Newsbytes - Internationa…ews 1983 May to 1994 June/Newsbytes - International Computing Industry News 1994 Edition - May 1983 - June 1994 - Wayzata Technologies (5045) (1994).iso/mac/Text/Mac Text/1992/nb920124

Text File | 1992-01-24 | 66KB | 1,560 lines

(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00001)

U.K. Appeals Court Upholds Token Ring Patent Claim 01/24/92
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- An appeals court in the U.K.
has upheld a lower court's ruling that Madge Networks' networking
products do not infringe the patents of the inventor of the Token
Ring technology, Olaf Soderblom.

While accepting the appeal court's decision on the case,
Soderblom is not too upset -- he's just signed a licensing deal
for his technology with Accton Technology Corporation and
Wellfleet Communications in the U.S.

Soderblom also has legal actions pending against Madge Networks
in the U.S. According to legal experts, the decision of the U.K.
courts regarding Soderblom's patent rights will have no effect on
the cases currently being pursued through the U.S. courts.

Soderblom is currently vice-chairman of Willemijn Holding. a
company based in the Netherlands. After filing various patent
requests in the early 1980s, Soderblom was granted patents on his
Token Ring technology in 1982. Almost immediately, he sought
licensing fees from companies that he alleged were using his
ideas. Subsequently, Willemijn Holding signed a series of
licensing deals with several computer companies, notably AT&T,
Hewlett-Packard and IBM.

(Steve Gold/19920124)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LAX)(00002)

Practical Peripherals Reduces Fax/Modem Prices 01/24/92
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 24 (NB) --
Practical Peripherals says it is reducing the price of its
fax/modem to less than the cost of some data-only modems.

The half-card PM2400FX96 combines a 2400 baud modem and a 9600
bit per second (bps) send/receive fax and fits inside the
computer into an empty slot. Practical Peripherals says it has
reduced the PM2400FX96 $70 to $139. The stand alone version,
the PM2400FX96SA, is $90 less or $149.

The built-in fax is Group III-compatible, a standard among fax
machines.

The fax/modem includes Quick Link II software that handles
communications as well as faxing. Quick Link II even offers the
user the ability to place their company logo in the form of a
 .PCX file on the fax. Quick Link also works in the background,
allowing users to send and receive faxes while working on other
projects and multiple files can be sent with a single call as
well, the company said.

Practical Peripherals says it hopes the price reduction will
attract consumers considering a modem to purchase a fax/modem
instead. The company, located in Westlake Village, California
is a division of Hayes.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920120)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(LAX)(00003)

 ****Next Heralds 400+ Percent Growth, New Products 01/24/92
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- Next
announced it is experiencing an unheard-of growth spurt,
reporting a 443 percent increase compared to its revenue last
year. The company reported $127 million in revenues for its
fiscal year ending December 31, 1991.

Steve Jobs, inventor of the Apple Computer and current
president and chief executive officer of Next Computer, said:
"Our 1991 results are a solid accomplishment, especially given
the worst recessionary environment in memory." Jobs gave the
keynote speech, appropriately, at the NextWorld show in
San Francisco on Wednesday.

Jobs said Next has to be significantly better to get the
advantage over entrenched systems like Sun. "Nextstep has been
heralded as being significantly better than Sun's and everyone
else's system software, in part because it allows customers to
create custom applications up to 10 times faster," Jobs said.

Next said the increase in revenues is due in part to the
company's change in marketing focus from higher education in
1990 to business and government customers in 1991. Next also
said 43 percent of its revenue was from its European and
Pacific operations. The company is projecting half its revenues
will come from outside the US in 1992.

Third party applications for the Next are increasing in numbers
as well from 63 to 247 during 1991. Next user groups went from
65 in number to over 260 groups in 28 countries, the company
added.

Next also announced several new products, including an
operating system that is designed for Intel 486-based
computers.

Called Nextstep 486, the operating system is object-oriented
and is the same operating system offered on the Next, the
computer designed and built by Next Computer. The Nextstep 486
allows Next and 486-based computers to interoperate seamlessly
with each other, as well as with Apple Macintosh, Unix and IBM
or compatible computers.

Rumors were flying prior to the announcement that Compaq would
be among those licensing the new Intel processor version of
the NextStep software, but a definitive agreement from the
two firms failed to materialize on schedule.

Current Nextstep applications can be ported to the Nextstep 486
easily, Next said. Lotus, Wordperfect, Adobe and Wolfram
Research, have created versions of their Next applications
running in Nextstep 486.

The Nextstep 486 requires 4 to 16 megabytes (MB) of random
access memory (RAM) and a mouse or pointing device. The user
version of Nextstep requires 120 MB of free hard disk space for
use and is offered at a retail price of $995. The developer
version, which requires a 400 MB of hard disk space, is being
offered for $2,495.

Next has also announced faster, color versions of the
Nextstation which the company says are also less expensive.
These "turbo" versions of the Nextstation, Nextstation
Color and Nextcube are built around the Motorola 68040
processor running at 33 megahertz (MHz).

Previous versions of these new "turbo" Next computers were
based on the Motorola 68040 chip, but only at 25 MHz, Next
said. The turbo computers have been rated at 25 million
instructions per second (MIPS), compared to 18 MIPS for the 25
MHz versions.

Next said it has also reduced prices on its other computer
configurations by an average of 10 percent.

Other announcements by the company included the debut of a 360
dots-per-inch (dpi), four-color printer; an external compact
disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) drive; a Next Database Kit
(DBKit) Adaptor for the Teradata DBC/1012 Data Base Computer;
and a joint marketing deal with Teradata Corporation. The joint
marketing agreement provides for the exchange of technical
information, prospect referrals, training, and joint sales
cooperation, Next said.

More information about Next products is available toll-free at
800-879-6398 (800-TRY-NEXT).

(Linda Rohrbough/19920124/Press Contact: Allison Thomas,
Allison Thomas Associates for Next Computer, tel [phone])


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

Paradox SQL Link Allows Access To IBM Mainframe Data 01/24/92
SCOTTS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- Borland
says it is offering of Paradox structured query language (SQL)
Link software so users accustomed to Paradox can still access
data on IBM mainframes.

Paradox SQL Link support for IBM's DB2 database management
system allows Paradox users to have transparent access to DB2
data on IBM mainframes, Borland said. Users need to have
Paradox 3.5 and Micro Decisionware Inc.'s (MDI) Database
Gateway for DB2 to gain transparent access, Borland added.

Paradox SQL Link automatically translates Paradox query by
example and menu commands to the dialect of SQL. Paradox
application developers can use Paradox SQL Link to build
complete database applications with embedded SQL, the company
said.

Borland has several SQL products to allow Paradox users to
access data on a variety of systems. Paradox SQL Link for Micro
Decisionware Gateway to DB2 and Paradox SQL Link for Rdb/VMS
have a suggested retail price of $395. Paradox SQL Link for IBM
OS/2 Extended Edition Database Manager, Sybase SQL Server,
Tandem Nonstop SQL Server, Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle
Server has a suggested retail list price of $495.

