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[***][10/04/88][***]
NOTE -- Our editor and boss, Wendy Woods, was hospitalized
September 30 with a bad case of overdue baby. After a brief
operation, her daugher, Miranda Gorski, entered this world. A
little late, but none the worse for wear. Wendy will return soon.
Meanwhile our Brussels editor, Peter Vekinis, has filled in this
week.
[***][10/04/88][***]
ASHTON TATE -- dBASE IV CAN'T MEET ITS LATEST DEADLINE
TORRANCE, CA (NB) -- Ashton-Tate has confirmed confirmed it won't
meet the scheduled September 30 ship date for its dBase IV
product. It was originally due out July 30. This failure,
combined with Lotus' continual failings in getting out the new
version of 1-2-3, is surely good news of a sort for Microsoft
and Borland. But it could be even better news for Computer
Associates Inc. The Wangs of CAI have always held that software
engineers and executives were overpaid and under-pushed. By
-More-nomore
picking up stragglers and wringing out costs, CAI has kept
growing while the higher-priced execs have flagged. If you're
going to make all that money, guys, the least you can do is meet
your deadlines. ---Reported by Dana Blankenhorn
[***][10/04/88][***]
APT'S VOICE HAND-HELD COMPUTER -- MORE POWERFUL THAN A PC?
REDMOND, WASHINGTON (NB) -- We were skeptical when Steve Rondel
of Advanced Products and Technologies told us his handheld Voice
computer was more powerful than a PC. Then we looked at it.
Totally solid state, VOICE can grab files 100,000 times faster
than the average PC, it carries 4 megabytes of memory, and has
multiple processors. Rondel adds, "VOICE also has its own
operating system, specially designed software and custom chips
enabling it to function at considerably higher speeds than larger
and more expensive computers." Take a look at it yourself, and
let NEWSBYTES know what you think.
[***][10/04/88][***]
DIGITAL RESEARCH ANNOUNCES NEW GEM PACKAGE
MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA (NB) -- Digital Research has announced a new
version of its GEM operating system, featuring multi-tasking
enhancements for protected mode environments. It's called X/GEM,
and represents a natural extension to GEM, which competes with
Microsoft's Windows.
The first implementation of X/GEM will be on FLEXOS 386 and
FLEXOS 286 operating systems, sold to dealers and OEMS like
Siemens. Digital Research CEO Dick Williams said "Ease of
programming, ease of use interface for multitasking operating
systems represents a natural, but significant evolution of both
our systems and graphics technologies. The coupling of GEM and
automation graphics market, which we call AUTOMATION GRAPHICS is
designed to offer ease of use in the automated products
industry."
Siemens in West Germany is the first customer site for
X/GEM/FLEXOS and a committed OEM for the product. The product is
scheduled for release early in 1989, and will include a
programmers' toolkit.
[***][10/04/88][***]
COMPUTER RADIO SHOW IN SEATTLE CANCELLED
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON (NB) -- A format change at KING-AM radio in
Seattle has led to the cancellation of Northwest Computing, the
Pacific Northwest's only live, call-in computer show. The
station is changing its format.
Producer and host Fred Catalano told NEWSBYTES, "The show grew
from a half-hour to its current two-hour live format and had
both ratings and advertising success, in large part because of
people's interest and because it approached the computer as a
simple tool and not as a Harvard-graduate-understood highly
complex piece of equipment." During its run, Northwest Computing
was honored by the Computer Press Association as the best
computer radio show in the industry.
[***][10/04/88][***]
OFFICIAL VAPORLIST GROWS TO 13, STILL INCLUDING 1-2-3
REDWOOD CITY, CALIFORNIA (NB) -- According to Stewart Alsop's "PC
Letter" there are now 13 "products" on the market which remain
non-existent vaporware. The list of Vapor Pushers include some of
the most respected names in computing, including Ashton-Tate,
Lotus Development and IBM. The list includes an optical drive
announced in July, 1985, IBM's OS/2 Standard Edition announced in
April, 1987, Lotus' 1-2-3 Release 3, announced in April 87,
3Com's 3+ Open, announced in July 1987, Lotus' 1-2-3 Mac,
announced in October 1987, Ashton-Tate's dBase IV, announced in
February 1988, and AT&T's UNIX 4.0, announced in April 1988.
[***][10/04/88][***]
PRISMA TO MAKE GALLIUM ARSENIDE VERSION OF SUN SPARC CHIP
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA (NB) -- Prisma Inc. has signed a
license agreement with Sun Microsystems for Sun's SPARC (Scalable
Processor Architecture) architecture. Prisma will use the SPARC
design in a Gallium arsenide-based process offering high speed
(250 million instructions/second) and exceptionally fast
interrupt service. Steve Kiely, president of Prisma said "The
SPARC architecture has a mix of attributes that make it ideal
for our application."
Based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Prisma was founded in March
1986 by former researchers with supercomputer maker Cray
Research, who want to make supercomputer-class systems. The
company employs 40 people plans to grow to expand employment to
over 65 in 1989.
[***][10/04/88][***]
TANDEM TO SELL MACINTOSHES WITH ITS NONSTOP COMPUTERS
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA (NB) -- Tandem Computers and Apple Computer
have entered into a four-year value added reseller (VAR)
agreement under which Tandem will sell, support and service
Macintosh computers as part of its on-line transaction
processing networks. The Mac-in-Tandem will be available early
next year.
[***][10/04/88][***]
PACIFIC BELL ASKS FCC FOR ONLINE TRIAL NEXT YEAR
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA (NB) -- Pacific Bell has joined the
other Regional Bell Companies in applying to the FCC for
permission to offer a videotex gateway service. Videotex
gateways offer simplified access to a variety of information
services and a simple command structure.
Pacific Bell will begin a one-year trial of its gateway in the
San Francisco area around the middle of next year, if the FCC
approves its application. Promises by PacBell include
educational services, financial services, medical services,
community information, shopping services and electronic mail.
[***][10/04/88][***]
PYRAMID TECHNOLOGY ENTERS INTO OEM PARTNERSHIP WITH CANADIANS
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA (NB) -- Pyramid Technology, a leading
supplier of RISC-based mini-mainframe computers, signed an OEM
deal with Keyword Office Technologies of Calgary, Canada, under
which Keyword will supply its KEYpack(Tm) UNIX document
interchange products to Pyramid.
[***][10/04/88][***]
EVEREX TO SHIP MACINTOSH HARD DRIVES
FREMONT, CALIFORNIA (NB) -- Everex announced that it will soon
ship 40 megabyte, 60 megabyte and 80 megabyte hard disk drives
for Macintosh computers. Prices start at $,1295. The Everex
Impact drives feature front-mounted switch and status lights,
a SCSI address selector, and internal terminators so you can
chain them together easily. They're also smaller in size than
most Mac hard drives, but the company claims there is no loss in
performance.
[***][10/04/88][***]
WESTBITS
APPLE has demonstrated TCP/IP (Transmission Control
Protocol/Internet Protocol) integration for its Macintosh line of
products at the Interop 88 exhibition held in the Santa Clara
exhibition center...
ELECTRONIC ARTS introduced STUDIO/8, a superb new paint program.
The package can draw with up to 256 colors on the Macintosh II
and IIx. It includes an icon tool box, airbrushes, 9 tool
modifiers, a magnification mode and full text editing.
LATTICE released a new version of its popular SECRET DISK II
program, which offers encryption and decryption using a National
Bureau of Standards algorithm and a menu drive user interface.
MERIDIAN DATA and HEWLETT PACKARD signed a marketing agreement
for CD ROM publishing integrating and marketing of HP
LaserRETRIEVE and CD ROM Publisher. The publishing system,
including a CD Publisher with 600 megabytes of memory and HP
LaserRETRIEVE, will cost $49,950. The two companies also
announced plans to hold CD-ROM conferences during the first half
of 1989.
MICROSOFT announced Microsoft Works 2.0 for the Macinstosh. The
new version includes facilities to check spelling, color support
for the Macintosh II, a print preview mode and other features.
The price stays at $295 with registered users of the 1.X version
able to upgrade for $75.
ORACLE announced an interface between its database program and
ALIS, Applix's integrated office-automation software system.
ALIS combines the graphics-based PC applications with
communications-based office-automation systems for presentation-
quality output on desktop publishing systems.
QUBIX announced shipments of its LEONARDO illustrator have begun.
