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Text File | 1992-10-15 | 64KB | 1,419 lines

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

Pyramid Intros MIServer ES Servers 10/15/92
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 OCT 15 (NB) -- Hoping to take
advantage of the continuing trend among corporations towards
"open systems," Pyramid Technology Corp., has introduced the
MIServer ES Series of mainframe-class servers.

Designed to "help customers 'open their proprietary data centers'
to the cost and flexibility benefits of open systems," the ES
Series offers scales to 24 processors and, according to the
company, delivers 768 million instructions per second (MIPS).

Edward W. Scott Jr., executive vice president of Pyramid, said:
"Corporations worldwide are looking to open systems to reduce
cost of ownership while distributing information in a more
efficient manner. Delivering a system with the power, capacity
and scalability of the ES Series is essential to this process;
however, solution providers must also deliver a comprehensive
set of applications and services to meet the needs of the data
center."

According to the company, to meet the demands of today's
distributed, enterprise-wide networks, servers must scale to
the processing requirements of an office environment supporting
a dozen users all the way up to a data center host supporting
thousands of concurrent users.

The MIServer ES Series consists of the MIServer ES Series Model
MIS 2-ES containing two to four RISC (reduced instruction-set
computer) processors, the MIServer ES Series Model MIS 4-ES
supporting from two to eight RISC processors, and the MIServer
ES Series Model MIS 12-ES supporting from two to 24 RISC
processors.

The Integrated Device Technology R3002AE RISC processor is used
in all the systems, which is a custom design for Pyramid based on
the MIPS R3000 architecture.

In July Newsbytes reported that Information Builders had extended
the reach of its EDA/SQL multivendor database access system to
support Pyramid's MiServer T Series and MiServer S Series servers.
The two companies also agreed to work jointly on systems
integration for customers of either company.

(Ian Stokell/19921014/Press Contact: Beth Johnson, Pyramid
Technology, 408-428-8460)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00002)

New For PC: Central Point Anti-Virus Products 10/15/92
BEAVERTON, OREGON, U.S.A., 1992 OCT 15 (NB) -- Central Point
Software has created a new products group to manage a new
series of products, technologies, and support services the
company says is aimed at eliminating computer viruses.

The new group, called Network and Security Products, has been
assigned the primary mission to provide products for network
administrators and MIS (management information system)
managers. The group's first official act was to introduce a new
set of anti-virus products and services, including protection for
Novell networks. According to Central Point, that is a critical
need for PC networks.

The company said two new technologies, CentralTalk and
CentralAlert, have been incorporated into the NetWare and DOS
anti-virus product line. CentralTalk is a utility-to-utility
communications protocol to support automatic cross-platform
communications. CentralAlert is an active notification program
built on CentralTalk, providing configurable alerts via pagers,
MHS electronic mail, or NetWare broadcasts.

Central Point says it is also expanding its Virus Protection
Services Plan to supply ongoing support and rapid updating for
new viruses.

In other Central Point Software-related news, the company
announced that it has raised $17.85 million in private funding
from LEGENT Corporation, a systems management software
company, and from an investment limited partnership.

Central Point spokesperson Deanne Berry declined to name the
partnership. As part of the deal John Burton, president and CEO of
LEGENT has been named to Central Point's board of directors. The
company says the money will be used for general purposes,
including strategic acquisitions of complementary products,
technologies and businesses.

Central Point has a history of acquisitions, having acquired more
than a dozen companies over the past two fiscal years. Greene
told Newsbytes there were no acquisitions currently in the works
"that we can talk about." She declined further comment.

(Jim Mallory/19921014/Press contact: Deanne Berry, Central
Point Software, 503-690-2260; Reader contact: Central Point
Software, 503-690-2260)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00003)

Electronic Auto Ad Competition In Seattle 10/15/92
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1992 OCT 15 (NB) -- The Seattle
Times has launched the Seattle Times AutoLine, a free shopping
service on used cars and trucks accessible by touchtone telephone
at 206-624-2255.

A voice information system leads callers through prompts to
learn their preferences regarding vehicle type, make, model, year
range, and maximum price, then callers hear a description of
vehicles fitting the specifications.

The information comes from the Seattle Times and Post-
Intelligencer newspapers as well as local dealers. Hardware for
the system comes from Dialogic, under the SCO Unix operating
system, the paper said. CTL Communications, a unit of the French-
based CTL System, did the work.

The new service will compete with SureFind Classifieds By
Telephone, backed by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. Surefind
covers the entire Puget Sound area and claims it has the largest
daily classified advertising inventory of used cars and
properties for sale or rent in the area. Surefind started with
property rental listings and only added used car listings later,
and said a few months ago it was getting about 5,000 calls a
week. Surefind says it hopes to offer the service in other cities
and eventually launch a classified information network for the
entire US, but it will likely face stiff newspaper competition
in every market.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19921014/Press Contact: Bob Silver, The
Silver Company for Surefind, tel [phone], fax 206-583-
8753; The Seattle Times, Peggy Rinne, 206-464-3220)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00004)

Japan: NEC/AT&T Create Semiconductor Joint Venture 10/15/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 OCT 15 (NB) -- NEC and AT&T Micro
Electronics have set up a joint venture firm dealing with
semiconductor processors in Japan. The new firm will market
semiconductor chips in the Japanese market.

According to NEC's President Tadahiro Sekimoto and AT&T Micro's
President William Warwick, the new firm is called "Japan AT&T
Semiconductor Chip Sales." It has total capitalization of 200
million yen ($1.7 million), which is owned 51 percent by AT&T
Micro Electronics and 49 percent by NEC. Japan AT&T Micro's
Maximino Pagan has assumed the presidency of the new firm,
which is located in Tokyo.

The joint venture firm is fairly small, and has started with about
15 employees. It will increase that number to 40 within two
years. About 70 percent of the employees are from NEC and the
rest from AT&T Micro.

The company hopes to obtain 10 billion yen ($83 million) in
annual sales by 1994. The new firm will mainly sell SRAMs
(static random access memories) and ASICs (application specific
integrated circuits).

Apparently, this new firm was created to help sales of AT&T
Micro's semiconductor chips under the Japan-US semiconductor
treaty, which advocates that foreign chip firms gain a 20
percent share in the semiconductor sales in Japan.

Both firms will be able to purchase each other's chips at fairly
low prices.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19921015/Press Contact: NEC,
[phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00005)

Sega Creates Virtual Reality Arcade Game Facility 10/15/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 OCT 15 (NB) -- Japan's major game machine
maker Sega Enterprises says it has started a project to create
major virtual reality game facilities in 50 locations throughout
Japan.

Sega Enterprise is reported to have already chosen possible
game facility sites in 20 places. Each site has around  7,000 to
10,000 square meters of space. Sega will spend between five and
six billion yen (around $50 million) creating amusement facilities
at each site.

