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/nb930720

Text File | 1993-07-20 | 69KB | 1,559 lines

(NEWS)(APPLE)(LAX)(00001)

 ****Correction - Newton Messagepad For Sale At Macworld 07/20/93
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- Newsbytes wants
to correct a small error which appeared in this story, dated
yesterday. The story said that Macworld Expo in Boston would
be held in the first week of June. The Expo, is in fact, in
the first week of August.

Newsbytes regrets the error.

(Wendy Woods/19930720)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TYO)(00002)

Fujitsu Halts IBM Software Purchases 07/20/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- Fujitsu says it will not buy
operating system interface software from IBM this year. This is
the first time Fujitsu has chosen not to buy IBM software since a
1988 decision by the American Arbitration Association gave it the
right to do so.

In 1985, IBM sued Fujitsu for allegedly infringing IBM's operating
system copyright, a charge that Fujitsu denied. Instead of a
lengthy court battle, however, the two firms chose to abide by
a decision by the American Arbitration Association. That
decision called for Fujitsu to pay to use IBM's operating system
software for general purpose computers every year. However,
this year Fujitsu has decided not to purchase the 1993 version of the
software although it has the right to do so until 1997.

Fujitsu has not made any comment in regard to whether it will buy
the software next year, but it is considered unlikely that it
would do so. The main reason Fujitsu has rejected Big Blue is
the downsizing trend in computing. Fujitsu reports fewer customers
are requesting compatibility with IBM computers. Also, many
customers are rejecting the IBM line, opting instead for
the openness of a Unix system.

Another reason could be the slump in Fujitsu's sales which for
fiscal 1992 were in red for the first time. Fujitsu is
cutting 6,000 employees over the next two years.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930719/Press Contact: Fujitsu, +81-3-
3215-5236, Fax, [phone])


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

Japan's NTT To Cut 6,000 Operators 07/20/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- Japan's major domestic telephone
firm NTT is slashing the number of its phone operators involved
in directory information. NTT has been operating in the red with
this unit.

NTT will also reduce its service centers from a current 265 to
about 100 by the end of 1995. It will also reduce the number
of night time service centers to only 60.

Currently, NTT has 18,000 operators for this inquiry service. By
1995, the firm wants to reduce the number to around 10,000.

NTT recorded a 170 billion yen ($1.5 billion) loss in fiscal 1992
and as a result, is also restructuring other areas of its operations.
NTT is seeking a reduction in its employment from the current
230,000 employees to less than 100,000 within 4 years. The
reduction of operators is included in this plan.

NTT used to be owned by the Japanese government, but it was
privatized in 1985.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930719/Press Contact: NTT, +81-3-
3509-5035, Fax, [phone])


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TYO)(00004)

Motorola Gets OEM Chips From Mitsubishi 07/20/93
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- Motorola has started to receive
a supply of 16-megabit dynamic random access memories from
Toshiba on an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) basis.
Motorola will market this chip for personal computers
and workstations in the US and Europe.

The chip is a 0.6 micron process product and consumes 5 volts
of electricity.

The relationship between Motorola and Toshiba has already
been established. Toshiba has been supplying 1Mb and 4Mb DRAM chips
to Motorola. Also, both firms are setting up a joint venture
in Tohoku in Japan to manufacture 16Mb DRAM in quantity within
a couple of years.

Meanwhile, Mitsubishi will release a laser disk player for
high definition TV (HDTV) this fall. The firm will receive a
supply of the product from Pioneer on an OEM basis. Mitsubishi's
HDTV laser disk player supports both HDTV laser disks and the
current regular laser disk software. The retail price is expected
to be around 650,000 yen ($5,900).

Other Japanese electronics firms are also planning to release
HDTV laser disk players this fall. They include
Pioneer, Matsushita Electric, Sony, Toshiba, and Hitachi. The
prices of these players are expected to be about the same
as those of Mitsubishi.

The HDTV laser disk players are expected to have the same
popularity as HDTV sets. Low-cost HDTV sets were released at
around 1 million yen ($9,000) recently and prices are expected
to drop again to about half of the current price when powerful
LSI chips are developed in the near future.

(Masayuki "Massey" Miyazawa/19930719/Press Contact: Motorola
Japan, [phone], Mitsubishi Electric, [phone])


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(NYC)(00005)

Newsday Publishes Online On The Internet 07/20/93
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- Newsday, a New York
City and Long Island, New York daily newspaper, has begun the
simultaneous publishing of a series of articles electronically
and in print.

The series, "Riding The Information Highway," by staff writer Joshua
Quittner, began in Sunday, July 18 edition with an eight-page spread. It
was the cover story in the Long Island edition of the paper and was the
back page business feature in the New York City edition. The series,
which concludes on Wednesday, July 22, deals with the convergence of
computer, television and telephone technologies.

Newsday explained to readers the simultaneous publishing, saying, in
part, "This series on information highways can be read today in San
Francisco, Tokyo, Paris and Buenos Aires - but not on printed paper. For
the first time, Newsday is making a series accessible to anyone with a
personal computer and modem, from Long Island to Luxembourg."

The periodical then outlined the advantages of electronic
publishing, saying the stories can travel from editor to reader in a
fraction of the time it takes to print them and deliver them by truck.
"Space is limited in a newspaper because of the cost of paper and
production, but the electronic version has a selection of related
articles." Newsday concludes: "Readers can communicate directly with
writers, both by electronic mail and a live chat period - a group
conversation conducted online through personal computers."

The first stories contained interviews with Microsoft's Bill Gates,
economist George Gilder, Apple's John Sculley and other people
whose ideas and actions are shaping the future.

The sidebar then gave instructions to obtain the articles by
computer and modem: in Nassau, 516-599-2525; eastern Suffolk,
516-727-0177; west Suffolk, 516-665-7878; NYC, 212-385-2551 or
718-875-6504. After you are connected, type HH (upper case) and
ENTER/RETURN. At asterisk, type 2129250054 and press ENTER/RETURN.
Internet users can access the service via telnet to DELPHI.COM.
At the "Username" prompt, enter HIGHWAY."

Series writer Joshua Quittner told Newsbytes, "I think it is
tremendously exciting that Newsday is plunging deeply into the
new technologies and is distributing this piece as far as the
world-wide Internet will take it."

Mainstream publications like Newsday are just now beginning to
discover electronic publishing, a domain that has for ten years
been in use by many publications. Newsbytes has been publishing
electronically worldwide via the Internet and other networks
since 1983.

(Barbara E. McMullen & John F. McMullen/19930719)


(NEWS)(TRENDS)(TOR)(00006)

More On Sony MiniDisc Data Standard 07/20/93
PARK RIDGE, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- Sony Corporation
has announced new standards aimed at making its MiniDisc optical
disks into data as well as audio storage devices. Sony's MD Data
standards would provide high-capacity read-only, rewritable, and
hybrid optical storage.

Based on specifications for the MiniDisc personal audio system,
which Sony launched last November, the new MD Data standard is to
be offered to computer and other manufacturers. Discussions are
under way with a number of vendors, company spokesman Brian
Levine said, but Sony is not ready to announce any names yet.

The MD Data disks would store as much as 140 megabytes of data.
Sony is aiming them in part at the market now occupied by
magnetic diskettes, claiming that the need to store graphic and
audio information has created a demand for a removable data
storage medium capable of handling larger amounts of data.

Sony's standards cover three kinds of MD Data diskettes. One
kind, called MD-ROM, would have data permanently placed on them
by an information publisher. Customers would buy them for their
contents, not for use as rewritable storage devices. In short,
they would compete with today's CD-ROM disks.

