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- Silicon Times Report
-
-
-
- The Original Independent OnLine Magazine"
- (Since 1987)
-
- September 27, 1996 No.1239
-
- Silicon Times Report International OnLine Magazine
- Post Office Box 6672
- Jacksonville, Florida 32221-6155
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- STR Electronic Publishing Inc.
- A subsidiary of
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- R.F. Mariano, Editor
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- 09/27/96 STR 1239 The Original Independent OnLine Magazine!
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- - CPU INDUSTRY REPORT - 56k bps Modem - WARP 4 Ships
- - S. Cray Fights for LIFE - VR Golf '97 - Hayes in Hi Gear
- - Motorola MAC Attack - Cracker Bill Passes - USPS to do Email?
- - JTS 90 days LATE? - People Talking - Dana's TidBits
-
- DOJ & Microsoft at it AGAIN!
- FBI plan REJECTED!
- Swedes Blamed in CIA Break-in!
-
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- STReport International OnLine Magazine
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- The Publisher, Staff &
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-
-
- Florida Lotto - LottoMan v1.35
- Results: 9/21/96: 2 of 6 numbers, three 2 number matches
-
-
- From the Editor's Desk...
-
- We're almost at the end of September and the beginning of all the hoopla
- of another Comdex in Vegas. This year, there are going to be many new faces
- that are not really new but renamed and a result of mergers and partnerships.
- All to the ultimate benefit of the users. The coming hardware products are
- amazing. Things we only hoped for a year or so ago are now reality. One of
- which was part of older, now very dead system. a separate mouse port where a
- rodent does not fight for a serial port. It may not mean much at a glance
- but when one runs a communications net or BBS, every free serial port is
- needed.
-
- The key BUZZ word this year is going to be INTERNET and how to make it
- easy for John Q. Public to use and enjoy. While at the same time, keeping
- the politician's grubby hands off as far as excessive taxation is concerned.
- I don't I'll ever forget the "as a matter of fact" remark I got for an
- "appointed" TAX Goniff in Tallahassee when we talked about the proposed
- Florida NET TAX on all Email. This guy has the gall to say the State was
- entitled to TAX the NET because it was new technology. I don't know whether
- he said that to "push my go button" or , in fact he really meant it. But I
- can tell you this. If the _appointed geeks_ in government can find a way to
- tax something.. they will. You see, they use the old well tried theorem.
- "possession is nine tenths of the law." By that I mean once they get the tax
- in place you'll play craps with the Devil to get it knocked out. It can be
- done though, the Impact Fee (tax) in Florida was ruled illegal and the State
- has been paying out refunds for almost two years now.
-
- For those of you who haven't noticed we are voting for Bill Clinton.
- Why? For a number of reasons but the main ones are . the deficit is way down
- already and with another term for Clinton, my grands will not have to pay it
- for me. Next, its the manner in which Mr. 1940's Dole has allowed the sleaze
- to conduct his campaign. that drug ad he runs really irks me its such lies.
- Then there is the factoid that I'd probably be voting "Kemp for President as
- Dole, in all likelihood will not finish his term. The Office itself is a
- killer. Look ast how Clinton has aged. I've seen it with every president
- since Ike. Lastly, you should know I'm a registered Republican.. but simply
- cannot stomach lowball tactics I've seen coming form them for the last eight
- years. From the deceptions of Iran-Contra to the experimental drugs being
- administered to the Desert Storm Troops.
-
- Some day I'll write the whole story about those drugs and so called
- inoculations that were being administered to the Armed Services in such as
- "as a matter of fact" way when in reality, they and the firms producing the
- stuff had no idea of what the drugs would induce as a reaction. Especially
- long term. In 1991, Charles Bennett (D Ret.) of Jacksonville, FL helped
- ensure the service records of those troops would reflect the pills and
- inoculations that were forced upon the Troops. I've had enough of the
- "Republican" way of doing things..
-
- Ralph...
-
- Clinton and Gore: Good for Four More!
-
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- STReport Headline News
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- LATE BREAKING INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS
-
- Weekly Happenings in the Computer World
-
- Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
-
- New Microsoft Probe Launching
-
- The U.S. Justice Department has notified Microsoft Corp. that it will seek
- additional information from the software giant regarding competitive
- practices. Reporting from Microsoft's Redmond, Washington, headquarters, the
- Reuter News Service quotes a company statement as saying the request is part
- of the department's "continuing examination of software industry issues." The
- last requests to Microsoft were issued in the summer of 1995. The federal
- government has been investigating Microsoft since 1990 for alleged anti-trust
- practices.
-
- Microsoft Vice President William Neukom says the latest request appears to be
- prompted by "complaints from competitors which are reminiscent of allegations
- that were thoroughly reviewed in the past." He added, "Internet Explorer
- 3.0 is consistently rated better than competing technology and is winning
- strong consumer support. In response, some of our competitors have resorted
- to a public relations campaign of baseless allegations designed to divert
- attention from the quality of our technology."
-
- Neukom says it is disappointing Microsoft's competitors "continue to seek
- government intervention in the competitive process rather than concentrating
- on improving their products. The facts will show that Microsoft is competing
- vigorously and legally, and our efforts are benefiting consumers by spurring
- greater innovation, better products, and lower prices. We intend to cooperate
- with the Justice Department."
-
- As reported, Netscape Communications Corp. last month accused Microsoft of
- anti-competitive behavior and urged the Justice Department to take action. It
- alleged Microsoft made written offers to computer makers, Internet service
- providers, systems integrators and large corporations providing for payments
- or discounts on the Microsoft desktop operating system or payments in the
- form of "real estate" on the Windows 95 screen on the condition that rival
- browsers would be less accessible than Microsoft's browser. Microsoft has
- denied the allegations.
-
- Georgia Seeks Net Controls
-
- Civil libertarians have brought a federal suit to challenge a new Georgia
- state law that attempts to impose local regulations on the global Internet.
- At issue is a law that makes it illegal in some instances to communicate
- anonymously on the Internet and to use trademarks and logos without
- permission, writer Jared Sandberg reports in today's Wall Street Journal.
- The law imposes a penalty of up to 12 months in jail and $1,000 in fines.
-
- The American Civil Liberties Union, joined by 13 plaintiffs including a
- number of public-interest groups, is suing, contending the Georgia law is
- "unconstitutionally vague" and that its restraints on using corporate logos
- and trade names are "impermissibly chilling constitutionally protected
- expression," Sandberg reports. They also argue that the law illegally tries
- to impose state restrictions on interstate commerce, a right reserved for
- Congress.
-
- "The legal challenge is one of the first major assaults on state laws that
- seek to rein in the Internet, despite its global reach and audience,"
- Sandberg observes. Other instances:
-
- · Connecticut passed a law last year making it a crime to send an
- electronic-mail message "with intent to harass, annoy or alarm
- another person."
- · Virginia enacted a bill this year making it illegal for a state employee
- to use state-owned computers to get access to sexually explicit
- material.
- · New York state has tried to resurrect prohibitions on "indecent
- material" that were struck down as unconstitutional by a federal
- appeals panel ruling on the federal Communications Decency Act three
- months ago.
-
- The Journal says most Internet laws target child pornographers and stalkers,
- adding, "Opponents argue the well-intended efforts could nonetheless chill
- free speech and the development of electronic commerce. They maintain that
- the Internet, which reaches into more than 150 countries, shouldn't be
- governed by state laws that could result in hundreds of different, and often
- conflicting, regulations."
-
- However, Don Parsons, th Republican state representative who sponsored the
- Georgia bill, told the paper he believes the law is a necessary weapon to
- combat fraud, forgery and other online misdeeds. He said the groups that
- oppose it "want to present (the Internet) as something magical, as something
- above and beyond political boundaries." Parsons also said the Georgia law
- does not seek to ban all anonymity, that instead, it targets people who
- "fraudulently misrepresent their site as that of another organization."
-
- Pssst: Somebody please, tell the honorable Gentleman for Georgia to make
- sure his bill says and does exactly what he means it to do.
-
- Clinton Encryption Plan Not Done
-
- A widely anticipated proposal by the Clinton administration to relax export
- restrictions on computer encoding technology is not ready for release. At a
- hearing today of the House Judiciary Committee, Undersecretary of Commerce
- William Reinsch said the proposal had not yet been formalized, adding in
- prepared testimony, "Our work is not yet done. We are continuing to consult
- with industry and international partners to refine our proposal."
-
- The Reuter News Service notes the Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing on
- Resolution 3011, a bill that would dramatically relax encryption export
- limits. As reported, last July Vice President Al Gore outlined the
- administration's ideas for relaxing limits on encryption exports, saying
- export controls should be liberalized only if encryption programs include
- so-called key escrow components.
-
- As noted, the computer industry and many members of Congress oppose such a
- key escrow and argue foreign competitors will sell encryption programs
- without escrow features. Reuters says Reinsch believes the key escrow
- approach is needed to help law enforcement and intelligence agencies deal
- with encryption. In his statement, Reinsch said, "This approach balances
- economic needs with law enforcement concerns and is one that many of our
- major trading partners, most notably the United Kingdom, are also adopting,"
- adding the U.S. is working in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and
- Development to craft a global policy for encryption.
-
- Swedes Blamed in CIA Break-in
-
- Word is that it was a group of Swedish intruders, angry over a court case in
- their own country, that broke into the CIA's World Wide Web page this week.
- As reported, the CIA pulled the plug on its Web site
- (http://www.odci.gov/cia) after vandals altered the page to declare the
- agency the "Central Stupidity Agency." Cyberspace writer Elizabeth Weise of
- The Associated Press reports the vandals, who dubbed themselves "Power
- Through Resistance," also added a slam against the Swedish prosecutor in the
- case, Bo Skarinder, urging him to "Stop Lying."
-
- "The Swedish case the hackers were angry about involves a different group of
- hackers between the ages of 16 and 20 who were caught in 1991 but whose
- trial began only this week," Weise reports. AP says the offending Web page
- was removed after about 12 hours and as of early today the agency's entire
- site was still unavailable. (However,before the CIA removed the page,
- numerous copies were made by individuals in no way involved with the attack.
- One such copy is available at http://www.is.co.za/mikev/cia--hack/)
-
- Best to Offer 56K bps Modem
-
- Best Data Products is the latest modem vendor to announce plans to ship a 56K
- bps modem in 1997. The modem, which will operate over standard telephone
- lines, will be based on new modem technology recently announced by Rockwell
- Semiconductor Systems. The Rockwell technology is expected to become a
- worldwide standard. Although significantly faster than current analog
- transmission methodologies, the technology does not require the installation
- of expensive digital ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) telephone
- lines.
-
- "Multimedia and graphic content on the Internet are creating an increasing
- demand for greater bandwidth than today's analog modems can provide," says
- Bruce Zaman, president of Best Data Products, which is based in Chatsworth,
- California. "The new modems will address this demand over existing telephone
- lines."
-
- Hayes Launches TV Ad Blitz
-
- Modem maker Hayes Microcomputer Products Inc. has launched a national TV
- advertising campaign with 60-second spots based on the theme "How Fast Do
- You Want to Get There?" The Norcross, Georgia, company says the campaign is
- intended to stimulate demand for its ACCURA high-speed modems. Special
- promotions and dealer incentives will complement the campaign.
-
- With ads created by Lighton Colman of Chicago, Hayes says it will deliver
- over 1 billion targeted advertising impressions on major cable networks,
- including CNN, ESPN, CNBC, CNN/Headline News, Sci-Fi Channel, MSNBC,
- Discovery Channel and Comedy Central. The campaign will run through to the
- end of January. The TV blitz is part of an aggressive new marketing focus
- at Hayes, which earlier this year emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy
- protection. "We intend to generate demand for our modems by communicating to
- consumers the essence of the Hayes brand," says Marshall Toplansky, Hayes'
- vice presidentof corporate marketing.
-
- Apple Updates Color Architecture
-
- Apple Computer Inc. has begun shipping ColorSync 2.1, a updated version of
- its color management architecture for Macintosh computers. ColorSync 2.1
- is an operating system-level technology that allows Mac users to get more
- predictable and accurate color from their applications, scanners, digital
- cameras, displays and printers. Apple developed ColorSync to provide an
- industry-standard method of interpreting and synchronizing the capabilities
- of color devices, so that users get consistent results when using devices
- that do not share the same color range. The newest version features named
- color profile support, enhanced hi-fi color functions, expanded bitmap
- formats, increased speed and a new way of embedding profiles in documents
- using only a fraction of the usual storage space.
-
- "Color management is critical in the changing information market," says Carla
- Ow-Chu, Apple's ColorSync product manager. "We are constantly working to
- make the creation and delivery of color easy, fast, and consistent on any
- media, anytime." ColorSync 2.1 is offered as an extension to the Macintosh
- operating system and is available today on the World Wide Web, free of
- charge, at: http://www.macos.apple.com/ in the "Innovative Technologies"
- section.
-
- Claris Updates Mac Organizer
-
- Claris Corp. says it has begun shipping Claris Organizer 2.0, an updated
- version of its personal information manager for Macintosh and Power
- Macintosh computers. The Apple Computer Inc. subsidiary notes that the
- software is now Internet savvy with new e-mail and Web links, providing the
- ability to launch Internet programs like Netscape Navigator or Claris
- Emailer from within Organizer. The program also offers a simplified
- on-screen contact card that displays information much like a business card
- and helps users track contacts, appointments and tasks.
-
- "Claris Organizer 2.0 sets a new standard in usability and efficiency for
- contact managers. It provides customers with an easy-to-use solution for
- managing business and personal contacts and a powerful featureset for more
- efficient time management," says David Christopher, customer marketing
- manager for Claris Organizer. Claris Organizer 2.0 is available now for
- $69. Current users can upgrade to the new version for $49. A Windows 95
- version of the product is scheduled to ship next year.
-
- IBM Ships Updated OS/2 Warp
-
- IBM has released OS/2 Warp 4, the latest version of its PC operating system.
- Incorporating features like Sun Microsystems' Java technology and IBM
- VoiceType speech recognition software, IBM says OS/2 Warp 4 promises to
- "help transition customers into the era of network computing." "IBM
- envisions a future in which people have easy access to the information they
- need to work more productively," says John M. Thompson, senior vice
- president and group executive of the IBM Software Group. "IBM's Software
- Group is making great strides toward that future by ensuring that our
- software lineup assists IBM in delivering to our customers network computing
- solutions based on open standards. Today we introduce an exciting new version
- of OS/2 Warp -- a key member of IBM's entire family of software products."
-
- Minimum requirements for using OS/2 Warp 4 are an Intel 486/33 or higher
- processor with 12MB to 16MB of memory. For speech navigation, a 75MHz
- Pentium or higher processor with 16MB to 20MB of memory is required. For
- speech navigation and dictation, a 100MHz or higher processor with 24MB to
- 32MB of memory is required. OS/2 Warp 4 requires 100MB to 300MB of free disk
- space. OS/2 Warp 4 is immediately available in U.S. English. IBM plans to
- offer the product in 28 national language versions by the second half of
- 1997, beginning with many major European languages within the next 45 days.
