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 Fri, Apr 10 1992 Date: Fri, 10 Apr 92 05:43:42 EDT Message-ID: 04-10 0000 DECISIONLINE: Technology USA TODAY Update April 10-12, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network SPACE BILL PASSES PANEL: A House panel approved legislation Thursday that would make it easier for NASA to purchase Russian space hardware. The measure, sponsored by freshman Rep. Dick Zimmer, R-N.J., received unanimous voice vote approval. It now advances to the full Science, Space and Technology Committee, which will probably consider it in two weeks, after Congress returns from its Easter-Passover recess. (For more, see special Space package below.) SEMICONDUCTOR ORDERS UP: An all-time record level of semiconductor orders was achieved in the U.S. market in March, according to figures released Thursday by the Semiconductor Industry Association. March bookings (orders based on a three-month moving average) were $1.5 billion, up 3.4% from February's $1.4 billion and 10.5% higher than the comparable figure compiled one year ago. BOOK-TO-BILL RATIO DROPS: Despite a record volume of semiconductor orders in March, the book-to-bill ratio dipped slightly to 1.08, according to statistics released Thursday by the Semiconductor Industry Association. The book-to-bill ratio is the industry's key market indicator. February's ratio was 1.11. The ratio was 1.10 in March of 1991. FCC PROPOSES HDTV TIMETABLE: The Federal Communications Commission Thursday proposed a timetable for introducing high definition television that includes simultaneous broadcasting by 1998 and full HDTV broadcasting by 2008. The FCC will issue a plan in June to allocate to broadcasters a second channel so they can broadcast both high definition signals and their conventional signals during the experimental years. DIGITAL REPORTS LOSS: Digital Equipment Corp. and Intel both reported drops in earnings Thursday. DEC, the second-largest U.S. computer company, said it lost $294 million in the quarter ended March 28, compared to income of $116 million a year earlier. DEC says it may force it to launch its third cost-cutting plan since 1990. Intel says first-quarter earnings fell 10%, mostly because of one-time charges. AUTOTALK ON AIR IN LA: An new car radio accessory from Autotalk Inc. lets drivers in the Los Angeles area hear continuous, regionally specific traffic reports as well as the audio portion of TV programs. Users receive the broadcasts for free, without subscription charges or fees of any kind. The retail price of the accessory is $129. The company plans to expand to 30 major markets over the next five years. CALIF. GR0UP HAS PLAN: A bipartisan California House delegation has offered military budget negotiators a plan for spending $1 billion to convert the U.S.'s defense industry to post-Cold War economics. Included would be $400 million to help Southern California's defense-based aerospace companies diversify to new products and $50 million to stimulate the electric car industry. NORTHERN TELECOM WINS CONTRACT: Northern Telecom has won a $34 million contract from The New Brunswick Telephone Co., British Columbia, to supply digital and fiber-optic products for its network modernization program. The supply agreement will make NBTel's network 100% digital by 1994. NBTel serves approximately 420,000 lines across the province. The contract will include switching and transmission equipment. TELENETICS IN JOINT PROJECT: Telenetics Corp. and Frame Relay Technologies Inc. has jointly announced that they have entered into a business development agreement for frame relay products. The two companies are planning to jointly introduce and demonstrate the capabilities of frame relay-based multiplexers and switching nodes at the TEXPO show in Anaheim, Calif., May 5. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON SPACE: NASA WOULDN'T NEED LICENSE: A bill that was approved by a house panel Thursday would no longer require NASA to obtain a State Department license before beginning negotiations to buy space hardware and technology. It is designed to help NASA buy Russian hardware. The Soviet space program, once the best in the world, has been trying to peddle hardware and expertise for months. BAN HAS BEEN PARTIALLY LIFTED: The subcommittee's action Thursday came two weeks after the White House announced a partial easing of its ban on the purchase of military and civilian space hardware from the former Soviet Union. Administration officials had blocked the purchase of Russian technology on the grounds that the proceeds would be used to finance a revival of Russian military and technological might. ZIMMER SAYS BILL HELPED: Rep. Dick Zimmer, R-N.J., said "it wasn't a coincidence" that the administration's recent announcement to purchase $14 million in space technology came after he introduced his bill on March 11. "They are moving in the right direction," Zimmer said of the White House. "But I don't think they would have moved as quickly without the prodding by this subcommittee." TECHNOLOGY IS THERE: Some officials in the U.S. aerospace industry have expressed interest in areas such as welding techniques and propulsion systems, areas in which the Soviets excelled. In addition, the Soviets have the world's only working space station, the largest and most powerful rocket, and a highly sophisticated automated docking system. (End of package.) 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