Newsbytes - Internationa…ews 1983 May to 1994 June/Newsbytes - International Computing Industry News 1994 Edition - May 1983 - June 1994 - Wayzata Technologies (5045) (1994).iso/mac/Text/Mac Text/1986/V152

Text File | 1991-08-09 | 59KB | 1,281 lines

[***][4/22/86][***]
RACE RESULTS (QUARTERLY COMPANY SCORECARDS):
Who's newly in, still in, or out of trouble?  Here are the quarterly results
announced by various computer and software companies.

Company                 Earnings                Last Year at this Time

APPLE COMPUTER          UP TO $ 31.8 Million         $ 10.0 Million
TANDY                   UP TO $ 42   Million         $ 21.9 Million
AT&T                    UP TO $530   Million         $354.0 Million
WANG LABS               UP TO $ 21.4 Million         $ 17.0 Million
DIGITAL EQUIPMENT (DEC) UP TO $170.3 Million         $ 91.7 Million
SUN MICROSYSTEMS        UP TO $ 57.6 Million         $  3.3 Million
SEAGATE TECHNOLOGIES    UP TO $ 11.8 Million         $  1.7 Million
MICROSOFT               UP TO $ 10.6 Million         $  8.5 Million
LOTUS                   UP TO $ 11.4 Million         $  9.6 Million

TEXAS INSTRUMENTS       LOSS  $-23.8 Million         $ +9.1 Million
XEROX                DOWN TO  $101.0 Million         $114.0 Million
SOFTWARE PUBLISHING  DOWN TO  $365   Thousand        $  8.6 Million

Apple, whose income increased 3 fold despite a small decline in sales,
was one of the most surprising performers in the last quarter....Sun
Microsystems had the most astronomical jump in income, thanks to
various pacts its received for its OEM deals and recent stock
offering....Seagate, maker of disk drives, says falling prices have
HELPED sell more hard drives; Seagate is doing very well despite
its loss of an IBM contract earlier this year....Texas Instruments
blames its huge loss on its semiconductor division...And the massive
decline of Software Publishing is blamed, by the company, on
substantial in-house R&D, as well as a sudden shift by the public
toward high performance software (not "just the basics" as offered
by the PFS: series).

[***][4/22/86][***]
APPLE INTRODUCES NEW MACINTOSH
Apple Computer announced an enhanced version of its popular
Macintosh 512K computer.  The Macintosh 512K Enhanced replaces the
Macintosh 512K personal computer, and the first Enhanced Macintoshes
are scheduled to reach retailers by the end of the month.

Costing the same as the original 512K machine ($1,999), the Enhanced
offers an internal disk drive with 800 kb of memory, double that of
the Macintosh 512K, with up to 50% faster screen updating and file access.
The 800 kb drive can run existing Macintosh software or new software
written specifically for the Macintosh Plus, and can read either
double or single-sided 3 1/2" media.  Apple is NOT including MacWrite
or MacPaint with the Enhanced model; they are available separately
for $125 each.

Apple says owners of the Macintosh 512K can upgrade to the Macintosh
512k Enhanced by purchasing the Macintosh Plus Disk Drive Kit ($299).
Those who have purchased a 512K Macintosh since January 16 of this year
are entitled to a $75 rebate on the Mac Plus Disk Drive Kit.  Rebate
forms will be available at authorized Apple dealers.

CONTACT: Barbara Krause, Apple, 20525 Mariani Avenue, Cupertino,
         Ca. 95014  408/996-1010

[***][4/22/86][***]
IBM PRICE CUTS SPUR ME-TOO ACTION:
Compaq, Zenith, NCR, Hewlett Packard, and Cordata have all reduced
prices on their IBM-compatibles, following Big Blue's 5-25%
reductions earlier this month.  Compaq reduced prices by 16%,
Zenith dropped the cost of five of its PCs by $300-$1,100,
NCR clipped the price of its PCs by 18%, Cordata by 33%, and
Hewlett Packard has chopped prices on the Vectra PC by 10%
and on the Touchscreen II PC by 8%.

[***][4/22/86][***]
IBM NOTES:
According to the WALL STREET JOURNAL, IBM's plant in Austin, Texas,
where the PC Convertible laptop is being manufactured, is virtually
run by robots.  (We may have suspected this, but now we know for
sure.....)  Seriously, Edward Thomas, IBM product manager was
quoted as saying, "From the time the parts come off the pallet to
the time it goes into those pretty blue boxes, it's not touched by
human hands."  How fast do the Convertibles come off the line?
One every six minutes.  Now is someone BUYING one every six minutes?

IBM claims to be the first volume producer of 1-megabit memory
chips, which are going into its top-of-the-line 3090 series, its
largest mainframes.  The chips are being produced at IBM's
Essex Junction, Vermont plant.  This is a first, but Japanese
manufacturers won't be far behind.  Already, Fujitsu, NEC,
Toshiba, Hitachi, and Mitsubishi are ramping up their own
production lines....

[***][4/22/86][***]
OSBORNE COMPUTER UPDATE:
A story we ran last week ("Osborne Vanishes") was partially true.
We now have discovered that Osborne Computer's entire inventory
of office and manufacturing equipment, computers, spare parts,
and a vehicle, was purchased by Golden State Auctioneers on
April 8 for $161,000.  The auctioneers plan to auction all this
off on April 29, and whatever they make above and beyond their
initial investment they get to keep.  The $161,000 is a drop
in the bucket compared to Osborne's debts, which amount to
$24.5 million and translate to 1,785 debtors.  All this boils
down to the simple fact that Osborne Computer Corporation is
now officially dead.  It was the first portable computer maker, the
first computer company to go bankrupt, the first to rise from
the ashes, and the first to fall back into them.

CONTACT:  Golden Gate Auctioneers, 91 Gregory Lane, Pleasant
          Hill, CA.  415-682-8100

[***][4/22/86][***]
VICTOR RETURNS:
That other company which we all gave up for dead--Victor
Technologies--earned a modest profit last month, and plans to
introduce an XT and AT compatible in the U.S. next month.
Both the VPC III and the V286 have been selling well in
Europe since January, helped by Victor's parent company
Datatronic AB of Sweden.  The Scotts Valley, CA. firm will
follow these products with 28 more--ranging from cash
registers to PCs--by July.

CONTACT:  Victor Technologies, 380 E. El Pueblo Road, Scotts
          Valley, CA.  408/438-6680

[***][4/22/86][***]
RETAIL FATES:
Three South Bay retailers operating Computerland stores have
been forced to file for Chapter 11 protection.  Known as
the South Bay Computerland Group, 3 of the 5 member stores
claim to have watched their sales drop 20% in 6 months and
say their bank loans are in default.

Businessland is on the prowl again, this time planning to buy
36 stores from the MBI Business Centers chain in Washington,
DC (See NEWSBYTES-WASHINGTON).  Businessland's voracious
appetite led to its purchase of the Amerisource chain 2
weeks ago, a deal which is expected to be finalized June 1.

