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/nb921105

Text File | 1992-11-05 | 68KB | 1,523 lines

(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00001)

Delrina Signs With Frontline Distribution 11/05/92
BOREHAMWOOD, HERTFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1992 NOV 5 (NB) --
Delrina Technology has signed to Frontline, one of the most
prominent computer hardware and software distributors.
Terms of the deal call for Frontline to stock the complete range
of Delrina packages -- including Winfax Pro -- for sale to retail
outlets in the UK.

Announcing the deal, Larry Levy, Delrina' sales and marketing
director, said that the agreement is a key objective in the
company's marketing strategy for the UK market.

"Frontline is the last of the mainstream distributors to take on
the Delrina range. Delrina will be supporting Frontline with
comprehensive technical training and marketing campaigns. We
believe that the recent Frontline initiative to offer a unique
innovative technical support service to resellers will work well
with the Delrina product range," he said.

Since launching in the UK in the last couple of years, Delrina
has gone from strength to strength. This is despite a few
setbacks, such as a number of modem companies dumping Winfax,
the fax communications software package, from their bundling
deals, claiming that Delrina was charging too much for the
products.

(Steve Gold/19921104/Press & Public Contact: Delrina
Technology - Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone])


(NEWS)(APPLE)(LAX)(00002)

New For Macintosh: Multimedia Books 11/05/92
NOVATO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- Two multimedia
books for children, based on popular publications by Mercer Mayer
and Marc Brown, have been released by Broderbund. The books take
advantage of multimedia by allowing the exploration of every
object depicted, with animation linking most of the objects in
every scene of the story.

The first book released in March, was "Just Grandma and Me,"
for ages 3-8 and is based on the book by Mercer Mayer. The
story is about "Little Critter's" trip to the beach with his
grandmother by bus. The second title now shipping, "Arthur's
Teacher Trouble," for ages 6-10, is based on the popular
character Arthur the aardvark.

Broderbund has designed the series so that each "page" of the
story is an adventure. For example, a click with the mouse on a
tree in the scene makes a bird fly out, while another click on
a mailbox causes the mailbox to pop open and a frog jumps out.

The books are also presented in several languages. The "Just
Grandma and Me" can be read to or played in English, Spanish,
and Japanese, Broderbund said. "Arthur's Teacher Trouble" can
be heard in either English or Spanish.

Spelling lessons are as "hidden" in "Arthur's Teacher Trouble"
as the story line is. Arthur starts third grade with the
notorious Mr. Ratburn as his teacher and ends up having to
represent the class in a school-wide spelling bee. Spelling
words, in English or Spanish, are offered in the story, and
Broderbund says some of the spelling words are also animated.

Other titles planned include "New Kid on the Block" by Jack
Prelutsky and the Aesop fable, "The Tortoise and the Hare."

"Arthur's Teacher Trouble" is available now for Macintosh
computers equipped with a compact disc read-only memory
(CD-ROM) drive. It will be available for multimedia IBM
compatible personal computers (MPCs) in January of 1993. The
"Just Grandma and Me" title shipped in March for the Macintosh
and was released in October for the MPC.

Broderbund says prices may vary but users can expect to pay
from $39.95 to $55.95 for each title.

The company has been very successful with its educational
geography games, the Carmen Sandiego series, as well as with
its Print Shop program.

(Linda Rohrbough/19921104/Press Contact: Jessica Switzer,
Broderbund Software, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00003)

New For PC: CA-SuperProject For Windows Update 11/05/92
ISLANDIA, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- Computer
Associates has announced a new release of its project management
software for Microsoft Windows. CA-SuperProject for Windows
3.0 is the first of CA's software packages to use a subset of the
company's CA-Realizer language as a macro language.

Version 3.0 also adds support for dynamic data exchange, a
Windows facility that lets various software packages share data
with one file updating automatically when a linked file is changed.
Marc Sokol, CA's director of product strategy, described DDE as
"very important" for data sharing, noting that several other CA
packages for Windows already support it.

CA-Realizer is CA's graphical BASIC-language development tool,
acquired from Within Technologies of Mount Laurel, New Jersey, in
May of 1992. The company has revealed plans to use a subset of
Realizer as a common macro language across a number of
applications, of which SuperProject is the first.

Sokol said Realizer will be for CA what Microsoft's Word BASIC is
for that company. He said the company is considering a number of
other packages in which it may incorporate Realizer, with its
SuperCalc spreadsheet program a likely one, but has no definite
timetable for releasing such enhancements.

Other enhancements in release 3.0 include dynamic link libraries
for Microsoft C and Visual BASIC programming languages, new
customization features, new scheduling and resource
management options, enhanced charting, new page format options,
and the ability to import project from Microsoft Project or export
them to CA's CA-Tellaplan project management software for
minicomputers and mainframes.

Due to ship by the end of November, CA-SuperProject 3.0 will
carry a suggested retail price of $895, with additional local area
network "LAN Paks" available for $695 each. Upgrades from
previous versions will cost $295, the company said. The software
runs on any personal computer able to run Windows, according to
the vendor.

(Grant Buckler/19921104/Press Contact: Bob Gordon, Computer
Associates, 516-342-2391, fax [phone]; Public Contact:
Computer Associates, 800-225-5224)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(SFO)(00004)

New For Unix: Solaris 2.1 11/05/92
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- Cashing
in on the apparent popularity of its Solaris version of Unix,
SunSoft has introduced version 2.1 of the distributed computing
environment. According to the company, the 32-bit Solaris 2.1
features new installation, administration, security, and
internationalization features.

The company says that the new version incorporates more than
1,000 product improvements, delivering up to a 40 percent
increase in areas of network performance and up to a 50 percent
increase in user interaction performance over Solaris 2.0.

Additionally, the new version offers major enhancements in the
graphics area, providing users with two-dimensional and three-
dimensional capabilities critical to the technical and high-end
commercial markets, claims the company.

Sun Microsystems Computer Corp., is set to make Solaris 2.1
available for all existing SPARC systems by the end of the
year. The company says that Solbourne, CompuAdd, Toshiba,
and Hyundai will use the software in their systems targeted
for shipment next year. More than 5,000 32-bit applications
are claimed to be available for Solaris today.

The Solaris 2.1 environment is binary-compatible with Solaris
2.0 allowing applications to run without modification.

In July Newsbytes reported the shipment of SunSoft's Solaris
2.0 software environment. At the same time the company also
released Solaris 2.0 OEM Multiprocessing Kit, a CD that allows
system manufacturers to take advantage of the symmetric
multiprocessing features offered in the Solaris kernel.

(Ian Stokell/19921104/Press Contact: Laura Ramsey, Sunsoft
Inc., 415-336-0739)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00005)

OEMs Choose Seagate Drives 11/05/92
SCOTTS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- Seagate
continues to have success in getting major computer vendors to
include its drives with their products. Just two weeks after
announcing that Sun Microsystems, Texas Instruments, and NEC
had selected Seagate drives, the company has announced that
several leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs),
including Next Computer and Commodore, have chosen Seagate's
ST3283 hard disc drive for use in a range products.

The 245 megabytes (MB) 3.5-inch ST3283 has an average seek
time of 12 milliseconds (ms) for read/write commands and a
4,500 revolutions per minute (rpm) spindle rotation speed.

The company says that Next Computer will use the Seagate drives
in its line of entry-level workstations.

