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/nb920604

Text File | 1992-06-04 | 60KB | 1,296 lines

(NEWS)(APPLE)(DEN)(00001)

New For Mac: Microsoft Releases Excel 4.0 06/04/92
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 4 (NB) -- Microsoft
has announced that it is now shipping version 4.0 of Excel, its
spreadsheet program for the Macintosh.

Microsoft said it focused on two primary areas in developing the
latest version of the program. They said they wanted to make
everyday spreadsheet tasks easier, and provide functionality not
previously available in a spreadsheet.

Included in the new features are "drag and drop," "autoformat,"
and "autofill." The program also supports "Apple events," a way to
communicate by allowing one program to use the features of
another without having to re-implement those features.

Drag and drop, now available in a number of programs, makes it
easier to select items then drag them to a new location.

To use Excel 4.0, you need a Mac with at least one megabyte
(MB) of RAM and a hard drive. Excel 4.0 carries a $495 price tag.
Registered owners can upgrade from any earlier version for $99
through the end of September. If you bought Excel 3.0 after
February 15th, you can get a free upgrade, but you will have to
pay the shipping costs.

Microsoft said it will publish Excel 4.0 for the Macintosh in
about a dozen languages, with the French and German versions
scheduled to ship next month.

(Jim Mallory/19920503/Press contact: Monica Harrington,
206-882-8080)


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

Japan: Errorless Programming System Developed 06/04/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 JUN 4 (NB) -- Toshiba has developed an
automatic software programming system, which the company
claims, produces programs with no bugs or errors.

Toshiba's errorless programming system runs on ICOT's (5th
Generation Computer Development Organization) parallel
processor.

The program is called "Mendels Zone," which is part of the
program- supporting system for ICOT's parallel processing
program named "KL1." It is an object-oriented interactive program,
which allows the user to build a program according to the direction
given by the system.

Programmers usually spend more than half of their programming
time debugging. An errorless program could be a of great
benefit to programmers.

The errorless programming system can be used for almost any
area from controlling programs for nuclear plants to programs
for microcomputers and home electronics appliances.

The Mendels Zone currently operates only on a KL1, but Toshiba
is preparing to rewrite it for the C language or assemblers. The
firm has already tested the program in the C language, and says
it was able to reduce the programming time considerably.

(Masayuki Miyazawa/19920601/Press Contact: Toshiba,
[phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TYO)(00003)

Japan: CD-I Software Organization Being Created 06/04/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 JUN 4 (NB) -- System Producer Associates
will create a joint software development association for CD-I or CD-
interactive, which supports pictorial data, text data, and sound
data. About 10 major software firms and printing firms are
expected to join the association.

CD-I players have been released by Philips and Sony. Matsushita
Electric is also planning to release one this fall. It is considered to
be a primary multimedia device, and many other electronics firms
are thinking of entering the market.

A wide range of technology is required to produce CD-I programs
because it involves three kinds of data including texts, pictures,
and sound. The CD-I player is based on a 68000 processor and
operates on OS-9.

System Producer Associates wants to cooperate with other firms
concerning the production of the software. The firm is planning to
hold a "kick-off" seminar in Tokyo on June 16. It is expected that
the possible participants will get together at this seminar.

To start, the targeted CD-I software will be personnel information
of firms, product catalogs, and brochures of travel agents.

(Masayuki Miyazawa/19920604/Press Contact: System
Producer Associates, [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TYO)(00004)

Japan: Kyocera Develops 1-2-3 For Its Pocket Organizer 06/04/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 JUN 4 (NB) -- Kyocera has developed a
version of Lotus 1-2-3 for its pocket-type business organizer,
called the "Refalo," jointly with the Tokyo office of Lotus. The
program is provided on an IC card.

The Refalo version of Lotus 1-2-3 is slightly modified. Mainly, the
opening menu is pop-up type. The screen size can be chosen from
three types: 80 columns by 24 lines, 53 by 17, or 40 by 15. The
Refalo version of Lotus 1-2-3 is compatible with ordinary Lotus
1-2-3.

The Refalo is a small pocket-type business organizer. It has many
the business organizing features including a scheduler, an address
book, a word processor, and a calculator. It also supports a
pen-input system. The data can be input with a proprietary electric
pen. Also, the device has an RS-232C port to exchange data
with desktop computers.

Lotus 1-2-3 for the Refalo is sold at 58,000 yen ($450). The
external memory can be provided on IC cards including 64 kilobyte
(KB), 128KB, and 256KB type. The Refalo weighs only 650 grams.

(Masayuki Miyazawa/19920601/Press Contact: Kyocera,
[phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00005)

Hayes Agrees With Rockwell On Escape Sequence Codes 06/04/92
UXBRIDGE, MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND, 1992 JUN 4 (NB) -- Hayes
has announced it has settled its dispute with Rockwell over the use
of the Hayes escape sequence -- +++ --- which is used in
conjunction with a one second delay at the beginning and end of
string, to switch modems into a local state.

Under an agreement announced this week, Rockwell has taken a
license which will allow users of modems incorporating Rockwell
chipsets to use the Hayes escape sequence with guard time
without infringing on Hayes' patent for the technology.

The Rockwell license is the latest step in a series of discussions
between Hayes and other modem manufacturers over the
use of the patent, known as the Heatherington '302 patent. The
escape sequence first appeared in Hayes' Smartmodem range of
modems in 1981 and, since then, has become a defacto industry
standard.

Hayes caused a stir in the modem marketplace a few years ago
when it announced it was seeking patent fees from other modem
manufacturers over the use of the technology.

Dennis Hayes, Hayes' president and co-founder, said that the
licensing deal confirms Hayes' position over the escape sequence.
"When a major corporation like Rockwell comes to the table and
obtains the use of this patent, it further confirms the importance
of the technology to the industry. By licensing Rockwell, we're
making it easy for all modem manufacturers to use this standard
technology," he said.

Hayes said that the whole escape sequence affair, which has
resulted in legal action against some US modem manufacturers
is a lot more than merely an intellectual rights matter.

"Rather, it's an acknowledgment of industry standards and
practices and Rockwell's support for such standards. Our
business charter is to enable customers to build the very best
products and this agreement is just another step towards that
goal," he said.

