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Amiga Update (1996-02-01)
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/\\ |\ /|| || / ` /\\ || Amiga Update -News and Rumors
/__\\ | \ / || || || ___ /__\\ ||(A Very Ocassional Newsletter)
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AMIGA and the Amiga logo are trademarks of Amiga Technolgies, GmbH
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960201
A B O U T T O D A Y ' S I S S U E
We have an actual press release about the "Amiga Surfer" today. We've provided
some information about this product before but this is a comprehensive report
direct from Bensheim.
Also included is a report on the stand-alone Amiga Web browser from Vaporware.
(Yes, that's a real software company and they have a good reputation, name
notwithstanding.) The press release is written in a breathless and hype filled
style, but still manages to convey some interesting information. I expected the
standalone browser and the one in the Surfer to be the same. Interestingly, the
names are different in these two reports. Whatever the relationship is, it's
good to have an actual, completed browser becoming available for the Amiga. Both
current browsers that people can get copies of and use are unfinished packages
(AMosaic and I-Browse).
Finally, we have an interesting story for you on arrangements to license the
Amiga chip set for TV set top boxes. This market has the potential to
introduce thousands of people to the Amiga. Brad
A M I G A S U R F E R A V A I L A B L E !
Bensheim 22.01.96
The "AMIGA Surfer" pack will hit the shelves at the end of January 1996.
The "AMIGA Surfer" consists of an Amiga A1200HD multimedia system fitted with
260MB hard drive and two megabytes of RAM, together with a complete suite of
Internet software and a 14,400bps modem. The package will be priced at
approximately USD 720 (exclusive of VAT). This complete solution from Amiga
Technologies is the cheapest available plug & play Internet bundle.
The Amiga A1200 is video-compatible and can be easily connected to a Television
set, saving the additional cost of a monitor.
Other Internet options soon to be available from Amiga Technologies include: the
"Surfkit", a package consisting of the Internet software suite and modem, at an
approximate price of USD 190 (excluding VAT). A package call "Surfware" is also
being planned which will provide the Internet software alone.
All packs will include an option to connect to the IBM Internet Link and get
100 hours free connection.
About the Internet Software:
MUI3.2: Magic User Interface is an Amiga-OS extension that makes dedicated
applications more ergonomic with a friendlier user interface. With MUI, the
user can also customise and configure their applications individually.
AS 225 R2: A new and completely reworked version of the original AMIGA
TCP/IP software is provided. This software handles the connection between
the Amiga and the network.
Mindwalker: The WWW Browser with MUI-support: A full featured graphical
World Wide Web Browser that can handle forms, bookmarks, search functions,
hotlinks and many more.
AMIRC: The IRC Client with elegant MUI interface, gives access to the
"Internet Relay Chat", where one can participate on-line and in real-time
to discussion forums. Several thousands of users meet here daily to discuss
various topics. Binary files can also be sent among users using AMIRC.
AMFTP: The FTP Client also uses the MUI-extension. The graphical interface
of AMFTP makes the handling of files and directories from distant servers
very effective and comfortable. The program works as a file-manager and
gives access to tremendous amounts of Amiga software available on the
Internet.
Voodoo: The included E-mail manager is a fully new development and supports
the "Mime-standard" to send, receive and view graphics and other binary
files easily. UU-Encoded binary files are also supported. The advanced user
interface of Voodoo helps to handle electronic mail quickly and easily.
The Surfer pack also includes the popular Amiga Magic Bundle's productivity
software of a wordprocessor, spreadsheet, database, organiser and graphic tools.
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W E B V O Y A G E R A N N O U N C E D B Y V A P O R W A R E
You Are Going Places
Vaporware is proud to announce WebVoyager
Your Amiga's Gateway to the World Wide Web
WebVoyager is the premium Amiga Web Browser, taking Amiga Web Surfing to totally
new heights!
It's fully multithreaded!
Open several windows at the same time, visiting different places on the Web
simultanously.
It's asynchronous!
