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Silicon Times Report Issue 1239
Silicon Times Report
The Original Independent OnLine Magazine"
(Since 1987)
September 27, 1996 No.1239
Silicon Times Report International OnLine Magazine
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09/27/96 STR 1239 The Original Independent OnLine Magazine!
- CPU INDUSTRY REPORT - 56k bps Modem - WARP 4 Ships
- S. Cray Fights for LIFE - VR Golf '97 - Hayes in Hi Gear
- Motorola MAC Attack - Cracker Bill Passes - USPS to do Email?
- JTS 90 days LATE? - People Talking - Dana's TidBits
DOJ & Microsoft at it AGAIN!
FBI plan REJECTED!
Swedes Blamed in CIA Break-in!
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Florida Lotto - LottoMan v1.35
Results: 9/21/96: 2 of 6 numbers, three 2 number matches
From the Editor's Desk...
We're almost at the end of September and the beginning of all the hoopla
of another Comdex in Vegas. This year, there are going to be many new faces
that are not really new but renamed and a result of mergers and partnerships.
All to the ultimate benefit of the users. The coming hardware products are
amazing. Things we only hoped for a year or so ago are now reality. One of
which was part of older, now very dead system. a separate mouse port where a
rodent does not fight for a serial port. It may not mean much at a glance
but when one runs a communications net or BBS, every free serial port is
needed.
The key BUZZ word this year is going to be INTERNET and how to make it
easy for John Q. Public to use and enjoy. While at the same time, keeping
the politician's grubby hands off as far as excessive taxation is concerned.
I don't I'll ever forget the "as a matter of fact" remark I got for an
"appointed" TAX Goniff in Tallahassee when we talked about the proposed
Florida NET TAX on all Email. This guy has the gall to say the State was
entitled to TAX the NET because it was new technology. I don't know whether
he said that to "push my go button" or , in fact he really meant it. But I
can tell you this. If the _appointed geeks_ in government can find a way to
tax something.. they will. You see, they use the old well tried theorem.
"possession is nine tenths of the law." By that I mean once they get the tax
in place you'll play craps with the Devil to get it knocked out. It can be
done though, the Impact Fee (tax) in Florida was ruled illegal and the State
has been paying out refunds for almost two years now.
For those of you who haven't noticed we are voting for Bill Clinton.
Why? For a number of reasons but the main ones are . the deficit is way down
already and with another term for Clinton, my grands will not have to pay it
for me. Next, its the manner in which Mr. 1940's Dole has allowed the sleaze
to conduct his campaign. that drug ad he runs really irks me its such lies.
Then there is the factoid that I'd probably be voting "Kemp for President as
Dole, in all likelihood will not finish his term. The Office itself is a
killer. Look ast how Clinton has aged. I've seen it with every president
since Ike. Lastly, you should know I'm a registered Republican.. but simply
cannot stomach lowball tactics I've seen coming form them for the last eight
years. From the deceptions of Iran-Contra to the experimental drugs being
administered to the Desert Storm Troops.
Some day I'll write the whole story about those drugs and so called
inoculations that were being administered to the Armed Services in such as
"as a matter of fact" way when in reality, they and the firms producing the
stuff had no idea of what the drugs would induce as a reaction. Especially
long term. In 1991, Charles Bennett (D Ret.) of Jacksonville, FL helped
ensure the service records of those troops would reflect the pills and
inoculations that were forced upon the Troops. I've had enough of the
"Republican" way of doing things..
Ralph...
Clinton and Gore: Good for Four More!
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Gaming & Entertainment Kid's Computing Corner
Dana P. Jacobson Frank Sereno
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STReport Headline News
LATE BREAKING INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS
Weekly Happenings in the Computer World
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
New Microsoft Probe Launching
The U.S. Justice Department has notified Microsoft Corp. that it will seek
additional information from the software giant regarding competitive
practices. Reporting from Microsoft's Redmond, Washington, headquarters, the
Reuter News Service quotes a company statement as saying the request is part
of the department's "continuing examination of software industry issues." The
last requests to Microsoft were issued in the summer of 1995. The federal
government has been investigating Microsoft since 1990 for alleged anti-trust
practices.
Microsoft Vice President William Neukom says the latest request appears to be
prompted by "complaints from competitors which are reminiscent of allegations
that were thoroughly reviewed in the past." He added, "Internet Explorer
3.0 is consistently rated better than competing technology and is winning
strong consumer support. In response, some of our competitors have resorted
to a public relations campaign of baseless allegations designed to divert
attention from the quality of our technology."
Neukom says it is disappointing Microsoft's competitors "continue to seek
government intervention in the competitive process rather than concentrating
on improving their products. The facts will show that Microsoft is competing
vigorously and legally, and our efforts are benefiting consumers by spurring
greater innovation, better products, and lower prices. We intend to cooperate
with the Justice Department."
As reported, Netscape Communications Corp. last month accused Microsoft of
anti-competitive behavior and urged the Justice Department to take action. It
alleged Microsoft made written offers to computer makers, Internet service
providers, systems integrators and large corporations providing for payments
or discounts on the Microsoft desktop operating system or payments in the
form of "real estate" on the Windows 95 screen on the condition that rival
browsers would be less accessible than Microsoft's browser. Microsoft has
denied the allegations.
Georgia Seeks Net Controls
Civil libertarians have brought a federal suit to challenge a new Georgia
state law that attempts to impose local regulations on the global Internet.
At issue is a law that makes it illegal in some instances to communicate
anonymously on the Internet and to use trademarks and logos without
permission, writer Jared Sandberg reports in today's Wall Street Journal.
The law imposes a penalty of up to 12 months in jail and $1,000 in fines.
The American Civil Liberties Union, joined by 13 plaintiffs including a
number of public-interest groups, is suing, contending the Georgia law is
"unconstitutionally vague" and that its restraints on using corporate logos
and trade names are "impermissibly chilling constitutionally protected
expression," Sandberg reports. They also argue that the law illegally tries
to impose state restrictions on interstate commerce, a right reserved for
Congress.
"The legal challenge is one of the first major assaults on state laws that
seek to rein in the Internet, despite its global reach and audience,"
Sandberg observes. Other instances:
ú Connecticut passed a law last year making it a crime to send an
electronic-mail message "with intent to harass, annoy or alarm
another person."
ú Virginia enacted a bill this year making it illegal for a state employee
to use state-owned computers to get access to sexually explicit
material.
ú New York state has tried to resurrect prohibitions on "indecent
material" that were struck down as unconstitutional by a federal
appeals panel ruling on the federal Communications Decency Act three
months ago.
The Journal says most Internet laws target child pornographers and stalkers,
adding, "Opponents argue the well-intended efforts could nonetheless chill
free speech and the development of electronic commerce. They maintain that
the Internet, which reaches into more than 150 countries, shouldn't be
governed by state laws that could result in hundreds of different, and often
conflicting, regulations."
However, Don Parsons, th Republican state representative who sponsored the
Georgia bill, told the paper he believes the law is a necessary weapon to
combat fraud, forgery and other online misdeeds. He said the groups that
oppose it "want to present (the Internet) as something magical, as something
above and beyond political boundaries." Parsons also said the Georgia law
does not seek to ban all anonymity, that instead, it targets people who
"fraudulently misrepresent their site as that of another organization."
Pssst: Somebody please, tell the honorable Gentleman for Georgia to make
sure his bill says and does exactly what he means it to do.
Clinton Encryption Plan Not Done
A widely anticipated proposal by the Clinton administration to relax export
restrictions on computer encoding technology is not ready for release. At a
hearing today of the House Judiciary Committee, Undersecretary of Commerce
William Reinsch said the proposal had not yet been formalized, adding in
prepared testimony, "Our work is not yet done. We are continuing to consult
with industry and international partners to refine our proposal."
The Reuter News Service notes the Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing on
Resolution 3011, a bill that would dramatically relax encryption export
limits. As reported, last July Vice President Al Gore outlined the
administration's ideas for relaxing limits on encryption exports, saying
export controls should be liberalized only if encryption programs include
so-called key escrow components.
As noted, the computer industry and many members of Congress oppose such a
key escrow and argue foreign competitors will sell encryption programs
without escrow features. Reuters says Reinsch believes the key escrow
approach is needed to help law enforcement and intelligence agencies deal
with encryption. In his statement, Reinsch said, "This approach balances
economic needs with law enforcement concerns and is one that many of our
major trading partners, most notably the United Kingdom, are also adopting,"
adding the U.S. is working in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development to craft a global policy for encryption.
Swedes Blamed in CIA Break-in
Word is that it was a group of Swedish intruders, angry over a court case in
their own country, that broke into the CIA's World Wide Web page this week.
As reported, the CIA pulled the plug on its Web site
(http://www.odci.gov/cia) after vandals altered the page to declare the
agency the "Central Stupidity Agency." Cyberspace writer Elizabeth Weise of
The Associated Press reports the vandals, who dubbed themselves "Power
Through Resistance," also added a slam against the Swedish prosecutor in the
case, Bo Skarinder, urging him to "Stop Lying."
"The Swedish case the hackers were angry about involves a different group of
hackers between the ages of 16 and 20 who were caught in 1991 but whose
trial began only this week," Weise reports. AP says the offending Web page
was removed after about 12 hours and as of early today the agency's entire
site was still unavailable. (However,before the CIA removed the page,
numerous copies were made by individuals in no way involved with the attack.
One such copy is available at http://www.is.co.za/mikev/cia--hack/)
Best to Offer 56K bps Modem
Best Data Products is the latest modem vendor to announce plans to ship a 56K
bps modem in 1997. The modem, which will operate over standard telephone
lines, will be based on new modem technology recently announced by Rockwell
Semiconductor Systems. The Rockwell technology is expected to become a
worldwide standard. Although significantly faster than current analog
transmission methodologies, the technology does not require the installation
of expensive digital ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) telephone
lines.
"Multimedia and graphic content on the Internet are creating an increasing
demand for greater bandwidth than today's analog modems can provide," says
Bruce Zaman, president of Best Data Products, which is based in Chatsworth,
California. "The new modems will address this demand over existing telephone
lines."
Hayes Launches TV Ad Blitz
Modem maker Hayes Microcomputer Products Inc. has launched a national TV
advertising campaign with 60-second spots based on the theme "How Fast Do
You Want to Get There?" The Norcross, Georgia, company says the campaign is
intended to stimulate demand for its ACCURA high-speed modems. Special
promotions and dealer incentives will complement the campaign.
With ads created by Lighton Colman of Chicago, Hayes says it will deliver
over 1 billion targeted advertising impressions on major cable networks,
including CNN, ESPN, CNBC, CNN/Headline News, Sci-Fi Channel, MSNBC,
Discovery Channel and Comedy Central. The campaign will run through to the
end of January. The TV blitz is part of an aggressive new marketing focus
at Hayes, which earlier this year emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy
protection. "We intend to generate demand for our modems by communicating to
consumers the essence of the Hayes brand," says Marshall Toplansky, Hayes'
vice presidentof corporate marketing.
Apple Updates Color Architecture
Apple Computer Inc. has begun shipping ColorSync 2.1, a updated version of
its color management architecture for Macintosh computers. ColorSync 2.1
is an operating system-level technology that allows Mac users to get more
predictable and accurate color from their applications, scanners, digital
cameras, displays and printers. Apple developed ColorSync to provide an
industry-standard method of interpreting and synchronizing the capabilities
of color devices, so that users get consistent results when using devices
that do not share the same color range. The newest version features named
color profile support, enhanced hi-fi color functions, expanded bitmap
formats, increased speed and a new way of embedding profiles in documents
using only a fraction of the usual storage space.
"Color management is critical in the changing information market," says Carla
Ow-Chu, Apple's ColorSync product manager. "We are constantly working to
make the creation and delivery of color easy, fast, and consistent on any
media, anytime." ColorSync 2.1 is offered as an extension to the Macintosh
operating system and is available today on the World Wide Web, free of
charge, at: http://www.macos.apple.com/ in the "Innovative Technologies"
section.
Claris Updates Mac Organizer
Claris Corp. says it has begun shipping Claris Organizer 2.0, an updated
version of its personal information manager for Macintosh and Power
Macintosh computers. The Apple Computer Inc. subsidiary notes that the
software is now Internet savvy with new e-mail and Web links, providing the
ability to launch Internet programs like Netscape Navigator or Claris
Emailer from within Organizer. The program also offers a simplified
on-screen contact card that displays information much like a business card
and helps users track contacts, appointments and tasks.
"Claris Organizer 2.0 sets a new standard in usability and efficiency for
contact managers. It provides customers with an easy-to-use solution for
managing business and personal contacts and a powerful featureset for more
efficient time management," says David Christopher, customer marketing
manager for Claris Organizer. Claris Organizer 2.0 is available now for
$69. Current users can upgrade to the new version for $49. A Windows 95
version of the product is scheduled to ship next year.
IBM Ships Updated OS/2 Warp
IBM has released OS/2 Warp 4, the latest version of its PC operating system.
Incorporating features like Sun Microsystems' Java technology and IBM
VoiceType speech recognition software, IBM says OS/2 Warp 4 promises to
"help transition customers into the era of network computing." "IBM
envisions a future in which people have easy access to the information they
need to work more productively," says John M. Thompson, senior vice
president and group executive of the IBM Software Group. "IBM's Software
Group is making great strides toward that future by ensuring that our
software lineup assists IBM in delivering to our customers network computing
solutions based on open standards. Today we introduce an exciting new version
of OS/2 Warp -- a key member of IBM's entire family of software products."
