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/nb930310

Text File | 1993-03-10 | 63KB | 1,418 lines

(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BOS)(00001)

"Hired Hackers" From Price Waterhouse Testing Security 03/10/93
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- Computer-related
crime is getting so serious that Price Waterhouse is now providing
"hired hackers" for testing the security of company information
systems.

In the new service, formally known as "Data Penetration Study,"
Price Waterhouse works closely with client companies in trying to
penetrate computer environments, attempting to go through or around
access control software and related security systems.

Once the actual "hacking" is complete, the consulting firm supplies
the client company with an evaluation of the security measures
currently in place and the levels of information available to
potential abusers.

In addition, recommendations are made for more effective
strategies, policies, standards and procedures. Price Waterhouse
can also establish security awareness programs for clients and
assist with the implementation of new security software.

The "hired hackers" from Price Waterhouse simulate a variety of
security penetration scenarios in conducting their computer systems
sleuthery, according to officials.

The simulation can include mimicry of the following categories of
potential abusers: outsiders with no company information;
outsiders with some company information; insiders with no company
information, and insiders with standard company application
programmer access.

In announcing the new service, Price Waterhouse noted that the FBI
now estimates annual losses from computer-related crime range
from $500 million to $5 billion.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19930309/Press contact: Paula Sinclair, Price
Waterhouse, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00002)

Toshiba To Release 64M Flash Memory Next Year 03/10/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- Toshiba is preparing to be
the first to release a 64-megabit flash memory. Toshiba claims the
product will be commercially available by 1995.

Toshiba's 64-megabit flash memory is based on a NAND-type circuit,
which enables the creation of small size chips. Toshiba will
release samples of this 64-megabit flash memory in 1994, and is
planning to mass produce the chip in 1995. Toshiba anticipates
the market for these devices will bloom starting in 1996.

Toshiba is currently selling a 4-megabit and a 16-megabit version
of flash memories. By the end of this year, Toshiba will
release a 32-bit version of the NAND-type flash memory,
applying an 0.5 micron processing technology. Toshiba is also
planning to release an energy saving 32-bit flash memory
which consumes only 3.3 volts. This is much lower than the five
volts consumed by regular flash memories.

Flash memory is seen as an important chip for future products. It
retains data even if its electric current is extinguished, and may
even replace hard disks in the future. Analysts estimate 30 billion
yen ($250 million) worth of flash memories are sold in the
worldwide market. By the year 2000, the market is expected to grow
to 1 trillion yen ($8.30 billion).

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930309/Press Contact: Toshiba, +81-3-
3457-2100)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TYO)(00003)

Japan - NTT Seeks Pay Phone Rate Hike 03/10/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- Japan's major domestic telephone
firm NTT is about to raise pay phone rates, effectively doubling them
by this October. The plan is expected to be approved by the
Japanese Ministry.

The rate hike will be NTT's first in 17 years. The firm
wants to charge 10 yen (8 cents) for each 90 seconds for domestic
calls, which is twice as much as the current fee of 10 yen per
180 seconds.

The Posts & Telecom Ministry is expected to look favorably on this
request, given that pay phone rates are extremely low right now.
Public phones are cheaper than regular phone fees -- which cost
72,000 yen ($600) to hook up and 1,800 yen ($15) on average per
month. However, NTT does not charge these fees at public phones,
and hourly fees are the same as those of regular phones.

Public phones also require maintenance and upgrades -- there are
830,000 of them in Japan. At current rates, NTT is losing money
on these phones. NTT recorded a loss of 23.4 billion yen
($195 million) in its public phone business as of fiscal 1991. It
is expected that the debt amount will be even larger this fiscal
year, which ends in this month.

With the rise of hourly pay phone charges, NTT will still be in
the red on its public phone business, so the firm plans to cut
night-time discount calling rates on public telephones. With these
measures, NTT expects to barely break even.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930309/Press Contact: NTT, +81-3-
3509-5035, Fax, [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00004)

Japan - Fujitsu Hiring Fewer Graduates 03/10/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- Fujitsu will drastically
cut back on a 20th Century tradition -- the hiring of high
school and college graduates -- for its next fiscal year.
Fujitsu will hire only one seventh of its normal quota, or
300 students, from the classes of '93.

The scale-back of hiring means no clerical or sales people
will be getting new jobs, as well.

During this fiscal year, Fujitsu hired 2,200 people, and at its
peak of hiring in fiscal 1991, Fujitsu brought in 3,870 new
faces. They included 1,300 university graduates and 2,570
high school graduates.

Fujitsu is also requesting that its affiliated firms and
subsidiaries not hire any university graduates next year.
These affiliate firms and subsidiaries will hire a total of
about 3,400 people who are fresh out of school this year. All
this is bad news for the students who are caught in the middle
of two trends -- an industry recession and downsizing which
have affected Fujitsu and other Japanese electronics firms.

Other electronics makers are also expected to reduce the numbers
of new hirees next year. This reduction is expected to cause a big
problem in the employment market in Japan.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930309/Press Contact: Fujitsu, +81-3-
3215-5236, Fax, [phone])


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(ATL)(00005)

 ****Novell Netware 4.0 Arrives 03/10/93
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- Novell has made
its long-awaited announcement of NetWare 4.0, which will ship
March 31. A beta tester tells Newsbytes that users of older
versions of the product "should be prepared for an adventure."

NetWare has become the standard network operating system in the
last few years, almost as secure in its niche as MS-DOS, and
Novell has sought to extend its operating system reach by
purchasing AT&T's Unix Systems Labs and Digital Research's DR-DOS
in recent years.

The new version is a huge upgrade in capabilities, and will
require hours of work for system administrators, according to
Newsbytes sources who are experienced NetWare users and have been
beta-testing the product. But the effort will be worth it, they
say, because of a host of new features which are implemented in
an object-oriented manner, making other network improvements
easier to make. The new software is so large and complex that
Novell has begun distributing it to beta testers on a CD-ROM
disc.

The most important function of the new NetWare, however, is its
integration with Unix, which Novell says makes it a complete
"enterprise solution" for its customers. Novell says this means
the product can now provide network services regardless of time,
distance, location and network diversity, combining multi-server,
multi-platform, multi-lingual networks into a single secure
system.

A key new capability is called NetWare Directory Services, or
NDS. This provides a single view of the network, reducing
administrative costs. There are new security and auditing
capabilities using public key cryptography, improvements in the
use of bandwidth to reduce the costs of wide area networking,
new management capabilities, and support for multiple computer
languages.

