From: Wendy_Woods@newsbytes.com (Wendy Woods)
Reply-To: Wendy_Woods@newsbytes.com
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Subject: Fwd: NB960625
Date: 25 Jun 1996 20:02:49 GMT
Message-Id: <27455454.5186738@newsbytes.com>
Organization: Newsbytes News Network
Content-Type: text


(NEWS)(ONLINE)(MSP)(00001)

America Online 3.0 For Windows Out Of Beta 06/25/96
VIENNA, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- REPEAT/The Newsbytes News
Network has learned that America Online's (NASDAQ:AMER) (AOL) new
3.0 client for the Windows operating system (OS) is out of beta
testing and available to AOL users for immediate download from the
online service.

Earlier this month, Newsbytes reviewed a beta copy of the new client,
and found that it "fixed" many of the perceived problems that AOL users
had found with previous versions of the software.

For example, all artwork downloads on the user's screen while the
user can navigate the area without the art being completely downloaded.
AOL's infamous "blue bar" and the "Please wait" while art is downloaded
to AOL prompt have gone the way of the 300 bps (bits-per-second) modem
with this new client.

AOL's Internet World Wide Web browser is also greatly improved, with
graphics compression that AOL claims makes the browser 35 percent
faster than the old version. The new browser contains support for HTML
(hypertext markup language) 3.0, frames, Netscape extensions, tables,
centering, and backgrounds. Java will also be available, when AOL
begins the distribution of the newest version of Microsoft's Internet
Explorer Web browser later this month.

A "winsock.dll" file is also included with the new AOL 3.0 for Windows.
This means users can use third-party applications like file transfer
protocol, other Web browsers, RealAudio, VDOnet, and other software
can be used directly with the AOL service. The Winsock file currently
only supports 16-bit applications, meaning any Winsock application
designed for Windows 95 won't work with this client. But AOL promises
a 32-bit Winsock later this summer for Windows 95 users.

Other improved features, AOL said, include easier navigation of the
service via one-button connections, a larger toolbar, and improvements
to e-mail which lets users change font style, size, and color within
mail documents. Internet hyperlinks can also be embedded in e-mail
with the new version. Hyperlinks can also be found in AOL content,
Newsbytes notes.

AOL 3.0 for Windows requires at least a 486 IBM compatible running
Windows 3.1 or Windows 95, eight megabytes (MB) of RAM, 15 MB of hard
drive space, a color monitor capable of displaying 256 colors or more,
a 14.4 Kbps (kilobits per second) modem, and a phone line to hook into
the modem.

AOL members can obtain the free download at Keyword: Upgrade.

Although this most recent version upgrade is for Windows users,
owners of Apple Macintosh machines and computers that run the Mac
OS aren't being left behind, AOL officials have said. A new Mac 3.0
version is in the works that will not only match the features of the
Windows client, but will contain "superior" e-mail features compared
to AOL for Windows 3.0.

(Bob Woods/19960624/Press Contact: Margaret Ryan, America Online,
703-448-8700)


(NEWS)(ONLINE)(MSP)(00002)

MCI Sinks $60Mil Into Internet Network 06/25/96
DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- REPEAT/MCI Corp. (NASDAQ:MCIC)
said it will quadruple its Internet backbone speed, and spend US$60
million to do so, by the end of this year. The company is increasing
the speed from 155 megabits-per-second (Mbps) to 622 Mbps to
accommodate the demand for Internet services from consumers and
businesses, officials said.

The upgrades represent the second phase of MCI's Internet 2000
program. Newsbytes covered the announcement last March, which
entailed MCI's plans for its Internet business plan.

It seems the telco's network needs the speed increase -- officials
said traffic on the company's Internet network has increased by more
than 5600 percent since its inception less than two years ago. Also,
more than 250 trillion bytes of data run over MCI's backbone each
month, which is the equivalent of nearly nine million sets of
encyclopedias or 300,000 full-length motion pictures, officials said.
The company is also adding 13,000 data ports, or high-speed on-ramps
to connect to the Internet vis special dedicated access.

Fred Briggs, MCI's chief engineering officer, called the upgrades
"aggressive," and said that they will "enable us to provide optimum
service to our customers today while positioning MCI as the Internet
provider for the future."

With the increase to 622 Mbps, customers can "expect to encounter
virtually no Internet delays due to network congestion," officials
said, "and requests for new Internet service can be processed more
quickly with the deployment of new ports. We expect that the time it
takes to provision Internet service" for high-end customers to be cut
from 45 to 22 days.

On March 18, MCI announced its Internet 2000 plan, a launch covered
by Newsbytes. At the time, an MCI spokesperson said it was going to
increase its backbone from 45 Mbps to 155 Mbps, which would "ease a
lot of the traffic jams out there."

MCI also offered Internet access to consumers at $19.95 per month for
unlimited access, which Newsbytes notes is similar to AT&T's WorldNet
Service. "We're going to be competitive with them (AT&T) in all of
these markets," an MCI spokesperson said at the time.

In addition, MCI said it would expand its local dial-up Internet
service to 250 cities by this summer, and to 300 cities by the end
of this year. Officials also said the company will offer high-
speed integrated services digital network (ISDN) access by this
summer -- a goal already reached, Newsbytes notes.

(Bob Woods/19960624/Press Contacts: Leslie Aun or Jim Collins, MCI,
800-719-3456)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(MSP)(00003)

PageNet Tests Pocket Answering Machine 06/25/96
DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- REPEAT/A wireless, pocket-sized
answering machine is what PageNet (NASDAQ:PAGE) is promising customers
in the near future, as it begins field testing of its VoiceNow service.
Using a pager-sized device from Motorola (NYSE:MOT) and Motorola's
InFLEXion system, VoiceNow will deliver voice messages over the air to
its customers for about $9.95 for local service, officials said.

Beta testing is now underway in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas area,
officials said, and uses technology common to today's paging and
cellular systems. Already, the system has undergone significant
testing in controlled environments. The next step, officials said,
is to take the devices out in the "real world" where difficult-to-
service areas exist, like the interiors of office buildings or in
"concrete canyons of downtown areas."

After the product passes various tests, it is scheduled to be launched
as early as the fourth quarter of 1996. "Our planned roll-out
schedule calls for introduction on a city-by-city basis, providing
optimum local service and linking local service areas together to form
a nationwide network within 12 months after roll-out begins," said
Glenn W. Marschel, president and chief executive officer of PageNet.
Soon after the nationwide roll-out, VoiceNow service will be made
available to Canadian residents.

PageNet put in an equipment order to Motorola for $250 million for
its InFLEXion system, PageNet officials said. Motorola's Tenor
personal communicator units will be the receiver that subscribers
use to listen to their wireless voice mail.

PageNet officials were not available for further comment to this
story by the Newsbytes late edition deadline.

(Bob Woods/19960624/Press Contact: Scott Baradell, PageNet, 214-985-
6791; Patrick Ward, Cunningham Communications, 617-494-8202, for
Motorola)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SFO)(00004)

Indonesia - Lucent Wins $90Mil Telecom Contract 06/25/96
JAKARTA, INDONESIA, 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- REPEAT/Just a day after
making news with an agreement with Camelot Corp. that calls for the
incorporation of packet voice technology from Lucent Technologies'
(NYSE:LU) Bell Labs into the next version of DigiPhone Internet
telephony software, Lucent has again gone high-profile with a US$90
million contract from Indonesia's national domestic telecommunications
company, PT Telkom, to help upgrade the telecommunications network in
that country.

The contract was reportedly awarded to Lucent Technologies under phase
three of Indonesia's STDI-II, part of the country's previously-
announced long range modernization development program.

According to the company, the contract calls for the installation
of 283,500 digital 5ESS-2000 Switch lines at 17 sites -- 14 in the
Greater Jakarta area and three in Surabaya, which is a suburb of
Jakarta -- and 30,500 tandem circuits for Jakarta. Installation will
reportedly take place during 1997 and 1998.

As with many telecom contracts these days, notes Newsbytes, high-speed
ISDN (integrated services digital network) plays a part in this one,
as the deal also includes ISDN and C7 signaling high-speed voice and
data upgrades to PT Telkom's network.

Asian and third-world telecom contracts continue to be something of
a major gold-mine for Western companies, notes Newsbytes, with new
reports of multi-million dollar contracts appearing almost every week.

The newest award is seen as part of Indonesia's continuing efforts
to upgrade its telecom infrastructure.

Indonesia, which reportedly has a telephone density of about 1.4
telephones per 100 inhabitants, plans to expand its existing
telephone network through the addition of at least five million
lines during the current five-year "Replita VI" telecommunications
development program which ends in 1999.

Lucent Technologies was formed as the result of AT&T's restructuring.

Just a month ago, Newsbytes reported that Ericsson had won a $150
million deal for a GSM (global system for mobile communications)
network from PT Excelcomindo Pratma, the new GSM operator in
Indonesia. Terms of that contract called for the installation of
a GSM network infrastructure, ready for commercial launch before
the end of the year.

As reported Friday by Newsbytes, the Camelot deal calls for that
company to base its voice-over-the-Internet product on the Bell Labs
Fidelity Plus speech codec. Under terms of the deal, Camelot will
use the voice codec in future release of DigiPhone for PC 486 and
Pentium platforms. The codec will be compatible with Windows 3.1,
Windows 95, and Windows NT software.

(Ian Stokell/19960624/Press Contact: Barbara Burgess, 908-559-6310,
Internet e-mail barbarab@lucent.com)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SFO)(00005)

Motorola Cuts 28.8 PC Card/Modem Prices 06/25/96
HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA, U.S.A., 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- REPEAT/Modem and telecom
prices, for a long time a major hurdle in getting online, continue to
fall to increasingly acceptable levels for consumers. Along those
lines, Motorola's Information Systems Group (ISG), Mobile Computing
Products Division and Transmission Products Division, have announced
price cuts on a number of modems.

Jessica Chipkin, spokesperson for Motorola, told Newsbytes that the
price cuts were "market-driven" rather than "manufacturing-driven,"
were not the result of any manufacturing gains, and that the price
drops were taken to undercut the competition.

The modems affected include the Montana 28.8 Modem/Fax and Mariner
28.8 Modem/Fax/LAN PC Cards, the OnlineSURFR 28.8 Data/Fax Internal
Card and the Premier 33.6 modem. Montana is down from $329 to $289,
while the Mariner is down to $469 from $515. Meanwhile, the OnlineSURFR
Internal Card, bundled with games, alphanumeric paging, and Internet
software drops from $260 to $212.50.

The OnlineSURFR comes bundled with Compuserve's WinCIM software;
America Online software; Spry's Mosaic Web browser; e-mail software;
News reader software for review of Usenet user forums; FTP software for
file transfers; Gopher software; and The Web Explorer Companion, a
comprehensive 250-page book detailing how to use the Internet.

The Montana and Mariner are designed for the professional market, and
offer the ability to access corporate networks at high-speeds, access
to e-mail and the Internet, and wireless capabilities. Montana and
Mariner modems reportedly have wireless capability for connecting to
Motorola cellular phones using Performance Matched connectivity, and
also providing transmission of wireless text messages with Tango two-
way pagers.
As of July 1, Motorola said the price of Motorola's Premier 33.6
external desktop modem will drop from $495 to $386, while the internal
will have a list price of $361 -- down from $470.

More information on Motorola's products can be obtained via the
World Wide Web at http://www.mot.com/modems .

(Ian Stokell/19960624/Press Contact: Trish Perry, Motorola ISG
Transmission Products Division, 205-430-7080; Jessica Chipkin,
Motorola ISG Mobile Computing Products Division, 847-538-3415;
Wendy Lavallee or Tasha McQueen, LNS Communications, 617-577-9777)


(NEWS)(ONLINE)(TYO)(00006)

 ****Internet Update 06/25/96
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- This is today's roundup of new and
updated services and resources on the global Internet, including:
UNICEF Progress Of Nations report; funny, but don't quit your day job;
more help finding a job; this just in - popsicle factory raided; Sony
Semiconductors; Internet advertising, weekly; Internet stock news;
Kinsley's Slate launches; across America - New Jersey, Louisiana,
Kansas; around the world - Hong Kong, UK, Canada; new on Usenet;
Internet today - Bay City Rollers live; Internet today - NBA draft,
Major League Baseball live; Internet today - IETF meeting coverage;
online today.

