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/1989/NB890425.304

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(NEWS)(APPLE)(LON)(00001)

POWDER BLUE BEGINS WORLDWIDE SHIPMENT OF MAC CLONE
SANDY, UTAH, U.S.A., 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- Powder Blue Computers, a
small Utah computer manufacturer, has begun shipping its Blue Maq
Apple Macintosh clone. According to Jim Acton, Powder Blue's
sales manager, the Blue Maq is between 20 and 90 percent faster
than the Mac II/SE series, but costs around 25 percent less than
the official Apple product.

"We showed privately at Comdex Spring [earlier this month] and
have attracted attention from dealers in several European
countries, including Belgium, France, Sweden, West Germany, and
the U.K.," he told Newsbytes.

Unlike previous Mac clones, the Blue Maq is being shipped with
Apple's official Mac BIOS [basic input-output system] chip set.
Acton said that, contrary to conflicting press reports, that Powder
Blue is not getting its Mac ROMs [read-only memory] chips from Apple
U.S. or its dealers. "We're getting the ROMs from a third party source.
They're the genuine Apple article, and Apple won't be able to stop us
getting hold of them. Apple has contacted us about the ROMs, but can't
take any action against us, as we're sourcing them through third
parties. It's unlikely they'll be able to take any legal action
against us in respect of the Blue Maq," he said.

The Blue Maq, which has been shipping in very small quantities
in the Utah area for the past few years, ranges in price from
$3,695 to $5,995. The entry-level model comes with four megabytes [MB]
of random access memory, a 65MB hard disk and a 12-inch amber
Samsung monitor.

Versions with 68000, 68020 and 68030 microprocessors are
available. A 68020-based Blue Maq with similar specifications to
the above-mentioned 68000 machine costs $6,000.

(Steve Gold/19890421/Press Contact - Jim Acton, Powder Blue
Computers - Tel [US]: 801/572-3520)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00002)

APPLE UNVEILS 32-BIT COLOR QUICKDRAW
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 17 (NB) -- Apple Computer has
unveiled an extension to Color QuickDraw which supports up to 32 bits
of information per pixel. The new graphic system software allows
68020 and 68030-based Macintoshes with System Software Version 6.0.3
to display millions of colors, compared to the previous 8-bit
version's 256. The software will enable the manipulation of
24-bit images, providing smooth shading, and "transitions in
graphs and slides for truly lifelike images and textures," according
to Apple's Jim Davis, director of system software marketing.
"32-bit QuickDraw changes the way customers look at the
Macintosh."

Among companies which plan to support 32-Bit Color QuickDraw
are Radius, RasterOps, SuperMac, BarneyScan, Visual Information,
Electric Image, Tektronix, and Intergraph.

Apple has also released LaserWriter 6.0, a new version of its
PostScript printer driver that includes color extensions. The
new driver allows most existing color Macintosh applications
to print in color on color PostScript printers.

Both 32-Bit Color QuickDraw and LaserWriter 6.0 will be
available free of charge from Apple dealers and other distribution
channels in May.

(Wendy Woods/19890421/Press Contact: Cindy McCaffrey, 408-974-1578)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00003)

APPLE DEVELOPERS CONFERENCE MAY 8
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- Apple hosts the
annual Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose at the Fairmont
Hotel during the week of May 8. This year's conference is
designed to showcase developments in the area of networking,
and communications, and to improve Apple-developer relations.
Charlie Oppenheimer, Apple's system software manager, will address
the future of the Macintosh operating system in a special
press conference Tuesday, May 9. Apple President of Products,
Jean Louis Gassee, will host a noontime luncheon with the press.

(Wendy Woods/19890421/Press Contact: Rosa Radicchi, 408-974-3146)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00004)

APPLE'S REVENUES UP 44 PERCENT BUT INCOME DOWN 29 PERCENT
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 18 (NB) -- Apple Computer
sold 44 percent more product in its last quarter than in the
year-ago period, translating to $1.247 billion in sales, but net
income took a nose dive to 29 percent -- $56.4 million compared to
$79.7 million a year ago. The decrease in income is generally
attributed to Apple's poor timing in buying up huge quantities
of dynamic random access memory [DRAM] chips when prices were high.

"We believe the problem of excess high-priced 1 MB DRAM
is now substantially behind us. We look forward to improvement
in gross margins in the coming quarters," explained John
Sculley, Apple chairman, in a prepared statement.

Looking on the upside, Sculley remarked, "We are well on our
way to surpassing $5 billion in revenues this year." He adds
"These results mark our twelfth consecutive quarter of
significant revenue growth."

(Wendy Woods/19890421)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00005)

MINDWRITE, TRAPEZE, DRASTICALLY CUT IN PRICE
MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- Shunning established
distribution channels, Access Technology has launched a campaign to
sell its three Macintosh software products to end-users by mail, at
a drastically reduced rate. Version 2.0 of MindWrite is $39.95
compared to the normal $195, MindWrite Express is $49.95 compared to
a regular price of $250, and Trapeze is $59.95 contrasted with
$295.

"The high cost of advertising and promotion has made it increasingly
difficult for independent software developers of quality products
to get noticed," says Ray Kingman, director of sales and marketing.
"The channel is full," he told Newsbytes, "Microsoft and Claris get
the mindshare [of business] because they have the most clout. We
weren't getting far in that route in terms of spending so we
went for the direct mail route."

MindWrite, introduced in January, 1987, is a powerful word
and outline processor which offers unlimited windows,
accumulating clipboard, and the ability to move text by
"dragging" it with a pointer. MindWrite Express is the network
version, able to read and write document formats from
WordStar, MultiMate, WordPerfect, and other MS-DOS packages.
Trapeze is an integrated presentation worksheet which provides
a spreadsheet in a page layout environment.

Kingman says there is no relationship between the low prices,
which are part of a limited time offer, and his plans to buy
out the Access Technology Macintosh division, along with
others in the unit, from the company's parent. He says
details on the purchase should be available next week.

Those interested in ordering should contact the company at
800-367-4334 or 408-648-4000.

(Wendy Woods/19890421)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00006)

SYMANTEC ANTI-VIRUS UTILITY FOR MACINTOSH
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 17 (NB) -- Symantec is about
to release the most powerful Macintosh virus-killing and virus-preventive
program to date. Symantec AntiVirus for Macintosh, or SAM, will
not only detect and identify viruses already in the system, but will
prevent them from entering. Symantec says the program will stop
such viruses as Scores, nVir, Hpat, Init 29, and ANTI, and promises
to update the program when needed as new virus strains are
documented. Once detected, the virus can be removed from the
system or file. SAM also has the capability to detect some
unknown viruses because it looks for illegal actions in addition to
the known virus strains.

SAM will be released in May at $99.95. It's Multifinder compatible
and works in standard network environments such as AppleShare,
TOPS, and MacServe. The program also has a 30-day money-back
guarantee.

(Wendy Woods/19890422/Press Contact: Amy Chang, Symantec, 415-
964-6300)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00007)

MACINTOSH SCANNERS FROM COMPLETE PC
MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 18 (NB) -- The Complete PC
has released two reasonably-priced desktop image scanners for the
Macintosh. The Complete Page Scanner for the Macintosh, $1,199, is a
200 or 300 dots-per-inch [dpi] sheetfed scanner which can scan
an image up to 8 1/2 by 14 inches in under 30 seconds. The
Complete Half-Page Scanner/400, $499, scans images up to 4 inches by 14
inches at 200, 300 or 400 dpi.

Both scanners offer 16 levels of gray, a choice of three dithering
patterns, SmartScan software for image manipulation, and
an interface box to attach the unit to the Macintosh SCSI port.

(Wendy Woods/19890422/Press Contact: Barbara Wetherbee, Franson
and Associates, 408-434-1045)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(LAX)(00008)

CAD GETS TWO AWARDS
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 17 (NB) -- Versacad
Corporation has received a pair of awards for its VersaCAD/Macintosh
Edition CAD [computer-aided design] software. MacUser magazine
presented the product with its 1989 "Editors' Choice Award" for the
"Best New CAD/CAM [computer-aided manufacturing] Package" of 1988.
The second prize was awarded by InfoWorld for "1988 Product of the
Year" for "Macintosh CAD Software."

(Wayne Yacco/19890421/Press Contact: Versacad, Scott Harlin, 714-
960-7720)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(BOS)(00009)

INTERGRAPH ANNOUNCES MACINTOSH VERSION OF MICROSTATION
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 18 (NB) -- Intergraph
has unveiled an Apple Macintosh version of its MicroStation CAD/CAM
software at the NCGA '89 trade show in Philadelphia. The software takes
full advantage of the Macintosh user interface.

MicroStation Mac offers a complete graphics database compatibility
with other MicroStation versions, and an interface to the Oracle
relational database manager, as well as true #D support.

The product, which requires a Mac II, IIx, or SE/30, will be available
in July of 1989, with a list price of $3,300.

(Jon Pepper/19890421/Press Contact: Roger Woodsmall, Intergraph,
205-772-2000)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(BRU)(00010)

BLYTH RELEASES NEW OMNIS VERSION FOR THE MAC
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS, 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- Blyth Software
has announced a version of its Omnis V relational database
management system [RDMS] system for the Apple Macintosh.
Omnis 5 is a relational/hierarchical database program which has
been specifically designed to use the graphics interface,
extended memory and color capabilities of the Macintosh II
system. Such facilities don't come cheaply, however. At $1,200,
the package is one of the most expensive on the market.

(Peter Vekinis/19890421)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(BRU)(00011)

HSD OFFERS NEW OCR EXPRESS SYSTEM FOR THE MAC
BERLIN, WEST GERMANY, 1989 APR 20 (NB) -- HSD has announced an
optical character recognition [OCR] system based around a
dedicated microprocessor. The system has a claimed 99.6 percent
recognition rate.

The OCR Express System, which connects to Apple's Nubus or Mac
SE30 expansion system, uses Siemens' 400 dots per inch [dpi]
scanner and reads characters of eight point or larger in size. The
software supplied includes more than 200 predefined fonts. New
fonts can be added as desired.

(Peter Vekinis/19890421/Press Contact - HSD - Tel [WG]: 030-881081)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(BRU)(00012)

APPLE TO EXCEED $1 BILLION FROM EUROPEAN SALES
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS, 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- Apple has
reported $998 million from European sales during 1988. Current
projections suggest that Apple will top $1,200 million in
European sales for the current year.

The company, which has doubled its results from 1987 and employs
1,400 people in Europe, reported $720,000 sales per employee and
has shipped almost 45 percent of the Mac Installed base in the
last year.

(Peter Vekinis/19880421)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(LON)(00013)

INFORMIX ANNOUNCES JAPANESE VERSION OF WINGZ
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- Informix Software has developed
a Japanese version of Wingz, its graphics spreadsheet for the
Apple Macintosh. The Japanese version of Wingz is available
immediately in Japan and will ship via ASCII Corporation, the
sole distributor of Wingz in Japan.

Announcing the Japanese version, Jean Hanley, Informix's director
of international marketing, said that other foreign language
versions of Wingz are in the pipeline. "The Japanese version of Wingz
is a first step toward addressing the rapidly growing market for interface
products in Japan. Our ability to produce multibyte character sets will
also allow us to develop Wingz in various languages for markets in the
Middle and Far East," she said.

(Steve Gold/19890421/Press Contact - Corrine Smith, Informix
Software - Tel [US]: 913/4920-3800)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(TOR)(00014)

APPLE COMPUTERS ELIGIBLE FOR ONTARIO SCHOOL GRANTS
MARKHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 APR 19 (NB) -- The Ontario
Ministry of Education has approved Apple Macintosh computers for
classroom use, making schools that buy them eligible to have a
quarter of the cost paid by the province. Canada's most populous
province approved the Macintosh SE as a stand-alone classroom
workstation, the Mac IIcx and IIx as network workstations and the
Mac SE and Mac II as network file servers.

The decision confirms the end of the province's attempt to boost
Canadian PC manufacturing through school microcomputer
procurement. Ontario introduced a set of specifications for
educational PCs in the early 1980s to which no popular
microcomputer conformed, but which were met by the Icon, a
computer specially designed by Canadian Educational
Microprocessor Corp. of Toronto. Unisys now markets the Icon.
Later, IBM Canada adapted its PC technology to produce a machine
called the EdNet which also met the specifications. However, the
machines could not run popular software. Even the provincial
government's own internal auditor was critical of the policy, and
last year the Ministry of Education changed direction, first by
extending approval to Commodore computers.

(Grant Buckler/19890421/Press Contact: Apple Canada, 416-964-
9064)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(TOR)(00015)

UPPERCASE HAS MACROMIND DIRECTOR, HOWTEK PRODUCTS IN CANADA
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 APR 17 (NB) -- Uppercase
Technology, exclusive distributor for MacroMind products in
Canada, is now selling MacroMind Director desktop presentation
software. The Canadian suggested retail price for the package is
C$895. Until June 30, anyone who bought the software in its
previous incarnation as VideoWorks II before April 15, 1988, is
eligible for a special upgrade offer from MacroMind. Those people
should contact MacroMind directly at 415-442-0200.

Uppercase also announced it is distributing products from Howtek,
a Hudson, N.H.-based maker of printers and scanners. Uppercase
has Howtek's PixelMaster color printer, and its flatbed, color
and Scanmaster/35 scanners.

(Grant Buckler/19890421/Press Contact: Uppercase Technology, 416-
470-6111)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00001)

MICROSOFT SAYS REVENUES UP 22 PERCENT
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- Microsoft claims its
sales were $197 million for the quarter ending March 31 -- 22
percent higher than a year ago and attributable to strong
international sales revenue. The net profit margin was 20.9 percent,
due to "Solid OEM licensing worldwide," according to the firm's
chief financial officer, Frank Gaudette.

Microsoft also announced Word 4.0 for the Macintosh is finally
shipping and Word 5.0 for the DOS environment will ship shortly.
Microsoft Word is the leading Macintosh word processor as well
as the best-selling Macintosh application overall.

(Wendy Woods/19890421/Press Contact: Pam Edstrom, The Waggener
Group, 503-245-0905)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00002)

DEST FILES FOR CHAPTER ELEVEN PROTECTION
MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 15 (NB) -- Dest Corporation,
which tried for months to hold off creditors, has finally won
court-ordered protection from them. The company filed for
Chapter 11 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in San Jose on
April 14. The scanner maker, which has suffered two years of
devastating losses in the millions of dollars, has been
actively seeking to be bought out by another company.

During the past few months, the company has eliminated half of
its workforce, and now stands with 65 employees. Dest is
a publicly-traded company, listed in Over-the-Counter trading.

(Wendy Woods/19890211)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00003)

DR DOS RETURNS GLOW OF HEALTH TO DIGITAL RESEARCH
MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 17 (NB) -- Digital Research is
enjoying a renewed vigor thanks, in part, to brisk sales of DR DOS,
its low-cost, DOS-compatible operating system. Kaypro is the latest to
bundle the operating system with its entire family of 80286 and
80386-based personal computers. Other companies that have
snubbed Microsoft in favor of Digital's DOS are Taiwan's
Autocomputer Company, Ltd., a leading Taiwanese exporter of
computers with sales of $100 million this year, and Sun Moon Star
Co., with sales this year of $55 million. Altogether
Digital has sold more than two million licenses for the product
since its introduction in Jne, 1988, according to Frank
Iveson, vice president of sales at Digital.

According to Computer Letter, an influential industry newsletter
compiled by Technologic Partners in New York City, Digital has
sprung back to life thanks to Dick Williams, a 22-year IBM
veteran, who joined DRI in 1987. He ended the layoffs, promoted
people, got investor capital, and oversaw development of a
group of operating systems for multitasking applications --
FlexOS -- and graphics products -- GEM.

Digital Research is the nation's 19th largest software producer,
in terms of 1988 revenues, according to SoftLetter.

(Wendy Woods/19890421/Press Contact: Eliska Amyx, Digital, 408-646-
6001)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00004)

SOFTLETTER RANKS 100 TOP SOFTWARE COMPANIES
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- SoftLetter,
Jeffrey Tarter's newsletter with an inside view of the software
industry, has compiled its sixth annual survey of the 100 largest
software firms, and once again Microsoft leads the pack. With
revenues of $718,570,000 last year, Microsoft is followed by
Lotus, Ashton-Tate, Wordperfect, Autodesk, Borland, Adobe,
Software Publishing, Aldus, and Logitech.