- The suggested retail price of OS/2 Warp 4 in the U.S. is $249 for first-time
- OS/2 customers and $149 for upgrades from previous releases of OS/2.
-
- Postal Service Explores E-Mail
-
- The U.S. Postal Service is exploring its electronic options, wanting to offer
- the assurance of its postmarks -- guaranteeing time and date somethig was
- sent -- to e-mail. Associated Press writer Randolph E. Schmid says prime
- customers of a new project called Electronic Commerce Services are expected
- to be businesses, particularly the financial, legal and medical professions.
-
- Paul Raines, who is managing the program, told the wire service the growth of
- the Internet has led to an explosive increase in electronic messaging as
- more and more people and businesses have computers, but copies of contracts
- and other business documents still have to be sent on paper for legal
- purposes. "The new system could change that," says AP, "permitting
- contracts, government applications, financial documents and other items to
- be sent electronically with the post office providing proof they were sent
- and guaranteeing the accuracy of the copies. The agency could also provide
- an archive service, maintaining copies of documents for use if proof were
- needed of what was sent and when."
-
- Raines says the current test is to determine a reasonable price for the
- service, get customer feedback and determine what features work best. If all
- goes well, the system could become widely available sometime next year.
- But aware the post office often runs into criticism when it considers
- ventures that might conflict with private businesses, postal spokesman Mark
- Saunders emphasized, "The post office itself will not run an e-mail service,"
- stressing the system will operate over the Internet and connect to
- proprietary networks.
-
- The planned system isn't simple, Schmid notes. For instance, if someone wants
- to send an electronic message to a bank and needs to prove it was sent by a
- certain date, the message might be sent from a commercial system such as
- CompuServe to the bank, via a post office computer. "The post office would
- receive the message, stamp it with an electronic postmark, and forward it to
- the bank, providing proof of when the message was sent," AP notes. "For
- legal documents that need to be kept secret, it gets even more complex,
- requiring an encoding system using software that would be sold commercially
- or could be included in other available programs."
-
- Intel Tests Net Phone
-
- Chipmaker Intel Corp. says it will release a new test version of its Intel
- Internet Phone free of charge from Intel's Web site, allowing users to call
- each other long-distance through the Net without phone company long-distance
- charges. Reporting from Santa Clara, California, United Press International
- says the software is designed to operate with systems from different vendors
- or running on different types of computers.
-
- Intel officials told United Press International hundreds of thousands of the
- first test version of the Internet phone have been downloaded from the Web
- sie since its introduction in July. The software is designed for personal
- computers powered by Pentium chips from Intel. "The new version includes
- additional functions, such as busy line indicator and call progress
- indicator, and the size of the file downloaded from the Internet has been
- reduced by one-third," UPI says. "The new version is also designed to work
- with other Internet directory services to locate other Internet phone users."
-
- Intel's software is based on the H.323 technology, a standard already
- endorsed by 120 companies that is designed to allow users of different
- computers and phone software to talk to each other. Of course, the
- disadvantage of making a phone call through the Internet is a delay in
- transmission, sometimes as much as one-half second, "but," notes UPI, "if
- the idea catches on, it could start to raiding the massive profits generated
- by telephone companies."
-
- BBC to Offer Internet Service
-
- Starting next spring, the BBC, Britain's largest broadcasting company, will
- offer an Internet access service for computer users. In London, The
- Associated Press quotes Bob Phillis, BBC Worldwide's chief executive, as
- saying, "We aim to remain the touchstone of quality in the new global
- multimedia environment." AP notes BBC Worldwide has gone into partnership
- with ICL PLC, a British-based computer company, to develop the service. The
- BBC also talked with Microsoft Corp. before choosing ICL, which is largely
- owned by Fujitsu Corp. of Japan.
-
- Adds the wire service, "The BBC isn't putting up any money but will provide
- all material from its radio, television and publishing operations, while ICL
- will operate the access service and provide all start-up costs of the
- venture." AP adds news will be a major part of the service, "but there are
- also expected to be sites for the BBC's most popular soap operas and dramas
- as well as shopping sites to buy BBC brand products." In addition, the BBC
- promises a "morality button" to prevent children from gaining access to
- pornography.
-
- Passport Forms Now Online
-
- Passport application forms now can be obtained through the Internet. U.S.
- State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns told the Reuter News Service the
- department's Consular Affairs bureau home page (http://travel.state.gov)
- has online facilities for printing out the form. The completed form will
- still need to be mailed or taken to one of the government's passport
- offices. Forms to report a lost or stolen passport or to amend a current
- passport can also be downloaded from the State Department's Web site,
- Reuters said.
-
- Device Allows Mind-Control of PCs
-
- A peripheral device that allow users to control a PC with their minds has
- been released by The Other 90% Technologies Inc. The San Rafael,
- California-based firm says its MindDrive product allows users to move
- on-screen images, run computer programs and even play video games through
- their thoughts. The MindDrive device consists of a small sensor sleeve that
- fits onto a finger and a micro controller interface that plugs into the PC.
- According to the manufacturer, the sensor reads and instantly transmits one's
- thought signals to the computer. The MindDrive sells for $149.95, and 10
- initial applications are priced from $24.95 to $39.95. The products are
- available at CompUSA, Computer City, Software Etc., Electronic Boutique and
- Egghead, as well leading regional consumer electronics retailers.
-
- Cray Continues Fight for Life
-
- Seymour Cray still battles for his life in a Colorado Springs, Colorado,
- hospital after breaking his neck and severely injuring his head in a traffic
- accident now blamed on a careless driver. The 70-year-old supercomputer
- pioneer is critical and unstable condition at Penrose Hospital. Hospital
- spokeswoman Kate Brewster told The Associated Press he underwent surgery to
- relieve brain swelling after Sunday's accident. AP reports Cray's Jeep
- Cherokee rolled three times after the driver of a Chevrolet Camaro tried to
- pass him and then struck another car, which slammed into Cray's vehicle. The
- other motorists weren't injured. A 33-year-old Colorado Springs man has
- been cited for careless driving
- causing serious bodily injury.
-
- Dole Wins High-Tech Support
-
- Republican presidential contender Bob Dole is getting the endorsement of some
- 180 Silicon Valley executives, venture capitalists and lawyers. Reporting
- from San Francisco, the Reuter News Service says the official announcement is
- to come today from the headquarters of Advanced Micro Devices Inc. in
- Sunnyvale, California. This comes about a month after Bill Clinton received
- the endorsement of 75 Silico Valley executives, including Apple co-founder
- Steve Jobs and former Hewlett-Packard Co. chief John Young.
-
- Those now coming out for the Dole-Jack Kemp ticket include Jerry Sanders of
- Advanced Micro Devices, T.J. Rodgers of Cypress Semiconductor Corp., Scott
- McNealy of Sun Microsystems Inc., Gilbert Amelio of Apple Computer Inc. and
- Wilfred Corrigan of LSI Logic Corp. Floyd Kvamme, a partner at Silicon
- Valley venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers and one of
- the organizers of the group, told the wire service the Republican group came
- into being within the last 15 to 20 days.
-
- It got off the ground after the executives saw a newspaper report that said
- Silicon Valley was backing Clinton again in 1996, Kvamme said, adding,
- "Everybody that I knew said: 'What! You've got to be kidding me.' ... We sent
- out some letters to folks and the response has been absolutely incredible."
- Kvamme, who said the group had not yet been in contact with Dole, told the
- wire service many Silicon Valley executives wanted capital gains tax cuts
- and faster U.S. economic growth. He said they strongly opposed Proposition
- 211, a measure on the California ballot in November that would make it
- easier to file securities fraud lawsuits in the state. Reuters notes both
- Clinton and Dole oppose the California measure, "but Clinton last December
- vetoed federal legislation restricting securities fraud lawsuits, costing
- him support in Silicon Valley, even though Congress later overrode the
- veto."
-
-
- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
- September 11, 1996
-
- VR SPORTS ANNOUNCES MARKETING DRIVE FOR VR GOLF '97
-
- (Buy one get one free by mail offer expected to drive sales)
-
- Irvine, California -- VR Sports stepped up its marketing drive for its newest
- title, VR Golf '97, today in anticipation of the title's November release.
- VR Sports, a division of Irvine-based Interplay Productions, announced that
- it will offer its inaugural sports title VR Soccer '96 free by mail with the
- purchase of VR Golf '97. "We're putting the strength of the VR Sports brand
- behind VR Golf '97 because it's a great game and now it's a great value for
- the holidays," said Paul Sackman, director of marketing for VR Sports. "A
- release with as much potential as VR Golf '97 requires strong marketing
- support to ensure sell-through and drive gamers to retail."
-
- The promotion will feature the free VR Soccer '96 offer in spread ads through
- Christmas and is expected to drive gamers to retail, while P.O.S. materials
- will flag the promotion at retail for greater sell-through. VR Golf '97
- will also feature a vibrant burst on its packaging to catch the eye of
- browsing gamers. VR Golf '97 is the only golf simulation game on the market
- to offer immersive 360-degree, 3D views for players along with motion
- capture and faster gameplay. In VR Golf '97, golfers can see the shot from
- virtually anywhere on the course:
-
- · behind the player,
- · from the fairway or from the pin.
-
- The game also features three different commentators including Pat O'Brien
- from CBS Sports. Recent reviews of VR Golf '97 herald the game as "realism
- extraordinaire," "an astonishing piece of work" and, as Video Games
- magazine said, "The best damn golf game ever." VR Sports, the sports
- division of Interplay Productions, is a developer and publisher of state-of-
- the-art, real-time, 360 degrees, 3D sports software. VR Sports releases
- sports software for SEGA Saturn, Sony PlayStation, Macintosh, Windows '95 and
- IBM and 100% compatible computers. More comprehensive information on VR
- Sports and its products is available through the company's worldwide web
- site at http://www.vrsports.com.
-
-
-
- Adobe Announces Adobe PostScript Level 3
-
- The Printing System for the Wired World
- San Jose, California (September 11, 1996) (Nasdaq:ADBE) Adobe Systems
- Incorporated today advanced printing into a new era, announcing its newest
- printing systems solution, which includes the next generation of Adobe(R)
- PostScript(R), the worldwide imaging language standard. Geared for the
- requirements of the new wired world, Adobe PostScript Level 3 will offer
- original equipment manufacturer (OEM) customers and end users dramatic
- enhancements in printing functionality, performance, reliability and quality.
- Adobe's integrated printing system solution focuses on changing the printing
- experience by allowing OEM customers to build best- in-class printing
- solutions and providing users the ability to print complex graphics and Web
- content, when and where they need it.
-
- Adobe has gone beyond offering a page description language to providing
- customers with a total systems solution for delivering and printing digital
- documents. Adobe PostScript Level 3 offers Advanced Page Processing,
- Enhanced Image Technology, NetWorks(TM) System, and PlanetReady(TM) Printing
- benefits. At any consumer level - from home and small office to corporate
- workgroups, production printing to graphic arts - Adobe's innovative digital
- imaging technology is at the core of electronic and hard copy document
- solutions. By incorporating new levels of functionality, Adobe PostScript
- Level 3 offers exceptional benefits to consumers in each of these market
- segments.
-
- "The genesis of Adobe PostScript Level 3 is a result of three market trends
- which are a driving force in our industry: the pervasiveness of the
- Internet, the increasing use of color, and a shifting workflow model from
- print and distribute to distribute and print-on-demand," said Fred Schwedner,
- senior vice president and general manager, Adobe Printing and Systems
- Division. "Adobe's objective is to support digital document delivery for
- all types of document content, from any possible source, to every available
- output destination. Our goal is that with incessant delivery of innovative
- solutions like Adobe PostScript Level 3, every page printed uses Adobe
- technology."
-
- Adobe is the only company to offer a complete range of printing systems
- solutions with Adobe PrintGear(TM) for the small office/home office (SOHO)
- market; Adobe PostScript as the standard from corporate desktop printers to
- high-end publishing printers; a new architecture, code named "Supra", that
- incorporates both Adobe PostScript language and Adobe Portable Document
- Format (PDF) for production printers; and Adobe PrintMill(TM), an Intranet-
- based printing and printer management solution. Adobe also collaborates with
- leading operating system vendors and printer manufacturers to provide robust
- printer drivers.
-
- "We are delighted to have our OEM customers, development partners, and
- application software developers endorse Adobe PostScript Level 3," stated
- Jim Stephens, vice president of marketing, Adobe Printing and Systems
- Division. "Since its introduction in 1985 when Adobe PostScript software
- helped spawn the desktop publishing revolution, Adobe has continued to drive
- the industry forward with powerful printing solutions. We have expanded our
- technology offerings to meet the changing needs of customers in every market
- segment so our OEM customers can deliver best-in-class products across the
- board."
-
- Adobe has developed an advanced level of functionality in Adobe PostScript
- Level 3 to accommodate the new digital document creation process which
- includes varying sources, complex composition and virtually unlimited
- destinations. Users are now accessing content for use in digital documents
- from varying sources including electronic mail, World Wide Web pages,
- Intranets, on-line services, content providers and digital cameras. Ocument
- composition now includes not only text, but also complex graphics, clip art,
- corporate logos, Internet content, multiple fonts, scanned images and
- color. Finally, the digital document's destination is to printing systems
- anywhere in the world such as personal printers, network printers, service
- bureaus, pay for print providers, or data warehouses for electronic
- archival. With Adobe PostScript Level 3, users can print when and where they
- need to with insured reliability and quality.
-
- Adobe PostScript Level 3 Benefits
- Enhanced Image Technology
- Enhanced Image Technology insures that documents print faster, easier, and
- with optimal quality. A key benefit to the user is that Enhanced Image
- Technology recognizes image objects and automatically optimizes processing
- to deliver the highest possible quality, and at the same time speed return to
- application. Adobe PostScript Level 3 will include new imaging features
- that support the increasingly complex documents available via the Internet,
- support for three-dimensional images, photo quality grayscaling, smooth
- gradients in graphic objects, image compositioning and full-color
- spectrums.
-
- Advanced Page Processing
- Adobe PostScript Level 3 with Advanced Page Processing significantly
- increases the performance of an imaging system. As components in a document
- become more complex, the printing system will process each component as a
- separate object in order to optimize imaging throughnput. PostScript Level 3
- will support direct processing of Web content, including HTML and Adobe PDF.
- Advanced Page Processing will also extend the resident font set to provide
- compatibility with the resident fonts of all leading operating systems,
- enhancing performance by reducing font downloading. Adobe has also integrated
- PDF into Adobe PostScript Level 3 to provide users with a more robust
- ability to manage individual pages within a document, thereby improving the
- user's control over the printing process.
-
- NetWorks System
- Adobe's NetWorks System improves ease of use, ease of connection and ease of
- printer management all in one environment through Adobe PostScript Level 3.
- A printer with Adobe's NetWorks System functionality will include a printer
- based Web page, Web based printer management, printing directly from the
- printer's Web Page, support for all industry standard remote management
- technologies, and a single step CD-ROM installer for all drivers, fonts and
- value-added software. Adobe's NetWorks System ultimately allows users to
- leverage the power and benefits of the Internet.