(Steve Gold/19920603/Press & Public Contact: Hayes - Tel: 081-
848-1858; Fax: [phone]; email on Internet -
[e-mail])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00006)

Talk Show Host Starts Self-Help 900 Line 06/04/92
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 4 (NB) -- Talk show
host Tony Brown, who made headlines when he announced he had
become a Republican, launched a caller-paid 900 line called the
Buy Freedom 900 Network, a self-help alliance meant to assist
poor, small businesses in urban communities.

Brown, a newspaper columnist and long-time member of the black
elite, surprised many of his colleagues with the announcement,
saying at the time that only free enterprise could bring wealth to
the urban community.

The idea of the new number, which will be handled by AT&T, is to
link callers with businesses, professionals and religious and
community organizations. All businesses listed on the number's
self-help directory, for instance, have agreed to offer a
guaranteed refund to any caller, prompt fulfillment of any offer,
and a discount on any service or product.  There is no obligation
to the caller to make a purchase.  The charge for the calls are
placed on the caller's monthly phone bill.

The number is 1-900-976-6670, and costs what's now a rock-
bottom 99 cents per minute, $1.99 for the first minute. Such
numbers cost under 40 cents per minute to provide, but marketing
costs have sent prices for calling the numbers skyrocketing in
recent years to many dollars per minute. Brown also plans to use
the number to help negotiate loan guarantees for small businesses
and help young, urban poor kids start on the road to
entrepreneurship, according to Brown.

Brown added that Maxine Wilcox, 52, of Sacramento, California
has already won an $8,000 loan from the United Bank of
Philadelphia, that city's only Black-owned bank, to get her bridal
dress business into a storefront location and hire two of her
daughters who are currently on public assistance. Twelve banks
in Sacramento and the Small Business Administration had
previously refused her a loan because of a negative credit report
and the modest amount she needed.

For AT&T, the number represents a chance to demonstrate the
kind of public-spirited campaign it wants to see more of on the 900
exchange, which in the past has been beset by fraud, sex-talk
lines, and trivial services like horoscopes and recordings by
sports stars. To listen to a summary of the entire Buy Freedom
900 Network, call 1-212-575-2389.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920603/Press Contact: Tony Brown
Productions, Paul Brock, 212/575-0876)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SYD)(00007)

Australia: Pay TV Arena Thrown Open 06/04/92
CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA, 1992 JUN 4 (NB) -- Australia's Prime
Minister Paul Keating dropped a bombshell on the weekend
when he announced his new plans for pay TV in Australia. He
said he now favors a free-for-all approach, not the closed system
that was being planned.

When the new second carrier Optus bought its facilities
they included the domestic satellite carrier Aussat. These
satellites have existing TV transponders for medium-size
dish reception, but the next generation satellites to be
launched over the next year are more powerful and will
allow direct broadcast to small domestic dishes.

Keating said he will remove Optus' exclusive rights to
satellite broadcast and would like to see cheaper delivery
systems such as fiber optic cable and local digital
broadcasting which would have much higher subscriber take-
up. He also feels that there is room for more than one
service provider.

He also said he would agree to up to 45 percent ownership
by existing networks, with a limit of 20 percent for any
one network. Analysts believe this may spell the end for
any new provider as a service based on existing networks
would be up and running much faster.

The existing plan calls for four satellite channels with
two spare channels for expansion or special events.

(Paul Zucker/19920601)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SYD)(00008)

Switzerland To Buy Australian Stock Exchange System 06/04/92
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1992 JUN 4 (NB) -- Switzerland is buying
a computer system developed by, and for, the Australian Stock
Exchange (ASX). It is the first customer to sign, although a
number of others around the world are negotiating.

It is believed to be a multi-million dollar deal involving
a significant technology transfer. The contract includes
the core Stock Exchange Automated Trading System (SEATS)
and 850 days of training in Switzerland. In Australia the
system runs on two Dec Vax systems, one running completely
"lights out," reducing staff numbers.

ASX IS Manager Rory Collins said the system had operated
for two years with only two minutes loss of connectivity in
that time. The 640 terminals had a 99.7 percent up time.

Advantages given by the system include much greater
throughput for the same staff level, no disadvantage for
geographically isolated brokers, and much easier monitoring
of irregularities. The next system in preparation is CHESS
(clearing house electronic settlement system) for
electronic funds transfer for all settlements.

(Paul Zucker/19920601)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00009)

Broderbund Expands Kid Pix Educational Game Line 06/04/92
NOVATO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 4 (NB) -- Broderbund is
expanding their line of award winning children's drawing programs
known as Kid Pix. The company has introduced a Windows-based
version of Kid Pix, as well as started a new series of Kid Pix
Companion programs with the introduction of a Macintosh version.

The Windows version of Kid Pix incorporates all of the features of
the original Kid Pix that garnered it awards from some of the most
distinguished educational bodies in the nation, including the
1991 Parents' Choice Award. The latest award is the 1992
High/Scope Award given out by the High/Scope Educational
Research Foundation.

Kid Pix Companion is a follow-on module to Kid Pix. At this time,
only the Macintosh version is being introduced although the
company is planning on DOS and Windows versions in the future.

Kid Pix Companion adds more Rubber Stamps for the child's
enjoyment as well as more hidden pictures. It also adds such
features as DrawMe, ColorMe, and a SlideShow. With DrawMe the
program prompts the child of a wacky scene to draw by talking to
him! ColorMe is a computerized version of a coloring book. The
SlideShow allows children to create complete stories right down to
incorporating an audio track.

Kid Pix Companion is retailing for $39.95. No official word has
been received on when the DOS and Windows versions will come
out. However, Newsbytes has learned that August is the company's
target date for the DOS version. Kid Pix for Windows retails for
$59.95. Both products are shipping now.

(Naor Wallach/19920602/Press Contact: Karen Omholt,
Broderbund, 415-382-4639)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(NYC)(00010)

CPSR: Can Planned FBI Law Cancel Call Forwarding? 06/04/92
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1992 JUN 4 (NB) -- NYNEX Legislative
Counsel Jeffrey W. Ward, speaking at the Computer Professionals for
Social Responsibility (CPSR) Cryptography and Privacy Conference,
speculates that the proposed digital telephony legislation could
possibly mean the end of such telephone features as call forwarding.

