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Atari Online News, Etc. Volume 02 Issue 48
Volume 2, Issue 48 Atari Online News, Etc. December 1, 2000
Published and Copyright (c) 2000
All Rights Reserved
Atari Online News, Etc.
A-ONE Online Magazine
Dana P. Jacobson, Publisher/Managing Editor
Joseph Mirando, Managing Editor
Rob Mahlert, Associate Editor
Atari Online News, Etc. Staff
Dana P. Jacobson -- Editor
Joe Mirando -- "People Are Talking"
Michael Burkley -- "Unabashed Atariophile"
Albert Dayes -- CC: Classic Chips
Rob Mahlert -- Web site
With Contributions by:
Mario Becroft
Rob Mahlert
To subscribe to A-ONE, send a message to: dpj@delphi.com
and your address will be added to the distribution list.
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To download A-ONE, set your browser bookmarks to one of the
following sites:
http://people.delphi.com/dpj/a-one.htm
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Now available:
http://www.atarinews.org
Visit the Atari Advantage Forum on Delphi!
http://forums.delphi.com/m/main.asp?sigdir=atari
=~=~=~=
A-ONE #0248 12/01/00
~ Selecting Digital Cams ~ People Are Talking! ~ Wizztronics News!
~ Web Pyramid Scam Bust! ~ Navidad Virus Variant! ~ Video Games for Xmas
~ AOL: World Leading ISP ~ Galaxy Graphics Cards! ~ Scooby Doo for N64!
~ Electronic Accessories ~ A-ONE Reader Survey! ~ 'Dexter's Lab'
-* Politics Could Help Microsoft *-
-* Senate Committee Leans On Carnivore *-
-* Microsoft Seeks Reversal of Court Ruling! *-
=~=~=~=
->From the Editor's Keyboard "Saying it like it is!"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""
I know I do this about a half dozen or so times a year, and it drives me
crazy too...but I can't believe it's December already!! My leaves were just
cleaned up today; I never had the time to do it myself this year, at least
completely. And now the weather has turned once again to reflect another
season of weather. I just can't believe (still!) that time flies by so
quickly. Even my Thanksgiving leftovers are gone!
Our new web site is continuing to grow. Our first completed monthly
readers' survey is over and we've posted the results in this issue.
Interesting votes. Drop by (the address is above) and let us know what you
think - survey and other feedback. We want it to reflect your needs! And
no re-counts! <grin>
Well, I think I'm going to be short and sweet this week. My week has been
crazy, working a variety of shifts and hours. I'm still trying to get my
body adjusted to normalcy, whatever that means!
Until next time...
=~=~=~=
GALAXY (VMEBUS GRAPHICS CARD) AVAILABILITY
The first "Galaxy" graphics cards for the Atari Mega STE and TT are now
available. The card provides a high-resolution colour video display
adapter to suit common (S)VGA monitors at resolutions of up to 1280x1024
pixels and 16-bit colour depth (65,536 colours). Driver software for GEM
is supplied.
The card will eventually also include an ethernet interface, but the
firmware for this is not yet available. Therefore the cards currently
available do not include an ethernet interface. The first cards with
ethernet interface are expected to be available in the first half of 2001.
I hope to offer an upgrade service for non-ethernet cards (at a cost) once
ethernet support becomes available, but this is not confirmed.
Pricing on the graphics-only card will be 500 New Zealand dollars in
single unit quantities, or approximately 200 US dollars. Availability is
limited at this time and depending on the amount of orders received, it
may or may not be possible to ship all orders immediately. Those
interested in the card should contact me to confirm availability.
More information and a picture of the card is available on the WWW at the
following address:
http://gem.win.co.nz/mario/hardware/galaxy.html
Inquiries should be directed by email to Mario Becroft at mb@gem.win.co.nz
--
Mario Becroft <mb@gem.win.co.nz> - http://gem.win.co.nz/mario/
Atari hardware products - 68HC08 support site
Wizztronics New Falcon Board
[Note to editor: You can feel free to publish information as you see fit with the
understanding we are not guarantying the release of this product,nor
are we able to set the market price at this time.]
Wizztronics has been working on improving the Atari platform since the
early 80's. One such development has been our new replacement System
board. The cost associated with this new product has been overwhelming. We
do not have a release date scheduled as yet, although a working prototype
has been in the lab for several months now. Once the final design is
approved it needs to be certified (FCC) before it can be released.
We have been targeting a cost under $300.00 for the Board alone, this is
not been a definitive price; that will come shortly after all approvals
have been met.
This board has been designed to replace failed system board for existing
Falcon users as well as add a new outlet for new users. Yes, we get many
requests for Falcon as of Today the 27 of November 2000.
We are building the main board and processor section separate to enable
future upgrades for speed, We are improving the I/O including performance
enhancements to the SCSI and IDE as well as high speed serial
communications.
With the adaption of standard peripherals (keyboard and Mouse ports),
replacement parts will be much easier to obtain.
Some features are, both 44 pin and 40 pin IDE confections, Internal SCSI
connection and termination. On board Floppy support for 1 1.44 Floppy drive.
IDC connections for Serial,Parallel. The use of a standard PC power supply,
ATX will probably be in the final design due to it's availability and
reduced cost.
Some Specs:
Microprocessor Motorola (Processor Slot)
68030 32 MHz
Buss Bandwidth 16/32 Bit
Socket for optional 68882 50MHz CO-Processor
Sockets for 4 72 pin SIMM on board supporting up to 128MB.
2 High speed serial Ports (enhanced to support 56k Modems)
1 SPP/ECP/EPP Parallel Port
1 MIDI Ports
Internal ATARI Compatible Cartridge Port
DSP/Audio Card upgradeable 56001 Standard
SCSI 2 and Ultra DMA 33 IDE support
AT Style Keyboard and Serial Mouse
100% code compatible with existing software
32 Bit Flash ROM's on board (more speed) and easy OS upgrades beyond 4.04
=~=~=~=
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
compiled by Joe Mirando
jmirando@portone.com
Hidi ho friends and neighbors. It's been another long week at work. It
never seems to end, does it?
Elsewhere in this issue you'll find the results of A-ONE's readers'
poll.
I find the results interesting. Interesting because there were 93
people who voted, but only 91 votes cast. I can only assume that the
other two were from Palm Beach county in Florida. <grin>
I also find the results a bit surprising. Take a look and give us some
feedback on what YOU think.
Well, this is going to be a short column, so I'll keep my intro short
as well.
Now on to the good stuff.
From the comp.sys.atari.st NewsGroup
====================================
Mark Friedman sends up an S.O.S....
"...to any Falcon experts,
It seems like the DSP chip on my Falcon has given up the ghost.
I have a Falcon with Centurbo II installed, and that is working pretty
well, but any prog. that uses the DSP won't boot up.
So, for example I can load up the midi only portion of Cubase audio,
but not the audio part. Or if I use Aniplayer, I can view a JPG file,
but only if I disable "use DSP" in the menu. Other progs. that only use
the CPU seem to work OK. Could my DSP chip simply have burnt out? Or
does it have something to do with the Centurbo, perhaps running it too
fast? Does anyone know of a program that would verify if a DSP chip is
working?"
Shiuming Lai tells Mark:
"1. Use the Atari diagnostic. This will tell you
if the DSP SRAM is faulty (more likely)
2. Your DSP clock wire perhaps not
separated from the SDMA 25MHz, or has
moved somehow and is picking up interference,
maybe even come loose or completely off!
3. Your DSP may be faulty, though I've seen
countless Falcon DSPs run at 50MHz for
years with no problem
4. You have old DSP timing? Run the CENTBENCH
program, if you get something like 475MHz for the
DSP speed, you have old timings."
Tom Wild posts:
"Please help: I made some music several years ago with a atari 1040 st
and cubase. Now I have a pc system and I need to get this old files to
work. Is it somehow possible to read my atari disk with my pc?"
Kevin Dermott tells Tom:
"Try http://www.emulators.com/ gemulator explorer, it claims to read
some Atari formatted disks. The demo only copies one file at once."
Lonny Purcell asks for help with his Hades060:
"For the moment I'm booting an old SCSI drive as I seem to
be having trouble getting the machine to accept an IDE
drive. Perhaps someone has some advise or had similar
problems?
I have a brand new Quantum 15gig which always results
in a "spurious interrupt" error. The msg appears directly
after the memory test at boot time, but before HD driver even
loads.
I have an older 1gig Fujitsu which was pulled from a working
amiga setup. Booting with this drive results in a "bus error"
at the same point.
Both drives completely halt the boot stage so I never get to
the desktop. I am 100% sure they are connected correctly
and set as master during all tests. I even have printed docs
which came with the new drive so there is no guess work on
the settings or cabling.
At this point I'm baffled. Maybe the 15gig is too big or too
new? It has udma 100/ATA blah... and so on, all of which I
don't really need. The older drive perhaps needs re-initialized?
Maybe the amiga has place data where the hades looks for a boot
record?"
Jim Logan tells Lonny:
"My drive came pre-prepared - it sounds as if yours didn't. The
formatting for an Atari is said to be different from that of a PC.
Could that have anything to do with it?
If you boot with the SCSI can you then run HDDriver to read the IDE?
