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Newsbytes - International Computing Industry News 1994 Edition - May 1983 - June 1994 - Wayzata Technologies (5045) (1994).iso
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(EXCLUSIVE)(APPLE)(LON)(00001)
APPLE MAC IICR IN THE PIPELINE}
STOCKLEY PARK, ENGLAND, 1989 SEP 30 (NB) -- Further details of Apple's
next release in the Mac stakes have been revealed. The machine has
been provisionally called the IIcr series and, as reported, will centre
around a 33MHz 68030 microprocessor.
Confirming Macintosh News' reports late last month, Newsbytes' UK
sources in the Apple world have said that the IIcr is being
readied for a March 1990 roll-out, with volume shipment expected
during the second quarter.
The machine will be fast - very fast - thanks to the use of an
20MHz NuBus architecture and an 120 pin DMA (direct memory
access) expansion slot. The DMA slot will be used for a variety
of RAM caching products expected from third-party companies.
Industry sources suggest that, by coupling a RAM-caching unit
onto the 120 pin DMA bus, the IIcr could be anything up to four
times faster than the 25Mhz 68030-based Mac II unveiled alongside
the Mac laptop last month. An Apple UK spokesman, whilst
declining to comment on the IIcr's product specifications,
confirmed that the Mac System 7.0 software will be shipped in the
UK during April or May of 1990.
Details of the Mac System 7.0 system have now been firmed up by
Apple. The software will feature improved sound processing,
multiple sound channel support and a CPU load management system.
A major feature of the software will be improved 32-bit graphics
handling for graphics-intensive applications, such as those used
in the computer-aided design, manufacturing, and engineering markets.
One major feature of the System 7.0 software will be support for
multitasking, a feature which will be exploited by the IIcr, say
Newsbytes sources. Newsbytes predicts that the IIcr is, despite
Apple's protestations of late, a machine designed to push the Mac
still further into the Unix workstation market.
(Steve Gold/19890930/Press Contact: Frank O'Mohoney, Apple
Computer UK - Tel: 01-569-1199)
(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00002)
MACWORLD EXPOS SLATED}
NEEDHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 29 (NB) -- Mitch Hall
Associates has announced dates for the next Macworld Expositions.
The 1990 exposition will be held in San Francisco April 10 through
13, in Boston from August 8 - 11, and in San Francisco again
on January 10 - 13. There will be a Washington, DC Macworld
Exposition April 16-19, 1991 and August 6-9, 1991.
Macworld Exposition recently completed its fifth consecutive run
in Boston this past August and featured 400 companies with
attendance over 47,000.
(Wendy Woods/19890929/Press Contact: Jeff Arcuri, Mitch Hall.
617-361-8000)
(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00003)
ALDUS PERSUASION 2.0 SHIPS}
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 27 (NB) -- Aldus is
shipping the latest edition of Persuasion, its desktop presentation
package for the Apple Macintosh.
Persuasion 2.0 features outlining, word processing, drawing,
charting, and formatting of presentations, as did its predecessor, and
is capable of producing black and white or color overheads and 35
millimeter slides, speaker notes, and audience hand-outs. The
new version offers more style and preview options, among other
new features.
(Wendy Woods/19890929)
(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00004)
MAC CONNECTS WITH LASERJETS}
EMERYVILLE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 18 (NB) -- The newest
version of MacPrint, version 1.2, software which enables the
Macintosh to output copy to a wide variety of Hewlett-Packard
laser and laser-quality printers, is now shipping. This device
management software package adds support for the newly
announced HP Laserjet Series IIP printers and employs new
data compression algorithms to significantly shorten print times,
according to its creators at Insight Development Corporation.
MacPrint allows non-Apple printers to be connected with the
Macintosh, a task not possible without special software since
Macs can only output in Quickdraw and Postscript printer languages,
not in HP's language, known as HP/PCL. MacPrint software
translates Macintosh printer commands into a format which can
be printed on the LaserJet IIP as well as a number of other PCL
based print devices including those from Mannusman-Tally, Oasys,
Facit, Epson, Panasonic, Okidata, Everex, and Ricoh.
The $1,495 HP Laserjet IIP printer, expected to be available for less
than $1,000 retail within six months, prints four pages per minute
at standard 300 dots-per-inch resolution. The 25-pound unit
employs HP's PCL printer language but HP promises a Postscript
language cartridge in early 1990.
The printer has 512K-bytes of memory, two slots for memory
upgrade boards, 14 internal fonts, one font cartridge slot,
and a paper/envelope tray that takes letter, legal, and A4 paper
as well as four envelope sizes.
MacPrint 1.2 is $149 and is available directly from the company
by calling 415-652-4115 or 800-825-4115 toll-free, or from
Hewlett-Packard authorized dealers.
(Wendy Woods/19890930/Press Contact: Arnie Lapinig, VP
Marketing, Insight)
(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00005)
APPLE SNUBS U.S. MEMORIES; CYPRESS OFFERS TO DO IT CHEAPER}
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 29 (NB) -- Apple Computer
has chosen not to endorse or help fund a consortium designed to
recapture the world market for computer memory devices. Apple
says it will not invest in U.S. Memories, because, "We're not in
the business of selling semiconductors; there is no benefit to
our customers," according to a spokeswoman.
U.S. Memories, which must find major funding before January 1
or will dissolve, has already won the support of seven other computer
and semiconductor firms: Hewlett-Packard, LSI Logic, Advanced
Micro Devices, Intel, Sun Microsystems, Tandem Computers, and
Compaq. The venture still needs substantially more before it
reaches its goal of $500 million in investments.
One method by which the organization may reach its goal, according
to Sanford Kane, its chief executive, explained at the annual
Semiconductor Industry Association meeting, is to allow
more firms to buy smaller shares of the company -- ranging from
one to four percent stakes, rather than the originally planned 10
percent shares.
Meanwhile, Cypress Semiconductor's President T.J. Rogers, known
industry-wide as the chip industry's answer to Ted Turner, has
bragged that he and his firm could turn out 4-megabit DRAM
(dynamic random access memory) chips by June, 1990 for no
money down. His letter, written to IBM which has agreed to supply
the 4-megabit and 16-megabit chip technology to the consortium,
asks that the technology be given instead to Cypress. "We are a
fast moving and technically competent company that could produce
the first four megabit DRAMs by June, 1990, assuming an agreement
could be inked by year-end."
He adds, "We would put the DRAM into production without loan
guarantees, financial help from either the federal government or
IBM, or the need to change the country's anti-trust laws."
No word on IBM's response.
(Wendy Woods/19890929/Press Contact: TJ Rodgers, Cypress,
408-943-2611)
(NEWS)(APPLE)(WAS)(00006)
COSTAR INTRODUCES MAC LABEL-ONLY PRINTER}
GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 26 (NB) -- CoStar officers
have told Newsbytes that they expect to ship their LabelWriter,
a 3-inch by 6-inch, thermal print technology label printer, by the
first of October.
The $299 Macintosh printer is reportedly the first label-only
printer, and comes with a roll of 130 1 inch by 2 1/2 inch
labels.
CoStar is a relatively new company founded by former senior
executives of Microware.
For further information contact CoStar Corp., 22 Bridge St.,
Greenwich, CT 06830, 203-661-9700.
(John McCormick/1989929/Press Contact: Debora Wong, CoStar 203-
661-9700)
(NEWS)(APPLE)(HKG)(00007)
4th DIMENSION FOR MAC LOOKS A WINNER IN ASIA}
CENTRAL, HONGKONG, 1989 SEP 29 (NB) -- Apple Far East is actively
promoting a developer services program with the view to providing
viable solutions for the Asian marketplace. Andrew Cheng, general
manager Apple Hongkong, spoke about new systems for Chinese
language typesetting, for weaving design and manufacturing stock
control.
Analyses Conseils Informations Asia Ltd (ACI) reacted quickly
to announce its intentions with Version 2 of 4th Dimension (4D) and
its computer-aided software engineering (CASE) capabilities.
At a well-attended seminar, ACI, which is the local subsidiary
of Acius, reported on the success of 4D in the region. A
Singapore company, Sysnet, is developing and marketing 4D
banking applications; in Malaysia the Apple distributor
Uniphone has successfully used 4D to tender against dBASE III
projects; in the Philippines distributor DPSI has sold 4D
applications into United Nations organizations and in Seoul,
Korea, 4D tracked the path of the Olympic torch from Greece to
the games last year.
Probably one of the most unique applications developed using 4D
was a directory enquiry system for the Macau Telephone Company
(CTM).
(Keith Cameron/19890929)
(NEWS)(APPLE)(TYO)(00008)
PORTABLE MAC DEBUTS IN JAPAN}
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 SEP 22 (NB) -- Apple Computer Japan will start
marketing the Macintosh Portable and the upgraded version of the IIcx,
the IIci, in November here in Japan. The machines are the original, or
English, versions and Apple Japan says the Japanese version will be
shipped by summer 1990.
The Macintosh Portable inherits full functions from desktop Mac and
is priced 998,000 yen or $7,000 for a floppy disk model while a hard
disk model is priced 1,068,000 yen or $7,500.
The prices of the IIci, with a 55 percent performance improvement
over its predecessor IIcx, range between 1,058,000 and 1,498,000
yen ($7,450 - $10,550) depending on different memory sizes.
(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890928)
(NEWS)(APPLE)(TYO)(00009)
APPLE JAPAN WANTS MACS FROM SINGAPORE}
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 SEP 27 (NB) -- Apple Computer Japan will ask
its U.S. parent if it can get some of its products from Singapore
instead of the US. The move from the U.S. to Southeast Asia for
a supply of Macintoshes is due to three factors: Singapore products
have almost the same quality as America's, location to Japan, and
easy procurement of materials from Japan, U.S. and European makers.
The new products to come from the Singapore plant are Macintosh
Plus and SE computers, as well as Macintosh IIs. Apple Computer
Japan had been slated to receive its supply of these popular
machines from the U.S. but will request to U.S. headquarters that
the supply be shifted to Singapore.
Apple's Singapore plant was built in 1988 and has the latest
production technology. Apple Japan has never announced its revenue
nor the number of computers shipped, however, its new president,
Takeuchi, has publicly stated his intention to achieve $500 million
worth of annual sales in fiscal 1992 and cumulative sales will
surpass 100,000 units within next year.
(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890928)
(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00001)
TOSHIBA BUYS ANOTHER CRAY}
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 SEP 26 (NB) -- Toshiba has purchased a
second Cray Research's supercomputer, Cray Y-MP8/4128, for
about 3.5 billion yen (US$24 million), and will introduce it this
December in its semiconductor development and nuclear plant
design processes. Toshiba purchased its first Cray X-MP/22 in
February 1985.
The Cray Y-MP is capable of managing eight CPUs (central processing
units), but the one Toshiba bought has four. The Y-MP8
is capable of running two giga (two billion) floating point
operations per second, and the machine has an internal one-
gigabyte memory and a fast, external two-gigabyte semiconductor
disk memory unit. UNICOS, Cray's version of Unix, runs the
supercomputer.
This is the fourth purchase by a Japanese firm of a Cray Y-MP,
following Mitsubishi Electric, Mitsubishi Motors, Mitsubishi General
Research Center, but Toshiba is the first firm to buy the
Y-MP8, the high-end model of Cray's Y-MP series.
Toshiba plans to import products worth of US$1.3 million including
the supercomputer this year.
(Ken Takahashi/19890928)
(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00002)
OKI TO MAKE CHIPS IN THAILAND}
AYUTTAYA, THAILAND, 1989 SEP 28 (NB) -- Oki Electric Industries has
acquired a 92,000 square meter parcel of land in Thailand in order to
build a factory to assemble semiconductor chips. The land is
located in Ayuttaya and is about 40 kilometers north of the Bangkok
International Airport.
Oki will complete a new factory with an area of 5,500 square meters
next spring and will expand the area to 8,500 square meters in three
years. Oki is planning to produce 20 million ICs (integrated circuits),
mainly application-specific ICs, per year from spring of 1991 and
to increase the annual output to 50 million units in three years.
Oki has not announced the total investment. The new factory will
hire about 200 local employees in the first year.
Oki will be the second maker to assemble large-scale ICs in Thailand,
following Sony.
(Ken Takahashi/19890928)
(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00003)
JAPANESE SUPERCOMPUTER MAKERS CUT PRICES}
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 SEP 28 (NB) -- Japanese supercomputer makers
Fujitsu and Hitachi will cut the prices of their supercomputers in
direct response to businesses which are complaining bitterly about
the up to 60 percent discounting on prices the supercomputer
companies are providing to universities and government agencies.
Fujitsu, the top supercomputer supplier in Japan, will cut prices
on its VP400 series 10 to 20 percent, just before the release
of its latest supercomputer, VP2000 series, in early 1990.
Meanwhile, the second largest supercomputer supplier, Hitachi, also
has announced a price drop on its supercomputers. Hitachi will set
the prices of its S-820 series supercomputers 25 to 35 percent lower
than current list prices during the release of a new low-end
model, S-820 model 15.
These announcements are believed as the best way to avoid criticism
against over 60 percent of price reduction on these supercomputers
offering to universities and government-affiliated laboratories in
an academic discount program. With the revision of the list price,
discount rates will be reduced to less than 50 percent.
Some sources, however, see the action as a reaction to U.S.
supercomputer maker Cray's price. One analyst told Newsbytes, "It
is not an issue of academic discount because the prices of the
Japanese supercomputers were 20 to 30 percent more expensive than
Cray's from the viewpoint of cost/performance."
Another supercomputer maker, NEC, is expected to show also
cut costs.
(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890928)
(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00004)
COMPUTERLAND SUFFERS LOSS FROM CHINA}
PLEASANTON, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 29 (NB) -- What does
Computerland, the world's largest computer retail chain, and the
massacre June 4 in China have in common? The event marked a
$2.8 million loss for Computerland, a loss which tumbled into place
following the firing and Communist Party expulsion of an affiliated
Chinese company's leader.
Wan Runman, head of the Stone Group, and who had been in
charge of the purchase of Computerland merchandise for
sale in China, was deeply entrenched in revolutionary activities
prior to the Tiananmen Square incident, according to company
officials. He reportedly supplied computers and money to student
protestors during his management of Stone Group and was fired by
Computerland following revelations about his involvement with
them. In the ensuing chaos following the June 4 massacre, Runman
fled to the U.S., and the Chinese Government seized the Stone Group
and all its assets. Since then, it has failed to make payments to
Computerland for the merchandise over which it now presides,
totalling $2.4 million.
Vic Leventhal, executive vice president of Computerland, has
met with Chinese officials in hopes they will meet the payments,
according to the San Jose Mercury News.
(Wendy Woods/19890929)
(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00005)
SYSTEMS INTEGRATION PROJECTS JOINTLY PURSED BY TI, IBM}
DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 25 (NB) -- Texas Instruments
(TI) and IBM have agreed to jointly pursue large
scale automation and manufacturing opportunities on specific
electronics industry projects.
The new program is called Commercial Systems Integration (CMI)
and is the first agreement of its kind between IBM and TI. Under
the arrangement, IBM will provide its knowledge of electronic
manufacturing systems which will be combined with the TI's
electronics integration and automation expertise to win major
electronics projects. TI will serve as systems integrator on
these projects.
(Janet Endrijonas/19890929/Press Contact: Steve Stibbens, Texas
Instruments, 214-997-3729)
(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(WAS)(00006)
LOTUS BUYS 15 PERCENT OF SYBASE}
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 22 (NB) -- Lotus
Development has reportedly purchased a 15 percent share of
database utility supplier Sybase. Microsoft and Ashton-Tate
already market Sybase's SQL server, and Lotus says that Release 3
of the popular Lotus 1-2-3 database will be their first product
to make use of Sybase technology.
(John McCormick/19890927)
(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(WAS)(00007)
INTERLEAF NAMES NEW PRESIDENT / SIGNS ON SIEMENS}
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 25 (NB) -- Interleaf,
publisher of the $995 Interleaf Publisher desktop publishing
software for both 80386-based systems and Macintosh II
computers, has named Robert Weiler as its new president,
reporting to CEO David Boucher.
In an effort to increase market share, Interleaf has recently
reduced the price of both versions of Interleaf. IBM's Interleaf
Publisher was selling for $2,500.
In other Interleaf news, West German corporate giant Siemens AG
will bundle Interleaf with every WS-30 workstation.
(John McCormick/19890927/Press Contact: David Boucher, Interleaf,
617-577-9800 X 6654)
(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00008)
NSA, UNIVERSAL DATA ENTER BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP}
LAGUNA HILLS, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 27 (NB) -- Network
Software Associates (NSA) and Universal Data Systems
(UDS), a division of Motorola Information Systems Group in
Huntsville, AL have announced the formation of a business and
marketing partnership.
According to a statement issued jointly by the two companies,
each will now market the other's complimentary product lines
while also cooperating in other areas of product development.
UDS is a major provider of data communications hardware while NSA
is a leader in the area of SNA connectivity software.