Sega's first high tech amusement park will be opened in the Asia
Trading Center in Osaka in 1994. Sega hopes to gain three to five
billion yen ($33 million) annually at this park.

These amusement parks will have game machines and rides,
which use virtual reality concept. The users will be able to
participate as heroes or heroines in adventure games.

The facilities will have multimedia games, which create a
virtual reality environment using huge screens and large
speakers. These facilities are backed by the military industry
division of General Electric, and Sega has linked with GE to
gain technical assistance. GE's military industry division
specializes in producing simulation facilities for aircraft.

According to Sega's board director, Japan's game market is 700
billion yen ($6 billion), and it has been growing by 20 percent
each year. It will double within a few years.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19921015/Press Contact: Sega
Enterprises, [phone])


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

Seagate Bundles Compression Software With Hard Drives 10/15/92
MENLO PARK, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 OCT 15 (NB) -- Seagate
claims it is the first to bundle compression software with its
hardware. The company is bundling a special version of Addstor's
Superstor product, Superstor Personal Edition (PE), with its 40
megabyte (MB) ST351A/X hard disk drive.

Data compression products have become popular because they can
increase the storage space on a hard disk drive without any
noticeable difference in the performance of the drive. The
increase in time to compress the data by the computer on the
fly is offset by the time gained in writing less actual data to
the hard disk drive.

Addstor says the PE edition of Superstor will need to be
installed on the drive by the user and nothing is built into or
changed about Seagate's hardware to specially adapt to the data
compression. Addstor says PE will increase the capacity of the
drive to between 70MB and 80MB, depending on the type of data
stored on the drive.

Newsbytes asked Addstor representative Bob Gronski if Superstor
products caused users to experience data loss or corruption in
the use of database software products, which by nature allocate
hard disk space somewhat differently than other products.
Gronski said Superstor products have not experienced problems
with database data loss or corruption and credited the fact
that the Superstor compresses the drive's data sector by sector
as the reason.

The PE edition does not offer floppy disk data compression,
usually offered by compression products, and will only work
with Seagate drives, Addstor said. However, it does offer a
defragmentation utility (which the software utilizes before it
compresses the drive), an analysis utility that functions like
the DOS CHKDSK command, and a statistics utility that shows
the compression information for the hard drive.

Addstor has included a coupon for a $39.95 upgrade in the PE
edition for its Superstor Pro 2.0 product, which will work on
drives other than Seagate hard disk drives and offers floppy
disk data compression. Addstor says the Pro product also allows
compressed floppies to be read by computers without Superstor
Pro 2.0 installed.

Newsbytes asked Seagate representatives if the company thought
the Addstor compression product would help it sell drives it
might not otherwise be able to move because of their small
size. After all, most significant Windows products and Windows
itself need approximately 10MB of disk space each in order to
run at all. However, Seagate has said the 40MB ST351A/X is one
of its most popular products for the entry-level PC market.
However, no price increase on the bundle of the drive and
Superstor PE is expected to end users, Addstor representatives
said.

Some speculation exists that data compression will not really
be practical until it is more standardized and offered in the
hardware of the drives themselves. The Seagate announcement
appears to be a small and single step in that direction.

(Linda Rohrbough/19921014/Press Contact: Bob Gronski, Addstor,
tel [phone], fax [phone]; Julie Still, Seagate, 408-
439-2276; Public Contact, Addstor, 1040 Marsh Road, Menlo Park,
CA 94025, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00007)

MCI Stock Downgraded 10/15/92
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1992 OCT 15 (NB) -- While AT&T and MCI
spar over the toll-free 800 number market, which will open-up
considerably once customers can take their numbers with them
when they change carriers, MCI's past success in the stock
market is coming back to haunt it.

All the carriers, as well as big users of the numbers, have begun
peppering federal regulators with petitions regarding the "800
portability" issue, with some big users wanting the move delayed.
The most recent decision is that the numbers should become
portable by next March, but there are also disputes over who
should pay to maintain the databases needed for portability.

The FCC has further roiled the market by giving big
customers 90 days to change carriers after the change, even
if they are tied-up with long-term contracts with AT&T.

While MCI has increased its market share in regular long-
distance service, in part because of its "Friends and Family"
calling plan, some analysts are wondering if the big discounts
called for in that plan won't hurt earnings in the long run. Two
brokerage firms, Donaldson Lufkin and Jenrette and Morgan
Stanley. have lowered their ratings of the stock. Both claim
it is because the price has risen to $30 and there are better
values in the market, however.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19921015)


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

Field Computing Update 10/15/92
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1992 OCT 15 (NB) -- New kinds of
wireless telephone technologies continue to move forward as
the market awaits delivery of hardware.

Pacific Communication Sciences has received an experimental
license from the Federal Communications Commission to run
services in the 1895-1918 megahertz (MHz) frequency band, a
microwave frequency the FCC wants to clear for new wireless
phones called personal communications networks, or PCNs.

PCN phones would be light, inexpensive and competitive with
existing cellular networks. PCS is also studying the idea of
wireless business switches and local area networks.

In a related story, Qualcomm, which holds rights on the CDMA
digital cellular technology, formed a group to work in the PCN
area. The group will focus on applications for CDMA in the 1850-
1990 MHz frequency range. Robert L. Warren, formerly program
management director for CDMA, will head the new group.
Qualcomm has in the past provided PCN-related equipment to
Local Area Telecommunications of New York, and American
Personal Communications of Washington, D.C..

If you have a PCN phone, a pager, a cellular phone, a fax
machine, a modem, and a regular phone, you will need a personal
phone number to link them. While many companies, including AT&T
and Michigan Bell, have begun offering such services, BellSouth
is still studying it. The company has 120 employees trying-out a
Personal Number Service which links all these numbers with
voice mail and fax mailboxes, trying to find what they are worth.

On a more immediate level, BellSouth's MobileComm unit said
Radio Shack will sell pagers and service in its stores nationwide.
The MobileComm PersonalPager will retail for $99.95 and will be
available in most stores in November. The service can be
activated with a single call to a toll-free number. Telocator,
the paging industry trade association, says the industry is
growing 15-20 percent per year.

