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Text File | 1992-11-16 | 58KB | 1,303 lines

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

 ****Newsbytes At Comdex 11/16/92
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- Newsbytes
News Network will offer comprehensive electronic daily coverage
of the COMDEX/Fall '92 trade show, going on in Las Vegas this week.

Five Newsbytes reporters are covering the show: Linda Rohrbough,
Dana Blankenhorn, Paul Zucker, Kirill Tchashchin, and Jacqueline
Emigh.

Exclusive first-hand reports start today and extend through Friday.

(Wendy Woods/19921116)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(DEL)(00002)

India: Database Of Animal Viruses 11/16/92
PUNE, INDIA, 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- The Bioinformatics Centre of the
University of Poona has created an animal virus databank stated
to be the first of its kind in the country.

Prepared by a group of scientists, the databank has detailed
pictorial as well as alphanumeric information on about 800 animal
viruses. The information is related to viruses, their hosts,
vectors and physiochemical properties, and it will be of help to
researchers worldwide in the development of new vaccines to curb
animal deaths. The data can be accessed through international
communication networks like Internet and Telenet.

Although the database will be used to document viruses, another
ongoing project will record actual deaths, births, and other data
necessary for environmental preservation. The State Forest and
Wildlife Department of West Bengal is planning to use computers
for the first time to take a census on tigers in the Sunderbans,
near Calcutta. The application of computers can help to check
duplication errors while counting the pug marks, and also will
determine the tiger population sex-wise.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19921105)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEL)(00003)

India: Multi-lingual Subtitler For PCs 11/16/92
PUNE, INDIA, 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- The Centre for Development of
Advanced Technology (C-DAC) has developed the electronic
subtitling technology which can be used by satellite TV agencies
like Star TV. The technology would enable a user to watch a
program with subtitles in the language of his or her choice.

To use the facility, the viewer would have to invest in a subtitle
decoder box which costs about Rs 5,000. The subtitle could be
selected through the box which is an interface between the TV and
the VCR.

This PC-based station can be used by amateur translators for
subtitling jobs of film makers, and for adult education. C-DAC
is expected to open the flood gates for video tape distribution
in any language all over the world by electronically subtitling
it in as many languages as required.

The Centre has also developed the Robust personal computer, for
use in Indian conditions. The PC is usable in adverse conditions
like heat, humidity, dust and erratic voltages. This system would
enable the launching of missions at the grass roots level, which
had previously been held up for want of proper equipment, its
creators say. The computer, a PC-AT costing Rs 50,000, has
4 MB of RAM.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19921105)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SYD)(00004)

New For PC: Australian Rental Property On Disk 11/16/92
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- "Getaway to Australia" is a
PC-based system that allows users to slowly browse or quickly
select the kind of accommodation in Australia that suits their
needs and budgets. It even includes 256-color photos of the
properties. Although planned for CD-ROM in a later version, it is
now supplied on multiple diskettes.

If you want a house in the wine-growing Hunter Valley with a
swimming pool and tennis court -- no problem, says the
manufacturer. "Let your computer do the walking and in a few
seconds it'll show you a list of all suitable properties,
complete with photo."

Getaway is claimed to be useful for anyone with special needs such
as non-smoking or multiple rooms, but doesn't have time to
contact property managers and ask about these matters. It
will be promoted through Australian travel publications and shows
and will also be promoted as a front-end for other systems --
possibly with touch-screen machines. A demo version is to be made
available though bulletin board systems initially in the US and
UK as well as Australia, including CompuServe. Release is
expected in mid-December.

The price for the full package starts at AUS$19.95 (US$14) with
a limited selection of photos, or AUS$49 for the full-photo set.

(Paul Zucker/19921113/Contact: Australian Accommodation
with Character and Charm, ph. [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(SYD)(00005)

Australia: Local Firm Releases Data Analysis Package 11/16/92
QUEANBEYAN, AUSTRALIA, 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- A software company based
in Queanbeyan, near the national capital, Canberra, has released an
AUS$100 data analysis package for IBM-PC compatibles which is
especially suited to analyzing federal census data. Geismar Holdings
has released OzGIS, a mapping program which allows the user to
present census data in map and pictorial form.

Lloyd Simons, Geismar managing director, obtained the rights to the
software from Paxus. Simons had been developing the package for the
CSIRO's (Commonwealth Scientific, Industrial and Research
Organization) Division of Computing Research when CSIRONET was
purchased by Paxus and the project abandoned. OzGIS will allow users
with access to the 1991 census data (due for release shortly) to
display the information from geographic districts (each of about 100
residences) into maps composed of individual districts or covering a
whole state. This data can be presented in graph, table, or map form.

Potential uses include political parties which might examine vote
counts by district, ethnic background, or income level, or by
welfare agencies to track areas of particular hardships and
levels of welfare payments in those areas. Simons also said the
package could be integrated with many commonly used spreadsheet,
database, and statistical analysis packages.

Queanbeyan (pronounced Queen-bee-ann) is located on the New South
Wales side of the New South Wales-Australian Capital Territory,
approximately 15km from Canberra.

(Sean McNamara/19921113/Press & Public Contact: Geismar Holdings,
phone in Australia [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00006)

New For PC: Futurus Phonebase 11/16/92
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- Futurus has released
a Microsoft Windows for Workgroups-based phone management system
called Phonebase designed to replace those ubiquitous pink While You
Were Out pads.

The activity that takes the most time in an office is the filling
out of these forms. Most calls are redundant as people play "phone
tag" and the same phone number is rewritten several times.
Futurus' idea is to help eliminate this time by using the
resources of the network.

Futurus Phonebase is both a phone message center and a database
manager. The phone message center is responsible for routing an
electronic version of the pink pad to the recipients. The database
manager is used to store all the caller information. Once a call
comes in, the message taker brings up a form and starts entering
data. The program will query the database for matches on the
information so that the user will not have to type in all of it.

If this is not the first time a particular caller has called,
Phonebase will trace the phone number, company name, and other
relevant information from the database and fill out the form
by itself. The message taker simply verifies that the
information is correct and has not changed.

Another database functions provided through Phonebase is a
reporting capability which tracks messages for the time they
arrived, and tallies up the quantity of incoming phone calls.