The two product lines are immediately available from both
companies.
(Janet Endrijonas/19890929/Press Contact: Alice Topping, Network
Software Associates, 714-768-4013)
(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00009)
INGRAM MICRO D BUYS BELGIAN SOFTWARE FIRM}
SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 26 (NB) -- Ingram
Micro D has acquired Softeurop, a Belgian software distributor.
The move is seen as an effort by Ingram Micro D to become a force
in the fast-growing European market. Ingram Micro D is the
leading wholesale of personal computer products in the US while
Softeurop, now to the known as Ingram Softeurop is a leading
distributor of American-made software in Belgium, the Netherlands
and Luxembourg.
Up to now, Ingram Micro D has not been a major player in the
European market, a fragmented market usually addressed on a
county by county basis rather than as a single entity. With the
reduction of trade barriers in Europe scheduled for 1992, there
should be more opportunity for continent-wide distribution. The
company expects Ingram Softeurop to be the major distributor
throughout Europe of a full assortment of microcomputer products.
Financial details of this acquisition were not disclosed however
it has been revealed that current management of the Belgian firm
will retain a small ownership interest.
(Janet Endrijonas/19890929)
(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00010)
KAYPRO AUSTRALIA TO BE SOLD}
SOLANA BEACH, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 26 (NB) -- An
agreement to sell Kaypro Australia to Sydney-based Eymont
Computers has been reached.
The sale will infuse some $500,000 cash into Kaypro to assist in
Kaypro's current expansion moves. Under local management, Kaypro
Australia is expected to provide better sales and service to
Australian Kaypro dealers. Terms of the agreement include the
sale of the name "Kaypro Australia" and a warehouse/office
facility in a Sydney suburb.
The company will continue to be known as Kaypro Australia and
will establish a service division to be known as Kaypro Technical
Services to provide service and repairs for Kaypro and other
makes of personal computers.
(Janet Endrijonas/19890929)
(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(HKG)(00011)
NEW COMPANY TAKES OVER MSA MARKETING IN HONGKONG}
CENTRAL, HONGKONG, 1989 SEP 25 (NB) -- Equinox Consulting has
taken over all MSA sales and support responsibility in
Hongkong and is vigorously promoting Spectra, an MSA financial
accounting package which is designed for users of IBM
minicomputers.
When Newsbytes queried the introduction of yet another
accounting package to Hongkong, Peter Knight, general manager
of Equinox, said: "It is true that many accounting packages
from the USA are not suitable for the market here because few
software developers over there seem to have heard of foreign
currency, particularly when a multiple of branch offices need
to operate in different currencies and headquarters requires
consolidation in yet another. Spectra's multi-currency, multi-
company and multilingual characteristics make it ideal for an
international trading environment like Hongkong."
"Equinox is purely a software support company," he told
Newsbytes, " and we are not interested in selling hardware. In
line with this policy we are teaming up with IBM value-added
resellers. The first of these is System-Pro, an IBM VAR for the
AS /400 range."
(Keith Cameron/19890929, Press contact: Peter Knight, Equinox.
Hongkong 5-213557)
(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(HKG)(00012)
HONGKONG: NAS MOVING DISKS AT A FAST PACE}
CENTRAL, HONGKONG, 1989 SEP 29 (NB) -- The latest sale for NAS
disks has come from Computasia, the largest computer utility
company in Hongkong.
The order consisted of one AS/7980-2, two 7380-AJs and three
7380-BJX drives, together delivering 20 gigabytes of data
storage. Computasia has been running its IBM 4381 mainframe
with NAS AS/7380 drives for two years and the new additions
will supplement the current configuration.
(Keith Cameron/19890929)
(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(HKG)(00013)
AUSTRALIAN JOINT VENTURE WITH SING TAO GROUP}
KOWLOON BAY, HONGKONG, 1989 SEP 26 (NB) -- A few weeks ago
Newsbytes reported that the Australian-based Infolink Group was
in town seeking partners. Now the Sing Tao newspaper
commercial printing and property investment group, has formed a
joint venture with the Group to exploit the computer services
market in Hongkong.
Infolink Hongkong Limited (IHL), which will be equally owned by
Infolink and Sing Tao, will market the wide range of Infolink
products and services to Hongkong, Macau and the People's
Republic of China.
The Sing Tao Group is a substantial local corporation which
also publishes one of the territory's English newspapers, the
Hongkong Standard. Last year it achieved revenues of $150
million. The corporation is controlled and run by Madame Sally
Aw, a member of the famous "Tiger Balm" Aw family.
IHL will translate Infolink's Intouch PC Tutorials into Chinese
and export them throughout the Asian region. It will also
provide a wide range of information network services and market
software products developed in Australia and elsewhere.
(Keith Cameron/19890921)
(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SYD)(00014)
AUSSIE COMPUTERLAND CLOSES STORES}
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 SEP 25 (NB) -- The Australian PC dealer
ComputerLand Solutions is undergoing major restructuring now that
it has been taken over by a new owner.
The US-based ComputerLand Corporation recently took 100 percent
control of the company after it bought the 50 percent owned by
the Australian former managing director, Mike Buolos. Four
ComputerLand stores in suburban Sydney will close, and 24 staff
will be redeployed in three expanded city stores.
(Gavin Atkins & Computing Australia/19890926)
(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SYD)(00015)
A-T MAY OPEN UP AUSSIE DISTRIBUTION}
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 SEP 25 (NB) - Glen Miller, the new
managing director of Ashton-Tate in Australia has hinted that the
company may stop giving sole distribution rights of its products
such as dBASE. Mr Miller said last week,"I am not impressed with
sole distribution. Philosophically, I have a problem with it."
A possible trend in the company emerged last week when five
different organizations were appointed to distribute its SQL
Server product.
(Gavin Atkins & Computing Australia/19890927)
(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SYD)(00016)
AUSSIE PC RENTAL FIRM TAKES ON UK}
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 SEP 25 (NB) - An Australian PC rental
company is opening a London branch in a bid to gain a market
niche before the 1992 union of Europe.
"We have the opportunity of making a progressive takeover of an
existing PC related company that is in the process of winding
down. This provides us with immediate premises and trained
staff," said Managing Director Reg Kellaway.
"The opportunities for someone providing service just in the
London area are immense," he said. "The only limitation on growth
will be the finding and keeping of experienced and motivated
staff."
(Gavin Atkins & Computing Australia/19890927)
(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SYD)(00017)
MICROCOMP CUTS THE BS}
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 SEP 25 (NB) - BS Microcomp, a large
national Australian PC dealership, is planning to drop the BS
from its name now it has parted with founder Bill Saunders. The
change will also see the adoption of a new logo and the
establishment of headquarters in Sydney.
(Gavin Atkins & Computing Australia/19890927)
(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SYD)(00018)
REUTERS AUSTRALIA LANDS CONTRACT}
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 SEP 25 (NB) - Reuters Australia has
landed a multi-million dollar contract to supply the ANZ bank's
trading rooms with Triarch 2000 trading systems at city centers
in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, and Perth. Reuter's
general manager Scott Thornton said he hoped the company would
also get the go-ahead to supply the ANZ's offices overseas. The
exact value of the contract was unspecified.
(Gavin Atkins & Computing Australia/19890927)
(EXCLUSIVE)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00019)
WATERLOO MICROSYSTEMS REPORTED TAKEOVER TARGET}
WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA, 1989 SEP 25 (NB) -- Comcheq Services,
a computer service bureau based here, has been negotiating to
acquire all or part of Waterloo Microsystems, the local area
network software vendor headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario,
Newsbytes understands.
A source close to Comcheq said the deal was scheduled to close
September 25, and that Comcheq's chairman, William Loewen, was in
Waterloo early this week to conclude it. Newsbytes has been
unable to confirm this or obtain details, except to verify that
Loewen was out of town on Monday and Tuesday. Several telephone
calls to Loewen went unreturned. On Friday, Newsbytes also
attempted to contact Marv Taylor, chief executive of Comcheq, who
did not return the call. A spokeswoman for Waterloo Microsystems
said nobody but the company president could comment on the
report, and he was out of the office on Friday and could not be
contacted.
Founded in 1982, Waterloo Microsystems sells the Waterloo Port
and Port Lite operating software for local area networks, and has
its sales and marketing headquarters in Norcross, Georgia.
(Grant Buckler/19890929)
(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00020)
SOFTKEY, INSIGHT PLAN MERGER}
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 SEP 26 (NB) -- SoftKey Software
Products and Insight Business Consultants, both of Toronto, will
merge if their directors and shareholders, and regulators,
approve the deal. The amalgamation will create a company with
more than C$11 million in sales, according to SoftKey.
SoftKey sells PC-based vertical software packages for the fashion
and hotel industries and produces software for bundling by large
direct marketers and hardware vendors. Insight produces
distribution and manufacturing software that runs on IBM's mid-
range AS/400 computers, and provides consulting services. Its
principal markets are in the food processing, pharmaceutical,
chemical and health and beauty aids industries.
The merged company is to retain the SoftKey name, with Insight
operating as an autonomous division. SoftKey President Kevin
O'Leary will remain in that post, while Gary Huggins, president
of Insight, will become vice-chairman of the new company. SoftKey
is traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
(Grant Buckler/19890929/Press Contact: Michael Perik, SoftKey,
416-598-5033)
(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00021)
CANADA: DELL, BELL SEAL DEAL}
MARKHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 SEP 25 (NB) -- Dell Computer Corp.
(Canada) has signed a cooperative sales agreement with the
country's largest telephone company, Bell Canada. Bell will sell
Dell's personal computers as part of its integrated office
systems, combining them with connectivity and networking
products.
Bell provides telephone service in Ontario and Quebec, Canada's
two largest provinces, as well as parts of the Northwest
Territories. The company sells office technology as well as
communications hardware. Dell, based in Texas, has maintained a
Canadian operation for just over a year.
(Grant Buckler/19890929/Press Contact: Darren Ward, Dell, 416-
764-4200)
(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00022)
SEMI-TECH PLANS TO SELL PIECES OF SSMC}
MARKHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 SEP 27 (NB) -- International Semi-
Tech Microelectronics has announced plans to sell seven or eight
business units of SSMC, the former subsidiary of Singer of which
the Markham, Ontario, company bought 76.3 percent in April.
In a statement, Semi-Tech President James Ting said the sales will
allow the company to concentrate on consumer products, and will
bring proceeds of some C$200 million. Of that amount, C$92
million worth of divestitures are already contracted or
completed, the company said. The proceeds will be used to retire
debt from the purchase of SSMC.
Semi-Tech also announced financial results for the six months
ended July 31. The company reported net income of C$6.95 million
on revenues of C$358 million. That represents a 500-percent
increase in revenues from C$68 million in the same period last
year, but net income was down from C$7.067 million. Last year's
results included a C$5.1-million non-recurring gain from selling
an interest in Semi-Tech (Far East), a Hong Kong subsidiary.
(Grant Buckler/19890927/Press Contact: Michael List,
International Semi-Tech, 416-475-2670)
(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(BRU)(00023)
CHIPS & TECHNOLOGIES TO EXPAND}
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, 1989 SEP 29 (NB) -- Chips & Technologies, the US
component and chip supplier, has announced expansion plans
for its European operations. The expansion plans include the
possibility of a design centre based in Belgium, according to
one Newsbytes' source.
"Chips & Technologies will set up a commercial office in Brussels
before the end of this year. A design centre is in the crucial
stages of talks at the moment. We envisage a set up for 1990,"
the source said.
Chips & Technologies' head office in Santa Clara, California, has
confirmed the European expansion drive. "We have plans for
expansion of the Munich-based sales office and for other office
locations throughout Europe," Karen Kane, strategic account
manager for C&T's European operations told Newsbytes.
(Eric Dauchy/19890929/Press Contact : Karen Kane, USA - Tel: 408-
434-0600)
(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(BRU)(00024)
AEG ANNOUNCED YEAR-END RESULTS}
FRANKFURT, WEST GERMANY, 1989 SEP 30 (NB) -- Sales of West German
electronics group AEG rose 12 percent to DM 7,400 million,
compared with the same period the previous year, the company
announced last week. The pleasing results were due, AEG chairman
Heinz Durr said, due to increased sales in the transport systems,
office and communications, and microelectronics divisions of the
group.
Durr revealed that the improvements in sales results are likely
to continue for some time to come. As at 31 August, 1989, the
company had DM 8,800 million worth of orders in progress - a rise
of 14 percent on the figures for the same date last year.
AEG currently employs more than 77,000 people worldwide, a
figure that has fallen by 10,000 from a year ago, following the
transfer of its defence operations to the Deutsche Aerospace
group.
(Eric Dauchy/19890930)
(NEWS)(GENERAL)(HKG)(00001)
HP'S BABY JET TAKES OFF IN HONGKONG}
CENTRAL, HONGKONG, 1989 SEP 25 (NB) -- Executives at Hewlett-
Packard have never experienced such interest as has been
generated by the release of the LaserJet IIP, an entry level
desktop laser printer which was released only last week.
Apparently the price tag of less than $1,500 appeals to local
buyers and Peter Lui, regional HP peripherals executive, says
that customers are not even bothering to look at a
demonstration before ordering it. The company is receiving
phone orders simply saying: "Just send two around, we don't
need to see it."
Worldwide reports of similar customer reaction suggest that
this product will be a winner as HP has never seen before. It
is to be hoped that inventories are substantial enough to
satisfy the demand.
(Keith Cameron/19890929)
(EXCLUSIVE)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00002)
WORLD OF COMMODORE SHOW REPORT; GENIE'S NEW C-INTERFACE
VALLEY FORGE, PENNSYLVANIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 24 (NB) -- The Second
Annual Northeast World of Commodore Show has been viewed as
a success by most concerned. Some 8,000 people attended the
show that was sponsored by Commodore Business Machines and
produced by The Hunter Group. While mostly Amiga-related, several
new and interesting developments were unveiled for C-64 and
C-128 owners.
GEnie Information Services displayed a beta version front-
end terminal program for the C-128. Using icons and point
and click menus, the software is designed to ease navigation
for GEnie's Commodore users. Written by Bill Coleman, release
of a C128 version is scheduled for sometime around the holidays
while a C-64 will follow, Newsbytes was told.
Among the most exciting new hardware items were two new
products from Creative Micro Designs, a hard drive, and a
power-backed RAM Expansion Unit Interface. The RAMLINK
interface, with a built-in operating system, supports all of
Commodore's REUs, and provides a pass-through connector for a
second cartridge port peripheral. The most unique feature is the
ability to eliminate REU memory loss on power-down. When
attached to the new HD Series Hard Drive, increased data
transfer rates are maximized. A 20 meg HD Hard Drive was built
as a low-cost but fast serial or parallel drive. Other features
include 20 or 40 megabyte capacity, auto-park, and 3 1/2-inch
SCSI technology that can be chained to other SCSI drives. It
is CP/M and GEOS compatible with full partitions and
subdirectories. A pre-holiday release is expected.
Quick Brown Boxes has announced a new 64 kilobyte battery-
backed cartridge called the QBB-B. This cartridge works in
tandem with a first QBB giving a Commodore128K of battery-backed
RAM. A special driver is included to access the extra 4
banks of memory, with a RAMDOS program in development. The
C-64 version is now ready for shipping, while the 128
version will be released in about 45 days.
In the software arena, a beta version of Rich Kane's Basic
8 program I-Paint was demonstrated. This mouse driven, 64K video
RAM paint program has 640X400 (8X8) interlace pictures with many
different modes including hold and recover, draw, file, print, zoom,
mono, clip and paste. 4,096 colors on a C-128D stunned the crowd.
Release for this graphics program is expected around
mid-winter.
DADS.INC announced their release of BellTerm (C-64).
Written by Ed Bell, this terminal program sports Y-Modem
batch up and downloading at 2400 baud.
Among new games were Paragon Software's Dr. Doom's Revenge!
Featuring Spider-Man and Captain America, the object is to invade Dr.
Doom's fortress to save New York from Armageddon.
Among other news at the show was word that Briwall has
launched a monthly 8-bit newsletter and starts
operations in Australia (called Briwall-Austarlia).
TC-128 released their latest issue (#26) which has an
interesting article for 1581 users. "Hacking The 1581" (by
Miklos Garamszeghy) describes how to modify the 1581 for use
with 80-track 5 1/4 drives in either native or CP/M mode.
Despite the recent rumors of the C-64 and C-128's demise,
this Commodore show was certainly fast paced, with many
exciting advances for this product line.
(Bill Juliani/19890929)
(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TYO)(00003)
ONE MILLION GAME BOYS SHIPPED}
KYOTO, JAPAN, 1989 SEP 23 (NB) -- Japan's video game giant Nintendo
has spawned another major consumer electronics phenomenon. The
company has shipped over one million units of its Game Boy, a portable
video game gadget with an 8-bit central processing unit. Nintendo
shipped 710,000 units since its first release this April through
the end of this August in Japan, and has been exporting to the U.S.
