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Monday, August 24, 1998 Reality News Is Updated Every Monday And Thursday  Major Changes at Reality Finally Under Way We must first start off by apologizing for the lack of updates last week, but will immediately tell you that things will be irregular at Reality for at least another week's time. The Reality staff is picking up and moving, literally, and that includes our offices and our computers. We'll be moving into our new location on Wednesday, which may seriously conflict with Thursday morning's update. We hope that you'll stick it out with us, but for the next week, we won't make any promises that updates will arrive on schedule. We hope to stick to schedule. In Other News Many may remember back about two months ago we announced major changes at Reality. We've been hard at work this summer implementing many of these changes, designing new layouts, fussing with html and so forth. We'll be addressing many of the known problems with Reality in the very near future, this includes over sized news pages, poor printing options (cannot print single stories), slow load times, poor organization, and the outdated format of course. If there is a single feature you wish Reality had, that it doesn't have, don't hesitate to let us know. Get ready for ... The BIG News The big news: In about two week's time, we'll introduce to you the most original Reality, since the original Reality. Those who followed us back in the days of the original Reality may know what we are referring to. Reality used to be quite different, and somewhere along the line the way we present material was forcefully morphed into clone of some other media outlets who, to tell you the truth, we really don't want to be like :) So, many designs later, and a lot of crumpled HTML, we believe we finally have a winner, just in time for Reality's birthday. Stay tuned! If you have any further information on this subject, please inform us.  Back To News Index Go Back To Reality's Main Page			News Index 1)Major Changes at Reality Finally Underway 2)Chablis & Moby, New Powerbooks, Mac OS 8.5b7 3)New Studio Displays to Complement El Capitan Project 4)Yosemite, Alti-Vec, QuickTime, Mac OS X Server, and More 5)DVD For iMac to Fill Mystery Slot 6)PowerBooks in 1999: Update Return To Reality

Chablis & Moby, New Powerbooks, Mac OS 8.5b7

We apologize for presenting the following few reports in this dirty unprofessional format, but our time will be limited for the next week and a half as discussed above. Yes, we'll be back to full stories ASAP.

Chablis & Moby: Details Trickle In
Our latest report on Chablis and Moby, the new couple of handsome Apple displays due alongside El Capitan, drew an onslaught of updated inside reports, and apparently fed other media outlets who then illegally duplicated portions of our report for the benefit of their publication later in the week.

As we reported to you first last Monday, Chablis: the code name of the 17 inch display, and Moby: the 20 inch, are a new set of displays under development at Apple that will feature top notch industrial design and a sexy new set of dark translucent plastics. The new designs will allow the displays to complement the new desktop casings (code named El Capitan) quite nicely.

While previously suggest to be the new additions to Apple's flat-panel Studio Display line, sources have helped conclude that Chablis and Moby are not flat-panel at all, but rather cleverly crafted CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) displays. On the other hand, sources promised that additional flat-panel LCDs will be forth coming from Apple some time in the future.

Below are some of the rumored details for the new displays nick named after the fruit of wine:

• Both Chablis and Moby are widely rumored to be flatter Sony Trinitron CRTs with a short neck design. The new design allows for a more compact display from front to back and offers a flatter display with a super fine pitch.
• The new displays are said to feature a dark midnight blue color scheme with lighter blue highlights (similar to the Studio Display) matching Yosemite's El Capitan casings.
• The casings, according to sources, are "simply gorgeous". To put it simply, the cubic figure of Apple displays is a thing of the past. You'll have a hard time finding sharp edges on these puppies. Sources who've come in contact with pre-production units of the new displays are confident in saying that the new displays will make Elroy look dumpy in comparison. ('Elroy', for those who don't know, is the widely proclaimed code name used during the development of the iMac).
• The new displays will apparently hover above the desk on a a tripod (also translucent), which according sources looks kind of funky at first. The new tripod base is said to be a mini-revolution in terms of display stands. The tripod stand will allow the new displays a wider range of adjustment and will clear space beneath the displays where users can place other objects, including the keyboard.
• Moby and Chablis are said to support resolutions of up to 1280 x 1024 at a refresh rate of 75Hz.
• Our rumors of Apple's Multi-Scan line being placed in jeopardy may be partly true, but it's better than you think. Sources state that Apple is aiming Chablis and Moby as the replacement for the Multi-Scan consumer line. This is slightly more refreshing, as previous rumors suggested that the display line would be 'Steved'; a common phrase among employees in Cupertino for a project that has been axed by Steve Jobs. To quote one of our sources "I hate when things get Steved". ;)
• While pricing information is far from final, sources tossed around figures of $500-$800 for Chablis and over a grand for Moby.

