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/NB930520

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(NEWS)(APPLE)(DEN)(00001)

Fifth Generation Upgrades SuperLaserSpooler 05/20/93
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, U.S.A., 1993 MAY 20 (NB) -- Fifth
Generation Systems has announced an new version of its print
spooler for Apple Computer's Macintosh platform.

The company says the new version, SuperLaserSpooler 3.1,
includes an improved printer buffer, a "set jobs" folder option,
disconnect/reconnect capability, and enhanced memory management.
Support for multiple paper trays and enhanced color printer support
for devices like Hewlett Packard's DeskWriter C and the QMS
ColorScript has also been added.

The company says the improved print buffer allows the user to control
the amount of memory allocated to SuperLaserSpooler, increasing
compatibility with high memory applications and printers. The "set
jobs" folder option allows users to spool files to other folders or to
another hard disk.

A disconnect/reconnect feature allows Apple PowerBook users to
spool documents while on the road, then print them automatically
when they reconnect to their office or home printer. The company
says the enhanced memory management feature reduces the time
between issuing the print command and when background printing
actually starts. The sooner a background print job starts, the
sooner the computer is free to perform other tasks.

Fifth Generation says the latest version of SuperLaserSpooler
works with any AppleTalk or direct connect Apple printers,
including Image Writers, Laser Writers, and any postscript
device using an Apple driver. It also supports dot matrix, bubble
jet, ink jet, color printers, QuickDraw and PostScript laser
printers.

The new version has a suggested retail price of $149. Registered
users of earlier versions can upgrade for $15.95 plus shipping and
handling by calling the company;s toll free sales support number.

(Jim Mallory/19930519/Press contact: Jan Johnson, Fifth Generation
Systems, 504-291-7221; Reader contact: Fifth Generation Systems,
800-873-4384 or 504-291-7221)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00002)

Borland Intros Paradox For Windows Object Converters 05/20/93
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 MAY 20 (NB) -- In an effort
to ease migration from Paradox DOS and ObjectVision to Paradox
for Windows, Borland International has announced the development
of Paradox for Windows Object Converters.

The converters are a set of utilities designed to convert Paradox
DOS and ObjectVision objects such as forms, reports and queries,
into equivalent Paradox for Windows objects. The first tool
will convert Paradox DOS and ObjectVision forms, and is
scheduled for release in the third quarter of 1993.

In announcing the converter, David Watkins, vice president of
product management and product marketing for Borland, said:
"Our users have requested tools that ease migration from Paradox
DOS and ObjectVision to Paradox for Windows. Paradox for
Windows Object Converters will preserve the investment that
our customers have made in Paradox and ObjectVision and
provide them with invaluable tools for upward migration to
Paradox for Windows."

The company says that the first object converter will modify
Paradox 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0 forms as well as ObjectVision 2.0 forms.
Additional object converters are also being developed to address
the conversion of reports and queries.

The company says that copies of the converters will be available
through the Paradox Developer Partners Program, Borland
Technical Support and on-line services including Borland
Download BBS, CompuServe, GEnie, and BIX.

(Ian Stokell/19930519/Press Contact: Allison Niday,
408-439-4872, Borland International Inc.)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00003)

Creative Labs Offers Speech Recognition, Ed Esber COO 05/20/93
MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 MAY 20 (NB) -- Creative
Labs says it has added speech recognition to its new Sound
Blaster 16 sound card for IBM and compatible personal
computers (PCs), so users can give their computers verbal
commands. Also, the company says former Ashton-Tate President
Ed Esber has been named president and chief operating officer
of Creative Labs.

Voiceassist, a speech recognition package, offers customization
of Windows applications with voice commands, has a 30,000 word
vocabulary potential, and supports simultaneous access to as
many as 1,024 words for up to 30 applications. Voice Processing
Corporation of Cambridge, Massachusetts developed the speed
recognition engine Vprocommand used in Voiceassist, Creative
Labs said.

The new Sound Blaster 16 package is shipping with HSC
Interactive for Multimedia presentations; PC Animate Plus
animation software; the text-to-speech utility, Monologue for
Windows; Software Toolwork's Multimedia Encyclopedia CD; a
Windows-based wave editor, Creative Wavestudio; Creative
Soundo'LE for voice and music recording; and Creative Talking
Scheduler.

The Sound Blaster also has the advantage of having its software
drivers bundled with Microsoft Windows 3.1, making installation
easier. In addition, the Sound Blaster card has amplification
and a built-in volume control so small, unpowered, speakers
can be used instead of a power-boost battery or electrically
operated speakers, as other cards require.

In addition, the Sound Blaster 16 offers a CD-ROM interface for
the addition of select CD-ROM drives, a musical instrument
digital interface (MIDI) port, and a joystick port.

Users with a Sound Blaster 16 equipped with advanced signal
processing can add the Voiceassist features to their sound card
for a $99 upgrade fee. Other add-ons include the Wave Blaster
daughter board which the company says offers professional-
quality sound through sampled-wave synthesis for another
$249.95. Retail price of the Sound Blaster 16 is $349.95.

In addition, Creative Labs has announced Ed Esber will head the
company, reporting directly to the president of Singapore-based
Creative Technology, the parent company of Creative Labs.
Torrance, California headquartered Ashton-Tate was bought by
Borland International two years ago. Esber is 41 and was
formerly president of his own consulting company, The Esber
Group. He also serves on the board of directors of two public
technology companies, one university, and six private companies.

Other recent Creative Labs announcements include acquisitions
and technology licensing. The company announced it plans to pay
$11 million to acquire Sharevision, a San Jose, California-
based company which produces video conferencing products for
the Macintosh. In addition, the company announced a three-year
deal with Canadian Archer Communications to license its Qsound
technology in Creative Lab's chipsets and sound boards.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930519/Press Contact: Benita Kenn,
Creative Labs, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00004)

MS Entices Clipper/dBASE Users; Offers Free Kit 05/20/93
REDMOND, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 MAY 20 (NB) -- Microsoft says
it will attempt to make moving to Foxpro easy for Clipper and
dBASE users with the free Foxpro Migration Kit version 2.0. The
company says that, while the kit has yet to ship, it has received
10,000 orders since it made the announcement three months ago
that the Foxpro Migration Kit would become available.

