June, 1998 Archive Tuesday, June 30th Netscape Next To Sign With Media Company? [5:30PM] Netscape is in talks with a number of media companies and will sign one them as a major content partner for its Netcenter site within the next 90 days, Mike Homer, executive vice president and general manager of Netscape's Web site division, tells TechWeb. Of the companies talking to Netscape, at least one of them is a member of the so-called "big five" -- a group of media conglomerates which includes the owners of the four top television networks and Time-Warner. Netscape presently has a partnership with Excite to provide content to its recently revised Netcenter site, but Homer said the Excite deal is non-exclusive. TechWeb Report - Netscape Communications MetaCreations Warns Of Second Quarter Loss [4:00PM] MetaCreations warned yesterday that revenues for its second quarter will be significantly lower than current analyst expectations. The graphics software maker, blaming the anticipated results on weak revenues in its domestic retail channel, sluggish demand in Japan, and increased reserves for returns to reduce distributor inventory levels, said total revenues for the period ended June 30 will be in the range of $8 million to $9 million. As a result, MetaCreations expects losses to run between $10 million and $11 million. Voicing his disappointment with the results, company president and chief executive Gary Lauer said he is "carefully reviewing all activities across the company and will be taking appropriate actions." Meanwhile, MetaCreations also said it will be on the search for a new marketing and sales chief. Fred Brown, the company's senior vice president of sales and marketing, resigned yesterday, the latest in a number of executives stirs at the company. MetaCreations Fraud Allegations Made By Apple [11:15AM] Apple has filed a suit in the U.S. District Court of San Jose, Calif., alleging that four former service providers -- IRASYS, IRA Systems, Integrated Concepts Solutions, and PC Systems Design -- combined to defraud the company by billing for service and repair work that was never performed. The suit, filed last Thursday, seeks $600,000 in cash and parts, as well as an injunction against further fraud by any of the defendants. "Apple Service Providers who defraud Apple not only hurt Apple, but put our customers at risk of not getting the service and support they deserve," said Mitch Mandich, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Sales, in a statement. "We intend to aggressively protect the rights of our customers to high quality, reliable service for their Apple products." Apple Computer Monday, June 29th More Delays In Store For Windows NT 5.0? [1:25PM] According to reports, Microsoft has decided to ship a previously unplanned beta release of Windows NT 5.0 to developers, a move which could spell further delays for the operating system upgrade. PC Week Online says a third round of beta testing will likely push the product's commercial release beyond its current early 1999 target, and into the second half of next year. The second beta of NT 5.0 hasn't even reached developers hands yet, and Microsoft will only hand out a pre-beta 2 version at a three-day deployment conference this week. PC Week Online - Microsoft Iomega Settles Suit, Buys Stake In Nomai [10:40AM] Iomega today settled its ongoing intellectual property lawsuit with Nomai by purchasing a majority stake in the France-based disk manufacturer. In reaching a close in the litigation, which originally began in March 1997, Nomai agreed that it had reproduced certain Iomega protected software in its XHD and DUO cartridges through reverse engineering. The company also conceded that, due to "substantial evidence," a court may have ruled against it. Under the deal, Iomega will pay $21 million for its interest, as well as another $3 million for the technology used in manufacturing XHD and DUO cartridges, which Nomai has agreed to stop producing and selling. Iomega - Nomai Friday, June 26th Adobe Ahead Of Estimates With Q2 Results [1:25PM] Adobe Systems yesterday reported better-than-expected results for its second quarter of 1998. The company said it earned 41 cents per share for the three-month period ended May 29; the First Call consensus estimate had predicated a 39 cents per share profit. John Warnock, Adobe's chairman and chief executive, noted continued weakness in Asia, which led to a slight drop in sales for the quarter. Revenues totaled $227.3 million, compared to $228.3 million in the year-ago period. In addition to its quarterly results, Adobe also announced yesterday the appointment of a new director. Carol Mills, a 17-year veteran of Hewlett-Packard, will fill a recently created eight seat on the company's board. Warnock said key factors in Mills' selection included her experience in building enterprise solutions, developing new markets, and driving growth. Adobe Systems Sorenson, TeleMak Ink Distribution Deal [11:30AM] Sorenson Vision yesterday signed a distribution pact with TeleMak, who will begin selling the Sorenson Video Codec Developer Edition in Belgium and Luxembourg. "With this agreement, Sorenson takes additional steps to strengthen our presence and customer service in international markets," said Ray Brooksby, VP of sales and marketing for Sorenson. "We chose TeleMak because of their experience and presence in the Belgium digital video market and Macintosh developer community." Sorenson Vision - TeleMak Thursday, June 25th Intel Acknowledges Bug In Xeon Processor [7:25PM] Intel today said a bug in its Pentium II Xeon will delay the release of servers based on the high-powered chip, confirming circulated reports earlier in the week. The flaw apparently presents itself when used in conjunction with the upcoming 450NX chip set that allows up to four-way configurations. Despite its findings, Intel will still proceed with the product's scheduled launch on Monday, though systems using the chip will suffer several week delays because of the errata. The delay of the Xeon comes just one month after Intel said it would postpone production of its next-generation Merced by at least six months. Intel CNET: Studio Display Dominates Competition [5:50PM] In giving the Apple Studio Display top honors in its round-up of liquid crystal displays (LCDs), CNET's Computers.com said the stylish 15-inch display stands out "like a peacock in a flock of pigeons" and "dominates the competition." CNET added that the recently launched display "showed off remarkable text sharpness down to 6-point fonts in its optimal 1,024-by-768-pixel resolution." CNET Review - Studio Display Information Lakewood Unveils New Image Editor/Browser [3:35PM] Lakewood Software, makers of webAlias, today introduced a new QuickTime 3.0-savvy image browser and graphic design tool. QT Gallery 1.0, priced at $29.95 for a limited time, integrates full support for QuickTime 3.0's image import options, editing filters, and transition effects, and can be used as a slide show presentation tool, image viewer, or image editor. Lakewood said the product includes about a dozen transitions and filter operations. A demo version of QT Gallery can be downloaded from Lakewood's Web site. Lakewood Software CompUSA Expanding Presence Florida, Maryland [12:20PM] CompUSA's eventful week, in which it announced plans to acquire Tandy's Computer City, will conclude tomorrow morning with the grand opening of two news stores in Florida and Maryland. The Florida shop, a 28,000 square-foot facility, will be located in Plantation, while a 26,000 square-foot site in Columbia will be the home of the new Maryland store. Both locations will be CompUSA's latest store prototype, which adds CompKids and Software Sampler areas to the standard Software, Computers, the Apple "store within a store," Printers and Supplies, Compact Technology, Accessories, and Internet departments. CompUSA DVD-RAM Drive From La Cie Due Next Week [11:15AM] La Cie will hit the market next week with its first DVD-RAM drive, MacWeek reports. The $799 DVD-RAM d2, first seen at last week's PC Expo in New York, features a data transfer rate of 10MB per second, a sustained throughput of 1.3MB per second, an average seek time of 120 milliseconds. La Cie will position the rewriteable drive at professional graphics and prepress markets, and MacWeek says the company has plans to market a special "blue" version of the drive to small-businesses and home users this fall. The introduction of a DVD-RAM drive is the latest effort in La Cie's ongoing move from CD-ROM to DVD. MacWeek says the transition will wrap up this December. MacWeek Report - La Cie Apple Awards Over $1 Mln. In Education Grants [9:45AM] Thanks to Apple, ten K-12/high education institution teams can now realize their vision for a technology-saturated classroom. Through its Apple Education Grants program, which is now in its twentieth year, the company yesterday awarded a group of U.S. educators with over $1 million in grants, as recognition of excellence for their technology project plans. According to Apple, this year's grants required collaboration between K-12 schools and higher education institutions that deliver ongoing teacher professional development. (A full list of grant recipients is available below.) Grant recipients - Apple Computer Continued Losses Trigger Restructuring At Corel [9:05AM] Corel Corp. yesterday reported its six straight quarter of red ink, triggering a major restructuring effort that will reduce the company's work force by about 20 percent. The plan, which Corel said will result in annual savings of $33 million, calls for the company to shut down its engineering center in Orem, Utah, home to its Word Perfect line of office software, and transfer a portion of jobs to its headquarters in Ottawa. The majority of the 530 positions being phased out will come as a result of the Utah closing, Corel said, while quickly pointing out that it will create 150 new jobs in Ottawa, and 40 in New Hampshire and Dublin. Losses for the second quarter came in at $8.3 million, or 14 cents per share, better than most analysts predicted, Corel said. Revenues, however, continued to dwindle, falling to $63 million from $87.4 million in the year-ago period, in part to the company's losing battle with Microsoft in the office software market. Corel Wednesday, June 24th Happy Endings: It's The Bandwidth, Stupid! [PERSPECTIVE] Sure, the iMac is easy on the eyes, will include a cool software bundle and features the first play at USB, making this the