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APBI FILES FILES PATENT PATENT SUITS SUITS OVER OVER APBI PHOTO STICKER STICKER MACHINES MACHINES PHOTO APBI Interactive Interactive Kiosk Kiosk in in Alexandria, Alexandria, Va., Va., announced announced last last APBI month that that it it had had filed filed two two separate separate complaints complaints in federal disdismonth in federal trict courts courts in in Maryland Maryland and and Delaware Delaware alleging alleging patent patent infringeinfringetrict ment of ofits its Sticker Sticker Station Station photo photo sticker sticker machine machine and and the the proproment cess used used to to produce produce the the vended vended product. product. cess The suit suit in in Maryland Maryland was was filed filed against against SNK SNK Corp. Corp. of of Japan Japan The and its United States subsidiary SNK Corp. of America, claimand its United States subsidiary SNK Corp. of America, claiming that th at sales its Neo photo sticker machine constitutes ing sales of of its Neo Print Print photo sticker machine constitutes "willful and and wanton wanton infringement" infringement" of of APBI's APBI's patent. patent. While While "willful representatives of of SNK were not not available available for at representatives SNK were for comment comment at press time, company officials have said in the past that intropress time, company officials have said in the past that introduction of of their their technology technology in in the the Japanese Japanese market market prior prior to to duction APB I's patent, patent, as as well well as as the the exhibition exhibition of ofphoto photo sticker sticker mamaAPBI's chines by by other other companies companies at at previous previous trade trade shows, shows, underunderchines mines APBI's claim to patent protection. The second suit mines APBI's claim to patent protection. The second suit filed filed in Delaware Delaware district district court against Foto Foto Fantasy Fantasy Inc. Inc. in court is is directed directed against of Windham, Windham, N.H. N.H. of NEVADA OPERATORS OPERATORS GET GETTAX NEVADA TAX RELIEF RELIEF Doug Minter Minter of of Tip Top Amusement Amusement in in Carson Carson City, City, Nev., Nev., Doug Tip Top recently reported several tax victories for operators, both across recently reported several tax victories for operators, both across the state state and and in in the the city city of of Reno. Reno. According According to Nevada the to Minter, Minter, Nevada operators, who who had had previously previously paid paid sales sales tax tax on on all all vended vended operators, products, will now be be taxed taxed only and cup cup products, will now only on on vended vended cigarettes cigarettes and as food prepared on-site and sold through venddrinks as well drinks as well as food prepared on-site and sold through vending machines. machines.Minter, Minter, who who praised praised the the work work of oflobbyist lobbyist Robert Robert ing Barengo in in passing passing the the legislation, legislation, said Barengo said some some operators operators could could save up up to to aa quarter quarter of of aa million million dollars dollars in in taxes. taxes. On On the the local local save scene in Reno, operators will also begin paying gross receipts scene in Reno, operators will also begin paying gross receipts ofall all machine machine revenue revenue as as opposed opposed to to aa previous previous ontheir their share share of on per machine machine license license fee fee of of$57. $57. This could reduce reduce their their tax tax burburper This could den annually by as much as $40 per machine. den annually by as much as $40 per machine. ATC CORRECT PHONE NUMBER NUMBER ATC CORRECT PHONE We apologize apologize to to readers readers who who tried tried to to contact contact the the Mt. Mt. Juliet, Juliet, We ad in in Play Play Meter Meter last last Tenn. company, company, after after perusing perusing their their ad Tenn. month, and and got got aa disconnected disconnected phone phone number. number. ATC ATCis is alive alive and and month, and still open for business. Advertising information sent to well well and still open for business. Advertising information sent to us by by aa third third party typographical error in the the phone phone us party contained contained aa typographical error in number. To reach ATC, ATC, please