Ward, participating on the panel "Electronic Surveillance and the
Digital Telephony Proposal," with Assistant FBI Director William A.
"Al" Bayze, Janlori Goldman of the ACLU, George Washington
University professor Lance Hoffman, and John Podestra, representing
the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), said that the legislation, if
enacted in its present format, will allow the Justice Department to
require the withdrawal of any telecommunications technology that
impedes the government in carrying out court-ordered wiretaps. Ward
said that the call-forwarding feature, which in its 27 years of existence
has posed difficulties for law enforcement officials, could easily fall into
this category.

At the conclusion of the panel discussion, Newsbytes interviewed FBI
Special Assistant/Legal Alan McDonald, credited by Bayse as being "a
prime drafter of the proposal," as to the accuracy of Ward's contention.
McDonald said: "There is no desire on the part of the government to
cause the withdrawal of any technology or 'dumb down' and advances in
technology. We are saying that we want to deal the new technology in a
manner that allows us to maintain our present capability to carry out
court-ordered search warrants. For every new feature, there must be an
intelligent solution to the problem."

Ward, also speaking to Newsbytes, disagreed with McDonald's
statement, saying: "The legislation specifically says that
telecommunications carriers must remove any impediments within
18 months or face fines. Computer companies and others covered
by the legislation will have three years to comply. If it is too
expensive for features to be brought into compliance, they will be
withdrawn."

John Podestra of Podestra and Associates, representing EFF at the
conference, told Newsbytes that "the legislation is broad enough to
force phone companies to stop offering call forwarding and other
switch-based services but I don't think that the FBI would try to
prohibit these features. What they are looking for is 'switch-based'
solutions which would permit the switch to forward the number first
to a line which could be tapped and then forwarded to the final
destination."

(Barbara E. McMullen & John F. McMullen/19920602/Press Contact:
David Banisar, Computer Professionals For Social Responsibility,
202-544-9240 (voice); [e-mail] -- e-mail)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(NYC)(00011)

CPSR: Absent NIST Criticized On Cryptography Panel 06/04/92
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1992 JUN 4 (NB) -- A panel,
discussing  the relative merits of cryptography standards, criticized
the National Institute of Standards and Technology both for its
support of the Digital Signal Standard (DSS) and its seeming
reluctance to publicly defend its reasons for supporting the
standard.

The panel, appearing at the 2nd annual Computer Professionals for
Social Responsibility (CPSR) Cryptography and Privacy Conference
and composed of Dorothy Denning, computer science chair,
Georgetown University, Allison Fischer of Fischer International, David
Sobel of CPSR, and Ron Rivest of the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, compared DSS and the signature features of the Rivest,
Shamir, and Adleman standard (RSA) developed at MIT. The
differences were discussed not only from technical vantage point but
also in relation to export trade and public policy implications.

Denning, in the course of explaining the technical design of the two
systems, mentioned that she had invited NIST personnel to the
meeting to  participate in the panel but had been turned down.
Denning also said that NIST personnel had been helpful in
answering questions relating to her impending presentation.

Fischer attacked NIST's role in the controversy, saying that it was
merely parroting the wishes of the National Security Agency (NSA)
which actually designed DSS. Fischer said that DSS is slower, less
secure and that its adoption, over arguments from such firms as IBM,
Microsoft, and General Electric, is putting US firms at a trade
disadvantage. He said: "When NIST announced DSS as a standard
completely different from what was already in effect --RSA, it was
as though it impose 'cubits' as a system to replace the metric
system and then mandated that it be used in all dealings with the
government. It just doesn't make sense."

Fischer added that, since US firms can not export software with
encryption contained within, the entire American industry is losing
business to the Europeans who can distribute the same protection
software that we can use at home but not export.

David Sobol told the group that CPSR, "attempting to bring NSA's
role out into the open," has filed a Freedom of Information suit to try
to bring the reasons behind NSA and NIST's choice of DSS. Sobol
said: "I leave it to the technical people to determine whether DSS is
a good standard or not. I am concerned about the motivation in the
decision to promote DSS."

Riverst said that he was also concerned with the policy side of the
issue. He said: "DSS is a weak standard. It is not what I would want
in a standard -- the point of the issue, however, is that the DSS
proposal has a fundamental cryptography policy underlying it. It calls
for a marginal security standard, one that can be broken with enough
computer power."

Riverst continued: "The important question is how secure a standard
do we want to have? We must decide this. When we do, we can leave
it to the technologists to implement it. It is the policy which must be
agreed on."

In response to a Newsbytes question as to whether any of the
approximately 70 in the room could take NIST's part, John Potter of
Public Signature Co., which has implemented DSS, said that a major
difference in the systems is that DSS is open and is available to
anyone wishing to use it, while RSA is proprietary and requires that
a royally or lease is paid to RSA when the system is used.

Potter then asked who on the panel stood to make money from RSA --
Riverst and Fischer raised their hands. Potter went on to say that it
has never been NIST's intention to make money from distributing RSA.

(Barbara E. McMullen & John F. McMullen/Press Contact:David Banisar,
Computer Professionals For Social Responsibility, 202-544-9240 (voice);
[e-mail] (e-mail)/19920602)

(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00012)

International Phone Update 06/04/92
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 4 (NB) -- The worm is
slowly turning on the international phone front, as outside firms
begin investing in the US.

Vitacom signed a deal with Telecommunicaciones de Mexico to link
the two satellite networks. Vitacom's Teleport in Mountain View,
California, handles C-band and Ku-band signals and links them to
the US phone network. The company already has seven Mexican
customers who want digital links to the US, and wants to expand
the number of private digital line customers it has between the
two countries, mainly for phone, data, fax, and video
conferencing services.

Japan offered to help Malaysia expand its networks, building a
satellite teleport which will link to industrial parks and export
zones. Singapore has gained huge advantages in regional trade
from its world-class telecommunications system -- both Malaysia
and Indonesia are struggling to create adequate links with the
world. The fastest way to such links is through satellite relays.

Speaking of Singapore, that country's Singapore Telecom said it
and Comcast of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, will buy the cable
television system serving Cambridge in the United Kingdom. The
two will create a new Comcast subsidiary to pick up the stake,
already approved by local regulators, in the system which is
being built with fiber lines. The Singapore company wants to use
those lines to add phone and data services to the mix. Comcast
also owns cellular phone services, and could use those systems to
provide land-line service for English cellular or PCN microwave
nets. Comcast, however, is best known for its Muzak background
music systems.

