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Saturday April 11, 1998
WallStreet Images
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News Index 1)WallStreet Photographs Exclusive! 5)Allegro Specifics Report |
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Saturday April 11, 1998
WallStreet Images
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News Index 1)WallStreet Photographs Exclusive! 5)Allegro Specifics Report |
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| Artemis Impressions |
Readers have begun to write in with their impressions of the new, all-in-one Macintosh G3. Below we've posted one of the more interesting stories related to the new unit.
If you're interested, I got to try out the 2/9/98 Sacremento build of an Artemis Prototype at my school's Technology Fair yesterday.
The local Apple representatives resposible for selling macs to the majority of schools in Hawaii brought in the prototype to demonstrate the power and ease that Macintosh carries with it. And let me tell you, this machine Rocks! Powered by 266mhz PPC 750 w/64MB Ram and a 4Gb HD, Virtual PC 2.0 flew on it! MS Word 97 opened in about 3-5 seconds. Windows 95 ran pretty well with the GUI response a bit laggy but fast enough to impress people.
What I really liked was the built in video out options which allowed for plug and play video on a TV via S-Video or RCA jacks out of the box! It was a bit hard to find the controls, the Apple reps played a game with us to see if we could find it... It is a control strip plugin that controls the output of video. The new monitor control panel controls are pretty good with options that would normally be controlled by controls on the monitor itself. (sorry for the redundancy)
Performance was stellar as the finder (MacOS 8.1 w some weirdo hack 1.1 in the about this computer box) response was quick and fast with the new G3 at the helm.
The reaction to people who came by to look at it was amazing. Too bad its only available through edu. Personally, I think we got about a dozen people to consider this machine with about half of them already planning on buying it some way though the educational channels. The features just blew them away and it was almost like magic to see the twinkle in their eyes as we impressed them with the video out features, fast processor speed, option to run Windows under VPC, and most importantly, the low price. When we mentioned the $1500-1800 price point, their eyes immediately lit up. The reaction was, "All that for only 1700 bucks? WOW!" Think about it, where on the wintel side can you get a fast PII with video in/out out of the box that's plug n'play along with the world's easiest to use OS with multiplatform support(via Virtual PC)?
Apple needs to unleash this machine upon consumers. This is the machine people have been looking for. Everything about it is awesome, the performance, the design and the loaded features. This is the machine apple really needs to show the wintel world that they're not playing nice anymore. If Apple ever lacked a low cost machine, this is IT! And its not hobbled and parylised in performance/expandibility like their wintel kin. This is high performance at low cost with simply awesome features that one can find on the higher end G3 models.Hopefully Apple will make the Artemis available to the public, in time, as they did with the eMate. There is obviously a demand for such a product. What do you think Apple?
We always welcome impressions of new Apple hardware, and pre-released Apple hardware.
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| Mac Diablo - Almost... |
Over the past week, several readers have noted that Blizzard has released a Golden Master (GM) of the 3-D role playing game to manufacturing for duplication and shipment. V.I.P. copies of the game should be released to the press beginning next week and the game should hit retail stores in about 10 days, according to Blizzard.
This release comes a full year after the PC version. For Blizzard's sake, we really hope the demand is still there, but it will never be as great as it would have been a year ago.
In better gaming news, 'Unreal' ads have started to appear in MacWorld. 'Coming soon'.
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| Allegro Specifics Report |
Below is our latest installment of late-breaking information on Allegro. We'll have to refrain from posting any further images of Allegro at this time, in order to ease the pain of several individuals working closely with the Allegro project. Previous reports and images from last week can be seen in our Allegro Information Archive. We'll have some final information on Thursday, possibly bench marks as well.
PPP Access
The remote access control strip module (CSM) allows for one click connections. Using the CSM in conjunction with Open Transport 2.0 to connect, will allow connections to take place in the background, without the silly dialog that appears in the current version of the MacOS. You can now do 'other things' while you connect.
The new 'Remote Access' control panel, which replaces the current PPP control panel, has an option to fold down to smaller connection dialog if you choose to use this means of connecting to the net, rather than using the CSM.
An 'Internet' Folder has been added to the Apple menu with the following options: Browse the Internet, Connect/Disconnect, Connect To, Internet Setup Assistant, and Mail.
An SNMP Admin application has also been placed within the Apple Menu.