UNICEF Progress Of Nations Report

The United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF, has released its annual
Progress of Nations report. The report highlights issues regarding
children worldwide and this year pays special attention to the deaths
of 600,000 women in pregnancy and childbirth each year and calls it,
"a conspiracy of silence...a story of unimaginable suffering." The
report is available online.
World Wide Web: http://www.unicef.org/

Funny, But Don't Quit Your Day Job

If you think you're funny here's the place to prove it! The first ever
cyberspace talent hunt has begun with casting now taking place for a
unique comedy competition. To enter you need to submit a photo and 60
second sample of comedy material. The funniest then go onto the second
round and appear at a virtual nightclub on the Web before progressing
to the finals and an eventual live event on CompuServe and the
Entertainment Drive.
World Wide Web: http://www.philipsmedia.com/home/

More Help Finding A Job

The CareerSite Web pages now include a new search engine to make
finding a job easier. You can also register your interests and receive
notification by electronic-mail when new jobs become available that
match your criteria.
World Wide Web: http://www.careersite.com/

This Just In - Popsicle Factory Raided

News of the bizarre plus the political blunder of the week, humor, a
cartoon, and lots more can be found in the weekly FlashByte news
letter, now relaunched as a Web publication.
World Wide Web: http://www.nimbusline.org/~flashbyte/

Sony Semiconductors

Sony's semiconductor arm, Sony Semiconductor Company of America, has
launched an online Web page that includes details of the company's
line up of static RAM, CCDs, TV and audio integrated circuits (ICs),
serial/optical communication ICs, and multimedia devices.
World Wide Web: http://www.sel.sony.com/semi/

Internet Advertising, Weekly

All forms of Internet advertising, with the exception of newsgroup
spamming and unsolicited e-mail, are dealt with in a new, weekly
newsletter called Skywriting. The magazine will be published every
Thursday and is free. To sign up send a message with the subject
"SUBSCRIBE SKYWRITING," or "SAMPLE SKYWRITING" if you want a one-time
sample, to calumet@mindspring.com.

Internet Stock News

>From July, a new newsletter focusing on Internet stocks will be
available. The focus will be on companies such as Netscape, Yahoo,
Lycos, Cybercash, Security First Bank and a free two month trial is
now available. To get a trial subscription send your name, e-mail
address, mailing address and occupation to vijar@pipeline.com.

Kinsley's Slate Launches

The long awaited digital magazine by former CNN Crossfire
correspondent Michael Kinsley debuted yesterday. Take a look now
because plans call for a $19.95 membership fee to be charged sometime
in the future and just to prove its editorial independence from
Microsoft, you can find out if Microsoft is really the devil!
World Wide Web: http://www.slate.com/

Across America - New Jersey, Louisiana, Kansas

The latest town to get an official home page is Woodbridge Township,
New Jersey, which is online with local government information and city
links. The Baton Rouge Astronomical Society has information, software
and links at its new Web site. Kansas City has a free monthly
magazine, Infozine, now online with all aspects of city life.
World Wide Web: http://www.woodbridgenj.com/
World Wide Web: http://www.eatel.net/~fred/bras/bras.html
World Wide Web: http://www.infozine.com/

Around The World - Hong Kong, UK, Canada

The official Hong Kong Legislative Council Web site has been launched
with information on sittings, members, committees, panels and bills,
and is available in English with Chinese to follow soon. From the UK,
the Lincolnshire Trust for Nature Conservation now has a Web site
which works towards its goals of conservation, natural history and
education. New stories are now available at the Web site of The
Calgary Explorer and cover hiking with goats, the gonzo chronicles
and the Alberta Sustainable House.
World Wide Web: http://legco.gov.hk/
World Wide Web: http://www.enterprise.net/wildlife/lincstrust/
World Wide Web: http://www.calexplorer.com/

New On Usenet

Several new groups have just passed the Usenet voting procedures and
will soon be available on most network news servers. Groups failing
include misc.news.internet.discuss, misc.news.internet.media-stories,
soc.religion.messianic, talk.religion.messiah, comp.data.conversion,
sci.engr.metallurgy reorganization, soc.culture.kashmir, and
misc.forsale.computers.handhelds.misc.
Usenet: news:comp.databases.visual-dbase
Usenet: news:comp.os.os2.moderated
Usenet: news:comp.security.pgp.announce
Usenet: news:comp.security.pgp.tech
Usenet: news:comp.security.pgp.discuss
Usenet: news:comp.security.pgp.resources
Usenet: news:misc.handicap [unmoderate]
Usenet: news:rec.collecting.paper-money

Internet Today - Bay City Rollers Live

Live from Los Angeles at the world famous Viper Room, you may have
thought they finished in the 1970s, but they are still playing
today, The Bay City Rollers. The concert begins at 10:30pm PDT (0630
UTC). At the Web page you can also send a personalized Bay City
Rollers postcard across the Internet and join the chat room.
World Wide Web: http://www.audionet.com/concerts/bay.htm

Internet Today - NBA Draft, Major League Baseball Live

Readers with multimedia PCs can hear the NBA Draft and three major
league baseball games live tonight. They are all being broadcast using
Real Audio and you can get a free copy of the software from any of the
Web sites below. The NBA Draft is live from 6:30pm to 10pm EDT
(2230-0200 UTC) on the Prime Sports Radio Network. Three live major
league baseball games get underway at 7:05pm (2305 UTC) and are live,
Chicago White Sox vs. California Angels, Kansas City Royals vs.
Milwaukee Brewers and Baltimore Orioles vs. Texas Rangers.
World Wide Web: http://www.audionet.com/nbadraft.htm
World Wide Web: http://204.58.152.70/sox.htm
World Wide Web: http://204.58.152.70/royals.htm
World Wide Web: http://ww2.audionet.com/pub/wbal/orioles.htm

Internet Today - IETF Meeting Coverage

Live coverage of the 36th IETF continues today. Anyone with access to
the MBONE, the Internet multimedia backbone, can enjoy live coverage
of some of the sessions of the various working groups. More details
can be found at http://www.ietf.org/ . The MBONE broadcast schedule
for today and tomorrow is as follows, all times EDT (add four hours
for Universal Time).
Tuesday
0930-1130 IPNG working group
0930-1130 Routing Policy System working group
1300-1500 Internetworking Over NBMA working group
1300-1500 Audio/Video Transport working group
1530-1730 Internetworking Over NBMA working group
1530-1730 Audio/Video Transport working group
Wednesday
0900-1130 IPNG working group
0900-1130 Multiparty Multimedia Session Control working group
1300-1500 IP Routing for Wireless/Mobile Hosts working group
1300-1500 Resource Reservation Setup Protocol working group
1530-1730 Integrated Services working group
1530-1730 Inter-Domain Multicast Routing working group
1930-2200 Internet Architecture Board
1930-2200 Application MIB working group

Online Today - Motor Racing On Prodigy

On Prodigy tonight, NASCAR racing driver Lake Speed talks about his
penchant for speed and winning at 8pm EDT (0000 UTC), and Tony
Shalhoub, perhaps best known as the romantic Italian cab driver
Antonio Scarpacci on the NBC hit series "Wings," is online at 10pm EDT
(0200 UTC). Ending the night is the latest of Prodigy's Wise Acres
comedy features, tonight with award-winning comedy writer and stand-up
comedienne Carol Leifer at 11pm EDT (0300 UTC). (all events, Prodigy
jump: chat)

Write Us!

If you have any Internet related news you would like to tell us, you
can send e-mail to the address below. If there are any notable new or
updated Internet resources we should know about please e-mail us. We
welcome news of all types of resources and not just those on the World
Wide Web. We also welcome comments about this feature. Our address is
inbox@newsbytes.com

(Martyn Williams/19960625)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00007)

 ****Sony Develops Ultra Small Camera On A Chip 06/25/96
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- The days of a video camera perched
on top of a multimedia personal computer for videoconferencing are
numbered, claims Sony Corp. The company said it has developed an ultra
small video camera on a chip that can be directly installed into
computer monitors for videoconferencing.

With a total size of just 17.5 millimeters (mm) square and 9.5mm high,
the ultra small device is also small enough to be installed in planned
future video cellular telephones and personal digital assistants and
personal digital still cameras.

The entire unit is built onto a double-sided circuit board which sits
inside the package, a 52-pin leadless chip carrier (LCC) ceramic
package. The video pickup, a charge coupled device (CCD) type, and the
condensor-resistor and lens are all housed on the upper surface of the
chip. On the reverse side is the timing generator, sample and hold
integrated circuit (IC), and analog to digital (A/D) converter.

Because of the inclusion of a 10-bit A/D convertor, the chip is able
to provide a digital output which can be fed directly into the
computer for processing by the software. The sensor is capable of
delivering a 180,000 pixel (362 by 492 pixels) color image which
conforms to the Common Intermediate Format (CIF) standard used widely
in videoconferencing.

Commercialization of the unit is planned for next year, said a Sony
spokesman, with shipment of samples hoped for in early 1997.
Additionally, the company is also working on a companion integrated
circuit that will include YUV digital output, auto white balance,
automatic exposure, auto gain control, and other features.

The unit will get its first showing at the upcoming Windows World
exhibition in Tokyo which begins tomorrow.

(Martyn Williams/19960625/Press contact: Aldo Liguori, Sony
Corporation, +81-3-5448-2200/SONY960625/PHOTO)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(TYO)(00008)

Semiconductors On G7 Lyon Summit Schedule 06/25/96
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- With the repeated failure, most
recently yesterday, of Japan/US semiconductor talks, trade negotiators
are set to discuss once again the hot topic at this week's group of
seven (G7) economic summit in Lyon, France.

Norio Ohga, chairman of the Electronic Industries Association of Japan
and chairman of Sony Corporation, continued discussions over the
renewal of the US/Japan semiconductor pact yesterday when he spoke
with Pat Weber, chairman of the US Semiconductor Industry Association
and chairman of Texas Instruments Inc.

The two-hour telephone call resulted in no progress on any front,
reported Japanese news media quoting sources.

The US is racing against a July 31 deadline, when the existing
agreement expires, to establish a new deal on semiconductors,
something which the Japanese side is against in its present form
and quite happy to see expire.

The agreement covers the percentage share of the Japanese market that
US semiconductor makers should have and make reference to specific
numerical targets. The Japanese say they will only agree to a new
treaty if numerical targets are dropped and government involvement,
on both sides, is eliminated.

Further bad news for the US side came yesterday when the European
Union again sided with the Japanese stance in the discussions. The
current treaty does not deal with European devices, simply those
from US companies, so the EU is campaigning for a new worldwide
deal as proposed by the Japanese.

The next round of talks are understood to be taking place between
Japanese Trade Minister Shunpei Tsukahara and US Trade Representative
Charlene Barshefsky at the G7 summit which runs from Thursday to
Saturday. According to the US ambassador to Japan, Walter Mondale,
Japan's vice trade minister for international affairs Yoshihiro
Sakamoto and senior USTR negotiator Ira Shapiro will also hold
talks on the matter at the G7 summit.

(Martyn Williams/19960625)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TYO)(00009)

Japan Technology Newsbriefs 06/25/96
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- This is a roundup of recent news
from Japan, including: high-speed chip consortium to form; TV Asahi
share purchase a surprise; Fujitsu launches SoftPEG-based PC line;
next round of mobile telephone price war signaled; next-generation
pagers planned; ex NHK president Keiji Shima dies; software and soap
powder.

High-Speed Chip Consortium To Form

A group of semiconductor manufacturers, with the joint goal of
producing an advanced, high-speed, semiconductor, have formed a group
to research the project, reported a Japanese newspaper over the
weekend. The Nihon Keizai Shimbun said the companies are Fujitsu,
Mitsubishi Electric, Texas Instruments, Micron Technology, Apple
Computer, Samsung Electronics, and Hyundai Electronics Industry. The
group wants to develop a chip capable of transmitting data at between
500 and 1,000 megabytes-per-second.

TV Asahi Share Purchase A Surprise

The Japanese business world was shocked once by Rupert Murdoch two
weeks ago when he announced his JSkyB digital broadcasting service by
way of a front page interview with the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Japan's
most influential business newspaper. Again last week, his News
Corporation and Softbank announced the intention to purchase a 21.4%
stake in TV Asahi by way of the purchase of Obunsha Media. However, the
business world's surprise at this was nothing compared to that of TV
network executives who were told about the plans just minutes before
the press conference, reports the Mainichi Shimbun, a newspaper
affiliated with the rival Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) network.
After the announcement last week, it was also announced that the
41.75 billion yen purchase would be handled via a newly established
Softbank/News Corporation venture capital company.

Fujitsu Launches SoftPEG-Based PC Line

Fujitsu has launched a new range of desktop personal computers that
feature the SoftPEG technology from America's CompCore. SoftPEG is a
software MPEG-1 (Motion Picture Experts Group type 1) video and audio
decoder developed by CompCore which allows PC users to play video and
audio CDs without requiring additional specialized chips or boards.
The deal to install the software in Fujitsu's FMV-DeskPower range was
good news for CompCore because of the size of the MPEG-1 based CD
market in Japan which dominates the world. Japan's, with its love of
Karaoke, has many more video titles available on CD than other nations,
confirmed George Haber, president and chief executive officer (CEO)
of CompCore Multimedia, "Japan holds the key customer base for MPEG-1
Video CD users in the world." CompCore will be demonstrating its
SoftPEG Video CD 2.0 software at Windows World, which begins tomorrow.

Next Round Of Mobile Telephone Price War Signaled

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone's cellular telephone unit, NTT DoCoMo,
has signaled the next round in the ongoing price war between Japan's
five network operators. It has applied to the Ministry of Posts and
Telecommunications for permission to lower prices for calls made to
fixed telephones in the same prefecture. Until recently, the new
carriers had been cheaper than NTT in all call zones, except this local
zone, but it dropped prices to equal NTT a few months ago. The new
price cuts will take NTT's charges cheaper again at 150 yen per three
minutes against the current 180 yen charged by the other four
carriers.

