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(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00001)

 ****Details On Fast's Video Machine for Macintosh 08/11/92
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- At MacWorld Boston last
week, Fast Electronic USA, the new US subsidiary of Munich-based
Fast Electronic GmbH, released the details on the Macintosh version of
the avidly awaited Video Machine.

Targeted at video professionals and amateurs alike, and slated for
availability in Mac and PC editions, the broadcast-quality
multimedia system was first announced at the CeBIT show in Hanover
this past March, and then re-introduced in North America at Spring
Comdex.

Fast officials disclosed at MacWorld that the new Mac system will
consist of a single NuBus card that combines the features of a six
input switcher, frame synchronizer, A/B roll mixer, programmable
digital video effects system, edit controller, scan converter,
paint box, and character generator.

In addition to Video Machine, Fast will also produce an external
device for use by the professionals. Supplying machine control as well
as connectivity to outside video equipment, the Video Machine Studio
Control Box will house 3 high-speed RS-422 and 3 Control-L/Panasonic
ports, an 8-channel audio mixer, and 3 LTC time code readers with one
time code generator.

A public relations spokesperson told Newsbytes that Fast considers
NewTek's Video Toaster -- originally produced for the Amiga and
since announced for the Mac -- to be Video Machine's closest
competitor. But, she added, Video Machine carries several
advantages over its rival, including the A/B roll mixing, the
on board frame synchronization, and imminent availability for the
Mac as well as the PC. Both versions of Video Machine are
scheduled for fourth quarter shipment.

In outlining the Mac version of Video Machine, Fast officials
explained that the system will use two independent video input
channels, each accepting a composite or S-Video signal in NTSC, PAL or
SECAM. Both input channels will be fed into a frame synchronizer that
will allow synchronization with the output.

Video Machine will output in both composite and S-Video, and in
NTSC or PAL but not SECAM. The board will also be able to
synchronize, or genlock, the output signal to one of the input
channels, or to an additional signal connected to its genlock
input. Betacam quality YUV input and output, now under development
at Fast, will be offered as an option in the future.

The digitized video from the two input channels will be stored in
two separate frame buffers, each with 24-bit RGB resolution. The
buffers will be used for image capture, and also as two independent
true color graphics devices. In one application, graphics will be
overlaid onto live video for titling.

The user will create the titles in the character generator, a
software tool that will work together with many Mac-based word
processing and layout programs, including Microsoft Word and Aldus
Pagemaker. A software-selectable alpha channel for the two input
channels will permit production of titles with anti-aliased
borders.

The upcoming system will also come with a library of more than 100
special effects, including transitions, dissolves, pans, moves,
wipes, tumbles, flips, picture-in-picture, fly-ins and fly-outs,
zoom and shrink, and solarization. The user will be able to
control and customize these effects -- and others imported from
movies -- through a push-button panel called VM-Onstage.

Another panel, VM-Studio, will be used for A/B roll editing -- and
for combining the video with effects and titles, computer graphics,
animations, and sound from digital audio, MIDI, and CD-ROM sources.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19920811/Press Contacts: Anne Sauer, Fast, tel
508-655-FAST; Ellen Glew, EGI for Fast, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00002)

New For PC: SEG Unveils Deputy Comms Package 08/11/92
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- A new PC communications
package called Deputy has been released by SEG Communications.
The shareware package, which sells for UKP 49, embodies what
SEG's managing director, Mike Spalter, calls a number of unique
features.

Spalter acknowledges that the PC comms market-place is pretty
crowded these days, but points to unique features such as Novell
NACS/NASI Interface with multi-session capabilities, a special
novice mode for beginners, and support for four European
languages, with more to come.

"It's a good package," Spalter told Newsbytes, adding that, while
he is a little skeptical about the shareware concept, he has
released the package as shareware, so as to get the widest
possible distribution.

"Users can download the file from online services such as CIX
(the Compulink Information Exchange in the UK) and see for
themselves what the software is capable of. If they like the
package, then we ask them to register it," he said.

The multilanguage feature of Deputy is quite interesting.
Spalter told Newsbytes that this arose because the language
strings are an external set of code to the main program, which
was developed for a number of international clients of the
company, including a major company in Greece.

The program was designed by Spalter and coded by Anders, a
programmer with CIX. According to Spalter, the package is based
on an early shareware package known as A-Comm, that has been
enhanced and has several features, including support for the
Microcom Network Protocol (MNP) Class 5 system of error
correction and data compression.

"We decided to include MNP Class 5 after our Greek client
requested it. Including Class 5 doesn't come cheaply. We paid
Microcom $5,000 for the licence, but we think it's been worth
it," he said.

The shareware version of Deputy, which comes as 300K compressed
file, contains the English and German language routines. A Danish
version is available for shareware registering customers, while a
French version is soon to be released, as are other European
language versions.

The package, which has been available in the shareware domain for
the last couple of weeks, flew straight into a storm of
controversy on the CIX online system, where SEG maintains its
support forum. Several CIX subscribers have commented that Deputy
bears a passing resemblance to Odyssey, a communications package
from Micropack and distributed by Shareware Publishing in Devon.

Although Odyssey's author, Don Milne, was not available at press
time, Spalter was frank about the origins of Deputy. He admitted
that he had looked at the best features of several comms packages
before sitting down to design Deputy.

"I think that's true of all designers. They take all the best
ideas they see and add their own ideas. If you look a writer of
an autobiography, the first thing they do is to go out and buy
other autobiographies to see how they're laid out," he said.

In messages posted to CIX, Milne has acknowledged that Deputy
contains no library code of Odyssey, implying that no copyrights
have been broken. Nevertheless, the controversy has caused a
number of CIX subscribers to take sides with either Milne or
Spalter.

"I think the package is good value and offers a number of unique
features. I leave it to users of Deputy to decide for themselves
about whether it's similar to Odyssey or not," Spalter told
Newsbytes.

(Steve Gold/19920811/Press & Public Contact: SEG Communications -
Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00003)

New For PC: Carbon Copy For Windows Ships In UK 08/11/92
SUTTON, SURREY, 1992 AUG 8 (NB) -- Microcom has announced that it
is now shipping version 3.1 of Carbon Copy for Windows in the
UK. The company claims that the remote control package is fully
compliant with Windows 3.1, supporting remote control, file transfer
and chat facilities as standard under Windows.

"Developing an exceptional remote control package for a graphical
user interface (GUI) mouse-oriented environment is a great
challenge. The new release is another successful Windows
application and demonstrates the importance Microcom places on
the latest developments in the Windows market," said Don Winston,
Microcom's UK general manager.

In use, Carbon Copy for Windows 3.1 allows the user to control
the programs, files and attach peripherals from another PC
running Windows by communicating via modems or a direct
connection using a null modem cable. One interesting feature of
this latest version of Carbon Copy for Windows is the inclusion
of a modem configuration utility that allows modems not on
CCWin's installation list to be configure for the software.

CCWin 3.1's interface is now very similar to other Windows
applications. According to Winston, this consistency
significantly reduce the learning curve for users familiar with
the Windows 3.0 environment.

