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/nb920812

Text File | 1992-08-12 | 71KB | 1,587 lines

(NEWS)(APPLE)(BOS)(00001)

Boston Computer Society Expands Into Software 08/12/92
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A. 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- Vendors aren't
the only ones to be producing good software.  User groups, too,
are out there with high quality offerings, and the Boston Computer
Society (BCS), which bills itself as the largest user group in
the world, made this fact abundantly clear at a press conference
that was professional in tone and international in scope.

At the meeting, held during MacWorld Boston, the BCS and its
Macintosh User Group made three announcements:  a new public domain
CD-ROM disk incorporating QuickTime technology, intentions to pour
even greater efforts into software development in the future, and
the establishment of a satellite Mac users' group in Japan to help
pave the way for the BCS' appearance at MacWorld Japan.

The new BCS disk incorporates a collection of System 7 tools,
QuickTime selections, and other utility, entertainment, business
and education software that would take up more than 100 floppy
diskettes if not for CD technology, pointed out Stefan Pagacik,
chairman of the Mac User's Group.

Specific offerings include the SystemPicker application tool, the
Zterm communications program, a 1.5MB Quicktime movie sample, and
some Quicktime start-up tools.

"We're seeing ourselves as a real software publisher now," observed
Pagacik.  Shareware produced previously by the Mac User Group and
other arms of the BCS has enjoyed great success, he noted, and
already, retail stores refer customers to the BCS for software
that can't be found elsewhere.  "People call us up and say, `I need
this for my Mac,'" he noted.

The Mac User Group is planning to introduce more software at other
MacWorlds in other cities around the world, according to Pagacik.
"I hope this will include a lot more multimedia," he commented.

Pagacik also introduced members of the press to Bob Grenoble, newly
elected president of the BCS; Michael Costello, executive director
of the BCS Mac User Group; and Kanzi Suzuki, a BCS member who will
establish and work with the new Japanese Mac users' group to assist
with BCS participation at MacWorld Japan.  Immediately after the
press conference, said Pagacik, Suzuki would be conducting a
session in the Japanese language for Japanese visitors to MacWorld
Boston.

Before the Japanese session began, Grenoble remarked on the size,
strength, and enthusiasm of the BCS.   More than just a local users
group, the organization consists of more than 20,000 members from
every state in the U.S. and more than 57 other countries.

"I've seen other users groups work hard, but I've never seen any
group really enjoy what they do as much as the BCS," commented
Grenoble, who previously headed up the large Hewlett-Packard user
group.

Almost 100% of the BCS' myriad activities are carried out by unpaid
volunteers, said Costello.  "Keep your eyes on us, because we're
going to keep moving," he predicted.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19920811)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00002)

New For Networks: DCA Upgrades RLN To V1.1 08/12/92
ALPHARETTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- Digital
Communications Associates (DCA) is losing no time in imprinting its
own stamp on the products of its newest division.

Two months ago Newsbytes reported on its purchase of InterComputer
Communications Corp (ICC) of Cincinnati by DCA. One of ICC's most
prominent products was Remote LAN Node (RLN) which Newsbytes
reviewed earlier.

Now DCA is making the first changes to RLN. DCA has announced that,
effective immediately, version 1.1 of RLN will be shipping to
customers. The changes between version 1.0 and 1.1 are relatively
minor and are not likely to cause a wave of upgrades. For instance,
RLN version 1.0 came with either one or two Digiboard adapters when
you purchased the 8-port or 16-port versions of the product. Now,
with version 1.1, DCA's own multiport adapters are being used.

A second change involves the addition of an Ethernet card to the
package. This is important since the product requires a dedicated
PC. Until now, if you tried setting one of these up, you'd have to
have bought separately an Ethernet card for your dedicated PC. Now,
DCA provides you with SMC's EtherCard PLUS Elite 16 Combo which can
be used with any wiring media that you might have.

To reflect these two changes, the price of RLN has been increased
slightly. The 8-port system used to cost $3550 and will now run
$3795. The 16-port system used to cost $6610 and now runs
$6850.

RLN lets you set up a dedicated PC as a server for a bunch of
modems. Users in the field can call in through the server and get
complete access to their network as if they were physically attached
to it. This is completely transparent to the user with the exception
of the different performance that you get by working over a modem
running at 9600 baud versus being attached to a 10 Mbps cable.

(Naor Wallach/19920812, Press Contact: Kerry Stanfield, DCA, 404-
442-4519/Public Contact:DCA,800-348-3221)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00003)

New For Networks: CrossComm ILAN Jr. 08/12/92
MARLBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- CrossComm
has introduced the ILAN Jr. family of IBM-compatible routers.
CrossComm is currently known for its ILAN family of routers that
incorporate such features as Protocol Indepedent Routing and the
elimination of Broadcast Storms caused by source routing bridges
trying to discover what's on the LAN.

ILAN Jr. is a smaller version of the company's flagship product. It
is intended to server the needs of a small remote office that has
maybe one or two LANs in it and that traditionally would have been
served by devices like IBM's source routing bridges. By providing
the full router functionality and the features for which CrossComm
is known, the company hopes to lure many existing IBM users to
switch to their product.

The ILAN Jr. line comes in three flavors. There is a Token Ring to
Token Ring router that sells for $6000, a Token Ring to a WAN
connection (which cannot exceed 2 Mbps in speed) selling for
$6500, and the Token Ring to Ethernet router sells for $7900.
CrossComm has plans to release other models in the series over the
upcoming few months.

Once purchased, the ILAN Jr. stays in its same configuration. This
is not intended to be a product that the user can configure and
change to his heart's content. The idea is to provide a box that
performs a certain function and stays the same. Each of the announced
models is limited to two connections. However, Newsbytes has learned
that CrossComm intends to make available some three-connection
models later this year.

One way in which the Jr. is not limited is in software
upgrades. Each of the ILAN Jr. models retains that same
architecture that allows for the addition of feature packs. In this
way, CrossComm is assuring its customers that they can stay on the
leading edge of the evolving software even when their needs call
for an ILAN Jr.

(Naor Wallach/19920812, Press Contact: Christine LeCompte, Beaupre &
Co. for CrossComm, 603-436-6690/Public Contact:CrossComm, 508-481-
4060)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00004)

 ****Ad Lib Is Back 08/12/92
QUEBEC CITY, QUEBEC, CANADA, 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- Ad Lib, the maker
of PC sound hardware that closed its doors May 1, is back under new
German ownership.

Binnenalster, a German holding company, has bought Ad Lib from the
provincial government of Quebec for an undisclosed sum, changed the
official name to Ad Lib Multimedia Inc., and resumed manufacturing
the Ad Lib Gold line of sound cards.

Nancy Houley, sales coordinator for Ad Lib, told Newsbytes that 11
of the company's former 45 employees are back on the job, and more
will be rejoining Ad Lib over the next few weeks. "Most likely we
will need more staff as the months go on," she said.

The company plans to release its new Ad Lib Gold 1000 sound card
this month and is working to fill back orders. "We'll try to
satisfy everybody," Houley said, "but of course the supply won't be
up to demand in the first couple of weeks."

Ad Lib declared bankruptcy voluntarily and closed its doors May 1.
Receivers sought a buyer for the firm and had a number of offers,
Houley said, but the Quebec government's development ministry
stepped in when it appeared the firm would be taken over by a
competitor. Taking over Ad Lib itself, the ministry retained a
Montreal firm, Deveaux & Associates, to run it temporarily and seek
a buyer through private tenders.