Stacey Lund, Seagate's director of marketing, said: "Seagate's
ST3283 offers the increased performance levels required by
Next customers without the penalty of higher power consumption."

Meanwhile, Commodore maintains it will be using the ST3283 for
high-performance PC applications -- designing the ST3283N into
its 68030- and 68040-based Amiga 3000 line.

Randy Hilton, Mass Storage Specialist for Commodore, said: "Our
hard drive decision was an easy one because the Seagate ST3283
ranked above the competition in our key requirement areas --
price/performance, system performance, and overall quality."

In addition to its 12 ms average seek time, the ST3283 features
track-to-track seeks of 3.5 ms, an average latency of 6.7 ms,
and a non-operating shock specification of 75Gs.

At the end of October Newsbytes reported that the company
had said that its Elite 2 product had been selected by Sun
Microsystems for use in its high-end multiprocessor servers.
At the same time, major OEMs (original equipment
manufacturers) such as NEC, Texas Instruments, and Commodore
selected Seagate's ST9144 hard disc drives for use in their new
notebook computers.

(Ian Stokell/19921104/Press Contact:Julie A. Still, Seagate
Technology, 408-438-6550)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00006)

New For PC: Electronic Computer User's Dictionary 11/05/92
CARMEL, INDIANA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- Que Software says
it is now shipping its Computer User's Dictionary Electronic
Edition, a pop-up reference utility for DOS and Windows users.

The dictionary is an electronic version of the Que book Que's
Computer User's Dictionary, which the company claims has sold
more than 200,000 copies, and is believed to be the first
electronic dictionary of PC terms.

Que says the software contains more than 2,000 definitions of
computer-related words and phrases. Users can keep the dictionary
active on the desktop just like a clock or calculator application.
"Computer users of all types will find this product a particularly
useful addition to their software libraries," says Que VP David
Israel.

To look up a term, the user can type in the word or term, or select
a word from a list. The definition appears in a window. Searches
can be accomplished by words or parts of words. The dictionary
uses hypertext linking of related topics. Using the product's
reverse dictionary, a user can enter a word and receive all the
terms whose definitions contain those words. A history function
lets users browse through all definitions accessed during the
current reference session.

Once a definition is found, it can be copied onto the clipboard and
then pasted into another application such as a word processor. A
flash card function lets users access random definitions to test
their knowledge of computer-related terms.

The DOS version of the dictionary runs as a terminate-and-stay
resident (TSR) program. Pressing a hot-key combination starts
the dictionary. The program can also be run stand-alone.

Que says the dictionary is available until the first of February for
$29.95, then the regular suggested retail price will be $39.95. The
DOS version requires 640 kilobytes of system memory, while the
Windows version requires one megabyte. Both versions support the
use of a mouse. Que spokesperson Susan Earabino told Newsbytes
there are no current plans to market a Macintosh version.

(Jim Mallory/19921104/Press contact: Susan Earabino, The
Marketing Partnership for Que Software, 617-876-9516; Reader
contact: 317-573-2500 or 800-992-0244)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TYO)(00007)

Japan: Canon Intros Low-cost 80486 Computer 11/05/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- Canon is set to join the
personal computer (PC) price war in Japan. The firm says it will
release low-cost 32-bit IBM-compatible PCs.

The PCs are expected to compete with those of Compaq, IBM
Japan, Japan Digital Equipment Corporation and Apple Computer.

Canon's low-cost PCs will be equipped with 32-bit processors.
The high-end version uses Intel's 80486 processor, and is
compatible with IBM's DOS/V operating system. The retail price
of this model will be under 200,000 yen ($1,650), which is about
the same price range as low-end PCs from Compaq, IBM Japan,
and Japan DEC.

Canon's latest IBM-compatible PCs will be produced by Taiwan
PC manufacturer, Acer. The firm will supply these PCs on an
OEM (original equipment manufacturer) basis to Canon. Canon
will then sell them under its own brand name in Japan.

The latest Canon PCs include the AXi/V486 and the 486DX. These
models have a four megabytes (MB) of RAM and Japanese language
feature besides an original English language feature. Both
machines will be able to have up to a 535 MB hard disk. These
new PCs are expected to debut around the middle November.

Interestingly, Canon has been a sales dealer of IBM Japan, and
has also been selling IBM Japan's low-cost PS/V personal
computers at its outlets. Also, the firm has been a dealer
of Apple Computer (Japan), and has been selling Macintosh
computers.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19921104/Press Contact: Canon
Sales, [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00008)

Matsushita Links With Nat Semi In IC Deal 11/05/92
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- Matsushita Electric has signed
an agreement with California-based National Semiconductor,
which calls for both firms to cooperate on the production and
the sale of analog integrated circuit (IC) chips.

Under this agreement, National Semiconductor will manufacture
and assemble analog ICs at its US plant under Matsushita's brand
name. Then, the firm will supply them to Matsushita. National
Semiconductor will also sell these ICs. It is reported that
National Semiconductor has already started manufacturing the
basic parts of the ICs at its plant in England, and completed the
products at its plants in South East Asian countries.

The agreement between Matsushita and National Semiconductor
covers a wide range of products including converters and
amplifiers. The term of this agreement is for five years.
Under the agreement, Matsushita will be able to reduce
production costs.

Meanwhile, the president of National Semiconductor has met
the press in Tokyo. He said that National Semiconductor will
release a multiple adaptor board "TyIN 2000" for the IBM PC/AT
platform in early 1993. The TyIN 2000 is equipped with a modem,
fax, voice messaging and voice mail box features on the board.
Also, it supports Microsoft's Windows. A Japanese language
version of the board is also expected to be released in early
1993.

According to National Semiconductor, there is considerable
potential for increased sales in the South East Asian regions.
Currently, 30 percent of the firm's total sales come from this
region, but the firm wants to raise that to 40 percent within a
couple of years.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19921105/Press Contact:
Matsushita Electric, [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00009)

Intel & Philips To Design New 8051 Microcontrollers 11/05/92
CHANDLER, ARIZONA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- Intel and Philips
have agreed to jointly work on the design of the 8051 eight-bit
microcontroller chip family.

While both companies retain the manufacturing and sales rights
to the resulting designs, representatives of Intel have said
that the hope of the joint design effort is to standardize the
microcontroller. Over 100 million microcontrollers, including
50 different 8051 and derivatives from all Intel licensees and
Intel itself, are estimated to have shipped in 1991 alone.

The newly version of the 8051, code-named "ZX," is not
something consumers will ever see in a personal computer.
It is a microcontroller for use in consumer devices such as
appliances, in industrial uses, in transportation,
communication, and data processing functions, Intel said.

Philips and Intel are the two largest suppliers of the
microcontroller, and Philips has been licensing the rights to
manufacture the 8051 since 1984. Intel, however, says it
originated the 8051 family in 1980.

Intel says the 8051 chip family offers expanded supply voltage
(down to three-volts), extended address range, high-level
language support, fully static design and reduced noise
generation.

The resulting ZX design is expected to be available in 12 to 15
months, Philips and Intel said.

Philips is better known in Europe than in the US. The company
claims it is the tenth largest semiconductor supplier in the
world and the largest supplier in Europe.

