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Technology Stocks : Texas Instruments - Good buy now or should we wait? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Neal Hopper who wrote (3239)	3/16/1998 5:05:00 PM
From: charles black	Respond to of 6180

To all! Boy, this site has really gone quiet. Has everybody sold their shares and moved on? It is unusual for TI to move in such a narrow range for so long. Mutual fund managers must not be buying or selling TXN. However, here is an article off EXCITE that, hopefully, should move TXN positively tomorrow. Any thoughts? Texas Instruments Says Asia Revs Drag ORLANDO, Fla. (Reuters) - Texas Instruments expects short-term revenue pressure in the wake of economic turmoil in Asia but continues to prospect for acquisitions, Chief Financial Officer Bill Aylesworth said today. Aylesworth told Reuters after a presentation at the 19th Raymond James and Associates Institutional Investors Conference that although the designer and supplier of digital signal processing solutions had posted record profits and revenues in 1997, this fiscal year began with initial weakness. Aylesworth said despite the earnings pressure in the first quarter of this year, the company's growth opportunities are strong. "We're well positioned to take strategic acquisitions, even in a cautious global economy," he said. Recent acquisitions had proved positive and similar moves this year were being sought, he said. "We've made several acquisitions and the point is that ... we have the financial strength to continue acquisitions at a time when our competitors are not really in a strong position," he said. "For us, the acquisitions just have to be able to support our DPS (digital signal processing)." Texas Instruments has manufacturing or sales operations in more than 25 countries and recently acquired Amati Communications. Charles Black

To: Neal Hopper who wrote (3239)	3/16/1998 6:39:00 PM
From: pat mudge	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 6180

Neal -- I'm as puzzled as you are, but I've written to someone whose company develops ATM remote access modems to see if he can help. I'll post if/when I hear. We know MCI did all that ADSL testing in Iowa, but this doesn't seem to include it. Later -- Pat

To: Neal Hopper who wrote (3239)	3/16/1998 7:25:00 PM
From: pat mudge	Respond to of 6180

Neal -- You thought the MCI announcement was puzzling, here's more from CeBIT. Talk about Excedrin Headache # 49. Pat <<< Alternative Internet Access By Steve Homer The last leg of Internet access, historically a slow and tedious muddy byway, is finally catching up, and in some cases overtaking, the provision of 'backbone' services. And some of these local solutions are a little, well to be quite frank, odd! CeBIT will see some impressive demonstrations of ATM, xDSL, cable modems and the like. In fact the number of xDSL stands this year will probably be double last year's offering. Cable modems will also cause quite a stir this year but for most of Europe a cable modem connection is at least a year or two away. True the solid 'go-faster' technologies of ISDN and 56K modems will be fighting it out but there are other high speed approaches that are less well known than these mainstream technologies. But for some there are newer, truly innovative, connection schemes to be investigated. Probably the biggest stir in this field will be caused by Nortel's 'powerline information' access solution. Announced at the end of last year, the officially unnamed powerline technology can deliver up to 1Mbit/second along standard mains electricity cables. Nortel developed the system in conjunction with a UK power company and has launched the product into trials in the UK. The company says that in 'the real world' performance varies between 500 Kbit/s and 1Mbit/s depending on the number of users on line. The system works by using an, as yet undisclosed, signalling system that can remove the background noise from the low voltage (200-260 Volt) distribution system. This turns the power system into a LAN allowing around 200 homes to be supported at a time. In the consumer's home a small box is attached near to where the power supply enters the home and the signal is distributed to the PC via coax cable. Nortel says that the box and the PC card will cost around the same as an ISDN card and it says it is working on developing solutions for Network Computers and other non computing devices. The company suggests that, if the service is pitched as a flat rate utility, then all sorts of services can be offered. For example downloading CD quality material in real time or downloading videos to cache them on a hard disc. The other slightly 'left field' technology for fast connections to the Internet, are the satellite delivered systems for Web browsing and datacasting. At last year's CeBIT, Intel announced its tie up with Astra to form AstraNet. Very little has been heard of this venture since, but expect AstraNet to pull some sort of rabbit out of the hat at this show. Intel for its part has taken a stake in Swiss company the Fantastic Corporation. The Fantastic Corporation is trying to set up various 'channels' that can be delivered over medium and broadband distribution scheme. It also provides an overnight caching service so, for example, you would tell Fantastic you were interested in historic cars and when you started up your PC in the morning you would find that you had video clips and news about vintage cars sitting on your hard disc ready for you to enjoy. While AstraNet talks about a satellite service Eutelsat and its business partner Hughes Olivetti Telecom (HOT) continue to market their offerings in a somewhat schizophrenic way. Eutelsat started marketing HOT's DirecPC service almost two years ago but has recently been pushing hard on its own DVB (the Digital Video Broadcasting group) compliant solution. The two systems use almost exactly the same technology and there has been some suggestion that HOT might switch over to DVB signalling. Eutelsat's own services, which it sells through third parties, uses capacity on its digital TV satellites. Its signalling system conforms to the Digital Video Broadcasting group's standard. As the DVB digital data signalling system looks set to be extensively deployed around the world Eutelsat hopes it will achieve considerable economies of scale with receiver costs dropping sharply. DirecPC, announced January 1998, that it is planning to move its transmissions from Eutelsat's 16 degrees East location to 19 degrees East, Eutelsat's so-called Hot Bird spot. This is where Eutelsat transmits over 200 TV channels and the idea is that customers will be able to use one dish for both their TV needs and for DirecPC. This is also the location for Eutelsat's data operations. Things are certainly getting confusing. But don't be put off. Satellite delivered Internet is a very cost effective, high speed way of accessing all sorts of Internet services. The DirecPC and Eutelsat's own systems both work by using the telephone line for the connection from the PC to the server and a satellite to deliver the message to the PC via a small dish on the roof. Delivered at up to 400Kbit/s, if the other parts of the Internet connection are fast then this technology can deliver superb results. Once again, combined with push technologies this can provide some impressive solutions. The systems make particularly cost effective solutions for small businesses and a simple network adaptor means that the connection can be used by anyone who needs Internet access whenever they want. In the US, where Hughes pioneered this technology, the company has launched a service that will download Usenet newsgroups to your PC overnight. It has also launched Turbo Webcast, a push service with ABC News, Hollywood Online, Disney and others which provides full, up to date Web sites on your PC when you decide you want to visit them. As you are passively receiving this information it costs you nothing to keep updated as the system is broadcast to all DirecPC PCs, all the time they are switched on. Hughes would not confirm nor deny these or similar services would be coming to Europe but given the complexity of the European market, Hughes Olivetti Telecom needs to come up with something to differentiate its service. Don't be surprised to see interesting announcements from HOT before CeBIT is over.>>>>

To: Neal Hopper who wrote (3239)	3/16/1998 8:15:00 PM
From: pat mudge	Respond to of 6180

Neal -- I got the following response to my ATM query: <<< I have had a few requests for VDSL lately which would absolutely support HDTV (it has even been mentioned specifically by one company as the driver for VDSL) As for HDTV over ADSL - I have not heard much. I will dig around and let you know what I find out. >>> If he comes back with any more, I'll let you know. Pat

To: Neal Hopper who wrote (3239)	3/16/1998 8:32:00 PM
From: pat mudge	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 6180

Neal -- You really set me off on a search. From MCI's website: mci.com MCI announces the commercial availability of HyperStream ATM service to the UK. In an historic first for the broadcasting industry, MCI carries the nation's first live broadcast from a high definition television (HDTV) station via its fiber optic network. mci.com In an industry first, MCI announces that it is offering lower speed access options ranging from 1.544 Mbps to 12 Mbps in increments of 1.544 Mbps, or commonly referred to as Nx 1.544 Mbps (DS-1) to its HyperStream ATM domestic and international customers. In an industry first, MCI and Bell Canada announced the commercial availability of ATM-based services between the U.S. and Canada. MCI announces that it will provide the network connectivity for Harris Corp.'s historic first live digital high definition broadcast of a major league sporting event. The Baltimore Orioles faced off against the Cleveland Indians in Baltimore. mci.com MCI HyperMedia - a network-based service for multimedia applications such as video-on-demand, image storage and retrieval, groupware, corporate training and telemedicine. NBC is currently providing video-on-demand capabilities to its affiliates nationwide through MCI HyperMedia. Did you see this? >>> SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1998 MAR 16 (NB) -- By Bob Woods, Newsbytes. Yahoo [NASDAQ:YHOO] and MCI Communications [NASDAQ:MCIC] are officially in the online services business and taking on the likes of America Online [NYSE:AOL], as the two companies announced their new "Yahoo Online Powered By MCI Internet" service Monday. The new service will be priced at $14.95 a month for unlimited access for the first three months. After that point, current MCI long distance customers, and those wishing to switch long distance services, will continue to pay $14.95 per month. Non-MCI long distance subscribers will see their rates go up almost 35 percent to $19.95 a month -- still less expensive than AOL's newly announced $21.95 unlimited usage monthly charge, Newsbytes notes. When MCI and Yahoo first announced their joint venture last January, officials from both companies said that their new offering would not only contain Yahoo products and MCI access, but would have a unique front-end a-la AOL and other online services (Newsbytes, Jan. 12, 1998). Through MCI, Yahoo! Online powered by MCI Internet is designed to provide customers with an integrated, easy-to-use service that features Yahoo's wide content, 24-hours-a-day 7-days-a-week toll free customer service from MCI, and billing from MCI, MCI marketing mogul David Trachtenberg told Newsbytes at the time. Some of the features from Yahoo's current World Wide Web offerings that will be brought over to the new service include news and sports, stock quotes, travel, entertainment, and weather. Yahoo's famous search engine and directory will also be included, officials said, along with personalized services like financial portfolios and the "My Yahoo" offering. Other services include chat, e-mail, message boards, classified ads, and shopping. Access to the service comes from MCI's 300 city-plus dial up points, officials said. All cities have 53 kilobits per second (Kbps) speed capabilities access via x2 technology. In announcing the new service last January, Trachtenberg said MCI and Yahoo have a big target in sight: America Online. "The MCI strategy is in distribution: We want to get as many people registered on MCI Internet as we can," he said. "We will partner with specific companies that want to have large customers bases who are either Internet savvy or who are already on the Internet like Yahoo or our airline partners." Trachtenberg said that MCI is not committed to only provide ISP services for Yahoo Online; in fact, MCI has signed distribution agreements with Cnet's Snap Online, and Microsoft's WebTV and Microsoft Network (MSN), he said. Yahoo's goal, meantime, is to build the best content service out there to compete with AOL, he also said. People wanting to sign up for Yahoo Online powered by MCI Internet can surf to the Yahoo Online download site at online.yahoo.com , or by calling 800-GET-YAHOO. Reported By Newsbytes News Network: newsbytes.com