Paradox is required and retails separately for $795.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920120/Press Contact: Timberly McGee,
Borland International, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(APPLE)(LAX)(00005)

New For Macintosh: Task Automation Program 01/24/92
PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- A script
writer to automate tasks for Macintosh users, Frontier version
1.0, is shipping from Userland Software.

Userland describes Frontier the first system-level scripting
language for the Macintosh. Much like batch files in the IBM
personal computer world, Frontier is a tool to develop
utilities to automate, customize, and simplify the Macintosh
operating system, file system, networks, and System 7.0-
compatible applications.

Frontier scripts can be launched from the Finder desktop, from
Frontier's user-editable menu bar, or from compatible
application software, and can run as background processes,
Userland said.

Frontier includes a built-in scriptable outliner and word
processor; outline-based script editor and debugger;
interactive symbol tables; a menu bar editor; and an object
database that stores information permanently and facilitates
communication between scripts and applications, the company
said.

Frontier's scripting language, Usertalk, offers control
structures; over 350 built-in verbs; over 100 sample scripts; a
700-page User's Guide and Reference Manual; and an on-line
documentation server application.

Randy Battat, Apple Computer's vice- president for portable
computing and a Frontier script writer said: "It (Frontier)
allows power users and custom-application developers to create
scripts that control other programs, manipulate files, and run
the whole Macintosh system....I can carry out routine and
repetitive tasks - as well as tasks that require me to do too
much rummaging around my hard-disk attic."

Chris Espinosa, manager of system software marketing for Apple
Computer's USA division, said: "Finally there's a tool for in-
house developers to assemble the best features of shrink-wrap
applications into a solution for their users' needs."

Userland has also announced the opening of a Userland Forum on
Compuserve. UserLand President David Winer said the Compuserve
forum has already helped the company work with script writers
and Macintosh developers to create new utilities.

Priced at $179, Frontier is only available directly from the
company. Discounted 5- and 10-packs are also available,
Userland said. More information is available directly from
Userland toll-free at 800-845-1772.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920120/Press Contact: Alice Lankester,
Userland Software, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00006)

Japanese Offered Magic Database Software Via Wacom 01/24/92
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- IBM-Japan and
Wacom have solidified an agreement with US newcomer, Magic
Software, to distribute the company's database application
software in modified form to the Japanese market.

Magic Enterprises, a Tel Aviv-based company, opened a
headquarters in Irvine last year. Wacom says it will distribute
a version of Magic customized for the Japanese market and
called Dbmagic. Wacom says it is currently Japan's largest
supplier of computer-aided design (CAD) software tools.

Al Frank, Magic's president and chief executive officer, said:
"Japan is currently the single largest software market
opportunity in the world. That country's appetite for
application solutions has set the pace for global automation
trends. By teaming with the nation's largest supplier of CAD
automation tools, Magic is poised to become the defacto
standard for productivity tools for the software factory of the
future."

Magic claims its software is unique as it automates the most
common database functions. In Magic, applications are described
rather than coded, which the company says enables developers to
move quickly from a protytpe to an executable applications
without coding, debugging, and compiling.

Magic also claims its applications can be ported transparently
across DOS, OS/2, Unix and VAX/VMS platforms and support a
variety of popular networks.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920120/Press Contact: Regina Freeman, The
Bohle Company for Magic, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(WAS)(00007)

GTSI Tops GSA Contract Computer Sales 01/24/92
CHANTILLY, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- Government
Technology Services, Inc., better known as just GTSI, sold $142.4
million of microcomputer products under GSA (General Services
Administration) Schedule B and C contracts during the past year.
This is an 11 percent increase over the previous year and,
according to Bob Capozzi, GTSI's press spokesperson, makes GTSI
the largest microcomputer vendor to the federal government under
GSA contracts.

GSA Schedule contracts are pre-negotiated, maximum price
contracts for goods and services provided to all government
agencies. These standard contracts may voluntarily be accepted by
agency buyers to save the time and expense involved in
negotiating thousands of small individual contracts.

Major purchases such as those made under Desktop IV do not fall
under the GSA Schedules and are separately negotiated; that is
why a reseller like GTSI can sell less than $150 million worth of
products and rank as the biggest microcomputer supplier under the
GSA contract regime.

GTSI provides nearly 10,000 different products obtained from more
than 300 manufacturers to nearly every federal department and all
50 states.

(John McCormick/19920124/Press Contact: Bob Capozzi, Government
Technology Services, 703-631-3333, ext. 1035)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(WAS)(00008)

 ****IRS Tries Out Verbal Tax Filing 01/24/92
GERMANTOWN, MARYLAND, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- In another move
to speed tax filing and refunds, and thus placate taxpayers and
thereby improve compliance, the IRS is going to test a Microlog
voice mail system this year which, it is estimated, will result
in more than one million taxpayers filing their 1040EZ (very
short and simple form) tax form via a telephone call. This
process is expected to halve the time required for a refund check
to arrive at the taxpayer's address, cutting the wait from about
a month to only two to three weeks.

The 1992 trial will take place only in Ohio, but another test is
already planned for next year.

Using a new 1040-TEL form as a guide, single Ohio taxpayers with
salaries less than $50,000 will dial a toll-free number and
respond to the computerized TeleFile answering system by entering
data from their W-2 (wage and withholding statement). TeleFile
will calculate the refund while the person is online and provide
him or her with the information to copy onto his or her 1040-TEL
form, which must then be signed and mailed in to the IRS.

Germantown, Maryland-based Microlog Corporation developed and
installed the test system for the IRS.

(John McCormick/19920124/Press Contact: Tom Horton, Microlog
Corp., 916-638-7575 or fax: [phone])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(WAS)(00009)

Computone and Informix Get Piece of Boeing Contract 01/24/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- Roswell, Georgia-
based Computone has reported receiving a hardware and software
subcontract from Boeing Computer Services to supply components
for the aerospace giant's $1.6 billion Reserve Component
Automation System or RCAS contract. Informix has announced that
its new database has also been chosen by Boeing as part of the
RCAS system, a subcontract which will result in about $26.8
million in payments for license fees and software support.

RCAS, administered by the U.S. Army Information Systems Selection
and Acquisition Agency (ISSAA), has a total contract value of
$1.6 billion over 12 years. The goal of RCAS is to computerize
reserve operations to enhance the readiness and mobilization
capabilities of Army National Guard and Army Reserve units.

RCAS will be implemented at approximately 4,700 local reserve
depots across the U.S.

As with most long-term government contracts, the total value of
the contract may be exceeded or, as in these tight economic
times, may be greatly reduced. Informix's payments, for instance,
are only guaranteed to total the $5 million due next month, with
the expected $21.8 million October 1992 payment contingent on the
U.S. Congress approving continued funding for the program.

Almost unbelievably, until RCAS is implemented nearly all Army
National Guard and Army Reserve bookkeeping operations such as
payroll, inventory, acquisitions, and other administrative tasks
will continue to be done by hand as they have been in the past.