A few questions still remain however: Will Chablis and Moby incorporate ColorSync technology, therefore allowing them to replace both the Multi-Scan and ColorSync product lines, or are ColorSync versions forthcoming? With word that larger LCD Studio displays are forthcoming, will these new displays accommodate a space in the Studio Display line, the Multi-Scan line, or will they form their own display line?

We hope to answer these questions and more on the next edition of unsolved mysteries.

Apple to Produce PowerBook Maintenance Release
Reliable sources have informed us that Steve Jobs plans to 'fix' Apple's PowerBook product line during his keynote on September 1st at Seybold San Francisco. Below are some of the rumored enhancements:

• Apple will drop the cacheless 233Mhz configuration. The cacheless 233s are not selling well, neither are the smaller screens. Apple VARs have found themselves with a backlog of 233 configurations.
• All new configurations will include a backside cache (512k on low-end config).
• All configurations will be based on Motorola's low-voltage chipset.
• Apple is rumored to introduce a 266Mhz and 300MHz versions, both with 66MHz bus speeds, though rumor could be wrong.
• The new high-end configuration top out at 333MHz with a 83MHz bus speed. The 333MHz configuration will replace the 292MHz configuration which was EOLed several weeks ago (the 250 was also EOLed, as we reported a week ago). [See Update Below]
• The new PowerBooks should support a wider range of games and other applications which require a substandard resolution. This should be accomplished by updating the graphics chip to a Rage Pro which has additional support to scale to smaller resolutions. (Note this is not the multiple resolution PowerBook we've talked of in the past which is said to feature Manta hardware, that will be Lombard).
• The price per performance ratio is said to shatter that of the original PowerBook G3 Series.
• Apple will offer the new configurations to customers who still have PowerBook G3 Series laptops on back order.
• The new PowerBooks should be announced on September 1st but may not ship till some time afterwards.

Update
Word from sources today has it that Apple will not introduce the new high-end 333MHz configuration but instead will stick to 233,266, and 300MHz configurations. Very weird, very weird. This would imply yet another speed bump before years end, unless Apple plans to play it like PC manufacturers and let their workstations leapfrog their notebooks in the coming year. Stay tuned to MacNN throughout the day as they will keep you updated on the situation. We'll get back to packing now...

Update Configs and Prices Posted
As promised earlier, MacNN sources were able to dig up the official configurations and prices on the new set of PowerBooks due to be announced on September 1st.

233/512k 32/2/56k/CD/Ether/14.1" (no floppy) $2799
266/1MB 64/4/56k/CD/Ether/14.1" (no floppy) $3499
300/1MB 64/8/56k/CD/Ether/14.1" (no floppy) $4999

As mentioned in our initial report early this morning, price per performance ratios are very VERY appealing. All US Configs feature a 14.1" display. Wow.

Stay tuned to MacNN throughout the day as they will keep you updated on the new PowerBooks.

Mac OS 8.5b7 Internally Seeded
Mac OS 8.5b7 was internally seeded about a week and ago, according to sources. The new build consisted of the core system software only: The System file, and System Resources.

• Also seeded with the System and System Resources files was the latest beta of Energy Saver 2.1.1.
• Dozens of bug fixes have been made.
• A number of speed improvements have been implemented.
• Stability has increased once again.
• MacOS 8.5b8 is high speculated to be the last public beta of Allegro.

To view a screenshot of the our MacOS8.5b7 markup, click here.

For more information on Mac OS 8.5, and a full list of features, check out our Mac OS 8.5 Information Archive.

Mac OS 8.5 Beta 6: Semifinal

The latest public beta of Mac OS 8.5 was available earlier in the week, but seeded officially last Friday. Symbolically code named "Semifinal", Mac OS 8.5 beta 6 may be one public seeding away from hitting final candidate. While some noticeable glitches still remain in this build, they will probably have already been ironed out by the time you read this report.

Apple Adds Info Documents
Apple has finally inserted the "About Mac OS 8.5" document into the system update, according to sources. The document has notes about slow screen redrawing, Internet Address Detectors, and unusual or inconsistent appearance. Apple will indeed leave it up to third parties to update their applications using the most current toolbox enhancements, rather than patching the system.

VM Via Removable Media
Mac OS 8.5 now includes support for the use of removable media for Virtual Memory. Iomega will be announcing an updated version of their driver (6.0.2) that will support this new feature. The version of the Iomega driver (6.0.1) that ships with Mac OS 8.5, does not support these feature.