Don't forget that HDDriver is not guaranteed to run with the Hades
(caching of SCSI addresses or something). Nevertheless, my IDE runs
with HDDriver (7.61 I think)."
Lonny tells Jim:
"I do have the HD Driver version that is Ok with the hades.
My problem is I'm simply stuck. If I disconnect the SCSI
which I really don't need and place the HD Driver master disk in
the floppy, I should be all set. However, since the error
occurs after the memory test and is fatal, it halts never reaching
the desktop or booting the floppy. No matter what I do I am
forced to remove the IDE drive or the machine won't boot
at all.
I have mailed Medusa about it, since it should not halt so abruptly
at startup."
Paul WIlliamson tells Lonny:
"I know it may not help with your present problem, but just for the
record, my Hades came supplied with HD Driver 7.54. I have never
upgraded
as this does everything I want and appears to behave perfectly. The
only
time I have a SCSI problem is with Cubase, and I have been assured this
is connected to the way Cubase was written.
It would certainly be worth your while getting hold of an older version
of HD Driver that is more likely to work than the recent versions.
Meanwhile, good luck with your project - I'm sure you'll get it all
running soon."
Lonny tells Paul:
"Medusa wrote me back and says "new" drives can be a problem.
Didn't go into any detail, and it don't explain why the
older one fails either. It was not from an Atari and
I have no means to wipe it clean here at home.
Anyway, it would be most helpful if all the Hades owners here
could possibly tell me the exact make and model of their
IDE drives? Then my intention is to find such a drive
that is known to work, and add this info to the Hades HYP
I've already started on."
Edward Baiz jumps in and adds his thoughts:
"Have you tried just booting the Hades with a floppy and then running the
HDDriver program from the floppy?? If this works, maybe you could format
the drive with Hddriver and partition it. It may be that your settings in
HDDriver somehow conflict with the drives. Try booting the SCSI drive
then run the utilities program and have a look."
'Jules' asks for help with an old 520:
"I have a really old 520ST at home still in working order apart from the
internal FDD (single sided unit) anyone here know of somewhere I can go
to in the UK to get a spare??"
Lyndon Amsdon tells Jules:
"I have some double sided units, all been done up. (well, cleaned!)
About four of mine are from Acorn machines (BTW they work well) and
about 3 others are Atari one's with the front moulding.
FS: Also I have Marpet RAM expansion (no manuals, but will help with
installation) with 2*256kb simms to upgrade a 520STFM to 1040. All
working order, no bent pins. As far as I know, one can put 4*1mb simms
to get full 4mb."
Well folks, that's it for this week. Make sure you check out our
website (www.atarinews.org) soon and often. There'll be a new
survey up by now. Don't worry about 'butterfly' ballots... we're a
bit more advanced than that. Tune in again next week, same time, same
station, and be ready to listen to what they are saying when...
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
=~=~=~=
->In This Week's Gaming Section - Scooby Doo! Dexter's Laboratory!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Xtreme Sports! NBA Jam 2001!
Tomb Raider Chronicles!
And much more!
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE's Game Console Industry News - The Latest Gaming News!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Acclaim Sports Brings Arcade Style Action to the
Game Boy Color With NBA Jam 2001
Acclaim Sports announced that NBA JAM 2001 for the Game Boy Color shipped
to retail outlets nationwide November 28th.
``One of the most recognizable brands in sports video gaming history is
back this season when NBA JAM 2001 slams its way on to the Game Boy
Color," stated Brian Shields, marketing manager for Acclaim Sports. ``NBA
JAM 2001 is packed with all new game modes as well as classic JAM favorites
that gamers know and love."
NBA JAM 2001 features special signature moves from the NBA's finest, like
the famed ``Utah Jazz" pick and role, Jason Kidd's deadly crossover
dribble and Scott Pippen's untouchable low post bank shot. Extraordinary
new moves include skyhooks, alley-oops, tip-ins, reverse lay ups and off
the glass passes. NBA JAM 2001 also features the debut of ``Fun Mode",
packed with player ``Hotspots", ``Hangtime", ``Half-court Superdunks"
and ``On-Fire" modes. Players can unlock secret teams for additional play,
including the NBA Rookie Team, East and West All-Star Teams and the All-NBA
Team.
NBA JAM 2001 will feature all 29 National Basketball Association teams with
over 140 NBA Superstars. This season Acclaim Sports brings the best in
2-on-2 arcade action with blazing fast breaks and rim-rocking slam dunks
along with color commentary for spectacular moves and the ability to play
an entire NBA season filled with injuries, player trades and post-season
play. NBA JAM 2001 brings you the ultimate in sports video gaming with real
life skills and attributes such as Karl Malone's one-handed delivery dunk,
Reggie Miller and Latrell Sprewell's unstoppable perimeter game and Jason
Williams' dizzying behind the back passes. There are 3 levels of game play:
High School, Pro and Legend along with in-game player highlights featuring
full player, team and season statistics.
NBA JAM 2001 will be supported by a nationwide print campaign and an
extensive online campaign, including a dedicated website and promotions on
AcclaimSports.com. NBA Jam 2001 packaging and advertising features Karl
Malone (Utah Jazz), Latrell Sprewell (New York Knicks), Reggie Miller
(Indiana Pacers), Jason Kidd (Phoenix Suns), Scottie Pippen (Portland
Trailblazers) and Jason Williams (Sacramento Kings).
Acclaim Entertainment Ships First Title For
PlayStation 2 Computer Entertainment System
Acclaim Entertainment announced that Super Bust-A-Move for the PlayStation2
computer entertainment system has shipped to national retail outlets. Super
Bust-A-Move brings the infinite re-playability of Acclaim's most popular
puzzle franchise, Bust-A-Move, to the PlayStation 2, while taking advantage
of the tremendous technical capabilities of the newly launched system.
``Acclaim is thrilled to be part of the exciting PlayStation 2 launch,"
says Evan Stein, Brand Director at Acclaim Entertainment. ``As the only
established puzzle franchise available for the PlayStation 2, Super
Bust-A-Move's completely enhanced gameplay delivers the addictive,
competitive action that gamers crave."
In addition to the brand's classic gameplay, Super Bust-A-Move features
thousands of all-new, brain-busting boards of colorful puzzles, characters,
and animations using high-resolution graphics. New additions to the series,
including conveyor belt walls that change the trajectory of the shot and
bubble captives in need of rescue, add an exhilarating new twist to
Bust-A-Move's beloved game style. Taito developed Super Bust-A-Move
delivers an exciting, multi-player gaming experience to both casual gamers
and long-time game enthusiasts.
Acclaim is currently developing several new games for the PlayStation 2
scheduled to be released later in the Company's 2001 fiscal year (Sept. 1,
2000 - Aug. 31, 2001). These titles include All-Star Baseball 2002, and a
surfing title, expected to ship in the Spring and Summer of 2001.
Lara Croft Returns for Final Chapter
in Tomb Raider Chronicles
Lara Croft, the world's most popular cyber action heroine, returns to video
game screens in Tomb Raider Chronicles. Published by Eidos Interactive,
Tomb Raider Chronicles has hit stores nationwide for the Sega Dreamcast,
Sony Playstation and PC format.
Tomb Raider Chronicles will be the last in this popular franchise to be
developed for the PlayStation game console and marks an end to the Tomb
Raider series as we know it.
The game takes place only days after The Last Revelation at a memorial
service for Lara, where her closest friends, Winston and the family priest,
Father Dunstan, reminisce about her previous exploits. Each adventure is
introduced via full motion video ``flashback" sequences that take players
into the action.
The PC version of Tomb Raider Chronicles allows fans to create their own
gaming levels for the first time. A unique level editor allows the user to
build game levels in the same manner as the actual Tomb Raider development
team. The level editor can even be used on previous entries in the Tomb
Raider game series.
``With the release of Tomb Raider Chronicles, we decided to reward our fans
by further enhancing game features, revealing more details about Lara's
life than ever before and providing a level editor that allows players to
create their own Tomb Raider game," said Adrian Smith, of Core Design,
Eidos' wholly-owned development house.
True to the globetrotting fashion of the franchise, Tomb Raider Chronicles
takes players into four different locations around the world, featuring the
Irish Black Isle, a German U-boat, the streets of Rome and a hi-tech New
York-styled Tower Block. In Chronicles, each episode has a unique focus and
requires players to adopt a different strategy.
In the Irish levels, players take the role of the 16-year-old young Lara
character introduced in Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation. The player must
depend on the use of skill and guile rather than weaponry to deal with many
puzzles and traps. The German U-boat levels are filled with action in an
``X-Files" feel, while the Rome levels comprise classic Tomb Raider
adventuring. Finally, the Tower Block features hi-tech systems that require
stealth and strategy. For the first time, Lara has a sidekick, ZIP, a
techno-savvy, African-American companion who provides guidance during the
mission.
Chronicles brings together the most popular elements of previous Tomb
Raider titles with improved features. Hard-core Tomb Raider fans will
appreciate the technical modifications made to the game engine for improved
graphics and smooth game play. Game environments display greater detail,
improved lighting and interaction with more characters and objects. The
inventory system is also improved to collect more items and allow greater
variation on the ``combine" option.
Chronicles is also a ``smarter" game with extensively overhauled
artificial intelligence that enables enemy characters to react to sound.
