Path: seunet!news2.swip.net!sunic!sunic.sunet.se!trane.uninett.no!eunet.no!nuug!Norway.EU.net!EU.net!howland.reston.ans.net!spool.mu.edu!olivea!rahul.net! From: mcivr@kaiwan009.kaiwan.com (Robert H. McIver) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.comm,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.systems,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.cd-rom,comp.sys.ibm.pc.software,comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc,a Subject: The HiTek Report 3/13 Date: 13 Mar 1995 09:31:41 -0800 Organization: KAIWAN Internet (310-527-4279,818-756-0180,909-785-9712,714-638-4133,805-294-9338) Lines: 459 Message-ID: <3k1vht$9h8@kaiwan009.kaiwan.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: kaiwan009.kaiwan.com Xref: seunet!news2.swip.net comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.comm:2438 comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.systems:5703 comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.cd-rom:4206 comp.sys.ibm.pc. ************************************************************************ ******* The HiTek Report (tm) ******* ************************************************************************ The HiTek Report, a summary of news releases on information technology, is provided weekly to subscribers as a free Internet user service by Smith/McIver Communications. The complete news releases of the summaries in this newsletter are available to subscribers upon request. ************************************************************************ Vol 2 March 13, 1995 Number 6 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ In This Issue --------------- -COMPUTER HARDWARE- 1818 - Compaq Enhances LTE Elite Notebook Family 1827 - Expandable keyboard puts new IBM ThinkPad in a class of its own -PERIPHERALS- 1814 - OKI Semiconductor introduces enhanced voice products 1815 - HP Launches Powerwise family of Power Supplies for Europe 1817 - HP Introduces Low-cost Laser Printers 1822 - Tektronix delivers color printing breakthrough 1826 - Boca Research and Radish Communications announce Boca first 1828 - AT&T Paradyne announces new V.34 modem 1829 - Data Race announces Winmax 'Soft' modem, Fax, Lan Combo PC Card -SOFTWARE- 1816 - Shareware Industry Award Foundation announces conference 1820 - Hayes first to introduce bold new pricing 1821 - PC Data releases list of top-selling software for 1994 1830 - Corel announces participation in Corelnet 1832 - Bitstream Enhances Multilingual Communication on the Internet -CD-ROM / MULTI-MEDIA 1819 - Toshiba unveils an integrated CD-ROM -MISCL- 1813 - Users to present case histories at Ergonomics Exposition 1823 - New study on Microsoft 1824 - PC Concepts to feature new ergonomic keyboard II 1825 - U.S. home computing market is world's most advanced 1831 - Making the virtual office a reality 1833 - Michelangelo computer virus hits strongly on March 6 1834 - EDS expands operations into Africa 1835 - The Alliance at Cebit '95 1836 - New Penthouse Internet Service Breaks Records For Usage 1837 - Senate Bill 314 --- ======================================================================== ******* Computer Hardware - Software - Peripherals - Books ******* News and Press Releases from week of: 03/06/95 ======================================================================== #1813 MORE THAN 10 CORPORATE END USERS TO PRESENT CASE HISTORIES AT THE SECOND ANNUAL ERGONOMICS EXPOSITION AND CONFERENCE NEW YORK - March 6, 1995 - Hands-on, practical information from end users will be in abundant supply at the second annual Ergonomics Exposition and Conference, to be held April 18-20, 1995 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta. "Our first Ergonomics Exposition and Conference, held last year, was a sell-out success primarily because it focused on how-to information and practical solutions," comments Rita Kotch, executive vice president, Kotch & Poliak, exposition producers. "This year's event will be even more end-user oriented. Attendees will be able to learn from speakers who have hands-on experience in implementing in-house programs -- and who are willing to share their successes and failures," she adds. info: tel. 212/486-6186 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- #1814 OKI SEMICONDUCTOR INTRODUCES ENHANCED VOICE PRODUCTS OFFERING SUPERIOR, REALISTIC SPEECH SUNNYVALE, Calif. - March 6, 1995 - OKI Semiconductor announced Monday the immediate availability of a highly integrated family of audio playback ICs with enhanced, natural speech characteristics. "The pent-up demand for this product becomes apparent when you consider the countless opportunities to improve the connection between people and computerized products by adding or substituting speech prompts for visual instructions," noted Avi Zakai, product marketing manager for OKI Semiconductor. "The possibilities become even more obvious when you compare the MSM665X series' natural speech reproduction to the disingenuous, robotic, computerized voices often heard today," he added. info: tel. 800/OKI-6388 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- #1815 HP LAUNCHES POWERWISE FAMILY OF UNINTERRUPTIBLE POWER SUPPLIES FOR EUROPE PALO ALTO, Calif. - March 6, 1995 - Hewlett-Packard Company today introduced its first full line of uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) for