Mac OS Update
Apple (408/996-1010, https://www.apple.com ) has posted a Mac OS 8.5 update that fixes bugs and adds new Sherlock plug-ins. Mac OS 8.5.1, available free from https://www.apple.com/macos/, remedies problems having to do with CD-ROM installation, AppleScript, and data corruption. Apple has also cut PowerBook prices by $300 to $600, depending on the model.
Monitor Mayhem
Panasonic (201/348-7000, https://www.panasonic.com ) has put the CRT on a diet. The 19-inch PanaSync SL90 weighs 34.7 pounds and consumes about as much space as a 15-inch monitor. The $679 display offers a maximum resolution of 1,600 by 1,280 pixels. Miro Displays (650/988-7270, https://www.mirodisplays.com ), which acquired the Radius CRT line in Septem-ber 1998, has unveiled the 15-inch Radius S-1 ($219), the 17-inch Radius M-1 ($499), the 19-inch Radius L-1 ($699), and the 21-inch Radius PrecisionView XL-1 ($1,249). The S-1 provides 1,024-by-768-pixel resolution; the others offer resolutions of up to 1,600 by 1,200 pixels. Meanwhile, Optiquest (909/869-9216, https://www.optiquest.com ) has entered the LCD-monitor fray with the 15.1-inch L700 ($979), which offers a maximum resolution of 1,024 by 768 pixels.
3-D DV for AE
Tweak and tune digital video with Boris AE 2.0, the $495 After Effects plug-in from Artel Software (617/451-9900, https://www.artelsoft.com ). The upgrade features 44 filters–21 of them new–including lighting, color, and particle effects.
Numbers into Charts
Who wants to look at rows of numbers? DeltaGraph 4.5, $295, from SPSS (312/651-3000, https://www.spss.com ), transforms data from Microsoft Excel 98 and other applications into graphs. The upgrade features 80 chart types, Pantone color matching support, and Mac OS 8.5 compatibility.
Cool New Tools
FWB (408/848-2409, https://www.fwb.com ) has upgraded its disk-formatting software. Hard Disk ToolKit 3.0 is Mac OS 8.5-compatible and supports Apple’s HFS+ filing system. New features in the $199 package include RAID Levels 0 and 1, support for password protection on Zip and Jaz cartridges, and the ability to create high-speed Photoshop scratch disks. The program also sports a new tab-based interface.
Bright Lights
Portable projectors are brighter than ever. Epson’s (310/782-0770, https://www.epson.com ) $9,999 PowerLite 7500C produces 800 ANSI lumens and weighs about 9 pounds. Mitsubishi’s (714/220-2500, https://www.mitsubishi-display.com ) $11,995 X200 weighs in at 20 pounds and provides a brightness of 1,200 ANSI lumens. Both projectors feature a native resolution of 1,024 by 768 pixels and use triple-LCD technology.–Edited by Michael Gowan
March 1999 page: 29