Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.tech From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: tech Tue, Mar 17 1992 Date: Tue, 17 Mar 92 05:44:53 EST Message-ID: 03-17 0000 DECISIONLINE: Technology USA TODAY Update March 17, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network MICROSOFT CALLS CONFERENCE: Microsoft Corp. has scheduled a news conference for Wednesday to show its progress on Windows 3.1, the successor to Windows 3.0, the best-selling PC software that makes IBM PCs as easy to use as Apple's Macintosh computers. Word is that Microsoft will announce it is ready to start factory production of Windows 3.1. With the news, Microsoft shares went up 3 1:4 points Monday to $124 1:4. IBM LOSES SPOTLIGHT: Microsoft's news conference Wednesday to announce progress on Window 3.1 will steal some of the attention IBM had expected. On March 31, IBM is supposed to introduce OS:2 2.0, powerful personal computer software it hopes will be the successor to MS:DOS, which Microsoft of Redmont, Wash., originally marketed. UNISYS TO POST PROFIT: Unisys surprised Wall Street Monday by saying it will post a small first-quarter profit. The USA's third-biggest computer company's stock closed up 1 point at $10 1:8 on the news. Unisys Chairman James Unruh says most Wall Street analysts were expecting the company to break even or post a loss. MISSILE TEST FAILS: The Pentagon's missile defense project suffered a minor setback Monday. A ground-based interceptor fired from a test range in the South Pacific failed to destroy a mock warhead that had been launched into space, The Associated Press reported. 20 CHARGED WITH SELLING DATA: Two Nationwide Electronic Tracking officials from Tampa, Fla., are expected to plead guilty Friday to charges of conspiring to sell protected federal computer data, court records show. A total of 20 people from across the USA face charges. Court reports say the company bribed government workers to get the information. MEGACUBE WINS AWARD: Everex Systems Inc.'s STEP Megacube has been named 1991 File Server of the Year by InfoWorld Magazine. "Looking more like a shrunken minicomputer than a typical PC, the Megacube offers exceptional expandability, fine speed, and a very competitive price," InfoWorld says. TI PATENT RECOGNIZED: Texas Instruments has signed cross-licensing agreements with Sharp and Ricoh. Through the agreements, the two Japanese companies recognize TI's claim to have invented the integrated circuit, a fundamental device in all modern electronic equipment. TI says it is continuing to negotiate licensing agreements with at least ten other electronics companies. LIGHTHORSE UNVEILS NOTEBOOK: Lighthorse Technologies Monday announced the development of the 386SX Notebook portable computer. It is styled in black leather and is affixed inside a leather portfolio carrying case with multiple compartments. It comes with a 9600 baud send and receive fax with embedded software and a 2400 baud modem with MNP 5 software. The Notepad 386SX with 40MB hard drive lists for $2,995. LOGICON GAINS CONTRACT: Logicon Inc. said Monday the U.S. Army has exercised a contract option. The option, the second of four one-year options, is valued at $10 million, bringing the contract value to date to $24 million. The potential value is $48.3 million. Logicon will modify software and provide support for a series of major battle simulations. They are simulated through the Corps Battle Simulation. AST SHIPPING COLOR NOTEBOOK: AST Research Inc. has begun volume shipments of its Premium Exec 386SX:25C color notebook and Advantage! NB-SX:25 "plug and play" notebook computer systems. The company also lowered prices for both models of the Premium Exec 386:25C by 20%, making AST the first PC manufacturer to ship a color notebook priced under $4,000. Prices for the Premium Exec 386SX:25C start at $3,995. CELLULAR INDUSTRY GROWS 43%: The cellular telephone industry grew more than 43% 1991, adding an all-time record 2.3 million subscribers in 12 months, says the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association. The spiraling growth left the industry with 7.6 million subscribers nationwide as of Dec. 31, compared to the 5.3 million reported on Dec. 31, 1990. NEW GATEWAY PRODUCTS UNVEILED: Apertus Technologies, Inc. Monday unveiled a series of gateways and terminal networking products that enable businesses to integrate SNA-based applications and synchronous and asynchronous terminals with LANs and internetworks. The Telnet Gateway, the LAT Gateway and the DSPU Gateways are targeted at Fortune 1000 companies. Prices start at $7,995. Technology Editor: Ed Kelleher. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM