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Atari Online News, Etc. Volume 01 Issue 36
Volume 1, Issue 36 Atari Online News, Etc. November 5, 1999
Published and Copyright (c) 1999
All Rights Reserved
Atari Online News, Etc.
A-ONE Online Magazine
Dana P. Jacobson, Publisher/Managing Editor
Joseph Mirando, Managing Editor
Atari Online News, Etc. Staff
Dana P. Jacobson -- Editor
Joe Mirando -- "People Are Talking"
Michael Burkley -- "Unabashed Atariophile"
Albert Dayes -- CC: Classic Chips
With Contributions by:
Carl Forhan
Benjamin Smith
Daniel L. Dreibelbis
Michael St. Clair
Albert Dayes
To subscribe to A-ONE, send a message to: dpj@delphi.com
and your address will be added to the distribution list.
To unsubscribe from A-ONE, send the following: Unsubscribe A-ONE
Please make sure that you include the same address that you used to
subscribe from.
To download A-ONE, set your browser bookmarks to one of the
following sites:
http://people.delphi.com/dpj/a-one.htm
http://www.icwhen.com/aone/
http://a1mag.atari.org
Visit the Atari Advantage Forum on Delphi!
http://forums.delphi.com/m/main.asp?sigdir=atari
=~=~=~=
A-ONE #0136 11/05/99
~ Gigabyte RAM Potential ~ People Are Talking! ~ CinciClassic Show!
~ Portland Atari Club ~ TAF Flea Market News ~ Songbird Update!
~ Bushnell Adds New Role ~ Internet Call Waiting! ~ Paperboy For N64!
~ MS Case Still Delayed! ~ E-cards A Hot Commodity~ Earthworm Jim 3D!
-* IRS Still Has Y2K Problems!! *-
-* Some States Still Lag In Web Access *-
-* Author Sues AOL Over Male-Mail Site Name! *-
=~=~=~=
->From the Editor's Keyboard "Saying it like it is!"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Y'know, putting out an online magazine which includes Atari news, gaming
news, and general computing technology news is hard week after week, but not
overwhelming (most of the time). What is difficult to do, almost every
week, is finding a topic for at least one of my two editorials! There are
just some weeks when, no matter when I start to write an editorial, I come
up with writer's block! This is one of those weeks! So, rather than ramble
about absolutely nothing of significance this week, I'm just going to let
you off with a simple 'have a great weekend'!!
Until next time...
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE User Group Notes! - Meetings, Shows, and Info!
"""""""""""""""""""""""
Atari Meeting in Portland, Oregon. USA
From: Benjamin Smith <bensmith@user2.teleport.com>
Please direct all replies through E-Mail at bensmith@teleport.com or
atari@benjamin.net.
If you have an Atari and live in Portland, Oregon. U.S.A. or vicinity,
you are cordially invited to attend a Meeting of the Portland Atari
Club. You don't have to be a member to attend. We meet the 2nd Tuesday
of each Month. Our Next meeting will be Tuesday, November 9th, 7 pm
at the Pizza Baron at 2604 S.E 122nd Avenue in Portland, Oregon. Get
together with other Atarians. Make friends, meet new people, maybe find
an old friend. Eat Pizza, drink Pop or Beer in a decorative atmosphere.
Bring your family to a family friendly place. For more info try:
http://pac.pdxweb.net
For more information or directions, please call our Vice President
Ben Smith at (503)256-9974 See you there!
TAF FLEA MARKET November 17th - Bargain Time!
From: Daniel L. Dreibelbis <dreibel@idirect.com>
TORONTO ATARI FEDERATION FLEA MARKET NOVEMBER 17TH!
Yes, folks, it's time once again for users of the classic Atari 8-bit, ST,
TT and Falcon computers to come to the annual event where you can divest
yourself of what you don't need while at the same time hunt out for what
you do! Sell your old stuff, discover a treasure!
Among other things you'll find at this event:
Classic systems! Looking for that Falcon? Wished you had an STe and its
expanded capabilities? Do you need a 600XL for your collection? There's a
good chance you'll find it here!
Hard-to-find games, peripherals, literature and applications!
TAF Software Library, carrying hundreds of PD/Shareware games, utilities
applications, as well as the TAF Internet discs! Plus we'll be selling 720K
floppy disks, stock up! The membership desk will also be up for renewals as
well as new members.
The camaraderie of fellow Atari users - swap stories, troubleshoot, ask
for advice! Meet some of the faces you've only read online on the Internet!
Ken Macdonald's demonstrations and sales of the various Mario Becroft
adaptors for Ataris. Use a PC three-button mouse with the Mouse Adaptor,
plug & play, works with Ataris and Amigas! Use a PC keyboard, PC mouse and
Atari joystick with the amazing new QwertyX adaptor, no soldering required!
Give your ST or STe amazing storage capacity with the Internal IDE Adaptor
kit - program storage, add a CD-ROM, use an LS-120 internal drive to
replace your disk drive! And, with the VGA Adaptor, use any VGA or SVGA PC
monitor with your Atari ST to get a beautiful hi-res display!
All this and MORE!
It's a night of fun and commerce, and it's being brought on by the one, the
only, Toronto Atari Federation - bringing you the best in Atari-related
computer info and enjoyment since 1984! See you there!
Flea Market details:
Admission and tables for TAF members: Free
Admission for non-members - $2.00 (one thin toonie)
Tables for non-members - $5.00 (admission waived if you purchase a table.
NO STOLEN ITEMS OR PIRATED SOFTWARE ALLOWED! VIOLATORS WILL BE PROSECUTED
TO THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW.
TORONTO ATARI FEDERATION meetings are held on the third Wednesday of the
month from Sept-June in the "Gold Room" of the North York Memorial Hall
located in the lower or concourse level of the North York City Centre
Library Building at 5110 Yonge Street (next to Mel Lastman Square) at
Parkholme Avenue. Those coming by public transport can take the TTC
Yonge Line north to North York Centre Station. $2 for non-members. Dues
are $25 per year, and includes a subscription to the newsletter PHOENIX.
Membership in TAF IS Atari support!
Ken MacDonald, president: anarkist@idirect.com, 416-533-0504
Dan Dreibelbis, Vice-President: dreibel@idirect.com 416-766-4743
TAF Online! BBS (now free to any Atarian!) 416-421-8999 (28.8, 8-N-1)
TAF homepage - http://taf.atari.org
CinciClassic!
From: Michael St. Clair <mickster@one.net>
The organizers of CinciClassic are proud to announce the date and location
of their 1999 collector's convention! CinciClassic aims to provide classic
videogame collectors from the midwest and worldwide with a fantastic,
non-profit event. We are proud to announce that, for the first time,
convention admission will be absolutely free!
This year's event, celebrating all classic videogames, will be the weekend
of November 5-7, 1999 at the offices of C/2 Interactive Solutions (thanks,
C/2!) in Cincinnati Ohio.
Also new this year is a constantly updated web site detailing everything
you need to know about the event, including news, hotel information and a
page detailing requests to share rides and accommodations. Check it out at
http://ic.net/~craig/cinci/
The first annual CinciClassic event, in 1998, was attended by over 25
people (this year we hope to have well over 40 people at a minimum), and
attendee response was overwhelmingly positive. For pictures of the event,
check our web site! Rare collectibles were auctioned off, great stories
were told, scores of rare games were exhibited, tons of games were played
(in tournaments and just for fun), and thousands of dollars of games were
traded and sold.
News item: William Moeller has announced that he may be coming to the show
to demo the INTV2PC hand controller, as well as the Intellivision Keyboard
Component and the unreleased Colecovision game "Steamroller" (written by
the author of BeamRider, David Rolfe)
News item: Current new Lynx games (PONX, Lexis, Sokomania, SFX) from
Songbird Productions and others will be for sale at CinciClassic. Also,
upcoming Jaguar games (Protector, Skyhammer) from Songbird Productions
will be available for demonstration and play.