(Linda Rohrbough/19921104/Press Contact: Jeanne Forbis,
Intel, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00010)

Ventura To Demo New Publishing Tools At Comdex 11/05/92
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- Ventura
Software, probably best known for its desktop publishing
program Ventura Publisher, says it will demonstrate its new
publisher's tools at Comdex/Fall scheduled for November
16 - 21 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The company says it will be demonstrating the newly released
Ventura Publisher for Windows version 4.1, which just started
shipping. Also demonstrated will be new versions of Ventura
Database Publisher, version 4.0, and Ventura Colorpro 1.1,
which are expected to ship this month.

Ventura Database Publisher allows for a mailmerge of data
between Ventura Publisher or its largest competing product,
Pagemaker, and database files. The idea is to eliminate the
intensive hand formatting that had to be done in database
intensive documents such as phone directories or catalogs.

The Ventura Colorpro product is geared toward color pre-press
work and allows for independent work with process colors. The
company says the product can be operated as a stand-alone
program or integrated with Ventura Publisher.

A couple of new products will be available for viewing as well.
They are listed as Ventura Adpro 1.1 and Ventura Picturepro
1.1. The Adpro product is intended specifically for designing
magazine advertising layouts and aimed at advertising agencies,
Ventura said. Picturepro is geared toward image editing, image
manipulation, and color separation, the company added.

Carlsbad, California-based Ventura Software announced in
August it would license several of the new products it plans to
show at Comdex from Pre-Press Technologies. Pre-Press
Technologies is also headquartered in Carlsbad.

(Linda Rohrbough/19921102/Press Contact: Susan Fitzgerald,
Ventura Software, tel [phone], fax [phone];
Dean Thie, Clark & Westlund for Ventura, 714-375-2614)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(BOS)(00011)

Sony & Rexon Team Up On DAT Drives 11/05/92
SIMI VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- Rexon Inc.,
a manufacturer of PC and workstation storage subsystems, is
teaming up with Sony on a new line of DAT (digital audio tape)
drives aimed at bringing more capacity and faster data
transfer than any DAT drive on the market today.

In announcing the strategic partnership, the two companies
stated that the first product in the new line, due out early next
year, will offer native storage capacity of four gigabytes (GB)
without data compression, in addition to the faster speeds.

In an interview with Newsbytes, Veraje Anjargolian, vice
president of advanced technology for Rexon, said that although
the new drives will be capable of standalone use, most of the
applications will be for network servers.

The agreement between Sony and Rexon calls for Sony to design
and build the DAT mechanism for the new drives and Rexon's
WangDAT subsidiary to produce the electronics, including
software and firmware. The electronics will be owned by Rexon,
and all products that emerge from the partnership will be sold
exclusively by Rexon worldwide.

Anjargolian told Newsbytes that the new drives will be based on
DDS-II DAT, the second in a series of DAT protocols being
developed by the DDS Manufacturer's Group, an open standards
organization.

DDS-II DAT doubles the storage capacity stipulated by the DDS-I
protocol, and was passed by the standards group earlier this year,
Anjargolian noted.  When ultimately approved, DDS-III will
designate storage of 8 GB, and DDS-IV a capacity of 16 GB, he
added.

The DDS-II products from Rexon and Sony will be built to a
3.5-inch form factor, according to Anjargolian.  He declined to
comment, however, on their specific data transfer rates. "That
information is confidential right now," he said.

Sony is a worldwide supplier of computer, data storage, and
audio and video systems, along with a wide array of other
commercial and consumer products.

WangDAT designs and manufactures DAT tape drives and
subsystems from operations in Irvine, CA. Rexon also runs three
other independent subsidiaries. One of the other subsidiaries,
Wangtek, makes and markets quarter-inch cartridge tape drives
and subsystems from facilities in Simi Valley, CA and Ponce,
Puerto Rico.

Another Rexon subsidiary, Sytron, develops and sells PC file
backup software and archival systems through operations in
Westboro, MA. The remaining subsidiary, Tecmark, produces PC
enhancement products out of Solon, OH.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19921104; Press contact:  Robert L. Miller,
Rexon, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(APPLE)(LAX)(00012)

New For Macintosh: Media Vision's 16-bit Sound Board 11/05/92
FREMONT, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- Why would
Macintosh users buy a sound card for their computers which are
already equipped with sound? Media Vision's answer is that it
allows better quality sound for use with a CD-ROM drive for
new multimedia applications.

Media Vision has just introduced a version of its Pro
Audiospectrum 16 for the Macintosh which the company says
will bring Mac users 16-bit stereo digital audio recording and
playback to 44.1 kilohertz (KHz), four-operator FM synthesis, a
musical instrument digital interface (MIDI), and a software
controlled four-channel mixer.

The company has also announced a Macintosh version of its CD-
ROM subsystem, the CDPC XL MAC, with a dual speed dual-speed
300 kilobyte-per-second CD-ROM drive and the Pro
Audiospectrum sound card capability in a stand-alone sub-
system with two speakers capable of 100 watt (W) output. The
sub-system measures 3.75-inches by 13-inches by 15-inches
wide, Media Vision said.

Both the Pro Audiospectrum sound card and the CDPC XL MAC come
with Media Vision's Pocket mixer tool, LucasArt's Indiana Jones
and the Fate of Atlantis, and Passport's Trax sequencer,
Quicktunes, and Audio Producer software. The Indiana Jones
title has been specifically modified to take advantage of the
synthesis on these Media Vision products, the company
maintains. Additional software with the CDPC XL MAC includes
Compton's Multimedia Encyclopedia and Where in the World is
Carmen Sandiego? Deluxe edition.

The Media Vision products are designed for the LC and Nubus
versions of the Macintosh. The Pro AudioSpectrum 16 MAC sound
card in the LC version is $395 and the Nubus version is $495,
the company said. The CDPC XL MAC LC version is priced at
$1,495, while the Nubus version is $1,595. The new products
are expected to be in retail channels in December of this year,
according to the company.

(Linda Rohrbough/19921105/Press Contact: Claire Merriam,
Media Vision, tel [phone]; Abigail Johnson, Roeder-
Jonson for Media Vision, 415-579-3600, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00013)

Vendors Demo Windows NT Multiprocessing Support 11/05/92
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- Nine hardware
vendors are now demonstrating symmetric multiprocessing using
Microsoft's Windows NT operating system. The vendors are
running Windows NT on systems using from two to 16 processors.

Traditional PC vendors included on the lists are Acer, ALR, AST
Research, Compaq, Olivetti, and Wyse. Superserver vendor
Tricord and minicomputer makers such as NCR and Sequent have
also jumped on the NT bandwagon.

Microsoft has said it hopes to bring Windows NT to market before
the end of the year, although that date is not certain. One of the
major  features of Windows NT is its ability to perform
multiprocessing, or perform multiple tasks simultaneously by
taking advantage of two or more microprocessors running in the
same system.

According to Windows NT and Networking Products Director
Dwayne Walker "Windows NT will provide immediate benefits to
users running SMP (symmetric multiprocessing) systems at the
desktop and to MIS (management information system) workers
running SMP systems at the server." Walker says existing
multithreaded applications such as database servers can take
advantage of symmetric multiprocessing without any modification
of the application. "That will greatly improve performance," says
Walker.

At the high end of the spectrum Sequent Computer Systems
recently demonstrated Windows NT running on its Symmetry 750
using 16 Intel 50 megahertz (MHz) 486 processors demonstrating
Oracle7, SQL Server from Microsoft and the PeopleSoft Human
Resource Management System.