Another type, called Rewritable MD, would be sold blank as a
higher-capacity alternative to today's diskettes. These would use
magneto-optical technology.

Third, a Hybrid MD disk type would contain some prewritten data
but leave some space rewritable. Details of the technology
involved are sketchy, but it appears that part of the disk's
surface would be different from the rest so as to prevent
rewriting.

A single drive mechanism will be able to accept all three disk
types, Sony said.

The MD disks come in cartridges that are 68 by 72 millimeters
(between 2.5 and three inches square) by five millimeters thick.
Levine said the disks are expected to cost a bit more than
today's MD Audio disks. Cost of the drives has yet to be
determined, he said. Products are expected to start reaching the
market by mid-1994.

According to Sony, the disks will provide a data transfer rate of
150K bytes per second, enabling full motion video.

Also, the standards include a new file system that determines how
information is encoded onto the disk. If adopted by manufacturers
using different hardware platforms and operating systems -- such
as DOS PCs and the Apple Macintosh -- this standard would mean
that disks recorded on one type of system would be readable by
another. That differs from the present situation with magnetic
diskettes, whose file systems are part of the different operating
systems.

(Grant Buckler/19930719/Press Contact: Brian Levine, Sony,
201-930-6443)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00007)

BoCoEx Index 07/20/93
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- Boston Computer
Exchange for the week ending   July 16, 1993.

Closing Prices from the Boston Computer Exchange

Machine                         Main Closing    Price     Ask      Bid

                               Drive   Price   Change

IBM PS1 386SX/25             130 MgB     850              900      750

IBM PS/2 Model 70-A21        120 MgB     875              950      800

IBM PS/2 Model 56SLC/20      120 MgB    1050             1300      900

IBM PS/2 Model 55SX           60 MgB     650              800      700

IBM ThinkPad 300              80 MgB    1400             1500     1325

IBM ThinkPad 700              80 MgB    1850             2400     2000

IBM ThinkPad 700C            120 MgB    3600             3700     3500

IBM V\P 3/25T MOD. 80         80 MgB    1500             1600     1500

IBM PS/2 Model 90-OH9        160 MgB    1700             1700     1600

IBM PS/2 Model 95-OJF        400 MgB    3000             3300     2700

Compaq Prolinea 4/66         340 MgB    2000             2150     2000

Compaq Prolinea 486/50       240 MgB    1450             1500     1200

Compaq Portable 386          100 MgB     650              800      600

Compaq SLT-386               120 MgB     925              950      850

Compaq LTE-286                 40MgB     600              700      600

Compaq LTE-LITE 3/25          120MgB    1350             1450     1200

Compaq LTE-LITE 4/25C          120MB    3450             3600     3400

Compaq SysProXL                1.02Gig   8,100           12,500    6,000

Compaq Syspro 486/50           Mod 1    6700             8500     6500

Compaq Prosigna 486 /33      550 MgB    3500             3800     3350

Compaq Portable 486/66       525 MgB    3650             4000     3500

Compaq DeskP 486DX2/66i      240 MgB    2100             2400     1900

AST Prem Exec 386SX20         40 MgB     675              750      650

NEC UltraLite  25C           80 M0gB    2000             3400     3300

NEC UltraLite Versa  20C      80 MgB    2850             2950     2800

Zenith Mastersprt-386SX       60 MgB     800              900      800

Zenith SuperSport 386SX       40 MgB     650              800      650

Macintosh Classic             40 MgB     575              600      550

Macintosh Classic II          40 MgB     750              800      700

Macintosh SE                  40 MgB     575              650      550

Macintosh SE-30               80 MgB    1050             1150     1000

Macintosh LC                  40 MgB    1000             1300      800

Macintosh II                  40 MgB    1250             1300     1250

Macintosh II SI               80 MgB    1200             1300     1200

Macintosh II CX               80 MgB    1450             1550     1400

Macintosh II CI               80 MgB    2150             2250     2000

Macintosh II FX               80 MgB    2600             2800     2600

Macintosh Quadra 700         160 MgB    3050             3100     3000

Macintosh Quadra 900         160 MgB    3700             4000     3600

Macintosh Powerbk 165C        80 MgB    2400             2500     2400

Macintosh Powerbk  145        40 MgB    1450             1550     1400

Macintosh Powerbk 180         80 MgB    2925             3100     2900

Apple Imagewriter 2                      200        `     225      175

Apple Laserwriter IINT                   900             1000      900

HP Laserjet II                           675              700      650

HP Laserjet IIISI                       2200             2300     2000

Toshiba T-1200                20 MgB     350              375      350

Toshiba T-1600                40 MgB     525              575      500

Toshiba T-2000 SX             40 MgB     700              800      700

Toshiba T-2000 SXE            40 MgB     800              900      750

Toshiba T-2200 SX              40MgB     750              800      700

Toshiba T-3100                20 MgB     400              400      400

Toshiba T-3200                40 MgB     550              700      500

Toshiba T-3200 SX             40 MgB     600              750      500

Toshiba T-3200 SXC           120 MgB    1850             2000     1800

Toshiba T-6400DX             200 MgB    2200             2300     2100

Toshiba T-4400C              120 MgB    3025             3100     2900

Toshiba T-5200               100 MgB    1200             1300     1100

BoCoEx Index data is compiled by Market Analyst, Gary M. Guhman.

Here are some current retail-oriented Seats on the Exchange, presented in
cyclic basis.

Dallas - Ft. Worth, TX - DFW Computer Exchange - M.B. Lee - 817-244-7833

Escondido, Ca. - Affordable Computer Solutions - Dean Jacobus - 619-738-
4980

New Orleans, Louisiana - Audubon Computer Rental - Mike Barry - 504-522-
0348

Detroit, Michigan - CompuCycle - Walt Hogan - 313-887-2600

Computer Exchange\\NorthWest - Dye Hawley - 206-820-1181

Albuquerque, NM, Western Computer Exchange - David Levin - 505-265-1330

Fresno, California - MacSource Computers - Mike Kurtz - 209-438-6227

BoCoEx Index prices are based on complete systems with keyboard, VGA
monitor and adapter, less the value of any software or peripherals.

Boston Computer Exchange is available at: 617-542-4414, Buyer's HotLine: 1-
800-262-6399, In Alaska and Canada 1-800-437-2470, FAX: [phone].

(BOCOEX/19930720)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(TOR)(00008)

PictureTel Offers Desktop, Group Videoconferencing 07/20/93
DANVERS, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- PictureTel
Corporation has launched two new videoconferencing systems, including
its first full-fledged entry into the desktop videoconferencing
market.

The desktop system, called the PictureTel Live PCS 100, is an
add-on for personal computers running Microsoft Windows 3.1. It
provides dial-up visual communications, screen sharing, and
collaborative computing over public switched digital networks,
company officials said.

The System 1000 is a group videoconferencing family with some of
the features of PictureTel's System 4000 product family at a
lower price.

The System 1000 supports the Full Common Immediate Format (CIF)
H.320 videoconferencing standard. PictureTel also announced plans
to provide upgrade paths to the standard for all of its installed
base.

Both new product families feature PictureTel's new PT 724 audio
algorithm and enhanced IDEC II echo cancellation with automatic
gain control and noise suppression, the company said. Both are
available in English, French, Spanish, German, and Japanese.