The RCAS system will be Unix-based and POSIX (the Portable
Operating System Interface for Unix standard set by the IEEE)-
compliant.

Computone did not disclose the value of its subcontract or the
payment schedule.

(John McCormick/19920124/Press Contact: Thomas P. Tanis Jr.,
Computone, 404-475-2725, or Brenda Hansen, Informix Software
Inc., 415-926-6651)


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

Europe Officials Approve Ericsson Telecom Deal 01/24/92
BRUSSSELS, BELGIUM, 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- The European Commission
(EC) has announced it has approved a joint venture deal between
Ericsson of Sweden and Hans Kolbe & Co., of Germany. The thumbs
up allows both companies to cooperate in developing line
transmission technology.

In a statement issued yesterday (Thursday), EC officials said
that the link-up between the two companies "does not raise
serious doubts as to its compatability with the common market
since the affected market is still in the development stages."

EC officials added that the main reason for not impeding the
joint venture between the two companies was that there is strong
competition in the line transmission technology marketplace. For
this reason, the link-up between the two companies have been
given official approval.

If EC approval had not been forthcoming, it is unlikely the deal
could have taken place. EC monopoly and merger rules are
now binding on member country states. Infringers face legal
action. Plans call for both companies to establish a joint
venture firm -- Ericsson Fube Telekom -- jointly owned by
Ericsson (51%) and Kolbe (49%).

(Steve Gold/19920124)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(TYO)(00011)

 ****NEC Claims World's Fastest Laptop WS & Supercomputer 01/24/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- NEC has released what it
claims is the fastest laptop workstation in the world. Called
the EWS4800/120LT, it is said to have a processing speed of
28 MIPS (million instructions per second).

NEC's laptop workstation is equipped with a RISC (reduced
instruction set computing)-based VR3600 processor (25MHz). The
display is bright, thin film transistor technology with a
resolution of 1,280 by 1,024 pixels. It has a 48-megabyte
memory and a 418-megabyte hard disk, the largest configuration
among any laptop workstations in the market, NEC says.
The operating system is based on Unix System V rel.4.
Four business programs including a spreadsheet and word processor
are bundled with the machine.

Meanwhile, NEC also claims to have developed the world's fastest
supercomputer -- the SX3R series Model 44R. This supercomputer has
a processing speed of 25.6 giga FLOPS (floating point operations
per second) or 25.6 billion operations per second. This is faster
than a Cray supercomputer which operates at 24 giga FLOPS. NEC says
it will ship this supercomputer in September. The monthly
rental price will be 102 million yen ($0.8 million). NEC expects
to sell 80 units in the next four years.

(Masayuki Miyazawa/19920124/Press Contact: NEC, [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00012)

 ****"Karaoke" Via ISDN Phone Network Debuts 01/24/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- Japan Video Information Service
Planning has developed a unique system -- a network version of
"Karaoke" or orchestrated background music that will be
available on NTT's ISDN (integrated services digital network).

The system, called the "K" system, provides the user with a
proprietary Karaoke receiver that is connected to a TV set and
has a memory feature. The user can log onto the host computer
system and choose from a selection of Karaoke titles, as well as
color pictures corresponding to the music. A maximum of 20 music
and picture combinations can be stored in the user's
receiver, JVISP says. The selection consists of 10,000 music
titles.

The Karaoke system, jointly developed by NTT, uses NTT's Captain
videotex network via ISDN. Japan Video Information
Service Planning will start experimental broadcasts in Tokyo in
February. The actual service is expected to be offered to the
Japanese public by the end of this year. The cost will be around
3,500 yen ($30) per month or 200 yen ($1.50) per musical selection.

(Masayuki Miyazawa/19920124/Press Contact: Japan Video Information
Service Planning, [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00013)

 ****Low-Cost HDTV LSI Developed By Japanese Firms 01/24/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- Four Japanese firms including
Fujitsu, Hitachi, Japan Texas Instruments, and Sony have jointly
developed large scale integrated (LSI) chips for high definition
TVs. The firms say that with these LSI chips, a low-cost HDTV
decoder can be produced.

There are 15 LSIs that have been created. These chips are said to be
equal to 40 chip sets currently used for an HDTV decoder. They
consume about half of the electricity, and no cooling fans are
required, the companies say. The latest LSI chip set costs 380,000
yen ($3,000), which is about half the cost of current LSI chips.

Currently, an HDTV decoder costs about 2 million yen, 
and the
chips are designed to cut that cost in half too. Meanwhile, other
Japanese firms are also developing more efficient and powerful
chips for HDTV. So, HDTV development is expected to escalate in
the near future.

(Masayuki Miyazawa/19920124/Press Contact: Sony, [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TYO)(00014)

 ****256MB Chip Race Begins In Japan 01/24/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- The development of a 256-megabit
dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chip has already started in
Japan. Major Japanese chip firms have started investing in
research facilities.

NEC will spend 20 billion yen ($160 million) for the development
of 256M DRAM chips this year. The firm will build a research
facility with the clean room and sample production line at its
Sagamihara plant, where it is currently producing prototype 64MB
DRAM chips. NEC wants to ship a beta version of the 256MB DRAM chip
by the end of 1993.

Mitsubishi Electric is also spending 50 billion yen ($400 million)
to build a 256M DRAM chip facility in its Hyogo plant in Western
Japan. It will be completed next year.

Hitachi, Toshiba, and Fujitsu are also preparing to develop and
produce the chip.

A 256MB DRAM can store up to 1,000 pages of newspaper data and
4 hours of audio data. This chip is expected to be widely used for
multimedia devices in the future.

(Masayuki Miyazawa/19920124)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(HKG)(00015)

New For Networks: 3Com Multiprotocol Servers 01/24/92
ADMITALTY, HONG KONG, 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- Global data networking
specialist 3Com Corporation has introduced two high-capacity terminal
servers that simplify networking by supporting multiple communication
protocols.

The diskless CS/2500 and the CS/2600, which include a diskette
drive, both feature a parallel printer port, enabling terminal and PC
users to share a printer as well as running applications on a wide
variety of host computers.

"The CS/2500 is ideally suited for large network customers concerned
with providing connectivity in a heterogeneous environment and in
simplifying migration to standard protocols," said William Messer,
3Com's general manager for Asian operations. "The products combine
ease of use, manageability and superior multiprotocol support with
3Com's proven reliability."

Primary applications for the new terminal servers are terminal-to-
host connectivity, modem sharing or pooling and printer sharing. They
save customers money by increasing productivity from existing ASCII
terminals and mainframe host applications, simplifying the wiring to
attach these terminals to resources such as hosts, modems and
printers, increasing the productivity and functionality of end users,
and leveraging resources among more users, the company claims.

Both servers support TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet
Protocol), Digital Equipment's LAT (Local Area Transport) and IBM's
TN3270 (Telnet 3270). These multiprotocol features provide direct
Ethernet network connection for devices such as printers, terminals
and modems.

