, Lattrell said, it may be used in medical imaging applications. In many areas of imaging the Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) and Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) standards are used, but these involve some loss of data, which is tolerable in commercial multimedia and other applications, but not in medical imaging.
Lattrell said there are assorted other possible uses for the technology. Storage devices and communications are obvious ones the chips will be used in wireless local-area network devices for instance.
Others are less obvious. Lattrell said he was surprised to find printer manufacturers interested in the technology. As makers of laser printers move to higher resolutions, he said, they are seeking ways to move data out of the computer and into the printer as quickly as possible, while holding down the amount of memory that must be installed in the printer.
"The applications seem to be growing on almost a daily basis," Lattrell said.
The ALDC 1-5S, which IBM is offering to other manufacturers for use in their products, sells for $19.50 to $29.50, depending on quantities. The ALDC Macro is also available now.
(Grant Buckler/19930817/Press Contact: Jim Smith, IBM Technology Products, 914-766-4066; Public Contact: IBM Technology Products 800-IBM-0181)
ontact: IBM Technology Products 800-IBM-0181)
8/17/93
IBM Foresees Many Uses For Compression Chip
IBM Japan Develops High Capacity
Brazil's Giant Computer Trade Sh
IBM's CD Showcase Is New Angle O
Computer Associates Supports Nov
Federal CD-ROM Directory Publish
Lotus Alliance With Staffware
Hummingbird Communications To Go
America Online Sales Increase
Low-Cost Tool For Embedding Fuzz
Toshiba To Distribute PictureTel
HP Offers CD-ROM Technical Answe
Yokogawa Links With Apple Comput
Sun Workstations Dropped By NSA
Superbase For Windows 2.0 Price
UK - SDL Offers Lowest-Ever Pric
AMD Funds Carnegie Mellon ATM Ne
New Dyno Notepad Aimed At Note-t
Indian Terminal Manufacturer Tea
On-Site Testing For PC Monitor R
UK - Microsoft Arcade Games For
Clinton Administration To Back D
Australia's Optus Wins 11% Of Cu
MCI Wins $150 Million NASDAQ Con
SCO In Deals With Wyse/AST, Lice
SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- It has been a busy week for Santa Cruz Operation Inc. In addition to expanding its original equipment manufacturing (OEM) deal with AST Research Inc., the company also announced a deal with Wyse Technology to pre-install SCO Unix operating systems on the PC manufacturer's hardware. SCO has also introduced a developer's kit, and licensed Novell's NetWare Unix client technology for use in its systems.
SCO's OEM deal with AST calls for the company to supply its advanced Unix operating systems pre-installed on the AST Manhattan SMP symmetric multiprocessor. The expanded alliance also includes new cooperation in the areas of support and training programs and targets the expanding market for advanced server systems for enterprise-wide, client/server networks.
The company says that, running on multiple Pentium processors on the AST Manhattan SMP, the SCO Open Server operating systems and the SCO MPX multiprocessor extension provide a powerful, flexible and cost-efficient server platform for enterprise-wide client/server computing.
AST and SCO have, what they call, an engineering services agreement a technology and development transfer designed to ensures "full compatibility between AST and SCO products." Additionally, AST and SCO technical support staff work together through a cooperative support agreement to support the products.
In support of the AST/SCO alliance, over 30 support engineers from AST participated in SCO's ACE certification training program.
The deal with Wyse calls for the company to supply SCO advanced Unix operating systems for sale pre-installed on Wyse Decision 486si and 486se, and Series 6000i server systems. Wyse will also pre-install SCO MPX on the Series 7000i line of multiprocessor servers later this year.
The expanded alliance also includes new cooperation in the areas of technology development and compatibility testing, and targets the expanding market for advanced server systems for enterprise-wide client/server networks.
SCO's deal with Novell calls for the licensing of NetWare Unix client technology for use in SCO workstation and server operating systems. The company says that the move will provide customers with new options for accessing the Novell environment.
NetWare Unix client technology will enable users of SCO Open Desktop and SCO Open Server systems to access files and resources that reside NetWare servers. The company says that NetWare client technology for SCO systems will also allow software developers to write client/server applications for networks of SCO clients and Novell servers.
Currently, SCO licenses the Novell IPX/SPX protocol stack and integrates it into the SCO Open Server Network System and SCO Open Server Enterprise System.
The new SCO DCE Developer's Kit release 1.0 is designed as "a software development system that will strengthen the distributed computing capabilities and interoperability of SCO Open Server and SCO Open Desktop" - the company's server and workstation operating systems for Intel processor-based computers.
The Developer's Kit provides corporate developers and ISVs (independent software vendors) with facilities for creating and porting DCE (Distributed Computing Environment) applications in SCO environments. SCO says it plans to release its runtime version of DCE in the first half of 1994.
The SCO DCE Developer's Kit is an implementation of the latest version (release 1.0.2) of DCE from OSF (Open Software Foundation). The kit runs on the SCO Open Desktop Development System on both SCO Open Desktop and SCO Open Server. The kit provides the core service and client technologies of DCE as well as a set of libraries application programming interfaces (APIs) and compilers.
The SCO DCE Developer's Kit 1.0 is available in tape format as well as on 3.5-inch and 5.25-inch diskettes at the US listed prices of $3,995 for tape and $4,195 for diskette formats.
SCO has also announced first shipments of the SCO C++ Language System release 3.1, which is an enhanced version of its C++ extension. The company says the new release of SCO C++ expands the object oriented programming capabilities of the SCO development environment.
SCO C++ release 3.1, available on both 5.25-inch and 3.5-inch diskettes costs $595. An upgrade package for users of previous releases of SCO C++ costs $195.
(Ian Stokell/19930816/Press Contact: Zee Zaballos 408-427-7156, Santa Cruz Operation Inc.)
allos 408-427-7156, Santa Cruz Operation Inc.)
8/17/93
SCO In Deals With Wyse/AST, Licenses NetWare
Sigma Designs To Acquire E-Motio
FREMONT, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- With an eye on the future multimedia market, Sigma Designs has signed a definitive agreement to acquire all the outstanding shares of E-Motions Inc. Prior to the transaction, Sigma owned about 50 percent of the outstanding shares in E-Motions, which will now become a wholly owned subsidiary of Sigma.
Through the acquisition of E-Motions, Sigma says it acquires exclusive rights to E-Motions' ReelMagic MPEG playback controller which consists of integrated circuit designs and related software technology.
In announcing the deal, Thinh Tran, chief executive officer of Sigma Designs, said, "We are very excited about this new opportunity. The E-Motions ReelMagic technology, when development is completed will enable us to deliver multimedia products with performance capabilities and technical advantages, all at reasonable cost. We believe the timing is right for these products, and Sigma will devote substantial resources to introducing, producing, and supporting these products over the coming months."
As part of the deal, Sigma will issue approximately 860,000 newly issued shares of common stock and assume options to acquire about 193,000 shares of Sigma common stock, based on a ratio of 1.75 E-Motions shares for each Sigma share. The company says that together, this represents slightly less than 20 percent of Sigma's currently outstanding shares.
Additionally, depending on the trading price of Sigma shares in mid-1994, the company may make an additional cash payment to the former shareholders and optionholders of E-Motions of an amount up to $4 million in July 1994.
Sigma says that the acquisition of E-Motions will be accounted for as a purchase and will result "in a charge for acquired research and development of approximately $8.1 million in the quarter ended July 31, 1993."
Julien Nguyen, chief executive officer of E-Motions, will become the vice president of engineering and chief technical officer at Sigma Designs and will join the board of directors of Sigma.
BRENTFORD, MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- Zenith Data Systems (ZDS) has announced that, along with Intel and Traveling Software, it will license Hewlett-Packard's infra-red data transmission technology for incorporation in future, and as-yet unreleased PCs.
According to Andrew Stephens, ZDS' product marketing manager, the idea is to get HP's infra-red data transmission technology to market in Zenith's PCs as quickly as possible.
"We were among the first companies to launch network-ready desktop and portable PCs and this venture is in keeping with our commitment to integrated connectivity," he explained, adding that infra-red data transmissions will greatly enhance the portability of computers.
Under the HP system, data is sent between PCs that are in close proximity and within each other's line of site. The idea behind the system is to remove the need for cabling and improve safety in the office environment.
ZDS representatives refused to be drawn on when new products incorporating the HP infra-red data transmission technology will be released. Unconfirmed sources in the industry have suggested that the technology may be seen at next week's Interop networking show in the US.
(Steve Gold/19930817/Press & Public Contact: Zenith Data Systems Tel: 081-568-5050)
s & Public Contact: Zenith Data Systems Tel: 081-568-5050)
8/17/93
Zenith Data Systems To Licence HP's Infra-Red Technology
GENERAL
AT&T Scores $50M Contract With W
s LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- AT&T has stolen the march on its competitors by securing a five-year contract with the Worldspan Travel Information Service. The contract, which is said to be worth as much as $50 million over its five-year cycle, covers the European data network operations of the Worldspan system.
Worldspan is a travel management and reservation system that performs in manner not unlike the Official Airlines Guide (OAG) and Saabre, the American Airlines travel reservation network, except that it spans the world in its operations.
The European end of the Worldspan link is being handled by AT&T Istel, while AT&T in the US will handle the domestic side of linking in the European data network's requirements.
Worldspan is available as a gateway service on several online services, such as Compuserve, but its primary use is for travel agents around the world who want instant access to updated travel information and fares. Worldspan claims it has a wider coverage than the OAG and Saabre, owing to its international nature.
The European deal follows in the wake of an earlier deal between the two companies -- worth $100 million -- that covers the US side of the operation. This was also, Newsbytes notes, a five-year contract.
AT&T Istel's network spans most of Europe and allows dial-up X.28 access to the AT&T Istel X.25 network. Access speeds are as high as 9,600 bps with most of the European data network routes linked to the company's headquarters in Redditch in the UK. From there, high speed trunk links route data to and from AT&T's network in the US.
George Balog, Worldspan's senior vice president of operations, is reported to be pleased with the deal. "Our business is world-wide by definition, and that's why we chose AT&T as our global communications partner to help us deliver the quality, innovation and enhanced capabilities our customers require," he enthused.
As part of the first phase of the contract, AT&T Istel will assume responsibilities for the TWA European data network, which the airline uses to carry out its reservations and seat management. Although many users currently link in to the network using a modem and a telephone link, plans are in hand to migrate them over to a private wire link using AT&T's Accunet technology by the end of the year.
(Steve Gold/19930817/Press & Public Contact: AT&T - Tel: 071-355 6000)
9930817/Press & Public Contact: AT&T - Tel: 071-355 6000)
8/17/93
AT&T Scores $50M Contract With Worldspan Travel Network
TELECOM
Knowledge Adventure In Collabora
LA CRESCENTA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- Knowledge Adventure, known for its multimedia educational software announced it is receiving financing to the tune of $6.6 million from a group of investors that includes American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T) and Paramount. However, more is in the works than just financing
AT&T just announced last month it was taking an equity interest in the graphical on-line service started by Sierra Online, The Sierra Network (TSN). As a result, TSN has been renamed to the Imagination Network and the announced direction of the service is to create "virtual communities." Sierra was already moving in that direction with its creation of online amusement parks and interactive games in which players compete against each other.
Knowledge Adventure President Rod Turner said the company is working with AT&T in collaborative efforts on projects outside of the current scope of the company's business, but was not at liberty to outline specific plans. Knowledge Adventure currently develops and distributes multimedia software that offers video and sound without a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) drive. The company's titles include Science Adventure (the last project by Issac Asimov before his death) Dinosaur Adventure, Sports Adventure, and Space Adventure.
Turner, a former executive at Symantec, joined Knowledge Adventure in April of this year as president and chief executive officer and Symantec took an equity investment in Knowledge Adventure.
Joining AT&T in this current round of financing is Mohr Davidow Ventures, Mayfield Fund, Paramount Communications, and Integral Capital Partners. As a result of the financing, Michael Levinthal of the venture capital firm Mayfield Fund of Menlo Park, California, was elected to Knowledge Adventure's board of directors.
Previous investors in Knowledge Adventure include: Software Venture partners, whose partner, William Lohse, is currently president of ZD Expos, a subsidiary of Ziff-Davis Publishing; Michael Dell, chairman of Dell Computers; Peirluigi Zappacosta president of Logitech; and Mohr Davidow Ventures, a Silicon Valley investment firm. Lohse of Software Venture Partners and Jonathan Feiber of Mohr Davidow Ventures also serve on the Knowledge Adventure board of directors.
La Crescenta, California-based Knowledge Adventure is privately held and released its first title in 1991.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930817/Press Contact: name, company, tel 818-542-4200, fax 818-542-4205; Public Contact 800-542-4240)
200, fax 818-542-4205; Public Contact 800-542-4240)
8/17/93
Knowledge Adventure In Collaborative Deal W/ AT&T
BUSINESS
Spinnaker Merges With SoftKey An
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- Just three months after the merger of SoftKey and WordStar, Spinnaker Software Corp., has come together with both vendors, creating an $145 million entity that will be one of the biggest software companies in the world.
The merged operation will be headquartered at Spinnaker's present facility in Cambridge, MA, but will be known under the SoftKey name, Spinnaker CEO David Seuss said in an interview with Newsbytes.
The combined entity will be the 12th largest software vendor in North America, Seuss told Newsbytes, basing the statistic on revenues published in the 1993 SoftLetter 100, an industry newsletter. "I think we'll be the largest company to be focused on the consumer and personal productivity segment," he added.
Revenues for the 12-month period ending March 31 were $58.5 million for Spinnaker, $52.2 million for SoftKey, and $34.3 million for WordStar, according to Seuss.
Together, the three companies sell more than 150 software titles, have a registered user base of over four million, and distribute to 15,000 superstore, retail, mass merchant and warehouse club locations.
To reduce operational costs, the three parties have agreed to "substantial reductions" in employees and facilities. In addition to moving some of WordStar and SoftKey's operations to Spinnaker's offices in Cambridge, plans call for closing the SoftKey facility in Boca Raton, FL. Some WordStar facilities will also be phased out.
The two-way merger between WordStar and SoftKey was made known May 13, when WordStar announced a $2.9 million financial loss for the quarter ending March 31. During the same quarter, WordStar had acquired Z-Soft.
Also during that quarter, Spinnaker underwent a $1.61 million financial loss. Seuss told Newsbytes that Spinnaker's loss was attributable to a write-off of Spinnaker's acquisition of PowerUp a deal completed on March 27.
In the new three-way configuration, Michael Perik, who is presently chairman and CEO of SoftKey, will be CEO. SoftKey President Kevin O'Leary will be chairman of the new company.
Seuss will be the combined company's consumer products division COO and president. He will also serve on the new company's executive committee.
Ron Posner, WordStar chairman and CEO, and Yoav Stern, WordStar president and COO, will serve on the new board. The WordStar board has voted to eliminate the position of president and COO.
During the transitional period, David Patrick, WordStar executive vice president, will assume Stern's day-to-day responsibilities. Stern will assist in the transition and remain as a consultant to the combined company.
The new board will also include Perik, Leary and four representatives from SoftKey's current board, along with Seuss and two members of Spinnaker's present board.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930816/Press contact: Dan Chmielewski Spinnaker, tel 617-494-1200)
Dan Chmielewski Spinnaker, tel 617-494-1200)
8/17/93
Spinnaker Merges With SoftKey And WordStar
BUSINESS
UK - Elonex Posts Record 1992/93
MCI Opens National TeleRelay Cen
NEC PC-VAN Links With SprintNet,
1,500 Developers Interested In N
Compaq Sponsors Int'l Technology
Philips DCC Claimed As A Runaway
Univ Puts Economic Archives On I
Review of - USA Wars, Korea On C
US Computer Maker Sues Taiwanese
Banyan Systems Expands Manufactu
ICL To Play Major Role In Tatars
AST Research UK Follows US Price
Study Details Growing On-line Se
Speculation Rampant On Microsoft
BT Intros 9600 BPS Access To Dia
The Enabled Computer, ADA Expo '
Easel Launches Enterprise Workbe
ISDN Video Shopping Terminal
Apple Teams Up On Something Good
Windows Expo Moscow
UK - Accent Intros Novalock Soft
UK - General Datacomm First With
US West Exec Sees Phones Of The
Dallas Gets New TI Wafer Fab Pla
ker Merges With SoftKey An
UK - Artisoft Shuffles Prices
SLOUGH, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- Artisoft, the company that developed the Lantastic peer to peer networking system has shuffled its pricing strategy to meet what it claims is increasing competition in the networking market-place.
Central to the repricing is what Artisoft calls a two-pronged strategy -- unveiling a new per-node pricing structure and outlining future product development plans.
According to Artisoft, the new per-node pricing policy offers an opportunity for both small network users and large corporate site installations to design more cost-effective and flexible networking systems.
The mainstay of Artisoft's products in the main network market-place is Lantastic 5.0. The company notes that, while this is suitable for majority of small to medium-sized users, it wants to offer tailored local area network (LAN) solutions developed specifically for SOHO (small office, home office) users. The company claims that it is already developing these variants on Lantastic, ready for release later this year.
With per-node pricing, Artisoft is moving away from its 500-users license policy, as issued with the standard Lantastic starter kit. The UKP 344 starter kit is now being sold with a licence for two nodes and users will be able to add single node licences as and when required.
Announcing the changes, Susan Payne, Artisoft Europe's marketing director, said that the company is committed to providing its resellers and end users with the best in terms of easy to use and cost-effective networking, whatever their needs.
"Pricing node-per-node enables customers to pay for exactly what they want, at competitive prices. Our resellers will also benefit from offering more tailored networking solutions. Whether the need is for hardware, software or both, we offer a total solution in terms of flexibility, price and performance," she said.
(Steve Gold/19930817/Press & Public Contact: Artisoft Europe - Tel: 31-20-606-0643; Artisoft UK - Tel: 0753-554999; Fax: 0753-551325)
0753-554999; Fax: 0753-551325)
8/17/93
UK - Artisoft Shuffles Prices
GENERAL
F p T
HP Orders Slower, But Growth Sti
X PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- Hewlett Packard (HP) is reporting another successful quarter with third quarter net earnings up 44 percent, revenue up 23 percent, and orders up 19 percent. The company said it was disappointed it couldn't maintain the 26 percent growth in orders it experienced in its first quarter, but was pleased with the financial results overall.
Net earnings for the third quarter 1993 were $271 million, or $1.06 per share on approximately 254 million shares of common stock outstanding. In the same quarter a year ago, net earnings were $188 million, or 75 cents per share on approximately 252 million shares. Net revenue totaled $5.0 billion, compared with $4.0 billion a year ago.
HP said it noted a softening of the European and Japanese markets in this quarter. Net revenue from outside the United States totaled $2.6 billion, an increase of 18 percent from a year ago. The company noted that orders grew 17 percent in the Asia-Pacific area, compared with 23 percent growth in the previous quarter, while orders from Europe increased 10 percent, compared with 28 percent growth in this year's second quarter. However, the US market remained strong for the company with US net revenue up 28 percent to $2.4 billion.
For the year to date net revenue is up 21 percent over 1992 to $14.6 billion, while in the US alone net revenue is up 26 percent to $6.6 billion.
HP said its computer business is strong. It reported the HP Deskjet printers, HP Vectra and Netserver personal computers (PCs), HP Apollo 9000 Series 700 workstations, and multiuser systems based on the Unix operating system, all achieved year to-year order growth. In addition, demand for mass-storage and personal information products, including portable personal computers (PCs) and calculators, also increased, the company said. HP recently released the Omnibook 300 portable notebook computer. Weighing in at less than 3 pounds, this sleek notebook computer includes Microsoft Windows 3.1, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft Excel in read-only memory (ROM) to save on disk space and conserve battery life.
The company is also known for its profit-sharing plan with its 94,900 employees worldwide. In 1992, HP reported revenue of $16.4 billion.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930817/Press Contact: Steve Beitler Hewlett-Packard, tel 415-857-2387, fax 415-857-7299)
rd, tel 415-857-2387, fax 415-857-7299)
8/17/93
HP Orders Slower, But Growth Still Up
BUSINESS
Standard Global Pricing On Corel
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 AUG 17 (NB) -- Corel Corp., claims to be the first software vendor to adopt global pricing. The company has announced it will charge a standard price worldwide for CorelDraw 4, its graphics software for personal computers running Microsoft Windows.
The price to distributors will be the same for all localized versions of CorelDraw 4 in any language, the company said. This will mean prices in all markets will be more consistent with those advertised in North America.
The policy applies only to CorelDraw 4, which runs on Microsoft Windows, and not to versions of CorelDraw for the Unix and OS/2 operating systems, which are currently available only in English company spokeswoman Janie Sullivan said. She added that the Windows software accounts for about 95 percent of CorelDraw sales.
"Falling hardware prices, currency fluctuations and a recession have influenced our decision to adopt a global pricing model," said Dr. Michael Cowpland, president and CEO of Corel, in a prepared statement.
The decision does away with premiums related to the cost of localization and economies of scale, Corel said. The company sells its products in 60 countries.
Albuquerque, NM, Western Computer Exchange - David Levin - 505-265-1330
Fresno, California - MacSource Computers - Mike Kurtz - 209-438-6227
BoCoEx Index prices are based on complete systems with keyboard, VGA monitor and adapter, less the value of any software or peripherals.
Boston Computer Exchange is available at: 617-542-4414, Buyer's HotLine: 1-800-262-6399, In Alaska and Canada 1-800-437-2470, FAX: 617-542-8849.
(BOCOEX/19930817)
COEX/19930817)
8/17/93
BoCoEx Index
BUSINESS
PC-Interlink Printer Sharing For
RICHARDSON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- SoftWorx Inc., has announced a Windows version of PC-Interlink, its DOS-based printer sharing and file transfer device.
PC -Interlink for Windows allows users to share printers, transfer files, and exchange on-screen messages without the necessity to install a full-blown local area network (LAN).
SoftWorx VP of Sales and Marketing Buzz Murphy told Newsbytes that Instead of using a LAN interface card installed in one of the PC's expansion slots, PC-Interlink for Windows uses a Port Adapter resembling a gender changer that plugs into the printer port.
The printer cable then plugs into the adapter, which also contains an RJ-11 outlet, similar to the type used on the telephone cords found in homes and offices. The phone cable in turn connects to a junction box containing a Dallas Semiconductor microchip that routes files and messages to the designated printer or PC.
Workstations can be as far as 200 feet apart. The necessary software installs automatically when the user types the "Install" command.
Murphy said PC-Interlink is ideal for budget-conscious small offices and home users who need to share printers, transfer files, and exchange on-screen messages, but do not want to be burdened with the cost of the complexity of a true LAN.
"The specific market we hit with this product is the small secretarial office or administrative office. Over that the people would probably be ready to opt for a networking solution such as LANtastic. We're not competing directly with a network. We're the preliminary step between an A-B switchbox and a network." Murphy said the system can handle up to four users sharing one or more printers attached directly to the PCs.
The user selects the desired printer from a pop-up menu invoked with a user-selectable "hot key." Files can be transferred between PCs in the background, while the users continue to perform other tasks. SoftWorx says data transfer rates of 27 kilobits to 33 kilobits are attainable, depending on the speed of the PC's microprocessor. The company says a single spaced page of text can be sent in less than four seconds.
PC-Interlink also allows on-screen messaging, which enables users to communicate via a two-way pop-up messaging window that appears on the sender and receiver's screen.
The program has a suggested retail price of $229.95, and is being distributed through outlets such as CompUSA, Computer City, Fry's Global Catalog, Tiger Software, Power Up Software, MicroWarehouse Catalog, and Dartek Computer Supplies.
(Jim Mallory/19930817/Press contact: Liz Wax, S&S Public Relations for SoftWorx, 708- 291-1816; Reader contact: SoftWorx, tel 214-480-5278 or 800-327-5013, fax 214-644-8639)
80-5278 or 800-327-5013, fax 214-644-8639)
8/18/93
PC-Interlink Printer Sharing For WIndows
Corel Intros CorelDraw 3 For Uni
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- Corel Corp., has updated the Unix version of CorelDraw, its graphics software. CorelDraw 3 for Unix matches the features of CorelDraw 3 for Windows, the flagship version of the software, but does not offer all the bells and whistles of the latest Windows version CorelDraw 4.
Corel may release CorelDraw 4 for Unix later, company spokeswoman Janie Sullivan said, or the company may rely on software such as Sun Microsystems' Windows Application Binary Interface (WABI) which allows Windows software to run on Unix systems.
CorelDraw 3 is a significant step forward from the previous Unix version, however. The new release expands the software from simply a drawing program to a more comprehensive graphics package.
In addition to the drawing module that gave the package its name, CorelDraw 3 includes three new modules: CorelChart CorelPhoto-Paint, and CorelShow.
CorelChart is a data driven charting module for creating business graphs. The vendor said it can handle true three-dimensional charting and pictographs.
CorelPhoto-Paint handles retouching of images, flexible color control, and the application of automatic retouching filters to scanned images, according to Corel.
Corel has also added a presentation module called CorelShow which allows users to put together desktop presentations of images created in CorelDraw or imported from other software.
The software also includes the CorelMosaic visual file manager which allows users to preview graphic files in several formats and CorelTrace, a tool for converting black-and-white bit-mapped images into vector graphics.
Corel introduced CorelDraw 3 for Windows in May, 1992, and CorelDraw 4 this spring.
CorelDraw for Unix is to be available for IBM RS/6000, Silicon Graphics Indigo, and Univel Unixware systems in September, and later in the fall for Digital Equipment DECstation 5000 Hewlett-Packard 9000 Series 400 and 700, Santa Cruz Operation's SCO Open Desktop, SunSoft Solaris 2.x, and Sun SPARCstation Motif systems.
No immediate plans were announced to release the new version for Intergraph or Data General Aviion workstations, both of which are supported by the previous version. Corel is not ruling these out Sullivan said, but "we're covering the most popular ones first."
The suggested list price for CorelDraw 3 for Unix is US$595, and registered users can upgrade at a price of US$149 for the CD-ROM version and US$199 for a tape-based version.
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- Toshiba will release a 32-bit color notebook personal computer this September. It will cost around 330,000 yen ($3,300), but will be equipped with a top-of-the-line LCD (liquid crystal display) screen and a powerful processor.
Toshiba's new color notebook PC will be equipped with the company's original 9.5-inch color LCD. It is called a dual scan type dynamic STN (super twist nematic) LCD. Under this technology the LCD is clearer than that of current TFT (thin film transistor) type LCDs. Also, the screen is equipped with a VGA accelerator with a resolution of 640 by 480 pixels.
The PC is equipped with a low electricity consumption type 486SX processor, which has a clock speed of 25 megahertz. As an operating system, the PC is equipped with both DOS/V and MS-DOS. Both of these support the English and Japanese languages.
The PC will come equipped with a floppy disk and a hard disk. The floppy model will be sold for around 330,000 yen ($3,300), which is quite cheaper in Japan. Currently, color notebook PCs are sold for around $4,500 to $5,500. With the advanced powerful color STN display, Toshiba expects the new PC to sell well in the market.
Toshiba has already signed an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) agreement with Japan Digital Equipment concerning the new notebook. The agreement calls for Toshiba to supply a 120 megabyte hard disk model to Japan Digital Equipment.
Japan - Toshiba To Release Low-Cost Color Notebook
Japan - JCM Starts Radiowave Fax
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- Japan City Media has started testing a new fax machine, which makes use of its radiowave network. Japan City Media wants to start an actual radiowave fax service as early as the end of 1993.