News item: Prizes and giveaways from Hasbro, Intellivision Productions,
and others will be featured at CinciClassic.
News item: William Moeller has announced that he may be coming to the show
to demo the INTV2PC hand controller, as well as the Intellivision Keyboard
Component and the unreleased Colecovision game "Steamroller" (written by
the author of BeamRider, David Rolfe)
News item: William Cassidy will be on hand to demo the Odyssey 2 multi
cart on Saturday.
If you can be in Cincinnati the weekend of November 5 - 7, and love
playing and collecting classic videogames, you have got to come!
CinciClassic Final Update!
Only one more day until Friday, November 6 (opening night of CinciClassic)!
Response has been overwhelming!
This will likely be the final update. Check the web site or email us if
there are any pressing questions.
Tentative Schedule (all times subject to change):
Convention hours:
Friday 7pm - 10pm
Saturday 9am - 10pm
Sunday 11am - 2pm
Extra late night gameplay likely for Friday and Saturday
Sunday is typically just packing up to go
Auction 4pm Saturday
Arcade tournament Saturday until the auction (mystery game)
Other tournaments 1pm - 4pm Saturday (Bomberman plus 1 or more mystery
games)
Official web site: http://ic.net/~craig/cinci/
Phone number: (513)272-4000 (do not call before 6pm Friday)
Things you might want to bring: Power strips, small televisions, folding
chairs. Classic games for playing, trading, demonstrating, and bragging.
Here are some of the latest news items
News item: William Moeller has announced that he may be coming to the show
to demo the INTV2PC hand controller, as well as the Intellivision Keyboard
Component and the unreleased Colecovision game "Steamroller" (written by
the author of BeamRider, David Rolfe)
News item: Current new Lynx games (PONX, Lexis, Sokomania, SFX) from
Songbird Productions and others will be for sale at CinciClassic. Also,
upcoming Jaguar games (Protector, Skyhammer) from Songbird Productions
will be available for demonstration and play.
News item: Prizes and giveaways from Hasbro, Intellivision Productions,
and others will be featured at CinciClassic.
News item: William Cassidy will be on hand to demo the Odyssey 2 multi
cart on Saturday.
News item: Many issues of Classic Gamer magazine will be given away.
News item: Several hundreds of dollars worth of tournament prizes donated
by popular video game companies and private collectors will be given away.
Hope to see you there!
The CinciClassic Organizers
=~=~=~=
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
compiled by Joe Mirando
jmirando@portone.com
Hidi ho friends and neighbors. This is yet another installment of "What
the heck is he talking about now".
I truthfully don't have a clue as to what I want to say in this week's
column. Hey, gimme a break. It happens. <grin>
Oh! I know! I'll share a piece or two of the email I've gotten recently.
Remember how we mentioned that Delphi will be dropping dial-in support
as of the first of the year? And remember how I complained that the only
two viable telnet programs on the Atari platform lacked the ability to
upload and download?
Well, I hate to have to admit it (although you'd think that I'd be used
to it by now), but I forgot about one of the available telnet programs
for the Atari: Teli.
Dennis Vermeire emails me and tells me:
"Teli is able to up and download, it's a IConnect Client, so you need to
install PPP Connect 1.7 and MagiC. It's written by Juergen Koneckzny,
the guy who wrote Fiffi, Chatter, IFusion and is partly responsible for
IConnect.
You can download the archive from http://www.camelot.de/~zulu/index.html
its available in German and translated in English by yours truly ;-) I
think that Teli is the most complete Telnet client available on our
platform...
If you have a German PPP, you can get the English RSC files from our
website, see signature...
Teli is shareware, if you like it you can register it.
dennis.vermeire@wanadoo.be http://www.cix.co.uk/~derryck/index.htm
PS: I don't know if you and Dana get much feedback about the magazine,
but let me tell you that I look forward every friday evening when it
lands in my mailbox. You're all doing a fantastic job.... thanks and
keep it up!"
Now, normally I wouldn't have left the "ps" in the message, but I
figured what the heck!.
Additionally, another well known name in the Atari world, Pascal Ricard,
emails me and says:
"Teli (from Jorgen Koneczny zulu@camelot.de) should do the trick (needs
sz/rz for example). It works over PPPConnect (aka IConnect).
http://www.camelot.de/~zulu/home.html
Hope this helps."
Y'know, I've always heard from other writers, both in the Atari world
and in other areas, that they either get no feedback, or that they get
so little that it had might as well be none. I've been lucky I guess,
but I'm pretty happy with the feedback I've gotten and with the general
response to our humble offerings, first with STR, and now with A-ONE.
It's one thing when a newbie emails you and says "hey, thanks for the
tip on <fill in the blank>; those newbies (and let's face it, we're all
newbies at one thing or another) are the reason we do what we do. But
when people like Pascal and Dennis take the time to drop a line, it kind
of gives me one of those 'warm fuzzies' that people used to talk about.
<grin>
Thanks to both Dennis and Pascal for their input. If you are a Delphi
member and are fretting about what you're going to do for Delphi access
in the new millennium, check out Teli.
Now, let's get to the posts on the UseNet!
From the comp.sys.atari.st NewsGroup
Brian Van Tilborg asks about the limitations of CAB:
"I am looking for information on if it is possible to view webpages that
have Java? I am using Cab 2.7 demo and STing. I load a page and
nothing comes up then I check the source and sure enough it mentions
Java."
Matthias Jaap tells Brian:
"Don't confuse JavaScript with Java - two totally different languages.
And the answer to your question is no. You may view the page but CAB
won't display Java applets or use JavaScript.
There is no way around this at least not if you stick to CAB. Adamas can
use JavaScript though."
Bob King posts:
"As far as I know, Java is a supposed platform independent 'add on' to
HTML and Java script, is a language specific for one of the big two
browsers, Netscape or Explorer enabling users of these/this to
understand Java applets. Java needs a virtual engine (interpreter) built
into the browser, the Atari systems are just too slow too even think of
adding a virtual engine to CAB etc. Javascript, I think, being a much
simpler subset of java, is just about usable with the high end ataris
and Adamas has it.
If I'm wrong with the above, I'm sure some kind person, will put me/you
right."
Matthias Jaap tells Bob:
"You don't need a browser or HTML to run Java. Java popularity grew with
the web but it can be used just like any other language.
Netscape invented JavaScript and it was called LiveScript at the
beginning. Only marketing reasons caused the renaming of Netscape's
script language to "JavaScript". Because they are the inventors Netscape
sets the JavaScript standard. You can switch off JavaScript and still
use Java applets and vice versa."
JavaScript is so simple that it has something in common with almost
every language i.e. JavaScript has elements of Perl, C, Java and Pascal
with the simplicity of Basic. JS doesn't consume much memory but it
really depends on the script you use e.g. a script which preloads dozens
of images is slow but generally the speed is not an issue.
At least I've not had any speed problems on my Falcon which I wouldn't
call high-end.
Jeffrey Hostein asks:
"I have a Canon BJ 210 color printer and I haven't been able to print in
color. Are there any programs to print gifs etc. on my MSTe? BTW if
there are no drivers etc. for the Canon printers are there drivers etc.
for any other printer type?"
Joe Villarreal tells Jeffrey:
"ImageCopy 4.x does a great job of printing in color. It should support
the Canon. ImageCopy is a commercial program."
Kevin Dermott asks for emulator comparisons:
"I've just tried tosbox and quite impressed as it ran quite a few things
MPC wouldn't. How does Gemulator compare? As far as I know there is no
demo."
Roger Cain tells Kevin:
"Yup, TosBox is fine but it won't run Magic. There IS a demo (very few
restrictions) of Gemulator on www.emulators.com. I am still struggling
to get this to display properly on this PC but I think my problem is my
graphics card (ATI) rather than the emulator."