easiest computer in the world for a newbie to upgrade. Within a few years, everybody will be wondering what the fuss was all about, with just a few wizened old geeks (both SCSI gurus and PC wonks) hanging out on the porch swing swapping old tales of the cabling. Kids will roll their eyes. But right now we've got controversy brewing, even if we lay our wonder about the Case of the Missing Floppy to the side for a moment. What's on everybody's tongue seems to be the modem, and how it's not the right speed... [MORE] PointCast Closing Door On Asian Service [6:20PM] As a result of economic troubles in Asia, and subsequent failures to sign a deal with its Chinese content partner, PointCast today said it would close down the Asian Edition of its personalized desktop news service, effective July 1. Viewers of the U.S. edition of the network will not be affected by the change, and PointCast said it intends to continue to expand its service in other countries and geographic regions. In addition to its U.S. edition, PointCast also currently produces a localized version of its service for the Japanese market. PointCast Macworld Expo To Have Consumer Appeal [3:55PM] Apple's re-entrance into the consumer marketplace appears to be having an effect on IDG Expo Management, who promised that next month's Macworld Expo will have a definite consumer feel to it. IDG today said consumers will be the target of a number of new additions at the show, including a new pavilion and game tournament. "Content @ Home," the new area, will feature titles, services, and products from gaming developers, major entertainment companies, broadcasters, personal finance and productivity application developers, and hardware manufacturers. Also planned is the first-ever National Macintosh Gaming Championship, which is meant to highlight the latest Mac games, while also pitting attendees up against one another. The new strategy from Apple however isn't the only reason behind the charged focus on consumers. IDG said that more than a third of all pre-registered attendees have identified themselves as consumers looking for the latest hardware, software, and Internet-based applications. IDG said a survey of pre-registrants revealed that many regularly use their computers to play games, create Web sites or presentations, manipulate digital photos and music, or get news, sports or weather information, prompting it to offer the new additions. Macworld Expo Officially Licensed Apple Watches For Sale [2:50PM] Apple fans can now "Think Different" about time. Entertainment Earth, a company which sells collectible memorabilia and merchandise, is now selling two lines of officially licensed Apple wristwatches. The AppleWatch line, available with either a black or white dial, features the six-color Apple logo and the prevalent "Think Different" slogan, while the Apple KidsWatch series comes in a variety of colors each displaying an icon related to the Mac. All watches are available immediately and cost $39.99 each. applewatch<>- Entertainment Earth Jobs' Macworld Absence Explained? [1:35PM] An answer to the questions why Apple's Steve Jobs will be participating in next month's Macworld Expo keynote address via satellite, instead of in person, might have been found. According to a June 12 article in the Arizona Central, Jobs' wife is expecting the couple's fourth child in July. Arizona Central Article Kodak's USB Digital Cameras Now Shipping [1:15PM] The first digital cameras to feature a USB interface are almost here. Eastman Kodak said today its Digital Science DC220 and DC260 are now shipping in volume to authorized retailers across the country. Announced last month, both the DC220 and DC260 provide million-plus pixel image capabilities (1.0 million and 1.6 million pixels respectively), and use USB to speed image transfer by up to ten times that of traditional serial interface downloads. "The Kodak DC220 and DC260 cameras offer a unique customer value proposition: high speed, plug-and-play picture download from the camera to a USB equipped personal computer, without moving flash cards or floppy disks, or waiting for slow serial connections," said Willy Shih, president, Digital & Applied Imaging, and VP of Kodak. The DC220 and DC260 will be available at a suggested list price of $799 and $999 respectively. Kodak - DC220 Info - DC260 Info IDC: Netscape Still In The Lead [12:30PM] Despite gains made by Microsoft in all user segments of the U.S. browser market in 1997, Netscape remains the market leader, a new report by International Data Corporation (IDC) said. The study showed that although Netscape only gained ground in the small business segment, the company held onto its number one position for the year. "However," explains Joan-Carol Brigham, a research manager in IDC's Internet continuous information research service, "Microsoft was able to achieve a high rate of new user adoptions and upgrades. This was accomplished by landmark efforts to market version 4.0 of Internet Explorer, which kept recognition high throughout 1997, and by shipping the product toward the end of the year." In the small business market -- the segment which showed most growth in 1997 -- Microsoft gained 8.2 percent, to reach 26.7 percent of the U.S. share. Netscape accrued only 2.3 percent in the same area, but still holds a 46.7 percent share, according to the study. IDC forecasts shipments of Web browsers within the U.S. will grow from 10.1 million units in 1997 to 124.3 million units in 2002, a compound annual growth rate of 52 percent. IDC - Netscape - Microsoft Cypress Fattens Line Of USB Microcontrollers [11:40AM] Cypress Semiconductor yesterday extended its Universal Serial Bus (USB) microcontroller line with the announcement of three new product families intended for use in standalone USB hub applications, hubs integrated into keyboards and monitors, and individual peripherals such as modems. Cypress, the leader in the marketplace for USB controllers, said it has already shipped "well over a million" USB devices to vendors, including Microsoft, who will use Cypress-branded hardware in its upcoming USB mouse and keyboard offerings. Cypress Semiconductor CalComp Signs Bundle Deal With MetaCreations [9:45AM] CalComp Technology has licensed MetaCreations' Kai's Photo SOAP SE and ART Dabbler, and will include the consumer-level products with its recently announced Creation Station, a new peripheral duo designed to enhance home and school creativity projects. Priced at $129 and expected to ship in late-July, the Creation Station packs together a mini-digital tablet with pressure-sensitive pen and a cordless mouse. "MetaCreations' unique graphic user interface may attract consumers who are looking for something different. These products are the best match for CalComp's Creation Station," said Ed Hopkins, VP of sales and marketing at the CalComp Input Technologies Division. CalComp Technology - MetaCreations PowerLogix Discounting PowerBoost Cards [9:10AM] Austin, Texas-based upgrade vendor PowerLogix is blowing out prices on its remaining inventory of PowerBoost 604e cards. Prices range from as low as $119 for the PowerBoost 604e/166 to $199 for the PowerBoost Pro 225, which features PowerLogix' variable bus speed option. The cards all carry a three-year factory warranty. Meanwhile, PowerLogix also lowered the price of its RapidCache 1MB module down to $119. PowerLogix BBEdit Update Enhances FTP Capabilities [8:15AM] Bare Bones Software has posted the latest revision to its award-winning text and HTML editor. Version 4.5.3 of BBEdit, free to all registered users of 4.5, enhances the program's built-in FTP capabilities, and makes improvements to the "Find Differences" functionality. In addition, Bare Bones said the update fixes "some problems reported from the field." Bare Bones Software - Update AT&T; And TCI To Merge In Blockbuster Deal [7:45AM] AT&T;, fresh of its failed takeover attempt of America Online, announced today it will buy cable television giant TCI (Tele-Communications, Inc.) in a stock swap worth as much as $48 billion. Under the deal, which pairs two of the nation's largest telecom and cable companies, AT&T; will combine its current consumer long distance wireless, and Internet services units with TCI's cable, telecommunications, and high-speed Internet businesses to create a new subsidiary - AT&T; Consumer Services. The unit, which is planned to have a significant public ownership, will have control of AT&T;'s existing WorldNet Internet service as well as TCI's @Home Network -- the high-speed cable Internet service many vision becoming the next AOL. The companies project that the combined consumer company could have 1999 revenue of $33 billion and pre-tax earnings of $7 billion to $7.5 billion. Neither anticipate any significant downsizing to result from the merger, which will face stiff regulatory approvals, and isn't expected to be completed until the first half of 1999. AT&T; - TCI Tuesday, June 23rd Apple Plans Broadcast Of Macworld Keynote [6:40PM] Apple said today it will broadcast the opening keynote speech at next month's Macworld Expo to its Market Centers throughout the U.S. and Canada. Described by Steve Jobs as a "milestone event," this year's annual summer gathering will offer a number of twists compared to recent shows, the most obvious being the fact that the event has moved from its traditional Boston locale to New York. But also, the dates have been pushed ahead one month. While positioning the show as a followup to the July 4th holiday might not have been the smartest thing to do, the change does mean that the east and west coast versions of the show will now take place exactly six months after one another. There's one other twist, however, and that comes in the form of Apple's head honcho. Not since the regime of Michael Spindler has an Apple CEO not given the keynote at a Macworld Expo. But saying Steve Jobs won't be participating in the address isn't entirely true. It's just that Apple's iCEO will not be riding in any NY taxis the week of July 6 -- he'll be joining Phil Schiller, Apple's vice president of worldwide product marketing, on stage at Macworld via satellite, raising the inevitable question: what situation or engagement would take priority over a live appearance at Macworld? Keynote Macworld Expo Microsoft Fills Executive Vacancies [3:15PM] Microsoft today filled two vacancies on its executive staff, promoting Jean-Francois Heitz to treasurer and Scott Boggs to corporate controller. Both will continue to report to