Appearance
The appearance control panel has undergone some major work. All tabs are now functional. The 'Themes' tab contains preset appearance configurations using a specific appearance file. In other words, selecting a theme, rather than one of the three appearance files (Apple Platinum, Hi-Tech, Gizmo) will implement the appearance file, highlight color, desktop background,font, sound set, and so forth, all at once.
The desktop pictures control panel has now been integrated within the appearance control panel. Desktop pictures and patterns are now enclosed within the 'Desktop' tab of the appearance CDEV.
Allegro will ship with three themes, and three sound sets. Enabling theme sound sets in the 'Effects' tab of the appearance CDEV will instruct the system to play the appropriate sounds for clicking on icons, pulling down a menu, scrolling through a menu, selecting a menu option, re-sizing a window, moving a window, checking a check box, clicking a radio button, and so forth. Window shades now have new sounds. Option clicking to window shade all windows on the screen now only plays one sound, rather than a continuous set of sounds like in 8.X. ( I like the old way, personally). All sounds are in Stereo! Sounds that take place on the left of the screen are heard through the left speaker, those on the right, the right speaker. And those in the center are heard through both speakers.
Font smoothing is pretty much complete. Colored text with font smoothing is now properly displayed.
All appearance files have had major work done to them, lots of improvements. Menu's still don't use the proper look, in all applications. The Hi-Tech theme window borders still have some work that needs to be done on them as well. All theme files now have custom icon sets.
Navigation Services
Navigation Services have been implemented within the Allegro System Software. The dialogs have been slightly altered. A new option within the File menu, entitled 'Add to Favorites', will add a selected item to the favorites menu of the Navigation Services Dialog.
Finder
Get info windows now have the 'Label' menu incorporated within the window. A menu placed at the top of each Get Info window contains two options: General Info and Sharing Info, for file sharing information. You can now edit the name of files from the Get Info window.
Get info windows for alias files now contain a button to display the original file within the Finder. Alias icons now contain a small alias graphic in the upper right hand corner of the icon. Locked files have a small pad lock graphic in the upper right hand corner of the icon.
Window title's within the Finder now contain icon proxies, which act as a proxy to the original item. You can drag and drop these as if they were the actual file. The icon proxies also appear on tabbed windows.
Columns in the list view can be re-sized by placing the cursor over the crease of the column dividers, then clicking and dragging. An option in the views menu entitled 'Reset Column Positions', will reset the columns to their correct widths.
Performance
Allegro's performance is fantastic. Especially on the web and in the Finder. Icon previews have been reduced in size for quicker window draw and redraw. The combination of Open Transport 2.0, and Allegro's nearly all PowerPC code provides for a pleasant experience on the web. Pages download faster, and load smoother.
Application launch time seems to be even faster, once again. Allegro's boot time is still rather slow, on the other hand.
Allegro is also very stable, for an alpha. Though, by no means can you compare it to the stability of the Bride of Buster alpha versions, as that was an update to the MacOS rather than a revision.
The Bad
In a very upsetting piece of news, Allegro installs Microsoft Outlook Express on default, instead of Claris Emailer Lite. This may be the dirt on top of the coffin for Claris Emailer. Very upsetting to say the least. Just how far does this Apple/Microsoft alliance go?
Of course Internet Explorer is the default browser, sigh.
For more information on alpha versions of Allegro, check out our Allegro Information Archive, which contains all our previous articles on Allegro, and tons of screen shots.If you have any further information on this subject, please inform us.
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| Yellow Box For The MacOS |
In light of the rumors speculating over the Yellow Box for the MacOS, the Reality team has dug up some dirt on the subject, with the help of some very well connected sources.
The Yellow Box for the MacOS will be formally introduced, and announced at the World Wide developers conference May 11th in San Jose, Calif. The announcement or introduction is expected to be part of Steve's keynote.
The Yellow Box for the MacOS will enable applications written for Rhapsody to run within the MacOS by using the included Yellow Box framework.
While rumors elsewhere on the web emphasize that the Yellow Box for the MacOS will possibly ship with Allegro, our sources tell us otherwise. The YellowBox is scheduled to be implemented within the MacOS for the Sonata release of the operating system, or any other release scheduled between Allegro and Sonata. With Allegro scheduled for late July, it doesn't seem feasible that the Allegro team will have enough time to implement the technology; as tons of work on Allegro's already planned features still needs to be complete. However, a set of shared libraries may not be too far off.If you have any further information on this subject, please inform us.