-
- PlanetReady Printing
- Adobe PostScript Level 3 offers PlanetReady Printing to allow our products to
- fully meet the local language needs of our users anywhere in the world. We
- intend to provide the ability for users to easily display and print any
- language with any Adobe PostScript Level 3 printer. PlanetReady Printing
- enables OEMs to more easily develop complete imaging systems that are savvy
- to localized demands of language and usage. Specific features of PlanetReady
- Printing include robust drivers that are tightly integrated into the
- operating system, be it Microsoft(R) Windows(R) 3.1, Microsoft Windows 95,
- Microsoft Windows NT or Apple(R) Macintosh(R), full support of international
- font requirements, and tools for OEMs to quickly and easily customize and
- localize their printing systems. Adobe PostScript with PlanetReady printing
- capabilities offers users enhanced performance and simplified printing.
-
- Availability
- Adobe has completed Adobe PostScript Level 3 language feature development and
- will now begin its system integration process. The product schedule includes
- two internal quality assurance cycles before system delivery to OEM printing
- system manufacturers and third party development partners in December 1996.
- In the second half of 1997 when OEMs begin to deliver Adobe PostScript Level
- 3 based products, Adobe will disclose the Adobe PostScript Level 3 operators
- and language specific features.
-
- Based in San Jose, Calif., Adobe Systems Incorporated develops and supports
- products to help people express and use information in more imaginative and
- meaningful ways, across all print and electronic media. Founded in 1982,
- Adobe helped launch the desktop publishing revolution. Today, the company
- offers a market-leading line of application software and type products for
- creating and distributing visually rich communication materials; licenses
- its industry-standard technologies to major hardware manufacturers, software
- developers, and service providers; and offers integrated software solutions
- to businesses of all sizes. For more information, see Adobe's home page at
- http://www.adobe.com on the World Wide Web.
-
- Adobe, the Adobe logo, Adobe PostScript, Adobe PrintGear, Adobe PrintMill,
- PlanetReady Printing and NetWorks System are trademarks of Adobe Systems,
- Incorporated. Apple and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple
- Computer, Incorporated. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of
- Microsoft Corporation.
-
- Special Notice!! STR Infofile File format Requirements for
- Articles
-
-
- File Format for STReport
-
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- following format. Please use the format requested. Any files received that
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-
- Many grateful thanks in advance for your enthusiastic co-operation and input.
-
- Ralph F. Mariano, Editor
- STReport International Online Magazine
-
-
-
- EDUPAGE STR Focus Keeping the users informed
-
-
- Edupage
- Contents
-
- Wireless Industry Rejects FBI Surveillance Plan
- All Eyes On E-Money
- Justice Department Continues Microsoft Inquiry
- New York Enacts Net Indecency Law
- Hardware, Systems Administrators Cause Most Glitches
- Postal Service Tests Electronic Postmark
- No Communications Deal For U.S.- Canada
- Speedy HotWire Modems
- Seymour Cray Injured In Automobile Crash
- SAIC Eyes Bellcore
- Cracker Bill Passes Senate
- Increasing Use Of Direct Internet Service Providers
- FTC Seeks Privacy Safeguards In Response To P-TRAK Flap
- Stiff Competition For PC Shelf Space
- Motorola's Mac Attack
- AOL Resumes Junk E-Mail Block, Settles Class Action Suit
- Fujitsu To License Its Plasma Flat-Screen Technology
- VLSI Chips Slash Set-Top Box Prices
- AT&T Closes Its Personal Online Services Group
- The Art And Science Of Naming Technology Products
-
- WIRELESS INDUSTRY REJECTS FBI SURVEILLANCE PLAN
- The members of the Cellular Telecommunications Industry, a trade
- organization, have voted to reject a Justice Department plan that would give
- federal law enforcement agencies the ability to determine the location of a
- cellular phone caller and to begin almost immediately to monitor the status
- of the call. The wireless industry, which says the plan would be too
- expensive to administer, is supported by privacy groups fearful of giving
- police agencies additional surveillance capabilities. The FBI says it simply
- wants the same kind of location information already routinely available in
- tracing traditional phone calls: "The privacy people say we shouldn't have
- this information, but the notion that we in law enforcement should not be
- able to take advantage of the technology is a crazy notion." (New York Times
- 20 Sep 96 A1)
-
- ALL EYES ON E-MONEY
- Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin has formed a task force to examine what
- impact the move toward electronic money transfer and storage technologies
- will have on consumers. Specifically, the team will look at how these
- technologies will affect lower-income Americans, and assess standards for
- consumer protection. The task force also will come up with non-regulatory
- measures that can be taken to protect consumers while allowing the market to
- develop. "I want to be certain that we make the right decisions as we begin
- this new era so that the benefits of these developments are broadly shared
- and have a positive impact on our economy," says Rubin. (Investor's
- Business Daily 20 Sep 96 A19) Meanwhile, the Bank of Japan and Nippon
- Telegraph & Telephone Corp. have jointly developed a very advanced, secure
- electronic money system, using NTT's high- speed digital signature system and
- its patented E-sign algorithm. The new system allows a number of banks to
- issue the same type of e-money to customers, relieving them of the
- responsibility of developing their own proprietary e-money systems. NTT
- hopes its new system will become the de facto standard for e-money in the
- country. (BNA Daily Report for Executives 13 Sep 96 A2)
-
- JUSTICE DEPARTMENT CONTINUES MICROSOFT INQUIRY
- The Justice Department is proceeding into a new phase of its investigation of
- Microsoft's trade practices; the move follows last month's accusation by a
- Netscape attorney that, in defiance of a 1994 settlement with the government,
- Microsoft is giving computer manufacturers a $3 rebate for every machine on
- which they give Microsoft's Internet Explorer browsing software greater
- prominence than the corresponding Netscape Navigator browser. Microsoft has
- denied the accusation. (New York Times 20 Sep 96 C1)
-
- NEW YORK ENACTS NET INDECENCY LAW
- New York Governor George Pataki has signed into law a bill that makes
- transmission of material "harmful to minors," depicting nudity, sexual
- contact or sadomasochism a felony punishable by up to four years in prison.
- The New York Civil Liberties Union says it will continue to fight the law and
- may seek its repeal. (Broadcasting & Cable 16 Sep 96 p64)
-
- HARDWARE, SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATORS
- CAUSE MOST GLITCHES
- A report recently published by Ontrack Data Recovery lays the blame for data
- losses primarily on hardware malfunctions, with mistakes made by systems
- administrators second. While 44% of problems were attributable to the
- hardware, 32% were caused by systems administrators. Software malfunction
- caused 14%, and computer viruses only 7%. The remaining 3% were caused by
- natural disasters. (Investor's Business Daily 18 Sep 96 A6)
-
- POSTAL SERVICE TESTS ELECTRONIC POSTMARK
- The U.S. Postal Service is testing a system that would place an electronic
- postmark on e-mail messages, verifying the date and time the message was
- sent, and guaranteeing that the content had not been tampered with. The new
- system would enable more business functions to be conducted electronically,
- and would also provide an archive service, maintaining copies of "e-
- postmarked" mail, should any questions arise later. The current test will
- determine what price people would expect to pay for such a service, and which
- features work best. (St. Petersburg Times 20 Sep 96 E6)
-
- NO COMMUNICATIONS DEAL FOR U.S.-CANADA
- Industry Canada says there is no deal, at least in the short term, between
- Canada and the U.S. on communications policy. The U.S. government is
- pressuring Ottawa to open up Canada's industrial and cultural policies as a
- way to resolve Telesat Canada's problems with the U.S. Federal Communications
- Commission. (Toronto Globe & Mail 19 Sep 96 B8)
-
- SPEEDY HOTWIRE MODEMS
- The new HotWire system from Paradyne Corp. use an RADSL (rate adaptive
- digital subscriber line) modem that can send data at speeds up to 2 million
- bits per second, making it possible to send video over ordinary telephone
- lines. The technology is more than 15 times faster than conventional ISDN
- (integrated services digital network) lines. (Tampa Tribune 21 Sep 96 B&F1)
-
- SEYMOUR CRAY INJURED IN AUTOMOBILE CRASH
- Seymour Cray, the supercomputer pioneer who founded Cray Research Inc. and
- Cray Computer Inc., was injured in a three-car accident Sunday in Colorado
- Springs. Mr. Cray has severe head injuries and is listed in critical and
- unstable condition. (New York Times 24 Sep 96 C2)
-
- SAIC EYES BELLCORE
- Science Applications International Corp. is negotiating its proposed purchase
- of Bell Communications Research, better known as Bellcore, the research arm
- of the seven regional Bell operating companies. The price is rumored to be
- around $700 million, and the sale would give SAIC access to Bellcore's
- networking expertise, said to be the best in the world. Bellcore scientists
- are widely respected for their unsurpassed abilities in network disaster
- recovery, computer virus detection, and fiber optic technology. In choosing
- SAIC as their buyer, the Bell companies have selected a company that will
- not pose an immediate threat in their markets -- SAIC specializes in systems
- integration, national security, transportation and health care. (Wall Street
- Journal 23 Sep 96 A3)
-
- CRACKER BILL PASSES SENATE
- A bill (S 982) that would make it easier to prosecute computer crimes passed
- the Senate last Friday, but its companion bill in the House (HR 4095) is not
- scheduled for any action. The National Information Infrastructure Act of
- 1996, sponsored by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) would explicitly outlaw:
- interstate or foreign theft of information by computer; blackmail and
- threats against computer systems and networks; and unauthorized use of
- computer systems. Leahy says a Carnegie Mellon University report found that
- more than 12,000 computers were attacked in more than 2,400 incidents in
- 1995. The Computer Systems Policy Project reports that U.S. companies lost
- somewhere between $2- and $4-billion last year due to security breaches in
- computer systems. (BNA Daily Report for Executives 20 Sep 96 A35)
-
- INCREASING USE OF DIRECT INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS
- A survey from Odyssey Inc. of San Francisco says that 48% of all households
- connected to the Internet use an Internet service provider, up from 30% six
- months ago. The president of the firm notes that this is not good news for
- commercial online services: "There are now lots of places to get
- information, and lots of ways to get onto the Internet. Commercial online
- services are going to have to sell themselves in a different way than they
- have been selling themselves. They need to explain what value they bring in
- addition to access to the Internet and the World Wide Web." (New York Times
- 23 Sep 96 C1)
-
- FTC SEEKS PRIVACY SAFEGUARDS IN RESPONSE TO P-TRAK FLAP
- The Federal Trade Commission has recommended broader privacy protections,
- responding to public outcry over an information service offered by Lexis-
- Nexis Inc. that critics say provides individuals' Social Security numbers,
- mothers' maiden names, and other confidential data to anyone willing to pay a
- nominal fee. "The ready availability of this information through a tracking
- service may facilitate identity fraud, credit fraud and other illegal
- activities," says the FTC. The P-TRAK service says it eliminated access to
- Social Security numbers earlier this year following consumer complaints, but
- users can still call up information by typing in a Social Security number.
- P-TRAK also says it doesn't provide mothers' maiden names (often used by
- credit card companies as a safeguard against unauthorized access), just
- individuals' maiden names, as part of its service. The FTC has recommended
- that credit-reporting agencies would no longer be able to supply this
- information to database operators such as Lexis. (Wall Street Journal 24 Sep
- 96 B7)
-
- STIFF COMPETITION FOR PC SHELF SPACE
- PC makers are facing new competition from big consumer-electronics companies
- such as Sony Corp. and Toshiba Corp., both of which are weighing in with new
- lines of personal computers in time for the holiday sales season. "There's
- definitely more competition," says an International Data Corp. analyst, which
- has predicted a 14% rise in PC sales in the third quarter and 21% rise in
- the fourth. "There's not enough shelf space to go around." (St. Petersburg
- Times 23 Sep 96 p12)
-
- MOTOROLA'S MAC ATTACK
- Motorola has unveiled its StarMax Macintosh clones, becoming the first major
- manufacturer to get into the Apple clone business. The new machines,
- powered by Motorola's PowerPC processor, are priced anywhere between $1,600
- and $4,000 and include a five-year warranty. (Business Week 30 Sep 96 p46)
-
- AOL RESUMES JUNK E-MAIL BLOCK
- SETTLES CLASS ACTION SUIT
- America Online has received permission from a federal appeals court in
- Philadelphia to resume its practice of blocking junk e-mail messages sent to
- its subscribers. Cyber Promotions Inc. had filed for and received an
- injunction earlier this month ordering AOL to end its practice of blocking
- unsolicited messages to its members from companies that specialize in "junk
- e-mail" for promotional purposes. A related lawsuit is scheduled to go to
- trial in November. In a separate case, a judge in San Francisco tentatively
- approved a settlement to a class action suit brought by subscribers who
- claimed they were improperly charged for fractions of minutes that they
- didn't use. The settlement calls for refunds of $2.95 for each $300 in
- charges to former members. AOL's total payout could add up to $700,000,
- $200,000 more than was agreed to in the preliminary settlement. (Wall
- Street Journal 23 Sep 96 B6)
-
- FUJITSU TO LICENSE ITS PLASMA FLAT-SCREEN TECHNOLOGY
- The Japanese company Fujitsu, which has patented a way to develop plasma-
- display panels that could be used to create big screens for computer
- monitors and TV sets, will license the technology to other Japanese and
- Korean TV manufacturers. Whereas most thin screens, such as those used in
- laptop computers, currently rely on liquid crystal displays (LCDs), the
- Fujitsu technique makes use of a thin layer of plasma gas coated on the back
- of a screen, which is then lit up in various colors when the plasma crystals
- are activated by an electric charge. (New York Times 23 Sep 96 C4)
-
- VLSI CHIPS SLASH SET-TOP BOX PRICES
- New chips from VLSI Technology Inc. can handle both audio and video,
- eliminating the need for multiple chips used in set-top boxes for cable and
- satellite TV. The Vista System-Level Silicon chip should bring the prices
- of set-top boxes down from $450 to about $200, says a VLSI VP. (Investor's
- Business Daily 24 Sep 96 A8)
-
- AT&T CLOSES ITS PERSONAL ONLINE SERVICES GROUP
- AT&T will scrap its Personal Online Services Group and transfer the group's
- 40 employees to other jobs. The group had focused on providing a service
- called the Home Town Network, offering users information on local government,
- entertainment and other localized content. The company says it will
- concentrate instead on access and hosting services such as its WorldNet
- Internet access business. (Wall Street Journal 23 Sep 96 B6)
-
- THE ART AND SCIENCE OF NAMING TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS
- As companies fight over high-tech names with the words "net," "power," or
- "link" in them, others reach further afield for inspiration. The founder of
- Marimba, a software company creating Java-based applications, says: "I
- thought of tons of names, but most of them were taken." So she appropriated
- the name of the musical instrument: "I was looking for something dynamic
- and fun... Sure, we're marketing to nerds, but I think nerds like to be
- marketed to like everybody else." (New York Times 23 Sep 96 C5)
-
-
- Edupage is written by John Gehl (gehl@educom.edu) & Suzanne Douglas
- (douglas@educom.edu).
- Voice: 404-371-1853, Fax: 404-371-8057.