chief financial offer Greg Maffei, the company said. Heitz began work at Microsoft in 1989 as a general manager in the company's France division, before eventually moving to the Redmond headquarters in 1994 as assistant treasurer. Boggs, meanwhile, joined Microsoft in 1993 and most recently served as assistant corporate controller. Microsoft [11:25AM] Following CompUSA's announcement yesterday that it will acquire the Computer City chain from Tandy, Moody's Investors Service affirmed the retail giant's senior and subordinated debt rating. The New York-based financial service said it expects that CompUSA will recognize operational and marketplace benefits from the acquisition in the first year, and that the unprofitable Computer City chain will operate profitably by the second year. In addition, Moody's said it does not believe that the $275 million acquisition price, which will financed in part through a $150 million 10-year amortizing subordinated note, will materially affect CompUSA's financial condition. However, that is with the assumption that the acquired locations can achieve productivity near that of CompUSA's existing stores within two years, Moody's said, noting that integration could pose some challenges, since the average size of the acquired stores is about 20 percent smaller than the average size of CompUSA's existing stores. Nonetheless, Moody's said it believes that CompUSA's current infrastructure will be able to absorb the increase in the store base. Moody's Investors Service - CompUSA Microsoft Wins Appeal, Court Lifts Injunction [10:50AM] The U.S. Court of Appeals this morning ruled in favor of Microsoft, overturning a 1997 preliminary injunction that prevented the company from forcing PC makers to include its Internet Explorer browser with Windows 95. The appeals voted 2 to 1 that a lower court made both procedural and substantive errors in imposing the injunction. "We find that the District Court erred procedurally in entering a preliminary injunction without notice to Microsoft and substantively in its implicit construction of the consent decree on which the preliminary injunction rested," the court said in its ruling. Microsoft Media 100 Bundling Commotion With Systems [10:05AM] From now through September 23, Media 100 will be bundling Puffin Designs' Commotion 1.5 with its MEDIA 100 xs and xr systems at no additional cost, the companies said today. Commotion is a popular video editing application that allows users to create high-quality visual effects. "This relationship reinforces Media 100's commitment to the Macintosh platform and to providing its customers with the most sophisticated high-end special effects in the industry for video and film production," said John Molinari, president of chief executive of Media 100. "Like MEDIA 100, Commotion was created for professionals to produce broadcast quality video affordably on the desktop. Now with this partnership, our two companies are providing the industry with unmatched flexibility and creativity for visual effects composition." Media 100 - Puffin Designs Rollout of Xeon Servers Stalled By Bug [9:30AM] Intel, never a stranger to delays, is being forced to push back the release of its new 450NX chip set by six to eight weeks, PC Week Online reports. The company had been planning to roll out the new chip set alongside its new line of Pentium II Xeon processors next week, but a bug was apparently discovered sometime last week. The 450NX, targeted at high-end servers, will support multiprocessing with four or more processors, but due to the glitch, vendors will be limited to dual-processor Xeon machines until late this summer, the report said. PC Week Report - Intel New Technology Marries DVD With The Web [9:05AM] HyperLOCK Technologies today introduced a new technology it bills as the world's first fully-encrypted multimedia gateway technology linking pre-recorded DVD video and audio with real-time information on the Internet. Designed to meet the needs of content providers in search of fast, secure, and innovative ways to use the Web as a distribution port, the company said "HyperDVD" will open the door for Web programming, enhanced video advertising, QVC-like electronic commerce, and comprehensive distance learning programs on the Web. HyperDVD is designed to run on any Windows 95 or Macintosh machine equipped with a DVD drive and Internet connection. HyperLOCK Technologies ADS Supporting Macs With USB Products [8:35AM] Macintosh users, already assured of a USB (Universal Serial Bus) upgrade path from Keyspan, can count on having another way of bringing the next-generation bus technology to their existing machines. ADS Technologies said today it is working on new USB products, including an add-in USB Port that allows users to upgrade to the burgeoning standard by adding two USB ports. Based on the OPTi FireLink USB controller, the USB Port comes in desktop and notebook versions, and will fully support Mac OS 8.5, ADS said. In addition, the company will also be selling a USB Hub that attaches to an existing USB port and adds four additional connectors. Each of the products will be carried in more than 1,200 retail stores nationwide, including CompUSA, Circuit City, Electronics Boutique, Fry's Electronics, and Micro Center. Prices and releases plans were not available. [Update:] According to ADS' Thaddeus Swanek, all USB products in the company's line are currently available, with the exception of the USB Port notebook card which should arrive by the end of the month. As far as prices are considered, Swanek said the USB Port for desktops and the CardBus card for the PowerBook G3 series will retail for $49 and $89 respectively, while the USB hub will be priced at $89. (Earlier, we incorrectly stated that the Hub does not conform to the Open Host Controller Interface. It does, and is thus fully compatible with the Macintosh.) ADS Technologies New Conference Explores Content Market [7:50AM] A new conference that explores how digital technologies have revolutionized the creation of content and how content providers can take advantage of digital media's unique capabilities will debut next month. Scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 25 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Rohnert Park, ContentWorld will cover all phases of the digital media enterprise, from production to consumption, and is aimed at those involved in creating, managing, or marketing content. The full-day conference will include sessions featuring innovators of electronic media and key players in the digital content market. Speakers will include Tim Cobb, president of research firm Relevant Knowledge, and Bruce Lyon, a winner of an Academy Award for technical achievement. ContentWorld - ContentWorld Conference Monday, June 22nd Intuit Completes $400 Million Lacerte Purchase [5:40PM] Intuit said today it has completed its acquisition of Lacerte Software, a Dallas-based developer of tax preparation software. The $400 million cash deal, announced on May 18, gives Intuit substantially all of the assets and certain liabilities of privately held Lacerte and a related services company. Intuit said it will operate Lacerte as a wholly owned subsidiary, which will be managed by Lacerte president Randy Zeller, and will continue to offer Lacerte's product line in addition to its own ProSeries software for professional tax preparers. Intuit - Lacerte Software Textbook Publishers, Web Sites Back Creator [5:15PM] As a show of support for its authoring tool, Stagecast Software said two leading textbook publishers have entered partnerships to develop Creator-based projects. Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley will create interactive science projects for K-12 students, while Modern Curriculum intends to develop activities that will help kindergartners through fifth graders with a wide variety of learning skills. In addition, Stagecast said it is partnering with popular Web sites that provide wholesome activities for children. The company said Creator will be used online at Curiocity's Freezone in conjunction with their promotion for Dreamworks' "Small Soldiers," and Circle 1 Network. Stagecast Software Stagecast Previews Education Platform [4:40PM] Stagecast Software, the company co-founded by long-time Apple executive Larry Tesler, is in the news today with a new education product grown out of Apple's Cocoa technology. Palo Alto, Calif.-based Stagecast said it is working on a new platform for education designed to bring textbook topics to life through interactive worlds -- creations that include interactive simulations, stories, lessons, and games. All the worlds are built using the company's authoring tool, Stagecast Creator, due this fall and priced "attractively." Born out of Apple's Cocoa technology, Stagecast said Creator has been transformed from a Mac-only product into a 100% Java tool. The company said Creator will bring educators, publishers, and students a common Internet-compatible platform that is both consistent, interchangeable, and also extensible. Tesler explains: "There's lots of great education software out there but teachers don't have time to learn it. Word processors, databases and Web browsers see a lot of use because the one-time investment in learning a productivity tool is repaid many times over. Stagecast Creator is that same kind of product. It's easy to learn, and once you've learned it, you can use it every day, in endless ways." Stagecast Software FAXstf Gets Make Over, AppleScript Support [1:50PM] STF Technologies said today it will ship FAXstf Pro 5.0, its next-generation faxing system, on July 1. The updated version builds upon the FAXstf 5.0 product that is now bundled with modem-equipped PowerBook and Power Macintosh G3s, and sports a redesigned FaxBrowser that simplifies fax management. With the new interface, users can manage faxing from one window with full drag-and-drop support. FAXstf Pro 5.0 will also include AppleScript support for fax processing, fax markup and editing, custom cover page editor, custom page headers, and Caller ID support, the company said. STF Technologies - FAXstf Pro 5.0 Information Kocher Elected Chairman, CEO At Micron [1:15PM] Joel Kocher, the former Power Computing president who resurfaced in January as president and chief operating officer of Micron Electronics, will now play the role of top dog at the resurgent PC maker. The company today announced it has elected Kocher, whose noted for his unconventional motivational practices, as the successor