The company's previous top management as well as its billing and
accounting departments are being replaced, Houley said.
Binnenalter, the new German owner, will be represented in Ad Lib's
management.

(Grant Buckler/19920811/Press Contact: Nancy Houley, Ad Lib,
418-529-9676, fax [phone]; Public Contact: Ad Lib,
418-529-9676)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00005)

MicroSlate Gets FCC Nod, Starts Shipping Pen Computer 08/12/92
MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA, 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- MicroSlate has
obtained Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval to sell
its pen-based personal computers in the United States and the
machines have begun shipping.

The Datellite 400L is a keyboardless portable computer that uses
pen input and is among the first to be built around the Cyrix
Cx486SLC processor, a chip compatible with the Intel 80486.

MicroSlate showed the Datellite 400L at the Comdex/Spring show in
Chicago April 6-9. A company spokesman told Newsbytes it is meant
for applications that involve large amounts of data, a heavy
graphics orientation, and a need to carry the computer around.

An example, he said, would be the factory floor at a large aircraft
manufacturer, where a user might want to carry around many
intricate schematic drawings in electronic form. "We're really
talking about people who need to bring massive amounts of data into
the field," he said.

The Datellite 400L will run on batteries for about three and a half
hours of continuous use, the company spokesman said, and is
expected to last through a standard eight-hour day in normal
off-and-on use.

It comes with an internal hard disk and 3.5-inch diskette drive, a
2,400L-bit-per-second modem, serial and parallel ports, a VGA
display connection, and a Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI)
port. It uses Microslate's Veriflo simulated ink digitizer to
capture pen input on the screen, and the company's OmniSuspend
power management system. The price is $6,995.

MicroSlate also offers a similar machine based on the 386 chip for
$5,995.

(Grant Buckler/19920811/Press Contact: Bob Rinklin or Jonathan
Poretz, HWH Public Relations for MicroSlate, 212-355-5049, fax
212-593-0065; Public Contact: MicroSlate, 514-444-3680, fax
514-444-3683)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SYD)(00006)

Australia: PC92 Show Shines Through 08/12/92
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- Despite a
start that included gale force winds and cryogenic temperatures,
PC92 computer show in Melbourne has shown that there's still life
in the industry. Hits include OS/2 and multimedia.

IBM not only came back to the show after a four-year absence,
but did it in a big way with a large stand featuring all personal
products and especially OS/2. A show special price of $99
(around US$71) for OS/2 had show attendees queuing to buy a
copy.

Big Blue appears to have undergone a metamorphosis as not only
were the staff all dressed in mufti, but they were more willing to
talk to the press than in living memory. At a pre-show function,
local PS manager Steve Vamos announced that IBM had just sold
its millionth OS/2. He said that the PS/1 line would be extended with
its first 486 model in October. Staff were also talking about the
next, in-line version of OS/2 which will incorporate the new graphics
engine and Windows 3.1 and 2.X compatibility, due around
September/October.

Multimedia is definitely the flavor of the show, with countless
sound and vision cards, software and CD-ROM drives. There
seems to be at least six different multimedia sound adaptors that
connect via the PC's parallel port, making sound available to the
increasingly popular notebook machines.

Intel doesn't have a stand, but is present throughout the show with
its well-known "Intel Inside" logo, and is also sponsoring the press
room. It also launched the 66MHz 486-DX2 processor which uses
the less expensive 33MHz bus clock speed and internal clock
speed doubling. Performance is claimed to be around 70 percent
better than a 33MHz 486 DX.

(Paul Zucker/19920812)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SYD)(00007)

Australia: New Mac Powerbook And Software 08/12/92
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- Apple Australia has
announced the new Mac Powerbook model 145 and the System 7 operating
system Extension, At Ease.

Pricing will be the same as model 140, but with 35 percent better
performance from the 25MHz clock rate (versus 16MHz on the
140). Apple says the speed is equal to a high-end model 170. (The
company now claims number one position in the Australian
notebook market.)

Standard specification for the 145 is 4MB memory, 40MB hard
disk and a 3.5-inch Superdrive diskette drive. There is also a SCSI
port, sound input and output ports, a microphone and a speaker.

Some industry analysts believe Apple has changed its earlier
stance and will release a docking station later this year. The
original Apple position was that Powerbooks would be used in a
portable environment, but would not replace desktop machines for
office use. Now they are believed to have prepared a docking
station that takes the Powerbook like a VCR takes the tape -
swallowing it whole. The docking station would have a color
monitor, keyboard and mouse connected permanently, plus other
connections such as network, as needed.

At Ease is software that allows Macintosh users to simplify and
customize their use of System 7. It allows multiple users of one
machine to personalize it for their own needs and level of
expertise. Each user sees only those applications that are
appropriate, and they are protected from deleting or modifying
important files.

(Paul Zucker/19920812)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00008)

Pacific Telesis, Ameritech Settle W/Unions 08/12/92
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 12 (NB) --
Pacific Telesis reached tentative agreement with
its unions on a new three-year contract, averting any possibility
of a strike in this negotiating cycle. Ameritech settled yesterday.

The agreement leaves Bell Atlantic and US West as the only Bell
companies not to have settled their union contracts through 1995,
and both are still expected to settle. Bell Atlantic contracts
expired last weekend. US West contracts expire this coming
Saturday. The Bell Atlantic talks remain the most ominous, with a
strike deadline of August 11 having been extended, and both sides
saying they are far apart on issues like wages, pensions, and
telecommuting.

Ameritech signed a new contract with its workers, averting a possible
strike. Union officials at Southwestern Bell also expressed pleasure
over their contract.

(Dana Blankenhorn/11920812)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00009)

Telecom News Briefs 08/12/92
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- Here are a few news
items from the telecommunications industry.

Bellsouth signed a three-year purchase agreement to buy fiber
systems for its local networks from Raynet. The
contract concluded a long evaluation process. The first office
applications are due to be installed in 1993, using Raynet's LOC-
2 system. Raynet is a subsidiary of Raychem, based in Menlo Park,
California. BellSouth also finished the first application of
AT&T's FT-2000, a system which transmits data at 2.5 billion
bits/second, using fiber cables. The BellSouth system runs
between Grenada and Tupelo, Mississippi, and works under
Synchronous Optical Network, or SONET standards. The Mississippi
installation is the first stage in deployment throughout the
BellSouth network.

Also, the National ISDN network was successfully tested between
MCI, a long distance company, and the local networks of NYNEX
and Bell Atlantic. The test is important because different
switches implement the digital technology in different ways. The
National ISDN standard is supposed to eliminate those
differences, but it must be implemented in software, which in
turn must be tested. The trial involved routing and signaling for
both voice and data calls using local switches made by two
different manufacturers.

In Florida, United Telephone formally asked state regulators to
reconsider provisions of its rate case. The commission had
established earnings limits, based on rates of return and equity
ratios, which United feels are unacceptable, and asked the
company to absorb some expenses without offsetting revenues.
United serves about one-third of Florida's geography, but most of
its service areas are in rural parts of the state.

In California, Pacific Bell and GTE sent formal notices to owners
of large buildings covering the "demarcation point" between their
networks the those of the buildings. Under new state rules which
took effect August 8, this point changes from a number of places
within the building or complex to a single point. State
regulators made the change to encourage competition in the
installation and maintenance of building cable.