Kevin tells Roger:
"I have Magic PC but as with MagicAT It won't run some early stuff
Tosbox did. And a bonus: stuff that wouldn't work on a real tos 2.06
works on it. I downloaded the Gemulator demo three times I think it's
faulty as it just goes to 400/800 emulation and wont even let me choose
STe etc."
Veronica Lane posts:
"I just found this newsgroup & have a couple questions. I have an
Atari 1040 STE that I used from 1989- 1993 to run EditTrak (MIDI
program) for my band. I haven't used the machine in years, but I am
wondering if there will be any problems with Y2K regarding either the
computer or the software. I am very concerned about all the work I put
into the songs & I don't want to loose the ability to play them in the
future. Can anyone help me?"
Karl Ashton tells Veronica:
"Your MIDI program and STE will run fine after 2000, so nothing to panic
about.
The only thing I'd do would be to make backups of your important disks
and maybe get the data put onto CD if/when you get a chance (lasts
longer than a floppy)."
Matthias Jaap adds:
"I can only say about the hardware that the ST and its operating system
are fully Y2K compliant."
John Whalley tells Veronica:
"As others have said I doubt you'll have any problems, but if you want a
summary of the (few) Y2K issues raised in this group over the last
couple of years you might like to check out my Y2K page at:
http://www.whalley.demon.co.uk/atari/y2k.html"
Paul Matthews asks:
"I would like to change my DD external disk drive to a high density
drive, do I need a specific type of high density drive or can I use any
type of PC drives? Are there any jumpers that need to be set? The
internal drive is high density and works very nicely.
Is it just a matter of changing the drive in the external case and
switching on?"
Joe Villarreal tells Paul:
"I replaced the DD drive in an external Golden Image drive. Both the
original and replacement high density drive were Teac drives. It's been
working great for several years. The drive needs to be set as drive 0."
Well folks, that's it for this week. 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 - 'Paperboy' For N64! 'Earthworm Jim 3D'
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" PSX 'Ballistic'! 'Psychic Force 2012'!
'Toy Commander'! 'Spyro 2'!
And much more!
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE's Game Console Industry News - The Latest Gaming News!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Midway Delivers Paperboy
Coin-Op Classic Arrives for Nintendo 64
America's favorite paperboy is making headlines again! Midway Home
Entertainment Inc., one of the industry's leading video game publishers and
developers, Thursday announced that an updated, 3D version of the coin-op
classic Paperboy for the Nintendo 64 game console is available nationwide.
A Game Boy Color version is currently available.
``Paperboy has long been a coin-op favorite and now, with the release of
Paperboy for the Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Color, Midway is bringing the
game to a whole new generation of gamers," said Paula Cook, director of
marketing for Midway Home Entertainment.
In Paperboy, good old Mr. Daily needs help. Mr. Daily is the owner of the
Daily Sun, the oldest and most respected paper in town. Unfortunately, in
the last few years an unscrupulous competitor has moved in, and by stealing
subscribers, has threatened to put the Sun out of business. Only Paperboy,
whose bike riding and newspaper tossing skills are unmatched, can save the
day. By increasing the subscription rate to 75% across the all-American
community of Centreville, the Daily Sun will once again be the town's
number one source of news.
Gamers' newspaper-tossing skills are tested in over 25 levels, such as
Alice's RV Haven and Raybob's Junkyard, each featuring secret areas and
hidden tracks. Along the way, a ton of obstacles, including cacti, cows,
skunks and pelicans, impede players' progress. As digital paperboys and
papergirls struggle to stay on their bikes, they attempt to pull off a
variety of aerial stunts that can improve their score.
Rockstar Games Ships Earthworm Jim 3D for the Nintendo 64
Rockstar Games, a division of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.,
announced Thursday that Earthworm Jim 3D has shipped and is wriggling its
way onto retail stores shelves this week. As one of the most popular 2-D
platform characters ever on the 16-bit Super Nintendo Entertainment System,
``America's Favorite Earthworm Super Hero" has finally returned to video
game consoles in his first 3D platform adventure ever for the Nintendo 64.
Developed by Vis Interactive, Earthworm Jim 3D takes gamers on wild and
wacky adventure through Earthworm Jim's demented mind in a battle for his
sanity against all of his classic arch-enemies including Psy-Crow, Fatty
Roswell, Professor Monkey-for-a-Head, Bob The Goldfish as well as the usual
cast of evil cows, chickens, and zombies!
``We are excited to finally bring Earthworm Jim into the world of 3D in his
very own platform adventure for the Nintendo 64," stated Sam Houser,
president of Rockstar Games. ``Fans of the Earthworm Jim series will be
happy to know that all the fun of Earthworm Jim's signature humor, moves,
characters, and game play is still here and looking better than ever on the
Nintendo 64!"
Gamers Republic magazine describes Earthworm Jim 3D as ``quite simply, one
of the most original, entertaining, and funny 3D action/adventure/platform
games you're likely to ever play on the Nintendo 64."
IGN64.com states, ``Earthworm Jim 3D brings the classic 2D formula of the
franchise screaming into the third dimension."
Earthworm Jim 3D for the Nintendo 64 takes the one of the most beloved
video game characters ever to the next level. Spanning 4 sections of Jim's
brain and 15 levels to conquer in a battle for Earthworm Jim's sanity,
players must try to rescue Jim's consciousness from a coma in which he has
lost all his marbles as all of his evil rivals try to take advantage of the
situation. The end result is an insane Earthworm Jim adventure that takes
all the classic elements of the video game franchise which spawned a wildly
successful television cartoon series and a line of toys and action figures
and transformed it into one of the most fun, colorful, addictive, and
long-awaited 3D platform adventures of this upcoming holiday season.
Infogrames North America Goes Ballistic On PlayStation and Game Boy Color
The New Addictive Puzzle Game Spirals Into Stores This Week
Infogrames North America announced this week the shipment of Ballistic for
the Sony PlayStation and Nintendo Game Boy Color. Warning: Ballistic has
been known to be the cause of hours of fun, irrepressible laughter,
enjoyable frustration and is sometimes accompanied by an uncontrollable
need to whack your opponent in the arm.
Ballistic requires players to protect the center of the ``loop" from a
never ending flow of brightly colored balls which feed onto a spiral-shaped
belt that converges in the middle. If a ball reaches the center of the
loop, the game is over. Players aim a rotating turret and shoot a ball into
a chain of balls. In order to eliminate balls and relieve pressure from the
constantly converging chain, players must create combinations of three
balls or more of the same color. Exclusive to the PlayStation version,
special bonus balls including smart bombs, tornadoes, and bumblebees are
used to destroy all the balls on the screen of the same color. This allows
for unique gameplay throughout the various levels.
``Ballistic is one of those incredibly addictive puzzle games that you just
can't put down," said Rick Reynolds, director of product marketing for
Infogrames North America's I-Heroes Label. ``Easy to learn and irresistibly
fun gameplay make Ballistic a must-have for all ages this holiday season."
The PlayStation version of Ballistic features three modes of play: Panic
Mode, a continuous game where players see how many stages can be completed;
Stage Mode, a timed game where players must complete the game in stages,
resulting in a time bonus award based on how fast a stage is cleared; and
Vs. Mode, a two-player head-to-head battle, which uses split-screen play on
the PlayStation.
Four modes of play are included in the Game Boy Color version: Panic Mode,
a continuous game where players see how many stages can be completed;
Checkmate Mode, where players are given a certain number of balls to solve
individual puzzles; Time Trial Mode, where players are timed to see how
quickly they can eliminate 200 balls; and Vs. Mode, where two players can
compete head-to-head via a link cable and two Game Boys.
Developed in Japan by the Mitchell Corporation, Ballistic supports Dual
Shock controllers on the PlayStation and is compatible for both Game Boy
and Game Boy Color. Ballistic can be found at most major retail outlets at
an estimated retail price of $29.99 for PlayStation and $19.99 for Game Boy
Color.
