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TidBITS#423/01-Apr-98

Apple rocks on this week, with announcements of network computers, new low-priced desktop Macs, and changes to QuickTime’s pricing structure. Also this week, TidBITS issues a security challenge, Peter N Lewis of Stairways Software ships a hot new utility, and BoxTop Software finally makes it possible to export HTML from Adobe Photoshop. We round out the issue with a look at VST’s EB-451 for PowerBooks with expansion bays.

Adam Engst No comments

Investing in Office

Investing in Office -- Microsoft today announced a new promotion designed to win over more Mac users to Microsoft Office 98 for the Macintosh. Starting 01-Apr-98, Microsoft will place a single share of Microsoft stock, currently valued at about $90, in 100,000 boxes of Office 98 destined for individual purchase in the retail and academic channels

Tonya Engst No comments

Robin Williams Writes Another One

Robin Williams Writes Another One -- When Macintosh users hear about Robin Williams, chances are good that they think of the author, not the comedian. Over the years, Robin has written many successful books about the Macintosh and design

Adam Engst No comments

The First One’s Free…

Much speculation has emerged about Apple's forthcoming foray into the nascent network computer (NC) market. Although NCs from Sun, Network Computer, Inc., and even IBM haven't exactly sold like hotcakes, Apple's entry promises to be the result of different thinking

Tonya Engst No comments

Who Needs GIFs?

These days, every program must have a "Save As HTML" feature to be competitive: the last major product missing this capability is Adobe's venerable image editing program, Photoshop

Geoff Duncan No comments

TidBITS Internet Security Challenges!

In the last few years, Internet security challenges have been a growing phenomenon. The basic idea is that a solution provider sets up an Internet service or site that it feels is secure, then offers a substantial reward - cash prizes, computer equipment, or other inducements - to the first person who follows the contest's rules and breaches the security of the site or service. Often, Internet security challenges amount to little more than publicity stunts - since the knowledge of how to break into a particular system can be more valuable than the cash or prizes offered - but they can also go a long way toward legitimizing a new or fledgling system

Matt Neuburg No comments

Apple Offers Options for QuickTime 3.0

Apple yesterday released version 3.0 of its QuickTime media software for the Mac OS plus Windows 95 and Windows NT, adding support for many new media formats (including PNG and the DV digital video format), plus QuickTime VR and QuickDraw 3D. QuickTime 3.0 can be downloaded for free from Apple (6.4 MB in MacBinary format)

Adam Engst No comments

SpellPoacher: Share and Enjoy

One of the highlights of our recent trip to Australia was the time we spent with Peter N Lewis, one of the best-known Macintosh Internet developers, who has branched out recently into the game market with Greebles, an addictive block-pushing game

Tonya Engst No comments

Apple Ships the Holy Grail

In tandem with yesterday's announcement of the Power Mac G3 All-in-one, Apple today announced a new line of affordable desktop computers, designed to demonstrate Apple's commitment to everyday users of everyday Macintoshes. An Apple executive commented, "We realized that in our rush to reassure important niche markets like desktop publishing and education we'd neglected our base of home users and small business, people who keep Macs on their desks and keep buying more of them." A recent Apple marketing group survey learned of an "incredible ground swell" of people who have used desktop computers from Apple throughout Apple's history, typically purchasing a new model every few years while passing older models to relatives and non-profit organizations. The study revealed that the typical person who purchase

Jeff Carlson No comments

VST Bay Not Half-Baked

VST Technologies today announced a long-rumored PowerBook add-on, the VST Easy-Bake Expansion Bay Drive. The company expects to start shipping in early May, but notes that supplies will be initially "constrained." Officially designated as the EB-451 Easy-Bake Expansion Bay, the device fits existing PowerBook models 190, 5300, 3400, and G3