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/1993/NB091093

Text File | 1993-09-11 | 69KB | 1,554 lines

(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(MOW)(00001)

Moscow - Intel's Regional Development Plans 09/10/93
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1993 SEP 10 (NB) -- "Intel considers Eastern
Europe and the former Soviet Union the [most important]
market for the coming years," said Intel VP Steve Poole,
announcing plans to open subsidiaries in Minsk, Byelorussia,
and Kiev, Ukraine.

Trade with  Eastern Europe is growing fast. According to Intel's
estimates, 616,000 Intel-equipped PCs will be sold in the former
Soviet Union in 1993, and 816,000 during 1994, a 32 percent
increase. The company is willing to expand and invest
additional monies to create sales outlets and supporting
distributors.

Intel's own computers, chips, and new communications and networking
equipment will be offered for sale through the distribution network,
Poole said. Intel plans to open sales offices in Minsk and Kiev
later this fall, according to Poole.

(Kirill Tchashchin/19930910)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEL)(00002)

Isocor Picks India Distributor 09/10/93
BOMBAY, INDIA, 1993 SEP 10 (NB) -- Bombay-based Datapro Electronics
Pvt. Ltd. has been appointed  exclusive reseller for the entire
range of Isocor (International Standards Open Communications
Resources) products in India and other SAARC countries. (The South
Asian Association of Regional Cooperation is a trade bloc of
which India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, the Maldives
and Bangladesh are members.)

Products to be launched include the Isoplex family of back-end
processors, Isotrade, and Isomail software modules which provide
access units and user agents for Electronic Data Interchange and
Isomail, a range of X.400 local and remote user agents. Other
products include Isotrade, a set of EDI access units based
on industry standard programming interfaces, Isogate modules
for supply of gateway facilities to proprietary environments
like e-mail packages, Isodoc modules for interchange of documents
between different platforms or applications, and Isoman,
which offers services like monitoring, control of connectivity
status, transaction statistics, document tracking, and audit
trails.

Datapro Information Technology Ltd., a sister company of Datapro
Electronics Pvt. Ltd., is setting up a public e-mail system
called Xee-Mail. Rajeev Arora, chairman and managing director
of the Datapro group claims, "We are the first company in
India to receive a license from the Department of Telecom for
this."

The system uses Isoplex as the message transmission agent
(MTA). The MTA comes for Rs 1 lakh to Rs 3.5 lakh (around $3300
to $11,600). Within six months, the e-mail will be linked to
eight major cities of the country. The system will also be
conjoined via VSNL (Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd., government-owned
telecom body responsible for International Subscriber Trunk
dialling) to other networks of the world with which the highway is
interlinked. Through this, a subscriber can contact any user
of e-mail, telex, or by fax.

Datapro has set up internal e-mail networks for the Border
Security Force (a quasi-military organisation responsible,
as the name suggests, for border security) and inter-state
police wireless operations.

The training division of the group, Datapro Information Technology,
is now a Novell Authorized Education Center. The courses range
from basic network operations to one which makes a candidate a
certified netware engineer (CNE). The CNE course, the first batch
of which has commenced in Bombay, costs Rs 15,000 (around $500)
and is of six-month duration with four to four-and-a-half hour
classes five days a week.

In the first phase, besides Bombay, the Pune and Baroda
centers will also offer the Novell courses. The network will
be extended to Delhi, Bangalore, Madras and Calcutta. "Tata
Unisys is the only other certified center for conducting
Novell classes," informs N. Muthuram, business promotion
manager, Datapro.

(C. T. Mahabharat/19930910)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEL)(00003)

First Computer Training Firm Gets ISO Certification 09/10/93
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 SEP 10 (NB) -- NIIT, a leader in the
computer training field, has become the world's first computer
education company to receive the International Standard
Organisation's 9000 series quality certification for its
instructional software.

NIIT's chief executive officer, Vijay K. Thadani, told reporters
in India this week that the ISO 9001 certification had been issued by
the Bureau Veritas Quality International (BVQI) of the United
Kingdom. BVQI is one of the four international organizations
authorized to certify the quality of software development.

Thadani said the BVQI certification covered the development of
computer-based training, interactive video, multimedia, and
performance support systems for worldwide customers, and includes
off-the-shelf packages, customer training systems, and on-site
development services.

Instructional software allows learners in any field to acquire
highly complex skills with relative ease, the company states.
NIIT is currently exporting instructional software packages to
over 26 countries. The company hopes to treble its instructional
software exports from the present level of Rs two crore (around
$660,000) this year. "We have bagged a $7 million contract to
develop instructional software from IBM," said a spokesman of
the company. Among its other clients are the World Bank, the
United States Agency for International Development, Lexmark,
Scientific Atlanta and Baharain Petroleum.

The certification has also given the firm the needed impetus to set
up a joint venture in Europe to manufacture and market software for
the continental market. NIIT's decision to go  for a joint venture
rather than a marketing office has been prompted by the conditions
prevalent in the European market. Though the firm has not yet firmed
up any agreement, it is considering several major companies like
Siemens, Bull SA and Dassault for an alliance.

The company recorded a turnover of Rs 48.6 crore (around $16.2
million) for the year 1992-93. Apart from instructional software, it
is a big player in the training industry and software exports
markets.

(C. T. Mahabharat/19930910)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00004)

CompuServe Adds 14,400 bit/second Service 09/10/93
COLUMBUS, OHIO, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 10 (NB) -- CompuServe has begun
rolling out support for 14,400 bit/second modems, starting in 10
US cities. In addition to running the CompuServe Information
Service, CompuServe also runs its own packet network.

Initially, the faster speed is available in Cambridge,
Massachusetts; Chicago; Columbus, Ohio; Los Angeles; New York;
Newport Beach, California; Orlando, Florida; Philadelphia;
Rochelle Park, New Jersey, and Santa Clara, California. All
those cities are very major centers of online user activity.
Columbus is CompuServe's headquarters. More US cities will
be added to the list during the next year, CompuServe said.

CompuServe said this makes it the first US online service to
support 14,400 bit/second modems under the V.32bis modulation
standard, and the V.42 error-correction standard. Such modems
have become increasingly popular in recent years, thanks to
falling prices. More important, the company said, it will offer
service to 14,400 bit/second modem owners at the same price, $16
per hour by day, that it offers 9,600 bit/second modem users.
That is, however, higher than the rate charged for 2,400
bit/second access. The company introduced its 9,600 bit/second
service three years ago.

CompuServe said it also plans to offer 14,400 bit/second in
Europe, where it is making a major bid for market leadership, but
has not currently set a date. CompuServe has about 1.3 million
members, according to market analysts Jupiter Communications of
New York.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930910/Press Contact: Debra Browning,
CompuServe, 614-457-8600)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TYO)(00005)

Japan - NTT Cuts Phone Rates 09/10/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 SEP 10 (NB) -- Japan's former telecom monopoly
NTT  will cut long distance telephone rates this October, and
other private long distance companies are expected to follow suit.

Two and a half years ago was when the company last changed
its rates, and that was a hike in long distance fees at the time.

NTT will lower long distance phone fees by an average of 21.4
percent. This will be a fairly large  cut in order to bring down
rates closer to those of competitors. Currently,  phone rates for ]
other long distance carriers such as DDI and Japan Telecom
are less expensive than NTT's.