- Technical support is provided by the Office of Information Technology,
- University of North Carolina.
-
- EDUPAGE is what you've just finished reading. To subscribe to Edupage: send
- a message to: listproc@educom.unc.edu and in the body of the message type:
- subscribe edupage Marvin Minsky (assuming that your name is Marvin Minsky;
- if it's not, substitute your own name). ... To cancel, send a message to:
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-
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- and information technology. Subscriptions are $18 a year in the U.S.; send
- mail to offer@educom.edu. When you do, we'll ring a little bell, because
- we'll be so happy! Choice of bell is yours: a small dome with a button,
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- service"; or a small hand bell; or a cathedral bell; or a door bell; or a
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- and events. To subscribe to the Update: send a message to:
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- update John McCarthy (assuming that your name is John McCarthy; if it's
- not, substitute your own name).
-
- INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE
- The CAUSE organization's annual conference on information technology in
- higher education is scheduled for the end of this month in New Orleans. The
- conference will bring together administrators, academicians and other
- managers of information resources. For full conference information check out
- <http://cause-www.colorado.edu > or send e-mail to conf@cause.colorado.edu.
-
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- Educom -- Transforming Education Through Information Technology
-
-
-
- Creative's Partnerships Change the Face of the Internet
-
- Creative Partners With On-line Companies to Introduce Multimedia Products
- for the Internet
-
- MILPITAS, CA -- September 24, 1996 -- In its commitment to bring powerful
- multimedia solutions to the Internet, Creative Technology Ltd. (NASDAQ:
- CREAF), the world's leading provider of multimedia products for personal
- computers, has entered into four significant partnerships with on-line
- technology companies: NetSpeak Corp., Seer Systems, Inc., Onlive!
- Technologies and Progressive Networks. With these agreements, Creative will
- greatly expand its product line to integrate advanced audio, video, graphics
- and communications technology into vibrant, media-rich Internet solutions
- for the consumer.
-
- The industry is moving towards multimedia over the Internet and Creative
- believes it is in a powerful position to take advantage of and leverage its
- unique strengths as a leader in bringing multimedia products to the desktop
- and home. Creative believes that anyone who owns a PC has the ability to
- experience a fully emmersive, exciting and entertaining world directly from
- his or her computer. Through its agreements with NetSpeak, Seer, Progressive
- Networks and Onlive!, Creative will create affordable, easy-to-use products
- and develop exciting new technologies that bring Internet multimedia to the
- masses.
-
- NetSpeak
- Creative has entered into a strategic partnership with NetSpeak to jointly
- develop and integrate their products into the next-generation of multimedia
- and Internet Telephony technology. The partnership is an exclusive licensing
- and technology agreement giving Creative the right to license NetSpeak
- technology under the Creative WebPhoneT brand. Creative plans to build upon
- the technology of its standard-setting multimedia products to create a set
- of Internet Telephony products suited for home and business use.
-
- Creative WebPhone is the first in a line of Internet-based telephony products
- that will be introduced over the next year. Not only does Creative WebPhone
- offer low cost, long distance telephone calls over the Internet, it
- features high-quality TrueSpeechT audio, caller-ID, directory assistance,
- conferencing and chat functionality within a familiar user interface.
- Creative is currently distributing Creative WebPhone with Sound Blasterr and
- its communications products Phone BlasterT 33.6 PnP and Internet BlasterT
- 33.6 PnP.
-
- Seer Systems, Inc.
- In its desire to develop and deliver next generation audio solutions,
- Creative and Seer are developing high- quality fidelity sound technology for
- the Internet through an exclusive licensing and development agreement.
-
- As a result of its relationship with Seer, Creative will introduce its first
- audio product specifically for the Internet. Creative NetSynthT is a Sound
- Blaster compliant software synthesizer that plays high-quality MIDI on-line.
- The product combines powerful wave-table synthesis technology and up to 32-
- note polyphony so users can experience high quality professional audio on
- the Internet.
-
- In addition, Creative NetSynth includes one WaveGuide instrument, using
- Sondiusr synthesis technology from Stanford University, giving customers a
- sample of how characteristics of real instruments and sounds can be simulated
- very accurately through physical modeling. Creative NetSynth will be
- distributed over the Internet in the fourth quarter on Creative's World Wide
- Web site.
-
- Onlive!
- Creative has also entered into a distribution agreement with Onlive!
- Technologies. Through its distribution agreement, Creative bundles Onlive!'s
- Traveler 3D software with a number of its communications products. OnLive!
- Traveler is an end-user client software that allows real-time voice
- communication in 3D virtual environments. Users can navigate through
- communities of 3D environments, represented by their own 3D avatars or on-
- screen personas, and converse naturally with other users in real-time--
- taking on-line communications to a new, realistic and highly immersive
- level. Interactive 3D graphics on the Internet are available today with
- Creative's communications hardware and Onlive! Traveler software.
-
- By formulating strategic partnerships with companies like Onlive!, Creative
- can develop future products that give its customers access to 3D building
- tools, player and server software, texture and widget libraries, and hosting
- services that work with its standard-setting Blaster products including Sound
- Blaster, Internet Blaster and 3D BlasterT.
-
- Progressive Networks
- Creative and Progressive Networks have entered into a distribution agreement
- to bundle RealAudio with Creative's extensive line of multimedia products.
- Through its agreement with Progressive Networks, Creative's customers will
- enjoy full-featured audio over the Internet. RealAudio plays "live" and on-
- demand, streaming audio over the Internet eliminating the need to "download"
- audio and playback off-line. With RealAudio the user can easily listen to
- broadcast news, entertainment and speeches from around the world.
-
- "We are extremely excited about these significant partnerships. Each company
- brings unique and powerful technology that will allow Creative to make great
- strides within the Internet industry," said W.H. Sim, chairman and CEO of
- Creative Technology. "Creative is storming the Internet with the same fervor
- and excitement that made us the multimedia technology leader we are today."
-
- Creative Technology Ltd. is the world's leading provider of advanced
- multimedia solutions for personal computers, including sound, graphics,
- communications and video conferencing products. The company's Sound Blaster
- technology has been accepted as the worldwide standard sound platform for
- PCs, and the company's global distribution network is the most extensive in
- the multimedia industry. Creative is focused on enhancing the overall user
- experience by providing powerful, enabling, high-value technology for the
- mass market.
-
-
- Creative Targets the Home PC With New Multimedia Kits
-
- New Kits Include Internet Applications, Wave-Table Audio, 8x CD-ROM Drives,
- And Hot Titles From Microsoft And Activision
-
- MILPITAS, CA - September 24, 1996 - Creative Labs, Inc., a subsidiary of
- Creative Technology Ltd. (NASDAQ:CREAF), the world's leading provider of
- multimedia products for personal computers, today expanded its award-winning
- line of multimedia products with two new Internet-ready 8x-speed multimedia
- upgrade kits. Targeted at the home PC user, the new Sound Blasterr Multimedia
- Home 8x and Sound Blaster Value CD 8x kits deliver the latest in CD-ROM drive
- speed, Creative's best-selling audio cards, and include the hottest Internet
- applications and multimedia titles for entertainment, education, and
- productivity.
-
- The new kits are designed to provide the home PC user with an exciting way to
- upgrade their PCs with either Sound Blaster 16 PnP or Sound Blaster 32 PnP
- audio card with the latest technology combined in an all-in-one multimedia
- solution. When used with a modem, the new kits will provide an exciting
- Internet experience utilizing today's high value applications.
-
- In addition, the upgrade kit with Sound Blaster 32 PnP offers the award-
- winning wave-table technology from E-mu Systems Inc. which delivers real
- instrument sounds for a richer, more realistic audio experience. Creative
- has continued to lead the market with award-winning multimedia kit solutions.
- According to industry research firm Dataquest, Creative has consistently
- increased market share. "The demand for our kits is so strong because we
- build powerful, all-in-one solutions with the latest technology that include
- everything the user wants," said Craig McHugh, vice president and general
- manager of Creative Labs, Inc. "Creative has consistently been on the top of
- the 'best seller lists' with distributors and retailers for years. Our
- strategy is to continue empowering PC users with the latest technology by
- making it easy to turn their PCs into the best entertainment, educational
- and productivity platforms."
-
- Pricing and Availability
-
- Sound Blaster Multimedia Home 8x, with an approximate street price of US$339,
- and Sound Blaster Value CD 8x, with an approximate street price of US$249,
- are available immediately through Creative's extensive network of
- distributors and retailers.
-
- Sound Blaster Multimedia Home 8x
-
- Sound Blaster Multimedia Home 8x is designed for the family PC. It combines
- award-winning wave-table sound, 8x CD-ROM technology, and popular titles for
- education, productivity and entertainment, including ten titles from
- Microsoft's Home Collection. Included in the kit are Creative's Sound Blaster
- 32 PnP audio card; Creative WebPhone Lite for toll-free Internet phone
- calls; Creative's 8x CD-ROM drive; high-performance, 10-watt powered stereo
- speakers; and 10 Microsoft titles: Encartar Encyclopedia, Scholastic's The
- Magic School Bus Explores the Solar System, Fine Artist, Creative Writer,
- Microsoft Golf 2.0, Microsoft Wine Guide, Julia Child: Home Cooking with
- Master Chefs, Microsoft Music Sampler, Works, and Money. Also included are
- Voyetra MIDI Orchestrator Plus for Windows, Creative's Mixer, Multimedia
- Deck, Soundo'LE, TextAssist and WaveStudio.
-
- Sound Blaster Value CD 8x
-
- Sound Blaster Value CD 8x includes Creative's industry-standard Sound Blaster
- 16 PnP audio card, Creative's 8x CD-ROM drive, stereo speakers, and eleven
- titles, including: Compuserve's Sprynet for access to the Internet,
- Microsoft's Internet Explorer for Web browsing, Creative WebPhone Lite for
- toll-free calls over the Internet, SoftQuad's HoTMetal Light for home page
- design, Activision's hot new title, Time Commando, Microsoft's Encarta
- Encyclopedia, Dorling Kindersley's "My First Amazing, Incredible Dictionary".
- Also included are Creative's Mixer, Multimedia Deck, Soundo'LE, Text Assist
- and Wave Studio.
-
-
- Creative's Sound Blaster Gets "INTERNETed"
-
- New Sound Blaster Audio Line Includes Microsoft's Internet Explorer,
- NetSpeak's WebPhone,
- And Progressive Network's RealAudio Player
-
- SINGAPORE - September 24, 1996 -- As part of its strategy to provide enhanced
- audio capabilities over the Internet, Creative Technology Ltd. (NASDAQ:
- CREAF), the world's leading provider of multimedia products for the PC, has
- begun shipping its new InternetedT Sound Blasterr line of audio cards which
- comes bundled with powerful Internet software from Microsoft, NetSpeak Corp.
- and Progressive Networks. Creative's goal is to make Internet technology
- easily accessible to all of its customers through new products and technology
- upgrades.
-
- Creative has partnered with Microsoft to offer Internet ExplorerT for Web
- browsing, with NetSpeak to include Creative WebPhone for toll-free Internet
- phone calls, and with Progressive Networks to include the RealAudioT player
- for real-time audio streaming over the Internet. This combination of Internet
- audio and communications technologies, when bundled with the advanced audio
- functionality of the Sound Blaster line, gives the end-user a powerful,
- audio-rich Internet solution.
-
- "The business sector is rapidly adopting the Internet as a viable business
- productivity medium, largely due to its easy-to-use interface, accessibility
- to information and the exciting audio-enhanced multimedia contents," said
- Sim Wong Hoo, chairman and chief executive officer of Creative Technology.
- "The Internet's inroads into the business office is now driving the demand
- for affordable sound cards. Creative's long established reputation for
- quality, reliable yet affordable audio has actually opened the door for Sound
- Blaster's entry into the business office where quality and reliability
- count. To tap this new market opportunity, Creative introduces its
- 'Interneted' Sound Blaster audio line with its exciting suite of Internet
- productivity tools that can easily handle the demanding applications found
- on the Web."
-
- Pricing And Availability
- Creative is adding these Internet applications at no additional cost to the
- consumer. Sound Blaster AWE32 PnP is priced at US$249; Sound Blaster 32 PnP
- has a reduced estimated street price of US$149; and Sound Blaster 16 PnP is
- priced at US$99. All three new sound cards are available immediately through
- Creative's extensive network of distributors and retailers. Creative plans
- to offer the new Internet upgrades to its installed customer
- base of Sound Blaster users.
-
- Features And Benefits
- The new Sound Blaster sound card line is designed to enhance entertainment,
- business, and Internet applications. "We're very excited to be teaming with
- the industry leader in PC audio to deliver our Internet telephony technology
- to the millions of Sound Blaster users," said Bob Kennedy, president of
- NetSpeak Corp. "With our combined technologies the possibility of toll-free
- long-distance phone calls and communications is now a reality for Internet
- users."
-
- The included Internet tools provide the following features and benefits:
-
- · Creative WebPhone -- Provides single-line, long distance phone calls
- without toll-charges and unlimited talk time. It also supports
- real-time, full-duplex communication, voicemail, caller ID and call
- hold/mute/block.
- · Microsoft's Internet Explorer -- A full featured browser with built-in
- Internet audio support for accessing a wealth of information on the
- Net.
- · Progressive Networks' RealAudio Player -- Plays "live," on-demand,
- audio over the Internet. The company's audio streaming technology
- eliminates the need to download audio files and play them back
- "off-line." With the RealAudio player, the user can easily listen to
- broadcast news, entertainment and speeches from around the world.
- · Full-duplex audio -- All Sound Blaster sound cards ship with full-duplex
- audio capabilities for high-quality, two-way conversations over the
- Internet.
- · Industry standard audio -- Sound Blaster AWE32 PnP and Sound Blaster 32
- PnP deliver wave-table audio based on E-mu System's award-winning
- technology which provides real instrument sounds and special effects
- for a more immersive audio experience. All Sound Blaster cards
- including the Sound Blaster 16 PnP, provide CD-quality, industry
- standard PC audio.
- · SoundFontr Technology -- The Sound Blaster AWE32 PnP, and the Sound
- Blaster 32 PnP with a memory upgrade, allow customization of PC
- sound. SoundFonts technology uses an easy-to-use downloadable sample
- format to create new instrument sounds, and special effects which in
- turn, helps the PC user in creating unique music compositions and
- great personalized sounds.
-
- Creative Technology Ltd. is the world's leading provider of advanced
- multimedia solutions for personal computers, including sound, graphics,
- communications and video conferencing products. The company's Sound Blaster
- technology has been accepted as the worldwide standard sound platform for
- PCs, and the company's global distribution network is the most extensive in
- the multimedia industry. Creative is focused on enhancing the overall user
- experience by providing powerful, enabling, high-value technology for the
- mass market.
-
- Creative and Seer Deliver Low-Cost Wave-Table Audio
- to Sound Blaster 16
-
- Creative WaveSynth, First Feature Rich Audio Enhancement Solution for OEM
- Market
-
- MILIPITAS, CA -- September 24, 1996 -- Creative Technology Ltd. (NASDAQ:
- CREAF), the world's leading provider of multimedia products for personal
- computers, has partnered with Seer Systems, Inc. to deliver a high quality,
- software synthesizer that gives wave-table audio capabilities to the Sound
- Blasterr 16. Creative WaveSynthT, combined with Creative's entire line of
- audio products, now gives PC makers the best complete audio solution for
- their customers.