Finally, Cincinnati Bell, which serves southern Ohio, won
approval to offer the controversial Caller ID service from state
regulators. Ohio Bell, which covers the bulk of the state, has
delayed introducing the service because it is unhappy with
regulators' demands that callers be allowed to block their
numbers from going out. Under the state rules, callers can block
their numbers from going out free on a per-call basis, while per-
line blocking will cost $1.60 unless the number is unlisted, in
which case that service is also free.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920811/Press Contact: Pacific Bell, Paul
Hirsch, 415/542-9468; GTE, Larry Cox, 800/227-5556; United
Telephone of Florida, Brian Craven, 407/889-6807; BellSouth,
David Rogers, 404-529-8053; AT&T Network Systems, Jim Messenger,
404-573-7484; Bell Atlantic, Nancy Murray, 703/974-1719; MCI,
Jim Crawford, 202/887-2457; Raynet, George Ballog, 415/324-6400)

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920812)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00010)

Computer Sciences Unit Acquires Wireless Software Firm 08/12/92
BETHESDA, MARYLAND, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- A unit of
Computer Sciences bought BankIllinois, a unit of the banking
company which provides billing and administration services for
cellular and other wireless carriers.

BIC writes TRIS+, a package sold to mid-sized cellular operators
that handles billing, customer service and equipment inventories
on a "distributed" basis, with processes handled by PCs or
mainframes as needed. It's the third wireless software
acquisition by CSC since May, indicating the company will try to
compete strongly with EDS, which also has software for cellular
operators. The company indicated in a press statement it will
seek to upgrade its new acquisition so that it will be of
interest to the largest cellular carriers.

In June, CSC won exclusive distribution rights to software from
Coral Systems of Boulder, Colorado that tracks cellular fraud and
helps with "seamless roaming," allowing certified cellular users
to get service nationwide without hassle. In May, the company
bought ISIS, a package used to support cellular carriers in a
number of countries: New Zealand, Sweden, Denmark, Mexico and
Canada.

Computer Sciences, which once owned the Infonet data network and
handled credit reports, is now acting as a systems integrator and
consultants for large companies, in direct competition with EDS
and Perot Systems.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920812/Press Contact: Computer Sciences, C.
Bruce Plowman, 310/615-0311)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00011)

International Phone Update 08/12/92
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- Sprint said has
announced plans to provide its Telemail-brand electronic messaging
systems to the Guangdong Post and Telecommunications Administration
Bureau, in southern China, bringing to five the number of Sprint
messaging systems in the country.

The new systems will be located in the cities of Guangzhou, Shenzhen
and Jiangmen. Sprint also will provide an X.400 connection to its
SprintMail global public electronic messaging service. The three
systems will also include connections to the Global SprintFAX system,
with 25 fax servers throughout the province delivering traffic to the
worldwide system through the local packet network.

Sprint has also signed a contract to provide a packet and mail
network along the rights-of-way of the Chinese national railways,
in a $8.4 million contract. The network will provide inventory
management and passenger reservations. Major network switching
centers will be located in Beijing, Shanghai, Zhuzhou, Shenyang
and Zhenzhou.

Also, South Korea launched its first research satellite through
Arianespace, from French Guiana. The Uriboyol, Korean for Our
Star, was launched from the South American pad on August 10,
along with two other satellites. The satellite was built in
Britain, but nine Korean researchers were sent to there to learn
manufacturing. The satellite has a five-year life, and makes
Korea the 22nd country to put a satellite in orbit.

Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey, all of whom are vying for influence
in the former Soviet republics of Central Asia, formed the
Economic Cooperation Organization and agreed to cooperate in a
number of fields, including telecommunications. All five of the
Central Asian republics will be invited to join the
organization, which could turn the group into a trading bloc
with time.

Jamaica's phone network, owned by a unit of Cable and Wireless of
the UK, suffered a brief work slowdown. The network's workers
have been without a contract since the spring, and want their
wages doubled to cover local inflation. The company has offered
roughly half that.

Finally, MCI CALL USA expanded its service to China, the
Philippines, Poland, India, Ecuador and Iceland. This lets
users of the MCI calling card contact the US from nearly 70
countries worldwide. MCI CALL USA is an inbound international
calling service that enables anyone overseas to place calls back
to the US through toll-free numbers.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19920811/Press Contact: Vince Hovanec, Sprint,
202-828-7423, Alan Garratt, MCI International, 914-934-6484)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEL)(00012)

India: DEC Wins Massive Bank Order 08/12/92
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- Industrial Development Bank of
India (IDBI), the premier development financial institution in the
country, has awarded one of the largest computer contracts in India
to Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC).

Digital won the order for an enterprise-wide decision support system
against several bids from leading vendors around the world. The
applications will be implemented by CMC Ltd., which is IDBI's
consultant for this World Bank-funded project.

The $4.4 million contract involves the supply of a multi-processor
VAX 6000/Model 600 mainframe system along with specialized peripherals
such as document scanning workstations, X-Window imaging terminals
and optical WORM drives for information archival and storage.
Specialized software for document management, imaging, office
automation and PC integration will also be supplied by Digital.

This whole system will provide access to over 400 users in IDBI's
head office at Bombay and five other regional offices in the country.
These users will have the power and capability to store, retrieve,
and manage text and multimedia information such as pictures,
charts, published documents, tables, graphs and even handwritten
notes. IDBI will also build a comprehensive office-automation
system around All-In-1, office-automation software from Digital.

With this implementation, IDBI will be the first organization in
India to use electronic document management and image processing
systems on such a massive scale, for their daily operations.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19920811)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(DEL)(00013)

Calcutta's Howrah Bridge Goes Hi-Tech - Automated Toll Plaza 08/12/92
CALCUTTA, INDIA, 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- Traffic through the toll
gate of the Second Hooghly bridge, connecting south Calcutta to
Howrah, will be introduced to a new concept in road transport in
India: a toll. The new, computerized bridge opens August 15,
India's Independence Day.

Wipro Infotech's local area network comprising 40 terminals will
enable the bridge authorities to process approximately Rs 1 million
per day of revenue or over Rs 30 crore ($10 million) annually.
The toll is expected to take care of maintenance expenses
and pay off the cost of the bridge over the next 22 years.

The toll plaza itself, which will employ up to 200 persons, is
expected to cost about Rs 40 million (about $1.3 million). S K Datta,
chief executive office of WBM says, "The Key to the whole system
will lie in its maintenance. We are air conditioning all the areas
with electronic hardware."

Construction of the bridge began in 1979 on a budget of Rs 65 crore
(then about $80 million) but the final figure will be in the region
of Rs 350 crore (about $120 million). The cable-supported cantilever
bridge (a la San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge) will bisect
Calcutta and Howrah and will be utilized by an estimated 15
million people.

According to one estimate, the bridge will be used by 80,000
vehicles each week day with peak loads of up to 5500 vehicles an
hour. To handle this large volume of traffic, the toll plaza will
have as many as 18 lanes with 36 booths, according to the project
report prepared by the state-owned Webel Business Machines.

The software being developed by WBM includes an advanced traffic
signalling system so that there are no queues at the plaza. The
consultant to the project, Consulting Engineering Services, has
estimated that the toll collection system will take a maximum of
25 seconds for clearing each vehicle.

Besides operating the electronic boards indicating the toll to be
paid, the computers will control the traffic signals distributing
the vehicles among the 18 lanes. All the lanes will be able to
handle all kinds of vehicles. The toll booths are expected to
function round the clock although the number of lanes open at
any one time will depend on the volume of traffic.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19920812)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TOR)(00014)

Canada: Price Cuts Mean Revenue Drop For PC Industry 08/12/92
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- Due to aggressive
price cutting, revenues from the sales of personal computers in
Canada actually fell last year, according to a recent study by
International Data Corp. (Canada).