"The file transfer user interface is consistent with the Windows
file manager interface. Users familiar with File Manager can
transfer within Carbon Copy for Windows 3.1 without learning any
new commands," he said.

CCWin 3.1 comes with both host and guest programs, and costs UKP
145. The host and guest modules can be purchased separately for
multiple site use and users of previous versions are being
encouraged to upgrade for free through Microcom's U.K. office.

(Steve Gold/19920811/Press & Public Contact: Microcom U.K. - Tel:
0483-740763)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00004)

UK: Computer Pages Unveils Ambitious Plans 08/11/92
SUNBURY-ON-THAMES, ENGLAND, 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- Computer Pages,
the free access online service, is preparing for a number of
enhancements that administration director Graham Jones claims
could mean a Minitel-style service for home and office users in
the UK.

"We're discussing the possibility of getting a cash injection
into the service to allow us to allow users of a special
terminal, operating at 9,600 bits per second or faster, to log on
to our service for various services, including teleshopping,"
he told Newsbytes.

Currently, Computer Pages has six lines operational, with more
planned. Newsbytes was told that the original plans for 20 phone lines
into the free access service had to be pruned down owing to
the cost of providing facilities.

"We're now at a stage where cash investment is needed before we
go on to provide other services. We're talking with a number of
interested parties," Rose said.

Rose also revealed that Computer Pages is currently beta testing
a Microsoft Windows terminal package for users. "This allows
PC users to hit a button and connect straight through to Computer
Pages as easily as running any other Windows package," he
explained.

One of the services that is expected to get rolling is a
computer shopping service, whereby users can key in their
shopping lists, which are then mailed to the information provider
(e.g. Sainsburys) for preparation and collection or delivery.

"The idea is to provide home users with a Minitel-like box that
sits by the phone, or even acts as a phone, and links into
Computer Pages automatically at high speed. Users could do a lot
of things with the service," he explained.

Things are progressing well with the existing Computer Pages,
he said, adding that many new areas are opening up. The
service's success in recent weeks, he said, has been due to the
fact that users have realized that the service is free of charge,
with information providers picking up the cost, rather than
subscribers.

Computer Pages is accessible at all modem speeds to 14,400 bps
(V.32Bis) with V.42Bis error correction and data compression) on
081-893-7700.

(Steve Gold/19920811/Press & Public Contact: Computer Pages -
Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(DEN)(00005)

Wireless Communications Monitors Hospital Patients 08/11/92
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- What does ordering
hamburgers and monitoring hospital patients have in common? Answer --
they both use wireless communications.

A nurse saw an employee at a fast food drive-thru restaurant
taking an order while sweeping the floor, and realized that a similar
link could help her and other nurses provide better service to their
patients. She took her idea to hospital officials, and they in turn
contacted a firm that adapted a system for hospital use.

Right now only two hospitals in the country are testing the wireless
systems, according to the American Hospital Association. But if
those tests are successful, other hospitals may follow suit. Nurses
are equipped with a belt-mounted communications unit with a
microphone and speaker clipped to their uniform. If they need
assistance with a patient or need to be contacted, the communication
is done through the wireless system.

Rush-Presbyterian-St Luke's Medical Center assistant director of
nursing services research and support Kathy Pischke-Winn says that
in addition to instant communications, traffic on the hospital
paging and intercom system has dropped at least 90 percent.

"Many patients have commented on how much more quiet it is," said
Pischke-Winn. A nurse wearing the unit can communicate directly with
the nurse's station, or can activate an "all call" function which
broadcasts to all of the wireless units.

That can save time, which is critical is a medical emergency.
Suppose your patient goes into cardiac arrest. Instead of finding a
phone, calling the operator, and calling a "Code Blue," the nurse
simply activates the all call button and help is on the
way. Costs vary depending on the number of units in use per floor, but
are estimated to run between $20,000 and $35,000.

(Jim Mallory/19920811)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(DEN)(00006)

New For Macintosh: BigThesaurus 2 Debuts 08/11/92
MIAMI, FLORIDA, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- Deneba Software has
announced the release of an upgrade to its electronic thesaurus,
BigThesaurus 2, an electronic thesaurus that runs under Apple's System
7 Macintosh operating system as a System Extension

The company says the program contains over 100,000 words and can
provide more than 1.4 million combinations of synonyms (a word that
means the same); antonyms (a word that means the opposite); related,
compared, and contrasted offerings; and can even provide a
definition for each meaning group.

Deneba says that BigThesaurus is based on the Merriam-Webster
Thesaurus, and is organized by contextual meaning, instead of by part
of speech. The company says the TSR (terminate and stay resident in
the computer's memory) can accomplish a lookup in less than a second
in most cases. All you do is double-click with your mouse on the word
you want to look up. Words are cross referenced, and the program
remembers all the words a user has worked with. Multiple look-up
windows are supported, so you could have the synonym or antonym of
several words displayed simultaneously.

According to Deneba, if you already own a registered copy of
BigThesaurus, you'll get your upgrade automatically, at no charge.
The company also had a trade-up offer for owners of any third party
add-on thesaurus. They can switch to BigThesaurus for $29. First
time buyers will pay $99. The program is expected to ship in
September.

(Jim Mallory/19920811/Press contact: Marc Hall, Deneba Software,
305-596-5644, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(SYD)(00007)

Australian University Offers "Remote" Teaching 08/11/92
PERTH, AUSTRALIA, 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- Students at Edith
Cowan University in Western Australia now have access to the
University 24 hours-a-day through telephone links to the
University's computer system. The new system also introduces fault-
tolerance, which virtually guarantees the system is always
available.

With the new system, students will be able to receive and
submit assignments, as well as communicate with teachers and other
students, using a computer and modem to connect to the University
system. It will allow students to complete their degree almost
totally remotely, and is an improvement on postal submission of
assignments and communication.

"Using the electronic campus people will be able to take degrees
overseas and also upgrade existing qualifications," said Associate
Professor Tony Watson, of the University's Information, Technology and
Mathematics School.

The University chose a Tandem Integrity system for its fault
tolerance and reporting features. No single hardware failure can
shut the system down, and when a failure does occur, the system
diagnoses the problem and orders the required parts itself.

"For such a critical area we needed a system that could grow and one
that could provide a 100 per cent reliable basis for the service,"
said Associate Professor Tony Knight, who heads the University's
extension service facility.

(Sean McNamara/19920811)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SYD)(00008)

Australia: Apple Accused Of Unfair Bundling Deals 08/11/92
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- Symantec Australia has added its
voice to a chorus of third party software vendors protesting to Apple
about its action in bundling applications from its software subsidiary
Claris. (Coincidentally, Claris has moved back to Apple headquarters
in Australia).

Apple's current "Introduction to the Classics" promotion in Australia
offers a ClarisWorks and Mac Classic bundle starting at around
US$1450. This action is likely to depress sales of Microsoft Works,
Beagle Bros BeagleWorks and Symantec Greatworks. Microsoft marketing
manager, Jennifer Zanich, has accused Apple of reneging on a promise
made a year ago.