(Jim Mallory/19921105/Press contact: Erin Holland, Waggener
Edstrom for Microsoft, 503-245-0905; Reader contact: Microsoft
Corporation, 800-426-9400)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(DEN)(00014)

 ****Intel 486 License Fee "Extortion" Says Cyrix 11/05/92
RICHARDSON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- Cyrix claims
that Intel is "engaging in a systematic campaign of intimidation
and harassment of Cyrix customers."

The claim was made in conjunction with recent action by Intel
in claiming that all systems using 386 and 486-compatible
microprocessors violate an Intel patent. Cyrix claims that it is
licensed under the patent by virtue of a recent Federal District
Court decision.

According to a statement released by Cyrix, Intel has "engaged
in unfair and deceptive tactics when asking Cyrix's existing and
potential customers to pay a license fee for the use of Cyrix
microprocessors in combination with external memory, even
though Intel concedes that Cyrix microprocessors are licensed
products."

Cyrix has filed a motion for summary judgment requesting that
the court issue a summary judgment that Intel has no right to
assert this patent against Cyrix customers.

Intel is asking for a $25 royalty from those PC makers using the
Cyrix microprocessor on each system they manufacture. Cyrix
claims the royalty is an attempt to ensure that customers buy
from Intel instead of Cyrix. "Intel's attempt...is the height of
arrogance," says Cyrix Marketing VP Jim Chapman.

Intel and Cyrix have been battling verbally and in court since
late 1990 when Cyrix filed an antitrust suit charging Intel with
unlawful practices in order to protect it's coprocessor monopoly.
The following day Intel countered with patent infringement
charges.

In November 1991 the court denied Intel's request to block Cyrix
from marketing its math coprocessor chips. Cyrix was formed in
1988 to design, develop and market math chips, which speed up
calculations in programs such as spreadsheets and CAD
(computer-aided design).

In March of this year Cyrix announced it would introduce a 486SX
microprocessor which would fit in Intel's 386 socket, allowing
users to upgrade to the newer chip without replacing their PC.
Intel cut its 486 chip prices a couple of months later, presumably
to compete with Cyrix's lower prices. The Cyrix 486 chip started
shipping in June of this year.

Intel spokesperson Pam Pollace had no comment about the Cyrix
charges, saying Intel is contacting it's 386 and 486 customers to
advise them that there will be a $15 per-system licensing fee for
the use of what Pollace called "an imitation processor" and a $25
fee for 486 chips with speeds up to 33 megahertz (MHz) made by
other than Intel. Pollace said Intel hasn't contacted any of Cyrix's
customers yet.

Cyrix spokesperson Jodi Shelton told Newsbytes that was
inaccurate, saying that Cyrix was aware of six or more Cyrix
clients that had been contacted by Intel. Shelton said in one
instance Cyrix had won a bid to supply chips on a large contract,
then lost it after Intel contacted the customer, whom she
declined to name.

Pollace says the patent claim involves the use of a x86
microprocessor, external memory and multitasking software
combined, which initiates multitasking paging in a specific
manner that it is a patented Intel technology.

(Jim Mallory/19921105/Press contact: Jodi Shelton, Cyrix,
214-994-8238; Pam Pollace, Intel Corporation, 408-765-1435)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(DEN)(00015)

Aldus Licenses "Fetch" Browser 11/05/92
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- Aldus claims
it has signed licensing agreements with Macromedia Inc., and
Image Club Graphics Inc., for a "browser" version of Fetch.

Fetch, as reported recently by Newsbytes, is a multi-user,
mixed-media database program that allows users to catalog,
browse, and retrieve digitized media on Apple Computer's
Macintosh.

The two companies will use the special version of Fetch to act
as a front-end to their latest CD-ROM titles. The $295 program
is expected to ship in the fourth quarter, and will carry a
suggested retail price of $295, Aldus spokesperson Belinda
Young told Newsbytes. The browser technology is being made
available to licensees immediately.

Young said that while licensing of a browser version probably
would not be a significant part of the program's revenue, it
would be an important part of the product's strategy.

John Testement, Fetch product marketing manager said that
searching for and retrieving digitized media has long been
a problem for graphics professionals. "Fetch helps solve
this problem," says Testement.

Macromedia will use the Fetch browser with its Industry At Work:
Clip Media 2 For The Macintosh, its newest CD-ROM. The disk
contains media for creating multimedia presentations and
productions. The browser creates a read-only catalog that
displays the clip-media elements of Industry At Work in a visual
gallery of thumbnail images, rather than a test list of file names.
A user can browse through, search for, retrieve, move, copy,
preview, or print any of the 1,200 graphics, sound, animation and
music clips on the disk.

Image Club Graphics develops font and clip art for Macintosh and
IBM-compatible computers, including PostScript and EPS clip art.
It will use the Fetch browser as a front end to Art Room CD-ROM
version 5.2, a clip art collection of more than 9,000 images.

Clip art images, animation and sound files require large of
amounts of disk storage space, making a CD-ROM disk ideal for
such clip art collections.

(Jim Mallory/19921105/Press contact: Belinda Young, Aldus
Corporation, 206-386-8819)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00016)

CompUSA Sales & Income Up For 1Qtr 11/05/92
DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- Computer retailer
CompUSA claims its first quarter sales and net income were up
significantly.

Net sales for the quarter were $263.4 million, up nearly 56
percent over the same period last year, while net income was
$1.27 million, or $0.08 per share for the reporting period. Income
before taxes was up 139 percent to $2.049 million, CompUSA
reported.

CompUSA President and CEO Nathan Morton said sales were strong
in the fourth quarter at the company's 11 new stores as well as
the 20 existing outlets. "We were particularly pleased by our 21.1
percent comparable store sales increase," Morton said. He said
operating, general, and administrative expenses continue to
decline as a percentage of sales.

CompUSA opened three new stores during the quarter: one in
Sacramento, California; one in metropolitan New York; and one in
the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Morton said the company still expects to have 48 stores open by
June 1993. The company currently operates 33 stores where it
sells hardware, software, accessories and related products and
provides technical support and classroom training.

The company said it has switched to a 52 week fiscal year in
order to provide more comparable results on a period-to-period
basis, with its fiscal year ending on the last Saturday of June
each year. The 13 week quarters will end on a Saturday and be
divided into an initial five-week period and two four week
periods.

(Jim Mallory/19921105/Press contact: Nathan Morton, CompUSA,
214-406-4700)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00017)

New For PC: Crosstalk For Windows 2.0 11/05/92
ALPHARETTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- Digital
Communications Associates (DCA) has announced an upcoming
upgrade to their terminal emulation and communications
program, Crosstalk for Windows. Version 2.0 is slated to begin
shipping by the end of November and is claimed to be a complete
redesign of the original program.

The company claims that there are many new features in the new
version, including support of Microsoft's Multiple Document
Interface (MDI). Using this facility, DCA is now able to support
multiple communications sessions at the same time in separate
MDI windows.

The DCA Quickpad has been implemented in the new version.
Quickpad is a screen area filled with buttons that denote actions
defined by the user. It can also be viewed as an on-screen tool
bar that contains macros.