NTT was privatized in 1985 in the wake of deregulation of the
Japanese telecom law. Since then, the Japanese government has
directed NTT to keep its rates higher than newcomers in the field
As a result, rivals such as DDI and Japan Telecom have won
an increasingly large customer base.

The Japanese government, which is still a major shareholder of
NTT  stock,  has finally allowed NTT to lower its prices to
match the competitors.

DDI listed its stocks on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Market last week.
They traded at a whopping 5 million yen ($50,000) per share, or
three times the value of NTT stock.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930910/Press Contact: NTT, +81-3-
3509-5035, Fax, [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00006)

NEC Switches Color Notebook Production To US 09/10/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 SEP 10 (NB) -- NEC will produce color
notebook-type personal computers in the US next month, in a
restructuring designed to fight surging Japanese currency and
a general industry slump. The move makes sense since NEC is also
receiving more orders for all its PCs from the US.

NEC plans to make 5,000 color notebooks per month at NEC
Technologies in Massachusetts. These are the TFT (thin film
transistor), powerful IBM-compatible personal computers.

NEC is currently producing the color notebook-type PCs at its
Yonezawa plant in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. 50,000 units were
shipped to the US during the first half of this year. NEC reports
that purchase orders are doubling, and it cannot meet the orders.
In fact, NEC is also supplying the PCs to NCR on an OEM
(original equipment manufacturer) basis, adding to the demand.

NEC will export major PC parts, such as the LCD panels and
motherboards, to the US, and gradually will shift  production to
the US. Recently, the US government lifted a tariff it had
imposed against "dumping"  of Japanese LCDs (liquid crystal
displays), so it is now easier to ship the parts to the US.

Meanwhile, NEC may also produce the color notebook-
type PCs and other computers in Hong Kong. These are the PC-9801
family and NEC would  import them back into Japan.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930910/Press Contact: NEC, +81-3-
3451-2974, Fax, [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00007)

Germany's Telekom To Reduce Phone Charges 09/10/93
BONN, GERMANY, 1993 SEP 10 (NB) -- Who says state-controlled
monopolies only raise prices? In Germany, Wolfgang Boetsch, the
country's federal posts and telecoms minister, has revealed he is
planning a reduction in phone usage charges.

In an interview with Focus, the German weekly news magazine, Boetsch
said that he is planning a series of reductions that will reduce
phone charges by as much as 20 percent over the next five years. The
reason for the cuts is that Telekom wants to compete as the
telecom market opens up in the next few years.

Boetsch's comments have been interpreted as a tacit agreement that
the former state monopoly has been making excessive profits from
its non-liberalized customers.

Focus timed its interview with Boetsch well, as Telekom is expected
to announced a raft of charge reductions within a matter of days.
News services in Germany quote Telekom as refusing to comment on
details of the impending price reductions.

Focus asserts that, in the first stage of the reductions, line
installation and rental charges, as well as local loop calls, will
be reduced in April of 1995. Trunk and international call
reductions would be less, but phased over a number of years, the
magazine said.

(Steve Gold/19930910)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00008)

British Telecom Cuts Connection Costs For Businesses 09/10/93
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 SEP 10 (NB) -- After slashing its connection
charge for "first line" residential subscribers at the beginning of
September, BT has announced a similar price reduction for business
customers.

According to BT, the reductions will allow businesses  to
expand their number of phone lines, and will allow residential
customers to get a second line for a fax machine.

The business line installation charge falls by around 35 percent to
UKP 99 plus tax. BT is also offering business customers the facility
to spread the installation costs over four quarters, just as it has
done with residential customers.

Industry experts have hailed the reductions as an acknowledgement of
the "creaming off" of new business from BT by new telecom services,
such as cable TV operations and Mercury Communications. In a recent
edition of the Sunday Times, BT officials were quoted as
privately worried about losing 20 percent of their high rolling
residential customers, many of whom have fax lines, to Mercury
Communications.

Alf Bocket, BT's managing director of business communications, said
that the reductions will come as welcome news, especially to any
companies looking to expand their telecom services as the
country starts to come out of the recession. "These new prices
demonstrate once again our determination to offer customers the very
best value for money," he said.

Newsbytes notes that the new UKP 99 installation charge applies to
integrated service digital network (ISDN)-30 lines as well as voice
circuits. ISDN-30 is BT's business ISDN service that supports Basic
Rate Access facilities.

(Steve Gold/19930910)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00009)

UK - Hayes Slashes Pricing On Modems 09/10/93
FLEET, HAMPSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 SEP 10 (NB) -- Hayes Microcomputer
Products has cut the cost of its Smartmodem Optima and V-series
Ultra high speed modems in the UK market by up to 25 percent.

According to the company, the reductions are due to economies
of scale now passed along to customers, as well as to the going
market price of high speed modems.

Example pricing on the Optima 144 is UKP 539 (down from UKP 650). On
the Ultra 96, the price falls from UKP 799 to UKP 599. The Ultra
24 with Express 96 (2,400 bits per second with a high-speed 9,600
bps proprietary transmission system) falls from UKP 499 to UKP 399.

Newsbytes notes that the price reductions bring retail prices more
into line with "street prices" on the company's modems. For example,
the new retail price of UKP 679 (down from UKP 899) on Hayes'
flagship Ultra 144 matches the street price of UKP more
closely.

The new pricing takes effect immediately. The company's modem
resellers are being offered price protection, Newsbytes
understands.

(Steve Gold/19930910/Press & Public Contact: Hayes - Tel: 0252-
775500; Fax: [phone]; Email on the Internet:
[e-mail])


(NEWS)(IBM)(SYD)(00010)

IBM Australia Taking Trade-Ins On PCs And Typewriters 09/10/93
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1993 SEP 10 (NB) -- Small business and
home computer users in Australia can now get their IBM PC a
little cheaper by trading-in their pre-loved PCs and
typewriters. The scheme is for computers bought from IBM's
direct sales arm IBM Direct.

"We'll take IBM PCs, ancient Apples, old clones and even pre-loved
typewriters," said Ralph Marshall, manager of IBM Direct. "We know
that around one third of PC purchasers are replacing old machinery.
With the rapid evolution of software, there are thousands of
inexpensive software packages for small businesses and home users,
yet many don't have the equipment to take advantage of it. We want
to encourage these people to cost effectively acquire one of our
new, powerful PS/ValuePoint computers."

Trade-in values range from around US$70 to US$500 depending on the
machine being traded in and the machine being bought. A toll-free
hotline has been set-up to give the exact amount for each potential
upgrader. IBM will deliver the new equipment and "dispose" of the
old machines for no extra charge.

For a service fee the new machine will be set-up and software
installed.

The trade-in offer is only available from IBM Direct and is not
combinable with any other discounts, including government pricing.

IBM Australia has just released nine new entry-level models in the
PS/ValuePoint range and has cut prices on existing models in an
effort to stay competitive with clones. The new machines all
have VESA local bus graphics, processor upgradability, and start
at less than US$1000 including tax. They all have 4MB of RAM,
IBM DOS 6.1 and Microsoft Windows 3.1 (both pre-loaded).

(Paul Zucker/19930910/Press Contact: Kate Dennis on phone
[phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(SYD)(00011)

Big Australian Laser Printer Contract For Lexmark 09/10/93
CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA, 1993 SEP 10 (NB) -- Printer manufacturer
Lexmark has won a large Australian government contract by
offering an unique payment method on the printers. The
Department of Social Security is to receive 1800 of the IBM 4029
laser printers.