Taito's Psychic Force 2012 Set To Blow Gamers' Minds On Sega Dreamcast
Acclaim Entertainment, Inc. announced it is distributing the Sega Dreamcast
version of Taito's anime-style 3D fighter, Psychic Force 2012. The game is
scheduled to ship November 9, under the Acclaim Distribution, Inc. label.
``Psychic Force 2012 features stunning graphics and original gameplay
unlike any other Dreamcast fighter," said Thomas Bass, marketing manager
at Acclaim Entertainment. ``This unique 3D fighter couples the popularity
of anime with exciting gameplay, proving to be an ideal match for our
target Sega Dreamcast audience."
In Psychic Force 2012, players take control of up to thirteen psychic
warriors and square off in a 360-degree floating arena suspended high above
city skylines. Players can move their characters anywhere within the arena
and use both short-range hand-to-hand attacks and long-range powerful
psychic blasts. Each character specializes in the control of a certain
element. For example, the renegade psychic warrior Emilio controls light,
and the fiery female warrior Regina uses her mastery of fire in her effort
to create a psychic utopia.
``Psychic Force 2012 allows gamers the largest range of movement of any 3D
fighter available," said Jason Vandehey, producer at Acclaim
Entertainment. ``Gamers can attack and defend while moving their characters
up, down, backward and forward. This versatility combined with its
stylistic anime graphics allows Psychic Force 2012 to stand apart from
other fighting games."
Spyro -2- : Ripto's Rage! Charges Onto Playstation
Game Console Just in Time for the Holidays
Sony Computer Entertainment America announced the release of the
highly-anticipated Spyro (2): Ripto's Rage!, now available at retailers
nationwide exclusively for the PlayStation game console.
The immensely popular Spyro is back with all new moves and a fresh
attitude, ready to take on a host of challenging new adventures just in
time for the holiday season.
In Spyro (2): Ripto's Rage!, the sequel to the top-selling, original
PlayStation franchise Spyro the Dragon, we find Spyro on his way to Dragon
Shores for a well-deserved vacation. Much to his chagrin, Spyro is instead
catapulted into the World of Avalar, a land once filled with peace and
harmony, now overrun with darkness and fear as a dinosaur-riding
troublemaker Ripto makes life miserable with his magic spells. If Spyro is
to ever reach his dream vacation destination, he must save all of the
helpless inhabitants, restore order to Avalar and ultimately rid that world
of the wicked Ripto. Spyro's journeys take players through a series of
diverse and challenging new adventures covering 30 fantastical 3D worlds,
each with its own unique theme and appeal. To complete each challenge, the
clever purple dragon boasts all new moves, including Swim, Climb, Headbash,
Supershot, pick up and Spit rocks, Superfly, Supercharge and more.
Spyro (2): Ripto's Rage! challenges gamers with intriguing primary,
secondary and bonus tasks that include puzzles, mini-games and hidden
areas, heightening the gaming experience. These tasks can vary from
somewhat simple to extremely complex, and include speed, dexterity and
puzzle challenges. Beginning players can choose to play through the game
completing only the primary tasks, while advanced gamers can opt to take on
the secondary and bonus tasks, earning special Orb rewards. Although these
Orb challenges are not mandatory to progress to the next level, they are
essential for full completion of the game, adding a deeper level and wider
variety of gameplay. Players who complete 100 percent of the game will be
generously rewarded with a surprise.
``With the original Spyro the Dragon game, we found that gamers of all
types enjoyed the mischievous lead character, quirky humor and unparalleled
graphics that the game offered," said Ami Blaire, director, product
marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment America. ``With Spyro (2): Ripto's
Rage!, we brought back these favorite features, while completely enhancing
the gaming experience with all new character moves, larger 3D worlds, and
more challenging, varied gameplay. Spyro (2): Ripto's Rage! offers exciting
and immersive gaming for players of all skill levels."
Fun, Nostalgia and Multiplayer Warfare Collide
in Toy Commander for Sega Dreamcast
This is war! Suit up, grab your favorite toy and report for duty! Sega of
America announced Thursday that ``Toy Commander" is currently available
for the 128-bit, Internet-ready Sega Dreamcast videogame system.
This innovative air and land toy warfare game takes place in a vibrant
storybook-style house with fully explorable 3D rooms. Packed with more than
50 hours of gameplay, four-player multiplayer action and intense missions,
gamers ``go small" as they are challenged to battle rebellious toys that
are wreaking havoc about the house. Players will be filled with nostalgia
as they race through the game and uncover toys from their past and many
other surprises. ``Toy Commander" is available at retailers nationwide for
$49.95.
Developed by the European-based No Cliche, ``Toy Commander" begins with an
eight year-old boy named Andrew Gunthy, who plays with his toy airplanes,
tanks and helicopters. Suddenly, his old toys have rebel and it is up to
Andy and gamers to prove they are the true ``toy commander" by completing
numerous exciting missions to defeat the rogue toys. Gamers will have full
reign of the totally explorable rooms to complete their missions fly in and
out of mom and dad's room, explore under the bed via a tank or zoom around
the room looking for the enemy who is taking cover behind the toy box.
``'Toy Commander' is a breakthrough title for Sega Dreamcast," said Greg
Thomas, vice president of product development, Sega of America. ``The
'miniaturized' gameplay elements and environments provide a unique and
nostalgic experience, while delivering real action to gamers of all ages."
One of the most entertaining aspects of ``Toy Commander" is the variety of
toys that players must utilize for defense or means of transportation.
Players must use a variety of vehicles including planes, trucks, tanks,
jeeps and helicopters, each with its own special abilities. Watch out!
Planes can be armed with weapons including pencil missiles or eraser bombs.
Although players control toys, the intense gameplay is very real, as
plastic military vehicles come to life with devastating firepower and
explosive combat abilities. These vehicles become critical for completing
missions.
The 40 humorous and clever missions in ``Toy Commander" require gamers to
think strategically and use the tools (and toys!) they are given. Players
are challenged to do anything from kill an evil cockroach lurking in the
toilet pipes to drop eggs into a pot on the stove to make hard boiled eggs.
Don't be fooled, these missions require lots of creative problem solving!
For example, in order to boil the eggs, the stove must be turned on, and
players need to use the tank to shoot at the stove controls to get it
blazing. The eggs need to be rolled off a platform into the pot, so gamers
must strategize on which would be the best vehicle for the job.
Up to four players can battle it out via split screen in these different
multiplayer modes with a wide range of 30 different vehicles to choose
from. The deathmatch lets players fight it out until the finish; ``cat and
mouse" challenges one player to avoid all other players; and in ``capture
the flag," gamers need to go to an opponent's headquarters they set up in
the house, grab their flag and bring it to your base to win.
Electronic Arts Ships Knockout Kings 2000 for the PlayStation
Electronic Arts Tuesday announced that it has shipped Knockout Kings 2000
on the PlayStation video game system. Knockout Kings 2000 is the only
boxing game that allows fans of the ``sweet science" to play as the
legendary fighters who built the sport. This year Joe Frazier joins fellow
boxing greats Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Evander Holyfield, Lennox
Lewis and Oscar De La Hoya to headline the incredible lineup of 50 boxers.
New face wrap technology makes the boxers in the game come to life and look
totally authentic.
Last year's Knockout Kings on the PlayStation became the best selling
boxing video game in the history of the industry, according to TRSTS Video
Game Report, published by the NPD Group. Knockout Kings 2000 is currently
available on the Nintendo 64 and will ship on the Game Boy Color later
this fall.
WBC Heavyweight Champion Lennox Lewis, who will square off against Evander
Holyfield next week in Las Vegas, has been playing Knockout Kings 2000 for
some pre-fight strategizing. ``On November 13 I plan on taking the
championship belts that are rightfully mine," said Lewis. ``I've been
playing Holyfield in Knockout Kings 2000 and I am destroying him. I've been
trying out a lot of different game plans against Evander and they all seem
to be working. It's giving me a taste for our rematch, and I like what I
see."
