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/nb930420

Text File | 1993-04-20 | 65KB | 1,448 lines

(NEWS)(GOVT)(DEL)(00001)

India - Computer Training For Rural Women 04/20/93
BOMBAY, INDIA, 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- Softedge, the rural
development arm of the Bombay-based software company
Compu-Tact, has set up a computer training and software
development center at Varsoli, a remote village in
Maharashtra. The main thrust in this project is to make
local youth, particularly women, computer-literate.

Softedge is the first private company selected to receive a
grant for a rural computer center from India's Department of
Electronics (DoE). The Department plans to promote 400 such
centers across India as part of a comprehensive development
effort.

Softedge's ultimate aim is to create a self-sufficient high-tech
village at Solapur in Maharashtra. With 200 acres of land beside a
15-kilometer long lake, according to plans, windmills and solar
power will be used to generate power for the computer equipment,
which in turn will facilitate agriculture and intensive fish
cultivation. The village is expected to house around 100 families.
The final objective is to develop it into an economically
self-sufficient center for weaving, handicrafts, and paper-making,
in addition to technical training in computers, assembly, and
maintenance.

The project is expected to become profitable in the second year.
While Compu-Tact looks after the conceptual and marketing
aspects, Softedge will provide the manpower resources.

Compu-Tact has also developed an export software product for
the garment industry, currently being used by the German
catalog company, Otto Versand. It has also installed its
supermarket software in Europe, as well as South East Asian
countries.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19930416)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(BOS)(00002)

Seybold - FrameViewer, FrameBuilder Versions Introd 04/20/93
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- At Seybold,
Frame Technology announced a version of its FrameViewer
shrink-wrapped software that is newly equipped for SGML (Standard
Genetic Markup Language), along with shipment of the Sun version of
its SGML-based FrameBuilder software for organizational use.

Complete SGML functionality - including structured searches among
multiple documents, graphic import by reference, and multimedia
support - has been added to FrameViewer through the inclusion of
a search engine from Verity, a company spokesperson told
Newsbytes.

Other capabilities of the new viewer include WYSIWYG (what-you-
see-is-what-you-get) on-line viewing, hypertext navigation among
documents, and on-demand printing.

When the shrink-wrapped viewer is released, it will already be
fully outfitted with SGML, the spokesperson said. Company plans
call for the release of Sun, HP, and IBM X/Motif versions in the
third quarter, and Macintosh and Windows versions in the fourth
quarter.

On any of these platforms, the user will be able to view all
documents that originated in FrameMaker, another shrink-wrapped
product from Frame, as well as all documents that have been
converted to the FrameMaker file format.

In addition to announcing the release of FrameBuilder for Sun,
Frame Technology announced that FrameBuilder for Hewlett-
Packard workstations will be available in May.

Demand for FrameBuilder has been especially strong in the
pharmaceutical, telecommunications, aerospace, automotive,
and electronic industries, the spokesperson explained.

The organizational software combines SGML support with
WYSIWYG structured authoring, graphics tools, and structured
editing, featuring "guided editing" and "compound document
gateway" capabilities.

The FrameBuilder product line consists of three components:
FrameBuilder, the FrameBuilder Developer Edition, and a
range of support, consulting and training services.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19930419/Press contact: Jolana Leinson,
tel [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(MOW)(00003)

Mongolian Computer Network 04/20/93
MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- An expert has described
the situation concerning computer networks in the central Asian
Mongolia.

Dorj Sugar, the manager of the Ulan-Bator, Mongolia-based
Center of Scientific and Technical Information (CSTI), told
Newsbytes that the X.25 packet switching network, based
on British equipment with 16 modems has been installed in the
Mongolian capital city.

A number of problems exist in the development of computer
communications, the largest of which is the lack of users
paying for the service. Ten companies in Ulan-Bator has so
far signed on, but there is practically no traffic between them,
as no information is being provided from the outside sources.

The CSTI is currently looking for more users and investors to
support the project, and establishing electronic links with
China in addition to the existing channel to Moscow, Russia.

(Kirill Tchashchin/19930419/Press Contact: Dorj Sugar, CSTI,
phone [phone])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(TYO)(00004)

Japan - Police Charge Man With Software Piracy 04/20/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- Police have raided the house
of a man who they claim was illegally making and selling copies
of computer software through personal computer networks. The
man has been arrested for software's piracy.

It is thought to be the first instance of software piracy through
personal computer network in Japan. The man, whose name is
being withheld, allegedly made illegal copies of popular
programs such as Microsoft Windows, Lotus 1-2-3, and a
Japanese word processing program Ichitaro.

During the raid, the police confiscated 5,000 to 6,000
programs that were illegally copied.

It is claimed that this man was advertising the software at
low prices through personal computer networks such as
Nifty-serve and PC-VAN.

Under Japanese copyright law, the man can be sentenced
to three years or fined up to one million yen ($9,000).

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930419)


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

Fujitsu Ups Hard Disk Production For US Market 04/20/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- Fujitsu is planning to
ship more hard disks to the US market. It is reported that the
firm is receiving increased orders for small hard disks from
personal computer and workstation makers.

Fujitsu is preparing to increase production of its small-size
hard disks such as a 3.5-inch and a 2.5-inch hard disks.

Fujitsu will make a 3.5-inch hard disk at its Yamagata plant.
It is a one-gigabyte (GB) type and the firm is currently
producing 10,000 units per month. Due to the demand, Fujitsu
will increase production to 30,000 units per month in
September. The company will also lower production of its
520 megabyte (MB) model, shifting production resources to
the 1GB model.

Regarding the 2.5-inch type hard disk, Fujitsu is developing
larger storage models. The firm will produce a 240MB type
2.5-inch hard disk this May at about 5,000 to 6,000 units
per month to start, which will increase to 20,000 units
monthly beginning in August. Also, Fujitsu plans to ship
350MB and 500MB versions by the end of the year.

The 3.5-inch and the 2.5-inch hard drives will be used for
workstations as well as notebook personal computers. It is
said many of the products will be shipped to the US market.
There is a strong demand in the overseas market.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930419/Press Contact:
Fujitsu, [phone], Fax, [phone])


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

Matsushita's Real-Time Color-Conversion Processor 04/20/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- Matsushita Engineering
Laboratory and Matsushita Electronics have jointly developed
a color conversion chip, which converts color signals in
real-time between different devices. The two firms claim
that this kind of processor chip is the first in the world.

The color conversion processor is called the MN5511. It will
be shipped this May on a sample basis. The processor is based
on both firms' new algorithm technology, called the Tripod
Auxiliary method.

Under this method, the processor will be able to calculate and
convert signals to the correct color data that can produce crisp
and clear colors. The major advantage of this processor is that
the operation is accomplished in real-time. Also, full and clear
colors can be produced with a small amount of color signals.