The growth leaders were Softbridge, which is 182 percent bigger
than last year, Microlytics, 167 percent larger, in terms of
revenues, Datastorm, Education Systems, Symantec, Chipsoft,
MapInfo, Phoenix Technologies, Software Toolworks, and
Micrographx [up 132 percent].

In the area of productivity, Microlytics was on top, with $411,429
in sales per employee. Microway, Funk, Accolade, American Small
Business Computer, Central Point, Adobe, Chronos, Electronic
Arts, and Peter Norton Computing followed, in that order.

Among the companies which disappeared from this year's list were
Nantucket, RealWorld, ZSoft, Laser Friendly, Palantir,
Zenographics, and Pinpoint.

(Wendy Woods.19890421/Press Contact: 617-868-0157)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00005)

COMPUTERLAND BUYS INFOMAX CHAIN
PLEASANTON, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 18 (NB) -- Computerland,
the giant worldwide computer retail chain, is merging with Infomax,
a chain of seven computer stores in Northern California. The
combination of the two retailers makes Computerland the biggest
retailer in the San Francisco Bay Area with estimated annual
sales of $80 million to $100 million.

Computerland operates 750 stores in 34 countries. 1988 sales amounted
to $2.04 billion worldwide and $1.4 billion in the United States.

(Wendy Woods/19890421/Press Contact: Marty STrayer, Computerland,
415-734-4458)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00006)

A-T RELEASES FIRST QUARTER FIGURES
TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 19 (NB) -- Ashton-Tate Corp.
[NASDAQ:TATE] Wednesday reported net income of $11.5 million, or 44
cents per share, for the quarter ended March 31, 1989. This
compares with net income of $11.1 million, or 43 cents per share,
reported for the quarter ended April 30, 1988. Revenues for the
quarter were $89.8 million, a 24 percent increase over the $72.4
million in revenues reported for the first quarter last year.

"Increased revenues for the quarter ended March 31, 1989, reflected
strong performances in our European and other international
businesses," said Edward M. Esber Jr., Ashton-Tate's chairman and
chief executive officer, "but we limited U.S. product shipments in
February and March in connection with our previously announced
program to substantially reduce inventories held by our major U. S.
distributors and resellers."

Esber attributed part of an increase in end-user sell-through and
reduction in customer inventories to the impact of the company's
increased sales and marketing activities, most specifically to the
impact of Winner By Technical Knockout, the most extensive
promotional campaign in Ashton-Tate history. The promotion, which
extends through May 31, includes a special dBASE IV demonstration
that can be viewed at authorized Ashton-Tate resellers.

(Wayne Yacco/19890421)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00007)

AST THIRD QUARTER LOSS REPORTED
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 20 (NB) -- AST Research, Inc.
[NASDAQ: ASTA] has disclosed third-quarter sales of $113.8 million
for fiscal 1989. The figure resulted in a net after-tax loss of
$1.3 million for the period ended March 31, 1989. The same period a
year earlier provided $5.2 million of net income. The company
attributed the loss to interest expense and currency fluctuations.

(Wayne Yacco/19890421/Press Contact: AST, Joel Don, 714-756-4942)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00008)

FRENCH LESSONS FOR SOFTWARE
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 19 (NB) -- Softsel Computer
Products Inc., [NASDAQ: SOFS] introduced its SoftPublishing division
during a news conference at SICOB '89. The SICOB international
computer trade show, comparable to COMDEX in the United States, is
the largest computer trade show in France.

SoftPublishing, a division of Softsel France, will offer translation
and re-edition of U.S. and other foreign products, manuals,
brochures, technical specification sheets and news releases into
French. These translations facilitate the entry of U. S. product
lines and services into the French computer market. "This program
reaches out to help the manufacturer or publisher who has strong
potential in the French market gain recognition and sell their
products in a country whose market strategies, practices, ways of
communication, distribution and language are very different from
their own," explained Softsel France SoftPublishing Managing Director
Christine Chabannes.

Softsel France will begin shipping Crosstalk Communications'
Crosstalk XVI, Fifth Generation Systems' Fastback Plus and Central
Point Software's PC Tools Deluxe, the first three products to be
translated through its SoftPublishing division. The company will
also host three manufacturers and publishers at SICOB '89: Hercules,
Seagate and CMS.

(Wayne Yacco/19890421/Press Contact: Softsel, Jim Novy, 213-412-
8271, 213-412-1700)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00009)

PROFESSIONAL COURTESY
DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1989 APR 18 (NB) -- CompuTrac Inc. [AMEX:
LLB] has entered into a joint marketing agreement with Lanier
Business Systems, a division of Harris Corp. [NYSE: HRS] to sell to
a broader range of potential law-firm clients. CompuTrac Inc.
develops, markets, services and supports integrated turnkey computer
systems designed specifically for the legal profession and
information retrieval systems for general corporate use. The
agreement was finalized on April 7, 1989, and plans exist to train
Lanier representatives to sell CompuTrac's software.

(Wayne Yacco/19890421/Press Contact: CompuTrac, Phillip C.
Yarbrough, president, 214-234-4241)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00010)

EDS PROFITS
DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1989 APR 19 (NB) -- Electronic Data Systems
Corp. [EDS] has earned a 12-percent increase in net income and a 15-
percent rise in revenues in the first quarter. The wholly owned
subsidiary of General Motors Corp. provides computer and
communications services.

For the quarter ended March 31, 1989, net income rose $10.9 million
to $100.0 million, compared to $89.1 million in the corresponding
period last year, the company said. First-quarter revenues increased
from $1.12 billion a year ago to $1.29 billion in 1989--an
increase of $165.8 million.

EDS earnings are used to calculate the earnings per share of General
Motors Class E common stock [NYSE: GME]. Earnings per share
increased 12 percent in the first quarter, from $0.73 a year ago to
$0.82 in 1989.

(Wayne Yacco/19890421/Press Contact: EDS, Cathie Hargett, 214-661-
6188)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(ATL)(00011)

GMFANUC BUYS U.K.'S LARGEST MAKER OF INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS
AUBURN HILLS, MICHIGAN, U.S.A., 1989 APR 18 (NB) -- GMFanuc
Robotics, a seven-year-old joint venture between General Motors of
the U.S. and Fanuc Ltd. of Japan, and the leading producer of
industrial robots in the U.S., announced it will acquire 600
FANUC Robotics Limited, the leading robotics company in the
United Kingdom. 600 FANUC Robotics is a joint venture between
Fanuc and the 600 Group PLC of the U.K..

"GMFanuc Robotics Europe GmbH and 600 FANUC Robotics are both
well established suppliers of robots and robotic systems in
Europe," said Eric Mittelstadt, president and chief executive
officer, GMF Robotics.  "We believe the very competitive
European market can best be served by placing all resources
associated with the sale and support of FANUC-built robots
within one operation in Europe.  We expect the combination of
GMF and 600 FANUC to become the leading supplier of robotic
equipment to the European manufacturing industry."

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890419/Press Contact: Chuck Ragains, Anthony
M. Franco, Inc., 313-567-2300)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(ATL)(00012)

GTE BUYS VISION TECHNOLOOGY, A POLICE COMPUTER MAKER
RESTON, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 17 (NB) -- GTE Information
Services has bought Vision Technology of Reston, Virginia, for an undisclosed
sum. Vision, founded in 1984, makes software for police departments,
such as records-keeping systems, dispatch systems, crime analysis
systems, and communications package. The company creates
complete systems including hardware, software, training, installation
and maintenance. Vision's major product is POSSE-VT, which combines
crime analysis, management decision-making and report generation
systems.

Vision will become a part of the new GTE Government Information
Services division, based in Tampa, Florida. GTEIS also includes
GTE Directories, GTE Education Services, GTE Telecom, GTE Health
Systems, GTE Retail Information Services, GTE Telecommunication
Services and GTE TeleMessager.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890419/Press Contact: John G. Clemons, GTE,
813-273-4823)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(BOS)(00013)

IBM SIGNS WITH ABOVE SOFTWARE IN EUROPE
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1989 APR 17 (NB) -- IBM
Europe, headquartered in Bassingstoke, England, has signed an
agreement with Above Software Inc. of Santa Ana and Paris, to
bundle the developer's EMS memory management program, Above
Disc, with IBM AT extended memory boards. The agreement also
provides that IBM will recommend and promote Above Disc to
authorized dealers and value-added resellers throughout Great Britain
and the continent.

Above Disc simulates the Lotus-Intel-Microsoft Extended memory
specification [LIM EMS] that allows users to access DOS memory
beyond the 640 kilobyte barrier.

(Jon Pepper/19890421/Press Contact: Robert Rafferty, Above Software
Inc., 714-545-1181)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(BOS)(00014)

AMERICAN EXPRESS FORMS INFORMATION PROCESSING BUSINESS
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1989 APR 18 (NB) -- The American
Express Company announced the creation of the American Express
Information Services Company, ISC, that will provide a wide variety
of information processing and communications services to industry.

ISC, which will become the fifth major operating unit, employs 10,000
people in five different business groups: First Data Resources,
Integrated Payment Systems, Health Systems Group, WATS
Marketing Group, and Cable Services Group. The consolidated
revenues for the five businesses in 1988 were $447 million.

(Jon Pepper/19890421/Press Contact: Matthew Stover, 212-640-5951)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(BOS)(00015)

NCR AND KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN SIGN $19.5 MILLION DOLLAR DEAL
DAYTON, OHIO, U.S.A., 1989 APR 17 (NB) -- NCR and Kentucky
Fried Chicken have signed a $19.5 million contract for NCR to
provide NCR 386SX-based personal computers and other point of sale
equipment in the 1,200 Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants in the
U.S.

Each restaurant will have a 386SX-based PC, linked to an NCR 2760
Quick Service terminal. The computers will use a multitasking
operating environment, and provide restaurant management
reporting, transaction data capture, daily time and attendance,
inventory, and other tasks.

(Jon Pepper/19890421/Press Contact: Patricia Dan, NCR, 513-445-5236)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(BOS)(00016)

LOTUS REPORTS FINANCIAL RESULTS
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 APR 18 (NB) -- Lotus
Development announced that net sales for the quarter ended March
31 of $120 million, compared to the previous year's first quarter sales
of $117.3 million.

Net income dropped to $5.3 million, from $18.3 million. The company
has had problems shipping a new release of the best-selling
spreadsheet product, Lotus 1-2-3. However, Lotus President
Jim Manzi said that, "we are encouraged by a number of trends."
These trends include worldwide sales of 1-2-3 and Freelance Plus, the
company's business graphics software.

Analysts expect that the future profitability will be closely tied to the
success of the next release of 1-2-3, called Release 3.

(Jon Pepper/19890421/Press Contact: Susan Yeomans, Lotus, 617-577-
8540)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(BOS)(00017)

LEADING EDGE RESUMES SHIPMENTS
CANTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 APR 20 (NB) -- Leading
Edge products announced it has resume shipment of its personal
computer products to dealers. The company has been embroiled in
lawsuits and counterclaims over their financial status and inability to
ship product to dealers after prepayment on orders.

The company is currently negotiating to extend its contract with
Daewoo, manufacturer of the Leading Edge PCs, though they will
work with other companies if they can't reach an agreement with
Daewoo by October.

(Jon Pepper/19890421/Press Contact: John Sullivan, Leading Edge,
617-828-8150)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(BOS)(00018)

UNISYS EXPECTS PROFITABILITY IN SECOND QUARTER
BLUE BELL, PENNSYLVANIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- After a
first quarter loss, Unisys expects to return to profitability in the
second quarter, the company announced today. The first quarter loss
was listed at $78.7 million. However, Unisys chairman and Chief Executive W.
Michael Blumenthal said that, "the combination of transitory factors
that produced a loss in the first quarter has not changed our
optimism about our prospects or strategy going forward."

Strong orders in the commercial market and growth in open systems
and professional services should help the company show a profit next
quarter, said Blumenthal.

(Jon Pepper/19890421/Press Contact: J. Peter Hynes, Unisys, 215-542-
6948)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(BOS)(00019)

HP AND INTERLEAF SIGN MARKETING AGREEMENT
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 APR 18 (NB) -- Hewlett Packard
and Interleaf have signed a marketing agreement under which Interleaf
will port and resell its technical publishing software on HP workstations.

The company will begin shipping its Technical Publishing Software
[TPS] for the HP 9000 Series 300 workstations in the fall of 1989,
according to an Interleaf spokesman. The Interleaf software is a high-
end corporate publishing solution for hardware platforms ranging
from PCs to mainframes.

(Jon Pepper/19890421/Press Contact: Fred Egan, Interleaf, 617-577-
9800)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00020)

NEC SETS MONTHLY OUTPUT OF MICROPROCESSORS AT 30 MILLION
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 APR 17 (NB) -- NEC, one of Japan's major
semiconductor makers, plans to increase its monthly output of
microprocessors to 30 million by the end of next year. That is
about a 40-percent increase over the current 22 million, which
NEC estimates accounts for 32 percent of the Japanese market and
16 percent of the worldwide market.

Meanwhile, monthly production of the firm's one-megabit dynamic
random access memory or DRAM chips reached five million last
month. NEC plans to increase the monthly output by one million
quarterly.

(Ken Takahashi/19890420)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00021)

ZENITH AVAILABLE IN TOKYO NOW
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 APR 17 (NB) -- American Computer Services has
set up a temporary office in Kudan, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo to start
selling Zenith laptop computers to overseas capital firms. The
authorized Japanese dealer for U.S.-based Zenith intends to open
a permanent Tokyo office very soon.

American Computer Services has its headquarters at U.S. military
bases in Okinawa and Misawa, Japan, to service Zenith computers
at these bases. However, U.S.-based securities companies and
banks rushing into Tokyo are demanding IBM PC-compatible laptop
computers. Generally, Japanese machines compatible with IBM PCs
are designed to handle the Japanese language, but the increasing
demand for the machines does not require this.

Office representative Jeff Struebing has been in Japan more than
17 years and told Newsbytes in fluent Japanese, "I'm very busy
with sales activities and have no time to interview for hiring an
assistant employee."

Since the company has no maintenance center in Tokyo yet,
machines must be sent to Okinawa for service. Struebing said
service will take only four days, adding that the Zenith machines
require little maintenance.

(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890420/Press Contact, American Computer
Services, Jeff Struebing, 03-221-9787)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00022)

MOTOROLA AND TAIWAN CHIP MAKER TIE UP
TOKYO, JAPAN 1989 APR 17 (NB) -- Nippon Motorola has agreed to
provide technical aid and sales assistance to Taiwan-based ACC
Microelectronics Corp. Motorola began marketing three floppy disk
drive controller circuits from ACC in March. Motorola plans to
carry more of ACC's products and to start cooperative development
with the Taiwan firm. Motorola plans to start sales of an IBM PC
AT-compatible chip set and to commercialize three multi-
functional control integrated circuits.

The two firms are to cooperate on developing an IBM PS/2-
compatible chip set and integrating PC-AT circuitry into one
chip. These developments are expected to be completed by the end
of next year.

ACC has expanded its production capacity and is using the
Motorola name to expand its overseas sales. At first, Nippon
Motorola will receive products on an original equipment
manufacturing basis and gradually change the production condition
at its plants.

(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890420/Press Contact: Nippon Motorola,
03-440-3311)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00023)

COMPUADD LAUNCHES INTO CANADA
TORONTO, CANADA, 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- Compuadd Corporation, the
PC retailer , has opened its first retail store in Canada. The
store, located in Toronto, covers 12,000 square feet and will
employ more than 20 staff by the end of the year.

Paul Scarmardo, previously corporate sales manager for U.S. retail
operations, has been appointed retail channel manager of Canadian
operations. Plans call for the opening of two further Canadian
stores by the end of the third quarter of 1989.

Neil Bremner, manager of Compuadd's U.K. operations, said that the
Canadian operation forms the second stage of Compuadd's expansion
into the international market-place, following the opening of the
U.K. headquarters in Bristol, England, six months ago.

"Both operations are strategically important in helping Compuadd
extend the reputation it enjoys in the U.S. to a much wider frame
of reference," he said.