The $5,995 PictureTel Live PCS 100 provides Full CIF H.320
operation on any personal computer with two available Industry
Standard Architecture (ISA) bus slots and Microsoft Windows 3.1.
It provides full-color, full-motion live video, officials said,
and is compatible with all PictureTel and competitive systems
operating in the H.320 mode. It is available with either NTSC or
PAL video-standard support.

The PCS 100 also includes PictureTel's new FlipCam, a camera that
can be adjusted to most subjects and lighting conditions using
manual zoom, focus and aperture controls. It also includes a
combination speaker-phone and handset and user-interface
software.

PictureTel developed a prototype desktop videoconferencing
system, the PCS 1, as a result of a development agreement signed
with IBM in 1991, company spokesman Ron Taylor said. However,
this was meant only as a prototype and only about 100 were sold.
The PCS 100 is the company's first "production" desktop system,
he said.

PictureTel Live will be distributed through PictureTel direct
sales representatives as well as selected dealers and
distributors worldwide. The system will be available beginning in
the fourth quarter, the company said.

The System 1000 comes in two basic configurations: the Model 30
and the Model 50. Both are available with either the NTSC or the
PAL video standard. The Model 30 has a 20-inch monitor, FlipCam,
picture-in-picture, multipoint capability, and integrated BRI
interface. The Model 50 has a 27-inch monitor, pan, tilt and
zoom camera, camera presets, multipoint, picture-in-picture, a
cart, and an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) basic
rate interface. Both can be configured with optional
V.35/RS-366, dual CSUs, or RS-449 interfaces.

System 1000 prices start at $13,995. It is to be available
beginning in September through existing PictureTel channels
worldwide.

There is also a $5,000 optional feature package for either model
that includes two times CIF graphics, far-end camera control, VCR
audio, and 384 kilobit per second (Kbps) operation.

PictureTel said its new audio algorithm, PT 724, offers
high-quality, full-duplex seven-kilohertz (KHz) audio while
consuming only 24 Kbps of transmission bandwidth. It also boosts
video performance by freeing about 30 percent more bandwidth for
the video signal, the company said. Also included in the new
audio package is IDEC II, a version of PictureTel's Integrated
Dynamic Echo Cancellation technology, enhanced with new noise
suppression and automatic gain control features.

PictureTel also said it cut prices about 20 percent on the System
4000 line. The company said that starting immediately all new
System 4000 units will be shipped with both the PictureTel
proprietary SG3 and Full CIF H.320 algorithms.

(Grant Buckler/19930720/Press Contact: Ron Taylor, PictureTel,
508-762-5178; Pam Austin, Rourke & Co. for PictureTel,
617-267-0042)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(TOR)(00009)

Adda Has Titling Bundle, Mac Video Converter 07/20/93
RICHMOND, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- Adda
Technologies, Inc., has announced a bundle of its own VGA AVer
Pro overlay and genlock card with Shereff Systems' Deputy Junior
titling software. The company also launched AVerKey/Mac, an
external computer-to-video converter for the Apple Computer
Macintosh.

The AVerPro is a Super VGA card with video in and out
capabilities, Deputy Junior, from Beaverton, Oregon-based Shereff
Systems, can address the card's video functionality to create
rolling, scrolling titles and provide hardware keying and fading
functions.

Adda has just started shipping the bundle at a list price of
C$955, said company spokesman Jan Piros.

The AVerKey/Mac is a Macintosh version of Adda's existing AVerKey
converter for DOS-based PCs. According to the company, it can
take a Mac computer signal and output it to a regular video
recorder or television set. The device can handle as many as
65,000 colors, officials said, and has flicker reduction to
produce a stabler video image.

Now shipping, the converter has a list price of $295.

The AVerKey/Mac works with those Macintosh models compatible with
its display frequency, Piros said. These include the IIVX, IIVi,
LC II, LC III, Powerbook 165C and 180C, Centris 610 and 650, and
Quadra 700, 800, 900, and 950.

(Grant Buckler/19930720/Press Contact: Jan Piros, Adda
Technologies, 604-278-3224, fax [phone]; Public Contact:
Adda Technologies, 604-278-3224 or 510-770-9899)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(TOR)(00010)

Systemhouse Buys Two Companies 07/20/93
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- SHL Systemhouse
has announced two acquisitions within a week. On July 15, the
Ottawa-based systems integrator announced its purchase of Nidak
Associates Inc., a Toronto consulting firm. On July 20, it
announced the acquisition of Application & Business Solutions
Inc. (ABS), a consulting firm and outsourcer based in Cypress,
California.

Nidak is a privately held, seven-year-old company that does
project planning, development, and implementation, with a focus
on Unix, open systems, client/server computing, and local-area
networks. It has more than 35 information technology
professionals based in Toronto, officials said. According to a
statement from Systemhouse, its 1993 revenues are expected to be
more than C$4 million.

Nidak's co-founders, Nigel Stokes and Karl Abbott, are to become
managing directors in Systemhouse's Central Canada region.

ABS has 30 employees and annual revenues of about US$6 million.
It focuses on applications consulting, development, and
outsourcing related to IBM's AS/400 line of midrange systems.

Systemhouse officials said they plan to set up an AS/400 "center
of excellence" in the Pacific region, based in Cerritos,
California.

T.V. Chang, who founded ABS in 1988, and Ilene D. Cohen, the
company's president and chief executive, are to take senior
management jobs in Systemhouse's Pacific region.

(Grant Buckler/19930720/Press Contact: Henry Burgess,
Systemhouse, 416-366-4600; James Madden, Systemhouse,
310-860-3635; Ilene D. Cohen, ABS, 714-379-2400)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(DEN)(00011)

TI Software Speeds Semiconductor Production 07/20/93
DALLAS, TEXAS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- Texas Instruments
unveiled Works this week, software it described as a next-
generation computer integrated manufacturing program that could set
a new standard for semiconductor production.

The company says Works could significantly increase American
competitiveness, claiming the software has already set a world
record three-day production cycle for semiconductor manufacturing.
TI says Works may be the first commercially available product that
addresses the concepts of agile manufacturing that enables companies
to shift from mass manufacturing of one type of product to more
flexible production methods.

According to Donn McDonald, business development manager for TI's
computer integrated manufacturing operations, the long range
implication of Works is to significantly increase the
competitiveness of American semiconductor makers. McDonald says
Works represents a technology solution that addresses the growing
capital cost of building a new wafer fabrication plant, the large
plant size, and the inflexibility associated with current
state-of-the-art manufacturing.

TI Marketing Manager Bob Doran says typically a semiconductor
fabrication plant can cost as much as $1 billion, with about
three-quarters of the cost going for equipment. Yet only about 35
percent of the equipment can be used for production. Doran says
Works doubles the equipment utilization, which produces significant
savings of cost as well as allowing for greater flexibility.

According to McDonald, "Works can play an integral role in helping
reduce our dependence on foreign technologies while helping to
stabilize and increase US semiconductor employment."

TI says Works is the result of a five-year, $86 million joint
project that involved TI, the Advanced Research Projects Agency,
formerly known as DARPA, and the Air Force Wright Laboratory. In
1992 Sematech, a non-profit research consortium, awarded TI a
contract to codevelop and implement an industry standard software
framework for computer integrated manufacturing.

Works is made up of seven application modules that perform planning,
scheduling, specification and real-time control functions of the
semiconductor manufacturing process. In the past semiconductor
makers had to monitor production using hard data, a process that is
inefficient, time consuming, and helped contribute to the high ratio
of defective wafers. TI says using Works manufacturers can control
the wafer fabrication process in real-time, or as it occurs.

