Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.tech From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: tech Fri, Jun 12 1992 Date: Fri, 12 Jun 92 05:19:42 EDT Message-ID: 06-12 0000 DECISIONLINE: Technology USA TODAY Update June 12-14, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network BRODERBUND BUYS PC GLOBE: Broderbund Software Inc. said Thursday it has entered into an agreement to acquire PC Globe Inc., publishers of "electronic atlas" programs. The agreement provides for payment of $1.5 million to PC Globe's shareholders. PC Globe's sales in fiscal 1991 were $7.7 million. PC Globe's software includes PC Globe, PC USA and MacGlobe. TECHNOLOGY EXPOSITION PLANNED: What is being billed as the largest exposition of electronics manufacturing technology in the world will be held June 16 to June 18 at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco. SEMICON:West will feature 1,223 companies. The companies produce the technology required to manufacture most modern electronics systems, such as semiconductors and flat panel displays. NASA LEARNS FROM RESCUE MISSION: NASA officials are using lessons learned in the agency's recent satellite rescue mission to plan the repair of the Hubble Space Telescope in late 1993. "I've got roughly 200 things that I have learned from working (on Endeavour's mission) that are applicable to Hubble," says Story Musgrave. Musgrave is planning the spacewalks required to correct troubles with the Hubble. BORLAND WINS ENCORE AWARD: Borland International Inc. has received the Entrepreneurial Company of the Year (Encore) award from the Stanford Business School Alumni Association. "Borland repeatedly delivers innovative software programs and tools that improve user productivity," said Sheila Zelinger, president of the association. Borland develops object-oriented business software and programming languages. PROGRAM HELPS HOME BUYERS: Would-be homebuyers now can get some help via personal computer. A program by Home Equity Software called "Buying Your Home" helps potential homeowners decide how much house they can afford; what type of mortgage would be best; and whether they should rent or buy. The program retails for about $50. CHIP MIMICS BRAIN: A new computer chip that mimics the human brain has been built into a more accurate device for reading magnetic numbers printed on checks. The chip, made by Synaptics Inc., achieves accuracy of more than 99%. Existing devices may not top 90%. Verifone Inc. pairs the chip with a scanner on its system so they work like the eye and brain to compare adjacent parts of an image to clarify its shape. SEMICONDUCTOR INDICATOR DOWN: Despite a slight increase in new orders, the semiconductor industry's key market indicator, the book-to-bill ratio, slipped to 1.10 in May, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association. April's ratio was 1.12. May bookings in the U.S. market were $1607.8 million, up 0.2% from April's $1604.5 million and 17.6% higher than last year. MERGER CREATES CLARION TOPSPEED: Clarion Software Corp. has merged with Jensen & Partners International. Clarion makes computer-based development utilities. The new company will be called Clarion TopSpeed Ltd. The firm will integrate Jensen & Partners' family of TopSpeed compilers in Clarion's development softwares. U.S. COULD USE RUSSIAN ROCKETS: President Bush, in his June 16 summit with Russian leader Boris Yeltsin, will unveil a proposal to allow the U.S. satellite industry to launch payloads on Russian rockets, say officials this week on the PBS show "TechnoPolitics." The move would reverse long-standing policy, which sought to prevent Russians from gaining knowledge of U.S. technology. PC WEEK POPULAR AT NETWORLD: According to a survey conducted at NetWorld '91 in Dallas, PC WEEK is the most frequently read publication among attendees of the trade show for volume buyers of connectivity products, data communications networks, computer systems, and client:server architecture. The survey, done by Exhibit Surveys Inc., showed 35% polled read PC WEEK regularly. PC Magazine was read by 29%. PROCOMP OFFERS BULLETIN BOARD: Procomp USA Inc. announced a new electronic bulletin board service for its DDisk Coprocessor Board intelligent SCSI host adapter (DCB) end-user and reseller customers. It offers on-line manuals, downloadable files, technical information, new product information and a way to get answers to technical and product questions 24 hours a day. The number is (216) 234-6581. HIGH-TECH PR FIRMS MERGE: Wambach and Co. has merged with Franson, Hagerty & Associates, the two firms said Thursday. The merger adds a San Diego office to Franson, Hagerty & Associates' offices in Silicon Valley, Washington and Orange County. The public relations firm specializes in serving high-technology companies. It provides national product introductions and market strategy consultation. 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