Finally, Chile's Compania de Telefonos de Chile S.A. said seven
of its 17 unions went on strike following the end of a two-year
labor agreement. Those workers represent 63 percent of total non-
management personnel. Most of the other 10 unions have settled
their contract disputes -- two have contracts expiring in August.
Disruptions to the network were called minimal. The company's
stock, however, is traded on American exchanges.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920604/Press Contact: Felicia Vonella,
Compania de Telefonos de Chile, 212-688-6840,; Vitacom, Dr.
Fernando Nocedal, 415/968-6900; Marolyn L. Bailey, Comcast,
215-981-7550)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00013)

General Instrument Wins Sale For Videocypher 06/04/92
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 4 (NB) -- While CableLabs,
the cable television research consortium, enters the second
stage of a process which will result in support of an "industry
standard" compression scheme for US satellite-cable
transmissions, the companies seeking that award are working hard
to sell it internationally.

General Instrument came up with a big win for its Digicypher
scheme when it announced that Multivision of Mexico City
agreed to use it. It's the first sale of a satellite-delivered,
compressed-signal system for TV entertainment.

General Instrument's Jerrold and VideoCipher units will supply
technology and hardware enabling Multivision to digitally encode
and compress standard television program signals for
transmission via satellite. The signals will then be relayed to
cable systems and backyard satellite dishes throughout Mexico.

While CableLabs is looking to endorse a scheme offering 4:1
compression, Digicypher offers 10:1 compression, at least of the
NTSC signals currently used by US television stations. It's
thought that CableLabs wants to endorse a scheme that can
handle the same 4:1 compression on HDTV (high definition
television) signals, which offer clearer pictures but require more
bandwidth. Digicypher is also being offered as an HDTV
standard before the Federal Communications Commission. The
Multivision buy will initially be for 6:1 compression.

In addition to seeking a compression scheme, CableLabs also wants
a way to guarantee that signals can't be copied by home video
recorders. Such "copy protection" would allow cable companies to
offer first-run movies and music shows by mega-artists on a pay-
per-view basis, knowing piracy problems are eliminated. The usual
method for offering such copy protection includes varying the
speed at which a picture is transmitted. Instead of sending
everything at 30 frames per second, parts might be sent at 29 or
31 frames per second. Human eyes can't tell the difference, but
mechanical video recorders can't adjust and get snow.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920604/Press Contact: Bernie Windon
General Instrument, 312-541-5030)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00014)

Ameritech Goes To Variable Rates On Credit Card 06/04/92
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 4 (NB) -- Ameritech
followed AT&T's long-time lead and moved to variable rates on its
credit card. The company began offering the Complete MasterCard,
a combined credit and telephone calling card, through Household
Bank, a unit of Household Finance, last year.

New rates will vary monthly, based on the prime rate. AT&T's
rates are set at 9.8 percent over prime, and change when AT&T
decides it's necessary. Ameritech also is offering a two-tiered
structure that charges a lower interest rate on balances over
$2,000.

For purchases made after July 1, the new interest rates will be
14.9 percent for balances $2,000 and up, and 17.4 percent for
balances under $2,000. Previously, interest rates were 16.8
percent for balances $2,000 and up, 18.8 percent for balances
between $1,000 and $1,999, and 19.8 percent for balances under
$1,000. Ameritech is also looking to offer discounts on goods
bought with its card to increase consumer balances.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920604/Press Contact: Steve Ford,
Ameritech, 312-750-5205)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00015)

GEnie Offers QuickBid Govt Bidding Service 06/04/92
ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 4 (NB) -- GE
Information Services and CACI International are teaming up to
create a new on-line service that will provide comprehensive
bidding services to US government contractors.

QuickBid, a CACI-created software product, will be offered
through both the GEnie consumer service and EDI Express
invoicing service.

GEnie now has 350,000 members, GEIS said. With QuickBid,
government suppliers nationwide will be able to electronically
search US government requests for quotations lists, compete
and submit quotations, receive purchase orders, and track their
win/loss rates.

Another CACI software product, Sacons-EDI, will be mounted to
allow government purchasing officials to post their requests for
quotes on an  electronic bulletin board, receive quotes from
vendors, and transmit their purchase orders electronically.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920604/Press Contact: John H. Baker,
CACI, 703-841-7800)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00016)

ATC, LDDS To Merge 06/04/92
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 4 (NB) -- Advanced
Telecommunications and LDDS, two acquisition-minded long
distance phone companies, agreed to a stock-swap merger valued
at $500 million.

LDDS will be the surviving entity in the merger, with ATC
stockholders receiving 0.83 of a share for each of their shares.
However, it's still not clear how the two managements will fit
together, or where the resulting company will be based. LDDS is
based in Jackson, Mississippi, home of the two largest satellite-
paging companies. Advanced's headquarters city of Atlanta is
considered more convenient. However, only a small number of
Advanced's employees, mainly top managers, are based in the city.
The best hint is that six of the new company's board members will
be from LDDS, five from ATC, indicating the Mississippi company
will dominate.

Trade in Advanced stock was briefly halted on the NASD, then went
up $3.50 per share to reflect the price on the deal. But at least
one analyst downgraded it to neutral from outperform after the
deal was announced, thinking it was now fully-valued. Ironically
Williams Companies, which had been a rumored buyer of ATC, but
apparently was never in the running, had its stock upgraded to a
buy by analysts following the deal.

LDDS now provides long distance service to 27 contiguous states
in the Southeast, Southwest and Midwest. Advanced also has
international service, as well as a digital offering aimed at credit
card authorization systems, and a calling card product.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920604/Press Contact: LDDS
Communications, Bernard J. Ebbers, 601/364-7000; Advanced
Telecommunications, Stephen E. Raville, 404/261-5885)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00017)

 ****America Online Introduces Internet Access 06/04/92
VIENNA, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 4 (NB) -- America Online
is now offering an Internet gateway to its subscribers, at no extra
charge. The new gateway allows for the transfer of messages to
CompuServe, MCI Mail, AT&T Mail, AppleLink, Sprint Mail and
other Internet-connected systems, without requiring a separate
account on those services.

