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/NB930721

Text File | 1993-07-21 | 65KB | 1,441 lines

(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LAX)(00001)

CD-ROM Lending For Libraries Offered By Compton's 07/21/93
CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Public
Libraries will be lending CD-ROM titles if Compton's plan works. A
publisher of storybooks, reference, music, travel, and business
titles on CD-ROM, Compton's Newmedia division is offering a
specially marked series to libraries for lending to the community.

Projections are one in nine US homes will have a CD-ROM drive
by 1995 and Compton's says that is enough to warrant a library
lending program in the estimated 30,000 libraries. The company
is offering assortments of ten, twenty, and forty titles - ranging
in price from $1,700 to $3,800 - that come with accompanying
display holders to promote the collection.

Software rental is still illegal in the US without approval
from the software publisher. Compton's says it has gotten that
special approval and provides special CDs stamped "For Lending
Only." The company started the lending program six months ago
with video stores and says the plan has been so successful it
is expanding the program with more titles and more video stores
participating.

The titles include everything from "The Doctor's Book of Home
Remedies" to the "Adventures of Pinocchio." Most of the titles
operate on IBM compatible personal computers (PCs) running DOS,
but some titles are for the Macintosh or Windows. Some titles
contain software for all three platforms, and Compton's has its
own Multiple Operating Systems Technology (MOST) titles
that run under DOS, Windows, on the Macintosh, and on the Sony
Multimedia Player.

Norman Bastin, senior vice president and general manager of
Compton's Newmedia said that adding CD-ROMs to library lending
programs, "May attract a whole new segment of the population
to libraries."

(Linda Rohrbough/19930720/Press Contact: Christy Germscheid,
Compton's Newmedia, tel [phone], fax [phone]; 800-
344-2621)


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

Artisoft Ships New T-Runner Concentrators 07/21/93
TUCSON, ARIZONA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Artisoft Inc., has
begun shipping its two new external, 10Base-T concentrators.

The eight-port T-Runner 800/TC concentrator is priced at $449,
and the twelve-port T-Runner 1200/TC concentrator is priced at
$749.

According to the company, both are compatible with a number of
networking environments, including Artisoft's own LANtastic
peer-to-peer network operating system (NOS) and Novell's
market-leading NetWare NOS.

The company also claims that the non-managed concentrators are
in 100 percent compliance with the IEEE 802.3 Ethernet standards
and contain a BNC (Bayonet-Neill-Concelman) connector that
allows concentrators to be linked to one another via thin coax
cable. The BNC connector also allows for the mixing of cable types.

As an example, the company says that the T-Runner concentrators
enable users on a 10Base-T segment to connect and communicate
with users on a coax segment.

Both concentrators also include an auto partitioning feature that
automatically disables ports that do not have link integrity.

(Ian Stokell/19930721/Press Contact: Joe Stunkard,
602-670-7145, Artisoft Inc.)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00003)

IBM Japan Develops High Capacity 2.5-Inch Disk Drive 07/21/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- IBM Japan has developed a
2.5-inch hard disk drive with a large capacity, called the H2344.

According to the company, it supports 344 megabytes (MB) of
data on two disks, which are in the disk drive. It can store 172
MB per disk. This is claimed to be the largest data storage for a
2.5-inch hard disk drive.

According to the company, 322 megabit of data can be stored and
read per square inch. This is twice as much as that of current disk
drives of IBM Japan.

The drive is 17 millimeters thick, which is the same as those of
IBM Japan's current disk drives. The company also plans to ship
this disk drive to other computer makers on an OEM (original
equipment manufacturer) basis. The sample price of the disk is
53,000 yen ($480).

Other computer makers such as Toshiba have also been selling 2.5-
inch hard disks. Toshiba's hard disk, for example, has a 340MB
storage capacity, but it is on three disks compared with the two
disks of IBM Japan.

The 2.5-inch hard disk is not regarded as a standard. However,
due to the increasing popularity of notebook PCs and pen-input
computers, 2.5-inch disk drives are expected to be used more in
the future.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930721/Press Contact: IBM
Japan, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(TYO)(00004)

NTT Data In Talks With IBM 07/21/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- NTT Data Communication, a
subsidiary of Japan's major telecom firm NTT, has started talks
with IBM concerning a possible business agreement.

While neither firm has commented about the talks, it is
expected that the potential agreement concerns the sales of
telecommunication-oriented computer systems.

According to the Nikkan Kogyo newspaper, NTT Data Communication
is seeking to link with IBM. It is reported that NTT Data wants to
sell IBM's computers, telecom-related devices, and software as
part of its integrated system.

This is good news for IBM, as it will open paths into
Japan's banks and government on-line systems. NTT is a strong
player in those markets. So far, NTT has linked with a number of
major Japanese computer firms such as NEC, Fujitsu, and Hitachi.

The firm has integrated the hardware and software of these firms
into its systems. Currently, NTT Data has been selling its general
purpose computer, called the DIPS, which was jointly developed
by these Japanese firms.

A business tie up with IBM would benefit NTT Data, and allow it
access to such IBM technologies as operating systems, database
structure methods, and parallel processors. NTT Data is reportedly
planning to sell integrated systems to overseas markets jointly
with IBM.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930721/Press Contact: NTT Data
Communications, [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00005)

Japan - Game Firms Link With US Movie Firms 07/21/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- A number of major Japanese
game machine makers have begun to tie-up with movie firms in
the US, and are preparing to create movies. The tie-ups are
possible because of the popularity of game characters among
children.

Sega Enterprises is making a movie called "Surf Ninja," which
will be released around the end of this month. The firm has
linked with Newline Cinema of New York. Upon the release,
Sega will release the game software which is related to the
movie.

Another rival arcade game machine maker, Capcon, will also
release a movie based on one of the company's game character.
Capcon has tied up with Hollywood's Edward Pressman Film. The
firms will create a movie based on Capcon's best-selling game
software "Street Fighter II." A reported three billion yen ($27
million) will be spent on the movie, which will be released next
summer.

Meanwhile, Nintendo has already released a movie based on the
firm's Super Mario character. Nintendo linked with Hollywood's
Light Motive on the film.

The companies hope that the tie-ups with movie firms will
stimulate sales of their game products.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930721/Press Contact: Sega
Enterprises, tel [phone], fax [phone],
Nintendo, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(WAS)(00006)

Brazil's Giant Computer Trade Show Opens 07/21/93
SAO PAULO, BRAZIL, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Highlighting the
importance of the South American market for both US computer
and software suppliers, as well as their foreign competitors, more
than 1,000 computer companies, 700 of them from South America,
are participating in this year's Sao Paulo, Brazil-based Fenasoft
computer fair.