The Migration Kit is designed to translate applications written
in DOS-based products Clipper Summer '87 and dBASE IV to Foxpro
2.5. Microsoft's Foxpro 2.5 comes in both Windows and DOS
versions and applications created in one can be moved without
modification to the other.

Clipper is in version 5.2, which is two releases past the
Summer '87 version. Nantucket, the company who developed
Clipper, was acquired earlier this year by Computer Associates,
who recently released the 5.2 version and has promised, but not
yet delivered, a Clipper for Windows. dBASE IV, originally
developed by Ashton-Tate, is now owned by Borland
International, which has released updated versions of the product
as well, but has not yet delivered on the promised dBASE for
Windows product.

Microsoft acquired Fox Software over a year ago and Fox
President Dave Fulton joined Microsoft as its database product
manager. While the company isn't releasing numbers of how many
copies of Foxpro 2.5 have shipped since its introduction in
January, company representatives did say unit sales for the
first quarter are up 1,500 percent over unit sales in the same
quarter a year ago when Foxpro 2.0 was shipping from Fox
Software.

Not only is Microsoft offering the Migration Kit free, it says
the kit may be copied and distributed at no charge. The
Migration Kit may be downloaded from the Compuserve Fox
Forum or requested by phone.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930519/Press Contact: Julie Briselden,
Microsoft, tel [phone], fax [phone]; Migration
Kit Request Hotline, 800-882-2000)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEL)(00005)

India - Motorola Announces 1993 Fellowships 05/20/93
BANGALORE, INDIA, 1993 MAY 20 (NB) -- Rituparna Ghosh of
Jadavpur University, Calcutta, and Ekta Singh from the College
of Engineering, Pune, have received the 1993 Paul Galvin
fellowship offered by Motorola India Electronics Pvt. Ltd.

The two engineers will be sent for a program of post-graduate
studies at any US university of their choice. The fellowship
provides for travel, tuition and book expenses, plus a monthly
allowance. At the end of 18-month academic phase, the candidates
will undergo one and a half years of on-the-job training at various
Motorola facilities, the last six months of which will be in India.

The Paul Galvin fellowship, named after the founder of Motorola,
was started in 1991. Every year, about 1,200 engineering
graduates put in their applications to obtain the fellowship.
Shortlisting and final selection is carried out on the basis of a
series of interviews and panel discussions. Last year, Poornima
Padmanabhan of the Regional Engineering College, Kota, and Rajesh
Radhakrishnan of the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi,
received the award.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19930520)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(DEL)(00006)

India - Advanced Satellite Link For B'Lore STP 05/20/93
BANGALORE, INDIA, 1993 MAY 20 (NB) -- The Indian Department
of Electronics (DOE) plans to launch the SoftNet service at its
Bangalore software technology park to cater to software
exporters. An agreement has been signed with IDB Worldcom to
extend its digital private line service to Bangalore.

IDB will also provide such services to the software
technology park in Hyderabad, while discussions are underway for
service to Trivandrum. Subsequently, SoftNet services will be
extended to Noida, Gandhinagar, and Trivandrum, claims the DOE.

Through its satellite earth station, the software technology park
in Bangalore has been providing a 64Kbps link to software exporters
for the last six months. As many as five leased lines are already
operational, while four more dedicated or call-up lines are expected
to come up by this month.

Previously, software exporters had to rely on lines provided by
the DOE's wire-based network. With SoftNet services on, the
connection will be made using point-to-multipoint radio
equipment. This back-to-back connection leaves little scope
for data corruption, or delay in transmission. The cost of the
facility, which includes the satellite earth station link and point-
to-multipoint radio link, will be around Rs 3.5 crore ($1.1 million.)

Intended to offer a 64Kbps digital private line service for high-end
users, the SoftNet services will include X.25 networking and
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)
connections. It is handled by an Intelsat satellite system linked
with fiber facilities, jointly owned by IDB and the Netherlands PTT.

It is likely to cost about Rs 14 lakh (around $46,000) per annum
for the Indian side of the transmission. Customers include Tata
Information Systems (the Tata-IBM joint venture), Wipro
Systems, Verifone, Digital Equipment India, Motorola India, and
Hewlett Packard India.

Small-scale exporters can use X.25 services provided by Sprintnet
from Bangalore. Another service, Softpac, offers access to other
global public data networks. Customers already committed include
Control Data Corp., Intergraph, and Satyam Computer Services
of Hyderabad.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19930520)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEL)(00007)

India - ECIL Develops Air Navigation System 05/20/93
HYDERABAD, INDIA, 1993 MAY 20 (NB) -- The public sector
company, Electronics Corp. of India (ECIL), has developed a
future air navigation (FAN) system for air traffic control. A
prototype of the system has recently been installed on a
trial basis at the Meenambakkam airport in Madras.

FAN systems use satellites for communicating with, and providing
information on, aircraft. Aircraft outside of radar range would
also come under surveillance and guidance of the air traffic
control system.

Because of the importance of such a program, a committee has
been formed under the chairmanship of the secretary of the
Indian Department of Electronics (DOE) that will study and
implement the FAN system in the country. Presently, air traffic
is controlled using long-range radar systems and ground-based
navigation equipment.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19930520)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(DEL)(00008)

India - Webel To Upgrade Telecom Products 05/20/93
CALCUTTA, INDIA, 1993 MAY 20 (NB) -- Webel
Telecommunication Industries (WTIL), a joint venture between
West Bengal Electronics industry Development Corp., and
Phillips India, have decided to upgrade its technology in the
areas of fixed, mobile and hand-held trans-receivers.