Novell is using this version of NetWare to get its arms around
every other operating system, and new target service agents
in this release allow customers to backup DOS, Windows, and OS/2
clients, as well as NetWare 3.11 and NetWare 4.0 servers. NetWare
4.0 can also run in a non-dedicated mode under OS/2 2.0. NetWare
4.0 for OS/2 will be available as an add-on product shortly after
the release of NetWare 4.0. Upgrades could be made easier by
utilities that automate the transfer of information from older
NetWare binderies to the new NetWare 4.0 directory.

A raft of third-party company announcements are expected in the
wake of Novell's statement that it is working closely with
developers on what it calls NetWare Loadable Modules, or NLMs.
Some will start under NetWare 3.11 NLMs and be compatible with
4.0, others will be designed around new 4.0 capabilities like
NetWare Directory Services.

Novell, aware of how much work it will be for customers to
upgrade and use the new capabilities, said it will have Certified
NetWare Instructors, trained through authorized education
centers, ready to help with 4.0 on the day the product ships.
They'll be ready with a three-day update for experienced network
administrators, a two-day workshop on configuring a NetWare 4.0
server, and a four-day network administrator course. French,
Italian, German, and Spanish versions will be available shortly
after the main product ships, and a Japanese version should be
announced later this year. Prices start at $1,395 for five users
and rise to $47,995 for the 1,000 user configuration.

Novell also introduced its NFS Gateway, a server-based
system to extend the NetWare environment into the Unix world.
This means users can access Network File System servers on remote
Unix systems as easily as they now access NetWare servers, Novell
said. All of this is done using tools provided by the user's
native operating system, even Microsoft Windows and MS-DOS. The
gateway also allows for centralized administration, and security
is handled through NetWare. The gateway consists of NetWare
Loadable Modules, or NLMs, written for NetWare v3.11. A version
for NetWare 4.0 is under development. Prices range from $1,500
for five users down to $12,495 for 250 users, and it becomes
available April 5.

(Dana Blankenhorn/199303010/Press Contact: Novell, Michael Adams,
801/429-5809)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(ATL)(00006)

Phone Fight Turns Nastier 03/10/93
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- MCI and WilTel are both
accusing AT&T of dirty tricks. AT&T denies those charges, saying
it is merely complying with the law and normal business
practices.

MCI filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission,
claiming AT&T has been sending letters to customers threatening
higher prices if they move their toll-free 800-number business
when such numbers become portable in May. MCI said any penalties
would violate FCC rules designed to give companies a 90-day
window to switch numbers without penalties. AT&T denied the
charge, but a spokesman did say the company has discussed with
customers what they can expect if "they abandon their long-term
agreements."

AT&T holds about 80 percent of the $7 billion toll-free business,
and portability is expected to cut into that. But such lines are
often sold to big customers as part of a larger package of long
distance services, with discounts computed based on total
calling volumes under long-term contracts. This means AT&T could
raise prices on its other services under those contracts if the
clients switch. MCI claims such hikes violate FCC rules.

WilTel, meanwhile, sued AT&T in a US District Court near its
offices in Oklahoma, seeking damages and an injunction. WilTel
claims AT&T has been writing letters to WilTel customers
stating their contracts may be invalidated since WilTel
hasn't filed tariffs on its rates. WilTel says it complied
with FCC rules. MCI said AT&T letters have also gone out to its
customers and those of Sprint, saying the same thing. AT&T's
response is that it is merely notifying people of the
implications of a court ruling.

(Dana Blankenhorn/199303010/Press Contact: Alan Garratt, MCI
International, 914-934-6484)


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

Sprint-Centel Deal Complete 03/10/93
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, U.S.A., 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- Sprint's
acquisition of Centel became final. A new board of directors,
with 10 from Sprint and 6 from Centel, was appointed. Each Centel
share was converted to 1.37 shares of Sprint.

That price had proven controversial, with many large Centel
holders claiming they could get more. But a recent run-up in
Sprint's price means Centel holders are getting stock worth over
$40 per share, near the $42 mark for which their stock was
selling on the open market at the time the Sprint deal was
announced. Centel closed at $42 in its last day of trading.

Sprint will be under pressure to modernize its local networks at
a time when it is under increasing pressure to hold its long
distance market share.

Profits from cellular operations could help, and Centel said it
is changing the name of its cellular operations to Sprint
Cellular effective April 21. The company is the ninth-largest
cellular provider, operating in 14 states, and its balance sheet
is strong, the company said. Centel said the new Sprint Cellular
service will work harder on things like "personal phone numbers"
which follow their users, messaging service, flexible rates, and
bills which combine a variety of services including cellular and
long distance services.

(Dana Blankenhorn/199303010/Press Contact: Steve Dykes, Sprint,
913-624-2280)


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

ATM Meets Interop 03/10/93
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- A data technology
called asynchronous transfer mode, or ATM, is continuing to cause
a buzz at technical shows.

In January the nation's telephone companies held their ComNet
show in Washington, where ATM was sold as a natural successor to
the frame relay data services that are being offered as a
successor to X.25 packet networks. Now, at the Interop show, ATM
is being shown as the natural upgrade path for networks using the
Internet's TCP/IP standard. ATM switches and routers will pass
data at many millions of megabits per second, replacing
expensive private lines with cheaper, more flexible digital
services.

Network Systems Corp., a major supplier of equipment used by the
Internet, said it would incorporate ATM technology into its
current and future products. As a first phase, an interface for
ATM will be added to the company's new Data eXchange Extended, or
DXE, product, using equipment from Digital Link. This will let
Network Systems routers, which link local area networks,
communicate at speeds up to 52 million bits/second, and convert
frame relay or faster switched megabit data service, or SMDS
traffic, from phone companies, to the ATM format.

In succeeding phases, the DXE units will move up to 155 million
bits/second transmissions, and a new product called the
Enterprise Router-Switch will be built as part its alliance
with Northern Telecom, merging routing and cell-switching in
a single device.

Recently, AT&T said it would work with Cisco, a maker of routers,
and Stratacom, a maker of frame relay switches, to assure that
the new ATM standards, when they're approved, are compatible with
current frame relay standards. Frame relay is now being
implemented nationwide, and is expected to be a $1 billion market
in 5 years, but some companies have been reluctant to drop their
private lines until they knew their investments in frame relay
would not quickly be made obsolete by the faster service.

(Dana Blankenhorn/199303010)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00009)

IBM Cuts PS/2, ValuePoint Prices 03/10/93
SOMERS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- Showing that the
personal computer price war is not over, IBM has announced price
cuts on some models in its Personal System/ValuePoint and
Personal System/2 lines and on certain monitors and network
interfaces.

Cuts in the list prices of PS/2 machines, including the Ultimedia
series of PCs designed for multimedia applications, range from 10
to 18 percent.