Next-Generation Pagers Planned

NTT DoCoMo has outlined plans for a new generation of pagers, or
Pocket Bells as they are called in Japan, to the Ministry of Posts
and Telecommunications. The new devices will be able to receive more
complex text messages of up to 50 characters that include kanji
characters, the complex Chinese derived character set. Current Pocket
Bells are able, at best, to receive short messages written in the more
basic katakana character set. Along with the new units will be the
ability for computer users to send messages to Pocket Bells as
electronic-mail. NTT will also provide a news flash function that
sends urgent news, weather or earthquake information to the units. A
projected price of 18,000 yen, reported by the Nihon Keizai Shimbun,
will buy the unit, with monthly charges of 4,400 yen for 150 calls.

Ex NHK President Keiji Shima Dies

Keiji Shima, ex-president of the public Japan Broadcasting Corporation
(NHK) died early Sunday in a Tokyo hospital, at the ago of 68. He had
been hospitalized since early June with pulmonary tuberculosis,
according to the TV network. Shima began his rise to the top at NHK
as a political reporter in the early 1960s and went on to become
producer of the main evening news bulletin, "NC-9," in the mid-1970s.
He was appointed president of the public broadcaster in 1989 and went
on to oversee the launch of the company's now very successful direct
broadcasting by satellite channels, BS-1 and BS-2. He was, however,
forced to resign in 1991 after it was revealed the testimony he gave
before the Diet regarding his where-abouts during a failed launch of
an NHK broadcasting satellite was exposed as false.

Software And Soap Powder

Computer software and soap powder don't usually have much in common,
except in Japan, where Kao Corporation, one of the nation's largest
producers or household and cosmetic goods is also a major producer of
computer media, including CD-ROM disks and floppy disks. The company
is now using its extensive domestic sales network to put CD-ROM disks
into convenience and general stores. Software on the disks is to be
developed by IBM Japan, NEC Interchannel, and Fujitsu Parex, with Kao
making the disks. The software will fall within the entertainment and
hobby sectors and will retail for around 1,000 to 2,000 yen.

(Martyn Williams/19960625/FUJIT960625/PHOTO)


(NEWS)(LEGAL)(TYO)(00010)

Deal Reached On Digital Video Disk Copy Protection 06/25/96
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- When the digital video disk system
launches later this year, it will include systems to ensure protection
against duplication of movies and for exportation of movies to regions
before local release, a spokesman for Toshiba told Newsbytes today.

There has, until now, been some question as to whether the copy
protection system would be part of the initial specification and
whether regional coding would be included at all.

The technical specifications are yet to be worked out, but engineers
are now working on them and they will be published in the DVD Book,
the official specifications, due sometime within the next two months,
if all goes to plan.

Referring to the three main parties involved in the system -- the
consumer electronics manufacturers, computer companies and motion
picture studios -- Toshiba's Keisuke Ohmori explained, "The DVD system
has, from the outset, been developed to satisfy the three parties
involved. Copy protection and regional coding were requested by the
Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) and will be included."

The copy protection system will employ the Macrovision anti-piracy
system for its analog output to prevent copying of movies onto analog
systems, such as VHS video. On the digital output, signals will be
coded on the movie that tell the connected DVD machine that it cannot
record the tape. These signals will be part of the basic specification,
said the spokesman.

The final form of the regional coding system is less certain. While
the Motion Picture Experts Group maintains that such a system is vital,
there is disagreement between the studios as to how many regions the
world will be divided up into and whether of not regionally coded
disks will eventually unlock to allowing viewing all over the world.

Some parties, particularly the consumer electronics manufacturers,
which have invested large amounts of money in the system, are keen to
see all possible disadvantages of the system to be minimized and have
voiced opposition to such a scheme. At the end of March, Sony Chairman
Nobuyuki Idei was quoted as saying, "It will be troublesome if
software made in, say, Europe cannot be seen in the United States."

Toshiba said it was still continuing on schedule and will launch
DVD-Video and DVD-ROM in the US in the fall, followed by a Japan
launch very soon after. Roll out into European and Asian countries
is expected to come in late winter or early 1997.

At launch there are expected to be around 250 movies ready for
the system in the United States.

(Martyn Williams/19960625)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SYD)(00011)

 ****Apple To Distribute Windows NT Servers In Australia 06/25/96
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- A new range of network servers
running under Microsoft's Window NT went on sale in Australia Monday
from an unlikely source -- Apple Computer.

The servers are made by Motorola, but will be distributed in Australia by
Apple via its large reseller channel. It is believed to be the first time
Apple has done such a deal anywhere in the world.

However, Apple Australia executives dampened speculation that the parent
company might adopt a similar policy in other countries, including the
US, saying there were no current plans to extend the arrangement.

The Motorola Series E servers use PowerPC reduced instruction-set
computing (RISC) processors developed by the Apple-IBM-Motorola alliance.
Most rival NT servers use Intel Pentium or Pentium Pro processors.

The distribution deal seems certain to raise eyebrows. To dyed-in-the-
wool Macintosh fans, the very idea of Apple marketing a Microsoft device
seems outlandish.

But Apple is stressing that the deal doesn't indicate any watering down
of its Macintosh commitment. Quite the opposite, according to third-
party product manager, Graham Barr, it is designed to increase the Mac's
penetration of Australian government and large corporate markets.

It should boost Apple revenues at a time when the company needs every
dollar it can raise. And it should also mean a significant lift for
Motorola, which currently has a minor presence in the Australian server
market. Apple's distribution channel will give it exposure through many
more resellers.

Observers point out Windows NT has long included the ability to hook Macs,
as well as Windows PCs, into corporate networks, though this is not often
stressed by Microsoft-aligned vendors.

The Mac client machines will run under their normal MacOS operating system.
But later this year Apple is expected to introduce new Macs capable of
running either MacOS or Windows NT, as well as Unix, at the click of a
mouse button.

Apple has been marketing its own branded servers for the Unix environment,
with reasonable success. But the corporate tide is running against Unix and
MIS (management information systems) managers are increasingly looking for
"total solutions" based on NT, according to Apple's Graham Barr.

The Series E servers feature PowerPC 604 processors running at either 100
or 133 megahertz. Motorola Australia and New Zealand Manager Dr. Vangell
Rafael -- the man who brokered the deal -- claims both outperform Intel
processors running at the same clock speed. Prices range from around
AUS$11,000 to $19,000 (US$14,000-24,000).

The deal complements a growing trend by Apple Australia to distribute
third-party products as well as its own computers and peripherals. These
include the Visioneer Paperport scanner, the Reply Corp. range of Windows
add-on cards for Macs, and ImagePress's ScanPrepPro software for the
publishing industry.

According to Apple Asia/Australia Managing Director Steve Vamos, there
are no current plans to extend the Motorola marketing arrangement to
other countries.

A Motorola press release issued last week under embargo suggested
that the initiative was, "likely to be implemented across Asia Pacific."
But this was replaced by a later version of the release that made
no mention of distribution outside Australia.

Vamos, based in Sydney, is a former IBM PC Co marketing executive who
is not afraid of taking a controversial stand within Apple. In comments
to the Australian press earlier this year, he said he thought it was
time Apple began putting its corporate logo on Windows 95 PCs -- a
proposal so far not taken up by the Cupertino, California-based PC
maker.

(David Frith/19960625/Press contacts: Dr Vangell Rafael,
Motorola, 61-2-9906-3855; Sue Sara, Apple, 61-2-452-8012)


(NEWS)(EDUCATION)(SFO)(00012)

Microsoft Office Certification 06/25/96
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- Through an arrangement
with The Chauncey Group, Microsoft plans to establish a certification
program for Microsoft Office 95 users. Saying the program benefits both
users and businesses, Microsoft says acceptance of Office has become so
strong that companies are developing their own Office-related
applications.

The Chauncey Group International, a subsidiary of Educational Testing
Service, will work closely with Microsoft to provide a series of
examinations which test for skills in Microsoft Word, Excel, Access,
PowerPoint, and Schedule Plus. The first test, Microsoft Word, is
expected to be available next month. Testing will take place at Sylvan
Test Centers and cost $50.

With a large installed base of large corporate users and small office
users, Microsoft Office skills are in demand and some means of
certification is necessary to verify a potential employee's skills
to fulfill a specific position, according to the company.

John Metcalf, co-founder of A+ Computer School in San Francisco, told
Newsbytes, "The definition of a document is rapidly changing today. At
one time, offices needed a word processing expert to write text
documents. Today, documents are becoming, what I call 'multimedia
documents.' A multimedia document is built using several or all of the
Microsoft Office applications. Certification means an employer can know
a person has the necessary experience to be considered for a job
requiring these skills and it also means a skilled person can carry
proof of their Office capabilities."

Addressing the needs of both small and large businesses using the
Internet, Metcalf added, "When you combine Microsoft Office skills and
Microsoft's FrontPage, you have direct access for your multimedia
documents to be delivered to the Internet. This combination will really
change the way we communicate both as individuals and businesses.
Verified skills are going to be in ever greater demand."

Pointing out another trend with Office, a Microsoft spokesperson said
to Newsbytes, "The acceptance of Office has been so strong that it is
becoming a development platform. This means companies are having
developers build plug-in applications for Office, specific to their
business. An insurance company, for instance, may have an in-house or
third-party application which correlates data from Access and Excel
and produces a summary document in Word. The need for overall Office
skills is becoming more important."

The certification program will reach employment agencies, computer
educational services, colleges, and participating corporations.
Certification will begin with an Office Proficiency Guideline which
helps users define their goals, and training will be available through
a variety of Approved Courseware Study Guides.

(Patrick McKenna/19960624/Press Contact: Howard Barokas, Waggener
Edstrom, 206-637-9097, Internet e-mail howardb@wagged.com; John Metcalf,
A+ Computer School, 415-674-8256, Internet e-mail aplus_100@msn.com)


(NEWS)(LEGAL)(TOR)(00013)

Former Kurzweil Treasurer Sentenced For Fraud 06/25/96
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- Debra Murray, former
vice-president of finance and treasurer at Kurzweil Applied Intelligence
Inc., (NASDAQ:KURZ) has been sentenced to three years' probation and
200 hours of community service for her role in a scheme to falsely
inflate the speech-recognition company's revenues.

Murray was charged after Waltham, Massachusetts-based Kurzweil
inflated its revenues in documents related to a 1993 public stock
offering. She entered a guilty plea to charges of conspiracy and
securities fraud, for which she could have been sentenced to as
much as five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Murray received a lesser penalty because she testified as a
government witness in the trial of former Kurzweil Director Bernard
Bradstreet and others on related charges, the district attorney's
office in Boston said.

According to the district attorney's office, Kurzweil inflated its
revenues in 1993 by recognizing revenues before those sales met the
auditing rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Under SEC rules, a company whose stock is publicly traded cannot
recognize a sale until it has received a purchase order or sales quote
signed by the customer and shipped the goods. The district attorney's
office said Kurzweil routinely counted in its revenue figures sales
which had not been finalized by the customer and in which the goods
had not been shipped.

As a result, the prospectus for the company's initial public
offering, and other documents filed with the SEC, contained false
revenue information.

Kurzweil shareholders filed a class-action lawsuit against the
company, Bradstreet, and founder Raymond Kurzweil in May, 1994,
right after company management announced a review of revenue
recognition policies and practices and the firm's accounts
receivable.

(Grant Buckler/19960625/Press Contact: Joy Fallon or Anne-Marie
Kent, US Attorney's Office, 617-223-9445)


(NEWS)(ONLINE)(DEN)(00014)

Online Service Aids Job Seekers, Recruiters 06/25/96
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, U.S.A., 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- Looking for a job
or trying to find a worker? Try the Internet.

There are various online services that offer help in finding a
employment or filling a vacancy, but one of the more innovative is
a World Wide Web site called CareerSite, operated by Virtual
Resources Corp.

CareerSite isn't new, but it has recently upgraded its Web site
to apply agent technology to the job search process.

CareerSite automates much of the job-worker search process. It
uses technology Virtual Resources calls SmartMatch to automatically
match the qualifications of job seekers with listed vacancies. Once
the match is made, CareerSite automatically notifies job seekers via
e-mail of the jobs that match their qualification profile. Virtual
Resources said the matching works even if the individual and the
company don't use exactly the same technology. For example, the
system is smart enough to know that a job listing for a "software
developer" and an applicant who is a "programmer" are similar.

The company said SmartMatch searches across occupation, industry,
location, education, and skills to produce a ranked output of the
jobs that are the closest matches for the worker's listed skills.

The candidate receives that list. An employer gets a similar list,
but one that lists candidates ranked in order of most qualified.

If an employer is interested in one of the candidates he can view
the online resume using a standard Web browser.

