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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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V43
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1991-07-11
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[***][3/20/84][***]
ATARI'S FUTURE:
This week some 300 employees were laid-off, 100 hired at Atari, where
James Morgan's dramatic staff-slashing and resurrection effort is in
full swing. Atari says the jobs of those laid-off were "redundant" and
those hired will be marketing and engineering personell. But insiders
say some of the engineering personnel who worked in long-range planning
and production were included in the head-chopping activity. Meanwhile,
Atari spokesman Bruce Entin says several new products will be introduced
this year, possibly before the Consumer Electronics Show in Chicago this
June. They'll include new telecommunications equipment and "products
that are so new and exciting, we can't even whisper about them."
Meanwhile, a California judge has refused to dismiss a lawsuit
against Atari in which some 600 laid-off workers want $13.4 million.
The employees say they were terminated without proper notice.
----
CONTACT: BRUCE ENTIN
ATARI
SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA
408-745-4142
----
[***][3/20/84][***]
COMPUTER FAIRE UPDATE:
Attendance figures aren't out yet, but those of us trying to estimate
crowd size at the 9th West Coast Computer Faire have been overwhelmed.
Particularly popular is Apple's MacIntosh exhibit which features a huge
model Mac with projection screen. Across the isle, is IBM's display
which includes a PCjr or two. As for Apple and IBM people bumping
elbows constantly at the Faire, one IBM person told me, "No, it wasn't
planned that way." Long-time fair-goers say this year's emphasis
is more on business computerdom than consumer interests. Significantly
absent are the flashy and conspicuously expensive exhibits of last
year such as Perfect Software's laser light show, smoke bombs and
blinking runways. Perfect doesn't even have a booth this year.
----
CONTACT: WEST COAST COMPUTER FAIRE
REDWOOD CITY, CALIFORNIA
415-364-4294
----
[***][3/20/84][***]
MAC IN THE BLACK:
David Bunnell of "Subroutines" reports "Macworld", the new magazine devoted
to the MacIntosh computer, broke a world's record--selling 200,000
copies within the first two weeks of publication. Does that spell black
ink to you? As for the 20-page "Mac" ad appearing in major news
magazines last week, it's part of a $15 million Apple advertising campaign.
Word is Apple will hold a "secret unveiling" of its new products to
dealers during a Moscone Center event in San Francisco April 24.
One of those new products could be a new portable computer. But back to
Mac: 20 new programs are scheduled for release in the next two months
and as we speak, no fewer than 500 companies are working on MacIntosh
software.
----
CONTACT: APPLE COMPUTER
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA
408-973-2042
----
[***][3/20/84][***]
BATTLE FOR COMPUTER JOURNALISTS:
If you're a writer and you use a personal computer or write about them,
there are now two professional organizations vying for your membership.
The best organized is Computer Press Association, which claims 100
members and has just signed an agreement with The Source to provide a
Private Sector network for members. "We will become the first
professional organization to link up online," says officer Steve
Ditlea. CPA is offering discount Source memberships to new members.
The CPA Private Sector should be operational on The Source next month.
The other organization is one I'm working with. It's called American
Society of Telecomputer Journalists. We claim a few dozen members
so far, and are organizing our bylaws and goals. We intend to be
an active lobbying organization for freedoms of speech as they apply
to telecommunications via computer. Of particular interest to us
right now is California Assembly bill 2551 which gets a hearing April
28th. The bill would make it easier to prosecute hackers, but many
people worry the language is too vague and would enable law
enforcement to prosecute innocent access to bulletin boards.
----
CONTACT: ROE ADAMS, COMPUTER PRESS ASSOCIATION
HYDE PARK, MASSACHUSETTS
617-361-0586
(C.P.A. Source ID is STC310)
----
CHARLES STOUGH
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF TELECOMPUTER JOURNALISTS
DAYTON, OHIO
513-278-6412
(SOURCE ID: ST8501)
----
[***][3/20/84][***]
PIZZA TERROR:
First came the complaints of lousy pizza, then the company tried to
expand too quickly, then there were management problems, and now Nolan
Bushnell's Pizza Time Theater is threatening to go belly up. The
company has warned creditors, to whom it owes at least $107 million,
that if they can't wait 21 months for payment, Pizza Time will file
for bankruptcy. This is the most dramatic development in the food-
and-arcade operation's year of financial turmoil. It's now offering
better pizza, but analysts say the damage is already done and
people won't be going back. Pizza Time runs 251 "Chuck E. Cheese"
shops but hasn't paid rent on more than half of them since January 1.