Players now must use ``stealth" to achieve goals in the game. During
hand-to-hand combat scenarios, Lara can creep behind enemies and use
chloroform to disable them. Also, line of sight issues are modified so that
enemies can hide more effectively - Lara will not lock on until the enemy
is clearly visible to the player.
Even novice gamers can enjoy Chronicles by completing objectives in the
game that are clear and easily identified. In addition, the game features
more full motion video (FMV) than any of the previously released Tomb
Raider titles. The FMV adds a compelling story telling element that
enhances the game experience.
For the die-hard Lara Croft fans, Chronicles features two new in-game
costumes Lara: a ``Matrix" style catsuit with a communication headset,
plus a camouflage outfit. The game also includes new Lara animations and
moves. New moves allow Lara to make use of tightropes, suspended bars and
grappling ropes. The combination of bars and ropes requires the player to
traverse areas in a variety of ways than previously seen. A ``search"
option for Lara is also included to enable her to look through files,
drawers and take any items of use. New weapons include a sniper rifle and a
grappling hook gun.
Infogrames, Inc. Takes Sony Playstation on a Gag-Filled
Ride to Stores This Week With Looney Tunes Racing!
Rev up your engines and wind up your pie-throwing arm. Infogrames, Inc.
announced that it is bringing Looney Tunes prank-pulling fun to life in
``Looney Tunes Racing," which heads to stores this week. The PlayStation
game allows players to take control of the wildest bunch of cartoon
characters in an all-out race to the finish line. Now, let's burn some
rubber!
In the game, ACME Corporation, the corporate juggernaut behind such
successful products as the ACME Falling Anvil, is sponsoring a number of
races to see who is the wackiest racing champion. Players choose from eight
popular Looney Tunes characters, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Lola
Bunny, Marvin The Martian, and Tasmanian Devil, plus additional bonus
characters, all with their own custom karts and custom character animations.
The characters are true to their rich identities and interact with each
other as they would in a real Looney Tunes cartoon. Enhancing the
experience are official Warner Bros. voice actors and an original
interactive musical score inspired by classic Merrie Melodies, each
bringing the characters and game to life.
``Looney Tunes Racing" offers new depth to the kart-racing genre by
providing licensed characters true to their cartoon heritage,`` said Jeff
Nuzzi, director of marketing for Infogrames' I-Stars Label. "The fantastic
characters, interactive track features, and hysterical power-ups will make
players feel as though they are truly racing through a real Looney Tunes
cartoon. Combining the wildly popular mass-market appeal of kart racing
with the familiarity and humor of the Looney Tunes characters, the game
results in an interactive racing adventure for all ages.``
Players will race their characters through more than 16 unique tracks,
including many infamous locations made popular by the Looney Tunes
cartoons, such as the Giant's Garden and Marvin The Martian's Planet X.
Each race features unique environmental gags and hilarious ACME devices
players can activate, such as lightening strikes and homing cream pies to
pummel opponents and slow them down.
``Looney Tunes Racing" also features two wild one-player racing modes as
well as two-player split-screen mayhem in three hilarious multi-player
modes. The two-player modes include Vs. mode, Battle mode, and Wacky mode,
offering players a variety of different racing options to keep the racing
challenge fresh and exciting. Vs. mode allows two players to compete
against each other on a single track. Set in an arena, Battle mode's
objective is not to race, but to survive the pranks and tricks employed by
opponents and be the last man standing. Wacky mode is a two-player version
of a party game, where three, five or nine level tournaments are set up at
random, and players are challenged over a variety of terrain types and game
styles. Because of the random generation of levels in Wacky mode, ``Looney
Tunes Racing" is never the same game twice, making gameplay virtually
endless.
Developed by Infogrames' San Jose Label, ``Looney Tunes Racing" is
available at an estimated retail price of $19.99 and can be found at most
major retail outlets.
THQ Ships 'Scooby-Doo! Classic Creep Capers' for Nintendo 64
Game publisher THQ Inc. and Warner Bros. Consumer Products announced the
release of the much-anticipated ``Scooby-Doo! Classic Creep Capers" for
Nintendo 64.
Based on one of the longest-running kids' shows of all time,
``Scooby-Doo!," THQ's release of ``Scooby-Doo! Classic Creep Capers"
marks the first of several ``Scooby-Doo!" interactive adventures.
``Scooby-Doo! Classic Creep Capers" is now available at major retail
outlets nationwide.
``The tremendous success of 'Scooby-Doo!' has made the world's most popular
mystery-solving dog a household name," stated Germaine Gioia, vice
president, licensing, THQ. ``We are delighted to be working with Warner
Bros. Consumer Products in adding such a high-profile property to THQ's
extensive kids' software library."
``THQ's proven track record in the children's gaming arena, make them the
ideal publisher for 'Scooby-Doo! Classic Creep Capers,"' said Michael
Harkavy, Vice President, Publishing, Kids' WB!, Music, and Interactive
Entertainment for Warner Bros. Consumer Products. ``We are pleased to bring
together the assets of one our key licensees, THQ, with the strength of one
our most successful properties, 'Scooby-Doo' on one of the most popular
gaming systems this holiday season."
Scooby-Doo was created by animation legends William Hanna and Joseph
Barbera, and ``Scooby-Doo Where Are You?" is one of the longest-running
animated series in television history. Currently airing on the Cartoon
Network, the series is one of the network's top-rated shows and is viewed
more than 23 times per week. Scooby-Doo was also recently voted kids'
favorite cartoon character on Cartoon Network.
In ``Scooby-Doo! Classic Creep Capers" for Nintendo 64, Scooby-Doo and his
friends will face off against some of the all-time classic villains,
including The Witch Doctor, The Black Knight and The Snow Ghost.
Players guide Scooby-Doo and the gang though three classic episodes plus
one never-before-seen adventure, each featuring more than a dozen
environments. With actual character voices from the ``Scooby-Doo!" cartoon
actors, and tons of humorous game play, ``Scooby-Doo! Classic Creep
Capers" is sure to bring out the Zoinks! in all of us.
Bam! Entertainment Puts Cartoon Network's
Brainy Boy Genius to the Test in
Dexter's Laboratory: Robot Rampage Video Game
Bam! entertainment, an entertainment software publisher, announced that
Dexter's Laboratory: Robot Rampage is now available for Game Boy Color at
retailers in North America.
Based on the Emmy-nominated animated Cartoon Network series Dexter's
Laboratory, the game features the boy genius in his adventures to outwit
robots that attack his lab. Dexter's Laboratory is one of the highest-rated
shows on Cartoon Network.
In Dexter's Laboratory: Robot Rampage, players help Dexter battle his
archrival Mandark who has infiltrated the lab and reprogrammed Dexter's
robots. The robots begin tearing apart Dexter's laboratory, and he must
deactivate them in order to save it.
In this action adventure, gamers are challenged to help Dexter find all of
the pieces of the control codes scattered about the vast lab by the evil
Mandark. Armed with only a laser pistol and his keen intellect, Dexter must
run, jump and blast his way through the levels of his lab to discover the
location of the robot command codes and outwit Mandark. Once Dexter has
all of the pieces of the codes, he can disable the robots.
KEY FEATURES:
* Choose from any of three super-heroic outfits for Dexter as he leaps
across elevator shafts and battles a host of robots that are bent on
his destruction
* Journey with Dexter through 16 levels of his top-secret laboratory as
he searches for the hidden command codes
* Scour the lab for exotic weapons to protect Dexter from Mandark's
mechanical minions
Today is the Worst Day Ever
Incredible Crisis for the Sony PlayStation game console combines both the
worst day imaginable and the most fun you've ever producing the most
prolific and insane adventure ever. Published by Titus Software Corporation,
the game ships November 23, 2000. ``This game is whacked -- We guarantee
it!"
Tokyo-based Polygon Magic developed this game as the craziest thing you'll
ever put into a PlayStation. Combined with an energetic soundtrack from the
Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, the game is full of infectious tunes and
wacky adventures. Incredible Crisis is comprised of 24 unique and exciting
mini- games, which constantly change the game pace. Centering on Taneo, and
his bizarre, Japanese family, the game sets the characters on the most
chaotic day of their lives.
From elevator free-falls, to runaway medical stretchers, you must help the
family avoid a bitter demise by completing wacky puzzles to survive. Too
many wrong moves and your stress meter will reach nuclear meltdown.
Incredible Crisis has certainly developed a new entertainment genre of
seriously wacky games.
Incredible Crisis hits store shelves November 23, 2000 at a phenomenal
pricepoint of $19.99.
ATV Offroad Fury Steers the Thrill and
Excitement of ATV Racing Onto Playstation2
Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced the January 2001 release
of ATV Offroad Fury, an exhilarating and action-packed ATV (All-Terrain
Vehicle) racing game that showcases the stunning graphic capabilities of
the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system. Featuring white-knuckle
action and speed, huge free-roaming environments, more than 20 different
racing tracks and a hard, alternative soundtrack, ATV Offroad Fury
harnesses the power of the PlayStation 2, bringing the true spirit of ATV
racing to life in the most realistic ATV simulation yet.
Featuring more than 12 ATV models, six different event types and three
styles of bikes for players to choose from, ATV Offroad Fury provides
gamers with a multitude of options to enhance their ATV racing experience.