Virtual Resources spokesperson Colleen McDonald-Burroughs told
Newsbytes the service is free to job candidates. Employers pay an
initial fee of $395, which includes an online overview of the
company and listings of all job openings for the first month.
After that, each new job listing costs $95. After the first month
there is a $25 charge to renew the listing for another month.

Several dozen companies are currently listed on the Web site,
although some do not have current listings. However, you can still
learn more about those companies by reading the company summary.

Included on the current client list is Ford, EDS, Domino's Merrill
Lynch, several hospitals, a few restaurants, The Proctor & Gamble
Company, Sterling Software, and The Walt Disney Company.

CareerSite can be accessed at http://www.careersite.com on the Web.

(Jim Mallory/19960624/Press contact: Colleen McDonald-Burroughs,
Virtual Resources, 313-213-9500; Public contact: Virtual Resources
Corp., 313-213-9500/CAREER960625/PHOTO)


(NEWS)(BROADCAST)(LAX)(00015)

Digital Video Delivery For TV Stations 06/25/96
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- DG Systems
(NASDAQ:DGIT) has announced that more than 250 television stations
will join DG's network for the digital delivery of commercials from
advertisers and ad agencies. Using the Hughes satellite network, DG
Systems can transmit digital video directly from the production
facility to the television station, where up to 250 30-second
commercials can be stored on a PC server.

DG Systems already digitally distributes audio commercials to more
than 4,500 radio stations. DG Systems claims to have electronically
delivered more than 400,000 audio commercials in digital form so far
this year. In addition to the stations, DG Systems says it has more
than 4,500 corporate advertisers, 650 ad agencies, and 250 production
studios online for the audio delivery system.

Today, video commercials are usually physically delivered. Susan Ice,
a spokesperson for DG Systems, told Newsbytes that, "Physical delivery
creates two problems for the studio: first, no same-day deliveries are
possible, and even next-day is problematical; and second, delivery of
tape requires manual threading, queuing, and storing with inevitable
degradation. Even analog satellite distribution, which is available,
requires transfer to tape for editing. Digital transmission allows all
editing to be done on computers, producing a non-degraded product."

DG Systems provides video production houses with their software,
encoding hardware, and transmitter. The equipment is supplied free,
with all charges on a transaction basis. The video is compressed using
the MPEG-2 (Motion Picture Experts Group type 2) standard. The
compressed video files are then transmitted to the DG Systems' Network
Operations Center, then to the Hughes satellite, then to the television
station.

DG Systems also provides, at no charge, each television station with
the Pentium-based rack-mountable Advantage Digital Video Playback
System and an accompanying Hughes Network Systems DirecPC satellite
dish. The Advantage unit incorporates a video monitor and a nine-
gigabyte (GB) hard drive with an initial capacity to store up to 250
30-second television commercials.

According to DG Systems, the software allows station personnel to
preview commercials as well as sort by client, delivery date, and air
date. The video, which is automatically downloaded from satellite to
the DG Systems Advantage unit, can be fed to existing tape systems or
directly into a digital on-air server.

The total system should begin in late July. Among the bigger stations
receiving the DG product are: WAGA (Atlanta), WHDH (Boston), WLS
(Chicago), KXAS (Dallas/Fort Worth), KTVD (Denver), KABC (Los Angeles),
WSVN (Miami), WTAE (Pittsburgh), KPIX (San Francisco), KOMO (Seattle),
and WJLA (Washington DC).

(Richard Bowers/1996625/Press Contact: Jeff Byrne, DG Systems,
415-276-6600)


(NEWS)(BROADCAST)(WAS)(00016)

Congress - Give Broadcasters 2nd Digital TV Channel 06/25/96
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- Broadcasters picked up
some strong allies yesterday when Congressional leaders sent a letter
to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urging the Commission
to give television companies a second channel for digital TV.

The letter was sent to FCC Chairman Reed Hundt by Senate Majority
Leader Trent Lott (R-Mississippi) and House Speaker Newt Gingrich
(R-Georgia) and said the FCC should proceed quickly with its plans
to assign additional spectrum to broadcasters.

The letter was also signed by House Commerce Committee Chairman
Thomas J. Bliley Jr. (R-Virginia), and Sen. Ernest Hollings
(D-South Carolina) and Rep. John D. Dingell (D-Michigan).

Dingell and Hollings were the former Senate and House Commerce
Committee chairmen, respectively.

Current Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Larry Pressler
(R-South Dakota, however, did not sign the letter.

Former Senator and Senate Majority Leader Robert Dole (R-Kansas)
favored auctioning the second channels, rather than giving them to
incumbent broadcasters for free. In earlier statements, Dole, as
well as industry and government analysts, suggested such an auction
could raise up to $70 billion for the government.

The letter from Congress, however, rejected Dole's auction proposals,
urging the Commission to "move forward as expeditiously as possible."

Eddie O. Fritts, head of the National Association of Broadcasters
(NAB), issued a statement yesterday afternoon, saying that "the
directive from congressional leaders resolves the digital TV issue."

Under Fritts' leadership, the NAB earlier this year raised the ire
of a number of Congressmen by running a series of television ads
nationwide implying that "free" TV would be doomed unless Congress
allowed the broadcasters to have the second channel.

The ads ran after then-Sen. Dole held up the Telecommunications Bill
debate unless Congress agreed to hold hearings on the feasibility of
auctioning the digital TV licenses.

According to the FCC's plan, broadcasters would be "lent" the second
channel to start converting over to digital broadcasting. The plan
also would allow broadcasters to keep their analog channels until a
majority of viewers had access to televisions able to receive digital
signals.

(Bill Pietrucha/19960625/Press Contact: Audrey Spivak, Federal
Communications Commission, 202-418-0654)


(NEWS)(ONLINE)(MSP)(00017)

America Online's Case Takes Over President's Post Again 06/25/96
VIENNA, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- America Online Inc.
(NASDAQ:AMER) said President and Chief Operating Officer William
Razzouk has resigned his posts with the online company. Steve Case,
AOL chairman and chief executive officer, will assume Razzouk's
responsibilities and again take over day-to-day operations of the
company.

In a statement, Razzouk said the prospect of moving his family to the
Washington DC-area from Memphis, Tennessee, where his former employer
Federal Express (FedEx) is located, was a "significant factor" in his
decision.

Case indicated that his increased role in the day-to-day running of AOL
would "be helpful" to the company, so "I have taken on a growing role
in determining marketing strategies, pricing, and product plans," he
said.

He said a combination of taking a more active role in the company with
Razzouk's personal reasons that made "a continued role at AOL difficult"
had led them both to determine that it would be best for Razzouk to
resign immediately.

Case also spoke with Newsbytes this morning about the strategies
developed under Razzouk's tenure. "In the past few weeks, I've
been very involved in the strategies of re-launching AOL with 3.0
software, 20/20 pricing, navigation, and so forth," Case told
Newsbytes.

"Bill and I had no disagreements over strategy. He was actually only
here four months, so obviously it was mostly implementing strategies
we have articulated over the last several years. So there will be no
change in terms of how we're running the company" after Razzouk
leaves, Case said.

Razzouk has been with AOL since February, after a tenure with FedEx.
Newsbytes reported on the shift in power at AOL in February. AOL's
operations segment, including marketing, content development and
programming, technology, customer operations, and human resources,
had reported to Razzouk. Case had handled corporate functions
responsibility, including finance, communications, business
development, and legal matters. Razzouk had reported to Case
under the old regime.

Before his stint at FedEx, Razzouk had served in executive positions
at Rolm Corp., Philips Information Systems, and Xerox Corp.

Razzouk's departure is the latest in a series of mixed developments
at AOL, Newsbytes notes. The online service's stock has fallen close
to 40 percent from its high earlier this year, and inquiries have
been made from various governmental agencies regarding AOL's billing
practices. Last week, AOL said it is cooperating with those agencies,
along with talking to plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit brought
against AOL regarding the billing procedures.

On a brighter note, AOL formally made available the final version of
its new AOL 3.0 for Windows client, which is used by the online
service's members to sign onto the AOL network. The new version
includes an improved World Wide Web browser, faster-loading graphics,
an improved interface, and improved e-mail features. Earlier this
month, Newsbytes reviewed a beta version of the new client, and
found it to be a great improvement over previous clients.

AOL had also introduced a 20/20 pricing plan, which makes the online
service available to members at $19.95 per month for 20 hours of
usage, with each additional hour costing $2.95. This plan takes effect
July 1, and will be offered along with the standard $9.95 a month for
five hours billing program, with additional hours being charged at
$2.95 for each hour.

(Bob Woods/19960625/Press Contact: Pam McGraw, America Online,
703-918-1746)


(NEWS)(PC)(MSP)(00018)

Gateway 2000 Rounds Out Solo Notebook Line 06/25/96
NORTH SIOUX CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA, U.S.A., 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- Gateway
2000 (NASDAQ:GATE) said it has added to its Solo portable PC line,
with the addition of its "Solo 2100" family of notebooks. The new
line comes priced as low as $2,700 and as high as $6,000, depending
on the options ordered, Gateway 2000 officials told Newsbytes.

The basic Solo 2100 starts at $2,699, and has a 11.3-inch dual scan
SVGA display, a 100 megahertz (MHz) Intel Pentium processor, 256
kilobytes (KB) of pipelined burst cache, 16 megabytes (MB) of extended
data out (EDO) memory, a 6X CD-ROM, 16-bit audio, speakers, 3.5-inch
floppy disk drive, 540MB removable hard drive, and a lithium ion
battery. The Solo 2100 can weigh as little as 6.5 pounds, depending
on equipment configuration.

Options for the unit include 120MHz and 133MHz Pentium processors,
11.3-inch and 12.1-inch active matrix SVGA displays, 810MB and 1.2
gigabyte (GB) removable hard drives, up to 40MB of EDO RAM, and a
second lithium battery.

The new model is not for people who need an extreme high-end or an
extreme low-end notebook computer, Mike Sassman, marketing manager
for Gateway 2000's Americas region, told Newsbytes. But the model will
work for anyone in between those two extremes, he said. "It can
reach a very broad range in the marketplace," he said, "with your
very power users with the 40MB of RAM and the large screen. Plus,
with the option of a dual-scan screen, we can reach those customers
who are price sensitive users as well." He said both home and
corporate customers can take advantage of the new unit.

The announcement comes a month after the company said it would
make CD-ROMs standard on all of its notebook lines. Gateway quoted
Boll Ablondi, a Giga Information Group analyst, as saying that "CD-ROMs
for portable PCs will be a hot issue in 1996. Our surveys indicate
that among current notebook users, nearly 70 percent of those planning
on purchasing a new notebook in 1996 list a CD-ROM as a standard
component requirement. One of the biggest reasons for this requirement
was software use, both for acquiring additional software packages and
for personal entertainment."

Gateway 2000's Internet World Wide Web page is at URL (uniform
resource locator) http://www.gw2k.com/ .

(Bob Woods/19960624/Press Contact: Al Kirts, Gateway 2000,
605-232-2741. Public Contact: Gateway 2000, 800-846-2000)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00019)

Compaq Opens For Business In Greece 06/25/96
ATHENS, GREECE, 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- Compaq's EMEA (Europe, Middle
East, and Africa) regional headquarters in Germany has announced the
opening of the company's 39th country operation in Greece. Plans call
for the company's Greek operation to take over sales, marketing, and
technical support from the existing distributors and partners in that
country over the next few months.

According to Zelimir Ilic, Compaq's vice president and managing director
of the company's business development division, the decision to open an
office in Greece was taken after PC sales jumped by around 55 percent
in 1995, moving the company into the number one sales slot in
international PC vendor terms in the country.

Ilic said that he believed the time is now right to open a subsidiary
operation in Greece. "The area's economic strength and proven
commitment to computerization offer the perfect environment in which
to build on an already established strong market position," he said.

According to Ilic, plans now call for the company to enhance its
services to dealers and end users, offering training programs, as
well as dedicated pre-sales and service support for resellers.

The new office is headed up by Greek PC veteran Tom Reclitis, who
becomes Compaq's Greece general manager. Reclitis is well known in
Greek PC circles, having spent five years as manager of HP's operation
in the country, as well as periods with the Concurrent Computer
Corporation and Wang Labs.

Plans call for the Greek office to provide local support, backed up by
support from the company's headquarters in Munich, Germany. According
to officials with Compaq, the existing PC distribution arrangements in
Greece, through more than 50 resellers and two main distributors, will
remain unchanged. Direct partners -- including Alogsystems, Altec,
EME, Data Processing, Ergodata, Infoquest, Mavico, Microhellas,
Microland Computers, Pouliadis Associates and Sysware -- will also
remain in the distribution chain, officials said.

(Sylvia Dennis/19960624/Press Contact: Michelle McGlocklin,
Miller-Shandwick Technologies, +44-171-583-0525, Internet e-mail
mmcglocklinmillercom.com; Reader Contact: Compaq Computer EMEA,
+49-89-9933-2238)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LON)(00020)

Israeli PC Survey Turns Up Massive Interest In Internet 06/25/96
TEL AVIV, ISRAEL, 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- According to a survey conducted
by Bezeq, the Israeli telecoms company, more than a third of homes in
Israel have a PC with a minimum processor rating of 80386 or better.