The PlayStation version of Knockout Kings has a number of features that
distinguish it from the competition. A classic fight mode allows the user
to relive the biggest and most famous fights of all time, such as Ali vs.
Frazier, Duran vs. Leonard, and Sugar Ray Robinson vs. Jake Lamotta. It is
possible to train in the some of the most famous gyms, and fight in the
most well known venues in the world. An interactive training mode teaches
the gamer how to play Knockout Kings 2000 by showing how to throw and block
punches, as well as move around the ring. How well a boxer performs in the
gym affects his performance in a real fight.
The complete roster of boxers in Knockout Kings 2000 includes Muhammad Ali,
Alexis Arguello, Frank Bruno, Hector Camacho, Oba Carr , Julio Cesar
Chavez, Oscar De La Hoya, Jack Dempsey, Roberto Duran, Eric ``Butterbean"
Esch, Joe Frazier, Michael Grant, Marvin ``Marvelous" Hagler, Larry
Holmes, Evander Holyfield, Ingemar Johanson, Mark ``Too Sharp" Johnson,
Kevin Kelley, Jake Lamotta, Mills Lane, Sugar Ray Leonard, Lennox Lewis,
Sonny Liston, Danny ``Little Red" Lopez, Joe Louis, Ed Mahone, Ray ``Boom
Boom" Mancini, Angel Manfredy, Rocky Marciano, Floyd Mayweather, Barry
McGuigan, Bronco McKart, Archie Moore, Erik Morales, ``Sugar" Shane
Mosley, Carlos Navarro, Ken Norton, Sean O'Grady, Floyd Patterson, Pedro
Pena, Aaron Pryor, Ike ``Bazooka" Quartey, David Reid, Sugar Ray Robinson,
Danny Romero, Earnie Shavers, Leon Spinks, David Tua, Fernando Vargas and
Pernell ``Sweet Pea" Whitaker.
``Knockout Kings 2000 is a completely different experience on the
PlayStation than it is on the Nintendo 64 or Game Boy Color versions,"
said Michael Pole, senior vice president and executive in charge of
production, Electronic Arts. ``The simulation aspects of this game are what
make it second to none. We set out to create the ultimate boxing game for
the purist who loves the sport, and we have delivered."
Each fighter has a biography in the game that educates the gamer as to what
made the boxer famous and talks about their fighting style. With the
ability to throw hooks, jabs, crosses, uppercuts, body punches, and special
counter punches, it is possible to fight any kind of style in the ring.
There are also 12 different kinds of combination punches that can be thrown
to help pummel an opponent into submission.
Each boxer's style, strength, weight, height, speed, reach and stamina are
factored into the artificial intelligence to ensure a realistic boxing
experience. Also included are the intangibles that make a boxer great, such
as the will to win. Knockout Kings 2000 factors in a boxers ``heart" to
gauge that will, as well as how easily a cut can open on his face.
An enhanced ``create-a-boxer" feature allows the user to create a boxer
with specific fighting skills and a very distinctive look. With the ability
to choose hair style and color, facial hair style and color, trunks,
height, weight, shoes, gloves, nickname, signature moves, and other
attributes, the create a boxer feature enables a user to customize a boxer
however they desire. That created boxer can then be taken through the ranks
in career mode in three different weight classes. In each weight class,
including light, middle, and heavyweight, he will have to fight 10
fictional boxers and 10 licensed boxers to gain the championship belt. He
then will have to fight other licensed boxers to retain the belt, and those
championship caliber opponents are the true titans of the sport.
Famous referee Mills Lane worked with EA SPORTS(TM) on the game to give his
expert opinion on the strengths and weakness of current and past fighters.
The broadcasting element of Knockout Kings 2000 helps immerse the user in
the boxing experience. Jimmy Lennon, Jr, makes ring announcements and
introduces the fighters. Sean O'Grady and Al Albert provide play-by-play
commentary, and Lane gives the boxers pre-fight instructions.
Dynamite Cop for Sega Dreamcast Brings Fully
Interactive Arcade Fighting Action Home
Terrorists have kidnapped the President's daughter and it's your mission to
battle through throngs of thugs to save her life in ``Dynamite Cop" for
the 128-bit, Internet-ready Sega Dreamcast videogame console. ``Dynamite
Cop," the sequel to the arcade hit ``Die Hard Arcade," features intense
arcade fighting action, fully explorable 3D environments and more than 100
non-traditional weapons (including a rack of beef!) for the ultimate
adrenaline rush. As an added bonus, the game has additional stages and a
mini game, which is exclusive to the Sega Dreamcast version. ``Dynamite
Cop" is available at retailers nationwide today for $49.95.
In ``Dynamite Cop," players assume the role of special agents Bruno
Delinger, Jean Ivy and Eddie Brown, each with a unique and varied set of
special moves and combination attacks. To make their rescue, they must
engage the enemy in combat on both land and sea. But this won't be easy,
Sega Dreamcast is smart. It learns players' favorite attacks and works to
counteract them - especially if gamers use the same moves again and again.
Consequently, players are challenged to learn a wide range of fighting
techniques to win.
Traditional action/fighting games of the past look boring compared to
``Dynamite Cop," which is packed with hysterical fighting elements.
Players can utilize a large fish, a piece of sushi or anything in the fully
interactive environments as a weapon. To add to the entertainment-value of
the game, characters will lose articles of clothing as they are hit, until
their combat suit is practically their birthday suit!
``'Dynamite Cop' is a perfect arcade title to bring home because of the
wide range of possibilities given to gamers with the interactive
environments, the weapons and the new features for the home version," said
Greg Thomas, vice president of product development, Sega of America. ``Sega
will continue to bring its best arcade properties to the home with the
`extras' that gamers enjoy to expand gameplay even further."
Key additions and enhancements have been made to the Sega Dreamcast version
of ``Dynamite Cop." There are three new missions and two exclusive modes -
Versus and Survival. In the Versus mode, players go head-to-head against a
friend and in Survival mode gamers are challenged to play until they've
depleted their health. As an added bonus, a ``Tranquilizer Gun" mini game
(an arcade game from the `80s) and an Illustration Gallery filled with more
than 200 illustrations of characters can be accessed by players.
The Visual Memory Unit (VMU) for Sega Dreamcast is a perfect vehicle for
giving gamers more ways to play. In ``Dynamite Cop," players are treated
to extras including new weapons, more character illustrations and a bonus
character taken from ``Die Hard Arcade" that can be downloaded from the
Sega Dreamcast Network, accessible only through Sega Dreamcast. These extra
elements are bundled together under the name ``Detonator Pack" and can be
downloaded prior to starting a game.
``Dynamite Cop" is currently available at retailers nationwide and at
sega.com for $49.95.
Namco Sues in Baseball Row
Namco has filed a lawsuit against Konami, claiming it released a mini-game
in a baseball title that was in violation of an existing patent. The
software in question is a baseball game released last July for PlayStation.
It features a mini-game that users can play while they wait for the actual
game to load. Namco claims this violates a patent it registered in January
'98.
The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reports that Namco is seeking a court ruling that
would stop Konami from producing and selling the program. This isn't the
first time the Japanese giants have had to see each other in court. Konami
recently applied to the Tokyo District Court seeking an injunction that
would force Namco to suspend production and sale of its Guitar Jam title,
also due to patent infringement.
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE Gaming Online - Online Users Growl & Purr!
"""""""""""""""""""
Jaguar Update from Songbird
*** PRE-ORDER SPECIALS END TODAY (NOV 1) ***
Songbird Productions
http://songbird.atari.org
Songbird Productions is your leading supplier of new and hard-to-find
products for the Atari Lynx and Jaguar. Jaguar fans have responded
enthusiastically these past few weeks and pre-ordered the upcoming games
-- Skyhammer, Soccer Kid, Hyper Force, and Protector.
