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---------- Forwarded Message ----------
Date: Friday, June 16, 2000, 9:47 AM -0400
From: Faulkner Information Services <mailserver@faulknerinfo.com>
To: ???
Subject: Faulkner Systems Flash 06/15/00 




Systems &Technology Flash




Publication Date: June 15, 2000



Preview
Systems &Technology Flash is a biweekly news summary covering computer
systems and software, and vendors. This flash covers the period May 29,
2000 to June 14, 2000. 

IBM reported that it signed 10 telecommunications and electronics companies
as partners for an Internet marketplace. The business exchange, named
e2open.com, was fueled with more than $200 million from its founding
partners, which include Ericsson, Hitachi, LG Electronics, Matsushita,
Motorola, Nokia, Nortel Networks, Philips, Seagate, Solectron, and Toshiba.
The exchange is expected to go live in July. IBM also announced an alliance
with Siebel Systems, Intentia International AB, and Mercury Scheduling
Systems to develop e-business applications for the airline market. The
companies report that they will focus on interairline electronic ticketing,
Internet flight seat auctions, customer service, aircraft maintenance, and
scheduling.



Mergers/Acquisitions
Shareholders for Cap Gemini approved the company's plan to acquire Ernst
&Young Consulting. 

Inktomi signed an agreement to acquire Ultraseek, a subsidiary of Go.com.
Ultraseek provides search and navigation software to businesses' corporate
intranet and extranet sites. Inktomi reports that the acquisition will
extend its search capabilities into the e-commerce enterprise market. 

Prodigy acquired FlashNet Communications that increased Prodigy subscribers
from 1.5 million to approximately 1.7 million. The company issued .35
shares of Prodigy stock for each share of FlashNet common stock in the
acquisition. 



Alliances/Joint Ventures
The National Basketball Association, the Women's National Basketball
Association, and America Online made a multi-year strategic alliance. AOL
will promote and integrate NBA and WNBA content across all of its brands.
Additionally, AOL will have the rights to use NBA marks and player names in
connection with a basketball fantasy game to be developed on AOL
properties, and NBA.com WNBA.com will be licensed to use several AOL tools,
including AOL Instant Messenger and AOL Search. The three companies will
engage in online and offline cross-promotion. In other news, America Online
and Satyam Infoway made a multi-year agreement to distribute a co-branded
version of the AOL Instant Messenger service to SatyamOnline ISP customers
and through their consumer portal and its affiliated Web sites. This
alliance with Satyam Infoway is AOL's first agreement in the Indian
consumer Internet market. 

Apple and RealNetworks announced that RealNetworks will use Apple
Intellectual Property for streaming digital video and audio over the
Internet in QuickTime format. 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Hewlett-Packard agreed to
form a five-year, $25 million alliance to develop new ways to analyze
digital information. The alliance will examine new architectures, devices,
and user interfaces for commerce, education, and personal use. Plans
include research and development in the Artificial intelligence, computer
science, and media labs at MIT. In related news, Hewlett-Packard announced
that HP will be providing Charitableway.com the technology infrastructure
needed to for consulting and implementation services, as well as technology
and ongoing maintenance services. HP uses its HP 9000 N-Class Enterprise
Servers running HP-UX1 11, to provide a variety of integrated services to
Charitableway.com's clients. 

Lucent Technologies' NetworkCare Professional Services (NPS) and IBM Global
Services reported a worldwide alliance to help CyberCarriers, an emerging
group of service providers, to deliver network-based services to
enterprises and consumers. The alliance combines IBM's expertise in data
center planning, design, and integration with Lucent's expertise in
carrier-grade network infrastructures. 

Information Builders reported that its business intelligence product,
WebFOCUS, was used to develop a B2B Web site for Arvin Industries'
aftermarket products division, Arvin Replacement Products. The site is a
secure Web portal focused on providing service and information to Arvin's
customer base of auto parts distributors, retailers and installers. 

Intel and POPcast Communications announced an agreement that integrates
Intel's Easy Web Media software into Popcast's POPcaster software. The
combination is designed to capture video through a wide variety of capture
devices and combine digital video files with text, still images, and audio
in their finished presentation. 

Voter.com and Microsoft made an exclusive content-sharing, co-branding and
advertising deal that will launch a co-branded Web site between Voter.com
and Slate.com, and will create extensive links between MSNBC and Voter.com. 