Douglas Kilarski, managing editor of Reseller World, has called
South America a vital and vigorous, but largely untapped, computer
market.

Brazil's computer market was not always this open to foreign
competition. In fact, the government once blocked nearly all
access to the domestic market to encourage the development of a
local computer industry, but this changed several years ago and a
number of foreign companies are now engaged in joint ventures
and separate business activities in Brazil.

IBM is reportedly concentrating much more on sales to individuals
and small businesses this year, rather than continuing its
traditional near-exclusive pursuit of big business.

At least as large as the US-based Comdex, the Seventh Fenasoft
trade show is expected by sponsors to host about 900,000 visitors
over its four-day life.

(John McCormick/19930721)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(WAS)(00007)

InterVoice In Large Voice Mail System Sale 07/21/93
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Dallas, Texas-based
InterVoice has reported that it has received a $0.5 million-plus
order for its 144-line RobotOperator System to be installed at a
large public utility company. The InterVoice voice-mail system
will be used to provide 24-hour answers to callers' usual
questions about rates and billing problems.

Intecom, a division of French Matra SA, a multimedia systems
developer which has been a business partner of InterVoice for
the past year, will buy the system from InterVoice, add its own
value-added modifications, and make the installation.

Intervoice has installed more than 3,000 voice response,
electronic-mail, and fax systems in nearly 40 countries.

Voice-response and fax-back systems customer help systems,
usually operating in response to signals sent from touch-tone
telephones, are gaining a larger market share as companies
strive to improve productivity and improve customer service,
while cutting costs by reducing staff.

Muriel Siebert, the first woman to gain a seat on the New York
Stock Exchange, told today's CNN Business Morning viewers that
companies such as hers look at the potential for new employment
taxes coming out of President Clinton's budget package and look
for ways to automate as much as possible to insulate themselves
from health-care and other employee-related costs.

This sort of business concern, along with the difficulty in
hiring qualified workers, should lead to even more interest in
fax-back and voice-response systems.

(John McCormick/19930721/Press Contact: Dorothy Botnick,
InterVoice, 214-454-8771)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(WAS)(00008)

Electronic Information Systems Posts Record Income 07/21/93
STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- While
other segments of the high-tech industry may be suffering,
telecommunications companies seem to be reporting solid
earnings increases. For example, Electronic Information Systems
(EIS) has reported the highest revenue quarter in the company's
history with net sales reaching a little over $8 million.

In a statement marking the release of earnings figures, Joseph J.
Porfeli, president and CEO of EIS, said, "We set a record for new
business this quarter with 21 new customers. This brings the
number of new accounts this year to 35, well over the total for
all of 1992."

The company is also expanding in Europe, where automatic calling
systems are rare, and has just installed its first units in
Norway and Scotland. Porfeli says, "The international call center
industry is on the verge of great growth potential."

EIS builds and markets outbound call center technology. In other
words, their equipment makes what some critics call "junk" phone
calls. The company makes automatic calling systems which dial
consumers and conduct market research, remind people of unpaid
bills, and perform direct marketing and sales functions.

This is yet another business which will be helped by increasing
fears of expected new taxes on employees, because it automates
calls which were previously made by telephone workers.

(John McCormick/19930721/Press Contact: Jodi Wallace,
Electronic Information Systems, 203-351-4800)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEL)(00009)

India - Oracle Sets Up Subsidiary 07/21/93
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Encouraged by the popularity
of its relational database management system (RDBMS) in India
(reckoned to have crossed Rs 36 crore - around $12 million - in
revenues last year), Oracle has set up an Indian subsidiary.

Oracle Software India Pvt. Ltd., will promote, sell and support
Oracle products within the country. "The subsidiary has been set up
to provide support and service to this growing installed customer
base," said Hirendra Gupta, country manager, Oracle.

The Delhi-based firm will also offer consultancy services for
software and hardware feasibility. It will carry out duplication
of Oracle packages. Regional offices will be opened in Bangalore
and Bombay by the year end. A 100 percent export-oriented software
development center, subcontracting work to Indian firms, and even a
manufacturing unit are in the pipeline.

Oracle set up a liaison office in Delhi in April 1991, and distributes
its RDBMS through Tata Consultancy Services, the leading software
firm in the country.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19930721)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00010)

India - Autodesk Opens More Channels 07/21/93
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Autodesk is strengthening
its base in India. The company has recently appointed Delhi-based
Hindustan Office Products Ltd., (HOPE), as its second distributor
for its AutoCAD computer-aided design and multimedia products.
Tata Unisys Ltd., of Bombay, had already been selling those
products in India.

A multi-product company, Autodesk has set up different channels
for its various products. While the flagship AutoCAD version 11 and
12 and the multimedia products including the 3-D Studio package
are being sold by Tata Unisys and HOPE, the scientific modeling
package, called Hyperchem, is being dealt by National Informatics
Center.

After Autodesk acquired Micro Engineering Solutions Inc., a leading
developer of 3-D CAD/CAM software, last year, the latter's products
came under Autodesk umbrella. In India, the MES products are being
distributed by Pune-based Neil Automation Technology Ltd.

Neil recently introduced three mechanical CAD packages:
DesignExpert, which has provisions for product modeling and styling,
advanced drafting, tool and fixture design and CMM verification;
ManufacturingExpert, which is positioned as an integrated CAD/CAM
package for modeling, CMM verification, tool and fixture design and
advanced 2-5 axis and N/C machining; and DesignExpert Upgrade,
which is an upgrade path to DesignExpert for existing users of
AutoCAD Release 10, 11 and 12. The products are priced between
Rs 4-8 lakh (around $13,000 to $26,000).

At the retail manufacturing level, Autodesk has some low-end CAD
products for which there is no distributor in India yet. "The state
might appear a bit confusing at the outset, but with reciprocal
relationship among the distributors, the sales of Autodesk products
is bound to increase significantly in the coming days," said Amit
Duttagupta, managing director of HOPE.

Apart from the appointment of distributors, Autodesk also has two
other programs to promote its packages and strengthen its presence
in India. One is the setting up of Autodesk Authorized Training
Centers, that would provide training for Autodesk products to
end-users. The other is the Autodesk Authorized Developer
program, designed to boost the development of software packages
that can be integrated with Autodesk's products.

These packages are mentioned in the "Third Party Software" list,
that Autodesk publishes regularly.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19930721)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(SFO)(00011)

Focus On India At Singapore Informatics '93 07/21/93
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- India will be the "feature
country" at the Singapore Informatics `93 exhibition to be in
Singapore, scheduled for October 14-17, 1993.

"About 15 to 20 Indian companies have shown an interest in
participating in the show," said Yonick Pinto, manager of overseas
trade fairs and exhibitions for Indtravels - the company promoting
the fair in India.