450,000 units per month since the end of July.
The software industry is not wasting time jumping on this train.
Many of Japan's software vendors have signed a licence agreement
with Nintendo to supply game software for Game Boy, and
three of them have already sold game software cartridges. There are
nine kinds of software currently available in the market, including
Nintendo's, and further, ten other vendors are scheduled to
release 15 kinds of software by year's end.
Nintendo is now producing 300,000 Game Boys per month
and is determined to bring the monthly output to 400,000
units early next year.
(Ken Takahashi/19890928)
(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SYD)(00004)
"BLACK FRIDAY" VIRUS IN WEST AUSTRALIA}
PERTH, AUSTRALIA, 1989 SEP 25 (NB) -- The "Black Friday" virus
has been detected in a small number of PCs in Western Australia,
and it is feared that it will knock out hundreds of PCs and
destroy their data this month on Friday the 13th October.
The "Black Friday Virus" is similar to the "Jerusalem" or "PLO"
virus, and is triggered when a computer's time clock registers
Friday the 13th or when a virus infection fails.
The West Australian virus was found recently by Imre Fuderer, a
development officer with the state's railways. He detected it
after his PC at home began to slow down. After running speed
checks, he found two unnamed files monitoring the time-clock
functions and operating system of his machine. Fuderer then found
12 machines at Westrail had also been infected up to 40 times.
Investigations through Fuderer's friends revealed several other
companies have been infected.
Mr Fuderer believes the virus probably came to Perth through
software brought in from the Middle East in 1987, and that it was
not intentionally or maliciously introduced. He fears it may
appear in other states of Australia if infected software has been
transported. "I would hazard a guess that perhaps 10 to 15
percent of PCs and other systems here in Perth are infected," he
said.
(Gavin Atkins & Computing Australia/19890926)
(NEWS)(GENERAL)(WAS)(00005)
PRIME ANNOUNCES SITE LICENSE FOR PERSONAL DESIGNER}
NATICK, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 25 (NB) -- Prime
Computer will begin a program offering site licenses to its
Personal Designer software users on October 1. The microCADDS
Geometric Construction and Detailing package is included in the
program which can save multiple copy users up to 40 percent.
(John McCormick/19890927/Press Contact: Patrick Pecorelli, 617-
275-1800, X 5270)
(NEWS)(GENERAL)(WAS)(00006)
PRIME INTRODUCES NEW ELECTROMECHANICAL DESIGN SOFTWARE}
NATICK, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 25 (NB) -- THEDA, a new
series of complex electronic and mechanical design programs, was
introduced Monday by Prime Computer. The new software family is
reportedly completely integrated with Prime's CAADS family of
products.
The new family of programs, which are priced from $2,500 to more
than $25,000, is intended for use by electronic engineers
designing with ultra-fast, multi-layer, surface-mount printed
circuits.
(John McCormick/19890927/Press Contact: Paul LaBelle, Prime, 508-
655-8000 X 5730)
(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LAX)(00007)
HITACHI RE-ENTERS HIGH-END MONITOR MARKET}
COMPTON, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 25 (NB) -- The
Industrial Products Division of Hitachi Sales Corporation of
America has re-entered the color display monitor market
introducing a 20-inch ultra-high resolution, multi scan model.
At a retail price of $3,295, the Hitachi CM-2085M automatically
adjusts to a wide range of scanning frequencies--30 to 64 KHz
horizontally and 50 to 100 Hz vertically. It offers 0.31 mm tri-
dot pitch with 1280 dots by 1024 lines resolution and RGB analog
input. The 19 inch (vertical) CRT is housed in a unit equipped
with a swivel base.
The unit will be sold through Hitachi's direct sales force.
(Janet Endrijonas/19890929/Press Contact: Eric Kamayatsu,
Hitachi, 213-605-2537)
(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LAX)(00008)
TI SCHEDULES 2ND CASE SATELLITE SEMINAR}
DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 27 (NB) -- A second seminar on
computer-aided software engineering (CASE) will be televised via
satellite on Thursday, November 16.
The three hour program will be downlinked to sites in the US,
Canada and Europe and is designed for corporate management,
information systems management, analysts, consultants and
educators.
The program will include practical advice on evaluating and
implementing CASE tools including case histories of CASE
implementation by several users of TI's CASE tool, Information
Engineering Facility (IEF). The seminar in November will consist
of all new material--there will be no repeat of material
presented in the first CASE satellite seminar that reached 17,000
people at 475 sites.
The seminar will be available for viewing at several TI-hosted
sites and at any corporation or organization that has a satellite
antenna. There is no charge for downlinking and the seminar will
not be scrambled. Additional registration and downlinking
information can be obtained by calling 800/527-3500.
(Janet Endrijonas/19890929/Press Contact: Bob Bledsoe, Texas
Instruments, 214-997-3857)
(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00009)
MICROSOFT GIVES CD-ROM CONFERENCE TO CAHNERS}
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 29 (NB) -- Microsoft has
handed management of its Microsoft CD-ROM International
Conference and Exposition to Cahners Exposition Group, managers
of a variety of high-tech conferences.
Says Min Yee, Microsoft vice president, Multimedia Division,
and chairman of the event, "Microsoft is not an events management
company, so we sought the professional services of Cahners to ensure
full-time management of the event's growth."
The fifth annual conference is slated for February 27 through March
1, 1990 at the San Francisco Hilton Hotel.
(Wendy Woods/19890929/Press Contact: Marty Taucher, Microsoft,
206-882-8080)
(EXCLUSIVE)(GENERAL)(HKG)(00010)
HANDWRITER CHIEF ON LIGHTENING ASIAN VISIT}
CAUSEWAY BAY, HONGKONG, 1989 SEP 22 (NB) -- James Dao,
president and founder of San Francisco-based Communications
Intelligence Corporation, visited the Far East, checking on the
progress of his new joint development operation in Taiwan for a
Chinese language version of the biometric Handwriter input
device which has proved so successful in Japan and the USA.
Mr Dao spoke to Newsbytes in Hongkong, in between discussions
with regional NCR and Apple management, two companies keen to
promote the Handwriter throughout Asia.
"Although we are confident that Handwriter will revolutionize
the human interface with computers in the Western world, it is
ideally suited to the idiomatic languages of Asia, " says Mr
Dao.
This statement is well vindicated by the introduction of
Handwriter to the Japanese market around three years ago.
According to Mr Dao, more than 2,500 Japanese language units
have been sold and in the vast majority of cases Handwriter has
completely replaced the keyboard and the mouse.
"The traditional systems problems which distinguish Japanese
Kanji from Chinese do not exist with Handwriter. Because the
device is biometric and records the movements of the hand
rather than the graphic image, our recognition techniques are
unique and much faster that products currently available."
"Despite the fact that I left China in 1949, I have always had
a dream to develop a method of Chinese character input which
anyone can use. Now, I am convinced we have it, and I am in
Hongkong to hold discussions with friends who share my
sentiments and may wish to share in the venture," Mr Dao
pointed out.
What is not at first apparent with Chinese language script, is
that it is much more suited to a computer environment than
English, according to James Dao. "A page of Chinese text
contains much more information than a page of English language.
Each single character has a total meaning, rather than simply a
letter in a word. A Chinese character is a recognizable symbol
and computers work well with symbols, indeed they wouldn't work
without them."
(Keith Cameron/19890929)
(NEWS)(GENERAL)(HKG)(00011)
HONGKONG: RESTAURANT PIONEERS NEW POS TERMINALS}
SHEUNG WAN, HONGKONG, 1989 SEP 29 (NB) -- Hopewell Food
Industries is planning to install NCR 2760 point-of-sale (POS)
terminals at three of its restaurant outlets.
The company, which 10 years ago purchased the first NCR 2160
terminals in Hongkong, considers that the new system will
help management improve overall restaurant performance with
features that monitor sales activity and employee productivity.
Alex Lee, manager, Retail Systems Division of NCR, said that
the 2760 offers electronic guest-check capability which allows
a guest's order to be tracked throughout the meal without
printing it until the guest is ready to settle the account.
"The table number is used as the primary identifier, but seat
numbers can be specified separately if bills are requested by
more than on guest at a table," he said.
Eight terminals worth a total of $50,000 will be installed at
Hopewell's popular Cantonese restaurant, gourmet European
restaurant, and combined bar, coffee shop and fast food
outlet.
(Keith Cameron/19890929)
(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00012)
ADD-ONS COLOUR HAND SCANNER LAUNCHED}
SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND, 1989 SEP 30 (NB) -- Addons Limited, the
Southampton-based distributor, has launched the world's first
colour scanner. The UKP 499 unit was launched at the Personal
Computer Show in London last week.
The Cameroon hand-held scanner works to a 12 bits per pixel
definition and has a palette of 4,096 colours. It will also
operate in black and white.
The unit is compatible with the IBM PC and close compatibles, as
well as the Commodore Amiga. Versions will shortly be available
for the Apple Mac and Atari ST series of computers. Suitable OCR
and graphics software is included within the UK 499 price tag.
(Steve Gold/19890930/Press & Public Contact: Victor Unt, sales
director - Addons Limited - Tel: 0703-620202)
(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BRU)(00013)
SYSTEMS CENTRE BRINGS DATAMOVER-CICS}
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, 1989 SEP 29 (NB) -- Systems Centre announced the
general availability of Network Datamover-CICS, a software
package that acts as a distributed information system for IBM,
DEC and Tandem computers. The new package gives CICS users direct
access to a wide range of capabilities for file transfer,
automated operations, audit and security.
Network Datamover-CICS is an interface to Systems Centre's
existing NDM-MVS protocol, offering an alternative to using the
TSO protocol. NDM-CICS executes services with any processor
driving another member of the NDM family, including the NDM-VM,
NDM-VSE, NDM-VMS, NDM-Tandem and NDM-PC series.
"This is the first bulk file transfer product to provide an
interface for CICS users and applications," said Michael May,
marketing product manager for Systems Centre.
"It is also the first to give CICS users access to non-IBM
platforms. Those are both important firsts, especially when you
consider that more than 70 percent of the IBM mainframe
installations are running CICS."
(Eric Dauchy/19890927/Press Contact: Systems Centre, Freddy
Ghoos, Belgium - Tel +32-2-348-6301)
(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BRU)(00014)
SHELL BUYS A TRANSPUTER FOR RESEARCH}
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS, 1989 SEPT 29 (NB) -- Parsytec has
secured a $500,000 contract to supply and maintain a parallel transputer
computer at Shell's Koninkijke laboratories in Amsterdam. Terms
of the contract call on Parsytec of West Germany to supply a
computer system with 800MB RAM, and capable of processing at an
amazing 4,000 MIPS and 600 megaflops.
Shell's labs in Amsterdam specialize in fluid and gas-flow
simulations for which the company developed special software
algorithms. The new transputer will enable the Koninkijke
laboratories to move up from two to three-dimensional
simulations. Initially, the Parsytec computer will have 100
microprocessors fitted, which will be expanded to 400 by 1991.
The system has a total microprocessor capacity of 1,000
transputer modules.
Dr Langeveld, head of the mathematics and systems engineering
division of Shell's labs, said Parsytec's system was chosen for
its speed and reliability as well as for its efficient
communications.
(Eric Dauchy/198890930)
(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BRU)(00015)
INTEL PLANS PLANT IN IRELAND}
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, 1989 SEP 30 (NB) -- Intel has announced plans to
build a new plant in Ireland, according to a report in the London
Financial Times. The plant, which will cost $280 million, will
eventually employ around 2,000 staff, making Intel one of the
biggest employers in the Irish Republic.
Intel's decision to site the plant in Ireland has been made after
several months of deliberation by the US chip manufacturing
company. Ireland was chosen because of the grants available, both
from the Irish and European governments, and the tax advantages
available in the Irish Republic.
(Eric Dauchy/19890930)
(NEW)(GOVT)(SFO)(00001)
APPLE SHAREHOLDERS CAN SUE OVER TWIGGY}
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 29 (NB) -- Apple
shareholders can sue over claims that Apple misled them about
the prospects for the Twiggy disk drive in 1982, so says
9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Jerome Farris.
A group of shareholders have charged that Apple officials failed
to disclose reliability problems encountered with the Twiggy
high-density drive. The court cited documents which showed that
as officials publicly claimed the drive was more reliable than other
high-density drives, Apple engineers were warning of problems
with them which could delay introduction of the Lisa computer.
While the stockholders may proceed with their suit on the Twiggy,
they were denied action against Apple in relation to its Lisa
computer, which went on the market in 1982. The group claims
they were misled by company officers about the Lisa's prospects.
During the 1982-83 time period, Apple stock was as high as
$63 a share, but it plunged to $17 after the Lisa, at $10,000,
and the forerunner to the Macintosh, failed to met much success
in the market.
(Wendy Woods/19890929)
(NEWS)(GOVT)(SFO)(00002)
BILL TO END SOFTWARE RENTAL}
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1989 SEP 29 (NB) -- A bill to prohibit the
rental of software has been introduced by Senator Orin Hatch (R-Utah)
in S. 198, "Computer Software Rental Amendments of 1989."
The bill is an amendment to section 109b of the Copyright
Act, according to "Computer Tax & Law Report," a new monthly
newsletter devoted to dissemination of information about legal
developments affecting the computer industry. Subscriptions can
be obtained ($200/year) by writing Computer Tax & Law Report,
126 East 56th St., New York, NY 10022.
Senate bill 198 would make it illegal to rent, lease, or lend software for
commercial advantage, with the exception of libraries. Video
cartridges would not be covered under the terms of the bill.
(Wendy Woods/19890928)
(NEWS)(GOVT)(WAS)(00003)
FRANKLIN LITIGATES AGAIN}
MOUNT HOLLY, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 28 (NB) -- Having
announced only two weeks ago its plans to sue Smith Corona Corp.
for patent violations, Franklin Computer Corp has today announced
it has filed a similar suit against Selectronics, Inc. and one
of its vendors in regard to Selectronics' Wordfinder products.
Selectronics sells a $120, 6-ounce, thesaurus-dictionary, which
Franklin claims violates it's U.S. Patent No. 4,830,618 entitled
"Electronic Spelling Machine."
Last week Smith Corona announced that it would vigorously defend
its self in court against the Franklin action.
In Pittsford, New York, Selectronics announced that
it would aggressively defend against the Franklin suit, with
Mike Weiner, Selectronics' president, saying that Franklin's
patent covered an obscure feature and that his company's
products "clearly do not violate the Franklin patent."
(John McCormick/1989029/Press Contact: Gregory J. Winsky, vice
president of Franklin Computer, 609-261-4800 or Mike Weiner,
president of SelecTronics, 716-248-3875)
(NEWS)(GOVT)(LAX)(00004)
US LAW TO REGULATE OPERATOR-ASSISTED COMPANIES}
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1989 SEP 25 (NB) -- The US House of
Representatives has passed and sent to the Senate a bill to
regulate operator service companies.
The legislation is in response to complaints about unusually high
charges for operator-assisted calls when one of the numerous
alternative operator companies that entered the market after the
breakup of AT&T is used. Complaints have come from people who
discover when they receive their hotel telephone bill or a home
telephone bill including charges billed-back from credit cards
and pay phones that alternative companies charge considerably
more than local telephone companies. Rarely, if ever, are they
informed of the difference in rates before placing their calls.
The House bill directs the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) to establish rules under which alternative operators would
have to identify their company's name and provide rate
information to enable callers to decide whether or not to
complete their calls using that service.
The bill also directs alternative services to file their rates
with the FCC which would be entitled to review these rates and
demand explanations for any that appear exorbitant. The new bill
would also require that new and existing equipment be upgraded to
allow telephone users to connect to the interstate carrier of
their choice.
(Janet Endrijonas/19890929)
(NEWS)(GOVT)(LAX)(00005)
GRID-TOSHIBA SUIT SETTLED WITH CROSS-LICENSE}
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 28 (NB) -- Toshiba
says it has signed a cross-licensing agreement with Grid Systems
covering the clamshell hinge incorporated by both companies in
their laptop computers.
Several months ago, Grid Systems had sued Toshiba over the
latter's use of this patented hinge. As a result of the cross-
licensing agreement, Grid has dropped its patent infringement
case against Toshiba.
No details of the deal have been release. Tandy Corp., owner of
Grid Systems, has said that it still believes its patent rights
apply to a significant number of laptop computers that have
already been manufactured as well as those to be manufactured in
the future.
(Janet Endrijonas/19890929)
(NEWS)(GOVT)(LAX)(00006)
MICRON TECHNOLOGY ANNOUNCES SHAREHOLDER LAWSUIT}
BOISE, IDAHO, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 26 (NB) -- Micron Technology
has been taken to court by a group of shareholders who charge
the chipmaker with violation of securities law. The lawsuit was
filed September 22 in US District Court for the Eastern District
of New York.