Oracle and webMethod formed a partnership to provide global B2B transaction
services. The companies report that webMethods B2B will route business
documents through the Oracle exchanges to enable real-time business
transactions among global trading partners. 

Prodigy and SBC Communications formed an alliance to combine the companies'
consumer and small business Internet operations. Prodigy will assume
management of SBC Internet Services (SBCIS) dial-up, ISDN and Basic DSL
Internet Service customers, increasing its total managed customer base to
more than 2.4 million. 

Sun Microsystems, iPlanet E-Commerce Solutions, VeriSign, and Portal
Software announced the iForce plan for Internet Bill Presentment and
Payment (IBPP). The companies report that the plan is designed to give
telecommunication companies and other Service Providers a complete billing
system, including back-end billing and rating, bill presentment, and
integrated customer care. 

CommerceQuest confirmed that it entered into an OEM agreement with Tivoli
Systems. Under the agreement, e-Adapter Suite, the data movement and
integration service that uses IBM MQSeries, will be combined with Tivoli's
system management profile under the name Tivoli Data Exchange. 



Convergence
[AlterEgo and Inktomi signed an agreement to develop a scalable
infrastructure designed to adapt and send Web content through the wireless
Internet. With the addition of the Inktomi Traffic Server network through
AlterEgo's network, the integration will deliver Web content to PDAs,
mobile phones, pagers, laptop computers, and a variety of Internet
appliances. 

Intel and Microsoft announced that they are developing a design to provide
support for the Bluetooth wireless technology for the Microsoft Windows
operating system. The companies report that they are also working on a
standard method for PC platforms to support Bluetooth technology. 

Microsoft, DirecTV, and Thomson Multimedia formed an alliance to bring to
market an RCA DirecTV System with Microsoft's UltimateTV services. The
direct broadcast satellite system will integrate DIRECTV programming,
digital video recording, interactive television, and Internet access in one
package. The companies expect to have the system ready in time for the 2000
holiday shopping season. 

Telefonica Moviles Espana and Microsoft began trials of corporate and
consumer wireless Internet services. The trials build on a Telefonica
Moviles Espana and Microsoft agreement made earlier this year to develop
wireless Internet products and services. The trials will assess services
that allow customers to send and receive e-mail, access appointment and
address book functions, personalized Web content, and online information
services from mobile phones. Commercial deployments of the corporate and
consumer wireless Internet services are expected in spring 2001..



Electronic Business
CRM portals provider Aspect Communications introduced Aspect Portal
Multimedia v.1.2, a second-generation offering for combining customer
contact channels, including telephone, e-mail, Web, and fax. It is designed
to enable e-businesses to offer consistent service over a single
infrastructure, regardless of the manner in which customers contact them. 

Compaq opened a new eProcurement Competency Center in Dallas, Texas. The
company reports that the center provides electronic, Web-based procurement
planning, architecture, and pilot implementation services on the Microsoft
Windows 2000 platform thereby eliminating fax, paper, and email processing
fees. 

Ernst &Young and ETrade agreed to join in offering personalized financial
advice online. The new company is expected to launch in the next quarter. 

Hewlett-Packard and Intershop Communications announced a global strategic
alliance to develop e-commerce solutions based on Intershop's enfinity
software application and HP hardware devices. The companies report that the
alliance will enable businesses to sell anywhere on the Internet--through
company and affiliate Web sites, online marketplaces, wireless devices,
portals, and machine-to-machine e commerce--all on a single platform. 

IBM and Macromedia agreed to combine IBM's back-end Java application server
technology with Macromedia's front-end design tools. IBM will license
Macromedia's LikeMinds Personalization Server for use in future releases of
IBM's WebSphere. In turn, Macromedia will license and distribute a
developer version of WebSphere with its Dreamweaver and Dreamweaver
UltraDev Web design and development tools. IBM also plans to bundle trial
versions of Macromedia Flash, Freehand, Director, and Fireworks with every
copy of the WebSphere Studio. In other news, to further its wireless
initiative, IBM struck deals with Internet services firms AGENCY.COM,
answerthink Consulting Group, Luminant Worldwide, Organic, R/GA
Interactive, Rare Medium Group, Razorfish, and US Interactive. The partners
agreed to build a percentage of their wireless Web offerings on IBM
middleware for delivery of content and services through mobile phones and
portable Internet-enabled devices. In return, IBM will invest in special
support programs customized for the needs of the eight Internet firms. The
company also launched WebSphere Business Components, new tools and
Enterprise JavaBean components that will include components for vertical
industries such as insurance and banking, as well as cross-industry
components for SCM and CRM. Currently available for download at IBM's
alphaWorks site are base components for date and time support, decimal
numbers, and arithmetic operations; address components; company components
for describing and managing organizational units; currency components for
describing and managing currencies and exchange rates; and natural calendar
components that provide the capability to manage a working calendar. 