It is said it requires 16.7 million kinds of colors in order to
express a pixel in natural colors. Under this latest method, the
color data is expressed in three-dimensional addresses. So, it
requires only 729 colors to express a pixel in natural colors.

The MN5511 processor will be used in various multimedia
products as well as telecommunication networks and color fax
machines. Matsushita Electronics is planning to ship the sample
product at 8,000 yen ($70). The firm is also planning to produce
this processor in quantity - 50,000 to 60,000 units per month -
this fall.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930419/Press Contact:
Matsushita Engineering Laboratory, [phone],
Fax, [phone]; Matsushita Electronics Industry,
[phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(DEL)(00007)

India - Groupe Bull's PSI Exits Hardware Market 04/20/93
BANGALORE, INDIA, 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- It is stock taking
time at one of the country's oldest computer companies, the
Bangalore-based PSI Data Systems Ltd. A slump in the
mainframe market, along with its inability to respond to
change, has pushed the Indian affiliate of Groupe Bull, France,
out of the hardware market.

Last year hardware sales hit rock bottom. The company actually
sold its last mainframe in February 1992. The turnover of Rs 2.28
billion (around $7.6 million) recorded in 1990-91 had come down
marginally to Rs 2.17 billion (around $7.2 million) in 1991-92,
but for this year it has taken a dip to Rs 1.6 billion (around $5.3
million). There too, revenues came mainly from software exports.
Just a marginal sum was generated from maintenance and
hardware add-ons.

A dismal year, and PSI is emulating its French collaborator.
In other words, the mainframe vendor has set in motion a
restructuring exercise. A new managing director was among
the first changes when Ajay Mehta replaced Alan Acton. Within
days of taking charge, Mehta announced a shift in the company's
focus from manufacturing to systems integration, software,
and services.

Simultaneously, Groupe Bull has decided to hike its stake in PSI
Data Systems to 51 percent. The deal, it is believed, has been
approved by the government. The wait is now for the final nod
from the Reserve Bank of India, Mehta revealed.

Bull had acquired a 26 percent equity stake in the company in
1988. Subsequently it hiked its stake to 40 percent in 1991.
The hike in equity will be through a preferential allotment to
Bull. This will take the total paid-up capital of PSI Data to
Rs 3.85 billion (around $ 12.83 million). The company will use
the money Bull will bring in to reduce debt, secure a second
high-speed data link, strengthen hardware infrastructure for
software development, as well as recruit people to run its US
operations.

(C.T. Mahabharat/19930419)


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

 ****NAB Show: Digital Broadcasting Future Demo'd 04/20/93
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- General
Instruments offered a peak into both sides' of TV's future using
its DigiCipher compression technology at the National
Association of Broadcasters' convention.

DigiCipher, which uses a technique similar to that of the Motion
Pictures Expert Group, or MPEG, offers broadcasters a choice of
sending high definition TV pictures or multiple pictures with
the six megahertz (MHz) of bandwidth the Federal
Communications Commission plans to give them.

The system can easily fit four channels into the frequency now
used for a single analog channel, said the company's vice president
of technology, Matthew Miller, and a demonstration at the booth
using PBS feeds showed how the digital signal quality is actually
better.

Or broadcasters could use their whole bandwidth as the FCC
intends it to be used, for HDTV - General Instruments is one of
the finalists in the race to pick a US HDTV standard. At the booth
the company demonstrated its HDTV capabilities with a short
film on the Clinton inaugural, with theater-quality visuals and
sound.

What makes General Instruments' DigiCipher so compelling, an
HBO executive told Newsbytes, is that it's available now. "We got
a real converter in January, and we've been offering a multiplex
service since January" - meaning cable operators can offer eight
movies instead of two. Bob Zitter, HBO's senior vice president
for technology and operations, said he'll move next year to a
second generation of the product with additional features.

"Some cable operators have been acquired for 1994 delivery
digital set-top converters that will let them take digital
signals to the TV set," he said, replacing only a single device at
their head-ends which costs no more than existing analog
equipment. Several hundred cable systems already offer the
multiplex feature, he added.

Howard Miller, senior vice president for broadcast engineering
and computer services with the 346 Public Broadcasting System
stations, said digital compression will let his network feed 80-
100 programs at once in two years, using small satellite
terminals and PC technologies. Since it's all digital, side-bands
can offer interactive education, he added. "We see a dramatic
shift in video-based education," he concluded.

Where does all this lead? "To the Power Potato," said Sanjay
Parthasarathy, Microsoft's senior product manager for advanced
consumer technology. Microsoft demonstrated a version of its
Modular Windows product at the GI booth, showing how a stripped-
down version of its Microsoft Windows can give couch potatoes
more power than they'd ever dreamed of.

Intel, Microsoft and GI are still negotiating on a plan to combine
Modular Windows and the Intel 80386 chip in a future GI set-top
converter, so viewers can deal with systems like the 500
channel networks that TCI, the nation's largest cable operator,
plans to build.

Newsbytes asked GI's Matthew Miller about the relationship
between DigiCipher and the MPEG standard. He admitted they
are a bit different, but insisted, "The digital gears will grind,"
meaning ways will be found to convert between them.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930420/Press Contact: Marybeth
Johnson, General Instruments, 312-541-5045)


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

 ****NAB Show: Sculley Suggests Industry Pass On HDTV 04/20/93
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- Instead of
spending millions of dollars to upgrade their stations to
broadcast high definition television (HDTV) signals once the
FCC gives them the required extra bandwidth, Apple Computer
Chairman John Sculley suggested that stations broadcast
multiple, interactive "digital TV" channels instead.

"No one has any inkling of how to make money with HDTV," he told
a press conference after his speech to the National Association
of Broadcasters' convention. "Digital TV, on the other hand, has
lots of possibilities."

In the convention speech, Sculley said the US economy, now
worth $6 trillion, is seeing an "Isoquantic shift" toward digital
communications. Such curves, shaped like a sharply-pointed "S,"
offers small growth with great effort at the front and back of a
product cycle, with a sharp rise of sales and profits in the
middle. The computer industry went through the heart of its S-
curve in the 1980s. Now it's the turn of digital communications.
The National Information Infrastructure, or NII, so beloved of
Sculley and Vice President Al Gore, can be the delivery
mechanism for this growth. Broadcasters can get in on it as
well.

Instead of using their six megahertz (MHz) of prime bandwidth
on HDTV pictures, he suggested, stations could partition it into
three 2 MHz digital channels. "It's not just the number of channels
you have, but the choices you can create within each channel -
what we call screening interaction. That means choosing multiple
views, text inserts, multiple audio tracks and simulations."