Neil Tilley, general manager of Lexmark Australia, said he
believes this is the largest laser contract in Australia this
year. A special aspect of the deal is the way the printers will
be purchased. The only charge is a per-print charge to cover
hardware, consumables, service, and training. The system used
is "Click-Charge," which uses the printer's intelligence to
differentiate between successful and unsuccessful prints (for
which there is no charge).

Tilley said, "This innovative payment method enables users to
receive the total laser printing package with no hidden costs. In
addition there is no major capital acquisition cost for the
department. And the 4029 printer is modular in design so the
department will be able to keep pace with upgrades and technology
advances. Even the power costs of running these machines will be
minimized through Lexmark's Powersaver feature which reduces
power consumed when the printer is idle. Conservatively, we
estimate this feature will save the department $1M over the
five-year contract. The printers occupy very little desk space
and are very quiet. They require little operator intervention."

Over 1200 of the printers will be attached to Wang VS computers
using an Australian-designed and manufactured device, the Wang
CSS ST-959 Protocol Converter. The printers will also connect
to a new local area network (LAN) to be installed by the
department.

(Paul Zucker/19930910/Press contact: Annabelle Warren on phone
[phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(MOW)(00012)

Moscow - Sprint Express Service Offered 09/10/93
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1993 SEP 10 (NB) -- Sprint has launched the
Sprint Express phone service in Moscow. Sprint becomes the
third service provider in the city.

Calls to a Moscow phone number, 155-6133, will result in a
connection to the Sprint operator in US, who will complete
the call. In addition to providing calling to US, they also
can connect a call to 72 other countries.

Sprint rates are quite competitive compared to AT&T USAdirect
service (phone in Moscow 155-5042). Sprint charges $3.23 for the
first minute, and $2.50 for each other minute of calling to
Washington, DC, while AT&T rates are $6.75 for the first minute,
and $2.50 for each consecutive minute. The surcharge for
collect calls with Sprint is $1.50, while AT&T asks for $3.25.
Unlike AT&T, Sprint says it accepts Visa/MasterCard, which
AT&T doesn't.

The phone direct service is quietly gaining popularity in Moscow.
Another provider is TRT PhoneUSA (phone [phone]), which has been
operating since 1992.

The service is offered only in Moscow, although one can easily reach
those numbers from other cities with an inexpensive long distance
call. There is no such service in other parts of the former Soviet
Union, except Lithuania, where AT&T operates the USA Direct service.

(Kirill Tchashchin/19930910/Press Contact: Sprint Networks Moscow,
phone [phone])


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

International Update 09/10/93
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 10 (NB) -- China made a lot of
international headlines in telecommunications this week, despite
reports the government is trying to slow economic growth and
raging inflation.

MTC Electronics of Canada said its joint paging system in
Dongguan, China has been fully subscribed, with 50,000 people
putting deposits on pagers before service even begins. The first
phase of its system in Hubei is also subscribed, with deposits
from 15,000 customers. Reuters of the UK, meanwhile, launched a
financial paging service in the booming province of Guangdong.
The service includes quotes on 10 currencies including the
Deutchmark, yen, and British pound.

On the telephone side, Ericsson won orders for its AXE switches,
worth $17 million, from Liaoning province. This gives Ericsson 2
million lines in the country. The company also won its first
orders in India. Finally, in Hong Kong, which reverts to China in
1997, Bell Atlantic of the US teamed with Champion Technology
Holdings to bid for a telephone license. The Hong Kong Telecom
monopoly expires in 1995. Bell Atlantic hopes the Hong Kong
service can be its springboard into China.

In Greece, the Socialist Party of former premier Andreas
Papandreou sent letters to six companies bidding to buy 35
percent of OTE. The letters stated that the sale will be
cancelled if he's re-elected. The present conservative
government plans to sell the stake to either NTT, France
Telecom, Korea Telecom, STET of Italy, Spain's Telefonica or
GTE of the US, and narrowly won a vote in parliament to proceed.
Elections must be held by next April, but could come this fall.

In Eastern Europe, Israel's Bezeq telecommunications company
signed a deal with Elbit Ltd., of Poland to build a
telecommunications network in the Warsaw suburbs. That network,
like others planned by foreign companies, would be extended to
other areas of the country. Poland has moved faster than other
Eastern European republics to allow competition in the phone
network. Elsewhere, nations are moving to privatize their
networks and, under the urging of foreign bankers, are
maintaining monopolies for an interim period to pay for network
improvements. One of those countries, the Czech Republic, also
won an $80 million loan from the World Bank to improve its state-
run Czech Telecom network, part of a 15-year, $900 million
modernization.

Finally, in South America, three groups formed by Bell Canada,
Telefonica de Espana and Portugal's Marconi, with Brazil's
Constram, filed for a new competitive cellular license in
Uruguay. That license would vie with a group headed by BellSouth
and Motorola of the US, along with Argentine interests.
Uruguayan voters recently rejected plans to sell that nation's
Antel phone unit, and the government will take most of the
profits from the private cellular services.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930910/Press Contact: Ericsson, Kathy Egan,
212/685-4030; Elron Technologies, Yung Jin Kim, 212/935-3110)


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

TDMA Lawsuits Filed 09/10/93
KING OF PRUSSIA, PENNSYLVANIA, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 10 (NB) --
InterDigital's Time Division Multiple Access, or TDMA, patents,
are going to be defended in court, following the filing of
lawsuits in two US courts.

TDMA divides a single cellular calling channel into pieces,
usually three in US implementations, and sends digitized voices
through each channel. General Motors' Hughes division has
created an enhancement, called E-TDMA, which puts 15 callers on
a single cellular calling channel, and has cross-licensed
patents with InterDigital. TDMA was endorsed by the US cellular
industry in 1991 and McCaw Cellular, which is in the process of
being bought by AT&T, has begun installing dual standard analog-
TDMA equipment in its systems. Southwestern Bell has also
announced support for TDMA. Other cellular companies are
supporting a different cellular standard, Code Division Multiple
Access, or CDMA, and plan to begin installing that equipment next
year.

InterDigital got the lawsuit ball rolling, according to spokesman
David Smith, by suing Ericsson of Sweden's US cellular
equipment unit for patent infringement, in the Northern District
of Virginia. Ericsson replied with a suit in the Northern
District of Texas, seeking to have the patents invalidated.
Ericsson claimed in a press release its suit came after "a
lengthy and thorough investigation of the validity and scope" of
InterDigital's TDMA patents -- InterDigital says only it came
after lengthy negotiations.

Smith of InterDigital said there's not much difference in the two
courts, but he'd rather have the suit litigated closer to his
Philadelphia-area offices.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930910/Press Contact: Ericsson, Kathy Egan,
212/685-4030; David Smith, InterDigital, 215-78-7800)


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

America Online Subscriber Base Expands 09/10/93
VIENNA, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 10 (NB) -- While Prodigy and
Compuserve still have the lead in subscribers, America Online
is now competing with GEnie for third place. America Online says
it now has 350,000 subscribers. That would put it even with
GEnie, based on recent market analyses by Jupiter Communications
of New York.

The company said the figure represents a gain of 100,000
subscribers in the last six months, and an 80 percent increase in
the last year. Over that time the company has turned on local
versions of its service in Chicago and elsewhere, created
alliances with a number of publishers for special forums, and
begun bundling its software with popular computers. The last move
is thought to have been the greatest spur to growth, according to
company officials.