Despite all the hoopla over the X.500 standard, which would offer
an addressing scheme to link services over X.400, it seems that
the Internet system is becoming a de facto standard for linking
disparate systems. America Online's address on the Internet will
be aol.com, and any Internet subscriber can request an AOL
start-up kit with a note to info aol.com.

In addition to the major on-line services, a small number of
bulletin boards, notably Canada Remote, now offer Internet
access. Such access is usually lumped in with regular on-line
charges for customers, making it far more cost-effective than
X.400 services, which by agreement are pegged at 15 cents
per 1,000 characters.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920604/Press Contact: Liz Sara, America
Online, 703-883-1503)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00018)

Reuters Takes A Third Stake In French Software Co 06/04/92
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1992 JUN 4 (NB) -- Reuters has announced
it has taken a one third stake in Effix Systemes, the French
software company that supplies software for Reuters' dealing room
systems in Europe. Terms of the deal have not been revealed.

Effix is the major supplier of system software for use with the
various Reuters news and information feeds. Reuters acts as a
dealer when installing its service into dealing rooms, buying in
hardware from third-party suppliers, as well as software from
companies like Effix, and making the bulk of its profits from the
ongoing use of its services.

As part of the deal, Reuters has signed a technology exchange
deal with Effix, which allows both companies' research and
development staff to cooperate on existing and future products.

Announcing the deal, Peter Job, Reuters' chief executive, said
that the investment in Effix was logical. "We are strengthening
our association with Effix because it has proved an innovative
and reliable developer with whom we are to cooperate long-term,"
he said.

(Steve Gold/19920604/Press & Public Contact: 071-250-1122)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(LON)(00019)

 ****Finnish Authorities Upset Over Russian Virus Carrier 06/04/92
HELSINKI, FINLAND, 1992 JUN 4 (NB) -- Authorities in Finland
have revealed they are holding a Russian traveling on an allegedly
forged British passport. What interested authorities more,
however, was the fact that he was carrying disks that contained
at least two types of computer virus programs.

According to the Reuters news wire, the Russian arrived in
Finland on May 19 and was subsequently taken into custody by
police in connection with theft from a shop. Police discovered
that disks in his possession contained the Michelangelo and
Stoned virus programs.

Technically, the Russian could be charged under Finnish law if he
knowingly passed on the virus programs to third parties.
According to Reuters, he knew that the virus programs were on
the disks and claimed to have an anti-virus program to negate the
effects of the virus. Finnish police say that his anti-virus program
was old and of little use against the modern PC virus programs.

Finnish police are currently debating what to do with the man.
His main crime, Newsbytes notes, is being involved in shop theft
rather than computer crime, which appears to an incidental fact.

Finland is rather sensitive to the actions of foreign nationals
at the moment, particularly Russians. Last month, secret service
operatives arrested and expelled a Soviet couple who were found
to be traveling on forged British passports. Officials have not
said whether this latest incident is connected with the Russian
incident of two weeks ago.

(Steve Gold/19920604)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(LON)(00020)

 ****COCOM Allows Fiber Optic Exports To Soviet Bloc 06/04/92
PARIS, FRANCE, 1992 JUN 4 (NB) -- The Coordinating Committee
for Multilateral Export Controls (COCOM) has announced it is
allowing fiber optic technology to be exported to Russia and other
former Soviet Bloc countries.

The change in export regulations comes in the wake of a
continually relaxing attitude towards computer technology
exports. Only a few years ago, sales of anything better than an
8086/8088-based PC to Russia was banned -- now even 80486-
based machines are allowed.

Analysts say that the primary reason for the relaxation of the
technology export rules was only partly due to the easing of
relations between East and West. Observers have noticed that
high technology machines are already being manufactured in
Russia and its former satellites, meaning that if the West did not
gain a sales foothold, then the market could be lost forever.

COCOM was set up in the early 1960s, when the Cold War
between East and West -- as exemplified by the Berlin Wall -
intensified. The idea of the trade organization was to limit
technology exports from the West to the East so that, if a conflict
occurred, the West would not be hit by its own technology.

COCOM is not relaxing all its rules on fiber optic technology
however. The aim is to assist former Eastern bloc countries in
updating their communication links. COCOM officials are quoted
as saying they do not want to see coast-to-coast fiber optic links
in Russia -- they prefer to see fiber optic technology used to
upgrade existing links.

Despite industry expectations, COCOM will not be disbanded.
Instead, it will continue to oversee all high-tech exports from
West to East, issuing approval notices to major transactions.

(Steve Gold/19920604)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00021)

Ziffnet Now Available On Prodigy 06/04/92
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 4 (NB) -- A
special "kernel" of Ziffnet's service, already available on CompuServe,
is now available on the Prodigy service.

Prodigy is pricing "Ziffnet for Prodigy" among its "custom choice"
services at $14.95 per month. That price will give users three hours
of service. Additional hours cost $6 per hour. Prodigy's regular price
is $12.95 per month for unlimited hourly usage, with some
messaging surcharges.

Perhaps most important, Prodigy spokesman Steve Hein told
Newsbytes, is that this is the first time general-purpose downloads
are being allowed on the service. "We have always had
downloading of company financial charts on Custom Choice, and
in March we downloaded the Symantec anti-Michelangelo virus for
free," he said. The service also retains the Prodigy look-and-feel,
with ads on each "page," and does not offer users the opportunity
to upload files.

Bill Doyle of Ziffnet told Newsbytes that both the CompuServe and
Prodigy Ziffnet offerings are "massaged" at the company's
Cambridge, Massachusetts offices, and uploaded virtually
simultaneously to the two networks. "What's available on Prodigy
is the core set of what's on CompuServe," he added. "We've got
the entire Public Brand Software library, 2,000 plus titles.
We've got some PC Magazine utilities. We've got hundreds of
buying-advice articles, Editors' Choices, Mose Valuable Product
listings, questions to ask when buying that can be found on
CompuServe. We also have hundreds of technical tip articles
from the tips and techniques section of Ziffnet."

