Computer Industry Briefs

Computerworld - Lotus Teams With Ericsson, Nokia
IBM subsidiary Lotus Development Corp. last week announced an agreement with cellular phone makers LM Ericsson Telephone Co. in Stockholm and Nokia Corp. in Espoo, Finland, to put a mobile version of Lotus Notes and Lotus Domino on cell phones and other wireless devices by year's end. Cambridge, Mass.-based Lotus will jointly market and distribute its mobile device software with each company. The software lets customers access business applications via phones that use the Wireless Application Protocol.
Citrix Buys Sequoia
Citrix Systems Inc. will acquire Sequoia Software Corp. for $184.6 million in cash, paying $5.64 per Sequoia share, the two companies announced last week. Columbia, Md.-based Sequoia makes XML-based software for building Web portals. Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Citrix, which makes connectivity software for application servers, hopes to add Sequoia's portal products and technology to its portfolio.
Oracle to Trim Workforce by 2%
In the wake of lackluster third-quarter earnings, Oracle Corp. said last week that it's reducing its workforce by about 866 jobs. "Based on current business conditions, at this time the company expects to reduce our worldwide workforce by approximately 1% to 2% through normal attrition and regular business performance assessments, in line with our ongoing global e-business process improvements," the software maker said in a statement.
3Com Reports Loss
Blaming a downturn in demand for its products among U.S. users, networking equipment maker 3Com Corp. last week said revenue for the quarter ended March 2 came in at $629.6 million, down 18% from $1.1 billion for the same period a year ago. Santa Clara. Calif.-based 3Com said it plans to focus more on core its businesses and expects a 10% workforce reduction.