CONTACT:  Suzanne Crocker, BUSINESSLAND, 3600 Stevens Creek
          Boulevard, San Jose, Ca. 95117  408/554-9300

[***][4/22/86][***]
AD SPENDING UPS AND DOWNS:
Noticed there are fewer and fewer Apple, IBM, Tandy, and Compaq
ads on TV?  No wonder.  These companies are spending less for TV
ads. The Television Bureau of Advertising surveys indicate only
computer -stores- increased TV advertising last year, and are
continuing to spend 15% more this year.  Statistics on individual
retail chain ad expenses are still being compiled, but leading
the pack was Computerland, buying $3.9 million in airtime during
the first six months of 1985; Entre Computer Centers was second,
shelling out $3.5 million.

TBA's chart is as follows:

TELEVISION ADVERTISING
 COMPUTER STORES

                   Network TV              Spot TV         Total

1984               $7,725,200              $7,040,600      $14,765,800
1985              $11, 135,200             $5,913,400      $17,048,600


TELEVISION ADVERTISING
  HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE COMPANIES

1984             $223,638,600             $39,286,400      $262,925,000
1985             $126,905,600             $13,164,600      $140,070,200


Meanwhile, "Computer Industry Advertising & Marketing Forecast",
published by Communications Trends, Inc. of Larchmont, NY says
IBM, Digital Equipment, Hewlett Packard, and Tandy will each
increase their overall media spending in 1986 by 6-10%.  Only
Apple has pledged to cut ad costs--by 20%.

[***][4/22/86][***]
BRIEFS--

AT&T will reduce its overall spending for computers this year as
part of an effort to cut costs.  To give you an idea of the
significance of this to computer manufacturers--AT&T spent $1
BILLION on data processing equipment in 1985.

APPLE COMPUTER has donated 59 computer systems to 52 social
service agencies, marking the 12th cycle of grants in 3 1/2 years.
For an application, write to APPLE COMPUTER CORPORATE GRANTS,
20525 Mariani Ave, M/S 27-F, Cupertino, Ca. 95014.

THE SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER quotes sources close to CANON INC.
as saying that HEWLETT PACKARD is selling 12,000 LaserJet printers
a month compared to APPLE's 1,500 LaserWriters.  (Canon makes
the print engine for both printers.)  This item came in too late
for NEWSBYTES confirmation...

COMPUTER:applications INC. of Raleigh, NC says it's released
"][ in a Mac", which enables a Macintosh to run Apple IIe and IIc
software without modification. (Full Press Release in "Mailbag".)

COMMODORE INTERNATIONAL says it's now shipping "PC Emulator",
a $200 hardware/software package which enables the Amiga to run
IBM PC programs.

LUMA TELECOM, a Santa Clara, CA subsidiary of Mitsubishi, has
resurrected a 1982 Atari product--the video phone.  Consisting of
a B&W monitor, camera, dialer, handset and speaker, the $1,000
unit is expected to be unveiled April 30.

THE COMPUTER SHOW premiers in Los Angeles April 22 at 7PM on
Channel 18, and is simultaneously broadcast on San Francisco's
Channel 26 on the same night.  The hour-long, live program
can additionally be seen, edited down to half-hour format, on
Financial News Network affiliates nationwide Saturday mornings.
Your editor will have a report on Comdex on the April 29
show, so tune in if you can.

ELECTRONIC ARTS is shipping "Mind Mirror", Timothy "LSD" Leary's
new game which claims to test your mental fitness.  It provides
the player with a stereotype (i.e. Rambo), offers him/her a
chance to rate the stereotype, then summarizes the results in
a "Mind Map".  That's just the start of this trip through "inner
space" according to Electronic Arts.  The $34.95 program is
now available for IBM PCs and Tandies, and will be out for
the Apple II and Commodore in June.

[***][4/22/86][***]
COMPUTONE SYSTEMS CUTS BACK
Computone Systems Inc., which does business in the Southeast, New
York and New Jersey as Future Information Systems, has closed 2
stores in the Southeast and may close a third in a bid to cut
costs. The company had lost $1.19 million, 34 cents per share, on
sales of $65.5 million for the nine months ended February 28.

President Jay Rosovsky said one store in Marietta, GA, near
Atlanta, and a store in Savannah, GA, on the Atlantic coast, are
already closed. A store in Gulfport, MS may be next, he said. On
a lighter note, Rosovsky confirmed that margins have increased in
Atlanta since Micro Mart Inc. lost its IBM authorization in
February. The Norcross-based chain went into Chapter 11 a few
weeks ago.

CONTACT: Jay Rosovsky, COMPUTONE SYSTEMS, 1 Dunwoody Park,
         Atlanta, GA 30338 [phone]

[***][4/22/86][***]
THOUGHTWARE DROPS PRICES DRASTICALLY
Thoughtware Inc. has joined the move to massive price drops in PC
software, after an apparently successful test of lower prices
reported in NEWSBYTES SOUTHEAST. Its Management Training Library,
formerly priced at $3,495, now goes for $999. Each program within
the system now goes for $99. Lightyear, Trigger, Sell! Sell!
Sell!, formerly priced at $295-495, now are all priced at $99.
"As the price of personal computers fall to $1,000 or less,
people expect software prices to drop accordingly," said
Thoughtware president Jack Levine.

CONTACT: Christine Amiguet, THOUGHTWARE, 2699 South Bayshore
         Drive, Suite 1000A, Coconut Grove, FL 33133
         [phone]

[***][4/22/86][***]
TEXAS CONGRESSMAN FIGHTS TEXAS CONTRACT
"MIS Week" reports that Rep. Jack Brooks (D-Beaumont) is
protesting the award of a long-term printing contract worth $300-
500 million between the U.S.  Army and Electronic Data Systems,
Dallas, TX last January.  Brooks, author of an act which monitors
spending on automation, wants losing bidders' protests heard by
the General Services Administration Board of Contract Appeals.
The Reagan Administration says the contract is for printing, has
nothing to do with high tech, and won a restraining order against
GSA suspension of the contract. The case is now before the U.S.
Court of Appeals in Washington, DC.

CONTACT: EDS, Penny Pasquesi, 7171 Forest Lane, Dallas, TX
         75230 [phone]

[***][4/22/86][***]
PECAN BITS
  ...DATA ACCESS...QUADRAM...MSR...WORLD CONGRESS CENTER

DATA ACCESS CORP. is demonstrating its "Data Access" package at
Comdex Spring in Atlanta next week by using it to create a
database of local restaurants arranged by type of cuisine,
location, and dining style. The database will be accessible at a
number of different booths on the show floor, in addition to Data
Access' own. The company will be touting a new warranty for
developers, and the addition WordStar-like word processor  called
"DWP" to the package as a $195 option.

CONTACT: Diana Wilcox, DATA ACCESS, 8525 SW 129th Terrace, Miami,
         FL, 33156 [phone]

QUADRAM is bundling a business-form generator called FormTool
with its QuadLaser laser printer. FormTool can create time
sheets, expense reports, activity logs etc. using pop-up and help
menus. The printer, with FormTool, costs $3,795. The software
alone goes for $75.