Compuadd currently has 17 retail outlets in the US and, including the
Canadian operation, plans to have more than 40 in place by the end of
the year.

(Steve Gold/19890421/Press Contact - Neil Bremner, Compuadd U.K. -
Tel [UK]: 0272-637488)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00024)

AMSTRAD DROPS 3RD/4TH QUARTER PROFITS FORECAST
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- Amstrad Consumer
Electronics has announced that its profits for second half of the
year will be "below market expectations." On hearing news of the
projected profits downturn last Thursday, the company's shares
plunged 20 pence to 120 pence on the London Stock Exchange.

Amstrad's profits for the half year to 31 December, 1988, fell 16
percent to UKP 75.3 [$127 million]. At the time, Amstrad's
chairman, Alan Sugar, said that the profits downturn was due to
supply problems with PC-2000 series, a family of 80286 and 80386-
based PCs launched late last year. He also said that the supply
problem had been sorted out.

According to Hoare Govett, a leading U.K. stock-broking firm,
Amstrad's current problems have not been caused by chip
shortages, but by design problems. As a result, the firm has
sliced Amstrad's projected profits for the half year to 30 June,
1989, from UKP 136 million to UKP 108 million, and anticipates
that its share price could fall still further.

(Steve Gold/19890421)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(BRU)(00025)

EXCELAN TO OPEN REGIONAL OFFICE IN MUNICH, WEST GERMANY
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 20 (NB) -- Excelan, the U.S.-
based local area network systems specialist, is to open a new
regional office in Munich, West Germany, to service its growing
customer bases in Europe. The new offices will be headed by Hans
Flock, Excelan's existing West German market manager.

(Peter Vekinis/19890421)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00026)

TOSHIBA OPENS OFFICE IN SPAIN
BARCELONA, SPAIN, 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- Toshiba Corporation, the
Japanese electronics and computer company, has created a wholly-
owned subsidiary in Spain. The new company - Toshiba Information
Systems [Espania] SPA - is located In Barcelona and
capitalized at PTA 350 million [$2.9 million].

Initially, plans call for the new company to employ 55 staff and
retail laptop PCs, photocopiers and fax machines in Spain.
Projected sales are set at PTA 6,000 million for 1991.

Previously, Toshiba had supplied its products in Spain via
several distributors. Toshiba recently purchased Espanola de
Microordenadores, its largest distributor in Spain and is
currently in the process of turning it into the new subsidiary
company.

(Steve Gold/19890421)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SYD)(00027)

U.S. SECURITY A BLOW TO GREY IMPORTERS
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- Australian grey importers
face another hurdle in their battle to subvert authorized
distribution channels. [Grey importing is importing for sale by
anyone other than the authorized distributors].

A growing number of U.S. software suppliers are incorporating
security features such as encryption into their software. Many of
these features prevent software from being exported without a
licence from the U.S. Department of Defence. As a result, anyone
exporting U.S. domestic versions of software to Australia and
other countries may be breaking the law. This is one way the
software makers may fight the grey tide, if they choose. On a
positive note, the restrictions on exports could open the way for
local developers to increase their sales or write new
applications.

Sydney-based Vapourware has already been caught out. It was
selling a U.S. version of the latest PC Tools, from Central Point
Software. A Vapourware spokesman said the company has notified
all buyers. "We will exchange a domestic version for the
international version for free," said the spokesman, adding that
the U.S. versions had been received because of an "error in
shipping."

Version 5.0 of PC Tools has a DES encryption algorithm to protect
files. However, DES is a restricted technology and cannot be
exported out of the United States without clearance from U.S.
authorities. The developer, Central Point Software, was denied an
export licence and developed an international version of PC Tools
without DES.

However, the initial run of the international version had bugs
and authorized Australian distributor PC Extras was told not to
ship any to customers, but to wait for the debugged version. This
opened the way for grey importing of the U.S. domestic version.
Lynn McDonough, managing director of PC Extras, will not support
users who bought the U.S. version.

(Paul Zucker & Kester Cranswick/19890422)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SYD)(00028)

NEW UMBRELLA GROUP FORMED
CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA, 1989 APRIL 19 (NB) -- A new Australian
computer industry umbrella group, the National Information
Industries Round Table, was formed in Canberra recently.
Industry, Technology and Commerce Minister John Button and
Science Minister Barry Jones joined representatives of 21
industry organizations including trade associations, professional
societies and academic institutions.

The meeting followed Button's criticism of the Australian
Information Industries Association's (AIIA's) decision to leave
ASOCIA Australia -- which represented the AIIA, SSIFA and the
Australian Computer Society on the Asian ASOCIO -- and join the
Asian group in its own right. After the meeting, SSIFA president
Ian Dennis said the Round Table agreed the recent brouhaha over
alleged industry fragmentation had little factual basis, but the
Round Table should improve communications.

(Paul Zucker and Computing Australia/19890422)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SYD)(00029)

IMAGINEERING REVAMPS STRUCTURE
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 APRIL 19 (NB) -- Middle management at
Australia's largest distribution house, Imagineering, has been
handed control of the company after an April Fool's Day
management meeting restructured the operation. General Manager
for Product Marketing Sue Stanbridge said senior management had
been making decisions that middle managers should have made.

She said Imagineering chief Jodee Rich would take a more advisory
role in the company's day-to-day operations. As part of the
restructuring, the company is seeking two more general managers
to take on two of the three new companies established within
Imagineering.

Imagineering will operate through a distribution company, a
customer service company and a technical services company. Each
will have a budget for its own operation. Imagineering is a
service-oriented company, providing free client support. The plan
to re-focus the company came amid rumors it was about to sack 42
staff. The company admitted to Newsbytes it had "cleaned out" its
marketing department and other jobs had been eliminated.
Observers believe the company has cash-flow problems. It recently
lost a number of products to Softsel.

(Paul Zucker/19890422)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SIN)(00030)

PHASE I OF THAI ELECTRICITY TENDER GOES TO UNISYS
BANGKOK, THAILAND, 1989 APR 10 (NB) -- The Metropolitan
Electricity Authority of Bangkok [MEA] has awarded Phase I of the
four-part computerization program to Unisys, which will supply an
A10 system worth some $4 million.

The first phase replaces the current leased Burroughs B3845 and
B3910 systems with a new mainframe incorporating 36 megabytes of
main memory, two sets of hard disk storage totalling 6,000 MB and
other peripherals. The current system only has some 3,000 MB of
storage, which had become too small.

The system is designed to handle personnel records,
administration, finance, accounting, business information,
technical information, plus statistics on consumer consumption
and other services. Installation and support is being provided by
the local Unisys distributors Yip In Tsoi.

The second phase, planned to begin six months after the first,
will see a further 3,000 MB of hard disk storage installed, and
the integration of the accounting and financial management
systems with the basic management information system.

In phases, three and four rented terminals and workstations will
be replaced and networking and other supporting environments will
be designed and implemented. The last two stages are scheduled
for around 1991.

(Michael Worsley/19890415)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SIN)(00031)

18-MEMBER TEAM REPRESENTS SINGAPORE AT TOKYO FAIR
SINGAPORE, S.E. ASIA, 1989 APR 14 (NB) -- At least three computer
and other high-tech firms were represented in the 18-man
Singapore team taking part in the 18th Tokyo International Trade
Fair April 18-23.

This year, a special section was established at the fair for the
newly industrializing countries, which in addition to Singapore
includes Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Thailand and the
Philippines. The Singapore contingent was sponsored by the
Singapore Trade Development Board and the Singapore Manufacturers
Association.

ATS Computercentre was to feature its CAD/CAM software, which won
acclaim when launched in Singapore. Matsushita Greatwall Corp,
Memorex and Tomoro Technology also attended.

(Michael Worsley/19890415)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SIN)(00032)

STAKES IN PCI SOLD TO HONG KONG AND AUSTRALIAN GROUPS
SINGAPORE, S.E. ASIA, 1989 APR 17 (NB) -- Chuan Hup Holdings has
sold stakes in its wholly-owned subsidiary Printed Circuits
International [PCI] to investors in Hong Kong and Australia.

Hong Kong-based Asian Oceanic Group will pay S$6.5 million [$3.5
million] for its 10 percent stake. Elders Pica of Singapore is
buying five percent and has the option to take up another five
percent by the end of the month. If Elders Pica exercises its
option, Chuan Hup will receive S$13 million [$7 million] for the
sale.

The managing director of Chuan Hup, Jimmy Teh, also chairman of
PCI, said most terms and conditions of the sale have been met. He
is confident Elders Pica will buy the other five percent.

PCI, a contract electronics manufacturer, is based in the United
States with its chief manufacturing facility in Singapore. It
produces printed circuit boards, surface mount assemblies,
cordless telephones, liquid-crystal displays and modules for the
telecommunications and vehicular industries.

Elders Pica Director Ang Ah Lay said his company, the local arm
of Australian merchant bank Elders Finance and Investment Company
Ltd., sees PCI as a good long-term investment because of its
management, product range, services, customer base, technical
knowhow and marketing strength.

(Michael Worsley/19890418/Press Contact: Janet, PCI, [65]
663.9766)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SIN)(00033)

SWISS BANK SETTING UP SOFTWARE UNIT IN SINGAPORE
SINGAPORE, S.E. ASIA, 1989 APR 17 (NB) -- Switzerland's largest
bank, the Union Bank of Switzerland [UBS], plans to set up its
first overseas software development company in Singapore by next
January.

Peter Hofer, UBS deputy branch manager, said the bank is already
recruiting the 20 software engineers and support staff for the
new company. As yet unnamed, it will initially develop banking
and financial software for UBS offices worldwide. In the future
it will also serve third-party customers.

Hofer said Singapore was chosen as the company's base because
manpower and office rental costs are lower than in other
financial centres such as New York and Tokyo. Banking knowhow,
software engineers and an efficient telecommunications network
are also available. UBS has about 280 offices in Switzerland and
34 elsewhere.

The UBS move is in line with a growing trend to non-computer-
related foreign companies developing software in Singapore.
Information services companies such as Telerate Data Services and
Reuters Singapore are also developing programs locally for the
banking and financial sector.

(Michael Worsley/19890418/Press Contact: Miss Jenaki, UBS
Singapore, [65] 220.3622)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SIN)(00034)

DIGITAL RESEARCH JOINT VENTURE FOR CHINESE DOS REPORTED
SINGAPORE, S.E. ASIA, 1989 APR 17 (NB) -- A report in the Straits
Times here said California-based Digital Research has entered
into a joint venture with a local company, Brushwriter, to
develop a Chinese-language version of DOS. But Quek Huey Ming,
marketing communications officer at Brushwriter's Singapore
office, denied all knowledge of such a contract. David Yeh, the
company's managing director, was out of town, according to his
secretary, and so may have negotiated the contract overseas and
not yet informed the local office.

(Michael Worsley/19890419/Press Contact: Cynthia Ng, Brushwriter,
[65] 272.7522)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SIN)(00035)

SONY INTERNATIONAL SETS UP NEW SOFTWARE COMPANY
SINGAPORE, S.E. ASIA, 1989 APR 18 (NB) -- Sony International
[Singapore] has set up a new company to support the computer
systems of its subsidiaries in the ASEAN countries, Taiwan and
South Korea.

H. Negishi, the new company's general manager, said Sony Systems
Design [Singapore] was spun off from Sony's computer division to
increase focus on production-related software. Sales are expected
to reach S$3.86 million [$2 million] this year. The new firm also
plans to increase staff from the present 20 to 100 within three
years. Negishi hopes to sell his company's services to other
companies in future.

(Michael Worsley/19890419)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SIN)(00036)

WORLD'S LARGEST CHIPMAKER SETS UP CENTER IN SINGAPORE
SINGAPORE, S.E. ASIA, 1989 APR 19 (NB) -- NEC, the world's
largest semiconductor manufacturer, has set up a center here to
design custom computer chips for local and regional markets.

The Singapore LSI Design Centre will design the application
specific integrated circuits [ASICs] for microcomputers using
software from its parent company in Japan. Two engineers
currently staff the design center at the NEC Electronics plant in
Singapore's Ang Mo Kio district.

(Michael Worsley/19890419)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SIN)(00037)

DYNAMAR MOVES TO NEW HOME IN SINGAPORE
SINGAPORE, S.E. ASIA, 1989 APR 19 (NB) -- Dynamar, which claims
to be the largest American electronics components distributor in
South East Asia, has opened new headquarters in Singapore. The
move is another step in Dynamar's transformation from an American
representative company into a multinational high-technology
manufacturing and distribution company.

Launched in Taiwan 20 years ago, Dynamar now has offices in the
United States, Europe and Asia, and sales and service companies
in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia and
Thailand. The company recorded 27 consecutive profitable quarters
up to last year. It has also undergone a major corporate
restructuring involving a substantial increase in paid-up
capital.

The company's operations and subsidiaries are now grouped under
the newly incorporated Dynamar Holdings Ltd., with a paid-up
capital of S$1 million, [$500,000] while Dynamar Computer
Products [DCP], its wholly-owned subsidiary, now has paid-up
capital of S$6 million [$3.1 million]. DCP now handles Dynamar's
electronics components distribution business. The group's
reserves were boosted recently when South East Asia Venture
Investment [SEAVI] bought a 10-percent stake in the company for
S$1.5 million. Managing Director Patrick Ng said Dynamar will be
looking at additional business opportunities.

Dynamar's new building in Singapore includes an improved clean
room facility to provide high-level support to the disk drive
industry in the region, one of its major areas of interest.

(Michael Worsley/19890419)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SIN)(00038)

STOCK EXCHANGE OF SINGAPORE GOES FULLY ONLINE
SINGAPORE, S.E. ASIA, 1989 APR 19 (NB) -- The Singapore Stock
Exchange, which first saw fully computerized trading with the
implementation of its Central Limit Order Book [CLOB] system in
February this year, has overcome its initial teething problems.
Dealers and remisiers, who complained bitterly about the semi-
computerized system when it was introduced in July, are now happy
with the speed of execution and the information it offers.

Volume hit an all-time high of 166.9 million shares on April 12,
then set another record April 17 of 183 million shares with a
value of S$318.02 million [$160 million]. Paul Philips, SES'
former data processing manager, who was responsible for CLOB,
said the system currently can cope with about three times that
volume, and can be expanded further by upgrading the hardware.

(Michael Worsley/19890419)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(KUL)(00039)

PHILIPS WINS TWO TENDERS WITH MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, 1989 APR 12 (NB) -- Philips is to supply
499 P3105 XT-PCs to 24 Malaysian secondary schools for computer
education. The company also announced a contract to supply 365 of
the same model to the 365 Educational District Resource Centres
for educational management. Philips donated 10 more computers to
the ministry to support its computers in education project.

Philips said Asian Development Bank and World Bank loans would
pay for the purchases. The company said it believes it got the
contracts because of its extensive after-sales service network
and experience in educational computing.

(Michael Worsley/19890415)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(KUL)(00040)

MATSUSHITA TO SET UP TRAINING CENTER IN MALAYSIA
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, 1989 APR 18 (NB) -- Matsushita Electric
Industries Company of Japan, with accumulated investments of
nearly M$800 million in Malaysia, is setting up a training and
recreational center here. The center will occupy 48.6 hectares in
Shah Alam, Selangor, about midway between the capital, Kuala
Lumpur, and the port of Klang, and just a few minutes from Subang
International Airport.

Matsushita also plans to use Malaysia as a manufacturing and
export center in future. According to Matsushita's president,
Akio Anii, the company will build further on the manufacturing
base established in the past few years. However, he claimed there
are no immediate plans for further manufacturing projects.

(Michael Worsley/19890419)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SIN)(00041)

NEC WINS US$300,000 CONTRACT WITH PRIMA GROUP
SINGAPORE, S.E. ASIA, 1989 APR 14 (NB) -- The Japanese computer
group NEC has won a contract worth more than $300,000 for the
first phase of Prima Ltd.'s group computerization project.
The initial project, involving an NEC Astra 470VS system, will
link Prima with three local subsidiaries, Everbloom
Biotechnology, Priso P/L and Seng Hong. The long-term objective,
said Kenneth Chew, Prima's corporate planner, is to establish a
remote network linking the company's Singapore headquarters with
subsidiaries in Sri Lanka and China.