Minimum requirements for using OS/2 Warp 4 are an Intel 486/33 or higher
processor with 12MB to 16MB of memory. For speech navigation, a 75MHz
Pentium or higher processor with 16MB to 20MB of memory is required. For
speech navigation and dictation, a 100MHz or higher processor with 24MB to
32MB of memory is required. OS/2 Warp 4 requires 100MB to 300MB of free disk
space. OS/2 Warp 4 is immediately available in U.S. English. IBM plans to
offer the product in 28 national language versions by the second half of
1997, beginning with many major European languages within the next 45 days.
The suggested retail price of OS/2 Warp 4 in the U.S. is $249 for first-time
OS/2 customers and $149 for upgrades from previous releases of OS/2.
Postal Service Explores E-Mail
The U.S. Postal Service is exploring its electronic options, wanting to offer
the assurance of its postmarks -- guaranteeing time and date somethig was
sent -- to e-mail. Associated Press writer Randolph E. Schmid says prime
customers of a new project called Electronic Commerce Services are expected
to be businesses, particularly the financial, legal and medical professions.
Paul Raines, who is managing the program, told the wire service the growth of
the Internet has led to an explosive increase in electronic messaging as
more and more people and businesses have computers, but copies of contracts
and other business documents still have to be sent on paper for legal
purposes. "The new system could change that," says AP, "permitting
contracts, government applications, financial documents and other items to
be sent electronically with the post office providing proof they were sent
and guaranteeing the accuracy of the copies. The agency could also provide
an archive service, maintaining copies of documents for use if proof were
needed of what was sent and when."
Raines says the current test is to determine a reasonable price for the
service, get customer feedback and determine what features work best. If all
goes well, the system could become widely available sometime next year.
But aware the post office often runs into criticism when it considers
ventures that might conflict with private businesses, postal spokesman Mark
Saunders emphasized, "The post office itself will not run an e-mail service,"
stressing the system will operate over the Internet and connect to
proprietary networks.
The planned system isn't simple, Schmid notes. For instance, if someone wants
to send an electronic message to a bank and needs to prove it was sent by a
certain date, the message might be sent from a commercial system such as
CompuServe to the bank, via a post office computer. "The post office would
receive the message, stamp it with an electronic postmark, and forward it to
the bank, providing proof of when the message was sent," AP notes. "For
legal documents that need to be kept secret, it gets even more complex,
requiring an encoding system using software that would be sold commercially
or could be included in other available programs."
Intel Tests Net Phone
Chipmaker Intel Corp. says it will release a new test version of its Intel
Internet Phone free of charge from Intel's Web site, allowing users to call
each other long-distance through the Net without phone company long-distance
charges. Reporting from Santa Clara, California, United Press International
says the software is designed to operate with systems from different vendors
or running on different types of computers.
Intel officials told United Press International hundreds of thousands of the
first test version of the Internet phone have been downloaded from the Web
sie since its introduction in July. The software is designed for personal
computers powered by Pentium chips from Intel. "The new version includes
additional functions, such as busy line indicator and call progress
indicator, and the size of the file downloaded from the Internet has been
reduced by one-third," UPI says. "The new version is also designed to work
with other Internet directory services to locate other Internet phone users."
Intel's software is based on the H.323 technology, a standard already
endorsed by 120 companies that is designed to allow users of different
computers and phone software to talk to each other. Of course, the
disadvantage of making a phone call through the Internet is a delay in
transmission, sometimes as much as one-half second, "but," notes UPI, "if
the idea catches on, it could start to raiding the massive profits generated
by telephone companies."
BBC to Offer Internet Service
Starting next spring, the BBC, Britain's largest broadcasting company, will
offer an Internet access service for computer users. In London, The
Associated Press quotes Bob Phillis, BBC Worldwide's chief executive, as
saying, "We aim to remain the touchstone of quality in the new global
multimedia environment." AP notes BBC Worldwide has gone into partnership
with ICL PLC, a British-based computer company, to develop the service. The
BBC also talked with Microsoft Corp. before choosing ICL, which is largely
owned by Fujitsu Corp. of Japan.
Adds the wire service, "The BBC isn't putting up any money but will provide
all material from its radio, television and publishing operations, while ICL
will operate the access service and provide all start-up costs of the
venture." AP adds news will be a major part of the service, "but there are
also expected to be sites for the BBC's most popular soap operas and dramas
as well as shopping sites to buy BBC brand products." In addition, the BBC
promises a "morality button" to prevent children from gaining access to
pornography.
Passport Forms Now Online
Passport application forms now can be obtained through the Internet. U.S.
State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns told the Reuter News Service the
department's Consular Affairs bureau home page (http://travel.state.gov)
has online facilities for printing out the form. The completed form will
still need to be mailed or taken to one of the government's passport
offices. Forms to report a lost or stolen passport or to amend a current
passport can also be downloaded from the State Department's Web site,
Reuters said.
Device Allows Mind-Control of PCs
A peripheral device that allow users to control a PC with their minds has
been released by The Other 90% Technologies Inc. The San Rafael,
California-based firm says its MindDrive product allows users to move
on-screen images, run computer programs and even play video games through
their thoughts. The MindDrive device consists of a small sensor sleeve that
fits onto a finger and a micro controller interface that plugs into the PC.
According to the manufacturer, the sensor reads and instantly transmits one's
thought signals to the computer. The MindDrive sells for $149.95, and 10
initial applications are priced from $24.95 to $39.95. The products are
available at CompUSA, Computer City, Software Etc., Electronic Boutique and
Egghead, as well leading regional consumer electronics retailers.
Cray Continues Fight for Life
Seymour Cray still battles for his life in a Colorado Springs, Colorado,
hospital after breaking his neck and severely injuring his head in a traffic
accident now blamed on a careless driver. The 70-year-old supercomputer
pioneer is critical and unstable condition at Penrose Hospital. Hospital
spokeswoman Kate Brewster told The Associated Press he underwent surgery to
relieve brain swelling after Sunday's accident. AP reports Cray's Jeep
Cherokee rolled three times after the driver of a Chevrolet Camaro tried to
pass him and then struck another car, which slammed into Cray's vehicle. The
other motorists weren't injured. A 33-year-old Colorado Springs man has
been cited for careless driving
causing serious bodily injury.
Dole Wins High-Tech Support
Republican presidential contender Bob Dole is getting the endorsement of some
180 Silicon Valley executives, venture capitalists and lawyers. Reporting
from San Francisco, the Reuter News Service says the official announcement is
to come today from the headquarters of Advanced Micro Devices Inc. in
Sunnyvale, California. This comes about a month after Bill Clinton received
the endorsement of 75 Silico Valley executives, including Apple co-founder
Steve Jobs and former Hewlett-Packard Co. chief John Young.
Those now coming out for the Dole-Jack Kemp ticket include Jerry Sanders of
Advanced Micro Devices, T.J. Rodgers of Cypress Semiconductor Corp., Scott
McNealy of Sun Microsystems Inc., Gilbert Amelio of Apple Computer Inc. and
Wilfred Corrigan of LSI Logic Corp. Floyd Kvamme, a partner at Silicon
Valley venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers and one of
the organizers of the group, told the wire service the Republican group came
into being within the last 15 to 20 days.
It got off the ground after the executives saw a newspaper report that said
Silicon Valley was backing Clinton again in 1996, Kvamme said, adding,
"Everybody that I knew said: 'What! You've got to be kidding me.' ... We sent
out some letters to folks and the response has been absolutely incredible."
Kvamme, who said the group had not yet been in contact with Dole, told the
wire service many Silicon Valley executives wanted capital gains tax cuts
and faster U.S. economic growth. He said they strongly opposed Proposition
211, a measure on the California ballot in November that would make it
easier to file securities fraud lawsuits in the state. Reuters notes both
Clinton and Dole oppose the California measure, "but Clinton last December
vetoed federal legislation restricting securities fraud lawsuits, costing
him support in Silicon Valley, even though Congress later overrode the
veto."
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 11, 1996
VR SPORTS ANNOUNCES MARKETING DRIVE FOR VR GOLF '97
(Buy one get one free by mail offer expected to drive sales)
Irvine, California -- VR Sports stepped up its marketing drive for its newest
title, VR Golf '97, today in anticipation of the title's November release.
VR Sports, a division of Irvine-based Interplay Productions, announced that
it will offer its inaugural sports title VR Soccer '96 free by mail with the
purchase of VR Golf '97. "We're putting the strength of the VR Sports brand
behind VR Golf '97 because it's a great game and now it's a great value for
the holidays," said Paul Sackman, director of marketing for VR Sports. "A
release with as much potential as VR Golf '97 requires strong marketing
support to ensure sell-through and drive gamers to retail."
The promotion will feature the free VR Soccer '96 offer in spread ads through
Christmas and is expected to drive gamers to retail, while P.O.S. materials
will flag the promotion at retail for greater sell-through. VR Golf '97
will also feature a vibrant burst on its packaging to catch the eye of
browsing gamers. VR Golf '97 is the only golf simulation game on the market
to offer immersive 360-degree, 3D views for players along with motion
capture and faster gameplay. In VR Golf '97, golfers can see the shot from
virtually anywhere on the course:
ú behind the player,
ú from the fairway or from the pin.
The game also features three different commentators including Pat O'Brien
from CBS Sports. Recent reviews of VR Golf '97 herald the game as "realism
extraordinaire," "an astonishing piece of work" and, as Video Games
magazine said, "The best damn golf game ever." VR Sports, the sports
division of Interplay Productions, is a developer and publisher of state-of-
the-art, real-time, 360 degrees, 3D sports software. VR Sports releases
sports software for SEGA Saturn, Sony PlayStation, Macintosh, Windows '95 and
IBM and 100% compatible computers. More comprehensive information on VR
Sports and its products is available through the company's worldwide web
site at http://www.vrsports.com.
Adobe Announces Adobe PostScript Level 3
The Printing System for the Wired World
San Jose, California (September 11, 1996) (Nasdaq:ADBE) Adobe Systems
Incorporated today advanced printing into a new era, announcing its newest
printing systems solution, which includes the next generation of Adobe(R)
PostScript(R), the worldwide imaging language standard. Geared for the
requirements of the new wired world, Adobe PostScript Level 3 will offer
original equipment manufacturer (OEM) customers and end users dramatic
enhancements in printing functionality, performance, reliability and quality.
Adobe's integrated printing system solution focuses on changing the printing
experience by allowing OEM customers to build best- in-class printing
solutions and providing users the ability to print complex graphics and Web
content, when and where they need it.
Adobe has gone beyond offering a page description language to providing
customers with a total systems solution for delivering and printing digital
documents. Adobe PostScript Level 3 offers Advanced Page Processing,
Enhanced Image Technology, NetWorks(TM) System, and PlanetReady(TM) Printing
benefits. At any consumer level - from home and small office to corporate
workgroups, production printing to graphic arts - Adobe's innovative digital
imaging technology is at the core of electronic and hard copy document
solutions. By incorporating new levels of functionality, Adobe PostScript
Level 3 offers exceptional benefits to consumers in each of these market
segments.
"The genesis of Adobe PostScript Level 3 is a result of three market trends
which are a driving force in our industry: the pervasiveness of the
Internet, the increasing use of color, and a shifting workflow model from
print and distribute to distribute and print-on-demand," said Fred Schwedner,
senior vice president and general manager, Adobe Printing and Systems
Division. "Adobe's objective is to support digital document delivery for
all types of document content, from any possible source, to every available
output destination. Our goal is that with incessant delivery of innovative
solutions like Adobe PostScript Level 3, every page printed uses Adobe
technology."
Adobe is the only company to offer a complete range of printing systems
solutions with Adobe PrintGear(TM) for the small office/home office (SOHO)
market; Adobe PostScript as the standard from corporate desktop printers to
high-end publishing printers; a new architecture, code named "Supra", that
incorporates both Adobe PostScript language and Adobe Portable Document
Format (PDF) for production printers; and Adobe PrintMill(TM), an Intranet-
based printing and printer management solution. Adobe also collaborates with
leading operating system vendors and printer manufacturers to provide robust
printer drivers.
"We are delighted to have our OEM customers, development partners, and
application software developers endorse Adobe PostScript Level 3," stated
Jim Stephens, vice president of marketing, Adobe Printing and Systems
Division. "Since its introduction in 1985 when Adobe PostScript software
helped spawn the desktop publishing revolution, Adobe has continued to drive
the industry forward with powerful printing solutions. We have expanded our
technology offerings to meet the changing needs of customers in every market
segment so our OEM customers can deliver best-in-class products across the
board."
Adobe has developed an advanced level of functionality in Adobe PostScript
Level 3 to accommodate the new digital document creation process which
includes varying sources, complex composition and virtually unlimited
destinations. Users are now accessing content for use in digital documents
from varying sources including electronic mail, World Wide Web pages,
Intranets, on-line services, content providers and digital cameras. Ocument
composition now includes not only text, but also complex graphics, clip art,
corporate logos, Internet content, multiple fonts, scanned images and
color. Finally, the digital document's destination is to printing systems
anywhere in the world such as personal printers, network printers, service
bureaus, pay for print providers, or data warehouses for electronic
archival. With Adobe PostScript Level 3, users can print when and where they
need to with insured reliability and quality.
Adobe PostScript Level 3 Benefits
Enhanced Image Technology
Enhanced Image Technology insures that documents print faster, easier, and
with optimal quality. A key benefit to the user is that Enhanced Image
Technology recognizes image objects and automatically optimizes processing
to deliver the highest possible quality, and at the same time speed return to
application. Adobe PostScript Level 3 will include new imaging features
that support the increasingly complex documents available via the Internet,
support for three-dimensional images, photo quality grayscaling, smooth
gradients in graphic objects, image compositioning and full-color
spectrums.
Advanced Page Processing
Adobe PostScript Level 3 with Advanced Page Processing significantly
increases the performance of an imaging system. As components in a document
become more complex, the printing system will process each component as a
separate object in order to optimize imaging throughnput. PostScript Level 3
will support direct processing of Web content, including HTML and Adobe PDF.