Phonebase will be available in December of this year. Current plans
call for it to support only Microsoft Windows for Workgroups. The
product will have a retail price of $99 for a 5-user license.
Those installations that need more than 5 licenses will need
to buy multiples of the 5-user license.

(Naor Wallach/19921113/Press Contact: Sharon O'Brien, Futurus, 404-
392-7979 Extension 134/Public Contact: Futurus, 404-392-7979)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LAX)(00007)

Parents Good Market For Computer-Related Products 11/16/92
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- With all the
talk about education and family this year, it should not come
as a surprise that a new study says people who are parents are
the most likely to be interested in home computers and software
products. The interactive online Prodigy service is saying
computer and software manufacturers should look at parents as a
strong possible market for their products.

The Roper Organization, in a presentation at an editor's forum
on education organized by Prodigy, said parents are twice as
likely to be interested in computerized information services
than non-parents. The Roper study found 45 percent of US
households with personal computers have children under 18, and
43 percent of parents are interested in computerized
information services, compared to 25 percent of non-parents.

W. Bradford Fay, research director of Roper Reports said in a
prepared statement: "Most people assume it's the techies who
buy home computers and software, but the bulk of purchasers are
now families with children."

Specifically, parents are looking for reference materials such
as encyclopedias, learning aids, how-to books, news, and travel
guides, Roper said. Parents are also more aware of the
technology, the study said with 60 percent of parents aware of
laser disks compared to 48 percent of non-parents. Parents
were also more aware of laptop computers, high-definition
television, CD-ROM, and interactive TV, the study said.

Education ranked highest as the activity parents said they
would carry out on their personal computer, (58 percent) with
games (55 percent), personal record keeping (55 percent), and
household bookkeeping (52 percent) following, Roper added.

(Linda Rohrbough/19921113/Press Contact: Steve Hein, Prodigy,
tel [phone]; Connie Connors, Connors Communications for
Prodigy, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LAX)(00008)

New Xerox Heat-Transferrable Color Copy Paper 11/16/92
ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- A color copy
that can be heat-pressed from paper onto fabric was announced
by Xerox. While this isn't the first product of its type, it
has the distinction of being the only product that doesn't
leave a chemical residue inside the copier and stands up well
to washings.

A special paper, AB-X, was developed for the Xerox 5775 Digital
Color Copier/Printer by Vancouver, Canada-based Graffoto. The
Xerox 5775 can accept input from personal computers or
workstations, as well as duplicate color photos, graphics, or
drawings.

While Graffoto and Xerox expect the new process to be used for
specialty personal items in the retail market, the companies
are also hoping corporations will find the color copy paper a
less expensive alternative to silk-screening, especially in
small quantities.

The process itself is two-step. After a color copy is
made on the standard paper which the 5775 uses, it is heat
transferred to the AB-X paper, then peeled from the AB-X paper and
heat transferred onto the fabric. A Graffoto representative told
Newsbytes the process is fast and there's no danger of
leaving any contaminates on the inside of the copier, a problem
that has plagued previous types of color transfer processes.

Another advantage is that the digital output isn't grainy and the
fabric is soft after the process, Graffoto said.

One hundred sheets of letter sized paper is $220, and 11 by 17-
inch sheets are available as well, Xerox said. Heat presses for
the process are available from Graffoto.

(Linda Rohrbough/19921113/Press Contact: Daniel Minchen, Xerox,
tel [phone], fax [phone]; Paul Wahlgren, Graffoto,
tel [phone]; Public Contact 800-288-9950)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LAX)(00009)

Inexpensive Pencentric Design Free To OEMs 11/16/92
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- Logitech and
Chips and Technologies (C&T) say they believe they can help the
pen-based computing market get off the ground with the design
of a 4 by 6-inch pen-based computer that only needs two "AA"
batteries and can be marketed for less than $500.

The design kit for the new pen-based computer is being provided
free by C&T and Logitech in the hopes original equipment
manufacturers will pick up on the idea. The kit includes
technical specifications with the complete design, all the
supporting documentation, and references for software houses,
C&T said. Prototype models will be demonstrated at COMDEX in
Las Vegas this week by C&T, Grid, and Logitech.

The design is a single-board design with a display of 256 by
320 pixels. The two "AA" batteries are expected to provide more
than 10 hours of battery life. Storage capacity can be provided
by credit-card sized PCMCIA solid state memory storage and the
unit is also designed to support IDE drives such as Kitty Hawk
by Hewlett-Packard, the companies said.

The design features a basic input/output system (BIOS) from C&T
and Phoenix Technologies, and Gazelle Graphics, a Logitech
affiliate, has designed and developed an integrated digitizer
and central processing unit (CPU) board in a light "ultra-thin"
form factor. Grid Systems, Geoworks, Communication Intelligence,
and Phoenix are all offering to provide software for the unit.

Gordon Campbell, C&T president and chief executive officer said
in a prepared statement: "With a materials cost of about $175,
this joint effort with Logitech enables pen computing to break
the $500 retail price barrier."

Of course, the design is based on products offered by Logitech
and C&T, but the companies have definitely done their homework.
Simi Valley, California-based Gazelle Graphics has been
credited as being the driving force behind the effort.

(Linda Rohrbough/19921113/Press Contact: Andrea Mirenda, CHIPS
and Technologies, tel [phone] ext 4322, fax [phone];
Tony Zank, Gazelle Graphics Systems, tel [phone], fax 805-
520-0867)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SYD)(00010)

 ****Indeo Codec For QuickTime 11/16/92
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- New Video Corporation, a
California company specializing in multimedia hardware and
software, has announced QuickTime Support of the Intel Indeo codec
technology. The Indeo technology allows real-time compression (when
authoring) and decompression of full motion video at up to 30 frames
per second.

The work on the Indeo codec was carried out in collaborations with
Apple Computer, whose QuickTime system extension allows users to
view multimedia images and sound on almost any Macintosh. QuickTime
has also recently been announced for Windows, and will be available
worldwide on November 23rd.

The announcement of Indeo support in QuickTime would heat up the
Microsoft Video for Windows vs QuickTime debate -- one of
Microsoft's reasons for its claim that Video for Windows is superior
is its built-in support of Indeo. Apple has also announced that
the newly developed Indeo codec will be incorporated in future
versions of QuickTime.