Leonardo, designed for SUN workstations, offers painting
capabilities beyond those normally available for PCs.
[***][10/04/88][***]
COMPAQ LAPTOP TO DEBUT OCTOBER 17
HOUSTON (NB) -- For the record, Compaq won't say what it will
announce at a planned October 17 press briefing in New York, but
it doesn't take a genius to read-between-the-lines of the
invitation. (For the record, Reuters was the first news service
to figure this out.) Headlined "The Promise Appears," the
invitation continues, "The Time has Arrived. Perfectly
proportioned. With Worlds of Opportunities. Presenting New
Dimensions from Compaq." A morning press conference will be held
at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square, followed by president
Rod Canion's presentation at the Lunt-Fontaine Theater nearby.
Practically under the windows of "The New York Times." NEWSBYTES
expects a black-on-white screen, a 6-8 pound weight, and the
fastest chips with the most memory Compaq can find. Also,
somewhere outside (or at worst, inside) look for the words, "Made
-More-nomore
in Japan."
Other possible laptop innovations Compaq might try. A full-page
screen like the one Reflection Technology Inc., Cambridge, MA is
offering. A new chip set from Chips + Technologies, San Jose, CA,
which cuts battery consumption in half. Maybe even a recognition
of Dana's Iron Law of Laptops -- an ounce on the desk is a pound
in my hand.
[***][10/04/88][***]
GENIE READY TO ARGUE RELIGION, OR SPACE POLICY, WITH ANYONE
ROCKVILLE, MD (NB) -- In hopes that structure and close
conference management can open up the public computer
conferencing market, GEnie has taken to publicizing its new
"roundtables" (known elsewhere as Special Interest Groups) on
Religion & Ethics, Aviation, and Radio & Electronics. Most GEnie
roundtables, including the new aviation and electronics entries,
are professional or hobbyist affairs. Religion may be almost as
difficult a subject to moderate as politics.
GEnie spokesman Steve Haracaznak says it's common for his firm to
publicize new SYSOP hires. "We call them 'extended staff,'" he
says. "We have a close relationship with these people." (The man
running the Religion board, Harrison John, is also a full-time
GEnie employee.) Few SYSOPs, however, make more than the value of
the time they spend online. Maybe some publicity can change that.
[***][10/04/88][***]
SOURCE THE PLACE FOR LOVERS OF THOSE STATE NEWS WIRES
ATLANTA (NB) -- Russell Shaw is a stringer for more newspapers
and magazines than you or I could read. He finds Atlanta and
Georgia stories, pitches editors about follow-ups and features,
then follows-through professionally. He's also a CompuServe fan.
Likes nothing better than rubbing this writer's nose-in-it about
CompuServe's IQuest Gateway and other features there he likes.
His favorite file, however, was the AP state wire. Early this
year, AP took its state wires off CompuServe. NEWSBYTES later
found out the move was made because AP was getting flack from its
affiliate newspapers, who depend on AP's state wires for their
own local stories and follow-ups. The newspapers wanted permanent
exclusivity, they didn't want to share with stringers like
Russell Shaw, and AP knuckled under, calling the whole effort "an
experiment."
Last week, without a hint from me, Russell learned that "The
Source" has the UPI state wires, fully-searchable, online and
ready. They're not as good as the AP wires, with maybe one-third
the number of stories, but they're a lot better than nothing.
Thus the context of our Quote of the Week:
"I'm in news-junkie heaven." --Russell Shaw,
[***][10/04/88][***]
QUILL NETWORKING OFFICE PRODUCTS DISTRIBUTION BUSINESS
CHICAGO (NB) -- Quill Corp., a $200 million office products
distributor, is trying to extend its reach with an online
ordering system. Any dealer can reach the Quill system with an
IBM PC. Special software then lets the caller's screen display
online order forms and a customized shopping list. There's even
electronic mail and a bulletin board for office products buyers.
In that way, this attempt to claim a path-to-market exceeds the
capabilities of American Airlines' Sabre reservation system,
which can handle transactions but doesn't let travel agents
debate among themselves. Quill is hoping to sell its software to
other mail-order firms.
[***][10/04/88][***]
DASNET, iNET REACH INTERCONNECT DEAL
CAMPABELL, CA (NB) -- Dasnet, which provides communications links
between online services worldwide, has signed a deal with iNet
under which subscribers can be billed directly by iNet for their
DASnet usage. The deal involves a complex sharing of billing and
revenue, and Dasnet president Russ Briggs told NEWSBYTES it's not
an exclusive -- they're offering the same deal to The Source and
other systems. Good for Dasnet, good for iNet, and good for users
-- until better gateways come along.
CONTACT: DASNET, 408-559-7434
[***][10/04/88][***]
DOW-JONES TO OFFER ENGLISH-LANGUAGE SEARCHING
PRINCETON, NJ (NB) -- Dow-Jones News Retrieval will soon have
real-live English language searching capability. Using The
Connection Machine, a database engine from Thinking Machines
Corp., Cambridge, MA, users will be able to ask questions like
"What did Reagan and Gorbachev discuss the last time they met?"
and get real answers. Searches can be refined as users choose
relevant articles from a list of "hits" provided by The
Connection Machine, with second searches done based on the
algorithmic values of chosen articles.
NEWSBYTES talked to Dow-Jones executive vice president William
Dunn, who said that The Connection Machine will go online for all
Dow-Jones News-Retrieval subscribers late in the fourth quarter,
around Christmas. Access to it will be through a standard (for
Dow-Jones) // command. "We wanted to call it Business Machine,
but that would have made the command //bm, and that sounds like
bowel movement," Dunn jokes.
[***][10/04/88][***]
ETA SYSTEMS' FUTURE IN QUESTION AS CONTROL DATA MOVES LEDBETTER
MINNEAPOLIS, MN (NB) -- Control Data has quietly folded its ETA
Systems supercomputer unit into the troubled mainframe computer
business, and moved ETA president Carl Ledbetter into an
unrelated marketing position. The move renews questions about
Control Data's savvy, because the mainframe division has been
responsible for bringing the whole company's results into the
red, and Ledbetter was a rising star within Control Data. "The
Wall Street Journal" speculates Ledbetter may now leave the
company.
Ledbetter won praise from market researchers for putting AT&T's
Unix System V onto his computer, and for delivering a solid,
butcher-block sized machine based on parallel processors which
has power comparable to the top-of-the-line Crays.
[***][10/04/88][***]
CRAY IN DEEP DOO-DOO OVER A NORTH CAROLINA SALE
RALEIGH, NC (NB) -- When Cray Research agreed to sell one of its
newest Cray Y-MP supercomputers to the Microelectronics Center of
North Carolina on September 27, it was under the proviso that the
computer's cost not be revealed. The state has budgeted $18
million for its supercomputer project, including $3.8 million for
a new building to house the beast, but top state officials are
smarting from the non-disclosure requirement. Lt. Gov. Bob
Jordan and Gov. Jim Martin, who are running against each other
for Governor this November, have both asked that the cost be
revealed. Attorney General Lacy Thornburgh is looking into the
deal, but a 1982 advisory opinion called the MCNC a non-profit,
private coproration not subject to state purchasing and
disclosure rules.
CONTACT: Gina Bonetti, CRAY RESEARCH, (612)333-5889
[***][10/04/88][***]
PEROT WATCH -- ROSS WINS ONE AS COURT KICKS GSA
WASHINGTON -- A federal appeals court freed Ross Perot to resume
work under his innovative contract with the Postal Service. The
court says the General Services Admiinstration doesn't have
jurisdiction over Postal Service contracts. The contract gives
Perot Systems $500,000 to find ways to save money, then lets the
Perot share in the savings once they're realized. EDS, having
lost in court, will now try to beat Perot before Congress,
passing legislation to invalidate the deal.
Two days before the court ruling, EDS sued Perot, claiming the
company's very existance shows Perot is violating a non-compete
clause in his $750 million sale of EDS to them. Perot's response
is that the new company is committed to remaining non-profit
until that contract runs out, so there is no violation.
Specifically, he called the suit "Classically stupid."
The whole situation seems more like "Dallas", the TV show, than
real life. The lives of some EDS men suing Perot, including
senior vice president Paul Chiapparone, were saved by Perot in
1979, when he launched a commando operation to save them from the
1979 Iranian Revolution. The EDS men were caught behind the
lines, working on contracts signed with the Shah's government.