----
CONTACT: PIZZA TIME THEATER
SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA
408-734-8731
----
[***][3/20/84][***]
ITT KNOCKS:
ComputerLand Corporation plans to be the first major distributor for
ITT's new Xtra Personal Computer. The 481 stores worldwide will be
marketing the giant corporation's entry into the crowded computer field.
The Xtra will be available in Computerland stores after April. The
16-bite, 128K machine uses the ITT DOS 2.11 operating system and is
expected to be a competitor in the business and professional marketplace.
ComputerLand president Mike Shabazian was all smiles during the
announcement, saying "We anticipate a long and mutually rewarding
business relationship with ITT."
----
CONTACT: DICK GROVE
ITT INFORMATION SYSTEMS
TEMPE, ARIZONA
602-894-7000
----
[***][3/20/84][***]
MEANWHILE AT IBM:
This giant and another giant, Merrill Lynch & Company, are teaming up
to provide a database for investors and businesspeople. The unnamed
venture will provide money-managers with current stock and securities
information. IBM will cash in on the deal by allowing only IBM
computers and specified "host" computers to access the database.
The two companies say they'll have "some products" ready late this
year. Still to be determined is the delivery method for the service.
Engineers are looking at satellites, land lines and television signals
as possible carriers.
----
CONTACT: TERRY LAUTENBACH, IBM V.P.
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
212-407-6942
----
[***][3/20/84][***]
PCs vs PCjrs:
IBM is boasting that this year, it will TRIPLE the number of IBM PCs
it shipped last year, which was a healthy number in its own right.
How many is that? Well, figure it out. The company makes one PC
every 15 seconds at its Boca Raton, Florida division. IBM has also
said it will spend half a billion dollars this year to expand its
production facilities and fund further research into small computers.
Meanwhile, the PCjr may not be selling up to expectations. IBM
only says (in contrast to talk about production running behind demand
for PCs) that production of PCjrs is in line with demand. The first
PCjrs are just now reaching retail outlets. Also this note: IBM
has set up a customer support facility for PCjr owners. The toll
free number is 800-222-PCJR.
----
CONTACT: IBM
BOCA RATON, FLORIDA
305-998-2000
----
[***][3/20/84][***]
SUIT OF THE WEEK:
In San Francisco, a group of Storage Technology investors are suing
for $50 million, claiming they'd put up at least that much to fund
development of a new mainframe computer, which the company has
subsequently abandoned. Some 300 investors say the company did not
tell them of technical problems and forecast delays even as they
were asked to shell out more money for the project. This is the
second suit concerning this project. Others investors seeking $10
million also filed suit in San Francisco this year. Meanwhile
Storage Tech is losing money to the tune of $31.5 million from the
venture during the fourth quarter.
----
CONTACT: STORAGE TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA
408-727-8172
----
[***][3/20/84][***]
BRIEFS:
EAGLE COMPUTER (Los Gatos, Ca.) says it will lose $7 million due to IBM's
successful suit against its IBM compatible computer. The suit stopped
all sales of Eagles for several weeks. Shipments started again last week.
CEZAR INDUSTRIES (Sunnyvale, Ca.) says it will sign an agreement with a
Hong Kong firm for exclusive distribution rights to Mattel's AQUARIUS
home computer. KAYPRO (Solano Beach, Ca.) and MITSUI have finalized
an agreement for KAYPRO to market a portable Mitsui computer in the U.S.
Delivery is set for October. COLECO (Amsterdam, N.Y.) has laid-off 118
workers from its Adam Computer and Cabbage Patch Doll assembly lines.
Company spokesman say the move is designed to "consolidate" production.
COMPAQ Corporation (Houston) cuts the price of its computer, an IBM-compatible
portable by $500 to $2,995 by April 1, a move directly tied to IBM's
own move into the portable market. VISICORP (San Jose, Ca.) also
slashes a price--this one for its VisiOn Applications Manager--
cutting it to $95 from $495. The dramatic slash in prices is due to
competition, according to VISICORP spokespeople.
----