The new version also provides a "quickbar," which is a tool bar
of icons for commonly used functions. This has been an approach
that has been growing in popularity with such industry giants as
Microsoft, Lotus, and Borland implementing these on many new
products. DCA's Quickbar includes icons for almost any operation
including a camera that will take a screen shot and a video
camera that will take a timed succession of screen shots.

DCA has also expanded the range of file transfer protocols that it
supports. Specifically, it has added IBM's FTTERM and IND$FILE,
ANSI, and ZMODEM. The program also has some additional terminal
emulators, namely FTTERM, HP700, WYSE 50, WYSE 50+, WYSE 60,
Hazeltine 1500, and PC TERM.

DCA has also incorporated most of the functions of their script
application language called CASL, which will allow most users
who are using Crosstalk Mark IV on their DOS-based machines
to migrate to Windows and not lose their work.

Crosstalk for Windows 2.0 will be available by the end of
November. The program will retail for $195. Current users can
upgrade to the new version for $49.

(Naor Wallach/19921105/Press Contact: Kerry Stanfield, DCA,
404-442-4519/Public Contact: DCA, 404-442-4364,
800-342-3221)


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

Firms Jostle For German Digital Mobile Licenses 11/05/92
BONN, GERMANY, 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- Despite the fact that
licenses for the second-generation digital phone network have
not been issued in Germany, one of the candidate companies,
E-Plus, has revealed to the press that it intends to create 8,000
jobs if it wins a license.

The second-generation service, known as the "E" network, will
use a technology known as the personal communications network
(PCN). PCN technology is different from GSM (global system for
mobile communications) since it is intended for use an
alternative to the local loop (PSTN) phone network that everyone
has, rather than as an adjunct.

PCN tariffs are expected to be comparable to payphone rates, i.e.
much lower than GSM and traditional mobile phone charges. This
is because they are designed to be used by subscribers who are
either stationary or moving slowly on foot. Car users will
probably find their PCN calls failing, although some network
providers in Europe plan that an advanced PCN phone will be
capable of switching to GSM in such mobile situations.

The E-Plus announcement appears to be aimed at persuading the
general public that it is better than its primary competitor,
E-Star, in the E network stakes. E-Plus is a consortium led by
Thyssen and Veba. E-Star, meanwhile, is a consortium headed
by the BMW motor company.

Speaking at a news conference, E-Plus Chairman Herbert Brenke
said that the "jobs guarantee" means that the logical choice for
the German government will be to offer the E-Net mobile phone
license to E-Plus rather than E-Star.

The German government, meanwhile, remained unmoved by such
obvious political manoeuvres. A government spokesman said that
the Ministry of Telecommunications will award the license at
the end of the year, taking all relevant information into account.

The E-Net posturing comes at a time when some industry analysts
are questioning the need for a GSM network, let alone a second-
generation digital system that is neither a true mobile phone,
capable of working under a variety of conditions, or a low-cost
competitor to the local loop/PSTN phone that everyone uses.

Sales of analog mobile phones in Europe are starting to
stagnate, meaning that companies operating in the market are
frantically reducing prices to lure new consumers into the
market. Against this backdrop, the introduction of a new
generation of mobile phones, albeit all-digital, at higher rates,
seems odd, especially in the face of the current recession.

(Steve Gold/19921105)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00019)

UK: Cellnet Welcomes Delay To GSM Development 11/05/92
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- Cellnet has announced it
actively welcomes Orbitel's decision to delay development of a
GSM digital mobile phone hand portable for at least six months.

GSM stands for global systems for mobile communications. While
Vodafone has had a limited version of its GSM network up and
running since December of 1991 in the UK, Cellnet has gone
on record as saying that its network is still two years away.
Analysts report that Cellnet's strategy in this respect is to get
a national GSM network up and running before launch, rather than
copy Vodafone's phased rollout of the service.

Cellnet's Managing Director Stafford Taylor, a veteran of the
computer distribution industry before he joined Cellnet last
year, said that the company's GSM plans are on schedule. "Our
1991 announcement that GSM will be ready for national UK
marketing in 1994 is still the only credible approach for the
UK," he said.

Last year, as Vodafone banged the drum to publicize its GSM
network -- one of the first to get up and running, albeit on a
limited scale -- Cellnet warned that premature emphasis in the
UK for GSM technology would do nothing to realize its potential
for customers.

At the time, Cellnet argued that a commercial launch of GSM in
1991 would lead to operators testing unproven technology on
unsuspecting customers and so damaging prospects for GSM's
successful introduction.

"At Cellnet we believe that we understand our customers and can
credibly deliver what they want today and in the future," Taylor
said.

Cellnet argues that the sheer cost of GSM at the moment makes
the technology too expensive. It notes that, while an analog hand
portable is available for the TACS (total access communications
system) analog cellular network is available for UKP 300, a GSM
phone will cost UKP 850 when it becomes available towards the
second half of next year.

Newsbytes notes, meanwhile, that while the Sony hand portable,
recently launched in the UK as the smallest TACS unit, tips the
scales at 200 grams and has a volume of around 170 cc, the
proposed GSM hand portable weighs twice as much and has a
planned volume of 350 cc.

It is still very early days for GSM, however, Back in 1985, when
this Newsbytes bureau bought its first mobile phone, the then
state of the art hand portable cost UKP 1,800 ($3,000) and
weighed around 600 grams.

(Steve Gold/19921105/Press Contact: Cellnet: 0753-504814;
Fax: [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LAX)(00020)

Computers Used To Help Vietnam Vets Find Each Other 11/05/92
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- Vietnam veterans
will be looking for their comrades at the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial in Washington, DC November 4 through 11, and AST and
Electronic Data Systems (EDS) have donated hardware to help.

Networked AST personal computers (PCs) and notebook computers
will be available at the Memorial and at major hotels so Vietnam
veterans can enter their own profiles into a Unix-based
client/server network database, named RE-UNION '92. In this way
attendees can receive information about those with whom they
served during their tour of duty.

This year is the 10th anniversary of the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial, sponsored by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund
(VVMF). VVMF requested help with effort to put veterans in
contact with each other and up to 200,000 Vietnam veterans
are expected to attend the final week of the year long 10th
anniversary.

Registration forms from veterans and their families are being
entered into the RE-UNION '92 database by volunteers. Over 350
volunteers from supporting companies are expected to help
handle the inquiries at the event. Other companies involved
include Alpha Systems, Bell Atlantic, EDS, Hughes, Informix,
Microsoft, NCD, Sunsoft, and Sun Microsystems.

AST says the computers at the memorial site will be operational
24 hours a day during November 8 through 11 when the reading
aloud of the 58,183 names on the wall at the memorial is done.

(Linda Rohrbough/19921105/Press Contact: Emory Epperson,
AST, tel [phone], fax [phone]; Public Contact
800-876-4278)


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

 ****DEC Ponders Separate Business Units 11/05/92
MAYNARD, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- Digital
Equipment is thinking over a new business model that would
create separate units for various market segments and for
product areas such as personal computing, components, and
systems integration, a company spokesman has confirmed.
However, spokesman Jeffry Gibson denied that any final
decisions have been made.

Commenting on published reports that DEC planned to create a
separate personal computer unit similar to the IBM Personal
Computer Co.., created by IBM in September, Gibson said DEC
management has been "talking to employees about a new business
model that focuses on customers, and it's work in progress."