Now they're working for the nation's largest company, trying to
drive their old boss out of business. (For more see NEWSBYTES-
EAST.)
[***][10/04/88][***]
CROSSTALK'S CREATOR, LES FREED, LEAVES HIS CREATION
ROSWELL, GA (NB) -- Another industry pioneer has given up on the
corporate culture. This time it's Les Freed, creator of the
Crosstalk communications program, and president of its publisher,
Microstuf. Freed sold Microstuf to DCA in 1987, and in April DCA
executive Chuck Rudolph joined Freed in managing the subsidiary,
now called Crosstalk Communications. September 23, Freed decided,
"It was time to go so I went," he told NEWSBYTES, adding he
believes Rudolph is a capable guy who can handle the DCA
bureaucracy. (Other sources told NEWSBYTES Rudolph's main charge
will be re-organizing product development.) As to Freed's future,
he plans to visit Miami for a niece's wedding, and take it easy
at least until year-end. "But I will be at Comdex," he adds. "If
I can find a room."
CONTACT: DCA, (404-452-4522
[***][10/04/88][***]
PECAN CHIPS
DONALD BURLESON, Ft. Worth, convicted of planting a "virus" in
his former employer's computer, didn't really create a virus at
all, says "MacWeek" Magazine. It was actually a logic bomb,
targeted specifically at USPA and IRA, the Ft. Worth brokerage
and insurance company he worked at. Passed on via modem to any
other computer, in other words, it would have done no damage.
DATA GENERAL, Westboro, MA, cut 550 jobs in Fountain, CO, a town
of 12,000 10 miles sSoutheast of Colorado Springs. Work done in
Fountain is being moved to Massachusetts.
DCA, Alpharetta, GA, released its Open Network Management System,
an OSI-based network which let users of its System 9000 T-1 speed
systems manage their traffic and connect with things like IBM
NetView. The company also announced MacNMS, an interface between
its System 9000s and Macintosh Plus or SE machines which lets a
Mac replace a Sun workstation in running a small 9000 Network.
Gov. JOE FRANK HARRIS, Georgia, proclaimed October to be "high
tech month" in Georgia. (Don't go celebrating. He also declared
the state will build a domed stadium in Atlanta, and there are no
"two Georgias", one rich-one poor, despite evidence to the
contrary in both cases.)
HAYES MICROCOMPUTER PRODUCTS, Norcross, GA, signed a joint-
development deal with SILICON SYSTEMS, Tustin, CA, under which
the two companies will design chips which SSI will make.
NORTHERN TELECOM, Research Triangle Park, NC, will report lower
than expected results in the quarter ending September 30. Delays
in getting products out the door was blamed.
POSTMASTER GENERAL Anthony Frank announced a goal of putting
computer-readable bar codes on all business mail by 1995. Bar-
coded mail presently gets a 5 cent discount from regular rates of
25 cents per ounce.
QUADRAM announced two new terminal emulation packages to go along
with its MainLink II terminal emulation board. At $395-495,
Quadram says they're priced 30-50% lower than comparable
products.
SCIENTIFIC ATLANTA, Norcross, GA, has begun offering an X.25
network service called Skylinx.25. It lets computers pass
electronic messages under X.25 using the GE K2 satellite and
S/A dish antennas.
[***][10/04/88][***]
YOU READ IT HERE FIRST/WEEK OF October 4, 1988
Copyright 1988/Written by W. A. Yacco, Exclusive to NEWSBYTES
In this week's installment...
- COMPUTER CURRENTS HEADED FOR THE FALLS?...New Owner May Be
Waiting In The Barrel
- OCEAN DRIES...New Company Produces The Computer Show
- EISA, THE NEXT LISA?...EISA May Not Be What It Seems
- STEALING DANGERFIELD'S ACT...Technology Leader Gets No Respect
COMPUTER CURRENTS HEADED FOR THE FALLS?
EMERYVILLE, Ca (NB) -- When "Computer Currents" was acquired by
IDG Communications, just a little over a year ago, other regional
publications turned green with envy. Well, at least, other
tabloids must have yellowed a little. The acquisition
immediately allowed "Currents" to begin expanding nationally into
other major regional markets. Now, it seems that IDG has had
-More-nomore
enough bale and wants to bail out of the monthly. Rather than
bale the paper altogether, the board is considering two offers.
The first offer is reportedly from publisher and former owner,
Stan Politi who, it is said, would like to buy Currents back with
future profits.
According to several knowledgeable sources on this story, the
other offer being considered is from BAM, publisher of
"Currents"' arch-rival, "MicroTimes." "Computer Currents" and
"MicroTimes" have dueled for years in Silicon Valley and the San
Francisco Bay Area both call home. The bitter competition
intensified as both eventually expanded down into the southern
part of California. Supposedly, both were frequently forced off
of their rate cards to sell their pages.
That's not what we hear is happening. Nothing's been decided by
deadline but what may be decided as early as Monday is a plan
calling for a joint venture in which BAM ("MicroTimes"' parent)
an IDG form a separate corporation. If that's the case,
"MicroTimes" wouldn't simply terminate "Currents" to increase its
own advertising revenues. Instead, expect the focus of "Computer
Currents" to change from its present format. (The two
publications now cater to a very similar audience.) According to
our sources, the new "Currents" would drop its hobbyist appeal in
favor of more material aimed at the business user.
Such a plan makes sense. Advertising sales could focus on market
differences instead of price. The prospect of either book
acquiring the other might send mild shivers down the financial
spines of the local advertisers who have previously benefitted
from cut-throat competition. Both books could become healthier.
A business emphasis makes the most sense because that's the
market most successful advertisers are targeting. Volume lies in
end-user-computing sales.
Of course, a transition under the second scenario will probably
mean at least one major staff change. Publishers Politi and
Erokan are unlikely paper mates.
---additional reporting by Wendy Woods
OCEAN DRIES
SAN JOSE, Ca (NB) -- The Computer Show is back in production with
new shows. This week's guest, MicroPro's Leon Williams, will
demonstrate WordStar Professional 5.0 in over 25 major markets to
more than 35-million potential viewers. Not only do these
markets represent over 40% of TV households but many of the
stations that have bought the show are network affiliates. Some
are even network owned-and-operated. In other words: the show is
now playing in the major leagues.
Not all of the show's viewers will necessarily be watching during
the broadcast. The business-oriented computer show, which was
formerly on Tuesdays during prime time, will now be seen in most
markets early on Saturday or Sunday morning. This Sunday, for
instance, it will debut in Los Angeles on KNBC, channel 4, at
5:30 am. (Last week was the final appearance on KSCI, the
station where the show is produced.) It seems likely that many
viewers will be time shifting with their VCRs.
The show has a new set but several familiar faces remain. Andy
Goodman is now co-host along with newcomer Mary Lou Manalli.
Victoria Smith has taken over Kevin Strehlo's former interviewing
duties while continuing to host the analytical-view section.
One more change: Ocean Communications has a new name. The
company which produces The Computer Show is now The Computer
Television Group, Inc.
EISA, THE NEXT LISA?
While everyone's talking about EISA, not everyone's singing its
praises. At least one industry analyst has suggested that EISA
may fall short along exactly the dimensions on which others
expect it to excel. Carl Warren recently suggested in a white
paper that, in the long run, it may be MCA that can better handle
the next generation of processors, which will run at 40 MHz right
at the outset. He has also implied that Compaq and the rest may
be more interested in strengthening their bargaining position for
MCA licenses than in creating yet another standard.
Eventually, the 80486 and its contemporaries may approach
processing rates of 80 or 100 MHz. Why, I have to ask myself, do
many major corporations buy MCA-based systems if not to insure
compatibility with future technology? If indeed the MCA can't
currently handle the next level of high-speed processors, might
it not be more easily extensible than the PC bus or anything
based on it? I suspect that anyone who discounts MCA must also
overlook IBM's overall marketing track record. Are they also
ignoring the company's ability to produce advanced chip designs
or forgetting that its nameplates grace the enclosures of the
world's most successful mainframe architectures? For now at
least, IBM gets the benefit of my doubt.
STEALING DANGERFIELD'S ACT
IRVINE, Ca (NB) -- If there's one thing that Rodney Dangerfield's
well known for, it's his "I don't get no respect" routine. Our
industry, too, has a Rodney Dangerfield. While this company is
well known for its quality products, it has failed at least twice
failed to receive credit for contributions not only users, but
other vendors. I'm not suggesting that our guest is altruistic--
only that they're taking risks but rarely given credit for
leadership.