America Online has achieved success in part because it offers a
graphical user interface. Apple Computer recently signed a deal
to switch to America Online's GUI (graphical user interface)
for its future online offerings. America Online originally
created its interfaces, for both Macintosh and PC-compatible
computers, when it was developing specialty services for
computer manufacturers. The company also went public in March,
1992, the only online service to do that.

America Online's chief financial officer, Lennert Leader, recently
told analysts he's comfortable with earnings estimates of 75-85
cents per share for the fiscal year ending next June. He
estimated the number of subscribers could grow to 500,000 by the
end of the year, which would probably put it well ahead of GEnie,
now in third place behind Prodigy and CompuServe, among US consumer
online services. GEnie, which is a unit of General Electric, is
highly profitable, according to Jupiter's Josh Harris.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930910/Press Contact: Jean Villanueva,
America Online, 703-883-1675)


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

 ****Intel, MCI To Integrate Phones, PCs 09/10/93
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 10 (NB) -- MCI announced it
has signed a development deal with Intel to explore opportunities
in integrating telephones and PCs. Applications include advanced
PC-based data, audio, and videoconferencing.

The idea is to marry Intel's expertise in computer hardware,
video, and PCs with MCI's expertise as a provider of intelligent
network services.

Earlier this year, Intel made a number of related announcements ,
including support for the Microsoft Telephony Application
Program Interface. It has also signed separate alliance
agreements with regional Bell companies Ameritech, Bell
Atlantic and Pacific Bell, and with European equipment makers
Ericsson and Siemens. Until now, it has been best-known in the
telecommunication business for its fax-data modems.

Analysts speculate the new deal could put MCI's videophone
technology, which comes from GEC and Marconi of the UK, onto
Intel boards for insertion in Windows-based PCs. That could prove
important to MCI, since videophone sales have been slow because
the MCI and AT&T offerings are incompatible. Intel could also
work with MCI on digital services used by videoconferencing
equipment makers like PictureTel. No money changed hands in the
deal.

Separately, MCI signed CompuLink Ltd., as a value-added dealer,
meaning its WorldLink gateway products could be cross-marketed
with MCI services like MCI Mail and MCI Fax. The company's
products are designed to integrate data and text-based services,
which could provide powerful links between MCI Mail and MCI Fax.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930910/Press Contact: CompLink, Mark Spinner,
516/829-1888; MCI National Accounts, Yvonne Gagne, 914-933-6035)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00017)

New Commodore Amiga Due Today 09/10/93
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 10 (NB) -- Commodore
Business Machines will announce its new 32-bit game console,
the Amiga Compact Disc 32 (CD32) at the Amiga World Show today
in Pasadena, California. The Amiga CD32 offers a double-speed
compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) drive, Commodore's
Advanced Graphics Architecture chip set, and can display and
animate graphics in 256,000 colors, according to reports from
the company.

The unit is designed for connection to a television set and
offers a hand-held 11-button controller as well as connectors
for standard Amiga peripherals such as mouse, joystick, and
keyboard. Commodore claims titles from its previous game
system, CDTV, can be played on the CD32 as well as new titles,
some of which are expected as early as October.

Acclaim's Mortal Kombat, Ocean Software's Jurassic Park,
Gremlin Graphics' Zool 2, and Psygnosis' Microcosm games are a
few of the many titles Commodore listed as already in
development for CD32. The company says it encourages
development for its hardware without the requirement of
official licenses, unlike cartridge-based systems. The company
claims 50 to 100 titles are expected for the system by the
holiday season this year.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930910/Press Contact: Lauren Keffer,
Commodore Business Machines, tel [phone], fax 215-431-
9465)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LAX)(00018)

Low-Cost "Green" Laser Printer Offers HP, Postscript 09/10/93
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 10 (NB) -- Alps has
introduced the LSX1000 "green" laser printer it claims is
Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Postscript-compatible, produces 600
dot-per-inch (dpi) resolution, and offers a low cost. The
company claims the retail price of $1,675 is low enough to
attract small businesses or individuals, but the ten page-per-
minute (ppm) print speed is fast enough for network use.

Since the printer only uses 21 watts in its stand-by Power
Saver mode, the company claims it qualifies for the EPA's newly
announced Energy Star Program.

The printer offers a high resolution control (HRC) for
smoothing out the jagged edges of printed text and graphics.
Advanced Photoscale Technology (APT) allows graphics to be
printed in up to 256 shades of gray, the company added. The 83
resident fonts in the LSX1000 include Truetype compatible fonts
and a special software driver for Windows users, and 10 barcode
fonts. An HP Laserjet compatible font cartridge may be used in
the printer via a built-in slot. There is also Personal Computer
Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) credit card-sized
slot for storing forms and fonts via flash memory cards.

The printer comes with 2 megabytes (MB) of random access memory
(RAM) that can be expanded to 34 MB using standard single in-line
memory modules (SIMMs).

Bi-directional parallel and RS-232 serial interfaces are
included on the printer, plus an MI/O slot for network
connection to Appletalk, Token Ring, Ethernet, coax/twinax or
10Base-T interfaces. Alps says the printer is smart enough to
know what port is being used and can automatically switch
between emulations. Available emulations include:
PCL5e/Laserjet 4, PostScript, FX-850, Proprinter XL, Diablo
630, and HPGL.

The company says the LSX1000 uses standard EP-S toner
cartridges, producing 4,000 pages per cartridge, and it is
built to print 10,000 pages per month. Alps estimates engine
life of the printer at 600,000 pages, and also provides a
three-year warranty on the unit. A 250-sheet adjustable paper
drawer and stacker, a manual feed slot, and built-in envelope
adapter are all included.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930910/Press Contact: Alps Electric, Dennis
Steele, tel [phone]; Jennifer De Anda, Franson, Hagerty &
Associates for Alps, tel [phone], fax [phone]; Public
Contact, Alps, 800-825-2577)


(EDITORIAL)(TELECOM)(WAS)(00019)

Editorial - The Urge To Be Left Alone 09/10/93
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 10 (NB) -- By John McCormick.
Newspaper reports regarding how interactive television has
flopped big time in California didn't particularly surprise me -
if people wanted to interact, they wouldn't be sitting around
watching TV -- they would either be talking with family members,
out visiting friends, or using computers to link up with others with
similar interests on electronic bulletin boards. TV is basically a
passive activity and nobody is used to it being otherwise.

But the interactive-TV flap did remind me that I had yet to share
my feelings about another really hot topic these days, cellular
telephone technology.

Everyone, from investors to computer companies, wants to get in
on what he or she sees as the ground floor of the marriage of
portable communications systems and pocket computers.
Even AT&T announced last month that it was very interested in
becoming a big cellular player, and a friend of mine swears by
the telephone stocks of which he owns a lot.

But is AT&T right about this hot new technology? I seem to
remember that their last big move was into computers when they
bought NCR at its peak, showing that even Ma Bell can make big
mistakes.

What strikes me so vividly about both interactive TV and the now-
popular communications concept of "any time, any place" is that
the industry may not be keeping an eye on the end user.

Consider two-way television, where you can order movies any time
you want. Parents who leave their kids alone in hotel rooms
already know that they can quickly run up unexpected bills
requesting pay-for-view movies in the same way children sometimes
generate budget-busting 900 phone bills.