AppleScript And Application Switcher
Sources note that through the help of already-made AppleScripts, and those which users can develop, the visual application switcher can be transformed into a dock (similar to that in OpenStep). Users have noted that the command - tab key command application switcher may interfere with some programs. Apple has built an assistant into the new Mac OS Help that will allow users to customize their own key command. Switching to the previous application in the program switcher can be accomplished via command-shift-tab.

QuickTime 3.0 and Mac OS 8.5
The documentation also notes that some portions of Mac OS 8.5 require QuickTime 3.0, and in the case that an application should install an older version of QuickTime, the user must reinstall QuickTime 3.0 to keep from running into problems down the line.

Last Minute Alterations
Apple has also apparently altered the "Options" tab of the Appearance control panel. The options for dual scroll arrows and size proportional scroll thumbs have been consolidated into a single "Smart Scrolling" option. The "Options" tab now contains just two user options; SmartScrolling and Collapsible Windows.

There is one thing that's quite disturbing about this alteration; the Smart Scrolling option only allows double scroll arrows on both the bottom right and right bottom of the scroll bars. Previous users could choose to have dual sets of double scroll bars, one at each end of the scroll bar. [see image above]

Pretty Boy... Behave Yourself
While sources are quick to note that smooth progress is being made in the area of themes, it is clear that Apple will tout the Platinum theme as the official Mac OS 8.5 theme. The Gizmo theme appears to function properly, while the Hi-Tech theme still has some appearance glitches with floating windows. With final adjustments being made to the new appearance manager, the both themes now perform at the speed of the default Platinum theme, a definite plus.

Documentation
Sources tell Reality that a number of manuals that ship with Mac OS 8.5 will be in Adobe Acrobat format (PDF). On the other hand, Apple's HTML based help viewer is said to be the greatest thing to happen to the Mac OS in ages. Apparently, the Apple Help files will include a complete tutorial to get users started developing AppleScripts, and also contains AppleScripts within its documentation pages to perform demonstrations and actions for the user.

The Apple Help Viewer is going to be the first piece of documentation that Macintosh users are going to enjoy reading.

For more information on Mac OS 8.5, and a full list of features, check out our Mac OS 8.5 Information Archive.

New Studio Displays to Complement El Capitan Project

While rumor has it that Apple's Multi-Scan and ColorSync product lines may be in jeopardy, another display line at Apple Computer has just begun to blossom. Evolving with the 15.1" Apple Studio Display in March, Apple has received both praise and honors for these new displays. Aiming to follow in its footsteps, Apple plans to take the Studio Display product line to the next level beginning in early 1999.

As we first reported back in March, Apple has been hard at work on a new set of Studio Displays, larger Studio Displays. The two new additions to the product line will include a 17" model rumored to be code named "Chablis", and a 20" model which goes by the code name "Moby"; both named after grapes, you see.

Sources who've had the pleasure of previewing these new displays claim that they are the "most beautiful displays they have ever seen". Would we expect anything less from Apple? Of course not, so why ask? Sources also noted that though the new displays sport an almost identical color scheme to the original Studio Display, both feature a slightly different architecture to accommodate their larger size and weight.

Both displays are due for a simultaneous introduction along side the Yosemite Pro workstations that will feature the sleek new El Capitan casings (Early 1999, see following story on Yosemite). Why you ask? Because they will match, of course. The Studio Displays will complement the El Capitan casings beautifully, according to sources. In fact, they may be the only displays whom will match the new casings; all the more reason to keep that hammer a safe distance from the piggy bank.

Speaking of piggy banks, the new displays will carry a hefty price tag, though according to Apple sources, will be extremely competitive in the flat-panel display market. While pricing has not been finalized, sources state that Chablis, the 17" model should fall in the consumer price range. Moby on the other hand, will cost significantly more money.

Having said all this, lets not be absent minded to one important factor: you're not just paying for a screen, you're paying for some outstanding Apple hardware and design that surrounds the display. Supporting resolutions as high as 1280x1024, the new Studio Displays will draw glossy eyes and watery mouths from millions upon millions of graphics professionals and wishful thinking consumers.

For more information check out the Apple Hardware Information Archive.

Yosemite, Alti-Vec, QuickTime, Mac OS X Server, and More

DVD For iMac to Fill Mystery Slot

Well, what a weekend; iMacs literally flew off the shelves, and it's quite impossible to find one for sale within a 100 mile radius. The key however will be for Apple to keep these puppies on the shelves. Apple also aired its first iMac television spot last night. It was quite humorous, and all together a well rounded commercial. Heck, we're more impressed by the iMac now then we were three months ago. It's an amazing machine. OK, enough with the mushy stuff, lets get on with it.