The first time this happened was in their response to the
Lotus/Intel/Microsoft Expanded Memory Standard (EMS). Rather
than accept a standard that fell short of its potential, our
heroes devised an alternative: Enhanced EMS (EEMS). Everyone
rushed to praise this innovation. Well, not quite. What
actually happened was that nearly everyone ignored the fact that
EEMS was an upwardly compatible superset of EMS and erroneously
denigrated it as incompatible. EEMS superiority was denied even
by the companies that, months later, modified their own standard
to incorporate very similar features in EMS 4.0.
Now everyone's talking about EISA, the Enhanced Industry Standard
Architecture. No one's mentioning the Smart Slot bus pioneered
by our Dangerfield-clone. While EISA doesn't owe the same debt to
Smart Slot that EMS 4.0 owes to EEMS, Smart Slot was an early
Micro Channel alternative to include bus arbitration. Our heroes
even gave detailed information to EISA based on the practical
experience gained with Smart Slot.
Look, if you don't know which company I'm talking about by now,
I'm not going to tell you. On the other hand, I'm willing to
contribute a misspelling, one with an appropriate lack of
respect, in keeping with tradition. Let's just say that the lead
on this piece could have read "Stealing Dangerfield's AST."
- 30 -
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Wayne Yacco is an editor, columnist and writer specializing in
business applications and microcomputers. He was the founding
editor of The Inputer and currently publishes the Computer PR
Advisor, an advisory on communications with the computer press.
Hot tips wanted (he is also interested in consumer complaints
related to computers) -- send them to IP2005, call 818-842-8581,
or put him on your press mailing list: W. A. Yacco, PO Box 269,
Burbank, Ca. 91503.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
==
[***][10/04/88][***]
ROYAL BANK LAUNCHES DEBIT CARD TRIAL
LONDON, Ont. (NB) -- About 70,000 customers of the Royal Bank of
Canada here will be able to buy groceries, gasoline, cosmetics
and medicine with their bank client cards starting October 3,
with purchases charged to their bank accounts. Canada's largest
bank has put point-of-sale (POS) equipment in 65 retail outlets.
Royal Bank money-machine, or ATM, cards will then be usable at
the stores, for 25 cents per withdrawal.
The four participating retailers are: The Becker Milk Co. Ltd., a
convenience store operator; Big V Pharmacies Co. Ltd., a
drugstore chain; Miracle Food Mart, a supermarket chain, and
Texaco Canada Inc. The point-of-sale machines come from
International Verifact Inc., a Toronto manufacturer.
David Moorcroft, a spokesman for the Royal Bank, said the trial
-More-nomore
will last one year. The bank hopes to have a permanent system by
the early 1990s, but Moorcroft said the success of such a system
would depend on co-operation among major banks. "Which merchant
in his right mind would want five bank machines in his store?" he
asked. Interac, the consortium of major Canadian banks and trust
companies that manages nationwide sharing of ATMs, would be the
logical vehicle for such sharing.
Moorcroft said the 25-cent charge reflects the bank's estimate of
what charges would be for a nationwide, commercial system, not
the costs of the London trial.
[***][10/04/88][***]
CANADA SETS UP NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON DATA SECURITY
OTTAWA (NB) -- The Standards Council of Canada is setting up a
national committee to deal with the problems of keeping
electronic information secure. According to the council, this
will make Canada the first country to form a single,
comprehensive national body to deal with data security.
The Canadian Advisory Committee on Information Technology Security
will hold its first meeting October 12 in Toronto. It will be
made up of representatives of government, computer and
communications equipment manufacturers, the banking industry and
computer consulting organizations, among others. Interested
parties will be welcome at the first meeting.
The committee will look at ways to protect data from theft and
tampering, and at preventing transmission to the wrong
destination. It will attempt to develop standards for data
protection. Responsibility for the committee is expected to be
handed over to the Canadian Standards Association.
CONTACT: THE STANDARDS COUNCIL OF CANADA, 350 Sparks St.,
Suite 1200, Ottawa, Ont. K1P 6N7, (613) 238-3222,
Fax (613) 995-4564
[***][10/04/88][***]
TORONTO COMPUTER SHOW LASSOS BEST OUT OF CALGARY, OTTAWA'S WORST
TORONTO (NB) -- Although it's Canada's largest high-technology
show, the three-in-one trade show at Toronto's Exhibition Place
Sept. 27-29 wasn't really a computer show. Electronic
components, packaging, instruments and production systems made up
most of the displays at the Canadian High Technology Show, the
Electronics Production and Packaging Exhibition and the Test,
Measurement and Instrumentation Show. But there were a few
interesting tidbits.
A delegation of companies and government officials from Alberta
was in town, promoting their province's high-technology industry.
After flourishing for a few years when the oil industry was doing
well, the western province wants to diversify. The Alberta group
included Myrias Research Corp. of Edmonton, developer of a high-
performance parallel processing system.
Also in from Alberta was NovAtel Communications Ltd. of Calgary,
maker of cellular telephone equipment. NovAtel announced a
contract to supply cellular hardware to Northern Telecom Inc. in
the U.S.. And NovAtel announced that a cellular phone system for
which it supplied the hardware has been in operation in
Anchorage, Alaska since the beginning of August.
Then there was External Affairs Canada's display. These
government propaganda efforts are usually good for a chuckle, but
this one took the cake. Your correspondent stopped dead in the
aisle and stared in amazement at hearing a videotape on Canadian
export successes -- which, playing over and over, was about all
there was to the booth -- touting Telidon. Telidon, for those
who understandably don't remember, was a videotex technology
developed by the federal Department of Communications back around
1980. It provided part of the foundation for the North American
Presentation Level Protocol Syntax (NAPLPS) announced in 1981.
The word Telidon then dropped out of the videotex vocabulary.
Telidon was only one of the "successes" mentioned in the tape,
admittedly. But still, Ottawa -- wake up!
[***][10/04/88][***]
LOTUS CANADA BECOMING A FULL-FLEDGED SUBSIDIARY
TORONTO (NB) -- Colin Wyatt has conducted lots of interviews
lately. The general manager of Lotus Development Canada Inc. is
recruiting people to head three prongs of Lotus's Canadian
marketing effort: liaison with major dealer channels such as
ComputerLand; the distributors that serve smaller dealers; and
contact with major corporate customers. Once these positions are
filled, he told NEWSBYTES CANADA recently, "there will be a lot
closer liaison with the channels for Canadian programs."
Wyatt's major focus since taking the job in August has been
turning Lotus Canada from a branch office into a full-fledged
subsidiary. That move, he says, recognizes the fact that Canada
is a separate market, not just an extension of the U.S.
An example of that difference is slower acceptance here of Agenda,
Lotus's new personal information manager. Wyatt said unaudited
numbers indicate Agenda is catching on faster south of the
border, although the reception has been fairly good in Canada
too. In the U.S., he suggested, "some of the channel people may
be a little more entrepreneurial." But once Canadians see a
demonstration of Agenda, they get interested, Wyatt said.
CONTACT: LOTUS DEVELOPMENT CANADA, 200 King St. W., Suite 1712,
Toronto, Ont. M5H 3T4, (416) 979-8000,
Fax (416) 979-1547
[***][10/04/88][***]
SEMI-TECH GROWTH SHOWS EFFECT OF ACQUISITIONS
MARKHAM, Ont. (NB) -- NEWSBYTES decided just a few weeks ago to
stop reporting computer companies' quarterly and semi-annual
financial results in most cases, reasoning that the brief lists
of numbers weren't terribly interesting to most readers. But
some exceptions are allowed. One is the financial results of
International Semi-Tech Microelectronics Inc., which has reported
revenue of C$68 million for the six months ended July 31. That
is 9.4 times Semi-Tech's C$7.2-million revenue in the first half
of last year.
The jump is due to Semi-Tech's acquisitions of two large Canadian
computer service bureaus, Datacrown Inc. and Canada Systems
Group, and the U.S. East Coast operations of Consumers
Distributing Inc. Semi-Tech has been transformed from a small
manufacturer of IBM-compatible personal computers to one of
Canada's largest computer companies. It also has a subsidiary in
Hong Kong and manufacturing operations in the People's Republic
of China. Semi-Tech now employs more than 5,000 people
worldwide.
The company's net income in the six months ended July 31 was
C$7.1 million, up from C$1.1 million in the same period of 1987.