Continued Sculley: "We see a new generation of television emerging,
from broadcasting in the 1950s to narrow-casting in the 1980s to
PersonalCasting, where people can customize their experience. In
a digital world there's no distinction between high-definition video
and audio, text, graphics or animation - they're all data types. They
can be stored, indexed, and interacted with as though they were the
same data type. You can tie advertising back to learning shows,
selling the goods on display. The way we advertise, sell and watch
will dramatically change."

Sculley faced a tough audience. Despite hearty applause, most
broadcasters interviewed later said they remain committed to
HDTV, that it's too late to turn back on a technology which has
been evolving for 10 years. But Sculley pressed on. "It's not
about virtual channels or circuits, but this dynamic management
within a single channel. Do you want to be a part of it, and do
you want to focus on interactive services or the enhanced image?"

The National Information Infrastructure, after all, is "not about
laying a wire, it's converting wires and spectrum to digital
technology. The NII will be made of many carriers. The private
sector will build it if we can get the obstacles out of the way,
both special interests and technical obstacles. But you can feel
it happen - every day there's a new article or TV show on it."

In the end, Sculley's call to the broadcasters was to reinvent
themselves. "Yes, HDTV is coming, but it's not just about HDTV.
It's about digital advanced television - interactive services
over broadcast. As broadcasters, you have a choice. Do you sit
this revolution out, wait to see who the winners and losers are?
Or do you seize the moment? I think to seize the moment for
broadcasters is to urge the FCC to see how we turn that 6 MHz
into a creative new medium."

Concluded Sculley, "At Apple we've made our choice. Now the
choice is yours. Will you be an innovator? Will you commit
your resources? Will you give your creative talent the chance
to be as creative in this new media as the TV we've had in the
last 40 years? The choice is yours."

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930420)


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

NAB Show: Dick Clark Was Sculley's Opening Act 04/20/93
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- Before Apple
Computer chairman John Sculley gave his keynote address to the
National Association of Broadcasters, the group bestowed its
highest honor - the Distinguished Service Award - on "American
Bandstand" host Dick Clark.

Clark, sometimes called the "World's Oldest Living Teenager," is
in fact a 46-year industry veteran and a former newscaster who
has since become a legendary broadcast producer and radio mogul.
In accepting the honor, he managed to give Sculley's
controversial remarks the best chance they could have of making
an impact.

"What makes me most proud is survival," he said. "And in the
1990s it's an appropriate subject." The fact is, as the NAB itself
points out, half of all broadcasters today are losing money, one-
third of TV broadcasters are losing money, and one-fourth of
network affiliates are losing money.

"When you look in the crystal ball you've got to imagine," he
said, recounting how he thought of concepts like cable TV and
bartering for TV ad space long before they were even thought
kooky. "Don't get discouraged, or throw a good idea away," he
continued. "Survivors will succeed. Now is not the time to give
up."

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930420)


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

NAB Show: Sony Intros Digital Betacam 04/20/93
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- Most observers
agreed the hit of the National Association of Broadcasters' show
was the announcement of Sony's Digital Betacam.

Sony, which dominates the professional video market, launched
its Digital Betacam standard with a lavish introduction at Bally's
Hotel, and said it will sell over 1,000 digital video recorders
during the convention, at a list price of $54,000 each.

Among the early buyers are Hughes Communications' DirecTv, and
such post-production houses as Laser Pacific, Varitel Video,
Pacific Video Resources, Video Post and Transfer, and Henninger
Video. The Digital Betacam will also be the official format for
recording, editing and transmitting the 1994 Olympics from
Norway.

At the heart of Sony's roll-out, which included 47 different
products, are the Digital Betacam format - which is compatible
with its existing analog cassettes, with a migration path to
widescreen production - and the promise of a digital video
camera for delivery by the fall. It means that for the first time,
producers can make their work all-digital, without going through
complex conversions between analog and digital formats.

In addition to the tape format, video recorder and camera, Sony
rolled out new editing systems, monitors, a Laser Beam Link
systems for remote broadcasts, audio products, library
management systems, and even radio and duplication systems.

The editing suite will provide stiff competition to Avid, which
now has on-line editing suites for Silicon Graphics as well as
Macintosh hardware. Sony's own credibility within the industry,
which it dominates the way IBM dominated computing 20 years
ago, practically guarantees that broadcasters and producers will
quickly switch-over to the new format as it becomes available.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930420/Press Contact: Elliot Luber, for
Sony, 212-505-9900)


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

NAB Show: Multimedia World 04/20/93
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- Computing's
wilder side descended on Las Vegas, at the invitation of the
National Association of Broadcasters. It came in the form of
NAB Multimedia World, an exhibit of the latest in multimedia
technology held off the main show floor at the Las Vegas Hilton.

Most of the booths concentrated on low-cost digital video
production tools. The room was dominated by the Silicon Graphics
Inc (SGI) booth. SGI is fresh from creating a joint-venture with
George Lucas' Industrial Light and Magic, and the scuttlebutt
among the booth's denizens - most are independent software
producers on the SGI Iris platform - was that the company's next
move will be to standardize the way its applications look. The
idea is to make SGI workstations more competitive with the
Apple Macintosh as prices decline.

Apple also had a big booth at Multimedia World. Curiously it
seemed as devoted to the PowerBook portables as anything else.
IBM had a booth, touting its Ultimedia "solution" series, but the
IBM managers in the booth never could explain to Newsbytes who
was in charge of the company's multimedia vision, if anyone.

One wall of the floor was devoted to NewTek Technologies.
NewTek, maker of the Video Toaster, was demonstrating
its new Toaster 4000 in the main hall. This area was filled with
independent companies offering Toaster add-on software,
post-production support, or training. The Toaster offers many
common video functions, like switching and special effects, in a
single device, and it seems to have almost single-handedly kept
alive the Commodore Amiga, on which it is based.

The 4000, named for the new Amiga it is built-on, offers faster
effects and enhanced software. Among the publications available
at the show were: "Desktop Video World," from IDG; "Videomaker,"
from Videomaker of Chico, California; "New Media," David Bunnell's
latest multimedia magazine from San Mateo, California; "Video
Toaster User" from Avid Publications, Cupertino, California; and
the second-ever issue of "Wired," the San Francisco cyber-maven
bi-monthly.

Although NAB Multimedia World was really designed so that
station managers and other industry heavyweights could see the
computer technology which is changing their business, the crowd
there on the show's first day mainly consisted of techie types,
resplendent in long hair and t-shirts, spouting computer jargon.

They asked a number of basic questions, such as: What do
broadcasters do anyway? As Sculley's keynote address indicated,
that's not at all clear anymore. It will be interesting to see
whether the station executives Multimedia World was designed
for get a chance to catch it.

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930420)


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

NAB Show: Chairman Sculley Creates Excitement 04/20/93
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- No one created
more excitement at this National Association of Broadcaster's
show like John Sculley. Not Dick Clark, not FCC chairman James
Quello or commissioner Andrew Barrett. Not even the NAB's own
first-ever show guide on CD-ROM.

