Sony Microsystems Co, San Jose, has launched its parent’s first RISC-based News workstation model, the News 3710, which is based on the R3000 microprocessor from MIPS Computer Systems Inc. It provides full support of Kanji ideograms so can be used by software developers that want to do Japanese versions of their applications. It offers the Motif graphical user interface and uShare Plus communications for its use as a server to Apple Computer Inc Macintoshes. The 20MHz 3710 is rated at 17 MIPS by Sony and the R3010 maths co-processor gives 2.3 MFLOPS performance. It comes with 286Mb or 640Mb disk, is $6,800 diskless with a black-and-white 19 monitor; $14,700 with 8Mb memory, 286Mb disk and 19 colour Trinitron monitor; and $18,200 for the same system with a 640Mb disk drive. Manufactured in San Diego, it ships in the US in September.