Advanced Page Processing will also extend the resident font set to provide
compatibility with the resident fonts of all leading operating systems,
enhancing performance by reducing font downloading. Adobe has also integrated
PDF into Adobe PostScript Level 3 to provide users with a more robust
ability to manage individual pages within a document, thereby improving the
user's control over the printing process.
NetWorks System
Adobe's NetWorks System improves ease of use, ease of connection and ease of
printer management all in one environment through Adobe PostScript Level 3.
A printer with Adobe's NetWorks System functionality will include a printer
based Web page, Web based printer management, printing directly from the
printer's Web Page, support for all industry standard remote management
technologies, and a single step CD-ROM installer for all drivers, fonts and
value-added software. Adobe's NetWorks System ultimately allows users to
leverage the power and benefits of the Internet.
PlanetReady Printing
Adobe PostScript Level 3 offers PlanetReady Printing to allow our products to
fully meet the local language needs of our users anywhere in the world. We
intend to provide the ability for users to easily display and print any
language with any Adobe PostScript Level 3 printer. PlanetReady Printing
enables OEMs to more easily develop complete imaging systems that are savvy
to localized demands of language and usage. Specific features of PlanetReady
Printing include robust drivers that are tightly integrated into the
operating system, be it Microsoft(R) Windows(R) 3.1, Microsoft Windows 95,
Microsoft Windows NT or Apple(R) Macintosh(R), full support of international
font requirements, and tools for OEMs to quickly and easily customize and
localize their printing systems. Adobe PostScript with PlanetReady printing
capabilities offers users enhanced performance and simplified printing.
Availability
Adobe has completed Adobe PostScript Level 3 language feature development and
will now begin its system integration process. The product schedule includes
two internal quality assurance cycles before system delivery to OEM printing
system manufacturers and third party development partners in December 1996.
In the second half of 1997 when OEMs begin to deliver Adobe PostScript Level
3 based products, Adobe will disclose the Adobe PostScript Level 3 operators
and language specific features.
Based in San Jose, Calif., Adobe Systems Incorporated develops and supports
products to help people express and use information in more imaginative and
meaningful ways, across all print and electronic media. Founded in 1982,
Adobe helped launch the desktop publishing revolution. Today, the company
offers a market-leading line of application software and type products for
creating and distributing visually rich communication materials; licenses
its industry-standard technologies to major hardware manufacturers, software
developers, and service providers; and offers integrated software solutions
to businesses of all sizes. For more information, see Adobe's home page at
http://www.adobe.com on the World Wide Web.
Adobe, the Adobe logo, Adobe PostScript, Adobe PrintGear, Adobe PrintMill,
PlanetReady Printing and NetWorks System are trademarks of Adobe Systems,
Incorporated. Apple and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple
Computer, Incorporated. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation.
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EDUPAGE STR Focus Keeping the users informed
Edupage
Contents
Wireless Industry Rejects FBI Surveillance Plan
All Eyes On E-Money
Justice Department Continues Microsoft Inquiry
New York Enacts Net Indecency Law
Hardware, Systems Administrators Cause Most Glitches
Postal Service Tests Electronic Postmark
No Communications Deal For U.S.- Canada
Speedy HotWire Modems
Seymour Cray Injured In Automobile Crash
SAIC Eyes Bellcore
Cracker Bill Passes Senate
Increasing Use Of Direct Internet Service Providers
FTC Seeks Privacy Safeguards In Response To P-TRAK Flap
Stiff Competition For PC Shelf Space
Motorola's Mac Attack
AOL Resumes Junk E-Mail Block, Settles Class Action Suit
Fujitsu To License Its Plasma Flat-Screen Technology
VLSI Chips Slash Set-Top Box Prices
AT&T Closes Its Personal Online Services Group
The Art And Science Of Naming Technology Products
WIRELESS INDUSTRY REJECTS FBI SURVEILLANCE PLAN
The members of the Cellular Telecommunications Industry, a trade
organization, have voted to reject a Justice Department plan that would give
federal law enforcement agencies the ability to determine the location of a
cellular phone caller and to begin almost immediately to monitor the status
of the call. The wireless industry, which says the plan would be too
expensive to administer, is supported by privacy groups fearful of giving
police agencies additional surveillance capabilities. The FBI says it simply
wants the same kind of location information already routinely available in
tracing traditional phone calls: "The privacy people say we shouldn't have
this information, but the notion that we in law enforcement should not be
able to take advantage of the technology is a crazy notion." (New York Times
20 Sep 96 A1)
ALL EYES ON E-MONEY
Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin has formed a task force to examine what
impact the move toward electronic money transfer and storage technologies
will have on consumers. Specifically, the team will look at how these
technologies will affect lower-income Americans, and assess standards for
consumer protection. The task force also will come up with non-regulatory
measures that can be taken to protect consumers while allowing the market to
develop. "I want to be certain that we make the right decisions as we begin
this new era so that the benefits of these developments are broadly shared
and have a positive impact on our economy," says Rubin. (Investor's
Business Daily 20 Sep 96 A19) Meanwhile, the Bank of Japan and Nippon
Telegraph & Telephone Corp. have jointly developed a very advanced, secure
electronic money system, using NTT's high- speed digital signature system and
its patented E-sign algorithm. The new system allows a number of banks to
issue the same type of e-money to customers, relieving them of the
responsibility of developing their own proprietary e-money systems. NTT
hopes its new system will become the de facto standard for e-money in the
country. (BNA Daily Report for Executives 13 Sep 96 A2)
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT CONTINUES MICROSOFT INQUIRY
The Justice Department is proceeding into a new phase of its investigation of
Microsoft's trade practices; the move follows last month's accusation by a
Netscape attorney that, in defiance of a 1994 settlement with the government,
Microsoft is giving computer manufacturers a $3 rebate for every machine on
which they give Microsoft's Internet Explorer browsing software greater
prominence than the corresponding Netscape Navigator browser. Microsoft has
denied the accusation. (New York Times 20 Sep 96 C1)
NEW YORK ENACTS NET INDECENCY LAW
New York Governor George Pataki has signed into law a bill that makes
transmission of material "harmful to minors," depicting nudity, sexual
contact or sadomasochism a felony punishable by up to four years in prison.
The New York Civil Liberties Union says it will continue to fight the law and
may seek its repeal. (Broadcasting & Cable 16 Sep 96 p64)
HARDWARE, SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATORS
CAUSE MOST GLITCHES
A report recently published by Ontrack Data Recovery lays the blame for data
losses primarily on hardware malfunctions, with mistakes made by systems
administrators second. While 44% of problems were attributable to the
hardware, 32% were caused by systems administrators. Software malfunction
caused 14%, and computer viruses only 7%. The remaining 3% were caused by
natural disasters. (Investor's Business Daily 18 Sep 96 A6)
POSTAL SERVICE TESTS ELECTRONIC POSTMARK
The U.S. Postal Service is testing a system that would place an electronic
postmark on e-mail messages, verifying the date and time the message was
sent, and guaranteeing that the content had not been tampered with. The new
system would enable more business functions to be conducted electronically,
and would also provide an archive service, maintaining copies of "e-
postmarked" mail, should any questions arise later. The current test will
determine what price people would expect to pay for such a service, and which
features work best. (St. Petersburg Times 20 Sep 96 E6)
NO COMMUNICATIONS DEAL FOR U.S.-CANADA
Industry Canada says there is no deal, at least in the short term, between
Canada and the U.S. on communications policy. The U.S. government is
pressuring Ottawa to open up Canada's industrial and cultural policies as a
way to resolve Telesat Canada's problems with the U.S. Federal Communications
Commission. (Toronto Globe & Mail 19 Sep 96 B8)
SPEEDY HOTWIRE MODEMS
The new HotWire system from Paradyne Corp. use an RADSL (rate adaptive
digital subscriber line) modem that can send data at speeds up to 2 million
bits per second, making it possible to send video over ordinary telephone
lines. The technology is more than 15 times faster than conventional ISDN
(integrated services digital network) lines. (Tampa Tribune 21 Sep 96 B&F1)
SEYMOUR CRAY INJURED IN AUTOMOBILE CRASH
Seymour Cray, the supercomputer pioneer who founded Cray Research Inc. and
Cray Computer Inc., was injured in a three-car accident Sunday in Colorado
Springs. Mr. Cray has severe head injuries and is listed in critical and
unstable condition. (New York Times 24 Sep 96 C2)
SAIC EYES BELLCORE
Science Applications International Corp. is negotiating its proposed purchase
of Bell Communications Research, better known as Bellcore, the research arm
of the seven regional Bell operating companies. The price is rumored to be
around $700 million, and the sale would give SAIC access to Bellcore's
networking expertise, said to be the best in the world. Bellcore scientists
are widely respected for their unsurpassed abilities in network disaster
recovery, computer virus detection, and fiber optic technology. In choosing
SAIC as their buyer, the Bell companies have selected a company that will
not pose an immediate threat in their markets -- SAIC specializes in systems
integration, national security, transportation and health care. (Wall Street
Journal 23 Sep 96 A3)
CRACKER BILL PASSES SENATE
A bill (S 982) that would make it easier to prosecute computer crimes passed
the Senate last Friday, but its companion bill in the House (HR 4095) is not
scheduled for any action. The National Information Infrastructure Act of
1996, sponsored by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) would explicitly outlaw:
interstate or foreign theft of information by computer; blackmail and
threats against computer systems and networks; and unauthorized use of
computer systems. Leahy says a Carnegie Mellon University report found that
more than 12,000 computers were attacked in more than 2,400 incidents in
1995. The Computer Systems Policy Project reports that U.S. companies lost
somewhere between $2- and $4-billion last year due to security breaches in
computer systems. (BNA Daily Report for Executives 20 Sep 96 A35)
INCREASING USE OF DIRECT INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS
A survey from Odyssey Inc. of San Francisco says that 48% of all households
connected to the Internet use an Internet service provider, up from 30% six
months ago. The president of the firm notes that this is not good news for
commercial online services: "There are now lots of places to get
information, and lots of ways to get onto the Internet. Commercial online
services are going to have to sell themselves in a different way than they
have been selling themselves. They need to explain what value they bring in
addition to access to the Internet and the World Wide Web." (New York Times
23 Sep 96 C1)
FTC SEEKS PRIVACY SAFEGUARDS IN RESPONSE TO P-TRAK FLAP
The Federal Trade Commission has recommended broader privacy protections,
responding to public outcry over an information service offered by Lexis-
Nexis Inc. that critics say provides individuals' Social Security numbers,
mothers' maiden names, and other confidential data to anyone willing to pay a
nominal fee. "The ready availability of this information through a tracking
service may facilitate identity fraud, credit fraud and other illegal
activities," says the FTC. The P-TRAK service says it eliminated access to
Social Security numbers earlier this year following consumer complaints, but
users can still call up information by typing in a Social Security number.
P-TRAK also says it doesn't provide mothers' maiden names (often used by
credit card companies as a safeguard against unauthorized access), just
individuals' maiden names, as part of its service. The FTC has recommended
that credit-reporting agencies would no longer be able to supply this
information to database operators such as Lexis. (Wall Street Journal 24 Sep
96 B7)
STIFF COMPETITION FOR PC SHELF SPACE
PC makers are facing new competition from big consumer-electronics companies
such as Sony Corp. and Toshiba Corp., both of which are weighing in with new
lines of personal computers in time for the holiday sales season. "There's
definitely more competition," says an International Data Corp. analyst, which
has predicted a 14% rise in PC sales in the third quarter and 21% rise in
the fourth. "There's not enough shelf space to go around." (St. Petersburg
Times 23 Sep 96 p12)
MOTOROLA'S MAC ATTACK
Motorola has unveiled its StarMax Macintosh clones, becoming the first major
manufacturer to get into the Apple clone business. The new machines,
powered by Motorola's PowerPC processor, are priced anywhere between $1,600
and $4,000 and include a five-year warranty. (Business Week 30 Sep 96 p46)
AOL RESUMES JUNK E-MAIL BLOCK
SETTLES CLASS ACTION SUIT
America Online has received permission from a federal appeals court in
Philadelphia to resume its practice of blocking junk e-mail messages sent to
its subscribers. Cyber Promotions Inc. had filed for and received an
injunction earlier this month ordering AOL to end its practice of blocking
unsolicited messages to its members from companies that specialize in "junk
e-mail" for promotional purposes. A related lawsuit is scheduled to go to
trial in November. In a separate case, a judge in San Francisco tentatively
approved a settlement to a class action suit brought by subscribers who
claimed they were improperly charged for fractions of minutes that they
didn't use. The settlement calls for refunds of $2.95 for each $300 in
charges to former members. AOL's total payout could add up to $700,000,
$200,000 more than was agreed to in the preliminary settlement. (Wall
Street Journal 23 Sep 96 B6)
FUJITSU TO LICENSE ITS PLASMA FLAT-SCREEN TECHNOLOGY
The Japanese company Fujitsu, which has patented a way to develop plasma-
display panels that could be used to create big screens for computer
monitors and TV sets, will license the technology to other Japanese and
Korean TV manufacturers. Whereas most thin screens, such as those used in
laptop computers, currently rely on liquid crystal displays (LCDs), the
Fujitsu technique makes use of a thin layer of plasma gas coated on the back
of a screen, which is then lit up in various colors when the plasma crystals
are activated by an electric charge. (New York Times 23 Sep 96 C4)
VLSI CHIPS SLASH SET-TOP BOX PRICES
New chips from VLSI Technology Inc. can handle both audio and video,
eliminating the need for multiple chips used in set-top boxes for cable and
satellite TV. The Vista System-Level Silicon chip should bring the prices
of set-top boxes down from $450 to about $200, says a VLSI VP. (Investor's
Business Daily 24 Sep 96 A8)
AT&T CLOSES ITS PERSONAL ONLINE SERVICES GROUP
AT&T will scrap its Personal Online Services Group and transfer the group's
40 employees to other jobs. The group had focused on providing a service
called the Home Town Network, offering users information on local government,
entertainment and other localized content. The company says it will
concentrate instead on access and hosting services such as its WorldNet
Internet access business. (Wall Street Journal 23 Sep 96 B6)
THE ART AND SCIENCE OF NAMING TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS
As companies fight over high-tech names with the words "net," "power," or
"link" in them, others reach further afield for inspiration. The founder of
Marimba, a software company creating Java-based applications, says: "I
thought of tons of names, but most of them were taken." So she appropriated
the name of the musical instrument: "I was looking for something dynamic
and fun... Sure, we're marketing to nerds, but I think nerds like to be
marketed to like everybody else." (New York Times 23 Sep 96 C5)
Edupage is written by John Gehl (gehl@educom.edu) & Suzanne Douglas
(douglas@educom.edu).
