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/1988/nb880531.258

Text File | 1991-08-18 | 61KB | 1,237 lines

[***][5/31/88][***]
ATARI EXPANDS FEDERATED'S COMPUTER OFFERINGS
HOLLYWOOD, Ca. (NB) -- The latest trend in Federated Stores is
high-profile computer retailing, no surprise given its parent is
Atari.  The Hollywood Federated store has just opened 2800
square feet of floor space devoted not only to Atari computers
but to PC-compatibles from Blue Chip Electronics.  The Blue
Chip 286 and PC XT are being sold right alongside the Ataris.
Other brand names may be offered, as well.

In addition, the Federated store is aggressively promoting its
prices, guaranteeing the lowest prices in town.  The store also
has an expanded periodicals and books area, as well as plenty of
software titles on hand to entice would-be buyers, sales person
Gerald Leopold told NEWSBYTES.

While this store is first, some 10 Federated stores are expected
to have expanded computer sections such as this one by the end
of July.  And Atari public relations executive Marty Winston told
NEWSBYTES that Atari plans to have all its Federated stores
highlighting computers by year's end.
[***][5/31/88][***]
JUNE 2 BIG DAY FOR IBM
SAN FRANCISCO (NB) -- Watch for upgrades to the IBM line on June 2.
NEWSBYTES and other news organizations have been invited to regional
press conferences where IBM is expected to announce a new,
smaller footprint 80386 called the Model 70, and an upgraded Model
50.  All the machines are expected to incorporate the new Miro
Channel architecture.

Also look for dramatically lower prices on existing PS/2 models
as IBM tries to beat back clone-makers with a dose of their own
medicine.
[***][5/31/88][***]
CHIPS & TECHNOLOGIES BURIES HATCHET WITH IBM
SAN JOSE, Ca. (NB) -- Chips & Technologies is off the legal hook with
IBM concerning clone chips of IBM's PS/2 series of computers.  The
firm says IBM has promised only to attack makers of complete clone
systems, not just the maker of the semiconductors inside them.

But being off the hook doesn't mean Chips & Technologies can ignore
the issue of potential copyright infringement.  Says CEO Gordon
Campbell in a prepared statement, "We have committed to IBM that
we will work with our customers for IBM-compatible products, to
focus them on the subject, and to facilitate the licensing process."

[***][5/31/88][***]
MAY 31 BIG DAY FOR MICROSOFT
SAN FRANCISCO (NB) -- Microsoft is expected to announce upgrades to
three of its most popular software packages here on May 31.  The
world should get introduced to Microsoft Word 4.0, and new
versions of Microsoft Mail and Excel.......
[***][5/31/88][***]
SPREADSHEET WARS ESCALATE
REDMOND, Wa. (NB) -- The spreadsheet war is escalating between giant
Microsoft, Lotus, and Borland International.  Microsoft, which appears
to be the underdog in this battle, may move up fast with a new
marketing ploy -- a money-back guarantee for buyers of its Excel
spreadsheet.  Buy Excel ($495) now and you have until Jan 1, 1990 to
return it for a full refund.  Why is Microsoft allowing customers to wait
so long?  "The guarantee is designed to give customers ample time to
evaluate upcoming versions of (competing ) Lotus 1-2-3," says a company
blurb.

Borland, meanwhile, boasts that its Quattro spreadsheet is outselling Microsoft
Excel by a two to one margin in the U.S., and adds that 100,000
copies of the software have been sold since the product's introduction 6
months ago.  Borland, meanwhile, has offered a limited money-back
guarantee on its products and Quattro is no exception.

Lotus is still the sales leader, having sold an estimated 4 million copies
of 1-2-3 with 100,000 copies being sold each month.  Microsoft is
estimated by Goldman, Sachs & Company in New York to be shipping
about 10,000 copies of Excel each month.  Figures for Borland were
unavailable.
[***][5/31/88][***]
ASHTON-TATE ISSUES FORTH FRAMEWORK III
TORRANCE, Ca. (NB) -- Ashton-Tate has announced the successor to Framework
II, and a number of changes have been made to the 6-in-one integrated
software package.  There's now a LAN version with in-house electronic mail
capability, mouse and color support, and an onboard thesaurus.  The
$695 Framework III, which includes spreadsheet, word processor, database,
telecommunications, graphics, and idea processing functions, is set
for shipment July 31.  Framework LAN will run $995. Owners of Framework II
can upgrade for considerably less.
[***][5/31/88][***]
ATARI GETS BUSHNELL BACK
SUNNYVALE, Ca. (NB) -- Nolan Bushnell, Atari founder and designer
of the first mainstream video game "Pong," is said to have
signed a contract to return to his old haunts to design games for
the Atari ST and XE.  The official announcement is due June 1 at
the Lion and Compass restaurant in Synnyvale, which Nolan
Bushnell owns.  Bushnell is also expected to showcase his return to
Atari at the Consumer Electronics Show in Chicago June 6.   The details
of just how this alliance came about should be interesting.  Especially
interesting will be to hear how Bushnell and Jack Tramiel, the strong-
willed chairman of Atari, will work together.

Bushnell still runs Axlon, a toy company now slated to come out with
a line of low-cost video arcade games. He is not expected to leave
that company, but somehow will work for both firms at once.
[***][5/31/88][***]
DUKAKIS RALLIES SILICON VALLEY
PALO ALTO, Ca. (NB) -- Presidential hopeful Michael Dukakis made a
swing through Silicon Valley during his California campaign, stopping
May 26 at Syntex Corporation of Palo Alto, a biotechnology firm.
The Democratic front-runner told the gathering that he favors
more incentives for corporations to establish day care centers
and more government investment in high technology research.  It
was just the kind of pep talk many workers wanted to hear and he
reportedly garnered many undecided votes from the crowd of
several hundred.
[***][5/31/88][***]
SOVIET PC DEAL PREMATURE
SUNNYVALE, Ca. (NB) -- Advanced Transducer Devices is close to signing
a deal to produce personal computers in Moscow, but not as close as
it originally proclaimed.  The firm, which still promises to be the
first U.S. firm in this virgin and potentially lucrative market, got
into hot water by announcing it had established a joint venture with
the Soviet Union to make AT-compatibles.  In fact, the deal is in
its preliminary stages and will happen without Soviet approval, which
may be months away.  The premature announcement prompted a quick
response from Advanced Transducer's parent Televideo.  Spokesman and
general counsel Alan Melincoe attributed the initial reports to
inexperience on the part of Advanced Transducer. "We acquired an
enthusiastic, exuberant, zealous board company."

Nevertheless, if the deal happens, it calls for Advanced Transducer to
export an initial 4,000 AT-compatibles to the Soviet Union and to
set up a PC manufacturing assembly line in Moscow.
[***][5/31/88][***]
DRAM SHORTAGE FRAYS TEMPERS, LEADS TO UNFAIR SALES TACTICS
SAN JOSE, Ca. (NB) -- The shortage of memory chips has created more
than a price war, the computer industry is being victimized by unfair
sales tactics too, claims a report in the SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS. The
paper interviewed more than 20 computer and semiconductor executives
who say some DRAM suppliers are now requiring customers to buy other
kinds of chips in order to get the DRAMs they need.  The process is
called "tying" within the industry.  While none of the DRAM vendors
will admit such a practice, some reportedly admit preferential
treatment for customers buying more than one kind of semiconductor.
California Senator Pete Wilson, for one, is championing the
computer manufacturer's complaints, pointing the finger for tying
primarily at the Japanese DRAM suppliers.