Among the firms said to have shown an interest are Tata Unisys Ltd.,
Tata Consultancy Services, Larsen & Toubro, Pyramid Business
Solutions, Softpack Computers, Silverline Industries, and Birla
Consultancy Services.

"IT 2000-Excellence in business quality in life" is the theme for
the show being organized by the Singapore Federation of the
Computer Industry and co-sponsored by the National Computer
Board, Singapore Computer Society, Singapore Telecom and the
Microcomputer Trade Association of Singapore.

The feature area for Singapore Informatics this year will be to
exhibit a model home or office as it would appear in the year 2000.
This will include multimedia, imaging, windows, videoconferencing,
virtual reality, open systems, networking, data communications,
and mobile computing.

The show, which was organized for the first time in 1986, is said
to attract 1,000 exhibitors and over a 100,000 visitors. Last year,
visitors from 41 countries were recorded. Also, 27 countries -
including India, US, France, Germany, Canada, Hong Kong, UK,
Austria, and Taiwan - took part in the event.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19930721)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00012)

IBM's CD Showcase Is New Angle On Distribution 07/21/93
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- IBM has
announced plans to put multiple software packages on CD-ROMs
so that customers can try before they buy, and then purchase
packages instantly by making a phone call.

IBM said CD Showcase, developed by its IBM Software Manufacturing
Co., will let computer users test, purchase, and install software
without leaving their personal computers.

A single disk may contain as many as 100 different programs.
Customers will obtain a disk from a reseller, which may give it
away free. They will be able to test the packages a disk contains
and, if they want to purchase, dial a toll-free number to obtain
a code that unlocks the desired software package. Documentation
for the software will also be stored on the CD-ROM.

Company spokeswoman Molly Morgan said software vendors will
have a choice about what they put on the disk. Some may choose to
provide just a canned demo, others may offer a limited working
version of their software - one that can do everything but print, or
everything but save files, for example.

According to IBM, software resellers will be able to offer more
software without increasing their overhead. Software publishers,
meanwhile, will get new marketing opportunities and reduced
production costs.

IBM said several resellers, including ComputerLand, The Future
Now, Government Technology Services, Inc., and Software
Spectrum, have already agreed to participate. Resellers will be
able to set up their own order numbers for software on the
disks, Morgan said, and will receive the same markups as if they
sold the software by more conventional means. For smaller
resellers or those that choose not to run their own order-taking
operations, she added, IBM will be able to provide that service.

Participating software publishers include Borland, Delrina,
KnowledgeWare, Lotus Development, Visual Software, and IBM.
Discussions are also being held with WordPerfect and Microsoft,
IBM said.

A typical CD Showcase disk would list multiple software titles,
each with product information, a short demo, and installable
code. The user could look at the information and demo without
restriction, but the full package would be protected by security.

CD Showcase will offer two security options to control access and
usage, IBM said. With IBM's Secure Distribution Control System,
user access to the software is controlled by encrypting, so that
it is unreadable until decrypted with an electronic key. A second
protection option, the iFOR license management system from
Gradient Technologies Inc., of Marlboro, Massachusetts, modifies
executable code so it is unusable until unlocked with a license
key. This scheme, supported by the Open Software Foundation
(OSF), provides license compliance for stand-alone or local area
network (LAN) users, IBM said.

IBM said the first CD Showcase editions will be available in the
fall.

(Grant Buckler/19930721/Press Contact: Barbara Cerf, IBM,
914-642-4664; Paul McKeon or Ruth Doering, Crescent
Communications for IBM, 404-698-8650)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00013)

IBM Technology Offers PCMCIA Products To OEMs 07/21/93
SOMERS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- IBM Technology
Products, a unit that until last year only made goods for IBM's
own use, has become very visible lately. The operation has
launched a handful of wireless adapters and facsimile and data
modems, some using the Personal Computer Memory Card
Interface Association (PCMCIA) standard.

The products will be sold only to other computer makers, known
as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), for use in their
products. IBM Technology Products does not plan to sell them
directly to end users, company spokesman Jim Smith said.

Last October IBM Technology Products said it would begin
selling to outside customers. Earlier in July it announced a
microcontroller for disk drives and other board-level applications.
Smith said there may be other announcements in the near future.

IBM launched three infrared wireless adapters, which transfer
data at one megabit per second (Mbps) and are meant for use in
wholly wireless local area networks (LANs) or to add wireless
links to existing wired LANs.

One of the adapters fits a PCMCIA slot, one fits IBM's Micro
Channel (MCA) slots, and the third is compatible with the
Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) or AT bus.

All three use Photonics Corp.'s infrared transceiver and are
compatible with Photonics' Collaborate wireless LAN.

The adapters' connection is non-line-of-sight, which means the
transceivers do not have to be aimed at each other or at a
predetermined spot, IBM said. No prewired access point or other
fixed transceivers are required. According to the vendor, the
adapters work in rooms as large as 30 by 30 feet.

Unit prices for the cards are $549 for the PCMCIA adapter and
$499 for the MCA and ISA adapters. Volume prices are available.
IBM Technology Products plans to begin shipping the PCMCIA
adapter in August and the MCA and ISA adapters in September.

IBM Technology Products also unveiled two PCMCIA-based fax/modem
cards. The 14.4/14.4 Data/Fax modem and the 2.4/9.6 Data/Fax
modem are Type II PCMCIA cards that support the AT modem command
set and Group 3, Class 1 and 2 commands used by fax and data
applications software, IBM said. The cards come with Trio
Information Systems Inc.'s DataCom and DataFax software.

The 2.4/9.6 Data/Fax modem has a unit price of $299 and will be
available in August. The 14.4/14.4 Data/Fax modem, with a unit
price of $499, is due to be available in September. Volume
prices are available.

All of the new products are still awaiting approval by the United
States' Federal Communications Commission (FCC), but Smith said
IBM is confident of receiving approval in time to meet its stated
delivery dates.

(Grant Buckler/19930721/Press Contact: Jim Smith, IBM
Technology Products, 914-766-4066)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00014)

Microsoft Consulting Group Expands, Changes Focus 07/21/93
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Microsoft
has announced that it will expand its consulting group and
refocus its activities in order to move development skills for its
client-server computing platform to value-added resellers (VARs),
independent software vendors (ISVs), and other developers.

Under its new charter, Microsoft Consulting Services (MCS) will
concentrate on architecture and design services and transferring
skills in Microsoft technology, methodologies, tools and training to
both corporate developers and third parties. It will also offer a
business consulting advisory service to help third parities develop
their own consulting organizations. That service is scheduled to be
available next year.