Apple will now be able to lay claim to a cross-platform, consistent
interface for video/audio playback and recording through QuickTime -
an important feature of QuickTime as more and more companies, both
hardware and software, announce plans to release multimedia-based
products. The companies which have already announced support for
QuickTime for Windows include Claris (which has announced its
FileMaker Pro 2.0 for Windows will support QuickTime for Windows),
SuperMac Technology (support for QuickTime for Windows will be
included in its VideoSpigot real-time digital-video capture card),
and Creative Labs (makers of the Sound Blaster sound card). Apple
already claims over 500 Mac applications have been announced to take
advantage of QuickTime, and 300 have already reached the
marketplace.

The New Video codec will allow any Mac to playback files from both
the Mac and PC environments in the Indeo format. For companies
involved in authoring multimedia titles, when used with the EyeQ
Authoring system, compression is performed in real-time as the data
is recorded. New Video claims this makes Indeo video the only
software-based real-time compression system available. Although best
results in playback will be achieved with the EyeQ Playback system
on the Mac or a PC or PC-compatible with Intel i750-based hardware,
with the inclusion of the codec in QuickTime, almost any user of
either version of QuickTime will be able to view the video data
with no additional hardware (although a sound card will need to be
installed on the PC for sound support, and quality degrades with
less powerful machines on both platforms).

The New Video Indeo software-based QuickTime codec will be available
from January 1, 1993. The New Video codec will be displayed at
COMDEX in the following venues for the duration of the show: Apple
Booth #1742, Horizons Technology Booth #4343, and the Intel
Technology Showcase at the Sahara Hotel.

(Sean McNamara/19921116/Press & Public Contacts: Suzanne Fulko, New
Video Corporation, phone [phone], Firmware Design, phone in
Australia [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00011)

COMDEX: Free PC CD-ROM From IBM Test Drives Multimedia Tools  11/16/92
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- IBM is offering
free Mediasourcery, a compact disc read-only memory (CD- ROM)
which offers information and demonstrations of thirty
multimedia tools which will all work together. The CD-ROM was
developed by Mountain View, California-based Mediasourcery, a
distributor of multimedia products and an IBM Multimedia
Affiliate.

Newsbytes saw a demonstration of the CD-ROM at IBM's sneak
preview of its Ultimedia Toolkit demonstration at COMDEX. All
the products featured on the CD have a common architecture so
users get seamless integration between products of participating
companies, IBM said.

Mediasourcery says it developed the CD because it found the
average multimedia developer uses no less than three software
packages, implying that multimedia developers are a strong
market for purchasing more multimedia applications. The CD
offers a point-and-click type of interface so users can
select which tools meet their criteria, and then actually see a
demonstration of each tool.

The CD-ROM is also smart enough to know if it is running on a
computer with Windows 3.1 or OS/2 in addition to DOS and will
only play the demonstration from the CD-ROM of the computer
has the appropriate operating system. Some of the products on
the disk include Animator Pro and Multimedia Explorer from
Autodesk, Mannequin and Mannequin Designer by Humancad,
Animation Works Interactive and Addimpact by Gold Disk, and
Multimedia Toolbook from Asymetrix.

Users can request the CD-ROM free by calling Mediasourcery
toll-free.

(Linda Rohrbough/19921116/Press Contact: David West,
Mediasourcery, tel [phone]; Kathy Keenan, Oakridge PR for
Mediasourcery, 408-253-5042; Public Contact; 800-228-ULTI)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00012)

New For Macintosh: Star Trek Screen Saver 11/16/92
BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- Berkeley
Systems has gone where no one else has gone before. Three
months after announcing an agreement with Paramount Pictures
to create a line of Macintosh screen savers based on the Star
Trek television programs and movies, the company has
introduced "Star Trek: The Screen Saver."

Screen savers are software programs that generate images on a
computer monitor after a predefined period of inactivity, thereby
protecting the screen from damaging "phosphor burn" caused by
static images.

According to Wes Boyd, Berkeley Systems president and founder:
"Yesterday's Star Trek generation is today's computer generation.
In fact, 53 percent of all Americans call themselves Star Trek
fans. With the Star Trek screen saver, these people will be able
to beam themselves aboard the USS Enterprise with all of their
favorite Star Trek characters. As Star Trek fans, our standards
are as high as the original series, so we have created an
entertaining combination of Star Trek sights and sounds which
capture the magic that has made the show a classic for more
than 25 years.

Captain Kirk, Spock, Scotty and Dr. McCoy all make "digitized
and animated guest appearances" in the program, which, according
to the company, features their actual voices. The program also
features original theme music from the television series.

Newsbytes originally reported on Berkeley Systems' agreement
with Paramount Pictures in August.

The company is best known for its After Dark screen saver
program for both the Macintosh and Windows platforms, which
features such images as flying toasters. Newsbytes reported on
the introduction of After Dark 2.0 for Windows at the beginning
of the 1992.

(Ian Stokell/19921113/Press Contact: Ann Crampton, Berkeley
Systems, 510-540-5535)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(TYO)(00013)

Japan: Apple Seeks Alliances For More Mac CD-ROM Titles 11/16/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- Apple Computer (Japan) is launching
a multimedia association with major Japanese firms. The idea is to
encourage the production of quality multimedia CD-ROM programs for
the Macintosh. There are currently only 9 CD-ROM Macintosh titles
from all of Japan.

Apple Computer (Japan) reports 30 firms, including Sony and Toshiba
EMI, are currently developing multimedia programs using its
Quicktime software.

The "Apple Multimedia Association" is expected to be functioning by
next spring. Apple Computer will provide multimedia technical
information to member firms with an eye toward the production of
100 new CD-ROM titles within a year.

The Japanese version of Apple's new operating system, System 7, which
includes Quicktime, was released recently.

Competition to create CD-ROM-based multimedia software has been
intense in Japan. Fujitsu has been pushing its multimedia
personal computer FM Towns and boasts that 600 multimedia
programs are available for this PC. NEC tried to catch up with
Fujitsu when it released a series of multimedia PCs this past
October. Fujitsu also claims 180 multimedia titles are already
available for its PCs.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19921116/Press Contact: Apple Computer,
 [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00014)

Matsushita, Sony In HDTV Laser Disc Venture 11/16/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- Matsushita Electric will be
selling Sony HDTV laser disc players on an EOM (original equipment
manufacturer) basis. The deal represents the first time Matsushita
has purchased devices from Sony to repackage under its own brand
name. Actual sales are expected to start in mid-1993.