Players can select their ATV from high-profile manufacturers such as Honda,
Yamaha and Kawasaki. In addition, a Garage feature allows players to
further customize their driving experience by tweaking options such as tire
friction, shock reaction, steering and braking. ATV Offroad Fury also
includes a stellar lineup of music from a variety of popular artists,
providing players with an emotionally-charged racing environment.
``ATV Offroad Fury immerses gamers in a realistic and fast-paced racing
world complete with stunts, enormous environments and adrenaline-pumping
action," said Ami Blaire, director, product marketing, Sony Computer
Entertainment America Inc. ``Gamers and racing enthusiasts alike will be
completely absorbed by the authentic feel and the challenging competitive
action of this exciting new game for PlayStation 2."
With the Multitap (for PlayStation2) ATV Offroad Fury allows up to four
players to compete against one another in a race experience like no other.
Huge, free-roaming environments of up to two square miles in area,
encourage players to experience true off-road racing, navigating their way
to the finish line over sandy deserts, rocky hillsides and thick forest
mountains. Players can choose from more than 12 different ATV models,
taking into consideration factors such as traction, acceleration, top speed
and stability, depending upon the landscape. Realistic physics force gamers
to feel every bump, turn and crash in the terrain, and a track editor
allows players to diversify the competition by creating their own unique
racetracks. With more than 20 tracks and six authentic event types to
choose from, including Cross Country, Enduro races and Freestyle Stunt
competitions, players sit in the riders seat and will be tested to their
absolute limits, as the thrill of ATV racing comes to life on the
PlayStation 2.
The independent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rates ATV
Offroad Fury ``RP" for ``Rating Pending."
EA Sports Supercross Ships for the PlayStation
Grab your bars and get ready to hit some of the biggest and most
extreme tricks ever in the follow up to last year's number one motocross
videogame on console, EA SPORTS Supercross. Whether you are looking to win
the EA SPORTS Supercross Series, race high-speed outdoor motocross or go
big in freestyle mode, you can now do it all as Electronic Arts (EA)
announced the release of EA SPORTS Supercross for the Sony
PlayStation.
The game's intuitive physics model and sophisticated AI allow gamers of all
levels to jump right in and compete for supercross, motocross, or freestyle
championships. Partnering with supercross champion Jeff Emig, freestyle
king Mike Metzger, and 2000 Gravity Games champion Brian Deegan, the
development team was able to translate motocross into a videogame while
staying true to the nuances of the sport.
``EA SPORTS has put together the definitive motocross game," said Jeff
Emig, former AMA Supercross and Outdoor National Motocross champion. ``You
can race the EA SPORTS Supercross Series as one of the greats, take it
outdoors and go ballistic, or get huge air in freestyle mode."
More than 35 of the hottest stunts and 4 freestyle worlds are incorporated
into EA SPORTS Supercross. Even the sport's latest stunts have made it into
the game including the Hart Attack, McMetz, Mulisha Air, and the Backflip.
More than 25 top riders are in the game including supercross stars Jeff
Emig, Kevin Windham, Ezra Lusk and Mike LaRocco are included in the game.
Also included are top Arenacross riders Buddy Antunez and Denny Stephenson.
And for the first time in a videogame and exclusive to EA SPORTS, are
women's Motocross champions Stefy Bau and Jessica Patterson are included,
as well as motocross legends David Bailey, Roger DeCoster, and Johnny
O'Mara.
``This is the ultimate motocross game for PlayStation owners," said Dave
Davis, Executive Producer, Electronic Arts. ``With EA SPORTS Supercross
gamers can become a part of the blazing speed and insane stunts that bring
fans out to live supercross, motocross, and freestyle events across the
nation."
EA SPORTS has taken their commitment to supercross to the next level with
an exclusive licensing agreement with SFX Motor Sports Group as the
official sponsor of Supercross in 2001 and beyond. EA SPORTS brings the
marketing expertise of the strongest brand in the interactive sports market
to EA SPORTS Supercross Series. Working with SFX Motor Sports Group, EA
SPORTS will integrate the interactive product into the overall supercross
fan experience. For more details please visit www.pacesupercross.com
EA SPORTS Supercross for the PlayStation is rated ``E" (Everyone) by the
ESRB.
FIFA 2001 Major League Soccer Arrives On the PlayStation 2
Electronic Arts launched the world's hottest video game franchise on the
world's hottest game console. The EA SPORTS FIFA series newest edition,
FIFA 2001 Major League Soccer for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment
system, has arrived on store shelves. What the Star Wars series is for the
movie industry EA SPORTS FIFA console game is to the interactive industry
-- it's the world's best selling, highest-grossing interactive sports video
game franchise.
The roll out of FIFA 2001 in Europe and North America follows on the heels
of the recent success of an earlier edition released in Japan last spring.
FIFA Soccer World Championship rose to the number one position this summer
on the PlayStation 2 console charts and is currently among the top ten
PlayStation 2 games in Japan.
FIFA 2001 on the PlayStation 2 game console features all the top soccer
talent from around the world set in a stunning lifelike universe. EA SPORTS
used motion capture technology to render the precise moves of top stars
such as Edgar Davids, Paul Scholes, Thierry Henry, Gaizka Mendieta, Pavel
Kuka and Shimon Gershon. The results are stunning.
The finely detailed players and precise facial animation, combined with
motion-captured moves from the preeminent players in the world, delivers
the most authentic game of interactive soccer. The ease and fluidity of the
controls also allows even first time players to appreciate the raw
excitement of soccer.
The game features an ``on the field" dynamic mix of players shouting,
crowds chanting and top play-by-play talent from around the world, as well
as music specially provided by techno star Moby. A special remix of Moby's
breakout hit, ``Bodyrock," opens the gaming experience.
``The combination of soccer talent, innovative gameplay and music creates
an unrivaled interactive soccer experience," said FIFA executive producer
Marc Aubanel. ``We've been making FIFA games for over eight years and we
continue to find revolutionary ways to enhance the experience for our fans.
With FIFA 2001 we were able to take the player holding the controls and
teleport him onto the field. The crowds come alive with amazing crowd
animation effects in a thunderous stadium. Special effects abound with
incredible weather effects, animating shadows and breath-taking light
refractions that simulate a living environment. FIFA 2001 provides the full
range of visceral heartbreak or glory when that shot hits the crossbar and
slips past the goalie."
With more than 50 National teams from over 15 different leagues, the game
choices and competition are real and intense. Major League Soccer is
featured alongside Europe's best including the Premier League, German
Bundesliga, Spanish Premier League and the French LNF for a comprehensive,
global line-up. Intelligent commentary is provided by legendary English
announcer John Motson and soccer icon Mark Lawrenson. FIFA 2001 provides an
unparalleled collection of today's best national teams, domestic leagues
and international matches from around the world in a variety of game modes
including Friendly, League, Cup and Custom modes.
FIFA 2001 is available for the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 game consoles
and PC. FIFA 2001 is rated ``E" (Everyone) by the ESRB. DC United standout
Ben Olsen was used for marketing and advertising materials.
Infogrames, Inc. Sends Xtreme Sports for Sega
Dreamcast Gliding Into Stores This Week
Infogrames, Inc. announced that its alternative sports game, Xtreme Sports,
for Sega Dreamcast will begin shipping to stores this week. Xtreme Sports
combines competition in six different alternative sports including
Snowboarding, ATV Racing, Mountain Biking, Hang Gliding and Bungee Jumping.
``It's a good thing that providing a true adrenaline rush is legal!" said
Laddie Ervin, director of marketing for the sports and racing label at
Infogrames, Inc. ``The feel of the powdery snow under your sliding
snowboard, the rumble of lava beneath your ATV's tires and the crackle of
gravel and rocks spitting up at you as your mountain bike careens down a
mountainside-that is Xtreme Sports."
Xtreme Sports offers players a chance to compete in some of the world's
most extreme sporting events all within a single race. The game's engine
has the unique ability to seamlessly integrate multiple sports such as
snowboarding, ATV racing, mountain biking, hang gliding and bungee jumping.
A player might begin a competition on a multi-environment racetrack by
snowboarding, then hang gliding and finally end the race with mountain
biking. Besides racing for the best time, players can perform tricks,
attempt huge jumps, drive across lava or race out of control down steep
slopes and cliffs.
With 12 regular tracks and six additional practice tracks, Xtreme Sports
offers a variety of exotic locations. Mountain biking in Maui will find
players navigating a rope bridge, while bungee jumping in Kilimanjaro will
have a player leaping from a balloon and landing on a waiting snowboard.
Players can also partake in a hang gliding adventure over the Scottish
Highlands, or participate in an ATV excursion over a narrow bridge in
Stryn, Norway.
Xtreme Sports features a licensed soundtrack of alternative music from the
London record label Ninja Tune Records. Bands on the Xtreme Sports
soundtrack include Amon Tobin, Cabbage Boy, Cold Cut, Dynamic Syncopation,
Irresistible Force, London Funk Allstars, Mr. Scruff and DJ Food.
The game's four unique characters include Nina, an 18-year-old from Sweden,
Raga, a 22-year-old Jamaican, Noel, a 21-year-old from Great Britain and
Cath, a 19-year-old American. Each character has two different outfits
available, a summer outfit and a winter outfit. The clothing in Xtreme
Sports is provided by the European sports brand 55DSL.