The class action complaint, which names Micron Technology and
certain of its past and present officers and directors, alleges
federal securities law violations in connection
with certain statements made by the company between March 15,
1989 and July 18, 1989, a claim of insider trading violations by
certain past and present officers and directors as well as
pendant state law claims.
Micron Technology has announced that it plans a vigorous defense
in this matter.
(Janet Endrijonas/19890929/Press Contact: Kipp Bedard, Micron
Technology, 208-389-4400)
(NEWS)(GOVT)(SYD)(00007)
CONSOLATION FOR FUJITSU DOWN UNDER}
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 SEP 25 (NB) -- Fujitsu has signed a
multi-million dollar research and development agreement with the
Australian National University (ANU) -- an agreement that may
serve as some consolation to Fujitsu a week after it missed out
on the AUS$600 M tax office contract.
Fujitsu will spend millions of dollars jointly developing new
computer technologies with an ANU research team. The initial
signed agreement involves two projects, one for an artificial
vision system and the second involving parallel computing. A
third project on neurocomputing is being discussed and others are
being planned.
Fujitsu will be responsible for supplying the computer equipment
for the project. The funding will be initially about AUS$1
million a year, but a university spokesman said it could increase
to AUS$10M over the next five years.
(Gavin Atkins & Computing Australia/19890926)
(NEWS)(GOVT)(TOR)(00008)
PROVINCIAL TECHNOLOGY CENTER SOLD}
CAMBRIDGE, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 SEP 27 (NB) -- Giffels
Associates, an engineering and architectural firm based in
Toronto, has bought the Ontario Centre for Advanced Manufacturing
from the province of Ontario. The province had sought a buyer for
the Crown corporation for the past two years. Ontario established
OCAM in 1982 to promote advanced design and manufacturing
technology to industry in the province.
Giffels plans to keep the name of OCAM and to retain its
employees and its headquarters in Cambridge, Ontario, west of
Toronto. OCAM will be added to the firm's consulting operations.
(Grant Buckler/19890929)
(NEWS)(GOVT)(BRU)(00009)
SORBUS A HIT WITH THE US ARMY}
DUSSELDORF, WEST GERMANY, 1989 SEP 29 (NB) -- Sorbus, the West
German computer company, has landed a $20 million contract with
the US Army. Terms of the contract call for Sorbus to maintain
US Army computers in three countries.
Sorbus will be responsible for the maintenance of the US Army
facilities at 183 sites in West Germany, Belgium and the UK. The
contract covers 70,000 parts from 244 different suppliers.
Sorbus is a subsidiary of Bell Atlantic and the biggest
independent computer maintenance company in West Germany. The
company has offices in Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy and
the United States.
(Eric Dauchy/19890929/Press Contact: Jack Baird, USA - Tel:215-
963-6639.)
(EXCLUSIVE)(IBM)(LON)(00001)
NEW WORDPERFECT DEMO'D; DRAWPERFECT LAUNCHED}
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1989 SEP 30 (NB) -- Wordperfect UK has launched
a new PC graphics package called Drawperfect. The UKP 395 package
was launched at the Personal Computer Show in London last week.
Also shown, but not launched, was Wordperfect 5.1 for the PC, an
upgrade on the existing Wordperfect 5.0. The package will be
ready for launch during the first or second quarter next year.
Drawperfect was seen by many as an impressive package. The software,
which occupies 384K of free memory on the PC, can be used with
two high density (1.22/1.44MB) drives, although a hard disk is
recommended.
Like Wordperfect, Drawperfect allows complex graphics and text to
be generated on-screen at the same time. Drawperfect excels in
the graphics stakes, with the ability to tilt, pan, shrink and
zoom a variety of graphics images. The package comes with a vast
library of pre-drawn graphics images, and supports a wide range
of formats, including Lotus PIC, Autocad, DXF, CGM, HPGL, TIFF,
PCX and other file formats.
Wordperfect 5.1, meanwhile, has a number of major enhancements
over the existing version of WP for the PC. V5.1 includes pull-
down menus and mouse support as standard. All commands can be
accessed via pull-down menus or WP function key commands.
Tables can be created within WP 5.1, and can have lines in a
variety of widths as cell borders. Data from other packages can
easily be imported. One very useful feature is the ability to
enter complex mathematics symbols in English and have them
converted to the mathematical symbol (e.g. the integration
symbol).
"Wordperfect 5.1 will offer more advanced functionality, yet it
will be even easier to use. And despite it enhancement and
greater power, the program will still operate on a PC with 640K
of RAM. Users will not have to upgrade their hardware to receive
the new benefits," he said.
(Steve Gold/19890930/Press Contact: Peter Fergusson, managing
director, Wordperfect UK - Tel: 0932-231164)
(EXCLUSIVE)(IBM)(SYD)(00002)
PHILIPPE KAHN TO LAUNCH NEW QUATTRO IN AUSTRALIA}
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 SEP 28 (NB) -- Borland chief Philippe
Kahn is scheduled to officially launch the first shipments of
the Quattro Pro spreadsheet when he visits Australia for the first
time during October. This means that the product will ship first in
Australia.
The company expects to capture 10 percent of the spreadsheet
market within months as the new Quattro reportedly overcomes all
problems and limitations in 1-2-3 or Excel without sacrificing
quality and still runs in 512k. One secret weapon is VROOMM or
virtual real-time object oriented memory management.
(Paul Zucker/19890929)
(EXCLUSIVE)(IBM)(WAS)(00003)
DAMARK ZENITH LAPTOP UPDATE}
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 26 (NB) -- Following up last
weeks's Newsbytes report, Mark Cohn, in an exclusive interview
with Newsbytes, said that the Zenith TurboSport 386 laptops his
company is remaindering are selling like hotcakes at their
reduced $2,999 price which is $5,000 less than list.
According to Mr. Cohn, the 12 megahertz, 80386-based, 2 megabyte
laptop, which comes with a 40 megabyte hard disk and 2400 baud
modem will probably be sold out before Christmas even though his
company bought "thousands" from Zenith.
The TurboSport is a massive 18-pound "laptop" with 2 - 3 hour
battery life and is a very high end laptop capable of running
386-specific applications such as AutoCAD.
Damark is a company that specializes in purchasing overstocked
items or products from distressed companies and selling them
through its catalogs at substantially reduced prices.
Interested parties can get on Damark's mailing list by writing to
the company at 6707 Shingle Creek Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55430
or order by calling 800-729-9000.
(John McCormick/19890926/Press Contact: Mark Cohn, Damark, 612-
560-5415)
(NEWS)(IBM)(WAS)(00004)
NEC FIRST TO SHIP COLOR LAPTOP IN U.S.}
WOOD DALE, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 25 (NB) -- NEC
Information Systems and NEC Home Electronics (U.S.A.) have
introduced the ProSpeed CSX personal computer, and claims
it will be the first color laptop to be shipped in the U.S.
The ProSpeed, an 80386-based PC, comes with a mighty base
weight (nearly 19 pounds) and a hefty base price ($8,499) but offers
a screen capable of displaying 16 colors simultaneously from a
palette of 64 colors on a 600 by 400-line CTN (compensated
twisted nematic) color LCD. Those that might be willing to pay such
a price for color include people in medical imaging or presentation
graphics, according to NEC officials.
The laptop measures 15-inches across, 14-inches deep and 4-
inches high. Two hard disk configurations augment the basic
two megabyte standard random access memory: 42 megabytes
and 100 megabytes.
On board are a full-sized, 89-key desktop-style keyboard with
separate numeric keypad, a 115/230 volt power supply, a
Centronics parallel port, a port to hook up a monitor, a 9-pin
serial port, external 5.25-inch floppy drive port, and an optional
2400-baud internal modem. The machine is bundled with MS-DOS 3.3,
NEC's version of Microsoft Windows/386, system setup
software, and GW-BASIC 3.2.
The product will ship in the US in mid-October.
(Wendy Woods & John McCormick/19890930/Press Contact:
NEC Home Electronics, Lyn Corbett Fitzgerald, PR manager,
312-860-9500)
(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00005)
TANDY ROLLS OUT NOTEBOOK COMPUTER, FAX, UNIX PRODUCTS}
FORTH WORTH, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 28 (NB) -- Tandy rolled
out several new computer products, ranging from a notebook-
sized PC to a fax hardware/software combo to Tandy's
contribution to a new Unix graphical user interface.
The Tandy 1100 FD is a notebook-size computer that weighs a mere
6.5 lbs. and sells for $999. It has 640 K of RAM and built in
ROM software including MS-DOS 3.3, Tandy's DeskMate interface,
DeskMate's TEXT applications program and a 90,000 word spell
checker. The unit has a full-size LCD with the same form factor
as a video monitor and a built-in 760K 3.5 inch diskette drive.
The system uses a replaceable battery and there is an optional
1200 bps internal modem available for $199.95. The 1100 FD will
be available in November at Radio Shack.
FaxMate is a fax system for PCs. Its DeskMate interface allows
a user to transmit by fax anything that can be typed, drawn or
scanned into a PC. FaxMate operates in background so the
computer can be used for other tasks during transmission or
reception of faxes. FaxMate hardware/software system will be
available at Radio Shack in November and will sell for $349.95.
Also new from Tandy is a graphical user interface for Unix-based
systems, a new standards-based, integrated operating environment
that is intended to provide high-end graphical workstation
capabilities at PC prices. Open Desktop is a product of the
Santa Cruz Operation (SCO) and was a joint development by SCO,
Locus, Digital Relational Technology and Tandy.
(Janet Endrijonas/19890929/Press Contact: Ed Juge, Tandy
Corporation, 817-390-3549)
(NEWS)(IBM)(WAS)(00006)
BIG BLUE BITES BIG BULLET, STOCK DROPS}
ARMONK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 27 (NB) -- IBM stock had
plunged by six points at closing on today's announcement by the
company that, due to the strong dollar and the costs of new
product introductions, IBM's earnings for the third quarter would
be below projections. News that earnings could drop by as much as
one-half from the $2.40 or higher per share predicted by some
analysts prompted some brokerage firms to move IBM from a
buy/hold to a sell recommendation.
Just last week, IBM announced major new software products and
the intention to develop both battery-operated laptop and
notebook computers, while this week new PS/2 computers were
announced, along with previously unspecified advantages inherent
in IBM's proprietary Micro Channel computer architecture.
Of course, hard times for IBM are purely relative, with the
company remaining massively profitable, the lowered earnings
estimate bring projected earnings for fiscal 89 in line with
those for 88. One example of Big Blue's strength is seen in the
fact that one part of the lowered expectations is due to a major
switch among mainframe users from purchase to leasing
arrangements, meaning that IBM will merely defer earnings from
the present year to following years.
Another important reason for the expected earnings drop is the
failure of IBM's next generation mainframe disk storage system
which is well behind schedule. The new drive is reportedly
running well at test sites, but production is slow due to the
extremely complex nature of the new system.
(John McCormick/19890927)
(NEWS)(IBM)(WAS)(00007)
IBM UNWRAPS MORE MICRO CHANNEL AND NEW OS/2}
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 26 (NB) -- IBM, which
has always been known for playing things close to the vest, has
chosen today to describe several powerful features of the
Micro Channel architecture, features which, although unknown to
the public until now, are inherent in all Micro Channel machines.
The new features relate to new data transfer modes which offer up
to 160 megabyte per second data movement along the bus, eight
times faster than the present 20 MB rate.
Described today were 32- and 64-bit streaming data procedure
modes which increase data throughput by reducing the pause
between sending blocks of data from the current 200 nanoseconds
to 100 nanoseconds after the first block of a series. This is
possible because the Micro Channel machines send address
information and data on separate lines and work by eliminating
the need to send the address over again for each block of data
after the initial one.
The 64-bit streaming data procedure involves multiplexing, or
sending data across the bus when it is idle, allowing 64-bit data
transfer instead of limiting block size to 32-bit.
Yet further extensions in the future can reduce the break time to
only 50 nanoseconds, allowing a maximum burst data transfer speed
approaching 160 megabytes per second.
Other features, some mentioned before but not fully described,
include data and address parity checking which increases error
correction; a synchronous channel check which helps isolate a bad
device on a multiuser system allowing just that unit to be shut
down; and subsystem control block architecture which allows a
single machine to operate in a sort of local area network state,
where bus master cards can selectively control the system on a
peer-to-peer basis.
IBM also introduced their new $8,395 Model 70 286-A61 computer
and the $5,795 Model 70 386-061, two 80386-based Micro Channel
machines running at 25 and 20 megahertz respectively and coming
with 60 MB hard disks.
IBM has reduced prices on several popular computers and dropped
the 314 megabyte hard disk option from $6,860 to $5,775. Other
price reductions average about 6 percent.
Another new computer announced today, the $2,595 Model 30 286-
E31, is a non-Micro Channel, 30 megabyte hard disk version of the
popular IBM Model 30 which comes with one MB of RAM memory.
In the software arena, the latest version of OS/2 Standard
Edition, Version 1.2, has recently started shipping and it
features significant new user-friendly features, such as the
ability to boot either PC-DOS or OS/2 directly from the hard
disk, an online command reference that supplies more than 300
pages of command reference and syntax information at a keystroke,
and new and better icons for the Presentation Manager.
Far more important, there are new device drivers that support
Epson FX80 and LQ 1500 printers, and a PCL or Printer Control
Language device driver that will run the HP Laserjet and Laserjet
II printers is promised for January.
IBM has also announced this week agreements with both Intel and
Chips and Technologies to co-develop and market Micro Channel
(TM) chipsets which will make it easier for third parties to
design and market MC adapter boards.
(John McCormick/19890927/Press Contact: Scott R. Brooks, IBM,
914-642-5408)
(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00008)
AST REDUCES ENHANCEMENT PRICE}
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 OCT 2 (NB) -- AST Research has
announced the reduction of prices for five enhancement products.
The price reductions are a direct result of the drop in the
price of memory chips. The prices have been lowered from 10 to
40 percent in direct proportion to the amount of memory in the
product.
The Rampage PC (formerly Rampage/2) offers EMS 4.0 support for
the IBM PC/XT, PS/2 models 25 and 30 and compatibles. The 1
MByte version has been lowered from $1,245 to $695 while the 256K
version now costs $395, down from $495. The SixPakPlus 384K
multifunction expansion board for PC, XT and compatibles has been
reduced from $495 to $395.
AST's VGA adapter cards have also been reduced in price. The 8-
bit, half-size AST-VGA card has gone down from $445 to $399. The
16-bit AST-VGA Plus price has been lowered from $599 to $449.
The price reductions are effective immediately.
(Janet Endrijonas/19890929/Press Contact: Deborah Paquin, AST
Research, 714-756-4984)
(NEWS)(IBM)(WAS)(00009)
HEADROOM ELIMINATES TSR MEMORY BARRIER}
BRIARWOOD, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1989 OCT 2 (NB) -- Helix Software
Company is offering a new PC utility program that allows users
to swap any program, including terminate and stay resident or
TSR (memory resident) utilities, and even Windows, completely out
of lower memory.
The standard 640 kilobytes of memory that the MS-DOS operating
system can normally use has long been a major barrier for those
wishing to run large applications programs along with TSRs, or
run TSRs with applications running under Microsoft's Windows
environment.
Helix claims that Headroom, which takes up only 50 kilobytes of
RAM or random access memory, itself, can completely swap other
applications out of lower memory either to hard disk or
extended/expanded memory.
This could be an important product because it promises to free up
extra memory even in older PCs, and do it easier than programs
like DESQview or PopDrop.
Headroom comes on either 5.25 or 3.5 inch media, requires MS-DOS
2.1 or higher, and sells for $129.95, with a special network
addition costing only $54.95.
Headroom is currently under evaluation for review purposes at
Newsbytes.
(John McCormick/1989029/Press Contact: Daniel Spilo, Helix, 800-
451-0551)
(NEWS)(IBM)(WAS)(00010)
IBM ANNOUNCES LOW-COST AS/ENTRY}
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 26 (NB) -- International
Business Machines has announced three new Application
System/Entry machines based on the IBM System/36 5363 system,
intended to offer small business users an entry-level multiuser
system for both office applications and general use.
The new systems, which will be available on October 6, start at
$11,000 for the AS/Entry Model S10 with one megabyte of memory
and a 105 megabyte disk drive and go up to the Model S22 with a
price tag of $36,525 with two megabytes of memory and 1.2
gigabytes of disk storage.
(John McCormick/19890927/Press Contact: J. Timothy Ohsann, IBM,
914-642-5359)
(NEWS)(IBM)(WAS)(00011)
IBM GIVES FIVE COLLEGES GRANTS TO HELP TRAIN NEW TEACHERS}
ARMONK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 25 (NB) -- IBM Corporation
has today announced awards of about $100,000 in computer
equipment to the following schools: Brigham Young University,
Provo, Utah; Kent State University, Kent, Ohio; the University of
Georgia, Athens, Ga.; the University of South Alabama, Mobile,
Ala., and Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.
These were the first of nearly 80 grants totalling more than $25
million in value that IBM plans to make during the next five
years to institutions of higher learning.