"We do not have things like the full text database of Computer
Library, the health database, or any uploading capability.
Prodigy members won't be able to upload their own favorite
shareware. And there's no shareware beyond PBS and some
Ziffnet stuff." Newsbytes is also not included in the Ziffnet for
Prodigy offering, Doyle said.

There is one offering that will be on Ziffnet for Prodigy that's
not on the CompuServe service, Doyle added. That's Wolfenstein,
a game program, which is available for downloading.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920604/Press Contact: Bill Doyle, Ziffnet,
617-252-5265; Steve Hein, Prodigy, 914-993-8789)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TOR)(00022)

 ****Digital Plans New Manufacturing Plant For Alpha Chips 06/04/92
MAYNARD, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 4 (NB) --
Digital Equipment has announced plans to build a 526,000 square-
foot semiconductor research and manufacturing plant in Hudson,
Massachusetts. The plant will produce future versions of Digital's
Alpha line of microprocessors.

The cost of the plant, code-named Fab-6 because it will be DEC's
sixth semiconductor plant, is estimated at about $425 million,
company spokesman Richard Price said. The plant is due to be
finished in 1994, and manufacturing of advanced sub-half micron
Alpha chips is to begin in 1996.

Right now, Digital makes Alpha chips in an existing plant in
Hudson and one in South Queensferry, Scotland. The next
generation will also be produced in these facilities.

Because of the complexity of making chips, Price told
Newsbytes, "it is more cost-effective to build a new facility than
to retrofit an old one."

While Alpha production will eventually move out of the existing
Hudson plant, Price said, it has not been decided whether the plant
will continue to be used for other purposes. Current personnel will
staff the new plant and DEC said it has no plans for new hiring.

Digital said the new plant will be extremely complex and planning
has been a major effort, including an extensive environmental
permit process with the state of Massachusetts.

Introduced in late February, the Alpha chips use a 64-bit reduced
instruction set computing (RISC) architecture. Digital claims they
are the fastest microprocessors in the world. Digital plans to
build its next generation of computers around the chips, as well
as selling the technology to other companies for use in their
products.

(Grant Buckler/19920603/Press Contact: Richard Price, Digital
Equipment, 508-493-2743)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00023)

 ****Lotus Licenses Windows Database Technology 06/04/92
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 4 (NB) --
Lotus Development has licensed AceFile for Windows, a flat-file
database product from Ace Software of San Jose, California. Lotus
intends to use the AceFile technology in future products.

A statement from Lotus described the AceFile technology as
a "technical foundation for certain of our future entry-level products."

The license is non-exclusive with worldwide distribution rights.
Suneel Kelkar, vice-president of marketing at Ace Software, said
his company will continue to sell AceFile and does not expect any
conflict with Lotus' plans. Lotus plans to incorporate the technology
into other products, not sell the current AceFile package, he said.
No other terms of the pact were disclosed.

AceFile can read files created by dBase, the widely used PC
database program, as well as files created by other applications
packages including Lotus' 1-2-3 spreadsheet package. However,
AceFile is a simple file management package, not a programmable
database management system meant for application development
as dBase is, a spokeswoman for the company said.

The announcement thus should not be seen as another in the
direct line that includes Microsoft's purchase of Fox Software and
Computer Associates' buyout of Nantucket Corp., both of which
make database packages that are compatible with and direct
competitors to dBase. However, the move could play a role in
Lotus' plans to enter the Windows database market, an area that
is expected to boom in the coming year.

(Grant Buckler/19920604/Press Contact: Lisa Gordon-Miller, S & S
Public Relations for Ace, 708-291-1616; Bruce Johnston, Lotus
Development, 617-577-8500)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00024)

 ****IBM Canada To Sell Clones Through Separate Unit 06/04/92
MARKHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1992 JUN 4 (NB) -- When is an
IBM personal computer not an IBM personal computer? When it's
an Ambra, sold by a wholly owned subsidiary of IBM Canada but
bearing no IBM nameplate.

IBM Canada has announced the formation of ExperComp Services
Ltd., a new, small company 100 -percent owned by IBM Canada.
ExperComp will sell the Ambra personal computer line, which was
also launched in the United Kingdom and is due to appear in France
shortly, IBM Canada said.

It had been rumored for some time that IBM would launch a low-
price line of personal computers under a different brand name. IBM
officials in the United States had told Newsbytes earlier that the
company planned such a move in Europe, though there was no
advance warning from IBM that Canada was also being considered.

IBM Canada spokesman Stan Didzbalis said the first Ambra
machines are being manufactured "offshore," but that manufacturing
in North America and possibly even in Canada is being considered
for the future.

To be sold with pre-loaded spreadsheet, word processing, and
database software, the Ambra PCs will carry prices starting at
C$1,600. ExperComp plans to offer free on-site service and support
for one year, plus a toll-free telephone help line. The first Ambra
machines are to be available in Canada late in August, the
company said.

Although earlier rumors suggested IBM might sell its low-price line
by mail-order, ExperComp has instead signed up two national
distributors, Merisel Canada of Concord, Ontario, and Hartco
Enterprises of Montreal.

ExperComp will start off with five employees at its offices in
Markham, Ontario, a Toronto suburb where IBM Canada is also
based. Andre Turgeon of IBM Canada is serving as acting chief
operating officer while the company searches for a president and
chief executive.

(Grant Buckler/19920604/Press Contact: Stan Didzbalis, IBM
Canada, 800-563-2139 or 416-474-3900, Jeffrey Goodman or Kate
Jobling, Goodman Communications for ExperComp, 416-924-9100)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(DEN)(00025)

 ****Miniscribe Fraud Suit Settlement Announced 06/04/92
LONGMONT, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 4 (NB) -- Accounting
firms, company executives and investment bankers have agreed to
pay more than $128 million to settle fraud charges in the case of
now defunct disk drive maker Miniscribe.

Gregg Ruegsegger, the attorney representing the Miniscribe trustee,
has announced that an agreement in principle has been reached
with the more than 60 plaintiffs involved in the suits. The deal still has
to be approved by a federal judge in Denver and the US Bankruptcy
judge overseeing Miniscribe's liquidation. However, Ruegsegger says
he doesn't expect any problems. "We think it's a good settlement
and a good deal for the estate," he said.

Under terms of the agreement, shareholders and creditors will only
get about twelve cents on the dollar compared to the one billion
dollars they were seeking in damages.