to chairman and chief executive officer Joseph Daltuso, who will provide consulting services to the company for an indefinite period of time to ensure a smooth transition. Kocher, 42, will continue to hold the president title in addition to his new positions, the company said. Micron Electronics Interplay Greeted With Modest Welcome [12:25PM] On Friday, shares of game developer Interplay Entertainment went public, receiving a modest welcome from the street. The parent company of MacPlay offered 5 million shares of stock at $5.50 per share. In its first trading day, the stock peaked at 6 3/4 before settling down to 6, where it currently stands. Piper Jaffray Inc., Bear, Stearns & Co., and UBS Securities were the managing underwriters for the offering, and were each granted the option to purchase an additional 750,000 shares. Interplay Entertainment - MacPlay MetaCreations Begins Shipping Poser 3 [12:05PM] Poser 3, the third major revision of MetaCreations' 3D figure posing and animation tool, is now shipping. Priced at $299, the new version incorporates new high-resolution human and animal models, a new user interface, poseable hand models, and at long last, facial posing and animation capabilities, as well as a walk animator. In addition, Poser 3D can import BVH motion capture files to instantly and easily add animation to figures. MetaCreations 3Dfx Expands Into Mainstream Market [11:35AM] 3Dfx Interactive, makers of the high-performance Voodoo 3D chipset, will attempt to break into the mainstream computer market with a new chip integrating both 2D and 3D capabilities. Set to be announced today, "Voodoo Banshee" will be compatible with all existing games developed for the 3Dfx' proprietary Glide API (Application Programming Interface), and will run about 15 percent to 17 percent faster than the current crop of combination chips, 3Dfx said. While the company has been a true force in the high-end of the market, it will face stiff competition from the likes of ATI and STB who are each fixtures in the OEM business. But with strong performance, a brand name recognized by the entire gaming community, and the backing of hundreds of developers, 3Dfx' Banshee is poised to give the established leaders a run for their money. 3Dfx Interactive - Voodoo Banshee ProVUE Planning Panorama Conference [11:15AM] ProVUE Development said last week it will hold a two day conference later this year for users of its Panorama software package. Dubbed ProVUE '98, the conference will be held at the Embassy Suites South in Los Angeles on August 31-September 1, and is aimed at all levels Panorama users, from beginners to developers. Over 25 hours of in-depth training sessions, broken down into five tracks (Cross Platform, Panorama Skills, Programming, Advanced, and Internet) will be included in the conference. A vendor fair for third party trainers, consultants, and add-on products will be a part of the conference as well. ProVUE Development - ProVUE '98 Conference Broderbund Goes To TLC For $420 Million [10:40AM] Broderbund's hiring of an investment banking firm earlier this month has lead to exactly what many analysts had forecasted -- a sale of the company. Ending speculation over who the suitor would be, The Learning Company (TLC) this morning announced it will acquire the struggling software publisher in a stock deal valued at approximately $420 million. The board of directors at Broderbund and TLC have each approved the transaction and will recommend that stockholders authorize the purchase as well. The companies said they expect to close the sale before the end of September 1998. The move is the latest by TLC to expand its traditionally education-oriented software lineup to include games. The company acquired a number of noted properties with its purchase of Mindscape earlier this year, and now with Broderbund affiliate Red Orb Entertainment under its wing, TLC will be home to two of the industry's more recognized brands -- Myst and Prince of Persia. The Learning Company - Broderbund Digimarc Awarded Three New Patents [10:05AM] Digimarc, a leader in digital watermarking applications, has been awarded three new patents, including rights to a video watermarking copy protection solution that could potentially reduce the threat of copying DVD movies. The key advances covered by the patents include: concentrating watermark signal strength in image areas where it is best concealed from human vision; selectively disabling of the recording capability of a DVD player; and making digital watermarks more robust so they can withstand various forms of corruption. DigiMarc CompUSA Gobbles Tandy's Computer City Unit [9:10AM] The nation's largest chain of computer retail stores will be getting a bit bigger. CompUSA today announced it will acquire Computer City, a Tandy unit, in a cash and stock deal worth $275 million. The deal is expected to be finalized in 90 days, and will give CompUSA 100 new stores. Exact details of the sale such as store closings, layoffs, etc. will not be finalized until the transaction is complete, CompUSA said. "We are extremely excited about this acquisition as we believe it will further enhance CompUSA's ability to be a 'total solutions provider' for our retail, corporate, government, education, mail order, technical services, training, and build-to-order customers," said James Halpin, president and chief executive officer, in a statement. "We believe this will allow us to provide our customers with additional products, superior service and added convenience." CompUSA - Computer City Once Again, Gates Tops Forbes' Richest List [8:30AM] For the fourth year in a row, Microsoft's Bill Gates once again stands atop the world's wealthiest as the richest man in the world. Forbes magazine, in their annual ranking of the world's billionaires, said Gates' fortune rose $15 billion in the last 12 months to reach $51 million, enough to out pace the Walton family on the list. The family, heirs of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton, is worth $48 billion, according to Forbes. Rounding out the top five on the list is Warren Buffet ($33 billion), Paul Allen ($21 billion), and the Oeri, Hoffman & Sacher family ($17.8 billion). Other notables on the list include Apple investor Prince Alwaleed (#8, $13.3 billion), Microsoft's Steve Ballmer (#11, $10.7 billion), Dell founder Michael Dell (#13, $10 billion), and Apple board member Larry Ellison (#39, $5.8 billion). Forbes Digital Tool Apple Introducing iMac To Educators At NECC [7:55AM] Apple's efforts to drum up support for the iMac in the education segment formally begin today as the company introduces the revolutionary, low-cost computer to educators at the National Education Computing Conference (NECC) '98 in San Diego. The 19th annual event is designed for K-12 and university educators, and runs through Wednesday at the San Diego Convention Center. Besides the iMac unveiling, Apple will also be hosting a special presentation by AppleMasters Jim Ludtke and Howard Bingham titled "Real World Digital Content Creation." In addition, at NECC, Apple says it will extend its education offerings with the unveiling of new products and services designed to help educators fully integrate technology into their classrooms. These new offerings include: "Teaching Learning and Technology," a robust school/district technology planning tool; "Macintosh Support and Troubleshooting Training for Students," a kit that equips teachers to train students to manage school technology; and "Technology Integration Consulting Services," special on-site technology planning consultation services. Apple Computer - NECC '98 Friday, June 19th Former Apple Exec To Head Sales At Boca [2:50PM] In an effort to keep the Global Village brand it acquired yesterday as the leader in the Macintosh modem market, Boca Research has gone out and recruited a seasoned veteran of the Mac industry. The company today named David Manovich, an Apple employee for the better part of the past 15 years, to the newly created position of executive vice president of sales and marketing. Manovich, who held the senior vice president of international sales and support title at Apple before leaving last October, will be responsible for leading Boca's North American sales and marketing efforts for its entire product lines, including the Global Village brand. He'll report directly to Boca's president and chief executive officer, Tony Zalenski. Boca Research Report: PointCast Shopping For A Buyer [2:00PM] Onetime Internet hotshot PointCast, who just last month filed for an initial public offering, could wind up in the hands of a major media company instead of Wall Street's, reports say. Business Week, citing sources familiar with the situation, reports that the push vendor is shopping itself around to major media companies. But why at a time when it's just about to go public? Business Week's sources explain: "Fifty percent of the reason for the filing was to raise the visibility of the company to potential acquirers. PointCasts' assets aren't maximized by being a stand alone." Given its key-content partnerships and following in the corporate market, Business Week said the company could be a good buy. Interestingly, it was just last year that Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. allegedly made an offer to buy PointCast. However, then president and CEO Chris Hassett turned down the reported $500 million bid, electing to instead keep the company independent. Business Week - PointCast Boca Completes Acquisition Of Global Village [12:40PM] Boca Research yesterday finalized the acquisition of Global Village's modem business, putting to end an era at Global and paving way for the company's transition into a server vendor. Under the final terms of the sale, which was originally announced back in March, Boca will pay $10 million -- $4 million up front and two payments of $3 million in September and December -- in cash and notes, and assume certain liabilities. According to the companies, Boca will receive Global Village's intellectual property related to the modem business, including exclusive rights to the Global Village name, logo, and trademarks, as well as the inventory and receivables. In addition, the sale includes Global's distribution and OEM agreements associated with the TelePort, PC Cards, GlobalFax, GlobalTransfer, and FaxWorks personal edition communications products. "With the addition of the Global Village brand, we are positioned to extend our customer base into the Apple Macintosh