Cuts on IBM's direct-sale prices for the PS/ValuePoint line,
which was launched last fall to address price-conscious buyers,
range up to 12 percent. For instance, the price of a
ValuePoint 486DX2 with a clock-doubling 66 megahertz Intel 486DX2
microprocessor, four megabytes of memory, a 212-megabyte hard
drive and a 6314 Super Video Graphics Array monitor falls to
$2,539.

Prices for selected PS/2 and PS/ValuePoint monitors range from 11
to 20 percent, the company said. For example, an IBM PS/2 8514
extended graphics array color monitor now sells for $749.

The announced prices for PS/ValuePoint systems and monitors are
available through IBM's Direct Response Marketing toll-free
number. IBM does not publish list prices for these machines, and
reseller prices may vary.

IBM also cut the price of its 16/4-MBPS (megabytes per second)
Token Ring local area network interface cards for the Industry
Standard Architecture (ISA) bus by as much as eight percent.

"As previously stated, we will remain competitive by responding
quickly to the industry as we have today," said Michael R.
Coleman, vice-president of marketing and brand management at IBM
PC Co. North America, in a prepared statement.

(Grant Buckler/19930310/Press Contact: Liz Arends, IBM,
914-642-5408; Mike Reiter, IBM, 914-766-3226)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00010)

Claris Intros ClarisWorks 2.0 For The Mac 03/10/93
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- Integrated
software products are especially useful for portable computer
users and those on a low budget who do not require the power
of top-of-the-line applications. Claris has introduced version
2.0 of its best-selling ClarisWorks offering.

According to the company, the new version adds three completely
new capabilities to the program and more than 300 productivity
enhancements to the existing environments. Among the new
features are a variety of push-button "shortcuts."

In announcing the new version, Dick Gorman, vice president of
worldwide marketing at Claris, said: "It now offers the breadth
of capabilities and depth of features to meet the demands of
not only small business, K-12 educators, and home users, but
also corporate business and higher education users."

Among the new capabilities is a new outlining feature giving
users a choice of seven outline formats, including Harvard,
legal, and numeric. The company claims that, since the outliner
is integrated into the word processing environment, it is simple
to create entire documents in outline format.

The new version also has new color paint capabilities, and now
includes some 25-color painting tools and effects.

The new Shortcuts option offers push-button access to
frequently-used commands. 150 tasks - from spell checking
to formatting spreadsheet cells - can be accomplished by
clicking an icon from the floating, dockable Shortcuts palette.

The company claims that after being initially introduced in
November 1991, ClarisWorks 1.0 became the top-selling
Macintosh integrated product within six months and had sold
more than a half million units by the end of 1992.

The company also claims that ClarisWorks is the only integrated
product that allows users to combine, edit and display text, tables,
charts, graphics, bit-mapped images and spreadsheets within a single
document.

ClarisWorks 2.0 is priced the same as version 1.0 -- $299. Upgrades
from ClarisWorks 1.0 are $99, and a $129 competitive trade-up price is
also being offered through September 30, 1993.

(Ian Stokell/19930309/Press Contact: Ines Anderson,
408-987-7154; or Steve Ruddock, 408-987-7202, Claris)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(DEL)(00011)

India To Launch Satellite Network 03/10/93
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- The Department of
Telecommunications (DoT) of the Government of India has come out
with a proposal to launch a satellite communication network system
to counter a plan for a similar system by Hughes Escorts
Communications Ltd., an associate of General Motors.

DoT has floated a tender calling suppliers to provide suitable
equipment for this project. Sources in the department said that DoT,
which initially considered Hughes' plan to launch a satellite-based
data communication network to boost software exports, has
decided to come out with its own version to provide an
effective communication network for software exporters.

Under the DoT plan, around 200 Very Small Aperture Terminals
(VSAT) will be set up. These will have direct access to the
C-band transponders of Insat-1A (an Indian satellite used for
forecasting climatic conditions and to broadcast TV signals)
to beam software into other countries. The scheme is expected
to be complete by the end of '93.

The scheme is expected to eliminate many problems faced by
software exporters currently. Presently, this kind of link up is
only available to firms in designated electronics software
technology parks (ESTP). Though the ESTP was conceptually sound,
software firms were finding it difficult to move to the four
designated ESPTs: Noida (an export processing zone near Delhi),
Hyderabad (the capital of the southern Indian state of Andhra
Pradesh), Ahmadabad (a city in the western Indian state of
Gujarat) and Bangalore (also in the south, and called the
Silicon Valley of India).

Moreover, the VSAT is becoming important due to the fact that
many developed countries are banning body-shopping (i.e. hiring
to move professionals to project sites).

(C.T. MAHABHARAT/19930310)


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

NEC Adds Five PCs To Lineup 03/10/93
BOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- NEC
Technologies has expanded its personal computer line with
five new machines aimed at home and small-office users, corporate
users, and those who need high performance and speed running
Microsoft Windows software.

The new products include the three-member PowerMate series, which
a spokeswoman for the company said are aimed mainly at corporate
users who need low-priced systems for less demanding
applications. One of the new PowerMates uses the Intel 386 chip,
while the other two are based on 486 chips.

NEC also expanded its Ready System line, which the spokeswoman
said is meant for home-office and small-business users, with a
new top-of-the-line machine built around Intel's speed-doubling
66-megahertz 486DX2 chip.

Finally, the company added to its Image line a new machine also
based on the 66-megahertz 486DX2. The Image PCs are aimed at
Windows users who want fast graphics, and come equipped with
local-bus video technology.

The PowerMate 325 has a 25-megahertz 386SX processor and two
megabytes of memory. The PowerMate 425 uses the 25-megahertz
486SX chip, while the PowerMate 433 has a 33-megahertz 486DX
processor inside. Both come with four megabytes of memory. All
three PowerMates come with one megabyte of video memory, three
expansion slots, three bays for storage devices, a 1.44-megabyte
diskette drive, and a mouse as standard equipment. DOS 5.0 and
Windows 3.1 are also included.

List prices, including a monitor and a 120-megabyte hard disk
(other hard-disk options are available) are $1,348 for the 325,
$1,680 for the 425, and $2,219 for the 433.

The Ready 466 comes with eight megabytes of memory, a
240-megabyte hard disk, and a modem. An OverDrive socket to allow
upgrading the machine to Intel's upcoming Pentium chip technology
is also included. It has three Industry Standard Architecture
(ISA) expansion slots and three drive bays, all of which are
occupied by standard drives, the spokeswoman said.

The machine also comes with an assortment of pre-installed
software, plus access to ReadyRemote service, a program in which
NEC support technicians troubleshoot problems remotely using the
built-in modem. The system costs $2,499 without monitor, or
$2,899 with a 14-inch monitor, the spokeswoman said.