Lucent Technologies reported that Microsoft became a strategic technology
member of the Lucent Enterprise Networks Group's CRM Solution Alliance
Network. Participating network companies will collaborate to assist
enterprises and independent software vendors in deploying CRM offerings
that leverage Enterprise Network Group and Microsoft products and services. 

At the Streaming Media East 2000 Conference, Microsoft unveiled Digital
Broadcast Manager, a product that lets users secure, manage, and sell
digital audio and video content for e-commerce. More than 25 content and
application service providers reported their adoption of Digital Broadcast
Manager. 

PricewaterhouseCoopers reported that it would launch a Web portal offering
the services provided through its Global Human Resources Solutions
Practice. The services include developing HR programs for clients and
handling outsourced HR programs. The company renamed the practice UNIFI. 

A group of 12 European utilities entered into an pact to launch an
independent procurement exchange. The hub's founders are Scottish Power,
Endesa, Edf, RWE, Enel, Ibederola, Electrabel, United Utilities, Northern
Electric, Vattenfall, National Grid, and NUON. 

Unisys and Autobytel.com agreed to form a Web site to aid in the worldwide
interaction between dealers, sellers, and customers of the auto industry.
With Unisys's knowledge of regional markets and Autobytel.com's Internet
site, the companies plan to start in Australia and the Netherlands and
later expand to other countries. 

VeriSign introduced new distributed network architecture technology for
development of digital signatures, network-based digital certificates,
end-to-end encryption, and data storage. It is designed to afford B2B
exchanges, financial organizations, and other service providers private
data access and secure transactions globally from a range of
Internet-enabled devices. Ameritrade will use the new technology to enable
its customers to use digital signatures for online account enrollment. 

XML software provider XML Solutions formed a partnership with e-business
infrastructure provider bTrade.com to integrate their customers and
suppliers into a secure trading community, enabling exchange of
transactions between legacy EDI formats -- X12 and EDIFACT - and XML. The
combined offering will provide customer profile capability, including
support for open standards and protocols, such as RosettaNet, xCBL, cXML,
ebXML, and FpML BizTalk. 



Internet
Lycos announced that the male lifestyle content on TheMan.com will be
available on Lycos. TheMan.com provides editorial content including
relationships, style, sports, entertainment, and family management. 

Microsoft unveiled the SOAP Toolkit for Visual Studio 6.0 on the Microsoft
Developer Network developer program Web site. The SOAP Toolkit, which
includes source code, lets developers using Visual Studio build Web
Services using the Simple Object Access Protocol. Web Services are
applications that use Internet standards such as XML to expose their
features while remaining neutral with respect to any operating system or
programming language. In other news, Microsoft unveiled BizTalk Server
2000. Part of the company's plan to bring Windows 2000 more fully in tune
with the Internet, the technology lets developers design and build complex
Web applications, and supports XML. It features "orchestration," the
company's term for linking business systems and multiple applications
across the Internet. The software is expected to ship this summer. 

Unisys released InRoom Connect, a service that allows hotel users to access
the Web without the need of a laptop computer. The service is also equipped
with the Customer Relationship Management tool which features a system to
pre-load quest preferences including favorite room service, music
selections, and other hotel management related services. 



Web Authoring, Web Development Software
Microsoft unveiled an Internet-standards-based approach for building
components, called Web Parts, which deliver content and services to digital
dashboards. Using the Web Part XML schema, corporate developers and
partners can create customizable digital dashboards that bring together
personal, team, corporate and external information with single-click access
to analytical and collaborative tools.



Application Service Provider
Cable and Wireless, Microsoft, and Compaq reported a strategic alliance to
create a range of cable and wireless ASP services for business users around
the world. This alliance enables C &W to offer enterprise-class IT services
to small and medium-sized businesses in a single package. 