Matsushita seeks to reduce its manufacturing costs by buying the
players directly from Sony. Sony's laser disc player is based on
an industry standard set by major Japanese firms including
Matsushita, Sony, Toshiba, Pioneer, and Sanyo, in 1991. An HDTV laser
disc plays up to two hours of audio-visual data. The signal is
recorded in compressed form under the MUSE system and
the player decompresses the data on the disc.

The retail price of this laser disc player will be around 1 million yen
($8,300). Pioneer is also expected to release a player
in 1993 for about the same price range.

The price of HDTV laser disc players are extremely expensive
compared with regular laser disc players, which cost only 70,000
yen ($580). Japanese firms, including Sony, are continue to develop
more efficient chips designed to reduce the price of the players.
High definition TV programs are being broadcast by NHK and private
broadcasting stations in Japan on an experimental basis. Actual
commercial broadcasting is slated to start in 1997.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19921116/Press Contact: Matsushita
Electric, [phone])


(NEWS)(APPLE)(LAX)(00015)

 ****Apple In Venture To Create Global Real Estate Database 11/16/92
HONOLULU, HAWAII, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- The System of
Multiple Colored Images for Internationally Listed Estates
(SMILE) and Apple Computer have announced an agreement to
jointly launch the first global network of real estate listings
via color images in an interactive, international database.

The global network, the International Property Registry, is
centered around the Macintosh computer and on software
developed by SMILE. Listing sellers have to pay extra to get
their homes on the service, but SMILE President Susan Bird told
Newsbytes getting that sellers to agree is easy once they see
SMILE. Bird says sellers can list not only textual information,
but color photographs of properties home buyers can view.

The SMILE CD-ROM is designed to be operated from a Macintosh with a
touch-screen interface which both buyers and brokers can use
to look at multiple views of homes. SMILE says floor plans and
suggested "makeovers" could also be included. Information on
the properties can be printed as well, SMILE added. The
anticipated Macintosh color Powerbook will make SMILE easier to
use, according to Bird, but some realtors haven't let black and
white stop them. Bird says one realtor has put a color monitor
in her car in order to show SMILE listings to clients on the
go.

Bird told Newsbytes the SMILE listings are distributed twice a
month on compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM). The system
has been implemented in the US, but Bird says SMILE plans to
move into every major US market and expand into Europe and the
Far East.

Apple says it will offer marketing and sales support in the US
from its 13 Apple Market Centers and from its satellite market
centers. In the greater New York metropolitan area, Citibank
will also offer mortgage financing information in a pilot
program for SMILE.

Prospective renters can find exotic property rentals on SMILE.
Beach, resort, and vacation property available all over the
world can be located and viewed using SMILE, Bird added.

(Linda Rohrbough/19921116/Press Contact: Susan Bird, SMILE, tel
212-351-2450, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(WAS)(00016)

COMDEX: Star-Studded Extravaganza Slated 11/16/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- It looks as if one of
the hot events at this year's COMDEX will be the Grand Scientific
Musical Theater where 15,000 attendees will pay $50 each to
benefit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
while viewing the latest in computer art designed on-site by pop
artist Peter Max (remember Yellow Submarine?).

Other musicians and artists displaying their talents at the show
will be four members of the Cirque du Soleil (the innovative
Montreal, Canada-based circus; Todd Rundgren; Yes; and Jon
Anderson, whose specially composed piece will be performed with
the Nevada Symphony Orchestra.

Special effects will be provided by well-known rock show
engineers, and some of the created art will be on sale. Sponsors
include The Hard Rock Cafe of Las Vegas; CompuADD; Hewlett-
Packard; IBM; NCR Safari Systems; and Quarterdeck Office Systems.

Micrografx, the Richardson, Texas-based graphics software
publisher, will be sponsoring the Fourth Annual Chili Cook-Off,
immediately preceding the Grand Scientific Musical Theater. The
Chili Cook-Off, which features about 40 varieties of chili
created by computer industry gurus, will also benefit NCMEC.

The Chili Cook-Off will take place from 5 to 9 p.m. on November
17 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, immediately followed
by The Grand Scientific Musical Theater, which will run until
midnight.

$50 tickets are available at the Micrografx booth, #53636, at the
Sands Hotel.

(John McCormick/19921116/Press Contact: Pat Meier, Pat Meier
Associates P.R., 415-957-5999, fax [phone], or MCI Mail 374-
5211)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(WAS)(00017)

Telecom News Roundup 11/16/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- Despite appearances
to the contrary, not everything related to the computer industry
is happening in Las Vegas this week, and Newsbytes will continue
to cover the rest of the world as well. Here are, briefly, some
of the recent telecommunications-related stories crossing our
desk.

ArtNet: Los Angeles Times columnist Michael Schrage has called for
regional telephone companies to sponsor what he calls ArtNet, a
discounted telecommunications network which would link artists
such as collaborative novelists and digitally interactive art.

Ohio TDD: UPI reports that a 24-hour, seven-day TDD
(Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) operator service from
the Ohio Bell Telephone Company would begin service on Sunday,
November 15.

Deaf and speech-impaired Ohio residents can now call 800-750-0750
to be connected to an operator who will relay their telephone
calls to those Ohio-based businesses and residences which are not
equipped with TDD units.

The service, supported by a joint effort of the Ohio state
government and Ohio Bell, is expected to be extended to out-of-
state call service later.

909 area code: The California area known as the "Inland Empire" got
a new area code Saturday. Riverside, San Bernadino, and Eastern Los
Angeles counties now use area code 909, replacing the 714 area
code. Pacific Bell says that the creation of California's
13th area code region was needed because the growth of car
phones, automated bank tellers, pagers, and fax machines all put
such a heavy demand on the company for new telephone numbers that
it expected to run out of new numbers by 1994 unless a new area
code region was created.

Cable&Wireless earnings: Reuters reports that British
telecommunications giant Cable and Wireless PLC should be able to
report stable first half results later this week. The relatively
strong showing of the pound sterling in the first part of 1992 reduced
expected profits because of the disadvantageous rate versus the US
dollar, but this only means that earnings will be about the same as
last year at around $360 million for the first six months of the year.