Just what will happen next is uncertain  Wilson has complained to
Japan's Ambassador to the U.S.  But if the chip shortage is eliminated
by early 1989, as is predicted, the point may be moot, as it often
takes just as long for action to arise via diplomatic circles.
[***][5/31/88][***]
LAWSUITS OF THE WEEK
IRVINE, Ca. (NB) -- Western Digital has been sued by Quantum in a dispute
over patent infringement.  Quantum charges Western with violating its
patent for wedge-servo disk architecture found in Quantum disk drives.
Western's FileCard and disk drives are in question in the suit.  Western
claims the suit is without merit and intends to fight.

SAN MATEO, Ca. (NB) -- Electronic Arts has been sued by Bethesda
Softworks for allegedly failing to promote if not oppress a game which
Electronic Arts agreed to distribute.  Bethesda claims Electronic
Arts deliberately suppressed its Gridiron game so that it would not
compete with a similar offering from Electronic Arts -- John
Madden Football.  Bethesda seeks $7.3 million in damages.  Electronic
Arts will not comment on the suit except to say it is "without
merit."

MENLO PARK, Ca. (NB) -- Mediagenic, formerly Activision, found guilty
of patent infringement in a video game cartridge dispute filed by
North American Philips back in 1982, has requested an appeal.
[***][5/31/88][***]
IN BRIEF --

THE AMERICAN ELECTRONICS ASSOCIATION, Santa Clara, Ca., claims
electronics employment is the highest its been since January 1986.
2.6 million people are employed in U.S. electronics industries,
up 80,000 or 3% from a year earlier.

APPLE COMPUTER, Cupertino, Ca., promises Version 1.2 of HyperCard will
be available by June 15. The main difference between this and the
earlier version is its ability to work with CD-ROM drives. The
new version of HyperCard is available free from local Apple dealers. And
speaking of CD-ROM drives, Apple got the first ones out the door last
week (5/24). Europe, Japan, and Canada can expect to see them by the
end of July. The drives cost $1,199.

NeXT, Palo Alto, Ca., is seeking an East Coast headquarters, according
to Carnegie Mellon University's president.  Richard Cyert is opting for
Pitsburgh, where CMU is located, but Steve Jobs, NeXT founder, wants
Cambridge, Ma.  He also said the long-awaited workstation from NeXT
is due out in July -- the most official confirmation of a date to
arise yet.

NOVELL, Provo, Utah, is expected to announce a version of its NetWare
local area networking software for the Macintosh on June 7.  The
firm has slated a news conference at the San Jose Red Lion Inn,
at which John Sculley, Chairman and CEO of Apple, will also appear.

SCIENTIFIC MICRO SYSTEMS, Mountain View, Ca., posted an expected
loss of $9.2 million compared with earnings of $1.5 million a year
earlier.  The loss is due to a restructuring of European operations
and phase-out of certain product lines, according to the firm.
Scientific Micro is talking with the banks about refinancing loans,
and still has its SuperMac Technology division up for sale.  There
are reportedly at least six firms vying for the profitable monitor,
hard drive, and peripheral board company with one revealing its
bid:  $6 million.

3COM CORPORATION, Santa Clara, Ca., has lost the founders of the firm
with which it merged last September.  Judy Estrin and William Carrico,
husband and wife, and founders of Bridge Communications, have resigned
effective June 30.  They cite a desire to run another start-up company
as their reason for leaving.



[***][5/31/88][***]
THE CHICAGO SWITCH FIRE: NOW THE LEGAL FUN BEGINS
CHICAGO (NB) -- The fire which trashed an optical fiber switching
station run by Illinois Bell in Hinsdale, IL is proving to be a
ripe market for lawsuits. Consider that many firms have been out
of business for 2 weeks, and many are still not back up. Failure
to make the whole system redundant should cost Illinois Bell
millions in damages but, as a regulated utility, the company has
many legal defenses to hold itself harmless from such suits.
Still, the need to overturn precedents hasn't stopped lawyers
before. Chicago lawyers should take special note of the lack of
fire-suppression equipment at the switch itself, which made the
damage worse than it might otherwise have been.


FIRST CASE AGAINST A VIRUS-MAKER TO GO ON TRIAL
FORT WORTH, TX (NB) -- Donald Gene Burleson is facing trial on a
charge of computer sabotage for planting a computer virus in his
former employer's computer system. He could get 10 years. The
programs deleted 168,000 records of sales commissions at USPA and
IRA Co., a Fort Worth brokerage house. The company has already
gotten a $12,000 judgement against Burleson in a civil suit.

According to police, Burleson was a computer security officer
fired two days before he used a "back door password" one night to
access the computer. He covered his tracks by erasing computer
log-ons that would have documented what he was doing. He's the
first person to be charged under a 1985 Texas statute on computer
sabotage.
[***][5/31/88][***]
PUBTRONIX TO OFFER A 24 HOUR ONLINE BOOK STORE
POMPANO BEACH, FL (NB) -- Samuel Bleeker says his new database,
called BookMart, will become the "new American bookstore" when
it opens in the middle of June. It will run on a Gould mainframe
(Unix-based) in Great Neck, New York,  and track any book whose
publisher (or author) pays it $250 for the privilege. Readers,
in their home, will be able to dial BookMart free, and get a
150 word book jacket description, and either the first five
chapters (for fiction) or table of contents (for non-fiction)
of any book in the list.

Bleeker announced his invention at a conference of freelance
writers in Orlando, and called it an inexpensive way for authors
to get promotion for their work.

("Demo books" are not new. One of the Blankenhorn family's heirlooms
is a demo version of a 1881 biography of George Armstrong Custer.
Salesmen sold off the demo, wrote their orders into the flyleaf,
then mailed it with the publisher's cut for fulfillment.)

"I think we're providing a service to the publishing industry.
We're going to let small publishers with 3,000-5,000 book print
runs get national exposure," Mr. Bleeker told NEWSBYTES.

CONTACT: Samuel Bleeker, PUBTRONIX, [phone]
[***][5/31/88][***]
SUPERCONDUCTOR UPDATE -- SANDIA CLEARS POWER CONSUMPTION HURDLE
ALBUQUERQUE, NM (NB) -- The latest hurdle to be cleared by
superconductor researchers at the Sandia Labs in Albuquerque is
power consumption. Until now, you could only draw tiny amounts of
current through a superconductor. But Sandia's thallium-based
recipe conducted 110,000 amps per square centimeter at -321
degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature of (relatively) inexpensive
liquid nitrogen. Scientist David Ginley told "The Wall Street
Journal" that prototype electronic devices using the
superconductor as a connector could be developed in a year.
[***][5/31/88][***]
MSA RE-ALIGNS FOR SMALLER COMPUTERS
ATLANTA (NB) -- Management Science America, an IBM mainframe
software company, has seen the end of the mainframe and is moving
down-market. The company re-shuffled its management, dropping
at least a dozen long-time officers, and one top executive,
Michael Hunt, told "The Atlanta Journal-Constitution," "Our eyes
have been opened to opportunities in the mid-range and
microcomputer areas." The company will concentrate on programs
linking its mainframe applications to PCs and for IBM's new
minicomputer, code-named "Silverlake."