Also, Peoples Telephone reached agreements with Value Rent-A
Car and the Florida licensee of Dollar Rent-A-Car to distribute
portable phones and equipment through its Carifone unit. Peoples
also signed a contract with Remote Telecom of San Francisco for
use of an automated system which will allow for the rental of
cellular telephones 24 hours a day. Peoples is best known for
running pay phones, and has 22,000 phones under contract.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19921015/Press Contact: Peoples Telephone
Co., Richard F. Millitello, 305/593-9667, ext 155, Radio Shack,
Tony Magoulas, 817/878-4852; MobileComm, Jean Coppenbarger,
601/977-1648; Tim Klein, BellSouth Enterprises, 404-249-4135;
Pacific Communication Sciences, Kim Fedderly-Gower,
619/535-9500; Qualcomm, Allen Salmasi, 619/597-5060)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SYD)(00009)

 ****Cathay Pacific Moving IT From HK To Australia 10/15/92
Hong Kong, 1992 OCT 15 (NB) -- Hong Kong-based airline Cathay
Pacific is to progressively move its cargo and passenger
computer systems to Australia over the next three years.

The move has been welcomed by the Australian information
technology (IT) industry, and was assisted by an Australian
government waiver of sales tax on the imported, second-hand
hardware.

Cathay Pacific is currently based in Hong Kong, and there has
been much speculation about its moves as 1997 approaches (the
year Hong Kong reverts to mainland Chinese ownership).

Already the airline has announced the move of an information
processing center to Guangzhou China, from Hong Kong, citing
cheaper land and labor. It says Sydney was also an ideal choice
because of lower land prices and a suitable workforce pool.
High inflation is another problem in Hong Kong that the company
hopes it can avoid by moving.

Establishment costs for the Australian project are estimated at
AUS$200 million and the move is welcomed by OTC which
praised Australian government moves to attract Cathay.

"The decision demonstrates a commitment by government and
industry alike to attract a large proportion of the growing
number of transnational corporations locating in the Asia-Pacific
region and establishing telecommunications hubs and data
centers." said OTC's Steve Burdon. "It reflects the strength and
international competitiveness of Australia's telecommunications
network and the world class services it provides."

The Sydney base will employ about 50 people but Cathay expects
existing Hong Kong staff to be redeployed in Hong Kong. One of the
two existing Hong Kong centers will be retained for some time as
a backup site.

(Paul Zucker/19921015/Press Contact: OTC, [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SYD)(00010)

Datacraft Australian Sales Down, Asian Sales Up 10/15/92
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, 1992 OCT 15 (NB) - Melbourne-based
communications and networking company Datacraft has announced
an AUS$3.6 million loss, after tax, for the financial year ended
June 30. The company experienced a drop of AUS$8.7 million,
which was made up for with increased sales in the Asia market.

Overall revenue for the financial year was steady at AUS$81.6
million, with local revenues down to AUS$41.5 million. The loss
is an AUS$5.9 million turnaround for the company, which posted
an AUS$2 million profit last year. A deduction of AUS$6.5 million
for extraordinary items was given as the reason for the
turnaround. These included AUS$1.8 million to cover the cost of
the establishment of a research and development center, and an
AUS$3 million writedown in goodwill for its Summit business.

The research and development center was established with help
from Macquarie bank, and the center will provide AUS$4.8 million
over the next three years for Datacraft to develop
telecommunications technologies for the local,  metropolitan and
wide area network markets.

The Summit write-down was the result of the consolidation of
that business with Computer Protocol and Datacraft Manufacturing
into Datacraft Technologies. As a result of Datacraft's purchase
of the Summit group several years ago, Datacraft acquired
technologies which remained unused, forming the main component
of the write-off, said Michael Stockdale, Datacraft's company
secretary.

Despite this year's result, Stockdale sees good things ahead for
the company. Streamlining from the write-down would "result in
lower overheads and greater productivity with a beneficial and
long-term impact on future profits of the group," Stockdale said.

(Sean McNamara/19921015)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SYD)(00011)

Australia: Microsoft Offers Bulletin Board For Users 10/15/92
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1992 OCT 15 (NB) - Microsoft Australia has
launched a bulletin board system (BBS) for its users in Australia.
The BBS will be a read-only system, with the latest version of
some Microsoft software and technical notes.

The system's main function is to provide users with the latest
version of Microsoft's driver software for its various software
packages. Many users would be unaware of the upgrades to such
software. An example would be users who purchased a Microsoft
Mouse more than a year ago - they may be at least two major
upgrades away from having the latest driver. Also included are
programming examples from Microsoft language staff and
technical notes for use by programmers and developers.

The establishment of the Microsoft BBS is just the latest in the
growing number of such systems in Australia. Symantec (with a
product support BBS) and IBM (with an OS/2 BBS) are two other
players in the Australian computer industry which have
established bulletin boards for their users.

The BBS can be dialled on [phone] (in Australia), and
offers speeds up to 9,600 bits per second. The BBS will operate
24 hours a day, with five lines being open for calls. Access is
free, and no password or identification is required.

(Sean McNamara/19921015)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TOR)(00012)

AT&T Offers Information Services In Canada 10/15/92
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1992 OCT 15 (NB) -- Subscribers to
AT&T Mail electronic mail services in Canada now have access to
two on-line information services as part of their AT&T Mail
subscriptions. The services are InfoMaster, a collection of more
than 850 databases for in-depth searching, and FYI Service,
oriented to breaking news and stock information.

AT&T EasyLink Services said InfoMaster provides in-depth search
capabilities on more than 850 different databases of business
information. FYI Service provides stock market and industry
reports, foreign news, currency information, sports news, and
other information, updated throughout each day, according to
AT&T.

Both services are being added to the standard AT&T Mail package,
which costs C$3.45 per month, said a spokesman for the company.
There is no fixed charge for the information services, just
charges for connect time and information retrieved.

The information services are not offered separately from AT&T
Mail, the spokesman said. They are available now in Canada as well
as in the United States and Hong Kong.

AT&T EasyLink Services opened its Canadian operation in 1990,
initially offering electronic mail and enhanced facsimile services.
The company opened a Toronto processing center in spring, 1991,
to run its electronic messaging services, and added electronic
data interchange (EDI) services last fall. The spokesman would
not say how many customers currently use AT&T Mail in Canada.

(Grant Buckler/19921014/Press Contact: Richard Doyon, Hill &
Knowlton for AT&T, 613-238-4371; Public Contact: AT&T
EasyLink Services, 613-788-5800, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00013)

 ****DEC Loses $260.55 Million In 1st Qtr 10/15/92
MAYNARD, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 OCT 15 (NB) -- Adding
to the litany of bad news from old-guard computer companies,
Digital Equipment has reported a loss of $260.55 million, or
$2.04 per share, in its first quarter, which ended September 26.
The company reported revenues of $3,314.3 million in the quarter,
up one percent from the $3,293.09 million of the first quarter
last year.

The loss compared with earnings of $11.66 million or $0.09 per
share in the 1991 first quarter, before a one-time charge due to
a change in accounting for post-retirement health benefits. The
net loss for the 1991 first quarter, including that $485.5 million
one-time charge, was $473.83 million or $3.80 per share.

There were no special charges included in this quarter's results,
said Bradley D. Allen, a company spokesman. The company blamed
weakness in the world's major economies for the loss.