market, whose customers have come to count on Global Village for quality products," said Tony Zalenski, Boca's President and CEO. "Apple Computer's business appears to be rebounding, and we plan to leverage this opportunity to improve our operation and manufacturing efficiencies, engineering and product depth, distribution clout and financial performance." Boca Research - Global Village Thursday, June 18th Iomega Lays Out Major Cost Cutting Plan [5:55PM] Iomega, the once high-flying removable storage maker who's recently had to battle soft sales and a shift toward lower margin products, today laid out a series of cost cutting measures that it hopes will lead the way back to profitability in the fourth quarter. The biggest action of the three-part plan is a reduction in total head count. Iomega said it will cut 600 to 700 full-time and temporary positions from its current worldwide work force of 5,000 employees. The company will also accelerate the implementation of a "virtual corporation" model, which will shorten the supply chain, reduce inventory, and make the company more responsive to its customers. In addition, the Iomega will implement "Six Sigma" initiatives to make substantial product and process quality improvements and reduce cost. "We regret the impact these cost reduction measures will have on a number of our employees," Iomega's president and CEO, James Sierk, said. "Unfortunately, the reality is that we need to adjust our business model in order to become profitable as an OEM supplier of Zip drives and to capitalize on the sale of our higher margin Zip disks." Sierk added that the company's goal in taking the actions is to generate cost savings totaling more than $50 million in the second half of this year and show a profit in the fourth quarter. To cover the restructuring plan, Iomega said it will take a special pre-tax charge of $5 million to $10 million for the second quarter. In March, the company said it expected flat revenues and a loss in the range of $25 million to $35 million for the period ending June 27. Iomega will report final results on Thursday, July 16. Iomega eMediaweekly To Make Appearance At Web '98 [2:45PM] Mac Publishing will be previewing eMediaweekly, its rechristened version of MacWeek, at next week's Web Design & Development '98 conference in San Francisco, the show's organizers said today. Mac Publishing, formed last year when Ziff-Davis and IDG merged their respective Mac publications, bills the cross-platform weekly as "the exclusive newsweekly for buyers involved in professional digital content creation and management, whether for the Web, digital video, multimedia or print publishing." Officially set to launch in late August, the pub will offer news, product reviews, and opinion pieces for each product categories within the field of content creation. eMediaweekly Study: $11.4 Billion Lost To Pirates In 1997 [1:50PM] Software companies in the U.S. lost $11.4 billion of worldwide revenue last year, as a result of piracy, a newly released study by two industry groups said. The Business Software Alliance and the Software Publishers Association said they found that almost half of all newly installed business programs were pirated. In the U.S., the study said slightly more than one-quarter of software was pirated, adding up to an estimated $2.8 billion in lost revenue. But as bad as piracy was in the U.S., the number of people using illegal software didn't hold a candle to China, where an estimated 96 percent of all software was illegally copied. BSA - SPA Deal Brings ZDTV Programing To The Web [1:05PM] Through a deal between RealNetworks and ZDTV, the newly launched 24-hour cable channel from Ziff-Davis, select programming from ZDTV will be brought to the Web for on-demand viewing. RealNetworks will broadcast the channel's "Top of the Hour" news updates and Silicon Spin, a hosted roundtable discussion on the day's breaking computer, technology, and Internet news. In addition, users will be able to tune into a 24-hour-a-day live audio feed of the cable channel. RealNetworks - ZDTV Disney Buys 43 Percent Stake In Infoseek [12:15PM] The Walt Disney Company, who watched last week as rival NBC forged a major alliance with CNET, today inked an Internet partnership of its own, buying a 43 percent stake in Infoseek, in exchange for its ownership in Starwave plus $70 million in cash. Under the deal, which is subject to shareholder and government approval, Disney will receive 25.8 million shares of Infoseek and a minority position on the search engine's board. In addition, Disney's purchase price includes warrants that will enable it, under certain circumstances, to become majority owner of Infoseek. Together, the companies are expected to create a new portal service that combines content from ABCNEWS.com, ESPN.com, Disney.com, Mr. Showbiz, and the host of official sports sites that Starwave has ownership of. Such a site would set the companies up to compete directly with other major portal players, including America Online, Yahoo!, and Netscape. Infoseek - Disney - Starwave LAMG Signs Silicon Valley P.R. As PR Agency [10:35AM] The Los Angeles Macintosh Group (LAMG) said today it has retained the services of San Francisco-based public relations agency Silicon Valley P.R. The new affiliation, described by LAMG president Tom Negrino as "a perfect match," will help publicize what is one of the largest's user groups in the world. "I've known [Silicon Valley P.R. founder and Principal] Tom Geller from his long association with the Macintosh community," Negrino said. "In fact, we were both working for Mac industry publications when we met, him editing reviews for MacWEEK and me writing for Macworld. So when I heard he was opening a P.R. agency, I asked him to help us publicize the LAMG, and I've been very pleased with the results." LAMG - Silicon Valley P.R. CompUSA Enters Augusta, Honolulu Markets [10:10AM] This Friday, computer retailer CompUSA will be breaking into uncharted territory with the grand opening of stores in the Augusta, Georgia, and Honolulu, Hawaii, markets. In addition to those locations, the Dallas-based company will also open a new location in San Francisco, expanding its already sizable presence there. Counting the new store, CompUSA will have six locations in the San Francisco market. CompUSA High-End PowerBooks Trickling Into Channel [9:45AM] After greater than expected delays, apparently caused by a shortage of large active-matrix screens, the top-of-the-line model in Apple's new PowerBook G3 series has begun trickling into some shops. MacWeek reports that Elite Computers & Software Inc., an Apple dealer in Cupertino, Calif., received a shipment of the 14.1-inch PowerBook G3/292 machines on Wednesday. Thomas Armes, Elite's president, said all but a few have been presold, but added that they're expecting more by the end of the month. Incidentally, an Apple spokeswoman tells MacWeek the company expects the high-end portables to be popular but does not foresee a constrained supply. MacWeek Report - PowerBook Information AOL Committed To Remaining Autonomous [9:05AM] Reports in both the New York Times and Wall Street Journal say America Online executives, in respond to yesterday's story of a $19 billion takeover offer by AT&T;, told employees that the company is committed to remaining independent. According to the papers, AOL president Steve Case and chief operating officer Bob Pittman sent a company-wide email informing workers that they had no intention of selling the company. "We are committed to remaining an independent company, as that is the best course for our customers, shareholders and employees," the two executives said in the email message. "We continue to be eager to establish alliances with a wide range of telecommunications, media and technology companies." NY Times Article - Wall Street Journal Wednesday, June 17th Netscape To Synchronize Directories With Palm [8:30PM] Netscape is making it easier for users of the Palm Platform to stay up-to-date with corporate address books. Just days after Oracle pledged to link its flagship database product with the 3Com handheld devices, Netscape said today it will include Palm-connectivity in the address book portions of its client and server software. According to Netscape, new features in the upcoming Communicator 4.5 enable entire or partial corporate directories to be stored in a wide variety of applications on the Palm platform. By synchronizing names, addresses, and phone numbers stored in the PalmPilot organizer with Netscape Directory Server, users can rapidly bring their roaming devices up-to-date, Netscape said. Nescape - Palm Computing Communicator 4.5 Announced, Due Next Month [5:55PM] As expected, Netscape today announced details of Communicator 4.5, a key component in its effort to attract more visitors to its Netcenter site. The update, which will arrive in beta form sometime in July, will directly tie itself to Netscape's portal through Smart Browsing, a new technology that integrates a series of Netcenter-hosted services with the client. The initial group of core capabilities include: Internet Keywords, a search method that allows users to type regular words, or keywords, directly in Communicator's URL field; What's Related, which can dynamically generate a list of links that relate to the site that the user is visiting; and NetWatch, a mechanism that filters out content based on PICS-compliant rating systems RSACi and SafeSurf. In addition to the new browser-related capabilities, version 4.5 will add a number of enhancements to the suite's messaging component, Messenger. IMAP and LDAP will be supported in the update, and import utilities for Eudora and Outlook Express users migrating to Messenger will be included as well. Nescape - Communicator 4.5 Info Macromedia's Live Learning Center Debuts [3:05PM] The Interactive Learning Division of Macromedia yesterday launched what is claims to be the industry's first live center for delivering courseware over the Web. The division, formed following the company's purchase of Solis last year, said the site lets users take an online management course and learn how to build courses, assign students, track progress, generate reports, and administer an online training system. In addition, the site features the first live demonstration of a computer-managed instruction (CMI) system delivering courseware over the Web. Macromedia Web Learning Eudora Revision Planned For August [2:30PM] Qualcomm is planning to give its Eudora email client a