-
- Creative WaveSynth provides OEM customers with an excellent price/performance
- upgrade option for the Sound Blaster 16. When used in conjunction with Sound
- Blaster 16, Creative WaveSynth software performs MIDI synthesis and acts
- like a multi-channel audio mixer with high-quality reverb. Creative WaveSynth
- also gives high-quality reverb capabilities to digital audio so that the
- overall sound when playing games and using audio applications is notably
- improved.
-
- Creative WaveSynth supports Direct Sound giving end users the ability to play
- games utilizing Direct X and at the same time enjoy the benefits of the
- software wave-table. In addition, Creative WaveSynth also takes up
- relatively little memory and makes relatively few demands on the CPU. For
- customers who don't currently need all of the advanced features of the ound
- Blaster 32 and Sound Blaster AWE32T, which offer a wide range of impressive
- high-end audio capabilities for the PC, Creative WaveSynth will enable end
- users to experience a significant difference over FM synthesis at a very
- affordable price to the OEM. "Creative is very committed to addressing the
- needs of our OEM customers by providing them with the most comprehensive and
- technically advanced line of products available," said H.G. Tan, vice
- president OEM business of Creative Labs. "By offering a variety of options
- backed by solid product offerings like Creative WaveSynth, Creative will
- continue to remain the worldwide leader in advanced audio technology for the
- masses."
-
- Creative WaveSynth was developed through a partnership with Seer Systems,
- Inc. In its commitment to develop and deliver next generation audio
- solutions, Creative has entered into an exclusive licensing and development
- with Seer. "This is just the first step in what Seer and Creative can
- accomplish with our extensive resources and technology," said Stanley
- Jungleib, founder and CEO of Seer Systems. "Seer's unique software- based
- synthesis technology is far ahead of the pack and we are quickly moving
- forward with Creative to develop other ground breaking technologies and
- musically expressive tools."
-
- Creative WaveSynth is now available to OEM, Private Label and VAR customers.
- Customers can receive the synthesizer bundled with the Sound Blaster 16
- chipset or boards. Creative WaveSynth supports Windows 3.1 and Windows 95.
-
-
- Creative Details Newest Multimedia Strategy For the Internet
-
- Creative's New Internet Solutions Include High-Quality Audio, Voice Over
- the Web in Multimedia Rich Applications
-
- MILPITAS, CA - September 24, 1996 - Creative Technology Ltd. (NASDAQ: CREAF),
- the world's leading provider of multimedia products for personal computers,
- today detailed the newest phase of its strategy to bring multimedia
- technology to the Internet. Through a series of technological innovations,
- product development initiatives, partnerships and joint development
- agreements, Creative will leverage its strength and expertise in both
- multimedia and Internet communications and make them available to anyone who
- owns a PC.
-
- Creative offers a complete set of hardware solutions including audio, video
- and communications that promises to make the Internet a more immersive
- experience than before. By combining its prowess in the areas of sound,
- graphics and communications --along with key partnerships-- Creative will
- drive the convergence of technology resulting in more dynamic and empowering
- Internet applications. This means that the end-user experience will be
- drastically improved with Creative's powerful, high-value, industry-leading
- technologies.
-
- "The best of the Internet has yet to be realized, it has the potential to be
- a full multimedia environment if combined with the right technology," said
- Sim Wong Hoo, chairman and chief executive officer of Creative Technology
- Ltd. "Creative envisions leveraging its technical stronghold to build better
- 'cars' for the information superhighway. These solutions will make net-
- surfing and information search faster and smoother and will improve
- productivity, thereby increasing widespread business usage of the Internet."
-
- Today's Announcements
- Today, Creative announced several new audio, telephony and multimedia
- solutions that give users easy access to the Internet and provide software
- and hardware that makes existing PCs powerful, enjoyable platforms for
- information gathering, productivity and gaming. The company announced a new
- Sound Blasterr audio line that includes Internet browsing, audio and
- communications tools for a complete audio-rich solution. Creative also
- announced the expansion of its award-winning line of multimedia products with
- two new Internet-ready 8x speed multimedia upgrade kits which include the
- hottest Internet applications such as Creative WebPhoneT for toll-free
- Internet phone calls. (Please see separate news releases)
-
- These announcements build on Creative's Internet-ready technology which has
- been available for over a year. For example, with the Modem BlasterT
- solution, Creative was the first to provide a complete, Internet-ready modem
- and solution; and with its Internet BlasterT 33.6 PnP, Creative was the first
- to offer an all-in-one 33.6 Kbps Internet solution.
-
- High Quality Internet Audio
- As the standard setter in PC audio with over 70 percent market share for
- Sound Blaster, Creative is bringing its renown audio technology to the
- Internet, including Sound Blaster, MIDI, software synthesis, 3D audio and
- SoundFontsT. In its drive to develop and deliver next generation Internet
- audio solutions, Creative is bringing the Web out of its "silent movie" era
- by offering high-quality 16-bit sound through the new Creative NetSynthT
- product --announced today.
-
- Creative NetSynth is a Sound Blaster compliant software synthesizer licensed
- from Seer Systems, Inc., that plays high-quality MIDI on-line. The product
- combines powerful wave-table synthesis technology and up to 32-note
- polyphony so users can experience a sound fidelity not commonly found on the
- Internet today. In addition, Creative NetSynth includes one WaveGuide
- instrument that gives customers a sample of how complex sound arrangements
- can be simulated very accurately through physical modeling using Sondiusr
- synthesis technology from Stanford University. (Please see separate news
- release)
-
- Business Audio and Internet Telephony
- Today, the Internet continues to explode with communication, business and
- commerce applications, including TCP-IP networks, corporate Intranets,
- browsing, searching and publishing, telephony, distance learning,
- videoconferencing, corporate training, chatting, gaming, radio, net-
- television, advertising and commercial transactions -everything that will
- help business people to communicate and work together more efficiently. In
- anticipation of a resurgence in the demand for affordable audio and telephony
- solutions for the business world, Creative introduces its first series of
- new "Interneted" Sound Blaster audio solutions that will offer the original
- Sound Blaster audio technology with the latest applications such as Creative
- WebPhone and RealAudioT to meet the demands of home and business users.
-
- With Creative WebPhone, the customer receives a point-to-point communication
- device that operates like a real phone and gives them the benefit of
- communication on the Internet. The Creative WebPhone interface is easy to
- use, like a cellular phone. It has Internet telephone features: full-duplex
- audio quality, speed dialing, voice mail, Internet e-mail capabilities, drag
- and drop interface, directory assistance and multimedia user manual and help
- system. RealAudio plays "live" and on-demand, streaming audio over the
- Internet eliminating the need to "download" audio and playback off-line.
- With RealAudio , the customer can easily listen to broadcast news,
- entertainment and speeches from around the world.
-
- Partnerships
- In support of this newest phase of its strategy of bringing Internet
- multimedia to the masses, Creative also today announced several partnerships
- that will enable it to create and offer exciting, affordable, easy-to-use
- products to general consumers. Creative has entered into four significant
- partnerships with on-line technology companies: NetSpeak Corp., Seer
- Systems, Onlive! Technologies and Progressive Networks. With these
- agreements, Creative will greatly expand its product line to integrate
- advanced audio, video, graphics and communications technology into vibrant,
- media-rich Internet solutions for the consumer. (Please see separate news
- release on Creative's partnership announcement)
-
- Creative Zone
- In line with its Internet strategy, Creative unveiled Creative Zone at
- http://www.creativelabs.com on 14 February 1996. Creative Zone is designed
- to enliven the user's Internet expedition by providing a 24-hour zone of
- fun, music and interactivity with fuss-free access to product information,
- software driver updates, press releases, technical and technology queries,
- interviews and reviews. The Zone also has dedicated sections for gamers,
- music enthusiasts and multimedia business users.
-
- Since its inception, Creative Zone has been chalking up over 20 million hits
- per month and numerous awards. The Zone was picked by MSN Pick-of-the-Week
- as an exceptional site "...and the Zone's music pub and entertainment arcade
- are good places to chill". Other awards include Magellan 4-Star Site, Lycos
- Top 5% Web Sites, I-way top 500 sites and CNET 5-Star Rating. Also being
- launched is the new on-line club called Creative Connection which directly e-
- mails members with information on new driver updates and free software.
- Visitors can continue to look forward to new developments at the Zone.
-
- More To Come
- Creative's goal is to be a leading supplier of branded products and services,
- that enhance the Internet multimedia experience. To that end, Creative plans
- to develop a multi-function multimedia client and server system to support
- the client. Creative will also continue to develop relationships with key
- partners to jointly develop software content and hardware solutions. The
- company will unveil the next phase of its Internet strategy and additional
- solutions later this year.
-
- Creative Technology Ltd. is the world's leading provider of advanced
- multimedia solutions for personal computers, including sound, graphics,
- communications and video conferencing products. The company's Sound Blaster
- technology has been accepted as the worldwide standard sound platform for
- PCs, and the company's global distribution network is the most extensive in
- the multimedia industry. Creative is focused on enhancing the overall user
- experience by providing powerful, enabling, high-value technology for the
- mass market. Sound Blaster and Blaster are registered trademarks and 3D
- Blaster is a trademark of Creative Technology Ltd. E-mu is a registered
- trademark of E-mu Systems, Inc. All other products mentioned herein are
- trademarks of their respective owners and are hereby recognized as such.
- This announcement relates to products whose launch are in the United States
- of America. The product names, contents, prices and availability may differ
- elsewhere in the world according to local factors and requirements. Sound
- Blaster and Blaster are registered trademarks of Creative Technology Ltd. All
- other products mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective owners
- and are hereby recognized as such.
-
- Safe Harbor for Forward Looking Statements:
- Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth
- herein are forward looking statements that are subject to certain risks and
- uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from
- those set forth in the forward looking statements. Such risks and
- uncertainties include, among others: potential fluctuations in quarterly
- results due to the seasonality of Creative's business and the difficulty of
- projecting such fluctuations; reductions in the cost of products sold by
- Creative, including increases in supply or declines in demand or prices for
- CD-ROM Drives, board and chip-level products, and software products; the
- short product cycles that characterize most of Creative's products; the
- increasing proliferation of sound functionality at the chip and OEM level;
- Creative's reliance on sole sources for many of its chips and other key
- components; the timely ramp, delivery and market acceptance of new products,
- including Creative's graphics accelerator, video conferencing, CD-ROM drive
- and communications products; the availability of operating capital and
- capital to refinance Creative's outstanding long term debt on acceptable
- terms; the volatility of share prices for companies in Creative's industry
- and the effect of those prices or events beyond Creative's control; the need
- to conclude the negotiation of and to implement certain planned and future
- partnerships that Creative believes are important to Creative's Internet
- strategy; and other risk factors described in Creative's fillings with the
- Securities and Exchange Commission over the past twelve months.
-
-
-
-
-
- Memory Lane
-
-
- Last Week's picture was of George Miller, formally of MichTron Corp. under
- Gordon Monier. George was the man.. with many of their products when it
- came to answers.
-
- He was correctly identified by Arthur Goldman of Michigan.
-
-
-
- · Each week, we'll present a different new photo for our readers to
- identify.
- · Tell us who or what is in the photo.. then send us your answer to;
- photo@streport.com
- · The first correct entry will be published in the following week's issue
- along with the new photo to be identified.
-
-
-
-
-
- For Immediate Release
-
-
-
- Corel Adds New CLP NT 4.0 Licensing Option for Customers
-
- Innovative Technical Support Programs in the Works
-
- Ottawa, Canada- Sept. 23, 1996- Corel Corporation announced today that it
- will offer its customers a new licensing option, as well as a completely new
- technical support licensing program, for the Windowsr NTT 4.0 versions of
- Corelr WordPerfectr Suite 7 and Corelr Office Professional 7, scheduled for
- release later this fall.
-
- Under Corel's new offering, corporate customers would buy a shrinkwrap
- version of the software and then pay as little as $807 US for each Windows
- NT server license. The number of users would be limitless and the company
- would only pay for the number of servers that it has connected, and not the
- number of users actually working with the software.
-
- "We want to offer our corporate customers the best value for their money,"
- said Dr. Michael Cowpland, president and chief executive officer of Corel
- Corporation. "This new pricing plan will help give companies a chance to
- save money and reduce administrative headaches while equipping their
- employees with industry-leading software. Its a win-win situation for both
- sides."
-
- Under the terms of the new plan, corporate customers would purchase one
- shrinkwrap copy of Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 for Windows NT for the license
- price of $1,495.00 US. Shrinkwrap pricing for Corel Office Professional is
- $1,995.00 US. Customers would then participate in either the CLP Choice or
- the CLP Universal pricing programs, depending on the number of servers that
- they are licensing.
-
- For more information on Corel's licensing programs and the Windows NT 4.0
- licensing option, please contact Corel Customer Service at 1-800-772-6735 or
- an authorized reseller.
-
- New Technical Support Options
-
- Technical support and maintenance will not be provided under Corel's CLP NT
- 4.0 server pricing program. However, Corel is currently implementing several
- innovative and exciting support options for the Corel WordPerfect family of
- products running on NT servers.
-
- "Our new programs will enable customers to more closely manage support costs
- when purchasing our Suite. The new license and support pricing will deliver
- exceptional product and support value," said Paul Coffin director of
- technical support with Corel. "The new support plans offer flexible
- incident-based priority access to senior level technicians on a toll-free
- line."
-
- Corel's technical support licensing plans for NT customers includes two
- distinct pricing levels: Educational Non-Profit NT Standard and Educational
- Non-Profit NT Plus. Organizations can buy blocks of technical support
- incidents through these plans. Educational Non-Profit NT Standard support is
- available 11 hours a day, five days a week, while Educational Non-Profit NT
- Plus support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
-
- Corel will also begin publishing real-time service delivery levels via the
- World Wide Web - a first in the industry. Users will be able to observe the
- number of people and the amount of time they have been waiting for technical
- support in the Premium or Priority support queues. This means customers will
- be able to tailor their contact with the support team allowing quicker
- response times.
-
- "We are truly setting new support standards by freely publishing our
- real-time service delivery levels via the Web," said Coffin. "Corel is the
- only company in the industry to make such an aggressive move. "Our customers
- continue to demand timely and efficient support. By publishing our queue
- times we are accepting the responsibility of meeting our customers
- expectations. Users will be able to time the placement of their calls and
- keep Corel support engineers working efficiently."
-
- In addition, Premium and Priority customers will soon be able to submit and
- review their support incidents 24 hours a day via the World Wide Web.
- Customers will no longer be limited to placing a phone call to open or review
- a support incident.
-
- Corel License Program Choice is aimed at small to medium sized businesses and
- is available to all authorized Corel distributors and resellers. There is no
- minimum order requirement to qualify for the program. CLP Choice customers
- will not receive any media or documentation with their license. They may
- decide to purchase a few full shrinkwrap copies of software and distribute
- the documentation as needed or they may purchase media and documentation
- through their reseller or distributor.