Hewlett-Packard struck a deal to aid Equityengine.com's business of aiding
Internet start-ups. HP will provide marketing and technology to be used by
Equityengine.com. In addition, Hewlett-Packard inked a deal with Chapter 2
e-services to provide the company with servers, storage systems, and other
components. Chapter 2 will use the equipment as part of its business of
providing network hardware and software for ASPs. The company also
introduced e-utilica, a product designed to enable ASPs to offer computer
intensive applications on a pay-per-use basis. E-utilica is targeted
primarily at engineers and designers, who require the use of high-powered
computers. 

IBM forged a partnership with Telecom Italia to develop applications and
establish data centers to host the applications as services. The services
will be offered to the Italian market, targeting both corporations and
government agencies. In addition, the companies agreed to offer incubator
services designed to aid e-business start-ups. 

Qwest Cyber.Solutions launched a strategy of targeting its hosted
application services to select vertical markets, including finance,
communications, healthcare, and services. The vertically-targeted services
are based on Enterprise Freedom, a recently-developed suite of ASP
offerings. 



Broadband/Cable Networking
Nortel Networks added a commercially available, standards-based VoIP
gateway for cable operators to its suite of products. The IP-PSTN Gateway
can be used in conjunction with Nortel Networks' Cornerstone Super Access
services to deliver VoIP capability over hybrid fiber/coax networks.
Adelphia Communications will begin field implementation of the IP-PSTN
Gateway immediately. 



Internetworking
Informix reported a strategic product integration partnership with
Trillium. Trillium and Informix developed an integrated link between
Trillium Software System and Informix's Ardent DataStage Suite. Informix
customers will be able to directly invoke the Trillium Software System data
cleansing program via an integrated DataStage plug-in later this month. In
additional news, Informix reported the Concept Approval of Ardent DataStage
with XML Pack, a data integration product for UCCnet, a subsidiary of the
Uniform Code Council. Available immediately, DataStage with XML Pack gives
retailers, manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and other UCCnet
trading partners access to the synchronized product information found on
UCCnet, regardless of the data base, ERP, or other backend systems used by
a UCCnet trading partner. 



Middleware
Sybase released Sybase Replication Server 12.0, Sybase EnterpriseConnect
12.0 and Sybase MainframeConnect 12.0. The products allow users to get at
their existing information by enabling the information to move or be
accessed from disparate mainframe sources and other LAN data stores. The
products are compatible with Sybase Enterprise Portal technology. 



Network/Systems Management
Candle unveiled version 1.3 of its CandleNet ETEWatch product, a monitoring
tool that measures response time across applications such as Lotus Notes,
SAP R/3, the Citrix MetaFrame server, and Web browsers. ETEWatch monitors
response time from the start, through the network, to the servers, and back
to the desktop. After completing its trip, the ETEWatch-gathered data is
then processed and stored internally. 

Hewlett-Packard introduced the HP OpenView Worldwide VAR Program for the
Sun Solaris platform. HP OpenView VantagePoint for the Sun Solaris
Operating Environment, an end-to-end IT management service for the Sun
platform, is the latest HP product. HP OpenView for Solaris provides
customers with business-oriented e-enterprise management from a single
point of control. In other news, Hewlett-Packard released its HP NetServer
AA 6200 to enhance NetServer system environments. The company reports that
the new HP NetServer is designed to support capabilities for dual-processor
systems, business-critical applications, financial services, e-mail, call
center, supply-chain management, and Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
applications. The company, along with Hewlett Packard, Cisco Systems, and
Software.com, also agreed to form an end-to-end, IP-based Unified
Communications offering (UC). HP reports that the service is designed to
collect, notify, and deliver messages to customers regardless of location,
time, or access device. 

Lucent Technologies and Fujitsu agreed to form an alliance for developing
networks. The companies plan to pursue "next-generation" network
development, providing new multimedia features that control traffic in
fixed lines, mobile voice/data, Web access, and e-commerce. 

NetManage unleashed ONESTEP Consulting Services, an expanded portfolio of
services that will provide consulting support for all NetManage products.
ONESTEP enables clients to optimize their NetManage tools and products and
re-engineer and expand the abilities of their existing applications and
information systems in real-time to reach customers in the global
marketplace. In other news, NetManage launched the OnWeb Integrator, one of
NetManage's OnWeb Services for delivering eBusiness applications. This
product leverages existing host and legacy database information and the
power of the Web to fulfill mission-critical e-business initiatives. In
addition, the OnWeb Integrator also allows users to combine information
from multiple information sources in real-time. 