Like a number of other computer hardware vendors, Digital has
been plagued with poor financial results recently. The company
has been fighting back with cost-cutting measures, including
substantial cuts in its staff worldwide.

Digital's payroll has gone from a 1989 high of 126,000 to 108,500
currently, Allen said. He noted that in that time Digital has added
about 11,000 employees through acquisitions, so that in fact just
short of 30,000 jobs have been eliminated in the three years. In
the latest quarter, Allen said, 5,300 jobs were cut. DEC will
probably cut more jobs than that in the current quarter, he added.

The cuts continue. In his first press conference after assuming the
job of president and chief executive of DEC October 1, Robert B.
Palmer said more jobs will be eliminated in the coming year,
though he added that he does not expect the company will have to
take further restructuring charges.

Palmer also spoke of cutting costs in other ways, by getting
out of some less vital areas of business on focusing on core
competencies. "It's time for a clear direction with a focus on
meeting our customers' needs," he said.

According to a statement from the company, recent cost-cutting
measures include a reduction in research and development
spending.

(Grant Buckler/19921014/Press Contact: Bradley D. Allen,
Digital Equipment Corp., 508-493-7182)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEN)(00014)

Wordperfect Office Upgrade Due First Qtr 1993 10/15/92
OREM, UTAH, U.S.A., 1992 OCT 15 (NB) --   Wordperfect claims it
will release an upgrade version of Wordperfect Office during the
first quarter of 1993.

According to the company, Office Release 4.0 will include versions
for DOS, Windows, and Macintosh computer systems, and includes
electronic mail (e-mail), scheduling, and calendaring features all
wrapped in a single application.

Office 4.0's functions will all share a common database, allowing
users to schedule to-do tasks with other users just like they send
an e-mail message. Users will also be able to send messages to
other mail systems, with the Office 4.0 gateways converting the
message for the appropriate system. Even if you don't have a PC on
your desk but there's a network printer nearby, you'll be able to
get mail. Office 4.0 can be directed to associate you with a
printer on the network and send your mail to that printer.

Users will also be able to attach files and documents to e-mail
messages, scheduled appointments, and to do items. For example,
an agenda or correspondence to be reviewed prior to a meeting
could be attached, with the reader viewing the file by double-
clicking on the file icon.

Wordperfect is also adding some editing features, promising
cut-and-paste, indent, center, flush right, search, and spell-
check features, as well as a thesaurus. Another new feature is
called  "ordered distribution" which lets the user set up a
distribution list for mail. The first user receives the mail, acts
on it and releases it. It is then sent to the next user on the list.

Office 4.0 will also offer a "Delegate" feature, allowing a user to
delegate scheduled to-do tasks, appointments, or messages in a
"I'm  not here, could you handle this" manner. The program will
also  integrate the company's InForms filler, allowing a user to
display, fill in, and transfer electronic forms through the
messaging system.

Office 4.0 on a PC local area network (LAN) requires 384
kilobytes (KB) or RAM and DOS 3.1 or higher. Office supports most
popular PC networks, including Novell, Banyan, LAN Manager, LAN
Server, and DEC PCSA. The Windows version requires 2 megabytes
(MB) of RAM, Windows 3.0 or higher, and compatible PC/LAN
software.

Wordperfect spokesperson Hank Heilesen told Newsbytes that the
Platform Administration Pack, which includes documentation and
includes software for five users, will has a suggested retail
price of $495 for any version. There's also a multi-pack, which
includes all three versions, for $795. Additional single and
multiple user packs are available, starting at $80 depending on
the number of users.

Heilesen told Newsbytes Wordperfect will upgrade to Office from
a competitive product for $25 for a single user version, to $15
per user for a 100-user pack. Users of other programs can upgrade
to the multipack for $200. Present Office users can upgrade for
$16 for a single user to $10 per user for a 100-user pack.

Office 4.0 will run on Apple Computer's Macintosh Plus, Classic,
SE, Portable, LC and II systems with a minimum of 1 MB of RAM.
Its compatible with System 7, Localtalk, EtherTalk, AppleTalk, or
PC/LAN network software.

(Jim Mallory/19921015/Press contact: Brian Chapman,
Wordperfect Corporation, 801-228-5037; Reader contact:
800-451-5151)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(DEN)(00015)

Radio Shack To Sell MobileComm Pagers 10/15/92
FORT WORTH, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1992 OCT 15 (NB) -- Radio Shack has
announced a joint agreement with MobileComm to sell that
company's PersonalPagers in Radio Shack stores nationwide.

The PersonalPager will retail for $99.95 and is expected to be in
most Radio Shack participating dealers stores by November 1.
To reach a MobileComm/Radio Shack pager user, you'll be able
to call a toll-free number. MobileComm spokesperson Jean
Coppenbarger told Newsbytes basic monthly paging service costs
average $10-12 per month.  That is without the voice mail
feature. Costs in some areas are regulated, said Coppenbarger.

The paging industry's trade association Telocator says the $2
billion paging industry is growing at 15 to 20 percent annually.
No longer the purview of doctors, pagers are now carried by
children, drug dealers, service technicians, police officers, and
a host of workers in other industries.

Radio Shack says it will also market a nationwide pager for
$179.95 with regional and nationwide coverage provided by
MobileComm. The regional option can be customized to meet the
needs of the frequent traveler who requires coverage in selected
parts of the country. MobileComm says it is the only company that
offers these coverage options on its own systems. The company
provides messaging services in all 50 states, Canada, Puerto Rico,
and the Virgin Islands, and has about one million paging units in
service.

(Jim Mallory/19921015/Press contact: Tony Magoulas, Radio
Shack, 817-878-4852)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(DEN)(00016)

Kodak Demos Multidimensional Pictures From Film 10/15/92
COLOGNE, GERMANY, 1992 OCT 15 (NB) -- Eastman Kodak recently
demonstrated a new depth-imaging technology that enables
images captured on photographic film to be produced and viewed
as high-resolution, three-dimensional pictures.

However, the company says it has not decided yet whether it
will bring the film to market. But reaction from a few potential
customers has been good, according to Roland Schindler, project
manager at Kodak.

Kodak President Leo Thomas who demonstrated the new technology
at  Europe's annual photo show, Photokina, said that previous 3D
systems failed, not because people do not want 3D, but because a
poor stereo image is less satisfying than a good photograph.

Kodak scientists use track-mounted 35 millimeter cameras with
electronically triggered shutters to capture scenes from several
different perspectives. Old fashioned stereoptican viewers, with
which viewers looked through a magnifying lens at two pictures
shot from slightly different angles, used a similar but less
sophisticated technique.