Japan City Media has already developed the prototype radio fax machine jointly with other major Japanese firms including NEC. This radio fax is equipped with a modem and a rechargeable battery. It measures 32 by 29.5 by five centimeters (cm).
According to a Japan City Media spokesman, it will be smaller when it is actually sold in the market. This radio fax machine will be manufactured and sold by NEC. The retail price is still unknown.
Japan City Media is quite confident about the testing result of the radio fax. According to the firm, data can be sent as clear as through a regular fax network.
Japan City Media aims to appeal to potential users at transportation firms such as truck companies. Japan City Media started its radiowave network service in 1989 in Tokyo area. Currently, the network has been used mainly by handy terminal users. Most of them are corporate users. However, some personal computer users are using the network, but the number is still limited. It is reported that the amount of registered users could be as low as 3,000 at present.
The registration fee for radio network is 9,100 yen ($91). A data transmission fee is 1.2 yen per packet. There is also a flat fee system, which costs 7,000 yen per 8,000 packets.
(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930817/Press Contact: Japan City Media, tel +81-3-5476-8611, fax +81-3-5476-8613)
edia, tel +81-3-5476-8611, fax +81-3-5476-8613)
8/18/93
Japan - JCM Starts Radiowave Fax Machine Test
TELECOM
Adobe Ships Illustrator For Sun
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- Adobe Systems Inc., has announced the availability of Adobe Illustrator 3.5 software for Sun workstations and servers.
Michael Wong, spokesman for Adobe, told Newsbytes that the product is a significant one because, "It is the first application that we have available for the Sun platform. That is the largest platform in the Unix market. So it is quite significant for us."
Adobe Illustrator lets users create and compose all elements of a page on Sun workstations running Solaris 1.1 (SunOS 4.1.x).
Wong explained to Newsbytes why there has been no applications for Sun previously. "We made a technology and marketing agreement with Sun almost a year ago. It takes time to port these applications over. We thought it was an important platform to do that on. This is not the first Unix application that we have done. We have Unix applications available for DEC, SGI, and Next."
Adobe has also announced four new resellers of its software product and a new multi-user pricing structure.
In announcing the product, Steve MacDonald, Adobe's senior vice president and general manager, Systems Products Division, said: "The combination of Adobe's sophisticated graphics software and the strength of our resellers who focus on the Sun computer market gives end users the access to the product, service and support they demand."
Initially, the company says that four resellers will deliver Adobe Illustrator to the workstation market: Apunix Computer Services Highland Digital, Qualix Group Inc., and Unix Central.
The version offers a number of key features, including an X Server from Integrated Computer Solutions Inc., with a Display PostScript extension that "ensures consistency between screen display and printed output." The retail package also includes Adobe Separator a color separation program that allows users to produce accurate color separation negatives for offset printing. High-quality charts and graphs can be created and users can edit in "preview" and "preview selection" modes for immediate access to artwork, says the company.
Speaking of the features of the Sun version of Illustrator, Wong told Newsbytes that, "In general (all the Illustrator products) are all the same. With the exception of the (newly announced) Illustrator 5.0 for the Mac platform. 5.0 does have some features and functions that are not available in the other ones."
The company says that Adobe Illustrator files created on the Sun platform can be transferred for use in Adobe Illustrator on other platforms and can be imported as EPS files into other applications for Macintosh, Windows, and Unix.
Adobe Illustrator 3.5 for Sun is available at a suggested retail price of $995 for a single workstation license, $3,995 for five users and $6,995 for ten users.
(Ian Stokell/19930817/Michael Wong, 415-962-2197, Adobe Systems Inc.)
el Wong, 415-962-2197, Adobe Systems Inc.)
8/18/93
Adobe Ships Illustrator For Sun Platform
Logitech Intros CyberMan 3-D Con
FREMONT, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- Logitech Inc. has announced CyberMan 3-D Controller, which the company is calling "a major technological advance in navigation devices for PC games." The company is also shipping a new version of its MouseMan product featuring an improved ergonomic design and a software upgrade.
The company claims that CyberMan features "true" three-dimensional control previously unavailable outside of the high-end workstation market. The company says the device "also supplements the input capability of traditional PC gaming tools, such as mice and joysticks with tactile feedback that can be linked to software events."
Mouseman still operates as a standard two-dimensional mouse but it is specifically designed for the interactive software entertainment market. It will be available in October for $129.
The company says that CyberMan resembles a futuristic cross between a mouse and a joystick. According to the company, "Whereas a mouse or a joystick only offers two degrees of freedom, CyberMan offers six degrees of freedom in order to achieve full 3-D motion: X, Y and Z axes in addition to pitch, yaw, and roll."
A motor integrated into the unit allows various gaming events such as being struck or bumping into a wall - to actually be felt in addition to any sound or visuals the game may produce.
CyberMan is 100-percent compatible with existing Logitech mice and works with games that support a mouse. However, game developers must write specific drivers to take advantage of the 3-D control and tactile feedback, .
A sizeable number of developers have agreed to endorse CyberMan's interface (known as SWIFT). These include Access Software Inc. Bethesda Softworks, Cyberdreams, Electronic Arts, ID Software Interplay Productions, Knowledge Adventure, Looking Glass Technologies, New World Computing, Origin Systems, Probotics Sierra On-Line, Twin Dolphin Games, Virgin Games, and Westwood Studios. Several software games will be included with the product when it ships.
The company says that CyberMan is targeted at "serious PC game players, especially those who frequently use first-person-perspective games in which the screen display features sophisticated 3-D graphics to simulate the protagonist's visual field. It is particularly suited to role-playing games, which involve navigating passageways, selecting items, and combating various enemies."
The product requires a 80386 or higher IBM PC or compatible, a free serial port, and DOS 3.3 or higher. Tactile feedback requires two AA alkaline batteries or an AC adapter, which is optional.
The enhanced MouseMan line features new contoured buttons, Teflon feet for smoother movement, lighter force switches for easier depression of mouse buttons, and a more flexible cable, says the company.
Speaking of the new MouseMan, David Smith, product marketing manager for Logitech, said: "The new software adds one click shortcuts for easier and faster computing. Users can cut, paste, or call up a task list with the second or third mouse button, without going to the pull down menu."
MouseMan ships with Logitech's new Enhanced MouseWare 6.3 software which installs both Windows and DOS drivers at the same time. A special network installation is also available. Version 6.3 allows users to assign time-saving commands to the other two buttons.
A new feature is called "Smart Move." When a user opens up a dialog box under Windows, the cursor automatically jumps to the default button in the box. Other enhancements include cursor tracking, cursor sizing, and speed control. MouseMan is claimed to be 100 percent Microsoft-compatible.
Logitech backs all pointing devices with a comfort program, a 100-percent-compatibility guarantee, a 60-day money-back satisfaction guarantee, and a three-year warranty. The new MouseMan will be available in both IBM PC and Macintosh versions. The PC version has a PS/2 default and comes with Enhanced MouseWare 6.3 software. The Macintosh version connects through the ADB port and ships with MouseKey version 1.11.
Users who have purchased a MouseMan right-hand, bus, or Macintosh between August 2 and September 3 can get a free hardware and software upgrade. Any other user who purchased prior to August 2 or after September 3 can upgrade the hardware for $45 and MouseWare for $19 plus shipping.
(Ian Stokell/19930816/Press Contact: Betty Skov, 510-713-4463; or Serge Timacheff, 510-713-4439; or Amy Rupley, 510-713-4516 Logitech Inc.)
10-713-4439; or Amy Rupley, 510-713-4516 Logitech Inc.)
8/18/93
Logitech Intros CyberMan 3-D Controller, New MouseMan
GENERAL
Compaq In Resale Deal With Legat
PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- Legato Systems Inc., has signed a deal with Compaq, under which the PC vendor will integrate and resell Legato NetWorker, a network backup and recovery product.
Compaq plans to offer customers a complete disaster recovery system that includes SCO Open Server and Open Desktop products Compaq servers, and Legato NetWorker.
Legato NetWorker is a software system that backs up all the files on the network server or desktop system and is claimed to allow easy recovery when a needed file is destroyed or damaged.
With support from Compaq, Legato is developing a port that allows the SCO operating systems and Legato NetWorker to work together. Compaq will make Legato NetWorker available to their SCO customers.
In announcing the deal, John Paul, vice president Systems Software Systems Division at Compaq Computer Corp., said: "Responding to our customer's needs for a robust network backup and disaster recovery solution in an SCO Unix environment, Compaq decided on Legato NetWorker. Currently, Compaq and Legato are working closely together to assure customers of easy integration. The results of those efforts will be published in a COMPAQ TechNote bundled with these products."
The companies claim that Legato is the only company to provide an enterprise-wide, client/server based backup and recovery "solution" that interoperates across Unix and NetWare environments.
The company claims that NetWorker is the "standard" in the Unix market with over 70 percent market share.
Edward Cooper, vice president of marketing, Legato Systems, said: "We plan to continue to add popular Unix server platforms as well as desktop Unix platforms."
Speaking of the product, Scott McGregor, senior vice president of SCO's product development, said: "SCO Open Systems Software is used for networked, mission-critical systems, protecting these systems from data loss has become important to our customers. NetWorker provides an easy to use and interoperable solution for SCO Open Server Systems in replicated sites and enterprise-wide environments."
The company says that Legato NetWorker for SCO Unix will be available in October 1993. NetWorker for SCO is priced at $1,500 for NetWorker and $3,000 for NetWorker Advanced. Both products include support for 10 clients.
(Ian Stokell/19930817/Press Contact: Cindy Nowicki 415-329-7863, Legato Systems Inc.)
415-329-7863, Legato Systems Inc.)
8/18/93
Compaq In Resale Deal With Legato
UK - General Datacomm First With
WOKINGHAM, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- Claiming to further demonstrate its technical lead in the marketplace General Datacomm has unveiled a new range of modems that support the V.Fast Class (V.FC) 28,800 bits-per-second (bps) modem system.
V.FC is a proprietary modem standard developed by Rockwell, the modem chip manufacturer. Rockwell has supplied test versions of the chips to several modem manufacturers in the industry, including Hayes and Dataflex Design.
Since Rockwell supplies more than two thirds of the modem industry with its modem chips, the system is sure to find a place in the marketplace, although Rockwell claims that when the full V.Fast standard is agreed by the International Telecoms Union (ITU formerly the CCITT) it will upgrade its chips to support the standard, retaining backward compatibility with V.FC.
Rockwell officials have stated, however, that it will be more than 60 days before the actual V.FC chips ship in quantity. General Datacomm clearly appears to want to be the first to unveil its modems with the technology although actual shipment dates are still some time away.
According to General Datacomm, its V.F28.8 modem is the first product of its type on the market to operate at the full 28,800 bps modem speed. The modem, which works to both synchronous and asynchronous systems, includes the V.42Bis data compression system which the company claims pushes effective data throughput to 128,000 bps under ideal conditions.
The company claims that the V.F28.8 modem conforms fully to the draft ITU standard for V.Fast as it stands today. When the standard is formally agreed by the ITU, General Datacomm claims that any upgrade to the full implementation will be accomplished by a simple software download from a desktop or portable PV.
(Steve Gold/19930817/Press & Public Contact: General Datacomm Tel: 0734-774868)
ic Contact: General Datacomm Tel: 0734-774868)
8/18/93
UK - General Datacomm First With V.FC Modems
TELECOM
Novell UK Intros Netware For OS/
BRACKNELL, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- Novell has announced that Netware for OS/2. a networking software product that allows companies integrate Netware 4.01 and OS/2, is now available in the UK.
According to Graeme Allan, Novell UK's marketing director, the networking package is a software extension that allows Netware 4.01 to run in non-dedicated mode on a PC running OS/2 version 2.1. As a result of this, a single PC can function as a Netware 4.01 server an OS/2 server, a gateway to a central host computer and an end user workstation.
"Netware for OS.2 was developed by Novell and IBM in response to customer demand for a non-dedicated Netware-OS/2 solution," he explained, adding that "customers with branch offices depending on strategic OS/2 applications and on networks do not want the expense of running two or more separate servers."
According to Novell, the key features of Netware for OS/2 include the ability to provide all the features and benefits of Netware 4.01 under the OS/2 umbrella; the preservation of Netware 4.01 security; the ability to share hardware; and the provision of a high performance non-dedicated system.
Shipment of Netware for OS/2 is expected before the end of the month in the UK. The package has a suggested retail price of UKP150 - incremental to the Netware 4.01 and OS/2 licenses - and is available through both Novell and IBM resellers.
(Steve Gold/19930817/Press & Public Contact: Novell UK Tel: 0344-724000)
ontact: Novell UK Tel: 0344-724000)
8/18/93
Novell UK Intros Netware For OS/2
CD-ROM Lending For Libraries Off
Tandy Rescues InterTan From Fina
Apple To Offer HP DAT Drives Via
UK - New Vehicle Anti-Theft Netw
Another Syquest Suit Against Nom
Creative Labs Revenues Up 240% F
Emerald Systems Intros XpressSER
Multiprotocol Router From Interl
IRS Employees Caught Tapping Com
Apple Newton Launched At Symphon
UK - Tariff Restrictions Holding
NSTL Rates Access, FoxPro DMBS P
Long-Standing Member Of Apple Bo
Bell Atlantic Signs With Cellula
Wang Reorganization Clears Court
Spectrum Picks Up New Patent
Compaq Picks Name For New Home,
MacWorld - Epson Announces Scann
UK - Central Point Ships New Bac
Apple System Enabler, Hardware S
State Cellular Health Lawsuit Di
CNTC Files For Public Stock Offe
ChipSoft Posts Record 1993
UK - Elonex Lands Ministry Of De
Indian Terminal Manufacturer Tea
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- VXL, the Indian terminal manufacturer with operations in the UK, has announced a technology and marketing agreement with Network Computing Devices (NCD) of California.
The aim of the deal is to allow both companies to market their respective products alongside each others' in the home markets. In the initial stages, this will involve NCD offering its terminals through VXL in the UK, while VXL will be able to use NCD's distribution network in the US.
In the UK, VXL has set up a new company - VXL Systems Limited - to distribute both company's products through the UK reseller channel. The new company will operate from VXL's Rugby headquarters initially, although plans are in hand to resite the company as soon as possible.
Steve Jamieson, NCD's UK managing director, said that he believes the new partnership will work because the two sets of products and technological skills complement each other so perfectly. "NCD is bringing to the table all that is best at the top end of the market in X-terminal technology, while VXL offers low end ASCII terminals that on a price to performance ratio that cannot be beaten," he said.
Chris Gamble, who will become commercial director of VXL Systems and has been seconded from a similar position at VXL, says is he is equally enthusiastic about the deal. "Our long term goal is for VXL Systems to provide total network computing solutions," he said. "However, in the short term, we will be concentrating on exploiting the respective strengths of both partners in hardware, software and consultancy."
(Steve Gold/19930817/Press & Public Contact: VXL Systems - Tel: 0788-551553)
& Public Contact: VXL Systems - Tel: 0788-551553)
8/18/93
Indian Terminal Manufacturer Teams With US Firm
BUSINESS
UK - Electricmail Links Lotus cc
CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- Electricmail has announced an Internet Connection for Lotus cc:Mail users. The company says that the hardware and software is all that is required for users to link into the Internet, which John Stewart of the company claims is the world's most popular and economic public electronic mail (e-mail) network.
Called "The Connection," the hardware and software package is claimed to bring together the world's two fastest-growing e-mail user communities and combines the strengths of each, providing powerful local and wide area messaging.
Stewart told Newsbytes that the Internet is expanding at a phenomenal pace, with growth at around the 10 percent mark every month.
The hardware for The Connection is a PC equipped with a modem ready for connection to the phone network and to the user's PC local area network (LAN). The software, meanwhile, makes the Internet "appear" as a simple remote post office to the cc:Mail software allowing the cc:Mail system to link to the Internet using Unix-to-Unix CoPy (UUCP) protocols. The link software is customized by Electricmail for each user's requirements.
Included within the price of the package is a year's subscription to the user's local country EUnet service provider. The EUnet service provider acts as the local agent for Internet access and information distribution. The first year's subscription covers unlimited national e-mail, as well as free inbound international mail. Outbound international e-mail is billed at low rates, the company claims.
So how much does this technology cost? According to Electricmail a basic pack for the UK costs UKP995. For the money, users get the software, a subscription to the UK e-mail service and 90 days support.
Suitable hardware - a 486-33 megahertz-based Netware-ready PC adds an extra UKP895 to this price. Modems range in price from UKP350 upwards, while on-site configuration costs UKP250. Boosting the 90-day free support to a year's support costs an extra UKP150.
(Steve Gold/19930817/Press & Public Contact: Electricmail tel 0223 420193, fax 0223 420195; Email on the Internet info@elmail.co.uk)
23 420195; Email on the Internet info@elmail.co.uk)
8/18/93
UK - Electricmail Links Lotus cc:Mail To Internet
TELECOM
SPA Report On US Regional Softwa
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- The Software Publishers Association has summarized its anti-piracy actions in a report to determine which regions have the most illegal software copying. There are no surprises in the study's results, with the most populous areas having the most pirates, but there are interesting details about just who the pirates are.
The worst cities, based on the number of SPA cases closed in 1993, are: Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, Houston Dallas, and Chicago. Depending on just where the population boundaries are set (which suburbs are included), these greater metropolitan areas rank just about the same by population meaning that one region is not proportionally less law-abiding than another.
The worst states, based on the same criteria, are: California Texas, Florida, New York, and Illinois.
Some interesting facts emerge in the breakdown, showing what kinds of companies are using illegal copies of software. The SPA does not tackle individual software pirates.
A full 24 percent of pirates are involved in manufacturing. Consultants make up the second largest group, accounting for 22 percent of the reported SPA actions.
Retail operations are responsible for 15 percent of the software piracy pursued by the SPA from 1990 through 1993. Financial engineering, educational, and health care organizations all ranked about equal as responsible for between six and nine percent of the cases.
SPA actions included in the statistics include raids, law suits "cease and desist" orders, and software audits.
The SPA estimates that domestic software piracy is responsible for about $1 billion in losses to software publishers yearly.
WESTBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., AUG 18 (NB) -- Data General has expanded its PC lineup in two directions - launching the new DG/Viision family of entry-level PCs and at the same time adding three new full-featured models to its Dasher II series.
The 486SX-based DG/Viision family will compete against PCs in the IBM ValuePoint, Compaq Pro-Linea, and Dell Dimension category, said Chris Sampson, a company spokesperson.
Meanwhile, the new Dasher IIs will bolster Data General's position against such makes as IBM PS/2, Compaq Deskpro, and high-end Dell PCs, Sampson told Newsbytes. "We now have broader offerings at both ends of the market," he said.
The two new DG/Viision and three new Dasher II PCs are the first from Data General to come standard with an OverDrive socket for Pentium upgrades, noted Keith Lanzilotti, PC product manager. All five models also provide integrated local bus graphics.
The new Dasher IIs offers a choice of 486SX, 486DX, and 486DX2 processors, Lanzilotti told Newsbytes. In addition, each is equipped with eight kilobytes (KB) of internal cache and 128KB of write-back cache, and each supports Interactive Unix and SCO Unix.
The DG/Viision PCs are certified to function as Novell NetWare clients, and the Dasher IIs for use as NetWare clients or servers.
Like the existing Dasher II lineup, the new DG/Viision and Dasher II models will be sold direct to corporate and government customers, as well as through VARs (value-added resellers) and distributors.
Data General expects that some customers will purchase DG/Viision and Dasher II PCs alike, Sampson said. "Certain users at a company might require a higher end PC, while others don't need all the bells and whistles," he said.
The DG/Viision series consists of two models: the DG/Viision 425R, based on the 25 megahertz (MHz) i486SX microprocessor from Intel; and the DG/Viision 433R, based on the 33MHz i486SX.
Each DG/Viision PC supplies four megabytes (MB) of memory expandable to 32MB, along with an SVGA video controller with 512KB of video memory, a 14-inch SVGA monitor, three 16-bit ISA (Industry Standard Architecture) expansion slots, one 130MB or 213MB IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) hard drive, one 3.5-inch floppy drive two 5.25-inch IDE drive bays, a keyboard, and a mouse.
The new Dasher IIs include the Dasher II-425SV, which uses a 25MHz i486SX processor, the 33 Dasher II-433V, which is based on a 33MHz i486DX, and the 66MHz i486DX2-based Dasher II-466V.
Each new Dasher II provides 4MB of memory, expandable to 36MB plus integrated UVGA local bus video graphics, 1MB video memory two 16-bit VESA local bus slots, two 16-bit ISA bus slots, one 3.5-inch floppy drive, three drive bays for IDE and SCSI (Small Computer Systems Interface) storage devices, a keyboard, and a mouse.
In addition, the Dasher IIs are preinstalled with MS-DOS 6.0 Windows 3.1, antivirus software, and system utilities.
All five of the new PCs are available immediately. Pricing is $1,450 for the DG/Viision 425R, $1,725 for the DG/Viision 433R, $1,495 for the Dasher II-425SV, $1,945 for the Dasher II-433V, and $2,595 for the Dasher II-466V.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930817/Reader contact: Data General, tel 508-366-8911; Press contact: Chris Sampson, Data General tel 508-898-4288)
ntact: Chris Sampson, Data General tel 508-898-4288)
8/18/93
Data General Intros DG/Viision PCs, New Dasher IIs
Database Vendors Announce Window
J REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- Microsoft claims that 16 leading database software vendors have already announced they will introduce applications for the Microsoft Windows NT operating system.
Vendors announcing support for Windows NT include: Borland International, Cincom Systems Inc., Desktop Data Inc., Gupta Corp., Informix Software Inc., Ingres Corp., Lucas Management Systems, Object Design, Objectivity, Oracle Corp., Post Software Corp., Sybase Inc., Versant Object Technology ViewStar Corp., xDB Corp., and of course Microsoft itself.
Microsoft said many of the databases are scheduled to ship within 90 days, and all are expected to be available within six months.
Jonathan Yarmis, VP and service director for personal computing at The Garner Group, said: "Corporate users need database applications for their business-critical computing, and Windows NT needs database applications to be a successful platform for corporate users."
Microsoft claims that Windows NT will allow users to port database applications from the 386 and 486 platforms to symmetric multiprocessors and RISC (reduced instruction-set computing) platforms.
It supports up to four gigabytes (a gigabyte is one million bytes, or 1,000 megabytes) of system memory, and up to 17 million terabytes (a terabyte is a billion bytes) of hard disk space.
Network administrators will be able to use graphical tools for remote configuration, security, database administration performance monitoring, unattended backup and event notification claims the company.
Microsoft also claims NT is compatible with popular network software such as Novell Netware, Banyan Vines, and Microsoft's own LAN (local area network) Manager. It can also connect to Unix environments through integrated TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) and offers host connectivity through Microsoft and third-party SNA (Systems Network Architecture) services and 3270 emulation. The server version of Windows NT is called Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server.
A Microsoft spokesperson told Newsbytes that the first Microsoft product for Windows NT to ship will be either Sequel Server for NT or Access. Windows NT is already appearing in the retail channel.
(Jim Mallory/19930818/Press and Reader contact: Microsoft Corporation, 206-882-8080 or 800-426-9400)
oft Corporation, 206-882-8080 or 800-426-9400)
8/18/93
Database Vendors Announce Windows NT Support
Dell Reports $2.03 Per Share Los
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- Dell Computer Corp. has announced that it lost $2.03 per share on record revenues of $701 million in the second quarter ended August 1, 1993. It is the first reported quarterly loss for the company since it went public in 1988.
Dell said the primary reason for the loss was the $71 million in unusual charges related to restructuring provisions, inventory write-downs due to systems and process issues, and costs associated with delayed and canceled notebook projects. The company said if those charges had not occurred it would have reported a $0.61 per share loss.
Other factors cited by Dell were a significant sell-off of excess inventory at sub-standard margins and a product backlog at the end of the quarter that was about $25 million higher than expected.
Dell had said that if a loss were posted for the quarter it might be in default of specific financial covenants in its revolving credit facility. The company now says those covenants have been restructured and no default will occur as a result of its second quarter performance.
Dell Chairman Michael Dell said the company is disappointed, but believes the third quarter will be better. "We are obviously disappointed in this quarter's results, but we believe the decisive actions we took will make Dell a stronger company and improve our ability to capitalize on the ongoing strength of the business. We expect to return to profitability in the third quarter, and we are focused on returning to higher year-over-year earnings as soon as possible. We hope to achieve higher comparative earnings in the fourth quarter of this fiscal year based on reporting approximately $3 billion in sales, but these may be aggressive targets in the current market environment."
The record $701 million in sales worldwide is up 53 percent over the second quarter of last year, and four percent higher than in the first quarter of this year. The second quarter was the 15th consecutive period Dell reported a rise in quarterly revenues.
Dell said domestic sales accounted for $451 million, up 49 percent over the same period last year, and a nine percent jump from the first quarter of this year. International sales climbed 60 percent to $249 million over the comparable quarter last year but was down three percent from the first quarter of 1993. Dell said that was due to the weak European economy.
The company said operating expenses increased to approximately 21 percent of sales in the second quarter, up about five percent over the same quarter last year. The increase was attributed primarily to the restructuring and revenue shortfall. Dell says it expects operating expenses as a percentage of sales to decline in future quarters. Inventory at the end of the quarter was sufficient for six weeks of sales.
"our business is in a state of transition as we refocus our attention on profitable growth. I believe the corrective actions we have undertaken will position Dell well for future growth and prosperity," said Michael Dell.
Dell stock dropped to 19.5 on the announcement of the quarter's results, and at least one analyst cut its near-term rating to "neutral" from "outperform."
(Jim Mallory/19930818/Press contact: Roger Rydell, Dell Computer Corp., 512-728-4100; Reader contact: Dell Computer Corp. tel 512-338-4400 or 800-289-3355, fax 512-728-4238)
-338-4400 or 800-289-3355, fax 512-728-4238)
8/18/93
Dell Reports $2.03 Per Share Loss For 2Qtr
BUSINESS
Microsoft SNA Server For NT In F
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- Microsoft said that its SNA Server For Windows NT has entered final beta testing and that it is shipping the Win32 software development kit (SDK) version 3.1.
The company says its SNA Server For Windows NT has entered its final beta testing cycle and is being tested by more than 500 corporate users and independent software and hardware vendors.
SNA Server for Windows NT provides connectivity between the Windows NT-based client-server platform and IBM mainframe and AS/400 computers. In addition to the current client-server support for the TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) and NetBEUI protocols, the final beta version has added support for Novell's IPX/SPX (Internetwork Packet Exchange/ Sequenced Packet Exchange) protocol. Microsoft says SNA Server is on target for shipment within 90 days.
It is also shipping the final pre-release version of the SNA Server Software Developers Kit, which allows software developers to integrate their Windows NT client-server applications through the Windows Open Services Architecture (WOSA) SNA application programming interface. The SDK also includes SNA Server's open adapter interface and 3270/5250 emulator interface specifications.
The SNA Server SDK is available directly from Microsoft for $495. The company says licensed users of the pre-release SDK will get a free upgrade to the final product, which is scheduled to ship simultaneously with SNA Server.
The company said it is now shipping the Win32 SDK version 3.1 which contains the tools and information software developers need to write 32-bit applications for Windows 3.1, Windows for Workgroups, and Windows NT. Microsoft says support for the Digital Equipment Corp.'s (DEC) Alpha AXP will be included at the same time it ships the DEC AXP-compatible version of Windows NT.
The Win32 SDK also contains the Windows NT Device Driver Kit which hardware and peripheral vendors need in order to write device drivers for Windows NT. Drivers are used to allow software to communicate with specific hardware devices such as printers or CD-ROM drives.