The company says it plans to expand the marketing program for Works
to other industries, including electronic components, chemicals,
pharmaceuticals, and automotive products, and will license Works to
its competitors in order to earn royalties. Royalties for various
products is a major source of income for Texas Instruments.

(Jim Mallory/19930720/Press contact: John Tammaro, Texas
Instruments, 214917-3944)


(NEWS)(IBM)(DEN)(00012)

Wordperfect Data/Fax Communications Software 07/20/93
OREM, UTAH, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- Wordperfect
Corporation announced this week it is now shipping a software
product that enables users to send and receive faxes from within
their DOS or Windows applications, as well as supports data
transfer.

Wordperfect Product Marketing Manager Richard Holder says the
product, named Wordperfect Communications with ExpressFax 2.0, will
allow users to send faxes from either Windows or DOS-based
applications without having to buy separate drivers.

New features in the combination communications-fax application
include fax forwarding, carbon copy faxing, and watermarks. Support
for PCL 4 and PCL 5 area also included so users can fax computer
files to Hewlett-Packard Laserjet II and later printer drivers.

The software was formerly known as MTEX/ExpressFax 1.17. Under its
new name and with the latest features, it is being bundled with
various computers and modems, including systems from Dell Computer
Corporation, Megahertz Corporation, Zoom Telephonics, and US
Robotics. The company says more than 800,000 copies of
MTEX/ExpressFax have been sold since the product was first
introduced.

Wordperfect Communications with ExpressFax is available directly
from Wordperfect Corporation at a suggested retail price of $99 in
the US and $120 in Canada. Users of earlier versions can upgrade for
$49 and $59 in the US or Canada respectively. Purchased from
Wordperfect Corporation, the software includes support for signature
and letterhead scanning, a service supplied by Wordperfect for $39
if you send them your signature and/or letterhead. The version of
the program that comes bundled with OEM products does not include
PCL 5 or letterhead/signature scanning. Software that supports those
features is also available for the OEM versions of the software
from Wordperfect for $39 US and $47 Canadian.

Richard Holder, technical product marketing manager for the product,
told Newsbytes Wordperfect Communications with ExpressFax 2.0 will
work with any Class I or II fax modem, but is not compatible with
fax board/software combinations that use their own proprietary
hardware. The program is scheduled to ship next week.

In other Wordperfect news, the company has announced an enhanced
cross-platform licensing program called Easy Move that allows a user
who purchases the company's word processing program Wordperfect for
Windows, OS/2, DOS, or the Macintosh to move to any of the other
three platforms using the same or an earlier version of the software
at no charge.

The company says an Easy Move license request is now being included
in all packages of Wordperfect 6.0 and 5.1 for DOS, Wordperfect 5.2
for Windows, Wordperfect 5.2 for OS/2, and Wordperfect 2.1 for
Macintosh. All the user has to do is fill out and mail the licensing
form or call a toll-free number to get a license for the new
platform.

The Easy Move program offers to ways to get the necessary disks and
documentation for the new platform. A media package that includes
program disks, a keyboard template, and a cross-platform migration
guide is available for $24.95. A similar package that also includes
complete manuals and documentation is also available, priced at
$59.95.

(Jim Mallory/19930720/Press contact: Blake Stowell, Wordperfect
Corporation, 801-228-5063 (ExpressFax info); Lyle Ball, 801-228-5060,
Easy Move info;Reader contact: Wordperfect Corporation,
800-451-5151 or 801-225-5000, fax [phone])


(NEWS)(GOVT)(DEN)(00013)

 ****FCC May Decide Microsoft Case This Week 07/20/93
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- The Federal Trade
Commission will reportedly try again this week to decide if
Microsoft Corporation has engaged in unfair business practices, as
some of its competitors claim.

The British news service Reuters says the case will be considered at
a closed meeting in Washington on Wednesday. All FTC meetings of
this type are closed to press and public, and commissioners are
notoriously tight-lipped about commission meetings. The scope of the
case has also narrowed, now reportedly focusing on whether Microsoft
Windows software was designed to prevent customers from using other
operating systems. Computers running the Windows operating
environment already use DOS (disk operating system) as the
underlying operating system, but Microsoft is the parent of that
program also. However, some computers, if they have big enough hard
drives to store all the software, and enough system memory, are
configured for the user to run other operating systems such as Unix.

The investigation into Microsoft has been ongoing for almost three
years, and appeared resolved once. However, competitors complained
to the FTC, and the case was re-opened. Earlier this year an FTC
panel became deadlocked after one member reportedly excused himself,
claiming a conflict of interest.

Reuters says political pressure is mounting to settle the case one
way of the other. Ohio's Democratic Senator Howard Metzenbaum, who
chairs the Senate Subcommittee on Antitrust, Monopolies, and
Business Rights, reportedly sent a letter recently to FTC
Chairperson Janet Steiger asking that the commission refer the case
to the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division for an independent
review if the commission deadlocked again.

(Jim Mallory/19930720/Press contact: Microsoft Public Relations,
206-882-8080)


(NEWS)(GENERAL)(LON)(00014)

More On Artisoft's Fault Tolerant LANtastic 07/20/93
SLOUGH, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- Artisoft has made a
name for itself with its LANtastic low-cost networking system, so
it comes as something of a surprise to discover that the technology
has been finding its way into mainstream and even specialist
networking environments. This why the company has been working with
a New York company -- No Stop -- to develop a fault tolerant adjunct
to the network operating system.

Fault tolerance, as the name implies, introduces a higher degree of
security to the network architecture. At its most basic (level one),
it involves mirroring (duplicating) the data held on hard disk so
that, if a disk crash occurs, then the system can continue running
on the secondary data, without the need to go "offline" to repair
the disk crash. Higher levels of fault tolerance (FT) introduce more
degrees of data and network integrity to the network.

No Stop calls its FT technology "No Stop Networking," and is
offering the network upgrade to all users of its LANtastic peer to
peer networking system software. Once installed, the upgrade
duplicates all hard disk writes to a second driver, which writes
them to a second hard drive.

This technique is known as disk mirroring and can be completed on
either two separate hard disks or, on budget systems, by splitting
the hard disk into two logical drives (e.g. C and D). This latter
option, though considerably cheaper than having a second drive, runs
the risk of a disk failure zapping both virtual drives.

Announcing the availability of the security upgrade to LANtastic,
Mac McKinley, Artisoft Europe's managing director, said that No Stop
is one of the first packages to be certified under the company's
software compatibility program.

"Compatible software products like No Stop Network software on the
LANtastic network means we can offer our customers valuable support
and security when planning their network," he explained, adding that
Artisoft's FT technology supports level three fault tolerance, as
defined by industry standards.

"No Stop network software provides level three FT, giving LANtastic
users real time and immediate access to the information on the
network in case of a problem with the server," he said.

So how does No Stop work? According to Artisoft, the network upgrade
is a DOS utility that runs on every workstations and claims to
protect against possible system failures, to include server, disk
medium and workstation to file server connection failures. This is
achieved by mirroring file access on a primary server to backup unit
or multiple servers.

Artisoft claims that the level three FT inherent in No Stop ensures
that all network data is written and backed up simultaneously which, in
the event of a server failure, allows continuous processing on the
backup server without data loss.

No Stop pricing depends on site licensing conditions, but Artisoft
claims that pricing is highly competitive. Bundling deals of No Stop
and LANtastic are available through the company's dealers.