The company said it used six to 12 images to produce a single 3D
picture. The film is processed normally and scanned by a Kodak
Photo CD scanner into digital information. The Photo CDsystem
was introduced to the public recently as a means of storing
conventional photos on a CD-disk. Conventional Photo CD images
can be viewed using a television set and a special CD player, or can
be edited using a CD player and a personal computer with special
software.

So far Kodak has used transparency film (slides) to project the 3D
images, but says there is no theoretical reason why the technology
would not work well with prints. Kodak scientists say they can
product depth images as large as 40.6 by 50.8 centimeters.

(Jim Mallory/19921015/Press contact: Paul Allen, Eastman Kodak,
716-724-5802)


(NEWS)(IBM)(BOS)(00017)

Interpreter Intros Portable CD-ROM Player With TSR 10/15/92
WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1992 OCT 15 (NB) -- Interpreter,
a vendor specializing in hardware that runs off the PC parallel
port, is adding a pair of CD-ROM players to its product lineup.

Martin Steinberg, company director, told Newsbytes that the two
models in the new DiscXchange CD-ROM Series offer the same
portability as competing players in the market segment, but with
a unique TSR (terminate-and-stay-resident) capability.  The two
players, the model 100 and the speedier model 200, are slated to
ship next week.

"As more and more CD-ROM titles are released, we're seeing
increasing interest in players that work off the parallel port.
With products like ours, the user can buy a volume of reference
materials and share it among multiple desktop and notebook PCs,
without having to add cards to all those machines," Steinberg
commented.

The company's new model 100 weighs six pounds and requires an
external power supply.  The model 200 weighs nine pounds, and
comes with a built-in power supply.  Access times are 450
milliseconds (ms) for the model 100 and 340 ms for the model
200.

The new TSR feature brings extra convenience to each model, by
enabling immediate access from an application operating on a PC
to a CD-ROM title running on the player, according to Steinberg.

"Let's say you're in the middle of a spreadsheet and you need to
access some information off the CD. All you do is go to your 'C'
prompt, boot us off the 'A' drive, and type 'Start CD.'  The system
will automatically recognize the drive and let you into the
database," he illustrated.

Steinberg told Newsbytes that he expects the players to be
especially popular with notebook users, due to the lack of
standard expansion slots on many PCs in that category.

He emphasized that the products will also be useful for desktop
PCs, by circumventing the need to open up the machine, insert an
interface card, and reconfigure the system. Even players that use
the SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) port require
interface cards, he noted.

"One of our clients has bank examiners on the road all over US,
who carry our players with them, together with CD-ROM discs
filled with documentation concerning every pertinent law on the
books," stated Steinberg. The examiners can quickly plug the
players into their own portable computers, or into whatever
desktop PCs happen to be handy, he explained.

The CD-ROM Series joins a DiskXchange family that already
includes removable hard drives and removable cartridge drives.
Interpreter also offers the TapeXchange lineup of tape backup
systems. Like the CD-ROM Series, the company's other products
operate off the PC parallel port.

The model 100 and model 200 each come in a ruggedized
aluminum case. Prices are $595 for the model 100 and $895 for
the model 200.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19921015; Press and reader contact: Martin
Steinberg, Interpreter, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00018)

UK: BT's EDI Net Links With AT&T & IBM's Networks 10/15/92
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1992 OCT 15 (NB) -- British Telecom's EDI Net,
the company's electronic data interchange (EDI) network, has
linked with AT&T's and IBM's EDI networks.

The interconnection marks an interesting development in the
previously highly competitive marketplace for EDI networks. Until
the link-up, BT and IBM were battling for EDI market share here
in the UK.

Since buying into Tymnet last year, BT has been steadily
increasing the geographical limits of its EDI network. The link
with AT&T is a logical step for the company, since it opens up
the possibility of luring AT&T's US customer over with the
prospect of international access and inter-network messaging.

The interconnection between the networks is available to CCITT
X.25 network standards working to the Odette EDI network
protocol. According to Neil Lawrence, BT's commercial manager
for EDI, customers are the winners in this interconnection
arrangement.

"Customers buying from suppliers who offer interconnections can
look forward to improved service and after sales care. These
suppliers will be forced to compete on service as customers will
no longer be 'locked-in' to a single supplier community," he said.
"Since the launch of EDI Net in the UK, BT has set about promoting
interconnections to all other EDI VANS. This policy was pioneered
by us in the States and we now have 24 interconnections globally."

(Steve Gold/19921015/Press Contact: JBA - Tel: [phone];
Email: Dialcom - 10080:BTG950)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00019)

Silicon Graphics Opens Swiss Manufacturing Facility 10/15/92
CORTAILLOD, SWITZERLAND, 1992 OCT 15 (NB) -- Silicon Graphics
has opened a manufacturing and support facility in Cortaillod,
Switzerland. The factory, which cost around $25 million, will
handle production of the company's European hardware.

Plans call for the new SG plan to produce the Iris Indigo family
of RISC (reduced instruction-set computing) workstations. What's
interesting is that the facility will be producing Iris Indigo
workstations for worldwide consumption.

SG's Swiss Manager Gien Pham, announcing the factory, said that
around 100 jobs will be created in total. "My efforts will be
focused on developing Switzerland's competitive technological
edge in Europe by establishing a close cooperative partnership
between Silicon Graphics and Switzerland's industrial research,
private and government sectors, and technical universities," he
said.

Bob Bishop, SG's president, said that the factory was designed
to be a European showcase for the technical and scientific
capabilities of Silicon Graphics.

So why Switzerland? Bishop explained that the country choice
was made because of Switzerland's "reliable, efficient,
multilingual and quality-oriented engineering workforce.
Cortaillod's proximity to all European markets makes it ideally
suited for Silicon Graphics," he said.

(Steve Gold/19921015/Press & Public Contact: Silicon
Graphics (Switzerland) - Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00020)

UK: Elonex Unveils Office PC Range 10/15/82
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1992 OCT 15 (NB) -- Elonex, the UK direct-sell
operation, has announced the Office PC series of computers. The
PCs are billed a family of 80486-based machines pre-loaded with
Microsoft Office, the integrated suite of software from Microsoft.

Announcing the new machines, Israel Wetrin, Elonex's managing
director, said that his company was one of the first PC
manufacturers to include high value software. "In a sense, we're
reviving a company tradition with the introduction of our Office
PC range," he explained.

"What makes this new family special is the sheer power of the
systems on offer. The Office range matches some of the most
powerful hardware available today with several of the most
well-regarded applications for Windows -- these systems offer
unprecedented value for money," he said.

The Office range of PCs are based on the company's ISA (Industry
Standard Architecture) desktop computer, LAN (local area
network) workstation and modular notebooks. Each machine in the
range comes with at least four megabytes (MB) of RAM plus a
100MB  hard disk. A number of display options are available.