Sculley was the talk of the show. Some hinted darkly he was
endorsing a broadcasting spectrum grab and hijacking it for his
own use. Others said he was taking Apple itself out of the
hardware business, moving all manufacturing off-shore and
losing the operating system war to Microsoft Windows.

Sculley himself did a lot of talking, not only at his keynote but
at a reporter-filled press conference with the kind of atmosphere
usually reserved for rock stars and big-name politicians.

Sculley took a few jabs at Microsoft, saying, "People won't put
up with pull-down menus on TV. A TV interface has to make the
telephone look complex." He also sounded more like a Republican
than a Clintonite at times, saying many kind words about the
Federal Communications Commission under former Chairman Al
Sikes, endorsing the telephone companies' moves into video, and
insisting that government's involvement in his treasured National
Information Infrastructure should be limited to setting ground
rules, not direct investment.

But Sculley also took a dig at Cypress Chairman T.J. Rodgers, who
attacked the Clinton plan and called Sculley himself "the Pepsi-
cola kid" in recent Congressional testimony. "I'm glad to be
called a kid. Other kids aren't old enough to remember that
President Kennedy said we should put a man on the moon, and
that's why we did it. "

And he insisted that, whatever happens with the NII, "I'm less
concerned with structure and more concerned with accountability.
The last Administration let technical labs repackage what they
were doing with the HPCC. I want to make sure this Administration
remains accountable for the NII." He also admitted, "I haven't a
clue who to talk to about it right now."

(Dana Blankenhorn/19930420)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00014)

Systemhouse Names New President 04/20/93
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- SHL Systemhouse
has promoted James J. Burns, who joined the company a year ago as
chairman and chief executive of its United States and Latin
America subsidiary, to president and chief operating officer of
the parent company.

Burns will also continue for the present as chairman and chief
executive of US and Latin American operations.

He takes over the roles of president and chief operating officer
from John Oltman, who will remain chairman and chief executive
officer, a company spokesman said.

Burns came to Systemhouse last April from Goldman, Sachs & Co.,
where he was senior vice-president and the company's most
senior information technology executive.

Burns was hand-picked for the US and Latin America job by
Oltman. The two men had worked together at Andersen Consulting,
which Oltman left in June, 1991, to take his present job at
Systemhouse.

In the last year, Systemhouse officials said, the US and Latin
America operation - a wholly owned subsidiary - has signed
deals with major US companies including Cargill, Down Jones,
the Taco Bell, and KFC units of PepsiCo, Motorola, Bristol-Myers
Squibb, Browning-Ferris, Fluor Daniel, Computerland USA,
Eastman Kodak, and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. In a
joint venture, the company also signed a US$550 million
outsourcing contract with the Mexican finance ministry.

Systemhouse has more than 4,000 employees and earned
revenues approaching C$750 million in 1992.

(Grant Buckler/19930420/Press Contact: Harry Schlough,
Systemhouse, 416-366-4600)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(TOR)(00015)

Alias Opens Up Software, Unveils Technology Agreement 04/20/93
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- Toronto-based
Alias Research is opening up to third-party developers,
customers, and one high-profile customer in particular.

The company announced here that it will open up its digital media
creation software to industry-standard formats, through what it
calls its Open Digital Studio environment. This will mean Alias
customers and other software developers will be able to create
applications that work with the Alias product, company
spokeswoman Susan Spencer said.

Alias also announced a strategic technology agreement with
Industrial Light & Magic, the high-profile Hollywood special
effects house. ILM, already a major Alias customer, is buying a
site license for Alias' software that the software vendor said
could lead to a tripling of use of its software at ILM. In
return, Alias is to set up in-house engineering resources at the
special effects company, and will incorporate ILM's feedback
into future releases of its software.

Industrial Light & Magic is one of Alias' biggest customers in
the entertainment industry, which altogether accounts for about
30 percent of the company's business, Spencer said. Alias also
sells software to manufacturers such as Apple Computer,
Volvo, and Northern Telecom, which use it in industrial design.

Industrial Light & Magic has created special effects for major
movies such as "Death Becomes Her" and "Terminator 2."

Alias' new Open Digital Studio integrates the Alias software
with Apple Computer's QuickTime multimedia standards, Pixar's
RenderMan Interface Bytestream (RIB), and the Open Media
Framework (OMF) Interchange standard proposed by Avid
Technology.

ODS will be offered initially with Alias' Animator and
PowerAnimator software packages, which run on Silicon
Graphics workstations, reduced instruction-set computing
(RISC) personal computers, and digital media servers.

(Grant Buckler/19930420/Press Contact: Lee McEnany or Rick
Rhoades, The Bohle Company for Alias, 310-785-0515; Susan
Spencer, Alias Research, 416-362-9181)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEN)(00016)

Compaq Clarifies Monitor Warranty Policy 04/20/93
HOUSTON, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- Compaq Computer
has issued a service advisory recently that the company says is
designed to clear up any ambiguity in the stated warranty
policy on Compaq's computer system monitors.

"We weren't communicating well about our warranty policy at first.
After a couple of months we realized that some of our resellers
thought there was a three-year warranty on the monitors, and some
items like batteries. Those are things you just can't cover for
three years," Compaq spokesperson John Sweney told Newsbytes.

To clear up what Sweney called "real confusion" Compaq issued
Service Advisory 525-A that restates the policy of a three-year
warranty on the CPU (central processing unit) only. "We haven't
changed our warranty, we just didn't communicate it clearly,"
says Sweney. He said in some cases resellers have even
advertised a three-year warranty that includes the monitor,
confusing both customers and resellers.

It's difficult to provide a long warranty on monitors because
they have a glass front, and are subject to breakage. Users
can also end up with a ghost of a screen image burned into the
face of the monitor tube if they leave the computer on for
lengthy periods without changing the screen. That's why
companies do a brisk business in screen savers. Some of those
are very simple, just blanking the screen, usually after a
user-selectable period of time. Other, more sophisticated
screen blanking programs display moving images, fractals, or
even cartoons.

Compaq announced its three-year warranty policy on CPUs in
November. The company does not provide a three-year warranty
on its printers either. Compaq reduced the price of its Pagemarq
20 network printer so the street price is now about $3,600.
Compaq no longer publishes suggested retail prices.

Asked why the Pagemarq 20 price had dropped, Sweney told
Newsbytes "It's time." The printer, which Compaq says has already
captured a 20 percent market share, was introduced in August 1992.
Sweney said that, not only did the marketplace demand a price cut,
but that the total life cycle on a computer industry product is about
8-18 months. That could put the Pagemarq on its last legs, with a
replacement appearing shortly. However, Sweney declined to
comment on such an announcement.