NEC's Image 486/66i is a small-footprint unit with a modular CPU
board, NEC's ImageVideo local-bus video technology, and ImageSync
technology that NEC said will allow the system to make the best
use of the firm's MultiSync FG monitors. There are four ISA
slots, four drive bays, four megabyte of memory, and 128K bytes
of flash read-only memory (ROM). With a 1.44-megabyte diskette
drive, prices are to range from $2,852 with no hard disk to
$3,480 with a 240-megabyte drive.

All the machines are available immediately in North America, NEC
said.

(Grant Buckler/19930309/Press Contact: Geoff Spillane or
Stephanie Allman, Golin/Harris Communications for NEC,
508-264-8759 or 508-264-8835; Public Contact: NEC, 508-264-8000)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TYO)(00013)

Hitachi Gets OEM PCs From IBM Japan 03/10/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- Hitachi has signed a deal
with IBM Japan to receive its latest personal computers on an OEM
(original equipment manufacturer) basis. This is the second
OEM deal between the two -- Hitachi has been receiving
notebook-type personal computers from IBM Japan, which it is
relabeling with its own brand name.

Hitachi will receive IBM Japan's desktop PS/V family which
were released earlier this year. Hitachi will also receive a supply
of new models that will be released in April from IBM Japan.
Actual retail prices will be around 300,000 to 400,000 yen
(around $2,900).

Hitachi may also sign an agreement to receive a supply of
IBM Japan's latest notebook-type personal computer, the "ThinkPad,"
which features a "bubble-jet" printer under the keyboard.

Hitachi's goal is to avoid risky development costs in the
development of personal computers. Hitachi is saving money
by getting the product on an OEM basis. The deal also benefits
IBM Japan which can sell more machines, albeit not under its own
brand name.

The business relationship between IBM Japan and Hitachi has not
been a one-way street. Hitachi also supplies a product,
printers for large-scale general purpose computers, to IBM
on an OEM basis.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930310/Press Contact: Hitachi, +81-3-
3258-2057)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(TYO)(00014)

Japan - PowerBook Hard Disk Upgrades, Japanese Software 03/10/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- Kanto Electronics has started a
service to upgrade the hard disk drives of early versions of
Apple's book-type computer, the PowerBook. These early units have
hard disks with only 20 or 40 megabytes, and it is not easy for
users to replace it by themselves.

Kanto Electronics' service replaces the hard disk drives with
larger storage units. User must send their PowerBook to
Kanto Electronics' office. Then, the firm will replace the
hard disks in about a week. The old hard disk, which was
built-into the computer, can be used as an external hard disk
if the user so wishes. Kanto Electronics will put it into a
box and connect it with a SCSI cable for an additional charge
of 32,800 yen ($270).

Kanto Electronics deals with PowerBook models 180, 170, 160, 140
and 100, and the Duo 230 and the 210. These computers' hard disks
can be replaced with 80MB, 120MB, 160MB or 200MB hard disks.
The prices are 108,000 yen ($900), 128,000 yen ($1,065), 148,000
yen ($1,230) and 168,000 yen ($1,400) respectively.

Meanwhile, Japan's major Macintosh software dealer System Soft
will release Japanese versions of programs for the
Macintosh. To start, the firm will release GreatWorks 2.0 by
the end of this month. This integrated software features a
word processor, database, spreadsheet, graphics, and
telecommunication. System Soft is also planning to release a
Japanese version of Claris Works 1.0 in May. System Soft is
a Japanese dealer of Claris products.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930309/Press Contact: Kanto
Electronics, [phone], System Soft, [phone])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(WAS)(00015)

Write The White House On MCI 03/10/93
WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A., 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- Have a gripe? Now the
Clinton Administration has taken its direct to-the-people access
one step further by making an MCI Mailbox address available to
everyone who has an MCI Main account or can forward mail through
MCI from another e-mail (electronic-mail) system. MCI has also
added a bulletin board carrying press releases and White House
speeches.

MCI users can just address their mail directly to White House
staffers using the generic "White House" address at the TO:
prompt or by using the 589-5485 MCI code.

E-mail is an electronic message service which is used by
individuals with access to computers and modems or across local
area networks.

E-mail can be sent through most commercial electronic bulletin
board systems such as CompuServe and GEnie, but MCI mail is a
system dedicated almost entirely to forwarding electronic mail
messages either directly or by turning them into fax or hard copy
messages.

Newsbytes verified today that the mailbox is open and in
operation. For further information on MCI White House related
services use the following commands on MCI "help bulletin board
view" to learn how to access bulletin boards; or "View White House."

View White House shows the following options:

1 BOARD 582-6144 White House BBS Info

2 BOARD 583-6077 White House Economic

3 BOARD 585-6079 White House Foreign

4 BOARD 581-6075 White House News

5 BOARD 583-6080 White House Social

6 BOARD 582-6076 White House Speeches

Accessing any of these boards lets the user read the latest
information as presented by the Administration.

"Viewing" Board number 1 provides you with information on the
contents of the specific boards.

If you want to e-mail President Clinton, just address the message
to White House at the usual TO: prompt, not within a Board.
Regular e-mail rates apply.

(John McCormick/19930310/Press Contact: Alan Garratt of MCI
International, 914-934-6484)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(BOS)(00016)

Ascom Timeplex Using Spectrum's Powerbook-Based Sale Tool 03/10/93
WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., U.S.A., 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- Under a newly
announced $1 million contract, Spectrum Information Technologies,
a specialist in cellular technology, is providing Ascom
Timeplex, a major enterprise networking vendor, with a Powerbook-
based sales support tool.

Up and running since January, the application currently offers
access to corporate and regional networks directly and by dialup,
along with an extensive sales database, said Todd Scofield, vice
president of field automation services for Spectrum's Data One
systems integration subsidiary.

The system is also cellular-ready, and Data One will be meeting
with Ascom Timeplex today to discuss the possible implementation of
a cellular-based WAN (wide area network), added Scofield, in an
interview with Newsbytes.

The contract between Spectrum and Ascom Timeplex covers training
and support services, as well as Powerbook Model 100 notebooks and
the new application.

Scofield told Newsbytes that the application gives the Ascom
Timeplex sales force all the resources they need to perform their
jobs, either from their offices or on the road.

The sales database includes such materials as product information,
names and addresses of customers, previously issued proposals,
contact and account management, and a "configurator," for helping
salespeople to determine the network configurations that customers
need.

Right from their Power Books, sales staff can quickly and easily
come up with sales quotes and system recommendations, place
equipment orders, and find sales leads, the vice president
explained.

The database resides in two separate places, he noted. Corporate-
wide sales information is stored in a server on Ascom Timeplex's
Unix-based corporate network. Regional sales information is kept
on servers on Appletalk-based regional links.

Users can access both databases, as well as other applications
running on the corporate and regional networks, either remotely,
using Appetalk Remote, or from an Ascom Timeplex facility, via a
local Appletalk connection.