Miniscribe filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the federal
Bankruptcy Code in January of 1990. The company's estate will
use the settlement to pay of creditors in the bankruptcy
proceedings and to make cash settlements to shareholders.

The defendants in the suit were charged with falsifying Miniscribe's
financial records and concealing the company's sagging revenues
throughout the late 1980's. Among allegations were that inventory
records were inflated and bricks were shipped instead of computer
equipment. The accounting firm of Coopers & Lybrand was alleged
to have adjusted audits to meet earnings projections.

The settlement is believed to be the largest civil settlement of its
kind in Colorado. Details of how the money will be paid out were
not disclosed, but $80 million will go into the company's
bankruptcy estate to pay off creditors, while another $40 million
will go to holders of Miniscribe common stock. Payments will be
made over a four year period.

(Jim Mallory/19920604)


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

Microsoft Hosts First Latin American Distributor Conference 06/04/92
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 4 (NB) -- More than
60 distributors from the major Latin American markets begin a four-
day strategy and planning conference at Microsoft's headquarters
today.

Participants in the conference include directors, presidents, and
VPs from Microsoft's key distribution partners in the region, the
company said.

While other company's have been looking to Europe for their next big
market, Microsoft says Latin America is the next high-growth area.
"Any company looking for global leadership should see Latin
America as a high-growth business opportunity," said Orlando
Ayala, Microsoft director of Latin America.

Microsoft said the conference will feature presentations by senior
Microsoft marketing executives on systems strategy, applications
strategy, and the incorporation of multimedia and pen support into
the Microsoft Windows operating system. Other sessions will cover
messaging, desktop applications usability, and the outlook for the
industry in Latin America and the world.

In other Microsoft news, shareholders approved a reduction in the
par value of its common stock. The previously announced 3-for-2
stock split will take place on June 15th. Prior to the split,
Microsoft had about 180 million shares outstanding, and will have
about 270 million shares.

A company spokesperson said the change is an accounting
procedure necessary to ensure that the stock split is "net neutral."
Acting at the company's annual meeting, the shareholders reduced
the par value of each common share by one-third and to avoid any
dilutive effect the split would have had. Certificates representing the
split shares will be mailed to shareholders in mid-June.

(Jim Mallory/19920604/Press contact: Francoise Martin, Microsoft,
206-882-8080; Reader contact: Microsoft, 800-426-9400)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00027)

 ****Motorola, Samsung To Produce Pen PC 06/04/92
SCHAUMBURG, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 4 (NB) -- Motorola
and Samsung Electronics have announced that they will jointly
develop a palmtop computer that will be able to read handwritten
instructions and send the data via radio to a host computer.

The palmtop, weighing slightly over two pounds, will use a pen
instead of a keyboard to enter data into the computer. Under
terms of the agreement, the two companies hope to complete
development by the end of 1992. Korea-based Samsung said it
plans to begin production next year for sales in overseas markets
through the networks of both Samsung and Motorola.

Jeff Morris, VP of Marketing at Motorola's Mobile Data Division,
told Newsbytes that the palmtop is designed for use primarily by
field service personnel. "It's aimed at the blue collar worker,"
said Morris. He said there are 360 companies in the US that each
have more than 1,000 field engineers doing field service, reading
utility meters, and other similar tasks that would find the unit
useful. Morris told Newsbytes the new system would run both the
Pen for Windows and Penpoint operating systems.

This will be the first time that the Motorola name has appeared on a
computer system of any type. Morris said the 386-based high end
unit will be formally announced at the Comdex trade show in Las
Vegas this fall.

Once the data has been entered by the field user, it can be
transmitted to a host computer via the wireless communications
capability provided by the built-in radio modem developed by
Motorola. A number of nationwide public and private networks
exist or are in development that could handle the data transfer,
according to Morris.

While Samsung handles the overseas sales of the system,
Motorola will sell it to both private and public sector companies in
the US and in the international market. In addition to transfer of
data collected by field engineers, it can also provide mobile users
a link to database information on a host computer and relay
electronic mail.

(Jim Mallory/19920604/Press contact: Jeff Morris, Motorola,
604-241-6147)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(NYC)(00028)

CPSR: Technology Panel Rips US Export Policy 6/04/92
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1992 JUN 4 (NB) -- A panel of
computer industry figures, speaking at the Computer Professionals
for Social Responsibility (CPSR) Cryptography and Privacy Conference,
severely criticized the current regulations of the Department of State
that restrict the export of computer equipment and software containing
cryptography.

The panel, moderated by Bob Rarog of Digital Equipment and
composed of: Lee Stanton, GE Information Services; John Byrne,
American Bankers Association; Karen Casser, Software Publishers
Association (SPA); John Gilmore, Cygnus Support; and Addison
Fischer, Fischer International, contended that the policy causes
American firms to compete at a disadvantage in the world economy.

Rarog traced the history of government restriction, saying that,
although the licensing is the responsibility of Department of State,
the National Security Agency (NSA) reviews all requests. The NSA,
he said, takes the position that the policy is required to protect
United States security interests. Rarog also referred to a National
Research Council Report that states that there is over control in this
area and that the capability of developing encryption software is
already present throughout the world.

Rarog said that the present policy puts his firm, Digital Equipment,
at a disadvantage in not being able to provide the same level of security
on systems distributed internationally that they do on domestic units.
He said when our competitors in Europe offer a fully featured system
with security features built-in, we are at a disadvantage. What happens
now, at times, is that the customer buys the system from us and then
goes someplace locally to add security features -- the same ones that
a domestic firm in the United States could buy in the US."

Stanton agreed with Rarog's comments about a competitive
disadvantage, saying: "Two major European bond trading firms have
told us that they will be leaving our service because they regard our
security as inadaquate. I agree with them and would certainly like to
be able to meet their requirements but, under the existing rules, I
cannot. Under the present circumstances, we are actually a threat to
our clients because we cannot provide the proper safeguards against
their data being read or altered. We must re-examine this policy."

Software Publishing's Casser said: "Export controls do not work; they
are counter-productive to the interests of our industry. Software
publishers are losing money because they cannot compete in other
countries because of the absence of security features. Additionally,
many companies are now producing two versions of their product: one
with security features for domestic use and one, without, for export.
This is wasteful and expensive."