Symantec marketing manager, Jaquii Graham, agrees and said her
company is now pressing Apple to switch to an alternative
bundling approach adopted by Apple in the US.

"Over there the customer can choose which integrated package they want
in the bundle. It's a much better way of doing things, both for the
vendor and customer," she said, adding that Symantec has struck an
number of successful bundle deals with Australian resellers.

(Paul Zucker and David Frith/19920811)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00009)

Japan: Pocket Beeper With Game Programs 08/11/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- Tokyo-based software firm TOA has
developed a unique pocket beeper which is aimed at students instead of
business people, owing to the inclusion of two game programs,
presumably for playing while waiting for the beeper to go off.

Another interesting feature of the beeper, apart from the liquid
crystal display (LCD) for messages and game play, is that it can
play music instead of just beeping when it gets a call.

The games on the N-600 series beeper are nothing great visually, owing
to the small size of the LCD screen. Both the games center around the
numeric display: the first is similar to poker, with numbers instead
of cards, while the second is a figure eight that must be completed
as quickly as possible.

12 tunes are available on the beeper, including titles such as
"It's a small world." Stopwatch and timer functions are
included as standard on the unit.

So who is the beeper aimed at? According to TAO, at 6.9 x 4.6 x 1.4 cm
in size, or roughly two-thirds the size of other beepers, it
is aimed at university and high school students who want to stay
in touch, even in class. The beeper is being offered to telephone
companies for rental in Japan, as well as to foreign telecom
companies.

Surprisingly, the beeper is not costly for a unit with these
features. TAO claims that the export price will be around the $160
mark, with the company aiming to produce 100,000 units in its first
year of sales. TAO also wants to secure around ten percent of the
Japanese domestic market in pager sales and rentals

(Masayuki Miyazawa/19920811/Press Contact: TOA, [phone])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(ATL)(00010)

Digital Sound Wins US Gov't Contracts 08/11/92
CARPINTERIA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- Digital
Sound has won two government contracts for its VoiceServer voice mail
technology.

In Oregon, The Lane Council of Governments has installed two of
the company's VoiceServer voice processing systems. The council's
22 member agencies will share the voice mail system. Both sales
were made through GTE. Lane County covers the area around Eugene,
Oregon, where the city's police agencies are using the system to
advertise jobs and the city government is using it for
an inspection request line.

In California, where the state government continues to hand out
IOUs for basic services, Sonoma County bought a VoiceServer
system for much the same purposes as Lane, to offer voice
services to local residents.

The county's more than 50 agencies will be able to create customized
applications on a system housed at the Department of General Services.
The county is looking at a jury duty line, a hotline on county bids,
and a line offering information on county programs, among other
things.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920811/Press Contact: Digital Sound, Andrea
Holm, 805/566-2000x2130)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TOR)(00011)

Micromedia, Financial Post Team Up On Database 08/11/92
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- Publishers Micromedia
and The Financial Post Datagroup have announced plans to join
forces to develop a corporate information database. The new CanCorp
Plus database will be made available on compact disk read-only
memory (CD-ROM) and through major online information services.

The two companies will combine data from Micromedia's existing
CanCorp database of Canadian companies and the Financial Post
Corporate Database. The resulting CanCorp Plus database will offer
information in greater depth than the present CanCorp database on
about 8,000 companies, said John Kitchen, chief executive of
Micromedia.

The deal involves taking data from the Financial Post Corporate
Database that is not in the Cancorp database, particularly
historical information, to make Micromedia's offering more
comprehensive, Kitchen told Newsbytes.

Due to be available in September, the CanCorp Plus database will be
offered through Southam Information Services' Infomart Online in
Canada, through Dialog Information Services in the United States,
and through the DataStar online information service in Europe.

Disclosure Inc., a US-based publisher of financial information,
will offer the CanCorp Plus database on CD-ROM, at a price varying
with the frequency of updates chosen, Kitchen said.

Micromedia is a Toronto-based publisher of paper and electronic
directories and information services. The Financial Post is a
national, daily business newspaper controlled by Toronto Sun
Publishing.

(Grant Buckler/19920811/Press Contact: John Kitchen, Micromedia,
416-362-5211; Public Contact: Micromedia, 416-362-5211)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00012)

New For PC: Windows Offline Reader For CIX 08/11/92
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- Ashmount Research has
announced that Wigwam, the first Microsoft Windows offline reader
(OLR) for the Compulink Information eXchange (CIX), is now
shipping. The UKP 145 package builds on the success of Telepathy,
its earlier DOS OLR, which is also for CIX.

Why the curious name of Wigwam? The name of the package derives
from the name of Teepee, which the company christened the version
of Telepathy for Compuserve. According to Ed Hasted, managing
director of Ashmount Research, there was a possible name conflict
with the Compuserve version, so the name Teepee was selected.
Wigwam was an obvious choice for the Windows-CIX OLR package.

Like Telepathy and TP, although Wigwam is designed for single
PCs, it can have multiple users, each with their own ID and
password. Each user "logs on" to the local version of Wigwam and
can access his/her own system files.

Hasted has some interesting points in favour of using an OLR over
voice telephony. He claims that, not only do OLRs cut the cost of
accessing online services and reduce phone bills substantially,
but they are more efficient than voice calls, since Wigwam (which
operates at 38,400 bits per second) can pass data over a modem
link 40 times faster than a person can speak.

"Even more importantly, Wigwam enables managers and management to
achieve more of the things they set out to do at the start of the
day. They are no longer constantly interrupted by incoming phone
calls. They make outgoing calls if they have the time, they
receive and read, as and when it is convenient - they are not
forever interrupting anyone else," he said.

One useful feature of Wigwam is that the normally thick manuals
seen on Telepathy and Teepee have been shrunk down to just 30
pages on the Windows application. This is due, Hasted claims, to
the Windows help options, which can guide the novice user to the
required information while using the package.

To encourage users to move to Wigwam, Ashmount Research is
offering the package for UKP 65 -- UKP 80 less than the normal
price to what Hasted describes as "business users." The executive
purchasers, he notes, will also receive a UKP 50 credit towards
the network version.

(Steve Gold/19920811/Press & Public Contact: Ashmount Research -
Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]; Email on the Internet:
[e-mail])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00013)

New For PC: Carbon Copy For Windows Ships In UK 08/11/92
SUTTON, SURREY, 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- Microcom has announced that it
is now shipping version 3.1 of Carbon Copy for Windows in the
UK. The company claims that the remote control package is fully
compliant with Windows 3.1, supporting remote control, file transfer
and chat facilities as standard under Windows.

"Developing an exceptional remote control package for a graphical
user interface (GUI) mouse-oriented environment is a great
challenge. The new release is another successful Windows
application and demonstrates the importance Microcom places on
the latest developments in the Windows market," said Don Winston,
Microcom's UK general manager.

In use, Carbon Copy for Windows 3.1 allows the user to control
the programs, files and attach peripherals from another PC
running Windows by communicating via modems or a direct
connection using a null modem cable. One interesting feature of
this latest version of Carbon Copy for Windows is the inclusion
of a modem configuration utility that allows modems not on
CCWin's installation list to be configure for the software.