-
- Corel License Program Universal is aimed at larger corporate customers and
- accounts and is available through authorized resellers. Participants
- purchase a minumum of $50,000 US in licenses and/or maintenance. Media and
- documentation may be purchased seperately through authorized resellers.
-
- Both CLP Choice and CLP Universal programs allow non-concurrent home and
- laptop use.
-
- Corel Corporation
- Incorporated in 1985, Corel Corporation is recognized internationally as an
- award-winning developer and marketer of productivity applications, graphics
- and multimedia software. Corel's product line includes CorelDRAWT, the
- Corelr WordPerfectr Suite, Corelr Office Professional, CorelVIDEOT and over
- 30 multimedia software titles. Corel's products run on most operating
- systems, including: Windows, Macintosh, UNIX, MS-DOS, OpenVMS and OS/2 and
- are consistently rated among the strongest in the industry. The company ships
- its products in over 17 languages through a network of more than 160
- distributors in 70 countries worldwide. Corel is traded on the Toronto Stock
- Exchange (symbol: COS) and the NASDAQ--National Market System (symbol:
- COSFF). For more information visit Corel's home page on the Internet at
- http://www.corel.com.
-
- Corel and WordPerfect are registered trademarks and CorelDRAW, CorelMEGA
- GALLERY and CorelVIDEO are trademarks of Corel Corporation or Corel
- Corporation Limited. All products mentioned are trademarks or registered
- trademarks of their respective companies.
-
-
-
-
-
- Kids Computing Corner
- Frank Sereno, Editor
-
- The Kids' Computing Corner
- Computer news and software reviews
- from a parent's point of view
-
- Mighty Math Carnival Countdown
- Mac/Windows Hybrid CD-ROM
- MSRP $39.99
- for ages 5 to 8
-
- Edmark
- P.O. Box 97021
- Redmond, WA 98073-9721
- 1-800-320-8379
- http://www.edmark.com
-
- Program Requirements
- IBM Macintosh
- OS: Windows 3.1, Windows 95 OS: System 7.0.1
- CPU: 486SX/33 CPU: 68030/25
- HD Space: 5 MB HD Space: 1
- MB
- Memory: 8 MB Memory: 4 MB
- Graphics: 640 by 480 with 256 colors Graphics:
- 256 colors, 13" monitor
- CD-ROM: Double-speed CD-ROM: Double-speed
- Audio: 8-bit Windows compatible sound card
- Other: mouse, printer optional
-
- reviewed by Frank Sereno
-
-
- Children of all ages love carnivals. With its combination of bright,
- animated characters and fun learning games that will entertain and educate
- your child ages five to eight, your child will love Mighty Math Carnival
- Countdown too. Basic math concepts are presented in positive learning
- environments that provide hours of entertainment and education.
-
- Carnival Countdown features 5 learning activities. Carnival Cars teaches
- children about sorting and sets. Snap Clowns teaches addition and
- subtraction skills. Pattern Block Roundup develops geometry and spatial
- concepts. Children learn place value and counting skills in Bubble Band.
- Finally, children learn number relationships and equality equations in the
- Giggle Factory. Each activity has two modes. The Question & Answer Mode is
- an interactive quiz in which an animated host asks the child to find an
- answer. The Explore Mode allows the child to manipulate the activity pieces
- to learn through open-ended discovery. Each activity features a Grow Slide
- that parents can use to monitor the child's progress and to change the level
- of difficulty of the exercise.
-
- Carnival Cars is a sorting game. Allison the Elephant will ask the child
- to sort bumper cars according to various attributes such as color, driver,
- body style and more. He will place the cars in large rings denoted by a
- sign. As the child progresses, he will learn to do Venn diagrams in which
- the circles intersect or circles are within circles so that some cars will
- belong to more than one sorting groups. Some cars will not belong and the
- child can launch them from the scene by placing them on the "X" pad. If
- your child makes a wrong answer, the car goes back to the entrance and he
- gets to try again. In the Explore Mode, he chooses how he wishes to sort
- the cars. Part of the fun is to change the attributes after the rings are
- full to watch the cars realign themselves into the new categories.
-
- Snap Clowns is a fun way to learn addition, subtraction, division and
- multiplication. Children drag and drop clowns to screen locations to solve
- or represent an equation. The program uses problems in many different
- formats to present the problems to keep the game interesting for kids. For
- added entertainment, they can paint the clowns in a variety of colors.
- Problems can involve the adding of up to three numbers and dividing a number
- into four equal parts. In Explore Mode, children create their own equations
- and the program will provide the answers.
-
- Geometric shapes are spatial relationships are the main concepts developed in
- Pattern Block Roundup. Armadillo Annie will teach your children the names of
- shapes and challenge them to arrange these shapes into patterns or to
- recognize patterns in a series of objects. To solve the puzzle, you click
- and drag shapes onto the puzzle. In some cases, you may need to turn a shape
- clicking on a corner of it and rotating it to the proper position. In
- Explore Mode, children can create designs using the shapes and paint them
- using solid or patterned paints. Kids can save their creations for future
- viewing or print for sharing.
-
- Eddie and the Bubble Band teach the concept of number place value along with
- addition and subtraction of up to three-digit numbers, and carrying and
- borrowing. Children will represent numbers by placing bubbles on the screen.
- As they progress through the exercises, they will learn the value of tens and
- hundreds and the place value of numbers. Children can create numbers in
- Explore Mode by clicking on the band members. When ten ones or ten tens are
- on the band shell, they will band together into a larger bubble that the
- child can then move to the next place value. Each time a band member makes a
- bubble, he blows a musical note so your child can make tunes as well as learn
- math.
-
- The final activity is the Giggle Factory. The hosts are Odd and Even Otter.
- They will teach children about relationships between numbers such as less
- than, greater than or equal to another. Their task is to complete an
- equation by placing "laughs" on a scale. Problems range from simple addition
- problems to comparisons of three-digit numbers. Odd and Even help your child
- to find the correct answer by providing clues. In the Explore Mode, children
- can place laughs or numbers on the two sides of scale and the program will
- automatically show the <,> or = sign between the represented quantities.
-
- The aesthetic qualities of the program are excellent. The graphics are
- colorful. The characters are well conceived and expertly animated. The
- voice characterizations are done exceedingly well with each character having
- a definite personality, yet all are extremely friendly. The background music
- is only adequate, but the sound effects are top notch.
-
- Edmark products always feature strong user interfaces. The program is very
- easy to negotiate. Spoken help is always available to assist inexperienced
- users. The manual is very complete with thorough operating instructions, a
- parent guide and a troubleshooting section. The disc also has a special
- parents section that details the fine features of the program. This program
- is a lot of fun. The activities are filled with humorous touches that will
- entice your children to play longer. The colorful characters and fun
- gameplay will induce your child to come back for more. Educational value is
- very high. This is a teacher-designed program that covers most of the math
- concepts learned in pre-kindergarten through second grade. While it will not
- substitute for school work, it is a wonderful complement to the lessons
- learned there.
-
- Edmark has another winner on its hands with Might Math Carnival Countdown.
- It combines quality graphics and sound with an easy-to-use interface. It's
- wonderfully fun, yet it contains an astonishingly rich learning experience.
- The program is reasonably priced and backed by a 30-day satisfaction
- guarantee. Finally, Edmark is currently offering a $10 rebate on this fine
- title. This makes Carnival Countdown a stupendous value. Check this title
- out!
-
- Ratings
-
- Graphics 9.5
- Sound 9.0
- Interface 9.5
- Play Value 9.5
- Educational Value 10.0
- Bang for the Buck 9.5
- Average 9.5
-
-
-
- STReport's "Partners in Progress" Advertising Program
- The facts are in... STReport International Online Magazine reaches more
- users per week than any other weekly resource available today. Take full
- advantage of this spectacular reach. Explore the superb possibilities of
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- STReport offers a strong window of opportunity to your company of reaching
- potential users on major online services and networks, the Internet, the WEB
- and more than 200,000 private BBS's worldwide. This is truly an exceptional
- opportunity to maximize your company's recognition factor globally.
-
- (STReport is pronounced: "ES TEE Report")
-
- STR Publishing's Economical "Partners in Progress" Plans!
- Take Action! "Discover the REAL Advantage"
- of STR's EXCEPTIONAL AND HIGHLY ECONOMICAL
- "Partners in Progress" Program.. Call Today!
-
- STR Publishing, Inc. (STR, STReport, CPU Report);
- · maintains a commitment to utilizing the power of the Internet and Web to
- keep computer users, worldwide, both private and commercial, informed
- of new trends in equipment, upgrade reports and future planning.
- · offers highly informative Hardware and Software Reviews, Press Releases,
- hands-on stories, user experiences and show reports.
- · presents the NEWS about new hardware, new software and how-to
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- And, at the same time, helping to keep the very best Independent Online
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-
-
- Gaming & Entertainment Section
- with Atari User Support
-
- Editor Dana P. Jacobson
-
-
- From the Entertainment Editor's Desk "Saying it like it is!"
-
- Well, I've been under the weather for about a week now and finding it
- quite difficult to focus on an editorial between sneezes and coughs. Ugh!
- The first time I've really been sick since my bout with pneumonia a few
- years ago. Can't seem to shake this thing...
-
- Not much happening this week, but I may have missed a few things during
- my cold-induced "haze". Toad Computers has announced a date change for their
- annual "Toad Fest" this year (see below). If you've ever been down there, or
- have wanted a reason to visit them, here's a good opportunity. They're good
- folks. Join the fun!
-
- Until next time...
-
-
- AtariFest '96 STR ShowNews
-
-
- TOAD COMPUTERS ANNOUNCES ATARIFEST '96!
-
- Come celebrate TEN WONDERFUL YEARS of AtariFests, Toad Computers, and TOS at
- AtariFest '96. Toad Computers is pleased to announce AtariFest '96, to be
- held October 26th, 1996 at Toad Computers, in Severna Park, Maryland, USA.
-
- - Door Prizes
- - Atari BARGAINS
- - PC Systems
- - Browse the Internet
- - Atari Show & Tell
- - FREE REFRESHMENTS!
- - FREE ADMISSION!
-
- We will be featuring a wide range of SPECTACULAR deals on new and used Atari
- products including Jaguar, Lynx, ST, TT, Falcon, Portfolio, and the 8-Bit
- series. We are really excited about the show!
-
- CELEBRATE THE WORLD OF ATARI!
-
- Atari products are drying up fast; this may be your last chance to pick up
- Atari hardware, software, and accessories, all at incredibly low prices!
- Plus, see what's new from Europe for the ST and Falcon, including:
-
- - MagiC 5 (with Windows 95 Long Filename Support)
- - MagiC PC (MagiC for the PC with Ease 5)
- - MagiC Mac (running MagiC 5 and Ease 5)
- - Ease 5 for Atari
- - Texel -- NEW Atari Spreadsheet!
-
- Don't miss this opportunity!
-
- AtariFest '96 is being held in place of our Holiday Festivals we have hosted
- for the past three years. Now, it's a little earlier, and it's a different
- format. We really hope you'll join us for what we're sure will be a
- once-in-a-lifetime event!
-
- SPECIALS you can take advantage of at ATARIFEST '96:
-
- Toad Chameleon 166MHz: JUST $1299.00!
-
- - Pentium 166 - 16MB RAM
- - 1.3GB Hard Disk - Gemulator 96
- - 1MB PCI Video - Windows 95 & Plus!
- - 3.5" Floppy - Mini Tower Case
- - 8X CD ROM - Keyboard, Mouse
- - Speakers - 16-Bit Sound Card
-
- Comes with Gemulator '96 -- RUN YOUR FAVORITE ST PROGRAMS! Includes MagiC,
- so no hardware is necessary to run Gemulator!
-
- ATARI JAGUAR: Just $59.00!
- - Includes Complete Atari Jaguar Console
- - Includes WOLFENSTEIN 3D Game!
-
- Hundreds of fantastic deals on CLEARANCE ITEMS,
- OVERSTOCKS & DEMO MODELS in ALL PRODUCT CATEGORIES!
- Must be present to take advantage of these prices!
-
- Don't miss this event! Door prizes! Free stuff! Great prices! Bring your most
- unique Atari memorabilia for show & tell! Select developers will be in
- attendance to answer your questions about products! Stay tuned to
- STNEWS/JAGNEWS and www.ataricentral.com for more details!
-
- When: 9:00AM - 5:00PM
- Sat., Oct. 26, 1996
- ONE FUN-PACKED DAY ONLY!
- Where: Toad Computers
- 570 Ritchie Hwy.
- Severna Park, MD 21146-2925
- More Info: http://www.ataricentral.com
- info@toad.net
- (410) 544-6943 Info
- (410) 544-1329 FAX
- Directions: http://www.toad.net/direxns.html
-
- David Troy, ToadNet Information Services [dave@toad.net]
- Toad Computers, Inc. (800) 448-8623 Orders
- Systems,Upgrades,Internet,Training (410) 544-6943 Info
- WEB: http://www.toad.net/ (410) 544-1329 FAX
- FTP: ftp://ftp.toad.net (410) 544-6999 BBS
-
-
- IC Magazine Price Corrections STR Infofile
-
-
- Greetings,
-
- Following earlier emailings of prices for IC magazine, I unfortunately have
- to inform that some people's readers were not capable of showing the uk
- pound sterling symbol and consequently have received incorrect price lists.
- Here is the complete price list. Once again all prices are in uk pound
- sterling.
-
- 1 Trial Issue 5 issues 10 issues
-
- UK mainland 0.50 N/A 5.00
- Rest of Europe N/A 4.50 N/A
- USA and Canada N/A 7.00 N/A
-
- (European rates are applicable to residents of European countries, as defined
- by the British Royal Mail, except countries with additional customs
- procedures.) Remember that the first issue of ICM is mailed before the end
- of this month. Regards, Matt. P.S. I can be contacted at either
- there@dial.pipex.com or at mabb23@dial.pipex.com.
-
-
-
-
- Entertainment Section
-
-
- Psygnosis' Soccer! PSX Games!
- JTS Update! Jaguar?
-
-
-
- From the Editor's Controller - Playin' it like it is!
-
-
- The past few issues have been really lacking of Jaguar news. I've
- received a few e-mail messages asking me if I have "abandoned" the Jaguar
- users and/or "gone over" to the Playstation and Nintendo 64. The simple
- answer is - NO! However, the unfortunate truth is that once Atari
- "abandoned" the Jaguar, the bottom has fallen out and anything "newsworthy"
- is hard to come by. There's talk of completed games that may be released,
- but it's just that, talk - for the moment. I simply refuse to raise the
- hopes of the few remaining "loyal" Jaguar users by spouting off that "the
- games are coming!" It would be a disservice to you, and myself. When, or
- if, it happens, we'll be there for you with the news.
-
- In the meantime, to keep myself busy and out of trouble <g>, I need to
- diversify a bit and provide our readers the news and information that they
- are seeking: what's happening with the "other" game systems? We're working
- to bring more of that information to you. While the Jaguar has played an
- integral part of my role here at STReport, I simply can't report about things
- that aren't happening. Be assured that we'll bring you the "latest and
- greatest" when it's available.