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| WallStreet And MainStreet Are One |
While previously scheduled to be two separate lines of Apple laptops, sources have confirmed that the WallStreet and MainStreet PowerBooks will be unified into a single 'Macintosh PowerBook G3' line of PowerBooks. And hence, they will both ship in the same casing, and logic board. It's all part of simplifying the Apple product line while increasing the possible number of configurations for that single line. Easing confusion, and expanding ones options at the same time.
The Low-End PowerBook G3
The low end PowerBook G3 (previous reckoned 'MainStreet'), will have no backside cache and will not come standard with a floppy drive; the drive will be optional. Sources also state that all though the low-end PowerBook G3 will be cacheless, they have heard no talk as to the use of a 740 chip in these machines. Reality contacts further state that the low-end machine will not use the rumored 740 chip, but instead a 233MHz 750 chip without a backside cache. Though, this has not been confirmed.
click here to view a full sized image
of the WallStreet/MainStreetConsumers will be able to configure the 233MHz versions of the PowerBook G3 with all and any of the options available to the high-end model, except the L2 backside cache. Obviously with the price increments according to the selected options. As we mentioned last week, it has even been said that the 233MHz model could be configured with the larger 14.1" screen and a DVD drive.
Sources hint at price range for the low-end PowerBook G3, stating that Apple's hopes to have the bare-bones 233Mhz machine retail at $1999, but this is not guaranteed right now. It's more of goal than anything.
The High-End PowerBook G3
For specifics on the high-end PowerBook G3 model, check out our previous WallStreet report. All information contained within that report has now been confirmed.If you have any further information on this subject, please inform us.
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| Apple To Post Profit? |
While holding off on this report for sometime, further insights have pushed us over the edge. Could Apple possibly post a profit two quarters in a row? Better yet, could they post a higher profit than their first fiscal quarter in the second quarter; deemed Apple's most unfavorable quarter, year after year?
Not only have 3 out of 3 insiders answered yes to this question, we've been told figures ranging from $65 -$95 million, in profits. It's enough to make your head spin. Is Apple really doing this well? Has Steve really turned Apple around?
Other well connected sources tout that the rescheduling of the Apple Shareholders meeting to take place after the results have been posted, is a further indication of unexpected benefits.
Either way, it looks as if we are far from dealing with a loss. This would be a tremendous booster for Apple; proving that last quarter wasn't a product of slush funds and the executive financial tweaking. The future looks bright...though only time will tell us for sure.If you have any further information on this subject, please inform us.
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| This Week's Apple News |
Steve's Keynote at the NAB
-Steve Jobs keynote at the National Association of Broadcasters Convention '98 can be viewed via Microsoft Netshow (scary).
-Rumors remains as to the Apple NC..........Adobe Photoshop 5.0
-Adobe Photoshop 5.0 is in beta 6 of its beta phase. A GM is expected some time soon.
Adobe eyes FireWorks
-Adobe plans to give Macromedia a run for its money by introducing an application, right now believed to be called 'Image Ready', to compete with FireWorks.
Bill Gates in Brussels
"Brussels police department, how may I assist you?"
"Uh.. yes.. I just got hit in the face with a cream pie."
"Okay, sir. Have you called the Brussels police department before?"
"No"
"Well, let me get a little information about you for our records. Your name?"
"Bill Gates"
"Country?"
"The USA"
"Native language?"
"English"
"Okay, sir. Your police department ID number is BP31415927. Please use this number the next time you call. Now, you say you were hit in the face with a pie?"
"Yes, I was just about to meet with the Belgian Prime Minister. One person distracted me while another hit me with a cream pie."
"We've had other customers report that they were hit in the face with a custard pie. Are you sure it was a cream pie?"
"Well, I have white stuff all over my face and I don't see any custard, so I really don't think it was a custard pie."
"Have you visited the Prime Minister before?"
"Yes."
"Were you hit in the face with a pie then?"
"No..."
"Hmm... have you visited any other Prime Ministers in the past month?"
"Yes."
"Any pies then?"
"No."
"Okay, well.. let's try something. Go outside the building and come in again. I'll wait."
"Just a minute..." <several minutes pass> "Okay, I'm back."
"Did you get hit by another pie?"
"Of course not."
"Well sir, I don't know what could have caused the first pie, but it looks like things are working fine now. I'll make a note of the problem, though. If it happens again, please note the exact details of the situation and call us again. Thank you for calling the Brussels Police Department. <click>"
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