Voice: 404-371-1853, Fax: 404-371-8057.
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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE
The CAUSE organization's annual conference on information technology in
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conference will bring together administrators,
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Educom -- Transforming Education Through Information Technology
Creative's Partnerships Change the Face of the Internet
Creative Partners With On-line Companies to Introduce Multimedia Products
for the Internet
MILPITAS, CA -- September 24, 1996 -- In its commitment to bring powerful
multimedia solutions to the Internet, Creative Technology Ltd. (NASDAQ:
CREAF), the world's leading provider of multimedia products for personal
computers, has entered into four significant partnerships with on-line
technology companies: NetSpeak Corp., Seer Systems, Inc., Onlive!
Technologies and Progressive Networks. With these agreements, Creative will
greatly expand its product line to integrate advanced audio, video, graphics
and communications technology into vibrant, media-rich Internet solutions
for the consumer.
The industry is moving towards multimedia over the Internet and Creative
believes it is in a powerful position to take advantage of and leverage its
unique strengths as a leader in bringing multimedia products to the desktop
and home. Creative believes that anyone who owns a PC has the ability to
experience a fully emmersive, exciting and entertaining world directly from
his or her computer. Through its agreements with NetSpeak, Seer, Progressive
Networks and Onlive!, Creative will create affordable, easy-to-use products
and develop exciting new technologies that bring Internet multimedia to the
masses.
NetSpeak
Creative has entered into a strategic partnership with NetSpeak to jointly
develop and integrate their products into the next-generation of multimedia
and Internet Telephony technology. The partnership is an exclusive licensing
and technology agreement giving Creative the right to license NetSpeak
technology under the Creative WebPhoneT brand. Creative plans to build upon
the technology of its standard-setting multimedia products to create a set
of Internet Telephony products suited for home and business use.
Creative WebPhone is the first in a line of Internet-based telephony products
that will be introduced over the next year. Not only does Creative WebPhone
offer low cost, long distance telephone calls over the Internet, it
features high-quality TrueSpeechT audio, caller-ID, directory assistance,
conferencing and chat functionality within a familiar user interface.
Creative is currently distributing Creative WebPhone with Sound Blasterr and
its communications products Phone BlasterT 33.6 PnP and Internet BlasterT
33.6 PnP.
Seer Systems, Inc.
In its desire to develop and deliver next generation audio solutions,
Creative and Seer are developing high- quality fidelity sound technology for
the Internet through an exclusive licensing and development agreement.
As a result of its relationship with Seer, Creative will introduce its first
audio product specifically for the Internet. Creative NetSynthT is a Sound
Blaster compliant software synthesizer that plays high-quality MIDI on-line.
The product combines powerful wave-table synthesis technology and up to 32-
note polyphony so users can experience high quality professional audio on
the Internet.
In addition, Creative NetSynth includes one WaveGuide instrument, using
Sondiusr synthesis technology from Stanford University, giving customers a
sample of how characteristics of real instruments and sounds can be simulated
very accurately through physical modeling. Creative NetSynth will be
distributed over the Internet in the fourth quarter on Creative's World Wide
Web site.
Onlive!
Creative has also entered into a distribution agreement with Onlive!
Technologies. Through its distribution agreement, Creative bundles Onlive!'s
Traveler 3D software with a number of its communications products. OnLive!
Traveler is an end-user client software that allows real-time voice
communication in 3D virtual environments. Users can navigate through
communities of 3D environments, represented by their own 3D avatars or on-
screen personas, and converse naturally with other users in real-time--
taking on-line communications to a new, realistic and highly immersive
level. Interactive 3D graphics on the Internet are available today with
Creative's communications hardware and Onlive! Traveler software.
By formulating strategic partnerships with companies like Onlive!, Creative
can develop future products that give its customers access to 3D building
tools, player and server software, texture and widget libraries, and hosting
services that work with its standard-setting Blaster products including Sound
Blaster, Internet Blaster and 3D BlasterT.
Progressive Networks
Creative and Progressive Networks have entered into a distribution agreement
to bundle RealAudio with Creative's extensive line of multimedia products.
Through its agreement with Progressive Networks, Creative's customers will
enjoy full-featured audio over the Internet. RealAudio plays "live" and on-
demand, streaming audio over the Internet eliminating the need to "download"
audio and playback off-line. With RealAudio the user can easily listen to
broadcast news, entertainment and speeches from around the world.
"We are extremely excited about these significant partnerships. Each company
brings unique and powerful technology that will allow Creative to make great
strides within the Internet industry," said W.H. Sim, chairman and CEO of
Creative Technology. "Creative is storming the Internet with the same fervor
and excitement that made us the multimedia technology leader we are today."
Creative Technology Ltd. is the world's leading provider of advanced
multimedia solutions for personal computers, including sound, graphics,
communications and video conferencing products. The company's Sound Blaster
technology has been accepted as the worldwide standard sound platform for
PCs, and the company's global distribution network is the most extensive in
the multimedia industry. Creative is focused on enhancing the overall user
experience by providing powerful, enabling, high-value technology for the
mass market.
Creative Targets the Home PC With New Multimedia Kits
New Kits Include Internet Applications, Wave-Table Audio, 8x CD-ROM Drives,
And Hot Titles From Microsoft And Activision
MILPITAS, CA - September 24, 1996 - Creative Labs, Inc., a subsidiary of
Creative Technology Ltd. (NASDAQ:CREAF), the world's leading provider of
multimedia products for personal computers, today expanded its award-winning
line of multimedia products with two new Internet-ready 8x-speed multimedia
upgrade kits. Targeted at the home PC user, the new Sound Blasterr Multimedia
Home 8x and Sound Blaster Value CD 8x kits deliver the latest in CD-ROM drive
speed, Creative's best-selling audio cards, and include the hottest Internet
applications and multimedia titles for entertainment, education, and
productivity.
The new kits are designed to provide the home PC user with an exciting way to
upgrade their PCs with either Sound Blaster 16 PnP or Sound Blaster 32 PnP
audio card with the latest technology combined in an all-in-one multimedia
solution. When used with a modem, the new kits will provide an exciting
Internet experience utilizing today's high value applications.
In addition, the upgrade kit with Sound Blaster 32 PnP offers the award-
winning wave-table technology from E-mu Systems Inc. which delivers real
instrument sounds for a richer, more realistic audio experience. Creative
has continued to lead the market with award-winning multimedia kit solutions.
According to industry research firm Dataquest, Creative has consistently
increased market share. "The demand for our kits is so strong because we
build powerful, all-in-one solutions with the latest technology that include
everything the user wants," said Craig McHugh, vice president and general
manager of Creative Labs, Inc. "Creative has consistently been on the top of
the 'best seller lists' with distributors and retailers for years. Our
strategy is to continue empowering PC users with the latest technology by
making it easy to turn their PCs into the best entertainment, educational
and productivity platforms."
Pricing and Availability
Sound Blaster Multimedia Home 8x, with an approximate street price of US$339,
and Sound Blaster Value CD 8x, with an approximate street price of US$249,
are available immediately through Creative's extensive network of
distributors and retailers.
Sound Blaster Multimedia Home 8x
Sound Blaster Multimedia Home 8x is designed for the family PC. It combines
award-winning wave-table sound, 8x CD-ROM technology, and popular titles for
education, productivity and entertainment, including ten titles from
Microsoft's Home Collection. Included in the kit are Creative's Sound Blaster
32 PnP audio card; Creative WebPhone Lite for toll-free Internet phone
calls; Creative's 8x CD-ROM drive; high-performance, 10-watt powered stereo
speakers; and 10 Microsoft titles: Encartar Encyclopedia, Scholastic's The
Magic School Bus Explores the Solar System, Fine Artist, Creative Writer,
Microsoft Golf 2.0, Microsoft Wine Guide, Julia Child: Home Cooking with
Master Chefs, Microsoft Music Sampler, Works, and Money. Also included are
Voyetra MIDI Orchestrator Plus for Windows, Creative's Mixer, Multimedia
Deck, Soundo'LE, TextAssist and WaveStudio.
Sound Blaster Value CD 8x
Sound Blaster Value CD 8x includes Creative's industry-standard Sound Blaster
16 PnP audio card, Creative's 8x CD-ROM drive, stereo speakers, and eleven
titles, including: Compuserve's Sprynet for access to the Internet,
Microsoft's Internet Explorer for Web browsing, Creative WebPhone Lite for
toll-free calls over the Internet, SoftQuad's HoTMetal Light for home page
design, Activision's hot new title, Time Commando, Microsoft's Encarta
Encyclopedia, Dorling Kindersley's "My First Amazing, Incredible Dictionary".
Also included are Creative's Mixer, Multimedia Deck, Soundo'LE, Text Assist
and Wave Studio.
Creative's Sound Blaster Gets "INTERNETed"
New Sound Blaster Audio Line Includes Microsoft's Internet Explorer,
NetSpeak's WebPhone,
And Progressive Network's RealAudio Player
SINGAPORE - September 24, 1996 -- As part of its strategy to provide enhanced
audio capabilities over the Internet, Creative Technology Ltd. (NASDAQ:
CREAF), the world's leading provider of multimedia products for the PC, has
begun shipping its new InternetedT Sound Blasterr line of audio cards which
comes bundled with powerful Internet software from Microsoft, NetSpeak Corp.
and Progressive Networks. Creative's goal is to make Internet technology
easily accessible to all of its customers through new products and technology
upgrades.
Creative has partnered with Microsoft to offer Internet ExplorerT for Web
browsing, with NetSpeak to include Creative WebPhone for toll-free Internet
phone calls, and with Progressive Networks to include the RealAudioT player
for real-time audio streaming over the Internet. This combination of Internet
audio and communications technologies, when bundled with the advanced audio
functionality of the Sound Blaster line, gives the end-user a powerful,
audio-rich Internet solution.
"The business sector is rapidly adopting the Internet as a viable business
productivity medium, largely due to its easy-to-use interface, accessibility
to information and the exciting audio-enhanced multimedia contents," said
Sim Wong Hoo, chairman and chief executive officer of Creative Technology.
"The Internet's inroads into the business office is now driving the demand
for affordable sound cards. Creative's long established reputation for
quality, reliable yet affordable audio has actually opened the door for Sound
Blaster's entry into the business office where quality and reliability
count. To tap this new market opportunity, Creative introduces its
'Interneted' Sound Blaster audio line with its exciting suite of Internet
productivity tools that can easily handle the demanding applications found
on the Web."
Pricing And Availability
Creative is adding these Internet applications at no additional cost to the
consumer. Sound Blaster AWE32 PnP is priced at US$249; Sound Blaster 32 PnP
has a reduced estimated street price of US$149; and Sound Blaster 16 PnP is
priced at US$99. All three new sound cards are available immediately through
Creative's extensive network of distributors and retailers. Creative plans
to offer the new Internet upgrades to its installed customer
base of Sound Blaster users.
Features And Benefits
The new Sound Blaster sound card line is designed to enhance entertainment,
business, and Internet applications. "We're very excited to be teaming with
the industry leader in PC audio to deliver our Internet telephony technology
to the millions of Sound Blaster users," said Bob Kennedy, president of
NetSpeak Corp. "With our combined technologies the possibility of toll-free
long-distance phone calls and communications is now a reality for Internet
users."
The included Internet tools provide the following features and benefits:
ú Creative WebPhone -- Provides single-line, long distance phone calls
without toll-charges and unlimited talk time. It also supports
real-time, full-duplex communication, voicemail, caller ID and call
hold/mute/block.
ú Microsoft's Internet Explorer -- A full featured browser with built-in
Internet audio support for accessing a wealth of information on the
Net.
ú Progressive Networks' RealAudio Player -- Plays "live," on-demand,
audio over the Internet. The company's audio streaming technology
eliminates the need to download audio files and play them back
"off-line." With the RealAudio player, the user can easily listen to
broadcast news, entertainment and speeches from around the world.
ú Full-duplex audio -- All Sound Blaster sound cards ship with full-duplex
audio capabilities for high-quality, two-way conversations over the
Internet.
ú Industry standard audio -- Sound Blaster AWE32 PnP and Sound Blaster 32
PnP deliver wave-table audio based on E-mu System's award-winning
technology which provides real instrument sounds and special effects
for a more immersive audio experience. All Sound Blaster cards
including the Sound Blaster 16 PnP, provide CD-quality, industry
standard PC audio.
ú SoundFontr Technology -- The Sound Blaster AWE32 PnP, and the Sound
Blaster 32 PnP with a memory upgrade, allow customization of PC
sound. SoundFonts technology uses an easy-to-use downloadable sample
format to create new instrument sounds, and special effects which in
turn, helps the PC user in creating unique music compositions and
great personalized sounds.