please call call Tim Peach at at the the correct correct number. To reach Tim Peach number, (615)754-7253. number, (615)754-7253. MORE PC-BASED PC-BASED GAMES GAMES COMING COMING MORE T Scottish Scottish software software developer developer Inner Inner Workings, Workings, which which showed showed PC-based flying sinmlator Plane Crazy at ASI '97, will debut the its its PC-based flying simulator Plane Crazy at ASI `97, will debut the in the the coin-op coin-opmarket marketthis this December, December, according according to to Next Next GenGengame in game eration, aa consumer gan1e will will reportedly reportedly eration, consumer game game publication. publication. The The game sell for approxinlately $7,000, be upgradeable with new sell for approximately $7,000, be upgradeable with new software, software, and run run on on aa 266 266 MHz MHz Pentium Pentium II II with with 32 32 MB MB of ofRAM, RAM, aa 3Dfx 3Dfx and graphics card, drive. CD-ROM drive. and CD-ROM card, and graphics T A A Philadelphia-area Philadelphia-area company, company, Network Network Entertainment Entertainment Game Systems, is reportedly planning to introduce line of ofPCPCGame Systems, is reportedly planning to introduce aa line based video video games games that that will will feature feature titles titles that that have have already already based achieved success in the the home home market. market. achieved success in T Canadian-based Canadian-based National National Electronic Electronic Technologies Technologies has has anannounced plans plans to to exhibit exhibit its its public public Internet Internet machine, machine, nounced VideoNET, at at AMOA AMOA `97 ·97 in in Atlanta. Atlanta. The The machine machine will will feature feature VideoNET, PLAY METER MAGAZINE, (ISSN 1048-8243) SEPTEMBER 1997, Volume 23, No. 10. Copyright 1997 by Skybird Publishing Company. PLAY METER MAGAZINE is on line games games updated updated regularly, regularly, access to to the the Internet, Internet, e-mail, e-mail, online access contests and advertising, content blocking software, and updatcontests and advertising, content blocking software, and updated news news and and current current events. events. ed WMS SPINS SPINS OFF MIDWAY MIDWAY SUBSIDIARY SUBSIDIARY WMS The board board of of directors directors of of WMS WMS Industries Industries has has authorized authorized aa The spin-off, subject to certain conditions, of its 33,400,000 shares spin-off, subject to certain conditions, of its 33,400,000 shares (or 86.8% 86.8% interest) interest) in in Midway Midway Games Games Inc. Inc. on on aa pro-rata pro-rata basis basis (or its initial initial public public ofofto WMS WMS stockholders. stockholders. Midway Midway completed completed its to fering of 5,100,000 shares of common stock Oct. 29, 1996. If fering of 5,100,000 shares of common stock Oct. 29, 1996. If all goes smoothly the spin-off will result in the distribution to all goes smoothly the spin-off will result in the distribution to WMS stockholders stockholders of of 1.38 1.3 8 shares shares of ofMidway Midway common common stock stock WMS for each each currently currently outstanding outstanding share share of of WMS WMS common common stock. stock. for on the the spin-off spin-off and and details details of ofnew new Midway Midway product, product, For more more on For turn to "Coin-Op News" (pg. 22 ). turn to "Coin-Op News" (pg. 22 ). ASTRO GAINS GAINS SIMULATOR SIMULATOR RIGHTS RIGHTS ASTRO Worldwide Leisure Leisure Corp. Corp. Ltd. Ltd. of of Great Great Britain Britain has has granted granted Worldwide exclusive North North American American distributing distributing and and manufacturing manufacturing exclusive rights to to Astro Astro Distributing Distributing and and Ortsa Ortsa Products Products of ofRock Rock Island, Island, rights Ill., for the Viper XI interactive 3-D flight simulator, a one-seat Ill., for the Viper XI interactive 3-D flight simulator, a one-seat enclosed capsule capsule with with networking networking capabilities, capabilities, large large format format enclosed video monitor, monitor, and and aviation-style aviation-style joystick. joystick. For For more more details, details, call call video Astro, (800)797-7066 (8 00)797-7066 or or (309)786-7066; (309) 786-7066 ; fax fax (309)786(309)7 86Astro, 7065 or or e-mail e-mail (asstroman@aol.com). (asstroman@aol.com). 