Pricing on the three families of Power Office PCs - the desktops,
LAN workstations and notebooks - is highly competitive, according
to company officials.

Sample pricing on the desktop series, which range from 25
megahertz (MHz) 80486SX to 66MHz 80486DX2 processor bases
with eight MB of memory and a 200MB hard disk, is UKP 1,705 for
a 33MHz 80486-based system with 14-inch color monitor.

Sample pricing on the notebooks, with center around the same
choice of processors as the desktop series, is UKP 1,785 for a
25MHz 80486SX-based machine with passive matrix color screen.
All the notebooks feature 4MB of memory plus a removable
120MB hard disk.

(Steve Gold/19921015/Press & Public Contact: Elonex -
Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SYD)(00021)

Australia: Comms Network Keeps Trains Going 10/15/92
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA, 1992 OCT 15 (NB) - An extensive
communications network is used by Queensland Railways (QR) to
monitor and administer all facets of its operation - the largest
rail network in Australia. QR uses an extensive mix of
technologies and methods combined into the second largest
communications network in Australia, after national carrier
AOTC (Australian and Overseas Telecommunications Corporation).

The network is the result of extensive research and development
by the QR Telecommunications Division (QRTD). This division was
recently made an independent entity, as were the other seven QR
divisions. It uses a variety of cabling and transmission equipment,
including copper wire, optic fiber, satellites, radio, microwaves,
cables and commercial carrier services.

The network is used for both inter-office communications, control
of the rail network, and in emergency situations. For example, all
of the whistle stops and crossing signals on the 10,000 kilometers
of tracks can be activated from central control. If there is a
failure in this feature, central control can also communicate with
any train throughout the network, informing them of problems.

Currently, there are over 2,000 computer terminals hooked up to
local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs), which
is used are used for the administration side of the rail network
control, such as rosters, maintenance schedules, and payrolls.

For yards, there is an on-line control system, which allows staff
to move stock by using a light-pen on the screen, as well as
monitor loading and unloading operations onscreen. The QRTD
also offers consultancy services, mainly to overseas companies,
and also maintains communications equipment for other
Queensland State departments.

(Sean McNamara/19921015)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SYD)(00022)

Australia: BHP Installs On-line Coating System 10/15/92
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, 1992 OCT 15 (NB) - BHP, Australia's
largest mining and metal processing company, has installed an
AUS$150 million automated metallic coating plant. The plant
allows the control of the coating process to such a degree that it
will open up whole new markets for BHP's products.

Until now, the precision needed for the hot-dip galvanizing process
(steel feed rate and minute temperature variations play a vital
role in the process) has limited the resulting products to use by
the construction and appliance industries. However, with the new
computer-controlled plant and the development of micro-alloyed
steels, it opens the markets to other customers, such as car
makers who need perfect surface quality with pre-determined
roughness and increased corrosion protection.

The plant was developed and installed by Cegelec Australia, a
company which combines GEC Alsthom Australia's Automation
Systems division and the work of Cegelec of France. The system
features 40 digital Gemdrive Micro DC drives, 54 AC drives, eight
Multigem programmable logic controllers (PLCs), software, motor
control centers and field devices.

Responding to BHP's requirements, Cegelec installed a system in
which "our overriding priority was to include as high a level of
automation as possible without complicating the design - and
within budget," said Peter Vicary, Cegelec Australia's metal
industries manager. "At (the system's) heart are the Multigem
PLCs. They control all items of the line, from starting and
stopping hydraulic pumps, strip transportation and complete
process control, to operator interface and diagnostics via keypads
and color monitors."

(Sean McNamara/19921015)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SYD)(00023)

Australia: Qantas Offers Disaster Recovery 10/15/92
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1992 OCT 15 (NB) - Qantas information
technology (IT) division Qantek, has joined with Ferntree Computer
Corp and Comdisco Disaster Recovery Services (CDRS) to form
Failsafe Recovery Services (FRS). FRS will offer customers
computer recovery services in the event of major equipment
failures.

Qantek will supply the computer recovery facilities for the
venture, based in its own recovery center in Sydney's West. This
facility was recently called into action when Qantas' primary
and secondary mainframes failed. Staff, systems, and data were
transferred to the recovery center until the mainframe problems
were fixed. Ferntree's contribution to operations will come in the
form of its 30 years of experience in the sale, installation, and
support of computer equipment and services to large corporations
and government departments.

CDRS is a US firm specializing in computer disaster recovery.
With 400 staff and 25 "hot site" recovery centers in the US and
four in Europe, CDRS claims to have helped companies recover
from 97 disasters in the US and in Europe over its 12 years of
operation.

FRS will use Qantek's IBM 3090-5 00J mainframe, with a full
range of peripherals and networking from its Homebush center.
These facilities will also be linked with a remote Business
Recovery Facility in Melbourne.

(Sean McNamara/19921015)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00024)

Cabletron Intros SNA Integration Products 10/15/92
ROCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE, U.S.A., 1992 OCT 15 (NB) -- Many
network sites that have IBM mainframes and other equipment are
encountering a growing problem.

The IBM equipment has traditionally been managed and networked
via SNA (Systems network Architecture). The new equipment is
more than likely to be SNMP (Simple Network Management
Protocol) based. So how do you manage both types of network
equipment and integrate newer technologies such as Token Ring
at the same time?

Cabletron has a strategy to help solve such dilemmas. Part of
the strategy are encompassed in a set of four new products that
the company will be showing for the first time at the Interop
show set for October 28.

The first of the four is a new set of modules for Cabletron's
Spectrum network management platform. These modules are
called BlueVision and they were developed jointly with NetTech
of Raleigh, North Carolina. BlueVision allows the customer to use
Spectrum and depict the complete network using the graphical and
icon-based approach of the product. Both SNA- and SNMP-based
elements will be shown on the screen and the network
administrator will be able to send commands to them in the usual
graphical way. In addition, those network administrators who are
used to the IBM NetView command line and wish to continue
issuing commands in that fashion will be able to do so. Cabletron
is claiming that they are the first company that allows for both
SNA and SNMP management from a single platform.

There are various software components that are a part of
BlueVision - there needs to be a separate library for each of the
types of network devices out there - and Cabletron has decided to
sell them each separately so that the customer needs to buy only
the components for those network devices that they have in their
site. For that reason, there is no single price for a BlueVision
installation but Newsbytes has learned that Cabletron expects the
customers to spend about $15,000 per site.

The second new offering is called SNACMIM. This is the result of
another collaborative effort, this time between Cabletron and
SYNC Research. The SNACMIM is a module that fits into Cabletron's
hubs and that will perform SDLC (Synchronous Data Link Control)
to Token Ring message conversions. This is a rather unique
approach as it does not require that a counter-conversion to take
place on the other side of the network.