The tentative plan would have industry business units for areas
such as pharmaceuticals, electronic components, and the financial
services industry, Gibson said, with these units grouped "in ways
that make sense." It might also have units responsible for
personal computers, storage components, other components, and
multi-vendor systems integration.

"Those units would then have the profit-and-loss responsibility"
for their lines of business, Gibson said. It has not been decided
whether the individual units would be responsible for
manufacturing, he added.

However, Gibson said the plans are not yet fully worked out and
could change. "It's really at the level of here's the general
direction of our thought," he said, adding that plans will probably
be more definite by the end of the year.

(Grant Buckler/19921105/Press Contact: Jeffry Gibson, DEC,
508-493-6865)


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

 ****AT&T Aims For Control of McCaw 11/05/92
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- AT&T claims it
has a preliminary agreement to spend $3.8 billion for one-third
of McCaw Cellular Communications, the nation's largest cellular
system operator, and an option to buy voting control later on.
McCaw claims a potential customer base of 100 million.

Specifically, AT&T plans to buy 47 million newly-created McCaw
common shares at $42 per share, or $1.8 billion total, giving it
19 percent ownership. British Telecom, which owns 35.8 million
shares of both Class A common and Class B voting stock, is
selling-out for $49 per share, plus accumulated interest from
December, 1992.

AT&T is also paying $100 million for an option to purchase
McCaw Chairman Craig McCaw's voting stock. If that option is
exercised, AT&T will pay another $600 million, plus the
negotiated price of the shares. AT&T has up to seven years to
decide whether to exercise the options. If they are exercised,
AT&T will come out with one-third of the common stock and a
majority of the voting stock, at an average price on the common
of $45 per share. This for a stock selling at $26.50 a few days
before the announcement.

As part of the deal, McCaw will sell its services under the AT&T
brand name -- in the past it has used the name Cellular One.
McCaw also gets access to AT&T's marketing, sales, customer
service and distribution channels, as well as to the research
and development capabilities of AT&T Bell Laboratories.

McCaw has been the most ambitious of the cellular operators. It
has proposed building a "seamless network" linking cellular
phone users from coast-to-coast. It has also invested heavily in
digital cellular technology under Time Division Multiple Access,
or TDMA, standards. All this has been expensive, however. Despite
its rapid growth, McCaw lost $77.7 million for the quarter ending
in September. LIN Broadcasting, in which McCaw holds a 52
percent stake, lost $23.2 million for the quarter.

AT&T Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert E. Allen said
in a press statement the deal will "stimulate more growth in our
long distance business and propel us into the fastest growing
segment of our industry," adding AT&T is committed "to working
with the whole industry to accelerate growth, add new services,
and serve customers even better."

Bill Weiss, spokesman for AT&T, elaborated on all this for
Newsbytes. "Consider that this alliance actually strengthens
competition in cellular, since local exchange carriers own more
than half of the existing cellular licenses. They purchased some
properties from non-wireline carriers. The cellular industry is
fully competitive, and this will make it more competitive. This
will raise the bar of quality and service for the whole industry.
We'll also work on a lot of industry problems like fraud and
roaming."

Weiss emphasized that the deal has not been finalized. "It's
still a proposed deal. McCaw's special committee," formed to
evaluate the proposal, "has to approve it. AT&T's directors have
to approve it. There are still some open issues to negotiate.

Federal government regulatory approvals may have to be obtained
as well." Specifically, the anti-trust implications must be
examined by the Securities and Exchange Commission, which
regulates the financial markets, and the Federal Communications
Commission, which regulates the telecommunications industry,
has also been consulted. "But we don't expect any hassles. It
should take a few months"

(Dana Blankenhorn/19921105/Press Contact: AT&T, Bill Weiss,
908-221-3070)


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

 ****AT&T Risks Stock Downgrade In McCaw Deal 11/05/92
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- AT&T is risking
a downgrade in its credit rating as a result of its decision to
acquire a major stake in McCaw Cellular Communications.

All major credit rating agencies -- Moody's, Duff & Phelps, and
Standard & Poor's, announced that AT&T is on a "credit watch"
list, with an eye toward a downgrade. This means the agencies
will examine the implications of the deal on AT&T's balance
sheet and prospects, and may reduce their bond ratings on the
company. There is no assurance that such a downgrading will
happen, however.

AT&T spokesman Bill Weiss told Newsbytes that was expected,
due to the size of the deal, but added he expects the agencies
will decide there is no net impact.

Weiss called the moves technical in nature, saying the price is
justified because the cellular phone industry is growing at
30-40 percent per year, making it the fastest-growing segment
of the telecommunications industry.

However, Jim Stork of Duff & Phelps expressed concern. "You've
got a company spending as much as $4 billion, and that could be a
material increase, even for a company as large as AT&T. You also
have a company expanding into a business with higher risk,
primarily because it's immature. Earnings and cash flow are low
relative to the price. While long term prospects are bright, you
have potential for a material increase in debt and business risk."

While McCaw is also on the credit watch list, Stork added, it
may be in for an upgrading. "McCaw represents the opposite side.
They're heavily indebted, but getting $2 billion in cash. If they
pay down debt with it, they'd have a stronger picture there.
We're looking at a possible upgrading there."

(Dana Blankenhorn/19921105/Press Contact: Duff & Phelps,
Jim Stock, 312/368-3112; AT&T, Bill Weiss, 908-221-3070)


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

 ****Analyzing AT&T's Planned Cellular Buy 11/05/92
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- Initial reaction
to the proposal by AT&T to purchase control of McCaw Cellular
Communications was surprisingly muted. By mid-day November
5, McCaw stock was priced at about $13 below the price AT&T is
paying for its stake, at about $32 per share, while AT&T itself
up was up marginally. No stock now held by the public is being
purchased by AT&T as part of its proposal.

The deal would be the second-largest ever for AT&T, following
last year's purchase of computer maker NCR for $7.4 billion.
McCaw needs the $2 billion cash generated by the deal to pay
down its $5 billion in debt, some of which came from its own $3
billion purchase of LIN Broadcasting a few years ago, but much of
which came from its own purchases of equipment to upgrade its
networks. McCaw believes the deal will help it generate a
bottom-line profit. The costs of its debt has given it a string of
losses despite high profits and strong cash flow.

While the price AT&T is paying is high, it is not as high as the
price McCaw paid for LIN, estimated at $340 per potential
customer. That deal was made after a bidding war with BellSouth.
Analysts estimated the price at $340 per potential customer,
well above the $140 per "pop" Sprint is paying for Centel's
cellular business. The higher price, in fact, may renew calls by
Centel shareholders to scuttle that deal, which has yet to be
approved.

To make a major profit on the transaction, however, AT&T will
have to uncover "hidden values" only it can tap. Long distance
calls made by McCaw customers, for instance, may now
travel on AT&T's network. McCaw's proposal to start a "data
broadcasting" service with Oracle may also get a boost from the
deal, since McCaw would be able to invest more heavily in new
technologies as it pays down debt.

While the deal seems to give a boost to Time Division Multiple
Access, or TDMA, digital technology, of which McCaw is a major
booster, AT&T's cellular equipment operations are also a big
winner here. Those operations compete fiercely with Motorola-
Nortel, a joint-venture between Motorola and Northern Telecom,
as well as Ericsson-GE, of which Ericsson owns 80 percent and
General Electric 20 percent. AT&T's Bell Labs unit is another big
asset to McCaw, and its decision on whether TDMA or the
competing Code Division Multiple Access, or CDMA, digital
technology is best could spell the end of that cellular industry
market battle.