What will happen when a child or teenager left "home alone" for a
few hours can order a dozen $10 movies, dropping one and
switching to another when he or she gets bored?

I am a relatively affluent and sophisticated consumer but,
despite the fact that my satellite system comes ready to hook up
to the telephone so I can order current movies at a moment's
notice, I don't use the service and just can't see most cable TV
users really going for pay-per-view or home shopping in a big way
beyond what they already use.

Even more interesting to me is the concept of being able to make
or, much worse, receive a telephone call at any time, any place.

Some business people, especially those in sales, need powerful
communications systems, as I do during office hours, but with
telephone calls coming in to my office at all hours from time
zones as far away as Australia (I am on the East Coast of the
US), I really don't want to have to answer the telephone when I
am outside playing with my dogs.

Even worse, despite the fact that I live in a very rural area
where the problem is relatively small, even here I get upwards of
a dozen phone calls each week from telemarketing computers and
an average of five live telemarketers each day.

I don't want to talk to these people or machines. I certainly
don't pay for two telephone lines so they can invade my privacy
and would be even less happy if I had to pay cellular phone rates
to get these junk calls, so my home office is the only place in
the house where telephones ring.

That's right, I have answering machines, fax, and even a BBS, but
no where in or around my house can I be disturbed by those dozens
of calls except in a business setting. I have two normally
disconnected portable phones and I will very occasionally take
one outside with me when I am expecting an important call, but
that doesn't happen once a month and the rest of the time I
refuse to be a slave to the ringing telephone.

I am not certain why most people (outside a business setting)
drop everything to answer the phone and even arrange to have call
waiting so they can interrupt one call to take another, but my
life is already complicated enough and I don't need any further
annoyances.

As life becomes even more complex for everyone, I see a growing
backlash against the proposed interference in our lives from
unlimited telecommunications.

Personally, I see the answering machine as second only to the RJ-
11 phone jack, which makes it easy to disconnect a telephone, as
the most civilizing device in our modern technological society.

I am not a Luddite; in fact, I have sophisticated electronic
gadgets in my home which respond to spoken commands and lights
which sense my presence to turn themselves on, but I use
technology which makes my life easier, not more complex.

With the move away from Yuppie-style living, and busy suburban
parents beginning to realize that it makes little sense to spend
all day shuttling semiliterate kids from ballet class to Little
League to piano lessons to tennis school, I see the desire to
move away from complexity toward a more simple life.

No high-level executive would waste his or her time answering
every call that comes into his or her company and, as individuals
become ever more harried in their daily lives, I just can't see a
big non-business market in devices which will make everyday
existence even more hectic.

"Any time, any place?" Just say "leave me alone."

(John McCormick/19930903/)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00020)

Review of - Boatowner's Guide To Marine Electronics 09/10/93

From: International Marine/McGraw-Hill (TAB Books), Blue
Ridge Summit, PA 17294-0850.

Price: $19.95

PUMA Rating: 4.0 (on a scale of 1=lowest to 4=highest)

Reviewed for Newsbytes by: Ian Stokell 09/10/93

Summary: Excellent book explaining a variety of communications
and electronics technologies.

======

REVIEW

======

Why review a book on marine electronics? Well, the significance of
the computer and electronics industries lies not just in applications
suited to running on desktop PCs. The real test of many new
information technologies lies in applications.

For example, look at the trend away from desktop PCs, first with
portable computers, then laptops, then notebooks, then sub-notebooks,
and now personal digital assistants. Look too at the enormous variety
of communications channels open to those who want to keep in touch
with the office or the rest of the world, ranging from cellular radio
to satellites.

And that brings us neatly to "Boatowner's Guide to Marine Electronics,"
by Gordon West and Freeman Pittman.

There are hundreds of thousands of boatowners and weekend sailors in
the United States, each of whom use electronic gear on their vessels,
maybe a depth sounder or a global positioning system (GPS) or even a
cellular phone (increasingly common). Also, much of the technology
covered in the book is of interest to non-mariners.

So let's start with what is included in the book. Plenty actually. There
are chapters on depthsounders, VHF radio, cellular telephones, satellite
communications, marine single sideband radio, amateur radio for
mariners, weather facsimile reception, radio direction finders, Loran,
noise suppression, GPS, electronic chart plotters, radar, autopilots,
performance instruments, and security systems. The book covers a lot
of ground and does so exceedingly well.

I found this an extremely informative book, and just as importantly, a
good read. The author goes to considerable lengths to describe the
mechanics of each technology without getting bogged down. Much of
the technology is of interest to anyone who reads the trade
papers and ever wondered how GPS works, for example. And just how
does radar work anyway?

The book is also a good buyer's guide for anyone venturing into the
world of marine electronics (which includes devices called "fish
finders" by the way, for any budding Hemingways who, upon using one,
might be able to shout, "Hey, is that a giant Marlin down there?")
Actually, the depthsounder chapter is one of the most comprehensive
with plenty of buying advice for those wanting both a straight-forward
depthsounder or a fish finder.

The book gives a good indication of what to look for in the equipment
and goes a long way toward dispelling misleading sales talk and
misinformation.

This is an excellent book on a great variety of marine and
communications technologies. In my humble opinion, a "must-have"
book for anyone thinking of buying marine equipment, and a "good
read" for anyone simply interested in any of the technologies
mentioned. Well worth the money.

(Ian Stokell/19930812)


(REVIEW)(IBM)(SFO)(00021)

Review of - MetroGnomes Music, 09/10/93

Runs on: MS-DOS machines

From: The Learning Company, 6493 Kaiser Dr. Fremont, CA 94555,
800-852-2255

Price: $49.95

PUMA rating: 3.75 (on a scale of 1 = lowest to 4 = highest)

Reviewed for NEWSBYTES by: Naor Wallach

Summary: A program that will teach the younger set (4-7 year old)
some of the fundamental concepts of music while involving them
in fun and rewarding activities.

=======

REVIEW

=======

MetroGnomes Music is designed to help children between the ages
of 4 and 7 learn the basics of music through the use of
whimsical tools and fun activities.

The story line is that deep in the enchanted forest there is
a town called GnomeTown. Within and around that town, there
are MetroGnomes involved in various activities in which you
can participate.

When you start the program, you are first treated to a little
musical revue. Then, you are in a meadow with a bunch of
MetroGnomes engaged in various activities. Clicking with the
mouse or keyboard on any of the Gnomes makes something happen.
In the majority of cases, what happens is a brief sequence
on the screen accompanied by some musical tune. One of my
favorites is the beaver who splashes water on the sleeping
dog.

Five of the activities are flying a flag with a numeral on it.
Clicking on those activities will transport you to a totally
different section of the program where you can more actively
participate in the activities. Of course, each of the five
also happens to have a particular musical education focus.

Number 1 is Hi-Lo rescue. Seems that the Mushroom house has some
animals that are stuck within its eight floors and the fire
department has been called out. When you arrive, you are to
help the fire department. First a pair of tones are played
for you. If the second tone is higher than the first, then
you are to click on a lighted window that is above the
firefighter on the ladder. If the tone is lower, then click
on the lower illuminated window. If you clicked correctly,
an animal will jump out of the window and into the
firefighters net down below. Should you click on the
wrong window, the firefighter on the stairs shakes his head
and the tones are replayed. Each animal that is saved gets
to go to the adjoining playground and swing on the swingset.
When you have saved four animals, the two firefighters on the
ground sing a little song for you which changes every time.
Then, it's time to save some more animals.