(Jim Mallory/19930420/Press contact: John Sweney, Compaq
Computer, 713-374-1564)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00017)

Dell Shipping PCs To Discount Warehouse Sellers 04/20/93
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- Dell Computer has
announced that it is now shipping its Dell Precision line personal
computers to discount warehouse outlets Price Club and Sam's.

Dell says the new systems will be among the most powerful personal
computers available through the warehouse channel. The new,
upgradable PCs will come with a range of 486 processors, and
will be available in small-footprint, mid-sized desktop, and
floor-standing units. Selling prices will be set by Sam's and Price
Club, but Dell said it expects the systems to range from $1,300 to
$3,000 depending on configuration. The systems will be the first to
use a motherboard designed in-house by Dell engineers, rather than
purchased from outside supplier.

Dell announced a distribution deal with Price Club in March 1992,
saying the Precision line was being developed specifically for the
small business and home market. Research firm Dataquest estimates
that PC sales through warehouse outlets will account for 35 percent
of the small business market and 47 percent of home PC sales by
1995.

The two warehouse outlets will offer different Precision system
configurations. Patrons of Price Club will be able to buy a
486SX-based 25 megahertz (MHz) system that includes four 16-bit
expansion slots, two serial and one parallel port, a mouse port,
and a 150-watt power supply. Or they can select a 33 MHz 486SX-
based system with five 16-bit expansion slots, and a 200-watt
power supply, two serial, one parallel, and one mouse port. Both
systems include Super VGA monitors, 3.5-inch and 5.25-inch
floppy drives, 4 megabytes (MB) of system memory and a mouse
and mouse pad. The 25MHz system includes a 120MB hard drive
and 512 kilobytes (KB) of video memory. The faster system has
a 170MB hard drive installed, and 1MB of video memory. Microsoft
Windows, Microsoft Works for Windows, MS-DOS, and Quicken For
Windows are offered on both systems. The faster system also
includes software to connect to the Prodigy on-line system.

Sam's will be offering two 33MHz 486SX systems. In addition to the
configuration shown for the Price Club systems, one of the units
will have a 230MB hard drive installed. Both systems at Sam's will
include modems.

Dell says 50MHz and 66MHz system configurations will be
available in May.

(Jim Mallory/19930420/Press contact: Jill Shanks, Dell Computer,
512-343-3535; Reader contact: Dell Computer, 512-338-4400, fax
512-794-4238)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEN)(00018)

Cray Research Sponsors National Science Bowl 04/20/93
EAGAN, MINNESOTA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- Computer makers
do things beside sell computers. Often participate in events that
can foster interest in science and mathematics.

Cray Research is an example of such involvement. The
supercomputer maker is the main corporate sponsor of the US
Department of Energy's 1993 National Science Bowl. Final rounds
of the competition between high school students from all over the
nation are being held in Washington, DC this week.

During the past few months, more than 5,000 students from 1,000
high schools have competed in Regional Science Bowl Tournaments
held at Department of Energy (DOE) facilities across the country.
This past weekend the final 30 teams engaged in intense competition
to showcase their knowledge is subjects like astronomy, biology,
chemistry, computer science, earth science, engineering,
environmental remediation, mathematics, and physics. Final awards
will be presented this week at the Washington Convention Center,
where Cray Research Chairman and CEO John Carlson will speak,
along with Energy Secretary Hazel O'Leary.

Rewards for competition are more tangible than just the coveted
National Science Bowl title. Prizes include US and international
science trips, computer equipment and software, and teacher
scholarships. The winning team also gets free access to the National
Education Supercomputer, a system donated by Cray Research last
year. Installed at the DOE's Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratory, the National Education Supercomputer is used in the
lab's national education outreach program.

Secretary O'Leary says nothing is more vital to our country's future
than encouraging a new generation of innovators and scientific
pioneers. "The National Science Bowl gives students who excel in
science a forum for demonstrating their knowledge and gaining
recognition," said O'Leary.

Cray Research says it provided $85,000 to underwrite this year's
program, the second such contribution. The National Science Bowl
program is endorsed by the National Education Association, the
National association of Secondary School Principals, and the
National Association of Elementary School Principals. The program
is one of more than 800 DOE-sponsored educational activities. Last
year more than one million students, teachers, and parents
participated in various programs.

(Jim Mallory/19930420/Press contact: Steve Conway, Cray
Research, 612-683-7133)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEN)(00019)

 ****America Online Drops Rates 04/20/93
VIENNA, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- Online subscriber
service America Online has announced that it is restructuring its
rates in an effort to becoming the leading on-line service. Under
the new schedule the monthly service fee is being cut by more
than half.

Effective May 1, subscribers will pay just $9.95 for access to
all of AOL's on-line services for up to five hours per month. The
company says the rate cuts, combined with an announced price
increase by competitor Prodigy recently, puts it in a position to
become the nation's leading on-line service.

AOL says it expects that 90 percent of its customers will not use
more than the five hours per month they get for their monthly
access fee. For those who do exceed that amount of time, they
will pay $3.50 per hour, around the clock. Some other on-line
services, such as GEnie and Compuserve, charge a premium rate
for access during daytime hours when their computers are also
being used by their business service clients. The $3.50 hourly
rate includes the cost of connecting to AOL via local access
nodes, which are available in more than 600 cities across the
country.

As an incentive to draw subscribers away from Prodigy, the
company is also offering current Prodigy users a free trial package,
available by calling AOL's toll free number, which includes free
America Online access software and 10 hours of free on-line time.
While it's too early to know what effect the offer will have on
Prodigy's user base, which it says is about two million individuals
in one million households, Prodigy has never been profitable. In
January 93 Prodigy announced it was laying off 250 employees, or
about one-fourth of its staff, in an attempt to achieve
profitability.

AOL uses a graphical interface that allows the user to click on
icons, or miniature images, to make their selections. "We're rolling
out the red carpet to welcome the thousands of Prodigy subscribers
who are now seeking an alternative to Prodigy," says AOL President
Steve Case.

AOL, which claims over 200,000 members, offers news and finance
information, travel and shopping data, a section on lifestyles, and
an educational section where subscribers can sign up for on-line
courses or check the archives of the Library of Congress. Like
most on-line services, AOL also offers electronic mail, forums for
computer hardware and software support, file uploading and
downloading, and business information from organizations like the
SBA, the US Chamber of Commerce, SCORE, and Dun & Bradstreet.
You can also create an online stock portfolio to collect information
about the day's trades, or play games. There's even a free Internet
gateway that allows users to send mail to Internet users.

(Jim Mallory/19930420/Press contact: Jean Villanueva, America
Online, 703-448-8700; Reader contact: 800-827-6364)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(DEN)(00020)

Seagate/Corning Collaborate On New Hard Drive Technology 04/20/93
SCOTTS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- Seagate
Technology, a maker of hard drives for personal computers, said
that it has signed a deal with Corning which calls for the glass
and ceramic maker to manufacture and supply new disc
substrate products for Seagate's drives that could significantly
increase drive capacity and reliability.

