Despite licensing all its key software to Toshiba Corp so that the Japanese company can build Sparc-based Unix laptops, Sun Microsystems Inc is working on its own entry-level Sparc-based machine at its East Coast base in Billerica, Massachusetts, home of the Sun-386i 80386-based workstations. Electronic News reports that the machine is being designed to sell for about $5,000 and is likely to succeed the 386is, running MS-DOS under the SunOS implementation of Unix. Sun, which now employs 600 people in Massachusetts, has been advertising for more to work on the project – but the machine is not expected before the middle of next year at the earliest, and there will be a 486i. In an effort to increase support for the Sparc, Sun has reportedly approached NCR Corp suggesting it use it in its mainframes in succession to the NCR 32 microprocessor. It has also been in touch with Compaq Computer Corp and Acer Technologies in the hope of getting them to use Sparcs for future products.