Microsoft made a preliminary version of the Win32 SDK available at the Win32 Professional Developer's Conference last July. The company says since then, almost 75,000 Win32 SDK's have been shipped. The company is currently shipping an updated CD-ROM to all of those developers that contains the Windows NT operating system, compilers, and the final SDK tools.
The retail version of the Win32 SDK requires the Windows NT operating system, and an Intel compiler that supports Win32 if the developer is writing for an Intel platform. A MIPS compiler is included.
The Win32 SDK has a suggested retail price of $199. It is available on CD-ROM and the printed documentation is available separately in three sets. The SDK documentation is $149, the DDK is $149, and the compiler is $79.
(Jim Mallory/19930818/Press contact: Collins Hemingway Microsoft Corp., 206-882+8080; Reader contact: Microsoft Corp. 206-882-8080 or 800-426-9400)
tact: Microsoft Corp. 206-882-8080 or 800-426-9400)
8/18/93
Microsoft SNA Server For NT In Final Beta Testing
ZDS Intros Six Notebook PCs
BUFFALO GROVE, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- Zenith Data Systems has introduced six new notebook PCs and one subnotebook system.
The six new Z-Note+ models use an Intel 486SL microprocessor and include a different style pointing device than the usual trackball surface-mounted at the lower edge of the keyboard. Three models are available running at 25 megahertz (MHz), two of those with color displays. Four 33MHz systems are being added to the Z-Note line, one with a monochrome display. The 33MHz-based system chips include an integrated numeric co-processor.
The pointing device included with the new systems is called "Notepoint," and is a detachable two-button Microsoft Mouse compatible portable pointing device that is centered in front of the keyboard on the leading vertical edge of the computer. Notepoint which is a trackball-type pointing device, attaches directly to the computer when in use.
Four megabytes (MB) of system memory, or RAM are standard on all the Z-Note+ units except the 433Lnc+ model 200 which will have 8MB of memory as its standard configuration when that model ships in October. Memory is expandable to as much as 28MB on all models.
All models come with a 1.44MB 3.5-inch floppy drive and a 200MB IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) hard drive. Available ports include a 9-pin serial port, a 25-pin enhanced parallel port, a 15-pin SVGA port for connection of an external monitor, a 14-pin Ethernet compatible local area network (LAN) port, and a socket for Zenith's optional user-installable "Rest Aware" internal data or data/fax modem.
Standard video display, depending on the model, is 640 by 480 resolution VGA-compatible with 256 colors, or 640 by 480 VGA compatible with 64 shades of gray. Power is provided by a 2.3 amp hour nickel-metal-hydride battery pack or 110 volt AC.
ZDS says that, when power management is in use, the battery will provide power for the monochrome units for up to 10 hours, while the color units will run as long as 6 hours. Battery life on a single charge without power management in effect is estimates at 4.5 and 2.5 hours for the monochrome and color systems respectively. The company says the monochrome systems can be upgraded to color.
All systems come with MS-DOS 6.0, Microsoft Windows 3.1 Microsoft Windows for Workgroups, and client shells for Novell Netware, Microsoft LAN Manager, and Banyan Vines.
To support use of the new systems as network workstations, Zenith has not only built Ethernet connectivity but is also providing an optional Token port replicator it calls Readydesk-TR. Readydesk-TR is a LAN interface that accommodates a DB9 connector to Type 3 unshielded twisted pair. Readydesk-TR carries a suggested retail price of $499.
The company is touting the new notebooks as "go-anywhere" system that can act as a computer in the field or replace your older model desktop. Pricing for the Z-Note models ranges from $2,599 to $4,399.
(Jim Mallory/19930818/Press contact: John Bace, ZDS, 708-808 4848; Reader contact: ZDS, 800-553-0331 or 708-808-4855, fax 708-808-4860)
8-808-4855, fax 708-808-4860)
8/18/93
ZDS Intros Six Notebook PCs
ZDS Intros Sub-Notebook PC
BUFFALO GROVE, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- Zenith Data Systems has introduced a new sub-notebook personal computer based on the Intel 486SL microprocessor. The company says the unit will run as long as six hours on a single battery charge when its power management features are in operation.
Designated the Z-Lite 425L, the system uses the 3.3-volt Intel 486 processor running at 25 megahertz (MHz), has a 8.5-inch black-on white backlit VGA display, and has an optional detachable Microsoft Mouse-compatible two-button pointing device that attaches to the front of the computer.
The 425L is available with an 85 megabyte (MB), 120MB or 170MB internal hard drive and has two PCMCIA Type II expansion slots that can accept PCMCIA devices such as fax/data modems, network interface cards or wireless transmitters. The system uses a nickel-metal-hydride battery which ZDS says will power the PC for up to six hours on a single charge. A "fuel gauge" estimates remaining battery capacity.
Standard configuration includes 4MB of system memory, which will be expandable to 20MB as soon as ZDS' 16MB memory module becomes available. There is also an optional 1.44MB 3.5-inch external floppy drive with a self-contained retractable cable. The AC adapter/battery charger unit mounts directly onto the floppy disk drive assembly.
Available ports include one serial port, one parallel port, a six-pin mouse/keypad/keyboard port, and an SVGA-compatible video port that will simultaneously drive an external VGA monitor. MS DOS is loaded on all systems. With the exception of the base model Microsoft Windows 3.1 is pre-loaded. Pricing for the 425L ranges from $1,899 to $2,499.
(Jim Mallory/19930818/Press contact: John Bace, ZDS, 708-808 4848; Reader contact: ZDS, 800-553-0331 or 708-808-4855, fax 708-808-4860)
-808-4855, fax 708-808-4860)
8/18/93
ZDS Intros Sub-Notebook PC
MCI Wins $150 Million NASDAQ Con
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- While AT&T was announcing it would acquire McCaw Cellular, MCI was taking a big piece of business away from it.
The National Association of Securities Dealers, which runs the national over-the-counter market known as NASDAQ, handed MCI a six-year, $150 million contract to expand its data handling capabilities. The goal is to triple the system's capacity which right now amounts to about 450 million shares per day. Average NASDAQ trading volumes are 250 million shares, but that is going up fast, in part because large companies like Intel and Microsoft have decided to stay on the NASDAQ and not move to the New York Stock Exchange when they became multi-billion dollar firms.
The deal will not do that much for MCI's bottom line, but it does give it the chance to partner in computing. MCI said it has contracted with Digital Equipment Corp., to provide specialized hardware, software and services for use on the NASDAQ, while MCI handles the communications end. Handling that end could be the first big benefit of its tie-up with British Telecommunications because the NASDAQ market now extends worldwide. NASDAQ links in the Pacific Rim and elsewhere in the Far East will be via 56,000 bits-per-second (bps) lines, but the link with BT means those lines can be upgraded quickly as needed.
Instead of AT&T private lines, the new NASDAQ network, when it comes on-line in the middle of 1995, will be based on MCI's Hyperstream fast-data services, including switched megabit data services (SMDS) and asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) services both of which handle data rates of 1.544 million bps and more. MCI will install the links between trading terminals worldwide and its network, then manage the network and service the NASDAQ data centers.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930817/Press Contact: Frank Walter, MCI 212-326-4389; Robert Ferri, NASDAQ, 202-728-8955)
89; Robert Ferri, NASDAQ, 202-728-8955)
8/18/93
MCI Wins $150 Million NASDAQ Contract
TELECOM
Yokogawa Hewlett-Packard Enters
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- Yokogawa Hewlett-Packard, a joint venture of Yokogawa Electric and Hewlett-Packard, is marketing Japanese language laser printers. Although the first model is designed to work with Apple Computer's Macintosh subsequent models are to work with PCs.
Yokogawa Hewlett-Packard has released HP's Laser Jet 4L for Mac which was already released in the US in May. This printer is priced at 128,000 yen ($1,280) in the Japanese market and the company expects to sell 15,000 units this year.
This printer is seen as competitive in Japan due to its size and quality. It is about two-thirds the size of regular laser printers. With the Micro-fine toner, the print quality is as high as 600 dots per inch and the unit turns out 4 pages per minute. It supports B5 and A4 size paper.
Other features include automatic switching and memory enhancement. These features allow the printer to be automatically switched on when a print command is given. The company claims the unit is also low in power consumption and requires only a half of the power of existing laser printers.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- AT&T won a $50 million contract, spread over five years, to expand the Worldspan travel network into Europe through its AT&T Istel data services unit.
Worldspan was created in 1990 from the DATAS II system of Delta Air Lines and the PARS system of TWA and Northwest Airlines based on the PARS software. Later the Abacus system in the Far East, which also used PARS software, joined the system. So far however, Worldspan has been unable to get European airlines to join as partners in the system, which is based on IBM mainframes in Atlanta.
The new Worldspan contract is actually a follow-on to a $100 million multi-year contract, different parts of which expire at different times, under which AT&T is moving the traffic of all Worldspan travel agents into a single US network.
The Istel contract will link the travel agents using Worldspan in Europe to that network. Worldspan has about 12,000 agencies worldwide linked to its system, offering on-line delivery of tickets not only for all major airlines, but for rental car companies and hotel chains.
Worldspan competes most closely in the US with the Sabre system of American Airlines, which is the market leader, and the Covia system owned by a group of airlines headed by United.
The network business is so profitable that American recently said it would de-emphasize its airline business, where fare wars are hurting its bottom line, in favor of the more profitable computer services end.
As a first step in its plan for Worldspan, AT&T is acquiring a private network owned by TWA which had been serving Worldspan travel agency customers in Europe. TWA, once one of the big American international flagship airlines, is now a much smaller company moving to St. Louis and fighting for its life. Under a separate deal, AT&T is handling all of TWA's European network needs.
Later in the year, all Worldspan subscribers in Europe will migrate to AT&T's Accunet packet data service, under the X.25 standard which is managed out of AT&T Istel offices in the United Kingdom.
DUBLIN, OHIO, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- With the long distance market concentrating on the fates of AT&T, MCI and Sprint, many people wonder how smaller competitors survive.
LCI International is one such smaller competitor, and company officials have told Newsbytes in the past that the answer is always changing. A few years ago, LCI went from building its own network aimed at winning customers in the Midwest, to buying capacity on other networks and creating a network of commissioned salespeople to replace a salaried sales force. One result was a simplified rate structure dubbed "Simple, Fair, and Inexpensive" by the company.
The new strategy is to create strategic business alliances with companies that can help LCI sell more of its long distance services.
An example is a deal with the Smart Talk Network, which has elaborated on a deal it announced August 12. Smart Talk based in Toronto, is a major re-seller of long distance services in Canada. LCI is investing $16.75 million in Smart Talk, in the form of debt it can convert into stock, which will help Smart Talk expand its facilities in Canada. Smart Talk will also get a perpetual, but non-exclusive license on LCI's information and billing systems in Canada, and exchange long distance traffic between their networks on a reciprocal basis.
LCI also gets the right to Smart Talk shareholders' agreement to a tender offer for a majority of the company which it can exercise through early next year. The result could be to increase the traffic LCI gets from the increasingly-competitive Canadian market where the major Stentor alliance is working with MCI, and the second-place Unitel group is working with AT&T.
In the US, meanwhile, LCI has signed an alliance with Sterling Software for its Electronic Commerce Services, which transfer things like invoices, spreadsheets, engineering drawings and other business documents under EDI (electronic data interchange) standards, so they are authenticated. The service thus becomes an incentive for businesses to work with LCI.
LCI recently moved its main offices to McLean, Virginia, where its top executives can track changing federal rules involving telecommunications. However, its operational headquarters remain in Dublin, a suburb of Columbus.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930818/Press Contact: Jim Fette, LCI International, 614-798-6272; Gail Whitcomb, Sterling Software 614-793-7142; Smart Talk Network, Mark L. Silver, 416/882-6722)
t Talk Network, Mark L. Silver, 416/882-6722)
8/18/93
LCI International Concentrates On Alliances
TELECOM
Ricoh Developed Recycling Copier
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- Japan's major office equipment maker Ricoh has developed what it calls a recycling copier which erases the ink of copied documents in order to use the paper again. Ricoh claims that it is the world's first recycling copier.
Ricoh reports that the recycled paper can be repeatedly used 10 to 20 times. The recycling copier removes toner with an ink removal liquid and a special roller with heat. It is essentially the reverse process of copying.
The recycling copier, still a prototype, can process 3 pages per minute, which is quite slow. Ricoh wants to improve the speed before it actually releases the copier commercially in the near future.
Use of this recycling copier is quite simple. A document to be recycled is placed on a paper tray. The machine automatically feeds the paper and removes the ink, similar to a regular copying machine. A single page can repeatedly be copied and processed until the paper gets dirty.
This recycling copier is expected to offer large firms the ability to save paper and money. According to Ricoh, the cost of a recycled single page is 10 percent of the cost of regular unrecycled paper.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- Now that the euphoria over AT&T's pending acquisition of McCaw Cellular has faded, AT&T's stock price is falling, analysts say, because of the perceived risks.
The first risk in the deal is the cost, which could lead to a reduction in AT&T's credit rating, meaning a higher cost for its debt. Since the deal is for stock, it will definitely dilute earnings meaning the earnings per share will go down, in 1994. That is something AT&T officials acknowledged in announcing the deal estimating the dilution at about 10 percent.
Another risk is regulatory. The Clinton Administration is revving up the dormant anti-trust division of the Justice Department, now under Anne Bingaman, who has asked for documents on Microsoft. The newly-nominated head of the Federal Communications Commission, Reed Hundt, is an anti-trust lawyer. Either Justice or the FCC could veto the deal. If AT&T tries to fight it out in Congress, Rep. Edward Markey, who heads a key telecommunications subcommittee, has indicated he could side with the regional Bells and against AT&T.
Yet another risk, seldom discussed, is to the health of AT&T's equipment units. The regional Bell companies are angry about the McCaw deal, and cellular competitors are fearful. They could take this out on AT&T by steering business toward its equipment-supply competitors, mainly Northern Telecom on the land-based side and Motorola on the cellular side. That could cut AT&T's domestic revenues, where it is strongest, while it expands internationally where its market share is weaker.
Still another risk is posed by British Telecommunications and MCI. BT will get $2.2 billion in AT&T shares from its 17 percent of McCaw almost $500 million more than was predicted in November, and will probably use that money to help MCI, of which it is buying 20 percent for $4.3 billion. The MCI-BT combination will be able to take on AT&T head-to-head in all its telephone service markets. That could include cellular, if the FCC approves an MCI plan to give it a nationwide license for microwave-based cellular phones known as PCN services. The move by BT to sell its AT&T stake could keep the price of the stock depressed for months.
Which brings us to Craig McCaw. The McCaw chairman and his family will now hold three percent of AT&T, a larger share than that held by any individual in the company for years. If AT&T gets into any trouble, for any reason, the McCaws could cause problems motivated by a desire to keep the value of their holdings high.
However, AT&T insists the benefits outweigh the risks. By taking all of McCaw, not just a piece of it, AT&T can eliminate the costs of wrangling over which company will do what, concentrating on the business case for any move. Long distance calls made on McCaw Cellular phone systems could be routed directly to AT&T switches cutting out the regional Bells from a big source of revenue.
Unlike MCI, Sprint and other long distance competitors, which usually have one switch or point of presence in each city, AT&T has many such points, and can now take more advantage of that fact. Besides, AT&T notes, cellular telephony is the fastest growing part of the phone service business, and McCaw's growth will now flow directly to AT&T's bottom line.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930818)
line.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930818)
8/18/93
Risks To AT&T In McCaw Cellular Buy
TELECOM
Inventor Seeks AT&T Settlement O
POMPANO BEACH, FLORIDA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- Peter Tsakanikas has sent a letter to AT&T and McCaw Cellular asking $20 million for their use of an "Alphabet Phone" patent he has held since 1984. He says in the letter that if a settlement is not reached, he will sue for $1 billion.
Newsbytes discussed the patent with Tsakanikas. "The patent turned out to be a cash cow because it's infringed on by the point-of-sale industry, the fax industry, the telephony industry with specific emphasis on cellular telephones, and the audiotex industry," he said. "The patent was issued in January 1984, and started producing revenues in 1991." He said it has made him millions so far.
Here's how it works in practice. "At the top of every page when you get a fax there's an identification of where it comes from. That's the transmit terminal identifier, or TTI. In order for that to be printed, it has to be entered, using my Alphabet Phone entry technique. You select the letter you want and see it displayed, then enter another button to enter it into the computer. You hit the number 2 once for the letter A, twice for B, and three times for the letter C," a technique he calls "counting along the button."
Some devices use a different technique, in which the letter A would be entered by hitting the number 2, then the number 1. "When I worked at IBM, another man came up with 2-1 for A. The letter plus 1-2-3 makes everyone do a mental table look-up. My system is a single-key system. And when you check out of a hotel and use a Verifone point-of-sale device, they're licensed for the system so you can put in a drivers' license number." Tsakanikas says the claims in his patent claims are rather broad, so, "Any time there's a cursor approach used" to enter letters on a telephone keypad, "the probability is you're infringing."
Tsakanikas has been refused before, but has not had to defend his patent in court. "We've filed four different lawsuits, all settled. Verifone and Omron were two of the four. As long as I get a substantial and significant offer to settle, I always prefer that. Some of my settlements are lump sums, some have continuing royalties."
Tsakanikas also offers advice for inventors. "My advice to other inventors is to start at an earlier stage," protecting the rights to their inventions even before going to the patent office. "Do a novelty search to check the prior art, make sure someone didn't beat you to the patent office. These can cost $300-500. Based on the documents you call up, you can look at what other peoples' teachings have been, to see if what you have is novel."
Continued Tsakanikas, "Then, I recommend you try to structure a sufficient number of different embodiments of how your product would function so the broadest claims can be written. I'm a market driven inventor, and realize that eventually someone will want a license. You don't want your claims to be too specific - get broad coverage. Then every time you submit a claim you submit it by claims in the patent itself. Put as much emphasis on doing their homework before filing. Once you file you're only protected by that filing."
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930818/Press Contact: Peter Tsakanikas 305-978-0059)
18/Press Contact: Peter Tsakanikas 305-978-0059)
8/18/93
Inventor Seeks AT&T Settlement On Phone Patent
TELECOM
Kurzweil Applied Intelligence In
WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- Kurzweil Applied Intelligence Inc., maker of a range of speech recognition tools, has announced an initial public stock offering.
The 11-year-old company plans to sell 2.1 million shares of stock at $10 per share, through an underwriting group managed by Robertson, Stephens & Company L.P. and Needham & Company Inc. Kurzweil said about 291,500 shares are being offered by certain stockholders and the balance by the company itself.
The proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes company spokeswoman Debra Murray said.
Founded in 1982, Kurzweil sells speech recognition products including the Voicemed line for the medical market and Kurzweil Voice, a discrete speech product intended for creating general-purpose written documents.
The company's chairman is Raymond Kurzweil, who is well known for his work in speech recognition technology. Kurzweil has about 90 employees, Murray said.
The final prospectus is available from Robertson, Stephens & Company L.P., 555 California Street, Suite 2600, San Francisco California, 415-781-9700, or from Needham & Company Inc., 400 Park Avenue, New York, New York, 212-371-8300.
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- Canada's regional phone companies have announced plans to simplify phone service for hearing-impaired people and those with speech problems. There will soon be a single number to call to reach a relay services operator who can help the deaf, hard-of-hearing or speech-impaired use the phone.
Within six months, according to the Stentor consortium of phone companies, those with speech or hearing problems will be able to call "711" to reach a relay services operator. Those who want to place a call to someone with a hearing or speech disability will be able to call a toll-free 800 number.
This will replace the present system in which a variety of different numbers are used to provide relay services across the country.
It also marks a use of one previously unallocated "X11" number. Some of these numbers, with one digit followed by two ones, are well established as providing access to key phone services - for instance, 411 is local directory assistance, 611 is phone service and 911 is the emergency access number for police, fire, and ambulance services in a growing number of locations. Also 011 is the access code for overseas phone calls.
The other "X11" numbers, though, remain unused. In parts of the United States, as Newsbytes has reported, there are moves afoot to set aside 511 for certain information services. Cox Enterprises, a newspaper publisher, has been allowed to use that number to provide information services for a fee in Palm Beach Florida.
Some cellular phone carriers in the US have used 711 to provide roaming information to customers and 811 for technical support.
The Canadian phone companies said there will be no extra charge for the use of the 711 number, and long-distance calls made through it will get a 50 percent discount off regular rates within Canada.
Canada - Simpler Phone Services For Hearing-Impaired
TELECOM
Northern Telecom Launches ATM Sw
9 MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- Northern Telecom has launched a new switching system, to be built for the company by GTE Government Systems, that is aimed at customers who want to carry high-speed data, image, voice, and video signals over large-capacity links.
The new Magellan Gateway broadband multimedia switch is based on the design of GTE Government Systems' SPANet asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switch, developed for the military and federal markets, which is already being used by the US military.
ATM is a high-speed networking technology that offers high bandwidth and the flexibility to handle not only data but other types of information. It is being touted as a way of sending voice, data, and video over a single network.
GTE will build the Magellan Gateway switch as well as continuing to build the SPANet version, said Lee Williams, a spokesman for Northern Telecom. GTE Government Systems will retain the sole right to sell the technology to the government and military while Northern Telecom will have exclusive rights to sell it to common carriers in North America.
The switch is best suited to carriers, including telephone and cable companies, Williams said, but might also be used in private networks. The number of users it can support would vary considerably depending on their bandwidth requirements, he said.
Northern Telecom's Multimedia Communication Systems organization launched last spring, will sell the product in North America. The switch is available now on a limited basis and will be generally available in the first quarter of 1994, Northern said.
The switch will let network operators offer different prices for different grades of service, the vendor said. A video customer might pay one rate, a user who needs timely throughput of mission-critical data and guaranteed bit transmission would pay another, and a data user whose transmissions are not as time-sensitive would pay another.
Northern said the Magellan Gateway joins the Magellan Passport enterprise network switch, announced last March, and will be followed by a backbone network switch this fall
(Grant Buckler/19930818/Press Contact: Jerry Kendall or Lee Williams, Northern Telecom, 919-992-4576; Frank McNally Northern Telecom, 703-712-8374; Claire Deveney, GTE Government Systems, 617-455-5151)
GTE Government Systems, 617-455-5151)
8/18/93
Northern Telecom Launches ATM Switch
TELECOM
BT Links UK ISDN Net To Ireland
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- Following hard on the heels of its link-up to several of the US integrated service digital network (ISDN) services, British Telecommunications (BT) has connected its UK ISDN system to that of the Irish Republic's.
The link-up means that BT's service now has links with 19 countries around the world. According to Jim Pickard, the UK network clocked up more than a million call minutes in June, and that figure is expected to rise steadily in the months to come. "The opening of this route to the Republic of Ireland will provide UK companies with the communication tools to create productive business relationships between one another," he said.
Pickard added that BT's international ISDN traffic has increased by 450 percent over the last year. He attributes this to a clear reflection as to the number of companies "now using ISDN to conduct overseas business to reduce both travelling time and expenditure."
So what is ISDN and how does it differ from conventional phone circuits? Instead of calls being processed along an audio channel of only limited bandwidth, all types of ISDN calls are reduced to a series of digital data packets. Each ISDN link consists of two 64,000 bits-per-second (bps) channels and a single 16,000 bps supervisory channel.
In use, when both channels are activated, a total bandwidth of around 128,000 bps - without recourse to data compression technology - is available. This contrasts with a standard phone circuit, which supports a single voice channel, and is only capable of feeding a 28,800 bps data modem without error-correction.
BT's ISDN service has been available over two thirds of the UK for the last year. Known as ISDN-2, the service costs around UKP400 to install and the same annual rental to subscribe to. Calls are billed at the same rate as standard inland phone calls over ISDN.
BT's research into ISDN usage has concluded that most companies are using ISDN to provide videoconferencing links to the US, fast file transfers to Europe or Group IV high speed fax transmissions to the Pacific Rim countries.
(Steve Gold/19930816)
ntries.
(Steve Gold/19930816)
8/18/93
BT Links UK ISDN Net To Ireland
TELECOM
UK - Wordperfect 5.2 For OS/2 Sh
WEYBRIDGE, SURREY, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- Wordperfect UK has announced the immediate availability of Wordperfect 5.2 for OS/2. The company claims that this is the first application to support OS/2 version 2.1 in the Wordperfect stable of products.
According to Daniel Sumner, product marketing manager with Wordperfect UK, the package takes advantage of OS/2's 32-bit technology by supporting drag-and-drop on the Workplace Shell multi-threaded background printing, and the OS/2 High Performance File System (HPFS) for longer file names.
Retailing for UKP329, the package is available as an upgrade to older version users for UKP89. The reason for the upgrade? "Our users have been asking for a graphical word processor that takes advantage of the power of OS/2," explained Sumner.
IBM is enthusiastic about the shipment of the package. Lee Reiswig, IBM's Personal Software Products division, said he is excited, as the package "will satisfy customer needs for a graphical word processor that can perform in a powerful, yet easy to use 32-bit environment."
In use, the package includes a patent-pending Automatic Document Detection (ADD) system that automatically registers existing Wordperfect files with the Workplace Shell and associates them with Wordperfect. User can then drag any WP file to the printer icon and then print them out with WP formatting.
The ADD technology also gives users access to 32-bit document management features on the Workplace Shell by allowing them to view WP document summary information - e.g. author, subject abstract - from both the Wordperfect Object Settings notebook and the Details View of any folder.
Despite the enhancements, Wordperfect 5.2 for OS/2 is almost exactly the same in user interface terms as other platform versions. Greg Johns, Wordperfect UK's product manager for Windows and OS/2 editions, said that this allows users to learn a new operating system without having to learn a new word processor.
"WP 5.2 for OS/2 gives users all the functionality of Wordperfect with all the advantages of OS/2. This compatibility will ease training and support costs for many of our users moving to OS/2," he said.
(Steve Gold/19930818/Press & Public Contact: Wordperfect UK Tel: 0923-850500; Fax: 0923-843497)
K Tel: 0923-850500; Fax: 0923-843497)
8/18/93
UK - Wordperfect 5.2 For OS/2 Ships
UK - Accent Intros Novalock Soft
BURGESS HILL, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- Accent Computers, the specialist manufacturer and distributor, has announced the immediate availability of Novalock, an intelligent hardware lock system for the PC.
The system, which was developed in the UK by Accent, claims to offer a high level of software protection since it uses a proprietary encryption system with customer-specific internal coding.
This internal coding means that, even if one Novalock is "cracked," other Novalocks cannot also be cracked using the same program. In addition, because each lock is coded separately, there is only a limited number of "economy of scale" production benefits. In short there is no major price advantage of going for multiple orders the company can easily sell one or 100 units.
According to the company, this secure side of the Novalock tends to put off would-be software pirates, once they realize they can only "open up" one computer's software if they crack the code. According to Terry Harris of the company, pricing on the hardware technology is very competitive and depends on site licensing conditions.
Founded ten years ago, Accent claims to be a leading distributor of a broad range of connectivity products, including its own developed family of asynchronous multi-serial PC communications boards PC-to-mainframe and PC-to-IBM mid-range communications products, as well as token ring products.
(Steve Gold/19930818/Press & Public Contact: Accent Computers - Tel: 0444-870444)
lic Contact: Accent Computers - Tel: 0444-870444)
8/18/93
UK - Accent Intros Novalock Software Protection
UK - 3Com Enhances Netbuilder II
MAIDENHEAD, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 18 (NB) -- 3Com has announced a series of enhancements to its Netbuilder II internetworking platform, which is claimed to offer users high speed wide area network (WAN) services, higher port density lower cost, and increased fault tolerance.