So far, so obvious. But MSA has tried this before. Early in the
decade it bought Peachtree Software, a micro software house, and
lost millions in the mass market before selling it to Intelligent
Systems, which also owns Quadram. The company lost $221,000 on
sales of $258 million last year.
[***][5/31/88][***]
ATLANTA SOFTWARE BUSINESS GROWS UP
ATLANTA (NB) -- Arthur Andersen & Co. bought lunch for the 50
fastest high-tech companies in the Atlanta area (clients and non-
clients alike) May 26 and feted them with hearts of palm, sauteed
veal, fruit torte, and MCI Chairman Bill McGowen. Software
companies were well-represented in the list, a far cry from the
first list, in 1984. Besides MSA, still number 2 with $258 million in
1987 revenues, there were DCA, HBO & Co., American Software, COIN
Financial, Stockholder Systems, The Software Link and Sales
Technologies, along with hardware outfits and systems houses.
The smallest among them had 1987 revenues of $4.7 million. The
event's co-sponsor, the Advanced Technology Development Center at
Georgia Tech, boosted a seed capital fund it wants voters to
approve in November. The executives nodded their heads and made
mental notes.

McGowen of MCI then talked for a half-hour from a prepared text
and while he looked fit -- fitter than NEWSBYTES has ever seen
him -- he sounded more like Andrew Carnegie the philanthropist
than that wonderfully greedy businessman we knew before his
health troubles. What was left was the impression of a powerful
business establishment, one with political and economic muscle,
which could take time out to be patted on the back. And its an
establishment which existed only as dreams a decade ago.
[***][5/31/88][***]
PECAN CHIPS

COMPAQ, Houston, took an "E" award for Excellence in Exports from
the Commerce Department. The award was presented in Washington by
Ronald Reagan, a former actor currently starring as President of
a very large country somewhere in North America.

HARRIS, Melbourne, is combining what was left of Lanier Business
Products and its own mini-computer operations, under a Harris
executive . Chairman John Hartley had already taken over
temporarily.

NCR COMTEN, St. Paul, MN, announced a new version of its software
with a feature called AXCS, pronounced "access." AXCS lets you
connect different brands of equipment together without an X.25
host, using a big, expensive computer to run a small network.

INFOMART, Dallas, said it signed 17 new leases and 9 renewals
during the first quarter of 1989. (Still plenty of empty room,
though.)

SAMNA, Atlanta, shipped Version IV of its Samna Word and Samna
Plus packages. A new feature, preview, gives users a complete
screen representation of a document. For PCs and compatibles, as
well as Unix minicomputers.

SEMATECH, Austin, TX, got $38 million as the University of Texas
completed the sale of bonds for it through Travis County, which
includes Austin.

SIEMENS, West Germany, moved all its ISDN terminal development to
its Boca Raton, FL operations.

TEXAS INSTRUMENTS, Austin, TX, announced a "market communications
toolkit" for its resellers to make them better salesmen. (Sort of
the bland leading the bland.)

UNIVERSAL DATA, Huntsville, AL, a subsidiary of Motorola,
announced versions of its 9600-baud modem and micro-mainframe
card for the PS/2.


[***][5/31/88][***]
FEW HIGH-TECH SURPRISES IN CANADIAN BUSINESS 500
TORONTO (NB) -- Most of the high-tech companies in the recently
released CANADIAN BUSINESS 500 listing of 1987's top-earning
companies are familiar.  The largest leap is that of Memotec Data
Ltd. of Montreal, whose purchase of the satellite data
communications carrier Teleglobe Canada catapulted it from below
the 500 mark to 232nd place over-all.  This made Memotec the
third-ranked high-technology company by net income, after
Northern Telecom Ltd. (12th over-all, down from 10th last year)
and IBM Canada Ltd. (26th over-all, up from 27th).  Mitel Corp.,
which was the number three high-tech company by earnings in 1986,
lost money in 1987, although it moved up to 185th in the top 500
by revenue.

BCE Inc., Northern Telecom's parent company, doesn't appear on
the list of high-tech companies because it has holdings in other
industries, but ranks number two in the CB 500, after General
Motors of Canada.

IBM and compatible personal computer users can get the CB 500 on
diskette.  The magazine is offering the data in three formats:
plain ASCII, dBase III and Lotus 1-2-3 -- but only on 5.25-inch
disks.  The first disk you order costs C$99.95, additional
versions are C$59.95 each.

CONTACT: Reader Information Service, CANADIAN BUSINESS MAGAZINE,
         70 The Esplanade, 2nd Floor, Toronto, Ont. M5E 1R2
[***][5/31/88][***]
COMPUTERIZED TRADING GETS QUIET BUT SMOOTH START IN VANCOUVER
VANCOUVER (NB) -- After a little more than a month of delays, the
Vancouver Stock Exchange began computerized trading of 25 stocks
on May 26.  The low-key launch went smoothly, according to Warren
Funt, manager of trading development for the West Coast exchange.
"It's the end of the second day," he said May 27, "and everything
is fine.  It's been very smooth -- almost approaching boring."

Originally, computerized trading was to start April 15.  Hardware
problems forced the exchange to push the launch date back two
weeks to April 29.  Then, at the last minute, the startup was put
on hold again while what the exchange described as small problems
were ironed out.

The exchange is using IBM PS/2 Model 60 microcomputers as
terminals to IBM System/88 host processors.  To begin with the
VSE is trading 25 of its 1,500 development stocks by computer.
Eventually the hope is to trade all of the development stocks
(which make up three quarters of its total listings)
electronically.  Three years of planning and about C$6 million
have gone into the project.

CONTACT: VANCOUVER STOCK EXCHANGE, P.O. Box 10333,
         609 Granville St., Vancouver, B.C. V7Y 1H1,
         [phone], Fax: [phone]
[***][5/31/88][***]
SIR-TECH ANNOUNCES 3.5-INCH SOFTWARE VERSIONS
OTTAWA (NB) -- Sir-tech Software Inc. has announced the release
of its entire line of MS-DOS software on 3.5-inch diskettes.
Sir-tech's products include the Wizardry game system, including
scenarios used with Wizardry, and The Clan Practical Accountant.
Prices are the same as for 5.25-inch versions.

Sir-tech announced a disk exchange program under which it will
exchange 3.5-inch disks for 5.25-inch disks in the software
packages.  Exchanges can be made through Sir-tech offices in
Ottawa and in Ogdensburg, N.Y.  But the disks must be exchanged
within 30 days of purchase, Sir-tech says, or it will charge an
$11.00 fee for every replacement disk.

CONTACT: SIR-TECH SOFTWARE, INC., 770 Industrial Ave., Unit 5,
         Ottawa, Ont. K1G 4H3, [phone]
[***][5/31/88][***]
GANDALF LAUNCHES TAKEOVER BID FOR BRITAIN'S CASE GROUP
NEPEAN, Ont. (NB) -- Gandalf Technologies Inc. has made an offer
to buy the 90.5 per cent of CASE Group plc of the United Kingdom.
Gandalf is offering 3.20 pounds and one Gandalf common share for
every eight shares of CASE.  Both Gandalf and CASE supply
telecommunications and networking products.