-
- Until next time...
-
-
-
- Industry News STR Game Console NewsFile - The Latest Gaming News!
-
-
-
- Metrowerks Announces Embedded Systems Tools
-
- SAN JOSE, CALIF. AND AUSTIN, TEXAS (Sept. 17) BUSINESS WIRE -Sept. 17,
- 1996--Metrowerks(R) Inc. (NASDAQ:MTWKF)(TSE/ME:MWK), the leading provider of
- software development tools for Macintosh(R), Tuesday announced it's plans to
- extend support for embedded systems software development. By introducing a
- series of new Mac(TM)OS and Windows(R)-hosted development solutions for
- mainstream embedded microprocessors and real-time operating systems,
- Metrowerks furthers its commitment to the developers of the embedded systems
- market.
-
- Until now, Metrowerks' efforts in the embedded tools arena have focused on
- support for proprietary operating systems such as:
-
- · PalmOS(TM), in the form of CodeWarrior(R) for Pilot(TM) (development
- tools for the Pilot organizer from U.S. Robotics(R)),
- · PlayStation(TM)OS in CodeWarrior for PlayStation (development tools for
- the Sony PlayStation game console),
- · Magic Cap(TM)OS for PDAs (included in CodeWarrior Gold), and
- · Power TV(TM)OS for set-top boxes rom Scientific-Atlanta (included in
- CodeWarrior Gold).
-
- Later this Fall, Metrowerks will introduce a new series of products, entitled
- CodeWarrior for Embedded Systems, which will allow embedded systems
- engineers to build applications for generic RTOSes and embedded
- microprocessors. "We view this market as an opportunity for significant
- growth," said David Perkins, senior vice president strategic products of
- Metrowerks. "Today, embedded systems engineers are in real need of powerful,
- easy-to-use, commercial development tools that will shorten time-to-market
- and increase productivity. Metrowerks is able to respond rapidly to this
- need due to the modular, front-end/back-end architecture of our CodeWarrior
- development environment."
-
- "In cooperation Apple, Motorola, and Metrowerks are working to bring the
- power and ease-of-use of the Power Macintosh, to the world of embedded
- systems development. This, along with our collective experience in
- transitioning the Macintosh from the 68K microprocessor to the PowerPC
- microprocessor, uniquely prepares us to meet the needs of customers making
- the transition from the 68K to the PowerPC for embedded systems development.
-
- "In particular, Metrowerks, with experience in converting over 1 billion
- lines of code to the PowerPC, brings a highly mature and productive set of
- tools to this market," said Ellen Hancock, chief technology officer and
- executive vice president of Research and Development of Apple Computer, Inc.
- The first product in the CodeWarrior for Embedded Systems series will
- provide support for Motorola(R)'s MPC8xx and is expected to ship in the 4th
- quarter of calendar 1996, followed by CodeWarrior for Embedded 68k which is
- expected to ship in the 1st quarter of calendar 1997.
-
- Pursuant to an agreement announced today in a separate release with
- Microware(R) Systems Corporation, Metrowerks will offer support for
- Microware(R)'s OS-9(R) real-time operating system running on the MPC8xx.
- "As our line of embedded PowerPC processors becomes increasingly popular in
- the marketplace, our goal is to have the most effective and powerful
- development tools available to our customers," said Ken Edwards, marketing
- manager, Motorola's Portable Systems Operation. "With the sophistication and
- ease-of-use offered through CodeWarrior, Metrowerks is helping us meet that
- goal today."
-
- "CodeWarrior for Embedded Systems will be a powerful and highly productive
- environment in which to develop embedded software," said Richard Nabavi,
- chairman of MicroAPL Ltd., specialists in porting tools for the Macintosh
- and embedded markets. "At the end of 1996 we will release CodeWarrior-hosted
- versions of our PortAsm/68K(TM) and PortAsm/86(TM) assembly-language
- translation tools, so that CodeWarrior users will be able to port embedded
- CISC assembler code to new RISC processors in the same way that many major
- Apple developers have done."
-
- "CodeWarrior for OS-9 brings affordable high performance development tools to
- our customers uilding the next generation of advanced consumer electronics,"
- said Ken Kaplan, president and chief executive officer of Microware Systems
- Corp. In addition to the Power PC(TM) and 68k Embedded tools, Metrowerks
- will provide support for the MIPS(R) R3000 and R4000 series of
- microprocessors, in a product expected to ship in the 1st quarter of
- calendar 1997. CodeWarrior for Embedded Systems series will also offer
- support for specific proprietary Digital Signal Processors, or DSPs, with a
- product expected to ship in 1st quarter of calendar 1997.
-
- Each product in the CodeWarrior for Embedded Systems series will include the
- award-winning CodeWarrior Integrated Development Environment, or IDE, with
- full-featured GUI tools and C/C++ source-level debugging support, online
- documentation, two free updates and technical support. In an effort to
- provide developers with a choice of platforms from which to work, Metrowerks
- will be offering both Mac OS and Windows 95/NT versions of the software.
-
- These product offerings will enable embedded systems developers to
- efficiently build applications for PDAs, smart phones, Web TV(TM), set-top
- boxes, navigational systems, car area networks, game machines, and other
- communications and graphic intensive platforms.
-
- Pricing and Availability
-
- CodeWarrior for Embedded Systems will be available directly through
- Metrowerks and authorized distributors at an expected retail price of $499.
-
- About Metrowerks
-
- Founded in 1985, Metrowerks develops, markets and supports a complete line of
- Macintosh-hosted computer language products for building Mac OS, Windows 95,
- Windows NT(TM), BeOS(TM), Magic Cap, PowerTV OS, Palm OS and PlayStation OS
- applications. Metrowerks CodeWarrior products have become the industry
- standard for professional Mac-hosted software development with more than
- 50,000 registered users in over 70 countries.
-
- Additional information on Metrowerks and its products can be obtained in the
- U.S. by sending Email to infometrowerks.com, by calling (800) 377-5416, or
- via the Inernet at http://www.metrowerks.com.
-
- Metrowerks, the Metrowerks logo and CodeWarrior are registered trademarks of
- Metrowerks, Inc. Macintosh is a registered trademark of Apple Computer,
- Inc. Mac is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. Windows, Windows NT and
- Windows 95 are either registered trademarks or trademarks
- of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries. Microware and
- OS-9 are registered trademarks of Microware Systems Corp. PortAsm/68K and
- PortAsm/86 are trademarks of MicroAPL, Ltd. All other companies and products
- may be trademarks of their respective holders and are hereby recognized.
-
- CONTACT: Metrowerks Inc., Austin
- Cynthia Fray, 512/873-4758
- cynthiametrowerks.com
- David Perkins, 512/873-4774
- perkinsmetrowerks.com
-
- CONTACT: Psygnosis, Inc.
- Dana Oertell, 415/655-8060
- doertellpsygnosis.com
- Mark Day, 415/655-5679
- mdaypsygnosis.com
-
-
- Psygnosis Launches adidas Power Soccer
-
- FOSTER CITY, CALIF. (Sept. 25) BUSINESS WIRE -Sept. 25, 1996--If you're
- looking for the ultimate soccer game for the Sony PlayStation game console,
- Psygnosis' adidas Power Soccer is now available for the taking. Licensed
- by adidas to Psygnosis both in Europe and in the U.S., adidas Power Soccer is
- the ultimate soccer challenge from start to finish.
-
- Praised for its beautifully rendered, real-time 3D environments and realistic
- motion capture resulting in precise player movements, adidas Power Soccer is
- one of the most advanced soccer titles yet. adidas Power Soccer lets players
- compete against top European soccer athletes, leading their team through the
- National League and, in the end, the European Cup!
-
- Developed in Europe by Psygnosis, France, adidas Power Soccer features teams
- from England, France and Germany. Individual players sport their own
- physical, technical and mental characteristics, which change between and
- during matches, as they tire and become injured throughout the season.
-
- adidas Power Soccer features two playing modes, Arcade and Sim. In the Arcade
- mode even the most docile players will get a rush just thinking about the
- unique combo moves they can do to physically disable their opponents. The
- Arcade mode allows mini-championships between 10 special teams with
- predefined characteristics.
-
- In the Sim mode, there are three playing options. The Friendly Match option
- is for exhibition matches; Tournament lets you choose to play against four,
- eight, 16 or 32 teams, and Season lets you choose a team and take it through
- a whole season, earn money, and buy and trade players and qualify for the
- European Cup. adidas Power Soccer allows players to slide, tackle, take
- corner kicks and rush goalies as though they were in a live soccer match. A
- full motion video (FMV) training mode also lets players hone their skills on
- several different fields. The 16-bit digitized sound effects make for
- realistic crowd reactions and stadium DSP effects. adidas Power Soccer
- supports two player competition or simultaneous play on a single PlayStation
- or, using a multi-tap, up to four people can play at the same time.
-
- Online Contest
-
- To support the launch of the game and generate excitement nationwide,
- Psygnosis is featuring the enormously popular "Spot the Ball" contest on
- Psygnosis Online (www.psygnosis.com) which will run through the end of the
- year. ThePsygnosis "Spot the Ball" contest allows web browsers to
- enter-to-win valuable adidas merchandise and copies of adidas Power Soccer by
- identifying the approximate location of missing soccer balls from screen
- shots of the game on the site.
-
- "Online internet contests and sweepstakes on the internet have been very
- successful for us and we feel that supporting our products in this way
- proves very beneficial to our overall sales momentum," said Mark Beaumont,
- senior vice president, marketing, Psygnosis U.S. "Last winter our Destruction
- Derby contest alone generated over one million hits and response to our
- 'Spot the Ball' contest has been outstanding."
-
- adidas America, Inc. headquartered in Portland, Ore., is a subsidiary of
- adidas AG, located in erzongenaurach, Germany. adidas AG is a leading
- worldwide designer, marketer and distributor of athletic footwear, apparel
- and equipment. Psygnosis employs over 340 people with publishing and
- development offices in the U.S., U.K. and across Europe. Working with over
- 30 development teams across the world and with six internal development
- sites, the company is now the largest development house in Europe. Psygnosis
- is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America.
-
- Visit us on the Net. Psygnosis' latest offerings, including current and
- future titles, game tips, contests, press releases and company information
- can be found at http://www.psygnosis.com.
-
- Sony Ships 7.2 Million PlayStations
-
- FOSTER CITY, Calif., Sept. 24 (UPI) -- Sony Corp. announced Tuesday it has
- shipped 7.2 million PlayStation videogame consoles in the past year,
- including 3.5 million in Japan, 2.1 million in North America and 1.6 million
- in Europe. The machines, powered by a 32-bit processor, currently retail
- for $200 in North America. It originally sold for $300 when rolled out a
- year ago but the price was cut to take away market share from Sega's 32- bit
- Saturn, also now being sold for $200.
-
- Sony said more than 10 million copies of software for the PlayStation have
- been shipped i North America. It also said more than 15 PlayStation titles
- have sold in excess of a quarter of a million units in North America, and
- projected that 10 additional titles will reach or exceed that 250,000 unit
- benchmark by the end of 1996. Sony said its newly instituted value-pricing
- structure, which offers titles at a discounted price of $40 (Destruction
- Derby, NFL GameDay, NHL Face Off, Twisted Metal, WarHawk and WipeOut), has
- further boosted software sales.
-
- It also said Namco's Tekken 2 sold 450,000 units in the first three weeks of
- release, while Capcom's Resident Evil has topped sales of 450,000 units.
- Both titles are only available for the PlayStation. Nintendo has also
- entered the advanced videogame market after a long delay. It began selling
- its Nintendo 64 player this summer in Japan and will launch in North America
- Sept. 30 at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of under $250.
-
- Nintendo has said it expects to sell through a total of 3.6 million systems
- in the Japanese market in its first nine months of availability, and more
- than 1 million units in North America.
-
- CONTACT: Sony Computer Entertainment America
- P. Kevin Horn, 415/655-5513
- Molly Smith, 415/655-6044
- or
- Fleishman-Hillard, Inc.
- Samantha Sackin, 213/489-8250
-
-
- PlayStation Game Console Sales Continue to ...
-
- FOSTER CITY, CALIF. (Sept. 24) BUSINESS WIRE -Sept. 24, 1996-Sony Computer
- Entertainment America announced today that more than 15 of its first and
- third party titles have sold in excess of a quarter of a million units in
- North America. The company also projected that 10 additional titles will
- reach or exceed that 250,000 unit benchmark by the end of 1996.
-
- "Central to our leadership position is the diversity and quality of software
- titles available for the PlayStation game console," said Andrew House, vice
- president, marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment America. A 6-to-1 tie
- ratio of hardware to software, and an impressive line-up of upcoming first
- and third party titles, will further solidify the PlayStation's leadership
- position. Whether its sports, fighting, racing or action, PlayStation
- offers more triple A titles than any other platform."
-
- In just one year in the videogame hardware industry, worldwide shipments of
- the PlayStation game console has topped 7.2 million units (3.5 million,
- Japan; 2.1 million, North America; and 1.6 million, Europe). Consumers and
- retailers have unanimously declared PlayStation as the platform of choice,"
- added House. "The incredible hardware numbers are a testament to consumer
- and retailer support. In addition, we anticipate continued, strong software
- sales figures, which have already exceeded 10 million pieces shipped in North
- America alone."
-
- Sony's newly instituted value-pricing structure, which offers certain titles
- at a MSRP of $39.99 (Destruction Derby(tm), NFL GameDay(tm), NHL(r) Face
- Off(tm), Twisted Metal(tm), WarHawk(tm) and WipeOut(tm)), has further boosted
- software sales. In fact, in the first 30 days of this new program, the six
- titles have sold in excess of 150,000 units combined. "Sony Computer
- Entertainment America truly understands the needs and
- desires of the next-generation market," said Michael Goldstein, CEO, Toys R
- Us. "The PlayStation marketing efforts have driven store traffic and keep
- consumers coming back. By offering great front line games and classic titles
- at great prices, the PlayStation continues to be a tremendous sales success
- at Toys R Us."
-
- In addition to its retail support, Sony Computer Entertainment America's
- partnership with an extensive list of third party developers continues to
- expand the depth and breadth of the PlayStation software collection.
- Importantly, third party developers are experiencing incredible software
- sales. For example, Namco's Tekken 2 sold 450,000 units in the first three
- weeks of release, while Capcom's Resident Evil has already posted sales of
- 450,000 units. Both titles are exclusively available for the PlayStation
- game console.
-
- "It is our belief that Resident Evil could have only been brought to life on
- the PlayStation," said Greg Ballard, president, Capcom. "The incredible
- sales success of the title is proof that consumers have never seen anything
- like it." Sony Computer Entertainment America, a division of Sony
- Interactive Entertainment Inc., is based in Foster City, Calif. The
- company markets the PlayStation game console for distribution in North
- America, Publishes software for the PlayStation game console for the North
- American market, and manages the U.S. third party licensing program. Sony
- Interactive Entertainment Inc. is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of
- America. Visit us on the Web at http://www.sony.com.