(Michael Worsley/19890415/Press Contact: Kenneth Chew, Prima Ltd,
[65] 222.8811)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SIN)(00042)

QANTAS AND THAI AIRWAYS CLAIM FIRST EDIFACT LINK
BANGKOK, THAILAND, 1989 APR 10 (NB) -- The national airlines of
Australia and Thailand have completed the first commercial
implementation of the new International Airline Transport
Association [IATA] EDIFACT software, according to Jim Lucas,
recently posted to Bangkok as director of airline marketing for
the Qantas Asia/Pacific Distribution [APD] computer reservation
system.

Qantas, the major Australian international airline, and Thai, the
recently merged domestic and international Thai airline, have
talked for some time about which global reservation system they
should join. Both have recently pulled out, for the time being,
at least, from the Singapore-based ABACUS system.

IATA has adopted EDIFACT -- which stands for Electronic Data
Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport -- as the
standard for communications between airlines. All the world's
major airlines are expected to implement it over the next year or
so. The system gives staff and agents of the two airlines
worldwide access to each other's passenger data.

APD, based in Sydney, Australia, was established in January this
year. Lucas is its first overseas representative, and his initial
six-month posting is seen as an indication of how important
Qantas considers the coming battle for global reservation system
membership. Lucas said his main priority will be to "give Thai
International as much help as is needed" with its decision on
joining a computerized reservation system. But he said his
arrival in Bangkok was unrelated to Thai's pending decision.

(Michael Worsley/19890415)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00001)

IBM SLAMMED AS OZONE-KILLER
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 22 (NB) -- IBM Corporation's
facility in San Jose is the nation's largest belcher of chloro-
fluorocarbons [CFCs], emitting an estimated 130 million pounds
a year. This was the finding of a coalition of environmentalists,
including Citizens for a Better Environment. The group is appealing
to IBM to pledge an immediate phase-out of CFC-113 by signing a Global
Good Neighbor Agreement.

IBM's spokesman Ray Kerby says the chemical, which is known to
destroy the earth's ozone layer, is used to clean and dry parts used
in the making of disk drives. "We chose to use CFCs because
they are nonflammable, noncorrosive, and have very low toxicity.
Since the environmental effects of CFCs have been understood more
fully, we have been working to reduce our use."

That's not enough, however, for protesters, including consumer watchdog
Ralph Nader, who planned to stage a massive rally near IBM on
Saturday, April 22. Other protests are slated for polluters in
Houston, New York, and Wichita, Kansas, as well as nine other
countries as part of Worldwide Earth Day '89.

(Wendy Woods/19890422)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00002)

MICROSOFT, DCA OFFER COMMUNICATIONS SERVER
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 18 (NB) -- Microsoft and
Digital Communications Associates have announced DCA/Microsoft
Communications Server, a Microsoft local area network [LAN]
manager-based communications product. Comm Server, as it's
called, allows both DOS and OS/2-based systems to access a
wide variety of communications services, including IBM SNA-based
services [3270 terminal and printer emulation and file transfer]
and Advanced Program-to-Program Communication [APPC].

"Comm Server is an exciting product that takes full advantage
of the advanced features of OS/2 and LAN Manager," said Jon
Shirley, president of Microsoft, in a prepared statement.

3Com, Ashton-Tate, Consumers Software, Cullinet, DB/Access,
Information Builders, Micro Decisionware, Micro Tempus, Netwise,
and Spectrum Concepts, are among firms lining up behind the
new configuration.

A single Comm Server gateway will be able to support up to 100
simultaneous users with multiple data links, talking to
multiple hosts and peer nodes.

Microsoft will market Comm Server to its original equipment
manufacturing customers.

(Wendy Woods/19890422/Press Contact: Wiliam Marks, DCA, 404-442-4520)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LAX)(00003)

NETWORK-MAINTENANCE PROGRAM ANNOUNCED
PROVO, UTAH, U.S.A., 1989 APR 18 (NB) -- Novell [NASDAQ: NOVL] has
introduced NetWare Assurance, a yearly software maintenance program
that entitles users to receive all updates and upgrades to their
current NetWare operating system over the length of the contract,
regardless of the number of updates or upgrades issued during that
time.

In addition to providing a full year's updates and upgrades, NetWare
Assurance allows users to upgrade immediately from whatever level of
NetWare they are currently running. For example, users now running
SFT NetWare v2.0a can buy NetWare Assurance and immediately request
an upgrade to SFT NetWare v2.15.

"NetWare Assurance will answer users' demands for a simplified way
to keep their NetWare LANs current," said James C. Bills, executive
vice president of the Novell sales and services group.

Update release notices are issued to purchasers of NetWare Assurance
with each NetWare modification, regardless of its significance.
Notices will provide technical notes explaining the changes and an
update request form for ordering the appropriate software.

Each update includes hardcopy installation instructions, as well as
documentation on disk. Customers must still purchase hardcopy
documentation at additional cost but a reduced-price coupon will be
enclosed with the update request form.

NetWare Assurance will be available in April 1989. Pricing for ELS
NetWare Level II is $495, for Advanced NetWare, $995 and for SFT
NetWare, $1,495.

(Wayne Yacco/19890421/Press Contact: Novell, Mike Judson, 801-379-
7805 or Regis McKenna Public Relations, Renee Wildman, 415-354-4483)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00004)

ATARI DOUBLES U.K. MARKET SHARE; READIES POCKET PC MARK II
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- According to Dataquest, the
computer marketing and survey specialist, Atari doubled its
market share during 1988. The monthly report, issued by Intelligent
Electronics and Dataquest, notes that "Atari remained the dominant vendor
of noncompatible PCs to the home market in terms of volumes shipped,
with Commodore some way behind in second place."

Dataquest's report shows that shipments of all personal computers
in the U.K. totalled 777,990 during 1988, compared with 552,350
during 1987. Atari's share of the market surged from 5.6 percent
in 1987 to 9.6 percent in 1988.

"The home market continues to be one of the most buoyant in
Europe," says the report. "The demand for non-compatible PCs,
mainly destined for the home and educational markets, also
experienced strong growth," it adds.

In a related story, Newsbytes' sources suggest that the company
has now firmed up plans to launch a Pocket Portfolio Mark II. The
machine is expected to be 80286 microprocessor-based, giving it
PC-AT compatibility and speed, and will feature an optional two
inch hard disk drive. Two inch drives have recently been produced
by several Japanese firms, notably Citizen.

The Citizen unit is capable of being fitted inside the Pocket
Portfolio's case, but it could add around $300 to the unit's
price. The pocket PC was officially launched in the U.S. at Comdex
Spring earlier this month, with a firm price of $395.

(Steve Gold/19890421)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00005)

ADAPSO CONFERENCE SLATED FOR MAY
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 22 (NB) -- The Association
of Data Processing Service Organizations will hold a management
conference at the Marriott Hotel in San Diego May 14-17. AT&T
Chairman Robert Allen, Sun Microsystems Chairman Scott McNealy,
and Ashton-Tate President Luther Nussbaum are among the
featured speakers. The conference will address such topics as
graphical user interfaces, systems integration, mergers and
acquisitions for small to medium-sized businesses, growth
strategies for software in Japan and Southeast Asia, OS/2,
and more.

For registration information call ADAPSO in Arlington, Virginia
at 703-522-5055.

(Wendy Woods/19890422)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00006)

NEW PUSH FOR TECHNOLOGY IN SCHOOLS
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 17 (NB) -- A coalition of
businesses are lobbying California state legislators to pass
a bill that would bring California students into the computer
age. The Educational Technology Act of 1990 calls for the development
and implementation of computer networks, educational software,
digital communication systems, interactive laser disks, and
two-way video programs in the schools. A companion effort is
underway to provide the money -- $14.3 million for the first year.
The funds would come from Proposition 98, which provides
$400 million for education.

"I'm concerned about the fact that California ranks 27th among
all the states in the use of computers and computer-related equipment
in the classroom," says Rebecca Morgan, state senator from Menlo Park,
"That's not good enough."

Among projects the bill will fund is a network of regional agencies
responsible for evaluating and cataloging videotapes and broadcast
programs so that educators can supplement classwork with TV
programming; six model technology schools, located in Alhambra,
Los Angeles, Cupertino, Monterey, Sacramento, and Port Hueneme;
grants to fund locally developed start-up technology projects;
and the California Computer Network, a planned regional network
of 17 teacher education and computer centers.

The measure has the support of Apple Computer, Pacific Bell,
Tandy, IBM, and GTE, among others.

(Wendy Woods/19890422/Press Contact: Scott Smith, Pacific Bell,
415-542-0597)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(ATL)(00007)

MOTOROLA INTRODUCES COMPUTER X LINE FOR INDUSTRY
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1989 APR 18 (NB) -- Motorola has
introduced a new line of industrial computers it says will let
manufacturers track what is going on everywhere in their
factories. Called the Computer X system, it links transaction
processing systems with automated controls and allows many
people use it at once. Motorola calls the result the "missing
link" to completely computer-integrated manufacturing, adding
it's been under development for five years.

The Computer X is powered by Motorola's 68030 microprocessor,
the same chip used in the top-end Macintosh II. It can be
expanded from a single pilot system to a complete factory
automation system by adding more computers and using the
same software.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890419)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BOS)(00008)

CUSTOMS SERVICE GRADUATES FIRST CLASS OF COMPUTER AUDIT SPECIALISTS
DENTON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1989 APR 20 (NB) -- The U.S. Customs
Service has graduated its first class of 13 regulatory auditors certified
as computer audit specialists. The computer audit specialists will
provide technical guidance to field auditors and evaluate
broker/importer hardware and operating system capabilities.
The class was trained extensively in Cobol programming on IBM
equipment, as well as in data communications, assembler language
programming, and mainframe and portable computer equipment.

(Jon Pepper/19890421/Press Contact: R. David Hoover, U.S. Customs
Service, 202-566-5865)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BOS)(00009)

PRIME ADDS INDUSTRY STANDARD CONNECTIVITY PRODUCTS
NATICK, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 APR 19 (NB) -- Prime
Computer has introduced a number of industry-standard networking
products that allow communication between its 50 Series family of
minicomputers and other vendors' systems. The products include a
Network File System, a Network Computing System, and SNA LU
6.2 to communicate with an SNA host or IBM System/36.

The offerings extend Prime's connectivity expertise, and complement
their reselling of Apollo's NCS system, which allows developers to
share resources and services on a network.

(Jon Pepper/19890421/Press Contact: Jim Ruester, Prime, 508-655-
8000)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TYO)(00010)

32-BIT WORD PROCESSOR DEBUTS
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 APR 17 (NB) -- Japan Digital Laboratory Corp.
has begun marketing low-end models of its Bunsaku-kun series word
processors.

The new models are the Bunsaku-15, with a standard kanji-
character color printer, and the 15L, with a standard laser
printer. Both machines have the well-known drawing, spreadsheet
and BASIC language functions of the popular low-priced line and
are aimed at business users.

The machines are built on the 32-bit Motorola 68000
microprocessor. Each comes with one megabyte of main memory and a
20-MB hard disk drive. The price of the Bunsaku-15 is 1,180,000
yen or $8,740. The 15L costs 1,590,000 yen or $11,780. Japan
Digital Laboratory expects to ship 2,000 units in the first year.

(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890420/Press Contact: Japan Digital Laboratory,
03-348-6751)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00011)

SOFTSEL TO OFFER SOFTWARE TRANSLATION SERVICE
PARIS, FRANCE, 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- Softsel Computer Products has
announced the formation of Softpublishing, a division of Softsel
France. The new division, announced at the SICOB computer show
in Paris last week, will offer a translation service to U.S.
computer companies for software and computer manuals.

The service is primarily aimed at those U.S. software houses
requiring their products translated into French. Softsel will
also, however, modify the U.S. English products into European
English if required.

Christine Chabannes, Softpublishing's managing director, said she
sees the company as providing an extended arm between the U.S. and
France. "This program reaches out to help the manufacturer or publisher
who has strong potential in the French market gain recognition
and sell their products in a country whose market strategies,
practices, ways of communication, distribution and language are
very different from their own," she said.

Products announced as translated by Softpublishing at SICOB included:
Crosstalk Communications' Crosstalk XVI, Fifth Generation Systems'
Fastback Plus and Central Point Software's PC Tools Deluxe.

(Steve Gold/19890421/Press Contact - Jim Novy, Softsel Computer
Products - Tel [US]: 213/412/8271)


(EXCLUSIVE)(GENERAL)(BRU)(00012)

SCITEX ANNOUNCED HIGH QUALITY COLOUR PRINTER
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS, 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- A new color
printer developed by Dupont may be supplied to manufacturers by Scitex
to use with its Macintosh II-based prepress system, sources tell
Newsbytes. The printer, distributed by High Sky Publishing of
Amsterdam, offers full-color graphics support and a very high resolution,
features not seen in other desktop printers.

The printer is pitched at the high-quality Cromalin market.
The Cromalin system, normally used in the prepress business,
is replaced by a four-pass system in the Dupont printer, working
in black, cyan, magenta and yellow formats.

(Peter Vekinis/19890421)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BRU)(00013)

SEAGATE ANNOUNCES NEW 3.5-INCH DISK DRIVE FAMILY
PARIS, FRANCE, 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- Seagate Technology, the U.S.
data storage manufacturer, has announced a new range of hard
drives for the European market. The drives offer disk capacities of
between 42 and 93 megabytes [MB].

All the new drives, announced at the SICOB computer show in
Paris, feature a 3.5-inch half-height chassis using advanced voice coil
technology.

The entry-level ST-151 unit has a 42MB data capacity and an MFM
interface with a 5MB/second data transfer speed. The ST-177N and
ST-1096 units have, respectively, 60 and 93MB data storage
capacities. The ST-1096 replaces Seagate's existing full-height
ST4096 5.25-inch hard disk.

In parallel with the new voice coil technology drives, Seagate
announced it is now shipping an AT-compatible hard disk system,
the ST-157A. The drives have a built-in AT-compatible disk
interface in sizes ranging from 21MB to 43MB.

In a related story, Seagate has reorganized its European
distribution systems. The company has opened two new offices in
London and Paris, which will serve, respectively, Northern and
Southern Europe. Seagate currently has 43 distributors in Europe,
and says the reorganization is in preparation for the 1992 free
European market.

(Peter Vekinis/19890421)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00014)

ARTRONIC LICENSES BREACH FROM OMNITREND IN U.S.
HARROGATE, ENGLAND, 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- Artronic Software has
licensed Breach, the marine war games simulation, from Omnitrend
in the U.S. The games package is immediately available in the U.K.
for the IBM PC, Atari ST and Commodore Amiga computers.
According to Peter Wilkinson, Artronics' products operations
director, Breach is the first of several releases planned for the
U.K. "This is our first link with Omnitrend Software. The company
has an excellent track record and we're delighted with the
products," he said.

Breach comes with a scenario builder facility that allows
gameplay scenarios to be modified, added to or created. This
effectively allows the game to be changed an infinite number of
times.

Breach retails for UKP 19-95 for the Atari ST and Commodore
Amiga, and UKP 24-95 for the IBM PC and compatibles. The package
ships immediately.

(Steve Gold/19890421/Press Contact - Liz Sandey, Artronics -
Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SYD)(00015)

MOVE TO SOLVE BANK DISPUTES
CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA, 1989 APRIL 20 (NB) -- Customer banking
disputes involving electronic funds transfer [EFT] could be
solved by an industry ombudsman if the Australian Bankers'
Association adopts recommendations by Federal Minister for
Consumer Affairs Nick Bolkus. An impartial ombudsman appointed by
the banks could solve disputes for all banks, Bolkus said.

The Westpac Bank proposed its own ombudsman after the Consumer
Affairs Minister in the state of Victoria, Tom Roper, threatened
to appoint a state ombudsman. Quoting a new report on electronic
banking. Roper said banks were slow to settle disputes and forced
customers to prove innocence. Denying this, banks said disputes
were often due to a misunderstanding, or customers broke EFT
rules and let others use EFT cards, or forgot transactions.
Westpac wanted a retired judge to pick an ombudsman, ensuring
impartiality, said Mike Waterhouse, chief manager of retail
strategies. Bolkus recommended the banking industry follow the
United Kingdom's lead and appoint an industry ombudsman instead.