In announcing the offer, Gandalf said its "objective is to be the
largest independent information networking company in the world,
through a combination of strategic acquisitions and organic
growth."  The company says it wants to become marketing- rather
than technology-directed, develop a full range of networking
products as well as international sales and field support
services, and develop a network design consulting and maintenance
capability.

Gandalf says its business and that of CASE are a natural fit,
that the companies have similar manufacturing approaches and
purchasing requirements and that they sell to the same type of
customers.  The Ottawa-area firm argues that economies of scale
can be realized by reducing central costs, volume purchasing,
rationalizing manufacturing and eliminating duplication of
effort in research and development.

Gandalf has also applied for a listing on the London Stock
Exchange.  Company spokeswoman Jan Drummond said the listing
should be approved within weeks.

CONTACT: GANDALF TECHNOLOGIES INC., 1100 Collonade Rd. N.,.
         Nepean, Ont. K2E 7M4, [phone]
[***][5/31/88][***]
ONTARIO MINISTRY OF HEALTH SELECTS MEDICAL SYSTEM
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. (NB) -- The Ontario Ministry of Health has
chosen the Medkit 2000 automated medical administration system,
developed by Nexa Healthcare Systems Inc. of Mississauga, Ont.,
for use in all the province's community health centres.

Medkit 2000 has been used in Ontario for more than four years.
It keeps all medical records and handles reporting functions such
as patient demographic and encounter information, roster records
for patient population, appointment scheduling for staff members,
Ministry of Health reporting and financial accounting.

Nexa also announced updates to Medkit 2000, adding word
processing facilities and other features.

CONTACT: NEXA HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS INC., 5915 Airport Rd.,
         Suite 200, Mississauga, Ont. L4V 1T1, [phone]
[***][5/31/88][***]
FINANCIAL BITS
-- COLUMBIA COMPUTING SERVICES LTD., Vancouver, lost C$860,000 in
the nine months ended Dec. 31, on revenues of C$5.7 million.  In
the last nine months of 1986, Columbia made a C$417,000 profit on
C$4.5 million in revenues.

-- EPIC DATA INC., Richmond, B.C., lost C$1.97 million in the six
months ended March 31, on revenue of C$5.87 million.  In the same
period a year earlier, the company lost C$401,000 on revenues of
C$7.77 million.  Epic Data manufactures data collection
equipment.

-- MEMOTEC DATA INC., Montreal, has increased its ownership of
Infotron Systems Inc., Cherry Hill, N.J., to 6.5 per cent by
buying 331,100 shares between March 8 and May 24.

-- MIGENT SOFTWARE CORP., Vancouver software developer, lost
C$1.6 million on revenues of C$4.4 million in the nine months
ended March 31. Last year the company lost C$1.7 million on C$3
million revenues in the same period.

-- SATURN DISQ INC., Montreal computer products and software
distributor, made a profit of C$231,000 on revenue of C$4.5
million in the nine months ended March 31.  That's an improvement
over a loss of C$40,000 on C$2.2 million in revenues in the same
period last year.
[***][5/31/88][***]
BITS, EH?
-- COPYRIGHT LEGISLATION that would clarify the status of
computer software is stalled in the Senate banking and finance
committee.  The arguments holding up the bill having nothing to
do with provisions affecting software; they revolve around
exhibiting privileges for artists and provisions to do with
photocopying.  Canada's present copyright legislation dates back
to 1923.

-- SIR-TECH SOFTWARE INC., Ottawa, says two of its software
products have won awards from organizers of the 1988
International Summer Consumer Electronics Show.  Innovations '88
Software Showcase awards go to "The Seven Spirits of Ra" in the
strategy category and "Wizardry IV: The Return of Werdna" in the
adventure category.

-- NEXSYS CONSULTING CO., Mississauga, Ont., has announced the
latest release of Textools, its enhancement for AutoCAD that
provides additional facilities for working with text within the
computer-aided design software at
C$189.99.


[***][5/31/88][***]
OPEN SOFTWARE FOUNDATION COURTS JAPANESE PC MAKERS
TOKYO (NB) -- John L. Doyle, director of the Open Software
Foundation (OSF) has visited Japan to drum up support for a
new version of the UNIX operating system, but from most accounts
his visit was not received with overwhelming enthusiasm. The OSF was
established by seven computer makers, including IBM, Digital
Equipment, and Hewlett Packard in U.S., and Siemens in Europe.  The
foundation, which is a direct challenge to the Sun/AT&T alliance
developing the next generation of UNIX, seeks to develop its
own UNIX-like operating system and has earmarked an initial $90
million to the cause.

Doyle told reporters, "We have already raised 90 million
dollars and we want more sponsors, including Japanese PC makers,
to join the OSF.  We have sent to about 300 Japanese PC makers
letters asking for their participation in the foundation."

Yukio Mizuno, managing director of NEC, admits talking with
Doyle, but he is noncommittal, "I only listened to him."  Fujitsu
is reported to have refused Doyle's visit, but has publicly stated
that standardization of UNIX is important and it is considering
joining OSF. Hitachi had no comment.

CONTACT: NEC, 1-4-28 Mita, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108
         Fujitsu, 1-6-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100
         Hitachi, 1-5-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100
[***][5/31/88][***]
MITI TO RESEARCH NEUROCOMPUTERS
TOKYO (NB) -- Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI)
will begin research to determine the practical use of neurocomputers
next year.  MITI hopes to combine resources with U.S. researchers
who have made great strides in this emerging field; the goal is to
standardize methods.  MITI has designated nine years for the project
to reach completion.

CONTACT: Ministry of International Trade and Industry,
         1-3-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
[***][5/31/88][***]
SAMPLE 4M DRAMS RACE OUT THE DOOR
TOKYO (NB) -- The Japanese semiconductor industry is in a hot race
to supply potential customers with samples of the next-generation
integrated memory chips, 4 megabit dynamic random access memory
(DRAM) chips.  Hitachi has been supplying them in sample quantities
since December and Fujitsu began shipping the 4M DRAMS in April.
Toshiba promises its 4M chips by the end of June.

Meanwhile, NEC has announced it will ship engineering samples of
one megabit static RAM chips in June and 4 megabit dynamic RAM
chips in July.  And last but not least, NEC Yamaguchi is said to be
ready to produce both 1M DRAM and 4M DRAM immediately.

By most accounts, Hitachi is ahead of the pack in 4M DRAM
development.  But neck in neck is Toshiba which aims to be the
largest 1M and 4M DRAM in the world.

CONTACT: Toshiba, 1-1-1 Uchisaiwai-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100
[***][5/31/88][***]
AX PCs TO BE CONNECTED WITH LARGE COMPUTERS
TOKYO (NB) -- Chori Data System has developed several computers
to connect AX personal computers with the large systems of
IBM, Fujitsu, and Hitachi.  The AX personal computer is an IBM PC/AT-
compatible machine with a Japanese language feature.  One of the
connecting systems has an 3270 emulation feature which is capable
of using the AX PC as IBM's special terminal 3270.  Chori will start
shipping the systems this August.

