In 250 days and with the combined efforts of some 4,000 teams of computers, distributed.net has completed the RSA Data Security Challenge to break a 56-bit RC5 encryption algorithm, demonstrating that a group of computers, if harnessed together by determined owners, can break such encryption
In a press release earlier this week, Apple announced the Newton MessagePad 2100, due to ship in November. The 2100 resembles its predecessor, the MessagePad 2000 (reviewed in TidBITS 379), but comes with an additional 3 MB of DRAM for a total of 4 MB DRAM, helping users keep multiple programs launched
Although Apple last week reported a quarterly loss, some financial news relating to Apple is worth a cheer. Claris, a wholly owned software subsidiary of Apple, reported record gains for its fourth quarter and its fiscal year
Aladdin Systems today shipped the long-awaited upgrade to Spring Cleaning 2.0, the popular uninstaller utility for the Macintosh. Spring Cleaning helps Macintosh users clean up their hard disks by removing redundant and unnecessary files in ten different ways
Apple Computer yesterday posted its fourth quarter results, which included a $161 million net loss. For the year, Apple's revenues totaled $7.1 billion, down 28 percent from $9.8 billion in 1996
Earlier this week, Apple dramatically decreased pricing on the PowerBook 3400 and Power Macintosh 8600. Price reductions noted in Apple's press release include the PowerBook 3400c/200 dropping from $4,500 to $3,800 and the Power Macintosh 8600/300/Zip going from $3,200 to $2,600 (see our PowerBook 3400 review in TidBITS 371)
According to a recent Apple Tech Info Library article, Apple has fixed a problem with Performa and Power Macintosh computers in the 5400 series, 5500 series, 6400 series, and 6500 series
In a recent announcement, Apple Computer said that it is changing its support policies to be more like Microsoft's. Under the new policies, effective immediately, free support is available via the Web, via Apple's automated phone response system, and via the Apple Support Line for the first 90 days
A recent letter from interim CEO Steve Jobs to all Apple employees expressed his delight that TBWA Chiat/Day, the advertising agency responsible for the CLIO-winning "1984" ad that launched the Macintosh, is developing Apple's new brand marketing push
Claris Corporation has released FileMaker Pro 4.0, an update to their popular database application that adds a Web server and technology acquired from Blueworld Communications's Lasso to FileMaker's established mix of easy-to-use relational database capabilities
Connectix has shipped Speed Doubler 8, a long-awaited upgrade that's compatible with Mac OS 8 and adds a few new features. Speed Doubler 8 improves performance of local and network file copies, disk caching, and (on PowerPC systems) includes a dynamic recompilation 68K emulator that can be almost twice as fast as Apple's - handy when using 68K programs and system components, like AppleScript
Open Door Networks today shipped ShareWay IP Gateway, a program that enables an AppleShare-compatible server to provide file sharing over the Internet
Terry Morse Software
recently updated its popular Web publishing program, Myrmidon, to version 2.0. Myrmidon, a Chooser extension, "prints" HTML files from most applications
SoftPress Systems has shipped the $299 Freeway 1.0, software that uses a page and pasteboard metaphor to create Web sites. Items on pages come from master pages or are inserted into special boxes, such as GIF boxes or HTML boxes
In our recent review
of Connectix's $150 Virtual PC we noted that Insignia Solutions had just shipped RealPC, which (like Virtual PC) offers Pentium MMX emulation, but is targeted at DOS-based gamers and includes MS-DOS 6.22 and a CD of action-oriented games for about $80