CONTACT: INTERNATIONAL SEMI-TECH MICROELECTRONICS INC.,
131 MacNabb, Markham, Ont. L3R 5V7, (416) 475-2670
[***][10/04/88][***]
REDIFACTS OFFERS AT-BASED DATA COLLECTION
OTTAWA (NB) -- Redifacts Ltd. has introduced RediStar, a real-
time data collection software for 80286- and 80386-based personal
computers. Redifacts, part of Gandalf Systems Group, says
RediStar uses bar-coding and networking to report on the flow of
work in a factory or warehouse.
RediStar identifies people, parts and part locations with bar-
coded tickets. It uses a bar-code reader, wand or laser gun to
collect information from the tickets. This data goes into four
application modules: inventory and parts; time and attendance;
work in process and bill of materials; and tools location and
availability. All four modules produce immediate management
reports. RediStar also lets you uploade all this to a mainframe
computer.
The first installation will be at Gandalf's factory in Nepean,
Ont., near Ottawa, which makes computer and communications
network equipment.
CONTACT: GANDALF TECHNOLOGIES INC., 130 Colonnade Rd. S.
Nepean, Ont. K2E 7J5, (613) 564-0183
[***][10/04/88][***]
BITS, EH?
-- BUSINESSVISION MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS INC., Markham, Ont., is
about to start shipping a new release of its BusinessVision
accounting software. The second release of the year-old package
for DOS machines adds payroll and sales analysis modules. The
price remains at C$995. BusinessVision is only selling its
software in Canada so far, but is gearing up for an assault on
the U.S. market and preparing a U.S. version.
-- SIR-TECH SOFTWARE INC., of Ottawa, Ont., and Ogdensburg, N.Y.,
has released its fifth Wizardy scenario for Apple II computers.
"Heart of the Maelstrom" costs C$69.95. An MS-DOS version is on
the way, Sir-Tech says. Sir-Tech also launched a new text
adventure game, "The Usurper: Mines of Qyntarr," for Apple II and
MS-DOS computers. And the company announced that "Wizardry I:
Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord" has been named one of the
best products of 1988 by COMMODORE MAGAZINE.
-- HEWLETT-PACKARD (CANADA) LTD., Mississauga, Ont., announced a
management shuffle. President and General Manager Malcolm
Gissing changes his title to president and CEO. Ross Marsden
becomes senior vice-president, marketing. Gord McLean becomes
senior vice-president and chief financial officer. Johnnie-Mike
Irving becomes senior vice-president, sales. HP says the changes
are intended to speed decision-making by locating
responsibilities closer to the field.
-- COMPAQ CANADA INC., Richmond Hill, Ont., announced Canadian
retail prices for the Deskpro 386/20e PC. Model 1 (floppy drive
only) costs C$7,699, Model 40 (40-megabyte hard disk) costs
C$9,749 and Model 110 (110-megabyte hard disk) costs C$11,799.
All those prices include one megabyte of memory, parallel, serial
and mouse ports and VGA graphics adapter, but no monitor. The
new Deskpro 386/25 Model 60 costs C$12,299. And Compaq's new
half-card, 2,400-baud internal model will sell for C$925.
-- GRID SYSTEMS CANADA INC., Toronto, has opened its first
Western Canadian sales office, at 333 11th Ave. S.W., Suite 1100,
Calgary, Alta. T2R 1L9, phone (403) 262-8755, fax (403) 266-2465.
-- TSB INTERNATIONAL INC., Toronto, and IBM CANADA LTD., Markham,
Ont., have announced HubView/PC. The software will let IBM's
network management system, NetView, monitor alarms and collect
traffic data from many vendors' private branch exchanges (PBXs).
IBM will start selling HubView/PC in December. It works with
NetView and NetView/PC.
-- GANDALF DATA LTD., Nepean, Ont., says it will support IBM's
NetView with its StarPatrol integrated network management system.
-- NEWBRIDGE NETWORKS CORP., Kanata, Ont., has a multi-million-
dollar order from Digital Equipment Corp. too supply, install and
support Digital's private voice and data network in Europe. The
network will cover 18 European countries and provide gateways
into DEC's North American network.
-- NAS CANADA INC., Montreal, has started shipping disk products
to the Canadian government. NAS Canada is a joint venture of
Sand Technology Systems International Inc., Montreal, and
National Semiconductor Corp., Santa Clara, Calif.
-- FMG TELECOMPUTER LTD., Toronto, says it has a contract with an
unnamed institution in Washington, D.C. that will use FMG's
computerized dialing system to conduct one million telephone
calls in November. The US$520,000 contract was arranged through
FMG's subsidiary, FMG Telecomputer Inc. of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
-- SUN MICROSYSTEMS OF CANADA INC., Markham, Ont., has moved to
new and larger offices at 100 Renfrew Dr., Markham, Ont. L3R 9R6.
Telephone and fax numbers remain the same: phone (416) 477-6745,
fax (416) 477-9423.
[***][10/04/88][***]
COMPLETE REPORT ON THE TOKYO DATASHOW
TOKYO (NB) -- A major computer exhibition DataShow was held in
Harumi Exhibition site in Tokyo September 27-30. There were 143
exhibitors, up from 132 last year. Workstations, laptop personal
computers, and 32-bit personal computers were featured.
NEC unveiled the upgraded version of Japanese-standard PC-9800
series: The 16-bit RX2 and RX4 attracted a huge crowd. The
desktop machines adopt a no-wait 80286 CPU, which runs at 12MHz,
and 640 Kilobytes of memory, with more capacity and higher data-
processing speed than its predecessors. Alongside, NEC cut a
small space for its 32-bit RA2 and RA5, priced as low as the 16-
bit machines.
For the show, NEC exhibited a sample of its brand-new laptop
-More-nomore
personal computer. This Vapor Machine's CPU is a no-wait 80386SX
running at 16 MHz. There is 1.6 Megabytes of memory, a 40
megabyte Hard Disk Drive (HDD), and a 15-gradation plasma
display. The new laptop runs on Japanese OS/2 and MS-Windows/386.
Shipping date, weight, and price were not revealed.
There were also many AX personal computers. The AX is an IBM
PC/AT compatible with Japanese language features. Kyocera
exhibited two sample models of its 32-bit AX personal computers.
The desktop 386 AX MODEL A has a no-wait i80386 CPU which runs at
20MHz and 1 Megabytes of memory. The laptop 386-SX LAPTOP AX
uses an i80386SX CPU at the speed of 16 MHz, 1 Megabyte of main
memory, and a 16-gradation plasma display. The laptop machine
weighs 8.0 kilograms (19.2 pounds) and is 325 mm width, 100 mm
high, and 385 mm deep. Shipping date and price are unknown yet.
Other AX exhibitors were Mitsubishi, Sanyo, Sharp, and Canon.
Sony unveiled the upgraded version of its NEWS workstation The
"pop NEWS" has a 25 MHz MC68030 with a data-processing speed of
3.9 MIPS (million instructions per second), running on UNIX with
X-Windows. On the nearby floor, Sony exhibited a sample of its
CD-ROM Multi-Media Systems. The CD-ROM XA audio format-oriented
system, with two 68030 CPUs, performed music.
Nearby, Omron Tateishi Electronics occupied most of its floor with
its Holonic Workstation "LUNA." The desktop engineering
workstation with 20 MHz 68030 CPU processes data at 4 MIPS. The
EWS works on its three UniOS operating systems, based on UNIX
System V. LUNA will be shipped on October 17, at the basic price
of 550,000 yen or $4,000. Meanwhile, Sord exhibited its office
worstation SR-3300, which runs on UNIX and MS-DOS.
Toshiba's main attraction was the high-end model of its laptop J-
3100 series: The J-3100 SGT worked on Japanese UX/386, which is
based on UNIX System Ver.3.0, and Japanese MS-OS/2 Ver.1.0 which
supports multitasking. Toshiba is currently developing Japanese
MS-OS/2 Ver.1.1 which supports multi-tasking and multiple users.