The new features list includes a high speed serial interface (HSSI) wide area network (WAN) module, an Ethernet twin port fiber module, a dual power supply, and a flash memory drive.
"The HSSI and Ethernet two port fiber modules, which boost capacity and reduce overall costs, are key components of stage one of our High Performance Scalable Network platform, which was announced at the end of June," commented Nigel Oakley, 3Com's product marketing manager.
According to Oakley, the HSSI module solves the problem of data bottlenecks occurring when connecting a high speed local area network (LAN) over the WAN.
The module supports full-duplex line speeds of up to 52 million bits-per-second (mbps), including E3, T3 and fractional rates. The module will connect directly to asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) services, including the ATM Forum's DXI standard which is expected to launched early on next year.
(Steve Gold/19930818/Press & Public Contact: 3Com UK Tel: 0628-897000)
/Press & Public Contact: 3Com UK Tel: 0628-897000)
8/18/93
UK - 3Com Enhances Netbuilder II Internetworking
GENERAL
Clinton Administration To Back D
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- According to a report in Wednesday's New York Times newspaper, the Clinton Administration has decided not to block imports of competing semiconductors, but will back domestic chip makers by providing subsidies. The plan, reportedly proposed on Monday by Commerce Secretary Ron Brown, would not involve tariffs, but instead would depend only on actions which the Commerce Department could take on its own without legislative or other administration action.
About six months ago the Commerce Department was petitioned by US chip manufacturers seeking political protection from what they contended was predatory foreign competition in the ceramic packaging used to mount some advanced microchips.
What the companies were seeking was a decision from the Administration that foreign competition was placing vital national security related resources at risk and such a ruling would have automatically brought strong support for the US makers, probably involving punitive tariffs.
According to the New York Times, Secretary Brown's letter to President Clinton stated that the Commerce Department had found that the chip maker's situation did not involve national security and thus did not qualify for special protection under a new law.
A mixture of subsidies and new tax incentives, such as those already granted to investors in small company IPOs (initial public offerings) by which a long-term holder would pay reduced capital gains taxes to a mere 14 percent, is thought by some industry observers to provide enough incentive to help maintain US microchip manufacturing capability. This is especially true when the new research and development incentives are combined with the present strong upward pressure on the Japanese yen which makes Japanese semiconductor products more expensive in the US.
What the Commerce Department has proposed is an increased effort by the Pentagon to buy US-made chips, a new federally funded chip packaging research effort, and a study of ways in which domestic makers can improve efficiency. Since this doesn't involve any legal determination that foreign competitors are harming domestic companies or any new appropriations, Washington insiders say that the proposals could take effect without any further action other than approval by President Clinton.
The Clinton-Gore Presidential Campaign was strongly supported by many Silicon Valley computer and software executives.
(John McCormick/19930818/)
d software executives.
(John McCormick/19930818/)
8/19/93
Clinton Administration To Back Domestic Chip Makers
Harvard Graphics 2.0 For Windows
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- Software Publishing Corporation (SPC) has launched Harvard Graphics 2.0 for Windows, an enhanced edition of a widely used presentation graphics package.
The upgrade offers a range of new features for speeding the preparation of presentations, including Advisor, Quick Looks, the 5-Minute Coach, Step-by-Step Guidance, and Autobuild, officials said in announcing the product.
Also included are a runtime player that allows presentations to be shown on DOS or Windows systems even if Harvard Graphics is not loaded, and a Conferencing capability that permits display on up to 64 networked computers simultaneously. The runtime player is slated to support Macintosh by the end of this year.
The new Advisor feature in 2.0 supplies two kinds of recommendations, Design Tips and Quick Tips. Design Tips give hints on which type of chart is best for a particular presentation, and how to use the chart type. "For a bullet chart, use four to six bullet points with no more than six to eight words per line," is one example.
Quick Tips offer shortcuts for editing text and graphs, such as "double click to edit text and click the right mouse button to change font, size or color."
Quick Looks, on the other hand, is a set of interactive chart miniatures and other thumbnail visual cues that let the user preview selected changes before those changes actually go into effect.
The 5-Minute Coach is an online tutorial that provides a product overview, along with task-driven lessons on creating, enhancing and managing presentations.
Step-by-Step Guidance, a feature available throughout the program, guides the user through a task in easy sequential steps. Customizable Icon Bar, another new capability, offers even quicker help with tasks. The user can access task descriptions simply by passing the cursor over the icon bar.
Autobuild allows the user to incorporate special effects within one slide, instead of layering individual slides. Other new features aimed at ease of use include Harvard F/X, Quick Print, a Symbol Library, and new Master Templates and Presentation Styles.
Harvard F/X is used to import text, bitmapped graphics, and graphic effects through object linking and embedding (OLE).
Quick Print lets the user obtain a fast printout of a document without drawings and other background elements. The Symbol Library contains more than 530 new symbols. The Master Templates work with 31 new Presentation Styles for quick performance of style changes. One Master Template is included for each Presentation Style.
The new Conferencing capability in 2.0 gives full control of the presentation to an assigned conference leader. The leader however, can at any time pass control to one of the conference participants, who can then continue to run the presentation. A messaging system included in Conferencing lets viewers send messages to each other without disturbing the conference call.
The new runtime player supports Autobuild, slide effects HyperShow keys and buttons, and all the other key features in Harvard Graphics.
Also new in Version 2.0 are OLE client and server support, sound animation and video playback, and On-Screen Chalk, a function that lets the mouse be used as a "piece of chalk" for highlighting items on the screen.
Harvard Graphics 2.0 for Windows requires a 386- or 486-based IBM-compatible PC with Windows 3.1, 8 MB of hard disk space, 4 MB of RAM, and an EGA display or better. External sound device support is needed for multimedia playback.
The package is scheduled to be available throughout the US by September 13, at a suggested retail price of $395. Users of previous versions of Harvard Graphics for Windows or DOS, or competitive presentation graphics products, will be able to upgrade for $89 through December 31 and $125 thereafter.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930818/Reader contact: SPC, tel 408-986 8000; Press contacts: Victoria Paige, SPC, tel 408-450-7316, or Dorothy Meunier, SPC, tel 408-450-7637)
hy Meunier, SPC, tel 408-450-7637)
8/19/93
Harvard Graphics 2.0 For Windows
Kai's Power Tools 2.0 For Macint
SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- HSC Software has announced Kai's Power Tools (KPT) 2.0, a major upgrade to its image manipulation extension for the Apple Computer Mac editions of Adobe Photoshop, Fractal Design Painter and other programs.
All 33 filters in KPT 2.0 show significant enhancements officials asserted. The new edition runs anywhere from two to 45 times faster than Version 1.0, a range that varies from module to module and also according to the particular parameters chosen within the module.
KPT's "human interface" has been further refined to be more intuitive than before, the company claims. For example, through a capability HSC calls "sleep mode," command buttons fade into the background if not in use. When the user moves the arrow over a button, though, the button "awakens." Once awakened, the button can be seen and clicked to activate a command.
All filter generators with own interfaces now offer real time preview. The user can preview either the actual image, or a representative sample of different kinds of images.
Further, the three Fractal Explorers in Version 1.0 are now incorporated into one. The new Fractal Explorer offers the ability to update fractals in real time, with interlinked preview windows. The extension includes new Julia sets and Mandelbrots with higher order functions.
The Gradient Designer in KPT 2.0 provides three interlinked previews, for synchronized updates to origin, direction and final apply, also in real time. In addition to the sawtooth/triangular and forward/reverse controls of the previous version, there is now "logarithmic acceleration" for linear and triangular looping. Rectangular, elliptical and shapeburst algorithms have all been added, officials explained.
The entire gradient can now be looped three to ten times inside the current selection. Gradient origins can be dragged to all four quadrants to produce new arcs and sweep shapes.
The Texture Explorer is also more powerful than before, HSC maintains. The twelve derivative textures in this tool will now mutate in less than one second on a Quadra-level Mac, officials claimed. The user can now save more than one texture. In addition, specific gradients in Gradient Designer can now be accessed from within Texture Explorer.
Officials said that HSC has licensed more than 40,000 copies of KPT since Version 1.0 became available in January. Version 2.0 is scheduled to ship in September at a retail price of $199. Registered users will be able to upgrade for $49. System requirements include a Mac capable of running Adobe Photoshop.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930818/Reader contact: HSC Software, tel 310-392-8441; Press contacts: Kristin Keyes or Lois Goodpasture HSC Software, tel 310-392-8441, or Al Abrams, Abrams Creative Services for HSC, tel 818-343-6365)
e Services for HSC, tel 818-343-6365)
8/19/93
Kai's Power Tools 2.0 For Macintosh
APPLE
StrataCom Net Up 40 Percent
Flat-Panel Display Maker nVIEW S
Cypress Semi Profits Up 47%
Sun Signs Up Second VAR In India
Computers Track US Women's Open
Aldus Acquires Digital Video Sof
Windows Tool Converts Files From
Netherlands Open Telecom Marketp
MCI Consortium Proposes Frequenc
IBM Enters Stand-Alone Monitor B
White House Forum Hit By Controv
Best Signs Modem Bundling Deal W
MFS Turns On ATM Network
Sprint, Call-Net Announce Cross-
NIST Calls For Comments On Encry
Synopsys Intros SOLV-IT! E-Mail-
New Denver Airport Uses Fiber-Op
Microsoft Flight Simulator 5.0 &
Jamaica Pulls Plug On Int'l Coll
User Groups Side With Borland In
Yokogawa Hewlett-Packard Enters
Japan - Mitsui Bussan, SofMap La
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- Mitsui Bussan Digital and PC dealer Sofmap are launching major campaigns to sell PCs in Japan.
Mitsui Bussan Digital, a subsidiary of a major trading firm in Tokyo, will establish a network of dealer shops throughout Japan early next year. The firm has already created shops in Tokyo's Akihabara, a well-known electronics shopping mall. These shops are called PCiN. Mitsui Bussan will create the shops in Osaka Fukuoka, Kyushu, as well as Hokkaido, at the rate of 10 shops every year.
Mitsui Bussan has been selling IBM-compatible PCs including Dell and Acer computers. Due to the introduction of DOS/V systems and major price cuts, the PCs are gaining popularity in Japan. Mitsui Bussan reports sales of 600 to 700 units of the PCs at the shops in Akihabara per month.
Meanwhile, major software retailer SofMap has also been successful in selling IBM-compatible PCs. The firm already has 10 shops in Akihabara.
In other news, major book and software publisher Softbank will sell personal computers through its dealers, of which there are 17,000 in Japan. Sold will be PCs from IBM, NEC, Apple Computer Seiko-Epson, Toshiba and Fujitsu.
Japan - Mitsui Bussan, SofMap Launch PC Sales Push
Storyboard Quick - Fast Storyboa
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 19 (NB) Powerproduction Software has announced Storyboard Quick, a software package to allow filmmakers to create storyboards using their Apple Computer Macintosh. The product is aimed at speeding up the film production process.
Storyboards are usually sketches, drawn inside squares, to illustrate a sequence of events, much like cartoons are drawn. These comic book-like illustrations are used by filmmakers to visually communicate their ideas of how various shots should be framed during the actual filming process.
Storyboard Quick is faster than sketching because it offers pre-drawn elements for inclusion in an electronic storyboard including people, props, and backgrounds, according to Powerproduction Software. In addition, characters can be rotated, zoomed in and out, and illustrated in full-length medium, close-up, and over-the-shoulder shots. Once the first frame is created, each additional frame is automatically updated with the characters, props, and locations which then can be altered, turned, or cropped. Only the characters can be rotated currently, company officials said.
Three standard aspect ratios are available and the final presentation can be made in a variety of layouts. Captions that can include dialogue, script, camera notes, and frame numbers may also be included with each frame. A pen tool is available for users to draw into the frames themselves, so for example an eye patch could be added to a character.
Exterior locations include city skyline, city street, country road, distant inlet, rolling hills, rocky desert, sandy beach and deep space. Interiors include rooms, hallways, offices, and cars. The locations may all be reduced, enlarged, or clipped to use as much or as little of the background necessary to create the desired effect.
Users can enter their own graphics as well, using the Macintosh clipboard, the company officials. Five very geometric-looking characters without faces, three men and two women, come with the program. Additional libraries of five characters each are available including the Drama Library of more realistic-looking characters, the Comedy Style Library, and the Action Adventure Library.
Storyboard Quick will even run on a Macintosh Plus if it has System 6.0 or better, a hard disk drive, and 1 megabyte (MB) of random access memory (RAM). The program requires 1 MB of hard disk space and is retail priced at $189. The additional character libraries are $49 each.
t MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- In the company's second distribution deal in a week, NetFrame has now signed a US distribution agreement with ComputerLand Corp.
Under the terms of the deal, ComputerLand locations that meet NetFrame's authorization criteria will sell and service NetFrame's superservers.
In announcing the deal, Jay S. Amato, president of ComputerLand corporate division, said: "NetFrame, one of the recognized leaders in the superserver market, has a well-deserved reputation for offering extremely flexible and reliable superservers. That's evident from the number of ComputerLand customers who have specifically asked for NetFrame's superservers. NetFrame offers the fault-tolerance and scalability of a mainframe, while still giving companies the ability to run shrink-wrapped, industry-standard software."
Enzo Torresi, president and chief executive officer of NetFrame Systems, said: "The agreement with ComputerLand will help us meet the growing demand for NetFrame's superservers. ComputerLand is not only the world's largest network integrator, it has a highly regarded service and support infrastructure that boasts of more Certified NetWare Engineers than any other reseller in North America."
ComputerLand Corp., claims to be the world's largest multi-vendor computer reseller, network integrator, and services provider. The company says its has more than 600 branches in 40 countries.
NetFrame was founded in 1987 by Carlton G. Amdahl and Enzo Torresi. The company designs, manufactures and markets a family of expandable, fault-tolerant superservers that run the NetWare network operating system, and Unix SVR4.2 and OS/2 operating systems.
NetFrame's superservers start at $12,950 for a the processor system and are expandable to a 10-processor system with up to 89 gigabytes (GB) of mass storage.
Just this week Newsbytes reported that NetFrame had signed a US distribution deal with Ingram Micro, through the NetFrame Authorized VAR Associate Program.
Under the terms of that deal, the Ingram Systems Sales Division will "target, identify and recruit Unix network VARs (value added resellers) and system integrators, who may apply to be authorized by NetFrame to resell the company's superservers."
(Ian Stokell/19930819/Press Contact: Paul Gross, 408-383-4515 NetFrame Systems Inc., Kit Robinson, 510-734-4386 ComputerLand)
MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- Flash memory and PCMCIA-cards for notebook computers are currently two of the most talked about technologies in the computer industry. Now Quantum Corp., has announced an alliance with Silicon Storage Technology Inc., that involves SST's patented "flash" memory cell structure.
The deal includes an equity investment and states that the two companies will cooperate in the areas of marketing, sales, product development, and manufacturing.
Under terms of the agreement, hard disk drive vendor Quantum will merge its storage-technology with SST's flash memory cell structure and chip architecture to jointly develop products for the emerging PCMCIA-based storage market.
According to International Data Corp., the PCMCIA-equipped small systems market, including notebook, subnotebook and hand-held systems, will exceed 10 million units by 1996.
In announcing the deal, William J. Miller, chairman and chief executive officer at Quantum, said: "Quantum's partnership with SST marks our expansion into important new storage markets. Because it will allow us to provide additional storage solutions for our customers' emerging needs, this alliance is a significant milestone in Quantum's long-term growth and profitability."
Under terms of the deal, Quantum has exclusive worldwide marketing and sales rights for high-capacity, computer-application, mass storage products incorporating SST technology and components. Quantum says it is responsible for providing all marketing, sales and technical support for these products, which are aimed at the mobile computing markets.
At the beginning of August, Newsbytes reported that Quantum had posted substantially reduced income for its first fiscal 1994 quarter, ended July 4, 1993.
The company reported sales for the first quarter as $479 million an increase of 30 percent over the $369 million reported for the first quarter of fiscal 1993. However, like the PC hardware manufacturers that have been reporting an increase in sales but a decrease in income, Quantum too has reported a net income for the first quarter of just $3.4 million, or $0.08 per share fully diluted, which compares pretty unfavorably with $21.5 million, or $0.41 per share fully diluted reported for the first quarter of 1993.
At the time William J. Miller, chairman and chief executive officer said: "Our unit shipments increased relative to the March quarter but weak demand in distribution channels and the aggressive pricing environment led to the sequential quarter decline in our sales and earnings."
o FREMONT, CALIFORNIA. U.S.A., 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- Anyone thinking about getting into multimedia on a Windows PC would probably do best to purchase one of the many multimedia CD-ROM introductory kits on the market. Now, targeting those new potential multimedia users, Sigma Designs has introduced the WinSound 16 Level 2 CD-ROM Multimedia Upgrade Kit.
According to the company, the new WinSound Kit was created for home and business users wanting to introduce sound and multimedia capabilities to their PC. The kit also meets the latest standards established by the Multimedia Marketing Council.
The kit is priced at $629 including bundled software. It is claimed to include everything needed to start in the hardware-demanding world of multimedia: a 16-bit sound board, multisession and double-speed SCSI (Small Computer Systems Interface) CD-ROM drive, speakers, joystick, and a number of multimedia software applications.
According to the company, the WinSound 16 kit complies with all relevant MPC Level 2 specifications. The SCSI CD-ROM drive included with the kit is multisession capable and Kodak Photo CD ready. The kit also supports a 350-millisecond average access time.
The company says that the WinSound 16 offers 16-bit CD-quality stereo digital sound with interfaces for high performance SCSI CD-ROM, Sony Light CD-ROM (SLCD), standard IBM joystick, and full duplex MIDI (musical instrument digital interface) with a 20-voice stereo synthesizer.
The company also claims that the accompanying software carries a retail value of over $1,200 and includes: Compton's MultiMedia Encyclopedia; MicroProse's Mantis Experimental Fighter; Asymetrix's Multimedia Make Your Point; Animotion's MCS Music Rack; Midisoft's Multimedia Music Library; as well as Pocket Mixer, Pocket Recorder, and ProMixer.
Just this week, Newsbytes reported that Sigma had signed a definitive agreement to acquire all the outstanding shares of E-Motions Inc. Prior to the transaction, Sigma owned about 50 percent of the outstanding shares in E-Motions, which will now become a wholly owned subsidiary of Sigma.
Through the acquisition of E-Motions, Sigma says it acquires exclusive rights to E-Motions' ReelMagic MPEG playback controller which consists of integrated circuit designs and related software technology.
ISLANDIA, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- Computer Associates International has acquired ExoSpace, a product that allows CA-Clipper applications to run in protected mode. The company has also announced price reductions.
The company says that, taking full advantage of extended (XMS) memory, CA-Clipper/ExoSpace provides everything developers need to give their CA-Clipper applications access to more memory. This, claims the company, removes the 640-kilobyte (KB) memory barrier that has limited developers in the past.
ExoSpace is the result of collaboration between ObjecTech Inc. and SofDesign International Inc. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
In announcing the acquisition, Marc Sokol, CA's vice president of product strategy, said: "CA-Clipper developers have been asking for a protected-mode interface for some time. Designed by third-party developers, CA-Clipper/ExoSpace provides this capability in an easy-to-use package that can significantly enhance application performance. We have sharply reduced prices to bring this useful technology to as wide a base of developers as possible."
The suggested retail price for ExoSpace has been cut from $299 to $99 for users of CA-Clipper 5.2, and to $189 for users of CA-Clipper 5.01.
For $299, users get CA-Clipper/ExoSpace and the CA-Clipper 5.2 competitive upgrade, which includes a free copy of CA-dBFast CA-Clipper Tools or the CA-Clipper/Compiler Kit for dBase IV.
The company says that applications using CA-Clipper/ExoSpace can be loaded in as little as 256KB of conventional DOS memory as long as sufficient extended memory is available.
CA-Clipper/ExoSpace is claimed to simplify application debugging by making memory management easier. Errors caused by memory corruption are easier to spot because they are reported immediately rather than show up after the corruption has hidden its cause.
System requirements are CA-Clipper 5.01 or higher; an IBM PC or PS/2; DOS 3.1 or higher; two megabytes of RAM; a hard drive and a 5.25- or 3.5-inch disk drive.
Just this week, Newsbytes reported that CA had signed a deal with Santa Cruz Operation of Santa Cruz, California, which called for the porting of CA-Unicenter for Unix to the SCO Open Server and Open Desktop operating systems.
As reported extensively by Newsbytes, CA achieved considerable publicity in the last month or so when it gave away one million free copies of Kiplinger's CA-Simply Money.
(Ian Stokell/19930819/Press Contact: Bob Gordon 516-342-2391, Computer Associates International Inc.)
2-2391, Computer Associates International Inc.)
8/19/93
Computer Associates Acquires ExoSpace Product
UK - Microsoft Swings Into Actio
WOKINGHAM, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- Microsoft has announced the availability of Golf for Windows, Multimedia Edition. The software giant claims that the multimedia edition enhances the golf simulation environment to the highest possible level using existing computer technology through the use of multimedia sound and visual effects, as well as customizable sound and interactive help.
Gillian Kent, Microsoft UK's consumer product manager, said that the package offers users the true challenge of golf thanks to its multimedia effects.
"It's a great example of how multimedia technology can make entertainment products for the PC more compelling. We're excited to add multimedia capabilities to the package and expect that users who are new to PC simulations will find this game easy to use and engaging. It's also even more fun," she enthused.
Microsoft Golf for Windows, Multimedia Edition, is the latest package from a cooperative effort between Microsoft and Access Software, the company behind Access, the Challenge of Golf, for DOS. Newsbytes understands that Access worked extensively on enhancing the Windows version of Microsoft Golf and added many of the multimedia features.
The new package adds features such as improved online help and the addition of more and larger courses. For instance, the player can now take a complete tour of Torrey Pines, the famous US golf course before starting a game. This allows the player to get an accurate visual picture of the challenges that lie ahead, Microsoft claims.
As the player arrives at each hole, users may call up a quick video "flyby" of the hole -- similar to TV coverage -- to view the hole's characteristics from above. Before taking the shot itself, players may click on the tip button and get their own customized golf pro giving them some advice that is specific to the hole and the conditions.
For all these features, Golf for Windows, Multimedia Edition, costs UKP 35. The package requires a multimedia PC (MPC) equipped with a 16 megahertz (MHz) 80386SX processor, DOS 3.1 or later, MS-DOS CD ROM (compact disc read only memory) extensions v2.2 or later, a VGA or better screen, 4 megabytes (MB) of memory, 5MB of free hard disk space and MS-Windows 3.1 or later. The CD-ROM drive must also feature a data transfer rate of 150K per second or better.
(Steve Gold/19930819/Press & Public Contact: Microsoft - Tel: 0734 270001)
tact: Microsoft - Tel: 0734 270001)
8/19/93
UK - Microsoft Swings Into Action
IBM Technology Offers PCMCIA Pro
Microtest Debuts Innovative CD-R
Review of - Spanish Assistant Bi
Hayes Supports V.Fast Modem Tech
Microsoft US OLE Development Tea
Symantec, ParaGraph Cyrrilize Wi
CompuAdd Files Reorganization Pl
FGS Ships Utility For Mac Powerb
ScanMan EasyTouch Aims To Initia
Satellite Tech Wins New Contract
MacWorld Opens In Boston
Low-Cost PC Video Via New Standa
US Robotics Pitches For Corporat
New Software For Realistic Light
UK - Teleadapt Targets Mobile Us
UK - Mercury Vs. British Telecom
Japan - Toshiba To Release Low-C
JVC To Release Digital Video Kar
Risks To AT&T In McCaw Cellular
Database Vendors Announce Window
V.32 Bis Fax Modem For Apple Pow
ricmail Links Lotus cc
UK - HP Ships Dashboard 2.0 For
BRACKNELL, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- Hewlett-Packard's software division has announced version 2.0 of Dashboard for Windows, its push-button utility panel for the Microsoft graphical user interface (GUI) environment, is now shipping.
According to HP, the package provides fingertip control for Windows applications and comes complete with a range of new features that it claims combine functionality with the ease of use of the original version.
Announcing the package, Harry McKinney, HP's PC Software Division's general manager, said that it has been the users that have driven the development of Dashboard to where it is today. "Release 2.0 gives them the features they asked for without asking them to give up a product design they're already comfortable with," he said.
Dashboard 2.0 for Windows costs UKP 49-95. Existing users of the package are being offered the chance to upgrade for UKP 29-00 on direct application to HP. Any users of Dashboard who bought their copy of v1.0 after July 1 this year can upgrade for free.
New features in v2.0 include Hot Keys, Vertical Orientation, Snap off Toolbars and New Resource Gauge Displays to Startup Layouts Program Groups and Task Manager.
The original Dashboard is claimed to have been a runaway success for HP, with more than 300,000 copies sold. Newsbytes notes, however that the package is bundled free of charge with most HP PCs.
Dashboard is available in both English and German editions. The package requires an 80286-based PC or better running Windows 3.1. The PC must have 640 kilobytes (K) of standard memory, plus 2 megabytes (MB) of extended memory, as well as a hard disk with at least 1.5MB of free space.
(Steve Gold/19930819/Press & Public Contact: Hewlett-Packard - Tel: 0344-360000)
tact: Hewlett-Packard - Tel: 0344-360000)
8/19/93
UK - HP Ships Dashboard 2.0 For Windows
Visa Intros Anti-Fraud Card Tech
Satellite Technology Decontrolle
Birds Of Australia Now Available
Morphing On A PC Arrives
Newton Applications To Be Demons
Motorola Building $1 Billion Sem
Apple's Newton To Support PC/Mac
Desktop Still-Video Communicatio
Screen Savers Will Include Photo
New for Windows - Video Wallpape
PDA's -- The Paradigm Shift Begi
Review of - The Family Doctor On
Northern Telecom Secures $100M C
Apple Targets Youngsters On MTV
Correction - MacWorld - Apple Fo
Adda Intros PC Desktop Video Sof
MacWorld - Radius Intros PhotoBo
FCC Takes Another Baby Step Towa
UK - Ambra Reduces Pricing
AlphaGraphics, Apple, Kodak Team
NetPro Offers StreetWise StreetT
Unisys Shuffle Cuts President, S
BellSouth Launches New ScreenPho
Japan - KDD To Enter Personal Ha
Dow Jones To Offer Video News Se
IBM Foresees Many Uses For Compr
Lasermaster Sets FY93 Sales Reco
LCI International Concentrates O
UK - HP Ships Dashboard 2.0 For
UK - Microsoft Arcade Games For
WOKINGHAM, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- Microsoft has announced Microsoft Arcade, a combination of five popular arcade games from Atari -- Asteroids, Centipede, Battlezone, Missile Command and Tempest -- all of which have been adapted for use under Windows.
Announcing the package, which will be shown at the European Computer Trade Show in London on September 6, Gillian Kent, Microsoft's consumer product manager, said that pricing has been set at under the UKP 20 mark. "With this classic compilation, users can once again experience the fun and excitement of these all-time favorite games," she enthused.
In use, the package supports the same color and sounds as seen in the arcade originals of the 1970s. Though this bureau's memory of snicking college and playing games at the local coin-up in the 70s is hazy (we'd like to say because we were so young), the games do seem to be very close to the originals, except that an endless supply of small change does not seem necessary.
