Will Next Inc.'s new machines find a place in the market?

Article Abstract:

Next Inc has overhauled its Unix-based microcomputers. New machines will be available in Nov 1990, with color versions expected early in 1991. The machines start as low as $4,995. There are 16-bit and 32-bit color options with dazzling high-res screens, and the Motorola 68040 microprocessor greatly improves performance. An optical drive is now an option, and magnetic storage drives are now standard. 10BaseT Ethernet networking is built in. There is new software from Wordperfect Corp and Lotus Development Corp, so that Next machines are now more practical in business contexts. Unique 2.88 MByte floppy drives will read data on more conventional 720 K, 1.44 MB, MS-DOS and Unix disks. There is a new sleek 'pizza box' design called Nextstation, which comes with 8 MBytes of RAM and a 105 MByte hard disk. Nevertheless, it may be too late for Next machines. The information community is skeptical about them.

Computer peripheral equipment, not elsewhere classified, Evaluation, Product information, Workstations (Computers), Workstations, NeXT Computer Inc., NeXT (Workstation), Nextstation (Workstation)

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The brave new world of I.B.M. and Apple: Will promises be fulfilled before rival companies dominate the arena?

Article Abstract:

IBM and Apple Computer Inc have joined together in a strategic alliance, aiming to make a place for themselves in the computer industry of the 21st century. They plan to work together to develop a new generation of computers and an operating system to run on them. They need to shift the industry focus away from software and to hardware, defending themselves from companies such as Microsoft Corp, which makes the enormously popular Microsoft DOS operating system and the Windows graphical user interface, and from 'clone' makers. IBM and Apple want to build new hardware systems that can run all varieties of software. It would mean that purchasers would choose their hardware first because they would not need to concern themselves about software compatibility. But it will be three to five years before the IBM-Apple alliance shows results. In the computer industry, much could change in so much time.

Computer industry, International Business Machines Corp., IBM, Contracts, AAPL, Product development, Apple Inc., column, Outlook, Strategic Planning, Cooperative Agreements

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Who would buy machines without disk drives? Companies worried about viruses, other tampering or theft of data - that's who

Article Abstract:

Compaq Corp's $1,699 Compaq Deskpro 286N and $2,229 Compaq Deskpro 386N are two new microcomputers that are diskless and designed for use as network workstations. The Compaq Deskpro 386N is built around the Intel 80386SX microprocessor and runs at 16-MHz. The Compaq Deskpro 286N uses the 12-MHz Intel 80286 chip. Both microcomputers come with 1Mbyte of random access memory and have options including a $100 floppy disk and a $800 40Mbyte hard disk. The new machines represent Compaq's entry into the growing diskless microcomputer market. Diskless microcomputers offer more security and prevent tampering and theft of data.

Safety and security measures, Product introduction, Compaq Computer Corp., CPQ, Electronic data processing departments, Data processing departments, product announcement, Diskless Workstations, Compaq Deskpro 286N (Microcomputer), Compaq Deskpro 386N (Microcomputer)

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