By supporting TN3270, the new servers allow ASCII terminals to
emulate IBM's 3278 series terminals for access to applications on IBM
host computers. 3Com's TN3270 implementation supports extended
attributes such as full colour, reverse video and underlining. TN3270
support will be included in the standard TCP/IP software suite at no
additional charge.

The CS/2500 and CS/2600 will also support 3Com's full OSI (Open
Systems Interconnection) implementation - including the Virtual
Terminal protocol - in future releases. In addition, the
multiprotocol support will allow users to gain access to OSI without
losing support for TCP/IP and LAT.

(Norman Wingrove/19920120/Press contact: Marshall Gabin, 3Com, +852
848 9200; HK time is GMT + 8)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TYO)(00016)

Netware Provides Info On Nifty-Serve 01/24/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- Netware Consortium, an
association, an organization devoted to Novell Netware, will
go online on major personal computer network Nifty-Serve in Japan.
It will be open to all the Nifty-Serve members.

Information, provided by the Novell Education Center, will be
available on IMSP standard Novell network products.

Netware Consortium consists of about 150 firms and organizations
including hardware makers, software makers, and peripheral equipment
makers. It is to promote Novell's local area network operating
system Netware in Japan.

Netware is gradually becoming popular in Japan and users want
more information on the network. More than half of Nifty-Serve
members are business users.

(Masayuki Miyazawa/19920120/Press Contact: Netware Consortium,
 [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(MOW)(00017)

Moscow: Relcom Network Company Formed 01/24/92
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- Official papers to set up a one-
billion ruble (US$10 million) public network company were signed in
Moscow.

The Relcom company will offer to the public 1,000,000 common
shares at 1,000 rubles each (approximately US$10 at the inflated
rate of exchange). Twelve founders, which include the Russian Commodities
Exchange, RINAKO investment company, and several other trade and
financing institutions, are to hold a 200 million minority stake in
the venture.

Prominent Russian businessman Konstantin Borovoy, the president
of the Russian Commodities Exchange, Academician Evgeny Velikhov,
director of the Kurchatov Nuclear Energy Institute (KIAE), and
Alexey Soldatov, manager of the KIAE computers center, all from
Moscow, are members of the board. Mr Soldatov will also be a Relcom
president.

The company's main goal is to speed up networking development
across the country, including express privatization of phone
carriers, Valery Bardin, Relcom representative, told Newsbytes.

Iskra-2, formerly the countrywide Communist party private network,
is the likely candidate for privatization. Major Relcom nodes
now use Iskra-2 as a main carrier, as it offers world class
quality lines at the budget cost.

Relcom today is a network of about 1000 computers from the Baltic to
the Pacific, interconnected via regular, leased, and special
phone lines. Major network nodes uses TCP/IP protocol, while
others utilize Unix UUCP protocol.

The Moscow node of the net, which consist of 10+ Vax computers
located in two places in the city, is the second largest UUCP
node in the world.

Relcom's main advantage is that it offer services for rubles
only.

Last month, the Russian Commodities Exchange announced plans to
invest heavily in telecommunications. The Relcom investment is the
first.

(Kirill Tchashchin/19920124/Press & Public Contacts: RELCOM,
phone +7 095 )


(NEWS)(UNIX)(TYO)(00018)

Ricoh Creates Multimedia Association For Unix 01/24/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- Tokyo-based major office
equipment dealer Ricoh has set up a multimedia association
for the Unix operating system. The association is to encourage the
development of multimedia-related software and hardware for
Unix workstations.

Ricoh's association is called the Image & Database Consortium
and it will mainly deal with G-BASE (database management system)
and IMAZONE (visual-image database creation tool) for Unix-based
workstations.

According to Ricoh, 21 Japanese hardware and software firms
participated in the first meeting of the association in Tokyo.
The participating firms include Sony, Yokogawa-Hewlett
Packard, Kubota Computer, CSK, Fuji Software and Japan Electronics
Calculation. Ricoh wants to increase the number to 50 to 60 firms
in the near future.

Ricoh is currently a dealer of AT&T's Unix workstations in Japan.
However, this association plans to promote many kinds of
workstations that run Unix, says a Ricoh spokesman.

(Masayuki Miyazawa/19920124/Press Contact: Ricoh, [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEL)(00019)

India: Fujitsu Gets Switching Order, In Joint Venture 01/24/92
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- In the race for
privitization of telecom switching production by multinational
telecom giants in India, Fujitsu Ltd. stole the march by securing
the first order from India's Department of Telecommunications
(DoT). Fujitsu will set up a 10,000-line digital exchange in Bombay.

Fujitsu is setting up a joint venture - Fujitsu India Telecom
Ltd. - in partnership with Punjab State Electronics Development &
Production Corporation Ltd. (PSEDPCL), with 51 percent and 49
percent equity respectively. To be located in ELTOP, the
electronics town of Punjab, near Chandigarh, the plant will have
an installed capacity of 600,000 lines per annum for
manufacturing Fujitsu's FETEX-150 digital exchanges.

While the DoT order for Bombay is for immediate implementation by
the Fujitsu-Punjab project through import of kits for assembling
in India, Fujitsu also signed another agreement with DoT to
supply 200,000 lines of its digtal telephone exchanges worth
about (Rs 150 crore) $60 million on rupee payment. The dollar-
strapped Indian government has lapsed no time in clearing the
project.

Meanwhile, the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), the
much-publicized telecom "mission" steered by the telecom
"czar," has successfully cut over its indigenously designed MAX
(Main Automatic Exchange).

(C.T. Mahabharat/19920124)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(MOW)(00020)

 ****Apple Intros Powerbook, Software For Russia 01/24/92
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- Apple Computer has unveiled
the Powerbook and Quadra computers to the former Soviet market, along
with three Russian language software packages.

The press showing featured a video explaining the Apple vision of
the future, a voice-controlled computer (Apple's Navigator video).
The Powerbook and Quadra series were presented during the well-managed,
attractive show.

The machines were already well advertised in Moscow during the Computer-
Aided Design show in early December, 1991.

Apple has unveiled Russian versions of the Nisus word processing package,
Designer Studio drawing package, and the FileMaker Pro database
management system. All of them work under the released System 7 Cyrillic
version. The Nisus Russian language spellchecker is expected in three
months, according to the company.

The localization was made by the team at Intermicro, Apples' independent
marketing company in the Commonwealth of Independent States (C.I.S.).
Products were printed and packed abroad and are being sold for
prices in U.S. dollars. Apple sells both software and hardware
exclusively for hard currency. The only product available for Russian
money are the Norton utilities, which is separately offered by Symantec.

Apple said it will soon offer Microsoft Excel for Macintosh users in
Russia. Nickolay Lyubovny, the chief of Microsoft's Moscow office, told
Newsbytes the localization is to be provided by the Intermicro team, but
he has no information on the project status and product availability
dates.

Ukrainian education authorities are said to be interested in Apple computers.
IBM has a leading position in the Russian education market.