CONTACT: Jane Bator, CAM GROUP, 4357 Shackleford Rd., Norcross,
         GA, 30093 [phone]

MICRO SUPPORT RESOURCE CORP. will show off its PC DOS
"Cheatsheet", a 40-page guide to PC DOS, by hosting a cheat suite
at Spring Comdex in Atlanta. Instead of buying a booth on the
floor, MSR is joining the trend to renting a suite at a nearby
hotel (the Omni International) and leaving it open all day,
inviting the press and supporters.

CONTACT: John Day, MSR, 3355 Northeast Expy, Suite 150, Atlanta,
         GA 30341 [phone]

and finally.....

THE GEORGIA WORLD CONGRESS CENTER will become the Georgia
Telecommunications Center over the next two months as two major
telephony shows fill it, the Telecommunications Showplace May 20-
22, and International Communications Association runs May 29-June
7.

Contact: Sudie Castro, WORLD CONGRESS CENTER, 285 International
         Blvd, Atlanta, GA 30313 [phone]


[***][4/22/86][***]
USC SAYS COMPUTER WAS USED TO ILLEGALLY CHANGE GRADES
Seemingly based on a plot borrowed straight out of popular
fiction, several USC employees and students have been arrested
in a grade-changing-for-pay scheme using the university's
computer system.  Among those arrested is Darryl Gillard, a
worker in the school's Registration and Records Office, who
reportedly took payoffs ranging from $500 to $2,000 to digitally
"improve" the grades of up to 42 USC students.  He is charged
with seven counts of illegal computer access and faces a maximum
of 21 years in prison.  Others in the case are also charged with
cocaine possession.

Apparently, suspicions about the integrity of the university's
computer records system surfaced in 1984, when a guidance
counselor questioned one student's transcript.  Vice provost for
undergraduate studies Sylvia Manning recalled that "the record
seemed improbable," and an investigation was launched.  At one
point, prosecutors believed that phony USC degrees, backed up by
bogus transcripts, were being sold for $25,000 each.  None of
the three arrested late last week are being charged with this
particular crime.

[***][4/22/86][***]
CITICORP MAY GET HOSTILE TOWARDS QUOTRON
Pressing forward in its bid to acquire Quotron Systems, Citicorp
now says it may make a hostile $19-a-share tender offer directly
to Quotron's stockholders.  "We could conceivably go directly to
their shareholders and find out if they like the price," said
Citicorp CEO John Reed.  Quotron's stock, now trading in the $18
range, could immediately fall to $13 a share if Citicorp backs
away from the company, say Wall Street analysts.  "If Citicorp
does a tender offer, they've got the company," said one New York
arbitrator.  Currently, Citicorp is the only firm bidding on
Quotron.

CONTACT:  Quotron Systems, 5454 Beethoven St., Los Angeles, CA
          [phone]

[***][4/22/86][***]
ASHTON-TATE GETS TOUGH WITH ACCUSED PIRATES
The maker of dBase III and Framework, Ashton-Tate of Torrance,
has sued two companies for copyright infringement.  Horn
Computer International of El Monte is accused of loading dBase
III software onto hard-disk drives, then selling the drives to
customers without charging for the software.  Volt's Anaheim
office is charged with illegally duplicating several Ashton-Tate
programs for use by its personnel.  An attorney for Ashton-Tate
says several other cases of copyright abuse are currently under
investigation and that company lawyers expect to file other
lawsuits soon.

Saying that Ashton-Tate is "more interested in stopping the
practice (of illegal copying) than having a drawn-out trial,"
associate legal counsel Geoffrey Berkin also remarked that
"we're not interested in trying to skewer people," even though
the firm is seeking criminal rather than civil penalties.  Of
course, NEWSBYTES-LOS ANGELES knows another reason why firms
like Ashton-Tate don't want to press for jury trials...they may
lose their cases!  In America, it is easier to bury an irritant
under mountains of legal paperwork to force a settlement rather
than risk trusting the common sense of 12 unbiased citizens.

CONTACT:  Ashton-Tate Inc., 20101 Hamilton, Torrance, CA 90502
          [phone]

[***][4/22/86][***]
COMPUTIQUE FORCED TO LIQUIDATE
Southland retailer Computique had already been under Chapter 11
bankruptcy protection when a recent NEWSBYTES-LOS ANGELES
article speculated that the firm would soon file with the court.
But, according to court records, a Federal bankruptcy court
judge has made it a brand-new ballgame.  Judge Ralph Pagter has
directed that Computique liquidate its business assets after
discovering that the firm had been selling inventory below cost.
In the written opinion of the court, Pagter wrote that
Computique showed an "absence of reasonable likelihood of
rehabilitation, coupled with an inability to effectuate a plan
(to do so)."  Assistant U.S. trustee Harry Gastley indicated
that an interim trustee will be appointed this week to begin the
liquidation.  Court records show that Computique has claimed 60
creditors, including Apple, Epson, Microsoft and Compaq.

CONTACT:  Computique, 3211 S. Harbor Blvd., Santa Ana, CA 92704
          [phone]

[***][4/22/86][***]
ROBOT OLYMPICS SCHEDULED FOR THIS WEEK
Get out your stopwatches.  Yes, it's android sports season in
Southern California.  The big event of the automaton athletic
world is surely the third annual Robot Olympics, scheduled for
Friday at Cal State San Bernardino.  Events will include the
robot dash, robot slalom and robot biathlon.  Brainchild of
professor David Neighbours, the whole affair is organized to
challenge elementary through high school-age students to accept
robots into their lives.  "We don't want kids nowadays to suffer
the same computer lag we adults have suffered," said Neighbours.
Opening ceremonies are scheduled for 10 a.m. in the university's
gymnasium.

CONTACT:  Robot Olympics, Computer Center, CSUSB, 5500
          University Parkway, San Bernardino, CA 92407

[***][4/22/86][***]
ELECTRO FUNDS CORP. BOUGHT IN A `REVERSE ACQUISITION'
Don't bother to diagram this, but Professional Computer
Consultants Inc. of Santa Ana has been bought by Electro Funds
Corporation of Denver, but not really.  "Actually, we are buying
them," explains Jim Farooquee, president of PCC (which does
business as Complete Management Systems).  This confusing turn
of events occurred because Electro Funds is a publicly-traded
corporation, while PCC/CMS is privately held.  Under terms of
the agreement, the former shareholders of PCC/CMS acquired 42.2
million EFC common shares plus 18.5 million contingent shares.
The directors of EFC resigned and were replaced by the current
officers of PCC/CMS. PCC/CMS manufactures mass storage devices
and multi-function boards, while EFC is developing an electronic
funds-transfer switching network, but has no products on the
market.  Well, just as long as the IRS understands it....

[***][4/22/86][***]
BEACHBITS

>>>  CIE Systems of Los Angeles has added the CIE 7102 to its
     line of IBM-compatible terminals.  The 7102 works with the
     PC-Slave/16 Board from Alloy Computer Products.  CIE is a
     division of C. Itoh Electronics.

>>>  Everett/Charles Test Equipment terminated its merger
     discussions with Computer Automation of Irvine.  No reason
     was offered.

>>>  Rexon Inc. of Culver City says it will file with the SEC
     for primary sale of 1.25 million common shares of stock,
     with the proceeds going towards debt reduction and working
     capital.

