FEATURE/Download Fun Tech Facts & Upgrade Your E-smarts With an Exciting New Book From Lightbulb Press and AT&T Labs: The User's Guide to the Information Age

Business Wire, Sept 21, 1999

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE FEATURES)--Sept. 21, 1999--

In a world where Java isn't slang for coffee, Spam, Chips, and Cookies aren't snack foods and Bugs can cause your system to crash -- Lightbulb Press, a print and interactive publisher of easy-to-read consumer information guides, today announced their latest in the series -- The User's Guide to the Information Age. A must-have reference book for understanding and using the new technologies that are changing our lives, the guide was written in conjunction with AT&T Labs, the research and development organization of AT&T.

Readers will discover hundreds of exciting bits and bytes about everyday and future technology such as:

-- ENIAC, the first electronic computer, was invented in 1946. It

weighed 30 tons, was the size of an airplane hangar, and handled

5,000 additions a second. The chips in computers today have

thousands of times that power and are no larger than a

fingernail.

-- The first computer "bug" was said to be found in 1945, when Grace

Murray Hopper removed a dead moth from Harvard's Mark II computer

and announced that she had "debugged" the machine.

-- Pick your password carefully. A hacking program will spend all

day guessing people's passwords, trying not random letters, but

common names and words from the dictionary. 80% of computer

break-ins are due to poor password choice!

-- The entire Encyclopedia Britannica can be stored on 1 CD-ROM.

That would take up 7 zip disks or 465 floppy disks.

-- Mind your E-mail. Messages you send from your workplace might be

saved in a back-up system and read by someone else (possibly your

employer, who has the legal right to do so).

The User's Guide to the Information Age explores the exciting cyberworld of computers, wireless phones, smart appliances, the Internet and more, in a straightforward, engaging style that demystifies the technologies many of us have used but perhaps never quite understood. Readers will enjoy the fascinating facts and figures on software, hardware, and shareware, as well as the practical tips on buying and upgrading computers, choosing a calling plan, and setting up an online trading account. Information is served up in colorful visual bytes, with eye-popping graphics, charts, and sidebars that help bring the information to life. Part primer and part reference guide, the book can be read in one sitting, or thumbed through for the topic of choice.

"The rise of the Internet and the digitization of information have changed the way people communicate, entertain, learn, and conduct business," said David Nagel, Chief Technology Officer of AT&T and President of AT&T Labs. "Yet few people can fully appreciate these new resources, or realize what today's innovations will lead to in the future. That's why we were delighted to support the development of this book."

"Next to finance, people find technology to be one of the most perplexing and intimidating topics out there," said Kenneth M. Morris, author of the guide and Chief Executive Officer of Lightbulb Press. "This book, like our other guides, gives people the basic concepts and wherewithal to make informed decisions and feel comfortable using these technologies both at home and at work."

To order, call 800/581-9884, or purchase online at www.lightbulbpress.com

About Lightbulb Press

Lightbulb Press is an internationally acclaimed publisher best known for transforming complex, often intimidating topics into lively, informative, and highly accessible guides for both traditional print markets and the Internet. The company offers a unique blend of creative and marketing services, from conceptualizing and developing branded books and licensing content for the Web to procuring distribution through multiple channels. Lightbulb Press has created many popular branded books for clients such as The Wall Street Journal, AT&T, Oppenheimer Funds, NAVA, and the Boardroom's The Bottom Line. Books published include the Wall Street Journal Guides to: Money and Investing, Personal Finance, and Planning Your Financial Future.

About AT&T Labs

AT&T Labs, the research and development unit of AT&T, is working to create the information services and communications network of tomorrow. AT&T Labs is a leader in the development of technologies and standards for audio, speech, video and image compression; electronic commerce and digital copyright management; search and directory services; speech processing and coding of all sorts; network architecture, design, engineering and operations; and other areas critical to the advancement of new broadband communications and Internet offerings.