(Paul Zucker and Computing Australia/19890422)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SYD)(00016)

FIGHTING LIKE TRUE PROFESSIONALS
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, 1989 APR 19 (NB) -- The cat fight between
the Australian Computer Professionals' Association [ACPA] and the
Australian Computer Society has squalled into the open. The ACS's
Victorian branch hailed as a victory the Industrial Relations
Commission's adjournment of ACPA's application for the creation
of a computer industry board.

The ACS said its advocate had found that the ACPA's president and
secretary were contractors and therefore ineligible for ACPA
membership. ACPA Secretary Alan Dircks said: "Hurne and I are in
the same position as the Storeman and Packer's union secretary,
who has never been a storeman."

ACS countered with: "It seems ACPA didn't exist when applying for
an IRC board."

Dircks said the IRC made no formal ruling on ACPA's name change.
And the ACS replied: "ACPA intended to have all computer
professionals covered by this board, seeing no difference between
employers and contractors."

Dircks said an unprintable expletive.

(Paul Zucker and Computing Australia/19890422)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TOR)(00017)

COMPUTER PAPER LAUNCHES EDITION IN ALBERTA
CALGARY, ALBERTA, CANADA, 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- Calgary has joined
the list of Canadian cities with a monthly computing tabloid, as
The Computer Paper, a 16-month-old monthly based in Vancouver,
launches a Calgary edition. The Calgary edition, to be
distributed also in Edmonton, Alberta, will share most of its
editorial content with the Vancouver paper but will carry some
local news and a calendar of events in the province.

Initial circulation is expected to be 50,000. The Vancouver
edition of The Computer Paper is also increasing circulation to
50,000 copies.

(Grant Buckler/19890421/Press Contact: Kirtan Singh Khalsa, The
Computer Paper, 604-733-5596)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TOR)(00018)

UNIVERSITY, MATHSOFT ANNOUNCE AGREEMENT
WATERLOO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 APR 20 (NB) -- The University of
Waterloo will integrate its Maple mathematics software with
MathStation, a workstation-based technical computing environment
from MathSoft of Cambridge, Mass. The university has announced an
agreement by which it will create a "seamless interface" between
Maple and MathStation.

MathStation is used to solve engineering and science problems.
The developer, MathSoft, is best known for its PC-based MathCAD
software. Maple, developed at the University of Waterloo in the
early 1980s, is a programming language designed for algebra,
calculus and other non-numerical forms of mathematics. It is used
in at least 20 other universities and colleges across North
America.

(Grant Buckler/19890420/Press Contact: Bob Whitton, University of
Waterloo, 519-888-4444)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SIN)(00019)

SINGAPORE BANK EXPORTS COMPUTER EXPERTISE
SINGAPORE, S.E. ASIA, 1989 APR 15 (NB) -- The Development Bank of
Singapore [DBS] has completed its first two computer-related
projects for overseas customers.

Through the bank's wholly-owned subsidiary, DBS Computer
Services, DCS personnel who handled the bank's own
computerization program advised a bank in Mauritius and an
Indonesian trading company on computerization strategy and
planning, as well as hardware and software selection.

The bank's own application software was developed in-house, and
covers its different banking areas such as trade and finance,
investment and retail banking. These modules are available in
addition to its advisory services. It also distributes third-
party packages and is negotiating to distribute some systems
utilities, general software tools and application packages. It
has just become a distributor for a funds management package
operable on a network of personal computers.

After building up its capabilities within the bank, DCS entered
the regional market in the middle of last year in an effort to
sell its consultancy services, while gaining experience in how to
improve efficiency by exploiting computer technology.

Last year, DBS developed a system to facilitate faster processing
of foreign currency drafts for remittance transactions while
expanding computer links with its overseas branches.

(Michael Worsley/19890418/Press Contact: Ee Jee Hong, DBS
Computer Services, [65] 220.1111 x 5754)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SIN)(00020)

SINGAPORE'S FAMOUS RAFFLES HOTEL TO GET S$100M HI-TECH FACELIFT
SINGAPORE, S.E. ASIA, 1989 APR 15 (NB) -- The Raffles
Hotel, where well-known personalities like W. Somerset
Maugham and Noel Coward once stayed, is to get a S$100m
facelift that will bring it back to the 1920's - era of the
exotic East, supported by the latest high-tech supporting
features appropriate.

Richard Helfer, executive director of Raffles Hotel 1886,
owner and operator of Raffles Hotel, revealed plans to build
suites with high ceilings, teak floors and Oriental carpets,
generously interspaced with lush tropical gardens. Its 104
suites, of which the luxurious Raffles and Sarkies suites will
be the anchors, will be furnished in the colonial style but
complete with modern amenities, including personal computers.

In addition to the suites, expected to be priced between
S$400 and S$500 a night, there will be 11 food and beverage
outlets, 40 brand-name and specialty shops and a cultural and
historical theatre seating 450.

A large part of the architechural restoration work will
involve turning the main facade into what it looked like in
1926. Among the original features to be restored are the Bar
and Billiards Room, dating back to the 1880's. Loading docks,
service entries and a 300-lot carpark will all be underground,
allowing the hotel to retain much of its original architectural
charm. Furniture, silver and china will come as far as possible
from the stock of the original Raffles Hotel, all bearing crests
to attest to this.

Mr Helfer said that when recruitment for staff begins, priority
will be given to employees of the old Raffles. The Raffles is
scheduled to re-open in May or June 1991.

The whole site will cover 27,731 square metres, and Mr Helfer
aims to make it "the No.1 tourist attraction in Singapore and
the region". He emphasised that service would be as distinctive
a hallmark of the hotel as its colonial architecture.

(Michael Worsley/19890418/Press Contact:Richard Helfer, DBS
Land, [65] 336.3300)


(EXCLUSIVE)(GOVT)(LAX)(00001)

QUARTERDECK GRANTED IMPORTANT WINDOWING PATENT
SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 20 (NB) -- Quarterdeck
Office Systems has been granted a patent on its technology for
multitasking applications in a windowing environment that could impact
every developer with multiple bordered areas on its screens. In the words
of the patent, the technology provides an environment in which "off-the-
shelf application programs can be written into selected windows of the
windowing environment at high speed." The windowing technology is used
by Quarterdeck in its DESQview multitasking environment.

Newsbytes was among the very first to receive a facsimile of the
actual patent from the law offices of Hecker & Harriman. Granted to
Quarterdeck cofounder Gary Pope, U. S. patent number 4823108 is titled
"An Improved Display System and Memory Architecture and Method for
Displaying Images in Windows on a Video Display."

Quarterdeck apparently sought a patent, as opposed to a copyright,
because it is not specific code but the methods used that was
protected. While the full ramifications of the patent probably
won't be clear for some time, it does appear to apply to running
applications without modification within windows in a multitasking
environment.

Under the section "Summary of the Invention," the patent describes
an invention that "enables computer program output display data to
be written within windows on the video display without the necessity
of having to call an operating environment to determine the physical
characteristics of a particular window, size, location and display
area ownership." It also provides that "substantial modifications
to the application program need not be made for use in connection
with the windows defined by the operating environment."

The document is specific about the way that Quarterdeck achieves
efficient windowing. It describes video-buffering techniques,
location of data in a window, overlap and priority of windows,
detection of changes in the data and screen-updating methods. All
of this is achieved by "utilizing a crystal controlled timer
interrupt clocking mechanism, in conjunction with a pseudo-screen
buffer, previous image buffer, and screen map memory regions,"
whereby, "selected display data is written into independently
defined windows on a video display for manipulation and processing
in an interactive windowing user interface."

Pope, Quarterdeck's executive vice president and head of development,
downplayed much of the early speculation about possible patent
violators as overreaction. "We're not a predatory company that's
planning to go out and shut everybody down. It's not our intention
to be trouble makers," said Pope. The inventor said that the
patent "was just applied for as a standard business practice" to
protect the company's own right to use the technology it had
developed. According to Pope, earlier reports on the patent have
been based on supposition because the document has just become
available to the firm's attorneys. As of early this afternoon,
Quarterdeck itself had still not received the actual patent as
granted.

(Wayne Yacco/19890421/Press Contacts: Quarterdeck, 213-392-9851 or
Miller Communications, Charles McHenry or Jo Ann Sager, 213-822-4669
[day] 714-738-4997 [evening])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(BOS)(00002)

BUSINESS SOFTWARE ASSOCIATION RAIDS SINGAPORE SOFTWARE PIRATES
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1989 APR 19 (NB) -- The Business
Software Association [BSA] says it has taken legal action against
unauthorized software copying in Singapore. Following months of investigation,
Singapore police and BSA's private investigators raided three retail
outlets that were selling pirated software and manuals.

Unauthorized software being sold included products from Aldus,
Autodesk, Lotus Development, Microsoft, and WordPerfect.

(Jon Pepper/19890421/Press Contact: Pilar Cloud, BSA, 202-737-7060)


(EXCLUSIVE)(GOVT)(ATL)(00003)

LANDMARK COMPUTER PRIVACY STUDY CONCLUDES YOU HAVE VERY LITTLE
CHAMPAIGN-URBANA, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1989 APR 19 (NB) -- Dr.
David F. Linowes of the University of Illinois, who headed up the
Privacy Protection Commission in the mid-1970s, has concluded in
a follow-up book on the subject that the right to be left alone
is being destroyed by computers. Businesses are rapidly adding
hearsay, doctors' reports, and private investigators' reports to
the files they keep on employees, denying those employees access
to them, then denying those same employees promotions based on
them. His book, "Privacy in America: Private Life in the Public
Eye," is now being published by the University of Illinois
Press, and he's on the interview circuit promoting it. Its ISBN
Number is 01604-1.

In an exclusive interview with Newsbytes, Dr. Linowes denied the
existence of any conspiracy. "That happens to be the pattern
they're following," he said. "It's not premeditated. Over half
the companies I contacted hadn't even reviewed their practices
for abuses."

Linowes wants national legislation to mandate a policy on
releasing information based on three principles: minimal intrusion into
private affairs, a maximum of fairness to employees, and an enforceable
expectation of confidentiality. "You give banks, doctors and others
information with the expectation it will be held confidential, but it's
not," he said. He believes it should be. Among those fighting for an
enhanced privacy act now, he added, are Democratic Reps. Don
Edwards of California and Glenn English of Oklahoma, and on the
Republican side Rep. Ed Madigan of Illinois and Sen. Jake Garn of
Utah. Expect a bill to come before Congress this session.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890419/Press Contact: Dr. David Linowes, 217-
333-0670)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(ATL)(00004)

PRESSURE TO CUT DEREGULATION DEAL WITHOUT GREENE GROWS
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1989 APR 13 (NB) -- Phone company
lobbying has both political parties talking serious about letting
AT&T and the seven Bell Sisters do as they please. Rep. John Dingell
recently joined the chorus to write a new telephone regulation
bill replacing Judge Harold Greene's supervision of a 1982 court
decree. Dingell, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce
Committee, is said to have the power to get such a bill through
Congress.

Meanwhile, the FCC staff is reviewing the entire issue of AT&T's
long distance market share, which is the rationale for regulating
it. That share has fallen from 90 percent to 67 percent. By staying just under
AT&T's regulated rates, or paying-off pay phone owners, companies
are creating telecomputing niches in AT&T's shadow. At the same time
as it announced the review, however, the FCC nixed a special deal
AT&T tried to give GE, DuPont, and American Express. The company
said AT&T can offer special rates under the so-called Tariff 12
agreement, but those rates must be equivalent to rates offered
all customers.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890419)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(SYD)(00005)

HACKING: THE LAW BYTES BACK
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 APRIL 20 (NB) -- The Australian state of
New South Wales is to impose heavy penalties on hackers. State
Parliament plans a law against hacking similar to those enacted
in the states of Victoria and South Australia. New South Wales
Attorney General John Dowd said there will be three new offenses
covering hacker activities: unlawful access to a computer,
unlawful access with aggravating circumstances, and damaging data
in a computer.

While unlawful access will be a summary offence, penalties for
more serious offenses are fines up to AUS$5,000, six months in
jail or both. Penalties for computer crime involving access to
data with intent to defraud, to gain financial benefit, or to
cause loss or injury will be two years imprisonment or a fine of
AUS$50,000 [$40,000] or both.

The common-law offence of forgery in the Crime Act is to be
replaced with provisions relating to "false instruments" to cover
computer crime. These will include the making, copying,
possession or use of a false document with criminal intent. The
definition of "deception" under the Crimes Act would be changed
to recognize the impact of the new technology on the law, Dowd
said, adding that legislation will be prepared for Parliament in
the next few weeks.

(Paul Zucker & Norman Kemp/19890422)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(SYD)(00006)

TAXING TIME IN STORE FOR KIWIS FROM DP REVAMP
WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND, 1989 APRIL 19 (NB) -- Artificial
intelligence could be used in Andersen Consulting's five-year
data processing revamp of the New Zealand Internal Revenue
Department. The project is believed to be costing about NZ$50
million, though David Hunter, the firm's partner in charge of
government services, would not confirm this. He did say, however,
that some of the applications suit AI techniques.

"If a tax return fitted a set of rules it could be put through an
automatic audit," he said. The new system, designed to be the
most advanced in the world, will offer direct debit and credit,
enabling returns to be added to taxpayers' accounts. Increased
efficiency will grab NZ$1 billion extra revenue for the New
Zealand Treasury, Hunter said.

The system will use existing Unisys mainframes in the Government
Computing Service, a computer bureau set up to serve government
departments. At its peak, the project, possibly the largest
professional services contract awarded in the Asia-Pacific
region, is to employ about 230 computer professionals sorting out
systems, writing programs and training staff.

(Paul Zucker & Darren Cook/19890422)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(TOR)(00007)

DELL HITS THE ROAD IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, 1989 APR 18 (NB) -- The
Province of British Columbia's Ministry of Transportation and
Highways plans to buy up to C$2.4 million worth of personal
computers from Dell Computer over the next year, beginning with a
first shipment valued at C$700,000. The ministry will use Dell
System 310 PCs to design new and reconstructed highways and in
supervising road construction. The 20-megahertz, Intel 80386-
based PCs will run commercial software as well as programs
developed by the ministry. The ministry cited Dell's unlimited
free technical support as one reason for its choice.

(Grant Buckler/19890420/Press Contact: Dell Computer, 416-881-
3513)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(SIN)(00008)

HONG KONG INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT TO LINK OVERSEAS OFFICES
HONG KONG, S.E. ASIA, 1989 APR 8 (NB) -- As a first step to
linking its offices around the world, the Hong Kong Industry
Department has formed the Research and Targeting Section to help
plan a network and seek suppliers.

The network is to come into operation is stages, starting in the
second quarter of 1990. The objective is to give international
offices in New York, San Francisco, London, Brussels and Tokyo
fast access to research and commercial data in Hong Kong for
foreign investors, and provide routine communications between the
offices.

Ian Howard, the assistant director, said some HK$500,000
[$62,500] is budgeted for each office. Apparently, Hong Kong
feels a need to give offshore investors reliable and current data
in the growing competition for investment with alternatives such
as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines.

(Michael Worsley/19890415)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(SIN)(00009)

COPYRIGHT DISPUTE TESTS NEW SINGAPORE LAW
SINGAPORE, S.E. ASIA, 1989 APR 10 (NB) -- In one of the first
cases to reach the courts since Singapore's Copyright Act was
passed, lengthy legal arguments are being put forward over
protection of software written before the act came into force on
April 10, 1987.

Federal Computer Services [FCS] a Malaysian software house, is
suing Eric Ang Jee Hai, a former employee, for breach of
copyright over a telephone call management system known as
TMS-11.

At preliminary High Court hearings, FCS was required to return to
Ang all programs and documents relating to TMS-11 pending trial.
However, as the diskettes concerned now contain material
belonging to both parties, who should hold the original diskettes
is in dispute.

Ang has admitted TMS-11 contains more than 50 percent of some
parts of the program code in FCS's Call Accounting Interface
system [CAI], although total use amounted to around 10 percent.
Also, it is claimed that TMS-11 code was assembled on or before
April 10, 1987.

(Michael Worsley/19890415)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(KUL)(00010)

PHILIPPINES MAKES SOFTWARE EXPORTS IMPORTANT GOAL
MANILA, PHILIPPINES, 1989 APR 12 (NB) -- The Philippine
government has set a target of $300 million in annual software
exports by 1992. The move is part of the government's exports
drive, according to the Philippine Trade Department.