>>>  Diskette Gazette of Chatsworth will exhibit its new monthly
     diskette magazine at COMDEX/Spring in Atlanta.  Subscribers
     will get a monthly collection of demo programs to test on
     IBM-compatible computers.

>>>  Ashton-Tate has begun its latest 1.3 million-share offering
     of common stock.  Coordination is being handled by Smith
     Barney and L.F. Rothschild.

[***][4/22/86][***]
QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"Software piracy serves (the publishers') economic purposes
quite well and they need that issue before the industry at all
times so they can make more money."

     -- James Cathcart, staff aide to California Senator Alan
        Robbins, before he walked out of a meeting sponsored by
        the Association of Computer Retailers.



[***][4/22/86][***]
AT CLONE WARS:
Big Blue's recent price cut on PCs and XTs has been widely
touted by "industry experts" as the beginning of the end for
cheap clone makers. But don't tell the clone makers that. This
past week saw a series of introductions of Orient-made PC AT
clones by Northeast-based companies:

-- NEC Information Systems finally rolled out its AT clone. The
APC (Advanced Personal Computer) IV has an switchable 6/8 Mhz
80286 processor and a color display. Not unexpectedly, numerous
options are available including a 20 or 40-meg hard drive, up to
10.5 megs of RAM, and three different color graphics boards --
including a "power graphics board" with 1120 by 750 resolution. A
"standard" system with a single 1.2-meg floppy and a 40-meg hard
drive will retail for $5045. NEC will start shipping in May.

CONTACT:  NEC Information Systems, Inc., 1414 Massachusetts Ave.,
          Boxborough, MA 01719, 617-264-8000

-- Another Korean computer has hit U.S. shores. The Samsung Group
has started shipping its SST/286 AT clone, which will be
distributed by MicroDirect, Inc. of Cambridge, MA. The Samsung,
like its rival Leading Edge (also made in Korea), is a "fully-
loaded" machine. For $4,995 you get a switchable 6/8 MHz
processor; a 30-meg hard disk; 1.2 meg floppy; 1-meg of RAM; a
Hercules compatible graphics card; a mono monitor; and a one-year
guarantee. MicroDirect, which was founded last year with $2
million from 20 investors, has a two-year $150 million exclusive
distribution agreement with Samsung. MicroDirect says it won't be
using computer retailers, but will instead be selling direct to
"corporate computer users."

CONTACT:  MicroDirect, 180 Bent St., Cambridge, MA 02120,
          617-494-5300

-- Panasonic will introduce both a PC and an AT clone at Spring
Comdex. The AT clone, called the "Business Partner 286," will
sell for "under $3000." The company, which already sells its
products in over 700 stores, says it'll be aggressively courting
computer retailers at Comdex. (We wish them luck.)

CONTACT:  Panasonic, One Panasonic Way, Secaucus, NJ 07094,
          201-348-7000

-- And finally, Sanyo will show its AT clone at Comdex as well.
The MBC-990 will have the usual AT features (including that
ubiquitous 6/8 MHz switch) and will sell for $2599 with a single
1.2-meg floppy.

CONTACT:  Sanyo Business Systems Corporation, 51 Joseph St.,
          Moonachie, NJ 07074, 201-440-9300

[***][4/22/86][***]
A GOOD QUARTER FOR LOTUS:
The first three months of 1986 were very good ones for Lotus
Development's bottom line. Sales were up 44% to $69.3 million
from $44.7 million for the same period a year ago. Continued
strong sales of 1-2-3 and Symphony were given the nod for the
figures. In addition, Lotus says sales have been unusually good
in Europe.

CONTACT:  Lotus Development, 55 Cambridge Parkway, Cambridge, MA
          02142, 617-577-8500

[***][4/22/86][***]
JAVELIN GOES TO EUROPE VIA ASHTON-TATE:
Speaking of Europe, Lotus' cross-town arch-rival Javelin software
has inked a deal under which Ashton-Tate will distribute
Javelin's spreadsheet-like program outside of the U.S. and
Canada. Since its introduction last October, Javelin has won
rave reviews from users and the computer press, but has failed to
take Lotus' turf by storm. Only the standard English-language
version of Javelin will be available for the present time.

CONTACTS: Javelin Software, One Kendall Square - Bldg 200,
          Cambridge, MA 02139, 617-494-1400

          Ashton-Tate, 20101 Hamilton Ave., Torrance, CA 90502,
          213-329-8000

[***][4/22/86][***]
ATARI'S TRAMIEL TAKES BOSTON:
Atari chairman Jack Tramiel was in the Boston area this week to
speak with Atari dealers. As usual, controversy swirled around
the bull-necked proponent of "business as war." Area computer
dealers continued to grumble about his "two-tiered" distribution
system under which Tramiel claims computer retailers will sell
the top-of-the-line 1040-ST and mass merchandisers will sell the
low-priced stripped down 520-ST. But while Tramiel was stressing
that there's enough business for everyone, the discount
department store chain of Lechmere sales, with stores in
Massachusetts and New Hampshire, announced it'll be selling the
1040 ST on special for the next two weeks -- in direct
competition with computer retailers. Lechmere says it's a
"specialty" store chain because it carries a wide range of
computer systems. And the beat goes on.

[***][4/22/86][***]
AT&T DOES MICROSOFT WINDOWS:
Score another win for Microsoft in its efforts to make its
Windows "multitasking environment" the standard over IBM's
Topview. PC WEEK reported this week that AT&T Information Systems
is working on customizing Windows for its PC 6300 personal
computer system, and will soon start giving every PC 6300
purchaser a free copy. Though spokespeople for both AT&T and
Microsoft declined comment to NEWSBYTES, PC WEEK says an official
announcement of the deal will be made soon.

CONTACTS: AT&T Information Systems, 100 Southgate Plaza,
          Morristown, NJ 07960, 201-898-3278

          Microsoft Corporation, 16011 NE 36th Way, Box 97017,
          Redmond, WA 98073, 206-882-8080

[***][4/22/86][***]
WANG INTRODUCES VOICE/DATA SYSTEM:
Wang Laboratories this week unveiled the Wang Integrated Office
System (WIOS), which lets office users transmit both voice and
data at the same time over standard telephone lines. The system,
designed for medium-to-large sized corporations, requires special
voice/data terminals, a Wang VS minicomputer, and the Wang
Business Exchange PBX system. Users can exchange voice and data
both within a building and between branch offices. WIOS is Wang's
latest attempt to gain a hold on that ever-potentially-lucrative
"integrated business environment." WIOS will initially be offered
in ten metropolitan areas. A "typical" system for 48 telephones
costs about $85,000.

