---

[ FAST FACTS HAWAII ]

---

BACK TO TOP
|

'Breakthrough' software has yet to hit market

Maui X-Stream Inc. says the world will have to wait a little longer for its controversial CherryOS software system, which the company touts as being able to emulate Macintosh operating systems on PCs.

The Lahaina software developer, which touched off a firestorm of interest in software circles when it announced the product in October, has pushed back its promised date for releasing a free trial version to "early 2005."

Maui X-Stream, primarily a developer of streaming-video software, claims CherryOS will allow PC users to run Macintosh operating systems with nearly no loss of performance.

The claim was initially touted as a huge breakthrough in the software-oriented online media outlets, but some people who tested the software claimed it was strikingly similar to a software code that is already freely available, and did not deliver the promised performance.

Maui X-Stream has denied those charges and said it would clear up any confusion with a Thanksgiving Day trial-version release.

But a message recently posted on www.cherryos.com said it has now decided to delay to next year "to further validate this breakthrough product."

Hawaiian won't leave you waiting

Hawaiian Airlines marked a full year of being the nation's most prompt airline in October, when 95.3 percent of its flights arrived on time.

For the past seven months, Hawaiian flights have arrived on time at least 95 percent of the time, which no other airline has managed for a single month, said Hawaiian trustee Joshua Gotbaum.

"HAL once stood for "Hawaiian's Always Late," Gotbaum said. "Not anymore."

Hawaiian reports its on-time statistics to the U.S. Department of Transportation. A flight is deemed on time if it arrives within 15 minutes of its scheduled time.

United union mails strike ballots

CHICAGO » The nation's largest flight attendants union mailed strike authorization ballots yesterday to 21,000 United Airlines flight attendants, seeking their approval for nationwide walkouts if United or US Airways breaks its labor contracts in bankruptcy.

The board of the Association of Flight Attendants authorized a strike last month if collective bargaining contracts are abrogated by either carrier. Both have put the process in place while negotiating new terms as part of continuing restructurings in bankruptcy.

United wants new, lower-paying labor contracts in place by mid-January -- imposed by federal bankruptcy court if negotiations fail to produce an agreement.

The AFA said it intends to carry out intermittent work stoppages on flights without advance notice if the contracts are terminated.

---

BACK TO TOP
|

New Jobs

» Melanie Chinen has been appointed administrator of the State Historic Preservation Division. She will be responsible for the management of the division's three branches: Archaeology, Architecture and the History and Culture branch, which contains the State's Burial Sites Program.

» Peter Vincent & Associates LLC has hired Christine Kim as a graphic designer and administrative assistant. She will be responsible for handling graphics projects, from CAD drawings to marketing materials. She has eight years of design experience both locally and abroad.

» World Class Conferencing Inc. has made two management appointments. Sidney Higa has been appointed technology vice president. He will be responsible for overseeing the company's nationwide conferencing network. He has been in telecommunications management for more than 20 years. Ernest Fulton has been hired as a national account manager. He previously held the same position at Genesys Conferencing and Aloha Conferencing.

On the board

» The American Bankers Association has elected Warren K.K. Luke director. He is currently the Hawaii National Bank chairman, president and CEO.