(Steve Gold/19930720/Press & Public Contact: Artisoft - Tel: 0753-
554999; Fax: [phone])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00015)

UK - New Avanti! Internal PC Fax Modem 07/20/93
FELTHAM, MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- PPCP, the portable
communications specialist, has launched a new internal fax modem for
Toshiba notebook PCs. The company claims that the revamped "Avanti!"
modem complements the existing range of PCMCIA 2.0 products, rather
than competes with them.

PCMCIA standards for portable computer memory card industry
association. The number 2.0 signifies that the modem supports the
second level standard. The idea behind PCMCIA is that peripherals
of all types can slip into a PCMCIA slot on the side of a portable
PC, without the worry of compatibility issues.

The Avanti! internal fax modem is not a PCMCIA card unit. Instead,
it has been designed to slip into the Toshiba proprietary "D slot"
found on many Toshiba notebooks and portables. According to John
Nolan, PPCP's managing director, the introduction of a non-PCMCIA
modem has been carried out as there is still a significant demand
for such units.

"It's a question of listening to customer needs. With the industry
focus currently on PCMCIA, proprietary modems have been neglected
but many users do not need to be able to swap out their modem to
make room for another type of card," he said.

"We want the Avanti! range to provide a complete set of solutions to
users, which is why we have launched a high-speed internal," he
added.

The Avanti! modem prices in at UKP 599 and supports 14,400 bits per
second (V32Bis) data modem transmission, as well as 9,600 bps fax
transmissions. V.42Bis data compression and error correction is also
supported by the card.

(Steve Gold/19930720/Press & Public Contact: PPCP - Tel: 081-893-
2277; Fax: [phone])


(NEWS)(IBM)(LON)(00016)

UK - New Windows Accelerator 07/20/93
THAME, OXON, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- SPEA, the graphics card
manufacturer, best known for its Video Seven range of
cards, has announced Bigwin, a new software driver for Microsoft
Windows. The package claims to push the speed of Microsoft Windows
applications as high as possible when used with its range of
graphics cards.

Hugh Bishop, SPEA's managing director, claims that Bigwin is faster
than any other graphics accelerator on the market for Windows. The
package, which has been designed for use with the Video Seven cards
from the company, is available for download free of charge from
SPEA's bulletin board in Germany on [phone] (all speeds to
V32Bis, 8N1 parity).

"Drivers are becoming increasingly advanced, as sophisticated
applications are being developed under Windows. Recognizing these
advancements, SPEA has made a significant investment into research
and development in this field. Bigwin is the culmination of this
investment," he said.

Bishop reckons that Bigwin is likely to become a best seller in the
graphics card industry and not just because of the sales success of
Video Seven cards. He claims that the package draws on the
experience of the company's knowledge in the graphics card industry,
enabling it to outperform traditional Windows drivers by as much as
80 percent.

The secret of Bigwin is that it makes extensive use of a
proprietary disk caching system known as Wincache. The
cache boosts the disk cache facilities of Windows' Smartdrive
utility, allowing users to change their software configurations "on
the fly."

Does the package work? This Newsbytes bureau downloaded the driver
and ran it with a SVGA Video Seven card that is almost two years
old, running under Microsoft DOS 6.0 and Windows 3.1 into 4
megabytes (MB) of memory and was pleasantly surprised. If you have a
Video Seven, Bigwin seems to be worth downloading.

(Steve Gold/19930720/Press & Public Contact: SPEA - Tel: 0844-
261886)


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00017)

Hayes Intros European Sysop Program 07/20/93
FLEET, HAMPSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- Hayes Microcomputer
Products has announced the European side of the modem manufacturer's
system operator (sysop) program. The program, which runs up to the
end of September, allow bulletin board system (BBS) sysops the
chance to buy Hayes modems at discounted prices.

No strings seem to be attached to the offer, although Hayes -- as
with all modem manufacturers with offers of this type -- checks on
whether the BBS is actually online and, as a courtesy, expects
sysops to give the company a mention on their board.

The deal is quite impressive, Newsbytes notes. Sysops can buy an
Ultra 144, the company's flagship 14,400 bps modem, for UKP 200,
against a retail price of UKP 899. Also available is the company's
ESP (enhanced serial port) card for Windows, which retails for UKP
199. Sysops can buy the card for UKP 90.

John Babb, general manager of Hayes European region, claims that the
deal is very generous and in line with the parallel program
available in the US.

"We're always looking to offer the sysop community the best
technology available. This latest initiative now offers sysops the
opportunity to buy the latest high speed communications products
from Hayes at advantageous prices," he said.

Sysops interested in obtaining a modem and/or card under the deal
are asked to telephone, fax or email the sysop coordinator. Billing
is in sterling (UKP), regardless of which country to which
the modem is to be shipped, although the price does include duty
and shipping in the European Community (EC). Hayes has asked
Newsbytes to point out that shipment outside of the EC may
attract extra customs duty.

Hayes maintains its own BBS at its UK headquarters. The BBS, which
has more details of this offer, plus other products from the
company, can be contacted on 0252-775599.

(Steve Gold/19930720/Press & Public Contact: Hayes - Tel: 0252-
775555; Fax: [phone]; Email on The Internet: [e-mail]
or [e-mail])


(NEWS)(TELECOM)(LON)(00018)

Northern Telecom Scores In Poland 07/20/93
WARSAW, POLAND, 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- Northern Telecom Elwro, Northern
Telecom's joint venture company in Poland, has been awarded a US$1
million contract from Tesla Praha Strasnice, the Czech telephone
company. Terms of the contract call for NTE to supply its phones for
use in Czechoslovakia.

This is the first export order for the new joint venture company
and involves the supply of Polish-manufactured Elektron
telephones under the Northern Telecom brand name.

The Elektron phones, which have been approved for connection to both
the Polish and the Czech phone networks, will be manufactured at
Northern Telecom Elwro's plant in Wroclaw in Southern Poland.

The deal is a valuable pay-off for Northern Telecom, the parent
company, as it has just completed an $8 million investment in the
Wroclaw facility. The plant is now capable of manufacturing both the
Elektron phone, as well as line cards for the NT Digital Multiplex
System (DMS) central office switch. Production capacity at the
Wroclaw facility is now at a million phones a year.

Andrew Kerry, NT's director general of Poland, said that the order
is significant to the company's strategy for growth in the region.
"It's the first step in the development of an export base," he said,
adding that he expects to continue to build a relationship with
Tesla Praha Strasnice and increase the volume of exports as a
result.

Northern Telecom Elwro was established in February, 1992 to
manufacturer and supply public switching equipment and phone sets in
Poland. The company is 51 percent owned by NT and 49 percent owned
by Elwro, the Wroclaw-based electronics company.

(Steve Gold/19930720/Press & Public Contact: Northern Telecom - Tel:
0628-812483)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00019)

AutoCAD Release 12 For Mac 07/20/93
SAUSALITO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- Autodesk
has announced the availability of AutoCAD Release 12 for the
Macintosh.

Lynne Saunders, spokesperson for the company, told Newsbytes,
that the Macintosh platform is a large marketplace for Autodesk.
"For a start, the Macintosh platform is our fourth largest selling
platform. Autodesk supports just about every platform there is.
Macintosh applications in the CAD marketplace don't have a lot
of products. A lot of them are not going to be upgraded any further.
A lot of companies are dropping their CAD software programs on
the Mac platform. Autodesk has identified that there is a large
opportunity for us within the Macintosh market."

In announcing the product, John Lynch, vice president of Autodesk's
Product Development Group, said: "This Macintosh version of AutoCAD
is very easy to master and it provides the power and productivity
needed by architects and engineers who favor the Macintosh platform.
The Apple Macintosh is an important platform for Autodesk, and this
fully compatible version of AutoCAD represents a strengthening of
our commitment to the Macintosh user."

