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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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V75
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1991-07-11
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[***][11/6/84][***]
WORDSTAR 2000:
Calling their press event, "The Rumor Is True", MicroPro announced it's
releasing a new version of WordStar, called WordStar 2000. This is the first
major facelift for the word-processing best seller, which was introduced in
1979. The project was code-named "Ivan" for the last year and a half.
The new product is indeed a breakthrough. It's far simpler to use than the
original product, with self-explanatory help screens and very easy-to-remember
mnemonic commands. It's also more powerful, able to perform a variety of new
tasks. Versions for IBMs and compatibles will be available first, in late
November and will be priced between 5 and 6-hundred dollars. Versions for
the Apple MacIntosh are expected to follow in early '85. MicroPro is hoping
WordStar 2000 will become the industry standard, as WordStar did, selling one
and a quarter million copies worldwide.
[***][11/6/84][***]
A FUNNY THING HAPPENED...
Franklin Computer officially announced it is liquidating its assets. That
means it's gone. I called them Monday, the 29th of October to find out what
was going on with the "CX", which rumor said was dead before it was produced.
"Franklin Security," said the voice on the other end. I learned the place is
closed on Monday. Tuesday I called back. "Mike Strange, the president is
the only one you can talk to," said the receptionist. "You mean nobody else
is there?" I asked. "No, I'm it," she responded. "And Mike is out sick.
He'll be back next Tuesday." So then I read about Franklin's liquidation
in the newspapers. So much for the only legitimate Apple-compatible.
[***][11/6/84][***]
TEST DRIVE A MAC:
Apple's launching an aggressive effort to get 100,000 MacIntosh computers sold
in the next three months. Today through January 31, 1984, you can take home
a loaner Mac from an authorized dealer, complete with several popular software
programs, and keep it overnight, for free. Just leave your credit card at
the dealership. The promotion is just the tip of the iceberg. Aiming for
sensationalism in its advertising, Apple will spend $200 million next year,
much of it on television.
[***][11/6/84][***]
MOVE OVER APPLE:
IBM, never to be second-best to Apple, is launching its own advertising blitz
which has resulted in discounts of IBM products to dealers to the tune of
23% below the average dealer price range. For instance, the PCjr is the
target of an $845 special (that price includes RGB color monitor and a
128K basic machine) at selected computer chains. The discount also
extends to the high end. The PC AT can be purchased for $3,500, compared
to $4,800. The Christmas spirit includes the PC portable, which can be
bought for $2,595 (instead of $3,020) with two disk drives. IBM must
be realizing that almost anybody can sell the PC for less than full
retail price, what with special discounts offered at trade shows and
swap meets eating into IBM revenue.
[***][11/6/84][***]
COMEDY-DEX UPDATE:
Among the many "happenings" at Comdex (have you made YOUR RESERVATION YET?)
is a little booklet entitled "Quotations from Chairman Morrow." As the
Morrow founder puts it, "'Immediate Delivery' means we have a working
prototype." "If George Lucas designed a lunch pail for Darth Vader, it
would look like a Kaypro." And the list goes on. You can pick up a copy at
the Morrow Comdex booth. Funny, eh? Well, ya have to be there.
[***][11/6/84][***]
PEEPS FROM ATARI:
Evelyn Richards and Jonathan Greer of the San Jose Mercury say that Jack
Tramiel of Atari is ready to slash the price of the Atari 800XL--again--
from $179 to $100. Speculation has it that Tramiel hopes to gain capital
for financing of the new Mac-like home computer, slated for a spring '85
introduction. Obviously, Jack is hoping to glean some of Commodore's
profits by a Christmastime price reduction, as well.
[***][11/6/84][***]
UH-OH DEPARTMENT:
Faced by competition from Big Blue, Ashton-Tate has also just lost its
chairman and CEO, David Cole. Cole is headed for an Eastern "information-
oriented company." His resignation comes as Ashton-Tate's profits have
taken a nose-dive. Earnings dropped 56% in the last quarter. "Framework",
the new integrated software package, "could be doing better" according to
Cole, himself, who was quoted in the New York Times. "We haven't figured
out how to sell integrated software yet," Cole reasons. Nobody knows
where Cole is going, nor what the future of Ashton-Tate is, at this point.
[***][11/6/84][***]
VISICORP MARRIES:
The name "VisiCorp" probably won't be on future products that the company
markets. That's because VisiCorp has just decided to merge with Paladin
Software, a one year old start-up company in Santa Clara, Ca. Dan Fylstra,
CEO, was expected to resign in the merger, but instead, is hanging on,
complete with new hopes. Interestingly enough, Paladin was founded by
Roy Folk, who used to be the marketing manager at VisiCorp, and Lynn Brock,
manager of product development at VisiCorp. The incestuous relationship
should strengthen both firms, nevertheless.