Canadian PC revenues were C$2,665 million in 1991, according to IDC
Canada's Canadian Information Technology: Mid-Year Review &
Forecast. That was down about 1.4 percent from 1990's C$2,702
million.

Unit shipments of PCs grew in 1991, though not at the rate of past
years. Canadian shipments of PCs were up 3.5 percent in 1991, IDC
analyst Debbie Currey told Newsbytes, reaching 798,500.

IDC expects slightly better growth in the PC market in the next two
years, peaking at 5.3 percent in 1993 before it starts to tail off
as the market nears saturation.

If the personal computer business in Canada sounds slow, it still
looks better than the mainframe market. That shrank even in terms
of unit sales in 1991, and revenues dropped 7.8 percent to C$1,040
million. The medium-scale systems market also slipped, dropping 1.6
percent to C$1,280 million. Of all sectors of the computer hardware
business, only the small-scale systems market -- including
workstations -- showed revenue growth in 1991, gaining 1.5 percent
to reach C$676 million in revenues.

The telecommunications market was healthier, growing 4.7 percent to
C$5.22 billion in revenues in 1991. IDC attributed this growth to
an accelerated modernization program at Bell Canada, the country's
largest phone company, and to rival Unitel's start on plans for its
own national long-distance network. The research firm expects
continued strong growth in the Canadian telecom business, reaching
about C$7.11 billion in revenues by 1996.

The software and services market is also still growing, largely
thanks to both software and hardware makers expanding into the
computer services market. The software and services business in
Canada grew 8.9 percent to C$4,355 million in 1991, and is expected
to grow 9.3 percent in 1992, IDC said.

Overall, the Canadian information technology industry grew 3.2
percent to C$15,951 million in 1991, IDC said. That growth was
noticeably lower than worldwide growth of 5.5-percent reported by
IDC Canada's American parent company and affiliates around the
world. Currey noted that both Canada and the United States are
lagging behind the worldwide growth rate, largely because the
adoption of information technology is more advanced in these
countries and therefore the market is nearer saturation. Growth in
the rest of the world will probably slow to North American rates
within a couple of years, she said.

(Grant Buckler/19920811/Press Contact: Debbie Currey, IDC Canada,
416-369-0033, fax [phone]; Public Contact: IDC Canada,
416-369-0033)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00015)

 ***Microsoft Ships 10,000 WIN32 Developer Kits 08/12/92
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- On the heels of IBM's
announcement that it has sold nearly a million copies of OS/2,
Microsoft has responded quickly with statistics of its own, claiming
more than 10,000 copies of the Microsoft Win32 preliminary
Software Developers Kit (SDK) -- not a final version -- have been
shipped to developers. That represents a potential 10,000 Win32
applications written for Windows NT are in the works.

Win32 API refers to 32-bit applications for Windows. The
Win32s API allows 32-bit applications for Windows to be
written so they will run without modification on Windows
3.1 and Windows NT.

Introduced July 6 at Microsoft's developer's conference in San
Francisco, more than 300 orders a day for the Win32 Developers
Kits have reached Microsoft, the company claims. The operating
system is due out sometime toward the end of the year, although
Microsoft has stressed that that date "is not set in stone."

Microsoft claims that 140 tools for development of 32-bit applications
have been announced with 25 of those applications shipping today.
Some 80 32-bit applications are also being developed by
Borland, Novell, Oracle, and others, Microsoft says.

The company also released the results of a poll done of
conference attendees which showed that 89 percent plan to write
new 32-bit applications for Windows, while 73 percent
plan to port existing products.

The developer kits contain three CD-ROM disks with the Win32 API
(applications program interface) and the NT File System, as well
as a 32-bit version of C/C++ and a 32-bit version for MIPS,
libraries with code portability between 16 and 32-bit Windows, a
Windows debugger, and the Windows NT system debugger. The kit is
$399 with documentation, or $69 without the docs by contacting
Microsoft.

Microsoft spokesperson Colleen Lacter told Newsbytes that
developers will need a 386-based system or better, a minimum
of 12 MB (megabytes) of RAM (Microsoft recommends 16 MB ) and a
whopping 100 MB of hard drive space, as well as a CD-ROM drive.

Microsoft has said that its strategy is to make Windows attractive
enough that users will move away from competitive systems such as
IBM's OS/2 and the various versions of Unix available. Unix has
consistently had a problem interesting the business community in its
advantages, probably due to its high selling price. IBM's license
for Windows technology will run out in about a year, and as reported
by Newsbytes recently, IBM will get no special advantage from
Microsoft. Rather, it will have to buy the Windows NT technology in
the same manner as other companies if it wants to let OS/2 users
have access to Windows programs.

(Wendy Woods & Jim Mallory/19920812)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00016)

SoundByte News From BOCOEX 08/12/92
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- The following
report is provided by the Boston Computer Exchange.

Computer News for Business People

Microsoft seems to have their hand in every corporate pocket these
days. The costs of dozens of upgrades on Microsoft products is
expensive, they have a new plan for us. The Microsoft Maintenance
Program will allow corporate users to contract for all Microsoft
upgrades over a long term period and pay the fare quarterly.
The idea is to help accountants manage the software budgets, but
it sounds like the Internal Revenue Service.

Microsoft's Mail program is out after major surgery to the user
interface. Improvement were made on the manageability of large
corporate network mail services. The Washington State software
maker is talking about DOS 6 which will contain more utilities and
no major architectural changes.

IBM is getting OS/2 further off the ground. With nearly a million
copies sold, they are already talking about a new version with
bug fixes, and new components. ZiffNet reports that users are
mostly using OS/2 for custom, mission critical applications. Watch
for a CD-ROM version of OS/2 by Comdex time this fall.

IBM price reductions have made IBM and Compaq notebooks comparable
in price and close to rivals who used-to-be low-price rivals.
There are IBM Models that are still above average in price with
the Models 90 priced above comparable hardware from Dell. Is
IBM really competing with Dell for this market?

It is turning into a war of numbers. OS/2 has a million users,
Windows claims 20 million and Apple is chiming in that 50% of
Mac users have adopted System 7 which is about 4 million users.
There are about 4,000 System 7 applications out, though only about
360 actually take advantage of the new System 7 services. Most
in demand: QuickTime services for full action video and image
compression.

Pagemaker fans will be pleased to know that Aldus is preparing
Version 5 of the desktop publishing standard. The enhancements
on-tap include built-in color separation, support for multiple
open publications and an automatic document creation system that
lets users build scripts for templates.

Lotus showed its new Notes for the Macintosh this week after three
years in development. The program will allow Mac user to use
messaging, conferencing and text services of Notes. The new
program is an all-Macintosh rewrite and will be available later
this year. Lotus is also porting 1-2-3 and AmiPro word processing
to Digital Equipment Corporation's new Alpha Chip.

Banyan has produced a version of VINES network operating system for
SCO Unix servers that will allow Unix users to share files and printers
with DOS, Windows or OS/2 users. Banyan is also expected to produce a
NetWare interoperability module later this year.

Is the Government Computer Procurement Process "wildly out of control?"
Congressman John Conyers thought so and introduced legislation to
organize the computer purchasing of all government offices. The
bill was just pulled from consideration based on opposition from
MCI, the Dept. of Defense and the House Armed Services Committee.
Do they prefer uncontrolled spending? In the world of $700
hammers do you wonder how much the government is paying for PCs.

FastBytes: The DAK Catalog is offering a CD-ROM database of telephone
white pages and the numbers of 7 million American business that's 77
million phone numbers. The price? $130. That makes each of us worth
about 1.6 millionths of a cent.