The company says adding third parties to the original corporate
focus of MCS complements the Microsoft Solution Providers Program.
It is designed to encourage the growth of "solution" services such as
application development, implementation, support, and training among
channel companies. Microsoft says MCS will increase subcontracting
and referrals to "solution providers" for such services.

Bob McDowell, VP of MCS, said the first three years of the group saw
an explosion of interest in client-server migrations. "With that
trend established, our goal is to nurture a community of qualified
client-server developers skilled in Microsoft-based development
service," said McDowell.

MCS claims it has served more than 300 major clients through
offices  in eight countries. It plans to increase its international
presence and will also increase its staff, which presently numbers
320, in order to fulfill its new role.

As part of its new mission, MCS will refocus its large account
services to concentrate on architecting and designing custom
applications. It will also expand its focus on information
technology and information systems re-engineering, and will offer
business consulting advisory service to Microsoft Solution
Providers - offering assistance in the areas of operations
guidelines, recruiting practices, proposal and contract templates,
and project management as well as direct transfer of consulting
skills.

Microsoft says MCS will offer resources to assist solution builders
in porting existing, or developing new, application products to
Microsoft platforms. A teaming program is also available that offers
contracts for subcontracting MCS resources to solution providers, or
solution provider resources to MCS as a time saving device. The
company says existing contracts have been modified to make it easier
for solution providers to team with MCS as well as to develop their
own consulting services.

(Jim Mallory/19930721/Press contact: Collins Hemingway, Microsoft
Corporation, 206-882- 8080; Reader contact: Microsoft Corporation,
206-882-8080, 800-922-9446 to contact MCS)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00015)

Microsoft Ships Visual C++ Pre-release 07/21/93
REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Microsoft
is shipping a pre-release of its Visual C++ development system for
Windows and Windows NT 32-bit Edition.

The company said more than 70,000 registered users of the Win32
Software Development Kit (SDK) will receive a free CD-ROM
containing the new 32-bit development system, which includes the
Microsoft Foundation Class version 2.0,  this is the first Windows
NT-hosted and integrated 32-bit development environment for
professional C and C++ developers.

The pre-release version updates the command line compiler and tools
shipped with the Win32 pre-release SDK. Having the pre-release
version of Visual C++ 32-bit Edition will allow developers to start
developing 32-bit applications that take advantage of the recently
announced Windows NT operating system using Win32 as well as for
Windows 3.1 using the Win32s application programming interface
(API).

Shipping a pre-release version of Visual C++ 32-bit provides
immediate support for 32-bit development for windows NT with a
suite of graphical development tools, according to Microsoft's
Roger Heinen, senior VP of database and development tools.

The final version of Visual C++ 32-bit Edition is scheduled to ship
within 90 days after Windows NT ships, and will have all the
software and documentation on a CD-ROM disk. That saves Microsoft
the cost of printing - and developers the need to store - more than
8,000 pages of documentation.

The pre-release includes AppWizard, a tool that lets developers
create a skeleton application that can use the building blocks stored
in the Microsoft Foundation Class Library  version 2.0. The building
blocks are segments of reusable C++ code for Windows-based
applications. Another tool, ClassWizard, allows developers to connect
user-interface elements with application code. Visual Workbench is
an integrated editor, debugger, browser, and profiler that can
automatically create and maintain project make files, and allows the
user to customize the build options.

Microsoft says Visual C++ was written from the ground up as a
32-bit application to take advantage of operating system features
such as multithreading.

(Jim Mallory/19930721/Press contact: Catherine Miller, Microsoft
Corporation, 206-882-8080; Reader contact: Microsoft Corporation,
206-882-8080, 800-426-9400)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00016)

CE Software Ships Power Pak For Windows 07/21/93
WEST DES MOINES, IOWA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- CE Software
Holdings Inc., has announced that it is shipping CE Power Pak, a
collection of the company's productivity tools for use with
Microsoft Windows.

Included in Power Pak are: Disktop for Windows, a file and document
management program; CalendarMaker for Windows, a calendar
publishing application; and the newly released version of ProKey for
Windows, a scripting and macro tool for Windows 3.1 and Windows
applications. For Windows users who also use DOS-based
applications, a copy of ProKey for DOS is also included.

DiskTop for Windows gives users the ability to move, copy, delete,
rename, and sort files. The DT Launch feature allows users to launch
applications and documents from a menu. CalendarMaker for Windows
lets the user create presentation-quality calendars to keep track of
business and personal appointments. The program incorporates the
use of imported pictures, cons and text.

Using ProKey for Windows or DOS allows users to automate
repetitive  tasks by storing frequently used series of keystrokes
in a macro, then play the keystroke string back at will. The use
selects the key combination the macro is assigned to.

CE Software spokesperson Sue Nail told Newsbytes that the CE
offices, located in West Des Moines, Iowa, were dry, but the
company's warehouse, located at a different site, was invaded by
the flood, and  officials haven't been able to assess the amount of
damage there yet. Nail said the flooding problems will not delay
shipment of CE Power Pak, which is immediately available.

CE Power Pak has a suggested retail price of $129, a little less
than half the price of its included programs if purchased
separately. CE Software will sell the three programs individually,
with Disktop for Windows selling for $59. Either version of ProKey
is prices at $79, and CalendarMaker for Windows sells for $49.

(Jim Mallory/19930721/Press contact: Sue Nail, CE Software
Holdings, 515-221-1801; Reader contact: CE Software,
515-221-1801)


(NEWS)(GOVT)(LAX)(00017)

 ****LA Fingerprint Sys Saves County $5.4M In Welfare Fraud 07/21/93
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- One in
seven residents in Los Angeles County is on welfare, and welfare
fraud, or the same people getting duplicate assistance under
different names, is a big problem. However, a new electronic
fingerprinting system is keeping duplicate welfare applicants
off the rolls and has saved LA County over $5.4 million in the
first six months of operation.

Welfare fraud is a problem everywhere, but especially in the LA
area where the number of welfare recipients increases by 30
percent a year. Those ineligible for other programs can receive
just over $300 per month for housing and clothing under the
General Assistance program in LA County ($283 per month for
housing and a $9 a month clothing allowance distributed every six
months). The majority of recipients are homeless males and the
distribution of assistance is done on a month to month basis.

The tracking of these cases was done entirely by hand, until
the implementation of the Automated Fingerprint Image Reporting
and Match (AFIRM) system. The idea was originally generated in
1977 by Eddy Tanaka, director of the department of Public
Social Services for Los Angeles County, but county officials
said the delay in implementing the idea was simply a wait for
the technology to catch up to the concept. In 1990, the county
felt the technology was there and it put out a request for
bids. Sacramento, California-based EDS won the bid and the
system was first implemented in June of 1991.

