BUSINESS NOTES.NEWTON TO SPIN FROM APPLE CORE: Apple Computer Inc., continuing to pare itself down to its core, said it is turning its unprofitable Newton hand-held computer Noun 1. hand-held computer - a portable battery-powered computer small enough to be carried in your pocket hand-held microcomputer portable computer - a personal computer that can easily be carried by hand unit into an independent subsidiary. The announcement Thursday followed months of speculation about Apple's plans in the wake of a major restructuring to reverse stubborn losses and increase focus on its primary desktop computer business. Apple had been expected to sell Newton, spin it off or find a partner to help run it. After a rocky start four years ago, Newton was steadily improved, and the latest versions have been admired for their technology. But Apple has not been able to make money with it. ?13- Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. U.S. OFFICE PRODUCTS, MAIL BOXES ETC ETC - ExTendible Compiler. Fortran-like, macro extendible. "ETC - An Extendible Macro-Based Compiler", B.N. Dickman, Proc SJCC 38 (1971). . TO MERGE: U.S. Office Products Co., a supplier of business supplies and services, said Thursday it will acquire the mail service company Mail Boxes Etc. for $276.9 million in stock. Under the deal, Mail Boxes Etc. will become a wholly owned unit of Washington D.C.-based Office Products. Its headquarters will remain in San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. . ``That will give us a lot more leverage with UPS (United Parcel Service United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE: UPS), commonly referred to as UPS, is the world's largest package delivery company, delivering more than 15 million packages[1] a day to 6.1 million customers in over 200 countries and territories around the world. ) for mailing rates, which means better pricing for our customers,'' said Donald H. Platt, chief financial officer for U.S. Office Products. ?13- Associated Press PANEL APPROVES PATENT OVERHAUL: Legislation to significantly change the U.S. patent system was approved unanimously by the Senate Judiciary Committee The U.S. Senate established the Committee on the Judiciary on December 10, 1816, as one of the original 11 standing committees. It is also one of the most powerful committees in Congress; among its wide range of jurisdictions is investigation of federal judicial nominees and oversight of on Thursday. The bill, which now goes to the Senate floor, would convert the Patent and Trademark Office into a government corporation separate from the Commerce Department. It also would require that patent applications be made public in 18 months, regardless of whether the patent has been granted. Early publication ``speeds up the pace of innovation and allows inventors to stake an early claim to their inventions, while protecting inventors against theft during patent pendency Pend´en`cy n. 1. The quality or state of being pendent or suspended. 2. The quality or state of being undecided, or in continuance; suspense; as, the pendency of a suit s>. ,'' Sen. Orrin Hatch Orrin Grant Hatch (born March 22, 1934) is a Republican United States Senator from Utah, serving since 1977. Hatch is a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, where he serves on the subcommittees on Energy, Natural Resources, and Infrastructure and Taxation and IRS , R-Utah, committee chairman. Currently, publication comes only after the patent is granted, usually some 20 to 22 months after filing. A similar bill passed the House last month despite fierce opposition from some lawmakers who warned that early publication would leave independent inventors vulnerable to having their ideas swooped up by big U.S. and foreign corporations. |
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