Italy to privatize many state-owned businesses: Italy's gigantic
budget deficit of $1.1 trillion is larger than the country's entire
gross national product. To pay its bills, the Italian government
will reportedly begin to aggressively privatize everything from the
state electricity company ENEL to government-owned telecommunications.
Under the 106-page program drawn up by Treasury Minister Piero
Barucci and submitted to Parliament by Prime Minister Giuliano
Amato, only critical high technology and infrastructure projects,
which could include some telecom, will remain under state control
as the state "jewels" are sold off to raise lire.

(John McCormick/19921116)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(WAS)(00018)

Iomega's Big New Storage Products 11/16/92
ROY, UTAH, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- Iomega is introducing
several new storage products during this week's COMDEX.

LaserSafe PRO is a rewritable magneto-optical (MO) drive using Maxoptix
hardware that provides massive PC and workstation storage, while
the Bernoulli MultiDisk 150 offers traditional removable magnetic
disk storage in capacities ranging from 35 megabytes (MB) to 150
MB per disk.

The LaserSafe PRO, which carries a list price of nearly $5,000
without the workstation or PC interface, accepts either $300 one-
gigabyte rewritable MO disc or a 650 MB magneto-optical disc
which sells for $250.

Iomega says that the MO drive is intended as a near-line (as
opposed to on-line) storage device which will serve as a massive
archival storage for users who create large graphics files,
including people involved with desktop publishing and technical
workers running computer-aided design software. The company claims
a shelf-life of 30 years for the MO media.

The new Bernoulii MultiDisk 150 provides on-line storage with a
peak five megabyte per second data transfer rate and 18
millisecond (ms) average access time. Downward compatible with
earlier Bernoulii drives (reading and writing 90 MB disks and
reading the old 44 MB disks), the MultiDisk 150 accepts new
magnetic discs with capacities of 35 MB, 65 MB, 105 MB, and 150
MB.

Prices are as follows: $1,099 for the MacInsider internal drive for
Apple Quadra computers and the PC or PS/2 internal drive;
the external Transportable MultiDisk 150 for PC, PS/2,
Macintosh, workstations and network servers lists for $1,225;
a two-disc external version, the Dual MultiDisk 150 with two
150MB drives, for PC, PS/2, Macintosh, workstations, and network
servers carries a list price of $2,499.

(John McCormick/19921116/Press Contact: Cara O'Sullivan, Iomega,
801-778-3712)


(NEWS)(IBM)(WAS)(00019)

COMDEX: Paper Keyboard Gets Calera OCR Support 11/16/92
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- Tarrytown, New
York-based Datacap has released version 2.1 of its Paper Keyboard
forms recognition software which enhances both optical character
recognition (printed characters) and hand printing recognition
through an integration with Calera's powerful OCR software.

The company reports that version 2.1 provides faster and easier
forms scanning that will recognize mixed alphanumeric data such
as are commonly found in hand printed street addresses, a common
target of business scanning.

There are now four products in the Datacap family: Paper Keyboard
Ez ($495) is an entry-level product for limited scanning; Paper
Keyboard Pro is a high-volume and check-box recognition system
priced at $5,000; Paper Keyboard ICR lists for $7,000 and
includes OCR, hand print recognition and mark sense conversion;
Paper Keyboard Edit is a $2,000 network-based data verification
and validation program.

(John McCormick/19921116/Press Contact: Scott Blau, Datacap, 914-
332-7515 or fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TOR)(00020)

COMDEX: Desktop Video Products For Mac, PC 11/16/92
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- Video products from
Fast Electronic GmbH are being shown at COMDEX/Fall by Fast
Electronic Sales Inc. of Bellingham, Washington, a newly formed
distributor for the German company.

Fast Electronic Sales, officially opened October 1, is controlled
by the owners of Commercial Electronics of Vancouver, British
Columbia, which distributes the Fast Electronic video products in
Canada, company spokeswoman Tania Elvin said. Commercial
Electronics is a 35-year-old distributor of audio-visual products.

Available in North America for the first time, the products include
Fast's Video Machine, Screen Machine, and a Digital Video
Interactive (DVI) board for laptop computers.

The Video Machine, Fast's newest product, is a hardware and
software combination for either the Apple Macintosh or PCs running
Microsoft Windows. It lets users cut and mix live video and
integrate titles, graphics, and animation from other programs, the
vendor said. The PC version, which is being shown at Comdex and
will be shipping this week, has a list price of $3,995 (C$5,394 in
Canada). The Macintosh version is due to ship in January at $4,795
(C$6,474).

The Screen Machine is a real-time color digitizer for PCs or
Macintoshes. It can also show text and graphics or full-motion
video in a screen window of any size and shape. Now shipping, the
Screen Machine has a list price of $1,795 (C$2,424) for the PC and
$1,995 (C$2,694) for the Mac.

Fast also offers cheaper versions of the Screen Machine that rely
on the computer's own graphics card to display images. The Screen
Machine Lite, for PCs, lists for $795 (C$1,074). The Screen Machine
Junior, for Macintoshes, is $1,295 (C$1,749).

Finally, Fast has a DVI board meant expressly for Toshiba T6400
laptops, using the Intel i750 B chip set. Intended for mobile
multimedia applications, it lists for $2,700 (C$3,645).

(Grant Buckler/19921116/Press Contact: Tania Elvin, Commercial
Electronics, 604-669-5525, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00021)

IBM Canada Launches Skill Dynamics Unit 11/16/92
MARKHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- Following a trail
blazed by its US parent company in June, IBM Canada is making its
education business into a separate company, Skill Dynamics Canada.
Effective January 1, all IBM Canada's education services will be
offered through Skill Dynamics.

The new company will start off with 166 employees and a large
education facility at IBM Canada headquarters in Markham, near
Toronto, company spokesman Mike Quinn said. The central facility
has 50 classrooms, 40 discussion rooms, 30 conference rooms, a
150-seat amphitheater, and a television studio.

While most Skill Dynamics Canada employees will be based in
Toronto, with some in other major cities such as Montreal and
Vancouver, the company will be able to offer courses anywhere
across the country, Quinn said.

