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Newsbytes - Internationa…ews 1983 May to 1994 June
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Newsbytes - International Computing Industry News 1994 Edition - May 1983 - June 1994 - Wayzata Technologies (5045) (1994).iso
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1984
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1991-10-04
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[***][3/13/84][***]
OSBORNE'S NEW VENTURE:
By the end of this month, Adam Osborne's new company, "Paperback Software"
will be rolling. Osborne, who's switched from hardware to software, predicts
his new firm will revolutionize the software industry because his prices
and distribution will leave everyone else in the dust. Osborne claims
to have lined up a stable of highly-talented software designers with whom
he'll share the profits if his venture is successful. The plan is to
have book stores sell Osborne's software and the entrepreneur already claims
to have several bookstores lined up and waiting in the wings to sell his
products. As outspoken as ever, Osborne says his new company could
easily make up to half a billion dollars within five years.
----
CONTACT: ADAM OSBORNE
SOFTWARE SEED CAPITAL CORP.
BERKELEY, CA.
415-644-2116
----
[***][3/13/84][***]
ADAM'S 'EX' ON HER OWN:
A federal bankruptcy judge in Oakland has approved a reorganization plan
for Osborne Computer, a move which essentially puts current Osborne
executives well on their way toward raising $3.3 million in venture capital.
The company must get final approval from some 3,000 creditors to whom
it owes some $40 million. If Osborne gets that okay, the reorganized
company hopes to become a distributor for Osborne products overseas,
including distribution of the IBM-compatible computer that was put
on hold when the company went bankrupt September 13, 1983. Osborne
President Ronald Brown was quoted as saying, "It's a good day, a very
good day." Brown previously told NEWSBYTES he's certain the new plan
will work and Osborne will again become a respected name.
----
CONTACT: RONALD BROWN
OSBORNE COMPUTER
HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA
415-887-8080
----
[***][3/13/84][***]
COMPUTER CRIME BILL:
The House Judiciary Committee has given the stamp of approval on a new
computer crime bill, which now goes to Congress for a full vote. The
bill requires fines of up to $1,000 and up to a year in jail for people
caught in the act of breaking into a computer illegally. Also, if
someone's personal data is obtained without permission, and then
disclosed, that person can seek damages against the perpetrator in
court. Passage of this bill isn't going to be a cut-and-dried affair.
Already, "sysops" of bulletin boards and others who use them are
complaining the provisions of the bill are too broad--that simply
accessing a bulletin board database could be seen as a crime. The bill
is expected to undergo some changes during debate in the House.
----
CONTACT: CONGRESSMAN RICHARD TULISANO, CO-CHAIR JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
WASHINGTON, D.C.
202-224-3121
----
[***][3/13/84][***]
CRIME COMPUTING:
It's the nation's first fingerprint-matching computer in a city police
department, and the NEC computer in San Francisco is quickly earning
its keep. The system has identified more than 60 suspects from
previously unsolved crimes and has brought about the arrests of 2 murder
suspects in the last two weeks. By the end of February, police
personnel had loaded 3-million fingerprints into the database and
continues to file away the prints of everyone arrested on felony
charges. Capable of searching 650 prints per second, the $2.6-million
computer has become an indispensible crime-fighting tool.
----
CONTACT: SAN FRANCISCO POLICE DEPARTMENT, RECORDS DIV.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA.
415-553-1415
----
[***][3/13/84][***]
FBI TALKS TOUGH:
The Development of Counter-intelligence Awareness program, run by the
FBI, is increasing its effort to warn some 11,000 hi tech workers to
be on the lookout for high tech agents from China and the Soviet Union.
Citing evidence espionage is on the increase, the FBI warns the Soviets,
in particular, are trying to steal our secrets and that to date, two-
thirds of the Soviets' technology is based on American designs.
So far there have been no indictments in the program's 5-year history,
but department spokesmen say it's at least keeping tabs on foreign
operatives in the U.S.
----
CONTACT: JOSEPH TIERNEY, INTELLIGENCE DIV.
FBI
WASHINGTON, D.C.
202-324-3000
----
[***][3/13/84][***]
PROBING THE CHIPS:
The Defense Department is also stepping up its investigations into
American semiconductor firms which may have falsified data on federal
contracts. At least 14 firms are being watched closely since federal
operatives initiated a suit against National Semiconductor for alledgedly
telling lies about the microchips it sold to the government. National
is paying over $1.7-million in damages as a result of its guilty plea.