The new technology will be routed through Phillips Telecom
Private Mobile radio of the UK. The previous technology was
routed through Phillips India, which holds a 40 percent stake in
the firm. The company expects the first equipment to enter the
market within the next three months.

The new models are expected to cost about 15-20 percent more
than the previous ones. They will be produced at the company's
new plant at the Salt Lake electronics complex. The production of
the older models will, however, continue, as there are about
90,000 installed sets nationwide. The largest customers for the
two-way radios are the Border Security Force, Central Industrial
Security Force, police and the para-military forces.

A memorandum of understanding between WTIL and the British
collaborator had been signed in October 1992. While the
British firm was paid two lakh pounds, there will be an additional
payment as royalty, at the rate of 2.5 percent on the sale of sets,
with a ceiling of two lakh pounds. The Rs 8.5 crore (around $2.8
million) upgrade program is being funded mostly from internal
accruals and loans from financial institutions.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19930520)


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

SkyTel To Try Out Motorola Device 05/20/93
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, U.S.A., 1993 MAY 20 (NB) -- A cellular
phone with an integrated pager will go to market through SkyTel
and Motorola.

The MicroTAC RSVP solves a problem common to many cellular
phone users who don't want to leave their phones on all the time
on the off-chance someone will call them. As a result, many
cellular phone users also carry pagers, or beepers. The MicroTAC
RSVP is an analog cellular phone that includes a beeper, which is
linked to SkyTel's national network. This means the cellular
phone-beeper combination can be used anywhere in the US, and
the whole thing slips into a single pocket.

The market trial of the MicroTAC RSVP will start this month in
Chicago and Washington. SkyTel President David Garrison said in a
press statement that over 60 percent of his company's subscribers
carry cellular phones.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930519/Press Contact: David Allan, 212-
614-5163, for MTel, David Pinsky, Motorola, 708-523-2841)


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

Racotek Expands Mobile Service With Metrolink 05/20/93
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1993 MAY 20 (NB) -- Racotek
is expanding its RacoNet service with a new feature, called
MetroLink.

RacoNet is a data service for specialized mobile radio, or SMR,
systems which use frequencies at about 800 megahertz (MHz) to
provide voice and data service within specific markets. Most
SMR systems use just one antenna, and serve a small number of
users on a narrow frequency, but technologies like that offered
by Racotek and Motorola is encouraging SMR licensees to add
more antennas in each of their license areas to expand capacity,
and compete with cellular operating companies.

MetroLink lets offices send data to vehicles which are operating
outside the reach of the SMR antenna, by routing such messages
via a wired modem to a remote location and a second antenna,
which can then pass on the message. This solves a problem
common to SMR licensees, who find that they over-run the
35-mile or so radius of their initial antenna.

The MetroLink service will help make SMR a more competitive
option with cellular phone services in large metropolitan areas,
or for companies who also service outlying rural areas.
MetroLink also supports full voice communication within the
remote coverage area.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930519/Press Contact: Racotek, Larry
Sanders, 800-677-9783)


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

Qualcomm To Add 80,000 Satellite OmniTracs Units 05/20/93
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 MAY 20 (NB) -- Qualcomm
received  Federal Communications Commission permission to
expand its OmniTracs satellite location service to cover up to
80,600 cars and trucks. The company said it already has about
45,000 customers.

OmniTracs is a satellite-based vehicle positioning and two-way
mobile communications service that lets companies track their
fleets and communicate with drivers via an on-board terminal.
Qualcomm said its users have logged over five billion miles with
the service, processing over 1.3 million messages and position-
reports daily.

While Qualcomm is best known for its code division multiple
access, or CDMA, digital cellular technology, the OmniTracs
service has been its largest generator of cash to date. The
service is already deployed in the US and Canada. Qualcomm
said it is being built-out in Europe, Mexico, Japan, and Brazil.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930519/Press Contact: Qualcomm, Karen
Bowman, 619-597-5021)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00012)

Data Race Intros Digital Subscriber Units 05/20/93
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 MAY 20 (NB) -- Data Race, which
is best known for its laptop modems, has announced enhancements
to its line of Digital Subscriber Units, or DSUs, used to connect
computers to 56,000 bits-per-second (bps) digital lines.

The products are called the RALLY S56 Single-Rate DSU/CSU and
the RALLY S56V Multi-Rate DSU/CSU. They let companies use
such digital services, offered by both local and long distance
companies, for a variety of applications, including fax and
back-up.

Unlike leased lines, the switched digital service lines used by
the new units can be billed on a per-use basis, except for a
small monthly service fee, although SDS lines are separate
from the regular phone line.

Data Race recently began offering its line of modems directly
to the public, instead of just offering them on an OEM
(original equipment manufacturer) basis to companies such as
Eo, NCR, Grid, Texas Instruments, Tandy, Dell, and NEC for
installation in their laptop or pen-top computers.

The company was recently honored as one of the 100 fastest-
growing small companies in the US by Business Week magazine.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930519/Press Contact: Data Race, Garrick
Colwell, 210-558-1900; FAX: [phone])


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

Mobidem Wireless Monitoring Of Electric Bills 05/20/93
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 MAY 20 (NB) -- Ericsson GE
has worked with Telemeter to come up with a version of its
Mobidem wireless data modem for use in collecting data from
electric meters.

Telemeter specializes in systems that read electric, water and
gas meters while controlling appliances and power services to
reduce energy demand. Its meters plug into the electric metering
sockets in subscribers' home. The version of the Mobidem being
used by Telemeter will collect data from whole neighborhoods
using the system and send them to a central office using a
Mobitex network. In the US, the Mobitex data network is RAM
Mobile Data, a joint venture between RAM Broadcasting and
BellSouth.

In a press statement, Telemeter President John T. Heibel said
the new system embodies 23 US and international patents.
Earlier systems required a separate phone line going into each
subscribers' home - the new Telemeter will eliminate that need.