Developed by Innerloop Studios AS in Norway, Xtreme Sports allows for
single player and two-player simultaneous head-to-head competition. Xtreme
Sports will be available at most major retail outlets for an estimated
retail price of $29.99.
Attention Holiday Shoppers: THQ Has Hot
New Games for Everyone on Your Gift List
THQ Inc. announced its exciting holiday lineup for kids of all ages.
With brand new titles for PlayStation 2, PlayStation, Sega Dreamcast,
Nintendo 64, and Game Boy Color, THQ means one-stop shopping for everyone
from the hard-core gamer to the emerging children's markets.
THQ's holiday lineup includes titles from its World Wrestling Federation,
Scooby Doo, Power Rangers, Rugrats and action sports lines as well as an
entire library of familiar Game Boy Color games including ``Who Wants to be
a Millionaire" and ``Star Wars Episode 1: Obi-Wan's Adventures."
The most anticipated console system of the year now boasts what has been
called the best console role-playing game to date, ``Summoner" for
PlayStation 2 (MSRP: $49.99; ESRB: T). Touted for its original story line,
deep game play, expansive towns, brilliant graphics and unique summoning
feature, Summoner appeals to the core game enthusiasts.
Families can get together with a number of THQ's video games geared
specifically toward young kids. ``Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue(TM)"
(PlayStation, MSRP: $39.99; ESRB: E; Nintendo 64, MSRP: $49.99; ESRB: E;
and Game Boy Color, MSRP: $29.99; ESRB: E) allows fans of the television
show to play as their favorite heroes in real Power Rangers adventures.
Based on Nickelodeon's brand new feature film, ``Rugratsin Paris - The
Movie" (PlayStation, MSRP: $39.99; ESRB: E; Nintendo 64, MSRP: $49.99;
ESRB: E; and Game Boy Color, MSRP: $29.99; ESRB: E) is the perfect way for
families to shape the Rugrats babies' adventures in Paris.
Families can also dive into Disney's ``The Little Mermaid II" for
PlayStation (MSRP: $29.99, ESRB: E) this holiday season and swim with their
favorite characters from the home video. One of the longest-running
cartoons of all time, ``Scooby-Doo" television programming spans more than
three decades and has a 93% awareness rating across all age demographics.
Families will now be able to join Scooby, Shaggy and the gang in an
interactive adventure with ``Scooby-Doo: Classic Creep Capers" (Nintendo
64, MSRP: $49.99; ESRB: E).
Sports Entertainment enthusiasts will not be left out in the cold this
holiday season with THQ and JAKKS Pacific's pulse-pounding WWF lineup.
Gamers can hit the mats with something for almost every game console:
``WWFSmackDown! 2: Know Your Role" for PlayStation (MSRP: $39.99;
ESRB: T), ``WWF No Mercy" for Nintendo 64 (MSRP: $59.99; ESRB: T) and
``WWF Royal Rumble" for Dreamcast (MSRP: $39.99; ESRB: T).
The more mature fans of the cult movie trilogy, ``Evil Dead," can finally
assume the role of their favorite hero, Ash, in ``Evil Dead: Hail to the
King" for PlayStation (MSRP: $39.99; ESRB: M). With a chainsaw for an
arm and his trusty boomstick by his side, Ash, voiced by Bruce Campbell,
slices and dices the undead in this action-packed follow-up to the films.
The casual gamer will find the perfect stocking stuffer in THQ's affordable
action sports lineup.
Gamers can carve some snow or grind in the half-pipe to today's hottest
music in ``MTV Sports: Pure Ride" (PlayStation, MSRP: $39.99; ESRB: E;
and Game Boy Color, MSRP: $29.99; ESRB: E) and ``MTV Sports: Skateboarding
Featuring Andy Macdonald" (PlayStation, MSRP: $29.99; ESRB: E; Dreamcast,
MSRP: $39.99; ESRB: E; and Game Boy Color, MSRP: $29.99; ESRB: E).
In addition, ``Championship Motocross 2001 featuring Ricky Carmichael"
(Game Boy Color, MSRP: $29.99; ESRB: E) offers handheld owners the system's
first Championship Motocross thrill this holiday season.
Gamers on the go will delight in THQ's extensive library of Game Boy Color
games. Familiar titles include, ``Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Second
Edition" (MSRP: $29.99; ESRB: E), ``Star Wars: Obi-Wan's Adventures"
(MSRP: $29.99; ESRB: E), ``Micro Machines V3" (MSRP: $19.99; ESRB: E),
``Chicken Run" (MSRP: $29.99; ESRB: E) and ``Buffy the Vampire Slayer"
(MSRP: $29.99; ESRB: E).
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE Magazine's Reader Survey - November, 2000
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Total = 93 votes.
Question:
What was the worst moment in Atari History?
Answers:
Warner Communications buying Atari 2.20 % (2)
Jack Tramiel buying Atari 3.30 % (3)
Jack Tramiel selling Atari 9.89 % (9)
Lack of advertising 24.18 % (22)
Failure to find a "niche" market 0.00 % (0)
Failure to update the technology 14.29 % (13)
Hasbro buying Atari and not knowing what they have 39.56 % (36)
=~=~=~=
A-ONE's Headline News
The Latest in Computer Technology News
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
Microsoft Seeks Reversal of Antitrust Ruling
Microsoft filed a long appellate brief Monday arguing it must not be broken
in two and denying every element of a lower court ruling that it had
violated antitrust law.
Microsoft said the ``entire proceeding" before U.S. District Judge Thomas
Penfield Jackson had been ``infected with error," and that the ``existing
trial record was insufficient to support the radical relief" requested by
the Justice Department.
In fact, Microsoft told the appeals court that its Windows operating system
did not even constitute a monopoly if the market in which it operates is
``properly defined": ``Microsoft does not possess 'monopoly power,"'
argued the firm in its written argument.
But the Justice Department said that the June 7 decision by Judge Jackson
to break up the company -- after finding that Microsoft used its monopoly
power in personal computer operating systems to compete illegally -- was
``well supported by trial evidence."
Microsoft Tells Court It Acted Legally
Microsoft on Monday denied it held a monopoly or had violated antitrust
law, and asked an appeals court to throw out a lower court ruling that
would break it into two separate companies.
In a 150-page brief ahead of oral arguments set for February, Microsoft
said District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson ruled incorrectly that its
business practices were anti-competitive.
``Far from violating the antitrust laws, Microsoft's conduct was
pro-competitive, producing enormous consumer benefits," the company told
the United States Court of Appeals.
Microsoft argued that the ``entire proceeding" before Jackson was
``infected with error." And it said his order breaking up the company
amounted to ``radical relief."
Shares of Microsoft rose $3/4 to close at $70-11/16 on the Nasdaq market
during a day when the market generally enjoyed rising prices on hopes the
U.S. presidential election impasse was reaching an end.
Jackson ordered on June 7 that the company be broken up and also set other
remedies, all of which have been suspended pending appeal.
The trial judge ruled that the company ``placed an oppressive thumb on the
scale of competitive fortune" through its unfair and illegal practices and
that its anti-competitive
actions ``trammeled the competitive process through which the computer
industry generally stimulates innovation and conduces to the optimum
benefit of consumers."
Jackson found that Microsoft holds monopoly power in the market for
personal computer operating systems with its Windows product and illegally
used that power to exclude competitors.
But the Redmond, Wash.-based software giant told the appeals court that
Windows is not a monopoly if the market is "properly defined" to include
Apple Computer products, personal digital assistants like the Palm Inc's
Pilot and other operating systems.
The company also challenged the finding that it had tried to monopolize the
Web browser market, saying its vigorous competition with Netscape had not
foreclosed the market to the rival browser, now owned by America Online
Inc.
Jackson found that Microsoft decided it could not beat Netscape merely by
giving it away so it decided to ``constrict Netscape's access to the
distribution channels."
Replied Microsoft: ``There is no finding that the inclusion of (Internet
Explorer) in Windows prevented Netscape from getting (Netscape) Navigator
into the hands of consumers." It said that 160 million copies were
distributed in 1998 alone.
Jackson also found that the company illegally tied its Web browser to
Windows, forcing consumers to purchase the two together without any
increased benefits. Jackson said the combination was to the detriment of
consumers, because the firm forced computer makers ``to ignore consumer
demand for a browserless version of Windows."
Microsoft said Jackson's conclusion was wrong because the integration
provided benefits unavailable with a separate browser, citing HTML help,
Windows update and the user interface.
Jackson's overall handling of the case was also criticized in Microsoft's
brief, in particular the adoption of the government's breakup proposal
without holding further hearings and the judge's repeated public statements
about the merits of the case, even during the trial itself.
``These public comments alone require that the judgement be vacated,"
Microsoft said. If any part of the judgement was not reversed, then the
remainder of the case should be remanded to a different judge for a new
trial, the company said.
The Justice Department and states that brought the case had urged the U.S.
Supreme Court to directly hear the company's appeal. But the high court
sided with Microsoft and sent the case to the lower appellate court, which
ruled for the company in a related case in 1998.
A Justice Department spokeswoman said the government remained confident in
its case and looked forward to its presentation to the appeals court.