Security
AXENT Technologies licensed RSA Security's BSAFE Crypto-C encryption
software. AXENT added the BSAFE software into its Raptor Firewall-EC and
Raptor VPN Server-EC products. This combination will offer enhanced
encryption technology for the firewalls. The deal will allow AXENT to focus
its development efforts on other aspects of the Raptor line. In addition,
AXENT Technologies introduced its Prowler IDS Series. The offering includes
the company's NetProwler 3.5 and Intruder Alert 3.5, and offers combined
host and network-based intrusion detection. The Prowler uses consoles that
allow administrators to "drag-and-drop" security policies and attack
signatures into pre-defined groups of systems within specific business
functions, such as intranet servers. 

Certicom introduced a VPN client for handheld devices. The company claims
that the service interoperates with an range of VPN systems from vendors
such as Alcatel, AXENT Technologies, Cisco Systems, and Nortel Networks.
The client, which includes IPSec support, will initially support the Palm
OS version 3.5, followed by WinCE and EPOC. It will be available by the end
of the year. 

Computer Associates unveiled the latest feature of InoculateIT, designed to
help stop the spread of all email worms. InoculateIT users can download the
enhancement free from CA's Web site. The feature employs advanced scanning
techniques to generically detect attacks, allowing businesses to prevent
file types commonly used by virus writers from entering an e-mail system. 

Symantec unveiled anti-virus technology for the Palm OS platform. The
company's prototype technology uses what Symantec calls a "micro-engine''
to allow the Symantec AntiVirus Research Center (SARC) to detect threats to
the Palm OS. Although no viruses targeting handheld devices have been
reported yet, the company said that the Palm OS is just as susceptible to
malicious code as mainstream computing platforms. In other news, Symantec
released Norton Personal Firewall 2000, which is designed to protect home
PC users of the Internet. The firewall includes features such as the
ability to prevent Web sites from downloading specific or all Java applets
and ActiveX controls. It also supplies event logs detailing intrusion
attempts, the IP address of potential hackers, and authorized connections.
The Norton Personal Firewall 2000 can maintain a user's anonymity while on
the Web by blocking cookies on a per-site basis. 

Trend Micro introduced version 5.0 of ScanMail for Exchange 2000. The
latest ScanMail will be integrated with the Microsoft Exchange Antivirus
API. Features include the Web Storage System, which enables an organization
to house and access e-mail, documents, applications, and Web content in a
single location. ScanMail 5.0 will detect and eliminate viruses inside this
Web Store. ScanMail 5.0 for Exchange 2000 is slated to ship during the
third quarter of 2000. 



Electronic Document Management
Apple released its new desktop video editing and effects software
application, Final Cut Pro 1.2.5. The company reports that the application
is designed to support the 16:9 widescreen format which makes it possible
to edit, add effects, composite, and export video in the widescreen format.
Other features include the Power Mac G4 Velocity Engine optimization,
three-key shuttling, the ability to import Macromedia Flash files, and
support for PAL. 

CoCreate Software, a company owned by Hewlett-Packard, announced an
alliance with 100% Solution, an organization of design, engineering, and
manufacturing companies. The alliance will bring CoCreate's OneSpace
collaboration technology in 100% Solution's organization. OneSpace
technology is a CAD-independent, 3-D collaboration technique that allows
mechanical design team-members to share geometric models over the Internet. 

Xerox and Outpost.com teamed to unveil the Xerox Manufacturer's Store at
Outpost.com's retail Web site. Outpost.com will offer the complete line of
Xerox desktop and office products to more than 4 million consumers who
visit the site each month. 