A cellular wireless WAN would add the ability to access the sales
database and other applications from virtually anywhere, Scofield
reported. "But the timing wasn't right to test the cellular
capabilities before rollout (of the current application)," he
noted.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19930310/Press contacts: Jean Young, Young &
Associates for Spectrum, tel [phone]; Dae Chang, Spectrum,
tel [phone])


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

Borland Cuts Paradox, Quattro Pro, Turbo C++ Prices 03/10/93
SCOTTS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- Borland,
in competition with Microsoft, is slashing prices on its
products again. The company announced the Super Pack, which includes
Quattro Pro for Windows and Paradox for Windows shrink-wrapped
together for $199.95.

Individually, the prices of Quattro Pro for Windows and Paradox
for Windows have been cut to $99.95 and $139.95 respectively
for the individual products. The newly announced Turbo C++ in
the Visual Edition for Windows has been lowered in price to
$79.95 as well. It's the same price for everyone, Borland
officials said, including users who wish to upgrade.

Borland says the Paradox and Quattro Pro products compliment
each other and use the same data access engine, so users can
seamlessly share data between the applications. Also, data
links can be made between the two products. For example, if
the database data changes, the spreadsheet can be updated as
well.

Object Inspectors are also built into Borland products, which
allow users to perform functions and changes by pointing to an
object and clicking the seldom-used right mouse button. While
pull-down menus are available for the same functions as the
right mouse button brings up, Borland says using the right
mouse button is less cumbersome.

Borland President Philippe Kahn said test marketing of the
Super Pack has proven successful, so the company has begun
shipment of the Super Packs which are expected to appear in
retail outlets shortly. Borland has said this is a
limited time offer, but has not said how long the offer will
last.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930310/Press Contact: Sandra Hawker,
Borland, tel [phone], fax [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LAX)(00018)

 ****Microsoft Says Windows NT Isn't For Everyone 03/10/93
CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- Microsoft
does not expect users to switch to Windows NT when it becomes
available in the second quarter of this year, according to
Dwayne Walker, director of Windows NT & Networking Products for
Microsoft. Walker spoke concerning the Future of Windows at the
Windows Summit '93 held this week in Carlsbad, California.

According to Walker, Microsoft is aiming Windows NT at new
markets unpenetrated by Microsoft operating systems and not at
the average user. Windows NT is designed to move into new areas
where PCs haven't been until now. "We have such a 'replacement'
mentality in the software world, we assume any new product is
aimed at replacing the product already on the market," Walker
said.

Microsoft sees NT as a compliment and extension of the
Windows family of products, rather than a replacement for the
Windows operating systems currently available.

Microsoft expects twenty percent of the current Windows 3.1
market to move to NT, Walker said. There are two versions of
Windows NT planned, the Windows NT and the Windows NT Advanced
Server. The difference is the Advanced Server product will have
fault tolerance built in, such as mirroring and extra security
features, Walker said.

Microsoft says NT will be "affordably" priced. Retail pricing
is expected to be around $500 for NT and upgrades from Windows
3.1, Windows for Workgroups, and OS/2 users "who want to come
home" will be in the $300 range. The Windows NT Advanced Server
is expected to be priced under $5,000.

While Windows NT will be announced at Spring COMDEX, it will
not necessarily be available then, Walker said. Responding to
criticism loudly leveled by Borland President Philippe Kahn
that Microsoft is big enough to ship buggy products because
everyone assumes the company will fix the problems, Walker
placed emphasis on Microsoft's aim to not ship Windows NT until
it is ready. Walker strongly suggested Windows NT might not
ship in time for the semiannual show, which is scheduled this
year for May 24-27 in Atlanta, Georgia.

In an effort to test Windows more thoroughly, Walker said the
beta test program is moving into a second stage and the number
of NT beta testers is expected to jump from 4,000 to 20,000.
The beta II test is to be on 783 Intel platforms, 5 MIPS
platforms, and 13 Intel MPS systems. The beta I version
couldn't print, but Walker said Microsoft is focusing heavily
on printer support.

Applications are expected to be plentiful for the new NT as
Microsoft said it has sold three times as many Windows NT
developers kits as it did for Windows 3.1. Walker said 5,000
applications for NT are expected, a number that is expected to
double to 10,000 by the end of the first quarter of this year.

International versions of Windows NT are planned as well.
Walker said 60 days after the release of Windows NT,
international versions in German, French, Spanish, Swedish,
Italian, and Dutch would ship.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930310)


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

Gateway 2000 Tops $1 Billion In Sales For '92 03/10/93
NORTH SIOUX CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA, U.S.A., 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- Calling
1992 "a phenomenal year" personal computer direct marketer Gateway
2000 says it topped $1 billion in sales for 1992, an increase of
almost 76 percent over the previous year.

The eight-year-old company says it shipped about 437,000 systems
during the year. That's an increase of almost 75 percent over
1991's unit sales. Gateway 2000 President Ted Waitt called 92 "a
phenomenal year for us" and said the results came from "our
relentless effort to provide the best values in the industry with
the service and support customers demand."

"Second and third tier vendors are suffering from declining revenues
as the industry consolidates. At Gateway, we are fortunate to be
growing rapidly like other first-tier vendors." However, says Waitt,
the company's business model allows it to gain market share without
sacrificing profitability.

Gateway 2000 markets eight desktop models, three notebook systems,
and one sub-notebook, the Handbook, reviewed by Newsbytes several
months ago. The company's 66 megahertz 486DX2 desktop has captured
several industry magazine awards, including two "Best Buy"
designations. Waitt says more than 50,000 units of the 486DX2 have
shipped. The system's standard configuration includes 8 megabytes of
memory, a 256 kilobyte RAM cache, a 340 MB hard drive with a local
bus IDE interface, a mouse, eight expansion slots, and a 15-inch
color monitor. Factory installed software includes Windows 3.1, DOS
5.0, diagnostics software, and the user's choice of an application
or a programming package.

Another difference between Gateway 2000 and other companies is the
growth of their workforce. While frequent Newsbytes stories have
reported employee layoffs recently, Gateway says it has increased
its workforce by nearly 43 percent during the past year, and now
employees more than 2,000 people. Most of that growth occurred
during the fourth quarter of 1992, when 430 new hires were made.

We've been adding to our staffs in virtually all departments, and
we are confident about our future growth potential," says Waitt. The
company says it plans to expand both its product line and its
geographic reach in '93.

(Jim Mallory/19930310/Press contact: Glynnis Gibson, Gibson
Communications for Gateway 2000, 312-868-9400; Reader contact:
Gateway 2000, 605-232-2000, 800-846-2000)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(DEN)(00020)

Microsoft, Time Warner In Two-Way TV Deal? 03/10/93
MAITLAND, FLORIDA, U.S.A., 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- The Orlando
(Florida) Sentinel reported yesterday that Microsoft Corporation is
working with Time Warner to bring experimental two-way television
to some 5,000 Florida homes as early as next spring.

