Clone Bits

Even though MacWEEK failed to show up in our mailbox this week, there were still a number of interesting little bits of information from other sources. These don’t warrant individual articles, so they’ll have to suffer with a paragraph each.

Hewlett-Packard just introduced two new printers, the DeskJet 500 ($729) and the LaserJet IIID ($3595). The DeskJet 500 replaces the DeskJet and DeskJet+, uses non-water soluble ink, and has more internal fonts. Upgrades are available for DeskJet and DeskJet+ owners, and later this year the non-water soluble ink will be available for the entire line, including the DeskWriter. The LaserJet IIID will replace the IID and combine the IID’s duplex printing abilities (both sides of the page at once) and paper handling abilities with the III’s Resolution Enhancement Technology, which increases the effective resolution by varying dot size. It will work with the HP AppleTalk interface and the PostScript cartridge, although significantly more memory is required for duplex PostScript printing (and may not work all that well even then, due to limitations in PostScript).

Samna Corp., whose Ami and Ami Professional word processors have been rated highly in comparison to other Windows word processors, introduced a Windows-based hypertext application called SmarText. SmarText attempts to solve one of the main problems facing hypertext by automatically creating links, indices, and outlines. These links and indices are only as good as the rules and keywords entered by the user, but the fact that they can be automatically generated saves incredible amounts of time over manual linking. Two versions will be available, SmarText Builder for editing at $495 and SmarText Reader for $99. Now if only they would port it to the Mac…

Intel’s Personal Computer Enhancement Operation recently introduced a new 9600 baud, V.32, V.42bis, V.42 error correction, MNP 1-5 modem (got all that?). The neat part is that for all those various protocols and compression schemes and error correction algorithms and a 5 year warranty, the price is only $799. The Mac version is only $20 more and includes QuickLink II. The price of high speed communications is finally closing in on the reasonable zone. The closest competition is the U.S. Robotics Courier V.32, which lists for under $995 and includes everything the Intel modem has except (apparently) the V.42 compliance.

Hewlett-Packard — 800/752-0900
Samna Corp. — 800/831-9679
Intel PCEO — 800/538-3373
U.S. Robotics — 800/342-5877

Information from:
Adam C. Engst — TidBITS Editor
Tonya Byard — TidBITS Editor
HP propaganda
U.S. Robotics propaganda

Related articles:
PC WEEK — 03-Sep-90, Vol. 7, #35 , pg. 5
PC WEEK — 03-Sep-90, Vol. 7, #35 , pg. 11
InfoWorld — 03-Sep-90, Vol. 12, #36, pg. 17
PC WEEK — 03-Sep-90, Vol. 7, #35 , pg. 53