Number 2 is Match a Tune. In this activity you are in the
flower patch and you see 8 different insects on each flower.
Each insect that you click on will play a single musical phrase.
Your task is to pair up those insects who play the same musical
phrase. When the two insects match, a picture is formed from
them and that picture travels to one of the clouds above the
scene. When all the insects have metamorphosed into pictures
in the cloud, the song that is comprised of the phrases is
played to you.

Number 3 is Melody Maker. Melody Maker takes place in the
bandstand. The MetroGnomes band and conductor are ready to do
your bidding. The band is so good that it can play in various
scales and use different instruments. You can create the tune
that they play by moving the notes on the piece of music
notation above the bandstand. By clicking on each band member,
that band member will play the song that you composed. If
you click on the bandleader, the rhythms change. Finally,
you can click on the xylophone and that will change the
range of notes that are allowed.

Number 4 is Time a Trip. This is where you learn about keeping
rhythm. The story line is that you are driving the log car
that is collecting the members of the GnomeTown marching band.
At first you are stopped by a traffic light. When the light turns
yellow, it actually pulsates at a specific (and settable) tempo.
Once the light turns green you need to push the space bar in
the same tempo as the light pulsates. A gauge shows how close
you were and each time you press the space bar, the log car
moves forward. If you go too far off the mark, a tow truck
will appear and drag the log car back behind the traffic
light. If you are successful, then a band member leaves his
or her house and gets into the car. At the fourth stop, you
actually get to let the band members out of the car and watch
them line up to get ready for the parade.

Number 5 is Pick and Play and this simply lets you listen to
27 of the Gnomes' favorite songs. Each of the songs is displayed
as an icon on a quilt sheet and by clicking on it you can have
it played to you. Each of the songs is accompanied by the text
so that one can sing along if he or she is a reader. A 28th
icon is full of musical notes and this acts as a random picker.
Each time you click on it, a different one of the 27 is sung to
you.

Each of the first four activities teaches a lesson. Each time
a player succeeds with an activity, the next level is a bit
more difficult. In this way, a player can maintain interest.
Should the program recognize that you are having difficulty
with that particular level, it will switch back to the easier
level for the next round.

The program comes with both 3.5 and 5.25-inch floppies. It
is probably best to install the program on a hard disk and
there are simplified instructions and installation programs
available to do this for you. If you have a sound card
installed, then the program will take advantage of it. In
addition to the diskettes, there is a 50-page User's
Guide. The Guide tells you everything that you need to
know about running the program and includes sections on
the educational focus of the different activities,
troubleshooting, special installation instructions for
computers like the Tandy DeskMate series, and instructions
on how to get the best customer service.

I found that installation and use of this program was very
straightforward and posed no real problems. My 4-year-old was
immediately captivated by the colorful scene in the meadow and
wanted to play the game. However, most of the musical concepts
were beyond him.

In discussing this program with several music teachers, I was
led to believe that the best use of this kind of program would
be with 6-year-olds. Then again, 6-year-olds may find the
activities a little below them and might rebel about that.
So I guess you can tell that I'm a little confused as to the
potential audience here.

Aside from that, everything works very well and does provide
for loads of entertainment. My 4-year-old and the other
testers all loved being able to select the different activities
and participate in them. It took no time at all for them to
figure out how to do each one without needing to refer to the
User's Guide or to ask for my assistance.

I want to note, though, that the appeal of the different activities
tends to wear off rather quickly. This lead to the constant
shuffling from one activity to the other. Maybe it's the age
group, or maybe it's the program's single mindedness.

=============

PUMA RATINGS

=============

PERFORMANCE: 4 It runs well. There were no inordinate delays
in operation and it took advantage of sound card if such were
installed.

USEFULNESS: 3 I have a bit of a disquieted feeling about the
program. Somehow the focus seems off and the activities are
only good for a short time before the kids get bored.

MANUAL: 4 It has everything you need to know with no typos
or mistakes. The only odd thing was mention of a magic
railroad that takes you to other parts of the forest which,
in reality, did not exist.

AVAILABILITY: 4 Available from mail order and software stores.
The Learning Company has a toll-free number available for both
sales and customer service.

(Naor Wallach/19930815)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(WAS)(00022)

Roundup - Stories Carried By Other Media This Week 09/10/93
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 10 (NB) -- Roundup is a brief
look at some computer stories carried in other publications
received here this past week.

On the day when a study showed that having doubled per-student
spending in the US has actually resulted in lower test scores,
Jack Rickard's provocative Boardwatch BBS magazine for September
contains a letter to the editor praising teachers. Jack isn't
one to let such a challenge go unanswered and pointed out that
educators from the NEA on down are always blaming TV, funding,
parents, or students, but never themselves and that, "Eventually
if no one IN education does take responsibility, someone outside
it will."

August's Computer and Office Electronics Retailer says that
customers want portables with the power to run Windows fast, and
in color, but they will quickly trade off extra power for lighter
weight.

September's Data Based Advisor takes a preliminary look
at Windows NT with an eye to how database developers will be
able to take maximum advantage of this new 32-bit operating
system. Another article says that while there were no NT servers
at the time the issue was written, several are in the wings.

(John McCormick/19930910/)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(WAS)(00023)

Flat-Panel Diamond Displays 09/10/93
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 10 (NB) -- SI Diamond Technology
and Alexandria, Virginia-based Commonwealth Scientific last
month licensed a new diamond technology from the US Department
of Energy's Lawrence Livermore Laboratories. Now Microelectronics
and Computer Technology (MCC) has formed a partnership with SI
Diamond Technology to develop flat-panel FED (field emission
displays) based on the new diamond technology.

The difference between LCDs and FED's according to MCC spokesman
Bill Stotesbery, is that LCDs require a backlight source, and FEDs
are "more like a micro miniature version of the standard cathode
ray tube." He said the FED's advantage is a bright, high
resolution image. He adds that the diamond coating has other
advantages in terms of the amount of power and energy required to
operate a display, and its ability to operate cooler than
conventional display technology.

Stotesbery says the $1.9 million, three-year cooperative research
and development agreement is aimed at making the Livermore-developed
diamond deposition system into a commercial product. "The
focus is on engineering and manufacturing to support the
technology," Stotesbery told Newsbytes.

Houston-based SI Diamond will lease laboratory space
in the Austin, Texas facility owned by The Microelectronics and
Computer Technology research consortium as part of a $9 million
agreement with the aim of producing a limited number of 6-inch
screens in 1994.

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory says that estimates
place the potential yearly market for flat panel displays at $50
billion by the end of the decade. Most such panels are now
manufactured in Asia.

Thin-film diamond layers are an important new material with many
potential uses in the semiconductor industry because of diamond's
unique thermal and electrical properties.

Creating a diamond film is not terribly difficult from a
technical standpoint, but forming a precision layer needed for
use in semiconductors is a major challenge and Lawrence Livermore
is transferring its expertise in this area to SI Diamond.

Thin-film diamond coatings also have applications in medicine and
manufacturing because of the extreme hardness of the surfaces.

(John McCormick/19930910/)


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

Lotus Spins Off CD-ROM Enterprise 09/10/93
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 10 (NB) -- Lotus
Development Corp., has spun off its One Source division, which
develops compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) products, into a
separate company.

