-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- PCM Online November 1994 PRESS BOX Contents: [] News Bites: News shorts from across the industry [] $$ What a Deal! $$: Bargains we've stumbled across [] Telecom Press Releases: For SysOps and other online enthusiasts [] Sysops: The Genesis News Service Entire contents copyright 1994 by Falsoft, Inc. PCM -- The Premier Personal Computer Magazine is intended for the private use and pleasure of its subscribers, and reproduction by any means is prohibited. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- News Bites ~~~~~~~~~~ [] ISDN COMING HOME TO CALIFORNIA [] It's bad when even 28.8Kbps modems are too slow. But they are now that ISDN is coming home. This fall Pacific Bell plans to offer residential customers an easier, more affordable way to use the Internet and other online attractions. The service, called "Home ISDN," gives customers a high-speed, digital phone line that lets users send or retrieve computerized information more quickly, without using a modem. It will be available throughout most of Pacific Bell's service area in California for $22.95 a month. Home ISDN offers two channels on one line, each capable of transmitting at 64Kbps. It "digitizes" an ordinary copper telephone line, eliminating the need for modems to convert digital computer information into analog signals. The two 'B' channels of a Home ISDN line can be used separately, so users can talk while reviewing a computer document or sending a fax on the same line, simultaneously. Callers can even have a video teleconference and meet "face-to-face" using personal computers equipped for video conferencing. For more information call Pacific Bell's ISDN Service Center at (800) 4PB ISDN. Pacific Bell is working with online services to provider users with ISDN connectivity. American Online plans to make use of ISDN. CompuServe was to begin testing U.S.-based 1-800 ISDN access in September. Prodigy planned to have a trial of ISDN connectivity in California by September 1994 with service available by the end of the year. The WELL will have access before October 1. -=*=- [] A CD-ROM OF SOFTWARE TITLES [] What's available in the world of software? Consult The Programmer's Shop's MegaGuide, a CD-ROM disc that provides up-to-date product and pricing information on more than 2500 different software products -- including languages, programming tools, libraries and business productivity tools. It's $9.95 for per quarterly edition; $29.95 for a full year's subscription. Call (800) 421-8006. -=*=- [] "IS WAVE TABLE WORTH IT?" AND OTHER QUESTIONS ANSWERED [] Can't decide between a cheap FM-synthesis sound board and a more expensive wave-table board? Logitech tries to help you decide with a free audio CD called "Sound Advice" -- you pay shipping costs. The CD explains sound-board terminology in laymen's terms, using conversations between musician Wayne Gabriel and Logitech tech people. Then the disc offers up musical samples played in both FM-synthesis and wave-table format. (The disc pushes the SoundMan Wave along with other Logitech products, but the information is still of interest to anyone in the market for a sound card.) Call Logitech at (800) 889-0046. -=*=- [] WING COMMANDER GETS EXTRA OOMPH FROM LIVE ACTORS [] This fall Origin is slated to release Wing Commander III, the latest installment of its popular space saga. As usual, Origin is pushing the limits of technology (486+ CPU, 8MB RAM, double-speed CD-ROM drive required). The cinematic sequences now star live actors. In fact, the program includes more than two hours of live-action video, featuring such actors as Mark Hamill (of Star Wars fame: "Use the Force, Luke") and John Rhys-Davies. The game ships on two discs. -=*=- [] PUTTING OUR FEET DOWN [] CH Products plans a fall release of its long-awaited rudder pedals, called Pro Pedals. They feature dual operating modes for realistic forward and back pedal motion for flying, as well as a pivot movement for driving games. Pro Pedals will work with the entire CH Products joystick line, and are compatible with Microsoft's Flight Simulator 5.0 among other games. CH Products, (619) 598-2518. -=*=- [] IF DOOM IS TOO HELLISH . . . [] That is, if you need some help getting through the levels and finding the secret weapons -- there's help. Look to Doom Battlebook ($14.95), a guide for beleaguered space soldiers. You'll get general strategies, cheat codes, combat tips, maps, as well as handholding through the difficult areas of the games (plus info on how to reach the secret levels). Prima Publishing, (916) 632-4400. -=*=- [] DOS PLATFORM LOSING IN SALES [] According to the SPA (Software Publishers Association), the DOS platform now sits third in sales. Windows is first, Mac second, DOS third, in their battle for a $1.59 billion pie. Windows is capturing 66 percent of North American microcomputer software retail sales, Macintosh 17 percent, and DOS 15 percent. -=*=- [] THE LAY OF THE LAN FOR NEWBIES [] Thinking of doing the LAN thing but know nothing about it and don't know where to begin? Check out Lantronix's free tutorial catalog series, which contains a substantial tutorial on Ethernet and Ethernet products, covering among other topics cabling, networking protocols, network topologies, connectivity product