Creative Technology Ltd. is the world's leading provider of advanced
multimedia solutions for personal computers, including sound, graphics,
communications and video conferencing products. The company's Sound Blaster
technology has been accepted as the worldwide standard sound platform for
PCs, and the company's global distribution network is the most extensive in
the multimedia industry. Creative is focused on enhancing the overall user
experience by providing powerful, enabling, high-value technology for the
mass market.
Creative and Seer Deliver Low-Cost Wave-Table Audio
to Sound Blaster 16
Creative WaveSynth, First Feature Rich Audio Enhancement Solution for OEM
Market
MILIPITAS, CA -- September 24, 1996 -- Creative Technology Ltd. (NASDAQ:
CREAF), the world's leading provider of multimedia products for personal
computers, has partnered with Seer Systems, Inc. to deliver a high quality,
software synthesizer that gives wave-table audio capabilities to the Sound
Blasterr 16. Creative WaveSynthT, combined with Creative's entire line of
audio products, now gives PC makers the best complete audio solution for
their customers.
Creative WaveSynth provides OEM customers with an excellent price/performance
upgrade option for the Sound Blaster 16. When used in conjunction with Sound
Blaster 16, Creative WaveSynth software performs MIDI synthesis and acts
like a multi-channel audio mixer with high-quality reverb. Creative WaveSynth
also gives high-quality reverb capabilities to digital audio so that the
overall sound when playing games and using audio applications is notably
improved.
Creative WaveSynth supports Direct Sound giving end users the ability to play
games utilizing Direct X and at the same time enjoy the benefits of the
software wave-table. In addition, Creative WaveSynth also takes up
relatively little memory and makes relatively few demands on the CPU. For
customers who don't currently need all of the advanced features of the ound
Blaster 32 and Sound Blaster AWE32T, which offer a wide range of impressive
high-end audio capabilities for the PC, Creative WaveSynth will enable end
users to experience a significant difference over FM synthesis at a very
affordable price to the OEM. "Creative is very committed to addressing the
needs of our OEM customers by providing them with the most comprehensive and
technically advanced line of products available," said H.G. Tan, vice
president OEM business of Creative Labs. "By offering a variety of options
backed by solid product offerings like Creative WaveSynth, Creative will
continue to remain the worldwide leader in advanced audio technology for the
masses."
Creative WaveSynth was developed through a partnership with Seer Systems,
Inc. In its commitment to develop and deliver next generation audio
solutions, Creative has entered into an exclusive licensing and development
with Seer. "This is just the first step in what Seer and Creative can
accomplish with our extensive resources and technology," said Stanley
Jungleib, founder and CEO of Seer Systems. "Seer's unique software- based
synthesis technology is far ahead of the pack and we are quickly moving
forward with Creative to develop other ground breaking technologies and
musically expressive tools."
Creative WaveSynth is now available to OEM, Private Label and VAR customers.
Customers can receive the synthesizer bundled with the Sound Blaster 16
chipset or boards. Creative WaveSynth supports Windows 3.1 and Windows 95.
Creative Details Newest Multimedia Strategy For the Internet
Creative's New Internet Solutions Include High-Quality Audio, Voice Over
the Web in Multimedia Rich Applications
MILPITAS, CA - September 24, 1996 - Creative Technology Ltd. (NASDAQ: CREAF),
the world's leading provider of multimedia products for personal computers,
today detailed the newest phase of its strategy to bring multimedia
technology to the Internet. Through a series of technological innovations,
product development initiatives, partnerships and joint development
agreements, Creative will leverage its strength and expertise in both
multimedia and Internet communications and make them available to anyone who
owns a PC.
Creative offers a complete set of hardware solutions including audio, video
and communications that promises to make the Internet a more immersive
experience than before. By combining its prowess in the areas of sound,
graphics and communications --along with key partnerships-- Creative will
drive the convergence of technology resulting in more dynamic and empowering
Internet applications. This means that the end-user experience will be
drastically improved with Creative's powerful, high-value, industry-leading
technologies.
"The best of the Internet has yet to be realized, it has the potential to be
a full multimedia environment if combined with the right technology," said
Sim Wong Hoo, chairman and chief executive officer of Creative Technology
Ltd. "Creative envisions leveraging its technical stronghold to build better
'cars' for the information superhighway. These solutions will make net-
surfing and information search faster and smoother and will improve
productivity, thereby increasing widespread business usage of the Internet."
Today's Announcements
Today, Creative announced several new audio, telephony and multimedia
solutions that give users easy access to the Internet and provide software
and hardware that makes existing PCs powerful, enjoyable platforms for
information gathering, productivity and gaming. The company announced a new
Sound Blasterr audio line that includes Internet browsing, audio and
communications tools for a complete audio-rich solution. Creative also
announced the expansion of its award-winning line of multimedia products with
two new Internet-ready 8x speed multimedia upgrade kits which include the
hottest Internet applications such as Creative WebPhoneT for toll-free
Internet phone calls. (Please see separate news releases)
These announcements build on Creative's Internet-ready technology which has
been available for over a year. For example, with the Modem BlasterT
solution, Creative was the first to provide a complete, Internet-ready modem
and solution; and with its Internet BlasterT 33.6 PnP, Creative was the first
to offer an all-in-one 33.6 Kbps Internet solution.
High Quality Internet Audio
As the standard setter in PC audio with over 70 percent market share for
Sound Blaster, Creative is bringing its renown audio technology to the
Internet, including Sound Blaster, MIDI, software synthesis, 3D audio and
SoundFontsT. In its drive to develop and deliver next generation Internet
audio solutions, Creative is bringing the Web out of its "silent movie" era
by offering high-quality 16-bit sound through the new Creative NetSynthT
product --announced today.
Creative NetSynth is a Sound Blaster compliant software synthesizer licensed
from Seer Systems, Inc., that plays high-quality MIDI on-line. The product
combines powerful wave-table synthesis technology and up to 32-note
polyphony so users can experience a sound fidelity not commonly found on the
Internet today. In addition, Creative NetSynth includes one WaveGuide
instrument that gives customers a sample of how complex sound arrangements
can be simulated very accurately through physical modeling using Sondiusr
synthesis technology from Stanford University. (Please see separate news
release)
Business Audio and Internet Telephony
Today, the Internet continues to explode with communication, business and
commerce applications, including TCP-IP networks, corporate Intranets,
browsing, searching and publishing, telephony, distance learning,
videoconferencing, corporate training, chatting, gaming, radio, net-
television, advertising and commercial transactions -everything that will
help business people to communicate and work together more efficiently. In
anticipation of a resurgence in the demand for affordable audio and telephony
solutions for the business world, Creative introduces its first series of
new "Interneted" Sound Blaster audio solutions that will offer the original
Sound Blaster audio technology with the latest applications such as Creative
WebPhone and RealAudioT to meet the demands of home and business users.
With Creative WebPhone, the customer receives a point-to-point communication
device that operates like a real phone and gives them the benefit of
communication on the Internet. The Creative WebPhone interface is easy to
use, like a cellular phone. It has Internet telephone features: full-duplex
audio quality, speed dialing, voice mail, Internet e-mail capabilities, drag
and drop interface, directory assistance and multimedia user manual and help
system. RealAudio plays "live" and on-demand, streaming audio over the
Internet eliminating the need to "download" audio and playback off-line.
With RealAudio , the customer can easily listen to broadcast news,
entertainment and speeches from around the world.
Partnerships
In support of this newest phase of its strategy of bringing Internet
multimedia to the masses, Creative also today announced several partnerships
that will enable it to create and offer exciting, affordable, easy-to-use
products to general consumers. Creative has entered into four significant
partnerships with on-line technology companies: NetSpeak Corp., Seer
Systems, Onlive! Technologies and Progressive Networks. With these
agreements, Creative will greatly expand its product line to integrate
advanced audio, video, graphics and communications technology into vibrant,
media-rich Internet solutions for the consumer. (Please see separate news
release on Creative's partnership announcement)
Creative Zone
In line with its Internet strategy, Creative unveiled Creative Zone at
http://www.creativelabs.com on 14 February 1996. Creative Zone is designed
to enliven the user's Internet expedition by providing a 24-hour zone of
fun, music and interactivity with fuss-free access to product information,
software driver updates, press releases, technical and technology queries,
interviews and reviews. The Zone also has dedicated sections for gamers,
music enthusiasts and multimedia business users.
Since its inception, Creative Zone has been chalking up over 20 million hits
per month and numerous awards. The Zone was picked by MSN Pick-of-the-Week
as an exceptional site "...and the Zone's music pub and entertainment arcade
are good places to chill". Other awards include Magellan 4-Star Site, Lycos
Top 5% Web Sites, I-way top 500 sites and CNET 5-Star Rating. Also being
launched is the new on-line club called Creative Connection which directly e-
mails members with information on new driver updates and free software.
Visitors can continue to look forward to new developments at the Zone.
More To Come
Creative's goal is to be a leading supplier of branded products and services,
that enhance the Internet multimedia experience. To that end, Creative plans
to develop a multi-function multimedia client and server system to support
the client. Creative will also continue to develop relationships with key
partners to jointly develop software content and hardware solutions. The
company will unveil the next phase of its Internet strategy and additional
solutions later this year.
Creative Technology Ltd. is the world's leading provider of advanced
multimedia solutions for personal computers, including sound, graphics,
communications and video conferencing products. The company's Sound Blaster
technology has been accepted as the worldwide standard sound platform for
PCs, and the company's global distribution network is the most extensive in
the multimedia industry. Creative is focused on enhancing the overall user
experience by providing powerful, enabling, high-value technology for the
mass market. Sound Blaster and Blaster are registered trademarks and 3D
Blaster is a trademark of Creative Technology Ltd. E-mu is a registered
trademark of E-mu Systems, Inc. All other products mentioned herein are
trademarks of their respective owners and are hereby recognized as such.
This announcement relates to products whose launch are in the United States
of America. The product names, contents, prices and availability may differ
elsewhere in the world according to local factors and requirements. Sound
Blaster and Blaster are registered trademarks of Creative Technology Ltd. All
other products mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective owners
and are hereby recognized as such.
Safe Harbor for Forward Looking Statements:
Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth
herein are forward looking statements that are subject to certain risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those set forth in the forward looking statements. Such risks and
uncertainties include, among others: potential fluctuations in quarterly
results due to the seasonality of Creative's business and the difficulty of
projecting such fluctuations; reductions in the cost of products sold by
Creative, including increases in supply or declines in demand or prices for
CD-ROM Drives, board and chip-level products, and software products; the
short product cycles that characterize most of Creative's products; the
increasing proliferation of sound functionality at the chip and OEM level;
Creative's reliance on sole sources for many of its chips and other key
components; the timely ramp, delivery and market acceptance of new products,
including Creative's graphics accelerator, video conferencing, CD-ROM drive
and communications products; the availability of operating capital and
capital to refinance Creative's outstanding long term debt on acceptable
terms; the volatility of share prices for companies in Creative's industry
and the effect of those prices or events beyond Creative's control; the need
to conclude the negotiation of and to implement certain planned and future
partnerships that Creative believes are important to Creative's Internet
strategy; and other risk factors described in Creative's fillings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission over the past twelve months.
Memory Lane
Last Week's picture was of George Miller, formally of MichTron Corp. under
Gordon Monier. George was the man.. with many of their products when it
came to answers.
He was correctly identified by Arthur Goldman of Michigan.
ú Each week, we'll present a different new photo for our readers to
identify.
ú Tell us who or what is in the photo.. then send us your answer to;
photo@streport.com
ú The first correct entry will be published in the following week's issue
along with the new photo to be identified.
For Immediate Release
Corel Adds New CLP NT 4.0 Licensing Option for Customers
Innovative Technical Support Programs in the Works
Ottawa, Canada- Sept. 23, 1996- Corel Corporation announced today that it
will offer its customers a new licensing option, as well as a completely new
technical support licensing program, for the Windowsr NTT 4.0 versions of
Corelr WordPerfectr Suite 7 and Corelr Office Professional 7, scheduled for
release later this fall.
Under Corel's new offering, corporate customers would buy a shrinkwrap
version of the software and then pay as little as $807 US for each Windows
NT server license. The number of users would be limitless and the company
would only pay for the number of servers that it has connected, and not the
number of users actually working with the software.
"We want to offer our corporate customers the best value for their money,"
said Dr. Michael Cowpland, president and chief executive officer of Corel
Corporation. "This new pricing plan will help give companies a chance to
save money and reduce administrative headaches while equipping their
employees with industry-leading software. Its a win-win situation for both
sides."
Under the terms of the new plan, corporate customers would purchase one
shrinkwrap copy of Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for Windows NT for the license
price of $1,495.00 US. Shrinkwrap pricing for Corel Office Professional is
$1,995.00 US. Customers would then participate in either the CLP Choice or
the CLP Universal pricing programs, depending on the number of servers that
they are licensing.
For more information on Corel's licensing programs and the Windows NT 4.0
licensing option, please contact Corel Customer Service at 1-800-772-6735 or
an authorized reseller.
New Technical Support Options
Technical support and maintenance will not be provided under Corel's CLP NT
4.0 server pricing program. However, Corel is currently implementing several
innovative and exciting support options for the Corel WordPerfect family of
products running on NT servers.
"Our new programs will enable customers to more closely manage support costs
when purchasing our Suite. The new license and support pricing will deliver
exceptional product and support value," said Paul Coffin director of
technical support with Corel. "The new support plans offer flexible
incident-based priority access to senior level technicians on a toll-free
line."