Meanwhile, Tokyo-based communications software development company
Intercom will release two kinds of emulation software to connect
AX PCs with the large computers of IBM and Fujitsu.  This software
uses AX PCs as terminals for large computers.

CONTACT: Chori Data System, 2-45 Kawara-machi, Higashi-ku, Osaka
         541
[***][5/31/88][***]
<< SUSHI BYTES >>

HDD UNIT CONNECTS DIFFERENT PCs -- Land Computer, Osaka, has
developed a hard disk drive (HDD) unit capable of simultaneous
data conversion between different personal computers.  The HDD
unit can hold data for the NEC PC9801 series, IBM
Personal System/55, and Fujitsu FMR.  Also, the unit can
be used as a temporary local area network (LAN) between different
PCs.  It will be shipped at the end of this month at the basic
price of 220,000 yen or $1,800.

FUJITSU TO SET UP CHIP PLANT IN MALAYSIA -- Fujitsu will establish
semiconductor plant in Malaysia.  Fujitsu will begin operations at
the factory next January and plans to export all the
semiconductors produced there to Japan, Hong Kong, and the U.S.

DELL COMPUTER DELIVERS PC PARTS BASED IN JAPAN -- Dell Computer,
a major personal computer maker in the U.S., has started business
in Japan.  Dell will deliver parts and materials for
PCs from newly-industrialized countries of Asia.  Ambitious Dell
is also planning to produce central processing units in Japan.

NTT GAINS HIGHEST PROFIT IN JAPAN -- Nippon Telegraph and
Telephone corporation (NTT), the largest corporation in Japan,
registered the country's largest current profit of 496.7
billion yen in fiscal 1987.  The company was privatized by the
government in April 1985, and improved its business operations and
management by strengthening its sales force and enhancing
services.  NTT President Hisashi Shinto completes his final
fiscal year with the highest profit in Japan and he will be
posted as company chairman in June.  His current post will be
filled by senior executive vice president Haruo Yamaguchi.

HDD PRICES DOWN SHARPLY -- The price of external storage units
has fallen dramatically, including floppy disk drives (FDD) and
hard disk drives (HDD).  The reason is automation and technological
advances, which allow the drives to be made more cheaply.  A
20 megabyte hard drive, for instance, is half what it cost last
year and two-thirds the price of 1986.  Meanwhile production
of external disk drives is up 39% over last year; the Japanese
drive producers are expected to create 2.5 million of them in 1988.

FUJITSU DEVELOPED COLOR PLASMA DISPLAY -- Fujitsu has
develop an impressive new color plasma display. The company
expects to have the display ready for sale within a year.


[***][5/31/88][***]
MANAGEMENT BUYS PLESSEY ELECTRONICS - CHANGES NAME
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM (NB) -- Plessey Microsystems management
bought the electronics part of the company and changed its
name to Redstone International (not to be confused with Taiwanese
company of same name). The management, which was funded by a
large European venture capital company, felt that being
separate from the defense part (Plessey has been mainly a defense
contractor) would allow them to offer their VME-based products to
a wider range of clients than was possible before.

Peter Watson, a Plessey spokesman said, "Redstone has become
a company which is targeting its VME products to more customers
than before. Being a separate entity, it will be able to sell these
powerful computers to Plessey itself, bringing lower prices and
quicker market response."
[***][5/31/88][***]
EC IMPOSES PUNITIVE TARIFFS TO JAPANESE PRINTER MANUFACTURERS
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (NB) -- The European Community has imposed
punitive tariffs on 15 Japanese printer manufacturers, which were
found to be "dumping" their printers on the European market. The
move comes after one of the largest dumping inquiries on the
printer market came to the end, estimated to be worth about $1.8
billion in 1988.

The investigation found that these 15 Japanese companies sell
printers in the European market at prices lower than the Japanese
domestic market. Consequently, the EC imposed duties of 33%
on Brother, Citizen, Fujitsu, NEC, Seiko, Seikosha, and Tokyo
Industrial. Lower duties were imposed on Japan Business at 22%,
Copal at 18%, Star Micronics at 13%, Nakajima at 12%, Sinwa at
12%, OKI at 9%, Alps Electric at 7% and Tokyo Electric at 4%.

Notably absent from the list was Toshiba, which has been playing
the market by the book since the company was found to be
involved in last year's shipments of propeller tools to the
Soviet Union.

All these tariffs take effect immediately and only affect dot matrix
printers. Daisy wheel printer results, which were also involved the
inquiry, are expected to be announced in a few weeks. Currently,
the share of Japanese printers in Europe is about 75% with 1.8
million units sold in 1987.
[***][5/31/88][***]
IF YOUR CELLULAR PHONE IS MADE BY ERICSSON, TAKE COVER
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN (NB) -- Ericsson, the huge Swedish
telecommunications company, is to recall about 30,000 cellular
phones because their batteries can explode, causing grave danger
to users. A company spokesman said that since the battery is
installed in the back of the car and can explode, it can surprise
the driver, who may lose concentration and cause an accident.

The recall covers the Hotline Combi, a car telephone sold in
Scandinavia, Switzerland and Malaysia. The cost of the recall
is expected to be at least $1 million.
[***][5/31/88][***]
OLIVETTI SAYS AT&T WILL CONTINUE BUYING THEIR SYSTEMS
IVREA, ITALY (NB) -- Olivetti, one of the largest computer
companies in Europe, says that AT&T will continue to buy computers
from it, contrary to accounts appearing in the press here that AT&T
is looking for a new supplier.

The statement was also in reply to AT&T Chairman Robert Allen's comments,
"When AT&T chooses a supplier for its PCs it may not be
Olivetti." AT&T last bought 42,000 computer from Olivetti in 1987
and 210,000 in 1986. In the first four months of 1988, AT&T is
supposed to have bought 40,000 PCs from Olivetti.
[***][5/31/88][***]
NEW UNIT PERMITS 3D GRAPHICS MANIPULATION
VIERSEN, WEST GERMANY (NB) -- A new unit called the Dimension 6
control is designed to offer 3D manipulation using a
specially designed force torque sensor. It allows the user to
control three rotational and three translational degrees of
freedom with one hand. A robust keypad with 11 buttons permits
the selection of different operating modem and user specific
functions. Typical applications include finite element modelling,
robot manipulations, and animation.

CONTACT:   CIS Graphics GMBH, Postfach 100180, 4060 Viersen,
           GERMANY, Tel: [phone]
[***][5/31/88][***]
COOPERATION BETWEEN AEG AND ROLM SIGNED
FRANKFURT, WEST GERMANY (NB) -- AEG and LORAL-ROLM have agreed
that their subsidiaries, ROLM and ATM Computer GMBH, will
cooperate on the marketing of current products and the
development of future products. The agreement states that ATM
will take over all Rolm activities in Europe  where Rolm
computers will be sold and marketed by ATM. The Hawk and Shark,
MIL-spec computers, are mainly included in this deal.

ATM will also service and supply current ROLM 16 bit processors,
and will also supply the MR8020 to various clients, one of the
most powerful MIL-spec computers currently available.
[***][5/31/88][***]
EUROBITS...