A computer's hard disk uses a substrate material as the core over
which the magnetic layer is deposited. Data is then stored in that
magnetic layer. Using Corning's MemCor brand substrate, Seagate
says it can achieve increases in drive capacity, performance, and
reliability without the need to rely on what it calls "less proven"
techniques such as wet-surface and vertical recording technologies.
The company says the glass-ceramic media is scalable for all disk
drive form factors, making its benefits available to almost all
drive and system platforms.

One advantage of a glass and ceramic-based hard disk is its
ability to withstand rough handling. "If you drop a conventional
disk, you may have a big problem. You may render (the disk)
unusable," says Joseph Haefele, Seagate's VP of disk engineering.
He says the new disks are unlikely to sustain damage if they're
dropped due to the crystalline arrangements within the glass
matrix of the new material.

Haefele says that while the new material is more expensive than
the aluminum-nickel substrate found in today's hard disks, Seagate
does not plan to increase its prices, because of new manufacturing
efficiencies. The new technology can be of particular benefit to
users of notebook and laptop computers.

Seagate spokesperson Brian Ziel told Newsbytes the MemCor
substrates can increase data storage space by 30 to 50 percent
in the same area density and the drives will be more  rugged.
"Our 2.5- and 1.8-inch drives that will be incorporating
(MemCor) will be a lot more shock resistant. They will be thinner,
allowing you to get more platters in the same space. And in the
long run you may see the costs coming down because of less
platters (to store the same amount of data)."

A hard drive stores data on both sides of a stack of two or more
platters which resemble CD-ROM disks, and a read-write head that
accesses those platters. "Our plan is to eventually integrate it
into all our products. This is the approach we are taking to
increase capacity," Ziel said.

Corning is expected to begin shipping the new substrate to Seagate
soon, with Seagate starting volume production of drives using the
MemCor disks in the third quarter. The specific terms of the
agreement were not disclosed, but Seagate called the deal
"a multi-million dollar agreement."

Seagate, citing price wars in the disk drive industry, has reported
third quarter earnings of $39 million, or $0.56 per share.
That's down four percent from the same quarter last year. Revenues
were reported at $754 million, down 3.3 percent from last year. The
company said earnings were in line with expectations, and Seagate
stock rose $0.25 per share to $14.125 in over the counter trading.
Results included a pre-tax restructuring charge of $15 million for
consolidation of the company's worldwide manufacturing and repair
facilities. Seagate declined to speculate on how the Corning deal
would affect future earnings.

Seagate President Alan Shugart said he expects near-term pressure
on margins to continue, but said the company is pleased with the
gross margins achieved on product sales "in view of price erosion
that was significantly more severe than the prior quarter." The
company says it plans a $50 million expansion of is existing Penang,
Malaysia, facility, and will build a $65 million wafer fabrication
plant in Londonberry, Northern Ireland, to produce recording heads
for its hard disk drives.

(Jim Mallory/19930420/Press contact: Julie Still, Seagate
Technology, 408-439-2276; Brian Ziel, Corning, 408-439-2838)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00021)

 ****IBM Loses In First Qtr, Revenue Down 04/20/93
ARMONK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- Beleaguered IBM
has reported another quarterly loss, along with a drop in first-
quarter revenues from 1992 levels. The company lost $285
million in the three months ended March 31.

Revenues in the first quarter were $13,058 million, down seven
percent from $14,037 million in the same period of 1992. In the
first quarter of 1992, IBM recorded net income of $2,542 million
after a change in accounting principles related to tax accounting.

Company officials said the largest revenue drop came in Europe,
where sales fell by 13.8 percent, while revenues were down
slightly in the United States and Asia.

In a prepared statement, Louis V. Gerstner, recently appointed
chairman of IBM, said the results reflected weak demand in many
of IBM's product lines, particularly mainframe computers and
large hard disk drives. Large systems have traditionally been the
mainstay of IBM's business and helped make it one of the world's
most profitable companies up to the mid-1980s, when smaller
computers began eroding the large-systems market.

IBM's own small-computer business appears to be a bright spot in
the company's results, at least by comparison to the rest of its
business. The company said demand for its personal computers
and workstations grew strongly in the quarter.

IBM said total hardware sales fell by 19.4 percent to $5.7
billion.

Meanwhile, the company cut sales, general, and administrative
expenses by 10.1 percent, and total operating expenses by 8.9
percent. IBM, which reduced its staff worldwide by about 40,000
people in 1992, has continued to cut the payroll this year,
including the first layoffs in company history.

Barry Bosak, an industry analyst who follows IBM for Smith,
Barney in New York, said the over-all results were not
surprising, though IBM did worse than expected in hardware
sales.

He said the recent appointment of Gerstner, formerly of food
and tobacco company RJR Nabisco, was a good move in that IBM
needed to bring in a new boss from outside the company, but it
is too early to comment on Gerstner's performance in the job.

(Grant Buckler/19930420/Press Contact: Rob Wilson, IBM,
914-765-6565)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(LON)(00022)

Interim Release Of Wordperfect For Next Scheduled 04/20/93
ADDLESTONE, SURREY, ENGLAND, 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- Wordperfect
UK has announced plans to ship an interim release of its word
processor for the Next series of computers. The announcement
comes at a time when many users of the Next computers are
worried about the future of applications for their machines,
following the company's decision to move out of hardware.

The idea behind the interim release is to bring Wordperfect for
Next up to date with revisions in the Nextstep operating system,
including the recently-announced planned support for the Intel
processor environment, since the shipment of the original
version in late 1991. According to Wordperfect UK, the interim
release - version 1.0.1 - will be available by the end of June of
this year.

"We intend to update Wordperfect's Nextstep and Intel support
with this interim release," explained Gordon Mella, Unix product
marketing manager with Wordperfect.

According to Mella, Nextstep for Intel processors offers software
developers new opportunities to improve on existing software
products. "We want to capitalize on those opportunities and
provide the latest word processing technology for our Next users,"
he said.

So what will the interim release of Wordperfect for Next offer
Next computer users that the original version (released a year ago)
does not? According to the company, the new version has two key
features that take advantage of Nextstep 3.0 technology:
Wordperfect for Next's new drag-and-drop feature, and an
integrated help system.

The drag-and-drop feature allows users to move blocks of text
and graphics around with a mouse, while the integrated help
system claims to offer quicker and easier on-line help.

Despite Next's decision to move out of hardware, Wordperfect
claims that it will continue to release new versions of its
package for Next users. "The new development does not change
our commitment to continue development on a future version of
Wordperfect for Next that will be feature- and file-compatible
with its DOS and Windows counterparts," Mella said.