According to officials with Bezeq, which carried out the survey among
business and residential customers to assess the potential for Internet
and online services in Israel, around 34 percent of homes now have a
PC, with around 12 percent of homes also having a modems.

The figures extrapolate out to produce the surprise result that a
third of home PC users also have a modem, Newsbytes notes. Moreover,
around 10 percent of home PC owners said they planned on getting a
modem "fairly soon."

On the business PC front, a significant number of users said they were
using Pentium-based systems. The bottom line, according to Bezeq, is
that more than 50 percent of Israel's PCs, operating in both the home
and office environments, are Pentium-based, a fact which clearly
illustrates the recent take-up of PCs, especially in then home, by the
Israelis.

In the workplace, most offices have at least one PC, with more than 85
percent of companies with three or more staff having access to a PC.
Around 60 percent of businesses already have a modem, while an extra
five percent plan on getting one soon.

According to Bezeq, an astonishing 85 percent of PC users said they
were already hooked up to, or were interested in hooking up, the
Internet, although almost half of those surveyed would prefer to use
the Internet on a pay-as-you-go basis, rather than a subscription
basis.

Bezeq's findings coincide with the telco's announcement that it plans
to offer a wide range of Internet services for home and business users
through its Goldnet division. The company carried its major survey in
order to assess the requirements for extra phone lines by modem-
wielding PC owners.

(Sylvia Dennis/19960624/Press & Reader Contact: Bezeq, +072-2-316201)


(NEWS)(ONLINE)(MSP)(00021)

 ****Softbank Continues Buying Spree, Invests In OnLive! 06/25/96
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- Softbank Holdings,
the venture capital arm of Japanese publishing giant Softbank Corp.,
said it will make an equity investment of $23 million in OnLive!
Technologies, in an effort to grow Softbank's portfolio of Internet
companies.

OnLive! Technologies produces real-time Internet client and server
software that supports group voice chat in a three-dimensional (3-D)
graphical environment, officials said. The OnLive! Traveler client
software helps users navigate through 3-D worlds represented by 3-D
"avatars," and converse with others via voice in real-time.

"Softbank has been focused on a number of investments in the Internet
space both through corporate investments and venture capital
investments," said Gary Rieschel, senior vice president, Softbank
Holdings. "The intent or our focus on the Internet is to enable
companies with exciting new technologies that are going to drive
traffic on the Internet." He also said investments in companies like
OnLive! will help Softbank's global desires to be "the largest and
leading information infrastructure provider, particularly to the IT
(information technology) industry.

Rieschel said OnLive! technology can help Softbank produce virtual
trade shows where people can exchange ideas in 3-D chat rooms, among
other uses.

With today's investment, Softbank gains the title of "Largest
Shareholder" in OnLive! Rieschel will also join OnLive!'s board of
directors. Officials from both OnLive and Softbank made their
announcement in a news teleconference, which Newsbytes attended.

Today's investment is the latest in a string of either equity buys
or outright purchases of various companies. Just yesterday, Newsbytes
reported that Softbank purchased the interactive advertising sales
company "Network 1.0" from US Interactive.

In the recent past, Softbank has bought all of Ziff Davis Publishing
Company, and trade-show producer Comdex. In addition, Yahoo!,
Interactive Marketing Inc., Decisive Technology, and Japan's TV Asahi
Operator Asahi National Broadcasting have all received cash infusions
from Softbank. The company dealt with Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation
in the TV Asahi deal, and has also partnered with Microsoft to supply
client/server software to businesses.

(Bob Woods/19960625/Press Contacts: Jill Grossman, Catapult Partners,
415-344-6193; Trudy Nicolay, OnLive! Technologies, 408-777-2173; Ali
Morr, Stirling & Cohan, 415-513-0982)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(BOS)(00022)

Mass. Tax Imaging System Lowers Costs, Speeds Processing 06/25/96
CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- The
Commonwealth of Massachusetts' new Integrated Image Tax Systems
is lowering the cost of tax return processing, while easing
document storage and retrieval, maintained officials of the Mass.
Dept. of Revenue (MDOR), Unisys, and Datacap, at a press
conference in Chelsea, Massachusetts. The system combines the
department's traditional VAX midrange system with new PC
workstations, scanners, and optical jukeboxes, and a 100
megabits-per-second (Mbps) Fast Ethernet network.

At the press event, which was attended by Newsbytes, MDOR's Al
Golobski told reporters and analysts that the main motivating
factor behind that new system was the need to store tax documents
in a way that allowed for faster access when customers called
with questions.

Along the way, though, the system has reduced costs from $1.28
per return to 95 cents per return, while bringing a more
"professional" spirit to the data entry and processing
environment, according to Golobski. In addition, the average data
entry person is now processing an average of 500 documents per
day, in comparison to 375 per day on the previous system.

As a result, he reported, the new tax processing system has
received visits from state governments from throughout the US,
and national governments from throughout the world.

"I'll do everything I can to get people to file electronically,"
noted MDOR Commissioner Mitchell Adams, in remarks during the
event. "These paper factories have got to change."

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts was recently honored with an
award by the Federal Tax Administration (FTA) for its new tax
imaging system, observed Earl D. Baker, VP of business
development at Unisys for the Information Services Public Sector.
Unisys is prime contractor on the project.

The MDOR and Unisys first entered into a partnership to develop a
new front end for income tax processing in 1994, Golobski said.

Development of the new system coincided with a move by the MDOR
from Government Center in Boston to a new facility in neighboring
Chelsea.

Last year, the MDOR processed about 300,000 returns through
imaging, and for the 1996 filing season, that number will jump
this year to 1,300,000, or 45 percent of all Massachusetts
resident state tax returns.

The MDOR is now storing all paper-based tax returns on-site for a
six-month period, before sending them to two other locations for
long-term archiving, according to the officials.

Meanwhile, imaged copies are being kept in RAID (redundant array
of inexpensive disks) optical jukebox, for faster and easier
retrieval.

The MDOR's data entry staff was at first "resistant" to the new
system, which uses PCs with "colorful" GUIs (graphical user
interfaces) instead of the previous text terminals, Golobski
acknowledged. Many employees were fearful that they would be
"replaced" by the new machines.

But since actual implementation of the new system, the staff's
fear has been replaced a new pride and professionalism, he
continued. At the new site in Chelsea, each data entry worker has
his or her own PC and cubicle.

Barry Lurie of Unisys told the journalists that Unisys sees its
role in the project as that of systems integrator. Unisys, he
maintained, holds long-standing experience in systems
integration, dating back to its own founding.

Unisys was established in 1986, through the merger of Sperry and
Burroughs, he reported. At the outset, the new company needed to
integrate systems previously purchased by Sperry from RCA, and by
Burroughs from Convergence.

For Unisys, participating in the MDOR project has brought
learning opportunities in the "hot" and growing area of tax
imaging systems, Lurie contended.

Since the project began, Unisys has won another contract for a
tax imaging system, in Pennsylvania, and the vendor has also made
it to the "short list" in two other states.

Scott Blau of Datacap, another partner in the deal, detailed the
physical configuration in Chelsea. Aside from the existing VAX,
he said, the new system includes four file servers; scanners from
Kodak and Fujitsu; RAID optical jukeboxes from Unisys; and
multivendor PC workstations, outfitted with off-the-shelf
software from Caere and Nestor.

In conjunction with the new imaging system, MDOR has moved from
an FDDI (fiber distributed data interface) network to switched Fast
Ethernet, obtaining higher throughput as a result, noted VVinny
Piccinni of the MDOR's Information Systems Organization (ISO).
Each of the four file servers in the system has its own switched
Ethernet network, he added.

The imaging system in Massachusetts differs from tax imaging
systems being used by other governments, because it allows for
storage of both text and "captured images," according to the
officials.

MCOR Commissioner Adams pointed out that, beyond the new imaging
system, Massachusetts has launched a new "Telefile" system, which
allows residents meeting specified criteria to "file their tax
returns over the phone." About 400,000 taxpayers used Telefile to
file their tax returns in 1995, he said.

The Telefile system employs a number of measures to guard against
fraudulent use, including "voiceprinting," the journalists were
told.

In a tour of the new facility in Chelsea, the reporters and
analysts viewed Telefile, along with the new RAID optical
jukeboxes and specialized PC workstations for document scanning;
unattended OCR/ICR (optical character recognition/image character
recognition) and form "de-skewing;" manual rescanning of any
documents of "poor image quality"; and data entry and
verification.

During the tour, Golobski noted that the MDOR is now imaging
documents in landscape (horizontal) instead of portrait
(vertical) mode, to better accommodate the small form factors of
W-2 forms sold by some third-party vendors to companies' HR
(human resource) departments.

For the future, Golobski said, the MDOR is looking into "image-
enablement" of corporate taxation in Massachusetts, as well as
the possibility of setting up field offices for tax filing at
places like shopping malls, for "remote scanning."

(Jacqueline Emigh/19960626/Press Contact: Ken Day, Copithorne &
Bellows for Massachusetts Department of Revenue, 617-252-0606)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LAX)(00023)

Increased Bandwidth Technology From Alcatel 06/25/96
DALLAS, TEXAS , U.S.A., 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- Lack of bandwidth is
considered by many to be the most important issue for the growing
"information superhighway." Many analysts think that, without
significant increase in the ability to transfer data, bandwidth
road blocks will continue to create limitations on any new
technology, whether in the Internet backbone itself, or in the
ultimate delivery to the home or office.

Alcatel Telecom is one of many companies working on the bandwidth
problem. Alcatel has unveiled a 10 gigabits-per-second (Gbps) SONET
(synchronous optical network) multiplexer and 160 Gbps wave division
multiplexing (WDM) technology at Supercomm '96 in Dallas, Texas.

While still in trials, and not available commercially for the
foreseeable future, the technology does show one way to
significantly increase bandwidth.

Michael Newsom, a spokesman for Alcatel Telcom, pointed out to
Newsbytes that current commercial bandwidth operates at a maximum of
2.5 Gbps over fiber optic networks. The 10 Gbps SONET multiplexer,
by itself, quadruples current bandwidth. "We are the only American
developer at this level, joining NEC, and Fujitsu, at the 10 Gbps
threshold," Newsome said.

Adding the 10 Gbps to wave division multiplexing technology can
increase the bandwidth to a whopping 160 Gps. Newsom points out
that this is 64 times higher than current commercial rates at 2.5
Gbps, allowing simultaneous transmission of two million telephone
conversations or, alternatively, 64,000 television channels.

WDM is a means of sending multiple colors of light over fibers that
now carry only one color. Each color is like a new channel for
transmission of data. Alcatel is demonstrating the possibility of
16 channels on a singe fiber optic line. Alcatel Telecom claims
researchers have achieved 160 Gbps transmission rates by using
WDM for 16 optical carriers of 10 gigabits each. The 16 different
wavelengths are transmitted and propagated simultaneously using a
single fiber, separated, and recovered at the end of the line.

"Alcatel's new 16192 SM and WDM technologies complement each
other to create the network of the future," said Joe Bass, Alcatel
Telecom vice president. "Sixteen channel WDM and the 16192 SM
(the 10 Gbps SONET multiplexer) must be used together, not as
alternatives, to achieve the highest possible bandwidth of 160 Gbps.
This type of bandwidth means a whole new world of greater, faster
and more efficient services, particularly in the video and ATM
(asynchronous transfer mode) areas."

"Alcatel Telecom's success in transmitting at 160 Gbps over the same
type optical fiber used today around the world could offer operators
an alternative to tearing up existing single-channel lines,' said
Newsom. "WDM enables operators to increase capacity significantly,
without having to replace networks in which they already have
significant investment."

(Richard Bowers/1996625/Press Contact: Michael Newsom, Alcatel
Telcom, 214-996-7896)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(WAS)(00024)

FCC's Farquhar - Telecom Act Is Opportunity For All 06/25/96
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- Ensuring that all
Americans have the choice to be consumers will increase the consumer
choices of all Americans, claimed the Federal Communications
Commission's Michele C. Farquhar, "but we can only continue to
discover these mutually beneficial `win-win' solutions if everyone
is at the table and we all work together."

Farquhar, chief of the FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau,
made these remarks to the Self Help for Hard of Hearing People Inc.
(SHHH) Conference yesterday in Orlando, Florida.

The Wireless Bureau Chief noted that passage of the '96
Telecommunications Act "presents an opportunity for all Americans
and that implementing the provisions in the Act which promote
access is one of the Commission's highest priorities."

She told the group it was important to build broadly based and
diverse coalitions to support specific implementation ideas.

"The first reason is to foster real understanding," Farquhar said.
"The issues you are confronting are increasingly complex. So few people
understand all the pieces of the puzzle: the technological pieces, the
regulatory pieces, the disability pieces, and the design and marketing
pieces. If we are going to get this right, we have to learn from each
other and understand our different perspectives on implementation."