dose of new communication and multimedia capabilities with an update later this summer. According to PC Week, company officials at PC Expo said Eudora Pro 4.1 and Eudora CommCenter 4.1 will be the first versions to ship with AOL Instant Messenger, the result of a partnership between Qualcomm and AOL announced last December. The 4.1 update, currently in beta testing, will also enable users to access their mail via a Web browser through the inclusion of Eudora Web-Mail, PC Week says. In addition, Apple's QuickTime 3.0 will be featured in the update, as will tools for migrating from Netscape's Communicator and Microsoft's Outlook Express. PC Week Report - Qualcomm Opera's Web Browser Going Cross-Platform [11:35AM] Opera Software's "Project Magic," an initiative to ignite cross-platform development of its highly acclaimed namesake Web browser, has turned into "Project Reality." The Norway company this week announced the signing of contracts to bring the speedy Opera browser to the Macintosh, BeOS, and Linux platforms. The company revealed very little (not even the names of the signed developers were disclosed), but did say the contractors for the Mac and Linux versions are located in the U.S., while the BeOS team of developers calls Sweden home. Other than that, Opera only promised that "more details will become available in due course." Opera Software Philips Unveils Two USB Speaker Systems [10:40AM] Continuing the daily onslaught on new USB (Universal Serial Bus)-compliant devices, peripherals, and add-ons, Philips Electronics today announced a pair of speaker systems that utilize the next-generation bus technology. The 30-watt DSS350 and 60-watt DSS370, due to ship late this month and early July for $149 and $199 respectively, each use the Philips Smart Digital Audio technology to deliver a crisp, clear sound free of sound distortion. In addition, both feature the company's patented Incredible Sound architecture, which generates a pseudo-3D listening experience from two speakers. "Philips' speakers exemplify our technology leadership role in the USB marketplace," said Philips' marketing director of USB peripherals, Chris Cavanagh. "As a member of the USB Implementer's Forum and the chair of the USB Audio Device Class working group, Philips is providing its expertise to establish USB as a worldwide industry standard." Philips USB Digital Speakers Report: America Online Shuns Buyout By AT&T; [9:55AM] Executives at America Online have reportedly shunned a multi-billion dollar takeover attempt from none other than AT&T;. Quoting people close to both companies, Wednesday's edition of London's Financial Times said AT&T; Chairman Michael Armstrong approached AOL several weeks ago with a tentative buyout offer -- a tender, according to one of the paper's source, "comfortably above" AOL's $19 market worth. The offer, however, was turned down by AOL execs Steve Case and Bob Pittman, who told AT&T; several days ago they did not want to sell. America Online - AT&T; MediaX Honored For Work On Apple Production [9:30AM] MediaX Corp.'s production of the "Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh Welcome Tour" for Apple has landed it recognition from two noted technical societies. The Culver City, Calif.-based company said today it has won the award for Distinguished Technical Communication awarded at the Society for Technical Communication's International Online Competition (IOCC), as well as the "Best of Show" award by Northern California Technical Communication Competition for its work on the Apple production. Each of the accolades is the highest award given in each of the respective competitions. MediaX - Apple Computer W3C Declares SMIL An Internet Standard [8:55AM] SMIL, a new markup language that promises to bring television-like content and multimedia presentations to the Web, this week received a Recommendation from the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), an endorsement that tags the specification as an official Internet standard. SMIL, which uses simple markup tags to produce audio-visual content, was written and developed by the W3C Synchronized Multimedia (SYMM) Working Group, which includes both key industry players such as Apple, Digital Equipment, Lucent/Bell Labs, Netscape, Philips, RealNetworks, and The Productivity Works, and leading research organizations such as Columbia University, CWI, and INRIA. W3C - SMIL Information Tuesday, June 16th Xerox To Battle Hewlett-Packard In Printer Market [5:40PM] Xerox and Hewlett-Packard, already embroiled in legal litigation, will now be battling it out in the retail space, following Xerox' announcement of a new line of laser and inkjet printers aimed squarely at taking market share away from leader HP. The new products target HP's traditional strengths: black and white network laser printers for businesses, color inkjet printers for small offices and the lucrative market for supplies designed for use with HP products. For businesses, Xerox will offer two network laser printers, including the $3,500 DocuPrint N40, which can churn out 40 pages per minute. At the low-end, Xerox is hoping to entice consumers with two color inkjets -- DocuPrint XJ6C and XJ8C, priced at $199 and $269 respectively. In addition, Xerox said it will also sell replacement toner cartridges for HP's laser and inkjet printers. According to Xerox, the supplies will retail for 10-15 percent less than its rival's offerings. Xerox - Hewlett-Packard GoLive Giveaway At Web Design '98 [3:25PM] At next week's Web Design and Development '98 show in San Francisco, GoLive Systems will be giving away a free copy of their new $99 CyberStudio Personal Edition to any attendee who brings in one of the following competitive Web authoring packages: Adobe PageMill, BBEdit, Claris Home Page, Dreamweaver, Microsoft Front Page, NetObjects Fusion, and Symantec Visual Page. The company will also be offering the identical promotion at next month's Macworld Expo in New York. GoLive Systems Report: Communicator Update Coming Tomorrow [2:40PM] An update to Netscape Communicator, due to be announced tomorrow, will add features designed to bring more visitors to Netscape's Netcenter portal, a News.com report says. Among the biggest changes in version 4.5, which is the first release from Netscape to deviate from the traditional X.0 numbering system, and the first significant update since the company released the program's source code, is the previously announced "Smart Browsing" technology. New capabilities provided through Smart Browsing include: Internet Keywords, a search method that allows users to conduct queries directly from Communicator; a "What's Related" button, which can automatically generate a list of related sites based on the current page; and NetWatch, a set of tools that filter out content based on user's settings. In addition, version 4.5 will include improved support for the LDAP and IMAP protocols. News.com Report - Netscape Communications Apple Sponsoring Jonathan Cohen Seminar [1:55PM] Apple will be one of the companies sponsoring Jonathan Cohen and Associates' summer seminar series, "Expanding Your Practice with the Internet: A Seminar for Architects, City Planners, and Design Professionals." In the two-part forum, attendees will be taught how to use the Web to enhance their design practice, simplify government approvals, and market their work. The seminar series begins July 7 in San Francisco, and will travel throughout the U.S. and Canada, with stops in Chicago, Houston, Boston, Toronto, Atlanta, etc., before coming to an end on October 8 in New York. The registration fee for the event is $49. Expanding Your Practice with the Internet 2 Million Businesses Now Using QuickBooks [1:10PM] More than 2 million small businesses are now using Intuit's QuickBooks accounting software package, the company said in a statement today. "We are extremely proud that more than 2 million customers have chosen QuickBooks as the best solution to successfully manage their small business finances," said Jim Heeger, senior vice president of the small business division at Intuit. The Macintosh version of QuickBooks, despite having been shelved several years ago, is still sold and supported by Intuit. Recent rumors have suggested the company is privately planning to restore development, but at least publicly, Intuit maintains it has no intentions of upgrading QuickBooks for the Mac. Intuit Visioneer's USB Flatbed Scanner Due This Month [12:00PM] A flatbed scanner incorporating USB (Universal Serial Bus) connectivity is in development at Visioneer, and will be hitting the streets at the end of this month, the company said today. The PaperPort 3100, priced at $139.99, provides 300 x 600 optical resolution and an interpolated resolution up to 2400 dpi (dots per inch) and 30-bit depth for higher color quality and detail. "By incorporating USB technology into our already successful flatbed scanner line, we are giving our customers the best possible imaging solution on the market," said Murray L. Dennis, vice president of sales and marketing at Visioneer. "PaperPort 3100 USB gives users faster scan times, increased ease of use and total compatibility with other peripherals." Visioneer Broderbund On The Selling Block? [10:55AM] News out of Broderbund yesterday isn't too positive. The publisher of Myst and Riven said it expects a loss in its third quarter and hired an investment banking firm, a move which leads some Wall Street analysts to suspect that a sale of the company is imminent. Analysts believe the leading candidates to take over Novato, Calif.