``The judgement is well-supported by the evidence offered during a 78-day
trial including thousands of pages of Microsoft's own documents," said
spokeswoman Gina Talamona. The government is due to file its brief on Jan.
12.
Whatever the outcome, the case seems certain to be appealed to the Supreme
Court, barring any settlement between the parties.
The result of the disputed U.S. presidential election could play a role.
Political analysts and antitrust experts have speculated that an
administration under Republican George W. Bush would be inclined to cut a
deal with Microsoft if the company wins at the appeals court level.
New Spin On Microsoft Case As Big Names Bow Out
Major changes in the cast of characters in Microsoft's courtroom drama
could have a far greater impact on the company's appeal than any legal
briefs.
While the issues have changed little, the case's future may be profoundly
affected by the absence of three pivotal figures: U.S. District Judge
Thomas Penfield Jackson, Assistant Attorney General Joel Klein and lead
prosecution attorney David Boies.
Jackson is expected to be removed from future proceedings, giving way to
seven fresh judges who have taken over the case, and Klein has left his
post as head of the Justice Department's antitrust division. But it is
Boies' predicament that is most interesting of all.
By joining Vice President Al Gore's legal team in the electoral battle in
Florida, the government's outside counsel has almost ensured that he will
play no further role in the Microsoft case should George W. Bush become
president, legal experts say. Boies is largely credited for engineering
the government's unprecedented legal victory, through courtroom theatrics,
sharp questioning of Microsoft witnesses and facile use of the media.
"Gauging the odds of Gore's chief spokesman in the bitterly contested
Florida election battle being the chief advocate for the Bush
administration in their most important case...it's not going to happen,"
University of Baltimore Law School professor Bob Lande said.
On Monday, the software giant filed the principal legal brief of its
antitrust appeal--150 pages attacking the presiding judge, how he handled
his courtroom and the way he applied antitrust law to the company's
offenses. In June, Jackson ordered that Microsoft be broken into separate
operating-systems and software-applications companies after earlier ruling
the company violated U.S. antitrust law.
"Prior to the last two weeks, it wouldn't necessarily have meant David
Boies wouldn't argue at the Court of Appeals under a Bush administration,"
said John Smith, an antitrust attorney with Nixon Peabody here. "Now, it
would seem to me very hard to have David Boies argue in a Bush
administration."
Opinions about the effects of Boies' absence vary. Some sources close to
the government insist that he had largely fulfilled his job and would have
had a minor part in the appeals process.
Yet if that's true, his role, "while extremely impressive, leaves a lot
undone," George Washington University School of Law professor Bill Kovacic
said. "It's like getting off the train before it reaches hostile
territory."
The same argument could be made about the unexpected departure of Klein,
whom A. Douglas Melamed is temporarily replacing as acting assistant
attorney general.
"The loss of Joel Klein--his best skill was as an appellate lawyer--on the
one hand means the government loses some global thinking," said Mark
Ostrau, an antitrust attorney with Fenwick & West in Palo Alto, Calif. "On
the other hand, Doug Melamed is also very appellate minded and probably
more enforcement minded than Klein."
Both Boies and Klein came to personify the case in countless media
appearances, some of which helped galvanize public opinion and possibly
that of Jackson. But that is not appropriate for the next phase of the
case, legal experts say.
"The stuff that David Boies is so good at--playing to the finder of fact
at the trial level or at the court of public opinion--doesn't play well
with the appellate level," Ostrau said. He described the appeals process
as "cold and dispassionate," devoid of "the human element. Ultimately,
that's where the government has its toughest row to hoe."
Interestingly, some believe that the departures of Microsoft's chief
antagonists will not necessarily work in the company's favor.
"If you read the insider accounts that have been coming out, the suns
around which these planets are orbiting are Klein-Boies," Kovacic said.
"If I'm one of the professional staff people doing the heavy lifting, I
get tired of that."
With Boies and Klein gone, there might be renewed enthusiasm among
longtime staffers determined to hold onto what increasingly looks like
their tenuous victory, Kovacic added.
Equally unclear is the effect of the presidential election. Few legal
experts believe that a Bush administration would drastically change the
case's direction or immediately push for settlement talks, something
Microsoft likely would reject anyway.
"Microsoft's principal goal is to crush Judge Jackson's ruling and secure
a higher court's favorable precedent," said Hillard Sterling, an antitrust
attorney with Gordon & Glickson in Chicago. "Microsoft has little
incentive to cut a deal and diminish its chance for reversal."
Still, the change in administration would come at a crucial juncture in
the government's case: preparation of a Jan. 12 brief on the appeal and
oral arguments scheduled for Feb. 26 and 27.
Many legal experts predict that under a Gore administration Melamed would
deliver the important oral argument. A Bush victory would cast a shadow
over his role and possibly throw the government camp into disarray.
But Sterling believes the case is so far along that even serious personnel
changes "would not have any significant impact. What you'll see is a
change in approach and emphasis."
Kovacic believes the delays certifying a winner in the presidential race
will likely prevent a Bush administration from putting a new attorney
general in place before oral arguments. "The key political appointees at
the very top of the antitrust division will be there for the next two
months, which are pretty vital for the briefing process," he said.
No matter what the political outcome, the change in venue--from District
Court to the Court of Appeals--will have an enormous impact on the case.
Microsoft and Jackson had history coming into this case forged during an
earlier proceeding, legal experts say, and that showed during the trial.
Boies effectively played off this, with some help from Microsoft,
impugning the company's credibility.
"Microsoft totally blew their credibility with Jackson, so he countered
every inference against them," Lande said.
But before the appellate court, "Microsoft gets a clean slate from these
seven judges," Lande added. "Even if we forget the fact they're more
conservative, Microsoft hasn't burned their bridges with these judges."
Senate Panel Presses FBI for Carnivore Data
The Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday continued to press the FBI on
Carnivore, the surveillance tool said capable of capturing and storing all
electronic traffic moving through an Internet gateway.
Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican, and ranking Democrat
Patrick Leahy of Vermont asked FBI Director Louis Freeh to spell out
Carnivore's reach and address concerns that it might trample on
constitutional rights.
The system is installed at an Internet service provider (ISP) to keep
court-ordered tabs on a criminal suspect's e-mail and instant messages.
The FBI previously has told the panel -- concerned about a breach of the
U.S. Constitution's Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable
search and seizure -- that Carnivore captures only a narrow field of
information for which interception is authorized.
Specifically, this information is either source and destination data in the
case of a court-ordered ``trap and trace" operation or full messages in a
wiretap order, FBI Assistant Director Donald Kerr told the panel on Sept.
6.
In a Nov. 21 letter to Freeh, Hatch and Leahy cited records of a test
showing Carnivore ``could reliably capture and archive all unfiltered
traffic" transmitted through an ISP and store the communications on a hard
drive or removable disks.
The June 5 document at issue was produced by the FBI in response to a
lawsuit under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by the Electronic
Privacy Information Center, a private Washington-based civil liberties
organization.
``Please explain why Carnivore was tested to determine if it was capable of
intercepting and archiving unfiltered traffic through an ISP, whether
Carnivore in fact has that capability, and under what circumstances it
could ever be legitimately used to draw on that capability," they asked
Freeh.
They also asked for ``complete and non-redacted copies" of documents
handed over so far in response to the FOIA lawsuit together with ``any
other documents related to Carnivore's capability to intercept and archive
unfiltered traffic."
``Skepticism about Carnivore is based precisely on concerns about this
program's
capability and whether this capability would be exploited to do
more than just intercept narrowly targeted pieces of information," the
senators told Freeh.
The FBI had no immediate comment on the letter, sent on the same day that
the Justice Department released an outside review panel's draft report on
Carnivore.
When correctly used, Carnivore ``provides investigators with no more
information than is permitted by a given court order," the IIT Research
Institute, an arm of the Illinois Institute of Technology, said in its
draft.
The institute called Carnivore potentially ``more effective in protecting
privacy and enabling lawful surveillance" than alternatives.
Attorney General Janet Reno ordered an independent review of Carnivore's
inner workings after a stir in Congress. The Justice Department had no
immediate comment on Hatch and Leahy's letter.
Assistant Attorney General Stephen Colgate, head of the review panel that
will make recommendations to Reno on Carnivore, told Reuters last week that
a new version of Carnivore ``probably will begin being used shortly after
the new year."
He said his panel would make recommendations to Reno on "improvements that
need to be made in the system" after taking account of the outside review
panel's suggestions.
Two To Pay Government in Web Pyramid Scam
Two Connecticut residents agreed to pay the federal government more than
$72,000 to settle allegations they operated a pyramid scheme on the
Internet.
Deana Plourde and David Martinelli disguised their operation as a
work-at-home arrangement, the Federal Trade Commission said Tuesday.
Thousands of consumers were victimized, said FTC lawyer Katie
Harrington-McBride.
Plourde and Martinelli, of Terryville, Conn., sent consumers e-mail
messages offering hourly wages to those who agreed to ``handle office
duties from home," the FTC said, citing one e-mail offer.
Those who responded were told they had to pay ``registration fees" ranging
from $9.95 to $28.72.
In exchange, participants received kits instructing them to place ads
identical to the ones they had responded to. Instead of receiving an hourly
wage, participants earned a wage based on the number of others they
recruited, the FTC said.