Application Development
Adobe began shipping its new software application, Illustrator 9.0, which
is used to create and optimize Web graphics. The company reports that Adobe
Illustrator 9.0 has many productivity enhancements including the "Pixel
Preview" and "Save for Web" features. Adobe also released its new font
management utility, Adobe Type Manager (ATM) deluxe 4.1 for Windows.
Features include a drag-and-drop interface to group TrueType, PostScript
Type 1, and OpenType fonts to create custom font sets. Other Features
include functions allowing customers to export font sets to other users,
the ability to apply font smoothing to screen fonts, and the option to view
and print font samples without activating the fonts. In other news, Adobe
released its Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) Viewer, a plug-in that allows
web browsers to view Web graphics in SVG. SVG is the World Wide Web
Consortium's (W3C) open language for describing two-dimensional graphics in
Extensible Markup Language (XML). The company reports that this technology
will make downloads and navigation on the Internet faster. The Adobe SVG
Viewer is included with Adobe Illustrator 9.0 software and can be
downloaded at Adobe's Web site. 

Computer Associates announced the availability of its Neugents technology
for eBusiness management on the Sun Microsystems' Solaris Operating System.
The Neugent technology detects unusual behavior and predicts problems on
servers utilizing the Solaris Operating Environment before problems arise. 

Fujitus's STEP Research and Development Center released its Internet based,
CAD data conversion service. The company reports that the data conversion
system is designed to handle data from most 2D and 3D CAD systems. 

Hewlett-Packard announced the integration of Slangsoft Software in its Chai
Appliance Platform to assist developers in building information appliances
in the global market. The combination allows input and display capabilities
in 42 languages. 

Informix released Foundation.2000 9.21, a new version of its internet based
data management software application. The company reports that the new
version is designed to use 40 percent less memory overhead, 16 percent less
CPU utilization, and support 23 percent more users than the previous
version. The application also supports Informix MaxConnect, a connection
server that moves the management of user connections away from the Informix
data base server into a smaller number of network connections. 

Inktomi released its Commerce Engine 3.0, an upgraded version of Inktomi's
commerce infrastructure. The company reports that the software application
is designed to integrate new features including automated merchandising,
target opt-in email marketing tools, and new search-commerce options. 

Lotus and IBM unveiled two resources for software developers focused on
collaborative technologies. Collaboration Zone on IBM developerWorks offers
content on technologies for developers building open, standards-based and
cross-platform collaborative products. Lotus Developer Network (LDN), a
Lotus resource site, offers developers in-depth information for building
collaborative e-business applications and a gateway to the Lotus developer
community. 

Lycos made Lycos Free Internet Access available for Macintosh users. The
application is powered by technology from 1stUp.com. 

Oracle unveiled expansion plans for its Indian subsidiary. The company is
investing US$14.5 million in the construction of a Software Development
Center in India, to be based in Bangalore. The new facility will help
consolidate all of Oracle India's offices in Bangalore into one center. The
first phase of its expansion is scheduled to be completed by the end of
June. 

Palm released its HotSync Server software designed to link handheld devices
to corporate information systems. The company reports that the software
application will only support Palm handhelds at first, but eventually
expand to support Microsoft's CE operating system and the Pocket PC. 

Unisys released a new Java based software application designed to make it
easier in forming e-business applications based on industry standards. With
the combination of the new tools, Complex Information Manager (CIM) and
Integrated Component Framework (ICF), developers can share and reuse
software components and exchange data between similar tools. Regardless of
the operating system or hardware, developers can choose the software tools
based on the technology. 



Desktop Systems
Fujitsu Siemens Computers reported being the first vendor to offer 1GHz PCs
in Europe. The Silverline PCs feature Intel's 1GHz microprocessor. 



Servers and Mainframes
Gateway released its new high-density 7250R rack-optimized server. The
company reports that the server is designed to allow users to maximize
space and arrange multiple servers in an easy way. The server supports dual
Intel Pentium III processors, 2GB of SDRAM, and large power supplies. 

PeopleSoft released Vantive 8.5, the Customer Relationship Management
industry's first Internet server. The company reports that Vantive 8.5
links such enterprise systems as billing, inventory and supply chain
management. In addition it provides an open platform for building
browser-based Internet applications. 



Chip Technology News
AMD introduced and began shipping its new Athlon processor from its Fab 30
factory in Dresden, Germany. The new processor features 256 kilobytes of
integrated on-chip L2 cache and 128 kilobytes of L1 cache. The chip is
currently available in six speeds-1GHZ, 750, 800, 850, 900, and 950MHZ. 

Compaq selected Texas Instrument's programmable digital signal processor
and analog-based digital subscriberline modem chips to use in its new
Presario Internet PCs. The company reports that the DSP-Based ADSL chip is
approximately 100 times faster than the V.90 56k modem. Compaq also chose
IBM to manufacture its Alpha processors. The new Alphas will be built using
IBM's copper chip technology; IBM will also provide packaging and testing
services. 