It was necessary to have a fast system that could check the
applicant's identity in about five minutes. In this first non-
law enforcement application of fingerprinting, welfare
applicants simply place their index finger on an electronic
scanner which transmits fingerprint images into a computer and
matches them against a database of individuals already
receiving aid. If a match is confirmed, the application is denied.

To speed response, the AFIRM database was split across several
Hewlett-Packard workstations running X Windows that search
simultaneously. The custom client/server software written for
the system allowed the county to stay away from implementing
an expensive mainframe or minicomputer and the system can be
expanded and upgraded as the need arises.

Kurt Williams of EDS told Newsbytes the company also used
off-the-shelf components, including the fingerprint scanners,
to keep costs low.

The $5.4 million the county saved in the first six months of
operation is 56 percent of the cost of the system, according to
EDS. Over the next five years, the savings in reduced welfare
fraud will be an estimated $20 million.

LA County officials noticed a difference in the case load even
before the system was fully implemented. After piloting the
system in three of the county's 14 General Relief district
offices, numbers dropped from 150 applicants a day to 100
applicants per day. However, surrounding offices where AFIRM
had not yet been implemented had their applications jump
from 100 per day to 150 per day. Tanaka asked EDS to speed up
implementation of the system county-wide in order to thwart
individuals who were attempting to go around the fingerprinting
system.

Now that AFIRM has been implemented in all 14 General Relief
offices, the county is already planning a $17 million expansion
of the system to include its Aid to Families with Dependent
Children (AFDC) program as well, which is projected to see a 23
percent increase in case loads in the coming year. Adding the
AFDC roles means the system will expand from tracking 105,000
welfare recipients to nearly 400,000 and the number of offices
with fingerprinting capability will go from 14 to 38.

The system has the added advantage of cutting labor costs to
the department, because now clerks can be hired to fingerprint
applicants where trained welfare fraud investigators were
assigned previously.

Alameda County, with the third largest General Assistance case
load in the state, is following suit. By installing the AFIRM
system in its Hayward and Oakland offices Alameda county
estimates it can cut department costs by more than $300,000 in
the next five months.

Julie Caig, Alameda County's Program Manager for Information
Systems said: "If successful, we hope that other Bay Area
counties will join us so that fingerprint information can be
shared across county lines." San Francisco County is also
evaluating the system and two New York counties have
implemented similar systems. LA County representative Karol
Matsui said interest in the AFIRM system has been high and the
county has had inquiries from across the US and around the world.

With hard times upon California residents, the actual numbers
in the General Assistance program have increased, but the AFIRM
program helps maintain the intent of the assistance. "I think
the biggest plus of the AFIRM system is regaining the integrity
of the General Relief program. The system has weeded out
several thousand people who shouldn't have been on the rolls,"
Tanaka added.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930721/Press Contact: Carleen LeVasseur,
EDS, tel [phone], fax [phone]; Karol Matsui, LA
County AFIRM, 310-908-8311)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00018)

 ****Compaq 2Qtr Income Triples 07/21/93
HOUSTON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Compaq Computer
has announced its second quarter financial results, with net income
more than three times what the company reported for the same
period last year.

Net income was reported at $102 million compared to $29 million
for the same period in 1992. Earnings per share also increased more
than three times, ending at $1.21 per share for this year's second
quarter compared to $0.35 per share in 1992.

The period turned in record sales, ending as the fourth consecutive
quarter to set a record. Second quarter sales rose to $1.63 billion,
a 97 percent increase over the $827 million reported for last year
in the same period.

Eckhard Pfeiffer, Compaq president and CEO, said the company's
effective management of profit margins and its strategic investments
are moving Compaq towards its goal of becoming the number one PC
manufacturer in the world. "The PC industry continues to be highly
competitive, but clearly, Compaq's business strategy has positioned
the company to be a winner in the current industry consolidation.
Compaq ," Pfeiffer said.

Compaq says unit shipments were up approximately 150 percent over
the second quarter of 1992, while worldwide the industry in general
has increased about 25 percent. Pfeiffer says the company will
continue to aggressively pursue market share with a significant
range of competitively priced products.

For the six month period ending June 30, Compaq had invested $78
million in research and development, and says it will introduce new
personal computers for the small office and consumer market, as well
as a new line of servers, in the third quarter.

Compaq spokesperson John Sweney told Newsbytes the PCs designed
for the small office and consumer market will carry the Compaq
label and will have a specific line name as well. The systems, which
could be sold through mass market channels, may come bundled with
various hardware and software options. The new line is expected to
use the "plug'-and-play" technology in order to have the user
productive as soon as the system is plugged in, with software
already installed. Pricing is not yet available.

Sweney told Newsbytes the new line of servers, which will
eventually replace Compaq's current server line, will include a
number of new features, including the ability to run as many as four
processors simultaneously. Sweney said the new server line will
also include an enhanced version of its Insight Management server
self-diagnostics. Many more of the server sub-systems will be
monitored in the new systems, as well as environmental factors
such as ambient temperature.

Compaq's present system management is only NetWare-capable. The
new systems will also be able to diagnose other systems. They will
also incorporate either SCO Unix or NetWare on a CD-ROM, with
greatly improved and easier installation and configuration
procedures using an intelligent installation engine, said the
company. Compaq presently offers the CD-ROM version of SCO Unix
only.

(Jim Mallory/19930721/Press contact: John Sweney, Compaq
Computer Corporation, 713-374-1564)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEN)(00019)

Motorola & Orion Team Up On Emulator/Analyzer 07/21/93
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Motorola's High
Performance Microprocessor Division says it has teamed up with
Menlo Park, California-based Orion Instruments to introduce a real-
time emulator/analyzer system for Motorola's low-cost embedded
control microprocessor, the 68EC000.

The companies say Orion's 8800 Emulator/Analyzer supports
the chip at its full-rated clock speed of 16 megahertz (MHz) with
real-time non-intrusive, zero-wait-state emulation support. The
Motorola chip is an alternative for applications such as small
consumer products where board space is at a premium, which in the
past have incorporated eight-bit processors. In such applications the
68EC000 is typically surface-mounted, eliminating a socket for a
conventional emulator probe.

Orion's Clip-On Emulation option allows developers to clip onto the
chip, which lets them debug and analyze their circuit without
removing the central processor unit (CPU) from the board. Motorola
says that will reduce development time by eliminating the need for
an intermediate socketed layout. It also allows developers to debug
firmware (instructions coded into a chip) on production boards
without altering or damaging them.

Another feature of the 8800 is real-time trace, the ability to
capture and display trace data while the target runs at full speed.
Developers say that is crucial for debugging real-time designs
where stopping the target with breakpoints can adversely affect
important system timing.