Pyramid and work-at-home schemes are becoming increasingly common on the
Internet, but the Plourde and Martinelli operation was unique in that it
combined the two, McBride said.
It wasn't clear how many people were victimized, she said. Plourde and
Martinelli took in about $430,000, and paid out an unknown sum to
participants.
Plourde and Martinelli agreed not to participate in future pyramid schemes,
and to pay the FTC $72,312. The money will go to victims or to the U.S.
Treasury, at the commission's discretion.
AOL Is World's Leading Provider
Lynne Keyser isn't bothered by techies who deride her online service as
``Internet on training wheels." In fact, that's why she likes America
Online.
Keyser has plenty of company, too.
By targeting newcomers, AOL has become the world's leading Internet
provider. It recently surpassed 25 million subscribers, some 85 percent of
them in the United States.
The Dulles-based company is widely credited with opening the online world
to the masses. The secret: dumbing down the AOL interface to appeal to the
millions who might have otherwise have balked.
``It's been a good introduction for an idiot savant," said Keyser, 45, an
interior designer in Travers City, Mich. ``Most of us who aren't that
computer literate are going to take the easier path."
Now, AOL is poised to get very big indeed - so big that federal regulators
reviewing its proposed acquisition of Time Warner Inc. want to make the
combined company open its cable systems to competing Internet providers.
AOL Time Warner would have greater control of both the message and the
delivery method, offering customers one-stop shopping unmatched by rivals.
And AOL would have done so with little technological innovation.
The online giant, launched in 1989, has thrived despite several
pronouncements through the years of its impending death. When a move to
flat pricing in 1996 led to busy signals, critics coined ``America
Offline" or ``America On Hold". AOL gave partial refunds to settle a
class-action lawsuit - and moved on.
Its practice has often been to dismiss or delay technological breakthroughs
as too difficult for the average user.
Until late October, for instance, AOL's software couldn't read messages
heavy in graphics or sort e-mail by sender, though such features are common
elsewhere.
Even its corporate offices and five ``creative centers" where one-fifth of
AOL's 15,000 employees work have a non-tech feel, discounting rooms oddly
named after disk sectors, as in 46B:J00. The computers that run AOL are
hidden in other buildings, fortified to withstand natural disasters and
even a dropped jet engine.
AOL's strength was always targeting consumers - specifically first-time
users - while rivals CompuServe and Prodigy went after businesses. Today,
AOL owns CompuServe, which has 2.8 million subscribers. Prodigy has 2.7
million.
In favoring simplicity over functionality, AOL persuaded computer-shy
Americans to try out e-mail, instant messaging and other tools - and got
them hooked.
``AOL has done a great job of encouraging people," said Stacy Elliott,
digital lifestyle adviser at Microsoft Corp., whose competing MSN service
has 3.5 million subscribers. ``They have some good marketing."
America Online already had 1 million subscribers by 1994, the year people
began discovering the Internet en masse. Millions more have since signed up
through promotional disks stuffed into mailboxes or falling out of
newspaper inserts.
AOL's ``You've Got Mail" chant became popular enough to spawn a movie with
Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.
For many Americans, AOL is the Internet.
Still, many veterans consider the service a joke and frown on its users as
clueless ``newbies" who wander cyberspace without the proper training in
etiquette and techniques.
``Introducing new people in itself is a good thing," said James R. Curry,
23, a Web designer and programmer in Louisville, Ky., ``but AOL has
traditionally thrown people into the water without a life preserver."
One Internet service provider, FlexNet, won't even take former AOL users,
complaining that they lack technical sophistication.
That's fine, from AOL's standpoint.
As senior vice president Jonathan Sacks puts it, AOL users have no need to
switch even as their skills improve, just as motorists with automatic
transmissions don't later change to manual.
While rivals take an a la carte approach, AOL packages access, tools and
content together, so that teens can chat with friends, moms can coordinate
soccer schedules and dads can check on stock quotes - all from one service.
The company has also been adept at consolidation.
In recent years, AOL bought Mapquest's online maps and Moviefone's movie
schedules and ticket sales. Soon, Sacks said, Citibank cardholders on AOL
will be able to send digital cash to friends online.
AOL wants to become a necessity. Its mission statement: ``To build a global
medium as central to people's lives as the telephone or television ... and
even more valuable."
To keep intermediate users from deserting, the company now offers the most
popular features through a range of cell phones and other handheld devices,
including a two-way paging unit announced Thursday. For an extra fee, AOL
lets users check e-mail over a regular telephone and chat on a television
set.
By letting members - always with the same password - access personal
address books, calendars, e-mail and other services from all manner of
machine, AOL strategists reason that few people will abandon them for
competing services.
The same strategy is expected to apply also to the high-speed broadband
services that AOL will be able to provide to Time Warner's 12.6 million
cable subscribers.
``AOL really is the bellwether," said Patrick Keane, a senior analyst at
Jupiter Research. ``Now, AOL can really be a kingmaker with broadband."
Keane believes consumer inertia will be strongly in AOL's favor as
different media converge.
Ruth Sawyer, 72, a retired bookkeeper in Daphne, Ala., got her Internet
start on AOL five years ago because most of her friends had AOL accounts.
She resists calls from family members to switch.
``I'm familiar with it and the idea of how it operates and how to find
things," she said.
Tony Torti, 43, a network consultant in Narragansett, R.I., said his
teen-age daughters ``would be gravely disappointed" if he were to cancel
AOL. For one thing, changing e-mail addresses would be a pain.
No matter that at $21.95 a month, the service costs a few bucks more than
many rivals.
To lure new users, AOL recently introduced an Internet appliance, built by
Gateway, that need only be plugged in and connected to a phone line. AOL is
also distributing a ``Wired in a Week" book through Time Warner for people
scared to even insert a promotional disk without handholding.
The company has also shipped disks with Time Warner magazines and is
considering other tie-ins such as an AOL television show.
Although AOL executives say they won't discriminate against other
companies, they acknowledge the value of cross promotions. Already, ads for
Time Warner's Sports Illustrated pop up when users log on.
That could backfire, warned Andrew Bartels, an e-business analyst at Giga
Information Group.
He said content providers may look elsewhere for partnerships if they
perceive discrimination. In fact, the Internet portal Yahoo! reports
increased inquiries from providers of news since the AOL merger was
announced in January.
Complaints aren't likely to diminish as the subscriber base grows.
Over the years, AOL has been accused of unevenly enforcing its usage
policies.
At one point, it briefly purged the word ``breast" from its services,
deeming the term obscene or vulgar. The company lifted the ban only after
women complained that it stifled discussion about breast cancer.
``Under the guise of helping grandma, they establish policies that control
user experiences sometimes to their detriment," said David Cassel, who
writes an ``AOL Watch" newsletter.
Critics also complain of having e-mail blocked or of being unable to send
instant messages to users of rival services.
AOL refuses to release cancellation figures. But Ted Leonsis, president of
AOL's Interactive Properties group, insists that ``if people didn't like
it, they wouldn't keep coming."
Raymond J. Oglethorpe, president of AOL's technology group, says complaints
often come from advanced users, not AOL's targeted home audience.
``When I hear this thing that AOL is training wheels for the Internet or
it's clunky, I know we are doing our job," he said. ``The Mom and Pop
consumers, they just want to go in there and turn that computer on and
go."
Electronic Accessories on Xmas List
The personal computer may not be dead, but it's showing signs of age as
consumers are drawn to newer, hipper electronic gadgets.
``Right now, we have all the features on our computer that we need. There's
nothing really new that's out there," Diana Poston, 19, said while
shopping this week for a DVD player at a Circuit City in Glendale.
The stocks of computer manufacturers took a nosedive this week as Gateway,
Micron, Hewlett-Packard Co. and others warned that sluggish domestic demand
would mean lower profits for the foreseeable future. Those warnings also
dragged down other computer industry stocks, including Microsoft.
The trigger for the profit warnings was lower-than-expected sales over the
Thanksgiving weekend. But computer makers and analysts have been worried
about weaker sales for months, especially as the general economy has shown
continued signs of slowing and rising oil prices have eaten up more of
consumers' disposable income.
``Macroeconomics have caught up with everybody after a decade-long party,"
Roger Kay, an analyst with International Data Corp, said Friday.
``Consumers with fewer disposable dollars are looking to throttle back
their holiday purchases and buy lower ticket items, such as things that
plug into PCs and other devices."
Sales of desktop computers fell 10 percent in October compared to the same
period last year, following three months of slow or no growth, according to
PC Data.
``The heady, carefree days of double-digit growth are over," Kay said.
In contrast, sales of digital cameras rose 30 percent in October year over
year, while flat panel monitors showed a 150 percent increase and even
standard 19-inch monitors rose 50 percent. Sales of handheld computers and
personal digital assistants were up more than 100 percent.
Those trends have a bigger impact on a company such as Gateway, which
derives more than 50 percent of its revenue from domestic sales, according
to analysts. That dependence may have led to what some feel is Gateway's
overreaction to one weekend's worth of sales.
``A lot of people are saying, `My God, how could you make that call so
early?"' Jeffrey Weitzen, president and chief executive officer of
Gateway, said in a speech Thursday. ``We saw data that was clearly alarming
over the Thanksgiving weekend and we knew it was important to get that
information out early.