Glenn Penaranda, chief of the department's computer software
division, said the country exported some $20 million worth of
software in 1988, mostly to the United States. "Our goal could be
met through a more aggressive campaign for the industry abroad,"
he continued, "the top government officials as the main
promoters."

(Michael Worsley/19890414/Press Contact: Philippine Trade Office,
Singapore Embassy, [65] 737.3977)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(KUL)(00011)

'SOFTWARE VILLAGE' TO BE MAIN ATTRACTION OF SHOW
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, 1989 APR 13 (NB) -- Asia Elecoms '89,
will be held at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia, May 18-21. For the first time, it will feature a
"software village," likely to be the main attraction at the
exhibition and conference on the telecommunications, electronic
and electrical industries.

Chong Sun Fu, general manager of consulting firm Integrated Trans
Corporation [ITC], said ITC will co-ordinate the participation of
local and foreign software developers. Chong said there is space
for 20 companies in the six booths reserved for the village.
Allocation will be on a "first come first served" basis. Six
local companies that have already confirmed their participation
will show software for education, financial accounting,
production planning and general applications. No foreign
companies have yet confirmed their participation.

Mr. M. Gandhi, director of H-IMS Exhibition and Conferences, the
organizer of Asia Elecoms '89, said this is the first locally
organized international conference for the industry.

(Michael Worsley/19890419)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(KUL)(00012)

IBM SIGNS DEAL TO COMPUTERIZE 15TH SOUTH EAST ASIA GAMES
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, 1989 APR 13 (NB) -- IBM Malaysia will
provide computer hardware and software worth more than M$1
million for the 15th South East Asia [SEA] games. An agreement
with the Olympic Council of Malaysia [OCM) makes IBM official
electronic information systems and service sponsor for the games,
to be held in Kuala Lumpur in August. The hardware will include
an IBM 3081 central processor and more than 150 workstations,
including about 85 Personal System/2 machines, printers and
software. An IBM 4381 mainframe will act as a backup.

The Sea Games Support System [SGSS] will link the secretariat of
the Kuala Lumpur Sea Games Organizing Committee [KULSOC], the
press center and 23 competition venues. The SGSS will be on-line
to terminals in seven hotels housing games officials and
participants and officials. At least one PS/2 system and printer
will be at each venue, while 50 will be placed at the press
center in the Putra World Trade Centre.

IBM Malaysia developed the SGSS locally, based on its own
DIRECTOR information retrieval system, about three years ago.
Developed over some five months, the system will support games
information and scheduling, practice venue scheduling,
accommodation, transportation, identity verification, electronic
messages and financial operations. The SGSS will reside in the
IBM 3081 located at Plaza IBM, Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysian Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
said the 15th SEA Games is the first to be computerized
extensively. The local press first reported KULSOC's plans for
comprehensive computer facilities at the games last month,
although details were not then available.

(Michael Worsley/19890419)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(KUL)(00013)

DATA BANK TO HELP SINGAPORE INDUSTRIES SHIFT TO JOHOR, MALAYSIA
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, 1989 APR 11 (NB) -- The Johor-Singapore
Joint Committee on Business Cooperation will set up a data bank
to help Singaporean investors relocate to Johor.

Datuk Haji Mohamed, co-chairman of the joint committee and
executive director of Johor State Economic Development Corp.,
said the data bank will be launched next month. Foreign investors
from Singapore would be able to get basic information from the
republic's data bank branch there instead of travelling to Johor.
Those already in Johor will be able to use the Johor branch, to
be located at the Johor Investment Centre in Tun Abdul Razak
Complex.

(Michael Worsley/19890419)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(KUL)(00014)

KUALA LUMPUR STOCK EXCHANGE TO GO ONLINE EARLIER THAN PLANNED
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, 1989 APR 19 (NB) -- The Kuala Lumpur [KL]
Stock Exchange will switch to computers one month earlier than
planned. Executive Chairman Nik Mohamed Din Datuk Nik Yusoff said
trial runs of the new trading system will begin in a week or two.

Local traders earlier expressed fears that foreigners and
institutional investors would be attracted to the Singapore Stock
Exchange's more efficient CLOB trading system, which started
operation March 10. Kuala Lumpur traders had complained of losing
business to Singapore.

To be implemented in two stages, Kuala Lumpur's computerized
trading system will first focus on the trading floor. Stockbrokers will
phone orders from their offices to representatives in the exchange's
trading room, who will match them electronically. In the second stage,
intermediaries will be dispensed with and orders will go direct to the
exchange's matching room.

(Michael Worsley/19890419)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(KUL)(00015)

JOHOR STATE STILL 5-10 YEARS BEHIND SINGAPORE IN DEVELOPMENT
JOHOR BARHRU, MALAYSIA, 1989 APR 13 (NB) - Johor State is still
5-10 years behind Singapore in high-technology and development
according to the Johor Mentri Besar, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin,
when he recently gave an interview to Utusan Malaysia, setting
out the directions of Johor's economic development.

"What I am doing is to promote and 'sell' Johor. ...We cannot say
we only want certain industries here. ...We have to make sure the
influx of industries will not adversely affect our environment.
we may have to wait at least another 5-10 years."

Commenting on the recent surge in Singapore firms setting up
operations in Johor, he pointed out it was important to compare
the cost of operating high technology plants in Singapore and
Malaysia: "We are not relying on Singapore, and we do not give
priority to it. Looking at the trend for the past two years,
Singapore actually needs us more. ... Johor is just across the
Causeway. ... They are moving here because of the high costs
there... The cost of employing one worker in Singapore is
equivalent to that of two workers in Johor."

The Mentri Besar and the Singapore Trade and Industry Minister
recently spoke to around 1,000 investors from the two countries
who were exploring the possibility of establishing or expanding
business operations in Johor State.

(Michael Worsley/19890415)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00001)

TINY PRINTER AND SCANNER FOR LAPTOPS DUE
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, U.S.A., 1989 APR 22 (NB) -- In late July, Holmes
Microsystems is expected to ship a tiny 200 dots-per-inch thermal
printer and page scanner combination. PFIDO [an acronym for
printer/fax input device and output] will weigh less than four
pounds, measure 10 inches by 2 1/4 inches high and three inches
wide, and hook up through the printer port of an IBM-compatible
laptop. A FAX-EM enhancement card, also supplied by Holmes,
when plugged into the modem slot of a laptop, will enable the
device to be used as a portable fax machine as well.

Holmes has set the price at $1,395. The three year old company
has this motto: "Because of our straightforward procedures,
totally in-house design and production, and Utah's frugal
economy, we can quote competitive prices while maintaining
top quality." Toll-free information can be had by calling
800-443-3034.

(Wendy Woods/19890422/Press Contact: John Crandall, VP marketing,
801-975-9929)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00002)

dBASE IV CERTIFIED FOR AT&T LANS
TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 19 (NB) -- Ashton-Tate Corp.
[NASDAQ: TATE] has certified dBASE IV as compatible with AT&T's
StarGROUP Software for the AT&T StarLAN and StarLAN 10 Networks.
The certification assures that AT&T networks are capable of hosting
dBASE IV efficiently. StarGROUP Software is AT&T's network
operating system for linking personal computers over a wide variety
of network media and operating systems.

Ashton-Tate tested and certified dBASE IV Developer's Edition
version 1.0 with AT&T StarGROUP software version 3.1 in various
configurations using AT&T and compatible file servers and
workstations including AT&T 6312 WGS, AT&T 6386 WGS, Compaq 286, and
IBM PS/2 model 50.  All DOS systems had 640KB of RAM and AT&T
StarGROUP software DOS client program, version 3.1. Both AT&T and
Intel expanded memory boards were tested in these configurations.

(Wayne Yacco/19890421/Press Contact: Ashton-Tate, Brad Stevens, 213-
538-7348)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00003)

TANDON INTRODUCES ITS 33 MHZ. '386
MOORPARK, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 10 (NB) -- Tandon
Corporation's new 33 MHz 80386 microcomputer, the 386/33, offers
32-bit memory of up to 16 MB [megabytes] and ESDI hard-disk
capacities as large as 660 MB. System-cache consists of 64
kilobytes of static memory. Pricing begins at $6,199.

Tandon's newest computer includes an intelligent command accelerator
which automatically loads commands from ROM [read only memory] into
the system's shadow RAM [random-access memory] for substantial
increases in processing speed. It also has the ability to
simultaneously use both an Intel 80387 and a Weitek numeric
coprocessor.

(Wayne Yacco/19890421)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00004)

PAC 386SX ANNOUNCED BY TANDON
MOORPARK, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 10 (NB) -- Tandon Corp. has
announced an 80386SX version of its PAC AT-compatible computer, the
PAC 386sx. The Personal Data Pac provides an active receptacle
which accept removeable hard-disk drives. A second receptacle can
optionally be activated to provide simultaneous access to two
drives. Pricing for the small-footprint system begins at $2,999.

(Wayne Yacco/19890421)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00005)

TIGA-340 -- NEW GRAPHIC INTERFACE SPECS FROM T.I.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 18 (NB) -- Texas
Instruments has published its TIGA-340 [Texas Instruments Graphics
Architecture] interface specification. The announcement was made at
the National Computer Graphics Association Conference and Exposition
in Philadelphia.

TIGA-340 is a software interface that optimizes the communications
between a TMS340 graphics system processor [GSP] and a computer's
host processor. Programs that write to the TIGA-340 interface can
take advantage of the higher resolution provided by a TI 34010 or
34020 GSP while also performing their graphics functions faster.

TI's TIGA-340 interface will initially support DOS-based personal
computer systems that contain a host microprocessor, such as the
80286 or 80386, and one of the TI GSPs from the TMS340 family.
Future support for Unix and OS/2 are also planned.

(Wayne Yacco/19890421)


(NEWS)(IBM)(BOS)(00006)

LOTUS SHIPS MAGELLAN
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 APR 17 (NB) -- Lotus
has started shipping Magellan, a new utility software program for
IBM and compatibles. The product lets users find, view, and use information
residing on their hard disks. With a single, consistent viewing environment,
Magellan uses a new text search and retrieval technology that allows users
to locate information by specifying concepts, phrases, or precise
words. Files can then be read or created, or users can run an
application directly from Magellan.

Magellan needs a hard disk a 512 kilobytes of memory, and is priced at $139
through June 30, 1989. The retail price will rise to $195 after that
time.

(Jon Pepper/19890421/Press Contact: Martha Isham, Lotus, 617-576-
4503)


(NEWS)(IBM)(BOS)(00007)

PC/FOCUS FOR OS/2 AND DOS RELEASED BY INFORMATION BUILDERS
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1989 APR 18 (NB) -- Information
Builders has released two new versions of the its PC/FOCUS 4th
Generation Language/Database Management System [4GL/DBMS].
They are version 4.09 for DOS and version 3.1a for OS/2.

Included in the new releases are support for the SQL syntax and two
SQL database servers, as well as IBM's OS/2 Extended Edition
Database Manager. Both releases also include an enhanced, object-
oriented application development system, and an OS/2
implementation that is designed for downsizing current mini and
mainframe FOCUS applications.

(Jon Pepper/19890421/Press Contact: Keith Toleman, Information
Builders, 212-736-4433)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TYO)(00008)

RENEWED MATSUSHITA PC EXPORTS RUMORED
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 APR 14 (NB) -- Industry gossip is flying about
whether Japan's leading electronics maker, Matsushita Electric
Industry, will resume exporting its IBM PC-compatible personal
computers overseas.

The Japanese industrial daily newspaper Denpa Shimbun reported
recently that Matsushita will start exporting its PC-compatible
machines to the United States and Europe this fall. The U.S.
market in particular has been considered hopeless because of a
100-percent counter customs measure against the company.
Matsushita denied the Denpa Shimbun report, simply saying "it is
not a time to say."

One industry rumor says Panasonic will double its PC-compatible
machines exports to Nixdorf Computer in West Germany on an
original equipment manufacturing basis. Another rumor says
Panasonic will market Tandy Corp. computers on an OEM basis and
Tandy in turn will sell Panasonic PC-compatibles in the United
States.

(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890420)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TYO)(00009)

FORMER GENERAL MANAGER OF IBM LAB APPOINTED ACER PRESIDENT
TAIPEI, TAIWAN, 1989 APR 18 (NB) -- Leonard Liu, former general
manager of IBM's Santa Teresa Laboratory, a top software
development facility, will become president of the Acer Group.
Stan Shih, the current president of Taiwan's largest IBM-
compatible PC maker, will become chairman and chief executive
officer.

Acer expects Liu's IBM experience and his familiarity with the
United States, United Kingdom and Japanese markets to speed its
penetration of world markets and strengthen its computer
development and marketing efforts.

(Ken Takahashi/19890420)


(NEWS)(IBM)(BRU)(00010)

NEW DBASE III PLUS CLONE LAUNCHED IN FRANCE
PARIS, FRANCE, 1989 APR 19 (NB) -- JT Diffusion, a French company
specialising in MS-DOS and Unix products, has released a JT Base
40, a clone of Ashton-Tate's dBase III+ package. The software is
a follow-on product to JT Base 20.

JT says that the package runs under Unix as well as MS- and PC-
DOS, and is 100 percent compatible with the Ashton-Tate
original. Versions are available for MS-Windows and Digital
Research's Graphics Environment Manager [GEM].

(Peter Vekinis/19890421)


(NEWS)(IBM)(BRU)(00011)

ALTOS RELEASES NEW SYSTEMS AT SICOB
PARIS, FRANCE, 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- Altos announced several new
systems at the Paris SICOB show last week. The new machines are
up to 80 percent faster and have larger disk capacities than
previous Altos PCs.

The 386 Series 2000 model 20DP uses twin 80386 microprocessors
running at 20MHz in parallel with twin 80387 math coprocessors.
Using twin 32KB cache memories, the machine offers dual processor
performance addressing the same area of memory.

The Series 1000 system uses an 80386 microprocessor running at
33MHz which offers 40 percent better performance than available
previously. Supplied with either a 30, 60 or 140 Megabyte [MB}
hard disk, the system runs under Unix and can support up to 16
simultaneous users.

Altos is also shipping a new 68030 based system, running at 25MHz
which uses a 32 kilobyte [KB] cache memory running under Unix.
The system supports up to 256 users and comes with a 170, 250 or
300MB hard disk.

(Peter Vekinis/19890421)


(NEWS)(IBM)(BRU)(00012)

IBM ANNOUNCES NEW MCA-COMPATIBLE INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- IBM has launched several
new Micro Channel Architecture [MCA] machines aimed at the
industrial marketplace. The new machines feature VGA graphics,
specially designed hard disks with better shock resilience, twin
fans with special filter systems for additional ventilation,
special keyboards and powerful 150 watt power supply unit [PSU].

The IBM 7542 and IBM 7562 PC series are designed to be installed
in a 19-inch rack whilst the IBM 7541 and 7561 PCs are standard
desktop machines. The 7542 series uses the 80286 microprocessor
offering similar performance to the model 50Z whilst the 7562
series uses an 80386 microprocessor running at 20MHz.

(Peter Vekinis/19890421)


(NEWS)(IBM)(BRU)(00013)

VICTOR LAUNCHES NEW PRINTERS AND A LAPTOP AT SICOB
PARIS, FRANCE, 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- Victor launched a range of new
printers and a PC laptop at the SICOB computer show in Paris last
week. The printers range from an entry-level 9-pin unit capable
of 180 characters per second [cps], through to a 486cps unit with
24 pins. In addition Victor released two new laser printers, which
offer 5 and 12 pages per minute [ppm] speeds and Hewlett-Packard
Laserjet emulation.

The new V86P laptop uses an 80C86 microprocessor running at 10MHz
with 512 kilobytes [KB] of memory and a 720KB floppy disk. On
option a 20MB hard disk can be installed together with extra
interface ports. The machine features a double-twist LCD screen
with CGA resolution, and prices in at FF 12,000 [$2,000], making
it more expensive than the Toshiba T1000 machine with which it hopes to
compete.