The SNACMIM comes in either a two-port or four-port
configuration on the SNA side, and is capable of attaching up to
16 physical units to the hub. Prices are $3,495 and $5,195
respectively. The SNACMIM will begin shipping in 90 days.

Another new module for Cabletron's hubs is the TRBMIM. This
module provides two Token Ring ports with local source routing
bridging and management capabilities provided on board. The
module uses both SNMP and IBM's LAN Network Manager modules
for the system's management. This module will also be available
in 90 days and will retail for $6,995.

Finally, Cabletron has introduced a set of two new standalone hubs
that are intended to meet the needs of the small satellite office.
Some of the special needs that the TRXI line will meet will be the
ability to support up to 24 Token Ring ports as well as be
manageable either locally via a LCD (liquid crustal display) and
keypad, or remotely, via SNMP. Users can initially purchase the
12-port version for $3,995, and then upgrade to the 24-port
version for $1,000 (which is the difference in the pricing) when
they need the extra ports. As with the other modules, Cabletron
expects to make these available to customers within 90 days.

(Naor Wallach/19921015/Press Contact: Darren Orzechowski,
Cabletron, 603-332-9400 Extension 1282/Public Contact:
Cabletron, 603-332-9400)


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

New For PC: Automatix, Sharp Release Vision Products 10/15/92
BILLERICA, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 OCT 15 (NB) -- Automatix
and Sharp Digital Information Products have announced a
jointly-developed hardware and software package to provide high-
speed alignment for the machine-vision market. Sharp will sell the
combination of software from Automatix and an image processing
board from Sharp, said Gary Wagner, vice-president of marketing at
Automatix.

Automatix' Correlation Search is pattern-recognition software
written in the C language and meant for automated assembly and
process feedback applications. It works with Sharp's GPB-1 image
processing board for personal computers, and a new daughtercard
called AlignCard which Sharp is announcing.

The combination of Correlation Search, the GPB-1, and the
AlignCard provides fast gray scale pattern recognition at
sub-pixel accuracy, the companies said.

Wagner said the combination of Correlation Search and the
GPB-1/AlignCard are suitable for a variety of manufacturing and
scientific applications. A major market, the vendors said, will be
original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and high-volume users of
automated semiconductor and printed circuit board manufacturing
equipment.

According to Wagner, the type of performance the Sharp-Automatix
package offers has been generally available only from proprietary
vision systems.

Billerica-based Automatix develops and manufactures industrial
machine vision systems, hardware and software modules, and
robotic controls products. Sharp Digital Information Products,
based in Irvine, California, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sharp
Corporation of Japan. It provides image processing products for
various applications.

(Grant Buckler/19921015/Press Contact: Gary Wagner, Automatix,
508-667-7900, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00026)

 ****Lotus Revenues Slide, But Earnings Up 10/15/92
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 OCT 15 (NB) -- Despite
a decline in third-quarter revenue to $206.7 million from $218.8
million in the same period last year, Lotus Development has
reported a 40 percent gain in net income. Income in the quarter
ended September 26 was $30.1 million, or 72 cents per share, up
from $21.5 million or 48 cents per share in the third quarter of
1991.

The net-income gain came from cost-cutting efforts and from the
sale of $34.6 million worth of stock in software vendor Sybase.

Ed Gillis, chief financial officer at Lotus, said the Sybase sale
accounted for just over half of the jump in Lotus's net income in
the quarter. The rest came from improvements in costs in the
company research and development and general administration
areas, slightly offset by higher sales and marketing costs, he said.

Asked about the danger that cost-cutting in research and
development could hurt Lotus' ability to keep producing competitive
products, Gillis said the company is focusing on core areas of its
business at the expense of some less vital areas of R&D, and is
also seeking to be more efficient through measures such as using
the same portions of software code in different products.

As for the decline in revenue, Gillis said several factors are to
blame. For one thing, he said, the third quarter is usually slow,
while the fourth quarter is usually stronger. General economic
weakness, resulting in lower-than-expected shipments of personal
computers, has been a factor, especially in Japan and to a lesser
extent in other international markets, he said.

Gillis added that the market's move to Microsoft's Windows
operating environment has been bad for Lotus' sales in the short
term, though he said that in the long term the company expects to
benefit. And he added that price competition in the software
market has put pressure on the company's revenues as well.

"The magnitude and direction of those trends is hard to assess,"
Gillis said, "but they are not likely to disappear in a quarter."
He said that while Lotus expects revenue growth in the fourth
quarter to exceed that in the third quarter, the company expects
growth to be slow for the next few quarters.

For the nine months ended September 26, Lotus' net income rose 76
percent to $65.8 million, or $1.52 per share, from $37.3 million,
or 84 cents per share, in the same period last year. Lotus' revenue
for the nine months increased 13 percent to $654.1 million, from
$579.7 million in the comparable 1991 period. Excluding the gain
from the sale of Sybase stock, net income in the first nine months
of 1992 increased 15 percent to $43 million, or 99 cents per share,
over net income for the similar 1991 period.

(Grant Buckler/19921015/Press Contact: Bryan Simmons, Lotus,
617-693-1697)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LAX)(00027)

Intel's Processors Will All "Sleep" To Save Energy 10/15/92
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 OCT 15 (NB) -- Intel,
the giant manufacturer of processors for IBM and compatible
personal computers (PCs) says all microprocessor chips it makes
will eventually have the energy saving features of the
microprocessors the company designs now for use in battery
operated portable PCs. The move is in support of the US
Environmental Protection Agency's "Energy Star Computers
Program," Intel added.

The voluntary Energy Star program was introduced this year by
the EPA and some of the largest companies in the industry have
already signed up, including Apple Computer, Compaq, Digital
Equipment, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, NCR, Smith Corona, and
Zenith. The idea is to find ways to allow computer devices to
use less energy.

The "sleep," or power conservation, mode designed into some
microprocessor chips, such as the i386SL from Intel, was born
out of the necessity to conserve precious battery energy in
portable computers. Portable computers go into a low-power
mode after several minutes of non-use to allow a longer period
of use.

However, Intel says it can build all microprocessor chips in
this manner. The EPA says if all the estimated 10 million
computers could "power down" they would use will use 50
percent less energy and ultimately save enough electricity to
power Vermont and New Hampshire each year.

Intel says it can do better than a 50 percent power reduction.
It plans a low-power state that would use 30 watts or less of
power, compared to several hundred watts that is typically used
by personal computers today. According to market research firm
Dataquest, 80 percent of today's personal computers are built
using Intel microprocessors. Intel maintains over 20 million
new personal computers annually are built using Intel
microprocessors.

The EPA plans to issue permission for computers that meet its
standards to carry a special "Energy Star" logo. However, the
energy-saving standards for the program have not been
determined as of yet, the EPA said.