According to Microsoft, the only major differences between the package and the arcade originals are that coins are not required and all the games have an "escape key" to pause and immediately minimize the game in case of what the company calls an "office emergency."
Shipment of the arcade package is expected in the UK in late September. The package requires a 20-megahertz (MHz) 80386SX-based PC equipped with DOS 3.2 or later, Windows 3.1 or later, 2 megabytes or memory or more, and VGA graphics plus a mouse. The package works best with a color monitor and sound card, Microsoft advises.
(Steve Gold/19930819/Press & Public Contact: Microsoft - Tel: 0734 270001)
ic Contact: Microsoft - Tel: 0734 270001)
8/19/93
UK - Microsoft Arcade Games For Windows
British Govt Opens Telecoms Mark
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- After months of seeing the UK telecoms market-place crawl along at a snails pace in terms of free market competition, the British Government has become impatient and announced proposals to further open the market.
Currently, four major telecoms companies are licensed to offer "local loop" telephone service to home and small business users British Telecom (BT), Mercury Communications, Kingston-upon-Hull Telecommunications and Ionica. These four are supplemented by various local cable operators, although many cable operators merely subcontract their telephone service to Mercury.
While two of the majors -- BT and Mercury - already have their services operating, Kingston-upon-Hull Telecommunications is only operating in the Hull area in the northeast of England. Ionica has yet to launch its low-cost radio-linked phone service in the UK.
The British Government's proposals involve offering local loop licences to three new players in the UK telecoms market: Sprint from the US, Telstra from Australia and Worldcom, a European combine headquartered in Sweden.
Newsbytes understands that all three companies can -- and do offer international services on a cabled basis in the UK, but their licences prohibit them offer direct connect services to end users who wish to by-pass BT or Mercury.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will issue the licences, assuming that no objections are raised from anyone in the industry over the coming months.
Industry experts have not been bowled over by the Government's announcement earlier this week. They point to the fact that there is a world of difference between talking about and actually issuing a licence. Even when the licences are issued, the high cost of actually wiring up end user's premises has to be considered.
(Steve Gold/19930819/Department of Trade & Industry - Tel: 071-215 5000)
partment of Trade & Industry - Tel: 071-215 5000)
8/19/93
British Govt Opens Telecoms Market Even Further
TELECOM
International Telecom Update
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- Diverging trends in Europe highlight the week's international telecommunications news.
The word is Germany down, everyone else up. Germany's difficulties in paying to rebuild its eastern provinces continue to dog the economy and force interest rates high. They recently destroyed the Exchange Rate Mechanism aimed at keeping Europe's economies in lock-step. And the work is far from done. Parts of eastern Berlin are still served by mechanical phone switches whose technology dates to the 1920s. Deutsche Bundespost Telekom is putting over $35 billion into changing this, but work is slow. For DBT, the cost will include its privatization, which ministers hope could proceed as early as next year.
Meanwhile the high interest rates, aimed at holding down inflation while the work proceeds, have the whole economy in the dumps. Mannesmann AG posted a net loss, which it blamed on the local recession.
Elsewhere on the continent, growth is returning and trends are up. That's especially true in Sweden, just across the Baltic from eastern Germany, where Ericsson announced sharply higher earnings. Ericsson said the fall in value of its Swedish Krona helped cut the costs of its equipment in international markets with orders for mobile phone equipment leading the way.
Ericsson's biggest foreign market is Italy, and its biggest customer is SIP, the domestic mobile phone company. This state owned unit is now due to be totally privatized next Spring, far earlier than previously expected. The company is already partly in private hands and traded on the Milan bourse, and the stock was up on the news. Italy has the second-busiest mobile phone market on the continent, with over 850,000 customers. Before that happens, however, all Italian state-owned phone units will be merged into something called Telecom Italia.
In East Asia, meanwhile, the privatization of Singapore Telecom continues to push ahead. A 6-8 percent share of the company should be sold in October. The government says it is moving slowly only so it can maintain balance on the local stock exchange -- a quick privatization might swamp the system. About 25 percent of the company could be private by 1997.
Elsewhere, some eight Taiwanese officials were being held in an alleged bribery scandal which benefitted Ericsson. The Asian Development Bank approved yet another loan to mainland China this time worth $100 million, designed for fiber lines from the capital of Beijing to Guangzhou and Xian. Canada said it will fund public calling stations in the Philippines, which could help reduce the clamor for new private lines. And TelecomAsia, a company rebuilding Thailand's phone network with some equity held by NYNEX of the US, syndicated the $1.9 billion loan needed to start the job.
In Latin America, the news featured a possible return to protectionism in Brazil, which is considering rules aimed at barring the import of telecommunications gear. Rules against foreign computers only succeeded in hurting Brazil's economy in the 1980s, but it's felt that so many foreign companies are now setting up Brazilian factories that it won't happen again. The local stock market wasn't buying, however, as stocks closed lower over concerns that redemption of American depository receipts (ADRs) could dilute Brazilians' holdings in Telebras, the state-controlled phone company.
Elsewhere, Chase Manhattan of the US signed a letter of intent to sell its interest in Chile's Entel to a Chilean electrical distributor, Chilquinta SA, for $63 million. The move should bring Chilquinta stock to US exchanges in the form of ADRs which transfer ownership rights but not ownership powers to their holders. Generally, Chilean shares continued to rise on the week with Chilquinta among the shares going up.
Finally, Bulgaria signed a series of deals, worth a combined $300 million, aimed at improving its phone network. Among the beneficiaries are Northern Telecom of Canada, Alcatel of France California Microwave of the US and Ericsson's Spanish unit.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930819/Press Contact: Ericsson Kathy Egan 212/685-4030)
csson Kathy Egan 212/685-4030)
8/19/93
International Telecom Update
TELECOM
Correction - White House Not On
WASHINGTON, D.C., 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- Recently we reported on some of the new e-mail addresses for President Clinton and forums where press releases from the White House are posted. In that story we stated that Ziffnet has such a forum.
It doesn't. We regret the error. However, Ziffnet's Craig Kerwien notes that his firm's services are just part of the offerings of CompuServe and Prodigy. "We send all interested members to the specific areas on CompuServe and Prodigy" serving that interest he writes.
Ziffnet, in addition to offering messaging between users and files, also offers live, interactive chats, called Executive Online. The August forum will feature Adobe's John Warnock and Charles Geschke, discussing their new acrobat product and related topics. Members of the Acrobat marketing team will also be available. Ziffnet members can also purchase Adobe's Acrobat Reader viewing software, either for the Mac or Windows, between August 19 and 26 for $19.95. A valid ZiffNet ID number is required for participation in the offer. Or the reader can be downloaded from Ziffnet at standard hourly rates.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930819/Press Contact: ZiffNet Information Services, Lisa Landa, 617/252-5211)
ation Services, Lisa Landa, 617/252-5211)
8/19/93
Correction - White House Not On Ziffnet
CORRECTION
TELECOM
ATT Cutting Some Operator Jobs
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- AT&T said it will close 40 offices and cut between 3,000 and 4,000 operators and managers by early 1995, leaving just six offices but about 8,000 jobs. The cuts are possible because of increased automation specifically computer systems which recognize voices, although AT&T officials also cited "customer preference" for e-mail speech recognition, and direct dialing.
The moves are expected to save $200 million per year, the company said, but half of those impacted are expected to find other positions with the company. AT&T said it is working with its unions on a package of retraining, placement and relocation options.
Among the offices to be closed are those in Little Rock Arkansas, two in San Diego, California, an office in Macon Georgia, one in Indianapolis, Indiana, one in Louisville Kentucky, offices in both Portland, Maine and Portland, Oregon offices in St. Louis, Houston, Albuquerque and New York, and an office in West Allis, Wisconsin.
Meanwhile Sen. Howard Metzenbaum, who runs the Senate's subcommittee on anti-trust issues, warned he might oppose AT&T's recent deal to buy-out McCaw Cellular. Incoming Justice Department antitrust head Anne Bingaman must approve the merger and she has already indicated a tough line by asking for documents from the FTC relating to Microsoft Corp. The incoming head of the Federal Communications Commission, Reed Hundt, also has a background in antitrust law.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930819)
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930819)
8/19/93
ATT Cutting Some Operator Jobs
TELECOM
More Inventions From Inventor Su
POMPANO BEACH, FLORIDA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- Peter James Tsakanikas, the man who's asking $20 million from McCaw Cellular and AT&T for their alleged infringement of his alphabet phone patent, is an experienced inventor known for striking deals with infringers.
The latest invention from Mr. Tsakanikas, who does business as PJT Inc., may be his most audacious. It's called Fax Cash, and is a global computer network which can print legal currency or other negotiable instruments at designated locations. The network can receive input from telephones or terminals, then send encrypted signals to designated fax machines, laser printers, or automated tellers for printing currency or other items. PJT demonstrated its system at the recent National Office Machine Dealers Association show in Las Vegas. He noted in the presentation that his system will only print currency where that is legal, but is certainly able to print tickets, membership cards, stamps and licenses.
At NOMDA, Mr. Tsakanikas also demonstrated a teleshopping service called Dial and Buy. These systems allow access by touch tone telephone to catalog directories or menu services, and allows orders to be entered and processed for products and services. Mr. Tsakanikas also demonstrated a system using the same technology in a legalized gambling application.
Newsbytes discussed these releases with Mr. Tsakanikas, who indicated recent publicity on his patented alphabet phone technology has led a number of companies, including major Japanese firms, to seek licenses. Because Japanese companies dominate many of the equipment markets his technology serves, a significant amount of his income comes from Japan, he added which helps reduce the US trade deficit with that country, if only slightly.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930819/Press Contact: Betty James, PJT Inc. 800-758-5152)
ess Contact: Betty James, PJT Inc. 800-758-5152)
8/19/93
More Inventions From Inventor Suing AT&T/McCaw
TELECOM
Microprose Makes Big Cuts In Wor
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- In conjunction with the release of a financial statement showing that the Hunt Valley, Maryland-based computer game company lost more than $8 million in the latest quarter, the company has also announced that it has cut 40 percent of its workforce since the spring.
Starting as a small flight simulation game company about 11 years ago, Microprose has grown to where it holds a significant chunk of the worldwide computer and game machine simulation market, but the company has recently suffered significant losses due to delays in new product development and introduction.
Co-founder John W. "Wild Bill" Stealey, a retired Air Force pilot credited with being the inspiration behind many of Microprose's most significant products, has resigned as chairman of the board. Earlier he had resigned as company president and chief executive officer.
Before the recent job cuts, which totalled about 160 workers Microprose had grown to the point where the company had a maximum payroll of about 400. Recent cuts also resulted in the elimination of several ongoing game development projects.
Microprose publishes F-15 Strike Eagle, and other popular flight simulator games. The company recently agreed to merge with smaller with Alameda, California-based Spectrum HoloByte in return for a large cash infusion. The two companies are not directly competitive with most titles.
The $8 million-plus loss expected for the first quarter includes a $4.4 million one-time loss for restructuring, and costs related to the separation of about one-third of the staff (100 recently and another 60 in the spring). The company's first quarter loss for 1993 totalled $1.3 million.
(John McCormick/19930819/Press Contact: Gerard R. Blair, VP Marketing Microprose, 410-771-6720 or fax 410-785-8963)
prose, 410-771-6720 or fax 410-785-8963)
8/19/93
Microprose Makes Big Cuts In Workforce
BUSINESS
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President Clinton Showcases High
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Apple To Intro Servers, Speech R
Artisoft Offers 900 Number Enhan
Prague Phones Dragged Into 20th
Atari Loses To Nintendo, But It'
Apple Intros Display With Built-
Compaq Canada Cuts ProLinea Pric
Corel Intros CorelSCSI For Mac
Patent Issued For 10,000-Terabyt
New For Macs - Sneak Preview Doc
ZDS Intros Six Notebook PCs
MICA IV Version 2.01 Accounting
Microsoft Launches Worldwide Tec
Ricoh Developed Recycling Copier
IBM Develops High-Density Magnet
Borland's Philippe Kahn To Keyno
Motorola To Expand Scotland Plan
Mitsubishi Stops Producing AX PC
Microprose Makes Big Cuts In Wor
Japan - Mitsui Bussan, SofMap La
Microsoft Launches Worldwide Tec
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- Microsoft Corporation this week announced the launch of a worldwide technical information service about its products which will be distributed on CD-ROM disks.
Microsoft says its Microsoft Technet service is designed to support systems administrators, trainers, MIS managers, and other information system professionals.
The software uses the Microsoft Windows interface and contains a full-text Boolean search engine that allows the user to query for specific topics. Once a subject is located, the user can place an electronic bookmark at that point for quick reference in the future, in the same manner that users of paper reference books have placed little slips of paper at the page that contains a useful reference.
Microsoft says Technet will be upgraded monthly. If includes the Microsoft Knowledge Base, a compilation of thousands of articles that are developed and used by Microsoft Product Support specialists in response to user queries. Also included are articles and notes on product facts, features, architecture integration, migration, and strategic direction, and resource kits that provide users with technical references troubleshooting tips, utilities and accessories to make installing and support Microsoft products easier. A software library includes drivers, utilities, macros, and patches, as well as training materials on Windows NT and other Microsoft products. Microsoft says it will also include customer-developed solutions to Microsoft product related problems, as well as conference session notes from key Microsoft conferences.
The special introductory price for an annual Technet membership fee is $295 plus tax, and includes a 90-day money back guarantee. The fee also includes access to a dedicated Technet forum on CompuServe (GO Technet to reach the forum), a discount on a CD-ROM drive for your PC, and the Microsoft Services directory.
(Jim Mallory/19930819/Press contact: Beverley Auld, Microsoft 206-882-8080; Reader contact: Microsoft corporation, 800-344 2121, ext 295 to join Technet)
t corporation, 800-344 2121, ext 295 to join Technet)
8/19/93
Microsoft Launches Worldwide Technical Info Service
GENERAL
Compaq 2Qtr Income Triples
CORRECTION - Mac IIfx Accelerato
Apple Executives Accused of Insi
Canadian Product Launch Update
Low-Priced, Customizable Multime
BoCoEx Index
India - Atomic Center Considers
UK - Cellular Tariffs Set For Sh
RasterOps Posts Fiscal 1993 Loss
Dell Announces New PC Lines, New
Calling Cards Come To Casinos
Japan - Major NEC Dealer To Sell
IBM Japan Develops Optical Data
Intel, Unisys Team Up On Paralle
Rep. Markey Intros Bill To Limit
MacWorld - Script X Holds Key To
IBM Japan Lines Up New Products,
AST's Survey Highlights Trend To
Kuwait Resumes Recording All Int
MCI's Akerson Quits Suddenly
A Vision of the Future at GroupW
Nextstep Selling Above Expectati
Sigma Designs To Acquire E-Motio
NetFrame In Superserver Distribu
NEC Printer For Small To Mid-Siz
Spinnaker Merges With SoftKey An
Borland's Philippe Kahn To Keyno
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- Borland International's chairman, president, and chief executive officer will present the keynote address at the eighth-annual PC Expo scheduled for McCormick Place in Chicago this October 19 through 21. This year's PC Expo will feature new Netware, Multimedia, and Windows NT pavilions.
PC Expo, which is intended for both resellers and corporate PC buyers, features both product exhibits and tutorials. The six tutorial tracks this year include: Emerging Technologies Technical Management, Networking, Windows (Microsoft), Software and Business Management.
Admission to the exhibits costs $50 in advance or $60 onsite with a special one-day rate also available for half-price.
Seminars, conferences, and tutorials are priced up to $530 for a complete tutorial/full conference and exhibit pass. Discount registrations are available until October 12.
Mr. Kahn's keynote address will address "Client/Server Computing A desktop Perspective."
Seminars will cover such topics as What to Do with 286/386 Machines, Operating System and GUI Shoot-Out, Wide Area Networks 101, Portable Office, and Help Desk and User Support Strategies.
(John McCormick/19930819/Press/Public Contact: Bruno Blenheim Inc., 800-829-3976 or fax 201-346-1602)
Bruno Blenheim Inc., 800-829-3976 or fax 201-346-1602)
8/19/93
Borland's Philippe Kahn To Keynote PC Expo In Chicago
GENERAL
Newsbytes CD-ROM For $12.95
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- Newsbytes News Network is offering Volume II of its archives, which includes all news stories written between May, 1983, and June, 1992, for only $12.95. This offer is only in effect until all back inventory of these CD-ROM discs are sold out.
This disc operates on both PCs and Macintoshes, requires a CD-ROM drive, and contains more than 40,000 news stories about the computer and telecom industries written by Newsbytes News Network reporters during a 9-year period.
This is a keyword-searchable CD-ROM, making it ideal for research and reference. The news reports document the many changes in the worldwide computer and telecom industries and span their most formative decade.
Respondents to this offer will also receive a $10 off coupon, good for the next edition of the CD-ROM, which is to be published this fall.
The offer does not include shipping and handling. US buyers please add $2.50 for shipping and handling. Buyers from all other countries add $4.50.
Please fax or mail orders to our Minneapolis/St. Paul headquarters: Newsbytes News Network, 406 West Olive St. Stillwater MN 55082. The fax number is 612-430-0441. Mastercard and Visa accepted. Please include expiration date and name on the card. Electronic mail also accepted for orders: NEWSBYTES on GEnie, 72241,337 on Ziffnet, WWOODS 210-5390) on MCI Mail, NEWSBYTES1 on Applelink, NEWSBYTES1 on Bix, NEWSBYTES on America Online, and NEWSBYTES@GENIE.GEIS.COM on the Internet. Newsbytes prefers not to accept orders by phone as those lines are needed for the news staff.
(Wendy Woods/19930818)
(Wendy Woods/19930818)
8/19/93
Newsbytes CD-ROM For $12.95
GENERAL
IBM PC Company Americas Gets New
SOMERS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- The IBM Personal Computer Company has named a new president for its Americas division. He is Bruce Claflin, formerly general manager of mobile computing at the company.
Claflin will report to Robert Corrigan, president and chief executive of the IBM Personal Computer Co. He succeeds Sam Inman who is leaving IBM to become president and chief operating officer of distributor Ingram Micro, Inc., in Santa Ana California.
The company also announced that Anthony Santelli has been named president of IBM PC Products, a new position. Also reporting to Corrigan, he will be responsible for personal computer products worldwide. The PC Company's business segment general managers now report to Santelli, who was previously general manager of consumer systems.
Santelli will serve as acting general manager of consumer systems and mobile computing, until IBM names successors to him and Claflin in those jobs.
Claflin has worked for IBM since 1973, holding various marketing positions, including executive posts in Hong Kong and Tokyo. He took charge of the mobile computing business in June, 1992.
Santelli has been with the company since 1964, and last September took charge of consumer systems, which include the PS/1 personal computer line.
(Grant Buckler/19930819/Press Contact: William Amanna, IBM 914-766-3317)
tact: William Amanna, IBM 914-766-3317)
8/19/93
IBM PC Company Americas Gets New Boss
Dallas Gets New TI Wafer Fab Pla
DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- Texas Instruments today unveiled plans to build a new semiconductor wafer fabrication plant in Dallas, Texas that will pump up to $1 billion in construction costs into the local economy and add many as 750 jobs to the Dallas workforce.
TI President and Chief Executive Officer Jerry Junkins said the new plant, which will reportedly be one of the world's largest wafer fab plants, is being built in response to the growing worldwide demand for TI semiconductor products. "TI's semiconductor business is growing faster than the industry, due primarily to our success in custom products. The new facility will be largely dedicated to advanced processors and other custom products, and to the integration of multiple functions and technologies on a single chip."
The new facility, called DMOS5, will be attached to TI's existing DMOS4 facility which was constructed in 1984 and expanded four years later. Phase 1 of the DMOS5 project calls for construction of a 242,000-square-foot building that will house both production development and manufacturing operations. The first phase has an estimated cost of $300 million, and will employ about 250 people when it is fully operational. TI says that will be in 1995.
Phase 2 calls for the manufacturing operation to more than double in size by 1998 with the addition of 382,000 square feet of space and employment of another 500 people, bringing total staffing to about 750.
TI says DMOS4 and DMOS5 give it one of the world's largest semiconductor manufacturing plants under a single roof, with a total of more than one million square feet of space in the two facilities. That includes 142,000 square feet of Class 1 clean room area. The DMOS5 facility will include a product development center, an equipment evaluation center, and a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant all under one roof. TI says that's a first for it and one of the first in the electronics industry.
The company says the production development center is expected to cut in half the prototype-to-production cycle time, the period it takes from inception of a product to final delivery. That is a deciding factor in determining effective competitors in the marketplace.
In July Newsbytes reported on Works, a TI software program that the company says could set a new standard for semiconductor production by enabling manufacturers to shift from mass manufacturing of one type of product to more flexible production methods. Works was developed in conjunction with the Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Air Force Wright Laboratory.
Also in July Newsbytes reported on TI's second quarter financial results when the company said it reached an all-time high for net income and revenues. Semiconductor orders reached an all time high with semiconductor revenues growing faster than the total market. Earlier this year TI executives told financial analysts and reporters that it expects the worldwide semiconductor market to grow by 17 percent by the end of 1993, making it a $70 billion industry this year. That would be a 10 percent increase over 1992's $59.9 billion.
TI says DMOS5 will produce semiconductors with dimensions as small as 0.25 microns. That's 400 times smaller than the diameter of a single human hair. Eventually the facility is scheduled to produce semiconductors twice as small, which will be fabricated on a 200-millimeter, or eight-inch, silicon wafer.
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- Disk drive manufacturer Maxtor announced a partnership with Korean computer manufacturer Hyundai Electronics Industries. Hyundai will infuse Maxtor with $150 million and in turn receive a controlling interest with approximately 40 percent of Maxtor's common stock. Maxtor needs the cash as it reported in July it lost $72.2 million in its first quarter of fiscal year 1994.
Hyundai Electronics is a part of the Hyundai Business Group one of the largest companies in Korea. The parent company is engaged in diversified lines of business including the automotive and shipbuilding industries. Hyundai Electronics is a manufacturer and marketer of semiconductors, computers telecommunications, automotive electronics, and other industrial and consumer electronics products.
San Jose, California-based Maxtor employs 8,500 people worldwide and had sales of $1.4 billion in its 1993 fiscal year. Maxtor has been one of the leaders in the introduction of new hard disk drive technology. In January the company introduced the first 105-megabyte (MB) credit card-sized hard disk drive for use in the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) slot of handheld, notebook and laptop computers. In May Maxtor announced a deal with the popular networking software company Novell that allows it to offer Novell Netware Runtime 3.11 pre-loaded on its 1.24 gigabyte (GB) MXT-1240SN hard disk drives.
But Maxtor company officials say the cash will give Maxtor the edge it needs to compete. Larry Hootnick, president and chief executive officer, claims Maxtor is in a difficult period and is fighting one of the worst price wars in the history of the computer industry. "As these turbulent times for the disk drive industry illustrate, financial strength is the key to bringing new and better technology to market. This investment will provide us with a firm financial base and allow us to strengthen our focus on developing and selling new products," Hootnick maintains.
Hyundai Electronics Senior Vice President Dr. C.S. Park said "Maxtor's worldwide presence in the disk drive marketplace and path-breaking new product developments, particularly relating to the smallest new drives, has placed it in a position for leadership in the next generation of data storage products. We believe an investment in Maxtor is a major strategic step in developing our global technological capabilities, and we look forward to a long and fruitful relationship."
The companies say the non-binding letter of intent between them also provides that Hyundai may not acquire more than 45 percent of Maxtor except in a tender for all outstanding shares or in certain other cases. The two companies also added the agreement provides for cooperation in a number of areas, but company officials were unavailable to outline what areas those would be.
The agreement is subject to approval of the US and Korean governments and Maxtor shareholders, as well as other conditions. The companies hope to have a definitive agreement concluded in September and closure of the transaction in November.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930819/Press Contact: Walter Amaral, Maxtor tel 408-432-4949, fax 408-432-4457)
er Amaral, Maxtor tel 408-432-4949, fax 408-432-4457)
8/19/93
Struggling Maxtor To Get Cash Infusion From Hyundai
BUSINESS
LA Fingerprint Sys Saves County
Motorola & Orion Team Up On Emul
Desktop Data Offers NewsEdge For
Oracle Adds Alpha AXP Support To
Hinditron Medical In Joint Ventu
NCR 3000 To Be First With CA-Uni
Zeos Closes 2Q With $3.4M Loss
Indian - US-Based Gulf Publishin
India - HCL HP & Siva Offer Loca
VP Al Gore Airs Small Business V
IBM Rolls Out Pentium-Based Serv
Apple Canada Unveils Newton Mess
Spinnaker's New PFS:Resume & Job
Aldus To Unveil Pagemaker 5 For
Oracle Has Lion's Share Of Unix
NetWare for OS/2 Due This Week
MacWorld - 4 New Interactive Mul
Intel, Cyrix Reach Coprocessor A
BBN & UB's LightStream Offers 20
Microsoft Announces ODBC Drivers
New Jersey Follows Other States
SIA Book-To-Bill Up For 21st Con
Zenith Data Systems To Licence H
Mitsubishi Stops Producing AX PC
Microprose Makes Big Cuts In Wor
Struggling Maxtor To Get Cash In
Japan - Mitsui Bussan, SofMap La
User Groups Side With Borland In
SCOTTS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- Several personal computer (PC) user groups have sided with Borland against Lotus in the three-year-long court battle the two companies are fighting. Borland says the issue is now one of whether or not any software can be made compatible with another company's software, while Lotus is saying the issue isn't compatibility but the way Borland implemented compatibility.
The controversy is over alleged similarities between spreadsheet software products Quattro Pro from Borland and 1-2 3 from Lotus. Last week Federal Judge Robert E. Keeton of the United States District Court in Boston ruled Borland's "key reader," which makes Lotus macros work in Borland's Quattro Pro product, also infringes on Lotus' copyrights. Macros are automated keystroke sequences created by users.
Keeton ruled last year that Borland could not use Lotus' menu structures, so Borland removed the menu structures from current versions of Quattro Pro. However, Keeton said the Quattro Pro key reader also infringes on Lotus' copyrights. Lotus officials told Newsbytes the key reader in translating Lotus macros brings up and uses the 1-2-3 menu structure. "The violation is in their implementation of compatibility, not the compatibility itself," according to Richard Eckel of Lotus.
Borland doesn't see it that way and neither do the Capital PC User Group (Washington DC), the Long Island PC Users Group Sacramento PC Users Group (California), Twin Cities User Group (Minnesota), the Kentucky-Indiana Personal Computer Users Group, the Pinellas IBM PC User Group (Florida), Central Florida Computer Society, and the Santa Barbara (California) PC User Group. These are a few of the hundreds of PC user groups that meet nationwide each month. The groups together filed an amicus curiae, or "friend-of-the-court," brief advocating immediate appeal of the decision claiming they "have a common interest in the availability of compatible software products."
Analyst Rick G. Sherlund of Goldman Sachs & Company expressed the fears of those on Borland's side saying "while the decision appears inconsistent with that of other federal districts, the decision may imply that emulation is illegal and could affect many other companies."
Lotus officials told Newsbytes the reason for the sudden interest in briefs for appeal is all the issues in the case have been decided in Lotus' favor and it is now time to begin consideration of the damages. Lotus said it is in Borland's interest to be able to appeal before damages have been set. Damage estimates from industry analysts have varied from $10 million to $100 million. If the judge decides the damages should be considered before Borland can appeal, Borland would have to post a bond for 110 percent of the amount of the damages in order to make the appeal, meaning it could be faced with posting a bond for as much as $110 million. If the decision is made Borland can appeal before the amount of damages is determined, then no bond is needed, Lotus officials added.