Farquhar also stated that forming broadly based coalitions of support
made it more likely that the group could achieve something worthwhile
that it otherwise would not have.

"If you work with potential adversaries from the outset on
implementation strategies, they will feel like they have 'ownership'
in the plan and a stake in its success." she said. "Reaching a
consensus with a diverse group of stakeholders does not necessarily
mean that you have to sacrifice your core principles."

Farquhar said another reason to reach out to build diverse coalitions
of support is that "it provides an opportunity to work with potential
adversaries to make some meaningful changes."

Farquahr observed how the universal design policies adopted by some
companies have led to innovations that have mass market appeal.

She said that "talking" caller ID, ball mice on laptops, and
vibrating pages were originally developed as "disability solutions"
but now have much broader popularity.

(Bill Pietrucha/19960625/Press Contact: Kara Palamaras, Federal
Communications Commission, 202-418-0654)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00025)

 ****Apple Visionary Steven Capps Moves To Microsoft 06/25/96
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- Apple Computer Inc.
(NASDAQ:AAPL) veterans Steven Capps and Walter Smith, visionaries and
team leaders for Apple's Newton platform, have arrived at Microsoft's
Redmond headquarters just weeks after resigning from the trouble
Cupertino, California computer company.

Was part of Apple's braintrust raided? Microsoft says no.

Officially, Capps and Smith are now part of Microsoft's Internet
platform and tools division. But as Microsoft's senior vice president
of the Internet platform and tools division, Brad Silverberg, told
Newsbytes, "We will give them a lot of freedom to create user
interfaces for the next generation of Microsoft products. Not for
just our browser, Internet Explorer, but a whole range of our software
products."

Often seen as Apple's arch enemy, Microsoft's has often been criticized
for not having an operating system (OS) and interface as intuitive and
easy to use as various versions of the Macintosh OS. Windows 95,
Microsoft's latest OS is considered by many to be the most intuitive
and easy interface to use, but now Microsoft adds some of the best of
Apple's talent for the development of future products.

One media source headlined Capps Microsoft appointment as Microsoft
luring Capps and Smith away from Apple. Questioned about the possibility,
Silverberg said, "We did not lure Capps away. I have known him for 15
years and worked with him in the early 1980's when I was with Apple.
Over the years, I let him know that if he ever left Apple I would
gladly consider the chance to work with him again."

No-one is saying the specific reasons for Capps departure from Apple,
but several news stories have suggested some of Apple's veteran
employees are not happy with the directions the company as taken under
the direction of Gilbert Amelio.

Speaking of Capps, Silverberg said, "He was unhappy with the way
things were going at Apple. Like a number of employees who have been
with Apple, he felt this was a good time to make a change.

"We have gained a person whom I am very excited to have at Microsoft,"
continued Silverberg. "He is able to combine his visionary talents with
very practical skills and still remain fun and enjoyable. We are very
pleased to have him and Walter on the our team."

Capps was named a software architect at Microsoft and Smith was named a
senior software design engineer. The former holds a bachelor of science
degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology and Smith holds a
bachelor of science degree in applied mathematics from Carnegie Mellon
University.

(Patrick McKenna/19960625/Press Contact Shelly Julien, Waggener Edstrom,
206-637-9097; shellyj@wagged.com/)


(NEWS)(BROADCAST)(WAS)(00026)

FCC Approves Digital Data Transmission By Broadcasters 06/25/96
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A, 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- Television broadcasters
can not transmit digital data along with the video portion of their
transmissions, according to a Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
ruling amendment.

The FCC yesterday amended its rules to allow broadcast television
licensees to transmit ancillary digital data within the video portion
of the standard NTSC (North American Television Standards Committee)
television signal, FCC spokesperson Paul Gordon told Newsbytes.

Through the transmission of digital data, broadcasters may provide a
wide variety of services, including digital newspapers and magazines,
low-speed computer data functions, the signaling of interactive toys
that are responsive to the television signal, and the capability to
download computer software and financial data, Gordon said.

The Commission approved four transmission methods, stating that they
can be used by all broadcast licensees, including low power television
licensees, without prior Commission authorization, and without
compromising the essential integrity of the delivered NTSC television
picture or causing any other harmful effects on the television viewing
public.

Licensees, however, will remain responsible for the proper technical
operation of their facilities and for curing problems that might arise
in using these systems.

The amended rules "will allow licensees to provide a wide variety of
ancillary communications services useful and valuable to the public
and to industry, while helping licensees to raise revenue," Gordon
told Newsbytes.

The Commission approved use of the "overscan" methods of ancillary
data transmission proposed by Yes! Entertainment Corp. and A.C.
Nielsen Co. and the "sub-video" methods proposed by Digideck Inc.
and WavePhore Inc.

Systems using the overscan method replace the transmitted video signal
with digitally encoded information in the margins of the picture not
normally seen by viewers; sub-video systems distribute the ancillary
signals throughout the visible picture in a way that is imperceptible
to the viewer, Godron noted.

The Commission declined to approve a third, "signal substitution"
method proposed in comments by En Technology Corp.

In making its decision against En, the Commission said En would need
to provide more information or request an experimental authorization
in order for the FCC to consider its system.

"The Commission said the authorization of these systems is not
inconsistent with others' ongoing efforts to develop a national standard
recommendation for certain data services, nor may it negatively impact
the introduction of digital TV technology," Gordon told Newsbytes,
and that the use of these systems will help broadcasters' transition
to digital TV by providing them with experience in digital data
transmission and a means of earning station revenue that could be
used to develop and implement digital TV facilities.

The Commission noted that the use of these ancillary signals will be
considered an elective service and will not be considered broadcasting
for the purposes of FCC rules.

However, "ancillary services that are common carrier in nature will be
subject to common carrier regulation," Gordon said.

(Bill Pietrucha/19960624/Press Contact: Paul Gordon, Federal
Communications Commission, 202-418-2120)


(NEWS)(BROADCAST)(LON)(00027)

PictureTel's Software-Only Videoconferencing 06/25/96
SLOUGH, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- PictureTel has taken
an equity stake in Vivo Software, a US videoconferencing company. The
deal, terms of which have not been announced, will give PictureTel a
seat on Vivo's board, but perhaps more importantly, will allow
PictureTel to resell Vivo's software videoconferencing technology
on a worldwide basis.

Videoconferencing used to be an expensive proposition, requiring the
use of dedicated hardware and transmissions over ISDN (integrated
services digital network) links. The last year, however, has seen the
International Telecoms Union (ITU) ratify the H.324 videoconferencing
standard, upon which PictureTel's hardware-based videocon systems are
compatible with.

H.324 allows videoconferencing to take place over ordinary (POTS --
plain old telecoms service) phone lines. It also allows H.324-
compliant systems to communicate across such lines. Depending on the
sophistication of a videoconferencing system, full-screen images can
be displayed with good resolution and excellent frame refresh rates.

Plans call for PictureTel to offer the industry Vivo's H.324 software
which, when used with a video source, a PC and a standard data modem,
allows for point to point videoconferencing to take place.

The deal is more ambitious than that, however. PictureTel plans to
offer modem vendors the chance to bundle H.324 videocon-compliant
software for end users. Thus, if a modem user straps on a simple
camera to their PC, then they will be able to hold videocon calls
across their existing PC/modem set-up.

According to Carla Raffo, PictureTel's European marketing director,
the H.324 software is available immediately for bundling deals,
making Vivo and PictureTel first to market with the new technology.
"PictureTel has developed a full range of enterprise-wide, standards-
based products that enable businesses to videoconference on almost
any network, from anywhere in the world," she said.

"Adding this software-based videoconferencing technology from Vivo
allows PictureTel for the first time to offer a (videoconferencing)
solution to small businesses, home users, and consumers," she said.

According to Raffo, PictureTel is in the process of forging alliances
with several leading PC and modem manufacturers who will sell it
under the PictureTel brand name as part of their product offerings.

It's still very early days on software-only videocon technology,
Newsbytes notes, but having videoconferencing software bundled with
analog modems will no doubt encourage modem users to buy a cheap video
camera and "play" with the technology. According to PictureTel, this
will raise the public's awareness of videoconferencing and encourage
more and more people to use the technology in real-life situations.

(Steve Gold/19960624/Press Contact: Roger Staton Associates,
tel +44-1628-487222, fax +44-1628-487223, Internet e-mail
rstaton@cix.compulink.co.uk; Video, +44-1628-838133; Reader Contact:
Carla Raffo, PictureTel International, tel +44-1753-673000,
fax +44-1753-733014, Internet e-mail raffoc@pictel.com, Video
+44-1753-798056)


(NEWS)(LEGAL)(LON)(00028)

German Cyberspace Legislation Due This Year 06/25/96
BONN, GERMANY, 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- Edzard Schmidt-Jotzig, the German
Justizminister, has revealed that a new set of Cyberspace regulations
will be introduced later this year.

According to officials with the Justizministerium, the legislation
will free Internet service providers (ISPs) in Germany from having to
be responsible for policing their services for pornography and/or
neo-nazi information.

The legislation is similar to that currently being proposed by the
European Commission (EC), and will only allow prosecution where it can
be demonstrated that the ISP was aware of such transgressions, yet did
nothing about it.

Sources suggest that the legislation could take some time to be
debated by the Bundesrat, as several states in Germany are known
to favor the introduction of their own more rigorous rules.

Such legislation may not have come in time for German Internet users,
Newsbytes notes. Several ISPs in Germany are now spooling a mirror of
their outbound Usenet feed to the de-cix site. According to reports
from Germany, all postings to newsgroups will "occasionally" be
checked for compliance with German laws.

Plans call for a so-called Internet Content Task Force (ICTF) will be
able to either cancel unwanted postings or even bar whole newsgroups
from access in Germany. Plans also call for the ICTF to support any
investigations carried out by the legal German authorities with their
log files.

Further details (in German) can be found on the World Wide Web at
http://www.eco.de/ .

The announcement of plans to introduce Internet legislation confirms
plans announced last month that no draconian Internet-specific
legislation would be introduced. As reported last month by Newsbytes,
Juergen Ruettgers, the popular German research and technology
minister, said that the Internet service provider (ISP) industry in
Germany should be able to regulate its own affairs, rather than rely
on the government for stringent controls.

Ruettgers said at the time that the German government would not
tolerate the distribution of neo-Nazi propaganda, child pornography,
or other such information in the Internet. He told journalists that
such information distribution is already outlawed under German law,
so there is no need for Internet-specific legislation.

Ruettgers admitted, however, that the current mood in the US
surrounding the Internet is such that the German government is under
pressure to act on the perceived problem. He also noted that the
various state governments could use the issue to strengthen their own
legislation, and so damage the expansion of the Internet in Germany.

According to Ruettgers, the best way to encourage the creation of new
jobs in the fledgling ISP industry in Germany is to leave it well
alone as regards regulation. Any legislation that is required, he
said, could be integrated fairly easily into the current crop of laws
being introduced this year in preparation for the open competition
rules mandated by the European Commission (EC) for January, 1998,
introduction.

(Sylvia Dennis/19960624)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(HKG)(00029)

Telekom Malaysia Has Rival In Sapura Bid 06/25/96
CENTRAL, HONG KONG, 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- Telekom Malaysia now has a
rival in its bid to acquire Sapura Telecommunications (STB). It
has been revealed that Time Engineering has entered the fray and
approached Sapura Holdings, STB's parent company, about buying it.

Neither company would comment on the speculation.

What is known is that the family company of tycoon Shamsuddin Abdul
Kadir has been negotiating with Telekom about selling its 30% holding
in STB, and also selling Uniphone's 33% stake in it. The family also
controls Uniphone. However, it has emerged that Telekom believes the
asking price is too high and is still smarting from its recent
purchase of MRCB, the cellular phone company, which pushed Telekom's
stock price down as analysts said it had paid too much.

Telekom has been called to task by the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange
over reports that the company was proposing to acquire Sapura
Telecommunications for just over US$1 million. Telekom replied that
it would make a statement at an appropriate time.

STB, which manufactures telecoms equipment and cables, also has a
51% stake in Sapura Digital Sdn. Bhd. which runs the Adam PCN
service. MRCB's main business is a PCN network. Sapura Digital
is 19% owned by STB and 70% owned by Sapura Holdings.

Time is believed to have asked Sapura to give it some time to make
an offer for STB. It would be the company's first move into cellular
telephony. It currently owns a nationwide fiber optic telecoms
network through its wholly owned unit, Time-Telekom.

(Gerry O'Kane/199606025)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(PEK)(00030)

China - Electronics Production Base Planned For Shanghai 06/25/96
BEIJING, CHINA, 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- A large micro-electronics
industrial base will be built near the site of the future Pudong
International Airport, according to officials of Shanghai's Pudong
New Area. The base will accommodate technology-intensive value-added,
small-volume manufacturers.

Pudong is a new, fast-developing area in Shanghai, China's largest
industrial city, and the future Pudong International Airport will
have an annual passenger handling capacity of 20 million upon
completion of its first phase in 1999, and will ultimately handle
80 million passengers and an annual cargo volume of five million tons,
said He Xinggang with the Pudong Comprehensive Planning and Land Use
Administration.