Lotus will retain a minority interest in OneSource Information
Services, Inc., the balance of which will be owned by OneSource's
employees and management and two venture capital firms.

Information Partners of Boston and William Blair Venture Partners
of Chicago will have interests in the new company. Officials
would not disclose the share Lotus will retain other than to say
it is a minority stake.

All employees of the old One Source division will keep their jobs
with OneSource Information Services, said OneSource spokesman
Michael Bailey.

A division of Lotus since 1986, One Source has worked with a
number of providers of business and financial data to develop and
market CD-ROM information products. These include CD/Investment,
CD/Corporate, CD/Banking, CD/Insurance, and CD/Notes. OneSource
products are delivered on a subscription basis with weekly,
monthly, or quarterly updates as well as more frequent electronic
updates.

Bailey said there were several reasons for the split. It is meant
to let Lotus focus management attention on its core business, he
said, while freeing OneSource from the need to compete for senior
management time and attention. It will also give OneSource more
latitude to pursue new markets and product strategies that might
not have fit with those of Lotus. As an example, the company recently
announced compatibility between some of its products and Excel,
the Microsoft Corp. spreadsheet package that is a key competitor
to Lotus' 1-2-3.

OneSource will also be able to pursue new sources of capital,
Bailey said. Giving management and employees part ownership of
the company also creates a new sense of commitment, he added.
"We're all owners and I think it brings a lot of enthusiasm and
enhanced motivation."

Dan Schimmel, who was general manager of the division, has been
named president and chief executive officer of OneSource
Information Services, Inc. Martin Kahn, whose experience in the
CD-ROM field includes current posts as chairman of CD Plus
Technologies, a provider of medical, scientific, and technical
CD-ROMs, and of Vista Environmental Information Inc., has been
named chairman.

(Grant Buckler/19930910/Press Contact: Michael Bailey, OneSource
Information Services, 617-693-7239; Bryan Simmons, Lotus,
617-693-1697)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00025)

Delrina Sales Soar, Acquisitions Leave Firm With Loss 09/10/93
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 SEP 10 (NB) -- Delrina Corp., has
reported record revenues for its fiscal 1993 and, although
acquisition of another company and assorted technology led to a
net loss for the year, officials say the firm is ready for a
profitable 1994.

Delrina had revenues of C$48.58 million in the year ended June
30, 1993, up from C$19.21 million in the previous fiscal year.
The company had net income of C$7.2 million before purchased
research and development and taxes, compared with a loss of
C$1.93 million in fiscal 1992.

In 1993, though, Delrina took an added charge of C$13.85 million
to account for the October, 1992, purchase of Kirkland Lake,
Washington-based Amaze, Inc., for C$9.7 million and the
fourth-quarter acquisition of strategic technologies totalling
about C$4.1 million. After these charges, Delrina recorded a net
loss of C$9.71 million, compared to a net loss of C$2 million in
1992.

However, company spokesman Harrison Cheung said, Delrina
deliberately made the acquisitions before the end of 1993 in
order to "start the books fresh for 1994." The company plans no
new acquisitions in the near future, he said, and "we definitely
see our bottom line improving."

In April, Amaze became the core of a new consumer software
division, whose products include the Delrina Daily Planner. The
Daily Planner is now available in versions using the Far Side and
Cathy cartoons and in a Trivial Pursuit version. A new version is
planned for this year's Christmas season, Cheung said, and it
will also integrate the phone book from Delrina's WinFax
facsimile software.

(Grant Buckler/19930910/Press Contact: Harrison Cheung, Delrina,
416-441-3676 ext. 2383, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00026)

 ****IBM Cutting Facilities 09/10/93
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 10 (NB) -- For Sale. For
Lease. The signs are going up on former IBM facilities across the
United States and around the world.

The company plans to cut its office holdings in the US from 44
million to 26 million square feet by the end of this year,
spokesman Jon Iwata confirmed for Newsbytes. That is part of a
worldwide plan to reduce real-estate holdings by 15 percent from
the present 172 million square feet over the next few years.

IBM expects to save $500 million per year worldwide by making the
cuts.

While IBM will not leave any city where it currently has
facilities, Iwata said, it will move out of some of its space in
a number of locations. This will mean breaking leases in some
cases and selling company-owned facilities in others.

Among the sites IBM is leaving is a 425,000-square-foot facility
in Purchase, New York, that formerly was home base for the
company's North American sales force. The sales force has moved
"down the street" to a company-owned facility in neighboring
White Plains, Iwata said.

A 600,000-square-foot facility in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, is
also being sold, and the company plans to lease out several more
floors of its midtown Manhattan office building at 590 Madison
Ave. Some space at the IBM Plaza in Chicago will also be leased
out, Iwata confirmed.

IBM announced a special $8.9-billion charge against earnings in
the second quarter of this year to cover the cost of job cuts and
capacity reductions. At that time IBM said it would cut an
additional 35,000 jobs beyond the cuts already announced. The
company's total staff has shrunk from more than 400,000 in the
late 1980s to just under 300,000 now.

In 1992, IBM lost $4.96 billion. Its second-quarter loss this
year, after the special charge, was $8 billion.

(Grant Buckler/19930910/Press Contact: Rob Wilson, IBM,
914-765-6565)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(LAX)(00027)

 ****AMD Shareholder Suits Spurred By Friday Announcement 09/10/93
SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 10 (NB) -- Three
shareholder class-action lawsuits have been filed against
Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), as well as company executives and
members of the board of directors. The suits allege violations
of federal securities laws in connection with statements made
by AMD on September 2, 1993 concerning its Am486 family of
Intel-compatible microprocessor products.

What AMD said Friday, September 2 is that the California
Supreme Court agreed to hear its case against Intel concerning
its claim that it has the right to use Intel microcode in its
microprocessor products. Microcode controls the inner workings
of the microprocessor and AMD says it has the right to the code
per a 1976 agreement with Intel that was renewed in 1982. Intel
says AMD does not have the right to use the microcode.

The case first went to an arbitrator, who sided with AMD, then to
an appeals court, which sided with Intel. After Intel won the
appeal, it filed suit concerning AMD's 486 microprocessors,
before the chips were even released, claiming the AMD 486
microcode was not "clean" -- meaning AMD did not start from
scratch.

In a July announcement, AMD said that its new Intel-486
compatible microprocessors contained only microcode developed
internally. However, Richard Lovgren, AMD associate general
counsel said on Friday concerning the engineers that worked on
the Am486 products: "The development team was exposed to
certain 386 intellectual property that had been awarded to us
by the arbitrator in our breach-of-contract dispute against
Intel. The June 4 decision by the court of appeal reversing the
arbitrator's award potentially compromised our right to use the
386 microcode. Today's decision by the California Supreme Court
to hear our appeal reinforces our confidence that the
arbitrator acted correctly and justly in awarding AMD license
rights to the 386 microprocessor for Intel's breach of the 1982
technology exchange agreement."

Infocorp Analyst Scott Miller said: "The issue is clearly AMD's
insistence on spotless, squeaky clean microcode. It's now
obvious that wasn't the case."

AMD officials told Newsbytes it is common for an announcement
that makes the stock price tumble to generate stockholder
lawsuits. AMD's stock, that was trading at 31 1/2 to 32 before
Friday's announcement dropped as low as 27 1/4, but is now back
up to about 28, company officials added. Intel's stock is up
from 63 on Friday to well over 65 in current trading.