Initial installations of Telemeter systems will be in New York
City, in cooperation with Consolidated Edison; in a Toronto,
Canada suburb with Ontario Hydro; and in Cleveland, Ohio, with
Cleveland Electric Illumination. A Consolidated Edison spokesman
said that buildings using the system saved 18 percent on their
bills.

Wireless monitoring will be done at commercial and office
complexes in Atlanta; Honolulu; Tampa, Florida; Denver; and a
US Air Force Base.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930519/Press Contact: Alexander
Communications, for Ericsson-GE, Susan McCord, 404-325-
7555; Public Contact: Ericsson GE, 800-223-6336)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00014)

Samsung & Polaroid Create R&D Centers In Japan 05/20/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 MAY 20 (NB) -- Samsung, Korea's major
electronics firm, will create its second major research and
development (R&D) center on semiconductor products in Japan.
Polaroid Japan is also planning a Japanese R&D facility.

Samsung's R&D center will be located in Kawasaki, which is in
the vicinity of Tokyo. Samsung has already purchased the building
site for four billion yen ($36 million). The total land area of the
new center is about 6,600 square meters. The construction of
the building will start soon and will be completed by 1995. The
name of the center will be I-tech.

Samsung is planning to hire Japanese researchers and engineers
for the new center, which will be the second overseas R&D
facility for the company. Samsung also has a center in
California.

Camera maker Polaroid will also create a R&D center in Japan. It
will be the company's first overseas R&D facility, and will be
called the Application & Business Development Center.

To begin with, Polaroid will set up this center at the main
office of Polaroid Japan in Tokyo, starting in August. The center
will also hire Japanese engineers and designers to revise
Polaroid's original products for the Japanese and Asian markets.
The company will also use the facility to jointly develop
products with other Japanese or Asian firms.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930517/Press Contact: Polaroid
Japan, tel [phone]; fax, [phone])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(TYO)(00015)

Japan - Public Schools Seek Help From Computer Firms 05/20/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 MAY 20 (NB) -- The Japanese government is
contemplating the hiring of engineers from computer firms to
support personal computers installed in public schools.

The plan calls for the hiring of engineers as lecturers or
assistants at Japanese public educational institutions, including
elementary schools, junior high and high schools.

This scheme is being considered because so few school teachers
have sufficient experience with personal computers. According
to the Ministry, only one in 10 teachers can handle personal
computers.

The Japanese Ministry of Education is planning to install more
personal computers in the next two to three years.

Both sides stand to gain from the scheme. School teachers are
welcoming this idea, so is the computer industry because PC
firms have too many engineers at present in relation to the
amount of work in the wake of a domestic sluggish economy.

Interestingly, many PC firms are said to be using the extra
engineers as part of their sales forces. However, budget
problems could put a stop to the plan. The Ministry is trying
to get financing from local government taxes.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930517)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00016)

Japan - Fuji Xerox To Sell Motorola's Wireless LAN 05/20/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 MAY 20 (NB) -- Fuji Xerox has signed an
agreement with Motorola Japan concerning the sales of
Motorola's radio-wave LAN (local area network). Under terms of
the deal, Fuji Xerox will market Motorola's Altair-J in Japan.

Fuji Xerox has just started selling Motorola's Altair-J in Japan
under the license from Motorola Japan. Altair-J is a radio-wave
transmitting device, which can be applied to personal computers
and workstations. With Altair-J, users are able to transmit data
between computers that are up to 40 meters apart. It uses a 19
gigahertz radio-wave and a data transmission speed of 15
megabits-per-second.

This kind of cableless LAN is becoming popular in Japan. Fuji
Xerox predicts that it will sell 1,000 units at a cost of two
billion yen ($18 million) for the initial year.

Fuji Xerox has also allied with another California-based LAN
firm, Synoptics. Under that agreement, the firm has been selling
Ethernet LAN products in Japan. However, these are for cable-
based LANs.

Fuji Xerox wants to sell Motorola's cableless LAN in combination
with Fuji's large-scale file server and network management
system.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930517/Press Contact: Fuji
Xerox, [phone], Fax, [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00017)

GTE Selling Half A Million Customer Lines 05/20/93
STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, U.S.A., 1993 MAY 20 (NB) -- Continuing
to follow-up on its promise to cut debt by selling small, isolated
phone units, GTE sold about 500,000 customers' lines in nine
states to Citizens Utilities Company. The price of $1.1 billion,
comes to about $2,200 per line.

GTE has been working to reduce the dispersion of its operations
since it bought Contel a few years ago, and has sold off a number
of non-phone operations to bring down its debt. The lines to be
sold in this transaction include all its phone systems in eastern
Arizona, Montana, New York, Tennessee, Utah, and West Virginia,
and a portion of those in California, Idaho, and Oregon.

The deal still requires regulatory approvals, which will happen
on a state-by-state basis through next year, the companies said.
Analysts praised the move and its rationale. Citizens is also
based in Stamford, and operates electrical and gas utilities as
well as phone systems, mainly in small towns and rural areas.
Citizens also owns Electric Lightwave, a so-called "bypass"
company offering fiber loops for use by commercial accounts in
sending long distance calls.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930520)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00018)

MCI Aims New Line At Collect Calls 05/20/93
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1993 MAY 20 (NB) - Hoping to gain a
larger share of the market for collect calls, MCI has set-up a
toll-free line to reach its operators at 1-800-265-5328, or
1-800-COLLECT. MCI plans to heavily advertise the number.

AT&T has been doing very well in recent years advertising its
access number - 10288 - for use by customers who want to
make calls from hotels and pay phones which are controlled by
other carriers. MCI also has such a number - 10222 - but it has
not advertised it heavily. The company hopes the easier-to-
memorize toll-free line will give it an advantage.

Perhaps MCI's claim of lower rates, however, will move traffic
its way. The company claims its new rates on 1-800-COLLECT
are 22-44 percent less than AT&T's own operator-assisted rates,
ranging from about 24 to 41 cents per minute, less than what it
charges on pay phones tied directly to MCI.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930520/Press Contact: MCI,
800-289-0073)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00019)

AT&T Using Spectrum Patents In Chipset 05/20/93
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 MAY 20 (NB) -- AT&T
Microelectronics has released a new high-speed cellular modem
chip-set, called V32Cell, that uses patent rights acquired from
Spectrum Information Technologies.