Fujitsu Limited announced its two new flash memory devices jointly
developed with Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). The new 64Mbit flash memory
products (MBM29DL640E and MBM29DD640E) feature dual-operation for
simultaneous performance of read/write/erase functions and FlexBank
Architecture, which allows flexible allocation of data or programs to
banks. 

Intel delayed the release of its Timna processor until early next year,
2001. Timna was originally supposed to work with a high-performance
memory-typed-Rambus (DRAM). The company reports, however, that as a result
of relatively high DRAM prices, Intel must use a memory translator hub
(MTH) in order for the processor to operate more affordably with
synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) product. In other news, Intel announced two new
communication chips, the IXF3461 and LXT776. Intel reports that the IXF3461
chip is designed to support equipment for the integration of voice, data,
and multimedia applications. The single chip is a combination of a T1/E1/J1
line interface unit (LIU) with a cross connect switch (XCS). The LXT776, a
DSL modem module, is designed to accommodate G.shdsl standard, which is
scheduled to be released in the fourth quarter of this year.



Storage
Compaq Computer released its new storage polling technology, VersaStor,
that stores data in a dynamic, single pool. The company reports that the
storage application can move data transparently across networked storage
systems adding to the SAN-based storing techniques. 



Financial News
National Semiconductor reported net income of $134.2 million, 68 cents per
share, on revenues of $595.3 million for the fourth fiscal quarter of 2000.
This compares with a loss of $40 million, 24 cents per share, on revenues
of $486 million for its fourth fiscal quarter of 1999. 

NEC reported for its fiscal year 2000 revenues of 4.9 trillion yen,
compared to revenues of 4.7 trillion yen in fiscal 1999. Net income was
10.4 billion yen, or 6.40 yen per share, compared to a net loss of 151
billion yen, or 94.49 yen per share. 



Legal News
Microsoft filed an appeal to overturn the decision that would break up the
company into two and mandate restrictions on its software applications.
Bill Gates is confident that the Judicial System will overturn the District
Court Ruling. 



Personnel and Organizational Changes
Corel announced that it will reduce its workforce by 21 percent,
approximately 320 positions. This action is in response for a need to
reduce the company's costs by $40 million. 

Fujitsu appointed Takuhito Kojima as Chief Executive Officer of Fujitsu
Business Communication Systems. As of July 1, Mr. Kojima will succeed
Glenda Davis as President. Kojima formally served as a corporate advocate
for Fujitsu Business Communication Systems and as an on-site executive and
member of the company's board. 

Getronics launched G2E, a European-based worldwide e-business start-up
intended to provide consultants, solution templates, and Relationship
Management assistance to help clients navigate design and project
management issues involved in e-business transformation. G2E will be
headquartered in Amsterdam, with regional offices in Madrid, Milan, and
London. 

The joint venture of Kodak and Hewlett-Packard appointed its executives in
the technology, financial, human resources, and marketing departments. The
executives include David Clark as the chief technology officer and vice
president, Richard M. Elkus as chief financial officer, Judy McKelvey as
director of human resources, and John Ward as chief marketing officer and
vice president. 

Oracle added James O'Neill and Bill Hoover as senior vice presidents of
Oracle Service Industries. O'Neill will oversee Oracle's sales and
consulting groups in the communications and utilities sectors while Hoover
will be in charge of Oracle Service Industries operations, supervising the
majority of all staff support functions in the organization, including
Business OnLine, business development, customer advocacy, and major partner
accounts. 

PeopleSoft initiated an aggressive recruitment drive to boost its labor
force by 20 percent across its European, Middle Eastern, and African
operations. The workforce expansion was undertaken to handle increased
demand for the company's offerings following the Vantive acquisition as
well as expected demand for the upcoming Internet architecture-based
version of PeopleSoft 8 e-business suite. 

In an effort to streamline operations and to better position itself
strategically in the e-business market, SAP AG reported plans to cleave its
business software division into three units: new development, maintenance,
and product enhancement. The company also reported that it will shift
strategies and pursue partnerships with other vendors, earmarking $1
billion to team with such firms in order to fill product line gaps. 


..Mark Beamen 


  
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