[***][11/6/84][***]
STORAGE WOES:
Storage Technology, maker of Data Storage devices, has gone bankrupt. The
news comes as no real surprise. Just a few weeks ago, Storage Tech laid off
15-hundred workers and announced a third quarter loss of $20 million. As
it turns out, the loss may be as high as $60 million. Storage Tech simply
had trouble competing with IBM in the data storage arena. IBM's frequent
price-cuts left Storage Tech, which makes mainframe storage devices, unable
to compete. The corporation hopes to rise from the ashes once new funding
and the Chapter 11 proceedings are complete.
[***][11/6/84][***]
OTHER DISK NEWS:
Xebec of San Jose, a company best known for its electronic components, has
decided to enter the disk drive market. (Could the timing be worse?) But
Xebec is taking a new approach: emphasizing an automated assembly line
process. "How does GE do it with dishwashers or Whirlpool with refrigerators
--they kick the hell out of the Japanese with manufacturing technology,"
says Xebec chairman James Toreson. Ok, we're hoping he's right.
[***][11/6/84][***]
ROLMING WITH IBM:
Two new products, designed to work in conjunction with IBM PCs, came from
Rolm, the company which will marry IBM later this year. Both are sophisticated
telephone answering machines. "Cedar", priced at $4245, is a "voice data
workstation" that is capable of voice and data communication simultaneously.
"Juniper" is a lower-class system with the same capabilities but also sports
a smaller price tag: $1,360. The market for the computer/phone systems is
still in its infancy, but is expected to have enormous potential.
[***][11/6/84][***]
WESTERN UNION GETS 'CHAT':
It's clear that one of the most popular features of The Source is the "chat
function" and Western Union, which has been unsuccessful at interesting
a large business audience in its electronic mail, has decided to capitalize
on that fact. Western Union is starting electronic chat with its "Easylink"
electronic mail. In addition, Western Union will offer IBM PCs and
communications softwre, at a small fee, to companies signing up for
"Easylink." Analysts suggest Western Union will be far more successful
by adding the new feature.
CONTACT: EASYLINK, PO BOX 37472, OMAHA, NEBRASKA 68137.
[***][11/6/84][***]
IN BRIEF--
DIGITAL EQUIPMENT unveiled "Venus", a mainframe which provides as much power
as IBM's 3084, at half the price. The Venus is twice as fast as the top-of
the-line VAX computer. It will cost around $450,000.
CONVEX COMPUTER CORP. of Richardson, Texas, has burst upon the supercomputer
arena, claiming its new machine has 25% of the computing power, but 10% of
the cost of a Cray. The start-up company says it has two installed units.
Sale price is less than $500,000.
AT&T has an unique selling strategy. Small businesses will get a new discount
product catalog, offering them AT&T computers at a fraction of the cost
in exchange for heavy long-distance calls.
H.W. WILSON CO., an 86-year old New York City company has gone online. The
new service, called Wilsonline, offers data on 3,000 periodicals and 5,000
books. The supposedly "user simple" system will be available immediately.
Wilson also publishes "Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature."
HARPER AND ROW has canned its computer books and software division. The
company says a "glut" in the computer book and software industry is to
blame.
COMMODORE has completed its acquisition of AMIGA CORPORATION. However,
the future of the new Amiga/Commodore computer depends upon the outcome of
ATARI'S suit against AMIGA, which charges the company with breach of
contract.
VECTOR GRAPHIC, which makes a desktop computer and software, is shedding
staff. 100 people were laid off this week as Vector's president says
"a restructuring is necessary" to determine the company's future.
INFOCOM INC., a company best known for its games, will market its first
business product next year. Called "Cornerstone", the new software
is an integrated database package. Infocom is best known for "Zork",
an adventure game.
FIRST BYTE, a company from Long Beach, Ca., has introduced "Smoothtalker",
a speech synthesis program for the Apple MacIntosh. It is capable of
transmitting spoken words from keyboard commands. Both a male or female
voice can be chosen. A demonstration can be heard by dialing 714-536-
0086, extension 999.
MINDSET has unveiled its Mindset Video Production System, which enables
various sized and styled fonts to be directly genlocked to video input.
The system costs $3,600 and is considered a great deal for small video
producers who can't afford a "Chyron" system.
[***][11/6/84][***]
POST SCRIPT:
And finally, David Sylvester of the San Jose Mercury News reports an
interesting find on highway 101, leading from SF to San Jose. An
appropriate license plate crusing along on the back of a car reads:
WEOALOT
The car was a black BMW. So much for the myth of instant electronic
success.