According to the company, this version includes all key AutoCAD
Release 12 features, including support for the Advanced Modeling
Extension (AME), AutoCAD Development System (ADS), AutoCAD
Visualization Extension (AVE), AutoCAD SQL Interface (ASI),
AutoCAD SQL Extension (ASE), Autodesk Device Interface(ADI),
AutoLISP, and 8-bit fonts.

In addition, features specific to the Macintosh platform include:
an increase in speed; enhanced GUI (graphical user interface) menus
and dialog boxes; user-customizable tool palette; interactive status
and coordinate display line; support for icon and text menus; support
for AppleShare networks; support for PICT file format; copy and
paste and text scrolling capabilities in the graphics command line
area; and use of ADB digitizer as a system mouse.

Version 12 also includes a drag and drop feature that allows users
to open drawings or run scripts by simply dragging documents into
AutoCAD.

Said Saunders to Newsbytes, "The Macintosh platform is also a very
appealing one for people still using the drafting board and pencil-
based drafters. And there are still a lot of pencil-based drafters out
there, even though architectural and engineering firms may have CAD
programs in their departments. Research has shown that about 35
percent of those offices are on CAD, but then there's 65 percent of
designers and architects that aren't using CAD. The Macintosh and
Windows platforms are very enticing for those people."

The are a number of reasons for this, she continued. "The learning
curve is a lot shallower. They have a perception that there is less
loss of productivity. It is less costly, because they come up to
speed quicker on the Macintosh platform."

AutoCAD Release 12 for the Macintosh runs on the Macintosh Quadra
series 700, 800, 900 and 950; Macintosh Centris 650; Macintosh IIci,
IIcx, IIvx, IIfx, IIsi and IIx; Macintosh SE/30 and LCIII under System
version 7.1 or higher. All models must have a math coprocessor and
a monitor which supports at least 640 by 480 pixel resolution.

AutoCAD Release 12 for the Macintosh is listed at $3,750. Current
users of Release 10 can upgrade to Release 12 for $700. Also
current users of Release 11 can upgrade for $500.

(Ian Stokell/19930720/Press Contact: Lynne Saunders,
415-332-2344 ext 8753, Autodesk)


(NEWS)(UNIX)(SFO)(00020)

SunSoft Motif Toolkit For Solaris 2.2 07/20/93
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- In a move
designed to reinforce SunSoft's "commitment" to the Common Open
Software Environment (COSE) process, the company has announced
the availability of a Motif toolkit for the Solaris 2.2 operating
system.

According to the company, the introduction gives software developers
a head start in creating applications for the new Common Desktop
Environment (CDE).

The Common Open Software Environment process was established in
March of this year by such notable Unix vendors as Hewlett-Packard,
IBM, Unix Systems Laboratories, Santa Cruz Operation, and SunSoft.
The process is intended to "expedite" the adoption of standards and
promote greater consistency and interoperability among Unix
system products in the industry. Some argue that it necessary in
order to ward off the potential threat of Microsoft's Windows NT
operating system. Microsoft has targeted Unix as initially NT's
main competitor in the business marketplace.

Sun claims that the introduction is also "a first step toward the
delivery of a CDE-based product next year."

The new Motif 1.2.2 toolkit offers software developers a set of
tools that include the Motif libraries, Motif Window Manager and the
User Interface Language (UIL) compiler. The toolkit is based on the
X Window System and X Toolkit Intrinsics from MIT and works with
X11R5 libraries, making it portable across a wide range of hardware
platforms, says the company.

According to the company, the toolkit offers a set of drag and drop
operations, enabling developers to create user models for data
selection and transfer.

The company also says that the UIL compiler allows developers to
conduct rapid user interface design and prototyping without
requiring massive amounts of code, which significantly reduces
application development time. The toolkit also supports level 4
internationalization to provide software localization for the
European and Asian markets.

In announcing the product, Jim Billmaier, vice president of marketing
at SunSoft, said: "SunSoft continues to demonstrate its commitment
to open systems and the COSE process. With today's announcement
we are providing our software developers with the technologies
needed to accelerate their move to the new common desktop
environment."

Last month, the companies submitted the CDE specification to the
X/Open organization and in October the companies will hold a
developer conference that will focus on technologies and
application development for this new environment.

The SunSoft Motif 1.2.2 Developer Toolkit for Solaris 2.2 SPARC is
available immediately at the price of $295 in single quantity. The
company says that a Motif toolkit for the Solaris x86 environment
will be available in 90 days.

(Ian Stokell/19930720/Press Contact: Laura Ramsey,
415-336-0739, SunSoft Inc.; or Dan Stevens, 415-904-7000,
Hi-Tech Communications)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00021)

Conner Posts 2Qtr Losses 07/20/93
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- Conner Peripherals
continues on its financially troubled way, and has now posted a
$58.8 million loss for its second quarter ended June 30, 1993.

Sales were $490.6 million, a decrease of 11 percent from the second
quarter of 1992. The company's loss of $58.8 million translated into
$1.19 per share in the quarter, compared to net income of $46 million
or $0.63 per share on a fully diluted basis in the like period last year.
Included in the second quarter loss was a $12 million charge against
earnings to write down inventories of certain older disk drive
products, said the company.

Without Compaq Computer, sales would have been even less. Conner
said that sales to Compaq were 16 percent of total revenue during
the quarter, compared to 11 percent in the like period a year ago.

Finis Conner, chairman and chief executive officer, blamed a number
of factors, saying: "As previously announced, this quarter's results
were negatively impacted by a variety of factors, including soft
demand of certain products due to industry over capacity,
unparalleled price deterioration and a major transition from older,
less profitable products. Although we see this difficulty continuing
to a lesser degree through the third quarter, we also believe we
have taken the actions necessary to emerge as a stronger competitor
in the future."

The company is planning new products. Said Conner, "These actions
include a broad lineup of new storage products covering disk, tape,
software and storage systems, which we will continue to announce
through the end of the year." said Conner.

As reported by Newsbytes, Conner has been restructuring its
organization for some time.

In February Newsbytes reported that the company made a "series of
changes in its operations in response to a decline in market demand
for disk drives with capacities of 120 megabyte (MB) or less due to
newer computer system requirements for higher capacity and
performance." As a result, the company said it was going to increase
production of some of its new products.

In March, Newsbytes reported that the company had reorganized
around four market groups: the OEM (original equipment manufacturer)
Products Group; the Distribution Products Group; the Software
Products Group; and the Storage Systems Group.

Then in April Newsbytes reported that the company, in announcing
expected lower earnings for its first quarter, 1993, was considering
various restructuring options. At that time Kevin Burr, spokesman
for the company, told Newsbytes that, "We don't know if we will
take a restructuring at this point. We are still investigating the best
way to downsize our company, and to reduce our costs."

(Ian Stokell/19930720/Press Contact: Regina Gindin,
408-456-3125, or Kevin Burr, 408-456-3134, both of Conner
Peripherals)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(SFO)(00022)

VLSI Posts Profitable 2Qtr 07/20/93
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- After posting
a number of losing financial quarters, VLSI Technology has
recorded record revenues of $128 million for its second quarter
ended June 26, 1993.

According to the company, revenues were up 9.1 percent from the
first quarter 1993, and up 22.9 percent from the same quarter a
year ago. Net income was reported as $3 million, or $0.09 per
share, as compared to a net loss of $4 million, or $0.15 per share
for the same period a year ago. Operating income was $4.6 million,
compared to a loss of $1.5 million in the same quarter a year ago
and a loss of $363,000 for the first quarter of 1993.