CCWin 3.1's interface is now very similar to other Windows
applications. According to Winston, this consistency
significantly reduce the learning curve for users familiar with
the Windows 3.0 environment.

"The file transfer user interface is consistent with the Windows
file manager interface. Users familiar with File Manager can
transfer within Carbon Copy for Windows 3.1 without learning any
new commands," he said.

CCWin 3.1 comes with both host and guest programs, and costs UKP
145. The host and guest modules can be purchased separately for
multiple site use and users of previous versions are being
encouraged to upgrade for free through Microcom's U.K. office.

(Steve Gold/19920811/Press & Public Contact: Microcom U.K. - Tel:
0483-740763)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00014)

New For PC: Lotus Ships Symphony 3.0 In UK 08/11/92
STAINES, MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND, 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- Lotus
Development has announced that Symphony Release 3.0, a major
update of its integrated applications software for the PC, is now
available in the UK.

Symphony 3.0 is unusual in that it is one of the few remaining
DOS packages designed for a standard 640 kilobyte (K)
environment. Version 3.0 has been updated to offer memory usage
enhancements and a what you see is what you get (WYSIWYG)
display.

Other enhancements of the package include spreadsheet publishing
facilities, scroll bars and sizeable windows. An audit trail
manager is also included, along with an enhanced file viewer.

Andrew Wyatt, product marketing manager at Lotus UK for Symphony
and DOS spreadsheets, said that Symphony is the only high-end
integrated DOS package that is being continually updated.

"The strength of the new version is that it brings a graphical
environment to DOS users with any PC, unlike other integrated
packages for Windows and OS/2," he said.

The new memory management facilities of Symphony 3.0 allow users
with more than their standard 640K of memory to make full use of
the extra random access memory (RAM). The package confirms to the
Lotus-Intel-Microsoft (LIM) 4.0 expanded memory standard.

Symphony 3.0 requires a PC XT or better with a hard disk and DOS
2.1 or later. 512K of RAM is also required though, for WYSIWYG
use, 640K is required. The package sells for UKP 595, with five
and ten user "multipacks" available for UKP 2,665 and UKP 9,520,
respectively.

The network server edition of the package will be released in the
fall of this year with a retail price of UKP 635. Current
Symphony and 1-2-3 users, with the exception of 1-2-3 Go and
Lotusworks, are being offered the chance to upgrade for UKP 99.
1-2-3 God and Lotusworks users can upgrade for UKP 199.

(Steve Gold/19920811/Press & Public Contact: Lotus U.K. - Tel:
0784-455445)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00015)

 ****Survey Reveals ISDN Flagging In Face Of V.32Bis 08/11/92
SLOUGH, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- The results of a
recent survey undertaken by modem manufacturers Miracom has
produced the not entirely unexpected result that the computer
industry does not view integrated services digital network (ISDN)
technology as the universal panacea that the ISDN vendors claim
it is.

The reason, says the report, is that high-speed modems, in the form of
V.32Bis (14,400 bits per second -- bps) with V.42Bis error
correction and data compression, can almost equal the performance
of an 64,000 bps ISDN circuit.

The survey, undertaken by writing to more than 100 dealers
selling modems and ISDN kit, concludes that ISDN will have only a
marginal effect on sales of high speed modems for the next few
years. This, Miracom claims, contradicts some pundits' claims
that ISDN will push the modem out into the cold over the next
five years.

Announcing the results of the survey, Clive Hudson, Miracom's
sales and marketing director, said that he wanted to survey
dealers "because they are the people closest to the end user.
They can see what the market wants and get a feel for what
businesses are really looking for, We feel that the future looks
very positive for the high speed modem market," he said.

So what are the predictions of Miracom's dealers? They say
that modem sales will increase by 15 percent over the next year,
although the mid-range dealer (i.e. selling 20 to 100 units a
year) could experience an increase of as much as 50 percent.

Interestingly, confidence in the high speed modem market is high,
with low volume dealers (1-20 modems a year) predicting that 75
percent of all modem sales will be for V.32 speeds and above.
Overall, dealer predicted that sales of high-speed modems will
split 51 percent against the 49 percent of sub-V.32 modem sales.

Hudson summed up the survey, noting that sales of high-speed
modems will continue to go well for several years. "It's clear we
need to keep a watching brief on developments in ISDN, but there
is obviously still plenty of life in the high speed modem yet,"
he said.

(Steve Gold/19920811/Press & Public Contact: Miracom - Tel: 0753-
811180)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00016)

UK: Wyse/Micro Anvika Sign Notebook Distrib Deal 08/11/92
TWYFORD, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- Wyse Technology
has signed a distribution deal with London-based Micro Anvika, a
retail corporate sales and mail order company, to sell its new
Cyrix processor-based Decisionmate 486SLC.

Commenting on the agreement, Mark Jordan, Wyse's general manager
of Northern Europe, said that selling direct through
carefully selected specialist retailers such as Micro Anvika is
an appropriate channel for the company's new Cyrix-based
notebooks.

"These have already generated considerable consumer interest
because of their sleek, ultra-light design and exceptionally low
price for a 486-based notebook," he said.

Terry Ronson, Micro Anvika's director of the company's business
solutions division, said that notebook technology is increasingly
dominating the PC sales marketplace. "Over the last 18 months, we
have sold 3,500 notebooks and sales are continuing to rise
despite the current negative economic conditions," he said.

"We chose the Decisionmate 486SLC because it is a unique product
which allows us to meet a growing demand for the next generation
in faster, more powerful 486-based notebooks," he added.

Tipping the scales at five pounds, the Decisionmate 486SLC claims
to be one of the least expensive notebooks on the market at the
moment. The machine, which is designed for use with Microsoft
Windows, is also billed as one of the lightest of its type.

Micro Anvika was founded in 1987 and has three major stores in
central London. The company, which claims to stock more than
4,000 computer-related products, has a turnover of UKP 13
million.

(Steve Gold/19920811/Press & Public Contact: Wyse Technology -
Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00017)

Hutchinson PC Dictionary Debuts 08/11/92
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- Century-Hutchinson, the book
publisher, has announced that the Hutchinson Personal Computer
Dictionary will be launched on August 20. The book is billed as
the ultimate solution to all computer user's problems.

Newsbytes has had a read a pre-release copy of the book
and notes that the volume is competitively priced at
UKP 9-99. The book contains over 1,200 entries, all in alphabetical
order, with each word explained as in a dictionary, in a concise and
readable style. Surprisingly, the book is capable of being read -
- and understood -- by computer novices, as it seems relatively
free of computer jargon.

The book can be used as a reference by the novice or
experienced user in need of a rapid update on a particular
topic. For example, the entry under modem not only explains
what the word modem is drawn from (modulator-demodulator), but
also goes on to explain about file transfers, protocols and even
data compression systems.

The Hutchinson Personal Computer Dictionary has an ISBN
(international service book number) of 0-09-177304-0 and is
written by Philip E Margolis, a computer expert based in Zurich.