Another major winner in the deal is British Telecom, which gets
an immediate boost to earnings from AT&T's $1.8 billion payment
for its McCaw stake. That's ironic, since AT&T and BT are
considered the prime players in a global battle now developing
for leadership in the industry. BT had paid about $41 per share
for its McCaw stake, a price analysts considered very high. BT
indicated a nominal price of $49 per share on the sale. That
money may be used by BT to buy-out the 40 percent of the UK's
Cellnet cellular network it does not own from Securicor Group.
BT may also make other acquisitions to boost the presence of
its Syncordia group, which competes fiercely for multinational
companies' global telecommunications contracts against AT&T.

For AT&T, the deal fulfills a major strategic goal, of becoming a
leader in wireless communications, at a stroke. It also makes
AT&T a leader in "field computing," which involves linking
workers outside their offices to central systems, especially
when combined with the EO Personal Communicators the
company is backing.

Perhaps the biggest hurdle to the deal's being finalized is a
restriction against AT&T entering the local phone service
market, something it agreed not to do in the 1982 Bell break-up
deal. While AT&T expressed confidence there is no problem, the
Justice Department must still approve.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19921105/Press Contact: Duff & Phelps, Jim
Stock, 312/368-3112; AT&T, Bill Weiss, 908-221-3070)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00025)

Bell Industry Update 11/05/92
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- It has been a bad
week for the regional Bell companies. First Al Gore, who is
skeptical of the Bell monopolies, won election as vice president.
Then AT&T agreed to pay $3.8 billion to compete in the Bells'
high-profit cellular telephony niche.

However, if FCC Chairman Al Sikes is right in believing that
competition can force improvements in service, he may point to
Bell reaction here as "Exhibit A." After years of promises, the
Bells are finally getting serious about implementing Integrated
Services Digital Network (ISDN), which digitizes the phone
network so it can send and receive voice, data and video over a
single copper-based telephone line. The Bells announced that on
November 16, the first national ISDN network will be turned-on,
under the National ISDN standard. The November 16 network will
be only the first phase in what the Bells call a "national
ubiquitous network" the companies hope to deploy by 1994.

In addition to the seven regional Bells, MCI, Sprint, AT&T as
well as Northern Telecom and Siemens, which make switches,
are cooperating in the effort. The Bells' Bellcore research
consortium, which sponsored the effort, will hold an open house
and conference called TRIP '92 to celebrate. Bellcore calls the
relevant software and service MediaCom. Applications to be
demonstrated include multimedia data transmissions,
videoconferencing, and credit card verification. Both Nynex and
Bell Atlantic issued statements praising customers for the
move to the National ISDN standard, saying market demand
deserves credit.

Bell Atlantic announced that starting in November it will offer
customers a service called CommGuard Switched Redirect, under
which businesses will be able to re-route thousands of phone
calls instantly. Telemarketing agencies can use the service to
let operators work at home, while larger companies can use it
to let work follow their employees home, or for recovery from
disasters. The service comes available in November in Delaware
and Pennsylvania, and in December throughout most of the rest
of its network, pending regulatory approval. The one exception
is Washington, DC, where work will not be able to follow you
home until March. Prices for the service range from $0.75 to $2
per phone line, with discounts for larger numbers of lines.
Additional charges may apply depending on the combination of
any rerouting features desired.

BellSouth announced an enhancement to its MemoryCall voice mail
service called Personal Mailbox. Under this option, customers can
have up to four voice mailboxes under a single home telephone
number. This will let a large family collect messages separately
for each family member, with full security. It costs $2 per month
in addition to normal service charges, and is being introduced
first in Jackson, Mississippi.

Finally, Ameritech's Ohio Bell unit will begin a test in
Cleveland of a video arraignment service. Such a system has
already been used in Los Angeles, allowing judges to take pleas
and order bail without the risk of prisoners being moved from
the jail to a courtroom. In the one-year test, digital services
under ISDN standards will be used to transmit audio and video
between a jail and courthouse. The Los Angeles system used
dedicated digital lines.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19921105/Press Contact: Keith Jameson,
Ohio Bell, 216-822-4548; Bellcore, Barbara Kaufman, 201-740-
4324; Nancy Murray, Bell Atlantic, 703-974-1719; Bob Morrow,
BellSouth, 404-529-8169)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00026)

Donnelley Buys Into NewsEdge 11/05/92
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- RR Donnelley and
Sons, the world's largest commercial printer, has formed a
strategic partnership with Desktop Data, creators of the
NewsEDGE system, buying a 10 percent share of the smaller
company. Desktop Data is a distributor for Newsbytes.

Under the terms of the deal, Desktop Data will distribute printed
publications as well as news wires through NewsEDGE. NewsEDGE
receives and accumulates a database of broadcast news from
more than 100 wire services, then provides news in real-time
with customized screen alerts according to customer interest
profiles. The service presently has about 8,000 users.

Donald L. McLagan, Desktop Data founder and chief executive, told
Newsbytes that the deal goes two-ways. NewsEDGE gains access
to products now offered only in print, but Donnelley also gets the
opportunity to print documents from NewsEDGE, and investigate
how it can coordinate its operations with on-line services. Under
the deal, for instance, Newsbytes stories ordered through
NewsEDGE could be printed attractively, he noted.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19921105/Press Contact: Donald L. McLagan,
Desktop Data, 617-890-0042x24)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00027)

LDDS, Advanced Set Telecom Merger Vote Set 11/05/92
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- Advanced
Telecommunications and LDDS, two small long distance companies
which announced plans to merge a few months ago, have announced
that a registration statement on the merger has become effective,
and set December 3 as the date for a vote on the deal. The deal is
now expected to close December 4.

When it was originally announced, the deal was said to create the
fourth-largest long distance company, after MCI, AT&T, and
Sprint. Following the deal, however, Resurgens Communications of
Atlanta announced plans to merge into Metromedia, which it said
would create the fourth-largest network. Since Metromedia will
become a public company through that deal, the truth of the
matter should be revealed with the next quarterly reports.

Both Advanced and LDDS are traded on the NASDAQ over the counter
exchange. A spokesman for the company said no decision has been
made on where the merged company will be headquartered.
Jackson is home to two of the largest paging system operators,
MTel and MobileComm, while Atlanta was formerly home to the
fourth-largest phone company, Telecom USA, which eventually
merged into MCI.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19921105/Press Contact: Advanced
Telecommunications, Stephen E. Raville, 404/261-5885; LDDS
Communications, Bernard J. Ebbers, 601/364-7000)


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

MCI Signs First Portable 800 Contract 11/05/92
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- MCI has announced
its first major contract for 800 business in advance of the March
1993 "800 portability" date, when companies are free to move
their toll-free numbers to the long distance carrier of their
choice without changing the number.

The company said NatWest Bancorp will switch its
1-800-NATWEST lines from AT&T to MCI as soon as portability
takes effect in March. The 800 business is part of a new multi-
million dollar agreement MCI signed with NatWest.