In announcing the results, Alfred J. Stein, chairman and chief
executive officer, said: "Our continued growth and return to
profitability highlights the efforts to differentiate our new products,
and to rapidly deliver them to the marketplace. On the strength
of our differentiated new products, revenue and new order rates
were exceptionally strong across all business segments and
geographies, most notably in our PC-related and communications
businesses. Increasing customer demand is spurring growth across
the semiconductor market, which we believe will continue through
the remainder of this year."

The company maintains that the PC market contributed considerably
to the increase in revenue. Said Stein, "Our Personal Computer
Divisions marked the shipment of their two millionth chip set into
486 systems, as unit shipments of chip sets set new quarterly
records. Major new product introductions in the quarter showcased
VLSI's continued leadership in the development of PC core logic
solutions.

"Most gratifying was the company's improvement in gross margin to
38.4 percent in the second quarter from 32.9 percent in the first
quarter. This improvement stems from a richer product mix within
our Personal Computer Divisions, improvements in manufacturing
performance, revenue strength at COMPASS, and less pressure on
pricing as industry-wide capacity tightened," said Stein.

(Ian Stokell/19930720/Press Contact: Gregory K. Hinckley,
408-434-7836, VLSI Technology Inc.)


(NEWS)(IBM)(TOR)(00023)

IBM Offers Print On Demand Service 07/20/93
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- IBM is taking
a service it has used internally for about a year and offering it
to others: it will custom-print documents and deliver them
anywhere in the world within 72 hours.

IBM said its new service will cut printing costs and boost cash
flow. The company's own Software Manufacturing Company estimates
that IBM will save $1.2 million this year by using the Print On
Demand service for product documentation.

Here's how it works. A business provides IBM with its documents,
by electronic transmission, on disk, or on paper in a form that
can be scanned. IBM stores them on optical disks. Businesses can
then order copies of the documents to be printed and sent
anywhere as needed. They can also order revisions and have their
documents customized for specific groups of readers.

Initially all printing will be done at a central facility in
Mechanicsburg, Ohio, a spokeswoman for the company said. Over
time, IBM plans to add facilities elsewhere in the United States
and around the world. At some point in future, customers will
probably also be able to have documents sent directly to their
own printers.

Documents can also be output to compact disk read-only memory
(CD-ROM) or microfiche, or delivered electronically, company
officials said.

"Companies that frequently revise, print and distribute documents
will experience improved cash flow and cost savings by being able
to produce documentation as needed," said Michael P. Kiyosaki,
director of marketing for the IBM Software Manufacturing Company,
in a prepared statement.

IBM claimed its service is the most comprehensive of its kind,
based on an open architecture that takes advantage of a variety
of output devices and network configurations. IBM said it
contracted with Eastman Kodak Co. to provide a print-on-demand
facility that can print more than 25 million pages per month.

The service is available to customers now on a limited basis, and
will be fully functional by the beginning of the fourth quarter.

(Grant Buckler/19930720/Press Contact: Barbara Cerf, IBM, 914-
642-4664; Paul McKeon or Ruth Doering, Crescent Communications
for IBM, 404-698-8650)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00024)

Macintosh System Management Utility 07/20/93
NORTHBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- Software
Toolsmiths has released AboutThatMac, a tool for network managers
and system support personnel that allows them to remotely monitor
application memory use and diagnose problems with application
memory sizes.

Similar to the Apple Finder's "About This Macintosh" dialog box,
AboutThatMac lists all background processes separately, giving
a more detailed view of the memory use on any Mac on a network.
It uses Apple Events for communication between client and server
and the Process Manager to get information on processes.

AboutThatMac requires System 7.0 or greater and is being
distributed as shareware or may be ordered directly from Software
Toolsmiths. Registered users receive a printed manual, a disk with
the latest versions of both client and server software and free
telephone support. Included on the disk is a demonstration version
of Software Toolsmiths' upcoming release, Remote Performance
Monitor for Macintosh scheduled for a Winter 1993 release.

The AboutThatMac shareware package, including the ST PerfMonitor
data server, is available on America Online, CompuServe and Internet
Macintosh software archives. The registration fee is $25 for
AboutThatMac, and $10 for each copy of ST PerfMonitor, which must
be placed on each networked Mac to be monitored. Site licenses
and volume discounts for networks larger than ten nodes are
available.

For more information, or to order the AboutThatMac package, please
contact Software Toolsmiths, 21 Lexington Road, Northborough MA,
01532, Telephone [phone]; Internet/Usenet: [e-mail];
America Online: SWTlsmiths; CompuServe: 71552, 2574.

(Wendy Woods/19930720/Press Contact: Gina Rubattino, 415-474-0407)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00025)

Paint Effects For Adobe Photoshop 07/20/93
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- Xaos Tools
famous for Silicon Graphics-based software products Pandemonium and
nTITLE, are shipping their first product for the Macintosh platform:
Paint Alchemy, an image enhancement tool that works in conjunction
with Adobe Photoshop, and applications which support the Photoshop
Plug-in standard.

Paint Alchemy is a brushing engine that offers users 75 different
pre-set styles combined with access to 36 controls for customized
image effects. Paint Alchemy also ships with Floppy Full of Brushes, a
collection of an additional 50 brushes.

Included with Paint Alchemy are numerous pre-set styles, offering
an array of effects, such as Pastel, Ripple, Vortex, and Bubbles.
The styles provide "push button" simplicity, the company says,
for quickly achieving a desired effect and in addition they serve
as a starting point from which artists can take over the user interface
controls for further customization.

"This incredible brush machine is a new kind of tool for graphic
artists to explore," stated Arthur Schwartzberg, president and
co-founder of Xaos Tools, Inc. "Our technology, which has until
now only been available on the Silicon Graphics platform, has been
forged to meet the needs of a very high end and demanding
client base. Though Paint Alchemy represents a very small piece of
our technology, it is a very cool and powerful product and is our
way of saying hello to the Macintosh community. There is a lot
more to come."

Paint Alchemy requires a color Apple Computer Macintosh running
system 6.05 or later, and 32-bit QuickDraw.

Paint Alchemy and Floppy Full of Brushes come bundled at an
introductory price of $49 through August 15, 1993. Retail pricing of
Paint Alchemy is $99 and $19.95 for Floppy Full of Brushes.

(Wendy Woods/19930720)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00026)

Digital Vision Drops Computereyes Price 07/20/93
DEDHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- Digital Vision
reports it has dropped prices on its ComputerEyes/RT video frame
grabber and the ComputerEyes/Pro video digitizer, as well as its
entire IBM PC ComputerEyes line.

Effective immediately, Digital Vision's top of the line frame
grabber, ComputerEyes/RT, drops in price by 33% from $599.95 to
$399.95. Both ComputerEyes/Pro, the still-video digitizer and
ComputerEyes/RT Monochrome, the black-and-white version of
ComputerEyes/RT, drop 25% from $399.95 to $299.95.

"Our philosophy has always been that of providing the best product
at the best possible price," said Digital Vision President David
Pratt. "These new prices simply make ComputerEyes an incredible
value. They bring the price of our high quality capture cards in
line with, or lower than, many of the popular but lesser quality
capture cards on the market today."