(Steve Gold/19920811/Press & Public Contact: Century-Hutchinson -
Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone])


(NEWS)(APPLE)(BOS)(00018)

New For Macintosh: RD/Express Rewritable Optical Disk Drive 08/11/92
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- Optical Access
International has announced Access RD/Express, the third in a new
series of Mac-based CD-ROM (compact disk read only memory) drives.

According to the company, the CD-ROM droves are being positioned as
cost effective alternatives to removable hard drives, especially in
cases where memory and data security both make a difference.

In an interview at MacWorld Boston, where the latest drive was
introduced last week, Willard K. Rice, company president, told
Newsbytes that the 650 megabyte (MB) RD/Express is the midrange member
of the Access family, a line of "removable rewritable optical drives"
that overcome the drawbacks of CD-ROM while taking advantage of the
high durability of optical media.

All Access drives are bundled with SuperCache software, said Rice.
Developed by Optical Access in conjunction with Apple and the
leading OEMs that make the drives, SuperCache boosts access time
through an intelligent caching scheme that knows in advance when to
pull information off the optical disks, he added. The data can be
stored in the user's choice of the hard drive, optical disk memory,
or both.

SuperCache also features automatic mounting, a capability aimed at
greatly streamlining the traditionally cumbersome process of
formatting, mounting and partitioning an optical disk.

Now that other factors are just about equal, users with high memory
requirements are better off using Access than a removable hard
drive, especially where data security is a concern, asserted
Michael C. Maloney, director of marketing, also during the
interview. Although optical drives are more costly, the media used
is less expensive, so that a cut-off point of 250 MB, CD-ROM
actually becomes more economical, he elaborated.

The durability of optical media can be particularly handy in
situations where disks are routinely mailed or sent by courier to
other sites, Maloney illustrated. "Hard disks are likely to break,
but the only way to destroy our disks is literally to crush them,"
he told Newsbytes.

Many users in the Mac-dominated and memory-intensive graphic arts
market are applying the Access drives in this way, Rice
interjected. After finishing up their art work, designers are
sending the removable optical disks to service bureaus for final
image processing and printing, he informed Newsbytes. CAD and
network back-up are other areas where the future of the drives looks
particularly bright, the company president noted.

The new RD/Express, the company's 128 Mb RD/Aria, and its top-of-
the-line Access MF/Gigabyte all use rewritable optical disks,
although The MF/Gigabyte can also work with WORM (write once read
many) media as well. The rewritable disks can be erased, while
WORM can't, Rice explained. "WORM is used mainly for back-up.
Someone can run rewritable optical disks on the MF/Gigabyte all
day, and then remove those disks and switch over to a WORM mode to
make secure copies of the data," he told Newsbytes.

The RD/Express and MF/Gigabyte both use 5.25-inch optical disks,
while the RD/Aria works with 3.5-inch optical disks. The
RD/Express supplies a slightly slower access time than the
MF/Gigabyte and RD/Aria, but a higher data transfer rate, running
at 4.0 Mbps in the synchronous mode and 2.0 Mbps in the
asynchronous mode. Prices of the Access products are $4,395 for
the RD/Express, $3,995 for the MF/Gigabyte, and $1,995 for the
RD/Aria.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19920811/Press and Public Contact: Michael C.
Maloney, Optical Access, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(APPLE)(BOS)(00019)

New for Macintosh: RasterOps' The Wall 08/11/92
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- The market for
low- to moderate-priced video walls has been waiting for a vendor
to arrive, and RasterOps has stepped right in.

So said RasterOps' Andrea Skov last week while standing before The
Wall, a modular array of programmable, Mac-based high resolution
monitors that was a visual centerpiece at the Bayside Expo Center
last week. During The Walls' four-day product intro at MacWorld,
RasterOps was inundated from inquiries from a variety of users who
have been priced out of video wall technology up to now, remarked
Skov, director of marketing for the RasterOps Wall Division.

Users want to put up The Wall in such places as corporate
boardrooms, hotel lobbies, merchandise showrooms, and point-of-
purchase displays, she explained, as the colors on the screens
behind her transformed themselves into chases, washes, and other
special effects.

"Usually we create a new product, and then stimulate demand. In
this case, though, the demand was already there, and all we had to
do was fill it," she told Newsbytes.

Capable of displaying up to 10 live video sources in addition to
graphics, text and animation, The Wall offers image clarity
comparable to that of high-end video walls, Skov commented. But
the product saves customers money by sparing the need for special
interfaces to expensive external control units. The Wall also lets
users program and produce their own presentations, benefits that
not only cut costs further, but provide added user input into how
messages conveyed, she added.

The monitors that make up the basic architecture of The Wall are
controlled by new RasterOps Wallboards that reside inside the Mac,
according to Skov. Because The Wall is modular in design, the
product allows small system configurations to be expanded later
into bigger systems. Additionally, projectors can be used instead
of monitors.

The WallBoards come with Plug-and-Play WallTemplates, consisting of
HyperCard and Macromedia Director wall presentations with
preprogrammed special effects. The Wall can also work with any
Mac-based off-the-shelf software, including popular authoring and
graphics packages and presentation tools like Aldus Persuasion.
The ability to use packaged software eliminates the need to hire
either custom programmers or outside production help, Skov
emphasized.

The RasterOps WallBoard is a 16-bit per pixel, 1162 x 864 Macintosh
II NuBus card, with four NTSC, PAL, S-Video inputs. The system
uses non-interlaced, flicker-free 31.5 KHz displays. The Wall also
comes with cabling and modular WallStands that are designed for
display and storage of advertising and other literature. Shipment
is slated for next month.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19920811/Press Contact: Mary Looram, Cunningham
Communications for RasterOps, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00020)

New Product: NCR Jumps On 66-MHz DX2 Bandwagon 08/11/92
DAYTON, OHIO, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- NCR joined the list of
computer manufacturers rolling out machines based on Intel's new
66-megahertz 486 DX2 microprocessor. The company launched a version
of its NCR StarServer E, the model 660, containing the new
top-of-the-line chip.

The 486 DX2 uses Intel's clock-doubling technology to run
internally at double its 33-megahertz clock speed, although it
communicates with the rest of the computer system at 33 megahertz.

The StarServer E is a scalable multiprocessor system, originally
built around 33-megahertz version of the 486. Meant for use as
either a workgroup server or a multi-user system, it uses a fully
symmetrical shared-memory version of Unix System V Release 4.

NCR claimed that the new StarServer E Model 660 with the
66-megahertz processor can deliver as much as 90 percent better
performance than the original 33-megahertz version.

The 33-megahertz version is still available, company spokesman Jim
Mazzola said. Current users can have their machines upgraded with
a replacement 66-megahertz DX2 processor, he added.

NCR also announced the StarServer E model 330 Symmetric
Multiprocessing (SMP) system. This system has all the advanced
features of the model 660 but runs about 28 percent faster than the
existing StarServer E 33-megahertz system, the company said.

Both models of the StarServer E support a variety of new features
such as:

Both new models support as much as 512K bytes of external cache for
each processor, memory interleaving, a 10-megabyte-per-second
SCSI-2 host adapter with 512 kilobytes of SCSI cache expandable to
16 megabytes per SCSI host adapter, and 512 kilobytes of ECC
(error correction code) memory (with four processors).