Since licensing its patents to AT&T on May 11, Spectrum stock has
boomed on the over-the-counter market, rising from about $2.50
to about $11 per share. Spectrum's patents include a method for
connecting cellular phones to modems, and an error-correction
scheme for modems.

The cellular connection is necessary because cellular phones lack
dial tones and other features used by modems on the wired phone
network, and Spectrum's technology can make it appear that those
features exist. The company also has patents pending on a
technology which will let cellular operators know whether callers
are using modems on the line, so they can charge a different price
for data calls.

However, Spectrum's claims on its patents are highly controversial.
It claims that its patents cover all cellular connectors and error-
correction schemes, and has sued Data Race as well as Microcom
to enforce those claims. Both suits are pending, and it is unclear
whether AT&T's license of the Spectrum patents will help it win
on its broad court claims.

AT&T noted in releasing the new chip set that it is the only
way modem makers can make modems using Spectrum's technology
without infringing on its patents or dealing with the company
directly. Spectrum will develop software for the chip set that
lets modems communicate directly with a variety of brands of
cellular phones, and sell that software to modem makers directly.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930520)


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

 ****IBM Moves Toward User-Based Pricing 05/20/93
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 MAY 20 (NB) -- Taking a
step company officials had hinted at earlier, IBM has joining a
growing industry shift away from the traditional way of charging
customers for mainframe software. IBM has announced new
usage-based pricing for some software that runs on its
System/390 mainframe computers.

As an alternative to the established practice of charging for
software based on the computing power of the hardware running
it, IBM said it will offer customers the option of paying for some
software according to how much computing power it actually
uses. In other cases, customers will be able to pay rates
determined by the number of people using the software.

IBM announced introduction of user-based pricing for its ECForms,
OfficeVision/MVS, OfficeVision/VM, SearchManager/370,
DisplayWrite/370, Merva, and ImagePlus/MVS packages. In each
of these cases, charges will be based on the number of users, the
number of workstations, or some other defined entity such as
the number of funds transfer messages.

In 1994, IBM said, it plans to introduce another option called
"measured usage." A metering tool provided by IBM will measure
the hardware resources used by software and bills will be set
accordingly.

IBM said it plans to work with a select group of customers
starting this summer to collect measurements of system
workloads for use in setting the prices.

Customers will be able to choose whether to move to one of the
new pricing models or stay with the existing tiered pricing
system, company spokeswoman Marta Decker told Newsbytes.

IBM also called off the introduction of two new software price
groups for its most powerful processors. The new Group 90 and
Group 100 prices, which were due to take effect in July, will
now be the same as prices for the existing Group 80, meaning
customers with high-end hardware will not be facing upgrade
fees.

IBM United States also said there will be no general price
increase for System/390 software this year.

Decker said the company could not comment on the possible impact
of the announcement on its revenues. She added that IBM believes
greater customer satisfaction as a result of the change will
benefit the company in the long run. "We see it as a positive for
customers and a positive for us," Decker said.

Chuck Lybrook, vice-president and general manager of the
Profit-Oriented Systems Planning Program (POSPP), a Texas-based
computer-users' organization, said that while he had not seen the
details of the announcement. any move away from the tiered
pricing model is a good thing. POSPP has been active in pressuring
vendors to move toward user-based pricing. "I'm not surprised,"
Lybrook said, "in the sense that I think IBM is sensitive to these
things."

The move should have been no surprise to those who followed a
March IBM announcement in which the company announced a
per-user pricing option for its Application System (AS) software.
At the time, Michael Kiyosaki, manager of enterprise data in IBM's
Programming Systems Group, said that while AS was the first
software on which IBM had offered per-user pricing, "I think
we'll see a lot more of that."

(Grant Buckler/19930520/Press Contact: Marta Decker, IBM,
914-642-5467; Ed Trapasso, IBM, 914-642-5359)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(TOR)(00021)

Legal Battle Brews Over Fonts 05/20/93
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 MAY 20 (NB) -- Five
software companies have a filed a lawsuit against Swfte
International, alleging that the Rockland, Delaware-based
software company has infringed their copyrights with its
Typecase III font software.

Those filing the suit include two major names in the font
market: Bitstream of Cambridge, Mass., and Mountain View,
California-based Adobe Systems. Three smaller firms -
FontShop Canada of Toronto, QED Publishing of Norwalk,
Connecticut (which does business as FontHaus), and Emigre
Graphics of Sacramento, California - are the other plaintiffs.

They claim that Swfte either copied their fonts directly or
filtered them through one or more levels of translation to
create the fonts in its Typecase III product.

The suit, filed in US District Court, seeks unspecified damages
and a permanent injunction to stop sales of Typecase III.

Swfte denies the charges. Christy Thiele, a spokeswoman for
the company, said Swfte is investigating the five companies'
allegations but does not believe it has violated any company's
rights and intends to "vigorously defend" the suit.

A hearing has been scheduled for May 21, Thiele said.

(Grant Buckler/19930520/Press Contact: Amy Blumenthal,
Blumenthal & Associates for plaintiffs, 617-983-9112;
Christy Thiele, Swfte, 302-234-1740, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(DEN)(00022)

Compaq Eliminates CFCs From Manufacturing 05/20/93
HOUSTON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 MAY 20 (NB) --  Compaq Computer
has announced that it has eliminated all chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs) from its worldwide manufacturing operations, meeting
the Clean Air Act standard two years ahead of its self-imposed
schedule. The company says it is also working with its suppliers
to help them meet the act's requirements by 1995.

The PC maker says elimination of CFCs, which some scientists
and all environmentalists believe cause damage to the earth's
ozone layer, is one part of its plan to help protect the environment,
and eliminate waste and chemical usage. The company said five
years ago that it would cut CFC emissions by 50 percent by this
year.