In addition to its own high level language support, the 8800
supports three other source level debuggers: Microtec's XRAY,
Intermetric's XDB, and the Sierra Systems QuickFix. The latter has
special 8800 extensions that allow it to incorporate real-time trace
information.

Orion's 8800 Emulator/Analyzer is available starting at $9,150,
which included 128 kilobytes (KB) of zero-wait-state emulation
memory and a 16KB trace buffer. Options are available for 64KB
of trace memory and up to 2 megabytes of emulation memory. The
clip-on emulation is also an option.

(Jim Mallory/19930721/Press Contact: Fred Stotz, Motorola,
512-891-2668; Jan Liband, Orion Instruments, 415-327-8800;
Reader Contact: Orion Instruments, 415-327-8800 or
800-729-7700)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(TOR)(00020)

Desktop Data Offers NewsEdge For Mac 07/21/93
WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Subscribers
to Desktop Data Inc.'s NewsEdge, a news filtering service, can now
tie their Apple Macintosh computers into the service.

Desktop Data has unveiled NewsEdge/Mac, Macintosh client software
to work with the NewsEdge service. It complements existing
offerings for Intel-based personal computers and workstations.

NewsEdge filters more than 100 news wires, alerting users to
stories that match their individual interest profiles. It also
maintains a full-text database of the most recent 250,000
stories on the user's server for quick searching.

The new Macintosh client software will allow a Mac to be hooked
up to a local area network with access to NewsEdge. Customers
still need a machine running the OS/2 operating system to act as
the server, said Marni Hoyle, a company spokeswoman.

Eventually, Hoyle added, the company plans to produce NewsEdge
server software for Apple computers, probably to run on the
company's upcoming PowerPC-based line of hardware.

Desktop Data has a number of customers whose operations include
Macintoshes along with other types of systems and who, to date,
have been unable to make NewsEdge available to their Mac users,
Hoyle said.

NewsEdge also supports Microsoft Windows, OS/2, DOS, and
Unix, and works with various electronic mail systems and Lotus
Development's Notes work-group software.

NewsEdge/Mac requires a Macintosh II-class computer with four
megabytes (MB) of memory and System 7. Initially TCP
(Transmission Control Protocol) network connections will be
supported. The OS/2-based server needs about one gigabyte (GB)
of disk storage to maintain the news database, Hoyle added.

NewsEdge is priced on an annual subscription basis beginning at
$20,000 for 10 users, with site license packages starting at 100
users. News wire fees are extra. Desktop Data claims to have more
than 13,000 users in major corporations, financial institutions,
and government agencies in the United States and Europe.

(Grant Buckler/19930721/Press Contact: Marni Hoyle, Desktop
Data, 617-890-0042)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TOR)(00021)

Mitel Names New Chairman, Reports Quarterly Profit 07/21/93
KANATA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Mitel Corp., has
named a new chairman. Gordon S. Byrn, president of the company
that last June bought a 51 percent interest in the
telecommunications equipment maker, takes over from Anthony
F. Griffiths.

Byrn is president of Schroders and Partners Ltd., the Canadian
affiliate of Schroder Ventures, and vice-chairman, North America
and Far East for Schroder Ventures. Last June, Schroder bought a
51 percent stake in Mitel for about C$40 million from British
Telecommunications PLC, which had been seeking to sell the
shares for some time. At the time Byrn and one other Schroder
representative joined the Mitel board.

Griffiths, who has been Mitel's chairman since 1987 and was
president and chief executive for two years before that, did not
stand for re-election to the board, the company said. Griffiths
served a second stint as president through most of 1992, after
John Jarvis left that post, but was replaced as president by
Dr. John Millard in January of this year.

Mitel also reported a profit of C$3 million in its first quarter,
ended June 25. The profit compares with a loss of C$7 million in
the same period last year and is Mitel's third consecutive
quarterly profit after a string of losses. Revenues were C$107.4
million, up 13 percent from C$95 million in the first quarter of
last fiscal year.

(Grant Buckler/19930721/Press Contact: Bonnie Perrigard, Mitel,
613-592-2122 ext. 1125)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TOR)(00022)

 ****Northern Telecom Expects 1993 Loss, Job Cuts 07/21/93
MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Northern
Telecom Ltd., has reported a second-quarter loss and admitted that
it expects an annual loss in 1993. The company also said it will
cut manufacturing capacity and let go about nine percent of its
global work force, or 5,200 employees worldwide.

The loss will be largely due to a provision for the cost-cutting
measures, which Northern said will cost it about US$282 million.
The company will take a special charge for that in 1993, and has
also made a provision of US$158 million after tax for work on its
software for central-office switching equipment. Third, Northern
is taking a US$500 million write-down on goodwill related to STC
PLC, the British telecom firm it bought in 1991.

The company said its restructuring will mean consolidating
manufacturing plants, including the closure of some operations,
and cutting its 60,000 work force by about 5,200. The plan is
expected to be complete by the end of 1994. Northern did not
comment on the plan's possible impact on its 1994 results.

The software provision is to cover the cost of completing
modularization of Northern's central office switching
architecture "to correct operating issues and enhance performance
capabilities," said Jean Monty, president and chief executive, in
a prepared statement. This is also due to be complete in 1994.

Northern said it is writing down goodwill associated with STC
because of continuing weakness in the European economy and
concern that growth in European sales and earnings will be slower
in the short term.

Northern also said it has agreed to sell the STC Submarine
Systems division to Alcatel Cable of France for UKP600 million.
The unit had revenues of about UKP225 million in 1992, company
officials said.

In the second quarter of 1993, Northern lost US$1.03 billion on
revenues of US$1.87 billion. This compares with net earnings of
US$69.1 million on revenues of US$1.95 billion in the second
quarter of last year.

Northern had warned at the end of June that it expected the
quarterly loss, its first in five years.

The loss follows a disappointing though profitable first quarter,
which ironically came on the heels of record revenues and
earnings for Northern in 1992. In the year ended December 31,
Northern's revenues were US$8.41 billion and net earnings
increased eight percent to US$536 million.

Northern "has provided us with quite a few surprises in the last
five consecutive quarters," said Frederick Larkin, an investment
analyst who follows the company for Warburg Inc., in Toronto. He
said institutional investors are becoming wary of Northern's
stock.

However, Larkin added that while the immediate news is bad, he
believes Northern is taking the right steps. The cost-cutting
measures will keep the company competitive, he said. Just how
soon Northern's fortunes rebound will depend largely on its
ability to boost sales of central office gear.

Larkin said he is not yet ready to speculate on Northern's
financial prospects in 1994.