However, a Microsoft spokesperson told Newsbytes that while
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates has had discussions with Time Warner
and several other companies regarding the potential for
participation by Microsoft in a two-way interactive cable television
experiment, "It isn't a joint project." The spokesperson said that
Gates is very interested in the project, and has spent a lot of time
talking to Time Warner, but he has also spent time with other
companies.

Referring to the Time Warner project, Gates reportedly
told reporters, "What they are doing is very impressive." According
to Microsoft technology VP Myhrvold, Time Warner has approached a
number of companies regarding their interest in the experiment.

Myhrvold said T-W had requests for proposals out to many companies,
and noted that the date for submissions was recent, so it is
unlikely that participating companies have been selected. He
declined to say if Microsoft had submitted a proposal. Myhrvold
apparently was impressed by Time Warner's efforts, reportedly
telling the British news service Reuters, "It's a very cool system."

The spokesperson did not close the door on a joint effort between
Time Warner and Microsoft. "Microsoft might engage in similar
projects like that, but they aren't doing it right now," she said.
Microsoft is reportedly also interested in similar projects being
developed by TCI Cable and a Viacom experiment in California.

Gates was in Florida to attend Tech Ed, a mini-conference for
developers, and spoke at a packed PC users group. The conference,
which runs through Friday, attracted more than 3,000 systems
integrators, developers, support professionals and technical
managers. Microsoft said the 3,000 registrations was about twice
what they had anticipated when they announced the seminar in
January. Participants came from all over the world, including
Argentina, Australia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, and Macedonia.

Such a project would seem to fit into Gates vision of "Information
at Your Fingertips." An interactive two-way cable television system
could allow users to order products and check broadcast schedules,
get statistics on athletes or order tickets to games. At Demo '93 in
Palm Springs recently Microsoft demonstrated a prototype modular
Windows that could be the heart of an interactive system, serving as
the control panel.

Microsoft says that Modular Windows is a key component of the
company's strategy to make Windows the preferred environment for
digital consumer devices. Based on Windows 3.1, Modular Windows is
initially designed for devices that use televisions as the display.

Rob Glaser, VP of Microsoft's multimedia and consumer systems group
cites examples of multimedia CD-ROM players such as Tandy's Video
Information System, as well as other types of devices and on-line
applications that will provide consumers with new ways to access
data transmitted by phone, cable, or wireless systems. Microsoft
started shipping Modular Windows software developer kits (SDKs) in
December.

(Jim Mallory/19930310/Press contact: Marianne Allison, Waggener
Edstrom for Microsoft, 503-245-0905)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00021)

Wordperfect, IBM Sign Development Agreement 03/10/93
OREM, UTAH, U.S.A., 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- Wordperfect Corporation
said it has signed a development agreement with IBM
Programming Systems that will improve desktop interaction among
applications developed by the two companies.

Dave Moon, development VP at Wordperfect Corporation, said the
agreement is consistent with the company's WISE (Wordperfect
Information System Environment) strategy, which calls for strategic
alliances with industry leaders.

The deal covers development of Wordperfect for OS/2, IBM's contender
for the world's personal computer operating systems instead of
Microsoft's DOS and increasingly, Windows. Also covered are
Wordperfect For Windows, Wordperfect for DOS, and Wordperfect for
AIX, IBM's version of the Unix operating system. While some
companies have opted to develop for either Windows or OS/2,
Wordperfect chose to keep a foot in each camp, and apparently hasn't
been hurt by that decision.

IBM's Mary Maher said the agreement improves the way the two
companies products interact on the user's desktop through the use of
open APIs (applications programming interface), and will help
customers implement better integrated LAN office systems to improve
their productivity. Wordperfect spokesperson Linda Linfield told
Newsbytes that under the agreement IBM will share information,
rather than WP second-guessing IBM. Linfield said WP for Windows and
for DOS are included because IBM is "trying to support Windows with
the multiplatform things they are doing. Whatever we can do to work
together so our products that work cross-platform operate seamlessly
will help both our products and IBM's products."

Under terms of the agreement, the two companies will cooperate to
provide uses with consistent object interaction and data
interoperability across multiple workstation products and operating
systems. It also provides the opportunity for WP and IBM to explore
"other areas of mutually beneficial technology exchange." Linfield
declined to identify what areas would be explored. "That's still
under negotiation. They're still trying to work out a similar
agreement for products that IBM and Wordperfect provide."

(Jim Mallory/19930310/Press contact: Linda Linfield, Wordperfect
Corporation,801-228-5039, fax [phone]; Reader contact:
Wordperfect Corporation, 800-451-5151)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00022)

 ***Atari Falcon 030 Now Shipping 03/10/93
SLOUGH, BERKSHIRE, 1992 MAR 10 (NB) -- Atari UK has announced that the
Falcon 030, the company's first ever personal multimedia system, is
now shipping in the UK. Pricing on the 68030-based machine has been
set at UKP 599.

According to Atari, the Falcon 030 is a powerful and versatile
computer that runs at four million instructions per second (MIPS).
This power, the company claims, allows the computer to convert all
analogue data, including picture and sound, into "software code."

The idea of the Falcon is similar to the Commodore Amiga CD-ROM unit
of a couple of years -- bridging the computing and serious games
environment with a multimedia computer with every conceivable bell and
whistle. Judging from the features list, Atari has achieved
this with the Falcon 030.

Atari is touting the Falcon 030 as a personal integrated media machine
that combines text, video, graphics and sound. Perhaps the best way to
describe it is that it is a low cost computer that allows home users
to become home video and music producers.

The heart of the machine is the 68030 microprocessor, which interfaces
with the a digital signal processing (DSP - the Motorola DSP 56001)
chip for high quality audio and video effects. It's possible, for
example, to use the computer as a video telephone, with the DSP
manipulating the audio and video signals.

As supplied, the shipping versions of the Falcon 030 come with a
variety of I/O ports, including a MIDI interface, a high-speed serial
(RS232) port capable of supporting 250,000 bits per second, a
bidirectional parallel printer/scanner port, an Appletalk/Localtalk
compatible network port, a cartridge port, and stereo input/output
sockets.

Other connections include an HF video connector for plugging straight
into a VCR, a SCSI (small computer systems interface) 2 connection,
for linking to SCSI peripherals, and a DSP connection, effectively
opening the processor up to the outside world, with up to eight
channels of sound.