Iomega is producing a MacTransportable Bernoulli Box at a price
that's 40% less than earlier this year. The new portable
has a 90 megabyte 18 millisecond access time drive and sells for $713.

Norton Software is publishing OnTheJob Employee Scheduling Software
to help managers match staff skills, availability and preferences
to jobs to improve scheduling. The price is $495.

Finally, it was hardly Moses from the Mount, but the Computer Ethics
Institute released their Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics. The list
includes computerized revisions of the familiar Biblical commandments
like, Thou Shalt not use a computer to steal and Thou shalt not bear
false witness with a computer. But there are commandments that are
unique to the computers like Thou Shalt not copy or use proprietary
software for which you have not paid and Thou Shalt not appropriate
other people's intellectual output. The tenth is the action item,
Thou shalt always use a computer in ways that insure consideration
and respect for your fellow humans. Let those be words to live by.

BoCoEx Index News

The week was punctuated with MacMovement, perhaps in anticipation of
changes in the MacMarket brought about by announcements at MacExpo.
The SE-30 was off $100 to sell for $1650 this week as lots of these
models changed hands. Also active was the floppy Mac SE off $25
to sell for $525. Most other MacModels were stable with the Mac
Classic selling for $750 while the Classic 2 is trading for $975.
Mac2 CI and CX iron was also stable but accounted for the majority
of the volume in Macs this week. Among the Intel based computers,
the 120 Mg drive PS/2 Model 70 has finally stabilized at $1750 and
its portable counterpart is stable at $2000. At the top of the
IBM market, the Model 95 is changing hands at $3900 with a
160 Mg drive. Compaq's prices didn't drop this week, but volume
is thin as buyers continue to explore the options to Compaq.

SoundByte News is produced by Alex Randall who is solely responsible
for its contents. News is drawn from the wire services of IDG,
Newsbytes, ZiffNet, MacNet and the Boston Computer exchange.

(BOCOEX/19920812)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00017)

BoCoEx Index - Closing Prices from the Boston Computer Exchange 08/12/92

Machine                      Main  Closing      Price     Ask      Bid

                            Drive    Price     Change

IBM AT 339                 30 MgB      450                700      200

IBM PS/2 Model 30 286      20 MgB      500                900      300

IBM PS/2 Model 35 SX       40 MgB     1100               1300      800

IBM PS/2 Model L40SX       60 MgB     1350               1700     1100

IBM PS/2 Model 50Z         30 MgB      600               1100      325

IBM PS/2 Model 55SX        30 MgB      900               1300      800

IBM PS/2 Model 60          40 MgB      600                900      325

IBM PS/2 Model 70 A21     120 MgB     1750               2000     1400

IBM PS/2 Model P70        120 MgB     2000               2500     1500

IBM PS/2 Model 80         110 MgB     1500               1800     1100

IBM PS/2 Model 80          70 MgB     1100               1200     1000

IBM PS/2 Model 95         160 MgB     3900               5000     4000

Compaq Portable II         20 MgB      425                500      375

Compaq Portable III        20 MgB      500                600      250

Compaq Portable 386       100 MgB     1300               1800     1000

Compaq SLT-286             20 MgB      700                900      400

Compaq LTE                 20 MgB      550                700      400

Compaq LTE-286             40 MgB      850               1000      500

Compaq LTE-386             60 MgB     1700               1900     1300

Compaq Deskpro 286E        40 MgB      500               1000      325

Compaq Deskpro 386s        40 MgB     1000               1200      700

Compaq Deskpro 386/33      60 MgB     1800               2000     1100

Compaq Deskpro 386/33      84 MgB     1850               2250     1400

Clone 386SX du Jour        40 MgB      875                900      700

NEC ProSpeed 386          100 MgB     1500               1800     1000

Zenith SuperSport-286      40 MgB      600                700      525

Zenith Mastersport-386SX   60 MgB     1350               1700     1000

Macintosh Classic          40 MgB      750                875      500

Macintosh Classic II       40 MgB      975               1025      800

Macintosh SE               Floppy      525    down 25     650      450

Macintosh SE               20 MgB      725                775      500

Macintosh SE-30            80 MgB     1650   down 100    1850     1300

Macintosh LC               40 MgB     1000               1300      800

Macintosh II               40 MgB     1825               1900     1300

Macintosh II X             80 MgB     2500               2850     2000

Macintosh II CX            80 MgB     2600               3000     2000

Macintosh II CI            80 MgB     3100               3600     2460

Macintosh II FX            80 MgB     4100               4900     3700

Macintosh II SI            40 MgB     1800               2300     1500

Macintosh Quadra 700      160 MgB     3650               3700     3500

Macintosh Quadra 900      160 MgB     4250               4600     4000

Macintosh Portable         40 MgB      500                800      300

Macintosh Powerbk 100      20 MgB      850               1000      700

Macintosh Powerbk  140     40 MgB     1800               2500     1600

Apple Imagewriter 2                    175                200      100

Apple Laserwriter 2 NT                1450               1600     1200

HP Laserjet II                         850                950      550

HP Laserjet III                       1000               1200      900

Toshiba T-1000LE           20 MgB      500                600      400

Toshiba T-1200 XE          20 MgB      700                800      550

Toshiba T-1600             20 MgB      650                700      500

Toshiba T-2000 SX          20 MgB      910               1000      800

Toshiba T-3100 SX          40 MgB     1300               1500     1000

Toshiba T-3200             40 MgB      900               1300      600

Toshiba T-3200 SX          40 MgB     1300               1600      900

Toshiba T-3200 SXC        120 MgB     3700               4000     3000

Toshiba T-4400 SX         120 MgB     2450               2500     2200

Toshiba T-5100             40 MgB     1300               1700      900

Toshiba T-5200            100 MgB     1850               2000     1600

Toshiba T-5200C           200 MgB     4000               4400     3800

BoCoEx Index data is compiled by Market Analyst, Gary M. Guhman.
 Here are some current retail-oriented Seats on the Exchange, presented in a
cyclic basis.

Madison, New Jersey - CompuTrade - Howard Kroll - 201-593-0362

New Orleans, Louisiana - Audubon Computer Rental - Mike Barry - 504-522-
0348

Detroit, Michigan - CompuCycle - Walt Hogan - 313-887-2600

Dallas - Ft. Worth, TX - DFW Computer Exchange - M.B. Lee - 817-244-7833

Albuquerque, NM, Western Computer Exchange - David Levin - 505-265-1330

Fresno, California - MacSource Computers - Mike Kurtz - 209-438-6227

Escondido, Ca. - Affordable Computer Solutions - Dean Jacobus - 619-738-
4980

BoCoEx Index prices are based on complete systems with keyboard, monochrome
monitor and adapter, less the value of any software or peripherals.

Boston Computer Exchange is available at: 617-542-4414, Buyer's
HotLine: [phone], In Alaska and Canada 1-800-437-2470,FAX:
617-542-8849.The BoCoEx Database is on CompuServe: GO BCE, and on
the Delphi system: ME BO.

(BOCOEX/19920812)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00018)

New For PC: Convert Between Graphic Formats In Windows 08/12/92
BROOKFIELD, CONNECTICUT, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- Need to
convert that Windows Metafile to a .PCX image or do a screen
capture in Windows? Inset Systems, known for its graphics
conversion product, Hijack, says it is shipping Hijack for
Windows 1.0.

Hijack can convert graphics files between 60+ formats including
16 vector, 24 raster, and 25 fax card formats, the company
said. The product can also view, capture, modify, enhance, and
print images for all the formats as well.