To develop a micro-electronics base around the airport perimeter,
the official said, efforts should be concentrated on importing
advanced foreign technologies and improving the industry's research
and development strength. Environmental protection is also a big
concern. Eventually, the production in the base will become
export-oriented, the official noted.

The micro-electronics industry has started growing in Pudong, with
annual integrated circuit output valued at close to RMB5 billion
(US$602 million). The industry has been listed as one of the key
sectors to receive the government's support. Pudong's annual output
of integrated circuits is expected to reach RMB10 billion (US$1.2
billion) by 2000, according to officials with Pudong New Area.

(Chih-Ho Yu & Ning Huang/19960625)


(NEWS)(ONLINE)(HKG)(00031)

Hong Kong Visitor Info On The Web 06/25/96
CENTRAL, HONG KONG, 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- The Hong Kong Tourist
Association has improved its much-lauded World Wide Web site again,
with new information and services aimed specifically at helping
visitors from the US plan their trip on their home computer.

The WonderNet USA homepage (http://www.hkta.org/usa ) includes
lists of hotels, airlines, cruise lines, and tour operators currently
offering services to Hong Kong from the US, with their US toll-free
numbers. It also offers forms for instant e-mail to these suppliers
where available.

The USA homepage also includes a calendar of programs and events
organized by the Hong Kong Tourist Association for travel agents
and other industry professionals, some of which are open to the public.

This month, the HKTA is organizing major public events in New York
and Los Angeles as part of the "Hong Kong-USA 96" promotion, jointly
sponsored by HKTA, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the
Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office.

The Wonder Net was launched by the HKTA in November, 1995. Since
then, it has been chosen by Point Survey as one of the top five
percent Web sites.

(Gerry O'Kane/19960625)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(HKG)(00032)

Malaysia - National Flat Rate Phone Charges By 2000 06/25/96
CENTRAL, HONG KONG, 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- Telekom Malaysia has
announced plans to have a single flat rate for all national
calls by 2000.

However, the final decision will not be made until after the
company has had a chance to assess how its new charges on timed
local calls affects traffic.

At present, the rates for national calls increase with distance
and are broadly classified under four zones. Telekom is also
planning to reduce rates for the disabled and students.

(Gerry O'Kane/199606025)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00033)

Mitsubishi's Mobile Telecoms Standard Research Plans 06/25/96
RENNES, FRANCE, 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
and Mitsubishi Information Technology Center Europe B.V., the European
research and development arm of the Japanese company, with labs in
Rennes, France, and Guildford, England, has been invited to participate
in the SAMBA (System for Advanced Mobile Broadband Applications)
project, a European Commission research project.

The SAMBA project runs for three years and centers around the
development of a new ASIC (application specific integrated circuit)
for use in a new generation of mobile telecoms equipment.

The aim of the project is to develop a new standard for mobile
broadband telecoms services (MBS) for use in the next century.
The idea is to develop the hardware necessary to support mobile
multimedia applications systems.

Takashi Kitaoka, Mitsubishi's president, describes MBS as a method
of giving people an unprecedented freedom to communicate in many
different ways on the move. "Imagine sitting in a fast moving train
and being able to conduct a videoconference call, swap movies with
someone on a different train, or study using interactive multimedia
whenever you like," he said.

"SAMBA's work will transform this idea into a fully functioning daily
reality and offer radical opportunities for changing our daily lives
for the better, especially in the place or work," he added.

The project, a consortium of 18 organizations, headed by Portugal
Telecom, will take around three years starting from July 1 and involve
the investment of around $14 million, much of which will be subsidized
by the European Commission.

Plans call for the ASIC to form the basis of a new generation of
mobile comms systems that will use a technology known as UMTS
(universal mobile telecoms system) and MBS.

UMTS is the third generation of mobile comms, stepping forward from
the current second-generation digital systems such as Digital AMPS
(American Mobile Phone System) and GSM (global system for mobile
communications).

UMTS, the network infrastructure for which has yet to be developed,
will allow mobile comms at speeds of up to two megabits-per-second
(Mbps) in a highly mobile environment, such as in a car or on a train.

MBS, meanwhile, is an extension of UMTS that pushes the data
transmissions to 34 Mbps and extends the mobile network capability to
a technology known as broadband integrated services digital network
(B-ISDN), based on ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) systems.

Of course, UMTS and MBS are as yet, vaporware technologies, although
experts agree they will be developed, so the question is not if, but
when. And when these technologies arrive, the handsets will need to be
developed as well. It is the handset technology that the SAMBA project
aims to move towards.

(Sylvia Dennis/19960624/Press & Reader Contact: Mitsubishi Electric,
tel +44-171-379-7160, fax +44-171-753-8429)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LON)(00034)

Personal Communications Explosion - Report 06/25/96
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- The Financial Times' telecoms
and media division has published a report on mobile communications.
The report, entitled "Personal Communications Services - Strategies
and Markets," highlights the development of, what author Paul Quigley
calls, "the information skyway."

This information skyway, Quigley notes, is a new market that
represents the convergence of wireless voice with mobile data and is
set to become the basis for the next information revolution, he
claims.

The report cites analyst predictions which suggest that, between 1886
and the year 2005, spending on PCS (personal communications system)
infrastructure will total around the $23 billion mark, and that,
worldwide, a new customer subscribes to a wireless service every
second of every day. The report claims that PCS will be among the
most important worldwide developments in telecoms.

According to the report, wireless comms is the leading catalyst for
change in the telecoms and IT (information technology) revolution.
This, the report notes, has encouraged greater competition,
deregulation, and the liberalization of markets around the world.

The report also examines the international business and residential
markets for PCS, as well as the major players, competition and
regulatory issues, market demands, cost implications, and how the
global success of personal communications will be achieved.

According to the report, "PCS is the most important early 21st century
embodiment of an evolutionary process which began in the 19th century
with telegraphy."

The report notes that PCS will primarily be offered through either
broadband PCS or advanced cordless telephone. A key aspect of future
PCS which cellular does not address on a wholesale front, is the
implementation and market entry of PCS service providers. Projected
demand for PCS among residential/domestic and international/business
markets vary, the report claims, from between 100 million and 500
million subscribers worldwide by the year 2005.

Currently, companies with PCS operations running include the UK,
Germany, Malaysia, Switzerland, Singapore, Thailand, and the US,
although Canada, Denmark, France, Mexico, the Netherlands, Hong Kong,
Japan, and others are expected to establish PCS networks by the end
of next year.

According to Adriene Burridge, a spokesperson for the FT telecoms and
media publishing division, the report will benefit telecoms and IT
companies, as well as investment banks, regulators and consultants,
and all telecoms professionals with an interest in the industry.

"PCS - Strategies and Markets," an FT management report by Paul
Quigley, sells for UKP350 (US$560).

(Sylvia Dennis/19960624/Press Contact: Sheldon Communications,
+44-171-436-1553; Reader Contact: FT Telecoms & Media Publishing,
tel +44-171-896-2234, fax +44-171-896-2256)


(NEWS)(ONLINE)(SFO)(00035)

Quake, Successor To Doom, Hits The Internet 06/25/96
MESQUITE, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- How do you follow
the most successful game in the history of the electronic gaming?
The producers of Doom, Id Software, say they spent two years creating
the "next greatest game ever," Quake, which debuts today on the Internet.

In the world of computers, two very different games have been run
away successes. Both Doom and Myst have that special power to immerse
players so deeply that they create a success which marketing alone
cannot achieve. But their similarities end there.

At Id Software, company officials will tell you in some version, Doom
is installed on more computers than Microsoft's Windows operating system.
And Doom is the archetype for shoot'em-up, hit'em-hard violent action.
The number of Doom "wannabes" number over a hundred.

"We knew Wolfenstein (the precursor to Doom) would be a success and we
knew Doom would be a success before either of them left the shop," said
Jay Wilbur, Id's chief executive officer, speaking to Newsbytes. "However,
if you told me several years ago, I would be reviewing a script and the
details of a feature film based on Doom, I would have thought you crazy."

For almost two years, millions of devoted Doom fans have questioned Id
about its next-generation game. "Yes, there has been non-stop pressure
from the media and our loyal gamers," added Wilbur. "The real pressure,
though, comes from inside our company. To follow Doom, we set out to
produce the greatest game ever. Our programmers have worked 12 hours a
day, seven days a week. There have been at least four different Quake
engines (the heart and soul for powering a game). John Carmack, one the
great minds behind our technology, would come up with some new idea
which would speed the game by 75% and we would have to start all over
with the engine. But that is our path to building the greatest game
ever. You have to have speed and power."

What else does Quake have? "First. it has immersion," continued Wilbur.
If you have ever played Doom, you know that is has the ability to
suspend disbelief, claims the company. Quake has been built the same
way. Quake is also designed to take advantage of the Internet. "You
have to include multi-player technology in a game today," said Wilbur.
"With Quake, the limiting factor of how many players can participate
in a game is not in the game, it is in the speed and backbone of the
Internet. The question is bandwidth. Quake can be played by an almost
unlimited number of people."

Like its versions of Doom, Id's Quake is available in a shareware
version on the Internet. The shareware version, one-quarter of the
full game, can be downloaded from the Id Software World Wide Web site
at http://www.idsoftware.com . In August, the shareware version of Quake
on CD-ROM, with an encrypted full version, will sell retail for under
$10 (an additional charge is required to open the full version) and a
full version can be ordered for $45.

Quake requires a Pentium-based personal computer with a minimum of eight
megabytes (MB) of RAM and 40MB of hard disk storage. Microsoft DOS
5.0, a CD-ROM, and Sound Blaster compatible card, are also required.

In closing, Wilbur claimed, "The wait was well worth it. Quake will
change the face of gaming forever."

(Patrick McKenna/19960625/Press Contact: Audrey Mann, Technology
Solutions, 212-696-2000/QUAKE960625/PHOTO)


(NEWS)(ONLINE)(SFO)(00036)

General Magic Shifts Focus To Mobile Internet 06/25/96
SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- General
Magic (NASDAQ: GMGC) today announced a major shift of its
corporate and technological services to the Internet. With an
impressive list of third party agreements, a new software modem and
new operating and applications software products, General Magic
said it intends to play a major role in the next generation of mobile
computing based on "Internet anywhere and whenever you want it."

"Today's announcement is a significant change from the directions this
company has held," said General Magic President and Chief Operating
Officer Bob Kelsch. "Why? We believe we have the technology and the
experience to bring the Internet to users from large and small corporations
as well as individual users whenever and wherever they want it or need it.
Right now there is a lot of information on the Internet, but it is difficult
to get. For mobile users who are usually looking for specific information
quickly, we have the technology and the products to change that
experience."

General Magic will begin to supplement its traditional markets of supplying
large corporations, such as Sony, with connectivity and portability
technology and products to a line of packaged products for World Wide
Web site owners and developers.

Alliances with Netcom, the largest national Internet service provider,
Microsoft, Farcast and America Online, are part of a new strategy.

New software announcements include a new software modem based on v.34
standards, Magic Cap for Windows, an updated Tabriz AgentWare and
Agent Tools for developing on the Unix platform, and a beta Windows NT
version of the Tabriz products this fall.

Magic Cap for Windows is an integrated email, fax and personal organizer
that is designed for communications for small office/home office
users. The product includes functionality found in the Magic Cap platform
for personal communicators, with added features that make it an integrated
"communication center" for Windows users.

(Patrick McKenna/1996/Press Contact: Susan Nicolls, General Magic, tel
408-774-6901)


(SUMMARY)(GENERAL)(MSP)(00037)

Newsbytes Daily Summary 06/25/96 
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1996 JUN 25 (NB) -- These are 
capsules of all today's news stories:

========================================================================

------------| N E W S B Y T E S    D A I L Y   S U M M A R Y |----------

------------|             Tuesday, June 25, 1996             |----------

========================================================================

(c) Newsbytes News Network (Tm)             Editor in Chief: Wendy Woods

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The news doesn't end here. Access even *later* breaking news by surfing
to Newsbytes News Network's Website located at http://www.newsbytes.com
for the late afternoon update. For a limited time, complete late edition
news stories are FREE. Now, more than ever, Newsbytes has it FIRST!