Corel's technical support licensing plans for NT customers includes two
distinct pricing levels: Educational Non-Profit NT Standard and Educational
Non-Profit NT Plus. Organizations can buy blocks of technical support
incidents through these plans. Educational Non-Profit NT Standard support is
available 11 hours a day, five days a week, while Educational Non-Profit NT
Plus support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Corel will also begin publishing real-time service delivery levels via the
World Wide Web - a first in the industry. Users will be able to observe the
number of people and the amount of time they have been waiting for technical
support in the Premium or Priority support queues. This means customers will
be able to tailor their contact with the support team allowing quicker
response times.
"We are truly setting new support standards by freely publishing our
real-time service delivery levels via the Web," said Coffin. "Corel is the
only company in the industry to make such an aggressive move. "Our customers
continue to demand timely and efficient support. By publishing our queue
times we are accepting the responsibility of meeting our customers
expectations. Users will be able to time the placement of their calls and
keep Corel support engineers working efficiently."
In addition, Premium and Priority customers will soon be able to submit and
review their support incidents 24 hours a day via the World Wide Web.
Customers will no longer be limited to placing a phone call to open or review
a support incident.
Corel License Program Choice is aimed at small to medium sized businesses and
is available to all authorized Corel distributors and resellers. There is no
minimum order requirement to qualify for the program. CLP Choice customers
will not receive any media or documentation with their license. They may
decide to purchase a few full shrinkwrap copies of software and distribute
the documentation as needed or they may purchase media and documentation
through their reseller or distributor.
Corel License Program Universal is aimed at larger corporate customers and
accounts and is available through authorized resellers. Participants
purchase a minumum of $50,000 US in licenses and/or maintenance. Media and
documentation may be purchased seperately through authorized resellers.
Both CLP Choice and CLP Universal programs allow non-concurrent home and
laptop use.
Corel Corporation
Incorporated in 1985, Corel Corporation is recognized internationally as an
award-winning developer and marketer of productivity applications, graphics
and multimedia software. Corel's product line includes CorelDRAWT, the
Corelr WordPerfectr Suite, Corelr Office Professional, CorelVIDEOT and over
30 multimedia software titles. Corel's products run on most operating
systems, including: Windows, Macintosh, UNIX, MS-DOS, OpenVMS and OS/2 and
are consistently rated among the strongest in the industry. The company ships
its products in over 17 languages through a network of more than 160
distributors in 70 countries worldwide. Corel is traded on the Toronto Stock
Exchange (symbol: COS) and the NASDAQ--National Market System (symbol:
COSFF). For more information visit Corel's home page on the Internet at
http://www.corel.com.
Corel and WordPerfect are registered trademarks and CorelDRAW, CorelMEGA
GALLERY and CorelVIDEO are trademarks of Corel Corporation or Corel
Corporation Limited. All products mentioned are trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective companies.
Kids Computing Corner
Frank Sereno, Editor
The Kids' Computing Corner
Computer news and software reviews
from a parent's point of view
Mighty Math Carnival Countdown
Mac/Windows Hybrid CD-ROM
MSRP $39.99
for ages 5 to 8
Edmark
P.O. Box 97021
Redmond, WA 98073-9721
1-800-320-8379
http://www.edmark.com
Program Requirements
IBM Macintosh
OS: Windows 3.1, Windows 95 OS: System 7.0.1
CPU: 486SX/33 CPU: 68030/25
HD Space: 5 MB HD Space: 1
MB
Memory: 8 MB Memory: 4 MB
Graphics: 640 by 480 with 256 colors Graphics:
256 colors, 13" monitor
CD-ROM: Double-speed CD-ROM: Double-speed
Audio: 8-bit Windows compatible sound card
Other: mouse, printer optional
reviewed by Frank Sereno
Children of all ages love carnivals. With its combination of bright,
animated characters and fun learning games that will entertain and educate
your child ages five to eight, your child will love Mighty Math Carnival
Countdown too. Basic math concepts are presented in positive learning
environments that provide hours of entertainment and education.
Carnival Countdown features 5 learning activities. Carnival Cars teaches
children about sorting and sets. Snap Clowns teaches addition and
subtraction skills. Pattern Block Roundup develops geometry and spatial
concepts. Children learn place value and counting skills in Bubble Band.
Finally, children learn number relationships and equality equations in the
Giggle Factory. Each activity has two modes. The Question & Answer Mode is
an interactive quiz in which an animated host asks the child to find an
answer. The Explore Mode allows the child to manipulate the activity pieces
to learn through open-ended discovery. Each activity features a Grow Slide
that parents can use to monitor the child's progress and to change the level
of difficulty of the exercise.
Carnival Cars is a sorting game. Allison the Elephant will ask the child
to sort bumper cars according to various attributes such as color, driver,
body style and more. He will place the cars in large rings denoted by a
sign. As the child progresses, he will learn to do Venn diagrams in which
the circles intersect or circles are within circles so that some cars will
belong to more than one sorting groups. Some cars will not belong and the
child can launch them from the scene by placing them on the "X" pad. If
your child makes a wrong answer, the car goes back to the entrance and he
gets to try again. In the Explore Mode, he chooses how he wishes to sort
the cars. Part of the fun is to change the attributes after the rings are
full to watch the cars realign themselves into the new categories.
Snap Clowns is a fun way to learn addition, subtraction, division and
multiplication. Children drag and drop clowns to screen locations to solve
or represent an equation. The program uses problems in many different
formats to present the problems to keep the game interesting for kids. For
added entertainment, they can paint the clowns in a variety of colors.
Problems can involve the adding of up to three numbers and dividing a number
into four equal parts. In Explore Mode, children create their own equations
and the program will provide the answers.
Geometric shapes are spatial relationships are the main concepts developed in
Pattern Block Roundup. Armadillo Annie will teach your children the names of
shapes and challenge them to arrange these shapes into patterns or to
recognize patterns in a series of objects. To solve the puzzle, you click
and drag shapes onto the puzzle. In some cases, you may need to turn a shape
clicking on a corner of it and rotating it to the proper position. In
Explore Mode, children can create designs using the shapes and paint them
using solid or patterned paints. Kids can save their creations for future
viewing or print for sharing.
Eddie and the Bubble Band teach the concept of number place value along with
addition and subtraction of up to three-digit numbers, and carrying and
borrowing. Children will represent numbers by placing bubbles on the screen.
As they progress through the exercises, they will learn the value of tens and
hundreds and the place value of numbers. Children can create numbers in
Explore Mode by clicking on the band members. When ten ones or ten tens are
on the band shell, they will band together into a larger bubble that the
child can then move to the next place value. Each time a band member makes a
bubble, he blows a musical note so your child can make tunes as well as learn
math.
The final activity is the Giggle Factory. The hosts are Odd and Even Otter.
They will teach children about relationships between numbers such as less
than, greater than or equal to another. Their task is to complete an
equation by placing "laughs" on a scale. Problems range from simple addition
problems to comparisons of three-digit numbers. Odd and Even help your child
to find the correct answer by providing clues. In the Explore Mode, children
can place laughs or numbers on the two sides of scale and the program will
automatically show the <,> or = sign between the represented quantities.
The aesthetic qualities of the program are excellent. The graphics are
colorful. The characters are well conceived and expertly animated. The
voice characterizations are done exceedingly well with each character having
a definite personality, yet all are extremely friendly. The background music
is only adequate, but the sound effects are top notch.
Edmark products always feature strong user interfaces. The program is very
easy to negotiate. Spoken help is always available to assist inexperienced
users. The manual is very complete with thorough operating instructions, a
parent guide and a troubleshooting section. The disc also has a special
parents section that details the fine features of the program. This program
is a lot of fun. The activities are filled with humorous touches that will
entice your children to play longer. The colorful characters and fun
gameplay will induce your child to come back for more. Educational value is
very high. This is a teacher-designed program that covers most of the math
concepts learned in pre-kindergarten through second grade. While it will not
substitute for school work, it is a wonderful complement to the lessons
learned there.
Edmark has another winner on its hands with Might Math Carnival Countdown.
It combines quality graphics and sound with an easy-to-use interface. It's
wonderfully fun, yet it contains an astonishingly rich learning experience.
The program is reasonably priced and backed by a 30-day satisfaction
guarantee. Finally, Edmark is currently offering a $10 rebate on this fine
title. This makes Carnival Countdown a stupendous value. Check this title
out!
Ratings
Graphics 9.5
Sound 9.0
Interface 9.5
Play Value 9.5
Educational Value 10.0
Bang for the Buck 9.5
Average 9.5
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Gaming & Entertainment Section
with Atari User Support
Editor Dana P. Jacobson
From the Entertainment Editor's Desk "Saying it like it is!"
Well, I've been under the weather for about a week now and finding it
quite difficult to focus on an editorial between sneezes and coughs. Ugh!
The first time I've really been sick since my bout with pneumonia a few
years ago. Can't seem to shake this thing...
Not much happening this week, but I may have missed a few things during
my cold-induced "haze". Toad Computers has announced a date change for their
annual "Toad Fest" this year (see below). If you've ever been down there, or
have wanted a reason to visit them, here's a good opportunity. They're good
folks. Join the fun!
Until next time...
AtariFest '96 STR ShowNews
TOAD COMPUTERS ANNOUNCES ATARIFEST '96!
Come celebrate TEN WONDERFUL YEARS of AtariFests, Toad Computers, and TOS at
AtariFest '96. Toad Computers is pleased to announce AtariFest '96, to be
held October 26th, 1996 at Toad Computers, in Severna Park, Maryland, USA.
- Door Prizes
- Atari BARGAINS
- PC Systems
- Browse the Internet
- Atari Show & Tell
- FREE REFRESHMENTS!
- FREE ADMISSION!
We will be featuring a wide range of SPECTACULAR deals on new and used Atari
products including Jaguar, Lynx, ST, TT, Falcon, Portfolio, and the 8-Bit
series. We are really excited about the show!
CELEBRATE THE WORLD OF ATARI!
Atari products are drying up fast; this may be your last chance to pick up
Atari hardware, software, and accessories, all at incredibly low prices!
Plus, see what's new from Europe for the ST and Falcon, including:
- MagiC 5 (with Windows 95 Long Filename Support)
- MagiC PC (MagiC for the PC with Ease 5)
- MagiC Mac (running MagiC 5 and Ease 5)
- Ease 5 for Atari
- Texel -- NEW Atari Spreadsheet!
Don't miss this opportunity!
AtariFest '96 is being held in place of our Holiday Festivals we have hosted
for the past three years. Now, it's a little earlier, and it's a different
format. We really hope you'll join us for what we're sure will be a
once-in-a-lifetime event!
SPECIALS you can take advantage of at ATARIFEST '96:
Toad Chameleon 166MHz: JUST $1299.00!
- Pentium 166 - 16MB RAM
- 1.3GB Hard Disk - Gemulator 96
- 1MB PCI Video - Windows 95 & Plus!
- 3.5" Floppy - Mini Tower Case
- 8X CD ROM - Keyboard, Mouse
- Speakers - 16-Bit Sound Card
Comes with Gemulator '96 -- RUN YOUR FAVORITE ST PROGRAMS! Includes MagiC,
so no hardware is necessary to run Gemulator!
ATARI JAGUAR: Just $59.00!
- Includes Complete Atari Jaguar Console
- Includes WOLFENSTEIN 3D Game!
Hundreds of fantastic deals on CLEARANCE ITEMS,
OVERSTOCKS & DEMO MODELS in ALL PRODUCT CATEGORIES!
Must be present to take advantage of these prices!
Don't miss this event! Door prizes! Free stuff! Great prices! Bring your most
unique Atari memorabilia for show & tell! Select developers will be in
attendance to answer your questions about products! Stay tuned to
STNEWS/JAGNEWS and www.ataricentral.com for more details!
When: 9:00AM - 5:00PM
Sat., Oct. 26, 1996
ONE FUN-PACKED DAY ONLY!
Where: Toad Computers
570 Ritchie Hwy.
Severna Park, MD 21146-2925
More Info: http://www.ataricentral.com
info@toad.net
(410) 544-6943 Info
(410) 544-1329 FAX
Directions: http://www.toad.net/direxns.html
David Troy, ToadNet Information Services [dave@toad.net]
Toad Computers, Inc. (800) 448-8623 Orders
Systems,Upgrades,Internet,Training (410) 544-6943 Info
WEB: http://www.toad.net/ (410) 544-1329 FAX
FTP: ftp://ftp.toad.net (410) 544-6999 BBS
IC Magazine Price Corrections STR Infofile
Greetings,
Following earlier emailings of prices for IC magazine, I unfortunately have
to inform that some people's readers were not capable of showing the uk
pound sterling symbol and consequently have received incorrect price lists.
Here is the complete price list. Once again all prices are in uk pound
sterling.
1 Trial Issue 5 issues 10 issues
UK mainland 0.50 N/A 5.00
Rest of Europe N/A 4.50 N/A
USA and Canada N/A 7.00 N/A
(European rates are applicable to residents of European countries, as defined
by the British Royal Mail, except countries with additional customs
procedures.) Remember that the first issue of ICM is mailed before the end
of this month. Regards, Matt. P.S. I can be contacted at either
there@dial.pipex.com or at mabb23@dial.pipex.com.
Entertainment Section
Psygnosis' Soccer! PSX Games!
JTS Update! Jaguar?
From the Editor's Controller - Playin' it like it is!
The past few issues have been really lacking of Jaguar news. I've
received a few e-mail messages asking me if I have "abandoned" the Jaguar
users and/or "gone over" to the Playstation and Nintendo 64. The simple
answer is - NO! However, the unfortunate truth is that once Atari
"abandoned" the Jaguar, the bottom has fallen out and anything "newsworthy"
is hard to come by. There's talk of completed games that may be released,
but it's just that, talk - for the moment. I simply refuse to raise the
hopes of the few remaining "loyal" Jaguar users by spouting off that "the
games are coming!" It would be a disservice to you, and myself. When, or
if, it happens, we'll be there for you with the news.