Inset systems says the new Windows version offers support for
object linking and embedding (OLE) as a graphics image server,
can enhance a graphics image, and can accomplish full or
partial screen captures in Windows or DOS. Hijack for Windows
also allows the viewing of raster and vector images in color,
gray scale, and black & white at the same time using Windows
multiple document interface (MDI).

The product can also offer image enhancement features including
color processing, full color remapping, and smoothing. Color
processing includes making a color image to a grayscale image.
Mike Brown, of technical support for Inset told Newsbytes
contrast and brightness controls are available for the
conversion as well.

Full color remapping features allow the user to change the
color scheme, so for example, a black background can be
remapped to a white background.

Smoothing is specifically for the enlargement of raster images,
like .PCX images that get severely jagged when blown up to a
larger size. The Smoothing feature is an algorithm that will
attempt to round out those jagged edges.

Retail price for the package is $249, but registered Hijack 2.1
owners can upgrade for $60, the company said. Those with
versions prior to Hijack 2.1 should call the company for
information as to upgrade pricing, Inset added.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920812/Press Contact: Wendy Shulman, Inset
Systems, tel [phone], fax [phone]; Public Contact:
800-DR-INSET or 800-374-6738)


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

 ****Designers Give Macintosh Desktop Publishing Tips  08/12/92
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- Technical
knowhow is important in Macintosh desktop publishing, but so, too,
is sound common sense, stressed a group of professional graphic
designers, speaking at "Advanced Desktop Publishing Tips and
Trips," one of some 100 seminars held last week during MacWorld
Boston.

The artists gave guidance in both of these areas as they honed in
on subjects like how to produce long documents, perform database
publishing, and make effective use of the Quark Xtensions.

"The best advice I can give you about working on a long document is
to put in as much effort as you can.  You're only as good as your
last project, because that's what everyone remembers," stated one
speaker, Pam Borys of Step-by-Step Training.  Consistent style and
error-free text are two goals that graphic artists should always
try to achieve, she suggested.

Before a long project even begins, the designer should put together
a group style sheet, especially when a team of writers is involved,
she explained.  The sheet should cover such subjects as paragraph
formatting, fonts, and grammar and punctuation.  When all writers
use the same style, the need for future changes is minimized, she
noted.  But nevertheless, the designer should always check the
document thoroughly before it goes to the printer.

The search and replace function can be helpful in finding and
correcting certain kinds of errors, such as the use of two spaces
after a period, a habit many writers find hard to break.  The
spellchecker will catch many other kinds of mistakes, according to
Borys.  "But never rely entirely on the spellchecker, because it
can gloss over a lot," she warned.  If the writer has typed
"field," for instance, when "filed" was intended, the spellchecker
will never know the difference.

Turning to finances, another area of practical concern, Brad Walrod
of High Tech Graphics told the crowd that several Quark Xtensions
are available for under $150.  A pair of other programs that can be
used with Quark Xpress can be obtained free of charge from bulletin
boards, he added.

One of the low-cost Quark Xtensions, Xtension Manager, lets the
user view the Xtensions available in the Quark Xpress folder -- and
find out whether room is left for loading others -- without
actually changing the folder's contents.

This feature is significant, said Walrod, because the Xtensions
vary so much in memory consumed.  "Some of the Xtensions are like
little nits.  They take up very little space.  But others are very
heavy duty databases," he commented.

Another reasonably priced Xtension, Color Change, lets the user
search for and replace colors in a document by text, frames or
background.  The designer might look for all red backgrounds in a
document, for instance, and change them to blue.  "This capability
probably sounds kinds of superficial.   But there will be many a
time when you have a job set up mainly in, say, Pantone 405 -- and
then the client decides that everything in 405 should be Pantone
286," he noted.

A third Xtension, M Software's Xstyle, is priced at only about $79,
he said.  Xstyle provides a paragraph palette, character palette,
and style editor that can be used either separately or together for
quick editing jobs.  According to Walrod, these three Xtensions,
and many more, are available from Xchange, a distributor that can
be reached at 800-788-7557.

The other programs Walrod discussed, available off public bulletin
boards, are XP8 and Torquemada the Inquisitor.  XP8 adds express
tags to a file, allowing the designer to add typographic niceties
without either search and replace or manual intervention.

Torquemada, a search and replace engine for text files, enables
searches for literal strings as well as wild characters.  By typing
in ^p^$, for example, the designer can search for any carriage
return followed by a printed character.  Typing in -$ will change
any hyphen in the text to a dash.

A third speaker, Eric Taub -- coauthor of the book Quark Xpress,
Tips and Tricks -- talked about how to get around the limited type
functionality of database programs.  According to Taub, the
designer should take advantage of the abilities of databases to
find and sort information.  But once the needed information has
been sorted, it should be exported as a tab or comma delimited file
to a program that can format the data for Aldus Pagemaker or Quark.
The formatting program for Pagemaker is Data Shaper from Elsewhere,
while M Software's Xdata is the application to use for Quark.

Taub, too, had some common sense to share.  "Use your manuals," he
encouraged the audience.  "Seventy percent of the information in
books by myself and others is stuff you could find out for
yourselves by just reading the documentation."

(Jacqueline Emigh/19920812)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00020)

UK: Compuserve Intros National 9600 BPS Access 08/12/92
BRISTOL, AVON, ENGLAND, 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- Compuserve has
announced that it is allowing access via Mercury's packet data
network (PDN). Surcharges for PDN access via Mercury are the same
as for via BT's Dial Plus PDN service -- the difference is that
Mercury's PDN is accessible at 9,600 bits per second (bps) in
several major cities.

Plans call for Mercury to enhance its PDN service to blanket the
UK with near-local 9,600 bps access within the next six months.
And, because Mercury's PDN supports the link access protocol type
M, PDN can accept a data throughput of around 19,200 bps. At off-
peak times, this means that data can be downloaded from
Compuserve at speeds in excess of 9,600 bps.

Now the bad news. Because Mercury's PDN can squirt data through
to Compuserve at speeds in excess of the modem carrier, anyone
logging on at 2,400 bps using data compression will find
themselves billed at the 9,600 bps data rate (i.e. surcharge d
$10 an hour over normal rates).

According to Compuserve, their technical people are working to
solve the problem. In the meantime, they are advising subscribers
to avoid logging on to the service via Mercury's PDN at 2,400 bps
with data compression.

Andrew Gray, Compuserve's general manager here in the U.K., told
Newsbytes that the main reason the company went with Mercury in
addition to BT's Dial Plus service is that no firm date for Dial
Plus upgrading to 9,600 bps working has been given.

"In the absence of this, we were forced to go with Mercury. It's
Dial Pluses' loss, but we need to support our subscribers," he
said, adding that he expects non-London subscribers to Compuserve
to jump at the chance to access at speeds of 9,600 bps or more.

Newsbytes' bureau here in London has been testing the Mercury PDN
service for the past few weeks and can report that effective data
throughputs of 8,000 bps are possible at off-peak times. This
compares with data transfer speeds of only two thirds that rate
via the main London access port.

(Steve Gold/19920812/Press & Public Contact: Compuserve - Tel:
0272-255111)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00021)

UK: Device Allows Boost Of Cellphone Signals 08/12/92
RAMSGATE, KENT, ENGLAND, 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- Wallen Antennae has
unveiled the Microlink signal amplification system for hand-held
cellular phones.

In use, the UKP 75 system acts as a passive repeater for the
hand-held cellphone when receiving signals. A magnetic mount
aerial clips on to the top of the car or any other horizontal
metal surface. The received signal is then channelled via a low-
loss 3 metre cable through to an output unit that is physically
strapped to the side of the cellphone.