Elsewhere, Fujitsu exhibited and performed a sample of its voice
interpretation system, which translates Japanese voice input
into English output on-screen or through a speaker. The system
is based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology. IBM Japan
featured its new P/2 Model 30/286, with its AT-style bus and
80286 CPU.
[***][10/04/88][***]
NINTENDO TO CREATE FAMILY COMPUTER NETWORK
TOKYO (NB) -- Nintendo will release a dedicated communication
terminal for its family computer next spring. Major securities
companies have noticed that Nintendo has sold over 12 million
of its family computers in Japan and those machines could be used
to enroll investors into home-trading systems. Such systems would
let people trading stocks and bonds from their houses. The
Famicom terminal will be priced about 25,000 yen or $185, which
is 4,000-10,000 yen ($30-$74) less than the mainframe
communication option alone.
A market battle is brewing with competing control systems coming
out from Nintendo with Nomura Securities' group on the one hand,
and software vendor Microcore with Daiwa, Nikko & Yamaichi
Securities' group on the other. Recently, Nippon Kangyo Kakumaru
Securities said it will use Nomura's communication system.
Nintendo of America, Redmond, WA, has started research on
spreading this kind of communication network in U.S.
CONTACT: Nintendo, 1-22 Suda-cho, Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101
[***][10/04/88][***]
NEC DEVELOPS A PROTOTYPE LIQUID CRYSTAL PRINTER HEAD
TOKYO (NB) -- NEC has created a prototype liquid crystal printer
head or liquid crystal shutter array. The new printer head
directly drives liquid crystal elements, using a thin film
transistor (TFT). The company claims that it combines the low
cost of a laser printer head with the reliability and small-size
of the liquid shutter.
NEC will announce its new printer head at the Eighth
International Display Study Convention in San Diego, California,
U.S. October 3.
CONTACT: NEC, 1-4-28 Mita, Minato-ku, Toko 108
[***][10/04/88][***]
CASIO COMPUTER ENTERS AX FIELD
TOKYO (NB) -- Casio Computer has developed two models of its
AX personal computers. The laptop model is installed with a 12
MHz 80286 CPU and eight-gradation LCD with backlighting. Shipping
date is next January. The desktop model includes a 16 MHz
80386SX CPU, to be shipped next April. With the floppy disk drive
(FDD) attachment, it will be priced at 600,000 yen or $4,500.
With a 40-megabyte HDD-installed, pay 800,000 yen or $6,000.
Also, Casio is planning to commercialize an intelligent liquid
crystal printer exclusively for its AX machines. Casio has
decided to really pioneer the PC market mainly with its AX
personal computers.
CONTACT: Casio Computer, 2-6-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku,
Tokyo 163
[***][10/04/88][***]
SHARP TO RELEASE LAPTOP AX
TOKYO (NB) -- Sharp will release its laptop 16-bit AX machines
on December 15. The AX 286 L series will come with 10 MHz 80286
running an AX-oriented MS-DOS V 3.21. The display will be a
double supertwist LCD with backlit feature, capable of 8-
gradation and black and white reversible display.
AX 286 L-F, with two 3.5-inch FDDs, will be priced at 428,000 yen
or $3,200. AX 286 L-F, with a 30 megabyte HDD and a 3.5-inch FDD,
will be priced at 598,000 yen or $4,500.
CONTACT: Sharp, 22-22 Nagaike-cho, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545
[***][10/04/88][***]
MATSUSHITA TO RELEASE MSX2+ MACHINES
TOKYO (NB) -- Matsushita Electronics will release two models
of its MSX2+ personal computers on October 21. MSX2+ is the
upgraded version of the previous 8-bit home computer format MSX2.
MSX2+ has more AV features and can display 19,286 colors on the
screen, despite the previous version's 256 colors. You can make
programs using Japanese kanji characters.
The FS A1WX includes word-processing software, with which you can
write documents on the attached screen. In order to print out
the documents, you have to get an optional printer which is
priced at 42,800 yen or $320. With high-fidelity FM sound
resource, the machine will be pricd at 69,800 yen or $520. The
standard MSX2+ machine called FS A1FX will be priced at 57,800 yen
or $430.
Sony will also release MSX2+ machines on October 17.
CONTACT: Mtsushita Electric, 1006 Oaza-Kadoma, Kadoma-shi,
Osaka 571
[***][10/04/88][***]
TOSHIBA'S NEW ARCHITECTURE FOR A NEUROCOMPUTER
TOKYO (NB) -- Toshiba has won the distinction of developing a new
architecture for a neurocomputer. The architecture combines
the feature of a neural network and that of previous computers.
The neural network functions like a human right-brain, and is
good at intuition and association judgement. However, data-
processing, profound logical processing, and dialogue-type
control do not operate well on the neural network. Left-brain
type computers are needed for logical thinking.
Toshiba's new architecture efficiently allots many tasks on
multiple processors. Therefore, it is 100 per cent faster at
finding answers.
CONTACT: Toshiba, 1-1-1 Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105
[***][10/04/88][***]
FUZZY INFERENCE SYSTEM FROM IBARAKI LABORATORY
IBARAKI (NB) -- Electrotechnical Laboratory of Agency of
Industrial Science and Technology has striked out a fuzzy
inference system applied from a neural network, and won the
success of proceeding the system with a simulator. The lab
has acknowledged that the fuzzy inference system is capable of
dealing with out-of-the-rule informations.
The experiment was done, based on the supposition that how fast
a girl who hates a dog runs away from the dog on condition of
the dog's size and the girl's distance from it. The rule of the
inference was predetermined with the size of the dog large,
middle, and small, and the distance far, halfway, and near.
The lab has confirmed the fuzzy inference system can estimate the
girl's speed even if other size of dogs appear, though other
inference systems can not.
CONTACT: Electrotechnical Laboratory, 1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba-shi,
Ibaraki
[***][10/04/88][***]
SANYO PLACES ITS BEST ON FUTURE OF CD-ROM
TOKYO (NB) -- CD-ROM is a very useful format complex information,
like technical documents or drawings with high resolution and
easy retrieval. Editing, however, has become a problem because
the work requires specialists. Sanyo has taken this problem
seriously and put out an easy CD-ROM editing system, hoping to
grow its 100 million yen ($740,000) CD-ROM business twenty times
over.
Sanyo will start taking orders for the new CD-ROM Viewer System
in October. A editing system is based on the company's optical
disk document file system SOF M88. CD-ROM Viewer System reads
image data rapidly with a 832 x 1512 dot high resolution monitor.
The connection board provides compatibility to AX machines.
CONTACT: Sanyo, 1-1-10 Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110
[***][10/04/88][***]
ONCE WRITABLE CD FOR POPULAR USE FRIN TAIYOH YUDEN
TOKYO (NB) -- Taiyoh Yuden, a major electronic parts maker, has
developed a recordable compact disk which can be used by
existing CD players. There will be two sizes, 6cm and 4cm radius.
Taiyoh Yuden promises to release the product, called "That's CD-
R" next February. The price of the 6cm radius CD will be 1,500
yen or $11.
Sony and Philips have already developed a prototype of the
recording unit for home use. However, there's a copyright
problem in CD recording. The recording unit will not be
commercialized until the companies solve the copyright labyrinth.
CONTACT: Taiyoh Yuden, Matsumura-bldg., 6-16-20 Ueno, Taito-ku,
Tokyo 110
[***][10/04/88][***]
<< SUSHI BYTES >>
FUJITSU IMPORTS HIGH-TECH EQUIPMENTS -- Fujitsu has announced two
disk units and light communication equipments from its
U.S. subsidiaries. The Hillsboro, Oregon plant will supply disk
units, while the Dallas, Texas plant will supply light
communication equipments. The Hillsboro plant is being expanded
and is expected to produce 5-inch disk units the end of this
year. Those subsidiaries will first export them to Europe, then
to Japan. Fujitsu is working very hard to stabilize the trade
imbalance with investment in high technology plants in U.S. and
South-East Asia.
HITACHI TO EXPORT PCs -- Hitachi has launched a plan to export its
16 and 32-bit IBM PC/AT compatible machines with its original
brand name early next year. Hitachi will adopt IBM's MCA bus.
In the past, Hitachi supplied its equipment on an OEM bases to
foreign companies. Now Hitachi is aiming to establish business
under the Hitachi label.
NEC INTRODUCES PROJECTION UNIT AND MUSIC PROGRAM -- NEC has
released a projection liquid crystal unit, the PC-PD101, which
enlarges and projects the screen of a personal computer through
an overhead projector. Also, the company has released a music
program, PS88-VA106-HMW, with which you can input and arrange
music, simply by humming a melody. The price of PC-PD101 is
248,000 yen or $1,850, and PS88-VA106-HMW, 58,000 yen or $430.