"Compaq is committed to conducting its business in a manner that
is compatible with the environment and protects the quality of the
communities in which we operate," said Eckhard Pfeiffer, Compaq
President and CEO.

In April of this year Compaq completed implementation of No Clean
Flux technology at its Houston headquarters. NCF is an alternative
method to CFCs that employs non-corrosive materials to clean
circuit boards in place of vapor degreasers that could eventually
degrade the performance of the boards. The company says it will
label all of its portable, desktop and file server computers that
meet CFC elimination requirements.

CFC elimination isn't the only environmental safety practice
followed by the company. The company claims that it is also
working to meet or exceed Energy Star guidelines, a voluntary
program initiated by the Environmental Protection Agency to
produce more energy efficient products. Compaq says all of its
notebook computers already meet or exceed Energy Star
standards.

Other practices developed at Compaq include participation in EPA's
Green Star program, which is designed to help reduce energy
consumption and reduce air pollution generated by power plants
through the use of more efficient lighting fixtures. The company
also has engineering teams evaluating alternatives for product
designs that will ease the disassembly and recycling process at
the end of a product's life cycle. Compaq says it currently recycles
computer hardware in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland so it
can further study product recycling systems.

The company has also initiated a waste disposal and recycling
vendor review process that includes on-site reviews and audits
of commercial waste treatment, storage, disposal, and recycling,
and has eliminated the use of CFC-blown packaging. All corrugated
cardboard boxes used to package and ship Compaq products now
include recycled materials, and the company claims to have
introduced battery recycling, laser printer cartridge recycling,
and in-house recycling of paper, beverage containers, and office
products.

(Jim Mallory/19930520/Press contact: Debra Globe, Compaq,
713-374-0484)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00023)

Gateway 2000 Bolsters Service & Support 05/20/93
NORTH SIOUX CITY SOUTH DAKOTA, U.S.A., 1993 MAY 20 (NB) --
Gateway 2000 says it has responded to complaints by customers
by beefing up its service and support operations with more
people and some new service options.

Gateway has been the subject of numerous complaints, many of
them posted on public bulletin board forums, about their inability
to respond to orders in a timely manner as well as delays in
providing technical support for users.

Gateway President Ted Waitt says the problems were due, at least
partially, to the volume of orders the company has been receiving.
As reported previously by Newsbytes, the company shipped
its one-millionth unit just one year after the 500,000th unit
shipped.

"We have experienced record order and shipment levels in the
past several quarters which significantly increased our customer
base," said Waitt. "This rapid growth had temporarily stressed
some facets of our operations, particularly technical support and
customer service.  We have seen significant improvements,
however, after adding experienced managers, increasing the size
of our technical support staff, and expanding the breadth of our
support services."

Waitt claims only about two percent of Gateway 2000 personal
computers experience technical problems that require repair
parts or a service call.

The company has also hired a new director of customer service and
reception - Joe Davis. Davis comes from Boulder, Colorado-based
Neodata. He says Gateway now has all the resources it needs to
efficiently handle incoming customer service calls. "Now we are
concentrating on better managing our time on the phones." He
maintains that the company has already reduced the time it takes
to answer the phone by over 50 percent and has significantly
decreased the "call abandon rate," a term referring to the number
of callers who give up and hang up. Davis says the changes have
"practically eliminated call-backs."

Gateway says its call volume has gone up 25 percent since January,
and it has increased staffing to over 300 technicians, with over 100
of those being adding in the first quarter. The company says it plans
to continue adding staffers at the rate of 30-40 per month, with
the eventual goal of 400 technicians handling calls.

Gateway told Newsbytes the support department is organized into
17 groups, each comprised of 18 technicians, one customer service
representative, and one supervisor. Each group also includes a senior
technician responsible for research and diagnosing unique problems.
There's also a "portables" team that specializes in supporting the
company's portable computers, and a major accounts team of 25
provides support for large corporate customers.

The company also operates a Faxback service that allows customers
to order product and technical information documents like
troubleshooting tips, motherboard layout diagrams, and driver
installation instructions. When the user places a voice call to the
Faxback service, the system takes their fax number and
automatically faxes the requested documents. Faxback can handle
3,000 calls per day, according to Gateway.

(Jim Mallory/19930520/Press contact: Mike Schmith, Gateway
2000, 605-232-2189; Reader contact: Gateway 2000, 605-232-
2000, 800-523-2000; Faxback service: 605-232-2561)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(DEN)(00024)

Sega's Video Game Cartridges To Use FRAM 05/20/93
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, U.S.A., 1993 MAY 20 (NB) --
Ramtron International and Tokyo-based Sega Enterprises have
announced that Ramtron's FRAM (ferroelectric random access
memory) products will be used in a new Sega game cartridge.

Ramtron produces the FRAM memory chips which, unlike memory
chips currently in use in personal computers and some consumer
products, retain the information in the chip's memory when the
power is turned off. That key feature will be used in the Sega
game cartridges to provide a "resume play" feature, allowing
players to pick up where they left off in the game without starting
over.

Ramtron says the four-kilobit FM1208S reduces circuit board
space and cost when compared to alternative static RAM (SRAM)
memory used with lithium battery backup. Ramtron says it has
already shipped 100,000 FRAM devices to Sega, and expects
orders for more.

The FM1208S is a member of Ramtron's four-kilobit to 64-kilobit
nonvolatile semiconductor memory product line, and combines
high speed read/write, high endurance, low power requirements,
and no loss of memory without the need for battery backup, claims
the company.

(Jim Mallory/1993052/Press contact: Jill Goebel, Origin
Systems for Ramtron, 719-630-3384; Reader contact: Ramtron,
719-481-7000)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00025)

Dell Intros New Dimension PCs 05/20/93
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 MAY 20 (NB) -- Dell Computer has
introduced seven new 486-based Dimension systems for the home
and office market that feature local bus graphics capabilities. The
company says the new systems also come with a more extensive
support program and are available in a wider range of hardware
configurations than the previous Dimension units.