Browse a document while it is still loading. See images appearing
incrementally during load.
It's compatible!
WebVoyager supports HTML-1, HTML-2 and the proposed HTML-3 features. It
also supports most of the proprietary Netscape and Microsoft HTML
extensions.
It's comfortable!
It has a great bookmarking system for easy storage and managment of often
visited URLs.
It's configurable!
Specify proxies or your favorite external applications for all kind of URL
methods. Use any viewer you want for any media type. There's full datatype
support, of course.
It's faaaaast!
Recent checks shows that WebVoyager is the fastest browser available for
AmigaOS -- during load, layout and display. It provides decent speeds even
on low end Amiga platforms.
It's Amiga!
WebVoyager's User Interface shows the best of up-to-date Amiga technology:
Drag & Drop objects around. Configure the GUI look to your likes. Use ARexx
to remote control it.
Expect a first demontration version of Voyager to be available in February 1996.
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A M I G A A N D V I S C O R P J O I N F O R C E S
F O R S E T T O P B O X E S
VISCORP agreement complete
Bensheim 23/01/96
Chicago - January 12, 1996 - Visual Information Service Corp. (VISCORP), an
INTERACTIVE TV developer headquartered in Chicago, Illinois and AMIGA
Technologies GmbH, headquartered in Bensheim, Germany, have finalized an
international license agreement to adapt, utilize, license and distribute the
AMIGA technology within VISCORP's interactive intelligent set-top TV appliance
- Electronic Device (ED). The license authorizes VISCORP the right to use,
re-license and distribute the AMIGA operating system and compatible parts of
current versions of the technologies where the AMIGA products are used as, or
as part of, interactive television devices.
In 1995, ESCOM AG acquired all Commodore and AMIGA licenses, patents and
trademarks. Amiga is an acknowledged leader in the computer industry in the
area of providing high-quality graphics for monitors and television broadcasts
through their sophisticated chip sets. The combination of the AMIGA
hardware/software technologies and intuitive operating system makes them a
viable contender in the development of high-speed delivery for complex graphic
programming. The AMIGA technology can import and adapt software to the
set-top box with minimal changes.
By employing the sophisticated AMIGA chip set, VISCORP will have the ability to
provide a complex set-top appliance with multitasking functions to integrate
affordably the TV set, phone line, and network service providers. This ability
has not yet been offered or available through existing systems" said Jerome
Greenberg, VISCORP's chairman of the board. "By utilizing our unique set top
appliance and incorporating the AMIGA technology, VISCORP is able to provide a
complete practical solution for interactive TV-services, and now the ability to
access the Internet through a standard TV set with pricing that makes sense for
the average TV viewer".
The integration of the AMIGA system with the VISCORP set-top appliance will
allow access to the Internet, on-line services and voice "chat" programs through
the TV set. As planned, ED will access any on-line services and any address on
the Internet's superhighway. Access can be though a TV remote, a computer
keyboard, a touch-sensitive pen or the microphone in the ED. Additional plans
will enable consumers to play games (e.g., individually, against a networked
opponent), or enable home shopping, electronic banking, and enable a subscriber
to gain access to information services through a TV set.
About VISCORP
VISCORP develops and markets a brand of cost effective set-top appliances for
the home, business, government and educational users of interactive TV devices.
VISCORP's set-top device integrates the television and telephone line to access
on-line services, interactive applications and direct Internet service through
the TV set. Through blending of the existing VISCORP set-top TV appliance and
the AMIGA technology, VISCORP will be able to provide a gateway for every
household to enter into the age of interactive services at a cost-effective
price and user friendly environment.
Information about Amiga Technologies GmbH is available on the URL
http://www.amiga.de/.
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_ __ _ <>_ __ _ || Brad Webb - available at:
/\\ |\ /|| || / ` /\\ || webb@malamute.med.ge.com
/__\\ | \ / || || || ___ /__\\ || bandr@globaldialog.com
/ \\_ | \/ ||_ _||_ \__// / \\_ || Portal -- XJumpdisk
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