(John McCormick/19890927/Press Contact: Barbara L. Bickerman,
IBM, 914-697-6516)
(NEWS)(IBM)(WAS)(00012)
IBM ANNOUNCES AD/CYCLE SOFTWARE}
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 19 (NB) --
International Business Machines has announced an integrated
software development package called AD/Cycle, a programming
environment that helps automate the development of applications
software conforming to the IBM Systems Application Architecture
or SAA. SAA is an overall set of programming guidelines intended
to produce programs that look and run the same across a range of
machines from micros to mainframes.
The Repository Manager/MVS, core of the new software, which won't
be available until next summer, supports the definition and
control of application development information, including the
basic facts about the business's working environment such as
activities, assets, and computer equipment.
The consensus of observers is that while AD/Cycle is a good idea,
it won't have much impact on actual software development in the
near future.
(John McCormick/19890927/Press Contact: Glenn Rossman, IBM, 914-
642-5448)
(NEWS)(IBM)(WAS)(00013)
LOTUS DATALENS TOOLKIT SHIPS}
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 28 (NB) -- Lotus
Development Corp. has announced that it is shipping the DataLens
Developer Toolkit, programming tools that will help programmers
integrate Lotus applications such as 1-2-3 Rel. 3 with their
existing data.
Third party and corporate users can use the $250 DataLens Toolkit
with their C compiler to create data translation drivers such as
the one sample driver included with Lotus 1-2-3 Rel. 3 which can
read dBASE files. This capability will strengthen Lotus's data
analysis position by allowing users to transparently gather and
analyze data from mainframe or mini computer sources, or even
from a storage device like a CD-ROM.
Lotus is already a leader in supplying massive amounts of
financial data in CD-ROM form.
(John McCormick/19890928/Press Contact: Betsy Kosheff, Lotus,
617-225-1292)
(NEWS)(IBM)(WAS)(00014)
BOCA TO SHIP SUPER VGA BOARD}
BOCA RATON, FLORIDA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 28 (NB) -- Boca
Research, Inc., has today announced that it expects to ship its
800 by 600 VGA color graphics board for ISA or industry standard
architecture (PC/XT/AT) bus computers in a few weeks.
The new $395 SuperVGA by Boca board connects to 15-pin color or
monochrome analog multi-frequency monitors and provides complete
register-level compatibility with the IBM-standard 640 by 480 VGA
mode as well as all previous modes including Hercules.
(John McCormick/1989929/Press Contact: Silvia A. Fagiani, Boca
Research, 407-997-6227)
(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00015)
DVSC ENHANCES CENTAUR II MULTIUSER COMPUTER LINE}
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 25 (NB) -- Data Voice
Solutions Corporation (DVSC) has announced a new high performance
application processor known as DataLink 286 that is an
enhancement for the company's entire family of Centaur II multi-
user business computer systems.
Previously, Centaur II systems have been available with 8MHz
8086-compatible application processors that include 768KByte RAM
per user. The optional DataLink 286 now provides each terminal
with 12 MHz, Intel 80286 performance and 1 MByte RAM expandable
to as much as 8 MByte.
The new DataLink 286 card will be available in December at a
price of $2,295.
In a related announcement, DVSC has announced a new product line
brochure available free of charge to interested computer systems
managers.
(Janet Endrijonas/19890929/Press Contact: Charles Spencer,
Data/Voice Solutions Corp., 714-474-0330)
(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00016)
A NEW LAPTOP FROM EPSON
TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 18 (NB) -- Epson has
introduced a new laptop computer, the Equity LT-286e.
The new computer features modular design, a 3-way expansion
system and the first removable hard disk drives in a name-brand
laptop. The computer is equipped with a DataSafe disk drive
system that allows users to remove the 20 MByte and 40 MByte hard
disks for security, upgrade or exchange.
The 3-way expansion offers two internal, dedicated "snap-slots"
to accommodate a 2400 bps Hayes-compatible modem and a 1 MByte
RAM expansion card that increases the computer's standard RAM to
2 MByte. A 16-bit, AT compatible slot is also available for
additional expansion. This slot can be used to accommodate an
optional Epson 6 MB expansion card raising the unit's RAM
capacity to 8 MByte.
The unit weighs 13 pounds (without battery) and retails for
$4,599 with a 20 MByte hard disk and $4,999 with a 40 MByte
drive.
Also new from Epson is a VGA adapter for $399.00 and MS-DOS 4.1
software bundled with new Equity desktop and laptop computers.
Epson has also announced a comarketing agreement with QMS,
Inc.'s Imagen subsidiary to offer software-based PostScript
compatibility to ISA (Industry Standard Architecture) PCs that
use Epson 9- and 24-pin dot matrix and laser printers.
(Janet Endrijonas/19890929/Press Contact: Jan Marciano, Epson
America, Inc., 213-539-9140)
(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00017)
ADVANCED BUSINESS SIGNS PACT WITH IBM}
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 28 (NB) -- Advanced
Business Microsystems has disclosed the signing of a marketing
pact with IBM.
The agreement gives IBM exclusive rights to market Advanced
Business Microsystems' present and future product lines including
the Platinum series of accounting software. Terms of the
agreement were not released.
(Janet Endrijonas/19890929)
(NEWS)(IBM)(TYO)(00018)
SHARP RECEIVES PC SUPPLY FROM TI}
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 SEP 22 (NB) -- Sharp has revealed that a
portion of its IBM PC/AT-compatible personal computers sold in
the United States were supplied by U.S.-based leading semiconductor
maker Texas Instruments.
Sharp entered into the IBM-compatible business with an AX personal
computer in May, 1988 in Japan, however, the business did not
have much success. On the other hand, trial shipment of those
machines overseas shows healthy growth, with 3,000 to 5,000 units
being shipped in the U.S. and nearly 10,000 units sent to Europe
each month.
TI is Sharp's second supplier, following its 100 percent owned
subsidiary, Sharp Manufacturing Company of America, in the U.S.
Most Japanese media reports this report as technical support by
a Japanese firm to a U.S. company -- TI produces Sharp's personal
computers to sell the machines under its brand name. Sharp,
however, denied this kind of report and said, "We are just
receiving a computer supply from TI on an original equipment
manufacturing basis."
(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890928)
(NEWS)(IBM)(TYO)(00019)
IBM JAPAN & KANEBO LAUNCH INFO BUSINESS}
OSAKA, JAPAN, 1989 SEP 22 (NB) -- To branch out globally,
Kanebo, the second largest cosmetics maker and one of the
leading textile manufacturers in Japan, has established a
company to develop SIS (strategic information systems) in
cooperation with IBM Japan.
The new company, Kanebo Software Development, will begin
15 October with 200 million yen or $1.4 million of
investment shared 65 percent by Kanebo and 35 percent by IBM Japan.
To start, 30 employees from both IBM and Kanebo will be
placed with the new company and employment will increase to
300 in the next five years, according to the firms. Also, some
300 million yen or $2.1 million worth of sales are expected in
the initial year, expanded to five billion yen or $35 million.
The construction of SIS will be shared between these three companies,
IBM Japan, Kanebo and Kanebo Software Development. The new firm will
develop SIS, and Kanebo will provide medium and small machines with
software as one of IBM agents, and IBM Japan will provide mainframes.
In the last decade, the most corporations have introduced a
computer system to manage their routine work more effectively
and those systems were called management information systems.
But, recently, corporate users are utilizing the systems for
strategic business operations.
(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890930)
(NEWS)(IBM)(TYO)(00020)
MATSUSHITA TO LAUNCH COLOR LAPTOP}
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 SEP 21 (NB) -- Following development
of a prototype 32-bit book-sized computer, Matsushita Electric
Industrial has developed a 32-bit personal computer with a color
LCD (liquid crystal display) unit.
Matsushita will put the 32-bit color laptop computer on the market as
early as spring, 1990. The machine will have a 20 megahertz 80386
central processing unit and a 32-bit bus system, and will be
compatible with Matsushita's desktop machines M800 series and
the FMR series of Fujitsu.
Matsushita will adopt a simple matrix STN (super-twisted nematic)
color LCD and will exhibit the machine at "The Data Show '89" in
Tokyo, from October 24 through 27.
(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890928)
(NEWS)(IBM)(TYO)(00021)
DEC TO SELL TOSHIBA LAPTOP}
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 SEP 22 (NB) -- Digital Equipment Corporation
(DEC) Japan will expand the agreement with Toshiba to support and sell
Toshiba's IBM PC/AT-compatible laptop computer, J-3100 series.
DEC Japan and Toshiba had agreed to exchange technical data for the
integration of the J-3100 series onto DECnet in June of this year.
Earlier, DEC Japan joined forces with NEC to integrate its PC-9800
series into its network via DEC's PCSA Client 9800 software.
DEC Japan has sold approximately 9,000 of its VAX computers and
it has decided to position the J-3100 computers as a standard
terminal. DEC Japan expects to sell 5,000 of the units the first
year.
DEC is not leaving out another player -- Apple. DEC Japan is
intending to hook up its systems of VAX minicomputers with
micros supplied by Toshiba and Apple.
(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890928)
(NEWS)(IBM)(SYD)(00022)
SYMPHONY 2.0 PLUS SHIPS IN AUSTRALIA
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 SEP 27 (NB) -- Lotus is to ship the
newest version of its integrated package Symphony 2.0 Plus at
AUS$1095. The upgrade is reported as being 'in-line' with no
major changes.
(Paul Zucker/19890929)
(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00023)
COREL LAUNCHES DRAW FOR PM}
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 SEP 21 (NB) -- Corel Systems has
announced Corel Draw for Presentation Manager. Designed to work
with OS/2 Presentation Manager, the new version is scheduled to
ship in the first quarter of 1990.
Corel Draw draws smooth curves automatically, provides curve
editing tools, and includes an auto-trace feature and Postscript-
format fill effects. It comes with a library of clip art. It also
provides 102 typeface outlines which, under Presentation Manager,
can be skewed, rotated or magnified on screen. Corel Draw for PM
includes the Pantone color system and process color support for
color blending.
The PM version will accepts all previous files in Corel's
proprietary .CDR format created under Microsoft Windows, Corel
said. The software also will import files in Adobe Illustrator
EPS, CGM, TIF, PCX, Lotus PIC and mainframe graphic (PIF)
formats. It will export Postscript EPS, Windows Metafile, PCX,
TIF, PIF, CGM and SCODL file formats.
Softsel Computer Products has agreed to distribute Corel Draw
worldwide, Corel said.
(Grant Buckler/19890929/Press Contact: Jennifer Poulsen, Corel,
613-728-8200)
(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00024)
PURE DATA'S FAX/MODEM CARD}
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 SEP 27 (NB) -- At VARdex, an
exhibition for computer dealers held here this week, Pure Data of
Richmond Hill, Ontario, previewed a combination facsimile and
modem card for IBM and compatible personal computers. The PureFax
card, Pure Data's first foray out of the local area networking
hardware market, will have its official launch at Comdex/Fall in
Las Vegas in November, said Catherine Clark, product manager.
The board combines 9,600-bit-per-second Group III fax capability
with a 2,400-bps Hayes-compatible data modem. Pure Data has
developed its own fax software, which runs under Microsoft
Windows and will be supplied with a run-time version of Windows.
Among other features, Clark said, the software will allow users
to enlarge fax images for easier viewing. PureFax will be ready
for volume deliveries in December, Clark said, and is to be
offered through Pure Data's existing dealer network, including
ComputerLand and BusinessLand outlets. The most she would say
about the price was that it would be "competitive."
(Grant Buckler/19890927/Press Contact: Catherine Clark, Pure
Data, 416-731-6444)
(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00025)
IBM CANADA, UNIVERSITY UNVEIL AGREEMENT}
SHERBROOKE, QUEBEC, CANADA, 1989 SEP 19 (NB) -- The University of
Sherbrooke and IBM Canada have announced a C$2-million
cooperative agreement. IBM will provide the university with
personal computers and assorted peripherals, as well as software
and support services worth about C$850,000.
The gear will be used for molecular modelling and training
graduate students in computer graphics for studying molecular
structure. It will also manage training courses for industry
professionals, and be used in environmental study programs as
well as research and teaching in remote sensing.
The university will provide facilities, staff, support services
and research groups valued at about C$1.1 million for the
project.
(Grant Buckler/19890929/Press Contact: Gilles Pelloille,
University of Sherbrooke, 819-821-7388; Yves Valiquette, IBM
Canada, 514-874-4258)
(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00026)
ARNOR UNVEILS PRODATA DATABASE PACKAGE}
PETERBOROUGH, ENGLAND, 1989 SEP 30 (NB) -- Arnor has unveiled
Prodata, a PC database package. The UK 79-95 package, which was
unveiled at the Personal Computer Show in London last week, has
been designed as a complimentary product to Protect, Arnor's
existing word processor package.
To promote the package, Arnor is selling Prodata for an
introductory price of UKP 55 until the end of November. The
company is also shipping a bundled package of Prodata and
Protext for UKP 125, a saving of UKP 54 on the eventual package
price.
Prodata is available for the IBM PC and close compatibles, as
well as the Commodore Amiga and Atari ST series of machines.
Versions for other machines will be considered, subject to
demand, much as was the case with Protext, which was originally
released for the Amstrad PCW series, before being converted to
run on other machines.
(Steve Gold/19890930/Press and Public Contact: Arnor Limited -
Tel: 0733-68909)
(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00027)
THREE PSION LAPTOPS LAUNCHED}
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1989 SEP 30 (NB) -- Psion, the computer company
that made its name with the Psion Organiser range of hand-held
computers, has launched three laptop machines.
Two of the machines - the MC-200 and 400 - use a proprietary
operating system, whilst the MC-600 has a read-only memory version of
MIcrosoft's MS-DOS 3.3. All three machines have an option for
fitting a cellular phone, complete with modem and fax, for the
ultimate portable office.
The Model MC-200 prices in at UKP 545 with 128K of RAM. The Model
MC-300 prices in at UKP 845 with 256K of RAM. Both machines
feature a flash-EPROM system of data storage, as seen on the
Cambridge Computer's Z88 laptop.
The DOS-compatible Model MC-600 retails at UKP 1,495, which gets
you a full-blown portable PC, complete with external 3.5-inch
floppy drive.
An interesting feature of the MC-200 and 400 series is the
inclusion of a mouse pad, a soft rectangle below the screen and
above the keyboard which can read the position of a finger and
thus emulate a mouse.
In comparison with the Atari Folio and Poquet pocket PCs, the
Psion machines are large, but have a full-size screen. Battery
life on the machines is rated at a whopping 75 hours.
(Steve Gold/19894009)
(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00028)
HITACHI FIRST OUT WITH COLOUR LCD PORTABLE}
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1989 SEP 30 (NB) -- Hitachi has become the first
computer company in Europe to formally announce a colour LCD
laptop machine, the HL400C. The machine was launched last week
alongside three other laptops based around the 80286 and 80386SX
microprocessors.
The new laptops fall neatly into two families, the 12MHz 286-
based HL400 series, and the 16MHz 386SX-based HL500 series.
The clamshell-style HL400 costs UKP 2,650 and weighs in at a
fairly hefty 16 pounds inside a matt black casing, the unit comes
with a single 3.5-inch floppy plus 20MB hard disk, 1MB of memory
(expandable to 2MB on board) and an 11-inch CGA mode (640 x 400
pixel) blue backlit LCD screen. As well as RGB, single parallel
and twin serial ports, the machine has two slots - one for 8, and
one for 16-bit cards.
The HL400C is essentially a colour LCD screen version of the
HL400, with the 6.33-inch screen capable of displaying an eight-
colour CGA display in quite high contrast. The colour screen has
its cost, however, since it bumps the price up to UKP 3,995.
The HL500 series, meanwhile, comes with either 20 or 40MB of hard
disk capacity, along with 1MB of RAM (expandable to 5Mb onboard)
and an 11-inch paper-white backlit LCD screen, working to CGA and
EGA resolutions. A single 3.5-inch drive is fitted as standard on
both machines, as are the RGB, single parallel and twin serial
ports. Pricing on the HL500/021 (20MB hard disk) is UK 3,495, and
on the HL500/041 (40MB hard disk) is UK 3,795.
According to Steve Sharp, Hitachi UK's marketing manager, both
the HL500 series machines are available to end users immediately.
"We anticipate shipping the HL400 series, including the colour
version, during November," he told Newsbytes.
Although the Hl400C's eight-colour screen is a little behind some
of the other colour laptops planned for shipment in 1990, Sharp
reckons that the machine will still sell. "We still have a six
month lead over the competition, and it's the first to market,"
he said.
(Steve Gold/19890930/Press & Public Contact: Steve Sharp, Hitachi
Europe - Tel: 0734-311244)
(EXCLUSIVE)(TRENDS)(LAX)(00001)
US SPRINT EMERGES AS MAJOR PLAYER IN TELECOM MARKET}
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 27 (NB) -- After
watching US Sprint make a large number of seemingly unrelated
announcements during the recent Telecommunications Association
(TCA) trade, Newsbytes reached company spokesman Phil Hermanson
for comment.