Any pre-orders received or postmarked by Nov. 1st will qualify for
pre-order pricing and specials. You can still pre-order three of the four
upcoming games beyond today -- however, you will not be eligible for the
pre-order pricing and specials.
*** SCHEDULE CHANGE: HERE COMES PROTECTOR! ***
The release schedule has been rearranged, resulting in Protector being
moved up to the 12/20/99 release date, and Skyhammer being placed at the
05/08/00 release date. Hyper Force and Soccer Kid are unaffected.
Songbird is aware that many fans are eagerly awaiting the release of
Skyhammer, and this game is still definitely committed to release. The
reason for the schedule adjustment is simply a matter of cost. Original
quotes from electronics vendors several months ago were 30-40% lower than
what they are currently. This rise in cost makes it much more difficult to
release Skyhammer at the committed price point, so as a result Songbird
plans to ride out the temporary increase in component cost and purchase
these parts in early 2000 when hopefully the prices have declined.
Your patience and understanding is appreciated in this matter. Songbird is
releasing a total of four new games for the Jaguar over the next 7 months,
and the costs and risks involved are significant.
Songbird also recognizes some customers may have pre-ordered only
Skyhammer because it was the first game in the release schedule. If this
applies to you, and you would now like to switch your pre-order to
Protector instead, simply email Songbird at songbird@atari.org indicating
your desire, and we will gladly accommodate the switch.
Protector is an exciting 2D bidirectional shooter that has been a surprise
hit with many Jaguar fans at JagFest '99 and CGE '99. Songbird is
confident that this game is an excellent kickoff to the release schedule.
*** ORDERS NOW ACCEPTED FOR PROTECTOR ***
Due to the change in schedule, Songbird is now accepting full orders for
Protector, which will be released on 12/20/99. The retail price of
Protector for new orders is $74.95 plus shipping.
If you pre-ordered Protector, you will owe a balance of $44.95 plus
shipping. If you pre-paid by credit card, you will need to authorize
payment of the balance on your card or supply a different card number.
Please contact Multimedia 1.0 again to complete your order, or email
Songbird with your complete order, customer information, and credit card
number. Payment by check or MO in US Dollars is also always accepted.
Please email Songbird at songbird@atari.org with any questions. And a big
thank you to every Jaguar fan who has pre-ordered one or more of the
upcoming games.
Sincerely,
Carl Forhan
Songbird Productions
http://songbird.atari.org
=~=~=~=
A-ONE's Headline News
The Latest in Computer Technology News
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
IRS Acknowledges Problems In Y2K Preparation
The Internal Revenue Service has told Congress it has experienced some
``trouble spots" in preparing for the Year 2000 computer problem, although
it is working on contingency plans and could manually issue some tax
refunds.
In a letter sent earlier this month to House Ways and Means Committee
Chairman Bill Archer, the IRS said its records of equipment and software
at its offices around the country posed a high risk to its Y2K preparation
efforts.
IRS Commissioner Charles Rossotti wrote that visits to the Atlanta and
Philadelphia Service Centers and the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh field
offices had revealed both strengths and weaknesses in the inventory
records.
``The quality of the IRS's inventory currently poses a high risk to the
Y2K effort," he said in the letter dated Oct. 15.
Some computers and software withdrawn from service were still in the
database while other equipment being used was not recorded.
``While there is always an element of risk, and we do have some trouble
spots in our effort toward becoming Y2K compliant, I am confident we will
be prepared for the Year 2000," Rossotti wrote to Archer, a Texas
Republican.
A coding glitch could cause older computers and software to mistake the
2000 date rollover as 1900 come Jan. 1 unless the machines are fixed or
replaced.
The IRS Commissioner stressed that the agency's returns processing
systems, both paper and electronic, had been made Y2K compliant and
successfully undergone so-called end-to-end tests in which all parts of
the system work together.
But there is no alternate IRS system to process returns or issue refunds
in the event of a Y2K failure, Rossotti said.
The 10 IRS service centers combined could produce up to 10,000 manual
refunds daily and would be issued to taxpayers most in need.
If manual refunds were issued, Rossotti said, they would go first to
taxpayers with IRS-approved taxpayer assistance orders, then to people
with gross incomes of $10,000 or less, and then increasing in increments
of $5,000 depending on the ability to issue the manual refunds.
Some States Lag In Web Access
California, home of Silicon Valley, provides the fewest computer terminals
for its students. The District of Columbia, in a region through which 65% of
global Internet traffic flows, offers schoolchildren the worst access to
computers that can surf the World Wide Web.
And new teachers are no more likely than veteran peers to know how to teach
with computers, and less than one-fifth of the dollars schools spend on
technology goes to train them.
An annual report on school technology released Tuesday said while the number
of school computers has doubled since 1993 to 8 million nationwide, many
states lag in access they provide students. Furthermore, the report said, if
classroom computers are going to make a difference, the nation must focus on
training teachers to do more with them than surfing Web sites and sending
e-mail.
Decision in Microsoft Trial Delayed
The judge in the Microsoft Corp. antitrust trial delayed the first phase of
his verdict for at least seven days on Friday.
Court officials announced last week that the judge's ``factual findings"
would be issued on an upcoming Friday at 6:30 p.m. in Washington, but they
didn't indicate which Friday.
Under rules adopted by the court, U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield
Jackson's office will notify government and company lawyers after the
close of financial markets that a decision is about to be announced. But
the lawyers won't know the outcome until it is publicly disclosed.
The court said a few copies of the findings will be available for the
public and reporters at the courthouse, and electronic copies of the
decision will be published by Microsoft and the Justice Department on
their own Web sites.
Additionally, the court will post the findings on a Web site specially
created for this purpose by the Government Printing Office, at
http://usvms.gpo.gov.
Author Sues AOL Over Male-Mail Name
The author of a book titled ``You've Got Male" is suing America Online,
alleging the Internet giant is blocking access to her Web site because the
title closely resembles its e-mail catchphrase, ``You've Got Mail."
``You've Got Male" is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the perils of
Internet dating.
Madelene Sabol, a relationship counselor who lives in Aurora, said AOL has
been threatening her since July with a lawsuit over the title of her book.
``I was stressed out from that moment on, I just don't understand how they
can really believe their word is at all similar to mine," Ms. Sabol said.
``I do all of my business through AOL, with the people who sell my book,
all my communication - I am afraid that one day they are going to click me
off everything."
Ms. Sabol claims AOL officials have made it difficult for people to
purchase the book online by informing them the site is unavailable through
the AOL server. She said company lawyers also have demanded the Web site
be transferred to their authority.
Ms. Sabol's attorney James Thorburn of Elizabeth filed a lawsuit in Elbert
County District Court Thursday seeking a permanent injunction and a
restraining order against AOL.
America Online officials were unavailable for comment.
In September, AOL spokesman Jim Whitney said the company doesn't want
customers to be confused into thinking the book is associated with AOL.
Companies Find Best Wishes In E-cards
Electronic greeting cards are free, unprofitable, and may seem impersonal,
but that hasn't stopped them from becoming one of the hottest commodities
in e-commerce nowadays.
Just last week, Excite@Home bought privately held Blue Mountain Arts, the
leading greeting card site, for a surprisingly large sum--$780 million in
cash and stock.
At the same time, two of the industry's biggest players--Egreetings and
AmericanGreetings.com--are planning to go public, having recently filed for
multimillion-dollar IPOs. AmericanGreetings.com could go public as early as
this week.
In addition, executives of giant greeting card companies, including ones
from Hallmark, are jumping ship for Internet greeting card companies--just
as in other industries.
E-cards have become popular because they are an effective way to generate
traffic and acquire new customers, said Jared Schutz, executive director of
Blue Mountain's online site. Although Excite@Home ended up with Blue
Mountain, big players such as venture group CMGI and online toy store eToys
were rumored to be interested in the company.