(Grant Buckler/19930721/Press Contact: Tom Tropea, Northern
Telecom, 416-566-3178; Gary Brandt, Northern Telecom,
416-566-3098)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(LAX)(00023)

Rasterops Price Cuts On Mac Digital Video Products 07/21/93
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Rasterops
says it is cutting the retail price of its digital video products -
Rasterops Editing Aces Suite and Moviepak - for the Macintosh and
Quadra line of computers. The move is an attempt to attract the
cost-conscious independent artist and consumer, the company said.

Rasterops representatives say price cuts by Apple on its
computer line are not forcing the company to lower prices, but
instead the goal is to be more competitive in the market.

The company is cutting the price of the NTSC version of the Editing
Aces Suite to $3,899 from $4,199 and the PAL version is down to
$4,099 from $4,399. The Moviepak daughter card is included in
the Editing Aces Suite, but Rasterops also sells the card
separately and has announced the new price is reduced fifty
percent to $999 from $1,999. The Moviepak card was offered with
Adobe Premiere, but users can now get Moviepak with or without
the software. With Adobe Premiere, the Moviepak is now $1,499.

The Editing Aces Suite includes: Mediatime, a 24-bit display
adapter with 16-bit stereo capabilities; Video Expander II, a
video encoder with genlock and red-green-blue (RGB) pass-
through capabilities; Adobe Premiere 3.0 video editing
software; and Moviepak.

The Moviepak card snaps onto Rasterops video display adapters to
enable users to record, edit, and playback Quicktime movies and
offers Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) compression/
decompression capability. Rasterops says it offers a modular
approach to its products to allow custom configuration by users
and so users can upgrade to new Rasterops products by simply
buying the particular new component.

The Editing Aces Suite requires a Centris 650, Macintosh II, or
Quadra-family computer running System 7 or later, 8 megabytes
(MB) of random access memory (RAM), and an 80MB hard disk
drive. The Movepak card requires a Rasterops 24STV, 24MxTV,
24XLTV, or Mediatime display adapter. The products are
available through the company's authorized dealers and come
with a three-year warranty, Rasterops added.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930721/Press Contact: Michele Janin,
Cunningham Communications for Rasterops, tel [phone], fax
408-982-0403; Customer Contact, Rasterops, 800-729-2656)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LON)(00024)

UK - Elonex Posts Record 1992/93 Sales, Flotation Due 07/21/93
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Elonex, the privately-held
direct PC seller, has reported that its 1992/93 turnover is up by
35 percent on previous year figures. Profits for the period are,
however, down on those of last year.

During the year to the end of April, 1993, Elonex reported profits
of UKP6.8 million on sales of just under UKP78 million. The
figures compare with pre-tax profit of UKP9.1 million on sales of
UKP57.8 million.

According to a spokesman for Elonex, the company is enjoying a
positive cash flow at the moment, with net current assets standing
at UKP13.2 million with book to bill ratios of 1.83 and reserves of
UKP17.5 million.

Micheal Spiro, the company's financial director, claims that these
results demonstrate the company's resilience in a year that has
seen many other direct sell PC companies turning in heavy losses
and even going to the wall. The company expects to launch itself
on an international stock market in due course.

According to Spiro, the last year has been a difficult one for
the British computer industry, due to the effects of a deepening
recession, a price war intensified by cheaper product ranges from
the major multi-nationals, and a 25 percent fall in the value of
sterling.

All these factors, Spiro notes, have caused severe problems for
computer manufacturers. This, he said, has meant that several UK
manufacturers have only been kept alive by rich parent companies or
government protection.

"At Elonex, on the other hand, we managed to hold our own in the
marketplace and sustain the kind of performance that has made us
one of Britain's most successful privately-held companies," he said,
citing April's survey of established unlisted companies in the
Independent newspaper.

Spiro went on to say that Elonex has resisted the temptation to
prune its profit margins to the bone in order to maintain, or even
buy, market share.

"As a result, we have been able to invest millions in research and
development, in manufacturing plant and in purchasing our London
headquarters, yet still maintain a strong balance sheer. This is in
marked contrast to several other major players in the UK who have
suffered - and continue to suffer - substantial losses," he said.

Not that Elonex appears to be resting on its laurels. The company
has been investing heavily in portable research and development at
its R&D operation in the US. According to Spiro, a new range of
portables is expected to be launched later this year.

"Our investment in UK manufacturing capacity through an associate
company, Cordata, is likely to lead to reduced production costs this
year. Cordata's UKP5.5 million plant in Cumbernauld will open next
month and will provide electronics sub-assembles and basic PC
assemblies for Elonex in the UK and overseas," he said.

(Steve Gold/19930721/Press & Public Contact: Elonex -
Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00025)

UK - BT Cuts Pricing On International ISDN Calls 07/21/93
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- British Telecommunications
(BT) has announced it is cutting the cost of international Integrated
Services Digital Network (ISDN) calls from the UK. The price cuts
take effect from September 29 onwards.

One of the criticisms of BT's ISDN service to date has been that
international calls are charged at higher rates than ordinary phone
calls. This is in contrast to inland calls, which are billed at the
same rate, regardless of whether they are voice or ISDN data.

BT has always claimed that foreign telecoms companies charge it for
access to their ISDN services, hence the disparity in charging
system. From September onwards, however, many international ISDN
call charges fall. BT claims that this is due to foreign telecoms
companies cutting their charges to BT, so it is passing these
savings along.

A spokesman for BT cited the example of a company using three
ISDN-2 connections (six 64,000 bits-per-second channels) for
high-quality videoconferencing links between London and New York.
Under the new tariff arrangements, they will pay UKP735 for two
hours of videoconferencing, rather than UKP1,008 under the old
charging system. This is a 27 percent call cost reduction.

In a more practical example, BT claims that the price of
transmitting 100 pages by fax over an ISDN-2 links to France,
which takes five minutes, will fall from UKP4.25 to UKP3.80,
a 10.5 percent reduction.

BT currently has 20 ISDN international routes to 18 different
countries. They are: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland,
France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, (for KDD & ITJ), the
Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Sweden,
Switzerland, Spain, and the US (for AT&T & MCI).

(Steve Gold/19930721)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(LON)(00026)

UK - Thomas Cook Uses GEIS To Check On Fraud 07/21/93
PETERBOROUGH, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- GE Information
Systems (GEIS) has developed a new application of its international
data network to provide the travel agency Thomas Cook with 24-hour
access to a database of stopped (usually lost or stolen) travellers'
checks.

The database, which is known as the check enquiry status service
(CHESS), allows banks and retailers who suspect that a check or
checks has/have been stolen, to gain immediate access to a service
that gives them an instant - and up to the second - status check
on the queried documents.

The central database will be held on a computer located at GEIS' US
headquarters. Thomas Cook branches will also have access to the
service, so they can update and enter details of the check as they
are sold. This will speed up the time it takes to validate a check
as it is presented for encashment at a bank or travel office.