CONTACT:  Wang Laboratories, One Industrial Ave., Lowell, MA
          01851, 617-459-5000

[***][4/22/86][***]
XEROX SPELLING CHECKER COMING FOR PERSONAL COMPUTERS:
It's not often that typewriter technology migrates upward to
personal computers; but a Rochester, NY company is doing just
that. Microlytics, which recently acquired Writing Consultants
and its on-line spelling checker/thesaurus, announced last week
that it's also reached a licensing agreement with Xerox under
which it'll be developing a RAM-based version of the "Type Write"
spelling checker that's integrated into Xerox's Memorywriter
electronic typewriter. Type Write, which was developed at Xerox's
Palo Alto, CA Research Center (PARC), has a 110,000-word
dictionary compressed into 64K bytes. By comparison, Borland's
Turbo Lightning RAM-based spelling checker/thesaurus requires
170K bytes in order to use its 83,000-word dictionary. A company
spokesperson says Microlytics is considering marketing Type Write
as a stand-alone product, but is first approaching makers of word
processing packages with an eye toward integrating Type Write
into existing products.

CONTACT:  Microlytics, Inc., Techniplex, 300 Main St., East
          Rochester, NY 14445, 716-248-9150

[***][4/22/86][***]
CORPORATE SOFTWARE OFFERS NEWSLETTER:
Want to know the real dirt about all the well-known (and not-so-
well known) PC software? The bugs, undocumented features,
upcoming releases, etc.? Now you can. Canton, MA-based Corporate
Software, whose monthly "Tech Notes" newsletter has been
revealing it all to the company's customers, is now making their
newsletter available to the general public. But knowledge costs;
a yearly subscription will set you back $250.

CONTACT:  Corporate Software, Inc., Canton, MA, 617-821-2250

[***][4/22/86][***]
COMPUTER CASTING:
Computer technology is coming to the aid of hard-pressed
entertainment casting agencies, and helping out both accomplished
and aspiring actors and actresses at the same time. RoleCall is a
computerized casting service that's been in existence for the
past three months in New York City. Casting directors and
agencies pay $250 a year for unlimited access to the database,
which includes cross-referenced and indexed resumes of actors and
actresses, as well as their photographs on videodisk. Directors
looking for certain characteristics can enter any number of wierd
requests into the system. (How about a bearded and overweight 35-
year-old computer writer who can do a passable New Hampshire
Yankee accent?) So far, the database contains about 3500 people,
and the company expects it to grow exponentially. You too can get
into RoleCall's database; it'll cost you a $35 data-entry fee
plus $25/year. Fame awaits!

CONTACT:  RoleCall, New York, NY, 212-302-4520


[***][4/22/86][***]
BREAKING JAPAN'S TELECOM MONOPOLY:
News broke that Japan's three trading firms including Mitsubishi,
Mitsui and Sumitomo, will launch an international telecommunica-
tion business in order to vie with Japan's international telecom
monopoly KDD.  According to a published report, those three
corporations will soon establish a feasibility study firm dubbed
"International Data Communication Service".  Then, within two
years, the actual service company will be created in
cooperation with major electronics firms.  This new service
company is expected to tie up with ITT, WUI, RCA, British
Telecom, Cable & Wireless, etc., in order to provide various
international telecom services such as telephone, facsimile,
telex, TV conference and data communication for computers.
The service fee will be much cheaper than the KDD's, a report
says.

Meanwhile, KDD announced (4/17) that it will lower the charge for
overseas phone calls by an average of 10% in order to accommodate
the yen's appreciation.  That's good timing--it kills two birds
with a single stone!

CONTACT: Mitsui Bussan Trading Co., Tokyo, 03-285-7563 (PR. Dept)
         KDD (International Telegraph and Telephone Corp.)
         Tokyo, 03-270-9068

[***][4/22/86][***]
SOFTWARE VENDING MACHINE:
Japanese typewriter manufacturer Brother Corp. released a
software vending machine "TAKERU" on April 21.  Customers just
insert their own floppy disks or ROM cartridges into the machine,
which is installed at computer shops, book stores, super markets,
etc.  Then, they select a program they want from among over 400 kinds
of popular games and educational software for various Japanese
personal computers.  TAKERU automatically calls the host computer
through Intec's (Tokyo dealer) VAN to access the selected program
to write in the customers' media at low cost.  Brother plans to
market 1,000 vending machines this year. It can be leased at $306
per month.

CONTACT: Brother Corp., Nagoya, Japan, 052-263-5895

[***][4/22/86][***]
LSI LOGIC IN KOREA AND TAIWAN:
According to a published report, LSI Logic Japan (a subsidiary
of the U.S. manufacturer) will open sales offices and design
centers in Korea and Taiwan in December 1987.  These offices and
centers are said to handle products such as gate arrays and
standard cells.  Currently, LSI Logic has its design centers in
Tokyo and Osaka.  And the company has already linked with C.ITOH
and Marubeni Trading for the sales of LSI Logic's products in
Japan.  Also, LSI Logic Japan and Kawasaki Steel Corp. have
recently established a venture business called "Japan
Semiconductor" for developing new generation LSIs.  Now, LSI
Logic has been anticipating the recovery of the demand for
semiconductors.

CONTACT: LSI Logic Japan, 6-1-20 Akasaka, Minato-ku
         Tokyo, Japan

[***][4/22/86][***]
HITACHI's BREAK THROUGH TO IC CARD:
Hitachi will release (5/21) a CMOS 8-bit single-chip
microcomputer with a 2K EEPROM (Electronically Erasable and
Programmable ROM) which can be used for IC cards or databanks.
This new product "HD65901" has Hitachi's original 8-bit MPU, a 3K
Mask ROM and a 128-byte RAM.  According to a report, the size of
this microcomputer is 1/4 of the current models, and its
processing speed is 20%-30% faster.  Also, the installed EEPROM
has a password protection feature for data security purposes.
The price for this sample product is US$28.

CONTACT: Hitachi, Tokyo, 03-258-2057 (PR.Dept.)

[***][4/22/86][***]
AI HOME COMPUTER:
SEGA Enterprizes, a home computer manufacturer in Tokyo,
announced (4/14) that it would start shipping its AI computer
"SEGA AI" on July 1.  SEGA AI has been developed in cooperation
with CSK (Tokyo), aiming at mainly the K-12 market.  This new
home computer has NEC's original CPU "V20", and comes with an
18cm x 25cm tablet.  The programs are written in Prolog.  The
price of the machine is US$486, and the programs cost between
$27 and $44.

CONTACT: SEGA Enterprizes, 1-2-12 Haneda, Ohta-ku, Tokyo 144
         JAPAN (Phone: [phone])

[***][4/22/86][***]
SEIKO-EPSON's NEW TACTICS:
There's something in the wind around SEIKO-EPSON, the merger of
Suwa-SEIKO and EPSON.  The Nagano-based SEIKO-EPSON has been
transferring the company's main divisions, such as the
president's office and overseas marketing department, into its
Tokyo branch.  Tokyo is certainly more convenient than Nagano,
which is located in the middle of mountains.  The spokesman
explains the recent move is to beef up the overseas production rate
of printers etc.  Humm...  We'll see.

CONTACT: SEIKO-EPSON, Japan, 0266-52-3131

[***][4/22/86][***]
<<< SUKIYAKI BYTES >>>

SHARP INVOLVED IN EPROM BUSINESS -- Sharp has started
manufacturing EPROMs in cooperation with Waferscale Integration
in the U.S.  The company's first products include 64K and 128K
EPROMs.  Sharp also plans to produce 256K EPROMs soon.