-
-
- Crystal Dynamics Adopts Entertainment Studio ...
-
- MENLO PARK, CALIF. (Sept. 24) BUSINESS WIRE -Sept. 24, 1996--In a move to
- address the ever-evolving entertainment software marketplace, Crystal
- Dynamics as reshaped its business strategy by adopting the entertainment
- studio model, it was announced today by Ted Ardell, chairman and CEO. In
- doing so, the company will continue to aggressively fund the development and
- marketing of its popular gaming products while reaching strategic alignments
- with strong distribution partners. In a separate, yet related announcement,
- Crystal Dynamics has reached a distribution partnership with Electronic Arts
- for the company's 3D action platform video game, PANDEMONIUM! -- a
- highly-anticipated title that will be marketed under the Crystal Dynamics
- brand.
-
- The studio model allows Crystal Dynamics to focus its resources on the design
- and marketing of original products and characters while aligning strategies
- with its distribution partners. "The entertainment software industry is in
- a period of change and we have reacted to the changing market," said Ardell.
- "This strategy allows us to focus on what we do best: develop and market
- superior entertainment software."
-
- The agreement with Electronic Arts is the first of several distribution
- partnerships the company is establishing as a newly-formed entertainment
- studio. EA has secured North American distribution rights to the Sony
- PlayStation and PC CD-ROM versions of PANDEMONIUM! and plans to distribute
- the Sony version of the game in time for the holidays under the Crystal
- Dynamics brand name. The highly-anticipated PANDEMONIUM! features the madcap
- antics of Fargus, Nikki, and the demented puppet-on-the stick, Sid.
-
- "Aligning ourselves with Electronic Arts truly validates our commitment to
- securing strong distribution partners," said Ardell. "Recognizing the reach
- of EA, this alliance assures us that we will have a major holiday hit with
- PANDEMONIUM!" Crystal Dynamics, the Menlo Park-based entertainment software
- studio, was the first to develop and publish a 32-bit video game in 1993.
- Since then, the company has developed an entertainment studio business
- strategy where product development and marketing are funded in-house while
- aligning itself with strong distribution partners. Crystal Dynamics'
- designers, programmers and artists continue to set the pace for the next
- generation gaming experience with strong innovation and playbility in
- state-of-the-art games.
-
-
-
- ONLINE WEEKLY STReport OnLine The wires are a hummin'!
-
-
-
- PEOPLE... ARE TALKING
-
-
-
- On CompuServe
-
- compiled by
- Joe Mirando
- CIS ID: 73637,2262
-
-
- Hidi ho friends and neighbors. Another week has come and gone and, as I
- had hoped, activity is picking up a bit here in the CompuServe Atari forums.
- It's not up to what it was in its heyday, but it's a good deal better than
- the past few weeks. And with most of the folks still in the Atari community
- anxiously awaiting more news on a new web browser for the Atari, it's sure
- to generate some message traffic when more information is available.
-
- Be sure to look here for the info when it does arrive. Unfortunately,
- this isn't one of the weeks when you'll be able to garner scads of
- information about it. Let's take a look at what people ARE talking about.
-
-
- From the Atari Computing Forum
-
- Rob Rasmussen tells us:
-
- "My Falcon and ST both got zapped by a lightning surge in August. Strange
- but true, when I wasn't home, one machine not even turned on (but connected
- to cheap surge protector). Anyway, I have 2 new machines now. A PC, and a C-
- Lab MK-X with a German accelerator called PowerUp2 which takes it to 32 mHz.
- The 16 meg Wiztronics board and the hard drive from my blown Falcon were
- installed in the MK-X. I'm delighted to have the audio in and out as 1/4"
- jacks instead of those mini jacks. It's like a rack-mount unit with a
- separate keyboard. So far most of my ST and Falcon software is compatable.
-
- It felt really weird getting a PC (hp pavilion 7270, 166/24/2.5) after
- almost 10 years to the day of using nothing but Atari. The things I like
- most about the slick W95 are it's smooth multitasking and window management,
- and easy access to the Web. There are also things about it that drive me
- crazy! The Atari is so much more logical at doing certain things, like file
- management - I really miss Maxifile not being on the PC. Explorer on the PC
- seems like it's designed backwards, and it takes me a long time to do any
- file management with it, maybe because I'm not used to it yet. WordPad is
- ok, but Edit Plus on the Atari is easier to use. I have ordered Gemulator,
- and one of the first things I will try is Maxifile on the PC. I wonder if
- that will work for PC files?
-
- I had so much software, especially for Midi and graphics on the Atari,
- combined with years of learning how to use it, that I decided I would still
- want an Atari after I lost the 2 I had in one fell swoop! Plus the Falcon is
- so much fun to use. It feels like I'm starting all over again with the
- PC/W95, but I'm slowly getting the hang of it.
-
- My main question right now - I have a Megafile 60 that I used with my ST
- before the ST got fried. The heads are not parked, and I don't know if they
- _can_ be parked so that I could store it or try to sell it. Is there any
- way with the MK-X (Falcon) that I could connect to the Megafile and run
- SHIP.PRG to park the heads?"
-
- One of STR's Editors, Dana Jacobson, tells Rob:
-
- "It was my impression that most larger drives (50+ megs) were auto-parking
- and the heads got parked when powered-down. You should be able to connect
- the Megafile to the C-Lab Falcon via a SCSI-SCSI2 cable and check it out.
- SHIP.PRG should work, but I can't say for sure as I do not have a C-Lab
- machine."
-
- Sysop Bob Retelle tells Rob:
-
- "I believe Dana is correct... most drives these days, and hopefully the
- Megafile 60 is included, have "self parking" heads. To be absolutely sure
- though, his suggestion of getting a cable and connecting it to the MK-X
- would be good to try. You'll find lots of excellent add-on software for your
- PC... just like in the Atari world, the functions and utilities that come
- with, or are built-into the system usually are just enough to get by.
-
- Although it's probably not applicable to your WIN95 system, I use Norton
- Commander for my file management on my PC. It's a DOS based application
- that pops up a couple of windows into the disk (remarkably similar to the GEM
- desktop.. not in appearance, but in function) and lets you move files with
- just a keystroke or two (or the mouse, but I find that my system is way too
- fast for my aging reflexes."
-
- Wayne Padgett adds:
-
- "Welcome to Win'95!! I'm not really enthused about Explorer and much
- preferred File Manager in Windows 3.1. Fortunately it is in Win '95 under a
- new name. Click 'Run' in the 'Start' menu and enter winfile then hit
- return. This gets you the old File Manager. You can open as many disk windows
- as you like and drag and drop files and folders to your hearts content. It
- beats the whey out of Explorer.
-
- I have a keyboard shortcut to File Manager. all I have to do is put the mouse
- pointer on the 'Task Bar' and press Control + Alternate + F and Voila!!
- there's file manager for me to do all sorts of file management chores from
- any program, any time. It's great." On the subject of last week's "Error
- 35... what is it?" question,
-
- Mike Mortilla tells Andreas Eschenbach:
-
- "It's amazing to me that you've gotten so many answers and nobody seems to
- know what the TOS 35 error is. I've only gotten this error when I've tried
- to run a non-Atari program on an Atari ST or similar computer. That doesn't
- mean that is the definitive answer, but again, it's the only time I've EVER
- seen a 35 error since 1988."
-
- Andreas tells Mike:
-
- "Yes, seems I've found some really hot topic! I want to thank all who
- answered. Although, as I must confess, the question is not answered in a way
- that would make me feel safer."
-
- Sysop Bob Retelle tells Andreas:
-
- "To put it as simply as possible, "TOS Error 35" indicates that the program
- you've tried to execute is corrupted in some way. It may be due to a disk
- error, or trying to execute a compressed file, or as Mike suggested, trying
- to execute a non-Atari program, but the result is the same. The file is not
- (or no longer is) executable, and "TOS Error 35" is the ST's somewhat
- ambiguous way of reporting that fact. The other answers, dealing with "Too
- many open files" or "Not enough file handles" are actually something quite
- different. Those are a result of GEMDOS Error 35, which you're not likely to
- ever see."
-
- Mike Mortilla mirrors my own thoughts when he tells Andreas:
-
- "...whatever BobR says I would take to be the definitive answer...<grin>
- Really and truly, Bob is one of the true experts on all things Atari."
-
- Terry Cano asks for help with recovering data from a floppy disk:
-
- "I need floppy disk help......it contains valuable tax data in LDW Power
- files. The disk sudddenly is giving me a DISK MAYBE DAMAGED message. If I
- click on CANCEL several times it will read the disk. However, many files
- are not there. This happened after saving a Word Up file to the disk.
-
- MAXFILE file shows the following:
-
- sides 1 (should be 2 it was formatted DS)
- 80 Tracks
- 137,216 Bytes free
- 9 Sectors
- 1st. Dir. Sect. 11
-
- I've tried UNDELETE.....it didn't work........"
-
- Albert Dayes tells Terry:
-
- "Did you try running Diamond Edge to see if it can find the specific errors?
- It sounds like your directory chain is not complete or missing an entry. For
- example ...
-
- a directory listing ...
-
- [ file 1 ]
- [ file 2 ]
- [ blank or damaged entry ]
- [ file 3 ]
- [ file 4 ]
- ...
-
- Anything below the blank or damaged entry will not display when showing a
- directory. I have created similar problems on my hard drive when using a
- sector editor to delete files that could not be deleted any other way. You
- should make a backup of your disk and then attempt to rescue the information
- on the backup disk. You can try Diamond Edge to see if it can find the
- error for you. Since Maxifile reports it as single sided it sounds like
- boot sector of the disk is beginning to fail. You might have to use a sector
- editor to fix."
-
- Now interested, Terry asks Albert:
-
- "Where do I find Diamond Edge?"
-
- Albert tells Terry:
-
- "Most Atari Dealers should have the program ... I'm sure Toad Computers does.
- I believe it is around $50 or so. The newest version has a sector editor
- built into the program."
-
- Wayne Padgett asks:
-
- "[Has] anybody received an issue of ST Informer lately? If so what is the
- issue number? The last one I got was May 15, 1996 number 97. It's been a
- long dry spell."
-
- Chief Sysop Ron Luks tells Wayne:
-
- "Now that you mention it, I haven't seen an issue of ST Informer since last
- spring. My guess is that they probably gave up the effort for lack of an
- audience. Too bad. They were really good folks and they held on much longer
- than just about anyone in the Atari marketplace."
-
- Wayne tells Ron:
-
- "If that's the case it is too bad. Rod was aiming to complete 100 issues. It
- will leave me 2 issues short on my subscription which was a trade for Band
- in a Box V4. It isn't the first time. Sigh."
-
-
- Well folks, that's about it for this week. Be sure to tune in again next
- week, same time, same station, and be ready to listen to what they are
- saying when...
-
- PEOPLE ARE TALKING
-
-
- STReport Confidential
-
-
- News, Tips, Rumors, Exposés1, Predictions
-
-
-
- JTS; Forecast. sales 90 days behind
-
-
- The Tramiels seem to bring the "Luck" with them. or, is it the same old game
- with different names??
-
- SAN JOSE, Calif., JTS Corp. reported this past Thursday that the company is
- about 90 days behind meeting the publicly stated estimates for the sales
- forecast set forth in the Securities and Exchange Commission documents filed
- when JTS merged with Atari in July.
-
- · First, the company detailed, it is experiencing sales delays as several
- of its new customers have taken longer than expected to re-configure their
- notebook computers as well as their manufacturing operations to use JTS's
- new family of 3-inch hard drives. Five companies have now completed their
- new designs to accommodate a 3-inch disk drive format.
- · Second, a major manufacturer decided to switch its order for JTS'
- initial 3-inch hard drive to its 1 gigabyte capacity hard drive, which is
- expected to ship in October.
- · Third, JTS had expected to initiate financing approximately 45 days ago
- and the delay in completing a financing has resulted in a slower ramp
- up of our production volume," the company said in a statement.
-
- "We had originally forecast that we would achieve $230 million in revenues in
- the 12 months ending January 31, 1997, it noted. The company said it "is
- currently pursuing financing." "Assuming adequate financing, we now
- anticipate that we will achieve these results by the 12 months ending April
- 30, 1997, and we also expect to turn profitable about that time.
-
- "Given the magnitude of what we've already accomplished, we're confident that
- the company is well positioned to achieve both its short and long term
- revenue and profitability targets," JTS said. The company said it "will
- start volume production of our second generation of 3-inch hard drive
- products for notebook computers" in the next few weeks. These drives offer
- greater capacity at a lower cost than the 2.5-inch hard drive currently used
- in notebook computers, it noted. In October of 1995, JTS started production
- of 3.5-inch hard drives for desktop computers in in Madras, India. During
- the second quarter of this year, it said, "we shipped a total of 118,000
- drives," or some 8,000 drives per week. The company said it is now shipping
- about 20,000 drives per week and has the capacity to ship 25,000 per week.
-
- "We expect to double our capacity to 50,000 units per week by the end of the
- calendar year. When the final results are in, we anticipate that revenues
- will have nearly doubled in the third quarter from the second, and will have
- grown over 100 percent in the fourth quarter versus the third. JTS expects
- that in the first quarter of fiscal 1998, ending April 30, 1997, they will
- ship over $100 million in hard drives."
-
-
-
- EDITORIAL QUICKIES
-
- Top 10 Ways That Windows '95 Is Like Having Sex
-
- 10. Either way, you get screwed
- 9. It will keep you up late at night
- 8. After a while, you find yourself looking for
- interesting gadgets
- 7. It makes it easy to catch viruses
- 6. You can spend an hour huffing and puffing without
- going anywhere
- 5. One word: GUI
- 4. If you do it too long, your system goes down
- 3. Two words: Plug & Play
- 2. The older your system is, the more trouble you have
- 1. You are likely to utter the phrase "Oh God!"
-
-
- STReport International OnLine Magazine
-
- [S]ilicon [T]imes [R]eport
- HTTP://WWW.STREPORT.COM
- AVAILABLE through OVER 200,000 PRIVATE BBS SYSTEMS WORLDWIDE
-
- All Items quoted, in whole or in part, are done so under the provisions of
- The Fair Use Law of The Copyright Laws of the U.S.A. Views, Opinions and
- Editorial Articles presented herein are not necessarily those of the
- editors/staff of STReport International OnLine Magazine. Permission to
- reprint articles is hereby granted, unless otherwise noted. Reprints must,
- without exception, include the name of the publication, date, issue number
- and the author's name. STR, CPU, STReport and/or portions therein may not be
- edited, used, duplicated or transmitted in any way without prior written
- permission. STR, CPU, STReport, at the time of publication, is believed
- reasonably accurate. STR, CPU, STReport, are trademarks of STReport and STR
- Publishing Inc. STR, CPU, STReport, its staff and contributors are not and
- cannot be held responsible in any way for the use or misuse of information
- contained herein or the results obtained therefrom.
-
- STR OnLine! "YOUR INDEPENDENT NEWS SOURCE" September 27, 1996
- Since 1987 Copyrightc1996 All Rights Reserved Issue No. 1239
-
- _______________________________
- 1
-