ComputerEyes/RT grabs full-screen, 640 x 480, 16.7 million color
images in 1/30th of a second from any source with NTSC composite
video or S-video output. The result is near-photographic quality
images in black-and-white, color, or gray-scale. The user can
then save the images in Targa, TIFF, PCX, GIF, JPEG, and other file
formats and use them in desktop publishing, graphic arts, image
databasing, presentations, or a variety of other applications.
ComputerEyes/RT also grabs movies and stores them to Autodesk
Animator or Microsoft Video for Windows compatible files.

ComputerEyes/RT is available in a full 24-bit color version, or a
black-and-white version.

Digital Vision says that ComputerEyes/RT is one of the only
frame grabber cards that truly captures full video frames and
true RGB data; other popular TV-in-a-window cards capture
single video fields, only about half the resolution and half the
number of colors, making for inferior quality captures. And since
ComputerEyes/RT does not attach to the VGA feature connector, it
is compatible with virtually every VGA display adapter.

The firm says that ComputerEyes/RT does not impose the memory
restrictions that other frame grabbers do; you can have 8, 16,
32 or more megabytes of RAM with no compatibility problems.
ComputerEyes/RT also comes with both DOS and Windows software.
A developers kit and developers support is available.

"Other frame grabbers use chip sets that limit the resolution and
limit the number of colors you can capture. Since ComputerEyes/RT
uses its own method of image capture, we do not face the same
limitations," said Mr. Pratt.

For more information contact Steve Sarsfield, Digital Vision, Inc.,
270 Bridge St., Dedham, MA 02026. Telephone: [phone].
Fax: [phone].

(Wendy Woods/19930720/Press Contact: Ann Revell-Pechar, 206-781-7830)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00027)

Blyth Shipping New Omnis 07/20/93
FOSTER CITY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- Blyth Software
has been shipping the latest version of its client server
"application life-cycle environment," Omnis 7 version 2.

Omnis 7 version 2 offers an environment to design, prototype,
develop, deploy, maintain, and revise graphical user interface (GUI)
client/server applications. The company reports that is has been
tested at over 150 sites since February 1993 and is shipping to
over 300 sites now including both new customers and
upgrades for existing customers.

Omnis 7 version 2 currently enables binary cross-platform applications
development for Windows and Macintosh operating systems. Blyth
intends to extend this cross-platform compatibility to three
additional desktop operating systems: OS/2, NT and Unix (Motif).

The company's products enable application developers in both
MIS organizations and custom software development organizations
to build cross platform, mission critical applications capable of
running on multi-vendor networks and accessing SQL and non-SQL
databases. Blyth Holdings has its headquarters in Foster City and
offices in the United Kingdom.

(Wendy Woods/0720/Press Contact: Philip Edholm, 415/571-0222)


(NEWS)(IBM)(SFO)(00028)

Image Machines Adds MAPI Support To Windows E-Mail 07/20/93
HERNDON, VIRGINIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- Image Machines
Corporation reports that version 2.0 of its Windows e-mail
package, NvMail, will feature built-in support for Microsoft's Messaging
Application Programming Interface or MAPI. Existing customers of NvMail
will receive free upgrades to the new release when it ships in August,
1993.

Adding support for MAPI to NvMail will provide the product with greater
exposure and allow its users to integrate it more easily with their
existing Windows applications, according to David Geller, NvMail's
product director. "Support for MAPI will signal a commitment on
behalf of our company to adopt and work with industry standards for
messaging interfaces."

Mr. Geller noted that MAPI is the beginning of NvMail's integration
with developing industry standards for Windows messaging products. Plans
are in place for NvMail to support Lotus' Vendor Independent Messaging
(VIM) specification and CC:Mail API in October, 1993.

NvMail provides offices with a LAN-based electronic mail facility
that the firm claims can typically be installed and put into service
within a matter of minutes. NvMail was the first Windows e-mail
package with direct support for voice messages, says Geller.
"This feature alone makes the integration of business audio with
electronic mail feasible. While other e-mail packages may allow
voice clips to be attached to messages, NvMail is the only Windows
e-mail package that has its own audio recording tool built-in
allowing users to simply click a button with their mouse to begin
recording their message."

NvMail is sold in three configurations: a 10-User pack ($295 US), a
25-User pack ($495) and a 100+ User pack ($995). The 100+ User pack can be
used for any number of users. NvMail can be used on any personal computer
running Microsoft Windows and is compatible with any Windows-compatible
local area network (LAN) including Novell NetWare and NetWare Lite,
Microsoft LAN Manager and Windows for Workgroups, Banyan Vines, Artisoft
Lantastic, InvisibleLAN, PC-NFS and others.

(Wendy Woods/19930720/Press Contact: David Geller, 703-709-7475)


(NEWS)(APPLE)(SFO)(00029)

Mac IIfx Accelerator 07/20/93
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- Spectrum Computer
has released a hardware upgrade for the Macintosh IIfx which
accelerates the IIfx to 50MHz and provides as much as a 32-percent
improvement in performance over the standard Mac IIfx, the company
says.

The Mach 5 Upgrade brings the IIfx to near-Quadra 700 and 900
performance at a fraction of the cost. The $200 upgrade includes
on-site installation by Apple-certified technicians (in the San
Francisco Bay Area) and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee,
a 90-day parts and labor warranty, and one year free telephone
technical support. The Mach 5 Upgrade can also be installed by
sending your IIfx to Spectrum Computer; upgrades are shipped
within 24 hours of receipt. For additional information, call
408/286-6615.

(Computer Currents/19930720)


(NEWS)(BUSINESS)(LAX)(00030)

 ****Technology Stocks Hit, But They'll Be Back  07/20/93
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 JUL 20 (NB) -- Losses at
Apple and Dell have made investors nervous and all computer
technology stocks are starting to drop, according to analysts.
But Computer Intelligence analyst Dan Ness says this "mad rush"
is a typical reaction in a market where there is so much
mystery for investors, but in two or three weeks everything
could swing the other way.

Investor nervousness has been credited for the listing of
leading companies such as Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, IBM,
Apple, Motorola, DEC, Hewlett-Packard, Texas Instruments,
Electronic Arts, and others in the top twenty stocks showing
the largest losses in yesterday's trading. But the turnaround
may have already begun for Apple Computer, as it was up in today's
trading.

The word "layoffs" is what makes investors nervous, said Ness,
because some interpret staff cuts as "the beginning of the
end." Reports are IBM will lay off again and some analysts are
saying they don't follow IBM anymore. But Ness said Computer
Intelligence can't afford not to follow the giant. "I suppose
some analysts might say they won't follow General Motors
anymore either, but IBM is too large a player in the industry
to give up on." Ness likened the situation to when Mark Twain
read his obituary and said, "Reports of my death are greatly
exaggerated." "IBM isn't dead yet," Ness quipped, citing
reports on the excellence of the Thinkpad 700C as an example of
the "new IBM."

Apple is another hopeful, according to Ness, who said Apple has
always had a visionary direction. "The problem for Apple has
been getting from the past to the future," according to Ness.
Two problems hit Apple hard -- PC prices dropped forcing Apple
to cut its margins and buyers changed quickly. Buyers have both
caught up on how to use computers and they've figured out they
don't have to buy through traditional channels. Apple's loyalty
to their resellers may have hurt them in getting into the new
retail channels with their products as fast as they might have
otherwise, Ness maintains.

As to who might emerge as the main hardware player in the
computer industry, Ness says of the players out there, the
choice has been and will always be "other." "Since IBM opened
up the PC standard, there have always been "other" players in
the market who as a whole, were the predominant force. That
trend will continue."

(Linda Rohrbough/19930720/Press Contact: Dan Ness, Computer
Intelligence, tel [phone])