Message-Id: <55206A473154D011924D0020AFF7ACB549D2A5@mail1.oulan.ou.edu>
Date: Mon, 5 Jan 1998 08:52:42 -0600
From: "Swisher, Bob" <bswisher@ou.edu>
To: "'it-fyi@ou.edu'" <it-fyi@ou.edu>
Subject: Edupage, 30 December 1997
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Edupage, 30 December 1997. Edupage, a summary of news about information
technology, is provided three times a week as a service by Educom, a
Washington, D.C.-based consortium of leading colleges and universities
seeking to transform education through the use of information
technology.
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TOP STORIES
IBM Develops 10-Billion Bit Disk Drive
Cyberculture In Japan
Korea Money Problems Could Signal Dip In PC Prices
ALSO
Computin' Down The Highway
Hayes To Merge With Access Beyond Inc.
High-Tech's Liberating Effect
Holiday Issue
IBM DEVELOPS 10-BILLION BIT DISK DRIVE
IBM has developed a disk drive that can store 10-billion bits of data
and that will be ready for introduction into new products in 2001. With
this advance, each square inch of disk space will be able to hold the
equivalent of more than 725,000 double-spaced typewritten pages.
(Atlanta Journal-Constitution 30 Dec 97)
CYBERCULTURE IN JAPAN
Because of the high cost of connectivity, Japanese Internet enthusiasts
are much more selective about their surfing, and companies intent on
developing e-commerce relationships with Japanese customers should
address Japanese buyers in their own language and focus on designing Web
pages so they can be quickly downloaded: "Fast-loading pages is the
Japanese Web surfer's number one requirement for a compelling Web site,"
says the president of market research firm TK Associates International,
who notes that the flippant and irreverent tone assumed by some U.S.
sites doesn't translate very well with Japanese customers. "Japan's
Internet is, for lack of a better phrase, relatively 'pure and
innocent.' This is largely a reflection of Japanese culture; there is
almost no political satire on TV and other media, for example."
(Technology Review Nov/Dec 97)
KOREA MONEY PROBLEMS COULD SIGNAL DIP IN PC PRICES
South Korea's currency crisis could lead to further price drops for PCs,
components and monitors, say industry observers, as Korean high-tech
companies boost production and flood U.S. markets with lower-priced
goods. Some PC vendors, including Hewlett Packard, are applauding the
move, hoping they'll be able to shave $50 to $150 off the price of their
PCs by using Asian components. "Most of the components have roots in
Asia, whether it be South Korea, Taiwan or Malaysia," says an HP
marketing manager. "Talking about the Asian market is one thing, but
the U.S. market is going to benefit with lower-priced PCs." (Computer
Retail Week 29 Dec 97)
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COMPUTIN' DOWN THE HIGHWAY
Intel will soon be offering a new voice-activated in-car computer that
will read e-mail out loud to the driver and automatically call 911 if
there's a collision; the system will offer the same functions as a
desktop, plus connection to the Internet and a wireless keyboard for
passengers. A manager for the Connected Car program explains: "The
idea is that you're keeping your passengers connected with information
systems." Intel is in talks with major manufacturers to have the
computers included in cars by 2000. (San Jose Mercury News 29 Dec 97)
HAYES TO MERGE WITH ACCESS BEYOND INC.
Modem-maker Hayes Microcomputer Products will merge with Access Beyond
Inc., manufacturer of remote access products and terminal servers. The
combined company will be called Hayes Corporation. (Computer Reseller
News 27 Dec 97)
HIGH-TECH'S LIBERATING EFFECT
As the Internet makes inroads into information-restrictive nations, such
as China, efforts to limit access to only "desirable" ideas are doomed
to failure, say experts. "The complaint one hears against the Internet
isn't that there is too little speech," says Manhattan Institute analyst
Peter Huber. "Instead, the argument is that there is too much hateful
or pornographic speech. Stalin manipulated the past, altering photos
and just wiping people and events out of the historical record. But
today, documents and photos get downloaded and stored in files all over
the world. You can make corrupt copies, false copies, but you can't
erase real copies now." Huber, author of the book "Orwell's Revenge,"
applauds the move by industry to make encryption products widely
available: "It means that we can now create a zone of privacy that the
government can't penetrate. That's the exact opposite of what Orwell
through would happen." (Investor's Business Daily 30 Dec 97)
HOLIDAY ISSUE
This issue, which marks the end of the fifth year (fifth year!) that
we've been doing Edupage, will also be the last issue for 1997. The
next issue of Edupage will be sent on 4 January 1998. In the meantime,
if you finding yourself holding down an empty office, you may want to
continue reading today's issue till the very end, as a way to pass the
time. Happy New Year!
Edupage is written by John Gehl (gehl@educom.edu) and Suzanne Douglas
(douglas@educom.edu). Telephone: 770-590-1017.
Technical support for distributing Edupage is provided by Information
Technology Services at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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Educom -- Transforming Education Through Information Technology
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