According to Wallen Antennae, the aerial system is cable of
providing a usable signal to a cellphone inside a car where
almost no signal was available previously. The high-efficiency
28/5 cm aerial pulls in a strong signal that is then relayed to
the hand portable aerial using passive connections.

The aerial can be quickly attached or detached from the
hand portable, Wallen claims. When in the vehicle, the user slides
the cellphone into the holder and operates the phone as normal.

Wallen Antennae is a UK manufacturer of various products for
mobile communications. The company achieved a British Design
Award for its Cellmaster mobile cellphone antenna in 1987 and has
since grown its product range considerable.

(Steve Gold/19920812/Press & Public Contact: Wallen Antennae -
Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone])


(NEWS)(APPLE)(LON)(00022)

Apple Intros At Ease In UK 08/12/92
UXBRIDGE, MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND, 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- Apple
Computer UK is shipping "At Ease," its new package designed to
make it easier for Macs to be shared between kids, students and
novice users. The package was released earlier in the US.

Operating as an extension for the Mac System 7.0 operating system,
At Ease claims to simplify the task of launching applications and
opening files, while supporting a simple protection system for
system settings, files and folders.

At Ease is installed as an alternative to the standard Finder
desktop. The package consists of a documents folder and an
applications folder. Both folders have large, single-click
buttons. In use, each folder displays all the files created by
the user, regardless of where they are stored. This, Apple
claims, means that a user can quickly find his or her files.

While At Ease is running, the user cannot move, rename or delete
documents or applications. One option of the package claims to
simplify the management of the share computer's hard disk by
saving all documents on a floppy disk or a remote file server, so
locking the hard disk.

Saving only to a floppy disk is useful, Newsbytes notes, when
sharing a Mac in a public place. Saving to a remote file server
is equally useful in classrooms, computer labs and businesses.

At Ease is available immediately in the UK with a retail price
of UKP 35. The package is available as a single-user or a ten-
user pack. In use, the package requires System 7.0 software plus
2 megabytes (MB) of memory, though 4MB is recommended. When
running At Ease in place of the Finder, an additional 200
kilobytes (KB) of extra memory is required.

(Steve Gold/19920812/Press & Public Contact: Apple U.K. - Tel:
081-569-1199)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00023)

New For PC: Microsoft Schedule Plus For Windows In UK 08/12/92
WOKINGHAM, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- Microsoft has
unveiled Microsoft Schedule + for Windows, a new workgroup
package for the MS-Windows environment. The package is a full
featured calendaring and scheduling program that the company
claims helps meet the specific needs of individuals and groups to
managed their time better.

"Just as Microsoft Mail addresses the basic organizational need
for inter-personal communications, Schedule Plus addresses the
basic organizational need for interpersonal coordination,"
explained Mark Hassall, e-mail product manager at Microsoft UK.

According to Hassall, Schedule Plus provides individuals with the
tools that users need to manage their scheduling activities.
"This balance between the needs of the individual and the needs
of the workgroup uniquely positions Schedule Plus to capitalize
on the growing market for calendaring and scheduling products,"
he said.

Schedule Plus requires Microsoft Mail for PC Networks version 3.0
for group calendar and scheduling facilities. Additional system
requirements include Windows 3.0 or higher, an 80286-based PC or
better equipped with a minimum of 2 megabytes (MB) of memory,
plus a hard disk. A mouse or similar pointing device is
recommended.

(Steve Gold/19920812/Press & Public Contact: Microsoft - Tel:
0734-270001)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00024)

Logitech Announces "Cool" 24-bit Color Hand Scanner  08/12/92
FREMONT, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- Logitech has
introduced a new 24-bit color hand-held scanner, Scanman Color,
it says doesn't require a warm-up period and doesn't need to be
turned off periodically to cool like other hand-held color
scanners on the market.

The company says a proprietary white fluorescent light permits
brightness while scanning yet "levels out" heat-wise
immediately upon being turned on and remains constant
throughout the time the unit is working.

The Scanman Color scanner can capture up to 16.8 million colors
and is geared particularly to the Microsoft Windows
environment, Logitech said. The scanners 24-bit capacity allows
it to capture 256 gray-scale data on-the-fly in addition to
color information, so no conversion of the image from color to
gray-scale is necessary.

Fototouch Color Image Editing Software from Logitech is a
Windows application bundled with the scanner and offers
interactive, context sensitive help. The help system was
prepared using the text/graphics capabilities in the Windows
3.1 help engine. However Logitech representatives told
Newsbytes the company included the Windows 3.1 help engine in
the product so Windows 3.0 users could also use the help.

The "Autostitch" function, which allows users to merge multiple
scans without manual interaction, is a key component of the
Fototouch Color software. Logitech said the software
automatically "de-skews" each scan, locates matching features,
extrapolates to fill in missing pixels, and calibrates the
color on the entire finished image.

A full suite of editing tools are also offered in addition to
slider controls to adjust brightness, tonality, and contrast.
Controls to adjust color balance, transparency effects are also
included.

Color consistency between the screen display and the printer is
always of concern but Logitech says it has offered a way to
calibrate the screen display with the printed image. The
software sends a graded color strip to the printer which the
user then scans back into Fototouch with the scanner for
comparison with the original data, and the software makes a one
time adjustment, the company maintains.

The company says it adheres to the TWAIN specification in the
Scanman Color product as well as supporting Microsoft's object
linking and embedding (OLE). TWAIN is designed to permit
integration of desktop publishing, word processing, image
editing, and other software with such peripherals as scanners,
video boards, and cameras. OLE allows use of color images in
any other application that also supports OLE.

The hand-held scanner market is expected to grow substantially
in the next 3 to 4 years. BIS Strategic Decision says the hand-
held scanner market is expected to grow to out number flat bed
scanners by 4 to 1 on 1993. A 27 percent compound annual growth
rate is predicted in hand held scanners overall through 1996
while hand-held units for the Microsoft Windows environment are
predicted to 50 percent in the same period, BIS said.

Logitech says Scanman Color requires an IBM or compatible
386SX-based computer with a free 16-bit slot, Microsoft Windows
3.0 or 3.1, 4 megabytes (MB) of random access memory (RAM), a
graphics card, and a mouse. The company recommends users have a
video graphics array (VGA) graphics card or a Super VGA
graphics card.

Retail price of the Scanman Color is $699 and the scanner is
expected to be available beginning in September of this year,
Logitech said.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920812/Press Contact: Betty Skov, Logitech,
tel [phone], fax [phone]; Public Contact, 800-231-
7717)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00025)

 ****Northgate Cuts Staff To Cut Costs 08/12/92
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- Northgate Computer
Corporation says it is eliminating 80 positions within the company,
is consolidating its local retail operations, and taking other
measures to cut costs. The company says it lost $10.2 million in
its second quarter.

Northgate reports revenues were $34.7 million. The $10.2 million
loss includes an operating loss of $2.4 million and adjustments
totalling $7.8 million related to a recalculation of the value of
the firm's inventory.

The results compare to ervenues of $44.2 million and a profit of
$1.9 million for this time last year. For the first six months of
1992, the company had revenues of $68.9 million and a loss of
$11.6 million. This time last year, revenues were $91.1 million
with a profit of $4.1 million.