Dell says Dimension buyers can also custom order factory
installation of more than 75 software programs through its
ReadyWare program. Factory installation of selected software
carries a $15 fee, and makes the computer ready-to-use as soon
as it comes out of the box, as well as eliminating the need for
first time users to deal with the software installation.

Pricing for the new systems starts at $1,399 for a 486SX-based
25 megahertz (MHz) unit with four megabytes (MB) of memory, a
170MB hard drive, one 3.5-inch and one 5.25-inch floppy drive, a
1024 by 768 resolution Super VGA color monitor, 512 kilobytes
(KB) of video memory, a mouse, and DOS and Windows software.
Available options include increased memory, other monitors, and
peripherals such as tape drives, CD-ROM drives, and modems.

Dimension buyers get unlimited lifetime access to technical
support at Dell. Tech support, which currently operates 93 hours
per week, will extend to around-the-clock coverage June 1st. Dell
guarantees that any user calling will get to talk to a technical
expert within 10 minutes of placing the call, or will get a $25
check or credit. The company says it also guarantees a return call
within one hour if the caller doesn't want to hold for the ten
minutes. That guarantee is also backed by the $25 pledge.

Dell was expected to announce its quarterly earnings this week
but has delayed that report until May 25. A Dell spokesperson
said the delay was necessary because the financials were not
yet ready. That apparently made investors nervous, and Dell
stock fell $3.25 to close at $30.75 in over-the-counter trading
Wednesday.

Dell has also announced that it has appointed a new head of its
advanced systems division. Dennis Passovoy has been named VP
of advanced systems for Dell USA. Prior to assuming his newly
created position, Passovoy, 48, was with Evernet Systems, a
national network systems integration company where he was
responsible for product evaluation, product selection and
strategies, vendor contract negotiations, and technical service.
He holds a MA degree from the University of California at Los
Angeles, and will report to Rob Howe, acting VP of Dell USA
sales, marketing and service.

(Jim Mallory/19930520/Press contact: Jill Shanks, Dell Computer,
512-794-4100; Reader contact: Dell Computer Corporation,
800-289-3355)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LAX)(00026)

 ****PC Demand Leads To 20% Predicted Chip Growth 05/20/93
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 MAY 20 (NB) -- Not only is
growth expected in the coming years in the semiconductor
industry, but personal computers are receiving a large portion
of the credit for increased demand for chips, according to the
Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA).

The World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) were released
by the SIA, with forecasts predicting the semiconductor market
worldwide will jump 20 percent to reach $71.9 billion by the
end of 1993 and $96 billion by 1996.

The WSTS is predicting market shipments will reach $79.7
billion in 1994, $85.8 billion by 1995, and will climb to $96
billion in shipments by 1996.

The largest growth is predicted for the North American market,
where shipments are expected to hit 28.1 percent in 1993 and
$31.2 billion by 1996. Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and other
international markets that make up the "Asia Pacific" market
are expected to reach $13.2 billion as a whole in 1993 (an
increase of 24.3 percent), and are projected to rise to $18.7
billion in 1996.

The European market is expected to grow from the $11.5 billion
in shipments in 1992 to $13.5 billion in 1993 (an 18.1 percent
increase), and $17.6 billion in 1996. The Japanese market, with
$19.4 billion in shipments in 1992, is projected to experience
the slowest growth, with increases of 11.6 percent projected
for 1993 to $21.6 billion, and $28.5 billion predicted in 1996.

Integrated circuits, such as metal oxide semiconductor (MOS)
logic, MOS micro, MOS memory, analog products and digital
bipolar products, are all expected be in the most demand in the
future. The integrated circuit market was at $50 billion in
1992, but is expected to see a 22.9 percent boost to 61.4
billion in 1993 and is projected to extend to $83.5 billion in
1996. However, the WSTS says growth in the digital bipolar
market is only temporary, and the market is expected to show a
decrease in shipments beginning in 1994 and going through 1996.

In addition, the SIA reported record highs in semiconductor
orders in March of this year of $2.194 billion, or 46.5 percent
higher than the same period a year ago. The boom in sales in
the personal computer market was the reason for the increase,
the SIA said.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930520/Press Contact: Angela Newlove,
Semiconductor Industry Association, tel [phone],
fax [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00027)

Sierra Losses Again, TSN Closer To Break-Even 05/20/93
OAKHURST, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 MAY 20 (NB) -- Sierra On-
Line is still struggling despite a 15 percent revenue increase
for 1993. The company is reporting losses of $8.4 million for
its 1993 fiscal year and again says the resources went into its
graphical bulletin board service, The Sierra Network (TSN).

Most of the company's losses were in its last quarter of the
year with $6.2 million in losses reported. The largest revenues
were in its fourth quarter as well, with revenues of $11.9
million, an increase of 21 percent over the $9.9 million
reported for the same period of fiscal 1992. Sierra has been
reporting losses each quarter since November of 1992 and is
facing a class action suit from its shareholders.

While the company says it is experiencing revenue increases in
its software products sales, it is finding the products have a
reduced shelf-life. This is in spite of the fact that market
research firm PC Research indicated Sierra had the largest
market share of entertainment products in the holiday season.
Sierra is blaming an increase in game titles from other
manufacturers and new disk formats as the shelf-life culprits.
For example, market demand for 5.25-inch diskettes, a format
the company has invested heavily in, has dropped dramatically,
the company added.

However, the real culprit behind the company's continued losses
is the Sierra Network. The company principles said last year
The Sierra Network could be profitable if it could get 50,000
subscribers. The company went to flat rate fees, and has added
innovative enhancements such as on-line amusement parks and
the ability to compose a picture of yourself which you can choose
to have displayed to others who interact with you on-line. Like
other on-line services, such as GEnie, Sierra offers
multiplayer games with graphical interfaces, such as flight
simulations with other players in other planes.