(Steve Gold/19930420/Press & Public Contact: Wordperfect
UK - Tel: [phone])


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

UK - Digithurst Cuts Cost Of PC Video Capture Cards 04/20/93
ROYSTON, HERTFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- Digithurst
has slashed the cost of three of its entry-level graphics capture and
video processing cards to maintain, what it calls, its "competitive
edge."

In parallel with the price cuts, the company is bundling software
with the cards that allows PC Windows applications users to
capture video to hard disk.

The Microeye 1C falls in price from UKP495 to UKP195 including
tax and delivery. Digithurst claims that the card is now one of
the most competitive 24-bit image capture cards on the market.
The Microeye VOC VGA to PAL video converter card also falls to
UKP399 including tax and delivery.

As well as being reduced in price from UKP795 to UKP499,
including tax and delivery, the Microeye 2C, the company's video
in VGA card, is upgraded to allow it to capture sequences of video
images directly to disk. This, the company claims, will all users
to replay them in Windows applications without the need for
additional hardware.

(Steve Gold/19930420/Press & Public Contact: Digithurst -
Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00024)

UK - Iterated Sys Cuts Fractal Compression Prices 04/20/93
READING, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- Iterated
Systems has reduced the price of updated versions of several of
its fractal compression software products. The company claims
that its fractal software is now twice as effective in compression
speeds and data densities than the competition.

The mainstay of Iterated's range continues to be Colorbox III,
which is a software developers kit (SDK) for Windows-based image
applications. The SDK now includes dynamic link libraries (DLLs) for
fractal image compression and decompression, a Windows-based
fractal transform template (FTT) editor and 20 runtime licenses
for packages developed with the SDK.

Colorbox III sells for UKP499. Existing developers using earlier
versions of the package can upgrade to the new version for UKP199.
Alternatively, users can buy an FTC-III fractal accelerator card for
UKP599 and receive an upgrade to Colorbox III free of charge.

The FTC-III card increases the compression and decompression
speeds of Colorbox (and its Windows compressor, Images
Incorporated) by at least 300 percent. The half-card ISA (Industry
Standard Architecture) board has been under development for two
years and is capable of performing 2,560 million fractal operations
per second.

Interated's other main package is Images Incorporated, which has
been upgraded to version III. The Windows-based package, which
sells for UKP299, functions as an object linking and embedding
(OLE) server for fractal compression, decompression, and image
enhancement. The idea of the software is that it allows files to
be compressed and decompressed within Windows versions of
graphics packages such as Aldus Persuasion, Corel Draw and Show,
as well as Ami Pro and Microsoft Access.

Fractal compression is fast becoming a new software facility,
Newsbytes notes. Unlike other compression and decompression
systems, such as PKZIP, PKPAK, and ARC-ing on the PC, plus the
Stuffit system on the Macintosh, Fractal compression uses
mathematical techniques to compress graphics files down to a
very small fraction of their original size and, when required,
decompress them in a very short space of time.

Fractal compression also allows images to be analyzed and a
fractal transform technology (FTT) file to be compiled for a group
of similar images in a library. The FTT file acts a reference for
fractal software such as Colorbox and Images Incorporated, so
increasing the efficiency of the applications, compressing files
to even smaller sizes. When the file is decompressed, the
software refers to image information in the main FTT file to
ensure that an accurate complete image is restored.

Speaking with Newsbytes, Alan McKeon, Iterated Systems'
managing director, said that fractal imaging software is now
starting to "come of age" and is repaying the many years of
investment that software developers have put in.

"Colorbox III, Images Incorporated III and the FTC-III card allow
even the largest of images to be compressed down to the smallest
possible file in a matter of minutes, and then decompressed when
required in a few seconds. It really is that simple," he said.

(Steve Gold/19930420/Press & Public Contact: Iterated
Systems - Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00025)

Dimension To Distribute Grid Pen Computers In UK 04/20/93
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- Dimension, a new
distributor in the UK computing marketplace, has announced it
is acting as a main distributor for Tandy/Grid's range of
pen-based computers.

Initially, Dimension will handle Grid's Palmpad and Convertible
ranges of computers, along with the Penright! and Penpal
applications development software, but plans are in hand for
other products to be distributed to dealers and value-added
resellers.

The Palmpad is the lightweight "wearable" version of the Gridpad
computer that has been available in several incarnations since its
launch four years ago. The Convertible, meanwhile, is the industry's
first combined tablet pen computer and notebook PC with an
integrated keyboard. Both machines feature PCMCIA card slots for
peripherals and add-on enhancements.

Announcing the distributorship with Tandy/Grid, Colin Bastable,
Dimensions' director, said that Grid has been at the cutting edge
of developments in pen computing for some time.

"Now, Dimension will be working closely with Tandy/Grid UK to
promote pen-based systems to end users. Our distribution deal
will also mean, in future, far more widespread access for
resellers to Grid pen computers and software," he said.

Dimension is a division of Principal distribution. The company is
concentrating on distributing Windows applications software,
as well as relevant hardware and peripherals.

(Steve Gold/19930420/Press & Public Contact: Dimension -
Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(APPLE)(BOS)(00026)

Seybold - ColorAge Adds Features To ColorQ Print Server 04/20/93
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1992 APR 20 (NB) -- At Seybold
Boston, ColorAge unveiled a trio of time-saving features for its
ColorQ System, a print server first released in September at the
Seybold San Francisco.

One of the new features, the innovative new SpotMatch color
matching system, is still under development, and slated for
addition to ColorQ at a later date. The other two, native Novell
network support and direct TIFF output, are included in the
newly announced ColorQ System version 2.0.

ColorQ is designed to let multiple users perform high quality
color printing right from their Macintoshes and IBM-compatible
PCs. The system is based around a 486-based server and a
ColorDirect interface board for connection to a Canon Laser
Copier.

ColorQ's capabilities include simultaneous job acceptance,
ColorVantage automatic color correction for scanned images,
the Freedom of Press Pro PostScript language interpreter, full
accounting and reporting features, and QuickQ network
connectivity software for job spooling.

During a demonstration for Newsbytes on the Seybold Boston show
floor, Carol Vitagliano, director of marketing, explained that the
upcoming SpotMatch feature will let users quickly find the right
spot colors for accurate desktop color printing.

Vitagliano told Newsbytes that SpotMatch replaces two older and
more time-consuming methods of color matching. One, used for
desktop printing, consists of tedious trial-and-error adjustments.
The other method requires sending work to an outside service
bureau for color separation, a process that typically takes several
days.

SpotMatch will speed up the process by providing a set of easy-to-
use tools that let a non-expert calibrate and manage spot colors
on the desktop, according to Vitagliano.

The new, native support for Novell networks will allow PostScript
file interpretation and print server processing to be off-loaded
from the network to the ColorQ server, resulting in reduced
overhead on both the user's workstation and the Novell file server,
she added.