HITACHI's 1M EPROM -- Hitachi will release its 1M EPROM at US$67
in June.  Its accessing speed is 1.30 nano-sec.  According to a
report, Hitachi plans to output this EPROM 200,000 to 300,000
per month by the end of this year.

FUJITSU's SUPER FAST 256K SRAM -- Fujitsu has released two types
of 256K static RAM with an access time of 55 nano-sec.  The
prices are US$100 and $111.

RICOH AND AT&T -- RICOH recently started supplying its image
scanners to AT&T on an OEM basis. It is for AT&T's model 6300.
RICOH expects annual sales of US$56 million in three years.

MICROPRO RECOVERS -- According to a published report, Japanese
WordStar 2000 -- code named "TwinStar" -- has been selling well.
As a result, MicroPro Japan expects total US$8.3 million or 50%
increase for the company's sales for fiscal '86.

JAPANESE 10-BASE III -- A Japanese version of "10-BASE III" has
been developed by Simple Corp. (Tokyo).  The original program
was developed by Fox Research Inc. (Dayton, Ohio).  The new version
will be released at US$277 in June.

TI VS. TOSHIBA -- Following the same footsteps as NEC, Toshiba
has filed a countersuit against TI for allegedly infringing
Toshiba's 256K DRAM copyright.  The suit was filed at Dallas
District Court in the U.S.  Japanese manufacturers have been
getting more aggressive in their efforts to get the upper-hand
in the renewal of cross license agreement with TI.

[***][4/22/86][***]
WHO'S TAPPING *YOUR* PHONE?
Last week was the first full week in which the Interception
of Communications Act came into force in the UK on April
14th.  People who suspect that their phone is being tapped
can now do something about it.  The new British law allows
people to present their suspicions to a tribunal of five
people - all lawyers - appointed by the UK government.
Assuming that the complaint isn't one of the cases where a
police warrant has been issued for "the purposes of
preventing or detecting a serious crime," or, "in the
interests of national security," or "for the purpose of
safeguarding the economic well-being of the United Kingdom,"
then the tribunal may investigate and order the destruction
of any material which has "resulted from the illegal or
improper tapping of telephones."

The new law stems from a ruling in the High Court in 1984,
by the European Court of Human Rights, which found the UK
government guilty of contravening basic human rights with
regard to the monitoring of the numbers dialled from an
antique dealer's telephone.

Whilst NEWSBYTES UK accepts that telephone taps are
necessary to cope with the three exclusion clauses in the
Act, it's interesting to note that in the current case now
halfway through at Southwark Crown Court, London, involving
NEWSBYTES UK's bureau chief (that's me folks), the Judge has
ruled that *data* does not come under the term "a telephone
conversation" as defined under the Act above.

As I mentioned last issue, I, along with other journalists,
am not allowed to comment on such decisions, until the
trial's outcome is decided (Friday 25th April), so, as they
say - Watch this space!

[***][4/22/86][***]
AMSTRAD POSTPONE UK PC CLONE LAUNCH:
Sources close to Amstrad report that the much-vaunted IBM PC
clone - twin discs, monitor etc, all in for about the 700
pound ($1,000) mark - is hitting problems.  Despite
reportedly booking large spaces at the forthcoming PC User
show in June (Source: Microscope), the firm has still not
got a bug free model in production.  Since Amstrad took over
Sinclair a few weeks ago (See NEWSBYTES UK 16th April
issue), the inside word is that Amstrad is also working on
a 68000-based machine to rival the Atari ST.  No doubt after
the takeover of Sir Clive Sinclair's empire, the
considerable R&D that went into the QL will be put to good
use.  When either the PC or 68000 machine will see the light
of day is, however, anyone's guess!

Contact: Amstrad Consumer Electronics, PO Box 462,
         Brentwood, Essex, CM14 4EE, United Kingdom.  Tel: Brentwood
         [phone].

[***][4/22/86][***]
MITSUBISHI MOVE INTO THE UK MARKETS:
Mitsubishi Electric Co, the giant Japanese retailer, is
dramatically raising its profile in the UK with the
introduction of a new range of own label PC clones.  The
move marks a major change for the company which had
previously been content with selling their machines on an
OEM basis.
The new machines will be called the 800 series, and will centre
around an 8088 and 80286 cpu.  Prices start at 1,700 pounds
($2,465) for a model 816 which is 8088-based, runs at
4.77Mhz, and sports twin floppies, 512K RAM and a 12 inch
mono monitor.  For those with deeper wallets, there is the
876N at.2,400 pounds, with a 20Mb internal hard drive
instead of one of the drives.  Flagship of the range runs at
3,400 pounds ($4,930), which gets you  an 80286-based 816F,
complete with 512K RAM (expandable to 5Mb, eight expansion
slots, single 1.2Mb floppy, 40Mb internal hard drive and a
14 inch colour monitor.  All the systems support MS-DOS 3.1,
CP/M-86 and Xenix whilst the 816F and 816N cpus can be
switched to run at 7.16Mhz.  Mitsubishi is planning to
set up a complete new sales network and HQ in the UK to
support the machines - talk about optimistic!

[***][4/22/86][***]
FRENCH TELETEXT TO DEBUT IN UK:
Whilst British Telecom's public viewdata service Prestel has
had the general market all to itself since 1979, there are
now several rival networks eyeing the UK market with some
interest.  One latecomer to the 'interested party' group is
the French government's Teletel system.  Teletel offers full
colour viewdata-style graphics and has close on two million
subscribers online in France.  This compares exceptionally
well with the Prestel user base of 60,000, the difference
being attributable to the French government's farsighted
decision a few years ago to issue terminals *free* to
households, and transfer details of France's telephone
subscribers onto Teletel, thus scrapping the requirement for
paper phone directories in one fell swoop - neat huh?  The
French phone company reckon the savings made so far in not
printing directories more than offsets the cost of the
terminals - result, la networked nation!

As part of their continuing expansion plans, Teletel will be
opening up dial up ports for Teletel in London, UK, and plans
to start signing up UK users.  The only snag here is that us
Brits speak English, not French, but Teletel may yet turn
bilingual.  One innovative software house - Aldoda
International - is working on a terminal software package
for the hugely successful BBC Microcomputer, which seems to
hold the bulk of the online computer market here in the UK.
Vive la Teletel!

Contact: David Lisbona, Aldoda International, 201 Haverstock
         Hill, London, NW3 4QG, Tel [phone].

[***][4/22/86][***]
WEALTHY CIVIL SERVANTS:
Adding credence to the persuasive arguments that VDU usage
is unhealthy (well it sure is tiring - yawn), comes news
that the UK Civil Service Union - The Civil & Public
Servants Association - is putting the finishing touches to a
deal with their employers (the government) over a pay deal
on the use of new technology.  In return for up to five
pounds extra in members' weekly pay packets, the union has
agreed to let its members use VDUs and PCs, under strict
guidelines to prevent fatigue, eyestrain, etc.  The whole deal
will take three years to implement, and will involve the
simplification of civil service grades, usually upwards when
the staff concerned deal directly with VDU's.

Contact: Veronica Baine, CPSA National Officer, Civil &
         Public Servants Association, 7 St Johns Hill, London SW11,
         Tel: [phone].