     NIXDORF COMPUTER said it received an order worth about $50
million for a complete information system to be installed at
Britain's Nationwide Anglia Building Society. Each of the 800
branches of the building society will get a system which will
connect to the company's mainframes...

     ...ERICSSON said it received two US contracts worth $12
million for telecommunications equipment with MCI ($10 million)
and with CROWLEY CELLULAR for $2 million...

     ...GANDALF offered to buy the British telecommunications
company CASE for $100 million. Although Case's management has
rejected the offer, Gandalf (one of Canada's largest
communications companies) is determined to succeed...

     AMD and UNISOFT are joining forces to port the latter's
UNIPLUS+ version 3.2 of System V.3 UNIX to AMD's 29000 RISC
processor. It is expected to be available from the fall...

     ...QNX, the Canadian Operating real time operating system
made by QUANTUM, is now available on the PS/2 series...

     ...Safer skies in Europe now that AEG has installed a new
weather data information display at Germany's Frankfurt airport.
The system is able to provide up to the minute information on
weather patterns and wind shear data...

     ...A new FAX card which is only about 6 square inches is
available from THE WESTERN CENTER in the United Kingdom. It can
transmit and receive information with group 3 fax machines...

     ...and finally, NEWSBYTES-EUROPE has just received information from a
Taiwanese company which sells a 20MHz, Harris CPU-based 286 AT
compatible board. Accordingly, the board runs at 26.7MHz (on the
Landmark test) and costs less than $500. (Who cares about the 386?)
[***][5/31/88][***]

[***][5/31/88][***]
SENATE STUBS TOE OVER TOSHIBA *EXCLUSIVE*
WASHINGTON (NB) -- As the U.S. Senate has moved into the computer
age, workaholic employees have complained about not being able to
produce paper at home. In the good old days, pre-computers, the
Senate routinely made portable typewriters available for the work
at home crowd.

What could be more simple? Substitute laptops for the portable
typewriters. So, according to Senate sources, the Senate Rules
Committee, which is generally in charge of administration in the
world's greatest deliberative body (or is it, world's most
deliberative body?), took up the challenge. The committee
developed a detailed set of specifications on the laptops it
wanted, including such things as size, weight, and the like. As
these things are wont to do, the whole procurement effort took
quite a long time.

When all the bids were in, inside sources tell NEWSBYTES, the
Senate procurement honchos recently discovered that only one
machine fit their needs: Toshiba. Oops! It seems that, what with
all the Toshiba-bashing going on in the House and Senate over the
past few months, such as trade sanctions and additional penalties
in the vetoed trade bill, it is politically impossible for the
Senate to buy Toshiba laptops for its staff to take home. So,
it's back to the drawing boards for the Rules Committee. "They
are going to have to fudge the criteria a bit, to make sure
someone else qualifies," says one source close to the process.
[***][5/31/88][***]
MODERN JAZZ HITS A SOUR NOTE
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (NB) -- Faced with a buggy program, Lotus
Development Corp. has decided to deep-freeze shipments of its
Modern Jazz program for Macintosh computers. The action is the
second delay in the product designed to replace the poor selling
Jazz integrated package. Unveiled a year ago, Jazz was
originally set to debut last March. Then Lotus said it would be
out in May. Now, Lotus is making no promises about when Modern
Jazz will be available. The announcement, coming in the wake of
an announcement that Release 3 of 1-2-3 will be stalled, is not
expected to inspire confidence in the company on the part of
market analysts and industry observers.
[***][5/31/88][***]
AT&T AND OLIVETTI: MARRIAGE ON THE SKIDS?
NEW YORK (NB) -- American Telephone & Telegraph Co. is
reassessing its long-standing joint venture into personal
computer manufacturing with Ing. C. Olivetti & C. SPA. AT&T
Chairman Robert Allen told reporters in Madrid that the phone
giant may look elsewhere for personal computers to market under
the AT&T brand. When AT&T bids out its business in the future,
"it may not turn out to be Olivetti," Allen was quoted in "The
Wall Street Journal."

The four-year alliance with the Italian office equipment
manufacturer has not turned out well for AT&T, which was offering
an excellent line of PC-compatible computers priced too high to
make it big in the clone market. The company has also not fared
well in the Fortune 500 market through corporate sales of its PC
line. Now, the weakness of the dollar makes the Italian machines
even more expensive. Two years ago, AT&T rejected building PCs at
its factory in Arkansas. Now, say company executives, the
currency situation may lead them to reevaluate that decision. But
chances are, it will still be cheaper to buy the PCs from an
outside manufacturer. Olivetti isn't out of the picture, but
doesn't necessarily have a lock on the market.

In a parallel development, AT&T, which owns 22 percent of
Olivetti, has put Robert Kavner on the Olivetti board of
directors. Kavner is the new chief of AT&T's computer group,
replacing Vittorio Cassoni, who returned to Olivetti in order to
become managing director.
[***][5/31/88][***]
ONE DEAD, 16 INJURED IN VIRGINIA PLANT EXPLOSION
WASHINGTON (NB) -- Georgia Woodward, 43, has died of injuries
suffered in a chemical explosion at a Loudon County, Va.,
computer parts factory. She was one of 16 injured when a machine
making circuit boards exploded at Automata, Inc., of Sterling,
Va. Officials say a plant employee accidentally added either
sodium chlorate or sodium chlorite, instead of sulfuric acid, to
a machine that cleans the boards. The sodium compound reacted
with the sulfuric acid in the machine and blew apart in about 10
seconds. Washington Hospital Center officials said Woodward died
of respiratory failure due to toxic fumes she inhaled as a result
of the explosion. All 16 employees injured in the accident were
taken to hospitals. The 15 survivors have all been released.
[***][5/31/88][***]
YOUNG COMPUTER ENTREPRENEUR AND MOTHER ATTEMPT SUICIDE
MANCHESTER, N.H. (NB) -- Tex Zachary Hildreth, 24, the founder of
Massdata Corp., a computer consulting firm, and his 50-year-old
mother Rose were rushed to a hospital after taking pills in a
Manchester motel in a double suicide attempt. Hildreth was
arrested in his hospital room and charged as a fugitive from
justice. Police say he fled Massachusetts after allegations that
he bilked creditors and employees out of hundreds of thousands of
dollars. Hildreth had been hospitalized in Boston until he
checked himself out and fled the state, the "Boston Herald"
reported. Hildreth fled just before his Braintree, Mass., firm
was shut by authorities, who seized its assets.

The Hildreths' suicide attempt caps a rags to riches tale in
which an unhappy, obese teenager became a computer whiz and
potential millionaire. According to a "Boston Globe" profile,
Hildreth got a computer at 16 and started writing programs in his
bedroom in subsidized housing. He gained enough confidence from
his computer success that he lost 115 pounds in less than two
years. He rented office space at 20 and went into the consulting
business, hiring young programmers from other companies. The
business turned profitable last year, and Massdata expected to
see $4 million in revenue this year, with 300 clients. Hildreth
collapsed in his office May 18, his 24th birthday, suffering from
an aneurysm. He father died of an aneurysm when Hildreth was 7.
[***][5/31/88][***]
MAXELL INTRODUCES MEGADISK
FAIR LAWN, N.J. (NB) -- Maxell Corporation of America has
announced a 5.25-inch floppy that stores 2.4 megabytes of data.
The disks are currently being used in the Fujitsu word processor
in Japan. The disks work in the newly-developed YD-801 drive,
produced by Y-E Data of Tokyo. The disk uses conventional gamma
cobalt ferric dioxide magnetic particles. The MD2-ED disk
and new drive transfer data at 500 kilobytes per second and has a
96 tracks per inch density. The retail price of the disk is $25.
No price data on the Y-E drive.

