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, Apr 21 1992 Date: Tue, 21 Apr 92 05:41:43 EDT Message-ID: 04-21 0000 DECISIONLINE: Technology USA TODAY Update April 21, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network IBM TO UNVEIL NEW COMPUTER: IBM will unveil a powerful but relatively low-cost computer Tuesday that could give its multimillion dollar mainframes some competition. IBM says the new $98,000 computer is the fastest RISC-based computer in the industry and will be available in June. RISC, or reduced instruction set computing, makes a computer faster by limiting the number of commands it has to process. IBM WILL COMPETE WITH SELF: IBM's introduction Tuesday of a workstation - a high-powered desktop computer - to compete with its mainframes is evidence of how IBM is changing its operations. In December, IBM announced a broad plan to decentralize its operations, giving its divisions more autonomy to compete with each other as well as other companies. MICROSOFT EXPECTS SLOWER GROWTH: Microsoft Corp., averaging almost 50% revenue growth each year since 1989, told analysts Thursday that business will grow 25% to 30% next fiscal year, which begins July 1. The reasons include tougher competition and the law of diminishing returns. "The bigger you get, the slower you grow," says Dick Shaffer, publisher of the Technologic newsletter. (For more, see special Microsoft package below.) ARTISOFT TO BUY PERFORMANCE: Artisoft Inc., the Tucson-based developer of the LANtastic Local Area Network, Monday said it has signed a letter of intent to purchase Performance Technology Inc. Performance Technology, which will operate as a subsidiary of Artisoft, makes networking products. The sale is subject to approval by the board of directors of Artisoft and Performance Technology's board and shareholders. PRICE OF CD SLASHED: The home video game industry's first add-on compact disc player, TurboGrafx-CD, is now available at a suggested retail price of $149.99. The price reduction was announced Monday by Turbo Technologies Inc. The new price represents a 50% reduction from the product's original suggested retail price. TurboGrafx-CD operates via a CD game interface and a system control card. SAMSUNG UNVEILS MEMORY CHIP: Targeting laser printers and portable computers that use memory modules, Samsung Semiconductor Inc. has entered production of the first byte-wide 4-megabit dynamic random-access memory chips from Korea, the firm says. These new DRAMs use a stacked capacitor storage cell, Samsung says. Prices start at $15 when bought in bulk. Samples are available now. Orders will be filled in June. NEW JERSEY TO BE REWIRED: In the ever-changing world of communications technology, New Jersey Bell is poised to become a leader among those proposing to bring fiber-optic telephone lines to residents and businesses. New Jersey has filed an ambitious $1 billion rewiring plan with the state Board of Regulatory Commissioners. Copper wires would be replaced with optic lines by the year 2010. ELECTRIC VEHICLE RACE SET: To give electric cars a boost, a consortium of government and electric-utility agencies is sponsoring a race for electric-powered stockcars April 24-26 in Phoenix. Chrysler's TEVan, a battery-powered minivan the automaker plans to begin selling in California this fall, will serve as pace car. REALTORS ARE LINKED BY NET: Pacific Bell and the San Fernando Valley Board of Realtors Monday announced an agreement to join in the development of a high-speed information network. Called Pacific Bell RealtyLink, it will electronically link Realtors to a multiple listing service. It also will allow realtors will be able to lead clients on color photo tours of homes for sale and provide maps of neighborhoods. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON MICROSOFT: DECADE WILL BE TOUGHER: Software giant Microsoft faces a tougher year in 1993 - as well as a tougher decade. "You'll see some quarters that are back in the 40% (growth) neighborhood," says Goldman Sachs analyst Rick Sherlund. "But 40% to 50% is becoming much more difficult now that Microsoft exceeds $3 billion in (annual) revenue." APPLE MAKING GAINS: Microsoft, creator of MS:DOS, the basic software in 60 million PCs worldwide, has long dominated the PC software industry. But Apple and IBM, the two biggest PC makers, have Microsoft in their sights. Apple's Macintosh PCs have never run most Microsoft software. Yet, Apple CEO John Sculley - by chopping prices - has helped Apple gain close to 11% of the $45 billion-a-year PC market. IBM SOFTWARE MAKING MARK: Microsoft is engaged in a multimillion-dollar marketing battle with IBM over operating software, which controls the basic functions of PCs. IBM's new OS:2 2.0 software is taking on Microsoft's Windows 3.1. Both make PCs easier to use through use of screen symbols rather than keyboard commands. Despite IBM's overall problems, analysts say OS:2 is a powerful alternative to Windows. (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