Intermicro, a three-year-old joint venture specializing in desktop
publishing systems, is an authorized Apple representative in most
republics of the former Soviet Union.

(Kirill Tchashchin/19920124)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(MOW)(00021)

Russian President Wants State Wire Services Reorganized 01/24/91
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- The fight continues in the press and
Parliament over the decision to form an Information Telegraph Agency of
Russia (ITAR or RITA), merging two existing news organizations.

TASS yesterday released and then cancelled the news that Russian Republic
President Boris Yeltsin signed a decree to form an Information Telegraph
Agency of Russia (ITAR or RITA) to replace TASS as a state-run worldwide
news service.

The Soviet Union had TASS, a real news organization with 100 bureaus
worldwide, along with the Novosti Press Agency, which used to be a Soviet
propaganda vehicle abroad.

Novosti Press Agency later became the independent Russian Information
Agency (RIA) and already has built a substantial customer base.

The draft proposals calling for the merger of TASS with the
independent Russian Information Agency were mentioned briefly
by the Russian Press Minister Mikhail Poltoranin during Parliament
hearings.

TASS has an extensive proprietary communications network and a number of
reporters abroad. RIA, the news organisation that evolved from the
Novosti Press Agency, has at least 1600 subscribers.

The RIA chief executive said in the Moscow News that the possible
merger was definitely a way to close their independent news service.
He compared the move with the KGB and Internal Affairs ministry merger
and said that plans concerning RIA were unknown to the Agency's
management.

TASS is also said to be skeptical about the move.

No final decision has been made yet.

(Kirill Tchashchin/19920124)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00022)

US Phone Profits Remain Disappointing 01/24/92
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- Confirming the
U.S. recession, phone companies have been reporting low earnings,
sometimes surprising analysts.

The latest negative surprise came from AT&T, which said its 1991
profit fell to $522 million from $3.1 billion a year ago. While
the news wasn't that bad -- 1991 results included a $4.1 billion
charge to buy NCR -- analysts were still displeased. Savings from
the NCR acquisition have been slow in coming, they said, and
revenues rose only $44.6 billion from $43.6 billion a year ago.

The price of AT&T stock fell almost $1 per share after the news
was announced.

At the 7 regional Bell companies, earnings continued to come in.
Quarterly profits were up 18 percent at Southwestern Bell, and 8
percent at BellSouth, with credit going to cellular operations.
Southwestern Bell's profits were cut $30 million to account for
3,700 managers being let go, and another $81 million on the
refinancing of long-term debt. BellSouth had a one-time charge on
an early retirement program and an accounting charge on its
cellular operations. NYNEX, however, reported a loss of $251.3
million, which it blamed on job-cutting programs. But the
company also turned in slightly lower revenues, an indication of
how bad the U.S. recession is hitting the New England and New
York areas where its business is concentrated.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920124)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00023)

Centel Looking for a Buyer 01/24/92
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- Shares in the
Centel phone company rose $9.50 per share after it announced it
is exploring a possible sale of the company.

Centel had been restructuring itself, automating its exchanges and
selling off smaller phone operations, for some time. Its largest local
phone network now is in Las Vegas, but its prize asset is probably its
cellular operations in 44 metropolitan areas.

Chairman John P. Frazee Jr. admitted the company is already a
takeover target, which he blamed on the rapid consolidation in
the telecommunications business. Analysts said the company could
be sold either in one piece or in many pieces. But some analysts
warned of too much euphoria, noting that the most likely buyer,
GTE, is itself burdened by debt from its buy-out of Contel a few
years ago. The 7 regional Bell companies could also step in as
buyers, with speculation concentrating on Pacific Telesis, which
runs the area around its Las Vegas wireline operation, Bell
Atlantic, which could covet its cellular operations, Ameritech,
which is based nearby, and BellSouth, which has a strong balance
sheet and has mainly been left out of the Bell corporate buying
frenzy.

The company earned $25.7 million for the fourth quarter of 1991,
up from $10 million a year earlier, partly due to asset sales.
Revenues were up about 5 percent, the company said, despite a
slow economy. The company retained Goldman Sachs and Morgan
Stanley as its investment bankers, and emphasized that an
alliance or joint venture was possible instead of a sale.

Centel was formed in 1926 when McGraw Electric spun off its operating
utilities into a new corporation -- Centel West Public Service
Company, the parent company for more than 20 formerly separate
electric and telephone properties. The company was renamed
Central Telephone & Utilities in 1968, and in 1982 the name was
officially changed to Centel. The company has nearly 1.6 million
local access lines in 7 states -- Florida, Texas, Virginia, North
Carolina, Illinois, Ohio and Nevada, and interests in cellular
companies in 44 metropolitan areas as well as minority interests
in 32 more.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920124/Press Contact: William K. White,
Centel, 312-399-2735)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00024)

AT&T To Offer Private Line Service to China 01/24/92
MORRISTOWN, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- AT&T
announced plans to provide digital satellite private-line service
to Beijing and Shanghai in China. The services will begin in
March and will support voice, data and video applications.

They'll be carried by Intelsat and carry AT&T's Skynet
trademark. It's the first phase of a $70-million project jointly
undertaken by AT&T, KDD of Japan, and China's Ministry of Posts
and Telecommunication, designed to business communications
bottleneck between China and the rest of the world. KDD earlier
announced it will extend fast data services, under the Hi-Bit
Link trademark, to China beginning in February. The two companies
have jointly installed 7.2-meter antennae on the roofs of
buildings in Beijing and Shanghai. The earth stations are linked
to major office buildings in their respective cities by digital
microwave relays.

The second part of the project involves building an 800-mile
undersea digital fiber-optic cable system between Shanghai and
Kyushu Island in Japan, linking China with the trans-Pacific TPC4
undersea cable system. The cable will provide more than 7,560
circuits capable of handling 35,000 simultaneous phone calls, and
is expected to be operational by the end of 1993.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920124/Press Contact: AT&T, Albert Chu,
201/644-1714)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00025)

Cabletron/Silicon Graphics Alliance's First Product 01/24/92
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- The development
alliance recently established between Cabletron systems and Silicon
Graphics has yielded its first fruit. Cabletron's Spectrum network
management software will run on a Silicon Graphics Iris 4D workstation
in conjunction with NetVisualyzer.

The new product configuration was shown for the first time to
attendees at the recently concluded UniForums show. The
main new feature of this configuration is the addition of a jointly
developed managment module. The other difference is that this
represents the first porting of a Cabletron software product to the
Silicon Graphics environment.

Each company will resell the other's product. Each company will sell
the network management module as its own. However, the companies
guarantee that this combination will work regardless of how or from
who the products were purchased.

Silicon Graphics Iris 4D workstations start at $11,500. NetVisualyzer
sells for $1200. Spectrum starts at $50,000 and the management module
will sell for $995.

(Naor Wallach/19920124/Press Contact: Darren Orzechowski, Cabletron,
603-332-9400 Extension 1282)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEN)(00026)

Storagetek To Use Panasonic Technology 01/24/92
LOUISVILLE, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- Storage Technology
has announced that it will use technology developed by Panasonic in
developing its helical-scan tape storage subsystem.

Newsbytes reported Storagetek's plan to develop a helical scan tape
mass storage system in October. Storage systems that use
helical-scan technology can store up to 100 times more data than
existing tape cartridges.

The helical scan project, code named Redwood, will be thee first
major development effort by Storagetek involving a Japan-based
high-tech company.

As part of the development, Panasonic's parent company, Matsushita
Electric Industrial Company, will supply advanced digital and
electromechanical technology, including helicalscanners.

Storagetek says Redwood will integrate the helical transport
mechanism used in Panasonic's videotape recorder with the transport
and host attachments from Storagetek's popular 4400 Automated
Cartridge System (ACS).

Redwood will use tape cartridges with the same form factor as the
industry-standard half-inch wide IBM 3480 cartridge, but with the
capacity for as much as 100 times more information than the 3480
cartridges.

Storagetek says it will market Redwood for applications requiring
the storage of extremely large amounts of data, such as medical
records, insurance data, seismic recording, images, and space
exploration data.

Storagetek said the new subsystem is being designed to be
compatiblee with all its present and future robotic tape libraries.
The company is targeting 1994 for general availability.

Storagetek is also working on the development of several other tape
storage systems, including Powderhorn, the next generation of its
4400 ACS. Powderhorn will have higher throughput than the 4400.
Another system is development is Timberwolf, a lower-capacity,
lower-cost robotic subsystem capable of holding up to 1,000 tape
cartridges.

Automated cartirdge systems hold a number of data storage tape,
mounting the tape cartridges for storage and retrieval of
inforrmation without operator intervention.

(Jim Mallory/19920123/Press contact: David Reid, Storagetek,
303-673-4815)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00027)

New For PC: 32-Bit Windows API Specs From Microsoft 01/24/92
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- Microsoft has
announced that the Win32 applications programming interface
specification is now available.

Win32 is Microsoft's 32-bit applications programming intterface
(API) for Windows which will be supported in the Windows NT
operating system.

Microsoft says the Win32 spec is available at no charge through
electronic bulletin boards. Developers will use Win32 to design
applications for Windows that will run on the Windows NT (New
Technology) platform and on future versions of Windows for DOS. It
will also aid developers in designing 16-bit appliications for
Windows 3.1 so they will be source-compatible with the 32-bit API
in Windows NT.

Microsoft is initiating a new forum on the CompuServe subscription
service electronic bulletin board at the end of January, which will
contain the Win32 spec. Download the file API32.TXT to get the
names of the Win32 API files.

Microsoft says the new forum will also allow developers to exchange
questions and comments about Windows NT and Win32 with the company.

Microsoft Programmer's Reference, a two-volume reference book
published by Microsoft Press, is expected to be available in
February 1992.

(Jim Mallory/19920123/Press ccontact: Liz Sidnam, Microsoft,
206-882-8080)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEN)(00028)

Cray, DARPA Collaborate To Attain TeraFLOP Performance 01/24/92
EAGAN, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- Cray Research and the
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) have announcced
an agreement to collaborate on research and development of the
technologies necessary to produce computers capable of teraFLOP, or
trillion floating point operations per second performance.

This will be Cray's first collaborative effort with DARPA. The
project is being carried out under the administration's High
Performance Computing and Communications (HPCC) program. The three
year agreement calls for DARPA to contribute $12.7 million to
support the first phase of Cray Research's program.

"Our primary goal in bringing MPP (massively parallel processing)
technologies into the mainstream supercomputing marketplace is
commercial viability," said John Rollwagen, Cray Research chairman
and CEO.

Cray Research will also invest what it describes as "substantial
funds" in its MPP program. The company says it will closely couple
MPP microprocesor technology with its general-purpose architecture.

The first phase of Cray's MPP program is expected to introduce the
first generation MPP system system in 1993. That system is
intended to achieve more than 100 gigaFLOPS (one billion floating
point operations per second).

The second phase, scheduled for introduction in 1995, will introduce
the second-generation MPP system, with a peak performance of
teraFLOPS, or one trillion operations per second.

The final phase calls for introduction in 1997 of the third
generation system, capable of sustained teraFLOP performance.

Massively parallel processing technology uses hundreds, or even
thousands of microprocessors that are harnesses together to
simultaneously process information.

Cray Research joined a growing list of computer companies reporting
a good year for 1991 this month. The company reported net earnings
of over $113 million, or $4.15 per share for the year. Earnings were
$4.02 for the previous year. The board of directors has authorized
the company to repurchase 1.5 million shares of common stock as
market and business conditions are favorable for purchase.

(Jim Mallory/19920123/Press contact: Mardi Schmieder, Cray Research,
612-683-3538)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(DEN)(00029)

Next Computer Turbos Powered by Motorola 33Mhz Chips 01/24/92
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- Motorola has announced
that its 33 megahertz 68040 chip will provide the computing power
for the newly announced Turbo products from Next Computer.

Next announced its Nextstation Turbo, Nextstation Turbo Color and
NextCube Turbo systems at Nextworld Expo, running in San Francisco
this week.

Motorola's 33 megahertz 68040 will work in conjunction with the
newly ddesigned turbo memory controller (TMC) from Next in the turbo
systems. The workstations equipped with the Motorola chip are rated
at 25 MIPs (miliion instructions per second), compared to Next's 25
megahertz 68040-based workstations, which are rated at 18 MIPS.

Nextstation Turbo Color is a 16-bit, Postscript color version of the
Nextstation. Nextcube is an expandable computer avaailble in
various configurations that is designed to be used as a network
server or high-end desktop computer.

(Jim Mallory/19920123/Press contact: Kristen Hausman, Motorola,
512-891-2386)


(NEWS)(IBM)(WAS)(00030)

 ****Intel to Make 30 Varieties of 32-Bit Processors 01/24/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- Intel's president and
chief executive officer Dr. Andrew S. Grove, has told a New York
meeting of security analysts that his company will introduce more
than 30 new varieties of its i486 and i386 microprocessors during
the year.

Intel microprocessor designs are at the heart of all
IBM-compatible PC computers which make up the overwhelming bulk
of all microcomputers in the world.

This vast and, some industry analysts predict, confusing array of
choices is in addition to the long-expected P5 or 80586
microprocessor which will probably appear later this year and
will contain about three million transistors operating at a 100
MHz or megahertz clock speed.

One of the new chips described by Grove is a pin-compatible 80486
which will include special technology which will double the
chip's internal clock speed. Since it is pin-compatible and
peripheral devices such as memory continue to run at lower
speeds, the faster chip will be easy to incorporate in new
computers. Intel also says that it can be used to easily upgrade
many of the already existing 486-based systems.