If you can recall our Macworld reports, we published what we knew about DVD for the iMac, which wasn't much. In fact, Apple representatives declined to comment so many times that they successfully altered the english language. What started off on Wednesday as "we have nothing to announce at this time" soon evolved into "nocomment" by Friday. And no, we did not forget a space character.

Yesterday, an Apple employee had a change of heart. It took a dozen donuts, some smiley pies and a cup of coffee, but it would all pay off in the end. Apparently the covered compartment on the side of the iMac (labeled "Mezzanine"), which once housed the external monitor port on pre-production models, will have the option of being filled with a new AV card that should ship as part of a DVD for iMac kit.

The DVD kit, which of course should include a IDE DVD drive (or possiblt a DVD drive which connects directly to the AV card, read on), will ship with an AV card capable of MPEG decoding for DVD playback. The AV card should also offer ports for DVD Video-out, or possibly both composite and S-video. A software package will also ship with the kit including DVD system software, the Apple DVD Player (awesome new-age software) and other DVD goodies.

Sources state that Apple may choose to include the DVD kit as standard, replacing the iMac's CD drive with a DVD, sometime down the road.

Well, that takes care of that.

For more information check out the Apple Hardware Information Archive.

PowerBooks in 1999: Update

After our report on Monday, Jason Ogrady had some interesting details on the future casing design of the new set of PowerBooks due out in Q1 - Q2 of 1999. Apparently code named "Lombard", after the curviest street in the world, Ogrady.com is reporting that that the casings for these new machines will feature translucent dark blue plastics (obviously with tons of sleek curves). We can immediately step right up with some confirmation to this rumor, as we've mentioned numerous times in the past by the summer of 1999 all of Apple's product lines will be shipping in translucent plastics. This includes the already transparent iMac, the midnight blue translucent El Capitan casings, the Consumer Portable, the Studio Display line, and then of course, the PowerBook line.

Improved Interface and Design
While we have established the majority of the hardware improvements in our previous report, sources have been kind enough to share shed some light on more specific features and improvements that Apple will introduce with the Lombard line of PowerBooks. Apparently Apple has been listening to their customers, both their complaints and their commendments. The Lombard line of PowerBooks will integrate Apple's common hardware architecture, extreme performance, and most importantly, they'll patch the holes found in the Wallstreet line of PowerBooks (if one could even say that there were holes).

Cooling Off
As we first reported on Monday, the Lombard PowerBooks should feature multiple resolutions via Manta hardware (though others claim that they'll used an advanced scaling architecture). In addition, one of the other major gripes with the Wallstreets is that they run too hot (you can literally burn your hand depending upon how long the unit has been running). While the new chipsets do indeed run cooler than the chips inside the Wallstreet PowerBooks, Apple will not rely on them alone. According to sources, and briefly mentioned on Ogrady.com, the new PowerBooks should feature improved ventilation, and a fan that actually helps cool the unit. For those who own Wallstreet PowerBooks, there is an internal fan, but it rarely comes on and when it does come on, it does very little to actually cool the unit. The Lombard PowerBooks should address this problem.

Jr., Not Jumbo
Another problem with the Wallstreets is that they are just "too damn big" for the average person to lug around every day. While source report that the casing design is not yet finalized, the candidates for the final casings are noticeably more compact than the Wallstreet. The smaller designs (both in width and height) will accommodate the larger screens, but according to sources will be somewhat "optimized" with less plastic framing the display and hence the workspace area surrounding the keyboard. The next generation batteries should help to lighten the unit as well, and will prove to be a factor in making the new units less cumbersome than the current PowerBooks.

Eye Candy
Some readers have shed disapproval about the idea of a translucent PowerBook, however sources who claim to have seen the designs state that while still translucent, the darker plastics are of a deep enough shade to allow very little internal visibility in comparison to the iMac's lighter shade of Bondi blue.

FireWire will not be standard on all versions of the Lombard PowerBooks, and they will not run at speeds in range 600MHz, just to clear up the misconception. The G3 processor will eventually give way to the G4 before it even nears the 600 mark.

For more information check out the Apple Hardware Information Archive.

Recent Reports
Apple Secretly Developing a Business Mac?
Mac OS 8.5 Benchmarks And Tests
Huge iMac Advertising Campaign Around the Corner
Apple's PowerBook Plans
DVD Playback for "Silk" Power Macintosh G3s?
New Apple Hardware in August!
New Apple G3 Servers Revealed!
Mac OS 8.5b5 Update Seeded
Mac OS 8.5b4 Inside Report
Apple's Consumer Portable Will Morph?
Unreleased iMac Radio Spots

Apple Hardware Page

Mac OS X Page

Mac OS 8.5 Page

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