Jim Goetz, Northgate's president, says the jobs are being cut
and the efforts made to cut expenses due to competition in the PC
market. "These actions will give Northgate the product and pricing
flexibility to take on its toughest competitors and emerge as
a strong technology player while enhancing its dedication to
and reputation for total customer support." He confirmed that
IBM's announcement that it intends to establish a PC hardware
subsidilary to compete in the direct response market against
Dell and Northgate were to blame for the firm's actions.  Within
the past few days, IBM also announced it will sell standard ISA
PCs,  not Micro Channel PCs, through the same channels used by
Northgate and others.

On this, Goetz says: "At best it's a very mixed message. It
remains to be seen whether any restructuring will enable IBM to
effectively compete in this channel."

Northgate plans to introduce an upgradable i80486 workstation
and other upgradable systems in the next few weeks, the company
said.

On July 23, 1992 Northgate announced that a group of investors led by
Virginia-based Marjac Investments has acquired a controlling
interest in Northgate Computer Corporation.

California-based Everex said in May of this year that it would buy
Northgate, but that deal fell through.

As part of the deal, the investor group has agreed to pump at least
$3 million back into Northgate as working capital. Marjac is a
management company with interests in real estate, electronics,
agriculture and industries located in 10 countries, including the US.

(Wendy Woods/19920812/Press Contact: James Goetz, 612-943-8181)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00026)

New Product: ASP ServerJet Si Shares Printer Without LAN 08/12/92
SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- ASP Computer
Products has announced the ServerJet Si, a new addition to its
ServerJet product line that allows up to seven users to have
instant access to the printer without a LAN.

The ServerJet Si is a user-installable board that plugs into the
MIO slot of the HP laser Jet III Si printer, allowing access from
up to hundreds of feet away via RJ-11 telephone-type cable.

Data transfer to the printer is 1200-percent faster than
standard serial rates and faster than LAN throughput, the
company says. The product comes with six serial and one
parallel port and is available with 1 to 4MB of buffer memory.
Suggested retail pricing starts at $795.

(Computer Currents/19920723/Public Contact: 408/746-2965)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SFO)(00027)

Maxis Launches Tech Support BBS 08/12/92
ORINDA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- In case you get
stuck in an ecological catastrophe, or have created one too many
volcanos, you can now get help online from Maxis.

Maxis, publisher of computer games SimCity, SimEarth and SimAnt
among others, has launched its own electronic bulletin board
system to offer users Maxis product information and technical
support.

The service can be accessed by dialing 510/254-3869  via modem.
It will allow users to talk with Maxis tech support representative,
games designers and each other. The BBS will also let users upload
and trade cities, planets, robot arenas and ant colonies for use
in Maxis' popular games, and will host tournaments and contests
on an  ongoing basis. Free software demos and upgrades are
provided, as well as shareware utilities that enhance Maxis games.

(Computer Currents/19920812/Public Contact: 510/254-9700.)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00028)

Procomm Plus for Windows 08/12/92
COLUMBIA, MISSOURI, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- Datastorm Technologies
has announced Procomm Plus for Windows,  a Windows version of the
popular communications software.

The Windows version includes 34 popular terminal emulations and 11
error- correcting file transfer protocols including Z-modem.  Also
included is anAction Bar for  easy access to program features, a
fully automated  dialing directory, Windows ASPECT, a
script language, support for Dynamic Data Exchange, File Clipboard,
a graphical dialog  box editor, keyboard remapping and a GIF utility
for viewing graphics files as you download them.

The introductory suggested retail price is $149. Current users of
the DOS version of PROCOMM PLUS can purchase the Windows version
for $69 by calling 800/326-4999.

(Computer Currents: Public Contact: 314/443-3282)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(LAX)(00029)

AVS To Take Over Sun's Sunvision Imaging Software  08/12/92
WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- Advanced
Visual Systems (AVS) announced it will take over develop and
marketing of market Sunvision, Sun Microsystem Computer
Corporation's (SMCC) graphics, imaging, and visualization
software. The announcement was made after AVS signed an
exclusive agreement with SMCC for the Sunvision product.

AVS says Sunvision has a large customer base and has been used
across a range of technical imaging and visualization markets
including: medical imaging, remote sensing, pre-press, and
scientific visualization.

Plans are for AVS to market the Sunvision product and develop
other products based on the Sunvision technology. The company
plans to offer Sunvision 1.2 to Sun users and will migrate the
imagining library IPlib and the volume visualization tool,
Sunvoxel, to the latest version of the Solaris operating system
and to SMCC's Xiltm imaging and software foundation library.

The company also plans to incorporate Sunvision technology into
its own product, AVSTM, in the form of modules. AVS describes
AVSTM is a visual application development environment that can
be used to manage, analyze, and display complex data and
images.

The resulting modules and libraries will not only work on Sun's
workstation products, but on other Unix workstations supported
by AVS, the company added.

AVS says the incorporation of the Sunvision technology will
offer compatibility to SMCC visualization users and will also
allow other workstation and supercomputer users access to the
visual application development capabilities.

Sunvision version 1.2 can be ordered from AVS with shipment
expected in 30 days, the company said.

Waltham, Massachusetts-based AVS started development of
visualization technology with the Advanced Visualization System
as a part of Stardent Computer in 1988. The company adopted the
name of the product and split off from Stardent in 1991, and
was incorporated as an independent software company in January
of 1992.

SMCC is based in Mountain View, California and is a subsidiary
of Sun Microsystems. The company describes itself as offering
workstation computers for commercial and technical
applications.

(Linda Rohrbough/19920812/Press Contact: Ian Reid, Advanced
Visual Systems, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(UNIX)(BOS)(00030)

Lotus to Port Productivity Tools to HP Unix 08/12/92
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 AUG 12 (NB) -- Lotus Notes,
Lotus cc:Mail, Freelance Graphics, and AmiPro will all be ported
over the coming year to the Hewlett-Packard Unix platform, HP and
Lotus officials announced in a telephone press conference.

With the agreement, HP will become the first Unix platform to offer
Lotus' complete suite of productivity tools. Currently, two other
Lotus packages -- 1-2-3 and Realtime -- are running on the Unix
platforms of both Sun and Hewlett-Packard.

The agreement is aimed at giving HP greater access to the
commercial markets still dominated by IBM-compatible PCs, while
broadening Lotus' reach into Unix and client/server computing,
company officials told a group of some 20 participating reporters.

Over the past year, HP has made several steps into the commercial
market, including the introduction of aggressively priced color
workstations and color and grayscale Xstations, said Mike Gallup,
worldwide marketing manager for HP's Workstation Systems Group.
The Xstations have sold well in commercial services markets --
particularly in the telecommunications sector -- as well as in
financial services.

"We believe this [new strategic agreement] will allow us to
continue to complete aggressively in [these] market areas against
PCs and other workstations," he commented.

Gallup added, though, that HP expects the Lotus productivity tools
to appeal as well to HP's large installed base in the engineering
and scientific markets. "Everybody does budgets, financial
preparation and analysis, tracking, group communications, and so
on," he said.

For its part, Lotus is interested in riding the recent wave of Unix
growth, while taking advantage of the capabilities of Unix servers,
said Dave Rome, general manager of Lotus' Unix Business Unit.
"Group-enabled applications are central to Lotus' strategy for the
next couple of years," he noted. "As a server, Unix offers
scalability, size and absolute performance that's just not
available on Intel-based systems."

In response to several reporters' questions as to the future
availability of Lotus products on Unix platforms other than HP,
Rome responded: "Ultimately, we are going to be porting to other
[Unix] platforms, but right now we have a lot of work going on at
HP."

(Jacqueline Emigh/19920812; Press Contact: Jim Barbagallo, HP, tel
508-436-5049; Bryan Simmons, Lotus, tel [phone])