According to Darryl Still, head of Atari's marketing department, three
versions of the Falcon 030 are available. The entry level system with
1 megabyte (MB) of RAM costs UKP 599; the 4MB system costs UKP 799 and
the 4MB system with a 65MB hard disk costs UKP 999.

The Falcon 030 was first show at the Atari Glendale computer show last
September. The machine appears to have advanced since then, although
the 14MB "developers" version has been discontinued.

(Steve Gold/19930310/Press & Public Contact: Atari UK - Tel: 0753-
533344)


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00023)

UK - Workgroups Has 30% Of Windows Market Share 03/10/93
WOKINGHAM, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- Microsoft has
announced that Windows for Workgroups, which started shipping four
months ago, has now grabbed 30 percent of the Windows marketplace from
Windows 3.1.

Microsoft is citing research conducted by Romtec, a market
research firm.

"The package has already captured a significant 15 percent share of
the network operating systems market through resellers, but where it
has had the greatest impact is in opening up the peer-to-peer market,"
explained Andy Brown, Romtec's marketing monitoring manager. According
to Brown, current figures indicate that Windows for Workgroups has an
80 percent market share of sales in the reseller channel in the peer-
to-peer marketplace.

Windows for Workgroups is the network version of Windows 3.1. The idea
behind the package, which dovetails with LAN Manager, is that basic
informational needs, such as file and print sharing, as well as
electronic mail, can be accomplished from within the Windows
environment, without the need to run an external application.

(Steve Gold/19930310/Press & Public Contact: Microsoft UK - Tel: 0734-
270001)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00024)

UK - Cellnet Launches Big Ad Campaign 03/10/93
SLOUGH, ENGLAND, 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- Cellnet, the joint BT/Securicor
owned cellular service operator, has been lagging in terms of market
share these past few years against Vodafone, its main rival. Now the
company has unveiled a major campaign in London to boost its market
share from the current 46 percent.

Cellnet has managed to claw back some of its market share from
Vodafone with its new Call Connections subsidiary, which has unveiled
a variety of low-cost offers to lure new users onto the cellular
networks using the new "Lifetime" consumer tariffs.

According to Cellnet spokesman Damien Callaghan, the Lifetime
subscriptions have pushed Cellnet's market share to around 46 percent.
The uptake of new customers on to the Lifetime low cost service has
been greatest in London, where nearly half of potential users live or
work. These are the potential new users who are the target of the new
campaign, which operates under the slogan "London's Top Dog [and
Bone]).

Newsbytes note for non-UK readers: Dog and Bone is Cockney (London)
rhyming slang for telephone.

The campaign will highlight the cost -- Cellnet Lifetime is the
cheapest cellphone rate for London's with peak/off-peak rates
of 59 and 24 pence per minute, respectively. Also emphasized
will be coverage. With more than 70 percent of new subscribers
opting for one of the new generation of lower power pocket phones,
Cellnet has invested around UKP 30 million in its London network
to boost the number of available base stations in the M25 ring.

The marketing campaign will run through until the end of April of this
year and will feature 400 poster sites, along with press advertising,
exhibitions and display sites, plus a raft of direct mail activity. A
special toll-free Cellnet information line for Londoners has been
opened on 0800-214-000.

Announcing the new campaign, Steve Brewer, Cellnet's sales and
marketing director, said that the early success the company has enjoyed
with its Lifetime service "demonstrates how customers value peace of
mind, security and quality of life improvements having a mobile phone
brings."

"Cellnet's advantage in price and quality makes it especially
attractive for Londoners," he said.

(Steve Gold/19930310/Press & Public Contact: Cellnet - Tel: 0753-
504814)


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

Software Lets PC Act As NFS Server 03/10/93
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- At the Interop '93
trade show here, Beame & Whiteside Software Ltd. of Dundas,
Ontario, has launched software that will let a personal computer
running the DOS operating system function as a Network File
System (NFS) server.

BW-Server will allow users of Unix systems to get access to data
and other resources -- such as printers and compact disc
read-only memory (CD-ROM) drives -- on PCs, said Terry Woloszyn,
sales and marketing manager for Beame & Whiteside.

Woloszyn said the software will permit access to DOS resources
and act as a gateway to Novell NetWare local area networks
(LANs) for NFS clients not able to run Portable NetWare.

He added that some customers have also expressed interest in
using the software to back up DOS files using the backup
functions of Unix.

When combined with other Beame & Whiteside products that provide
Unix-like functions on DOS PCs, Woloszyn said, BW-Server makes a
PC indistinguishable from a Unix system to the network.

BW-Server can run in three different ways. It can operate as a
stand-alone DOS application, dedicating the host PC to NFS file
and resource sharing. It can run as a terminate-and-stay-resident
(TSR) program, so the workstation can act as a server in the
background while also running other applications. Third, it can
be used as a Microsoft Windows server, which also allows other
applications -- either DOS or Windows -- to run in the
foreground.

BW-Server supports peer-to-peer resource sharing among
workstations, Woloszyn said, making it well suited to the
increasingly popular concept of work-group computing.

The software supports Unix file-naming conventions as well as
those of DOS, and allows for Symbolic Links and Exports, which
let remote users browse the server for available resources.

BW-Server will run on any 80x86 PC with DOS 3.1 or later, and
supports Windows 3.0 and 3.1. According to Beame & Whiteside, the
software can be loaded into high memory, and consumes as little
as 30K bytes of base memory when expanded memory is used.

BW-Server is to ship in the second quarter of this year. Pricing
has not be officially set, but Woloszyn said it is expected to be
in the $200-$300 range.

(Grant Buckler/19930310/Press Contact: Terry Woloszyn, Beame &
Whiteside, 416-765-0822)


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

Mathcad 4.0 03/10/93
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- MathSoft
has unveiled an upgrade to its Mathcad 4.0 PC "scratch-pad"
software for numeric and symbolic calculations. Highlights of the
upgrade include support for 32-bit processing, extensive
graphics, live symbolics, and ease-of-use enhancements.

Mathcad 4.0 runs under Microsoft Windows 3.1 as a 32-bit
application using Microsoft's Win32S libraries. The vendor said
this makes Mathcad 4.0 twice as fast as before and lets users
work with almost unlimited amounts of data at one time. Mathcad
4.0 can also run as a 16-bit application under Windows 3.1, the
company said.

Supports for Microsoft's Object Linking and Embedding (OLE)
technology also let users transfer data and graphics between
Mathcad and other OLE-compliant applications. The new release
also supports Microsoft's Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) so that
other Windows applications can call on it for complex
calculations.

A new feature called SmartMath, based on the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration's (NASA) CLIPS knowledge-based
processor, SmartMath reviews the user's input and chooses the
best strategy for solving the problem, company spokeswoman Ellen
Koup said.