The decision is expected today in a 3 pm EST hearing before Judge Keeton. Borland officials were unavailable for comment.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930819/Press Contact: Steve Grady, Borland tel 408-439-1621, fax 408-439-9273; Richard Eckel, Lotus Development Corporation, tel 617-693-1284, fax 617-693-1779)
ment Corporation, tel 617-693-1284, fax 617-693-1779)
8/19/93
User Groups Side With Borland In Lotus/Borland Case
Vendors Form Industry Associatio
BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 19 (NB) -- First there was shareware, and then groupware. Now there's "MBA-ware," and an industry association to promote the cause.
The newly formed Management Software Association was founded by about ten companies that produce software for analyzing business data and advising business managers, said Michael Shirer, who handles day-to-day operations for the Brookline, MA-based nonprofit group.
Shirer told Newsbytes that the new breed of "MBA-ware" goes beyond traditional business applications -- such as word processors, spreadsheets and databases -- by including rules algorithms, and hypertext that embed management expertise for planning and decision-making tasks.
The term "MBA-ware" was originally coined by William Bulkeley of the Wall Street Journal, according to Shirer. In an article published June 2 of last year. Bulkeley wrote, "This new category of `planning software' helps entrepreneurs act like MBAs."
The work of another journalist, the New York Times' Peter Lewis caused the nascent industry to coalesce. Lewis produced a series of stories on software packages of this kind. The CEOs of the featured companies read the series, and then began to get in touch with each other. "Up to then, many of (the CEOs) hadn't been aware of all the offerings available," Shirer told Newsbytes.
The Management Software Association is now launching an initial public relations campaign, while mulling a number of software distribution offers. In addition, the group is actively seeking new members, said Shirer, who is also studying for a graduate degree in international relations at MIT.
In one deal the group is considering, eight or ten products might be included on a single CD-ROM disk. The title would incorporate a series of demos with video, voice and photos, along with unlockable, downloadable "MBA-ware" programs, Shirer told Newsbytes.
Founding members of the Management Software Association include Avantos Performance Systems, Emeryville, CA; Beacon Expert Systems, Brookline, MA; Business Forecast Systems, Belmont, MA; Business Resource Software, Austin, TX; and Experience in Software, Berkeley, CA.
Other founding members are High Performance Systems, Lyme, NH; KnowledgePoint, Petalume, CA; Lord Publishing, Dana Pointe, CA; Smart Software Inc., Belmont, MA; and Management Edge Software Ryde, NWS, Australia.
Avantos' ManagePro is intended to help managers organize goals and improve communications with subordinates. Managers enter business objectives and supporting subgoals into a spreadsheet style planner. ManagePro then creates color-coded "goal" and "people" status boards, timelines, action lists, calendars, and reports. The software also provides prompts that are based upon successful business practices.
Beacon Expert's NegotiatorPro uses a Q&A format to guide users through preparations for a negotiation. The package then helps the user plan proposals, choose a strategy, set limits, and specify a method for assuring compliance. Negotiating styles of 13 countries outside the US are also included. Additional modules are now being developed for negotiations on outsourcing purchasing and sales.
Business Forecast Systems' Forecast Pro uses artificial intelligence and other methodology for business forecasting. Use of the software does not require a background in statistics or forecasting. Instead, the program guides the user to exponential smooth, Box-Jenkins, or regression, based on which technique suits the data best. Forecast Pro is also available in a batch edition.
Business Resource Software' Business Insight aims at helping the executive analyze business and marketing strategies by asking a series of questions and then providing analyses. For each analysis, the user can "trace" the logic of how the conclusion was reached, in this way seeing the complex relationships of the hundreds of factors involved in analyses.
Experience in Software offers three "MBA-ware" packages: Project KickStar, a project planning tool; Art of Negotiating, a structured way of preparing for negotiations; and Idea Generator a brainstorming program for focusing ideas and developing these ideas into structured projects.
High Performance Systems' ithink is a program for speeding individual and organizational learning. The software lets the manager map, model and simulate business and organizational processes, ranging from the strategic to the tactical. As the map is created, ithink automatically generates the equation framework needed for simulation. Once the relationships are specified, ithink brings the map to life via animation, graphs and traditional spreadsheet-like tables.
KnowledgePoint provides a pair of "MBA-ware" packages: PoliciesWrite Now!, an application that actually "writes" customized personnel policies, and DescriptionsWrite Now!, a program that guides the user through the steps involved in writing job descriptions.
Ronstadt's Financial from Lord Publishing is designed to provide insights into "venture thinking," allowing users to become more effective entrepreneurs by taking charge of their own financial decision-making. The package addresses the range of planning activities entailed in the life of a new business. A patented "spreadsheet row" technology is used for analyzing and manipulating data.
Smart Software's SmartForecast combines statistical and judgmental forecasting. Previous experience in statistics or forecasting is not necessary, because the program automatically determines the best time-series forecasting method for the available data. The software then makes the forecast, shows the range of reliability, and allows the user to adjust the forecast directly onscreen. SmartForecasts is also available in a batch edition.
Management Edge Software is a leading distributor of management software in Australia and New Zealand. Robert Mostyn, president of the company, is working with the legal, insurance and manufacturing industries in those countries to bring them the management applications of association members, according to Shirer.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930819/Reader and press contact: Michael Shirer, Management Software Association, tel 617-232-4111)
hirer, Management Software Association, tel 617-232-4111)
8/19/93
Vendors Form Industry Association To Promote MBA-Ware
XyWrite For Windows
] BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- The word processing program XyWrite, known for its foothold in the writing and publishing industry, is coming out in a Windows version. XyWrite for Windows, developed by The Technology Group, is expected to be available in early September.
XyWrite in its DOS versions is billed to be the world's fastest word processing program and offers pure American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) output that can be sent to any device, according to the company. The program can also be customized so users accustomed to other word processors can use familiar keystrokes in XyWrite. Columbia University's School of Journalism recommends XyWrite and publishers such as TAB/McGraw-Hill openly state to potential writers they prefer its use.
While moving to Windows will slow the program down a bit, Paul Leuba of sales for The Technology Group said the Windows version will retain the features for which the DOS version was known. It will still offer ASCII output and will still be fully customizable. In addition, users will be able to import and export in other formats including popular word processors such as WordPerfect and Microsoft Word as well as database formats such as dBASE and spreadsheet formats including Lotus 1-2-3 and Microsoft Excel.
The Windows version also offers the ability to change the case of typed text to upper case, lower case, or initial capital letters. Fax support is included in the program and so is integrated support for the Lotus cc:mail electronic mail standard. In addition, a fast draft mode keeps all the text entered in within the users viewing range and the view can be changed to display the text as it will print.
Like WordPerfect for Windows, XyWrite for Windows users can also create customized buttons for often-used commands. The buttons can be resized, sets of buttons can be create that the user can be cycle through, and the buttons may be displayed with pictures, text, or both. The program also includes a command line so commands can be entered without lifting fingers from the keyboard.
A competitive upgrade is available for $149 to users of other popular word processors. Previous users of XyWrite may upgrade to the Windows version for $129.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930819/Press Contact: Paul Leuba, The Technology Group, tel 410-576-2040, fax 410-576-1968)
40, fax 410-576-1968)
8/20/93
XyWrite For Windows
Create 2.0 Drawing Program For N
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- Stone Design said this week that it will begin shipping in October what the company calls a major upgrade to Create, its drawing program for the Nextstep operating system.
Andrew Stone, CEO of the Albuquerque, New Mexico-based company says Create 2.0 will include many of the features he had originally announced earlier as planned for version Create version 3.0. "The 2.0 release adds major functionality to Create... user patterns, multiple pages, and object linking are but a few of the new features and bug fixes," said Stone.
The company says version 2.0 offers full compatibility with Nextstep for Intel Processors, hot links to and from Create that include link buttons, icons and linked files in any Create document for automatic and manual updating, and a link to Create files from any other Nextstep application that supports hot links.
The new version is also scheduled to have filter support for Bacchus' ImageAgent image filters and will be able to drag and drop GIF-formatted files into Create. The Multiple Pages feature is designed to allow the user to add, duplicate and rearrange as many pages in a document as desired, while Animate allows the user to animate the pages.
Create 2.0 will also provide the ability to shape text into curves and other editable shapes, and the user can set the program to remember a specific number of editing steps, then undo up to that many actions. Context-sensitive on-line help is also being added to the program that's based on the Nextstep standard.
Stone says Create 2.0 will be offered in multiple-architecture binary form, making it compatible with both Next and Intel-based hardware running Nextstep version 3.1 or later. The new version also includes a fix that was originally released as Create 1.2.
Create can be shared on a network using both Next and Intel-based hardware. Documents created on either platform can be opened on any other platform that is running the same version of Create.
Stone says Create 2.0 will have a suggested retail price of $495 with currently registered users able to upgrade for $99. There is also a student rate, but that option does not include any technical support. Users who bought Stone software between February 12, 1993 and May 21, 1993 can upgrade to the Intel version of their software at no cost.
(Jim Mallory/19930819/Press contact: Carla Kay Barlow, Stone Design, 505-345-4800; Reader contact: Stone Design, 505-345-4800)
ader contact: Stone Design, 505-345-4800)
8/20/93
Create 2.0 Drawing Program For Nextstep
Forrester Study Sees Trend To So
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- In the early days there was batch processing, then timesharing, now client/server computing, and in the future will come social computing. That is the view of a new report from Forrester Research, Inc.
The report, called Defining Social Computing, says a wave of new devices such as handheld computers, intelligent telephones, and interactive television sets, will give consumers easier access to the companies that sell them goods and services.
Author William Bluestein, director of computing strategy research at Forrester, writes that in the past decade longer working hours and growing employer demands have cut into leisure time. Meanwhile, people know more about technology and are eager to use it -- if it brings immediate benefit and does not "require three-day training courses."
In short, the report says, "people have a problem and they are open to technology to solve it."
Forrester expects social computing to follow three principles: putting the consumer's schedule first when it comes to service; eliminating the red-tape run-around; and making the buying process easier.
This will mean for instance that people will be able to order products and services through several electronic media. Also they will be able to compare extensive product information and communicate widely with other consumers and business, Forrester says.
The shift will mean much blurring of the lines between computing telephone companies, and cable television operators, a process that has already begun.
Eventually, Forrester's report maintains, social computing will supplant client/server computing, the model most talked about today. It will mean drastic changes to businesses' computer systems to provide new services directly to customers.
However, the researchers add, those already moving to client/server computing need not abandon their plans. "Many of the fire-drills and technologies currently encountered in the migration away from mainframes and minicomputers will pay dividends down the social computing road." Client/server computing will prepare the ground for a later move to the newer model, Bluestein writes.
` ) CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- Lotus Development Corp. has announced shipment of Release 2.0 of the Lotus VIM Developer's Toolkit.
The software lets developers create mail-enabled applications that comply with the Vendor Independent Messaging (VIM) interface backed by Lotus and several other hardware and software vendors.
The new release adds support for Lotus' Notes work-group software running on Windows and OS/2-based computers and the cc:Mail electronic mail package on DOS. The previous release supported only cc:Mail on Windows and OS/2. Lotus said it has also added the ability for programmers to use Microsoft's Visual Basic language to call VIM functions. The earlier version only worked with the C and C++ languages.
Lotus said it plans to provide VIM support for the Apple Macintosh and Unix in a future release. However, a spokeswoman said the company could not say when that support will appear.
Mail-enabling allows other applications to be closely integrated with electronic mail, using it as a transport mechanism for moving data across a network. In its simplest form, mail-enabling may mean that a word processor user can complete a document and then e-mail it to a co-worker without leaving the word processor. Mail-enabling may also be used to help control the flow of work through an organization or collect data automatically from applications spread over a network.
The VIM interface was developed in 1992. Its chief rival is Microsoft's Messaging Applications Programming Interface (MAPI). Both Lotus and Microsoft have said their applications will support their rival's standard as well as their own.
The Lotus VIM Developer's Toolkit Release 2.0 is available free through the Lotus Professional Developer's Program by calling 800-338-7357 in North America and 617-693-4448 outside North America. Registered users of Release 1.0 will automatically receive a free upgrade.
In addition to Lotus, the other backers of VIM are Apple Computer Inc., Borland International Inc., IBM, MCI Inc., Novell Inc. Oracle Corp. and WordPerfect Corp.
The spokeswoman said "hundreds" of VIM-compliant applications are under development.
(Grant Buckler/19930819/Press Contact: Mark McHarry, Lotus 415-335-6786; Meryl Franzman, McGlinchey & Paul for Lotus 617-862-4514)
McGlinchey & Paul for Lotus 617-862-4514)
8/20/93
Lotus Ships VIM Developer's Toolkit 2.0
UK - Elonex Offers Green, Low-Po
/ LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- Elonex has unveiled a range of "Energy Star" compliant workstations that it claims are competitively priced and offer lower running costs for organizations operating Token Ring networks.
Like the Elonex's WS-400 Ethernet systems, the new Token Ring workstations feature an energy consumption of around 20 watts before power management systems are activated. The machines have a 30-watt power supply unit.
When the power management routines are operational, the consumption is reduced to around 13.5 watts. And, when Intel's SL-enhanced chipsets become available, the idle power consumption rating will be brought down to 10.5 watts.
The power management routines on the WS-400 series is built into the BIOS (Basic In/Out System) chipset. Elonex claims that users of older Ethernet-equipped WS-400 machines which started shipping late last year can simply upgrade their BIOS using software and take advantage of the lower power consumption.
Announcing the new machines, Dimetre Cheras, Elonex' systems director, said that raising awareness of energy-saving issues is important, since many PC users who keep several Windows applications running concurrently tend to leave their machines on all the time.
"Turning off their monitor at the end of the day is no problem for most people and should be encouraged as the best way to maximize power savings. But it's not so easy to persuade users to switch off their processor overnight if that means losing the convenience of leaving applications open and running," he said.
"By using Energy Star-compliant computers like the WS-400 workstations, companies operating large-scale networks can at least ensure that their power consumption is kept to a minimum and save themselves literally thousands of pounds a year," he added.
There are four basic CPU configurations in the WS-400 series ranging from 25 megahertz (MHz) 80486SX to 66MHz 486DX2-based. The machines are all available in diskless, single floppy or a variety of hard disk configurations (using a 2.5-inch form factor disk) to 450MB. Pricing starts at UKP 830 for a VGA 14-inch monochrome diskless version, to UKP 3,305 for a 200MB hard disk-equipped 66MHz 486DX2-based system.
UK - Elonex Offers Green, Low-Power Token Ring Workstations
NTT Data In Talks With IBM
India - Oracle Sets Up Subsidiar
India - Autodesk Opens More Chan
Microsoft Buys Visual Database B
Media Vision Announces Pro Movie
Russian Font Contest
Digital Quill Awards Competition
Wordperfect Ships Wordperfect 5.
Apple Signs Newton Deal with Bel
A Different Flavor PC Compressio
UK - Advanced Gravis' Macintosh
Disney Signs With America Online
India's Wipro Moves Into Sun's O
Japanese Game Firm Claims World'
Wordperfect Shipping InForms 1.0
First Direct Desktop Interface T
Review - The Far Side Daily Plan
NASA Tests Computers In Simulate
Free Software Offer Unexpectedly
AT&T Buying All of McCaw for Sto
Computer Associates Acquires Exo
Inventor Seeks AT&T Settlement O
InfraRed Data Assoc Formed For W
Forrester Study Sees Trend To So
Quickeys 3.0 For Macintosh
WEST DES MOINES, IOWA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- CE Software Holdings said this week it is now shipping Quickeys 3.0, its Apple Computer Macintosh-based keystroke-automation software.
CE Vice President and Quickeys lead engineer Donald Brown says the company has spent hundreds of hours discussing what Quickeys should be. "Quickeys 3.0 represents the culmination of our development process. It is finally what we set out to build - an irreplaceable tool for every Macintosh user," says Brown.
Quickeys, which works with any Macintosh application, allows the user to record and save any series of keystrokes, assigning an activation key of his or her choice that will replay those keystrokes. The recorded set of keystrokes is commonly referred to in the industry as a "macro" or "script." For example, you might store the five or six keystrokes or mouse clicks required to print a document to an activation key combination (usually called a "hot key") such as Control-P. Pressing that key combination would automatically execute the keystrokes needed to print the document.
Quickeys 3.0 supports Apple Computer's AppleScript Frontier, and other OSA (Open System Architecture)-compliant scripting languages. The AppleScript extension gives Quickeys the ability to send scripts to the AppleScript engine for execution.
Apple is currently bundling the OSA component with Quickeys 3.0 with every new Quadra 840AV and Centris 660AV personal computer, making it possible for users to voice-activate OSA scripts including Quickeys scripts. Quickeys 3.0 also includes a SpeakEase7/8 extension that interacts with PlainTalk, Apple's speech technology allowing Quickeys users to add voice commands as triggers for Quickeys shortcuts.
CE Software says other new or improved features of Quickeys include more powerful branching abilities, which allows one script or macro to branch to another, jump within a sequence, or wait, depending on the conditions. The company has also redesigned the interface to add a new utilities menu for easier access to some of the program's features. They have also added automatic recording of new Wait and Pop-up menu steps, and the program comes with Shortcuts for 10 of the most popular applications. There are also special shortcuts made specifically to work with Apple Computer's PowerBook line. CE says the documentation has also been redesigned to be easily understood, and there is a new reference manual and a "guided tour" manual.
Quickeys 3.0 has a suggested retail price of $169. Registered users of versions 2.1.2 and later can upgrade for $49.95. Users of earlier versions than 2.1.2 can upgrade for $79.95. If you purchase your upgrade by September 30, 1993 you will get an additional $10 discount. CE says all upgrade offers end on November 30, 1993.
(Jim Mallory/19930819/Press contact: Sue Nail, CE Software 515-224-1995; Reader contact: CE Software, 515-224-1995)
: CE Software, 515-224-1995)
8/20/93
Quickeys 3.0 For Macintosh
APPLE
Japanese Researchers Create New
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- Tohoku University researchers and eight private firmssay they have created a new type of hard disk with extremely large memory storage. They report that the technology makes the hard disk capable of storing 100 times more data than conventional disks.
Assistant Professor Ken Takahashi and the team employ the same ultra clean room technology, which is currently used to produce semiconductor chips. The prototype hard disk has a layer and pure cobalt-nickel-chrome. As a result, the magnetic retention features of the material have increased by 60 percent. The technology should allow extremely high density hard disks to be produced.
Regular hard disks use platinum as part of the materials but this prototype does not, meaning that it should cost less to produce.
The private firms that participated in this project include Nikko-Kyoseki, Nichiden-Anelba, Asahi Glass, Alps Electric, Kobe Seikosho, Hitachi Kinzoku, Fuji Electric General Research Institute and HOYA. The layer-making device was jointly developed with Nichiden-Anelba, and the cobalt-nickel-chrome material was jointly developed with Nikko-Kyoseki.
The prototype hard disk has a magnetic retaining power of 2,900 el stead, which is 1,100 to 1,300 el stead more than that of current hard disks.
BANGALORE, INDIA, 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- The distribution agreement between Digital Equipment India Ltd. (DEIL), DEC's Indian subsidiary and Apple Computer is not off. In fact, the Bangalore-based company is ready to introduce Apple's new generation 68040-based Centris desktop range, revealed Mike Shah, DEIL's managing director.
According to Shah, the company has made selective disclosures on the new Apple range to some of its customers. The formal launch is expected to be made toward the end of October. It is, however true that DEIL may discontinue manufacture of LC IIs at its Bangalore facility, as Apple is yet to renew Digital's manufacturing contract. Moreover, with the licence on systems costing below Rs 1.5 lakh (around $5,000) lowered to 11 percent manufacturing for the domestic market becomes even less feasible. The buy-back arrangement with Apple too does not hold good in the present context.
"The LC II range is going through a transition, as Apple is promoting Centris in its place internationally," points out Shah.
Denying reports about the termination of the Apple/DEIL relationship Shah said the contract for manufacturing still existed, but Apple had not placed a fresh order so far. "The focus on distribution has been there from day one and it will continue to be so," he said.
DEIL recently concluded three roadshows on Apple products in Delhi, Calcutta and Madras.
The company will now use its excess capacity at its Bangalore facility to manufacture low-end PCs. It will also lease out its facility for contract manufacturing.
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930820)
manufacturing.
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930820)
8/20/93
Apple LC Future Uncertain, Centris For India
APPLE
India - Insat-2B Starts Beaming
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- India's second fully indigenous multipurpose satellite Insat-2B, which was deployed at 93.5 degree east longitude in the beginning of last month, has been declared operational by the Department of Space.
After Insat-1D and Insat-2A, this is the third operational satellite to serve the telecommunications and weather monitoring needs of the country, besides beaming programmes of Doordarshan (the government-owned television broadcasting company) and the All India Radio.
The Insat-2B communication satellite carries a payload of 18 transponders --12 C-band and six extended C-band, two S-band transponders for broadcast satellite service -- a very high resolution radiometer and data relay transponders for relaying meteorological, hydrological and oceanographic data from unattended platforms. It also has a transponder for satellite-aided search and rescue missions.
Besides assuring reliable telephone relay service among several cities, towns, and remote areas routed through over 126 earth stations, the Insat system provides computer networking for data transfer.
The next satellite in this series, Insat-2C, is scheduled to be launched in 1995. The launch of Insat-2D and Insat-2E will take place in mid-1996 and 1997 respectively.
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930820)
ectively.
(C.T. Mahabharat/19930820)
8/20/93
India - Insat-2B Starts Beaming Images
TELECOM
Roundup - Stories Carried By Oth
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- Roundup is a brief look at some computer stories carried in other publications received here this past week.
Informationweek dated August 16 says that General Electric's expected purchase of Microsoft Office licenses for all 50,000 of the company's PCs will save the company nearly 85 percent and that other buyers with more than 5,000 PCs can all play in the big leagues by making discount deals with software giants Microsoft, WordPerfect, Borland, and Lotus. But the article warns that even giants like Allied Signal, with its 45,000-unit buys gets no better deal than relative small fries which only equip 5,000 systems. Another problem is the difficulty in getting software through some customs offices for overseas offices.
ComputerWorld for the 16th says that Lotus Notes is the top dog in today's groupware offerings, but that it won't remain dominant unless Lotus drops the price and makes it easier to integrate into systems.
Computer Shopper, which is down to a relatively svelte 800 pages these days, tackles Windows NT vs OS/2 2.1 in the current issue. The major difference cited is the fact that NT supports multiple processors while OS/2 doesn't. Both require gobs of increasingly expensive memory and so much hard disk space that OS/2 comes on a CD-ROM.
Communicationsweek for the week of the 16th says that Cisco dropped out of the alternative APPI development race because of patent and technical problems. Cisco had intended to offer a competing product to go up against IBM's advanced peer-to-peer networking architecture.
Network World dated August 16 reports that two innovative 900 number scam artists called their own number 50,000 times with dummy account numbers and collected $552 thousand in advance payments from AT&T before that company discovered that the calls came from unbillable numbers.
(John McCormick/19930820/)
m unbillable numbers.
(John McCormick/19930820/)
8/20/93
Roundup - Stories Carried By Other Media This Week
GENERAL
IBM Develops High-Density Magnet
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- Although it probably won't be available until the end of the decade at the earliest this week's announcement that the IBM ADSTAR division has found a new way to detect weak magnetic fields on a hard drive disk makes it likely that small hard drives will eventually be used to store nearly as much information as similar sized optical drives.
The new detection method allows drive read heads to detect even smaller and weaker magnetic "bits" written to a disc and thus the data can be packed more closely together.
The new technology might also be applicable to Floptical drives where diskettes are formatted using optical markers, but would not be suitable for standard floppy drives because those are already capable of much higher recording and read-back densities. The restriction on data storage density comes from the inability of floppy drive mechanisms to accurately locate data tracks on the disk rather than from an inability to write or read more closely packed data.
The new IBM advance came with the development of a new way of building up hard disk platters and a new read head which could detect the much more closely packed (therefore both smaller and weaker) magnetic fields stored on the new media.
IBM scientists predict that the new "giant magnetoresistance" detection method might eventually allow a 30-fold increase in the amount of data which could be stored on a hard drive, continuing the past trend of ever increasing storage densities.
This new technology is an extension of the magnetoresistive head technology which was also developed by IBM. Big Blue introduced magnetoresistive head technology to its disk drives in 1991. The last major advance in magnetic storage before that came from 3M about five years ago when the company announced an inexpensive system for creating magnetic materials which could be vertically magnetized, but this new IBM discovery addresses the bottleneck of just how to read very tightly packed information.
Optical drives have previously held a major advantage in this area because they rely on coherent laser beams to both read and write data. Light can be focused to a much smaller point than magnetic fields, allowing the read/write mechanism to be positioned much further from the recording surface, and also permitting data to be packed much more closely.
(John McCormick/19930820/Press Contact: Bob Neudecker, IBM, 408 256-5675)
20/Press Contact: Bob Neudecker, IBM, 408 256-5675)
8/20/93
IBM Develops High-Density Magnetic Storage System
TRENDS
US West Exec Sees Phones Of The
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- The telephone of the year 2005 will resemble today's personal computer. That's what John Scully says, and he ought to know.
Scully is US West's vice president for Colorado. Speaking this week to members of the Greater Colorado Springs (Colorado) Economic Development Corporation, Scully talked about communications devices in the future, and displayed a PCS (personal communications service) telephone of the future. Manufactured by Motorola, the PCS phone resembles a cellular telephone of today except it's slightly smaller and will operate through micro-cells, transmitters similar to those that pick up cellular phone signals today but of lower power providing service within a subdivision or inside an office building or plant. "You probably won't carry this (PCS phone) away from your desk or home," says Scully.
He said PCS is simply an extension of present cellular communications, allowing users to communicate in a wireless method interconnecting various existing wireless delivery methods such as wireless PBX's and satellites. Scully declined to predict when PCS communications would be in service, but said he expects the battery life of PCS phones will probably be about twice that of current cellular phones.
The telecommunications executive said change is the wave of the future. "They are changing for us (US West) and they are changing for you personally, and they are changing for your business." Scully says the change will bring a wider choice f products and service providers and price changes as a result of the increased competition for our business.
Scully says the future of telecommunications will be called the I.C.E. age. The acronym stands for information, communications, and entertainment. Faxes, video conferencing, interactive television, and other services can all be carried on fiber optic cable, with a single wire the diameter of a human hair already able to handle two-way data, voice and images.
Scully says AT&T recently bought McCaw Communications because it makes the telecommunications giant the only true vertical integrator of a communications network in the country. Some industry observers see that purchase as a move in the opposite direction from the federally mandated divestiture that broke up the AT&T communications monopoly 10 years ago. Divestiture did benefit US West. Scully says when divestiture took place AT&T lost 35 percent of its market, and MCI Corporation has now grown as large as AT&T was 10 years ago.
US West presently derives 30 percent of its revenue from the charges it levies its customers to access long distance carriers such as AT&T MCI and Sprint.
According to Scully the concept of universal service, in which everyone gets telephone service everywhere, no matter what the cost has to change as a result of the increased competition he sees in the future. "If I have to compete for your service I'm going to do it on a marginal basis based on cost to provide service to that one customer. We in the telephone business today have the obligation of universal service. The competitive entry in the market does not."
Scully told his audience that what is considered advanced phone service today will become what he called the "POTS" (Plain Old Telephone Service) of tomorrow. "I don't know what the POTS are going to look like in the future, but I know we have to change the structure." Those changes, says Scully, should include a social commitment to provide telephone service at a certain level as well as cost restructuring. "It's very clear that those folks who have subsidized the costs from time to time have allowed us to provide service to everyone wherever they may be. That issue is in jeopardy."