A typical StarServer E model 660 with two processors will cost
$62,000. The model 330 with two processors will be priced at
$53,000. The machines are available now, Mazzola said.

Among other vendors that have already launched machines based on
the new 66-megahertz 486 DX2 chip are Compaq, Dell, and IBM.

(Grant Buckler/19920810/Press Contact: Jim Mazzola, NCR,
513-445-6148)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00021)

Amdahl To Expand Software Development In Canada 08/11/92
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- IBM-compatible
mainframe manufacturer Amdahl has announced plans to expand its
Canadian Software Development Centre. A further infusion of C$1
million will bring to C$70 million the amount the Sunnyvale,
California company has invested in the development operation here.

The Canadian center was responsible for the development Huron, the
applications development framework which Amdahl offers as an
alternative to rival IBM's AD/Cycle.

The company said it plans to spend another C$15 million on
development of Huron this year.

Jim Johnson, vice-president of marketing at Amdahl Canada, said
software is becoming an increasingly important part of the firm's
business. "We expect over the next few years we will be well known
not just for our mainframe processors and storage products but also
for our software," he said.

Johnson said that Amdahl's focus has always been on the needs of
large, sophisticated computer users. When the company was founded, the
key need was for lower-cost hardware, he said. Now, one of the
greatest needs is for lower-cost application development tools and the
ability to create applications that run on a variety of hardware and
software platforms.

Recent market research shows that the mainframe computer market is
shrinking in revenue terms. Johnson said the amount of installed
mainframe computer power is still growing, but acknowledged that
growth has slowed.

(Grant Buckler/19920811/Press Contact: John Challinor, Amdahl
Canada, 416-862-7479, fax [phone]; Public Contact: Amdahl
Canada, 416-862-7479)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00022)

 ****Doubts Surround Wang As Financials Delayed 08/11/92
LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- The quarterly
financial results for Wang Laboratories should be out within a few
days -- somewhat later than usual. Observers are awaiting the
numbers to see how prospects look for the financially strapped
computer maker.

"Things have been challenging for Wang since the mid-80s, that's
for sure," said Ann Palermo, research director for computer
industry research firm International Data Corporation in Framingham,
Massachusetts. The company's prospects have not been looking up in
recent months, she added.

One of the latest developments was the decision in late May to lay
off more than 1,000 workers.

Company officials say that move is at the root of the delay in
releasing Wang's financial results for the quarter and year ended
June 30, which normally become available by late July.

Company spokesman Ed Pignone said that Wang was "in the process of
compiling" its quarterly and year-end results, and accounting for
costs surrounding the layoffs had complicated the process and made
it take longer.

Pignone denied published speculation that the results are being
held up because Wang is in violation of loan terms with its
creditors and is trying to renegotiate those terms. "It would be
wrong to draw any conclusions" from the delay, he said.

There is no question, though, that Wang continues to face tough
times. The company is going through a tough transition from an
emphasis on hardware sales to a focus on software, Palermo said. It
has been easy to decrease the emphasis on hardware, she observed --
"the problem is ramping up the software and services side of
things."

Last year, Wang announced that it would resell IBM's RISC
System/6000 workstations instead of continuing to build
minicomputers of its own.

There are signs -- though they are inconclusive -- that this
strategy could backfire. A survey of Wang customers by Computer
Intelligence, a La Jolla, California, market research firm, found
that about seven percent of Wang's customers plan to buy new
hardware this year -- and only about half of those intend to buy
from Wang. Many were planning a move to IBM, perhaps reasoning that
since the hardware is the same, they would be better of to buy from
the more stable company.

However, David Eulitt, the Computer Intelligence researcher who
wrote the report, cautioned against reading too much into the
survey results. "There is some indecision right now on the part of
Wang users," he said, but "it's too early to tell" what will happen
in the long term.

Eulitt also noted that his survey was conducted before Wang
announced new image processing products for the RS/6000 system.

Image processing, in fact, is Wang's great hope at the moment. The
company has chosen to focus on the technology, which converts paper
documents into electronic form for more efficient storage and
management, and on the concept of business re-engineering, which
aims to redesign the flow of work through organizations, often
using computers to make new models possible.

IDC's Palermo said Wang shows much promise in this area. "There are
certain areas that they are working on that I know have a lot of
potential."

The problem, she said, is that "the actual revenues associated with
that are not enough to sustain the company at the size it is right
now."

Some have speculated that Wang may not be able to build market
acceptance for its new products before the money runs out, raising
the specter of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.

However, Palermo said, "I would be surprised if [Wang Chairman
Richard W.] Miller let it get to that. Rick Miller is a finance
guy, and he wouldn't let that happen."

Palermo added, though, that further staff cuts might very well be
needed to keep Wang viable.

(Grant Buckler/19920811/Press Contact: Ed Pignone, Wang,
508-967-4912)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00023)

New For PC: Windows Utility Offers File Compression 08/11/92
BEAVERTON, OREGON, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- PC-Kwik has announced
Winmaster, a new utility program for Microsoft Windows that,
among other things, allows drag and drop compression of files.

The company says that the package is designed to display graphical
information in the form of on-screen gauges, meters, and graphs
on system performance and the state of the disk drives. The
drag and drop compression, Kwikvault, allows compression up to
90 percent of seldom-used data files. However, the company notes
that the compression and decompression should be done with its product
and won't necessarily work with files compressed by other data
compression programs, like PK-Zip.

Winmaster also offers a disk optimization program, Powerdisk,
that includes graphical screen output so users can clean up
fragmentation on their hard disk drives. The defragmentation
can be scheduled to run automatically as well, the company
said.

The product also offers Toolbox, an environment which can act
as an interface to Windows. Toolbox offers seven utilities for
file management, such as find, run, and copy; allows the
organization of programs by the user into groups; and allows
custom launch of programs.

The product runs on any machine that will run Microsoft Windows
in standard or enhanced mode, and requires 4 megabytes (MB) of
disk space. PC-Kwik recommends users have 2 MB of extended
memory and a mouse.

Winmaster retails for $129.95, but two versions of the product
will be available in a special promotion.

One version will be offered for $29.95 when purchased with
another Windows product from participating retailers. The other
version will include Super PC-Kwik, a disk cache that replaces
Windows Smartdrive cache. The version with Super PC-Kwik will
retail for $59.95. The company says the promotion is expected
to run through October.

Formerly Multisoft Corporation, the company changed its name to
the name of its disk caching product, PC-Kwik. The company is
headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920811/Press Contact: Lee Kufchak, PC-Kwik,
tel [phone], fax [phone]; Public Contact, 800-759-
5945)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00024)

 ****DEC To Sell Circuit Board Plant 08/11/92
MAYNARD, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- Digital
Equipment, in the midst of efforts to cut costs and focus on the
basics, has announced the sale of a circuit board plant in
Greenville, South Carolina. Amp-Akzo, a Hauppauge, New York,
electronics company, will take over the plant and use it to supply
circuit boards to Digital and to other customers, Digital
spokeswoman Nikki Richardson said.