"We have made all of these announcements at this time to show
that US Sprint is now a major player in the national and
international telecommunications market," Hermanson told
Newsbytes. "We have the necessary people, network and products
available to be a telecommunications company second to none."
"Today we are competing on equal and in some cases stronger
footing than others in the industry," continued Hermanson. "We
are set apart by our fiber optic network--we're all digital--and
the nature of fiber optics allows us to do a lot of things. On
one network, we can provide many voice, data and video products."
"Even though the announcements we made this week are so different
in nature, we feel that making them together will indicate our
large range of products and services to our customers and
prospective customers," added Hermanson. "We are a strong
company that can make such a wide range of products work because
we can follow through. For example, we told the world that we
would build a fiber optic network in less than three years and we
have done it. Then we said we'd be international and we've done
that too. Look at the fiber optic Trans-Atlantic cable we own
with Cable and Wireless (a British company.) Now we are
exploring ways to circle the globe with fiber optics."
(Janet Endrijonas/19890929)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LAX)(00002)
US SPRINT BEGINS SERVICE WITH IDC OF JAPAN}
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 27 (NB) -- US
Sprint has announced that on October 1 it will inaugurate voice
service with International Digital Communications (IDC) of Tokyo.
IDC was formed in November 1986 as a result of liberalized
telecommunications policies adopted by the Japan Ministry of
Posts and Telecommunications (MPT). The dominant carrier,
Kokusai Denshin Denwa (KDD) had been the only carrier licensed to
operate telephone service to and from Japan. US Sprint has been
operating with KDD since August 1986.
(Janet Endrijonas/19890929/Press Contact: Syd Courson, US Sprint,
816-276-6278)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LAX)(00003)
US SPRINT REDUCES INT'L PRIVATE LINE RATES}
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 27 (NB) -- US
Sprint has announced a reduction in the rates charged for
international private lines.
The company is reducing the rates for one year international
private line rates by up to 18 percent while also reducing its 3
to 5 year rates by up to 11 percent.
In a related announcement, US Sprint has said it is extending the
time period for promotional discounts on its Clearline 1.5
private line service to the UK. Orders received by October 31
for installation by March 31, 1990 will be given an additional 10
percent off the first year of service. These same customers will
also receive their first 30 days of service free and will have
non-recurring installation charges waived.
(Janet Endrijonas/19890929/Press Contact: Terri Dunn, US Sprint,
816-276-6241)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LAX)(00004)
US SPRINT MEETING CHANNEL REACHES 500TH ROOM}
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 27 (NB) -- The US
Sprint Meeting Channel videoconferencing network has added its
500th room, a state-of-the-art facility at the St. Louis offices
of General Dynamics.
The Meeting Channel was started in 1981 as a KU digital
satellite-based network that has since moved to Sprint's fiber
optic network. It now offers flexibility and enables customers
to videoconference at their choice of transmission speed, using
their choice of equipment, to any room in one of 24 countries on
the network.
(Janet Endrijonas/19890929/Press Contact: Steve Dykes, US Sprint,
404-982-1280)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LAX)(00005)
THREE NEW PRIVATE LINE PRODUCTS FROM US SPRINT}
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 27 (NB) -- US
Sprint has announced its fractional T-1 product is now available
throughout its nationwide fiber optic network.
US Sprint has also added Clearline Voiceband and Clearline
Digital Data Service (DDS) to its line of all-digital private
line products.
Fractional T-1 allows customers to purchase 56K bps increments at
a fraction of the cost of a full T-1 link and is suitable for
voice, data, fax and video applications.
(Janet Endrijonas/19890929/Press Contact: Syd Courson, US Sprint,
816-276-6278)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LAX)(00006)
US SPRINT INCREASES NETWORK SWITCH CAPACITY}
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 26 (NB) -- US
Sprint has completed the nationwide upgrade of its 41 Northern
Telecom DMS-250 switches increasing switch capacity by 50
percent.
The advanced architecture of the Northern Telecom DMS-250
SuperNode allows for in-service transition form the existing DMS-
250 technology to evolving network technologies. The switch
conversions were made in conjunction with the implementation of
Signalling System 7 and integrated services digital network
(ISDN) features. Implementing the upgrade involved replacing
Northern Telecom's NT40 16-bit central processing unit (CPU) with
a new 32-bit microprocessing and system control.
(Janet Endrijonas/19890929/Press Contact: Paula Leffingwell, US
Sprint, 913-967-3757)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LAX)(00007)
GTE AIRFONE RESTRUCTURES RATES}
OAK BROOK, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 26 (NB) -- The cost
of using an air-to-ground onboard telephone is changing.
GTE Airfone has announced a restructuring of its rates that will
benefit those whose calls last less than three minute but will
cost more for calls of a longer duration.
Replacing the current $7.50 for the first three minutes plus
$1.25 for each additional minute rate structure will be a $2 set-
up fee plus $2 per minute charge for each call. The
international rate structure will also be changes. Instead of
the current $15 for the first three minutes plus $2.50 for each
additional minute will be a $4 set-up charge plus $4 per minute
usage toll.
(Janet Endrijonas/19890929/Press Contact: Kevin Petschow, GTE
Airfone, 312-575-1448)
(EXCLUSIVE)(TELECOM)(LAX)(00008)
TCA SHOW BIGGEST EVER}
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 29 (NB) -- Conference
Director Gray Thomas has told Newsbytes that
officially, the attendance at this year's Telecommunications
Association (TCA) conference and trade show topped the 17,000
mark--a slight increase over attendance in 1988.
"By all indications, the show was a success," commented Thomas.
The 1989 TCA confab marked the end of an era. For the past
twenty years, TCA has held their conference and trade show at the
Town & Country Hotel and Convention Center in San Diego. While
the venue will remain San Diego, TCA has outgrown the Town &
Country. The 1990 meeting and show will be held in the soon-to-
be-completed San Diego Convention Center.
TCA has had a long waiting list of exhibitors who want to
participate but has been unable to accommodate them in the Town &
Country. The move to the San Diego Convention Center will add
room for 200 additional exhibit booths bringing the total from
650 up to 850. Floor space will increase from 120,000 square
feet to 160,000 square feet. Perhaps the attendees will be
happiest about the fact that the exhibits will all be on one
floor rather than on multiple levels as at the current site.
The host hotel in 1990 will be the San Diego Marriott. There are
some 5000 rooms available in the immediate vicinity of the new
Convention Center.
(Janet Endrijonas/19890929)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LAX)(00009)
TELENETICS TAKES OVER OZ}
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 26 (NB) -- Telenetics
Corporation has acquired the security modem business
of Tri-Data Systems including the OZ trademark for 2400 and 9600
bps models.
Telenetics President Bill Kosoff told Newsbytes that the OZ
modems have been marketed for almost 10 years and have a
substantial installed base, especially in RBOCs (Regional Bell
Operating Companies) but for over a year, the 2400 and 9600 bps
models have been based on Telenetics technology.
Telenetics has also unveiled Telenetics Network Manger, a program
that will turn a PC into a total network manager and allows users
to connect telecommunications equipment, regardless of
manufacturer, together in a system that can even be connected to
modern technology networking such asISDN. The package includes
hardware and connectors to provide a fully functioning
controller.
Kosoff explained to Newsbytes that Telenetics is moving from low-
end commodities to host modem-based systems. "We are bridging
older modems into modern networks because people need to be able
to continue to use what's already out on the market."
(Janet Endrijonas/19890929/Press Contact: Bill Kosoff,
Telenetics, 714-779-2766)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SFO)(00010)
LEEMAH INVITES HACKERS TO A DUEL}
HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 27 (NB) -- Hackers who
aren't too busy and could use a new challenge and a free trip to
Tahiti or St. Moritz are invited to try to make an unsolicited entry
into LeeMah DataCom Security Corporation's TraqNet/InfoKey
computer security system, which is being advertised as "hacker proof."
The contest runs from October 9 to October 15.
So polish up those algorithms and send your modem after the
following number: 404-827-9584. As an added incentive, the
company is giving away the access password code -- 5336241.
From there, you're on your own in an attempt to crack the multiple
security layers of this software. Estimates LeeMah President
Stephen Irwin, "The odds against a hacker penetrating the
additional security layers are one in 72 quadrillion.
Irwin adds that computer crime costs American businesses up to $5
billion annually, yet many businesses routinely ignore the problem
or select a security system that is "child's play for a determined
hacker to break."
LeeMah computer security systems have been sold into numerous
Fortune 500 companies, as well as government agencies, hospitals,
universities, and small businesses.
(Wendy Woods/19890929/Press Contact: Gina Fiering, Dobbin-Bolgla
Associates, 619-491-9261)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SFO)(00011)
PAC BELL OFFERS AUDIOTEXT CALL ROUTING}
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 25 (NB) -- Pacific
Bell, continuing to offer innovative ways to manage your phones
without your having to spend money on expensive telecommunications
hardware, has offered yet another service. California Call
Management is a system by which Pacific Bell will automatically
answer your calls with interactive voice messages you can
customize, enabling your caller to be routed to the proper
department or person. The service can also give the caller
a detailed prerecorded message developed by the business, such as
those offered by 900 and 976 information lines. Finally, the
service can integrate with a voice messaging service where callers
can leave or receive personal messages.
The service can only route calls to other numbers in California.
(Wendy Woods/19890929/Press Contact: Scott Smith, 415-
542-0597)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(WAS)(00012)
STRATUS LAUNCHES NEW ISDN PROJECT}
MARLBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 25 (NB) -- Stratus
Computer Inc. has announced a comprehensive development program
to create ISDN or Integrated Systems Digital Network products
based on its XA 2000 Continuous Processing System.
Stratus is a major supplier of fault-tolerant computer systems
for transaction processing (sales).
(John McCormick/19890927/Press Contact: David Hayward, 508-
460-2796)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LAX)(00013)
VIDEOTEL TO ADD DALLAS SERVICE}
HOUSTON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 27 (NB) -- Houston-based
Videotel is planning to offer its information service in Dallas
beginning in November.
Videotel's information service is based on the French Minitel
system. It uses small terminals that plug into telephone jacks.
Videotel launched a year-long trial in Houston with Southwestern
Bell in April. Earlier this month, the company announced an
agreement with Bell Canada to provide Videotel information
service in Montreal and Toronto in 1990.
The expansion into Dallas does not involve assistance from
Southwestern Bell, a situation that will make it more difficult
for Videotel to establish an identity in the local market. The
service offered in Dallas will be similar to that offered in
Houston and will involve a $14.98 monthly fee for terminal rental
and basic service.
(Janet Endrijonas/19890929)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LAX)(00014)
MCI OFFERS SYSTEM TO UNITE MULITLOCATION BUSINESSES}
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 27 (NB) -- MCI
Communications has announced it will offer a management
information and reporting service called MCI Portfolio for
multilocation business customers.
MCI Portfolio is a comprehensive reporting service that delivers
customized management information. In a single package, the
service provides summary reports of key statistics and costs
collected in the billing process for a customer's MCI services
across all locations.
Enhancements planned for Portfolio in the future include the
addition of services such as Vnet, T-1 access, MCI fax and data
services, additional delivery mediums and other optional reports
based on customer demand over the next year.
(Janet Endrijonas/19890929/Press Contact: MCI Corporate News
Bureau, 800-289-0073)
(EXCLUSIVE)(TELECOM)(HKG)(00015)
HONGKONG: MAJOR IBM VAR POISED FOR ACTION}
WANCHAI, HONGKONG, 1989 SEP 29 (NB) -- Integrated Business
Systems (IBS), a subsidiary of Hongkong Telephone Company, has
spent the year since its appointment as an IBM VAR (value-added
reseller) establishing its professional staff, products and services
to match local needs.
"We believe we are in a unique position in Hongkong, " Bob
McKirdy, CEO of IBS, told Newsbytes, "Having been the IBM Rolm
PABX distributors here for many years we enjoy a major share of
that market and most of the large companies in Hongkong are
already our customers. With the trend toward integration of
telecommunications and data-processing, what I call true
information technology, IBS is the only company here with all
the necessary expertise under one roof."
IBS recently secured the distributorship for a range of
`twisted-pair' Ethernet products from SynOptics Communications
of California. "We are excited about the SynOptics products
because in Hongkong there are so many buildings which do not
have capacity if the cabling risers to accept any further
cabling particularly bulky co-ax cables," says McKirdy.
"The combination of our sophisticated digital private
exchanges, IBM's AS /400s and PS /2s, and the SynOptics
communications range, is a perfect match. We have spent the
last year beefing up our professional staff to ensure that we
can offer the most professional service in town," says McKirdy.
Almost as a default, IBS sold six large configurations of AS/
400s and a number of networked PS /2s during the year anyway.
The company recently appointed Mr Peter Fletcher, formerly
managing director of Cullinett Hongkong, as sales manager of
computer systems.
(Keith Cameron/19890929)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TYO)(00016)
SHARP PUTS WIZARDS ONLINE}
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 SEP 27 (NB) -- Sharp intends to launch
VAN (value added network) services for its electronic organizers
owners, including owners of the Sharp Wizard sold in the U.S.
and abroad. The communication software will come on an IC
(integrated circuit) card.
Sharp's electronic organizer business is showing over 50 percent
growth this year, with over 2.7 million units sold, and control of
over 70 percent of the market for such products in Japan. The IC
cards which serve as software for the units, have sold to the tune
of three million units.
Sharp will also include its personal computers and word processors
into the VAN services and is also aiming to construct a database for the
service. It will open its first access points in metropolitan areas,
such as Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya, by middle of next year.
(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890928)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TYO)(00017)
NTT PROMISES LIGHTEST CELLULAR PHONE}
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 SEP 27 (NB) -- Japan's telecom giant NTT
claims to be nearing the creation of the world's lightest cellular
phone. The new phone, when sold next year, is expected to
weight 250 grams (half a pound) and have a volume of
100 to 150 cubic centimeters -- half the weight and
volume of NTT's current cellular phones.
NTT will create the tiny phones by stamping a phone
circuit system onto an LSI (large-scale integrated circuit)
and miniaturizing the receiver and internal battery.
NTT's current lightest and smallest cellular phone weighs 600 grams
and has volume of 400 centimeters while Motorola's standard Microtac
cellular phone weighs 349 grams and has volume of 259 centimeters,
and its Microtac with built-in small battery weighs 303 grams
and has a volume of 221 centimeters, so NTT's current cellular phone
is a far cry from Motorola's Microtac.
But the Microtac phones are expected to be released in Japan's
metropolitan areas at least one year later, so the Microtac
and NTT's new phone will directly compete against each other.
(Ken Takahashi/19890928)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TYO)(00018)
NTT PLANS MASSIVE DIGITAL TELECOM UPGRADE}
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 SEP 21 (NB) -- Japan's telecom giant NTT
will spend some 1,700 billion yen (US$11.7 billion) annually
through 1995 to lay the groundwork for creation of a digital
telecommunication system.
Prompted by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications
to match the progress made in digital communications by the U.S.
and Europe, NTT has been looking over its digital upgrade project
again.
As a result, NTT has decided to launch its first major digital
telecommunications project five years earlier -- in 1995 rather
than the year 2000. The task involves replacing non-electronic
cross-bar exchanges with digital upgrades, and all inter-city
circuits by March 1996. NTT believes this will create an
infrastructure for an integrated services digital network (ISDN).
(Ken Takahashi/19890928)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SYD)(00019)
AUS: BULLETIN BOARD WANTS UPLOADER CHARGED}
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, 1989 SEP 25 (NB) -- In the wake of recent
warnings about the effects of software piracy in Australia, a
software supplier has shown disinterest in prosecuting a bulletin
board subscriber for uploading commercial copyrighted software.
Lloyd Borrett, head of Microhelp which operates the bulletin
board PC Connection in Melbourne, is unhappy with the lack of
response after he wrote to Software supplier Questor suggesting
that it take legal action against a subscriber caught unlawfully
uploading one of its programs.
On August 17 a registered user is alleged to have uploaded a
file, Epyx California Games. Eleven other users downloaded it
before it was spotted as commercial software. Mr Borrett gave the
distributor, Questor, details of the crime and got no response.
He then wrote to Questor's general manager, Jim Hamilton, and
threatened to make the matter public if no action was taken.
Mr Hamilton said it was unlikely the matter would ever get to
court, because "what could be done, and what should be done" were
different things.
(Gavin Atkins & Computing Australia/19890926)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SYD)(00020)
TELECOM AUSTRALIA SIGNS TWO-WIRE DEAL}
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, 1989 SEP 25 (NB) - Carrier Telecom
Australia has signed the development portion of a AUS$25 million
contract with a Melbourne-based computer firm, Datacraft.
If successful in securing the manufacturing side of the contract,
Datacraft will supply Telecom with 20,000 long-range network
terminating units, or NTUs. The NTUs will be used to connect
customer's data equipment to Telecom's Digital Data Network.