It will also work closely with its American counterpart. Set up in
June, Skill Dynamics in the US has some 1650 employees. The new
structure will lead to "a freer flow of information and assets
north and south," Quinn said.

The creation of the Skill Dynamics subsidiaries is part of IBM's
over-all thrust to segment the company into business units with
considerable autonomy. Quinn likened it to the recent creation of
the IBM PC Company and said more moves of this sort can be
expected.

IBM Canada has also announced the purchase of a majority interest
in Polar Bear Software, an education firm based in Winnipeg. Polar
Bear specializes in personal computer application training in
Ontario and Western Canada. It has 75 employees. Further details of
the transaction were not disclosed.

(Grant Buckler/19921116/Press Contact: Mike Quinn, IBM Canada,
416-474-3900)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00022)

Seagate & Sundisk In Storage Dev't Alliance 11/16/92
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- Hoping to
increase their respective shares in the storage devices market
for mobile and portable computing, Seagate Technology and
Sundisk Corp., have signed a letter of intent to form a "product
and technology development alliance focusing on the design,
manufacture, marketing and sale of solid-state mass storage
products."

Seagate also plans to take a 25 percent equity position in
Sundisk, while Al Shugart, Seagate's chairman, president and
chief executive officer, will fill a newly created seat on the
Sundisk board of directors.

According to the two companies, the alliance will "further their
goals of being worldwide leaders in providing solid-state mass
storage solutions to the rapidly growing market for pen-based
and hand-held devices, notebook computers and other intelligent
personal appliances."

According to Market Information Research Corp., revenue for
these mobile devices, peripherals, and services will reach
nearly $45 billion by 1997.

According to Shugart: "As the world's largest manufacturer of
hard disk drives, Seagate maintains extensive technical and
marketing resources, including disk applications, drive
electronics, and interfaces such as IDE and PCMCIA. Together
with Sundisk's flash memory design, process technology,
packaging and component production experience, the two
companies intend to produce industry-leading products."

Sundisk has already signed strategic agreements with AT&T,
IBM, Grid, and Matsushita.

At the beginning of October, Newsbytes reported that Seagate
Technology had shipped the company's first hard disk drive with
magnetoresistive (MR) heads to an OEM (original equipment
manufacturer) for technical evaluation.

Also in October, Newsbytes reported that the company had
begun bundling compression software with its hard drives.

Seagate has been having some success in signing up major
computer manufacturers to use its hard drives, including, Sun
Microsystems, NEC, Texas Instruments, and Commodore.

(Ian Stokell/19921116/Press Contact: Julie A. Still, Seagate
Technology, 408-439-2276)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00023)

Trimble & IBM Ally In Mobile Computing Venture 11/16/92
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- Trimble
Navigation Limited and IBM are set to demonstrate a pen-based
computer and vehicle tracking system that uses global
positioning system technology to determine its precise
location, at COMDEX Fall.

According to the companies, IBM and Trimble will also be
operating an Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) system from
IBM's COMDEX booth using Trimble GPS technology to track
vehicles operating outside on the streets of Las Vegas.

William Dussell, Trimble's OEM sales manager, said: "The
combination of these technologies is a natural since the term
mobile computing implies location-independent operation. GPS
give mobile computing a sense of direction."

According to the companies, the pen-based system allows mobile
personnel to "automatically" record the location of observations
and digital pictures taken on the scene of a disaster or accident
as well as in utility company asset management situations.

The system consists of a Trimble GPS receiver and a Dycam Inc.,
digital camera interfaced with an IBM Thinkpad pen-based tablet
computer. The application software was developed by PenStuff
Inc., in conjunction with the University of Florida GeoPlan Center.

PenStuff's Michael Calto, vice president of project development,
said: "Combined, these technologies are expected to benefit a
wide range of applications from property appraisals and insurance
claim adjustments, to public safety, military applications and law
enforcement."

The companies claim that the technology is already being used by
Florida's Dade County, which is preparing geographically-correct
damage assessments in the wake of Hurricane Andrew.

The live AVL demonstration uses IBM PCradios (notebook
computers with built-in wireless communication capabilities)
that report "precise" vehicle location to an IBM RS 6000
workstation via the Ardis data network.

(Ian Stokell/19921116/Press Contact: William O. Dussell,
408-481-8915, or Barbara Thomas, 408-481-7808, both of
Trimble Navigation)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(SFO)(00024)

Software Toolworks & Newsweek To Produce CD-ROMs 11/16/92
NOVATO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- Moving into another
dimension of publishing, Newsweek and The Software Toolworks have
entered into a strategic alliance to produce a series of CD-ROM
multimedia software products.

A major trend in the magazine industry is for publications to
augment their distribution strategies to include media other than
paper. Many already offer on-line access to magazine data bases
and most are also available indirectly on third-party CDs from
major information providers.

According to the companies, the multimedia Newsweek products
will examine three to four topics of current interest on each disk
using motion video, audio, text, animations and photo essays. Also
included will be selected text from the previous three months of
Newsweek and other daily material from The Washington Post.

Newsweek claims it will be the first "general-interest" magazine
to be published as a quarterly CD-ROM version sold by subscription.
Retail versions of the product will be sold by The Software
Toolworks.

The Software Toolworks sells more than 50 of its own CD-ROM
titles, and also distributes CD-ROM software produced by such
companies as Lucasfilm, Origin Systems, and Grolier's Publishing.

According to Newsweek, independent research shows that 7.6
million of the magazine's readers have a personal computer at
home or use one at work.

Newsweek says that the multimedia stories are specifically
created for this medium by an editorial team at the magazine.

As a promotion, a version of the product will be offered free to
purchasers of the new portable Sony Multimedia Player starting
in January. The first multimedia Newsweek product on the IBM
PC platform is set for shipment in April 1993.

Only last week Newsbytes reported that Software Toolworks had
posted earnings of $1.6 million or $0.06 per share on revenue of
$25.7 million for the second fiscal quarter ended September 30,
1992.

(Ian Stokell/19921116/Press Contact: Vincent Turzo,
415-883-3000 ext 568, The Software Toolworks)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00025)

New Product: Keydata Plans 33-MHz 486 Notebooks 11/16/92
SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- Keydata
International hopes to ship by the end of this year two new
notebook computers based on Cyrix's 486SLC-33 processor. One of the
machines will have a high-resolution passive-matrix color screen,
while the other will have a monochrome screen.