(Peter Vekinis/19890421)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SYD)(00014)

HOPING FOR A LITTLE MAGIC IN GRAPHICS
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 APRIL 21 (NB) -- While U.S. presentation
graphics packages tend to hog the limelight, an award-winning
Australian package has been enhanced and is due for release in
May. However, the developer of Magician is pessimistic about
Australian sales.

"Australian users still believe that if it is made overseas and
costs three times as much it must be better," said Dennis Redman,
managing director of DR Graphic Research in Newcastle, New South
Wales. Redman is the "father" of Magician and has just announced
details of Release 4. He said Magician's major sales are in the
United States, Britain and Europe. DR Graphics Research has
completely rewritten its previous release in C, knocking it down
in size by nearly 80K-bytes, tripling speed and reducing memory
requirements by 150K-bytes.

A new interface, with pull-down, multilayer windows,
double-clicking, five more chart options and support for
Bitstream Fontware [which has a library of more than 1,000 fonts]
have been added. Eight proprietary outline fonts will be included
with the new version, which has a recommended retail price of
AUS$495, $195 in the United States. The new Magician also has a
new programming language, Xscript, allowing greater control of
vector graphics.

File compatibility has been extended to PCX, HPGL and Windows
files, while 14 drivers have been added for more output options.
Redman said a Unix version of Magician will be released in July,
while other applications due this year include a high-end font
editor and an illustrator package.

(Paul Zucker and Computing Australia/19890422/Press Contact:
Dennis Redman, 61-49-46 9922)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00001)

PRODIGY ENTERS NEW YORK MARKET, PLANS NATIONAL ROLL-OUT
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1989 APR 17 (NB) -- IBM-Sears'
Prodigy joint venture has entered the New York market and pitched
its national roll-out directly to computer dealers at the Comdex
trade show. An estimated 60,000 people are now paying $10/month,
mainly for shopping and mail services. The software is available
for $50 per copy, and Prodigy used the Comdex trade show to
expand its distribution. The resulting cash flow is justifying
the partners' faith in the service, which can't handle ASCII
uploads and won't support ASCII downloads because of its
"columnists" ties to newspaper syndicates. President Theodore
Papes says half the country will be within a local phone call of
the service by year-end.

"New York is a major milestone toward our nationwide coverage,"
Papes added. "In the New York area, more than two million people
have access to Prodigy compatible home personal computers. Within
a year, as we continue to expand our coverage area, more than
half of all American families will be within a local call of the
Prodigy service."

In New York, Prodigy will also compete directly with a Bell
Gateway for the first time. NYNEX' InfoLook gateway, which has
just started its marketing campaign, includes services based on
the Minitel standard. Prodigy screens use the competing NAPLPS
standard. In New York, electronic grocery ordering will be
available through D'Agostino's market.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890419/Press Contact: Brian Ek, Prodigy, 914-
993-8843)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00002)

DELTA, AMERICAN PUT A PIECE OF THEIR SABRE SYSTEM ON SALE
DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1989 APR 18 (NB) -- Stymied in their search for
additional partners, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines are offering
a 20 percent interest in their new Computer Reservation Systems venture
for $300 million -- $15 million a share point.

American and Delta currently hold 50 percent each in the partnership,
which combines American's SABRE and Delta's DATAS II systems.
Delta bought a half-interest in the partnership for $650 million
in February, or $13 million per share point. "We want to bring
others into the venture as quickly as possible," said American
Chairman Robert Crandall. "The more partners we have, the more
attractive and viable the system becomes to potential customers
around the world."

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890419/Press Contact: Glenda Johnson, Delta
Air Lines, 404-765-2534)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00003)

TELENET CLARIFIES ITS PC PURSUIT POLICY CHANGES
RESTON, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 15 (NB) -- In a move it says
was prompted by complaints about higher fees and maximum usage on
its PC Pursuit product, Telenet has sent customers letters which
clarify terms and conditions. Most notably, it's added a
"family membership" rate of $50 per month for up to 60 hours of
non-prime time access, as well as a "handicapped membership" of
$30 per month for 60 hours of monthly use. Excess hours will be
billed at $3 per hour, and all prime-time use will be billed at
$10.50 per hour. Existing passwords will be cancelled and
replaced by May 1, and the new prices go into effect July 1.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890419/Press Contact: Robin Carlson, Telenet,
703-689-6000)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(ATL)(00004)

PRESSURE TO CUT DEREGULATION DEAL WITHOUT GREENE GROWS
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1989 APR 13 (NB) -- Phone company
lobbying has both political parties talking serious about letting
AT&T and the seven Bell Sisters do as they please. Rep. John Dingell
recently joined the chorus to write a new telephone regulation
bill replacing Judge Harold Greene's supervision of a 1982 court
decree. Dingell, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce
Committee, is said to have the power to get such a bill through
Congress.

Meanwhile, the FCC staff is reviewing the entire issue of AT&T's
long distance market share, which is the rationale for regulating
it. That share has fallen from 90 percent to 67 percent. By staying just under
AT&T's regulated rates, or paying-off pay phone owners, companies
are creating telecomputing niches in AT&T's shadow. At the same time
as it announced the review, however, the FCC nixed a special deal
AT&T tried to give GE, DuPont, and American Express. The company
said AT&T can offer special rates under the so-called Tariff 12
agreement, but those rates must be equivalent to rates offered
all customers.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890419)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(BOS)(00005)

AT&T ISDN CHIP SET MARKS A PREMIER
BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1989 APR 20 (NB) -- AT&T has
announced a new Integrated Services Digital Network [ISDN] chip set that
is the first to meet the North American "U" interface standards for
transmission over standard phone lines. The chip set is now available
in sample quantities from AT&T.

The U standard is significant because the company expects it will
prompt manufacturers of ISDN equipment to begin to develop ISDN
products that also match the standard. That, in turn, should lead to a
rapid rise in products on the market using standard ISDN equipment,
helping to promote the ISDN standard.

(Jon Pepper/19890421/Press Contact: Mary Lou Ambrus, AT&T, 201-
771-2825)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SFO)(00006)

LOW-COST AUTOMATIC PHONE/FAX SWITCH FROM MAXTREK
PLEASANTON, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 22 (NB) -- MaxTrek has
introduced SmartMax, an alectronic switchboard which automatically
distinguishes between fax and voice calls and routes each to the appropriate
instrument. SmartMax, $245, identifies and routes the call in flight, even
as the phone rings, so the caller is unaware of the process. Only one
phone line is needed. A unique "transfer button" lets the SmartMax
user accommodate callers who prefer to make a voice connection
before sending or receiving a fax.

Installation is as easy as installing an answering machine. Order from
800-445-4451 or 415-658-1162.

(Wendy Woods/19890422/Press Contact: Dale Ann Springer, MaxTrek, 415-
734-9270)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(BRU)(00007)

NEW DATABASE HELPS EUROPEANS FIND INFO ABOUT 1992
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- The European Commission
[EC] has created a new online database to allow business people to
discover information relating to the 1992 free European market.
The new database is called Info 92 and will be available to the public
from 1 June 1989.

To introduce the database, which will be accessible via Echonet
and most X.25-compatible networks [BT's PSS, US Telenet and
Tymnet], the EC has made the database free of usage charges
until 1 September, 1989 in ten minute sessions. After September,
usage will cost 10 European Currency Units [about $1.15] an hour.

(Peter Vekinis/19890421)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(BRU)(00008)

ITALIAN GOVERNMENT COMPLIES WITH FREE MODEM DIRECTIVE
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM , 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- The Italian government
has bowed to pressure from the European Commission [EC] over
supplying modems for use on its telephone network. Until now, the
state-controlled telecommunications company - SIP - has only
allowed its own modems to be used on the Italian telephone
network.

The EC had protested about SIP's modem monopoly, saying that it
was against the EC's Article 90 directive of May, 1988, and
requested that SIP opened up its market to modem imports from EC
countries immediately.

(Peter Vekinis/19890421)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00009)

RADIO DATA NETWORK COMPANY FORMED IN U.K.
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- Cable and Wireless, the
parent company to Mercury Communications in the U.K., has teamed up
with Racal Telecom to form a radio data network company. The
new company, Merrac, will have its radio data network installed
and running by early 1990.

Both companies, which already specialize in telecommunications
and radio technology, plan to use their existing networks and
systems to form the backbone of a radio data network - the first
of its kind in the world. It is anticipated that the network will
cost around UKP 9 million to install.

The Merrac network will span the U.K. and several European
countries, giving users access to a vast area at nominal cost.
Existing X.25 networks use dedicated hard-wired and microwave hop
links, charging for data sent in terms of distance, time taken
and volume transmitted. The Merrac network will be considerably
cheaper, since radio time is effectively free to use.

(Steve Gold/19890421/Press Contact: Richard Poston, Racal Telecom,
Tel: [phone], Paul Kirby, Cable and Wireless - Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00010)

MICROLINK HIKES CHARGES; SWITCHES TO TIME AND DATA RATES
MACCLESFIELD, ENGLAND, 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- Microlink, the
Database Publications-controlled system linked to Telecom Gold
and Dialcom's international network, has announced it will switch
its charging system from a time only to a time plus data
basis starting 1 May, 1989.

Currently, Microlink charges 11 pence a minute peak and 3 pence a
minute off-peak to access its system. From 1 May, these charges
change to 5 pence a minute at peak times, and free access [time
only] during off-peak times. In addition, a new data charge of 4p
peak/1p off-peak per block of 512 characters is also imposed.

In parallel with the changes, Microlink is also hiking its
monthly subscription charge from UKP 5 to UKP 7. The subscription
charges are payable in addition to the usage charges.

Telecom Gold, which runs the other Dialcom-connected electronic
mail networks in the U.K., switched from a time only to a time plus
data charging system in October, 1987. Newsbytes' previous
calculations have shown Microlink to be up to 40 percent cheaper
to use than Telecom Gold, despite offering similar services.

The changes introduced from 1 May, 1989 will, Newsbytes
calculates, increase Microlink's usage charges by an average of
17 percent, meaning the service is still cheaper than Telecom
Gold to use. The free time access outside of peak hours also
means, Newsbytes notes, that Microlink is effectively free of
online charges whilst the user is not transmitting or receiving
data.

(Steve Gold/19890421/Press Contact - Database Publications -
Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SYD)(00011)

TELECOM TIES UP WITH OLD FOE TYTEL
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 APRIL 20 (NB) -- Two old enemies,
national carrier Telecom Australia and Sydney-based Tytel, have
declared peace. They agreed to develop, make and market Tytel's
LANX business phone system. The former combatants recently
announced Telecom will place a firm order for LANX systems, to be
available this year.

LANX, a patented world first, is a very flexible private
automated branch exchange which can grow from two exchange lines
and two extensions to 16 lines and more than 600 extensions.
Telecom and Tytel will compete in selling LANX, said Robert
Hooper, Tytel's national marketing manager. "We have our own
sales network, but you don't get any bigger in Australia than
Telecom," he said.

Both groups will work on producing more LANX products, which
Telecom will sell under its own logo. Some years ago, in court,
Telecom and Tytel slugged it out over Tytel's analog phone.
Telecom lost. Tytel's phone, the only Australian product of its
kind, won a large contract from an international Australian
company. Telecom, which was selling cheaper imports, refused to
approve its use on the Telecom network. Tytel took the monopoly
to court and won.

(Paul Zucker and Computing Australia/19890422)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TOR)(00012)

ROGERS TAKES CNCP STAKE, VOWS LONG-DISTANCE COMPETITION IN CANADA
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 APR 19 (NB) -- Rogers
Communications, a major cable television operator and the parent
of Canada's national cellular telephone carrier, is buying a 40-
percent interest in CNCP Telecommunications, the national data
communications company. With cable TV king Ted Rogers as its new
chairman, CNCP will renew its bid to provide long-distance
telephone service in Canada.

Rogers will buy 40 percent of CNCP from Canadian Pacific Ltd., a
railway and hotel company which bought the half of CNCP it did
not already own from former partner Canadian National Railways
late last year. Rogers is paying between C$250 million and C$275
million for its piece of CNCP. The companies believe additional
investment of C$750 million to C$1.5 billion would be needed to
launch competitive long-distance service.

CNCP, which grew out of the two national railways' telegraph
businesses, has a nationwide data communications network. Last
year, CNCP unsuccessfully applied to the Canadian Radio-
television and Telecommunications Commission [CRTC] to be allowed
to offer long-distance telephone service in competition with
regional telephone companies. The CRTC rejected the application.
But George Harvey, CNCP's president and chief executive, said at
a press conference announcing the Rogers purchase that the
application was rejected because regulators considered his
company's business plan "flawed," not because they rejected the
idea of competition in long-distance service.

CNCP apparently hopes the backing of Rogers -- cash-rich from the
C$1.63-billion sale of its cable TV operations in the United
States last month -- will help its case. Rogers' ownership of
Cantel Inc., the company licensed to offer cellular phone service
across Canada in competition with regional phone companies, is
another factor. CNCP had already announced, two months ago, that
it would file another application to offer long-distance voice
service.

Incoming CNCP Chairman Ted Rogers, also president and chief
executive of Rogers Communications, had some choice words about
the present monopoly of phone service in Canada. "Soviet-style
telecommunications monopolism is out of date," he said. "Even in
Russia they are allowing some competition." Rogers went on to
claim his company's agreement with CNCP may some day be seen as
"the Magna Carta of Canadian telecommunications." As for the
telephone companies' claim that long-distance competition would
raise over-all telephone costs, Rogers said, "it's preposterous
and it's nonsense."

(Grant Buckler/19890420/Press Contact: Earle Weichel, CNCP
Telecommunications, 416-232-6365)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TOR)(00013)

NORTHERN TELECOM TO SELL CELLULAR PHONES IN CANADA
MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 APR 20 (NB) -- Northern
Telecom is getting into the cellular telephone business, but only
in Canada. The multinational telecommunications vendor, which
already sells cellular network equipment, has announced the
Norcel line of phones. The series includes three models: a mobile
phone for in-car use, a transportable unit and a lightweight
portable. The transportable and mobile units can be adapted to
allow connection of a personal computer or fax machine. The
mobile unit will cost C$1,399. The transportable will cost
C$1,850, and the portable C$2,750.

(Grant Buckler/19890420/Press Contact: Helen Sawick, Northern
Telecom Canada, 416-238-7140)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SIN)(00014)

FUJITSU SETTING UP TELECOM SOFTWARE CENTRE IN SINGAPORE
SINGAPORE, S.E. ASIA, 1989 APR 15 (NB) -- Fujitsu, one of Japan's
largest computer companies, plans to set up a telecommunications
software center, its third outside Japan, in Singapore by the end
of next year. Newsbytes understands the plans, not yet officially
announced, will involve 10 to 12 Singaporeans being sent to the
Fujitsu Kawasaki plant on the outskirts of Tokyo for initial
training late this year. In the second year, when the Singapore
facility will be operating, the total staff is planned to rise to
between 20 and 24. In the final year of the current three-year
plan, a further rise to staff of 30 to 36 is envisaged.

The site for the center has yet to be chosen, though it is
understood application has been made to the Singapore Science
Council to reserve about 2,000 square meters in its new high-tech
Science Research Centre, planned for completion around the third
quarter of 1990 in the new Singapore Science Park. Plans include
the initial investment of around S$5 million ($2.6 million) in
equipment such as a SACOM mainframe computer and a FETEX-150
Switching System, both made by Fujitsu.

Fujitsu is to supply terminal equipment for the Singapore
integrated services digital network [ISDN] trials, and has just
been chosen as one of two equipment suppliers for Malaysian ISDN
trials. Until now, all software research and development for the
project has been done in Japan.

(Michael Worsley/19890419/Press Contact: T.H. Chng, Project
Director, Fujitsu (S) P/L, [65] 224.0159)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SIN)(00015)

THAI HOTEL INSTALLS MOBILE PHONES IN LIMOUSINE FLEET
BANGKOK, THAILAND, 1989 APR 10 (NB) -- In a bid to lure business
travellers, the Dusit Thani Hotel in Bangkok is installing Mobira
mobile telephones in its limousine fleet, provided under contract
by Avis. The first three limousines were equipped at the
beginning of April, and 35 cars will be upgraded if demand takes
off.

For some time the hotel has offered guests free pagers within the
hotel and rented pagers to guests travelling around town. The
latest move follows a government freeze on all Thai hotels' room
charges. A recent surge in demand has made getting a good hotel
room almost an art form for those not travelling in a group tour.