Scully says everyone has to pay attention to telecommunications issues in the future in order to protect themselves. "It's incredibly important that we not lose in this country the benefit and the significant advantage that communications has delivered to us as business people that compete internationally with each other to deliver products and services. We can't lose that edge."
He told the group that because of competition and what telecommunications the consumer wants, the rules have to change whether we like it or not. "If we don't we are going to start to lose those economic development-type tools, communications being the key one, that have made this country accessible."
Scully also talked about Caller ID versus call blocking, denying that Caller ID has been compromised by Call Blocking. "The original fear of caller ID that is still troubling to some will go away. The calls you know you need to get won't be blocked." He also says the issue of cellular phone users having to pay for incoming as well as outgoing calls is being discussed, and might change.
(Jim Mallory/19930820/Press contact: Abel Chavez, US West, 719-636 6783)
act: Abel Chavez, US West, 719-636 6783)
8/20/93
US West Exec Sees Phones Of The Future
TELECOM
Motorola To Expand Scotland Plan
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- Motorola said this week that it will spend about $73 million to expand its semiconductor manufacturing plant in East Kilbride, Scotland.
Motorola's announcement came just a few hours after Texas Instruments announced they will build a semiconductor wafer manufacturing facility in Dallas that will cost up to $1 billion.
This will be the second time in about one year Motorola has expanded the East Kilbride facility. The company says the expansion will create about 180 new jobs, bringing the Scottish Motorola workforce to over 2,000 people. The plant initially opened in 1969, and produced a wide range of standard and custom microprocessor and memory semiconductor products for markets primarily in the United Kingdom and mainland Europe.
George Bennett, general manager of the East Kilbride plant, says the expansion is in response to an exceptional demand for product that has exceeded Motorola's expectations.
The company says a large portion of the investment will be spent to keep the plant on the leading edge of semiconductor technology. One of the wafer fabrication centers in Scotland, known as MOS 1, was Motorola's first major investment in East Kilbride more than 20 years ago. It will be upgraded to six-inch wafer capability and have its cleanroom space expanded by 40 percent.
The Scottish Motorola facility is in a 70-mile wide belt between Glasgow and Edinburgh known as "Silicon Glen," the Scottish equivalent of California's Silicon Valley. The plant manufacturers products for applications such as car instrumentation, phones answering and fax machines, TV, VCR, remote control, smartcards printers, security alarms, pagers, digital phones, and voice recognition systems.
(Jim Mallory/19930820/Press contact: Maria Decoulos, Motorola, 617 536-3003)
a Decoulos, Motorola, 617 536-3003)
8/20/93
Motorola To Expand Scotland Plant
BUSINESS
Schools Benefit From Software Do
OREM, UTAH, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- Wordperfect Corporation says schools have benefited to the tune of more than 65,000 free copies of its software products through the company's School Software Donation program.
Initiated in 1989, the donation program not only makes software available to traditionally budget-tight school districts but it also puts to good use a product that could not otherwise be used legally and would be discarded. "We created the School Software Donation Program to solve two problems: what to do with old products and how to help schools extend their limited resources," says Steve Sorensen, director of educational sales for Wordperfect Corporation.
The program allows owners of full packages of WordPerfect Corporation software, who upgrade their software, to donate the old software to a local Kindergarten through 12th grade school of their choice. Donations have ranged from single copies given by an individual user to hundreds of copies donated by larger organizations such as the Internal Revenue Service. Employees at the national office of the IRS donated more than 200 copies of Wordperfect to Montgomery County Public Schools in Rockville Maryland when the agency upgraded to a new version.
Wordperfect says any of the products available for upgrade quality for the donation program. The package has to be complete, including documentation, diskettes, and keyboard template. The school that receives the donation will get a user license issued by Wordperfect and can then upgrade the donated software at Wordperfect's reduced educational price if they want to.
Wordperfect Corporation includes a School Software Donation Program notice in each upgrade package it ships. The donor can return the completed form or call Wordperfect's Education Information department to initiate the donation process. The user license is sent to the donor, who then selects the school of their choice.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- Digiboard has announced the Digiboard Synchronous Adapter for X.25, an intelligent, high-speed serial communications board that provides X.25 public data network connections for Novell Netware LANs (local area networks) and WANs (wide area networks).
The adapter transmits information between Netware communications servers and local and remote clients for users who can benefit from the benefits of the X.25 protocol.
The board has its own 20 megahertz (MHz) RISC (reduced instruction set computing) processor, and can perform at speeds up to T1/E1. X.25 communications software that provides packet assembly and disassembly is included, and up to 255 sessions or virtual circuits are possible on a single host, says Digiboard.
X.25 technology has been in use in the US for some time, and is rapidly gaining popularity in Europe, where an increasing number of users say they will utilize the technology to interconnect their network sites. "X.25 continues to be a popular method of connecting LANs and WANs, even as newer technologies such as frame relay and ISDN become more common," according to Digiboard Product Manager John Gaylord. He says Digiboard will continue to work with software companies like Novell and Microsoft to provide interfaces with X.25 products.
X.25 technology provides performance up to 19.2 kilobits-per-second faster than the majority of the modems on the market today. Public Data Networks are accessed through the user's local telephone company, with costs usually based on the number of data packets transmitted instead of on the connect time. That can make X.25 communications more economical than other methods. Digiboard says any location in the world is accessible thorough X.25, even in areas where phone lines are scarce or international borders have to be crossed.
The new Digiboard adapter for X.25 fits in a standard expansion slot in the LAN communications server or multiuser host.
Scheduled to ship in September, the board will be available for the ISA, EISA, and Micro Channel platforms, and will ship with drivers for Novell Netware applications such as MACS, Netware Access Services 1.3x, Netware Global MHS, and Netware for SAA. The product box includes all necessary hardware, software, and cabling. The board has 1 kilobyte of memory and 32K of memory address windows and supports seven software selectable shared IRQs. Suggested list price is $1,995.
Digiboard Intros High Speed X.25 Synchronous Adapter
GENERAL
Ray Dream Designer 3.0 Slated To
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- Ray Dream Inc., has introduced Ray Dream Designer 3.0, an upgrade that adds over 50 new features to the all-in-one modeling/scene composition/rendering package for the Mac.
Version 3.0 is the first edition to allow true 3D modeling, and also the first to offer a completely drag-and-drop interface, said Kathy Englar, director of marketing, in an interview with Newsbytes.
Modeling Wizards, 3D Paint, a new Bezier-based modeler and G buffer, and an open Extensions architecture lead the list of additional product highlights.
The new Modeling Wizards component uses a visual query system to help users build objects quickly, Englar told Newsbytes. After selecting from a choice of four basic shapes, the designer can gradually refine the object by following subsequent steps in a "decision tree."
"Let's say you choose a lathe as your basic shape," Englar illustrated. "You'll then be given about 30 different `lathe profiles,' including a pushpin, a bottle and a glass. After that you'll be asked whether you want to move circularly or polygonally around the lathe. As you continue down the decision tree, you'll come closer and closer to the object you want."
The new component is useful to experts and beginners alike, the marketing director stated. "If you're a professional, Modeling Wizards will get you half-way there. You no longer have to create models completely from scratch," she remarked.
The new Bezier-based modeler lets the user generate true 3D models instead of the "2-and-a-half-D" models of the past, she told Newsbytes. "You'll be able to extrude along a path in one dimension, but you'll also have elevations of that path in multiple dimensions," she elaborated. In the previous version, "2-and-a half D" models were produced through cross-sections, she noted.
The new G-buffer in Version 3.0 pioneers in its ability to understand 3D geometry as well as lighting, according to Englar. When a rendered image is exported from the G-buffer into a paint application, subsequent artistic effects will reflect information on depth in addition to color. "If you're applying a `fog' effect for example, the objects closest to you will look clear, while far away objects will be obscured," she commented.
The new 3D Paint component in Ray Dream Designer is a "geometry and-lighting-aware paintbrush," aimed at letting users apply color and texture more realistically than was ever possible before, she maintained. Instead of creating texture maps in an outside paint program, and then mapping them on to the object, the user can now draw textures directly on to the object.
This capability is especially useful for irregularly shaped objects, Englar told Newsbytes. "Let's say you have a spotlit giraffe. Under the old method, you could apply a `circles' texture map, but you couldn't be sure exactly where the circles would hit," she said.
3D Paint will compensate for irregularities in shape, making the spots on the giraffe's skin appear to go around the edge of his leg, for instance. The tools will also reflect changes in lighting, producing darker shades of color in unlit areas.
The new open Extensions architecture in Version 3.0 is designed to permit development of third-party "plug-ins" to Ray Dream Designer according to Englar.
"We think Ray Dream Designer is the best value in the 3D marketplace today. But we don't consider it to be the most sophisticated modeler, or the most sophisticated renderer. Wouldn't it be great if you could take advantage of a third-party modeler, if you wanted, and then use Ray Dream Designer for painting and rendering?" she asked.
Version 3.0 is the first edition of Ray Dream Designer not to require a floating-point processor. The program will work with any color-capable Mac with at least 5 MB of RAM, running System 6.0.5 or higher.
Ray Dream Designer 3.0 is scheduled to ship next month at a suggested retail price of $399 or less. Customers who have purchased a previous release since July 15 will be able to upgrade for a minimal shipping and handling charge. For other registered users, the upgrade fee is $99.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930820/Reader contact: Ray Dream Inc., tel 415-960-0768; Press contact: Kristine Smalley, Ray Dream Inc., tel 415-960-0768, ext 121)
Smalley, Ray Dream Inc., tel 415-960-0768, ext 121)
8/20/93
Ray Dream Designer 3.0 Slated To Ship In September
APPLE
Microsoft Ships Visual C++ Pre-r
Punjab Communications Gets Into
Ask Group Restructures Ingres Ch
UK - Dataease Gets Into Consulti
Micrografx Ships Designer 4.0 Fo
3D Microcomputers Intros Multime
Voice Processing Software Replac
Adobe Type On Call 3.0 For Macin
New Mouse Systems Turns Technolo
MacTV Schedule for Week of Augus
India A Stop On Global Digital H
IBM Reorganizes Consulting Group
Flat Panel Color Display TV
Chemical Plant Explosion Causes
Microsoft Interactive TV Involve
Jurassic Park-Like CD-ROM Progra
Australia's PC 93 Melbourne Show
Court Rules White House Must Sav
GroupWare '93 - Software For Mor
How Much Disk Space Does OS/2 2.
Computer Superstore Buyers Know
More Inventions From Inventor Su
UK - Electricmail Links Lotus cc
Ray Dream Designer 3.0 Slated To
V.32 Bis Fax Modem For Apple Pow
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- Megahertz Corp. well known maker of data/fax modems for PCMCIA and proprietary PC slots, has extended its repertoire with a model for PowerBooks.
The new V.32 bis data/fax modem from Megahertz works with PowerBook 100, 140, 145, 160, 165c, 170 and 180 machines, according to Ryan Ashton, vice president of marketing and sales.
"By offering a modem solution for Apple PowerBook computers, we now support all the leading mobile computers," he said. "Our focus is to provide mobile computer users the best communications solution regardless of platform."
The 14,400/14,400 bps Internal Data/Fax Modem for Apple Macintosh PowerBook lists for $329, a price that includes integrated data communications and fax software.
The modem incorporates V.42 compression, V.42 error correction, and MNP level 1 through 5. Support is provided for the Hayes AT command set, V.32 bis and earlier CCITT data modem protocols, Bell 103, Bell 212A, the EIA Class 1 fax protocol, and the following CCITT fax protocols: Group III, V.17, V.21 Channel 2, V.27 ter and V.29.
When an incoming call is received, the new modem for PowerBooks is able to "awaken" the PowerBook from sleep mode. The modem consumes 700 milliwatts of power in operating mode, 220 milliwatts in standby mode, and 29 milliwatts during sleep mode.
Megahertz also produces internal data/fax modems for the proprietary slots of Compaq, Toshiba, and Zenith portable PCs, and for PCs with PCMCIA slots.
The company's PCMCIA modems offer an XJACK (extendible jack) feature that consists of an internal tray-like RJ11 phone jack. The phone jack can be popped out for the RJ11 phone connector, and then slid back into an internal locked position when no longer needed.
(Jacqueline Emigh/19930820/Reader contact: Megahertz Corp., tel 800-LAPTOPS; Press contact, Ann Henderson, Megahertz, tel 800 LAPTOPS)
nn Henderson, Megahertz, tel 800 LAPTOPS)
8/20/93
V.32 Bis Fax Modem For Apple PowerBooks
APPLE
MFS Announces New Successes
OAKBROOK TERRACE, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- MFS Communications Co., perhaps the only company in the US which really does offer both local and long-distance service, announced two new successes.
MFS opened its MFS Datanet just a few weeks ago, linking its "alternative access" local networks in 14 cities, which compete with regional Bell companies, using the asynchronous transfer mode, or ATM technology which allows voice, data, and video traffic to be bundled and transferred at multi-megabit per second rates. Now it's announced construction of a new fiber network linking its existing net in downtown San Francisco to Silicon Valley and San Jose. This gives the company 15 major markets, all linked via Datanet.
MFS said it is also expanding its network in Dallas, adding 90 miles of fiber to a current 30-mile system extending to major suburbs like Addison, Carrollton, Farmers Branch, Plano and Richardson favored with many corporate offices.
MFS aims its marketing at large companies, which can use its fiber lines for local traffic between buildings, or to send long distance calls to switches run by AT&T, MCI, Sprint or others.
MFS has also won, from the Federal Communications Commission, the right to link its customers through local Bell-operated switching stations, greatly extending the reach of its local networks. The Datanet operation completes the picture, allowing fast transfer of data between cities which bypasses both local and long distance companies.
MFS won yet another victory in Texas as the Travis County District Court Judge Jeanne Meurer reconsidered and reversed a decision that lets MFS offer local services without being certified by the state as a conventional local exchange competitor with Southwestern Bell. The court case was a victory for both MFS and the state's Public Utility Commission, which issued the original order, and a defeat for Southwestern Bell which recently moved its main offices from St. Louis to San Antonio.
The initial action was brought by Southwestern Bell as the result of am order by the Texas PUC last October that freed companies like MFS from most regulation as non-dominant carriers while continuing traditional regulation of services provided by Southwestern Bell. MFS president Royce J. Holland said that without the decision, "Southwestern Bell would have been free to subsidize its unregulated services with revenues from captive rate payers of the local phone service monopoly." The decision lets MFS offer private line, data services, switching services and billing and collection services.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930820/Press Contact: MFS, Steve Ingish, 708 218-7316)
, Steve Ingish, 708 218-7316)
8/20/92
MFS Announces New Successes
TELECOM
NetManage Intros New Internet Ac
Sharp's Newton Demo Shut Down Af
Problem Solving Software From UT
NY Hackers Sentenced To Prison
AT&T & Sierra Online Offer Virtu
Roundup - Stories Carried By Oth
Nintendo To Produce Game Boy In
Canadian Firm Pleads Guilty To P
UK - Softvision Intros Three Lot
Former Who Guitarist Townshend W
Geac Buys ECI Computer
PenMagic, Apple, Unite On Newton
MacWorld - Apple Unveils Six New
PicoPower Supplies Power Managem
Sequent To Ship WinServer NT Ser
Mitsubishi Talks HDTV Chips With
Discovery Testing Paid Reruns
UK - Borland Offers C++ Programm
White House Gets EMail Addresses
Apple Newton Wins award At PC93
MCI Continues Staffing BT Joint
Yokogawa Hewlett-Packard Enters
MFS Announces New Successes
UK - Elonex Offers Green, Low-Po
BellSouth-Cox Get Ads by Phone P
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- Twelve newspapers representing five different publishers, announced they will join Cox Enterprises and BellSouth in offering audiotex services.
BellSouth and Cox earlier announced they will cooperate in putting pay-per-call services on the number 511 in Atlanta, home of Cox's flagship paper, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The move followed an earlier decision by Florida regulators that Cox's Palm Beach, Florida paper could use the 511 number, on an experimental basis. Numbers like 511, called N11 numbers in the trade, offer three-digit dialing to important services. The best known of the N11 numbers are the 911 emergency line and 411 information line. Such numbers only work within a local calling area, but Cox and BellSouth think they could be valuable since they're so easy to dial.
After Georgia regulators gave their approval to Cox, BellSouth decided to seek approval to offer N11 service in all the 9 states where it does business. Then Cox and BellSouth announced their joint-venture, in which they'll work together to provide service and see if they can make it pay.
In the latest announcement, Media General Inc., the Multimedia Newspaper Group, and East Coast Newspapers, all offered three of their papers to the effort. They were joined by individual papers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Owensboro, Kentucky and Anderson South Carolina. None of the papers can really move until after Cox and BellSouth turn on their Atlanta operation later this year, and until state regulatory approvals are given.
Cox and BellSouth, however, also upped the ante on their plans saying they'll work to put their services onto cable television online networks, and screen phones. BellSouth is presently experimenting with screen phones in Nashville, Tennessee, in cooperation with First Tennessee bank, offering banking services in conjunction with phone services like Caller ID and Call Forwarding.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- The Tribune Co. publisher of the Chicago Tribune and other newspapers, said it has made a minority investment in Peapod, an online home shopping service.
Peapod was formed in 1989 to offer computerized grocery shopping and its system is presently used by the Jewel Food Stores in Chicago. It has an agreement to expand the service to the West Coast in cooperation with Safeway. Andrew Parkinson, president of Peapod, indicated in a press statement the deal with the Tribune will add to the company's resources as it expands into other new markets, like online news and information, targeted advertising, and database tools.
The Tribune Co. already has an agreement with America Online to offer a version of its newspapers on that national online service, and Chicago Online has been open for some time. Tribune officials were unavailable for comment beyond the press release but it could be that Chicago Online could be linked with Peapod to add value to the total service package.
In the Peapod system, subscribers can file orders 24 hours per day based on aisle, category, or item, getting the names of products, sizes of packages, unit prices. The system also lets shoppers use coupons and specials. Deliveries are made at an agreed-on time for a nominal fee, the company said.
(Dana Blankenhorn/19930820/Press Contact: Tribune Co., Robert Carr, 312-222-3763)
act: Tribune Co., Robert Carr, 312-222-3763)
8/20/92
Tribune Buys Part of Home Shopping Service
TELECOM
InfraRed Data Assoc Formed For W
BROOKDALE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- As the move towards mobile computing continues, the demand for wireless technologies to connect portable computing devices and desktop PCs increases. Now, a new non-profit organization, the InfraRed Data Association (IRDA), has been formed.
John LaRoche, spokesman for the IRDA, explained the technology to Newsbytes. "There focus is on an infra-red link, that is short range, low-power, directional. For, let's say, a device or portable computer, you would put it within a meter or two of a printer or the host computer and have a data transmission link. The base would be 115 kilobits and they are looking at higher transmission speeds down the road."
According to the IRDA, it will "pursue a worldwide industry standard that will provide wireless connectivity between mobile and desktop PCs, printers and other computer peripherals using a simple, low cost infrared (IR) link."
The association says that a common IR link would allow users to quickly exchange or transfer data files between a host of electronic devices regardless of the product type or brand. Continued LaRoche, "Essentially there have been three entities that have been working in this area: HP, Sharp, and General Magic with Motorola and Sony. So those have been the basis for discussions. What they are trying to do is come up with a basic standard so that in the future, not only at base levels, but especially at higher levels, there will be interoperability. Someone will not have to worry about what brand or what equipment (is involved)."
Initial IRDA membership includes AT&T, Apple Computer, AST Research, Advanced Micro Devices, Compaq, Cirrus Logic, Canon USA, EO, Inc., Digital Equipment Corp., Fujitsu, GO Corp., General Magic, Hewlett-Packard Company, Hitachi, Intel Corp., Logitech Microsoft, Motorola, Northern Telecom, National Semiconductor NCR Corp., NEC, Olivetti, Photonics Inc., Sanyo, Samsung, Sharp Sun Microsystems, Siemens, Toshiba, Temic/Telefunken, VLSI Inc. and Zenith Data Systems.
According to the IRDA, since the founding charter meeting in late June the group has held a number of working sessions involving more than 75 companies.
IRDA Chairman and HP R&D Manager John Romano says that the association's objectives are focused on an IR data communications standard that supports a short range, point-to-point interconnection that will emphasize low power consumption and high data transmission rates. "Infrared data transmission has a number of strong and practical advantages for users in today's environment. No present domestic or international regulatory constraints exist interference problems are minimal, implementation costs are low and data transmission between devices is simple and fast," he said.
The IR standard's specification design will be optimized for high speed data file transfer ranging from a base of 115K-baud-per second to an eventual target of well over a megabit per second.
Concluded LaRoche, "It is a specific niche, as opposed to, let's say, the diffused LANs that are very powerful and go throughout the room. This is more of a directional within near space of the connecting devices. (For example) it can work for wireless mice or keyboards."
(Ian Stokell/19930820/Press Contact: John LaRoche 510-943-6546, Infrared Data Association)
John LaRoche 510-943-6546, Infrared Data Association)
8/20/93
InfraRed Data Assoc Formed For Wireless Connectivity
GENERAL
UK - Elonex Lands Ministry Of De
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- Elonex, the direct sell PC specialist, has won a contract to supply the UK Directorate General for Information Technology Systems (DGITS) with standard 80486SX-based PCs for use by the Ministry of Defence.
According to Elonex, the deal was won in the face of heavy competition from other UK PC manufacturers and suppliers. The winning bid was based on the company's PC-425X upgradable desktop model equipped with 4 megabytes (MB) of memory, a 120MB hard disk pre-loaded with DOS and Windows, plus a 14-inch super VGA color monitor. Details of the contract pricing have not been made public.
Announcing that the company had won the contract, Mike Spiro Elonex's financial director, said that the successful bid shows that the company has an ability to hold its own in a highly competitive and international market-place.
"We've been able to maintain our competitive edge by continuous investment in the best available manufacturing facilities and the highest caliber employees. And we have stuck to our traditional virtues; that is, we continue to offer advanced PC technology at attractive prices without sacrificing service," he said.
Spiro believes that the fact that the contract has been awarded at all is indicative of the general upturn in the economy. He argues that the extra business for the company that will arise from the contract will have a number of knock-on effects. "It will secure our position among the top PC manufacturers in the UK and we'll be far and away the biggest direct vendor," he said.
(Steve Gold/19930820/Press & Public Contact: Elonex - Tel: 081-452 4444)
ss & Public Contact: Elonex - Tel: 081-452 4444)
8/20/93
UK - Elonex Lands Ministry Of Defence Contract
Nokia Scores Chinese Radiopaging
HELSINKI, FINLAND, 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- Nokia Oy has secured a contract for the supply of radiopagers to the Guangdong Soonphone Information United Corporation (GSIUC) of China. Terms of the deal for Nokia to supply radiopagers for use with the company's radiopaging network, which has just gone live in the Guangdong province of China.
The province has a population of around 70 million. Nokia claims that it is the fastest-growing of the country's 30 provinces. Plans call for the radiopaging network to be extended in the near future to cover Macao and Hong Kong.
According to Pertti Simovaara, Nokia Paging's general manager, the Nokia radiopager is very suitable for the Chinese market, since it is energy efficient and capable of receiving signals over a wider coverage area than most others.
Simovaara argues that paging is less of a strain on the telecom infrastructure of a country than a cellular phone network. "The start-up of paging operations does not require the major investments in the infrastructure," he said.
He added that the opening of the radiopaging market-place in China is the start of a potentially large sales market-place. "Guangdong is the first province where RDS paging services are available. I believe that the same concept can be applied to other areas of China. The market outlook is thus very bright," he said.
Nokia is supplying a numeric radiopager to GSIUC that uses Western numbers and characters. The pager has been converted to work over longer distances from the paging base station, but without draining the batteries any more than usual.
Contractual terms of the deal between the two companies have not been revealed.
(Steve Gold/19930820)
ot been revealed.
(Steve Gold/19930820)
8/20/93
Nokia Scores Chinese Radiopaging Contract
TELECOM
Jamaica Pulls Plug On Int'l Coll
KINGSTON, JAMAICA, 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- Telecom Jamaica, reeling from multi-million dollar losses stemming from international phone call fraud, has withdrawn a number of international phone services for its customers.
Senior officials at the Cable & Wireless subsidiary said that it is now no longer possible to make overseas calls from payphones or for local customers to accept overseas reverse charged (collect) calls. A company spokesman said that losses on reverse charge call fraud alone costs $250,000 a month. He also contended that local card phones are often tampered with to make fraudulent overseas calls.
Telecom Jamaica's actions come a year after several US state telecoms companies barred all collect and payphone calls to Jamaica because of problems with call fraud. Officials with the Jamaica phone company say that they expect most other international telephone administrations to follow its lead in barring calls to the country.
Officials say they are now working on an authorization code system that requires local customers to enter a PIN to allow them to receive reverse charge calls. This PIN is an advance on the system introduced on request a few years ago to restrict a phone's ability to make international direct dialled calls.
(Steve Gold/19930820)
ional direct dialled calls.
(Steve Gold/19930820)
8/20/93
Jamaica Pulls Plug On Int'l Collect, Payphone Calls
TELECOM
Judge Rules Borland Can't Sell Q
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- In a hearing held late yesterday afternoon, Federal Judge Robert E. Keeton of the United States District Court in Boston granted an injunction preventing Borland from selling Quattro Pro or Quattro Pro for Windows in the current versions. The reason for the injunction was the products allegedly infringe on the patents Lotus holds in its 1-2-3 spreadsheet product.
Borland has lost in every turn in the three-year-old suit brought by Lotus and this time was no exception. Last year Keeton ruled Borland was guilty of infringing on Lotus' patents by copying some of the menu structure in 1-2-3. Borland removed the 1-2-3 menu structure, but offered it via special request to users who wanted it. Borland discontinued the offer later. Now Keeton has determined the "key reader," a function that makes Lotus 1-2-3 automated keystroke commands called "macros" work in the Quattro Pro and Quattro Pro for Windows products, is also infringing.
Borland has seven days to notify its resellers and distributors of the injunction. It is up to the resellers what they decide to do and no action has been taken against any reseller or user. In addition, Borland faces a damages trial by jury which has been scheduled for October 3, 1994.
Lotus officials asserted briefs filed on Borland's behalf by several personal computer (PC) user groups, who are members of the Association of PC User Groups (APCUG), were an attempt to stave off a damages decision that could have forced Borland to post a bond to appeal. Borland officials said members of the user groups were its guest at an annual user group meeting held in July and their filing addressed their concerns about the implications for software compatibility industry-wide which this case could raise.
Several analysts for Borland have sided with the company's view that the decisions made here are inconsistent with decisions made in other federal districts and could imply emulation is illegal.
Lotus officials told Newsbytes the issue is not one of compatibility at all, but has to do with the way in which Borland implemented compatibility with its products. Lotus claims the Borland key reader brings up and uses the 1-2-3 menu structure in translating Lotus macros. "The violation is in their implementation of compatibility, not the compatibility itself," according to Richard Eckel of Lotus.
The single hope for Borland lies in appeal and Borland officials told Newsbytes the company argued for the injunction against its products because an appeal automatically goes with an injunction. The damages trial was set far enough in the future that there is hope of getting a court of appeals decision before the trial. Analysts have said Borland could face paying out as much as $100 million in damages.