``In the fourth quarter last year, we did not have the right product
lineup," Weitzen said. ``That's not the problem this year. What we're
suffering from right now is we're not selling enough units."
Hewlett-Packard said Thursday that while it expected lower profits next
year, it would not be as affected by slow domestic growth because less than
10 percent of its business relies on domestic PC sales.
Adding to computer makers' woes is a feeling that the PC market is
saturated and won't pick up again for at least a year.
``Everybody's got a PC," Martin Reynolds, an analyst at the Gartner Group,
said. ``About 60 percent of homes have a PC and many of those have a second
PC."
Brett Miller, an analyst at AG Edwards, said that unlike past years, when
fast new computer chips or feature-packed software programs combined with
offers of rebates to fuel PC sales, there is no compelling reason this year
for consumers to upgrade.
``There are not applications out there that I can't run on the PC I already
have, ``Miller said. ``The PC is getting kind of old in terms of what it
does. People are spending money on home networks, PDAs, digital cameras,
consumer electronics. There are a lot of things getting people's
attention."
The corporate market has held steady this year, but has lagged mainly
because companies bought equipment as early as 1997 in anticipation of
disruptions from the Y2K bug.
Corporate sales are expected to pick up late next year as companies upgrade
to more powerful machines than can run the new Microsoft operating system,
Windows 2000.
Bad news for computer makers may mean good news for consumers who wait a
few months to buy. Slower sales and a desire to reduce inventories may lead
companies to cut prices, even before the end of the year.
``Companies don't want to get stuck with inventory after the new year,"
Kay said. ``It ages rather quickly."
The challenge for computer makers is to enter more markets and expand their
offerings to include wireless devices.
Late this year, Compaq introduced its handheld iPaq. And Gateway started
selling an Internet device called the Connected Touch Pad, designed to
offer easy Internet access from a kitchen counter or anyplace else where
bulky personal computers usually are shunned.
``Gateway understands the trend," Miller said. ``They know they are too
PC-centric. They are moving into consumer appliances, home and business
networking. It's just too little, too late."
What Price Digital Photos?
The advent of low prices is threatening to give digital cameras a bad
image.
That's the concern of some analysts and manufacturers as consumers flock
to buy sub-$200 digital cameras. Plummeting prices have brought the once
$1,000-plus category down to a range affordable for many holiday shoppers.
But the cameras that many consumers would want to own, analysts say, still
cost much more--in the range of $350 to $999. Consumers buying the
lowest-cost cameras may feel more like Santa left a lump of coal in their
stockings than a digital delight. Retailers worry disappointment could
lead to high returns--as much as 50 percent--after the holidays.
"Prices have been falling fairly rapidly, but not rapidly enough where
that feature-rich camera is going to be in the golden, $199 price point,"
said IDC analyst Chris Chute. "That won't happen until next year."
The promise of digital cameras is alluring: taking pictures that can be
stored electronically and transferred to a PC. No film. No processing.
Just instant memories that can be printed or sent to faraway friends and
relatives via email.
But consumers need to keep in mind that digital capability doesn't
automatically mean high-tech wizardry. As with any product, consumers must
look beyond the marketing hype and apparent good deals to find the digital
camera best suited to their needs. For those interested in easy,
low-resolution photos for email, low-cost cameras could in fact be the
ticket, but those seeking a replacement for film won't find it for $200,
say analysts and camera makers.
Many cheap cameras are just that--cheap. But unlike their lowest-cost film
counterparts, which still take pretty good pictures, digital cameras bring
with them a wide gulf between picture quality and price. And picture
quality varies widely from camera to camera, as do features.
The bulk of the sub-$200 cameras sport a VGA resolution of 640-by-480
pixels, which produces reasonable snapshots for email and small
reproductions, but not much better. "We expect we can get an excellent
three-by-five picture output out of that but no larger," said Richard
Pelkowski, associate product manager at Olympus America.
XGA (extended graphics array) and 1-megapixel cameras push the resolution
to 1,024-by-768 pixels, which allows printing of adequate pictures up to
5-by-7 inches.
"They were state-of-the-art 18 months to two years ago," said PC Data
analyst Stephen Baker. Still, "you get what you pay for, even when the old
technology migrates down."
While well-known names in photography, such as Eastman Kodak and Polaroid,
offer 1-megapixel cameras for around $200, many important features for a
satisfying experience are missing, analysts say.
The problem is that digital cameras in this price range offer no frills,
Chute said. "There's no LCD, multiflash mode, optical zoom" or other
niceties that go beyond the basics, he said. "Consumers tend to give up
too easy if features like USB are missing."
The sweet spot, in terms of features and performance, is closer to $350 or
higher, Chute said. The low-cost models are right for "someone who is new
to digital cameras or someone who doesn't care about quality very much."
There is no question that consumers want digital cameras and are snapping
up low-cost models. While prices on 1-megapixel and 1.3-megapixel cameras
are rapidly falling into the $199 to $299 range, cheaper VGA models have
overrun the sub-$200 category.
PC Data found that for cameras selling below $200, models below the
1-megapixel level represented 86.5 percent of retail sales, up from 58.3
percent in August. The very cheapest cameras, in terms of price and
quality, are throwaways: IDC found that promotional cameras, such as those
from America Online, made up close to 50 percent of the low-end camera
market.
Some retailers worry that low-cost cameras could breed excessive returns
following the holidays. Several consumer electronics outlets, asking not
to be identified, said returns of $99 digital cameras were running close
to 50 percent.
National retailer Wolf Camera had a 50 percent return on one $149 device,
said Greg Bragg, the company's vice president of purchasing. "People were
just so disgusted...When you're used to seeing a picture from a still
camera, and you think you're going to get that from a digital camera and
you don't, it's very, very dissatisfying."
Bragg said that experience convinced Wolf to "get away" from the
under-$200 price.
Other retailers said that returns for cameras closer to $200 varied widely
depending on the manufacturer and features, but many were below 10
percent. And low-cost leader Polaroid has told analysts that the
percentage of returns is in the single digits.
"Under 10 percent is pretty good," PC Data's Baker said. "This shows
retailers are doing a good job of managing expectations, or consumers are
getting what they want."
Olympus manager Pelkowski acknowledged that absolutely low-cost cameras do
disappoint some consumers, "but I think some of them were very pleased
with what they got for the money. They were digital. They were sharing
pictures on the Internet."
People looking for fairly good pictures need to consider the more costly
2-megapixel and 3-megapixel cameras, according to Pelkowski. In fact, say
analysts and camera makers, the difference in picture quality between 1
megapixel and 2 megapixels is significant.
This drives the price up into the $300 to $500 range for good
2.1-megapixel cameras and $700 to $1,000 for 3.3-megapixel models.
With important features such as optical zoom, LCD displays, and
resolutions up to 1,600-by-1,200 pixels, 2.1-megapixel cameras will please
most consumers, said Willy Shih, senior vice president at Kodak. Beyond
that, digital cameras offer quality of output and advanced features that
can make them strong rivals to film cameras.
"I have some 3-megapixel shots that are every bit as good as film," Shih
said.
But getting the most out of a good digital camera is still an expensive
proposition. Having the right printer, even the right printing paper, can
make all the difference.
"It's amazing sometimes how a good paper can make a cheap camera look
better," Shih said.
Retooled Navidad Virus On The Loose
Symantec's AntiVirus Research Center has discovered a new, more potent
variant to the "Navidad" virus.
Early this month, the email virus infected computers in at least 10
Fortune 500 companies, causing more annoyance than destruction, computer
experts said.
That original version had buggy code, disabling a relaunch feature that
was intended to bombard victims with repeated attacks. That bad code has
been fixed in a new version, making it potentially more damaging. In all
other respects, the two variations are identical.
The virus infects Microsoft's Outlook email application, arriving as a
reply when a person sends a message to an infected computer. If the
attachment, "navidad.exe," is run, a message in Spanish reads: "Never
press this button." If the button is pressed, a further message reads:
"Feliz Navidad. Unfortunately you have given in to temptation and will
lose your computer."
Patrick Martin, program manager for Symantec's AntiVirus Research Center
(SARC), said the variant was discovered Tuesday. SARC is giving it a threat
level of three--with five considered the highest security threat.
"It's out there; we're keeping our eyes on it, but there's no need to
panic," Martin said. "It's definitely not anything like 'Love Letter.' It
largely doesn't do anything damaging to your system, and it spreads itself
a lot more slowly."
Martin said that the original Navidad worm would launch only once,
inserting itself in a reply to all emails with attachments in the victim's
in-box. In the new version, the worm relaunches every time the email
program is activated.
Martin said the original version included a typo disabling the repeat
launch feature. He said it looked like someone had fixed the problem.
"It's like you were a terrorist, and you designed a bomb, but you didn't
plug in the fuse right," Martin said. "Somebody else came along
and...fixed it so it would do its dirty work correctly."
Martin said that SARC suspects the Navidad virus may have started
somewhere in Latin America.
"It caught attention because of the term Navidad," Martin said. "People
thought it was a Christmas worm...Since a lot of text that shows up is in
Spanish, we assume it probably came somewhere in Latin America."
=~=~=~=
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