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 17 1992 Date: Fri, 17 Apr 92 05:42:11 EDT Message-ID: 04-17 0000 DECISIONLINE: Technology USA TODAY Update April 17-19, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network MICROSOFT'S EARNINGS UP 44%: On the continued strength of its popular Windows operating system, Microsoft's earnings soared 44% for the quarter ended March 31. Net income climbed to $179 million from $124 million a year earlier. Revenue jumped 40% to $681 million. Earlier this month, Microsoft introduced Windows 3.1. Microsoft says revenue from applications for Windows will reach $3 billion by year-end. BORLAND MERGER TALKED ABOUT: The possibility of merging software giants Borland and Lotus has been a hot topic in the computer world this week. It would create a super-powerhouse PC software company with $1.3 billion in annual revenue that could threaten Microsoft's dominance of the market. But there are many stumbling blocks. The biggest: Borland CEO Phillipe Kahn and Lotus CEO Jim Manzi don't get along. (For more, see special Merger package below.) APPLE CUTS NOTEBOOK PRICES: Apple Computer cut prices on six of its PowerBook notebook computers Thursday. The price reductions range from 8% to 27%, including $500 off the $1,999 PowerBook 100 2:20 and $500 off the Powerbook 140 2:40. Apple is offering PowerBook buyers who use an Apple Consumer Credit Card a purchase plan with no finance charges and no payments for three months. The program runs through July 5. DAVENPORT RESIGNS FROM CRAY: Cray Computer Corp. said Thursday Neil Davenport has resigned as CEO. Davenport said the company has reached a point where it believes it has the appropriate resources for the completion of the CRAY-3 super computer and, therefore, this seems to be the ideal time for him to explore other opportunities. Seymour Cray, chairman, will assume the duties of acting CEO for the time being. TEXAS INSTRUMENTS SHOWS PROFIT: Texas Instruments, a leading maker of semiconductors and electronics, reported first-quarter earnings of $40 million Thursday, returning to profitability after six straight quarters of losses. The company attributed the performance to cost savings from the elimination of more than 6,000 jobs. INFRARED TRANSCEIVER SHOWN: Photonics Corp. Thursday demonstrated its Infrared Transceiver for wireless connectivity with GO Corp.'s PenPoint operating system for pen computers. The Infrared Transceiver provides instant wireless connections for portable notebook, laptop and pen computers. PenPoint is an object-oriented system designed for the mobile computing market. COMPUTER SCIENCES GAINS DEAL: Computer Sciences Corp. has been awarded a $23 million two-year contract by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence to define the requirements for a modernized logistics system for the Royal Air Force. It will plan the linking of 36 different logistics applications into a single system that will enable 30,000 users to access a common database. COMMTOUCH ADDS NEW PRODUCT: By using pMail from CommTouch Software, San Francisco, users of PROFS and OV-VM servers can now quickly download electronic mail to their personal computers while at home, on the road or in the office. The new product, now available, allows PROFS:OV-VM to easily transmit faxes and graphics as well as personnel forms, CommTouch says. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON MERGER: TWO BIG EGOS INVOLVED: It Borland and Lotus were ever to merge and become a threat to Microsoft, the firm's CEOs would have to set aside personal differences. "You've got two of the biggest egos in the business," says analyst John McCarthy at market researcher Forrester Research. "(Microsoft CEO Bill) Gates would have to appear like Godzilla to those two before they'd get together." FIRMS ARE IN COURT BATTLE: Not only are there personal conflicts between the two CEOs, there also are some ill feelings between the firms. Lotus is suing Borland for illegally copying parts of its best-selling 1-2-3 accounting program. And Borland frequently boasts that its Quattro Pro spreadsheet is taking business from Lotus. MICROSOFT IS COMMON ENEMY: Analysts say a merger might stem the Microsoft juggernaut. Microsoft - creator of the basic software that runs most PCs - threatens to dominate every part of the PC industry. In December, Borland began to consider a Lotus merger. In February, Borland CEO Phillipe Kahn approached Lotus about a merger, but Lotus CEO Jim Manzi nixed the idea. (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