"DRAW" OPTICAL DISK UNIT DUE FROM PIONEER -- Pioneer will release
its 5.25-inch Direct Read After Write (DRAW) optical disk drive
with its exclusive disk in October at the system price of 750,000
yen or $5,600. The 5.25-inch optical disk has a capacity of 327
Megabytes on one-side, and 650 Megabytes on both-sides.
COMPUTER TO ADVISE BEST INVESTMENT -- Hitachi has developed
software which selects the most profitable stocks to buy in the
Tokyo Stock market, using neurocomputer technology. Hitachi will
test differences between stock dealers and the computer, looking
to bring it to market within a year.
IBM JAPAN ESTABLISHES LCD TECHNOLOGY -- IBM Japan and Toshiba
have jointly developed a new 14-inch color LCD. Workstations and
personal computerss require a high resolution display. The new
device used four pixels, red, green, blue and white to create
each dot for resolution of 720 x 550 dots the 14-inch large LCD.
[***][10/04/88][***]
JAPAN DUMPING DISKS, SAYS COMMERCE
WASHINGTON (NB) -- The Commerce Department has issued a
preliminary ruling that Japan is dumping 3.5 inch diskettes in
the U.S., selling them at less than fair value. If upheld, the
ruling could result in penalties designed to raise the prices of
the disks, and price rises to U.S. computer users. Imports of 3.5
inch disks were worth $137.6 million, according to Commerce. The
Japanese companies involved are Sony Corp., Fuji Photo, Hitachi,
Maxell, and others.
Commerce is expected to make its final dumping determination by
December 7 (Pearl Harbor Day). If Commerce decides the dumping
charge will stand, the International Trade Commission has 45 days
to determine whether the dumping harmed U.S. industry. If the ITC
says there was harm, Commerce will impose an "anti-dumping" fee
-More-nomore
on the offending disks, hiking prices 22-54 per cent.
The Commerce investigation began last March after Verbatim Corp.,
an Eastman Kodak subsidiary, complained on behalf of the U.S.
industry about Japanese disk prices. A Sony spokesman commented
the the ruling is "a preliminary determination and not subject to
verification." Sony has raised U.S. disk prices twice since
February to reflect the rise in value of the yen against the
dollar.
[***][10/04/88][***]
COURT UPHOLDS PEROT POSTAL CONTRACT
WASHINGTON (NB) -- A federal appeals court has ruled that the
Postal Service had the authority to issue a non-competitive
contract to Ross Perot and the General Services Administration,
which ruled the contract illegal, has no jurisdiction. The Postal
Service announced the $500,000 contract in June. It called for
Perot to study the agency's operations and make recommendations
for changes. Then, in a second contract, computer entrepreneur
Perot would help the agency implement the changes, and share in
the cost savings.
GSA suspended the contract after protests filed by Planning
Research Corp. and Electronic Data Systems Corp., the General
Motors subsidiary Perot founded. The Postal Service and Perot
Systems Corp. appealed to the federal courts and a three-judge
panel ruled that the Postal Service is not covered by the law
that gives GSA the ability to overturn government contracts.
"What the court said is the board has no jurisdiction in this
case," Perot commented. "This means that General Motors has
gambled everything and lost." No word from the Post Office about
wheter the contract will be re-instated.
[***][10/04/88][***]
ANOTHER NON-MCA PS/2 COMING FROM IBM?
ARMONK, N.Y. (NB) -- There is industry speculation that IBM is
planning a new personal computer for next year that uses the
80386SX processor (known to wags as "386 Lite") and eschews the
Micro Channel Architecture. The WALL STREET JOURNAL notes that
"the machine IBM has been developing would, in fact, go a step
beyond the non-Micro Channel machine IBM introduced [in
September]" because the machine would use the more powerful
processor.
IBM denies the rumors. "The Micro Channel is our strategy," says
Bill Lowe, head of the PC division. "We've been consistently
saying that since April 1987. If we kept changing directions, I
could see people questioning that." Of course, IBM denied rumors
that it was going back to the AT bus and then unveiled the new
PS/2 model 30, using the 80286 chip and the...AT Bus.
In other news from Big Blue, the company has introduced an upgrade
of the Proprinter XL, the high-speed, wide-carriage nine-pin dot
matrix printer. The Proprinter II XL is faster and easier to use,
says IBM. New features include a device that helps in tearing
paper, Fastfont (240 characters per second) and a new font for
the near letter quality mode. Options include an 8K print buffer
and a serial interface. Suggested list price: $799.
[***][10/04/88][***]
WANG GOES FOR UNIX, ISDN
LOWELL, Mass. (NB) -- Wang Laboratories will market Santa Cruz
Operation Inc.'s popular version of Unix for personal computer,
SCO-Xenix System V, for its PC200-300 series of AT compatibles.
License fees will run between $195-$1,995. At an announcement at
its European headquarters in Brussels, Wang also said it will
build Integrated Services Digital Network products to integrate
voice and data across worldwide networks. Wang said it has ISDN
trials underway at McDonald's Corp., Illinois Bell, and GTE
Florida.
[***][10/04/88][***]
QUOTRON UNVEILS NEW PC PRODUCTS
NEW YORK (NB) -- Quotron Systems Inc., a Citicorp unit, has
introduced a series of products to integrate Quotron's financial
services software with Microsoft Windows and applications such as
Microsoft Excel. The Open Windows family of applications includes
QuotData, which lets users create local databases of Quotron
real-time market data on a PC. QuotChart is a real-time charting
and analysis package, fed by the QuotData program. QuotTerm is a
terminal emulator. The products may be ordered separately or as a
package.
[***][10/04/88][***]
BROWN BAGGING IT IN WASHINGTON
CAMPBELL, Calif. (NB) -- Brown Bag Software has opened a
Washington, D.C., sales office. Rick DiLoreto, formerly of
Oracle, will lead federal sales efforts for the firm that
publishes seven productivity tools for the PC, and manage the
region's national accounts. Brown Bag recently won a contract
with the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service for 7,000
units of its PowerMenu DOS shell.
CONTACT: Brown Bag Software, 5130 MacArthur Blvd. NW, Suite 103,
Washington DC 20016.
[***][10/04/88][***]
KODAK OFFERS PC-DRIVEN LARGE-SCREEN PORTABLE VIDEO PROJECTOR
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (NB) -- Eastman Kodak Co. is rolling out a
portable video projector for large-screen presentations that
can hook up to a personal computer. The machine is about the size
of a slide projector and company officials say anyone can carry
and operate it. It will also hook up to a videocassette recorder
or a professional video camera. The LC500 weighs 13 pounds and
fits under an airline seat. Kodak is aiming the product at
companies or schools that make frequent presentations to big
groups. The price is $3,500.
[***][10/04/88][***]
SECOND ANNUAL WGBH COMPUTER AUCTION
BOSTON (NB) -- Public broadcasting station WGBH will hold its
second online computer auction October 7-10. So far the station
has more than 400 donations of new equipment, hardware,
and software available for bid. The auction is open to computer
users worldwide. The Delphi videotex facilities in Boston are
managing the auction.
CONTACT: WGBH, 617-492-2777.
[***][10/04/88][***]
NEWS NIBBLES
DATA GENERAL CORP., Westboro, Mass., is consolidating high-end
computer manufacturing in Durham, N.H., and Apex, N.C., as part
of a cost-cutting measure. DG is also moving product repair and
parts distribution from Fountain, Colo., to Southboro, Mass. When
complete, the moves will pare 800 workers from the DG payroll of
15,600, and save the company $50 million per year. DG has been
losing money.
APOLLO COMPUTER, Chelmsford, Mass., has begun shipping its Series
10000 Personal Supercomputer, based on Apollo's PRISM
architecture. Prices begin at under $70,000. The machines are
more than 30 times faster than Digital Equipment Corp.'s VAX
11/780, says Apollo, and four times faster than a Sun 4/260.
Retired admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Jr. has joined the board of
directors of the new CONCURRENT COMPUTER CORP., Tinton Falls,
N.J., created when Massachusetts Computer Corp. acquired
Concurrent and adopted the name of its acquisition. Nimitz had
been a member of the former Concurrent board.
HONEYWELL BULL, Billerica, Mass., is offering a relational
database computer, the Relational DBC, which integrates hardware,
software, and firmware into an engine for database management.
The product can manage from two gigabytes to more than a trillion
bytes of information at speeds that reduce response times from
days or hours to minutes and seconds, says Honeywell Bull.