Some large users of toll-free lines have urged the FCC to delay
portability, saying the software and databases involved could
have bugs which would hurt their business during the crucial pre-
Christmas buying season. No decision has been made on the delay,
which would also delay the move of NatWest's toll-free lines,
but a crucial date in compilation of the toll-free number
database passed without incident recently, indicating that the
move is going ahead according to schedule.

MCI also announced that it won a $7 million, five-year contract to
provide telecommunications services between domestic and
international offices of the Environmental Protection
Administration. Services include a virtual private network,
virtual private data network, and MCI Mail. The EPA consists of
over 17,500 employees and over 30,000 contractors.  The deal is
yet-another setback to AT&T and Sprint, which thought they
were winning the lion's share of the US government's telephone
business when they signed the 10-year FTS-2000 contract a few
years ago.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19921105/Press Contact: MCI, John Houser,
202-887-3000)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(WAS)(00029)

Survey: Business PC Buying Surge 11/05/92
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- While the software
industry is reporting ever-increasing sales overseas (according
to the Software Publishers Association numbers), just how well
is the hardware end of the personal computer business doing?
Quite well, according to recent Computer Reseller News/Gallup
poll results which show that Fortune 1,000 companies spent 50
percent more on PC hardware and software combined during
September than they had reported expecting to spend just a
month earlier.

Just where did these 1,000 largest US companies (as
determined by Fortune magazine) put their extra money?

Networks were part of the October buying mix for 82 percent of
the companies surveyed, a four-percent increase over August
sales, with an even larger percentage of the companies making
purchases of connectivity products and 71 percent investing in
notebook computers during October, a slight increase over
August's percentage.

Monitor sales were cut back drastically with only 43 percent of
the companies making buys in that category, down from 57
percent in August. The higher resolution monitor is necessary
for users running graphical user interfaces such as Windows.

The drop in video sales might be due to a supply side shortage.
Last month saw a major shortfall in the supply of the most
popular monitor, a 14-inch SuperVGA monitor with a dot pitch
of 0.28 mm or lower.

Compaq Computer actually ran out of the popular monitors at one
point, but the company says that despite intermittent component
shortages it expects its fourth quarter to be the strongest of
the year. Compaq's sales totaled $1.08 billion for the third
quarter of 1992, which ended September 30.

What makes the CRN purchasing numbers really interesting is the
fact that of the same managers who boosted their PC purchases,
72 percent, according to the Gallup survey results, also believe
that the recession is either very likely or somewhat likely to
continue another six months, a one-percent increase in
pessimism from August to October.

According to CRN, the average Fortune 1,000 company spent $247
thousand on PC hardware and software during September, the
first increase in five months. The all-time high was back in March
when average PC expenditures reached $274 thousand per company.

On the software side, according to early September's Software
Publishers Association report, North American personal computer
software sales for the second quarter of 1992 (ended June 30)
reached $1.49 billion, a 20.4 percent overall rise over the
similar period in 1991. Full half-year 92 results were equally
impressive at $2.74 billion, a 20.1 percent increase over the
first half of 1991.

Much of the increase was due to increasing sales of Windows
applications, with sales jumping 181 percent to $526 million
compared to the second quarter of 1991 when Windows was just
beginning to penetrate the graphical user interface market and
both demand for, and supply of, new Windows applications was
still small.

But while software revenues of North American-based companies
increased, much of the sales increase took place overseas. The
CRN Fortune 1,000 survey for October says that only 70 percent
of the companies purchased PC software for the month, down
from 75 percent which acquired new software in September.

With all this sales increase what is the outlook for computer
publications, specifically advertising revenue?

To learn the current situation from the standpoint of the
publisher Newsbytes talked with Douglas Kilarski, director of
publications for Vulcan Publishing and editor-in-chief of
Vulcan's two computer magazines, Computer Monthly and Reseller
World. What we learned was that while advertising is relatively
strong, it is not yet increasing to match hardware and software
sales increases.

"Despite the fact that equipment sales have increased
substantially," Kilarski said, "advertisers are still affected by
flat-line sales of six-12 months ago, so advertising sales are
increasing, but not surging. We (at Vulcan) interpret this increase
in hardware sales as a healthy move forward for the industry, an
industry that has proved to be almost recession proof."

Detailed results of the Fortune 1,000 PC purchase survey are
contained on page 188 of this week's (November 2nd) issue of
Computer Reseller News. SPA software sales survey results are
provided by the Software Publishers Association.

(John McCormick/1992115/Press Contact: Elizabeth Gallagher,
Computer Reseller News, 516-562-5598; Terri Childs, SPA,
202-452-1600)


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

NEC Announces MIPS-Compatible RISC Processor Family 11/05/92
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1992 NOV 5 (NB) -- NEC
Electronics says it is making a family of MIPS R4400-compatible
reduced instruction-set computer (RISC) microprocessors that
operate at low voltages.

The company says the new Vr4400 chips operate at either 3.3-
or five-volts (V) and have external clock speeds of 75 megahertz
(MHz) and internal clock speeds of nearly twice that, or 150 MHz.
A 0.6 micron fabrication process was used to increase the clock
speeds, according to NEC.

More than two million transistors are on the 64-bit chips, NEC
maintains.

NEC says the Vr4400 can be used for workstation, high-end
personal computers (PCs), and multiprocessing systems.  Like
the MIPS R4400, the chips offer super-pipelining, a pipelined
floating-point unit, two-level cache memory and a high-
performance on-chip translation look-aside buffer (TLB), the
company said. In addition, cache and a memory management unit
(MMU) offer in handing of both large-address-space tasks and a
large number of users, NEC added.

An increase to 16 kilobytes (KB) of both instruction cache and
data cache allows for higher integer and floating-point
performance, NEC maintains.

Other speeds available in the Vr4400 family include a 67 MHz
external/134 MHz internal microprocessor and 50/100 MHz
versions in both 3.3V and 5V. NEC said the devices feature an
optional 128-bit secondary cache interface that allows for up
to four megabytes (MB) of secondary cache.

NEC said in simulation of an R4400 processor the Vr4400
delivered 113 SPECmarks overall, with 95 SPECint89 (integer
performance) and 126 SPECfp89 (floating-point performance).
However, NEC maintains the chips are upwardly compatible with
the NEC Vr-series 32-bit and 64-bit microprocessors,
including the company's Vr3000A and the Vr4000 chip families.

The NEC announcement may create more than just a passing
interest in the MIPS community. This year MIPS and MIPS-based
workstation manufacturer Silicon Graphics announced the two
companies would merge. According to market research firm
Dataquest, the merger can be thought of as Silicon Graphics
purchasing MIPS, and there was speculation as to whether or not
MIPS could continue to provide vendor-neutral technology when
"owned" by Silicon Graphics.

MIPS also announced it would be the first to ship systems that
will run Windows NT from Microsoft or Advanced RISC Computing
(ARC)-compliant systems. ARC-compliant means the systems
have the minimum hardware requirements needed for running the
planned Windows NT operating system and the Unix for the
Advanced Computing Environment (ACE) operating system. The
idea is to get and maintain compatibility in applications between
X86 microprocessor-based PCs and ARC-complaint Unix systems.

NEC appears to be gearing up to give MIPS a run for its money.
Windows NT, while in beta test stages, is not expected to be
available until the first quarter of 1993.

(Linda Rohrbough/19921105/Press Contact: Nikki Tanis, NEC