LIKE A RECURRING DREAM, THIS IDEA HAS BEEN AROUND FOR YEARS:  A 
"PICTURE PHONE" THAT'S FOR EVERYONE, WELL, ALMOST, AND ONE THAT'S 
REALLY AVAILABLE NOW.   IN 1964 AMERICAN TELEPHONE AND 
TELEGRAPH INTRODUCED THE FIRST PICTURE PHONE AT THE NEW YORK 
WORLD FAIR.  BUT IT WAS SO EXPENSIVE THAT IT NEVER GOT OFF THE 
GROUND.  NOW A LOWER-PRICED MODEL IS HERE.  AND THIS IS WHAT IT 
LOOKS LIKE.

MADE BY MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC, THE "LUMA PHONE" IS THE DELUXE 
MODEL.  JUST PLUG IT IN AND YOU ARE IN TODAY'S EQUIVALENT OF "THE 
MOVIES" -- ONE FRAME AT A TIME.  THERE IS NOTHING QUITE LIKE IT:  IT 
WORKS ON ORDINARY "TWISTED PAIR" TELEPHONE LINES!  NO EXTRA 
CHARGES, BUT YOU DO NEED ANOTHER PARTY WITH A SIMILAR PHONE TO 
SEE ONE ANOTHER.  ALTHOUGH  THE PHONE PART STILL WORKS LIKE A 
REGULAR PHONE UNTIL YOUR FRIENDS AND/OR ASSOCIATES GET ONE 
WITH A PICTURE SCREEN TOO. 

HERE'S HOW IT WORKS:  YOU LIFT UP THE SPEAKER/RECEIVER JUST LIKE 
ON ANY OTHER PHONE.  THE SMALL TV SCREEN LIGHTS UP.  IF YOU HAVE 
THE "PRIVACY SCREEN" OPEN, YOUR PICTURE APPEARS (IN BLACK & 
WHITE).  THE SCREEN IS A SAFETY FEATURE IN CASE YOU HAVE JUST 
EMERGED FROM THE SHOWER.  IF THAT IS YOUR CONDITION, THE FIRST 
LINE OF DEFENSE IS NOT TO PRESS THE "SEND" BUTTON.  UNTIL YOU DO 
THAT, YOUR "STILL" PICTURE WILL NOT BE TRANSMITTED. 

HOWEVER, IF YOU ARE REASONABLY ATTIRED, OR THE OTHER CALLER IS A 
VERY  CLOSE FRIEND, YOU JUST HIT THE "SEND" BUTTON AND YOUR 
PICTURE APPEARS ON THEIR SCREEN.  IT TAKES 1.5 SECONDS TO SEND THE 
SMALL PICTURE, 3 SECONDS FOR A LARGER ONE AND 5.5 SECONDS FOR THE 
LARGEST SIZE.  THEN CONTINUE JUST LIKE ANY NORMAL TELEPHONE 
CONVERSATION.  YOU CAN TRANSMIT A DIFFERENT PICTURE OF YOURSELF, 
THE KIDS, MAPS, DIAGRAMS, ETC. EVERY COUPLE OF SECONDS IF YOU SO 
DESIRE.  AT THE OTHER END,  THEY CAN DO THE SAME, WHENEVER YOU 
STOP TALKING.

BUSINESSES CAN NOW HOLD VIDEO CONFERENCES ACROSS THE COUNTRY 
AND AROUND THE WORLD AT THE COST OF A NORMAL LONG DISTANCE 
CALL.  ANOTHER MAJOR STEP FORWARD HAS BEEN MADE IN OUR 
"COMMUNICATIONS AGE".  THINK OF THE IMPLICATIONS.  JUDGES CAN 
QUESTION CRIMINALS RIGHT IN THEIR JAIL CELLS, REDUCING THE CHANCE 
OF ESCAPE WHILE TRANSFERRING THEM TO COURT.  POLICE CAN GET 
INSTANT IDENTIFICATION ACROSS THE COUNTRY, SAVING EXPENSIVE 
TRAVELLING CHARGES.  RECORDS AND REPORTS ARE TRASMITTED 
IMMEDIATELY --  NOT TIED UP IN SOME POSTAL WAREHOUSE.  THE 
WHOLE WORLD SPINS EVER FASTER.

TODAY MORE THAN 1,000 "FULL-MOTION" VIDEO-CONFERENCING 
FACILITIES HAVE BEEN INSTALLED AROUND THE WORLD, ALTHOUGH 
MOST WERE VERY EXPENSIVE  --  UP TO HALF A MILLION DOLLARS EACH.  
WITH THE NEW PICTURE PHONE, THE COST, EVEN FOR THE DELUXE MODEL, 
IS CUT TO JUST OVER C$2,000 OR US$1,000, A PRICE CONSIDERED 
REASONABLE BY EVEN SMALL COMPANIES.

CONSIDER SOME OF THE EXTRA FUNCTIONS AVAILABLE ON THE 
LUMAPHONE.  IT CAN WORK WITH YOUR ANSWERING MACHINE AND SEND 
A PRE-TAPED PICTURE, ALONG WITH YOUR VOICE TO WHOEVER CALLS.  IT 
CAN ALSO RECORD THEIR VOICE AND PICTURE, SO WHEN YOU COME HOME 
YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR LITTLE NIECE LOOKS LIKE TODAY.  OR THAT ALL 
IMPORTANT DIAGRAM CAN BE LEFT DIGITALLY PHOTOGRAPHIC FOR 
TOMORROW'S MEETING.  ANOTHER AVAILABLE DEVICE ALLOWS HARD 
COPY PRINT-OUTS ( IN 17 SECONDS) -- TO TAKE TO THAT MEETING, OR TO 
SHOW TO YOUR NIECE'S GRANDMOTHER AT DINNER TONIGHT.

IT ALL WORKS ON ORDINARY PHONE LINES, NO EXTRA CHARGES (EXCEPT 
THE NORMAL LONG DISTANCE,  OF COURSE) OR BULKY EQUIPMENT.  
MITSUBISHI INTRODUCED A LESS SOPHISTICATED HOME VERSION IN 
JAPAN RECENTLY AND SOLD 20,000 IN LESS THAN THREE MONTHS.  THAT 
UNIT SHOULD BE IN NORTH AMERICA IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS AT ABOUT 
US$ 500. 

MORE INFORMATION: PIERRE PAQUETTE, PRESIDENT, QUIKFAX TELECOM 
INC., 104B, 9705 HORTON ROAD SW, CALGARY, ALBERTA T2V 2X5.  TEL 
403/255-2736. FAX 403/255-2737.

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