-based Broderbund include toy maker Hasbro, The Learning Company, or gaming software powerhouse Electronic Arts. For its part, Broderbund is saying only that they have retained investment banking firm Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette to "explore strategic alternatives." In a statement, Joe Durrett, Broderbund's chief executive, said, "At this time, we are having discussions regarding strategic opportunities." For its third quarter ended May 31, Broderbund said it expects revenues of about $52 million, and a net loss in the range of $2.5 million to $3.3 million, or 12 to 15 cents per share. First Call had anticipated a profit of 1 cent a share. Surprisingly, sales of Riven are expected to shoulder much of the blame for the fallout. Sales of the Myst sequel have not fared as well as the company had hoped, and product returns have hurt the title too. "Riven was a big part of it," said Broderbund's Lauren Tanny. "All along, we had been conservative on that product and told retailers not to over-order. I think some of them definitely did." Broderbund Latest CBQ Index Shows Improvement For Apple [10:15AM] Despite a drop-off in the 1997 repurchase-loyalty measure, Apple's position in Technology Business Research's (TBR) First Quarter 1998 CBQ Benchmark Index improved, thanks to a strong product set and improved financial results. Apple edged closer to cracking the top ten, as its ranking jumped from #15 in the fourth quarter of 1997 to #12 in the first three months of 1998. TBR said the upswing, which tied Micron for the biggest improvement, was due to sales of G3-based products and associated revenue and margin increases. The CBQ benchmark ranks the leading global computer vendors on a comparative basis every quarter, taking into account factors such as product sets, marketing strategy, manufacturing strategy, and business model. Topping the list for the second straight quarter were Dell, Sun Microsystems, Compaq, and Gateway. Micron, jumping from #8, rounded out the top five. Technology Business Research - Apple Computer Apple Beefing Up Staff At Laguna West Plant [9:45AM] Apple, hoping to avoid issues with meeting demand for its upcoming iMac consumer computer, is adding 400 engineers and assembly line workers at its Laguna West plant, the Sacramento Business Journal reports. The Laguna factory, along with Apple's manufacturing plants in Ireland and Singapore, will begin rolling out the iMacs by mid-August. An open-house job fair held last weekend at the Laguna plant, which already employs 1,000 workers, was "highly successful," Roben Talia, Apple's local human-resources manager, said. Hundreds of applicants turned out for the fair, including "50 or 60" who were waiting for the doors to open. Business Journal Report - Apple Computer Glucose Development's Injection Released [8:35AM] Injection 1.0, Glucose Development's new Web publishing tool that automates the task of generating META tags, was released today. Based on an engine that uses natural language algorithms to analyze each individual page in a Web site, Injection constructs META keyword tags that reflect the content of each page. To use, Webmasters simply need to drop a Web page -- or a folder containing an entire site -- onto Injection. The program then processes each page in the site, injecting META tags as it goes. In addition, Glucose says Injection also includes a suite of tools that allow Webmasters to specify arbitrary custom META tags for insertion into a site. Injection is priced at $99, and can be purchased and downloaded from Glucose's site. Glucose Development Monday, June 15th Imagina Acquires NotifyMail Software [5:05PM] NotifyMail Software, developer of the email notification system of the same name, today was acquired by Imagina, an Internet application vendor best known for its Newstand workgroup collaboration tool and UseNet news server. Imagina said it will use NotifyMail as a core foundation for several other unnamed software releases. At the same time, Imagina will continue to support all current NotifyMail customers, and it expects to quickly increase that installed base through its established marketing and distribution channels. Imagina - NotifyMail Software Western Digital, IBM In Hard Drive Pact [3:55PM] Over the weekend, Western Digital signed a definitive agreement with IBM to enter into a broad- based hard disk drive licensing relationship, completing plans announced in early May. Under the agreement, which will go before IBM's board for approval by the end of this month, IBM will supply Western Digital with its leading areal-density giant magnetoresistive (GMR) heads, as well as other electronic components which include IBM embedded firmware. Western Digital will use IBM technology and components -- and in some cases, IBM HDD designs -- in its family of WD Caviar desktop drives, simultaneous with IBM's deployment of these technologies and components. Western Digital - IBM Macworld Denmark Exits, macPress Enters [3:30PM] According to Palle B. Nielsen, editor of Danish Macintosh news magazine MediaMac, Macworld Denmark closed its door this month, but filling the void will be a new independent magazine called macPress Magazine. The publication, which is not affiliated with Macworld publisher IDG, will focus on Macintosh hardware, software, and peripherals, and the first issue is due to hit newsstands on August 20, Nielsen says. macPress Magazine - MediaMac Developers Flocking To Palm Computing Platform [2:35PM] Estimates released today by 3Com peg the installed base of active developers for the Palm Computing platform in the neighborhood of 7,500. The news follows a series of announcements of strategic relationships with leading enterprise solutions vendors including Oracle, Symbol Technologies, Abaco, Netscape, Remedy, Computer Associates, and Sybase. Just today, 3Com announced an alliance with Oracle (see story below), and also unveiled plans with Symbol and Abaco to deliver Palm connectivity to the SAP R/3 enterprise resource planning solutions. Palm Computing DVD-ROM Sales To Exceed 6.5 Million In '98 [1:50PM] Helped by the expanding library of movie titles and falling hardware prices, DVD-Video player sales are on pace to increase over 140 percent to 1.2 million units worldwide in 1998 and DVD-ROM drive sales should exceed 6.5 million units, InfoTech Research's new DVD Assessment, Third Edition, projects. But the best news is how fast DVD-ROM prices are tumbling. By year's end, InfoTech said prices for complete DVD-ROM solutions should be near $100. And by 1999, look for DVD-ROM to begin replacing CD-ROM drives in sub-$1,000 systems, something which is beginning to happen in certain instances already. All in all, a worldwide installed base of almost 70 million DVD-ROM drives by 2000 is forecasted by InfoTech. InfoTech Research Insignia Brings RealPC To Sun's Solaris [12:30PM] Insignia Solutions' RealPC is making the jump from the Macintosh to Sun Microsystems' Solaris operating system.Sun and Insignia announced today they will expand their distribution agreement, originally signed in January to cover SoftWindows 95 4.0, to include the DOS-based emulator, giving Solaris customers access to a cost-effective choice for running PC applications. Insignia Solutions - Sun Microsystems Iomega, NEC Clik!, Complete Licensing Deal [12:05PM] Iomega today signed up another partner for its upcoming Clik! drive. NEC Corporation of Japan, under a non-exclusive worldwide license agreement, will manufacture and market the lightweight drive to retail channels and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). In addition, the license gives NEC rights to develop new varieties of Clik! drives. Like Iomega, NEC said it expects to have drives on the market within the second half of 1998. "We believe that the Clik! drive will be the preferred choice for portable digital storage," said Mr. Tadanobu Furukatsu, vice president and executive general manager at NEC. "We are excited about manufacturing and marketing Clik! drives to end users and the makers of portable digital devices." Iomega - NEC Apple's Time As Repurchase-Loyalty Champ Ends [11:25AM] Apple's long-running dominance of ZD Market Intelligence's repurchase-loyalty measure has come to an end, a newly released study shows. According to the 1998 Technology User Profile, a study that, among other things, measures the percentage of users who acquired a PC in 1997 that bought the same brand as the PC they had been using, Apple's repurchase loyalty rate dropped eleven points to 71 percent, putting the company third on the list behind Gateway and Hewlett-Packard. But despite the fall, ZD Market Intelligence's Dave Tremblay said the results are better than expected: "Apple's repurchase loyalty in 1997 was a surprise, not because it went down but because it didn't go down as much as we thought it might. Apple managed to keep its loyalty rate up over 80% in the workplace market -- within a few points of last year. This is a testament to the effectiveness of their killing the clone business in early 1997 and shipping the successful G3-based products later in the year. " Tremblay continued, "Where Apple was really hurt was in the home segment, where its loyalty fell by more than a third. Consumers are more price-sensitive, and Apple has not had a competitive product in the under-$1,200 segment, where the volume growth has been highest. Until they do, I expect them to continue to lose followers in the consumer market." ZD Market Intelligence - Apple Computer iMac Road Show Continues In California [10:55AM] The Sacramento and Los Angeles Macintosh user groups will be the latest crowds to get a up close and personal look at the iMac, as Apple's nationwide road show makes its way through California this week. The hotly-awaited consumer computer will appear at the MacNexus, Sacramento Macintosh User Group on Tuesday, June 16, and at the Los Angeles Macintosh User Group on Thursday, June 18, before making its way back east to New York for next month's Macworld Expo. Apple User Groups - iMac Information Palm Computing Partnership Mobilizes Oracle [10:20AM] As expected, Oracle is throwing its weight behind the Palm Computing platform. The database maker and 3Com's Palm Computing unit today announced a strategic relationship under which the two companies will jointly develop and market solutions that provide real-time remote access to data residing in Oracle databases. At the heart of the alliance is Oracle Lite, Oracle's client-side database. Under the pact, that product will be integrated with the Palm III and PalmPilot organizers, allowing Palm applications and data to be replicated, synchronized, and shared with the Oracle8 database server. The companies say their relationship will generate a range of products and services over time, beginning in August with a conduit development kit (CDK) for Oracle, which will allow data to be synchronized with a shared Oracle database server. "This strategic relationship with Palm Computing extends Oracle's strength in enterprise information management to the handheld computing market," said Denise Lahey, VP of embedded database technologies at Oracle. "Oracle Lite on the Palm Computing platform will allow companies to work more efficiently by bringing the power of Oracle information management to each and every employee, regardless of location or computing platform." Palm Computing - Oracle Microtech To Demonstrate PC Card Zip Drive [9:45AM] Microtech International's Mii Zip 100 drive, a PC Card Zip drive measuring one half inch thick and weighing only 11 ounces, will be demonstrated at this week's PC Expo in New York. The Mii is based on Iomega's notebook Zip technology, and uses the Micro Power Management System, which eliminates the need for AC adaptors. Microtech claims the drive works with any notebook equipped with a Type II PC Card interface, though it is not clear whether the company is developing, or intends to develop, a PowerBook driver for the product. Microtech International Deals Increase Worldwide Presence Of Eudora [8:55AM] Through a series of agreements with international republishers, Qualcomm said today it will be able to provide its Eudora Pro 4.0 email package to consumers in such areas as Italy, India, Asia Pacific, and the United Kingdom. Roderick Manhattan Group, LG Soft India Private Limited, and Italsel srl have all signed deals to begin offering the email client to their existing distribution channels. The new agreements supplement Qualcomm's existing pact with Kuni Research International, who provides worldwide distribution of Eudora in Japanese. Qualcomm - Eudora Information PuppetTime Adds New Dimension To QuickTime [8:35AM] Apple is planning to advance the capabilities of its QuickTime architecture with a new technology aimed at bringing 3-D characters to the Web. According to MacWeek, the company last week published a detailed spec for PuppetTime, a proposed addition to QuickTime that animates 3-D digital puppets through a command set called PuppetScript. QuickTime 3.0 engineer Deeje Cooley, who developed PuppetTime, said the low-bandwidth technology is suited for Web-based interactive games, broadcast virtual reality, and 3-D simulations. A demonstration of the work-in-process technology, along with a comprehensive overview, can be viewed via the site linked below. MacWeek Report - PuppetTime Friday, June 12th Apple Commercials Hit The Radio Waves [1:50PM] Though Apple's latest television commercials have seen little air play in the past several weeks, the company has filled the void with the introduction of an aggressive radio campaign in several parts of the country, including the Philadelphia area. The lengthy spot, featuring the now-standard narration of actor Richard Dreyfus, spotlights the company's current "More Power or More Compatibility" promotion in which Power Macintosh G3 customers can receive a copy of Connectix' Virtual PC 2.0 or 32MB of additional memory. CompUSA Signs Lease For Syracuse Store [12:40PM] Ever-expanding CompUSA said today it has completed a lease agreement for a new 29,700 square-foot location in Syracuse, N.Y. News of the lease comes on the same day that the computer retailer opened three new stores around the country. Slated to open in early 1999, the Syracuse store will be the company's first location in the market and will create approximately 60 to 65 local jobs. "We look forward to opening this location because it will enable us to deliver better, more convenient service to our retail, business, government, education, training and technical services customers in the Syracuse area," said Jim Halpin, CompUSA president and chief executive. CompUSA Thursday, June 11th Intel's "Xeon" Coming Later This Month [4:55PM] The next chip in Intel's line of processors will be introduced at a press event at the company's Santa Clara headquarters on June 29, the company said today. The "Pentium II Xeon," as the chip is being called, will be specifically targeted to meet the needs of mid-range and high-end servers and workstations, in much the same way the now-extinct Pentium Pro was. At the briefing, Intel executives will present a technical overview of the product plus demonstrations of high-end workstation and server applications. Intel Zip Drives Make Way Into New York Hotels [4:10PM] Iomega is making it easier for PC Expo attendees to access their Zip disks. The removable disk drive maker said today that its Zip drives have made their way into several leading hotel business centers and over 160 professional service bureaus in New York City, in time for next week's PC Expo in the Big Apple. According to Iomega, Zip drives are currently available in the business centers of suggested PC Expo Hotels including the Grand Hyatt New York, the Helmsley New York, and the New York Hilton and Towers. Attendees will also find drives at service bureaus such as Kinkos, Mail Boxes, Etc., PIP, and Sir Speedy. Iomega - PC Expo Digital Shareholders OK Compaq Acquisition [3:15PM] The largest merger in the history of the computer industry was finalized today, as Digital Equipment shareholders voted at a special meeting this morning in Westford, Mass. to approve Compaq's acquisition of the company. Under terms of the deal agreed to in January, Compaq will pay roughly $4.5 billion in cash and issue about 141 million shares of Compaq stock. The final value of the deal depends on the closing price of Compaq's stock today, though the figure most likely will be in the $9 billion range. Compaq's strategy for integrating Digital is expected to be laid out at a press conference tomorrow morning in New York. Compaq Computer - Digital Equipment ZDTV Coming To DIRECTV In August [1:55PM] One month after its national launch, ZDTV, Ziff Davis' 24-hour cable channel devoted entirely to computing and the Internet, today was picked up by satellite broadcaster DIRECTV, who will provide the channel to its 3.6 million subscribers beginning August 1. The channel will be added to the DIRECTV Total Choice programming packages. Ziff-Davis says the pact will nearly complete its goal of reaching six million households by the end of the second quarter. In addition to the distribution agreement, DIRECTV will work with ZDTV on the development of new interactive content that may be combined with DIRECTV digital video and audio programming to create a whole new experience for DIRECTV subscribers. ZDTV - DIRECTV SyQuest Accessories Now Available Online [1:35PM] SyQuest Technology, by way of an expanded relationship with PC Connection, has begun selling its SyGear accessory line via the Web. From a dedicated "SyQuest Accessory Connection" page off Accessory Connection, a partner of PC Connection, customers can order cartridges, connectors, cables, and other merchandise. "We selected PC Connection as our electronic commerce partner because prompt, high-quality service is what discerning customers want, and PC Connection sets the standards for service in our industry," said Ed Harper, CEO at SyQuest. "It was a logical choice because SyQuest is committed to offering the highest level of service and support possible." SyQuest Technology - SyQuest Accessory Connection CorelDRAW Upgrade To Include Font Reserve [12:45PM] Through a licensing partnership with Diamondsoft, Corel said yesterday it will be including Font Reserve -- a font management tool -- in its upcoming release of CorelDRAW 8 for Power Macintosh. A fully functional version of Font Reserve that allows users to add up to 2,100 fonts into its font database will be bundled with the CorelDRAW upgrade due this fall. In addition, Corel has gone beyond just bundling the tool and has added direct support for Font Reserve in CorelDRAW 8, meaning fonts can be activated when needed by a document and collected for output. "CorelDRAW 8 for Power Macintosh is more than just a powerful illustration program," said John Geleynse, product marketing manager for Macintosh Products at Corel, in a statement. "It is an incredible collection of graphics and publishing tools for Macintosh-based professional designers, graphic artists, and illustrators. Through partnerships like this one with Diamondsoft, Corel is proving its commitment to providing a true publishing solution for the Macintosh platform." Corel - Font Reserve Information CompUSA Opening Three New Stores Friday [11:35AM] Computer retailer CompUSA this Friday will celebrate the grand openings of three new superstores in Bakersfield, Calif., Charlotte, N.C., and Tucson, Ariz. The locations in Bakersfield and Tucson will be the company's first entry in each respective market, while the Charlotte store will join one other location in the area. CompUSA says each of the new stores will represent its latest store prototype, which showcases new CompKids and Software Sampler areas in addition to the standard departments such as the Apple "store within a store." In addition, like many of the other recently opened CompUSA stores, the new shops will include multi-classroom Training Centers, covering database, spreadsheet, word processing, graphics, and Internet applications for all experience levels. CompUSA AOL To Deploy V.90 Protocol By Mid-July [10:50AM] America Online said today it will fully deploy the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) standard V.90 modem protocol for high-speed 56Kbps access throughout its proprietary network by mid-July. The world's largest online service has been testing V.90 internally for several months, but currently only offers its customers a choice of the two incompatible 56K modem protocols -- x2 and K56flex. America Online Motorola Becomes Sole Owner Of Somerset [10:30AM] The Somerset PowerPC design center in Austin, Texas, will become wholly-owned by Motorola, following IBM's decision today to withdraw from joint operation of the facility. The center, opened in 1992 and the grounds for where most PowerPC development occurs, will now be directed by Bertrand Cambou, Ph.D., senior vice president and general manager of Motorola's Networking and Computing Systems Group. Despite IBM's decision, the companies say they will continue to cooperate closely on the PowerPC architecture and its advancement in the marketplace while expanding their respective design capabilities. The companies also intend to leverage their individual design activities to compete for desktop microprocessor opportunities at Apple, according to a joint statement. "Motorola is committed to the PowerPC architecture as an important high-performance element in our DigitalDNA strategy. The total ownership of the design center will allow us to expand our commitment to new designs for Apple and our embedded market customers," said Hector Ruiz, Ph.D., president, Motorola Semiconductor Products Sector. "The pervasiveness of PowerPC microprocessors is exemplified by the 1000 or more design-ins to-date in networking, computer, telecom, broadband, wireless infrastructure, automotive, consumer and industrial applications."