Originally slated to ship this month, the machines are now due for
availability by the end of December due to chip shortages and other
delays, a spokesman said.

Plans for the Colornote notebook call for a 10-inch passive-matrix
color screen, four megabytes of memory, and a 120-megabyte hard
disk drive. However, the spokesman said design considerations may
lead to slightly smaller screen in the final product. The
monochrome version is to be essentially the same but with a
64-gray-scale VGA screen.

The Colornote is to sell for $2,795, and the monochrome notebook
for $1,995.

Keydata said both notebooks will use power management utilities and
a suspend/resume feature to reach an average of four hours of
battery life. A docking station and an internal fax and data modem
are to be offered as options, the company said.

While the new models are not being shown at Comdex/Fall in Las
Vegas this week, the spokesman said, Keydata is showing its
25-megahertz 486 and 386-based notebooks at the Cyrix booth.

(Grant Buckler/19921116/Press Contact: Mark Bruce, GHB, Bruce &
Cohen for Keydata, 914-761-2272; Public Contact: Keydata,
908-755-0350, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00026)

COMDEX: IDAPI Database Connectivity Standard Announced 11/16/92
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, USA (NB) -- Borland, IBM, Novell and
Wordperfect, are taking on Microsoft in the database connectivity
stakes. The "gang of four" officially have unveiled their
integrated database application programming interface (IDAPI) at
COMDEX Fall, which is held this week in Las Vegas.

The idea behind IDAPI, which is a trade-marked name, is to allow
software developers to create new database applications quickly
and easily. This in turn will allow end users to access data
stored in different formats on a variety of software and hardware
platform without the need to exit whichever application they are
using.

According to Borland, the IDAPI technology will support both set-
oriented and navigational access to database information. Set-
oriented is a method used by large database applications, such as
on SQL (structured query language) software. Navigational access,
meanwhile, is record-based, with the user allowed to step forward
and backward across the line of record "cards."

Borland, IBM and Novell plan to deliver IDAPI technology on their
OS/2. Netware, Windows and DOS applications, initially using
software developer kits (SDKs). In the longer term, third-party
companies will be encouraged to develop IDAPI-compliant software.
Wordperfect, meanwhile, plans to support IDAPI in future revision
and releases of its database software.

Newsbytes notes that all four companies are committed to
supporting the SQL/CLI (call level interface) standard proposed
by the SQL Access Group and X/Open. IDAPI, however, takes the
concept beyond CLI, which only supports SQL-compliant software.

To assist those developers which are working on CLI-compliant
software, the four companies have proposed that IDAPI consist of
a number of extensions to CLI, known as Navigational Call Level
Interface (NA/CLI). All being well, NAV/CLI will go before a
number of committees, notably X/Open and ANSI, for their
approval.

"Using IDAPI, millions of customers will be able to gain access
to a wide variety of corporate databases while maintaining their
investment in existing dBase and Paradox applications," explained
Bob Dickerson, vice president and general manager of Borland's
Paradox business division.

"We're pleased that IBM, Novell and Wordperfect are working with
us to make IDAPI widely available on many different operating
systems and application environments," he added.

So, how long before actual product that supports the IDAPI
standard hits the software store shelves? All four companies
remain shy on this point.

Borland plans to release versions of its IDAPI SDKs within a
short space of time to its developers, while Novell is working
towards the release of its SDKs. Sources close to Novell suggest
a first quarter next year shipment of its SDKs. IBM and
Wordperfect have not announced any shipment dates.

(Steve Gold/19921116)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00027)

Tandon Continues To Post Huge Losses 11/16/92
MOORPARK, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- After posting
losses of $19.3 million for its second quarter, Tandon Corp., has
now posted losses for its third quarter ending September 30,
totalling $17,809,000, or 28 cents per share. This compares to
losses of $34,374,000, or 54 cents a share from last year.

The company reported that net sales from continuing operations
were $72,482,000, compared with sales of $83,670,000 in the
third quarter of 1991.

According to the company, the quarterly loss included reserves
of about $8 million, or 12 cents a share, accrued to address
costs connected with the ongoing phase-out of Tandon's Austrian
manufacturing operation as the company turns to contract
manufacturers to provide PCs built to company specifications.

For the nine months of 1992, the company reported sales of
$249,453,000, compared with $308,703,000 last year. Net loss
from continuing operations for the nine months was $29,762,000,
or 46 cents per share, compared with a loss of $25,177,000, or
40 cents per share a year ago.

The company said that the nine-month loss included reserves of
approximately $18 million, or 28 cents a share.

Interestingly, the company now says it is focusing the bulk of
marketing and sales efforts on Europe, which accounted for
approximately 85 percent of the company's overall sales during
the first nine months of 1992.

In August Newsbytes reported that the company was blaiming
the fierce PC price cutting wars for its $19.3 million second
quarter loss.

(Ian Stokell/19921116/Press Contact: Tandon Corp., Mike
Sanders, 805-523-0340)


(NEWS)(IBM)(ATL)(00028)

 ****COMDEX: IBM Features Connected Multimedia 11/16/92
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- IBM previewed its
multimedia exhibits the night before the show opened, and
revealed its strategy for the technology.

"It must be connected" Michael Braun, assistant general manager
for IBM Multimedia, told Newsbytes. "We have the only corporate
view of multimedia which extends across the enterprise."

To that end, IBM has for the first time brought its "big iron,"
the ES-9000 mainframe, to Comdex. Its mainframe is connected to
AS-400 minicomputers, a host of PS/2s, and sites in Dallas,
Raleigh, and elsewhere, delivering literally dozens of
applications to the show floor.

Bob Steen, Enterprise Systems director for IBM, explained to
Newsbytes that "a mainframe becomes a server in a multimedia
environment." A full hour of full-motion video, compressed with
something like the Indeo Video scheme from Intel IBM is
exhibiting, will require a full gigabyte of storage. Large
customers will need thousands of gigabytes in storage, with
hundreds of employees online to it at once. Only a mainframe can
deliver that kind of power.

