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 Thu, Jun 18 1992 Date: Thu, 18 Jun 92 05:09:16 EDT Message-ID: 06-18 0000 DECISIONLINE: Technology USA TODAY Update June 18, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network DELL TO OFFER LOW-COST LINE: Dell Computer looks to make the next move in the personal computer price war. On June 29, the mail-order king says it will come out with a low-cost line of personal computers. Look for a fully equipped desktop PC with Intel's most advanced 486 microprocessor for less than $1,000, USA TODAY reports. INTEL WINS SUIT: A federal jury in San Jose, Calif., Wednesday ruled that Advanced Micro Devices cannot use Intel's microcode software to market a clone of Intel's 287 chip. The ruling could hurt AMD's plans to market a 486 microprocessor later this year that will be a direct competitor to Intel's existing 486 - the brains of leading-edge personal computers. AMD says it plans to appeal. DEFENSE APPROPRIATION OK'D: The House Appropriations defense subcommittee Wednesday approved an approximate $255 billion defense appropriation bill. It restores the Navy's full request of $1.1 billion to upgrade FA-18 warplanes, built by the Grumman Corp. on Long Island, N.Y., and $165 million for a future stealth fighter. ACUMAX ORGANIZES WAREHOUSES: By pointing a 13-ounce Acumax computer, companies can improve warehouse organization. When a shipment arrives at the loading dock, workers simply point at the bar code on the boxes instead of writing the information with a pen or pencil. The computer makes note of each box's contents and transfers the information via radio to a central computer. MICROWAVE DRYER PASSES TEST: Southern California Edison, an electric utility, said a prototype of a microwave clothes dryer has passed government tests, bringing it one step closer to market. The utility said the microwave dryer uses 10% less energy than conventional electric dryers and 28% less energy than gas units. It was developed by American Micro-Tech. PIONEER TO DONATE $600,000: Pioneer Electronics USA donated $600,000 Wednesday to help rebuild Los Angeles - the first major corporate donation since riots seven weeks ago. Pioneer plans to use $500,000 to create a two-year program to train young people in electronics at a vocational center in Watts. The other $100,000 will go to Rebuild L.A. for education programs. WORDPERFECT TO OFFER DEAL: WordPerfect Corp. Wednesday introduced its Customer Advantage Program. It is designed to simplify software purchasing, distribution, licensing and maintenance for large accounts. The program, which will offer long-term contracts, will be available in August. To qualify, a firm must plan to purchase at least 1,000 licenses of a WordPerfect product during the term of the contract. IBM TO OFFER INTERCONNECTS: IBM said Wednesday it has developed two new products that will allow its NetView network and systems management product to exchange network status and configuration information with AT&T's Accumaster Integrator product. The Network Carrier Interconnect Manager ($15,000) and the Network Carrier Interconnect Agent ($50,000) will be available in October, IBM said. SHUTTLE DOORS ARE DAMAGED: Space shuttle Endeavour's payload bay doors were damaged during the $1.8 billion shuttle's dramatic satellite-rescue mission, NASA officials say. The 60-foot-long doors both were slightly warped and a corner of the right-hand door came loose from its frame. An investigation will determine if the left-hand door sustained additional damage, NASA says. AMERITECH BEGINS PCS TEST: Ameritech launched a consumer test of personal communications services in Chicago Wednesday, the firm said. The test uses new, pocket-sized, portable phones that allow calls to be made to anywhere in the world and connect to any phone via a digital radio system. By the end of the month, 200 Chicagoans will be using the phones and 1,000 will have them by the end of the year. WORDPERFECT BUYS MAGICSOFT: WordPerfect Corp. Wednesday said it has acquired MagicSoft Inc., a company from Lombard, Ill., which specializes in telecommunications software. The company produces MTEZ, a data communications package, and ExpressFax, a fax communications package. Terms of the sale were not disclosed. MAGLEV NEEDS FEDERAL FINANCING: Federal officials soon will decide whether to move forward with a plan to develop an American-made magnetically levitated transportation system. Scientists and entrepreneurs involved in maglev research say government support is critical. "Our team can't afford to sustain itself in the absence of funding, nor can the other teams," said Henry Kolm of Magnaplane International. 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