ColorQ will also continue to provide support for LocalTalk and
EtherTalk networks, so users can print directly from their
software applications regardless of platform.

The third new feature in ColorQ will directly output continuous
tone color TIFF images at high speed without requiring PostScript
language processing.  The end result, Vitagliano said, is a
dramatic decrease in throughput time for high quality color
images.

(Jacqueline Emigh/19930420/Press contact: Dodie Bump,
ColorAge, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TYO)(00027)

Japan - ASCII/GC Develop TV Phone Board For PCs 04/20/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- ASCII and its subsidiary firm
GC Technologies claim they have jointly developed chip boards
for color digital motion pictures.

The boards can be input into a personal computer. The PC can be
then be used as a television phone. Both firms have also developed
the digital LSI for the DCC (digital compact cassette) and the
Mini-Disks.

They can be used for transmitting and receiving motion
picture data on PCs. With proprietary software and a
camcorder, the PC can act as a TV phone. The data is
transmitted through ISDN (Integrated Services Digital
Network). This system also supports an answering-machine
feature, under which the caller will be able to leave a
message in both voice and motion picture.

The price is expensive, at 950,000 yen ($8,600). It will be
distributed to personal computer makers on an OEM (original
equipment manufacturer) basis through Mitsui Bussan
Semiconductor. Both firms are expecting to ship a total
of 10,000 units for the initial year.

ASCII and GC Technologies have also developed a digital audio
decoder LSI chip. It includes a digital signal processor, a
digital-analog converter, and the interface. The chip can be
used on a DCC or a Mini-Disk. With this all-in-one chip,
the size of the DCC and the Mini-Disk would be even smaller.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930420/Press Contact: GC
Technologies, [phone], ASCII, [phone],
Fax, [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00028)

Motorola Japan Expands Semiconductor Plant 04/20/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- Motorola Japan is going
expand its semiconductor business in Japan. The firm has
recently purchased a large amount of land for its processor
design and manufacturing plant.

It will be the third design center of the firm in Japan.
Motorola Japan's new design plant will be located at Izumi
science park in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. It is said the firm
has paid five billion yen ($45 million) to purchase the 42,900
square meter land.

Motorola Japan will build the chips design center along with
a development and manufacturing plant in the area. It is expected
to be completed and ready for operation in 1995. It will
initially have about 200 employees.

The new design center will be interconnected with Motorola's
other design centers in Japan and abroad via a space satellite,
and will jointly develop powerful chips for Japanese market.
Those chips may include application specific integrated circuits
(ASICs), one-chip microprocessors, linear ICs and smart MOS
(metal oxide semiconductor) chips.

Motorola Japan will link this new plant with another plant in
Sendai. Motorola is currently producing memory chips and
personal computers' processors at an existing Sendai plant
jointly with Toshiba.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930420/Press Contact:
Motorola Japan, tel [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(HKG)(00029)

Hong Kong - Pyramid Technology Opens Asia-Pacific HQ 04/20/93
WAN CHAI, HONG KONG, 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- Pyramid Technology,
a supplier of high-availability on-line transaction processing
computer systems, has established its Asia-Pacific
headquarters in Hong Kong.

Staff in the new Pyramid regional headquarters will support
direct sales and marketing operations, as well as the initiatives
of their OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and business
partners throughout the region. The Asia-Pacific region covers
Japan, Korea, the PRC, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the ASEAN countries,
Australia, and New Zealand.

"We are positioning ourselves to gain a major share of the
high-end, high-availability transaction processing marketplace,"
said Edward J. Norton, vice president, Pyramid Technology,
Asia-Pacific. "Our fastest growth is in the Asia-Pacific area and
we expect this to continue well into the future," he said. "By
establishing our headquarters in Hong Kong we can focus clearly
on the rapidly growing economies of the region and particularly
on China."

The Asia-Pacific office will be officially opened in May by John
Chen, Pyramid Technology's executive vice president and chief
operating officer.  Chen, who is based in the company's corporate
headquarters in San Jose, California, was born in Hong Kong and
maintains close ties with the territory.

"The opening of our headquarters here, clearly demonstrates
Pyramid Technology's commitment to the region," said Norton.

Pyramid's claims that its strategy for developing partnerships
with both OEMs and systems integrators enables it to offer
industry-focused systems to a wide range of customers. OEM
partners include Hyundai in Korea, Kobe Steel in Japan, Bull, ICL,
Fujitsu, Olivetti, and Siemens Nixdorf. Systems integration
partners include EDS, Andersen Consulting, Comdisco, and
Integris.

Pyramid's family of RISC-based systems combine the advantages
of mainframe-class computing with the open standards and
portability of the Unix environment. The company's range of
MIServers offers from 10 to 768 MIPS (million-instructions-per-
second), hundreds of transactions per second, and can support
more than 1,000 concurrent users.

"Open systems and right-sizing are two of the most important
priorities for users today and Pyramid is at the heart of both
movements," claimed Norton. "By porting mission-critical
applications to Pyramid, instead of upgrading their legacy
systems, customers can realize enormous increases in power
and reliability at a fraction of the cost."

Asia-Pacific customers include: the Hong Kong government;
Chubb Securities in Australia, Singapore and Indonesia; the
Kuching Port Authority in Malaysia; Qantas and Rothmans in
Australia; Sharp Electronics and Honda Motor in Japan; Hyundai
in Korea; Tatung and AT&T in Taiwan; and telecommunications
authorities in Australia, Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand.

(Brett Cameron/19930420/Press Contact: Ed Norton,
Pyramid, Tel: [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(HKG)(00030)

DEC Appoints Former Wang Exec Taiwan Chief 04/20/93
TAI KOO SHING, HONG KONG, 1993 APR 20 (NB) -- Digital Equipment
has appointed Jackson Lin, former general manager of Wang
Industrial, to head its Taiwan subsidiary.

As the new general manager of Digital Taiwan, he succeeds Paul
Chan, who has been promoted to managing director of Digital's
China/Hong Kong and Taiwan operations.

Lin brings 23 years experience in the Taiwan computer industry
to his new job of general manager, Digital Taiwan.  He was head
of Wang's sales and marketing operation in Taiwan for 14 years,
during which the company's revenue grew by 35 times and the
number of employees from 40 to 300.

Lin started his career as a design engineer at Wang Taiwan in
1969 after graduating from National Chiao Tung University in
Taipei. Since then he has held sales, marketing and various
management positions with Wang Taiwan.

During his career with Wang, Lin won many corporate awards
including Sales Achiever for 11 years and Top Country Manager
in 1989 and 1990.

He is managing director of the Taipei Computer Association,
chairman of the Chinese Computer Extended Foundation, and
director of Computer Society of the ROC (Republic of China).

(Brett Cameron/19930420/Press Contact: Bonnie Engel,
Tel: [phone])