AMD added it intends to vigorously defend itself against the
suits.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930910/Press Contact: Scott Allen, AMD, tel
408-749-3311, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TOR)(00028)

New Alpha Chips Aimed At Volume PC, Embedded Markets 09/10/93
MAYNARD, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 10 (NB) -- Digital
Equipment Corp. hopes to push into the volume personal computer
and embedded microprocessor markets with two additions to its
Alpha chip line.

The new DECchip 21066, which adds a number of integrated
functions to the existing 21064 chip, is aimed at volume
production of personal computers, said Tim Miller, product
marketing manager. It will let PC makers build their machines
faster and with less design effort thanks to built-in memory
controller, graphics accelerator, and Peripheral Component
Interconnect (PCI) local-bus circuitry, he said.

DEC said the new chips are the industry's first to put the PCI
standard directly on the chip.

While the 21064 continues to offer the highest performance
available from the Alpha family, Miller said, the 21066 will
appeal to vendors who want to complement their Intel-based PCs
with a line of Alpha-based systems running Microsoft's Windows NT
operating system.

The 21066 is the first in a family of low cost, highly integrated
chips for the Windows NT desktop market, DEC said, claiming that
more than 500 Windows NT applications running natively on Alpha
AXP systems will ship by the end of the year.

Priced at $385 per chip in quantities of 5,000, the 21066 runs at
166 megahertz (MHz) and DEC rated its performance of 70 SPECint92
and 105 SPECfp92. Samples are available now, with volume
quantities due to ship in the first quarter of 1994.

The DECchip 21068 is a version of the 21066 designed for lower
power consumption. Miller said it is meant for
embedded-microprocessor applications such as single-board
computers for industrial process control. The eight-watt 21068 is
DEC's first step into this market, he said, to be followed with
lower-power and lower-priced chips.

Priced at $221 per unit in quantities of 5,000, the chip runs at
66 MHz, and DEC claimed performance of 30 SPECint92, 50 SPECfp92
and 70 Dhrystone MIPS. Samples are available now, with volume
quantities available in the first quarter of 1994.

DEC also cut the price of the currently shipping 150-MHz DECchip
21064 to $455 per unit in quantities of 5,000, and introduced a
166-MHz version at $499 in quantities of 5,000, with estimated
performance of 90 SPECint92 and 140 SPECfp92. The new 166-MHz
21064 is available now in volume, the company said.

DEC also announced the EB66/68 Evaluation Board, a tool that it
said will help hardware engineers design boards with either the
DECchip 21066 or 21068 microprocessors more quickly and easily.
The EB66/68 includes sample designs of an Alpha AXP architecture
motherboard and supports sample files, source code, and
simulation databases. It is to be available for $5,000 in the
first quarter of 1994.

(Grant Buckler/19930910/Press Contact: Linda Sanders, DEC,
508-568-6501; Pat McGloin, DEC, 508-568-5102)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BOS)(00029)

Samsung Non-Impact Printers To Be Shown At Comdex 09/10/93
RIDGEFIELD PARK, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 10 (NB) -- Samsung
has introduced five new non-impact printers, and intends to display
all of them, along with the previously announced Samsung Finale
8000 laser printer, at Fall Comdex in Las Vegas.

Joining the Finale 8000 in Samsung's non-impact printer line-up are
the Protege 5600, Finale HighRes, and 10 Page-Per-Minute laser
printers, and the Protege 5000 and Protege 5050 LED page printers.

The Protege 5050 is aimed at power Windows users, said Bob Rinklin,
a company spokesperson. Operating with a PC equipped with the 4 MB
of system memory required to run Windows, the five page-per-minute
(PPM) unit generates an animated display on the host monitor that
lets the user communicate with the printer. The Protege 5050
outputs text and graphics with 300 dot-per-inch (dpi) resolution.

The RISC-based Protege 5000 printer offers six resident emulations,
serial, parallel, and AppleTalk with auto-interface switching. The
printer comes with a 16 MHz 32-bit Intel processor, plus 2 MB of
memory expandable to 6 MB. Output for the Protege 5000 is also 5
PPM.

Among Samsung's newly announced laser printers, the Protege 5600
outputs at five PPM, the Finale HighRes at eight PPM, and the 10
Page-Per-Minute Laser Printer, as the name indicates, at 10 PPM.
The Protege 5600 produces 600 dpi output and features PCL 5E
emulation. Serial, parallel and AppleTalk are resident with auto-
interface switching.

The RISC-based Finale HighRes printer produces text and graphics at
up to 1200 dpi resolution. The machine also offers Samsung's High
Resolution Halftone Technology.

The 10 Page-Per-Minute Laser Printer is a RISC-based CPU printer
with memory expandable to 18 MB. Resolution is also 1200 dpi.
Six resident emulations are provided, including PostScript and
PCL5.

The previously announced Finale 8000 is a RISC-based 8 PPM printer
that outputs at 300 dpi resolution. Also provided are six built-in
emulations, including PostScript and PCL5, and 35 PostScript-
compatible typefaces, with TrueType rasterizer, 14 bit-mapped fonts,
and eight scalable typefaces.

All of Samsung's non-impact printers, including the Samsung Finale
8000, meet or exceed the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy
Star guidelines for power usage, said Jay Allan Shears, senior
product manager, Printer Systems.

Rinklin told Newsbytes that the Finale 8000, Protege 5000, and
Finale HighRes are shipping, and the Protege 5050 will ship by
Comdex. The Protege 5600 will be released in December of this
year, and the Ten-Page-Per-Minute Laser Printer in February, he
added.

The Finale 8000 is priced at $1,995, the Protege 5000 at $1,295,
and the Finale HighRes at $2,086. Pricing is not yet available for
the other three new models.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19930910/Reader contact: Samsung Electronics
America, tel [phone]; Press contacts: Rob Rinklin or Lydia
Trettis, HWH Public Relations for Samsung, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(BOS)(00030)

Magnum Multimedia PCs Feature Integrated CD-ROM 09/10/93
NAMPA, IDAHO, U.S.A., 1993 SEP 10 (NB) -- Micron Computer has
introduced a series of three 486-based multimedia PCs, all
featuring integrated CD-ROM.

Each computer in the new 486VL Magnum MPC (Multimedia PC) line-up is
equipped with an MPC-compliant dual-speed 280 ms CD-ROM drive, a
16-bit CD-quality sound card, 8 MB of memory (expandable to 64 MB),
VESA local bus 32-bit architecture, and a Diamond Viper VLB
graphics accelerator.

MS DOS 6.0, Windows 3.1 or Windows NT on CD, and a choice of
application software from WordPerfect or Borland are also included.

Systems are available with any of three processors: 486SX 33 MHz
($2,399); 486DX 33 MHz ($2,499); and 486 66 MHz ($2,699).

"We strongly feel CD-ROM drives should no longer be considered
optional equipment. CD-ROM titles are flooding he market and will
continue to do so in the foreseeable future," explained Pete
Scamardo, director of marketing and strategic planning.

The 486VL Magnum PC line is a direct derivative of the 466VL
Magnum, which received top awards from both PC Magazine and PC
World, according to Scamardo.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19930910/Reader contact: Micron Computer, tel
208-465-3434; Press contact: Pete Scamardo, Micron Computer, tel
208-465-3434)