Under the agreement, Amp-Akzo will offer employment to the 475
employees working at the facility. The companies are not releasing the
terms of the agreement, which I expected to take effect within 30
days, Richardson said.

Digital officials said the company's manufacturing strategy centers
around investing in areas that support its core competencies and
divesting others. The Greenville plant will continue as an
important part in Digital's supply chain, the company said.

The 300,000-square-foot Greenville plant began production in March
of 1982. A capability for research and development in printed
wiring board technology was added in 1989.

Edward J. Grosso, Jr., president and chief executive of AMP-AKZO,
said in a prepared statement that the purchase "facilitates an
important Amp-Akzo objective of significant participation in the
upper-end, high-density, multilayer market. The purchase
complements our existing additive business position in the
high-volume automotive and industrial market. It also provides a
unique opportunity to accelerate the market introduction of
Additive PWB technology that is in development.

(Grant Buckler/19920811/Press Contact: Nikki Richardson, Digital
Equipment, 508-493-6369; Frank Fuggini, Amp-Akzo, 516-231-2810)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00025)

New Book: Approaching Zero - Datacrime And The Underworld 08/11/92
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- "Approaching Zero - Data
Crime and the Computer Underworld" is the name of a new book
written by Bryan Clough and Paul Mungo. Priced at UKP 14-99, the
Faber and Faber book covers a number of aspects of computer
crime, bring readers up to date with what appears to be an
ongoing situation.

The book refers to the infamous message: "A very merry Christmas
and best wishes for the next year," which caused more than a few
problems for users of Internet-linked computers in December of
1987.

The message, which was entered on to the Internet in Germany,
included a duplicator that caused the file to replicate itself
several hundred times in a given computer until the whole of the
computer was given over the message, slowing all other
applications to a pathetic slow shuffle. The message
replicated itself several hundred times on the Internet.

Approaching Zero documents the history of the Christmas file,
along with details of other anecdotal hacks of the online world.
According to the authors, "the book is not dry like 'The Cuckoo's
Egg' -- it reads like a thriller, only it's true."

The book throws up some interesting facts about computer crime,
including that, while viruses are created all over the world, the
biggest threat comes from Bulgaria. Also, computer fraud is
estimated to cost UK and US banks around $2,000 million a
year, with 85 percent of frauds going unreported.

Bryan Clough is an acknowledged expert on computer crime, an
advisor to New Scotland Yard's computer crime unit and a
contributor to Virus Bulletin. Paul Mungo, meanwhile, is the
former editor of Screen International. He now works as a feature
writer for GQ and other publications.

(Steve Gold/19920811/Press & Public Contact: Faber & Faber - Tel:
071-465-0045; Fax: [phone])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(WAS)(00026)

Report Says Congress Seeks INSLAW Special Prosecutor 08/11/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- CNN reported on
Tuesday that its sources have revealed that congressional
investigators are about to recommend the appointment of a special
independent prosecutor to investigate the actions of the US
Justice Department in dealing with Washington-based software
company Inslaw which had developed the PROMIS case tracking
software for the Department of Justice back in the late 1970s.

Soon after the Reagan administration took office the Justice
Department began a legal holding action against Inslaw, claiming
ownership of the software and disputing Inslaw's claims for
payment. By 1985 the company had gone broke fighting its prime
customer.

In 1987 bankruptcy judge George Mason ruled in Inslaw's favor
saying that Justice had essentially stolen the company's PROMIS
software and awarded Inslaw's owners $8 million in compensation.
That ruling was overturned on a technicality - it turned out that
the judge lacked jurisdiction over Justice Department actions.

After eight years of battling with the government, Inslaw's
President William Hamilton now says that the alleged theft of
PROMIS was only a small part of a much larger conspiracy by the
upper levels of the Reagan White House which was undertaken with
the idea of helping Reagan/Bush supporters to obtain contracts
under which they could pirate the PROMIS software and sell it for
high profits to foreign intelligence agencies.

There have also been unsubstantiated suggestions that American
intelligence agencies may have reworked the PROMIS software to
insert back doors which would allow US agents to peek into the
foreign agencies' files without their knowledge.

Newsbytes reported back in March that there were claims at that
time that the Justice Department was harassing individuals who
spoke with the same congressional investigators whose report is
now due for release.

Former Attorney General and defeated Pennsylvania candidate for
the US Senate, Richard Thornburgh, fought a futile battle to
keep congressional investigators from obtaining Justice
Department files relating to the case, and although a
spokesperson for the Department of Justice was saying that
current head William P. Barr has ordered Department employees to
provide "full support" to the investigation, CNN reported at that
time that Judge Bua (appointed by the Justice Department to
investigate the Justice Department) said he is aware of the
allegations that Justice is harassing people who talk to his
investigators.

More recently there have been suspicions voiced that the death of
James D. "Danny" Casolaro, a freelance writer who was
investigating the Inslaw case, was not a suicide as originally
reported by government investigators.

It is not yet known whether the Justice Department will agree to
being investigated by an independent investigator with the power
to subpoena officials and recommend indictment if he finds
illegality.

On Monday the Justice department declined similar congressional
demands to appoint an independent investigator to look into
accusations that the Bush Administration had been involved in
supplying farm credits to Iraq with the knowledge that the monies
would be used to bolster that country's nuclear and chemical
weapons programs.

(John McCormick/19920811)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00027)

 ****ALR Drops Prices On New 486 DX2 66-MHz Systems 08/11/92
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- In the rush to
offer those new 486 DX2 66 megahertz (MHz)-based systems to consumers,
Advanced Logic Research (ALR) says that it is not only offering the
new chip in its former 33 megahertz systems, but is lowering its
prices below its competitors.

Intel has just announced the availability of the new speed doubling
chip which allows original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to get the
products to market quickly. The new Intel DX2 66-MHz chip replaces
pin-for-pin the 33-MHz 486 chip OEMs have already invested in
developing.

ALR is naming names of competitors it is attempting to undercut.
David Kirkey, vice president of marketing at ALR said at
$2,495 the company's Flyer 32DT 486 DX2 66-MHz system is lower
than AST's Premium 486/33 MHz system.

ALR announced price cuts on Model 1 of its Flyer 32DT 486DX2/66
computer from $2,499 to $2,199, on its Model 120DW from $2,799
to $2,499, and dropped the price on its Model 200DW from $2,999
to $2,699.

While several other companies have announced systems based on
the new Intel chip, including Compaq, Everex, and Tandy, ALR is
the first to announce price reductions.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920811/Press Contact: Genevieve Ortegon,
Advanced Logic Research, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00028)

Global Access Offers Sprintnet Addresses For BBSs 08/11/92
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- Global
Access is the name of a new online service for bulletin board
services which re-sells time on the SprintNet network. The
company which owns Global Access, G-A Technologies, bought the
mailing list of the defunct Acculink network in advertising
their new offering, but the two companies are unrelated.