In addition, the company has attracted popular computer
industry columnist and radio host John Dvorak. Plans are to
link the on-line service directly with Dvorak's radio show
"Dvorak On Computers," which is syndicated by SNP Radio Network
and is estimated to have about a half-million listeners. This
is not a new idea, as conservative political radio show host
Rush Limbaugh promotes interaction with listeners via the on-
line service Compuserve.

Sierra has also invested in heavily promoting The Sierra
Network and says it has pushed revenues up from $0.3 million
during fiscal 1992 to $3.0 million for fiscal 1993. Revenues
for the quarter were nearly double last year's at approximately
$1.4 million, the company added.

Nevertheless, The Sierra Network has not reached that critical
mass, and is showing a loss of $1.9 million for the fourth
quarter and ($5.4) million for fiscal 1993. The company said
the losses were caused by attempts at expansion including
"aggressive" marketing programs to attract new subscribers
and providing additional customer support.

The announcement of Sierra's earnings does not seem to have
discouraged investors. The stock, which closed May 19 at 11 was
up today 0.875 in light trading. The interest from investors
may come from Sierra and AT&T's recent announced the two
companies are negotiating concerning The Sierra Network. No
specifics have been forthcoming, but representatives of Sierra
told Newsbytes it could mean The Sierra Network would become
a joint venture between AT&T and Sierra On-Line.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930520/Press Contact: Richard Gelhaus,
Sierra On-Line, 209-683-2598; Eugene Heller, Silverman, Heller
Associates for Sierra On-line, tel [phone], fax 310-208-
0931)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00028)

CA Reports Record Revenue, Raises Dividend 05/20/93
ISLANDIA, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 MAY 20 (NB) -- Computer
Associates International has reported revenue of $1,841 million
for its fiscal year ended March 31, up 22 percent from last
year's $1,509 million.

The company also reported a 57 percent growth in net income,
and raised its annual dividend. CA has also announced plans to
buy back 10 million of its shares on the open market.

The software company's net income for fiscal 1993 was $383.66
million, up 44 percent from $267.07 million in 1992. Net income
was $245.54 million, up 57 percent from $162.91 million last year.

In the fourth quarter, CA recorded net income of $99.1 million, up
72 percent from the corresponding quarter last year, on revenues
of $540.06 million, up 15 percent from the 1992 fourth quarter.

The company also announced it is raising its annual dividend from
10 cents to 14 cents per share, paid semi-annually.

It was a busy year for Computer Associates, including a handful
of acquisitions - not unusual for a company known for its habit
of growing by buying up smaller companies.

Last May, CA took over Nantucket, the California-based database
software vendor. In the same month, it acquired two software
products - Realizer and Visual Report Writer - from separate
companies. In September, Computer Associates acquired
Glockenspiel, an Irish software house.

Officials also noted that the year saw an unusually large number
of product announcements and upgrades, including the launch of
about 35 products for the rapidly growing workstation market
and about 50 upgrades and new releases of mainframe software
products.

(Grant Buckler/19930520/Press Contact: Deborah Coughlin,
Computer Associates, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(SYD)(00029)

Australia - Mobile Office Built Using NEC Products 05/20/93
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1993 MAY 20 (NB) -- An Australian PC
reseller has prepared what it calls the country's first fully
functional mobile office. PCS Mobile Office is based on the NEC
Ultralite Versa color notebook and NEC's P3 mobile phone.

Sales director of PCS Australia Syd Borg, said combining the
various products and ensuring they all worked together reliably
had been the most difficult aspect of product development. "It's
not as simple as buying a selection of products off-the-shelf,
plugging them together and switching them on."

The product comes in two versions - one in an executive carry
case and the other in a pilot's case. The both have a built-in fax
and data modem, Windows fax and OCR (optical character
recognition) software, and a battery printer. The Pilot's case
version still has the space of a normal briefcase left for normal
use.

Borg said the use of the system was demonstrated recently
when he and a colleague had flown to New Zealand. "We were
running late for a meeting with Telecom New Zealand
management in Auckland and decided to fax them from the car
as we came in from the airport. The fact that we were able to
transmit a fax while tearing along the freeway demonstrated
that the product works."

PCS claims that the system can be justified on the basis that
it costs much less than the office space for one person for a
year.

(Paul Zucker/19930520/Press Contact: PCS,
tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00030)

Lightning Computers Ships Pentium-Upgradeable Portable 05/20/93
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 MAY 20 (NB) -- A super
powerful, Pentium-upgradeable portable PC for multimedia use is
now available from Lightning Computers, claims the company.

The company's new ThunderBox II Portable is currently shipping
with a 66 megahertz (MHz) i486 DX/2. The unit comes standard
with four megabytes (MB) of RAM, expandable to 64MB, and a
240MB Quantum IDE hard disk, expandable to three gigabytes (GB).

Also included are a Super VGA card capable of showing 256 colors
at up to 800-by-600 resolution, a 9.4-inch active matrix color TFT
(thin film transistor) display, one parallel port, two serial ports,
a 1.44 MB 3.5-inch TEAC floppy disk drive, five open expansion
slots, and an open half-height 5.25-inch drive bay.

Richard McCabe, company president, noted that the expansion slots
can be used for SCSI (Small Computer Systems Interface), network,
audio, modem, and full-motion video cards. The open drive bay can
be used for an extra hard disk, CD-ROM, or tape drive, he said.

"This is the most powerful portable PC ever made," he claimed.
The new Pentium-upgradeable portable weighs between 18 and
25 pounds, including carrying case. Pricing starts at $7,995.

Two-year-old Lightning Computers also claims to have been the
first to release a 50 MHz 486-based portable, with units shipping
in May,1991.  The San Francisco-based vendor's Omniflex
486SX/25 has been the recipient of an Editor's Choice award from
PC Magazine.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19930520/Press and reader contact:  Rick
McCabe, Lightning Computers, tel [phone]; Press contact:
Dan Janal, Janal Communications for Lightning, tel [phone])