"Our Peterborough office receives around 14,000 verification calls
a year from around the world," explained James Hopgood, manager
of Thomas Cook's refund center. "We are speeding up the entire
verification process, reducing the workload of our Peterborough
staff and enabling offices to offer a higher standard both to the
banks and retailers who accept our checks and to our customers
who buy our travellers checks for business and leisure travel," he
said.

According to Eamon Walsh, head of information technology (IT) at
Thomas Cook, the company is a global organization, "so when we
were planning the CHESS system we looked for a development
partner who could match our world-wide presence."

Walsh said that the GEIS network has excellent world-wide
coverage, and, since Thomas Cook has worked with the company
before, it knew that they were able to offer a stable and reliable
network service.

CHESS is now available in 16 cities around the world, including
Madrid, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Melbourne and Bahrain.
Plans call for the service to be made available at 25 Thomas Cook
main offices around the world by early next year, and eventually to
most major cities world-wide over the next few years.

(Steve Gold/19930721/Press & Public Contact: GE Information
Systems - Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00027)

UK - BT Enhances Telemedicine Technology 07/21/93
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- British Telecommunications
(BT) has revealed that it is commercializing several new methods of
transmitting medical data and expertise over the public switched
telephone network (PSTN) and Integrated Services Digital Network
(ISDN) services.

Known as telemedicine, the technology builds on the success that
some hospitals have had with using remote-control heart monitoring
equipment installed in the homes of patients. If a problem occurs,
the heart monitoring machine can be used in the home and data
transmitted over the phone line using a modem.

BT officials claim that the application of similar technology can be
made in many more areas of medicine, as well as in other unrelated
areas, such as completing remote diagnostics on computers at a
distance.

"In fact our primary interest is not to sell hardware, that is to
some extent a separate issue," explained Mike Matthews, section
manager of the BT's advanced media unit at the company's research
and development headquarters in Martlesham, Norfolk. "Our primary
interest is to act as a catalyst in making people think about how
they can use advanced networks."

At a conference held in London recently, Matthews and other
BT seniors demonstrated several applications of the technology,
including Camnet (short for "camera over network") and an endoscope
imaging system being developed with the science laboratories at
Sheffield University. The endoscope system allows images from the
inside of a human digestive tract to be transmitted over a phone-
modem or ISDN link for viewing by doctors at major medical centers.

Camnet involves the use of a camera attached to the head of a medic
at a remote site. Images from the camera are transmitted over the
phone-modem or ISDN link for interpretation at a medical center.
Like the endoscope project, Camnet allows staff at hospitals to
spend less time travelling to patients and more time actually
treating them.

(Steve Gold/19930721)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(WAS)(00028)

Spectrum Intros Cellular Fax/Modem For NEC Phones 07/21/93
MANHASSET, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Spectrum
Information Technologies has introduced a new version of the
company's AXCELL fax/modem link for NEC portable handheld
cellular telephones. NEC will market the product as the INT 4000
Data Interface and Spectrum will also sell it under the trade
name AXCELL.

The AXCELL hardware is compatible with NEC's current full line of
portable handheld cellular phones, including the new P100 series
and the P400/600 and P200/300 versions of portable cellular
phones.

AT&T, Ericsson GE, Fujitsu Network Transmission Systems,  and
Audiovox all sell private label versions of Spectrum's AXCELL.
The new data interface will ship this fall and should have a list
price of around $400.

With the ever increasing use of cellular telephone technology it
is only natural that portable computer users will want to link
their fax and data capabilities to their cellular telephones so
they have full communications capabilities while on the road.

When outside the ability to link through a cellular phone means
that there is no need to carry a special, and not very dependable,
acoustic coupler system that allows linking to handsets in phone
booths. Business travelers sitting in hotel rooms may find
that it is actually less expensive to use the added-cost cellular
connection rather than pay the service charges some hotels levy
on people who place calls from their room phone.

(John McCormick/19930721/Press Contact: Don Kessler, Spectrum
Information Technologies, 516/627-8992 or Kathy L. Bachand,
investor relations, 800/233-2119, ext. 308)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(WAS)(00029)

Littelfuse Factory Earns ISO 9000 Certification 07/21/93
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- The Centralia,
Illinois factory operated by Des Plaines, Ill-based Littelfuse
has just become the first US electronic circuit protection
device manufacturer to receive two ISO quality management
certifications.

ISO 9000 certification, which refers to quality control in
manufacturing, is being required by more companies which are
buying these critical computer system protection components.

This is the second US certification the company has earned in
the last nine months. The first was awarded to its Arcola, Ill.
Power Fuse manufacturing plant in 1992. In addition to its
domestic certifications, Littelfuse was also granted ISO
Certifications for its plants in England and Switzerland in
1988 and 1990.

The Centralia facility is the world's primary producer of latest
technology sub-miniature surface mount fuses utilized on
advanced circuit boards for a broad spectrum of electronic
devices, says the company.

Surface mount components can be packed much more closely
together than traditional circuit board elements because, instead
of having leads which are pushed through circuit boards and
soldered to traces on the back of the board, surface mount
technology allows components to be mounted on both sides of a
board and do not require holes drilled through the board.

The components made by Littelfuse are circuit protectors of
various sorts which provide other sensitive components with
some protection from power surges.

(John McCormick/19930721/Press Contact: Art Skwerski,
708-391-0307, Littelfuse)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(WAS)(00030)

Dataware Technology Goes Public 07/21/93
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 21 (NB) -- Dataware
Technologies, the Cambridge, Mass-based international CD-ROM
service bureau, entered the public stock arena on Tuesday with an
initial public offering of 2,250,000 shares of common stock
priced at $13 per share. By Wednesday morning the stock was up
about 15 percent to 14 7/8.

Dataware is a long-time player in the CD-ROM publishing industry
with extensive experience in publishing titles for industry and
government agencies around the world.

Although the company is also involved in selling CD-R or CD-
Recordable systems to clients, its major business is producing
CD-ROMs under contract and licensing its data formatting and
retrieval software. Recent acquisitions have strengthened the
company's market position by improving the breadth of its CD-ROM
authoring software line.

Dataware provides the authoring software used by Ziff Desktop
Information in publishing the Computer Select CD-ROM industry
database which includes all Newsbytes News Network reports and
the full text of more than 100 computer- and telecommunications-
related publications each month.

Dataware Technologies is presently offering a free white paper
titled "CD-Recordable Applications Guide. To obtain a copy fax a
request to Kathleen Hunter at 617-621-0307.

(John McCormick/19930721/Press Contact: G. Mead Wyman,
Dataware Technologies Inc., 617-621-0820)