In the meantime, to keep myself busy and out of trouble <g>, I need to
diversify a bit and provide our readers the news and information that they
are seeking: what's happening with the "other" game systems? We're working
to bring more of that information to you. While the Jaguar has played an
integral part of my role here at STReport, I simply can't report about things
that aren't happening. Be assured that we'll bring you the "latest and
greatest" when it's available.
Until next time...
Industry News STR Game Console NewsFile - The Latest Gaming News!
Metrowerks Announces Embedded Systems Tools
SAN JOSE, CALIF. AND AUSTIN, TEXAS (Sept. 17) BUSINESS WIRE -Sept. 17,
1996--Metrowerks(R) Inc. (NASDAQ:MTWKF)(TSE/ME:MWK), the leading provider of
software development tools for Macintosh(R), Tuesday announced it's plans to
extend support for embedded systems software development. By introducing a
series of new Mac(TM)OS and Windows(R)-hosted development solutions for
mainstream embedded microprocessors and real-time operating systems,
Metrowerks furthers its commitment to the developers of the embedded systems
market.
Until now, Metrowerks' efforts in the embedded tools arena have focused on
support for proprietary operating systems such as:
ú PalmOS(TM), in the form of CodeWarrior(R) for Pilot(TM) (development
tools for the Pilot organizer from U.S. Robotics(R)),
ú PlayStation(TM)OS in CodeWarrior for PlayStation (development tools for
the Sony PlayStation game console),
ú Magic Cap(TM)OS for PDAs (included in CodeWarrior Gold), and
ú Power TV(TM)OS for set-top boxes rom Scientific-Atlanta (included in
CodeWarrior Gold).
Later this Fall, Metrowerks will introduce a new series of products, entitled
CodeWarrior for Embedded Systems, which will allow embedded systems
engineers to build applications for generic RTOSes and embedded
microprocessors. "We view this market as an opportunity for significant
growth," said David Perkins, senior vice president strategic products of
Metrowerks. "Today, embedded systems engineers are in real need of powerful,
easy-to-use, commercial development tools that will shorten time-to-market
and increase productivity. Metrowerks is able to respond rapidly to this
need due to the modular, front-end/back-end architecture of our CodeWarrior
development environment."
"In cooperation Apple, Motorola, and Metrowerks are working to bring the
power and ease-of-use of the Power Macintosh, to the world of embedded
systems development. This, along with our collective experience in
transitioning the Macintosh from the 68K microprocessor to the PowerPC
microprocessor, uniquely prepares us to meet the needs of customers making
the transition from the 68K to the PowerPC for embedded systems development.
"In particular, Metrowerks, with experience in converting over 1 billion
lines of code to the PowerPC, brings a highly mature and productive set of
tools to this market," said Ellen Hancock, chief technology officer and
executive vice president of Research and Development of Apple Computer, Inc.
The first product in the CodeWarrior for Embedded Systems series will
provide support for Motorola(R)'s MPC8xx and is expected to ship in the 4th
quarter of calendar 1996, followed by CodeWarrior for Embedded 68k which is
expected to ship in the 1st quarter of calendar 1997.
Pursuant to an agreement announced today in a separate release with
Microware(R) Systems Corporation, Metrowerks will offer support for
Microware(R)'s OS-9(R) real-time operating system running on the MPC8xx.
"As our line of embedded PowerPC processors becomes increasingly popular in
the marketplace, our goal is to have the most effective and powerful
development tools available to our customers," said Ken Edwards, marketing
manager, Motorola's Portable Systems Operation. "With the sophistication and
ease-of-use offered through CodeWarrior, Metrowerks is helping us meet that
goal today."
"CodeWarrior for Embedded Systems will be a powerful and highly productive
environment in which to develop embedded software," said Richard Nabavi,
chairman of MicroAPL Ltd., specialists in porting tools for the Macintosh
and embedded markets. "At the end of 1996 we will release CodeWarrior-hosted
versions of our PortAsm/68K(TM) and PortAsm/86(TM) assembly-language
translation tools, so that CodeWarrior users will be able to port embedded
CISC assembler code to new RISC processors in the same way that many major
Apple developers have done."
"CodeWarrior for OS-9 brings affordable high performance development tools to
our customers uilding the next generation of advanced consumer electronics,"
said Ken Kaplan, president and chief executive officer of Microware Systems
Corp. In addition to the Power PC(TM) and 68k Embedded tools, Metrowerks
will provide support for the MIPS(R) R3000 and R4000 series of
microprocessors, in a product expected to ship in the 1st quarter of
calendar 1997. CodeWarrior for Embedded Systems series will also offer
support for specific proprietary Digital Signal Processors, or DSPs, with a
product expected to ship in 1st quarter of calendar 1997.
Each product in the CodeWarrior for Embedded Systems series will include the
award-winning CodeWarrior Integrated Development Environment, or IDE, with
full-featured GUI tools and C/C++ source-level debugging support, online
documentation, two free updates and technical support. In an effort to
provide developers with a choice of platforms from which to work, Metrowerks
will be offering both Mac OS and Windows 95/NT versions of the software.
These product offerings will enable embedded systems developers to
efficiently build applications for PDAs, smart phones, Web TV(TM), set-top
boxes, navigational systems, car area networks, game machines, and other
communications and graphic intensive platforms.
Pricing and Availability
CodeWarrior for Embedded Systems will be available directly through
Metrowerks and authorized distributors at an expected retail price of $499.
About Metrowerks
Founded in 1985, Metrowerks develops, markets and supports a complete line of
Macintosh-hosted computer language products for building Mac OS, Windows 95,
Windows NT(TM), BeOS(TM), Magic Cap, PowerTV OS, Palm OS and PlayStation OS
applications. Metrowerks CodeWarrior products have become the industry
standard for professional Mac-hosted software development with more than
50,000 registered users in over 70 countries.
Additional information on Metrowerks and its products can be obtained in the
U.S. by sending Email to infometrowerks.com, by calling (800) 377-5416, or
via the Inernet at http://www.metrowerks.com.
Metrowerks, the Metrowerks logo and CodeWarrior are registered trademarks of
Metrowerks, Inc. Macintosh is a registered trademark of Apple Computer,
Inc. Mac is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. Windows, Windows NT and
Windows 95 are either registered trademarks or trademarks
of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries. Microware and
OS-9 are registered trademarks of Microware Systems Corp. PortAsm/68K and
PortAsm/86 are trademarks of MicroAPL, Ltd. All other companies and products
may be trademarks of their respective holders and are hereby recognized.
CONTACT: Metrowerks Inc., Austin
Cynthia Fray, 512/873-4758
cynthiametrowerks.com
David Perkins, 512/873-4774
perkinsmetrowerks.com
CONTACT: Psygnosis, Inc.
Dana Oertell, 415/655-8060
doertellpsygnosis.com
Mark Day, 415/655-5679
mdaypsygnosis.com
Psygnosis Launches adidas Power Soccer
FOSTER CITY, CALIF. (Sept. 25) BUSINESS WIRE -Sept. 25, 1996--If you're
looking for the ultimate soccer game for the Sony PlayStation game console,
Psygnosis' adidas Power Soccer is now available for the taking. Licensed
by adidas to Psygnosis both in Europe and in the U.S., adidas Power Soccer is
the ultimate soccer challenge from start to finish.
Praised for its beautifully rendered, real-time 3D environments and realistic
motion capture resulting in precise player movements, adidas Power Soccer is
one of the most advanced soccer titles yet. adidas Power Soccer lets players
compete against top European soccer athletes, leading their team through the
National League and, in the end, the European Cup!
Developed in Europe by Psygnosis, France, adidas Power Soccer features teams
from England, France and Germany. Individual players sport their own
physical, technical and mental characteristics, which change between and
during matches, as they tire and become injured throughout the
season.
adidas Power Soccer features two playing modes, Arcade and Sim. In the Arcade
mode even the most docile players will get a rush just thinking about the
unique combo moves they can do to physically disable their opponents. The
Arcade mode allows mini-championships between 10 special teams with
predefined characteristics.
In the Sim mode, there are three playing options. The Friendly Match option
is for exhibition matches; Tournament lets you choose to play against four,
eight, 16 or 32 teams, and Season lets you choose a team and take it through
a whole season, earn money, and buy and trade players and qualify for the
European Cup. adidas Power Soccer allows players to slide, tackle, take
corner kicks and rush goalies as though they were in a live soccer match. A
full motion video (FMV) training mode also lets players hone their skills on
several different fields. The 16-bit digitized sound effects make for
realistic crowd reactions and stadium DSP effects. adidas Power Soccer
supports two player competition or simultaneous play on a single PlayStation
or, using a multi-tap, up to four people can play at the same time.
Online Contest
To support the launch of the game and generate excitement nationwide,
Psygnosis is featuring the enormously popular "Spot the Ball" contest on
Psygnosis Online (www.psygnosis.com) which will run through the end of the
year. ThePsygnosis "Spot the Ball" contest allows web browsers to
enter-to-win valuable adidas merchandise and copies of adidas Power Soccer by
identifying the approximate location of missing soccer balls from screen
shots of the game on the site.
"Online internet contests and sweepstakes on the internet have been very
successful for us and we feel that supporting our products in this way
proves very beneficial to our overall sales momentum," said Mark Beaumont,
senior vice president, marketing, Psygnosis U.S. "Last winter our Destruction
Derby contest alone generated over one million hits and response to our
'Spot the Ball' contest has been outstanding."
adidas America, Inc. headquartered in Portland, Ore., is a subsidiary of
adidas AG, located in erzongenaurach, Germany. adidas AG is a leading
worldwide designer, marketer and distributor of athletic footwear, apparel
and equipment. Psygnosis employs over 340 people with publishing and
development offices in the U.S., U.K. and across Europe. Working with over
30 development teams across the world and with six internal development
sites, the company is now the largest development house in Europe. Psygnosis
is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America.
Visit us on the Net. Psygnosis' latest offerings, including current and
future titles, game tips, contests, press releases and company information
can be found at http://www.psygnosis.com.
Sony Ships 7.2 Million PlayStations
FOSTER CITY, Calif., Sept. 24 (UPI) -- Sony Corp. announced Tuesday it has
shipped 7.2 million PlayStation videogame consoles in the past year,
including 3.5 million in Japan, 2.1 million in North America and 1.6 million
in Europe. The machines, powered by a 32-bit processor, currently retail
for $200 in North America. It originally sold for $300 when rolled out a
year ago but the price was cut to take away market share from Sega's 32- bit
Saturn, also now being sold for $200.
Sony said more than 10 million copies of software for the PlayStation have
been shipped i North America. It also said more than 15 PlayStation titles
have sold in excess of a quarter of a million units in North America, and
projected that 10 additional titles will reach or exceed that 250,000 unit
benchmark by the end of 1996. Sony said its newly instituted value-pricing
structure, which offers titles at a discounted price of $40 (Destruction
Derby, NFL GameDay, NHL Face Off, Twisted Metal, WarHawk and WipeOut), has
further boosted software sales.
It also said Namco's Tekken 2 sold 450,000 units in the first three weeks of
release, while Capcom's Resident Evil has topped sales of 450,000 units.
Both titles are only available for the PlayStation. Nintendo has also
entered the advanced videogame market after a long delay. It began selling
its Nintendo 64 player this summer in Japan and will launch in North America
Sept. 30 at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of under $250.
Nintendo has said it expects to sell through a total of 3.6 million systems
in the Japanese market in its first nine months of availability, and more
than 1 million units in North America.
CONTACT: Sony Computer Entertainment America
P. Kevin Horn, 415/655-5513
Molly Smith, 415/655-6044
or
Fleishman-Hillard, Inc.
Samantha Sackin, 213/489-8250
PlayStation Game Console Sales Continue to ...
FOSTER CITY, CALIF. (Sept. 24) BUSINESS WIRE -Sept. 24, 1996-Sony Computer
Entertainment America announced today that more than 15 of its first and
third party titles have sold in excess of a quarter of a million units in
North America. The company also projected that 10 additional titles will
reach or exceed that 250,000 unit benchmark by the end of 1996.
"Central to our leadership position is the diversity and quality of software
titles available for the PlayStation game console," said Andrew House, vice
president, marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment America. A 6-to-1 tie
ratio of hardware to software, and an impressive line-up of upcoming first
and third party titles, will further solidify the PlayStation's leadership
position. Whether its sports, fighting, racing or action, PlayStation
offers more triple A titles than any other platform."
In just one year in the videogame hardware industry, worldwide shipments of
the PlayStation game console has topped 7.2 million units (3.5 million,
Japan; 2.1 million, North America; and 1.6 million, Europe). Consumers and
retailers have unanimously declared PlayStation as the platform of choice,"
added House. "The incredible hardware numbers are a testament to consumer
and retailer support. In addition, we anticipate continued, strong software
sales figures, which have already exceeded 10 million pieces shipped in North
America alone."
Sony's newly instituted value-pricing structure, which offers certain titles
at a MSRP of $39.99 (Destruction Derby(tm), NFL GameDay(tm), NHL(r) Face
Off(tm), Twisted Metal(tm), WarHawk(tm) and WipeOut(tm)), has further boosted
software sales. In fact, in the first 30 days of this new program, the six
titles have sold in excess of 150,000 units combined. "Sony Computer
Entertainment America truly understands the needs and
desires of the next-generation market," said Michael Goldstein, CEO, Toys R
Us. "The PlayStation marketing efforts have driven store traffic and keep
consumers coming back. By offering great front line games and classic titles
at great prices, the PlayStation continues to be a tremendous sales success
at Toys R Us."
In addition to its retail support, Sony Computer Entertainment America's
partnership with an extensive list of third party developers continues to
expand the depth and breadth of the PlayStation software collection.