(Linda Rohrbough/19921015/Press Contact: Howard High, Intel,
tel [phone], fax [phone]; Dave Ryan, EPA, 202-260-
2981)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LAX)(00028)

Sega CD Introduced On TV In NY's Times Square 10/15/92
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 OCT 15 (NB) -- Sega has
launched its compact disc (CD) player, the Sega CD, in New York
City by allowing guests to play the new "True Video" games on
the 750 square-foot television located in Times Square from a
hotel with a window facing the giant TV.

Sega says up until now, video games have included animated
characters. However, the company maintains its "True Video"
technology allows users to control and manipulate real actors.
Animation, digitized video footage from movies, special
effects, graphics, and audiophile quality CD sound are included
as part of the new games. The company asserts its goal is to
make Sega CD play like being in a movie theater controlling
characters on the screen.

Another plus for Sega buffs is that the 16-bit Genesis system is
already built to incorporate the Sega CD. Those with Genesis
systems can simply add the $299 Sega CD portion to add the
multimedia game capability.

In addition, Sega says video games and music CDs individually
valued at $300 are included with the Sega CD. The titles
included are Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective; a single
disc with Revenge of the Shinobi, Golden Axe, Columns, and
Streets of Rage; Sol Feace, a made-for-CD shooter; and two
others including an audio CD.

Nintendo, Sega's largest competitor, has announced a similar
system but Sega says it has beat the company to the market by a
full year. Sega President Tom Kalinske blasted Nintendo and its
recent announcement with Sony for a new CD player, expected in
the third quarter of 1993 by saying, "It's one thing for
Nintendo to claim that a future product will become an industry
standard, and quite another to achieve that goal."

Sega is boasting it expects to sell 200,000 Sega CD units by
the end of this year and is spending $11 million on advertising
and a promotional campaign to launch the new system. The units
are planned for sale in retail stores in November, Sega added.

(Linda Rohrbough/19921015/Press Contact: Charlene Gigliotti,
Manning, Salvage & Lee, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LAX)(00029)

Silicon Valley Woes Addressed At Conference 10/15/92
SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 OCT 15 (NB) -- Speakers at
a conference of Silicon Valley executives have mixed feelings
about who is to blame for the community's economic woes, which
includes reports that the community has lost 30,000 jobs since
1984. Alvin Toffler, author of "Future Shock" says underinvestment
in intellectual products is to blame while others are blaming
underinvestment in manufacturing for the region's problems.

More layoffs and company moves out of the area sparked the
formation last month of a group to combat the problems - Joint
Venture: Silicon Valley. Made up of high-tech firms, government
bodies, and educational institutions, Joint Venture sponsored
it's first "High Tech Summit -- A Visioning Conference" to draw
attention to the problems and seek answers.

Toffler said the US government agenda is misdirected and congress
is ignoring the critical "brain-force economy," and concentrating
instead on funding "macho-materialism" industries such as
manufacturing, according to reports from the conference. In a
proposed $100 billion bill to improve the nation's infrastructure
$99 billion is ear-marked for concrete and steel construction and
only $1 billion is pointed at fiber optics and supercomputer
systems, said Toffler.

However, Kenneth Courtis, an economist and professor at Tokyo
University was reported as saying the problems stem from the
opposite reason -- lack of US investment in plants and
equipment. Courtis showed figures indicating US investment
trails the Japanese by half and significantly trails German
investments, according to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle.

While no mention was made of the State of California's high tax
rates or stringent requirements on businesses, reports on
other states offering lower wages and tax incentives were
listed as one of the reasons jobs are moving out of Silicon
Valley.

The one thing everyone seems to agree on is Silicon Valley
firms need to make "deals" with Asian firms, especially for
opportunities opening up in China. Opportunities for Pacific
Rim-based Silicon Valley may go by in the global economy,
some analysts claimed.

(Linda Rohrbough/19921015)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00030)

 ****IBM Loses $2.8 Billion In 3rd Qtr 10/15/92
ARMONK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 OCT 15 (NB) -- There is more red
ink at Big Blue as IBM reported a $2.8 billion loss in its third
quarter, which ended September 30. Though revenue was up in the
quarter, a large charge to cover the cost of staff cuts and
reduction of manufacturing capacity led to a net loss.

The loss, amounting to $4.87 per share, compares with net earnings
of $177 million or 31 cents per share in the same quarter last
year. Earnings for the nine months ended September 30 were up
over the same period last year, however, coming in at $45 billion,
up 5.1 percent from the prior year's $42.8 billion.

IBM's third-quarter earnings include a charge of $2,886 million
or $5.02 per share as a result of the cuts in capacity announced
September 29, and the cost of additional work force reductions.

At the end of September, IBM announced plans to cut capacity
around the world, selling equipment and buildings. The company
also said its incentives to employees to leave the company,
originally intended to cut worldwide staff by about 20,000, are
getting many more takers than expected. IBM now expects to
reduce its worldwide work force by about 40,000 employees
this year.

Company spokesman Rob Wilson said these cuts will result
from voluntary incentives already in place, not from layoffs or
additional incentives.

The total cost of additional 1992 employee departures, plus some
employees who will be leaving by early 1993, will be about $2.1
billion, and about half of that amount falls on the third quarter,
Wilson said. Wilson could not say whether the charges might lead
to a loss on the year.

Revenue in the third quarter was $14.7 billion, up 1.8 percent from
$14.4 billion in the third quarter of 1991. Net earnings before the
special charges would have been $86 million, or 15 cents per share,
IBM said.

For the first nine months of 1992, worldwide net earnings before
capacity and workforce reduction charges and the cumulative effect
of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards 109 (SFAS 109)
(Accounting for Income Taxes), were $1.5 billion, or $2.56 per
share. After the workforce reduction and accounting charges, net
earnings for the nine months were $498 million or 87 cents per
share compared with a loss of $1.4 billion or $2.46 per share in
the same period of 1991.

In a press release, IBM Chairman John F. Akers said: "I'm
disappointed by our third-quarter results. Our business was
adversely affected by economic turmoil in Europe, particularly at
the close of the quarter, and by persistent economic weakness in
the United States and Japan. Our hardware profits continued to be
hurt by price pressures, especially within our personal computer
line. Software and services revenues grew and our expenses
declined."

There were times today when the NYSE ticker was showing
three trades out of five as sales of IBM, with occasional streams
of five or even six individual IBM trades in a row. Around 10:30
a.m. east coast time the trade prices were hovering around $74
per share, with occasional dips as low as 73 3/4. By 11:30, the
price had dropped by another full point. IBM stock had closed the
previous day's trading at $78 per share.

(Grant Buckler & John McCormick/19921015/Press Contact: Rob
Wilson, IBM, 914-765-6565)