(Michael Worsley/19890415)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(BOS)(00001)

AT&T ISDN CHIP SET MARKS A PREMIER
BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1989 APR 20 (NB) -- AT&T has
announced a new Integrated Services Digital Network [ISDN] chip set that
is the first to meet the North American "U" interface standards for
transmission over standard phone lines. The chip set is now available
in sample quantities from AT&T.

The U standard is significant because the company expects it will
prompt manufacturers of ISDN equipment to begin to develop ISDN
products that also match the standard. That, in turn, should lead to a
rapid rise in products on the market using standard ISDN equipment,
helping to promote the ISDN standard.

(Jon Pepper/19890421/Press Contact: Mary Lou Ambrus, AT&T, 201-
771-2825)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00002)

CD-ROM UNIT TO REPRODUCE FOUR LANGUAGES
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 APR 18 (NB) -- Tokyo-based compact disk read-
only memory venture Century Research Center has scored a world
first by developing software based on the CD-ROM XA [extended
architecture] format. The new program lets you choose among four
languages -- English, French, German, and Spanish -- and play
voices of one or all of them on the new CD-ROM unit. The CD-ROM
XA unit has 16 voice channels, so in future the software could
play as many as 16 languages, a company spokesman said.

Sony and Philips in the Netherlands have been collaborating on
development of the CD-ROM XA format since last August. The
extended architecture has several features not offered in
standard CD-ROM. For instance, the CD-ROM XA will reproduce text,
data, voice, graphics, still pictures and animation at the same
time. The voice format has already been completed. Major electric
machinery manufacturers are expected to ship sample drives this
year.

(Ken Takahashi/19890419/Press Contact: Century Research Center,
03-665-9608)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00003)

NEC TO START SAMPLE PRODUCTION OF MIPS RISC CHIP
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 APR 18 (NB) -- Japanese computer giant NEC
will start sample production of the R3000 reduced instruction set
computing [RISC] chip at its Sagamihara plant in September. NEC
licensed the technology from U.S.-based MIPS Computer in
February.

NEC has been preparing for production based on the technology
package provided by MIPS. Sample production will begin as soon as
preparation is finished, possibly before September. The
commercial production plant for the chip has not been chosen, but
there are three possibilities: Yamaguchi, Kumamoto, or one under
construction at Hiroshima. The company is also planning to
produce R4000 and emitter-coupled logic versions of the chip.

(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890420/Press Contact: NEC, 03-454-1111)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00004)

JAPANESE CHIPMAKERS DISCUSS FOUR-MEGABIT DRAM PRODUCTION
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 APR 18 (NB) -- Japan's semiconductor chip
makers have announced plans to mass-produce four-megabit DRAM
[dynamic random access memory], the next generation of
semiconductor memory, to replace the current one-megabit DRAM
chips.

Major semiconductor makers Toshiba, NEC, and Hitachi are first
into volume production. Tsuyoshi Kawanishi, managing director of
Toshiba, said, "we will raise the monthly output of four-megabit
DRAM to about one million units by this year's end." NEC's
managing director, Tomihiro Matsumura, said his company will
boost monthly output to about 100,000 this fall. Hitachi will
increase monthly production to some 400,000 units by the end of
this year. Other semiconductor giants, Mitsubishi and Fujitsu are
also expected to start volume production of four-megabit DRAMs,
but are waiting to see how the other three large manufacturers
approach it.

Medium-sized semiconductor makers such as Oki Electric,
Matsushita Electronic Industry, Sharp, NMB Semiconductor and
Sanyo also plan volume production of four-megabit DRAM chips.
Sanyo has signed a four-megabit DRAM development agreement with
Canada's semiconductor venture MosAid. MosAid will design the
chips, which Sanyo will produce in Japan. No other company has
ever tried to develop four-megabit DRAM with the help of a
foreign maker's know-how and technology.

(Ken Takahashi/19890420)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LAX)(00005)

POWER OF MACINTOSH II DUE IN GM CARS
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1989 APR 17 (NB) -- Motorola's Microprocessor
Products Group has announced the first 32-bit microcontroller ever,
the 68332 [332]. Based on Motorola's 68020 microprocessor, the 332
combines the power of a technical workstation with the functionality
of an entire circuit board on a single chip.

The 68332 microcontroller is the first member of Motorola's new 32-
bit line of embedded control devices, the 68300 family.
Microcontrollers are the workhorses of the electronics industry,
providing the electronic intelligence for items such as toys,
appliances, medical equipment and robots.

The 68300 family is based on Motorola's 68020 microprocessor.
Surrounding this core, the 68300 family adds a host of sophisticated
on-chip peripherals that boost overall system performance by more
than 10 times that of conventional microcontrollers.

More than 200 of the world's largest companies have evaluated the
332 and a number of consumer and industrial companies have already
endorsed the product. General Motors has stated its intention to
use the 332 for managing a variety of automotive control functions
in its next-generation automobiles.

"We are putting the power of a Macintosh II into an automobile,"
said Gary Daniels, general manager of Motorola's Microcontroller
Division.

Six companies have announced software tools and operating system
support for the new microcontroller. Hewlett-Packard, Ready
Systems, Introl, Intermetrics, Tektronix and Software Components
Group have introduced products, including compilers, debuggers,
linkers and real-time operating systems, providing a full breadth of
tools for application development.

Motorola says that although initial samples will not be produced
until October 1988, future versions of the chip are already under
development.

(Wayne Yacco/19890421/Press Contact: Cunningham Communications Inc.,
Nick Sturiale, 408-982-0400)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LAX)(00006)

ASICS R US SAYS LASARRAY
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 19 (NB) -- Lasarray Corp. has
announced expected revenues of $15 million this year. The figure,
up from $5.3 million in 1988, represents the combined revenue of
Lasarray and its Swiss counterpart, Lasarray S.A. Lasarray claims
to be the first company to sell a complete self-contained ASIC
[application-specific integrated circuit] design and processing
system that produces high-quality devices at a low cost and on a
quick-turnaround basis.

The firm presently works with twelve design partners, worldwide, to
produce IC's [integrated circuits] for customers. Design partners
are equipped with Lasarray's design workstation and methodology.
They deliver necessary data to Lasarray on a floppy disk. The
information is then turned into packaged, tested ICs with nominal
delivery time of four days or less. Lasarray's goal is for the
system to demonstrate the advantages of purchasing an entire system,
or separate pieces of equipment, that the company sells.

According to Lasarray Chairman Ernst Uhlmann, "The first three sales
of the entire Lasarray System were made last year in Europe by
Lasarray S. A. We expect Lasarray Corp.'s first sales of capital
equipment in the United States by the end of this year, with the
market taking off in 1990."

(Wayne Yacco/19890421/Press Contact: Lasarray, Tim Fitzgibbons, 714-
581-0889)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(ATL)(00007)

NCR PUSHING BUSINESS WITH THE SOVIET UNION
DAYTON, OHIO, U.S.A., 1989 APR 18 (NB) -- NCR is sponsoring a
seminar in Moscow, U.S.S.R., next month, so business executives
from around the world can learn how to do business with the
Soviet Union. About 300 people are expected in Moscow, May 27 -
June 4, to discuss the latest in electronic technologies and
management and merchandising topics, as well as discuss selling
them in the Soviet Union.

The seminar, sponsored by NCR's Merchandising, Marketing,
Management [MMM] Department, will start in Moscow, but the bulk
of the seminar will be conducted on the liner Vladimir Ilyich
Lenin. Attendees will board the Lenin in Odessa, travel to Kiev,
and return to Moscow.

The fee is $2900.00 [U.S.] and includes round-trip air transportation
from New York to Moscow, meals, accommodations, and entry visa.
In order to guarantee reservations, attendees should respond by April 25.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890419/Press Contact: Dr. Mario de Bernardi,
NCR, 513-445-6413, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(BOS)(00008)

STUDY SHOWS CEOS UNHAPPY WITH INFORMATION SYSTEMS.
MANHASSET, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1989 APR 17 (NB) -- An exclusive
study conducted by Computerworld with Fortune 1000 executives
showed that over 60 percent agreed with the statement, "I do not feel my
organization is getting the most for its information systems
investment."

Though the majority agreed they can do better, fully 85 percent also
felt that information systems holds the key to their competitive
advantage in the 1990s, and 86 percent felt that information systems
will "significantly change" the way their company does business in
the next decade.

(Jon Pepper/19890421/Press Contact: Greg Levendusky, Cudaback
Strategic Communications, 508-875-5000)


(EXCLUSIVE)(TRENDS)(BRU)(00009)

BORSU TO SHIP EIGHT MILLISECOND HARD DISK DRIVE
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS, 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- Borsu International,
the Amsterdam-based computer peripherals distributor, is developing a
high-speed hard disk system with an average track access time of eight
milliseconds [ms].

Using a combination of voice-coil positioner and advanced
materials, the drive will offer 40 megabytes of storage in a 3.5-inch
casing. Track-to-track access speeds range from 0.8 to 19ms. The
drive will ship by the end of 1989.

(Peter Vekinis/19890421)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(SFO)(00001)

/USR/GROUP CHANGES NAME TO UNIFORUM
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 17 (NB) -- /usr/group's
board of directors has voted to change the association's name to
UniForum; in June members will vote on the issue. The name change
comes in response to the success of the organization's trade
show, UniForum, which attracts Unix hardware and software firms
each year.

Says Ed Palmer, executive director, "When we were first formed
in 1980, our membership was primarily Unix programmers and /usr/group
was a clever and appropriate name they understood. Now that
the Unix community has expanded, our new members and potential
members who are familiar with other programming languages do
not understand the significance of the name."

/usr/group currently has 4,500 members, and is a nonprofit trade
association.

(Wendy Woods/19890422/Press Contact: Ed Palmer, 408-986-8840)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(ATL)(00002)

CONTROL DATA PULLS THE PLUG ON SUPERCOMPUTER MAKER ETA SYSTEMS
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 17 (NB) -- Control Data
Corporation announced the immediate closing of its ETA Systems
supercomputer division. The news put the U.S. computer industry
generally into a funk, and Control Data's stock fell on the news,
which results in a $350 million write-off.

There could be hope for ETA employees, whose ETA10 supercomputer
ran Unix System V in a container the size of an office copier.
Analysts suggest AT&T, which likes to boast about how its Unix System V
standard can be run on PCs and ETA supercomputers, could buy the
shell and stomach the $100 million losses indefinitely. Cray founder
Seymour Cray formerly worked at Control Data, building the
company's 6600 line in the 1970s.

Control Data said its restructuring, which includes reductions in
its Cyber mainframe line and other changes, will cost
approximately $490 million and cost 3,100 people their jobs.
Chairman Robert M. Price said CDC will concentrate instead on its
government systems business, its Imprimis Technology data storage
business and such niche firms as the Arbitron ratings service,
Micrognosis and Energy Management Systems. Price also said some
ETA technology may be adapted to the Cyber line.

In a special report on the news, the market research firm
Dataquest noted that while "The sale or merger of ETA division
has been rumored for some time, the course of shutting down
operations while maintaining the technology was unexpected." The
firm added, "The loss of a U.S. vendor could significantly impact
market balance in the long term." Dataquest expects the Japanese
to attack first in Europe, where ETA held its highest market
share.

U.S. hopes in supercomputing now rest with Cray, whose Cray 3 is
due for release next year, and Steve Chen, a former Cray designer
who left Cray last year to start Super Computer Systems Inc. of
Eau Claire, Wisconsin last year and is developing a massive
parallel processor with financial backing from IBM. On news of
ETA's closing, stock in both Cray and IBM rose in value.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19890419/Press ContactS: Frank Ryan, Control
Data, 612-853-5342; Lois Long, Dataquest, 408-437-8309)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(BOS)(00003)

CONCURRENT INTRODUCES MICRO3200 FAMILY OF REAL-TIME SYSTEMS
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 APR 18 (NB) -- Concurrent
Computer has introduced a family of real-time computer systems, the
Micro3200 family. The new systems feature an architecture that is
optimized for real-time applications and superior price/performance,
according to the company.

The Micro3200 systems offer 30 percent better price/performance than
the VAX 6300 from Digital Equipment, according to a Concurrent
spokesman.

Prices range from $55,000 to $160,000, depending upon the
configuration.

(Jon Pepper/19890421/Press Contact: Joseph Kerrigan, 201-758-7427)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(TYO)(00004)

FUJITSU, TOSHIBA SELL NEW SUN WORKSTATIONS
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 APR 14 (NB) -- Fujitsu and Toshiba have
released new state-of-the-art workstations from Sun Microsystems.
Both companies have agreements with Sun, the world's largest
workstation maker, to sell the U.S.-based company's workstations
under their own names. Fujitsu has dealt in Sun workstations
since last August, and Toshiba since August 1986.

Both firms introduced two models, one with Sun's 32-bit SPARC
reduced instruction set computer [RISC] microprocessor and the
other built on Motorola's 68030 processor. Fujitsu's
workstations, which it calls the S Family, are priced from 1.2
million yen or $9,200. Toshiba's AS series start at 1,220,000 yen
or $9,400.

(Ken Takahashi/19890420/Press Contact: Fujitsu, 03-215-5326;
Toshiba, 03-457-8145)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(BRU)(00005)

AT&T LAUNCHES NEW SYSTEMS IN FRANCE
PARIS, FRANCE, 1989 APR 21 (NB) -- AT&T launched the 3B2/1000
system line at the SICOB computer show in Paris last week. In
addition, the company announced its intention to move
aggressively into the French computer market and sell its systems
either through value added resellers [VARs] and distributors.
The 3B2/1000 system represents an addition to the 3B2 line of
AT&T systems delivering more flexibility and efficiency to
commercial users. The system was developed last year for the U.S.
Air Force.

In parallel with the 3B2/1000 system, AT&T also announced a new
multilingual Unix interface called MNLS. The interface is
designed to open up Unix to international markets composed mainly
of commercial, rather than educational users.

(Peter Vekinis/19890421)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SYD)(00006)

HOPING FOR A LITTLE MAGIC IN GRAPHICS
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 APRIL 21 (NB) -- While U.S. presentation
graphics packages tend to hog the limelight, an award-winning
Australian package has been enhanced and is due for release in
May. However, the developer of Magician is pessimistic about
Australian sales.

"Australian users still believe that if it is made overseas and
costs three times as much it must be better," said Dennis Redman,
managing director of DR Graphic Research in Newcastle, New South
Wales. Redman is the "father" of Magician and has just announced
details of Release 4. He said Magician's major sales are in the
United States, Britain and Europe. DR Graphics Research has
completely rewritten its previous release in C, knocking it down
in size by nearly 80K-bytes, tripling speed and reducing memory
requirements by 150K-bytes.

A new interface, with pull-down, multilayer windows,
double-clicking, five more chart options and support for
Bitstream Fontware [which has a library of more than 1,000 fonts]
have been added. Eight proprietary outline fonts will be included
with the new version, which has a recommended retail price of
AUS$495, $195 in the United States. The new Magician also has a
new programming language, Xscript, allowing greater control of
vector graphics.

File compatibility has been extended to PCX, HPGL and Windows
files, while 14 drivers have been added for more output options.
Redman said a Unix version of Magician will be released in July,
while other applications due this year include a high-end font
editor and an illustrator package.

(Paul Zucker and Computing Australia/19890422/Press Contact:
Dennis Redman, 61-49-46 9922)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(BOS)(00007)

GRAFPOINT SHOWS TEKTRONIX TERMINAL EMULATION FOR SUN WORKSTATIONS
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, U.S.A., 1989 APR 18 (NB) -- Grafpoint has
announced at NCGA '89 here in Philadelphia that it is shipping Beta copies
of its TGRAF product for Sun workstations. The software offers Tektronix
4107 and 4125 terminal emulation capabilities.

TGRAF Sun is designed as a bridge product to allow the Sun
workstation user productivity without having to buy new software
packages. Taking advantage of the software base that supports the
Tektronix terminals, TGRAF Sun opens up a wider range of software
choices to Sun users, according to a Grafpoint spokesman. TGRAF
SUN is priced at $2,945, and includes one year of technical support
and free product updates.

(Jon Pepper/19890421/Press Contact: Charles Lingel, Grafpoint, 408-
446-1919)