[***][4/22/86][***]
24 HOUR CASH - LOTS OF IT:
Viewfax 258, an information provider to the Prestel Database,
carried an amusing story this week involving a bank customer
from southern England.  Whilst travelling in Scotland, he
noticed that the through the wall cash dispensers allowed
him unlimited cash withdrawals from his account.  He was so
impressed at this loophole that he promptly withdrew
36,000 pounds (around $50,000) from several cash dispensers,
in multiples of 100 pounds.  Being an honest person,
however, he returned the cash to the bank pointing out just
what could be done.  For his trouble (and theirs) the bank
charged him 20 pounds to pay the money back in!

What would *you* have done with the money? - answers please
to: Ronald Biggs Esq., c/o The Great Train Robbery, San
Paulo, Brazil.
==
[***][4/22/86][***]
DIALCOM AND TELECOM TALK MERGER          *EXCLUSIVE*
Insiders say ITT is about to consummate a deal to sell its
Dialcom electronic news and information service to British
Telecom, terms undisclosed. The two started talking last
December, with discussions about possible joint electronic mail
ventures. Then Telecom offered to buy the whole Dialcom shooting
match. ITT agreed. ITT picked up Dialcom in 1982, when the
company had revenues of $12 million. According to Dialcom
officials, the 1986 revenues totaled $18.9 million, with a
customer base of 100,000. ITT also tried to sell a piece of
Dialcom that handles constituent mail for a number of congressmen
to Aristotle Industries, a Connecticut firm that markets
campaign software. That deal fell through, say Dialcom officials.

CONTACT: ITT Dialcom, 600 Maryland Ave. SW, Washington, DC,
         20024, 202-488-0550.

[***][4/22/86][***]
D.C. COMPUTER MAG DEBUTS
"Capital Computer Digest," a magazine covering the microcomputer
scene in the Washington area, published its first issue last
week. The 24-page tabloid featured a fair amount of advertising,
including a full-page ad from Advanced Computer Concepts, an
Arlington, Va., retailer which is selling boat loads of Leading
Edge PC clones. The magazine will come out twice a month, and is
free. According to publisher Peg Clark, the intent of the
publication "is to provide interesting reading and helpful
information to computer users in small businesses, corporations,
and independent users. Local, state and federal government
purchasing news will get attention, too."

CONTACT: Clark Publishing Co., 1408 N. Fillmore Street, Suite 1,
         Arlington Va.,22201, 703-525-7900.

[***][4/22/86][***]
CONTROVERSY SURROUNDS HIGH TECH CENTER
Virginia Governor Gerald Baliles has called for open access to
the books of the troubled Center for Innovative Technology, a pet
project of Baliles predecessor as governor, Charles Robb. Former
center President Robert Pry was the focus of controversy over the
mission of the $32 million agency. Pry's secretive style, and the
center's lavish exemptions from the state's freedom of
information rules, fed the fires of the center's critics.
Baliles has appointed a new chief of the organization founded to
serve as a link between scholarly research and the private
sector. The new president is Ronald Carrier, who stepped down as
president of James Madison University in Harrisonburg. Baliles
also said he saw no reason why the basic financial information
about the center ought to be secret. The former state attorney
general said he felt the exemptions to the state's disclosure
laws were designed to protect trade secrets and proprietary
information, not to hide the agency's management from public
criticism.

[***][4/22/86][***]
TANDY TO HAGERSTOWN
Tandy Corp. of Fort Worth, Texas, will build a $6 million
distribution center in Hagerstown, an economically hard-hit city
in western Maryland. The 250,000 square-foot facility will be on
a 20-acre site designated as an enterprise zone. That designation
gives Tandy considerable tax advantages. Tandy says it will hire
60 employees when the construction is complete, and another 40
later.

CONTACT: Tandy Corp., Ft. Worth, Texas, 817-390-3700.

[***][4/22/86][***]
WORD PROCESSORS STILL TOPS, SAYS MANAGEMENT GROUP.
Despite widespread use of personal computers, dedicated word
processors are still the two-to-one choice of companies for most
of their word processing needs, according to the Administrative
Management Society of Willow Grove, Pa. In an article in the
society's magazine "Management World", a survey of 282 companies
polled said they rely on dedicated WP equipment. Only 27 percent
said they meet their word processing load with personal
computers.

But computers are growing in importance to corporate word
processors. In this year's survey, 61 percent said they have
micros with word processing software in their offices, compared
to 51 percent last year. More important, 42 percent said they
plan to buy PCs rather than dedicated units in the future.

CONTACT: Administrative Management Society, Maryland Road, Willow
         Grove Pa., 19090, 215-659-4300.

[***][4/22/86][***]
GTE BEATS AIR FORCE SCHEDULE
The Air Force says GTE Government Systems Division has been
consistently 30 days ahead of schedule in delivering a
computerized system to train tactical weapons controllers and
technicians. The system training and exercise module -- STEM --
is designed to simulate tactical air battles with computers,
communications, and display consoles. The devices can simulate
aircraft interception, close air support, refueling,
reconnaissance, and search and rescue.

CONTACT: GTE Government Systems Division, 1700 Research Drive,
         Rockville, Md., 301-294-8400.

[***][4/22/86][***]
BDM ON THE HUNT
BDM International of McLean, Va., a high-tech professional
services company, is looking for acquisitions. The company, which
does most of its work with the Defense Department and the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, would like to buy up a
company with a strong client list of non-defense contractors and
commercial accounts. BDM is selling 1.5 million shares of its
common stock, now trading at about $28 per share, in order to
have adequate cash on hand for a quick buy if the company finds
the right purchase.

CONTACT: Earle C. Williams, President, BDM International,
         7915 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, Va., 22102, 703-821-
         5000.

[***][4/22/86][***]
BUSINESSLAND TO SWALLOW MBI
Businessland Inc. of San Jose, Calif., will acquire MBI Business
Centers Inc. of Rockville, Md., for a stock swap valued at $75
million. The deal will turn Businessland into a major national
computer retailer with about 150 stores across the land and
estimated annual revenues of $600 million. MBI has 36 computer
stores on the East Coast and recently acquired 11 stores in North
and South Carolina from Computer South. The company also holds a
contract with the General Services Administration to operate the
equivalent of retail outlets for government buyers only. MBI had
1985 sales of about $118 million and a net of $3 million.
Businessland with 69 stores had sales of $350 million last year
and profits of $3.6 million. The company said in April that it
will acquire United Telecommunications's 36 AmeriSource computer
stores in the Midwest. The Businessland takeover of MBI is
expected to be concluded in August.

CONTACT: MBI Business Centers Inc., 1800 Rockville Pike,
         Rockville, Md., 20854, 301-279-0551.

[***][4/22/86][***]
COMPUTER INDEX TAKES ANOTHER DIVE
The Washington Computer Business Index has fallen dramatically
for the second straight week. The index, based on pages of retail
computer ads in "Washington Business," dropped to 173.1 from the
prior week's 203.8. The index has dropped nearly 100 points in
two weeks. Two weeks ago, the index stood at 271. The April 14
edition contained nine pages of microcomputer ads, compared to
20.5 pages of non-computer display ads. Unlike the prior week,
when computer ads fell while non-computer ads rose, both
categories of advertising were down last week.