The new network now offers 9,600 baud service under V.32
modulation standards for as little as $4 per hour at night and on
weekends. There is a $20 sign-up fee. The network has an
information BBS at 704-334-9030 which offers complete
information on the service, including a list of "outdial
exchanges," from which you can place a call to any bulletin
board in its toll-free calling radius, as well as over 1,000
local access points.

Global Access' works off a central system which lists major
bulletin boards like Rusty & Edie's in Youngstown, Ohio, which
can be accessed by typing one key. The $20 sign-up fee is being
waived for new members who sign-up by the end of August. The
parent company, G-A Technologies Inc., builds networks for other
companies and sells software.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920811/Press Contact: Global Access, Kerry
Carlton, 704-334-3282; Customer Contact: 800-377-3282; FAX: 704-
334-6880; BBS: 704-334-9030)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(ATL)(00029)

 ****Viruses Due In August 08/11/92
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S.A., 1992 Aug 11 (NB) -- Fifth
Generation Systems, which makes the Untouchable anti-virus
program and DiskLock security and encryption product, has issued a
press release detailing some important computer viruses due to be
activated during August.

The Casino-B and Blood viruses are due to trigger August 15, the
company said. Casino-B infects .COM files when directory commands
or .EXE files are executed. On the trigger date, it can destroy a
hard disk's file allocation table, or FAT, making it impossible
to find data. This sadistic little virus appears on-screen as a
casino game called "Disk Destroyer." The virus also becomes
active on January 15.

Blood infects .COM files in a root directory, and causes the
system to reboot when an infected file is executed. The system
shows a cascading screen effect, with characters randomly falling
down the display. Any execution after August 15 will hang-up the
whole system.

Argentina, which triggers August 17, is a benign or non-
destructive virus which infects all .COM files except
COMMAND.COM. On the appointed day, a message pops up in Spanish
noting the day's importance to Argentina's independence struggle.
The virus can also trigger in June or July, which are also
important dates on the Argentine calendar.

Fifth Generation has published a complete "virus calendar" for
editors, and provides a database of information on known viruses
and their trigger dates.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920811/Press Contact: Jorge Vallery, Fifth
Generation Systems, 504-291-7221)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(LAX)(00030)

 ****Issues In Apple Suit Expected To Surface Mid-Sept 08/11/92
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- The
question of what's left to fight over in Apple's suit against
Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard may have an answer by mid
September.

Yesterday afternoon in a court-ordered conference call,
US District Court Judge Vaughn Walker asked for both Apple
and Microsoft counsel to file briefs by August 31 on the remaining
issues in the case and will allow two weeks after that before
ruling further, Microsoft representatives told Newsbytes.

Despite Apple's attempts to get the Judge to change his
decision, Judge Walker reaffirmed on last Friday, August 7 that
the remaining 10 items on Apple's list of infringements are
either covered by an agreement Microsoft and Apple made in 1985
or not copyrightable at all.

In preliminary hearings on the $5.5 billion suit Apple started
four years ago, Apple started with 189 alleged infringing
visual displays in Windows 2.03, but in March all but 10 of
those were ruled to have been covered by a 1985 agreement
between Microsoft and Apple. Those 10 were then dismissed by
Walker in April.

The suit has been a long one. Apple's contention has been that
Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard copied its graphical user
interface on the Macintosh. Originally filed in four years ago,
there was some question in the beginning as to whether or not
Apple's Macintosh interface was an original piece of work as
similar interfaces have been developed on earlier machines,
specifically on the Alto from Xerox.

However in March of last year Judge Walker denied motions from
Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard that the entire case should be
dismissed because the Macintosh interface wasn't really Apple's
to protect. Walker also ruled that parts of the interface --
overlapping windows and icons -- were not licensed to Microsoft
or Hewlett-Packard.

In May of 1991 Apple amended its complaint to include Windows
3.0 and New Wave 3.0. That was the first time the newer, and
more successful products have been a part of the suit.

Apple also tried to say the 1985 agreement with Microsoft was
invalid, that fraud was involved, and officially asked the
court to rescind the 1985 license. However, in June of 1991,
Judge Walker called the fraud issue a "sideshow" and saying
that it was "pretty outlandish that Apple discovered this fraud
(claim) at this late date."

In February of this year Apple named the amount it would seek
in damages as $4.37 billion, but increased the amount to $5.5
billion a month later. The $4.37 billion figure came from a
study done by economics professor Robert Hall of the Hoover
Institute at Stanford University in which Hall claimed Apple
had lost a total of $4.37 billion in revenue because of
Microsoft Windows and Hewlett-Packard's New Wave products.

In March, on the heels of Microsoft's announcement it had
already sold 1 million copies of its latest Windows product,
Windows 3.1, Apple raised the amount it was seeking to $5.5
billion. The company said the increase was due to revenue
information made available to it during the discovery phase of
the suit.

Now its a matter of waiting for Judge Walker's decision
expected in mid-September, as to whether or not the case will
even go to trial. Apple representatives told Newsbytes the
decision that came down last week was disappointing, but that
Apple has never based its business on the outcome of this case.

When asked if they thought the suit would make it to trial,
Microsoft representatives told Newsbytes there was no indicator
one way or the other, and Apple representatives said they had
no comment.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920811/Press Contact: Cindy McCaffrey,
Apple, tel [phone], fax [phone]; Allison O'Brian,
Waggener Edstrom for Microsoft, 503-245-0905, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(WAS)(00031)

TV-Answer Cuts Staff 08/11/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 11 (NB) -- After some recent
major announcements which had suggested a stronger-than-expected
market position, Reston, Virginia-based TV Answer, the two-way
cable/satellite TV developer, has, according to a report in the
Washington Post, been forced to lay off about one-third of its
staff only days before the Federal Communications Commission is
due to begin offering licenses to potential TV Answer users.

TV Answer has recently reached agreements with a large Northeast
banking consortium to offer TV Answer customers full banking
services via the company's feedback black boxes once cable
systems were permitted to offer the service.

Another recent development had TV Answer signing a contract with
a manufacturer which would mass-produce the end-user components
for the system.

Since its founding six years ago, it is estimated that TV Answer
has spent more than $60 million in developing its two-way cable
TV system which allows home viewers to talk back to their TVs via
a small hand-held remote control which activates a box near the
TV which then sends the response via radio link to TV Answer's
central control system.

But so far the company has only been granted an FCC license to
test the system so TV Answer has been operating with almost no
revenue.

This situation possibly contributed to last week's layoff of 130
of the company's approximately 400 employees, but some of the
layoffs could be due to a maturation of the industry itself
because the recent agreement with Hewlett-Packard and Hughes to
produce the home-based devices and the required satellite
stations has allowed TV Answer to trim most or all of its
manufacturing and satellite operation staff.

The FCC has announced that it will begin accepting applications
next week from cable operators in major markets who want to offer
either TV Answer or competing two-way TV systems to their
customers.

The other cuts made in TV Answer staff were on the software
development side and this too could be explained by the
completion of the major part of the development effort rather
than funding difficulties.

TV Answer is owned by Mexican investors and only last month
underwent a major top-level management shakeup.

(John McCormick/19920811)