Mathcad 4.0 comes with two basic SmartMath features built-in.
Symbolic/numeric optimization uses Mathcad's symbolic processor
to simplify expressions before Mathcad computes them. Fully
integrated, live symbolics let SmartMath evaluate expressions
symbolically, using all previous definitions in the document. As
with numerical calculations, SmartMath will recompute a symbolic
result when any of the equations it depends on change. MathSoft
officials said the firm plans to deliver additional SmartMath
functionality as part of its line of add-on products.

New ease-of-use features include a toolbar of icons for common
operations; the ability to cut and paste numbers and other data
from a spreadsheet or other application into Mathcad, or from
Mathcad into other applications; auto scrolling, which lets users
scroll through an entire Mathcad document with a single mouse
click; auto equation and text alignment; the ability to zoom in
on specific areas; and the ability to drag and drop equations
anywhere in the document.

New mathematics and graphing features include: polar and contour
plotting; trailing zeroes; additional summation and product
operators; and nth-derivative operators. The new release also
increases the maximum document size from 30 to 10,000 pages.

Mathcad 4.0 is due to ship by the end of the first quarter at a
suggested retail price of $495. Upgrades will be available for
$49.99. Educational discounts start at $175.00.

Mathcad 4.0 running under Windows 3.1 requires a 386- or
486-based personal computer running DOS 3.1 or later, with at
least four megabytes of memory (eight megabytes of virtual memory
is recommended to improve performance). A math coprocessor is
recommended but not required.

Mathcad is most widely used among professional engineers, Koup
said, but also appeals to the education market and other users.

(Grant Buckler/19930309/Press Contact: Ellen Koup, Mathsoft,
617/577-1017 ext. 741)


(CORRECTION)(BUSINESS)(DEL)(00027)

Correction - Modi-Xerox Captures 45% Of Copier Market 03/10/93
NEW DELHI, INDIA, 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- Newsbytes wishes to correct
an error regarding currency conversion which appeared in this story,
which first ran on March 1. The corrected story is as follows:

Modi Xerox Limited, a joint venture between Rank Xerox of the
UK and the B.K. Modi group, is set to cross the Rs 200 crore
($ 67 million) turnover mark in the current year, with a target
of doubling the turnover in the next two years.

The company, claiming to have 45 percent of the domestic
copier market, plans to increase its distributor network to
reach more than 500 cities. It has also launched a variety of
products from the Xerox range to position itself as a documents
company.

Chairman B.K. Modi claims the company has become the largest
supplier of fax machines just eight months after it launched the
products. Modi Xerox is unveiling a range of products including
advanced copiers, fax machines, and heat rolled laminators for
processing and preserving office documents. Modi says less than
20 percent of offices in India use office automation and
documentation systems. However, with the need for increased
office productivity more of them will want to go in for automation.

He estimated that the office automation and information technology
industry will grow tenfold from the present volume of Rs 4,000
crore ($1.33 billion) to Rs 40,000 crore ($13.33 billion).

D.C. Oliver, regional director (India operations) of Rank Xerox,
claims the two companies have identified a number of products
to be introduced in the Indian market over the next two years.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19930301)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00028)

Tripp Hawkins' 3DO To Go Public 03/10/93
SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- 3DO, the new
company started by Tripp Hawkins, founder of computer game
company Electronic Arts, is planning to go public. Company
officials confirmed to Newsbytes the filing has been made, but
the actual prospectus information on the offering won't be
available until next week.

3DO received the spotlight at the Winter Consumer Electronics
show with its introduction of a new digital consumer format
which it plans to offer to manufacturers and software
engineers. The company already has AT&T, Panasonic, Matsushita,
MCA, and Time Warner signed up for producing products for the
new "Interactive Multiplayer" which is expected to be the home
entertainment center for the 90s.

Company officials say the plans for the Interactive Multiplayer
are on schedule, but are not saying much more. At last check,
Panasonic was waiting for FCC approval in order to release the
first Interactive Multiplayers this summer. The Multiplayers
are based on a 32-bit reduced instruction set computing (RISC)
chip from Los Gatos, California-based Advanced RISC Machines
(ARM) and use a compact disc (CD) format.

Capable of workstation-like graphics manipulation, the
Multiplayers are capable of movie playback, play of Kodak Photo
CDs, and of course, entertainment titles.

When asked why 3DO chose now to file for an IPO, representative
Diane Hunt told Newsbytes the company needs funds and raising
funds in the public market is the appropriate course at this
time.

(Linda Rohrbough/19930310/Press Contact: Diane Hunt, 3DO, tel
415-574-6789, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(UNIX)(LON)(00029)

UK - Unix Users Get Online With Softklone's Axxess 03/10/93
HIGH WYCOMBE, BUCKS, 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- Softklone has unveiled
Axxess, a Unix telecom package that the company claims allows Unix
system users access to scrolling ASCII (TTY) and viewdata services
without the need for dedicated hardware -- users can simply access the
online system from the VT or Wyse compatible Unix terminal.

Axxess was developed by AXL, a new UK software house that is using
Softklone to market the package. According to Lee Wood, Softklone UK's
managing director, the package offers "high quality character
and graphics images for Unix systems users, without
the need to invest in addition hardware and software."

In use, communications using Axxess can be conducted (in
Unix terms) as an interactive terminal or a file transfer
session. This is made possible by the user of X-Modem, Y-
Modem and Kermit file transfers. A user-definable script is available
for non-standard modems, although Softklone claims that most popular
units are supported.

Pricing on Axxess depends on site licence requirements, with prices
starting from UKP 600 upwards. The price, Newsbytes understands,
depends on the number of processors on the main Unix server and the
number of concurrent online sessions.

(Steve Gold/19930310/Press & Public Contact: Softklone UK - Tel: 0628-
819200; Fax: [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00030)

NEC Developing Large-scale Parallel Processor 03/10/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 MAR 10 (NB) -- NEC has teamed up with National
Science Laboratory Center (CSCS) of Switzerland to develop
a large-scale parallel processor which the two sides hope will
ultimately replace the supercomputer.

NEC and the CSCS will aim to develop a large-scale computer,
which will mainly be used to deal with numeric data such as
complex scientific calculations. The new large-scale
computer will be extremely powerful, comparable with that of
existing supercomputers. But the goal is to make it less expensive
than existing supercomputers.

NEC and the CSCS will start work on the computer in June.
For the first two years, both parties will work on the development
of software such as a debugger, parallel processing programs,
or a problem solving software. They may also rewrite existing
programs for the parallel processor.

Both parties will use NEC's prototype parallel processor called
the Senjyu 2, which was developed for research purposes. NEC will
set up a development center at its office in Switzerland where
the processor will be located. NEC will send three researchers and
CSCS will send seven researchers to this center.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930310/Press Contact: NEC, +81-3-
3451-2974, Fax, [phone])