7065 CIGARETTE VENDING VENDING ISSUE ISSUE HEATS HEATS UP UP CIGARETTE Attorneys have have filed filed aa petition petition on on behalf behalf of of AMOA AMOA memmemAttorneys bers requesting the Food and Drug Administration to amend bers requesting the Food and Drug Administration to amend regulations on on cigarette cigarette vending vending to to allow allow the the use use of of lock-out lock-out regulations devices in in non-age non-age restricted restricted locations. locations. The regulations, curcurdevices The regulations, bar the the operation operation of of aa cigarettte cigarettte vendvendrentlypending pending appeal, appeal, bar rently machine in in such such locations. locations. AMOA AMOA is is also also considering considering aa ing machine ing massive lawsuit against the FDA for an illegal taking propmassive lawsuit against the FDA for an illegal taking of of property or interests of over $2 billion in lost profits over a fiveerty or interests of over $2 billion in lost profits over a fiveyear period period as as aa result result of ofgovernmental governmental action action against against tobacco tobacco year vending. Copies Copies of ofthe the petition petition are are available; available; call call (800)691(800)6 91vending. 4636 or on AMOA's Web site (http://www.amoa.com). 4636 or on AMOA's Web site (http://www.amoa.com). ofthe the tobacco tobacco committee committee also also met met with with members members Members of Members of Congress earlier in the summer to urge passage of a law that that of Congress earlier in the summer to urge passage of a law would allow allowlock-out lock-out devices devices and and protest protest inclusion inclusion of of aa ban ban on on would cigarette vending vending in in any any settlement settlement between between states states and and the the totocigarette bacco industry. industry. That That ban ban was was part part of ofthe the proposed proposed settlement settlement bacco agreement. Committee chairman Terry Davis met last month agreement. Committee chairman Terry Davis met last month with White White House House staff staffand and Donna Donna Shalala, Shalala, secretary secretary of ofthe the DeDewith partment of of Health Health and and Human Human Services, Services, to to argue argue for for support support partment oflock-out lock-out devices devices or or compensation compensation for for any any lost lost revenue revenue as as a a of result of of aa vending vending ban. ban. result COIN CONCEPTS CONCEPTS CLOSES CLOSES ITS ITS DOORS DOORS COIN After 10 10 years years of ofproducing producing quality qualityredemption redemption games gan1es Coin Coin After Concepts Inc. of East Brunswick, N.J., closed down Aug. 2 9. Concepts Inc. of East Brunswick, N.J., closed down Aug. 29. product line line will will continue continue on on with with service service and and parts parts supsupThe product The port provided provided by by Bay Bay Tek Tek of ofPulaski, Pulaski, Wis., Wis., which whichhas has agreed agreed to to port purchase certain assets of CCI. In addition, Bay Tek will also purchase certain assets of CCI. In addition, Bay Tek will also both Sound Sound Leisure Leisure and and K.W. KW. Systems Systems lines lines formerly formerly represent both represent represented by CCI. To reach Bay Tek, call (920)822-395 1; represented by CCI. To reach Bay Tek, call (920)822-3951;3 for Art Art or or Gary Gary Warner Warner at at CCI, CCI, call call (732)390-9009 (732)390-9009 or or contact contact for Gary via via e-mail e-mail (gwarner18@aol.com). (gwarner18@aol.com). .&. Gary published monthly, except for the two issues in January. Publishing office: 6600 Fleur de Lis, New Orleans, LA 70124. MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. BOX 24970, New Orleans, LA 70184, USA Phone: 504/488-7003; fax 504/488-7083. Subscription PART OF THE MAGAZINE MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT EXPRESS PERMISSION. The editors are not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. PLAY METER MAGAZINE buys ALL RIGHTS, unless otherwise specified, to accepted manuscripts, cartoons, artwork, and photographs. Periodical postage paid at New Orleans, LA 70113 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER Send Form PLAY METER 4 rates: U.S. and Canada -- $60. Advertising rates are available upon request. NO 3579 to Play Meter Magazine, P.O. Box 24970, New Orleans, LA 70184. SEPTEMBER 1997