the European market, featuring preemptive power protection and powerful ease-of-use management software. The HP PowerWise UPS are available in 600-VA, 900-VA, 1000-VA and 2100-VA models. They provide reliable, flexible and easy-to-manage power protection for users and offer a full range of choices for protecting their network nodes, servers, applications and data against fluctuations in or loss of power, including surges, sags, spikes, brownouts and catastrophic outages. info: CompuServe: 74431,1455 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- #1816 SHAREWARE INDUSTRY AWARD FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES FIFTH ANNUAL SHAREWARE INDUSTRY CONFERENCE SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - March 6, 1995 - The Shareware Industry Award Foundation (SIAF) announces that its Fifth Annual Shareware Industry Conference (SIC) will be held June 22-25 at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort in Scottsdale. The highlight of SIC '95 will be the presentation of the Shareware Industry Awards, the most prestigious honors bestowed on companies within this $300 million industry. SIC '95 will provide shareware industry participants with the chance to meet and talk to others within the industry, to attend educational seminars and workshops led by some of the most experienced individuals within the industry, and to be introduced to vendor exhibitors supplying the equipment and services needed to grow a business. info: tel. 602/443-4109 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- #1817 HP INTRODUCES LOW-COST LASER PRINTERS PALO ALTO, Calif. - March 6, 1995 - Hewlett-Packard Company today introduced the first HP printers to offer support for wireless communications. Equipped with built-in Infrared (IR) technology, the new low-cost printers allow users of IR-compatible computing devices to print files without first having to establish a physical connection between printer and device. The IR capability of the LaserJet 5P and LaserJet 5MP printers highlights HP's commitment to technological innovation and to the company's pioneering role in wireless computing. info: tel. 800 752-0900 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- #1818 COMPAQ ENHANCES THE ELITE NOTEBOOK FAMILY HOUSTON - Mar. 6, 1995 - Extending its competitive market position in high-performance notebook PCs, Compaq Computer Corporation today introduced four new models to its award-winning LTE Elite family of notebook computers. Providing customers with enhanced features, including larger displays and hard drives, the new Compaq LTE Elite 4/75CXL and the LTE Elite 4/75C make portable computing easier and more convenient for mobile customers. info: tel. 800-888-5858 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- #1819 MULTIMEDIA TO GO IRVINE, Calif. - March 6, 1995 - Bringing to market its first notebook computer with an integrated 5.25-inch double speed CD-ROM drive, the Computer Systems Division of Toshiba America Information System, Inc. (TAIS) Monday unveiled the Satellite Pro(tm) T2150CD Series which combines all the performance and capabilities needed for a no- compromise portable multimedia solution. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- #1820 HAYES FIRST TO INTRODUCE BOLD NEW PRICING TO THE COMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE MARKET ATLANTA, March 6 - Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc. today announced that it is shipping its complete Windows communications software solution, Smartcom Data/Fax Pro, for less than half the price of competitive software programs. "This low-cost offering of Hayes full-featured integrated data/fax communications software is intended to expand the market in the same way that the modem market has expanded as prices have dropped over the past three years," said Dennis C. Hayes, president, Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc. info: Internet, ahooper@hayes.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- #1821 PC DATA RELEASES LIST OF TOP-SELLING SOFTWARE FOR 1994 RESTON, Va., March 6 - Home Education and CD-ROM software were the big winners of 1994, according to software sales data released today by PC Data. Overall, 1994 retail software sales increased 19% over 1993. The biggest increases came in educational software, with an increase in sales of 50%, and personal productivity software, which increased by 43% over 1993. CD-ROM software sales increased by a whopping 354% over 1993, and now represents 37% of sales dollars of software sold at retail. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- #1822 TEKTRONIX DELIVERS COLOR PRINTING BREAKTHROUGH WILSONVILLE, Ore., March 6 - Tektronix Inc. has developed a new desktop color printing technology that the company believes is fast, simple, and reliable enough to transform how color printing is used in the typical office. The new technology combines the proven reliability of solid inks with a fast offset-drum architecture to yield a print speed of 4 pages per minute on common office paper. This speed surpasses other desktop laser-class color printers, yet it is much simpler to operate than ordinary color laser because it employs no toners or complicated components for users to maintain. info: tel. 800-835-6100 or 503-682-7377 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- #1823 NEW STUDY ON MICROSOFT PALO ALTO, Calif. - March 7, 1995 - According to a study soon to be released by Killen & Associates, Microsoft will have a major impact on the global financial services market by the year 2000, with $2 billion of electronic funds services (EFS) revenues. "Microsoft's Global Electronic Financial Services Strategy: Impact and Opportunity" projects that within 5 years, Microsoft's preeminent position in personal computer software, emerging on-line services, and other strategic resources will enable it to muscle into the top 15 EFS suppliers to capture substantial business now controlled almost exclusively by banks and other financial service providers. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- #1824 PC CONCEPTS TO FEATURE NEW ERGONOMIC KEYBOARD II PACOIMA, Calif. - March 7, 1995 - PC Concepts has announced an upgrade to its highly successful ergonomic keyboard design that now features both English and Spanish versions and a PS-2 connector to accommodate most IBM-compatible computers being sold today. Included with each keyboard is a standard DIN-5 converter for other IBM compatible computers. The color has been changed to an off-white hue to coordinate with the new, higher-end computers now available on the market. The custom foam wrist rest remains as a ``value-added'' feature and is included with every keyboard. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- #1825 U.S. HOME COMPUTING MARKET IS WORLD'S MOST ADVANCED IDC releases results from groundbreaking worldwide consumer survey FRAMINGHAM, Mass. - March 7, 1995 - By virtually any measure, the home personal computer market in the United States is considerably more developed than in major countries of Europe and Japan. Not only do a much higher percentage of homes have personal computers, but the use of emerging consumer applications such as education, entertainment, and on- line services are considerably more developed in the United States. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- #1826 BOCA RESEARCH AND RADISH COMMUNICATIONS ANNOUNCE BOCA FIRST WITH VoiceView(r) CERTIFIED MODEM DALLAS - March 7, 1995 - Boca Research Inc. and Radish Communications Systems Inc. will announce at the Computer Telephony Trade Show in Dallas that Boca Research is the first modem vendor to receive VoiceView certification by Radish. Boca's first modem to be VoiceView certified by Radish is their 14.4Kbps Multimedia Voice Modem (product code: FDV14I) with plans for additional modems to be certified in the months ahead. Based on Rockwell's chip set, it features a 14,400bps fax and data modem with voicemail system offering up to 1000 password-protected mailboxes. info: tel. 407/997-6227 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- #1827 EXPANDABLE KEYBOARD PUTS NEW IBM ThinkPad IN A CLASS OF ITS OWN SOMERS, N.Y. - March 7, 1995 - One of the most eye-catching computers ever built is also one of the most usable. IBM's ThinkPad(a) 701C -- introduced today -- blends head-turning technology with practical packaging to provide a notebook computer that will continue to surprise users long after the carton has been opened. The biggest surprise comes first. Open the 701C -- a machine smaller than a sheet of typing paper -- and watch two keyboards ingeniously spread and interlock to form a comfortable, full-size, 85-key typing surface nearly two inches wider than the unit itself. The revolutionary TrackWrite(a) keyboard overhangs the unit's case by almost one inch on each side. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- #1828 AT&T PARADYNE ANNOUNCES NEW V.34 MODEM LARGO, Fla., March 7 - AT&T Paradyne, the worldwide leader in developing innovative, high-speed modems, has complemented its extensive modem line with new consumer 28,800 bps standard data/fax modems. The new AT&T DataPort Express(R) 28.8 bps family of products include external and internal-PC models, as well as a Macintosh version for MacPlus. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- #1829 DATA RACE ANNOUNCES WINMAX 'SOFT' MODEM, FAX, LAN COMBO PC CARD SOLD DIRECTLY TO CONSUMERS SAN ANTONIO, March 7 - DATA RACE today announced WinMAX PCMCIA Combo Card, containing a very high speed "soft" modem and a high performance Ethernet LAN interface adapter. WinMAX contains a 19.2kbps data modem, a fax card, and an Ethernet network interface adapter all in one, light, neat, credit card sized package. info: tel. 210-558-1929 or hhensley@datarace.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- #1830 COREL ANNOUNCES PARTICIPATION IN CORELNET OTTAWA, March 7 - Corel Corporation announced today its participation in CorelNET(TM), a World Wide Web site on the Internet, owned and operated by Toronto-based Kazak Communications, publisher of the CorelDRAW(TM) Journal. Under the agreement, Corel will be able to further its customer support, sales and marketing objectives by using the pervasive communications capabilities of the Internet. info: Inernet - kazak@hookup.net ----------------------------------------------------------------------- #1831 MAKING THE VIRTUAL OFFICE A REALITY PHOENIX - March 8, 1995 - The "virtual office" is becoming a reality, and the time it takes to fully develop will be determined by how quickly mobile communications and mobile computing advance, according to Wayland R. Hicks, CEO and vice chairman of Nextel Communications Inc. An analysis of census figures indicates that as many as 65 million Americans are engaged in occupations that are considered mobile, Hicks pointed out in a speech at the Eighteenth Annual PC Forum in Phoenix. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- #1832 BITSTREAM ENHANCES GLOBAL & MULTILINGUAL COMMUNICATION ON THE INTERNET HANNOVER, Germany - March 8, 1995 - Bitstream announced today two new applications of its TrueDoc font imaging technology that allow users to publish, send and receive multilingual and font-rich documents on the Internet. Accent Software has licensed TrueDoc for its email utility, code named "Scotty", enabling users to send and receive electronic mail in multilingual character sets. No Hands Software has incorporated TrueDoc into Common Ground 2.0, their document distribution application, to let Internet users easily publish and link rich online documents regardless of the fonts, format, application, operating system or platform. info: tel. 617/497-6222 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- #1833 MICHELANGELO COMPUTER VIRUS HITS STRONGLY ON MARCH 6 MINNEAPOLIS, March 8 - Ontrack Data Recovery today announced that, despite warnings and prevention techniques offered to computer users, the Michelangelo virus hit hard on Monday, March 6, damaging data on computers worldwide. Ontrack, which has the ability to recover data from Michelangelo-damaged drives, reported activity on March 6 that was 360% higher than on an average day, due to the large number of people infected with the virus. Michelangelo is a boot sector virus which triggers on March 6 when users boot their computers. It formats 8.9 MB of data, wiping out the boot area of the drive, as well as part of the File Allocation Table (FAT). info: tel. 800-752-1333 or 612-937-1107 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- #1834 EDS EXPANDS OPERATIONS INTO AFRICA, ENTERS JOINT VENTURE WITH DIMENSION DATA JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, March 8 - EDS, the world's leading provider of information technology (IT) services, has entered the African marketplace through the formation of a joint venture with a South African company, Dimension Data. The new entity, which will have 600 employees, expects to be the leader in the South African IT services marketplace. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- #1835 THE ALLIANCE AT CEBIT '95 HANOVER, Germany, March 8 - The PowerPC architecture is on the move and the momentum is now unstoppable. Speaking at a press briefing in the "PowerPC Park" at CeBIT '95, Apple, IBM and Motorola executives reaffirmed the growing success of the PowerPC family as the mainstream microprocessors of today and for the future. The PowerPC architecture is the base upon which systems are now being developed to provide the power and versatility that are necessary to cope with the growing applications explosion in today's market. These processor developments are shaping the future of the industry. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- #1836 NEW PENTHOUSE INTERNET SERVICE BREAKS RECORDS FOR USAGE IN FIRST WEEK NEW YORK - March 9, 1995 - A new service from Penthouse magazine on the Internet has broken all known usage records before it was even formally announced, the publication said today. On its first day (February 26), over 802,000 Internet "visits" to Penthouse Internet were recorded to various parts of the service on the World Wide Web, which includes the magazine's famed pictorials, its "Forum" letters to the editor and other features. Over the next few days, the number of visits had climbed to more than 850,000. address: http://www.penthousemag.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- #1837 Senate Bill 314 The Communications Decency Act of 1995 (S. 314) revises the Communications Act to make the transmittal of "sexually oriented" material a crime. Senators Exon (D-NE) and Gorton (R-WA) have introduced S314. Senate Bill 314 would compel service providers to choose between severely restricting the activities of their subscribers or completely shutting down their e-mail, Internet access, and conferencing services under the threat of criminal liability. Moreover, to avoid criminal liability, service providers would be forced to read every private communication, electronic mail message, public forum, mailing list, and inspect every file available on their network, a ridiculous proposition which poses a substantial threat to our freedom of speech and privacy rights. info: tel. 202 861 7700 or djohnson@eff.org, --- ************************************************************************ Subscription Information ************************************************************************ To subscribe to The HiTek Report please send e-mail to: [mcivr@kaiwan.com], on the Subject Line type [subscribe HiTek]. Subscribers may request up to 3 complete press releases that contain full item descriptions and prices. To order simply e-mail the number of the requested information release (s). Please do not send request until _after_ you have subscribed, no releases can be e-mailed until your name is already on our subscription list. 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