Casser said that an amendment (H.R. 3489) offered by
Representative Levine of California to the Export Administration Act
would seemingly solve the problem as it seeks to move the
responsibility for control of mass market software (including software
with encryption capabilities) to the provisions of the Export
Administration Act from the Arms Export Act. Casser said that she
does not have much hope for its passage in the amended format
because the President has threatened to veto the bill if the
amendment is not removed.

Gilmore, a member of the board of the directors of the Electronic
Frontier Foundation (EFF), said: "My concern is of a civil liberties
nature. The result of export controls is to deny privacy to United
States citizens. It is not economically feasible for companies to build
two products - 1 for domestic and 1 for abroad - so the companies do
not produce software that guarantees privacy. What that means is
that this technology is not available to ordinary citizens."

Gilmore continued: "Are these controls effective? Not really.We at
EFF are trying to develop a Unix public domain program with DES --
we have applied to the Department of State and are currently in
limbo. In the meantime, however, I have signed onto systems in
Finland and France and have downloaded software that does the
same thing -- I can download it but, under our regulations, I
couldn't upload it even to the same systems. It doesn't seem to
make much sense."

Gilmore later told Newsbytes that EFF is in the process of
attempting to discuss these concerns directly with the NSA.

(Barbara E. McMullen & John F. McMullen/Press Contact:David Banisar,
Computer Professionals For Social Responsibility, 202-544-9240 (voice);
[e-mail] (e-mail)/19920604)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00029)

Egghead Posts Record-Breaking Year, Plans More Stores 06/04/92
ISSAQUAH, WASHINGTON, U.S.A. 1992 JUN 4 (NB) --  In the wake
of a record-breaking fiscal year, Egghead Software is planning to add
20 to 40 new stores and five to 10 new corporate/government offices
by March of 1993, Newsbytes has learned.

Since the close of the 1992 fiscal year on March 28, Egghead has
already opened five new stores, and signed leases for another nine,
a public relations spokesperson told Newsbytes. "So we're already
well on our way," she noted.

Yesterday, the company announced earnings of $15.7 million for
the 1992 fiscal year, a figure that compares with $15.4 million for
1991.  Fiscal year sales were $665 million, representing a 28
percent gain over the previous year's sales of $519 million.

The company also reported earnings of $4.2 million for the fourth
quarter of fiscal year 1992, an amount down slightly from the $4.3
million in earnings for the fourth quarter of fiscal 1991.  But sales
for the fourth quarter of 1992 were $155 million, a number 20
percent higher than the $129 million in sales for the fourth
quarter of 1991.

For the 1992 fiscal year, sales reached a record high of $665
million, up 28 percent over the $519 million in sales for fiscal
1991.

Matthew J. Griffin, president and CEO, attributed the sales
increases to strong performance by sales personnel, together
with new product introductions, including Microsoft's and IBM's
promotions of DOS 5.0.

In releasing its results, Egghead emphasized that both the year
end and fourth quarter figures for fiscal 1992 were impacted by
income tax increases.  Income taxes for fiscal 1992 were $9.6
million for fiscal 1992, in comparison to $1.2 million for fiscal 1991,
and $2.3 million for fourth quarter fiscal 1992, in contrast to $1.1
million for fourth quarter fiscal 1992, the company said.

Griffin maintained that improved operating efficiencies and cost
controls, as well as the higher sales, were responsible for the
generally positive financial statement.  Over the 1992 fiscal year,
selling, general, and administrative costs dropped from 13.3
percent of sales to 12.7 percent of sales, the company reported.

During that period, Egghead added seven new corporate and
government sales offices, and five new stores. In addition, though,
ten stores were closed.

The Egghead spokesperson told Newsbytes that the store closings
of the last fiscal year represented a realignment that was performed
in preparation for the planned major retail expansion.

So far this fiscal year, Egghead has opened two new stores in
Milwaukee, WI, and one each in Las Vegas, NV, Tucson, AZ, and
West Palm Beach, FL.  Leases have been signed for two stores in
Indianapolis, IN, and one apiece in San Antonio, TX; and Austin, TX;
Richmond and Virginia Beach, VA; Albuquerque, NM; Fresno, CA;
and Altamonte Springs, FL.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19920604; Press contact, Megan McKenzie,
Egghead, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LAX)(00030)

$50 Billion Market For Portable Computers Projected 06/04/92
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 JUN 4 (NB) -- Small
computers, especially pen computers, will continue to be the rage if
a new survey predicting whopping growth in the sub-laptop portable
computers and peripherals market between now and 1988 is correct.
The market has been more than doubling in size every year and is
expected to reach over $50 billion in revenues by 1998, research firm
Market Intelligence said, but coming changes may force a decline
in some peripherals.

The market is currently at $3.5 billion, but is predicted to expand
to $10 billion by 1993, MI said. The predicted compound annual
growth rate of close to 50 percent is expected to push the market
to the $50 billion mark in 1998, the survey said.

In regional predictions, the US is expected to get a smaller piece of
the small computer pie, with a decline from 64 percent in 1991, to
52 percent in 1998. But MI says even in declining market share the
growth is expected to generate increased US sales, going from $2
billion in 1991 to $25 billion in 1998. Europe, however, will get a
slightly bigger piece, going from 10 to 18 percent in the same
period, MI said.

Pen computers are expected to grow the fastest, to 85 percent of
the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) worldwide by 1998, though
now they have the smallest base, MI maintains. Notebook computers
are also expected to show wide spread future growth.

The MI survey says the selling point for the small machines is
expected to shift from the current emphasis on size and battery life
to the number of functions for multiple tasks and ease-of-use.
Expected enhancements include paging, remote wireless networking,
as well as modem and fax capability.

The forms the computer comes in are expected to change as well,
ranging from pocket-sized consumer models to classroom
blackboards.

Decreases in certain peripherals are expected as well. The
incorporation of pointing devices, such as pens, are expected to
drive down the current demand for portable pointers, which as
been growing at triple-digit rates, MI said.

Hard drives are expected to also face slowing demand as memory
cards catch up and overtake the mass storage demand and as
data compression products that double disk capacity become
more prevalent, MI maintains.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920604/Press Contact: Amy Arnell, Market
Research, tel [phone], fax [phone])