The Defense Department won't say who's being investigated, but says
the companies involved spread across six states.
----
CONTACT: BRIAN BRUH, INVESTIGATIONS DEPT
DEFENSE DEPT.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
202-545-6700
----
[***][3/13/84][***]
COMPUTER FAIRE PREVIEW:
The 9th annual West Coast Computer Faire opens in San Francisco on
March 22 and is guaranteed to keep your feet aching and your wallet
empty. 300 exhibitors plan to be there, including the 'biggies' such
as Apple, IBM and DEC. The cost will be $20 for four days or $12 for
one. Frequent Faire-goers say the parties at days-end are the best
part of the show. There is where the inner sanctum of the computer
world gather to exchange inside information and gossip. Among the
'stars' of the show will be Steve Wozniak, who'll show off the MacIntosh,
and Microsoft's Bill Gates, who plans to embrace the subject of the
future of personal computers. Attendance is projected to be 50,000.
----
CONTACT: WEST COAST COMPUTER FAIRE (W.Coast Office)
REDWOOD CITY, CA.
415-364-4294
----
[***][3/13/84][***]
'HOT' COMMODORE:
On Wall Street these days, Commodore has been touted as the 'stock to
watch'. The company has received permission to make Intel's 8088 chip,
the 'brains' of the IBM PC. Everyone is pretty sure that it means
Commodore is going to come out with an IBM-like sophisticated machine
that could pose a threat to IBM itself. Meanwhile, IBM has also won
rights to make the Intel 8088 and the mysterious "other components"
which it won't name. Word is there just aren't enough chips being
made at Intel and contracting out was one way to increase supply.
Some analysts are saying the "other components" include an "80186"
microprocessor, which is smaller, more efficient, and eliminates
the need for peripheral chips.
----
CONTACT: LEONARD SHREIBER, SPOKESMAN
COMMODORE INTERNATIONAL
WEST CHESTER, PA.
215-431-9100
----
[***][3/13/84][***]
'THINKJET' PRINTER FROM H.P.:
A genuine breakthrough came from Hewlett Packard this week: the first
ink-jet printer selling for less than $500. At the heart of the machine
is a print head that costs the less than $8. The print head
is disposable and is easily ejected from the unit. The ink-jet
technology makes the printer quiet--less than 50 decibles of noise--
and each cartridge has a 500-page lifetime. In addition, it's fast,
printing out 125-characters per second, and is versatile, able to
print out 11 different languages. Hewlett-Packard expects to
have the "Think-jet" printers at 750 personal computer dealers
by April 1. The only other company working with this new technology
is Canon Ltd. of Japan, with whom Hewlett-Packard is cooperating.
----
CONTACT: WILLIAM MURPHY, MARKETING MGR. PERSONAL COMPUTING GROUP
HEWLETT PACKARD
PALO ALTO, CA.
415-857-1501
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[***][3/13/84][***]
IN BRIEF--
MITSUBISHI begins production of its personal computers in the U.S.
soon, claiming it will be easier to get supplies of semiconductors here
where manufacturers often given priority to domestic clients.--VAISALA,
INC. of Woburn, MA., is offering up a home weather station package for
Commodore, Apple IIe or IBM PCs. The $200-$240 software and equipment
package forecasts and gives you current conditions.--MORE GIVE-AWAYS
this week. STORAGE TECHNOLOGY of Louisville, Colo., donates $663-
thousand worth of equipment to U. of South Carolina. DATA GENERAL of
Westboro, MA., gives away $300-thousand in equipment to Harvard's
Robotics Laboratory in Cambridge, MA. IBM donates $9.2-million worth
of hardware and cash to seven New York community colleges. All the
colleges are near IBM facilities.--KAYPRO is still in Japan, negotiating
with Mitsui to market Mitsui computers in the U.S. A Kaypro spokeswoman
tells me, "Yes the deal is still on."
----
[***][3/13/84][***]
WATCHING YOUR WATCH:
Seiko, the people who brought you the world's first television watch,
are offering up a wrist-watch databank. Data20000 will be available
in the next few weeks and can be programmed to display phone numbers,
appointments, etc. The watch will cost $195 and will feature a tiny
little keyboard and a tiny little LCD. It'll scroll up to 2000
characters. Oh yes, it will also tell you the time of day.
----