The other main category of new chips expected from Intel this
year will be new entries in the 386 SL or power saver chips which
use special circuits to conserve power in portable computers. In
addition to the 3.3-volt 386 SL, Intel announced plans to
introduce power saver versions of the Intel 80486 SX and 80486 DX
microprocessors, both also operating at 3.3 volts.

The 80486 SX is a slower 80486 with the math coprocessor circuits
disabled. DX is the Intel designation for full-featured
microprocessors, so a 486 DX is a fast 80486 chip with a
functioning math coprocessor.

Current laptop computers normally use 5-volt operating voltages
but the new family of 3.3-volt chips will allow longer battery
life in a new series of laptop and notebook computers.

Intel's present line of 32-bit microprocessors numbers fewer than
10 and by the end of the year the number will reach nearly 40,
leading some observers to be concerned over the potential for
massive buyer confusion.

(John McCormick/19920124/Press Contact: Nancy Pressel, Intel,
408-765-4483)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(WAS)(00031)

ROUNDUP: Stories Carried By Other Media This Week 01/24/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- Roundup is a brief
look at some computer stories carried in other publications
received here this past week.

Government Computer News dated January 20 has a buyer's guide on
fax cards for microcomputers.

February's Data Based Advisor has the 100th issue special with a
buyer's guide tutorial on picking the right database management
program the first time.

The January 20 Communications Week explores the effect of the
Athena project, an IBM, DEC, and MIT project that resulted in X
Windows and other Open Software Foundation standards.

Computerworld for the 20th says that while 386-based systems are
still corporate favorites the cost of 80486 systems is now so low
that this will change next year. On a much more important note,
this issue carries Bud Goode's statistical analysis of the Super
Bowl matchup and says this Bud's for Washington.

January 20's Network World tests network operating systems to
determine which is fastest.

Computer Reseller News dated January 20 has a preview of
Networld.

The January 20 Informationweek puts Apple CEO John Sculley on the
cover and explores his company's future direction.

PC Magazine dated February 11 carries a look at three project
management programs and reviews 24 33 MHz 80486 systems.

The Seybold Report on Publishing Systems for the 20th of January
has a look at the future of publishing direct from Seybold's
recent Hague conference.

February's Byte asks whether the IBM/Apple deals are "Setting a
new standard?"

Systems Integration for January says multimedia is now running on
Unix workstations and has a buyer's guide on 49 RISC-based
workstations.

January's The Office has mini-buyer's guides on everything from
copiers and telephone systems to PCs.

(John McCormick/19920124/)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(WAS)(00032)

The Enabled Computer 01/24/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- The Enabled Computer
is a regular Newsbytes feature covering news and important
product information relating to high technology aids for the
disabled.

The Enabled Computer by John McCormick

This is the third and last of three columns describing an
inexpensive voice recognition system used to control a PC.

This column continues a step-by-step introduction to the simple
setup of a Covox Voice Master recognition board which costs less
than $200 and provides voice control of more than 200 user-
defined macros.

The first step is to title some macros, train the computer to
associate your command with the macro's title, and then create
the actual macro command that will be activated when you speak
that command.

Three macros are supplied; the first one is "Directory" and the
supplied macro is "dir/w," the command that tells MS-DOS to
display a formatted three-column display of the files in your
present directory.

All you need to do is hit "T" for train and press the spacebar
three times, speaking the word "directory" or make any other
unique sound, each of the three times.

If everything worked the way it should have, you will see the
number [3] appear after the word "Directory" and if you press ESC
you should be back to the DOS prompt and be ready to test your
first programming effort.

Press the SHIFT key and speak the word or sound you assigned to
the macro titled "Directory" and you should see a directory
appear on screen.

You should also see an abbreviated list of possible voice
commands along the right side of your screen and an indicator
that tells you whether the Voice Master is listening.

That is all there is to training the software for a single
command; just decide what macros you want to use and proceed to
enter and train each one.

You title and create your own macros in numbers limited only by
your disk storage space (64 at a time) and you have taught your
computer to listen to you!

It may sound complex but, believe me, it is a lot simpler than
trying to train a dog.

Voice Master memory resident software works in the DESQview
environment and every applications program I tested it with.

There are a wealth of easy-to-select options so it can be
tailored to fit individual needs.

Space is limited, and this is only a quick look at an inexpensive
product, but other features include a way to record and play back
digitized speech and other sounds in response to commands and in
conjunction with macros.

This means that you can define a macro such as one to open Word
Perfect and have the software audibly confirm (in your voice)
that the command was recognised and is being carried out.

You can define as many sets of commands and voice patterns as you
want and switch between them, record macros as you (or someone
else) type the commands while the software records them, or learn
how to create macros by typing in special commands.

Other features include the ability to record and play back your
own digitized speech either as part of the speech recognition
macros or with the separate "SAY" program.

The VMKEY software is loaded before other programs as a pop-up
TSR but you can customize how and when it is used by shutting off
the voice recognition without unloading the program.

You can select full-time recognition, where the system is always
trying to spot commands and activate macros, or key-activated
recognition where it listens for only a few seconds after you
press a selected key.

Full-time operation means that it can be operated without
pressing any key, but this opens up the system to many random
activations when unintended sounds are matched up with sound
templates.

In use, I found that there were few problems with leaving full-
time recognition in operation in a reasonably quiet room, and I
also found that by carefully selecting quite different activating
sounds, I could get very high levels of recognition.

I also learned to my surprise that my wife could get almost as
good recognition just using the sound templates I trained into
the system!

Conclusions

This hardware and software is of limited power but, considering
the price, it is amazingly powerful and has lots of features that
allow users to customize and train it extensively.

The documentation is usable but could definitely be improved.

Recognition accuracy is quite good and, once you have learned to
use it, the software is very easy to use.

If you need limited voice control or just want to get your feet
wet before investing a lot of money, this is a terrific system.

For kids (of all ages), the Voice Master can really add some
OOMPH to those game programs, going far beyond what is available
at the arcades.

For the disabled, this inexpensive voice recognition system can
open up new worlds, especially when combined with such things as
X-10 power controller systems.

Considering the price and quality, I am rating this as a "Great
Buy."

Voice recognition hardware sources for products already mentioned
in this column:

Dragon Dictate (high-end system): Dragon Systems, Inc.,
90 Bridge St., Chapel Bridge Park, Newton, MA 02158, 617-965-5200,
FAX: [phone]

Voice Master: JDR Microdevices (sells many computer
components), 2233 Branham Lane, San Jose, CA 95124, 800-538-5000;
408-559-1200; FAX: [phone]

Covox, Inc. (manufacturer), 675 Conger St., Eugene, OR 97402

(John McCormick/19920124/)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00033)

Silicon Valley Group Posts 1Q Loss 01/24/92
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- Just four
months after Newsbytes reported that the Silicon Valley Group
was consolidating its sales and service operations into a single
corporate entity in an attempt to concentrate resources and better
serve customers, the company has reported a net loss of
$1,217,000 for the first quarter of fiscal 1992 ended December 31,
1991.