"All the major sites realize that greeting cards are important to their
overall strategy," Schutz said. "The e-card space is a proven traffic
generator."
Virtual cards, which companies such as Blue Mountain and Egreetings offer
on their Web sites, typically are animated and include music. A card sender
selects a card and types a message, then the e-greeting provider notifies
the card's recipient via email to fetch the card at a special Web address.
Like paper greeting cards, the sites offer e-cards for all occasions;
however, unlike paper ones, these are offered for free.
This can be a costly business. Egreetings, for example, lost $12.3 million
during the first six months of this year on only $724,000 in revenue,
according to regulatory filings. Although the company initially charged
fees for its electronic cards, it changed course last year to offer free
cards, supporting itself through advertising and other product sales.
Despite the new focus, the company projects continued losses for the
"foreseeable future," according to the filing. "Our new business model
is largely untested, and we cannot be sure that it will yield the results
that we expect," Egreetings said. "Because the Internet is constantly
changing, we may need to change our business model again to adapt to those
changes."
And although Media Metrics has consistently ranked Blue Mountain as one of
the top e-commerce sites in terms of traffic, its revenue has been
negligible.
Gomez Advisors e-commerce analyst Hank Hudepohl said he doubts that these
companies or any others will be able to charge for e-cards. "I don't see
Hallmark creating a card that people will pay for when other people will
give it away for free," Hudepohl said.
Companies such as Amazon.com see the cards as marketing tools. They use
the cards to lure new consumers to their sites, where they can sell other
products such as books, music, or gifts.
"For Amazon, the e-cards are a great way to generate traffic and to bring
customers to the Amazon stores," said Eric Broussard, the company's general
manager for e-cards.
Although the cards are popular, they have limitations, according to some
observers. Sending someone a paper card through the mail still carries
more meaning than emailing someone an e-card, said Sparks.com chief
executive Felicia Lindau.
"There is nothing that will take the place of a tangible card," she said.
MSN Unveils Internet Call Waiting
People who juggle a single telephone line for Web surfing and making calls
can now get an Internet version of call waiting and caller ID so they can
log on and still find out if they're getting a call and who's calling.
The service, developed by Nortel Networks, is being offered to subscribers
of Microsoft's MSN for an extra $4.95 or $5.95 per month.
MSN launched the service Thursday in Atlanta, Seattle and San Diego with
plans to offer it in 50 major U.S. markets over the next several months. A
similar service using the Nortel system was recently introduced in Chicago
by the phone company Ameritech.
Whenever there's an incoming call while a user's computer is connected to
the Internet, the service opens a pop-up window on the monitor, displaying
the name and phone number of the caller.
The pop-up window offers a few alternatives if the person getting the call
doesn't want to pick up the phone and end their Internet connection.
The call can be forwarded to another number such as a voice mail line or
mobile phone. The user can also send a recorded or generic ``call back"
message to the caller. Or, if the computer is equipped for Internet
telephony, the call can be answered through that machine without
terminating the Web connection.
To use the service, subscribers also need to order ``call forward busy"
from their local phone companies, which costs from 50 cents to $2 per
month in most parts of the country, but can go as high as $3.35 a month in
California communities served by Pacific Bell.
Ameritech's monthly fee of $6.95 includes call foward busy.
Despite the added expense, the service may be appealing to many consumers
and small businesses, who might otherwise miss calls or have to pay the
$15 to $25 a month it costs to have a second phone line.
Likewise, the high-speed Internet service called DSL, or digital
subscriber line, provides a simultaneous Web and phone connection over a
single phone line, but costs from $40 to $60 a month.
Yankee Group, an industry research firm, predicts that 10 million
households will subscribe to Internet call waiting services by 2001,
growing to 26 million by 2003. International Data Corp., another research
firm, expects these services to generate $400 million a year in revenues
by 2003.
There is no activation fee from Nortel or MSN, which hopes to integrate
the monthly charge for the service into its monthly bill. Nortel will
operate the service for MSN and bill customers directly at first.
While Nortel's technology is somewhat new in this country, it has been
available in Canada for more than a year.
Nortel, which usually doesn't operate the high-tech communications
equipment it develops and manufactures, hopes to sell the service through
numerous Internet service providers and local telephone companies.
``We're in discussions with a number of channel partners and we'll be
making announcements over the next several months," said Irving Ebert, a
product manager for Nortel Internet telephony products. He declined to
provide further details.
Nolan Bushnell, "Father of Video Game Industry,"
Joins MetaMarkets Think Tank
MetaMarkets.com, the Web site that launched OpenFund, the world's first
``interactive mutual fund," announced that Nolan Bushnell -- the inventor
of ``PONG," founder of Atari Corporation, and now CEO of uWink.com -- has
joined the MetaMarkets Think Tank.
Bushnell will participate with site visitors and OpenFund's managers in
online discussion boards, together with charter members of the MetaMarkets
Think Tank Nicholas Negroponte of the MIT Media Lab, David Isenberg of
isen.com, and Peter Sprague of Wave Systems Corporation.
MetaMarkets.com is unique among online investment discussion sites,
featuring OpenFund, a no-load mutual fund managed live in real time on the
Web. OpenFund shareholders and other site visitors can observe and discuss
the fund's investment and trading operations in real time.
OpenFund focuses on companies that define the New Economy: the way
information is used, products are sold, and innovation is fostered.
MetaMarkets Investments LLC is the investment adviser of OpenFund.
``MetaMarkets.com empowers people by letting them see the investment
process as it happens, and participate in that process," says Bushnell.
``In the digital age customers demand empowerment. It's just a matter of
time until all financial services are offered this way."
MetaMarkets.com created its Think Tank to offer site visitors and OpenFund
shareholders a valuable new perspective on investing in the New Economy.
``We are thrilled to have Nolan Bushnell join our Think Tank," said Donald
L. Luskin, President, Chief Executive Officer, and Co-founder of
MetaMarkets.com. ``He will add a unique perspective on the past, present,
and future of the digital revolution. By inventing the video game, Bushnell
is responsible for introducing the computer into the lives of ordinary
people. We'll be listening closely to his views on the future of digital
technologies, businesses, lifestyles, and culture."
``We're taking advantage of the opportunity to discuss New Economy trends
with these leading visionaries, and taking their ideas into account in
shaping our long-term investment outlook," says H. Davis Nadig, Executive
Vice President and Co-founder of MetaMarkets.com. ``Web-based discussion
boards have made ongoing, spontaneous communication with these
leading
lights easy to achieve - and it perfectly fits in with our process of using
the tools of the New Economy to invest in the New Economy."
The MetaMarkets Think Tank
Nolan Bushnell
Nolan Bushnell, the CEO and founder of uWink.com, Inc. is best known for
bringing ``PONG," Atari Corporation, and Chuck E. Cheese Pizza Time
Theater to the world, and is recognized as the ``Father of the Video Game
Industry."
Over the past 20 years, Bushnell has founded over 20 companies, and has
provided consulting services to corporations such as Commodore
International, IBM, Cisco Systems, and US Digital Communications. He sits
on the Board of Directors of several leading companies, including Wave
Systems.
With uWink.com, Bushnell and his team intend to change the face of Internet
entertainment by streaming it into public venues and establishing mass
multi-player gaming tournaments worldwide.
Bushnell received his BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of
Utah where he is a ``Distinguished Fellow," and also attended Stanford
University Graduate School. Over the years, Bushnell has received many
awards of distinction, including being named ASI's ``Man of the Year" in
1997 and his inclusion into the ``Video Game Hall of Fame" and the Tech
Museum of Innovation in San Jose, California.
Bushnell was granted patents on some of the basic technologies for many of
the early video games developed and is also the inventor or co-inventor of
numerous worldwide patents in various other fields and industries.