Also, Maxell is offering a 15-floppy plastic storage case for
purchasers of 10-packs of its high-density MD2-HD floppies. The
promotion will last as long as supplies of the plastic cases
holds out, said Maxell.

CONTACT: Maxell Corporation of America, 22-08 Route 208, Fair
Lawn, N.J., 07410, [phone].
[***][5/31/88][***]
NEW IBM CHIP LINE UP AND RUNNING
ESSEX JUNCTION, Vt. (NB) -- IBM is now at volume production on
its production line that fabricates semiconductor chips from
eight-inch-diameter silicon wafers. The development should help
lower prices on IBM's one megabit DRAM memory chips. Until
installing new technology, IBM was getting 150 chips from each
five-inch wafer. Now Big Blue will be yielding 450 chips from the
eight-inch disks. IBM's fastest megabit chip, with an access time
of 80 nanoseconds, runs in machines ranging from the top-end
3090E processor to the PS/2 Model 80 personal computer. IBM
becomes the first chip maker to process wafers as large as eight
inches.

In other IBM developments, the company has combined all its
various online customer service facilities into an integrated
electronic support service. The new service is called IBMLink. It
will provide instant access to information such product
specifications, product functions, software catalogs, technical
support data, prices, scheduling, and delivery data. Ultimately,
IBM expect IBMLink will connect all IBM branch offices.
[***][5/31/88][***]
PITTSBURGH NeXT?
PITTSBURGH (NB) -- Richard Cyert, president of Carnegie Mellon
University, says Steve Jobs is looking at Pittsburgh and
Cambridge, Mass., for the eastern headquarters for his NeXT
computer company. Carnegie Mellon holds a small investment in
NeXT, about one percent, for which it paid $660,000 in January
1987. Cyert says NeXT would have a "close research relationship"
with the university, which already has a very strong computing
program. According to Cyert, Robert Longo, chief of Eastern
operations for NeXT, is also backing Pittsburgh as the cite for
the Eastern HQ, which would employ 100 to 300 people. NeXT has
already opened an office in Pittsburgh's North Side, and
advertised for managers in "The Pittsburgh Press." NeXT is
scheduled to unveil its first product, a computer targeted at the
education market, in July.
[***][5/31/88][***]
HIGH-END PUBLISHING LINKS MACS WITH COLOR SEPARATIONS PROCESSOR
BEDFORD, Mass. (NB) -- Scitex America Corp. has announced a
system that will allow design of four-color publications on the
Macintosh II, which can be read by Scitex equipment that produces
high-resolution color separations. So far, Scitex's Visionary
hardware/software package works only with Bitstream fonts, and
not the PostScript fonts from Adobe Systems. Visionary includes
Handshake-Xpress color page layout software, the Bitstream fonts,
A Sharp. Corp. scanner, and a Mitsubishi thermal color printers.
Prices range from $8000 to $80,000 and will be available in the
fall.
[***][5/31/88][***]
A MARRIAGE MADE IN CPU HEAVEN
MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. (NB) -- Rose Ann Detrafford and Joe Malacria
have typed in their "I dos" on twin keyboards, becoming man and
wife in what may be the first online wedding. The couple met
during an online chat session, exchanged messages, and met after
a torrid two months on the keyboard. Detrafford, 49, is a
bookkeeper and Malacria, 46, a retired computer consultant. The
wedding took place in the offices of Executive Network News in
Mount Vernon, the bulletin board where they met. The maid of
honor and the best man also met the couple online. While the
couple and most of the guests were on hand for the ceremony, the
minister conducted the wedding via a remote computer. Two
computer friends from Indiana also attended via computer hookup,
reports the Associated Press.
[***][5/31/88][***]
NEWS NIBBLES

CLINTON DIGITAL INC. of Framingham, Mass. says piracy charges
filed against it by DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORP. of Maynard, Mass.,
are "completely unfounded and groundless." Digital says Clinton
and SEVCO INC. of Hopkinton, Mass., fraudulently obtained circuit
boards. Digital has won a temporary injunction prohibiting
Clinton and Sevco from altering or disposing of certain printed
circuit boards.

COSCO ENTERPRISES of South Plainfield, N.J., has sold its
accounting and financial management products -- AIS, CONSOL, and
PC/CONSOL to COMPUTER ASSOCIATES INTERNATIONAL INC. of Garden
City, N.Y., for between $1.5 and $6.75 million in royalties over
seven and a half years. The deal requires the approval of Cosco's
stockholders. Cosco is running in the red.

THE PORT AUTHORITY OF NEW YORK has selected GE INFORMATION
SERVICES of Rockville, Md., for an electronic data interchange
the the cargo expediting system used by its members. GE will
provide its EDI EXPRESS system, which will allow customs house
brokers, steamship lines, and terminal operators in the port to
change standard business data through mainframes and PCs. It will
also include an electronic mail capability.

WANG LABORATORIES INC. of Lowell, Mass., has introduced a speed up
option call OIS140-TURBO for its OIS and Alliance processors. The
option consists of two board, containing a 32-bit processor and
four megabytes of memory, replacing three boards. TURBO increases
the number of peripherals supported from 32 to 64. Available in
the fourth quarter for $15,000 ($24,000 for a Tempest version).



[***][5/31/88][***]
APPLE UK INVESTS IN EDUCATION
Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire (NB) -- Apple Computer UK has
invested more than #250,000 in a unique joint initiative with
several Local Education Authorities (LEAs) to set up an
independent nationwide network of information technology resource
centres.

By mid-June, 19 Apple Regional Information Centres (ARICS) will
be in place throughout the UK. The first ARIC, based at
Cheltenham College in Gloucestershire, opened for business last
week.

Ian Carter, head of information technology at Cheltenham College
sees the centres as an opportunity to link resources in both
state and private sectors:

"It allows a cross-fertilization of ideas by bringing the two
sides together. Apple is bringing fresh ideas to education and
we've been waiting for a long time for an exciting initiative of
this kind which fills a gap in our current resources," he said.

CONTACT:  Apple UK, Eastman Way, Hemel Hempstead,
          Hertfordshire HP2 7HQ.
          Tel: [phone].
[***][5/31/88][***]
ATARI: NEW HARDWARE AND PLANS ANNOUNCED
London, UK (NB) -- Atari unveiled the PC4, its new AT-compatible,
at the London Cafe Royale last week. At the same time, the
company announced it will be launching an STFM version of the
1040, as well as its marketing plans for the Autumn run-up to
Christmas.

The PC4 is a 80286-equipped twin-speed (8/12MHz) PC with 512K Ram
(expandable to 1024K internally), VGA compatibility and a 60Mb
integral hard disk. Five vertical expansion slots are available -
one XT and four AT-style. The price of the machine? #1,299 - as
ever, highly competitive stuff from Atari.