Importantly, third party developers are experiencing incredible software
sales. For example, Namco's Tekken 2 sold 450,000 units in the first three
weeks of release, while Capcom's Resident Evil has already posted sales of
450,000 units. Both titles are exclusively available for the PlayStation
game console.
"It is our belief that Resident Evil could have only been brought to life on
the PlayStation," said Greg Ballard, president, Capcom. "The incredible
sales success of the title is proof that consumers have never seen anything
like it." Sony Computer Entertainment America, a division of Sony
Interactive Entertainment Inc., is based in Foster City, Calif. The
company markets the PlayStation game console for distribution in North
America, Publishes software for the PlayStation game console for the North
American market, and manages the U.S. third party licensing program. Sony
Interactive Entertainment Inc. is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of
America. Visit us on the Web at http://www.sony.com.
Crystal Dynamics Adopts Entertainment Studio ...
MENLO PARK, CALIF. (Sept. 24) BUSINESS WIRE -Sept. 24, 1996--In a move to
address the ever-evolving entertainment software marketplace, Crystal
Dynamics as reshaped its business strategy by adopting the entertainment
studio model, it was announced today by Ted Ardell, chairman and CEO. In
doing so, the company will continue to aggressively fund the development and
marketing of its popular gaming products while reaching strategic alignments
with strong distribution partners. In a separate, yet related announcement,
Crystal Dynamics has reached a distribution partnership with Electronic Arts
for the company's 3D action platform video game, PANDEMONIUM! -- a
highly-anticipated title that will be marketed under the Crystal Dynamics
brand.
The studio model allows Crystal Dynamics to focus its resources on the design
and marketing of original products and characters while aligning strategies
with its distribution partners. "The entertainment software industry is in
a period of change and we have reacted to the changing market," said Ardell.
"This strategy allows us to focus on what we do best: develop and market
superior entertainment software."
The agreement with Electronic Arts is the first of several distribution
partnerships the company is establishing as a newly-formed entertainment
studio. EA has secured North American distribution rights to the Sony
PlayStation and PC CD-ROM versions of PANDEMONIUM! and plans to distribute
the Sony version of the game in time for the holidays under the Crystal
Dynamics brand name. The highly-anticipated PANDEMONIUM! features the madcap
antics of Fargus, Nikki, and the demented puppet-on-the stick, Sid.
"Aligning ourselves with Electronic Arts truly validates our commitment to
securing strong distribution partners," said Ardell. "Recognizing the reach
of EA, this alliance assures us that we will have a major holiday hit with
PANDEMONIUM!" Crystal Dynamics, the Menlo Park-based entertainment software
studio, was the first to develop and publish a 32-bit video game in 1993.
Since then, the company has developed an entertainment studio business
strategy where product development and marketing are funded in-house while
aligning itself with strong distribution partners. Crystal Dynamics'
designers, programmers and artists continue to set the pace for the next
generation gaming experience with strong innovation and playbility in
state-of-the-art games.
ONLINE WEEKLY STReport OnLine The wires are a hummin'!
PEOPLE... ARE TALKING
On CompuServe
compiled by
Joe Mirando
CIS ID: 73637,2262
Hidi ho friends and neighbors. Another week has come and gone and, as I
had hoped, activity is picking up a bit here in the CompuServe Atari forums.
It's not up to what it was in its heyday, but it's a good deal better than
the past few weeks. And with most of the folks still in the Atari community
anxiously awaiting more news on a new web browser for the Atari, it's sure
to generate some message traffic when more information is available.
Be sure to look here for the info when it does arrive. Unfortunately,
this isn't one of the weeks when you'll be able to garner scads of
information about it. Let's take a look at what people ARE talking about.
From the Atari Computing Forum
Rob Rasmussen tells us:
"My Falcon and ST both got zapped by a lightning surge in August. Strange
but true, when I wasn't home, one machine not even turned on (but connected
to cheap surge protector). Anyway, I have 2 new machines now. A PC, and a C-
Lab MK-X with a German accelerator called PowerUp2 which takes it to 32 mHz.
The 16 meg Wiztronics board and the hard drive from my blown Falcon were
installed in the MK-X. I'm delighted to have the audio in and out as 1/4"
jacks instead of those mini jacks. It's like a rack-mount unit with a
separate keyboard. So far most of my ST and Falcon software is compatable.
It felt really weird getting a PC (hp pavilion 7270, 166/24/2.5) after
almost 10 years to the day of using nothing but Atari. The things I like
most about the slick W95 are it's smooth multitasking and window management,
and easy access to the Web. There are also things about it that drive me
crazy! The Atari is so much more logical at doing certain things, like file
management - I really miss Maxifile not being on the PC. Explorer on the PC
seems like it's designed backwards, and it takes me a long time to do any
file management with it, maybe because I'm not used to it yet. WordPad is
ok, but Edit Plus on the Atari is easier to use. I have ordered Gemulator,
and one of the first things I will try is Maxifile on the PC. I wonder if
that will work for PC files?
I had so much software, especially for Midi and graphics on the Atari,
combined with years of learning how to use it, that I decided I would still
want an Atari after I lost the 2 I had in one fell swoop! Plus the Falcon is
so much fun to use. It feels like I'm starting all over again with the
PC/W95, but I'm slowly getting the hang of it.
My main question right now - I have a Megafile 60 that I used with my ST
before the ST got fried. The heads are not parked, and I don't know if they
_can_ be parked so that I could store it or try to sell it. Is there any
way with the MK-X (Falcon) that I could connect to the Megafile and run
SHIP.PRG to park the heads?"
One of STR's Editors, Dana Jacobson, tells Rob:
"It was my impression that most larger drives (50+ megs) were auto-parking
and the heads got parked when powered-down. You should be able to connect
the Megafile to the C-Lab Falcon via a SCSI-SCSI2 cable and check it out.
SHIP.PRG should work, but I can't say for sure as I do not have a C-Lab
machine."
Sysop Bob Retelle tells Rob:
"I believe Dana is correct... most drives these days, and hopefully the
Megafile 60 is included, have "self parking" heads. To be absolutely sure
though, his suggestion of getting a cable and connecting it to the MK-X
would be good to try. You'll find lots of excellent add-on software for your
PC... just like in the Atari world, the functions and utilities that come
with, or are built-into the system usually are just enough to get by.
Although it's probably not applicable to your WIN95 system, I use Norton
Commander for my file management on my PC. It's a DOS based application
that pops up a couple of windows into the disk (remarkably similar to the GEM
desktop.. not in appearance, but in function) and lets you move files with
just a keystroke or two (or the mouse, but I find that my system is way too
fast for my aging reflexes."
Wayne Padgett adds:
"Welcome to Win'95!! I'm not really enthused about Explorer and much
preferred File Manager in Windows 3.1. Fortunately it is in Win '95 under a
new name. Click 'Run' in the 'Start' menu and enter winfile then hit
return. This gets you the old File Manager. You can open as many disk windows
as you like and drag and drop files and folders to your hearts content. It
beats the whey out of Explorer.
I have a keyboard shortcut to File Manager. all I have to do is put the mouse
pointer on the 'Task Bar' and press Control + Alternate + F and Voila!!
there's file manager for me to do all sorts of file management chores from
any program, any time. It's great." On the subject of last week's "Error
35... what is it?" question,
Mike Mortilla tells Andreas Eschenbach:
"It's amazing to me that you've gotten so many answers and nobody seems to
know what the TOS 35 error is. I've only gotten this error when I've tried
to run a non-Atari program on an Atari ST or similar computer. That doesn't
mean that is the definitive answer, but again, it's the only time I've EVER
seen a 35 error since 1988."
Andreas tells Mike:
"Yes, seems I've found some really hot topic! I want to thank all who
answered. Although, as I must confess, the question is not answered in a way
that would make me feel safer."
Sysop Bob Retelle tells Andreas:
"To put it as simply as possible, "TOS Error 35" indicates that the program
you've tried to execute is corrupted in some way. It may be due to a disk
error, or trying to execute a compressed file, or as Mike suggested, trying
to execute a non-Atari program, but the result is the same. The file is not
(or no longer is) executable, and "TOS Error 35" is the ST's somewhat
ambiguous way of reporting that fact. The other answers, dealing with "Too
many open files" or "Not enough file handles" are actually something quite
different. Those are a result of GEMDOS Error 35, which you're not likely to
ever see."
Mike Mortilla mirrors my own thoughts when he tells Andreas:
"...whatever BobR says I would take to be the definitive answer...<grin>
Really and truly, Bob is one of the true experts on all things Atari."
Terry Cano asks for help with recovering data from a floppy disk:
"I need floppy disk help......it contains valuable tax data in LDW Power
files. The disk sudddenly is giving me a DISK MAYBE DAMAGED message. If I
click on CANCEL several times it will read the disk. However, many files
are not there. This happened after saving a Word Up file to the disk.
MAXFILE file shows the following:
sides 1 (should be 2 it was formatted DS)
80 Tracks
137,216 Bytes free
9 Sectors
1st. Dir. Sect. 11
I've tried UNDELETE.....it didn't work........"
Albert Dayes tells Terry:
"Did you try running Diamond Edge to see if it can find the specific errors?
It sounds like your directory chain is not complete or missing an entry. For
example ...
a directory listing ...
[ file 1 ]
[ file 2 ]
[ blank or damaged entry ]
[ file 3 ]
[ file 4 ]
...
Anything below the blank or damaged entry will not display when showing a
directory. I have created similar problems on my hard drive when using a
sector editor to delete files that could not be deleted any other way. You
should make a backup of your disk and then attempt to rescue the information
on the backup disk. You can try Diamond Edge to see if it can find the
error for you. Since Maxifile reports it as single sided it sounds like
boot sector of the disk is beginning to fail. You might have to use a sector
editor to fix."
Now interested, Terry asks Albert:
"Where do I find Diamond Edge?"
Albert tells Terry:
"Most Atari Dealers should have the program ... I'm sure Toad Computers does.
I believe it is around $50 or so. The newest version has a sector editor
built into the program."
Wayne Padgett asks:
"[Has] anybody received an issue of ST Informer lately? If so what is the
issue number? The last one I got was May 15, 1996 number 97. It's been a
long dry spell."
Chief Sysop Ron Luks tells Wayne:
"Now that you mention it, I haven't seen an issue of ST Informer since last
spring. My guess is that they probably gave up the effort for lack of an
audience. Too bad. They were really good folks and they held on much longer
than just about anyone in the Atari marketplace."
Wayne tells Ron:
"If that's the case it is too bad. Rod was aiming to complete 100 issues. It
will leave me 2 issues short on my subscription which was a trade for Band
in a Box V4. It isn't the first time. Sigh."
Well folks, that's about it for this week. Be sure to tune in again next
week, same time, same station, and be ready to listen to what they are
saying when...
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
STReport Confidential
News, Tips, Rumors, Exposs1, Predictions
JTS; Forecast. sales 90 days behind
The Tramiels seem to bring the "Luck" with them. or, is it the same old game
with different names??
SAN JOSE, Calif., JTS Corp. reported this past Thursday that the company is
about 90 days behind meeting the publicly stated estimates for the sales
forecast set forth in the Securities and Exchange Commission documents filed
when JTS merged with Atari in July.
ú First, the company detailed, it is experiencing sales delays as several
of its new customers have taken longer than expected to re-configure their
notebook computers as well as their manufacturing operations to use JTS's
new family of 3-inch hard drives. Five companies have now completed their
new designs to accommodate a 3-inch disk drive format.
ú Second, a major manufacturer decided to switch its order for JTS'
initial 3-inch hard drive to its 1 gigabyte capacity hard drive, which is
expected to ship in October.
ú Third, JTS had expected to initiate financing approximately 45 days ago
and the delay in completing a financing has resulted in a slower ramp
up of our production volume," the company said in a statement.
"We had originally forecast that we would achieve $230 million in revenues in
the 12 months ending January 31, 1997, it noted. The company said it "is
currently pursuing financing." "Assuming adequate financing, we now
anticipate that we will achieve these results by the 12 months ending April
30, 1997, and we also expect to turn profitable about that time.
"Given the magnitude of what we've already accomplished, we're confident that
the company is well positioned to achieve both its short and long term
revenue and profitability targets," JTS said. The company said it "will
start volume production of our second generation of 3-inch hard drive
products for notebook computers" in the next few weeks. These drives offer
greater capacity at a lower cost than the 2.5-inch hard drive currently used
in notebook computers, it noted. In October of 1995, JTS started production
of 3.5-inch hard drives for desktop computers in in Madras, India. During
the second quarter of this year, it said, "we shipped a total of 118,000
drives," or some 8,000 drives per week. The company said it is now shipping
about 20,000 drives per week and has the capacity to ship 25,000 per week.
"We expect to double our capacity to 50,000 units per week by the end of the
calendar year. When the final results are in, we anticipate that revenues
will have nearly doubled in the third quarter from the second, and will have
grown over 100 percent in the fourth quarter versus the third. JTS expects
that in the first quarter of fiscal 1998, ending April 30, 1997, they will
ship over $100 million in hard drives."
EDITORIAL QUICKIES
Top 10 Ways That Windows '95 Is Like Having Sex
10. Either way, you get screwed
9. It will keep you up late at night
8. After a while, you find yourself looking for
interesting gadgets
7. It makes it easy to catch viruses
6. You can spend an hour huffing and puffing without
going anywhere
5. One word: GUI
4. If you do it too long, your system goes down
3. Two words: Plug & Play
2. The older your system is, the more trouble you have
1. You are likely to utter the phrase "Oh God!"
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STR OnLine! "YOUR INDEPENDENT NEWS SOURCE" September 27, 1996
Since 1987 Copyrightc1996 All Rights Reserved Issue No. 1239
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