Nicholas Negroponte
Nicholas Negroponte is co-founder and director of the MIT Media Laboratory,
where he is also the Jerome B. Wiesner Professor of Media Technology.
A graduate of MIT, Professor Negroponte was a pioneer in the field of
computer-aided design, and has been a member of the MIT faculty since 1966.
He is author of the 1995 best-seller, Being Digital, which has been
translated into more than 40 languages.
In the private sector, Professor Negroponte serves on the board of
directors for Motorola, Inc., and as general partner in a venture capital
firm specializing in digital technologies for information and
entertainment. As an active investor he has provided start-up funds for
more than 20 companies, including WiReD magazine.
Most recently, Professor Negroponte helped to establish, and serves as
chairman of, the 2B1 Foundation, an organization dedicated to creating a
world community focused on building an imaginative, global network of all
the world's children.
David S. Isenberg
David S. Isenberg, founder of isen.com, inc., spent 12 years at AT&T Bell
Labs until his 1997 essay, ``Rise of the Stupid Network," was received
with acclaim everywhere in the global telecommunications community with one
exception -- at AT&T itself!
In 1998 Isenberg left AT&T to found isen.com, inc. He is now one of the
telecommunication industry's leading disrupters. Isenberg's comments on the
new telecommunications and its abundance-based business models (and other
topics of technology, business and society) can be found at
http://www.isen.com.
Peter J. Sprague
Peter J. Sprague, chairman of the MetaMarkets Think Tank, has been Chairman
of Wave Systems since 1988. He was Chairman of National Semiconductor from
1965 until 1995. He sits on the boards of EnLighten Software, Inc.and
Imagek, Inc. Sprague is a Trustee of the Strang Clinic; and a Member of
Academy of Distinguished Entrepreneurs, Babson College.
His career as an entrepreneur has included roles with Aston Martin, Design
Research, Advent, and Chemex.
Verdict Is In: Brain Is Serial Image Processor
Since the emergence of machine vision in the 1960s, debate has raged over
whether a parallel or serial architecture is best. Researchers modeling
visual processes in the brain observed parallelism in neural structures,
but didn't know enough about how visual information was being represented
to resolve the issue. Now University of Iowa researchers say they've solved
this vision research question: Does the brain operate in parallel or
serially?
"We are the first research group to show definitively that the human brain
processes images serially-paying attention to only one object at a time and
shifting rapidly from object to object," said University of Iowa professor
Steven Luck. According to the new insights, the brain does perform many
tasks in parallel, such as muscle coordination for walking in the park
while simultaneously listening to birds chirping. These are cognitive
operations that involve separate processing on different types of data.
For such diverse tasks it is clear that the brain does operate in parallel.
But when it comes to tasks involving similar data items, the brain appears
to time-division multiplex, that is, focus its attention on one object at
a time so quickly that the conscious mind is not aware of it. "It's
counterintuitive because it seems to our conscious mind that we are
comparing objects simultaneously, but we now think that the brain's
parallelism is similar to a computer's-that is, a computer has millions
upon millions of simultaneously acting transistors, but at the functional
level it is operating serially-one instruction at a time," Luck said. The
new theory says that the brain operates the same way at the functional
level; it processes information serially, even though the underlying neural
hardware is operating in parallel.
Luck was able to determine whether the brain's processing was parallel or
serial through an experiment he performed in 1994. This experiment
identified a pattern in brain waves known as N2PC, which stands for the
second negative peak (N2) of the posterior contralateral (PC). The N2PC
identifies the location of brain waves as emerging from either the right or
left side of the brain. By arranging the experimental situation, Luck was
able to use N2PC to identify whether a person was processing visual signals
one at a time or simultaneously.
He enlisted the help of graduate student Geoffrey Woodman to perform the
experiment and study the collected data. The experimental setup presented
to subjects a landscape-shaped display of different colored blocks, most of
which were black except for a red block on the left side and a green block
on the right. The subjects were instructed to find the block with a nick in
it and told that it was probably red but could be green. Those instructions
allowed subjects to either process all blocks in parallel, focus their
attention on just the red and green blocks simultaneously or search for the
correct block in the same order each trial-that is, red, then green, then
black.
"It was important that we knew the order in which they paid attention to
the colored objects, because the N2PC works by correlating the brain waves
coming from each side of the brain over many statistical trials, so we had
to always have them search in the same order," Luck said. By observing the
brain activity of the subjects performing the search and recognizing tasks
using N2PC, Luck and Woodman discovered that the brain turned its attention
from one block to the next at intervals of about 1/10th second. "There
wasn't a single subject that did the task in parallel," Luck said.
Multilayer Storage Scheme Has Gbyte Potential
Building on research done at Keele University, startup Keele High Density
Ltd. aims to commercialize a memory technology it says could store 2,300
Gbytes of rewritable random-access data on a device the size of a credit
card. That is equivalent to an areal density of 86 Gbytes per square
centimeter.
The memory system exploits the storage properties of a new family of metal
alloys, said Mike Downey, managing director of Cavendish Management
Resources Ltd. (London), a venture capital firm that formed Keele High
Density as a joint venture with Keele University. The company plans to
license the technology to computer and storage companies. Downey described
the memory system as solid-state and three-dimensional, with data stored in
multiple layers.
The company predicted that production costs for a 2,300-Gbyte
credit-card-sized memory will be less than $50. Keele also talked of
wristwatches with a memory capacity of more than 100 Gbytes.
The technology arises from work led by Ted Williams, now an emeritus
professor at Keele. Williams has applied for patents on schemes for
optical, magneto-optical and multibit-per-storage-site memories that
promise to raise data storage densities by a factor of 20 or more.
Ironically, Keele University closed down its electronic engineering
department, where Williams worked, but now stands to earn licensing
revenue from the technology developed there.
Downey said many details of the technology were being kept secret as Keele
High Density enters into sensitive licensing talks with a number of
computer and data-storage companies. Downey declined to name any of the
potential licensees.
Downey said that the metal alloy Keele uses is akin to one being
investigated at IBM Corp. "I believe IBM has demonstrated the use of up to
10 layers using a similar material, but we don't use that many [layers],"
he said. "That's not the key. What Professor Williams has done is found a
new way to store, retrieve and erase data."
Because the technology uses hardware from existing memory systems, he
added, implementation could be done quickly and at low cost.
The quoted areal density and available optical resolution imply
multibit-per-site data storage. Indeed, as Downey said, "In essence that's
what we have done."
Williams confirmed the multibit-per-site nature of the storage technology
but said the principle was being applied to both conventional
magneto-optical materials originally developed by Philips and Sony and to
a new alloy material of his own invention. Williams declined to elaborate
on whether the new material displayed a magneto-optical or a different
storage effect.
"We have built a crude demonstrator based on a credit-card format. We plan
to build a large-scale prototype in the middle of next year with one or
more licensees," said Williams. "That will be based on conventional
magneto-optical material, although the principle of the invention is
applicable to other modes of storage."
Although the system is described as solid-state it does require moving
parts to roughly align an optical system above the storage medium and to
focus the beam used for writing, reading and erasing data. Focusing is used
to provide fine control of the addressing in x, y and z directions with the
variable focus and transparent microscopic layers used to store data in
three dimensions. The data access time for the new storage technology is
predicted to be around 100 Mbytes/second.
According to the company, an additional advantage over existing data
storage systems is that only 20 percent of the total capacity is needed for
error correction, significantly less than the 40 percent now needed for
hard disks and 30 percent for optical storage.
If the technology were to take hold, Keele predicts that it could give rise
to portable computers capable of storing as much data as 350 present-day
PCs. Theoretically, such systems could be on sale within two years, the
company said.
Williams has a strong pedigree in technical innovation. Between 1978 and
1982 he led the team that developed the nuclear magnetic resonance imaging,
or MRI, medical body scanner.
=~=~=~=
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