The company reported sales of $43,666,000, for the quarter, which
represented a decline of 28 percent from the first quarter of 1991
sales of $60,913,000, and a 18 percent decline from fourth quarter
1991 sales of $53,341,000.

The loss reprented losses of $0.08 per share as compared with
net income of $81,000, or $0.01per share and $175,000 or $0.01
per share in the first and fourth quarters of fiscal 1991, respectively.

Missed shipments and delays in sheduling shipments were
blamed for the sales decline and the financial losses, which in turn
was blamed on the continued sluggishness of the economy.

The company claimed though that operating results were
favorably impacted by the reductions in work force at the
beginning of the quarter and extended scheduled shut
downs within the quarter.

Also, bookings for the quarter improved over the fourth quarter
of fiscal 1991 due to improved levels of order within the Vertical
Furnace business.

"The company faced a very difficult first quarter of the new
fiscal year and our timely and decisive cost reduction actions
limited the extent of SVG's first quarterly loss on substantial
reduction in sales," said Papken S. Der Torossian, chairman
and chief executive officer.

Silicon Valley Group is a supplier of wafer processing
equipment for the worldwide semiconductor industry.

(Ian Stokell/19920124/Press Contact: Papken S. Der Torossian,
Silicon Valley Group Inc., 408-434-0500)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00034)

ASK Companies Posts 2Q Profit 01/24/92
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- ASK
Companies has reported preliminary revenues from operations
of $108.2. million for its second quarter ended December 31, 1991.
The results represent a 26 percent increase over reported net
revenues of $85.8 million for the comparable quarter last year.

Preliminary revenue for the six months increased 40 percent to
$182.7 million compared with $130.3 million for the comparable
six-month period last year.

The company claims that the prior year's revenue reflects
the acquisition of Ingres on October 22, 1990, as reported by
Newsbytes.

The company believes that it will take a non-cash charge to
operations in excess of $60 million. The company expects to
announce the exact amount and the timing of this charge when
it announces its final results.

The company has also announced its intent to adopt the AICPA
(American Institute of Certified Public Accountants) Statement of
Position (SOP) on Software Revenue Recognition, resulting in
a second quarter one-time non-cash adjustment to revenue of
negative $1.7 million and a first quarter non-cash adjustmment to
revenue of $400,000 for a total adjustment of negative $1.3 million
for the first six months.

The company claims that contemplated asset revaluation and
SOP adoption charges would result in the company reporting
substantial negative net earnings for the quarter ended
December 31, 1991. Preliminary net earnings for the quarter
before any comtemplated asset revaluation or SOP adoption
were $1.5 million, or $0.07 per share compared with $405,000,
or $0.02 per share for the comparable quarter last year.

Preliminary operating earnings for the quarter, before
acquisition related charges (primarily amortization of goodwill
and other intangibles), SOP adoption, and any contemplated
asset revaluation, were $3.8 million, or $0.18 per share.

ASK Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Sandra L. Kurtzig
said: "As technology is rapidly changing in the computer
industry, it is important for companies such as ours to review
and conservatively value the intangible assets on our balance
sheet. The ASK Companies continues to show excellent
revenue growth, improved profit from operations, and good
cash flow. Our Ingres business unit grew 40 percent, outpacing
the database industry. Ingres contributed $62.6 million to this
quarter's revenue."

(Ian Stokell/19920124/Press Contact: Karen Marvin, ASK
Companies, 415-335-5527)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(TOR)(00035)

 ****Apple Plans Aggressive Multimedia, CD-ROM Push 01/24/92
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- Apple Computer is
about to get more aggressive about promoting multimedia, according
to Paul Wollaston, market development manager for media integration
and consumer products at Apple Pacific.

Talking to a group of journalists, Wollaston said Apple Pacific is
adopting a policy of "CD-ROM pervasiveness," aiming to get as many
compact disk read-only memory players as possible into the hands of its
customers in the belief that this will break a vicious circle that
has delayed the widespread adoption of multimedia.

Multimedia is the combination of data, text, audio, graphics,
and/or video. It frequently relies on CD-ROM as a storage medium
because of the large capacities needed.

Wollaston said that to date software developers have hesitated to
produce CD-ROM titles because they believed there were too few
CD-ROM players in use to make a viable market. Consumers,
meanwhile, have not been buying the players because there were not
enough titles to make them attractive.

"Over this year in the Pacific region we're going to make CD-ROM
technology a priority," Wollaston said.

Wollaston also announced that more than 100 new third-party
products will take advantage of QuickTime 1.0, a system software
extension that allows Macintosh users to manipulate sound, video
and animation files more or less as they do graphics and text.

Packages supporting QuickTime include presentation packages such as
Aldus Persuasion and Vividus' Cinemation, education applications
such as Kid Pix from Broderbund and Scholastic's BankStreet Writer,
word processors such as WordPerfect and Microsoft Word, and new
video-editing products such as Adobe's Premiere and Diva's
VideoShop.

Apple also said that, in an effort to link QuickTime and the
Macintosh with other systems, it would release a Movie Exchange
Toolkit to allow developers to convert data on other platforms to
QuickTime movies. Apple has also developed a prototype QuickTime
player for Microsoft Windows.

Apple is concerned about better integrating the Macintosh into the
enterprise, commented Alan Hrabinsky, system software manager at
Apple Canada. "Personal computing is rapidly becoming enterprise
computing."

Apple will market CD-ROM technology very aggressively to its
installed base in the Pacific region in the coming year, Wollaston
said. Apple Pacific oversees Apple operations in Canada, Australia,
New Zealand, and the Far East.

(Grant Buckler/19920124/Press Contact: Franca Miraglia, Apple
Canada, 416-513-5511)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00036)

Unisys Reports Profitable Quarter 01/24/92
BLUE BELL, PENNSYLVANIA, U.S.A., 1992 JAN 24 (NB) -- Troubled
Unisys has reported its first quarterly profit in two years.
Although gains in the fourth quarter did not put the company in the
black for fiscal 1991, Unisys is optimistic about making money in
1992.

In its fourth quarter, ended December 31, Unisys reported a profit
of $80.5 million, or 31 cents per share, on revenues of $2,460
million. That profit compared with a loss of $88.5 million, or 74
cents per share, in the fourth quarter of 1990, despite a drop in
revenues from $2,930 million.

Unisys blamed the revenue drop on weak market conditions, lower
shipments because of the end of product cycles, and the sale of its
Timeplex networking operation last spring.

For the year, Unisys reported a $1,400-million loss, amounting to
$9.37 per share. This compared with a loss of $436.7 million in
1990.

Revenues in 1990 were $8,700 million, down from $10,100 million in
1990.

The 1991 loss was exacerbated by a special charge of $1,200 million
in the second quarter to pay for a restructuring that involved
cutting 10,000 jobs, closing plants, and consolidating product
lines. Unisys also took a $181-million charge in 1990 to pay for
job cuts and consolidations.

(Grant Buckler/19920124/Press Contact: Peter Hynes, Unisys,
215-986-6948)