In parallel with the PC4's unveiling comes the announcement that
Atari will release an STFM version of the 1040 ST in September.
The 1040STFM will include a TV modulator as standard, making it
suitable for the low-end domestic market. As with the 520STFM,
however, a real monitor is needed for 80 column text working.

On the advertising front, Atari is shelling out more than #2
million in the next six months on TV and press promotion of its
products. Products featured in the multiple campaigns include the
520ST, the XE games system and the 2600 games console.

Can Atari make it big in '88? Bob Gleadow, Atari UK MD reckons it
can. Last year's TV campaign for the 520 ST sold more than 80,000
computers. This year's TV plan calls for another 120,000 machines
to be sold. Heady stuff.

* Atari UK has also announced it is now shipping prototypes of
  its Abaq Transputer workstation to software developers.

CONTACT: ATARI UK, Atari House, Railway Terrace, Slough,
         Berkshire SL2 5BZ.             Tel: [phone].
[***][5/31/88][***]
COMMODORE: SHOW UPCOMING; PRICE CUT ON THE A500?
London, UK (NB) -- This Friday sees the opening of the three-day
Commodore Computer Show at the Novotel Hotel in Hammersmith,
London. NEWSBYTES UK will bring you a show report in next week's
issue, but we're intrigued by a special press announcement
scheduled for the morning of the first day.

Sources have indicated that a #100 price cut on the A500, the
baby Amiga, will be announced sometime in June. Several UK press
sources are staking their claim that an announcement will be made
on this subject at Friday's press conference.

NEWSBYTES UK however, notes that Commodore UK has traditionally
announced new products etc., at the Commodore Show. These
announcements have always been made some weeks after similar
launches etc., in the US and West Germany. Hanover, West Germany
was the scene of the CeBit computer fair at which Commodore
unveiled a 68030 accelerator card and a version of Unix for the
A2000, as well as announcing the development of an add-in 80286
card for machine.

And that is what Commodore UK will, we predict, announce at
Friday's press call. Since Atari hiked its 520 ST price tag to
#399 (from #299) in March, Commodore has no reason to cut its
margins by reducing the A500's price tag.

CONTACT: COMMODORE (UK) LTD, Commodore House, The Switchback,
         Gardener Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 7XA.
         Tel: [phone].
[***][5/31/88][***]
IBM: PS/2 - THE SECOND COMING
Winchester, Hampshire (NB) - Computer journalists from all over
the UK will be converging on IBM's UK headquarters this Thursday,
where Big Blue has scheduled a major press conference.

What will IBM unveil? True to tradition, the company isn't
saying, but NEWSBYTES UK surmises that a new version of Dos
(version 3.4) along with at least two new models in its PS/2
product line, will be announced/unveiled.

Dos 3.4 will, we hear, push the hard disk limits from 30 to
512Mb, as well as dramatically improving the user interface. The
most interesting feature of Dos 3.4 however, is the suggestion
that the operating system has been recoded by IBM, following
IBM's purchase of Dos rights from Microsoft.

And the hardware? We hear about a Model 55 and 70. Beyond that,
it's anyone's guess as to the machine's specifications.

* The Computergram newsletter reports that Metaphor Computer
  Systems has been commissioned by IBM to develop an Icon/Mouse
  interface. Computergram notes that IBM may choose such an
  interface in place of Presentation Manager for OS/2.

CONTACT: IBM UNITED KINGDOM, Baltic House, Kingston Crescent,
         Portsmouth, Hampshire PO6 3AU.     Tel: [phone].
[***][5/31/88][***]
SOFTKLONE: MIRROR II BEST SELLER OF '87
Bristol, Avon (NB) -- Ah such modesty - Softklone UK has made the
bold claim that its Mirror II PC communications package was a UK
best seller during 1987.

The good news comes as a result of a survey by Context, a
marketing and computer consultancy operation. Context's survey
covered the period February '87 through to January '88 and showed
Mirror II as a best-seller in terms of volume and sales value - a
big surprise since Chip-Chat, Crosstalk and Datatalk, other major
contenders for the UK comms market, all have higher prices.

NEWSBYTES UK notes that, since Mirror II is being bundled with
the Amstrad PPC portable, the package is likely to retain its
position as a best-seller in the PC comms market. The UK market
could change considerably however, since we hear that Odyssey,
the comms package from Micro Pack in Aberdeen, which includes MNP
error-correction within software, is about to undergo beta
testing.

CONTACT: SOFTKLONE UK, PO Box 42, Fishponds, Bristol, BS16 4BA.
         tel: [phone].
[***][5/31/88][***]
TREND MONITOR LAUNCHED
London, UK (NB) -- NEWSBYTES UK keeps you in touch with the
computer and communications market's goings-on in the UK.
Likewise, our colleagues in Belgium, Canada, Japan and across the
US do likewise - each week.

But it looks like we've got competition in the form of Computing,
Communications and Media Trend Monitor, a quarterly journal which
summarises the market's key publications into a jam-packed
magazine. CC&M Trend Monitor costs #95-00 a year to subscribe to
and is aimed at business executives, government officials and
journalists who would like to read more on computer-related
topics, but don't have the time.

Trend Monitor is compiled by Bob Sprigge, Terence Wright and Jan
Wylie, all computer/communications consultants with considerable
experience. All three are backed by Aslib, the UK's Association
for Information Management, so the project has some sound
backing.

Is the journal worth subscribing to? That depends on whether you
have the time to compile and research information - as Newsbytes
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+ BRITBYTES - Bytes of news from around the UK... +
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BORLAND INTERNATIONAL (0734-320022) is rumoured to be about to
release Sprint, its long-awaited word processor for the PC. The
package, already on sale in France, may be launched on both sides
of the Atlantic on the 8th of June.

COMPUTER TRADE WEEKLY has fired off a rumour about the Spectrum
Plus 4. The paper suggests the machine will be based on a 16-bit
chip set and be downwards compatible with the existing
Spectrum range. There may be new life in the Spectrum computer
yet.

DSC COMMUNICATIONS (represented by DSC Nestar in the UK) and DEC
have announced an agreement to create a joint family of
networking products.

EVESHAM MICROS (0386-865500) has unveiled its RF302 series of
add-on drives for the Atari ST and Commodore Amiga. The slimline
drives plug straight into all ST models, as well as the Amiga 500
and 1000 series. Pricing on the drives is #114-95 including VAT.

MERCURY COMMUNICATIONS (01-528-2000) has announced its first
report on quality of service and the figures make for good
reading. More than 80 per cent of faults on the Mercury network
were cleared within six hours, whilst more than 90 per cent were
rectified within a day.

MIRRORSOFT (01-377-4645) has removed copy protection from its
File Rescue Plus package. The change is due to user (and software
review) pressures which criticised the company for employing
software protection on a package designed to solve faulty media
problems.

WATFORD ELECTRONICS (0923-43939) is planning to move into the
sale of PC compatibles, according to MICRONET 800, the
microcomputing area on Prestel. The Acorn computer specialist's
PCs (initially an XT and AT-compatible series) will be badged
under the Aries brand name and are manufactured in Taiwan.