[***][4/22/86][***]
POWERBYTES

   $$$ Verdix Corp. of Chantilly, Va., will be supplying the
Verdix Ada Development System for use on the DEC VAX family
of minicomputers running under the ULTRIX operating system. Prices
will average about $20,000 each, but vary depending on the
processor in the VAX.

CONTACT: Verdix Corp., Chantilly, Va., 703-378-7600.

   $$$ Syscon Corp. of Washington recorded a 12 percent increase
in first quarter earnings. Net income for the first quarter of
1986 was $1.1 million, or 24 cents per share, on sales of $29.2
million. For the first quarter of 1985, earnings were 21 cents
per share, or $986,000, on $26.1 million in sales.

CONTACT: Syscon Corp., Washington D.C., 202-342-4000.

   $$$ Iverson Technology Corp. of McLean, Va., has moved into
commercial systems integration, a new market for the firm that
specializes in integrating low electronic signal Tempest systems
for the military. The new vice president for commercial sales
will be the aptly-named R. Joseph Market, a 19-year veteran of
IBM.

CONTACT: Iverson Technology Corp., McLean, Va., 703-893-3003.

   $$$ Charles Clark, a veteran of Planning Research Corp. of
McLean, Va., has been named to head federal marketing for
SofTech, Inc., of Waltham, Mass. SofTech's specialty is system
software for embedded computers in weapon systems. The company is
heavily into Ada, the Defense Department programming language.

CONTACT: SofTech Inc., Waltham, Mass., 617-890-6900.


[***][4/22/86][***]
CAE CONTRACTS AWARDED:
Montreal, Quebec's CAE Electronics Ltd., a unit of CAE
Industries (Toronto, Ontario), has recently been awarded
contracts worth $12.1-million (CDN) by British and American
concerns.  British Airways has awarded a contract of
$8.5-million for development and manufacture of a flight
simulator for Boeing 747-236 air crew training.  It is the
sixth simulator ordered from CAE by the British airline.
And Ephrata, WA's Grant County Public Utility District No.
2 is paying CAE another $3.6-million to develop and build
an energy management system for its network of power
transmission and generation.  The system, to be installed
at the power utility's headquarters in Ephrata,  will have
auto-generation control.

[***][4/22/86][***]
XEROX SPEAKS INUIT:
Xerox Canada Inc., of Toronto is offering a printwheel for
its Memorywriter line of electronic typewriters which will
print characters for Inukitut, the main dialect of the
Northwest Territories' Inuit natives.

CONTACT: Xerox Canada Inc., P.O. Box 911, Station U,
         Toronto, Ontario, M8Z 5P9

[***][4/22/86][***]
STOCK MARKET SIMULATOR ONLINE:
"Market Simulator" is an online program offered by
Investment Simulations Inc. (Waterloo, Ontario) through
Bell Canada's "Envoy 100" electronic mail service.
Subscribers select either a margin or cash account to buy,
sell, or trade stocks on The Toronto Stock Exchange (TSE).
Interest on cash balances, dividends, and commissions are
calculated, and a weekly portfolio summary is issued.
Hardware requirements are any PC and modem with
telecommunications software, and registrants sign up for a
three-month session at $190 (CDN).  Envoy 100 charges are
extra.

CONTACT: Investment Simulations Inc., 97 Waterloo Street,
         Box 633, Waterloo, Ontario, N2J 4B8
         Bell Canada, 800/268-9100

[***][4/22/86][***]
NETWORK TIME MONITORING:
Asynchronous X.25 and 3270 networks' system response can be
monitored with "SIM/RTM,"  a software package for personal
computer users wishing to clock how quickly or slowly
his/her micro receives communication from external
sources.  The program costs $450.

CONTACT: Simware Inc., 14 Concourse Gate, Nepean, Ontario,
         K2E 7S6
[***][4/22/86][***]
WATERLOO DEVELOPS EXPERT SYSTEM:
The University Of Waterloo (UW) is developing an expert
system for libraries expected to be ready for public
testing by the fall.  Building on software currently used
by many libraries for electronic card catalogues, which
search by menu, the UW system will be able to understand
keywords, thus skipping many menus and directing
researchers directly to the pertinent material.  The system
will also perform many human librarian functions, such as:
answering frequently-asked questions on class assignments;
and instructing users in search strategies in indices of
journal articles.

CONTACT: University Of Waterloo,  200 University Avenue
         West, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1

[***][4/22/86][***]
LAPTOP "FILLING STATIONS":
Ontario's Ministry of Colleges And Universities has awarded
a grant of $1.16-million (CDN) to the University Of
Waterloo's Applied Research In Educational Systems (ARIES)
program, for an expanded network of "filling stations,"
where portable computers can load and dump applications
programs and data.  The money will allow use of 300
battery-operated laptops donated by Hewlett-Packard
(Canada) Ltd., of Mississauga, Ontario.  Previously, about
60 students had been able to make use of the "data pumper."
Don Cowan, director of ARIES, notes that outlets can now be
"located all over, [and since] connect time is quite
short...you only need a few."  Researcher Terry Stepien
looks to the day when outlets can be community-wide,
"utilising  cable-TV connections," or connected via modem
and cellular telephone transmission.  Special word
processing software developed for the ARIES project allows
the laptops to be used equally in the humanities and
science departments.

CONTACT: University Of Waterloo (as above)
         Hewlett-Packard (Canada) Ltd., 6877 Goreway Drive,
         Mississauga, Ontario, L4V 1M8

[***][4/22/86][***]
B U L L E T I N .... April 23, 1986

BUSHNELL, WOZNIAK JOIN FORCES
   by Wendy Woods

Two of Silicon Valley's legends, Nolan Bushnell and Steve Wozniak,
have decided to join forces to produce, manufacture, and
distribute high tech consumer electronics products throughout
the world.

Axlon, Inc., Bushnell's high-tech toy firm, will acquire CL9,
Wozniak's consumer electronics firm, this week, said the pair
at a news conference at Axlon's Sunnyvale, Ca. headquarters.
Through the merger, Wozniak and Bushnell will become the major
stockholders of Axlon.  Prior to the merger, Axlon was wholly
owned by Bushnell.

Said Wozniak, "I'm really excited about what's coming up at
Axlon.  The toys that are coming I can't talk about. But I'm
really excited about what I see.  The fact that my kid owns and
loves an "A.G. Bear" was a big factor in making this decision."

Bushnell said the idea of combining forces--employing Wozniak's
remote-control electronics technology with Bushnell's toys--
originally surfaced at a recent gathering at Bushnell's home.

This is not the first time the two have joined forces.  Back
in 1974, Wozniak collaborated with Bushnell in developing the
video game "Breakout".

All of Axlon's 63 and CL9's 10 employees will remain with the
new firm, Axlon, Inc., although CL9's offices are expected to
move to Axlon's Sunnyvale headquarters.


CONTACT:  TOM ZITO, VP MARKETING, AXLON, 1287 Lawrence Station
          Road, Sunnyvale, Ca.  94089  408/745-1110