[***][10/04/88][***]
APPLE EUROPE SURPRISE RE-ORGANISATION
HEMEL HEMPSTEAD, HERTS (NB) -- In the wake of the organisational
changes announced by Apple Computer in the US on 22 August, Apple
Europe has bounced in with its own plans. From now on, the
company will be run by a European management team, consisting of
four geographical, and seven functional managers, all operating
under the leadership of Mike Spindler, who becomes president of
Apple Europe.
"This team will enable our company to maintain its growth and
service the needs of the broadening Apple client base," said
Spindler.
-More-nomore
The surprise from the UK end is that Keith Phillips, the existing
MD of Apple UK, moves out to make way for Phil Chauveau,
currently a vice president of Apple's US operations. Chauveau
will also be responsible for Europe West, where he assumes the
mantle of general manager.
It's not yet clear where Phillips is moving to, but NEWSBYTES
UK's stateside sources suggest that a role at Apple's US
headquarters has been ear-marked for him. Apple UK has announced,
incidentally, that Phillips will be staying within the company as
a whole.
* OPINION: Apple's sales in the UK and Europe appear to be moving
upwards. The organisational changes will (hopefully) improve
the level of service to the person that really matters - the
end user. Apple UK has been heavily criticised in the past for
failing to service its end user base effectively. Let's hope
that situation will now change.
CONTACT: Apple UK, Eastman Way, Hemel Hempstead,
Hertfordshire HP2 7HQ.
Tel: 0442-60244.
[***][10/04/88][***]
GIGA 1200 DAT TAPE BACK-UP SYSTEM UNVEILED
LONDON, UK (NB) -- Gigatape Gmbh, the West German computer
tape back-up specialist, has established a UK office to
promote Giga 1200, the world's first Digital Audio Tape (DAT)
tape back-up system for PCs.
The Giga 1200 system stores up to 1,200Mb of data on a single DAT
cassette. The cassettes, in case you haven't seen them in your
local hi-fi store, are about half the size of a standard audio
cassette. That's small!
The system works in a manner similar to video recorders and uses
a helical scanning method to achieve a very fast data transfer
rate of 192K/second using a linear tape speed of just 8.15
mm/second. Thanks to a speed-search facility, the Giga 1200 can
locate any block of data on a DAT cassette within 20 seconds.
Currently, the tape sub-system is available in SCSI, WIC and
Pertec interface formats in a standalone or rack-mount version. a
5.25 inch PC hard disk-style unit is under development. End-user
pricing on the systems are not available, since the system is
targeted at OEMs and major firms. NEWSBYTES UK expects the
system to cost somewhere in the region of #1,500 - incredible,
considering the Giga 1200's possibilities.
CONTACT: GIGATAPE LTD., Suite 18, Erith Business Centre,
Pier Road, Erith, Kent DA8 1RT.
Tel: 0322-330333.
[***][10/04/88][***]
NEW COMPUTER EXPRESS: LAUNCH DETAILS
LONDON, UK (NB) -- Launch details of 'New Computer Express,' the
new UK computer weekly magazine from Future Publishing, have
officially been announced (NEWSBYTES UK readers heard about the
magazine last week). The 50 pence a week magazine is now set for
a roll-out on Thursday 10 November.
Future has ambitious plans fro its new baby. The first week's
print run will be at least 50,000, with 90,000 preview issues
distributed with the 3 November issue of 'Advanced Computer
Entertainment' (ACE) magazine, also published by Future.
From a reader's point of view, the magazine looks impressive. The
first issue has a free competition to win a Acorn Archimedes. The
publisher of the new magazine is Chris Anderson, with Peter
Worlock, and Colin Campbell (respectively) filling the editor and
news editor's chairs.
* Of course, even with their best endeavours, New Computer
Express still won't be able to beat NEWSBYTES deadlines. We
roll the news out until minutes before each issue is published.
Paper-based magazines have a lead time of around two days.
CONTACT: FUTURE PUBLISHING, 4 Queen Street, Bath, Avon, BA1 1EJ.
Tel: 0225-446034.
[***][10/04/88][***]
TOSHIBA ROLLS OUT PAPER-WHITE LCD SCREENS
LONDON, UK (NB) -- Toshiba UK has unveiled a new range of paper-
white monitors. The incredible thing is is, they're not CRT
monitors, they're based around a much-enhanced version of
the company's Super TN LCD screens.
The new display is called 'monochrome b/w Super TN' and is
initially available on OEM basis using CCFL (cold cathode
fluorescent) backlighting. End user monitors using the new
technology should be available early next year.
The screens combine laminated cell technology with a dual-layer
LCD screen to produce what looks to be crystal-clear screens with
a contrast ratio in excess of 12:1 - the same as conventional
monochrome CRT units. The new LCD monitors will show to the
public for the first time at ED-88 this week. ED-88 is being held
at the Wembley Conference Centre on 4/6 October.
CONTACT: TOSHIBA UK LTD, Riverside Way, Camberley,
Surrey GU15 3YA. Tel: 0276-694600.
[***][10/04/88][***]
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
+ BRITBYTES - Bytes of news from around the UK... +
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
ACE MICROSYSTEMS (01-847-4673) is hosting a series of free half-
day seminars to promote its new spreadsheet, graphics and time
management packages which were recently integrated with Lex, the
company's word processing and database management software. The
seminars are being held in Birmingham, Edinburgh, London and
Manchester during November...
COMPUTER CONCEPTS (0442-63933) has released SPELL MASTER, a 128K
spell-checker cartridge for the CAMBRIDGE COMPUTER Z88 laptop.
The cartridge costs #59 including VAT...
COMPUTER WEEKLY (01-661-3500) is to host 'IT Payoff,' a major
conference to discuss new techniques for assessing the value of
investments in Information Technology. The conference will be
held in London on 3 November...
DATABASE SOFTWARE (0625-878888) has released MINI OFFICE PERSONAL
for the PC. The #29-95 value-for-money package includes
communications, database, label printing, spreadsheet, and word
processing functions as standard features...
DATABASE EXHIBITIONS (0625-878888) has announced a games workshop
will be held at the ATARI CHRISTMAS SHOW (London 25/27 November).
The workshop will enable aspiring games software writers to show
their packages to Mastertronic, Ocean, Tynesoft, US Gold, Virgin
and other leading UK software houses...
FRONTIER SOFTWARE (0423-67140) has become the SUPRA CORPORATION's
sole UK importer. The company has announced the immediate
availability of the Supra hard disk series for the Amiga
500, 1000 and 2000 in 20, 30 and 60Mb capacities...
The LONDON UNDERGROUND BBS (01-863-0198) is now running on a
second line (01-427-8856) which works to V22, V22Bis and USR
Courier 9600bps speeds. Both nodes are networked together to
allow online chat and game facilities...
MERCURY COMMUNICATIONS (01-528-2000) has announced a joint
agreement with the SWEDISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS AUTHORITY. The
deal means subscribers to both companies' networks will enjoy
digital-quality calls between their respective countries from
the beginning of next year onwards...
MICROPRO (01-643-8866) has officially launched WORDSTAR 5.0. The
new PC version of the best-selling word processor has more than
300 improvements over previous editions, including a WYSIWYG
page-preview mode and SAA-compatible pull-down menus. The retail
price of Wordstar 5.0 is #399, with a #99 upgrade path available
for existing users of Wordstar 4.0 or earlier...
PAPERBACK SOFTWARE (0245-265017) which distributes VP-PLANNER
PLUS and several other software packages, wants everyone to know
it has moved to: 200 North Service Road, Brentwood, Essex CM14
4GS...
RACAL MILGO (0734-782158) will unveil the DELTA 332, a new tri-
standard modem in Istanbul, Turkey, next month. The modem is
capable of V29 (9600/300bps), V32 (9600bps) and V33 (14,400bps)
speeds over the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network). The
modem's price (gulp) has yet to be announced...
SOFTSEL (01-568-8866) has begun shipping a UK version of
PAGEPERFECT, the WYSIWYG text processing package. The #375
package includes a true English spell-checker, plus hyphenation
and justification features...
THE SOURCE in the US has announced X-Modem and Y-Modem E-mail
facilities are available on its SOURCEMAIL facility. NEWSBYTES
readers should note, however, that the international Tymnet links
will cause problems with 8-bit file transfers. UK and European
users of The Source should use Telenet links for their file
transfers to and from the service...