In addition, Borland has announced it will offer versions of Quattro Pro and Quattro Pro for Windows without the key reader or the 1-2-3 emulation mode in retail outlets by September 1. The new versions are Quattro Pro 5.0 and Quattro Pro for Windows 5.0, which have been in development for over a year company officials added. While the company is not making product announcements yet, officials did say the products offer enhanced help features, new data analysis features, and aggressive pricing.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930820/Press Contact: Dick O'Donnell Borland, tel 408-439-1631, fax 408-439-9273; Brian Simmons Lotus Development Corporation, tel 617-693-1284, fax 617-693 1779)
oration, tel 617-693-1284, fax 617-693 1779)
8/20/93
Judge Rules Borland Can't Sell Quattro Pro
Microsoft Consulting Group Expan
UK - Thomas Cook Uses GEIS To Ch
Supermac Earns Up Again, Allianc
Spectrum Licenses Cellular Data
Japan - NTT Subsidiary To Offer
Apple Talks About Newton Message
Gateway 2000 Adds To Product Lin
Free E-Mail Package On Offer For
UK Modem Approvals Group Acts On
When A Busy Tone Is Not All It M
McAfee To Acquire Personal Butto
Wellfleet Reports Strong Growth
Fast Ethernet Alliance Formed
DEC Posts Quarterly Profit, Annu
Sharp Express Pad, Differences F
Software Available In Store-on-a
Is Clinton Budget Plan Good For
CompuServe Bundling Software Wit
Microwave Amplifiers To Be Shipp
MacWorld - Claris' CrossPlatform
IBM Adds To AS/400's Multimedia
Delrina's FormFlow
Faro Intros Portable, Electronic
Review of: Fidelity Online Xpres
UK Pizza Huts Computerize
A Powerbook For Pope John Paul I
Speech Synthesis Bar Code Scanne
Digiboard Intros High Speed X.25
Judge Rules Borland Can't Sell Q
The Enabled Computer, ADA Expo '
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- The Enabled Computer
Following is the second of a four-part look at the full text of John McCormick's talk at the Tuesday, July 27, 1993, ADA Expo '93 held in Washington, D.C. The final issue will contain contact information for products and services mentioned in the talk.
The presentation was made to corporate and government MIS department buyers and office managers and concerned the difficulties encountered in finding adaptive technology and evaluating these products for a business setting, especially when they are needed to meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The previous part of the talk discussed locating archives listing older adaptive technology.
Breaking Developments
There is also the problem of locating the very latest adaptive technology. You can't look to the major computer or even office-oriented magazines to provide information on adaptive technology. I know, they just aren't interested and, until they realize how important this sort of coverage is to every business you will have to go to the source.
I am going to have to break a major rule here by citing some of my own services, but I hope you will forgive me when I point out that one is free and that I don't get any extra money from the other even if a million people use it.
Believe me, if I knew of any other reliable source of information on new adaptive technology products I would tell you about them but other than "Closing the Gap," which is oriented to end users and social workers or rehabilitation specialists, there is no mainstream source of reliable breaking news on adaptive technology products.
On the handout you will see that those of you with access to data communications facilities can access the latest adaptive technology news and product reviews from my company's electronic bulletin board system.
There is no charge to anyone for this service other than whatever Ma Bell or MCI tags on to your long-distance bill.
The Enabled Computer is both a bulletin board and a column published in a number of places, and the BBS contains all issues of the column along with news of new product announcements. I want to emphasize that I don't sell any hardware or software so there is no bias involved in selecting what products are listed or how they are described.
Text files listing many adaptive products are also found on the BBS, and most of these come from the ABLEDATA database I mentioned earlier. The news reports and column come from Newsbytes News Network, an international high-technology news service.
The other place to get breaking adaptive technology news is directly from Newsbytes, on one of several commercial electronic services including GEnie.
Choosing The Technology
Evaluating adaptive technology is an entirely new arena for virtually all MIS department buyers and other managers because it involves a different way of looking at computer technology. I myself was once a purchasing agent and understand just how different buying computers is from buying paper, but buying adaptive computer technology is a whole new ballgame.
Since some of you may not have much if any computer buying experience, perhaps I should briefly discuss how computers and software are normally bought.
The usual selection criteria include: suitability to task performance, compatibility and price. These are the four basic items we look at when selecting computer hardware or software. Which one is most important will depend on the situation.
Other considerations which smart computer buyers also look at but which are often ignored include: product cycles, maintenance cost, training costs, and upgradability.
All of those items should be reasonably understandable, so I won't go into any details.
In the past you or your MIS department buyer would have basically ignored users and looked at the cost-effectiveness of a particular program or piece of hardware. Although this wasn't always safe or a smart way to buy products which would, after all, eventually have to be used by real people, at least the average worker could eventually be trained to operate almost any software, no matter how poorly it was designed.
This isn't true with disabled workers, and that is the main difference you must consider when looking at adaptive technology. It really doesn't matter if your new worker has a Ph.D. in economics; he or she won't be able to use a spreadsheet that relies on the use of a mouse if he or she doesn't happen to have arms or legs.
But if 300 individuals in an office already use a certain program, then any disabled workers must also be able to use the same program or they won't be cost-effective workers.
Fortunately for office environments where many users must be able to use the same basic hardware and software and especially for very large offices or companies where there may be dozens of different disabled workers, there are some general adaptive products which can be applied to a range of disabilities.
This would include the DARCI TOO keyboard interface that provides a variety of input emulations and will connect to any switch device, from an eyeblink switch which can be used by a severely disabled quadriplegic worker to a fancy proportional joystick which requires fine motor control.
DARCI TOO is an example of a general interface which can be adopted as a company standard for any motor-impaired employee and used with whatever control devices a particular user may already be experienced with using.
To be continued in the next issue.
(John McCormick/19930730/)
d in the next issue.
(John McCormick/19930730/)
8/20/93
The Enabled Computer, ADA Expo '93 Speech, Part 2
GENERAL
Review of: Laser Business Cards
Runs on: most laser printers
From: Paper Direct, 205 Chubb Ave., Lyndhurst, NJ 07071-0618. 800-272-7377, 201-507-1996, or fax 201-507-0817.
Price: $19.95 for 50, 10-card sheets (500 cards), $17.95 for plain white.
PUMA Rating: 4 on a scale 1=lowest to 4=highest
Reviewed for Newsbytes by: John McCormick, 08/20/93
Summary: These are sheets of pre-cut paper stock which are used to create instant business cards on a laser printer.
======
REVIEW
======
Remember how Jim Rockford (James Garner) was always printing his own business cards as part of some scam on the Rockford Files TV detective program? Well, there are also legitimate reasons why companies and individuals might need a small number of business cards in a hurry.
What if you just ran out and are about to leave on an important business trip? That printer will need several days to run off 500 cards. Or, what about government employees who have legitimate needs for business cards but can seldom convince management that they really need them?
And consider how useful it might be to have a custom card for every occasion, ending those busy cards which have a dozen specialties crowded onto a space that really should only contain one or two.
Well, Paper Direct, the New Jersey company which provides specialized laser printer and other quality papers, has met the business card needs of many people with their range of 15 different business card designs ranging from plain white to the gold-embossed Florentine cards.
This is real 38-pound business card stock with 10 cards to a sheet using PerfectPerf technology to produce clean smooth edges when you separate the cards.
Prices for all styles are quite reasonable, comparable in many cases to what a printer would charge. Paper to create 500 cards costs $20 for white, or fancy color highlighted cards.
To produce cards, just create text and merge any desired images in a word processor (I used Word Perfect 5.1) and put 10 carefully spaced copies on the page; run the Laser Business Cards through a laser printer; then flex the page along the perfs and the cards come free.
The real question of course is just how well this works. The answer is that it worked very well indeed in my tests. It took some time to create a perfect page in WP 5.1, but the next time I want to make changes they will take only a minute or so using the same template.
The printing process was simple and the cards look just fine with edges no rougher than those that come from many printers. The instructions do point out that these sheets haven't been tested with all laser printers and they are rather delicate, so I personally wouldn't recommend running them through any printer without a direct-through hand-feed mechanism.
I haven't had a single spoiled card with this business card paper using my IBM LexMark LaserPrinter 4039 12R and, even using the printer's straight through hand-feed rather than the more convoluted tray-feed mechanism, I could produce a hundred cards in less than 10 minutes, including the time needed to separate the cards.
You can even print on both sides of the cards (the backs of the fancy cards are blank) if you want and if your printer treats the cards gently enough so they can stand up to two passes through the heat and pressure rollers.
Paper Direct also offers similar post card stock at $19/200 cards but I didn't test those.
============
PUMA RATING
============
PERFORMANCE: 4 Worked great.
USEFULNESS: 4 You can turn out custom business cards in an instant.
MANUAL: 4 No manual, but there is a test template supplied and that is all you really need.
AVAILABILITY: 4 One- or two-day Federal Express delivery is the usual.
(John McCormick/19930723/Press Contact: Paper Direct, 201-507 1996 or fax 201-507-0817)
201-507 1996 or fax 201-507-0817)
8/20/93
Review of: Laser Business Cards
REVIEW
GENERAL
Atari Jaguar To Compete With 3DO
SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- Atari says it thinks it can take on 3DO with its newly announced Jaguar interactive home entertainment system that it claims will carry a retail price of $200 and offer better graphics performance. The system will be manufactured by IBM, will ship this fall and uses cartridges with the option of adding a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) drive.
The Jaguar is described by Atari as a 64-bit reduced instruction set computing (RISC) multiprocessor architecture with a high speed, 106.4 megabyte-per-second 64-bit data path. Four processors together make up the Jaguar: an MC86000 central processing unit clocked at 13.3 megahertz (MHz) for general purpose control; a MIPs graphics processor with 4 kilobytes of zero wait-state internal static random access memory (SRAM); a programmable Object Processor, and a 27 MIPs digital signal processor (DSP) for sound. The system also has 16 megabits of fast page-mode dynamic random access memory (DRAM), can be equipped with an optional double speed compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) drive, and offers a high speed synchronous serial port for connection to modems and cable television networks.
Supermac's Cinepak and the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) video decompression has also been included in the Jaguar, the company added. In addition, Atari claims the Jaguar can deliver 32-bit color on both NTSC or PAL television screens with over 16 million colors.
The Jaguar gets its performance from distributing the processing workload among the various specialized system components and from a broad bandwidth that allows for the burst activities the system needs to perform. Atari claims the components only use 15 percent of the available bandwidth leaving the remaining 85 percent available. The four specialized processors are embedded in two custom chips which Atari has nicknamed Tom and Jerry.
Games ranging in price from $40 to $80 are being developed and Atari announced ten titles to give users an idea of what Jaguar is capable of offering. One title, Cybermorph, is described as a one-man rescue probe sent into an interplanetary battlefield to rescue stranded survivors of a dying war. The vehicle the player travels in, the Cybermorph, is an adaptable, flexible machine with an outer skin programmed to react to its environment. If the Cybermorph accelerates, it grows streamlined to reduce resistance; when banking, its wings extend to give maximum turn when slowing up, the rear of the craft morphs into a cowl to bring the speed down. The ship flies in a three-dimensional world environment, flying low to pick up survivors, but avoiding obstacles and aliens. A holographic face speaks to players to offer information.
Other titles include Raiden, Evolution-Dino Dudes, Club Drive, Crescent Galaxy, Checkered Flag II, Tiny Toon Adventures, Alien vs Predator, Ksumi Ninja, and Tempest 2000. A developers toolkit for the Jagaur has been announced and Atari says it will release the names of third party developers in the middle of September.
Some analysts have expressed concern that the 3DO was simply priced too high at $700 to attract the mainstream home entertainment market. While 3DO claims it can get an economy of scale that will bring costs down, analyst Steve Krause of SRI International said that economy of scale is based on sales that may never occur in the volume 3DO expects. Atari officials told Newsbytes it can offer the system for less because it can offset the cost of the hardware by selling the games as well.
Panasonic, which will distribute the 3DO multiplayer under the brand name Real, only makes the hardware and therefore cannot offset its manufacturing costs by selling game titles for the system.
Atari officials said the Jaguar was originally envisioned as competition to Sega's Genesis and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). But the 64-bit system has been compared favorably to 3DO so often by those who have seen it that Atari feels it can outdo the new upstart company both in price and performance. For example, Atari says the 3DO offers 64 million pixels per second animation capabilities, while the Jaguar offers 850 million pixels per second performance.
Effects such as texture mapping, morphing, warping, lighting and transparency can all be performed on the Jaguar system Atari maintains.
Options for Jaguar include a plug-in Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) 2 cartridge when the new standard is available for showing movies from the optional CD-ROM drive. The system will interface with audio CD, Karaoke CD, CD + Graphics, and Kodak Photo CD. Atari officials said the system will not be 3DO compatible or CD-I compatible.
The Jaguar will be introduced in New York and San Francisco markets this fall and national distribution will begin next year.
(Linda Rohrbough/19930820/Press Contact: Nancy Chan, Bohbot Communications for Atari, tel 415-705-6888, fax 415-705-6887)
el 415-705-6888, fax 415-705-6887)
8/20/93
Atari Jaguar To Compete With 3DO
Autodesk Revenues Up 21% In 2Qtr
F SAUSALITO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- The popularity of computer-aided design (CAD) software tools is evidenced by Autodesk's latest quarterly figures. Net revenues for the quarter ended July 31, 1993, grew to $103.6 million compared to $85.5 million for the same quarter in the prior fiscal year, an increase of 21 percent.
Net income for the second quarter increased to $16.5 million compared with $10.6 million for the same period in the prior fiscal year. Earnings per share increased to $0.65 per share compared to $0.43 per share during the same period in the prior fiscal year which represented an increase of 51 percent.
The company's says the increase in revenues was primarily due to strong worldwide growth in new sales of its AutoCAD CAD software product, particularly in the Asia/Pacific and Americas regions.
Revenues in Korea and Taiwan increased nearly 300 percent over revenues in the same quarter of 1992, while Latin America grew about 200 percent over the prior fiscal year.
In announcing the results, Carol Bartz, CEO of Autodesk, said: "We are pleased with the solid revenue and unit growth we posted this quarter despite uncertain worldwide macroeconomic conditions. Both Latin America and Asia/Pacific had particularly strong showings as a result of the investments in infrastructure we made in these regions."
Autodesk says it is currently expanding and strengthening its reseller channel. It is also attempting to provide more rapid delivery of localized products and increased local market presence.
The company says that its customer base totals more than two million users who are supported either directly by the company or through authorized dealers.
At the beginning of August, Newsbytes reported that Autodesk had acquired privately held Ithaca Software, headquartered in Alameda California for an undisclosed sum. Autodesk said at the time that Ithaca's Hoops programming language will be integrated into AutoCAD and its other products. The integration will make Hoops directly available to Autodesk third party developers via an AutoCAD application programming interface.
In July, Newsbytes reported that the company had announced the availability of AutoCAD Release 12 for the Macintosh.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- Following its failed attempt to acquire MECA Software, ChipSoft Inc., has posted net revenues of $69.8 million in the fiscal year ended June 30, 1993.
That figure represents a gain of 38 percent from the $50.5 million reported for the prior fiscal year. The company said that, operating income, before amortization and write-off of purchased intangibles and expenses associated with the terminated acquisition of MECA Software Inc., increased 28 percent to $13.6 million in 1993, from $10.7 million in fiscal 1992.
Net income applicable to common stockholders for the fiscal year was $3.7 million, or 23 cents per share, as compared with a loss of $0.9 million, or 5 cents per share, reported during the prior fiscal year.
In announcing the results, Charles H. Gaylord Jr., chairman and chief executive officer, said: "Our multimarket strategy to extend our role as the leading PC tax software publisher to consumers, professional tax preparers and now small businesses continues to be very successful. We currently publish more than 325 products a year. The demand for our TurboTax and MacInTax 1040 products exceeded 800,000 units in the rapidly growing consumer tax software market up 45 percent from fiscal-year 1992. We are particularly pleased with the dramatic growth of our Windows products."
According to the company, the results for the year ended June 30 1993, also include a one-time charge of $2.7 million for purchased research and development associated with the acquisitions of Direct Link Software and certain net assets of SPEED S Corp.
Additionally, the results include a one-time charge of $1.9 million for expenses associated with the terminated acquisition of MECA. According to the company, the acquisition was not consummated because of a threatened challenge by the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice and the inability of ChipSoft to "resolve the Division's concerns."
For the fourth quarter, revenues were $2.3 million, as compared with $1 million reported during the same quarter last year. Net loss applicable to common stockholders for the quarter was $5.3 million or 33 cents per share as compared with a net loss of $4.4 million or 32 cents per share in the fourth quarter of fiscal 1992.
The company says that, "due to the seasonality of the company's business, net revenues and net income are highest in the third quarter of the fiscal year and substantial in the second quarter whereas negligible revenues are earned during the first and fourth fiscal quarter resulting in substantial operating losses for those periods."
The company says it plans to improve customer service and support by opening a new call center in Tucson, Arizona.
At the beginning of July, Newsbytes reported that Chipsoft had called off its proposed purchase of its largest competitor, MECA due to concern on the part of the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice that the acquisition would give Chipsoft a monopoly.
The MECA purchase would have left as the company's only competitors Parson's Technology with Personal Tax Edge, Softkey and its Easy Tax product, and several smaller players. Many of the competitors Chipsoft representatives named as offering tax preparation software are shareware vendors who market their software on a try-before-you-buy approach.
(Ian Stokell/19930820/Press Contact: William Lane or Debra Kelley, 619-453-7887, ChipSoft Inc.)
619-453-7887, ChipSoft Inc.)
8/20/93
ChipSoft Posts Record 1993
BUSINESS
Philips Worried About DCC Market
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS, 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- Only a month after telling the audio industry how well the digital compact cassette (DCC) was going in sales terms when compared to the early days of the compact disc (CD), Philips has expressed doubts as to the efficacy of the marketing effort for the new audio media.
DCC is a digital tape recording system for audio that operates in a similar fashion to digital audio tape (DAT). DCC's advantage over DAT and its other competitor, the Sony recordable mini-CD, known as minidisc, is that it backwards compatible with compact cassette which was also invented by Philips in the early 1960s.
This means that the C30, C60s and C90s we all use in our car stereos can easily play and record on the DCC recorders. DCC tapes, however cannot play on a standard audio cassette deck.
According to Henk Bodt, head of Philips' consumer electronics division, the marketing of DCC is not all it might be. He has gone on record as saying that he is not satisfied with the way in which the marketing of DCC has been carried out.
According to Dutch media reports, Bodt is worried about the time it is taking the industry to come out with a portable unit, when the home deck has been available for some time.
Bodt's comments come as reports are coming in that the Sony minidisc is outselling DCC by a factor of two to one in the US. A straw poll of UK outlets, specifically, London's Tottenham Court Road hi-fi area of shops revealed a similar story. Part of the problem is that minidiscs cost from UKP 8 upwards, while the DCC tapes cost from UKP 12 upwards. Also, minidisc portables are now widely available.
(Steve Gold/19930820)
widely available.
(Steve Gold/19930820)
8/20/93
Philips Worried About DCC Marketing Plans
TRENDS
Still More Newsbytes CD-ROMs For
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1993 AUG 20 (NB) -- Newsbytes News Network still has a limited supply of Volume II of its archives, which includes all news stories written between May 1983, and June, 1992, for only $12.95. This offer is only in effect until all back inventory of these CD-ROM discs are sold out.
This disc operates on both PCs and Macintoshes, requires a CD-ROM drive, and contains more than 40,000 news stories about the computer and telecom industries written by Newsbytes News Network reporters during a 9-year period.
This is a keyword-searchable CD-ROM, making it ideal for research and reference. The news reports document the many changes in the worldwide computer and telecom industries and span their most formative decade.
Respondents to this offer will also receive a $10 off coupon, good for the next edition of the CD-ROM, which is to be published this fall.
The offer does not include shipping and handling. US buyers please add $2.50 for shipping and handling. Buyers from all other countries add $4.50.
Please fax or mail orders to our Minneapolis/St. Paul headquarters: Newsbytes News Network, 406 West Olive St. Stillwater MN 55082. The fax number is 612-430-0441. Mastercard and Visa accepted. Please include expiration date and name on the card. Electronic mail also accepted for orders: NEWSBYTES on GEnie, 72241,337 on Ziffnet (Compuserve) WWOODS 210-5390) on MCI Mail, NEWSBYTES1 on Applelink, NEWSBYTES1 on Bix, NEWSBYTES on America Online, and NEWSBYTES@GENIE.GEIS.COM on the Internet. Newsbytes prefers not to accept orders by phone as those lines are needed for the news staff.
(Wendy Woods/19930820)
he news staff.
(Wendy Woods/19930820)
8/20/93
Still More Newsbytes CD-ROMs For $12.95
GENERAL
apple
MacWorld - Newton Spreadsheet Slated For Sept. Shipment
MacWorld - 4 New Interactive Multimedia CD-ROMs
Desktop Data Offers NewsEdge For Mac
Rasterops Price Cuts On Mac Digital Video Products
Apple Talks About Newton Messagepad Launch
CORRECTION - Mac IIfx Accelerator
Sharp's Newton Demo Shut Down After Message From Apple
Apple Executives Accused of Insider Trading
1,500 Developers Interested In Newton Toolkit
Apple To Intro Servers, Speech Recog Macs, Software
CORRECTION - 1,500 Developers Interested In Newton Toolkit
Newton Applications To Be Demonstrated At Macworld
Apple To Offer HP DAT Drives Via OEM Agreement
Apple To Launch Quadra And Centris av
Quicken 4 Adds Personal Finance Features
Apple's Newton To Support PC/Mac Seamless Connections
Claris Intros ClarisImpact, ClarisDraw For Mac/Windows
Centrum Intros AppleTalk Support For CentrumRemote
Quickeys 3.0 For Mac To Ship Next Month
Acrobat & Common Ground: Pathways To The Paperless Office?
New Mac Product Roundup
Adobe Type On Call 3.0 For Macintosh
One File Leads To Another -- LinksWare 3.0 For The Mac
Digital, Online Video Production On a Mac
Newton Messagepads To Go On Sale Monday
Apple Intros Display With Built-in Stereo/Microphone
Motorola Chip Powers New Apple Computers
Apple Canada Unveils Newton MessagePad
Apple's US Intros Of New Speech-Capable Quadras
Aldus To Unveil Pagemaker 5 For Mac Next Week
Yokogawa Links With Apple Computer, Hewlett Packard
Apple System Enabler, Hardware System Update Disks
New Releases Of Great Wave Support PlainTalk, At-Ease
First Direct Desktop Interface To Sprint Fax Service
New For Macs - Sneak Preview Document Previewing Software
A Powerbook For Pope John Paul II
Apple Newton Wins award At PC93 While Sharp Also Shows
Canvas 3.5 For Macintosh
Mac Utility To Monitor Use & Control Network Access
Newton Version Of Dyno Notepad Now In The Works
Newton Easter Eggs, Bugs
Apple Teams Up On Something Good In Japan
Kai's Power Tools 2.0 For Macintosh
Storyboard Quick - Fast Storyboarding On A Mac
Apple To Intro New Low-Cost Powerbook 165
FGS Ships Utility For Mac Powerbooks
MacTV Schedule for Week of August 2-20, 1993
Apple Denies Delay To PowerOpen
Adobe Illustrator 5.0 For Macintosh Debuts
Quickeys 3.0 For Macintosh
Ray Dream Designer 3.0 Slated To Ship In September
Apple LC Future Uncertain, Centris For India
V.32 Bis Fax Modem For Apple PowerBooks
Adobe Premiere 3.0; Acrobat Reader Singles; HP PostScript
Apple Newton Launched At Symphony Hall In Boston
Apple Intros Quadra 950 For Publishing/Graphics
More Price Cuts On Powerbook Duo, Centris, Quadra
Sharp Express Pad, Differences From Newton Explained
Apple Targets Youngsters On MTV
WordPerfect 3.0 For Mac Goes To Beta
Correction - MacWorld - Apple Focusing On Speedy R&D
RasterOps Intros MoviePak2, PaintBoards For Mac
MacWorld - Genie Intros GUI For Mac & Windows
MacTV Schedule For Week Of August 23-31, 1993
Corel Intros CorelSCSI For Mac
MacWorld - Apple Newton In Extremely Short Supply
Apple Clarifies PowerOpen Timetable
MacWorld Opens In Boston
MacWorld - Radius Intros PhotoBooster Accelerator
PenMagic, Apple, Unite On Newton Software
MacWorld - Gryphon Software Intros Morph 2.0 For Mac
MacWorld - High-End Green Monitor On The Way From Sony
Avid Technology's New Business Units, Products
Newton Demo'd, Sells Out At SIGGRAPH
Correction - Apple Newton In Extremely Short Supply
Japan - Mitsui Bussan, SofMap Launch PC Sales Push
Vendors Form Industry Association To Promote MBA-Ware
Computer Associates Acquires ExoSpace Product
Harvard Graphics 2.0 For Windows
Computer Associates To Charge $19.95 For Simply Money In Oz
Popular Australian Media Guide Now Available On Disk
Datacraft Appointed First Overseas Synoptics ACE Partner
Austin Launches Pentium-Based Machines
Dell Announces New PC Lines, New Marketing Strategy
IBM Reorganizes Consulting Group
Low-Cost PC Video Via New Standard From Intel/ATI
Spinnaker's New PFS:Resume & Job Search Pro For Windows
Ambra Computer Corp., A New IBM Subsidiary, Is Born
Wordperfect Ships Wordperfect 5.2 For OS/2
Wordperfect Announces Back-To-School Offer
Low-Cost Tool For Embedding Fuzzy Search In PC Apps
Multiprotocol Router From Interlink Communications Debuts
Atari Jaguar To Compete With 3DO
XyWrite For Windows
Lotus Ships VIM Developer's Toolkit 2.0
UK - Elonex Offers Green, Low-Power Token Ring Workstations
Schools Benefit From Software Donation Program
Judge Rules Borland Can't Sell Quattro Pro
ScanMan EasyTouch Aims To Initiate
HP Offers CD-ROM Technical Answerbook
Japan - Major NEC Dealer To Sell IBM PCs
UK - Zenith Data Systems Intros Sub-Notebook PC
A Different Flavor PC Compression Utility
UK - NEC Intros Ultralite Versa 33
ATI Ships CD Sound Dimension For PCs, Cuts Price
UK - Softvision Intros Three Lotus Learning Videos
Adda Intros PC Desktop Video Software
NSTL Rates Access, FoxPro DMBS Programs Best
IBM Forms Environmental Health And Safety Unit
Dell Begins Shipping 486 Systems To Best Buy Outlets
WordPerfect's Intellitag For DOS
IBM Japan Develops Optical Data Transmission Chip
UK - Ambra Reduces Pricing
AST Research UK Follows US Price Cut
Gateway 2000 Intros New Portables
AST's Survey Highlights Trend Towards Computer Downsizing
Delrina Releases WinFax API To Industry
Media Vision Intros PC Audio Card With Music Synthesis
Autodesk Buys Ithaca, Announces 3D Studio Release 3
Microsoft Files To Get Stacker Off Retail Shelves
Lotus To Offer Messaging Standard For cc:Mail, Notes
Australian Service Offers Budget CD-ROMs For Data Storage
NAUTILUS is pleased to provide the following
industry reports from the Newsbytes News Network..
Subjects are listed on the left (Apple, Business, etc.). Click a subject button to display a list of Newsbytes for that subject. Click on any item in the list to go to that story.
|~}~}}
monstrates AV Multimedia Computers
MacWorld - Apple Unveils Six New Titles For Newton
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