Datacraft's national marketing manager, Barry Lindsey, said the
company's system will save Telecom money because it operates on a
two-wire system rather than Telecom's current four-wire system.
At 19.2 kilobits per second, Datacraft's NTU will also be twice
as fast as Telecom's network terminating units which work at 9.6
kilobits per second.
(Gavin Atkins & Computing Australia/19890927)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SYD)(00021)
INSURANCE COMPANY BUYS POCKET MODEMS FOR SALES STAFF}
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1989 SEPT 28 (NB) -- Australia's Colonial
Mutual insurance company has ordered 1000 NetComm Pocket Rocket
modems for its sales staff. The Australian developed and built
modem measures 100x75x32mm and uses a rechargeable 9
volt battery.
The insurance agents will now log their business with head
office on the move, rather than from their portables in the
office at the end of the day.
(Paul Zucker/19890929)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TOR)(00022)
ISDN TRIAL LINKS CANADIAN CITIES}
EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CANADA, 1989 SEP 26 (NB) -- With a telephone
call between Edmonton Mayor Terry Cavanagh and Don Hartman, mayor
of Calgary, Alberta, Canada's first inter-city trial of the
integrated services digital network (ISDN) was officially
launched today. Alberta Government Telephones, the provincially
owned utility, and Edmonton Telephones, which serves the city of
Edmonton, have been planning the joint trial for the past 18
months.
The trial has four initial customers: the government of Alberta,
the city of Edmonton, the University of Alberta and Pizza 73.
The two telephone companies will also use the service. The trial
is to last one year, and the two companies hope to market
commercial ISDN service soon after if the trial is successful.
(Grant Buckler/19890929/Press Contact: Brian Gerdes, Edmonton
Telephones, 403-441-7458; Mike Warmington, Alberta Government
Telephones, 403-493-4775)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TOR)(00023)
DEVELCON UNVEILS BRIDGING SYSTEM, OTHER PRODUCTS}
SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA, 1989 SEP 25 (NB) -- Develcon
Electronics has launched a bridging system for Ethernet local-
area networks. The Ethernet Bridging System can support as many
as eight LAN bridges, linking eight separate Ethernet LANs to
function as one network. The bridges are designed to be installed
in Develcon's DevelNet local switch nodes. They can operate
locally or remotely, Develcon said.
Develcon also announced an agreement with Datability Software
Systems of New York, allowing Develcon to sell Datability's Vista
VCP1000 terminal server. The Vista VCP1000 is compatible with
Digital Equipment's DECserver command set, and can support from
eight to 128 users using thick or thin Ethernet or twisted-pair
cabling.
Finally, Develcon introduced its Model DS501DR miniature
asynchronous limited distance data set distribution panel.
Holding up to 24 four-wire limited distance data sets, the unit
supports asynchronous data communications at speeds from 300 to
38,400 bits per second, at distances up to 30 miles.
(Grant Buckler/19890927/Press Contact: Heinz Jacob, Develcon
Electronics, 416-495-8666)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TOR)(00024)
CANCOM, DATALINE LAUNCH VSAT SERVICE FOR BROKERS}
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 SEP 27 (NB) -- Canadian Satellite
Communications (Cancom) has launched Canada's first satellite-
based digital data network service for brokerage houses. In
conjunction with Dataline, a Toronto-based subsidiary of Mead
Data Central, Cancom will provide a variety of online information
to brokers using very small aperture terminal (VSAT) satellite
technology.
Dataline's information services include: Canquote, which provides
immediate market data from all North American exchanges; Broker
Pages for online news wires and information services; and an
inter-office communications network.
The first customer for the service is ScotiaMcLeod, the brokerage
subsidiary of the Bank of Nova Scotia. ScotiaMcLeod is expected
to install 43 VSAT sites across Canada by spring, 1990.
(Grant Buckler/19890927/Press Contact: Thomas Moorehead, Cancom,
416-272-4960)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TOR)(00025)
NEWBRIDGE HAS JAPAN DISTRIBUTION DEAL}
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 SEP 28 (NB) -- Newbridge Networks,
a Canadian maker of equipment for global voice and data networks,
has signed a distribution agreement with Tokyo-based Sumitomo, a
Japanese trading company. Sumitomo will distribute Newbridge's
MainStreet Bandwidth Manager product line to customers based in
Japan.
Newbridge recently opened an office in Tokyo to provide sales and
technical support to the Japanese market and other international
customers.
(Grant Buckler/19890929/Press Contact: Simon Gibson or Sandra
Plumley, Newbridge Networks, 613-591-3600)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TOR)(00026)
CANADIAN DISTRIBUTOR FOR ROBOTOPERATOR/2}
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 SEP 25 (NB) -- InterVoice, of
Richardson, Texas, has signed Phonetix, of Toronto, to distribute
its RobotOperator/2 order-desk system. The PC-based
RobotOperator/2 includes voice recognition capability, so callers
can speak to the system rather than entering commands from a
touch-tone keypad. Phonetix said the product complements its own
line of PC-based voice messaging equipment.
(Grant Buckler/19890929/Press Contact: Tony Rothschild, Phonetix,
416-922-5742)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00027)
BRITISH TELECOM TO INTRO DIRECTORY CHARGES?}
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1989 SEP 30 (NB) -- Sources close to British
Telecom in the UK suggest that a charge for its directory
enquiries (DQ) service will be phased in during the first quarter
of 1991. Currently, BT calls to the DQ service are free, but
charges of 40 pence (70 cents) per call are rumoured.
Why so much? British Telecom's DQ service is available by
dialling 192 (142 in Greater London). Level 1 calls, as they are
known, are routed over special non-metered circuits on much of
BT's national network. To introduce a charge, BT would have to
change its equipment to accept charges on level 1 calls.
If BT goes ahead and introduce a DQ charge, there could be a
nasty side-effect for telephone users, apart from the effect on
their wallets. BT's resources for level 1 calls, particularly
from country satellite exchanges, are finite. If these resources
are split between chargeable and non-chargeable calls, hence the
chances of receiving the engaged tone during peak times
effectively double.
(Steve Gold/19890930)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00028)
AT&T BUYS INTO ISTEL FOR UKP 180 MILLION}
REDDITCH, ENGLAND, 1989 SEP 30 (NB) -- AT&T has acquired Istel,
the UK communications group. The cash deal is worth UKP 180
million and is a reverse analogy to the recent British Telecom
take-over of Tymnet in the US.
Shareholders in Istel, which include several directors who
effectively become millionaires overnight, have approved the
deal. A major shareholder in Istel is the Rover Group, which nets
UKP 39 million from its sale, compared to the original UKP 26
million that Rover obtained from the original management buy-out
a few years ago.
Although both AT&T and Istel are keeping quiet about their joint
plans for any international networks, the deal means that AT&T
has a major foothold in the UK, much as BT has in the US with
Tymnet. If AT&T so chose, it could link the two networks
together, allowing customers in each respective country to access
the other country's host systems at cheap rates.
As reported previously, Istel's UK dial-up data network is in the
process of major expansion and upgrading. The Istel I-Net link
went live over the weekend, with the UK's Microlink e-mail
network switching over from the Dialcom network. It therefore
seems logical to expect AT&T's Telemail network to link up to I-
Net system hosts, and vice versa.
(Steve Gold/19890929)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(BRU)(00029)
CAVIAR OFFERED TO EUROPE'S PHONE CARD HOLDERS}
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, 1989 SEP 29 (NB) -- A new computer-assisted
telephone call redialer called CAVIAR (computer assisted variable
international automatic redialer) will let holders of a card
automatically call from any country and have the call billed to a
credit card.
CAVIAR is a service of Executive Telecard, which already provides
telephone credit card services to a number of smaller
telecommunications administrations around the world.
Announcing his company's plans last week, Robert Roach, the
chairman of Executive Telecard, said: "We plan to be in 50 to 60
countries in the next couple of years."
Currently, whilst several PTTs have reciprocal arrangements with
the various telecommunication administrations around the world, card
acceptance is sporadic. Newsbytes has had its UK (British
Telecom) credit card refused in several European countries,
despite the fact that BT had a reciprocal arrangement with the
country's PTT.
Executive Telecard plans to get round the problem by following
the lead of AT&T and a number of other major PTTs, and allowing
callers to dial a special toll-free number in several countries
and have their call handled by an Executive Telecard operator in
a nearby country.
(Eric Dauchy & Steve Gold/19890930)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00030)
SOFTKLONE UNVEILS MIRROR LAN; DEMOS TAKEOVER}
HIGH WYCOMBE, ENGLAND, 1989 SEP 30 (NB) -- Softklone UK rolled
out Mirror III LAN, the networking version of its PC
communications software, at the Datacom '89 show held in London
last week. In addition, the company previewed for the first
time Takeover, its remote PC communications package.
Mirror III LAN, as reported previously in Newsbytes, has all the
features of Mirror III, but also allows connections over most
types of PC local area networks. Pricing on the product starts at
UKP 450 for a four port system.
Mirror Takeover, meanwhile, which will be sold as Takeover, is a
remote PC communications package in the same vein as Carbon Copy
and PC Anywhere. Pricing on the package has not been set, nor has
the delivery date. Graham Harris, Softklone UK's technical
director, told Newsbytes that the package will be formally
launched in the first quarter of 1990.
"We don't want to be any more specific than that, as we're
awaiting the beta test trials of the package. We want to be sure
the package is finished before releasing it to the public," he
said.
After a brief look at Takeover, Newsbytes can report that the
package looks very similar to Mirror III. The package performs as
you'd expect, diverting all the relevant keyboard, screen and
printer data to a remote PC, linked via a modem. The graphic
user interface of Mirror III has been preserved, allowing
the user to open and close windows on a local or remote basis.
(Steve Gold/19890930/Press & Public Contact: Graham Harris,
technical director, Softklone UK - Tel: 0628-819200)
(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00031)
UK: DOWTY LAUNCHES QUATTRO PS/2 MODEM CARD}
NEWBURY, ENGLAND, 1989 SEP 30 (NB) -- Dowty Information Systems
has launched the Quattro PS, a half-size quad standard modem card
for the IBM PS/2 Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) series of
machines. The UKP 695 machine was launched at the Datacom '89
show in London last week.
According to Gareth Hamer, business development manager with
Dowty, the Quattro PS is the first modem to employ surface mount
technology, hence its small (half card) size.
"Dowty has developed its own surface mount technology so that
range of small, customized modems can be produced. The Quattro PS
is the first of such products. We are investigating other
applications," he said.
"The Quattro PC will offer MCA users the reliability and
flexibility offered by the Quattro, Europe's top-selling V22Bis
modem, in a neat half-card size suitable for a wide range of
applications and offering the latest V.42 error-correction
standard," he added.
(Steve Gold/19890930/Press & Public Contact: Gareth Hamer,
Softklone UK - Tel: 0635-33009)
(EXCLUSIVE)(TRENDS)(SFO)(00001)
INTERACTIVE FAX/AUDIO SYSTEM LAUNCHED}
WHEATON, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 29 (NB) -- Imagine a system
in which your customers, or your associates, could give you a ring
and, by following simple instructions you've prerecorded on your
phone line, could access a variety of written materials that
could be delivered to their fax machines live-time while they're
still on the hook. The system exists. It's called FaxFacts.
To be unveiled at Comdex Fall and demonstrated in the Programmer's
Shop booth at the Hilton Hotel, FaxFacts, from Copia International,
Wheaton, Illinois, is custom PC software which, when used on a PC
with fax board and a hard disk, can manage incoming calls with a
series of audiotex messages, and send out caller-chosen facsimile
data to the caller's fax machine, provided the caller is making the
request on a fax/phone. It can even take phone messages.
Creator Steve Hersee tells Newsbytes that the first implementation
of the software will be from mail-order house Programmer's Shop.
Starting November 20, callers will be able to dial up the company,
follow simple audiotex instructions, punch in a part number, and
get a "data sheet" on any one of 1,200 parts printed out on their
fax machine instantly.
Hersee says the system provides "a level of instant gratification,"
that supplies a caller's need for information. He says it can also be
used as "advertisement amplification," in which the normal "bingo
card" in a magazine, on which a reader circles a number
corresponding to a company from which product literature is sought,
is replaced by a phone number from which a caller
can get printed information instantly, without waiting weeks
for the mail.
All the potential applications for FaxFacts, for which Hersee has filed
a patent, have yet to emerge, but the software itself is destined to
be shipped October 25.
Prices have been set. The software will cost between $2000 and
$5000 depending on whether a buyer wants to license or purchase
the software. Steve Hersee says conceivably an entire interactive
phone/fax system, including AT-compatible, fax board, and 60
megabyte hard drive for storing facsimile image data, could
be had for as little as $5,000.
To get information on FaxFacts or get an interactive demonstration,
call Copia International at 1-312-682-8898.
(Wendy Woods/19890929)
(NEWS)(TRENDS)(SFO)(00002)
GRID UNVEILS A WORKPAD PC}
FREMONT, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 28 (NB) -- Grid Systems has
unveiled a keyboardless, displayless, four-pound portable with an
electronic pen-sensitive LCD screen on which a user can write
information, or see a graphic representation of a keyboard for data
entry.
The Gridpad computer, $2,370, called, "a revolutionary breakthrough in
portable data entry," by Tim Bajarin, executive vice president of
Creative Strategies, a Santa Clara, California-based market
research firm, is designed to replace a sheaf of paper
forms for workers who walk around filling them out all day.
The Gridpad, available and shipping now, has a four to eight hour
NiCad rechargeable battery life, has a 10-inch 640 by 400
pixel display screen, is 1.4-inches thick, and roughly a bit larger
than an Etch-A-Sketch children's toy. Inside, however, are
sophisticated electronics -- a 10 MHz 80C86 microprocessor
and one megabyte of system memory, as well as ROM programming
that enables the unit to recognize printed handwriting, capture
and store signatures and graphics, and display forms which can be
filled out using an tethered electronic pen. Also in ROM are
MS-DOS and LapLink software from Traveling Software which
enables the unit to transfer files to and from a PC.
For data storage, it has two card slots that accommodate 256KB
or 512KB random access memory (RAM) cards. There is an
optional 20MB hard disk.
Programmers are being sought to create software for the device.
To aid the task, Grid offers Gridpen, $630, an application developer's
software toolkit with which user interfaces and character
recognition capability can be designed.
The Gridpad announcement was moved up from October 10 to
September 28 to accommodate the wishes of Tandy Chairman
John Roach, who wanted to unveil the Gridpad in a high-level
meeting Thursday. Grid will still be a part of a hands-on
demonstration at The Info Show at Jacob Javits Center in New
York October 10.
As Newsbytes reported in August, another developer is working
on a keyboardless Macintosh computer. Colby Systems plans a
February ship date for the Colby Mini WalkMac, a seven pound,
8-megabyte-memory computer without a keyboard. The computer's
screen will be a touch-sensitive backlit liquid crystal display, on
which one can access a desk accessory mock-up keyboard, and on
which the user can type.
And Go Corporation of Foster City, headed by recognized computer
scientist Jerry Kaplan, is also working on a touch-screen-type PC,
according to a published report, but the firm is closely guarding
its technology and not prereleasing any information.
(Wendy Woods/19890818/Press Contact: Bob Goligoski, marketing
communications, Grid, 415-656-4700; C. Colby, 415-941-9090,
fax 415-949-1019)
(NEWS)(TRENDS)(SFO)(00003)
MULTI-VENDOR NETWORKING BIGGEST GROWTH AREA}
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 29 (NB) -- The area
of multi-vendor networking, or links between computers and
equipment made by different manufacturers, is the single biggest
factor propelling computer industry growth, according to
Advanced Computing Environments, organizers of the Interop
Conference and Exhibition.
A recent study completed with IDG Communications Research Services
indicates 65 percent of corporate America has already implemented
a multi-vendor network, at least as a pilot project, according to
the company. A third intend to develop such a network within
two years, and more than half believe that multi-vendor networks
deliver better productivity to their organizations.
(Wendy Woods/19890929/Press Contact: Wendy Gibson, 408-
946-4576)
(NEWS)(TRENDS)(SFO)(00004)
OKI CHIP BREAKTHROUGH IN VOICE TECHNOLOGY}
SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 27 (NB) -- Oki Semiconductor
reports that it has created speech synthesis, voice recording, and
playback chips capable of duplicating high-quality natural sounding
voices without the annoying hiss associated with background sound.
The chips, would could be applied for use in toys, answering
machines, alarm clocks, household appliances, automatic teller
machines, talking calculators, and solid state records, are called
the MSM63XX family of semiconductors.
Oki says the chips have a higher resolution 12-bit digital-to-analog
converter coupled with a 4-bit straight adaptive differential pulse-
code modulation algorithm, all of which translates to less
signal-to-noise ratio and better voices that are "virtually
non-discernable from a real human voice."
