›         Newsletters Review›                 by›            Alan Sharkis›››››This    month's   user-group   article›round-up  includes  some  oldies,  but›goodies.   It also includes references›to  an  article published in BetaZine,›an    online   newsletter   which   is›available on some national Atari echos›and  sorely lacking in 8-bit articles.›I  might try to correct that situation›this  summer.   BetaZine  does  accept›user-group  fees and we might consider›paying  one  if  enough 8-bit material›does   get          published  in  the›future.   Also, please note that April›issues  may be April Fools issues, and›that some of these extracts are not to›be  taken  seriously.  Please ask for,›and    read,    the           original›articles to be sure.›››From  (date unknown) B. A. C. E. Line:›a  review  of  Tetrix  taken  from the›March (1990?) issue of MVACE News.›››From October 1987 Current Notes:  Mark›A. Brown points out several tricks for›graphics  programming on the 8-bit; W.›Evan   Brooks   reviews   some   8-bit›programs  from  SSI  after  telling us›that  the  8-bit's time for simulation›games  has,  unfortunately, passed (so›much  for such statements, three years›later!);   Len  Pogialli  reviews  the›First  Xlent  Word   Processor (Alex's›favorite);  Alan  Friedman reviews two›ramdisk  programs  for expanded (320K)›130XEs;   Len   Pogialli  talks  about›directions  he'd  like  to  see  Atari›follow for the        8-bits; and Alan›Friedman   reviews   some   8-bit  p/d›software.›››From   December  1987  Current  Notes:›Quotes     Atari's     John     Skruch›(remember  him?)  as he speaks of then›new   8-bit  products,  including  the›XEP-80  and  the  XEGS;  Len  Pogialli›reviews  several 8-bit educational and›game    programs;    and,    Mark   A.›Brown gives us some disk utilities.›››From  April (uh-oh!) 1990 JACS Between›Bytes:   An  article  by Robert S. Ely›about  Atari's announcement of two new›8-bit computers, based on the MC65C816›CPU  chip.  They are the 250es and the›250es  Companion.   Both machines will›be  expandable  to  16  MEG of RAM and›work in both 8-bit and 816 modes. They›will  be  compatible with all previous›8-bit       software, they will have a›cartridge   port   and  a  40-pin  816›expansion  port.   There  will  be two›additonal  graphics  modes,  a  16-bit›stereo  sound chip, and a new built-in›BASIC   (in   816           mode)   in›addition  to  Revision  C  BASIC.  The›250es   Companion  will  be  Portfolio›size, start with 128K of RAM, and have›the  same  display and battery pack as›the  Portfolio.   The  250es will have›built-in    RS-232C   and   Centronics›parallel ports.›Its  base  version  will  have 256K of›RAM.    Atari   also   will  offer  an›adaptor, the 250esgs, which will allow›either  of  the above machines to play›2600,    5200,    7800   or   Nintendo›cartridges.    The   adaptor  will  be›self-powered, and will         feature›Nintendo-style  controllers  connected›through   Atari-style  ports.  Release›is  scheduled  for the Fall, with both›computers  selling for $229.95 and the›adaptor  for  $129.95  with additional›controllers at $15.›››From  April  1990  A.  C. E. St. Louis›Newsline:   Joan  Ryan  describes  two›hardware  mods  she  gleaned  from the›magazines.  One  is a way to adapt the›Sega  light  gun  to work on the XEGS,› and  the  other is a way to hook up a›TTL  monitor  to  the  XEP80; and in a›reprint  from  Michigan Atari Magazine›D. R. Haulsee writes about replacement›of  defective  head-park  switches  in›1050 disk drives.›››From  April  1990  The  L. C. A. C. E.›News  Journal:  John M. Schultz writes›about the importance of user groups in›keeping  the 8-bits viable; Les Larkin›sings the praises of MYDOS 4.5.›››From  May  1990  Acorn  KERNAL:  Bruce›Nelson   describes   the  presentation›given  by Bob Brodie in Rochester.  In›it,   he    talks   about   the   last›production  run  of 500 130XEs for use›as  spare parts and replacements.  Bob›says  that the 8-bit line is no longer›"power-without-the-price,"  since  the›cost  of the computer, disk drive, and›interface  comes  close  to  that of a› 520STFM.   It  is  not cost-effective›for   manufacturers   to  continue  to›produce 8-bit technology.›››From   March   1990   BetaZine:   Mike›Mezaros,  the  editor,  warns again of›the    importance    of   backing   up›everything   you  do.   The   magazine›suffered  a hard-disk crash and almost›lost   an  issue!          Also,  Kurt›Arnold    discusses   several   MS-DOS›keyboards  (for those of you who might›be considering the Transkey mod); and,›Jerry  Morton describes the procedures›used  for safe cleaning       of Atari›computers.›››                                      ›