------------------------------------------------------------------------

CATEGORY  HEADLINES (*** indicates today's top stories)          STORY #

========================================================================

APPLE      ****Apple To Distribute Windows NT Servers In Australia... 11

BROADCAST Digital Video Delivery For TV Stations..................... 15

BROADCAST Congress - Give Broadcasters 2nd Digital TV Channel........ 16

BROADCAST FCC Approves Digital Data Transmission By Broadcasters..... 26

BROADCAST PictureTel's Software-Only Videoconferencing............... 27

BUSINESS  Compaq Opens For Business In Greece........................ 19

BUSINESS  China - Electronics Production Base Planned For Shanghai... 30

EDUCATION Microsoft Office Certification............................. 12

GENERAL   Japan Technology Newsbriefs................................ 09

GENERAL    ****Apple Visionary Steven Capps Moves To Microsoft....... 25

GOVT      Semiconductors On G7 Lyon Summit Schedule.................. 08

GOVT      Mass. Tax Imaging System Lowers Costs, Speeds Processing... 22

LEGAL     Deal Reached On Digital Video Disk Copy Protection......... 10

LEGAL     Former Kurzweil Treasurer Sentenced For Fraud.............. 13

LEGAL     German Cyberspace Legislation Due This Year................ 28

ONLINE    America Online 3.0 For Windows Out Of Beta................. 01

ONLINE    MCI Sinks $60Mil Into Internet Network..................... 02

ONLINE     ****Internet Update....................................... 06

ONLINE    Online Service Aids Job Seekers, Recruiters................ 14

ONLINE    America Online's Case Takes Over President's Post Again.... 17

ONLINE     ****Softbank Continues Buying Spree, Invests In OnLive.... 21

ONLINE    Hong Kong Visitor Info On The Web.......................... 31

ONLINE    Quake, Successor To Doom, Hits The Internet................ 35

ONLINE    General Magic Shifts Focus To Mobile Internet.............. 36

PC        Gateway 2000 Rounds Out Solo Notebook Line................. 18

TELECOM   Indonesia - Lucent Wins $90Mil Telecom Contract............ 04

TELECOM   Motorola Cuts 28.8 PC Card/Modem Prices.................... 05

TELECOM   Increased Bandwidth Technology From Alcatel................ 23

TELECOM   FCC's Farquhar - Telecom Act Is Opportunity For All........ 24

TELECOM   Telekom Malaysia Has Rival In Sapura Bid................... 29

TELECOM   Malaysia - National Flat Rate Phone Charges By 2000........ 32

TELECOM   Mitsubishi's Mobile Telecoms Standard Research Plans....... 33

TRENDS    PageNet Tests Pocket Answering Machine..................... 03

TRENDS     ****Sony Develops Ultra Small Camera On A Chip............ 07

TRENDS    Israeli PC Survey Turns Up Massive Interest In Internet.... 20

TRENDS    Personal Communications Explosion - Report................. 34

========================================================================

These are the headlines and first paragraphs of each story, in order:

1 -> America Online 3.0 For Windows Out Of Beta -- REPEAT/The Newsbytes
News Network has learned that America Online's (NASDAQ:AMER) (AOL) new
3.0 client for the Windows operating system (OS) is out of beta testing
and available to AOL users for immediate download from the online
service.

2 -> MCI Sinks $60Mil Into Internet Network -- REPEAT/MCI Corp.
(NASDAQ:MCIC) said it will quadruple its Internet backbone speed, and
spend US$60 million to do so, by the end of this year. The company is
increasing the speed from 155 megabits-per-second (Mbps) to 622 Mbps to
accommodate the demand for Internet services from consumers and
businesses, officials said.

3 -> PageNet Tests Pocket Answering Machine -- REPEAT/A wireless,
pocket-sized answering machine is what PageNet (NASDAQ:PAGE) is promising
customers in the near future, as it begins field testing of its VoiceNow
service. Using a pager-sized device from Motorola (NYSE:MOT) and
Motorola's InFLEXion system, VoiceNow will deliver voice messages over
the air to its customers for about $9.95 for local service, officials
said.

4 -> Indonesia - Lucent Wins $90Mil Telecom Contract -- REPEAT/Just a day
after making news with an agreement with Camelot Corp. that calls for the
incorporation of packet voice technology from Lucent Technologies'
(NYSE:LU) Bell Labs into the next version of DigiPhone Internet telephony
software, Lucent has again gone high-profile with a US$90 million
contract from Indonesia's national domestic telecommunications company,
PT Telkom, to help upgrade the telecommunications network in that
country.

5 -> Motorola Cuts 28.8 PC Card/Modem Prices -- REPEAT/Modem and telecom
prices, for a long time a major hurdle in getting online, continue to
fall to increasingly acceptable levels for consumers. Along those lines,
Motorola's Information Systems Group (ISG), Mobile Computing Products
Division and Transmission Products Division, have announced price cuts on
a number of modems.

6 ->  ****Internet Update -- This is today's roundup of new and updated
services and resources on the global Internet, including: UNICEF Progress
Of Nations report; funny, but don't quit your day job; more help finding
a job; this just in - popsicle factory raided; Sony Semiconductors;
Internet advertising, weekly; Internet stock news; Kinsley's Slate
launches; across America - New Jersey, Louisiana, Kansas; around the
world - Hong Kong, UK, Canada; new on Usenet; Internet today - Bay City
Rollers live; Internet today - NBA draft, Major League Baseball live;
Internet today - IETF meeting coverage; online today.

7 ->  ****Sony Develops Ultra Small Camera On A Chip -- The days of a
video camera perched on top of a multimedia personal computer for
videoconferencing are numbered, claims Sony Corp. The company said it has
developed an ultra small video camera on a chip that can be directly
installed into computer monitors for videoconferencing.

8 -> Semiconductors On G7 Lyon Summit Schedule -- With the repeated
failure, most recently yesterday, of Japan/US semiconductor talks, trade
negotiators are set to discuss once again the hot topic at this week's
group of seven (G7) economic summit in Lyon, France.

9 -> Japan Technology Newsbriefs -- This is a roundup of recent news from
Japan, including: high-speed chip consortium to form; TV Asahi share
purchase a surprise; Fujitsu launches SoftPEG-based PC line; next round
of mobile telephone price war signaled; next-generation pagers planned;
ex NHK president Keiji Shima dies; software and soap powder.

10 -> Deal Reached On Digital Video Disk Copy Protection -- When the
digital video disk system launches later this year, it will include
systems to ensure protection against duplication of movies and for
exportation of movies to regions before local release, a spokesman for
Toshiba told Newsbytes today.

11 ->  ****Apple To Distribute Windows NT Servers In Australia -- A new
range of network servers running under Microsoft's Window NT went on sale
in Australia Monday from an unlikely source

12 -> Microsoft Office Certification -- Through an arrangement with The
Chauncey Group, Microsoft plans to establish a certification program for
Microsoft Office 95 users. Saying the program benefits both users and
businesses, Microsoft says acceptance of Office has become so strong that
companies are developing their own Office-related applications.

13 -> Former Kurzweil Treasurer Sentenced For Fraud -- Debra Murray,
former vice-president of finance and treasurer at Kurzweil Applied
Intelligence Inc., (NASDAQ:KURZ) has been sentenced to three years'
probation and 200 hours of community service for her role in a scheme to
falsely inflate the speech-recognition company's revenues.

14 -> Online Service Aids Job Seekers, Recruiters -- Looking for a job or
trying to find a worker? Try the Internet.

15 -> Digital Video Delivery For TV Stations -- DG Systems (NASDAQ:DGIT)
has announced that more than 250 television stations will join DG's
network for the digital delivery of commercials from advertisers and ad
agencies. Using the Hughes satellite network, DG Systems can transmit
digital video directly from the production facility to the television
station, where up to 250 30-second commercials can be stored on a PC
server.

16 -> Congress - Give Broadcasters 2nd Digital TV Channel -- Broadcasters
picked up some strong allies yesterday when Congressional leaders sent a
letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urging the
Commission to give television companies a second channel for digital TV.

17 -> America Online's Case Takes Over President's Post Again -- America
Online Inc. (NASDAQ:AMER) said President and Chief Operating Officer
William Razzouk has resigned his posts with the online company. Steve
Case, AOL chairman and chief executive officer, will assume Razzouk's
responsibilities and again take over day-to-day operations of the
company.

18 -> Gateway 2000 Rounds Out Solo Notebook Line -- Gateway 2000
(NASDAQ:GATE) said it has added to its Solo portable PC line, with the
addition of its "Solo 2100" family of notebooks. The new line comes
priced as low as $2,700 and as high as $6,000, depending on the options
ordered, Gateway 2000 officials told Newsbytes.

19 -> Compaq Opens For Business In Greece -- Compaq's EMEA (Europe,
Middle East, and Africa) regional headquarters in Germany has announced
the opening of the company's 39th country operation in Greece. Plans call
for the company's Greek operation to take over sales, marketing, and
technical support from the existing distributors and partners in that
country over the next few months.

20 -> Israeli PC Survey Turns Up Massive Interest In Internet --
According to a survey conducted by Bezeq, the Israeli telecoms company,
more than a third of homes in Israel have a PC with a minimum processor
rating of 80386 or better.

21 ->  ****Softbank Continues Buying Spree, Invests In OnLive -- Softbank
Holdings, the venture capital arm of Japanese publishing giant Softbank
Corp., said it will make an equity investment of $23 million in OnLive!
Technologies, in an effort to grow Softbank's portfolio of Internet
companies.

22 -> Mass. Tax Imaging System Lowers Costs, Speeds Processing -- The
Commonwealth of Massachusetts' new Integrated Image Tax Systems is
lowering the cost of tax return processing, while easing document storage
and retrieval, maintained officials of the Mass. Dept. of Revenue (MDOR),
Unisys, and Datacap, at a press conference in Chelsea, Massachusetts. The
system combines the department's traditional VAX midrange system with new
PC workstations, scanners, and optical jukeboxes, and a 100
megabits-per-second (Mbps) Fast Ethernet network.

23 -> Increased Bandwidth Technology From Alcatel -- Lack of bandwidth is
considered by many to be the most important issue for the growing
"information superhighway." Many analysts think that, without significant
increase in the ability to transfer data, bandwidth road blocks will
continue to create limitations on any new technology, whether in the
Internet backbone itself, or in the ultimate delivery to the home or
office.

24 -> FCC's Farquhar - Telecom Act Is Opportunity For All -- Ensuring
that all Americans have the choice to be consumers will increase the
consumer choices of all Americans, claimed the Federal Communications
Commission's Michele C. Farquhar, "but we can only continue to discover
these mutually beneficial `win-win' solutions if everyone is at the table
and we all work together."

25 ->  ****Apple Visionary Steven Capps Moves To Microsoft -- Apple
Computer Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) veterans Steven Capps and Walter Smith,
visionaries and team leaders for Apple's Newton platform, have arrived at
Microsoft's Redmond headquarters just weeks after resigning from the
trouble Cupertino, California computer company.

26 -> FCC Approves Digital Data Transmission By Broadcasters --
Television broadcasters can not transmit digital data along with the
video portion of their transmissions, according to a Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) ruling amendment.

27 -> PictureTel's Software-Only Videoconferencing -- PictureTel has
taken an equity stake in Vivo Software, a US videoconferencing company.
The deal, terms of which have not been announced, will give PictureTel a
seat on Vivo's board, but perhaps more importantly, will allow PictureTel
to resell Vivo's software videoconferencing technology on a worldwide
basis.

28 -> German Cyberspace Legislation Due This Year -- Edzard
Schmidt-Jotzig, the German Justizminister, has revealed that a new set of
Cyberspace regulations will be introduced later this year.

29 -> Telekom Malaysia Has Rival In Sapura Bid -- Telekom Malaysia now
has a rival in its bid to acquire Sapura Telecommunications (STB). It has
been revealed that Time Engineering has entered the fray and approached
Sapura Holdings, STB's parent company, about buying it.

30 -> China - Electronics Production Base Planned For Shanghai -- A large
micro-electronics industrial base will be built near the site of the
future Pudong International Airport, according to officials of Shanghai's
Pudong New Area. The base will accommodate technology-intensive
value-added, small-volume manufacturers.

31 -> Hong Kong Visitor Info On The Web -- The Hong Kong Tourist
Association has improved its much-lauded World Wide Web site again, with
new information and services aimed specifically at helping visitors from
the US plan their trip on their home computer.

32 -> Malaysia - National Flat Rate Phone Charges By 2000 -- Telekom
Malaysia has announced plans to have a single flat rate for all national
calls by 2000.

33 -> Mitsubishi's Mobile Telecoms Standard Research Plans -- Mitsubishi
Electric Corporation and Mitsubishi Information Technology Center Europe
B.V., the European research and development arm of the Japanese company,
with labs in Rennes, France, and Guildford, England, has been invited to
participate in the SAMBA (System for Advanced Mobile Broadband
Applications) project, a European Commission research project.

34 -> Personal Communications Explosion - Report -- The Financial Times'
telecoms and media division has published a report on mobile
communications. The report, entitled "Personal Communications Services -
Strategies and Markets," highlights the development of, what author Paul
Quigley calls, "the information skyway."

35 -> Quake, Successor To Doom, Hits The Internet -- How do you follow
the most successful game in the history of the electronic gaming? The
producers of Doom, Id Software, say they spent two years creating the
"next greatest game ever," Quake, which debuts today on the Internet.

36 -> General Magic Shifts Focus To Mobile Internet -- General Magic
(NASDAQ: GMGC) today announced a major shift of its corporate and
technological services to the Internet. With an impressive list of third
party agreements, a new software modem and new operating and applications
software products, General Magic said it intends to play a major role in
the next generation of mobile computing based on "Internet anywhere and
whenever you want it."

(Ian Stokell/19960625)