The playback-only variety are ROM, or read-only memory synthesizers
that store up to one megabit of data and up to 16 megabits using
off-chip memory. They can play back 10, 20, and 40 seconds of
recorded speech, or up to 10 minutes when extended with more
off-chip memory. Another version, the MSM6378, can play back
a single phrase in a one-time or endless-loop mode. The high-end
MSM6388GS-V1K ADPCM voice processor is a chip with a variety
of tools that make it capable of capturing up to eight channels of
audio data and storing it on up to four different off-chip
serial registers.
Also introduced is a voice pitch controller which can change you
from a bass to a soprano or soprano to bass, depending on your
preference.
Oki also introduced a number of tools to help develop applications
for these innovative chips, including the $2,666 Anawriter 6378
Mark II, a desktop box with a microphone, programmer, and
storage media. After October 6, you can hear an interactive
demonstration of the voice chips by calling 1-800-TEAM-OKI
in the U.S.
(Wendy Woods/19890929/Press Contact: Charu Mungale, Oki,
408-737-6335)
(NEWS)(TRENDS)(SFO)(00005)
DIGITAL PACKS MORE CHIPS IN SMALLER SPACE}
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 29 (NB) -- Digital Equipment
Corporation has come up with what it says is a major step toward
miniaturization -- a method by which four times as more circuits
can be fit onto a conventional 12 by 15-inch circuit board.
Conventional boards are a foot long basically due to the problem of
heat -- too many chips packed too closely together generate too
much heat when in operation. However, DEC has managed to come up
with a new substance on which to mount the chips -- a mixture
of copper and polyimide -- which retains far less heat, thereby
allowing four times as many chips to be mounted on a single
copper/polyimide board.
DEC has announced the first implementation of the new board
technology will appear when it unveils its new mainframe, the VAX
9000, in October. DEC has applied for several patents on the technology
which is most likely of interest to minicomputer and micro
makers, who may wish to implement it in making super powerful
microcomputers.
(Wendy Woods/19890929)
(EXCLUSIVE)(TRENDS)(WAS)(00006)
PRACTICAL 2.88MB FLOPPY DRIVE}
FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 25 (NB) -- Practical
Computer Technologies' President Ed Kay, in an exclusive
interview with Newsbytes, today said that his company would begin
shipping a 4 megabyte (2.8MB formatted) 3.5-inch floppy disk
drive system in October.
Already being shown to select government buyers, this drive
system uses the Teac high-density drive and special device
drivers and controller card to provide a 2.8MB disk drive that is
completely compatible with 720 and 1.4MB versions.
The Practidisk EXD has a 1MB per second data transfer rate, four
times that of conventional standard and high-density floppy
drives, and provides automatic density sensing.
Mr. Kay told Newsbytes that, although they had performed tests
where standard disks were run at the higher density, the long-
term reliability is poor; he strongly recommends that users only
run special ED or XD extra high-density disks at 2.8MB density.
Several major manufacturers are readying supplies of the ED and
XD disks for shipment this fall, according to Mr. Kay, and the
estimated street price will be about $6-8/disk.
Mr. Kay also says that his company's price for the new drives,
complete with driver and interface card, will be $499 for end
users and that they will sell direct to end users as well as to
value-added resellers and manufacturers.
The new drives will only run on ISA or industry standard
architecture computers (PC/XT/AT-compatible) using the interface
cards made by Practical Computer Technologies, but the drive
could be used in laptops.
Newsbytes has heard that IBM is quietly buying up a supply of
these Teac drives preparatory to announcing their availability
for some PS/2 machine.
Practical Computer Technologies, Inc., 3972 Walnut St., Fairfax,
VA 22030, 703-385-3332.
(John McCormick/1989925/Press Contact: Mindy Schwarcz, PC-Tech,
703-385-3332)
(EXCLUSIVE)(TRENDS)(LAX)(00007)
ISDN BEGINNING TO COME OF AGE}
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 27 (NB) -- At the
recent Telecommunications Association (TCA) trade show, there
were ISDN demonstrations and ISDN seminars and fewer people
seemed to think the letters were an acronym for I Still Don't
kNow.
At a seminar on the subject, speaker Mary Johnson of Northeast
Consulting Resources predicted that automatic number
identifications applications would be the first real benefit of
ISDN technology. This could mean using the technology in
conjunction with 800 and 900 telephone numbers to provide
information services as well as real-time authorization of credit
card charges. Gradually, new ideas for applications are emerging
but the technology is still in a state of flux.
Johnson talked of the pros and cons of ISDN in both voice and
data transmissions. On the voice side, ISDN provides more lines
with fewer wires, flexible PBX access to the public network and
can send data signals over the D-channel during a voice
connection. It allows voice, data and fax to share a single
line. She added the downside as well. It will be over five
years before a majority of calls will have two ISDN ends, the
ISDN basic rate duplicates features already available using PBX
or Centrex systems (at a higher cost) and will waste a bandwidth
for voice. ISDN makes voice transmissions as complicated as
data.
As a data channel, ISDN provides clear channel 64K bits-per-second
digital service. It is the next upgrade for dial up modems and combines
circuit and packet switching. But, while work on standards for
ISDN voice transmissions has been proceeding, the standards
group(s) have been slow to work on standards for the data side.
Also ISDN has been designated as a public network even though
most data networks are private.
There is still much work to be done before ISDN will can be used
for everyday applications but it is not about to fade away.
(Janet Endrijonas/19890929)
(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00008)
256-KILOBIT SRAM PRICE DOWN}
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 SEP 22 (NB) -- 256-kilobit SRAM (static random
access memory), a staple of the semiconductor memory business,
has been cut in price for big customers for the first time in two
years.
The unit price of 256-kilobit SRAM chips sold to big
customers, such as office automation equipment makers,
has become 970 to 1,050 yen (US$6.70 to $7.20), which is
about a 140 yen or 12 percent decrease from a month ago.
Some gigantic customers such as major electric makers and
game machine firms are now buying the SRAM chip at the
price of 900 yen (US$6.20).
The lower price of the 256-kilobit SRAM chips, the first drop since
June of 1987, is the result of an oversupply of the chips and
decreasing demand for them. Since the summer of '89, chipmakers have
deliberately slowed production of one-megabit (dynamic random
access memory) chips and have converted their facilities
for 256-kilobit SRAM production.
Another reason for the current surplus of SRAM chips can be
directly attributed to Nintendo. Chipmakers had been prepared to
sell large quantities of the chip to Nintendo for use in its Super
Famicon machine, which needs three 256-kilobit SRAM units per
console. But Nintendo announced that it will delay release of
Super Famicon for another year, which has left chipmakers holding the
bag.
(Ken Takahashi/19890928)
(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00009)
FUJITSU ENTERS COLOR LCD MARKET}
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 SEP 26 (NB) -- Fujitsu has developed a color
LCD (liquid crystal display) with resolution of 640 by 400 pixels
and which is capable of displaying 16 colors. This is the first time
Fujitsu has entered the market for color LCD units.
Based on double-layered, super-twisted, nematic liquid crystal black
and white screen, and with the addition of a color filter, Fujitsu
has realized a vivid 16-color display. Its original panel drive circuit
technology, which reinforces the panel drive voltage corresponding
to the screening data, the display realizes high-quality images
without unevenness on the screen.
Fujitsu expects demand for the 10-inch display to arise mostly
from laptop computer makers.
The sample price will be 350,000 yen (US$2,400). Fujitsu will
ship engineering samples in December, with volume production
due next April.
(Ken Takahashi/19890928)
(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00010)
SANYO TO LAUNCH MOST POWERFUL NOTEBOOK PC}
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 SEP 26 (NB) -- Sanyo Electric will
release a notebook-sized 16-bit personal computer, expected to
be the most powerful available in its class, by the middle of
1990, the company has announced.
Sanyo will make the 80286-based machine compatible with IBM's
PC/AT, a step up from other notebook-sized computers, such
as NEC's Ultralite and Toshiba's DynaBook, which are PC/XT-
compatible. Sanyo is currently making an XT-compatible notebook-
sized PC on an original equipment manufacturing basis for
Microsystems in Japan.
The small computer will have a 3.5-inch floppy drive, a
backlit black and white liquid crystal display with visual graphics
array with resolution of 640 by 480 pixels. Sanyo expects the
unit will have a long battery life but has not released details.
Sanyo is scheduled to release the new computer first in Europe,
and then launch an AX version of the product into the Japanese market.
A Sanyo spokesman told Newsbytes that the project is in its
first stage of planning, and further details will be released later.
(Ken Takahashi/19890928/Press Contact; Sanyo Electric,
03-837-6206)
(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00011)
JAPANESE 32-BIT PC SALES BOOMING}
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 SEP 27 (NB) -- According to the statistics from
Japan Electronic Industry Development Association, domestic (Japan)
shipments of 32-bit personal computers will double by
the end of 1989 compared to 1988. The organization says shipments
of 32-bit PCs last year totaled 148,000 units or 10.8 percent in the
Japanese PC market and will top 233,000 units in 1989.
The figures back them up. This year the market for 32-bit PCs
has already grown at a rapid pace; in the first quarter of this
year some 79,000 32-bit machines were sold, representing
a 20.2 percent share of the Japanese PC market.
Leading the 32-bit PC market are NEC, Fujitsu, and IBM
Japan. NEC, which had already sold some 2.39 million PCs by the end of
August, expects to have sold 750,000 32-bit PCs by the end of the
year and for 32-bit units to make up 20 percent of its total computer
sales.
Fujitsu expects to sell 115,000 32-bit FMR series computers, but
is not making such optimistic projections for its unique but
slow-selling FM-Towns PCs.
IBM Japan has been shipping 10,000 32-bit PS/55 series PCs monthly
since January of this year. During the first six months of 1989,
some 30 percent of all IBM's PC sales were from among its 32-
bit offerings.
Meanwhile, Seiko-Epson is taking a more conservative approach
to 32-bit computer sales. Primarily known for its 16-bit PC-9801
compatible machines, Seiko-Epson projects sales of 50,000 to 60,000
32-bit machines.
There are also 32-bit PCs from other makers, such as Toshiba's J-
3100SGT, Hitachi's B32GX, Sanyo Electric's MBC-18TJ series, and
Sony's PCX-300 series, so cut-throat competition in
the 32-bit PC market is sure to ensue.
(Ken Takahashi/19890928)
(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00012)
FASTEST 4-MEG CHIP FROM NMB SEMICONDUCTOR}
CHIBA, JAPAN, 1989 SEP 26 (NB) -- NMB Semiconductor has developed
the world's fastest four-megabit DRAM (dynamic random access
memory) chip with an access time of 50 nanoseconds.
In order to enter the four-megabit DRAM market, NMB tied up with
U.S.-based IC (integrated circuit) design firm Ramtron last
year, which has been helping NMB to create planer cell-type
four-megabit chips.
After initial research, NMB expects to start volume production
with monthly output of between 100,000 and 200,000 at a new
factory in Tateyama, Chiba prefecture, slated for completion
next June.
Japan's large chipmakers, such as Toshiba, NEC, and Hitachi,
have already been producing a few hundred thousand 4-meg chips per
month, but the chips have an access time of between 80 and 120
nanoseconds.
(Ken Takahashi/19890928)
(NEWS)(UNIX)(TOR)(00001)
CANADA: SUN PLANS CONFERENCE}
MARKHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1989 SEP 29 (NB) -- Sun Microsystems of
Canada is inviting customers and software developers to a three-
day conference on windowing and graphics. Scheduled for October
17-19 in Richmond Hill, Ontario, the meeting will include
presentations by Sun's key product designers. Topics will include
integrated windowing and graphics as fundamental future
technologies, current windowing strategies, implementing a
consistent look and feel, networked windowing and graphics and
implementing graphics standards.
Sun is charging a US$600 registration fee for the conference,
billed as Three Intense Days of Sun. For information or to
register, call 1-800-444-1SUN toll-free from anywhere in Canada
or the United States, or contact your local Sun office.
(Grant Buckler/19890929/Press Contact: Janice Murray, Sun Canada,
416-477-6745)
(NEWS)(UNIX)(BRU)(00002)
FRANCE: PICK SHARES SPOTLIGHT WITH UNIX AT SHOW}
PARIS, FRANCE, 1989 SEP 29 (NB) -- The Pick operating system is fast
becoming allied with the Unix operating system, say officials at
the Pick/Unix '89 Fair held in Paris last week. Officials at the
show likened the relationship between the two operating systems
as analogous to a Pick moon orbiting a Unix planet -- both
operating systems are inextricably locked together.
This year's Pick event was the first time that a second operating
system had been included in the show title. As a result of the
Unix incursion, the 30 companies displaying Pick goodies at the
show were vastly out-numbered the 100-plus Unix suppliers in
attendance.
The Pick operating system, which holds a mere 2.5 percent of the
world market, has sold more than 100,000 units worldwide of which
15,000 were sold in France alone. Unix International, in
contrast, has more 10 million systems in place.
Despite the figures, Jean-Luc Dupon of IN-2, the French Pick
supplier, is optimistic about the operating system's future. He
said that Pick has an annual growth rate of around 40 percent,
about the same as Unix.
So why is Pick teaming up with Unix? According to Freddy
Rodriguez of PIck Europe, it's all due to the performance of
relational database management systems (RDMS), which can handle
twice the number of users running under Pick than under Unix.
IN2 officials, whose product holds around 80 percent of the
French Pick systems market, are confident for the future.
"The best chance for Pick is Unix," said Jaques Morel of Pick France.
(Eric Dauchy/19890928)
(CORRECTION)(UNIX)(SFO)(00003)
CORRECTION - NEXT OPTICAL DRIVE}
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 29 (NB) -- A report
in Newsbytes last week indicated the Next Computer System was
equipped with a CD-ROM drive. The drive is not CD-ROM but a
rewritable optical disk drive with 256 megabytes of storage made
with magneto-optical technology.
(Wendy Woods/19890929)
(NEWS)(UNIX)(WAS)(00004)
UNISYS INTRODUCES NEW 386SX-BASED COMPUTER}
BLUE BELL, PENNSYLVANIA, U.S.A., 1989 SEP 29 (NB) -- The Unisys
Corp. has today announced immediate availability of the Series
500/16A PC, a 16MHz 80386SX-based computer aimed at the business
user and capable of being used as a low cost local area network
or LAN server or inexpensive SCO Xenix System V computer.
Newsbytes was not able to reach the Unisys contact to determine a
price for the new computer before deadline.
(John McCormick/19890929/Press Contact: Steve Lubetkin, Unisys,
215-542-2240)
(CORRECTION)(UNIX)(TYO)(00005)
CORRECTION: FREE UNIX SOFTWARE HITS JAPAN}
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1989 SEP 14 (NB) -- The dream of free software
envisioned by Unix pioneers lives on in Japan.
Free Unix software called GNU is available through SRA
(Software Research Associates) here. SRA has over 20 kinds of
GNU software for AT&T's Unix operating system in cooperation
with U.S.-based FSF or Free Software Foundation.
The FSF was established in 1985 by Richard M. Stallman whose
philosophy was introduced to the public in Dr. Dobb's Journal,
1985 March issue. The foundation is currently
leading the campaign to boycott those who seek to control
software copyright, and Lotus Development and Apple Computer
are among their most frequent targets.
In Japan, GNU users are increasing among software developers,
universities and research institutes. One unit of Japanese Unix
workstation News was donated to SFS from SRA while two SRA staffers,
Mr. and Mrs. Hikichi, worked at the non-profit organization
for a year. If you would like to know more about GNU, they will
send you a booklet, GNU Digest.
According to the SRA, Stallman is aiming to develop another operating
system in the future, rather than Unix, for his applications. His
vision starts with the GNU series, which currently consists of over
20 applications, including GNU Emacs editor and GNU compiler.
While a gnu is an animal living in Africa, GNU enthusiasts say it
stands for "GNU is Not Unix."
(Naoyuki Yazawa/19890921/Press Contact:Software Research
Associates, Inc., Mr. and Mrs. Hikichi, 03-234-2611 )
(NEWS)(UNIX)(SYD)(00006)
AUSTRALIAN SOFTWARE BUNDLED WITH PYRAMIDS}
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, 1989 SEP 25 (NB) -- Melbourne-based Best
Knowledge Systems has won a AUS$2.3M deal to have its software
bundled with Pyramid's Unix-based mini-mainframe computers.
BKS sales and marketing manager, Dr Ivan Ruzic, claims the win
will be the first in a number of large contracts that will "make
this one look small." Pyramid in the US will bundle six BKS Ease
Unix business utility packages with its machines starting next
month.
(Gavin Atkins & Computing Australia/19890927)
(NEWS)(UNIX)(SYD)(00007)
AUSTRALIAN UNIX DEVELOPER WORKS WITH SCO}
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA, 1989 SEP 27 (NB) -- Anvil Designs is to
develop performance improvements into SCO Office Portfolio in a
joint venture with developer Santa Cruz Operations. A
spokesperson said "Currently it's slow and has significant CPU
overheads and we're aiming for a ten times speed increase."
(Paul Zucker/19890929)