For what? "You can train hundreds of employees at once," Steen
said. IBM is working on entertainment applications, including the
delivery of movies over telephone lines to homes and video
stores. IBM is working with Ameritech on a test of that version
of the technology. "We made a mistake in the past," Steein added.
"We made the mainframe invisible to users," who now ignore what
mainframes can do. "Now we're making it visible."

IBM is also excited about using this technology in public kiosks.
Its booth at Bally's featured two real-time applications of this
technology. One was used last year to sell tickets to Minnesota
Twins games. The other was used by the state of California to
help people pay parking tickets and learn about government
services. An IBM spokesman leading a tour of the booth explained
that the California kiosks are used most often outside regular
office hours, often to places like shopping malls.

Off the main Bally's floor, at what IBM calls its "Ultimedia
Toolshed," Herbert Cotter explained that the company's goal in
the PC environment is to make sense of all the authoring systems,
file formats and standards now being offered on the market.
"Cotter's rule of authoring systems holds that you'll like 70
percent of what you see in any system, hate 30 percent of it, and
want 50 percent more power. And everyone's opinion of what they
like, dislike and need is different." So 12 showcase exhibitors,
30 multimedia development tool makers, and other "business
partners and friends," as Cotter called them, are cooperating to
let customers mix-and-match solutions, on a uniform IBM platform.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19921116/Press Contact: Chris Clough, IBM, 914-
642-5372)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(ATL)(00029)

 ****COMDEX: What To Expect This Year 11/16/92
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- In one weekend Las
Vegas has gone from witnessing a heavyweight boxing match to a
heavyweight business event. About 30,000 people left town after
watching Riddick Bowe beat Evander Holyfield, while 130,000 are
arriving to see whether John Akers and John Sculley can double-
team and pin software champion Bill Gates at Comdex.

In this case, don't bet against the champ. Microsoft's Windows
for Pens is a contender for pen-based systems, although CIC's
PenDOS claims 90 percent of the current installed base, according
to CIC President James Dao. QuickTime will battle Gates' new
Video for Windows add-on to Windows 3.1 for control of the new
"multimedia desktop," while IBM is now talking about the need to
network such applications with its big iron and seems to be de-
emphasizing OS/2. WordPerfect, Lotus, Borland, and a host of
other challengers are battling Gates' Windows applications. And
many at this show will find time to discuss whether the Federal
Trade Commission, under a new Democratic Administration, might
seriously considering breaking up the giant.

The undercard is crowded too. Intel's 486, and its pending
Pentium follow-up -- formerly the 586 -- will do battle here
against Cyrix' and Advanced Micro Devices' 486 clone chips. AT&T,
will show the Eo "Personal Communicator," Sharp a new Wizard, RAM
a new wireless packet network, and Prentice-Hall a pending book
on "Field Computing," bringing true automation to people outside
the office. Go will have a gallery of applcations for its
PenPoint pen-based operating system, while a group of companies
will offer a "PCMCIA gallery," with dozens of new products which
fit on credit-card sized, plug-in cards, including hardware,
software and memory products.

And we haven't even touched on the unexpected, or circuses like
Micrografx' all-star rock 'n roll show. Despite two years of
recession, despite a jaded user community, and almost despite
itself, COMDEX just gets bigger, gaudier, wilder and more fun
every year. Newsbytes will have reporters from Los Angeles,
Boston, New York, Sydney, Australia and -- for the first time --
Moscow, Russia covering the show. We hope you stay with us.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19921116)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00030)

COMDEX: Stamp Artist Joni Carter's MM Teaching/Dev Tool  11/16/92
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 16 (NB) -- Joni Carter, the
artist known for her computer art centering on sports and
featured in a set of US Postage stamps, has developed a
multimedia presentation package called IBM Studio I which is
being demonstrated in conjunction with IBM's Ultimedia.

Carter told Newsbytes the software is to be bundled with the IBM
Ultimedia Personal System/2 computer and this is the first time
IBM has ever committed to bundling signature software with one
of their systems.

IBM, in a sneak preview for the press, allowed reporters at
Comdex into its multimedia booths last night before the opening
of the gigantic tradeshow in Las Vegas today.

Carter explained to Newsbytes she kept the "techno-geeks" in
the background during the development of Studio I. The program
is an authoring tool, but is also a step-by-step tutorial in
the use and development of multimedia presentations. More
artists would have gotten into multimedia sooner if "technology
intimidation" and a "budget deficit" hadn't gotten in the way.
Carter says Studio I removes these obstacles.

Lessons in the tutorial focus not only on the mechanics, but on
design and composition. Carter told Newsbytes the product not
only shows what can be done, but how to do it. The artist
herself appears in a video in a corner of the screen during
each lesson to explain and encourage the user. Users can create
a run- time presentation by the end of the self-paced lessons,
Carter added.

The lessons include text creation; graphics movement; saving
and transporting pages; editing and sequencing; adding music,
voice, and sound effects; transitions between frames and
choosing colors; and the fundamentals of good design. Thirty
business and educational presentation packages are included
with themes such as football, aerospace, financial, western,
patriotic, international, and pop art.

While Carter complains that multimedia artists have faced a
virtual "laundry list" of adapter cards, authoring tools, and
software to do multimedia before the advent of Studio I,
Carter's own list is a fairly long one. Studio I requires a 486
25 megahertz (MHz)-based computer running OS/2 2.0 and
Multimedia Presentation Manager/2 (MMPM/2), 8 megabytes (MB) of
memory, an IBM XGA video card with 1 MB of memory, an IBM M-
audio adapter/A card, an XGA or non- XGA compact disc read-
only memory (CD- ROM) drive, and a hard drive with 20 MB of
free space in addition to OS/2 2.0 and MMPM/2.

Studio I will be offered with the IBM Ultimedia PS/2 beginning
in January of 1993, Carter said. The product will come on a
single CD- ROM disc.

While Carter's product is based on OS/2 2.0 with MMPM/2, it was
one of the few products demonstrated in IBM's "Toolkit" booth
at Comdex that is OS/2 2.0 based. Microsoft Windows 3.1 was
heavily present in demonstrations and presentations on IBM PS/2
machines in the Toolkit display of multimedia applications.

(Linda Rohrbough/19921116/Press Contact: Joni Carter of Joni
Carter, tel [phone], fax [phone])