descriptions and application examples. Lantronix, (714) 453-3990. -=*=- [] COMPUSERVE CREDIT CARD OFFERS DAILY ACCOUNT TRACKING [] The 40,000 people who use CompuServe Visa credit cards will be pleased to learn that Block Financial Corp., a division of H&R Block, has introduced the first national, interactive online credit card transaction review service -- "The Conductor" Card Review. Just type "Go Card." This service gives CompuServe Visa card holders 24-hour access to their credit card transactions account -- so they won't have to wait until the end of the month to see what they spent. This also makes it easy to police the card against fraudulent charges. If you don't have the CompuServe Visa card but would like to, you can apply online. The card offers a 12.9% introductory APR and has no annual fee, plus you'll get a $27.50 CompuServe usage credit. -=*=- [] INTERNET "MALL-ING": AMERICA'S PASTIME GOES ELECTRONIC [] Malling comes to the Internet! Magibox, Inc., of Germantown, TN, announced that The Global Shopping Mall will open its doors (databases) for business in late September 1994. Magibox claims it's the first electronic mall in the world with a searchable database, including downloadable JPEG images you can use to "view the merchandise." Orders are accepted 24 hours a day: the mall accepts both electronic credit card and bank check processing payment. Telnet through Internet from anywhere in the world (or, if you live in Memphis, you can use a local access number). The mall will start with only four businesses (computer hardware/software, golf equipment, jewelry and specialty coffees), but plans to add more. Magibox telnet info, (901) 757-7835. -=*=- [] TOSHIBA INTRODUCES FAST CD-ROM DRIVE [] Toshiba introduces what it calls the industry's fastest CD-ROM drive: the XM-3501. The quad-speed drive boasts a 120ms random seek and 150ms random access, a SCSI-2 interface, a synchronous data transfer rate of up to 4.2MB/second, digital audio transfer, and a 256K data buffer. The internal model is available for $470; external, $600. Toshiba, (714) 457- 0777. -=*=- [] CANINE LOVERS HAVE A HOME ONLINE [] What if your dog attacks and injures a burglar? Are you liable? And what do you do if your dog goes suddenly off his feed? These and other legal and medical questions can be answered on the Dog Net, a Colorado BBS just for dog owners. Log on at (303) 830-1113. Or for more info, dial the voice number: (303) 831-0202, or call (800) DOG-NETT. Dog-loving lawyers and veterinarians are online to answer your questions. -=*=- [] CAN YOU WRITE YOUR NAME ON YOUR SCREEN? [] You don't have a monitor -- you have a dust magnet? We can relate. Maybe what you need is the new SunRay cloth ($9) from GEM Products. It's a "super chamois" made of a weave of ultrafine microfibers. GEM claims the cloth's controlled abrasion is safe enough for a camera lens. Just dampen one half and wipe the computer screen, then dry with the other half and you'll have a screen free of fingerprints and smudges. It's green -- no bad chemicals for the environment. GEM Products, (800) 697-0009. -=*=- [] "ERNIE" TAKES THE JOLT FOR YOU [] You know, if you're continually wiping dust off your screen, that may be a symptom of a deeper problem: static electricity. While the occasional zaps are unpleasant to you, sooner or later they may have damaging effects on your computer. If you don't want to run the risk of static problems, consider UltraStat ($59.95), a small accessory that installs easily on top of the monitor and sucks static off the screen. It incorporates a resistance circuit card and a unique liquid crystal display. How do you know it's working? You can watch a little LCD character named "Ernie" take the jolt for you. Call (800) 460-STAT. -=*=- [] HOW DAVY JONES GOT DEEP-SIXED [] Pirate boards, beware: the feds have indicted Richard D. Kenadek, the operator of the Davy Jones Locker BBS, for allegedly making copyrighted software available for downloading. This is the first-ever indictment of a BBS on copyright infringement charges. If convicted, Kenadek could face up to a year in prison. And, of course, the SPA (Software Publishers Association) is slapping a civil suit on him; if that's successful, Kenadek could be ordered to pay up to $100,000 per copyrighted title infringed; and the SPA claims more than 200 copyrighted titles had been available. -=*=- [] IOMEGA PACKS MORE DATA ON A QIC TAPE [] Iomega Corp., the people who make Bernoulli cartridge drives, have announced a new line of Tape510 Quarter Inch Cartridge (QIC) tape backup drives. Tape510 stores 255MB using standard tape cartridges (510MB with compression). Using extended length cartridges it can store 340MB (or 680MB compressed). It can also read QIC-40, -80 and Irwin tapes. Data transfer is up to 9.5MB per minute. The internal version ($399) plugs into the floppy controller. A parallel port version ($599) is also available. The Tape510 is handier for today's larger hard drives. -=*=- [] EXPRESS YOURSELF (HEY, HEY, HEY, HEY) [] Attention, computer lovers who like to express themselves through their clothing: Computer Wear offers T-shirts and sweatshirts with humorous pictures and phrases, such as, "Silence of the LANs," "I Surf the Internet," and "(2C) | !(2C). That's the ?" Computer Wear, (206) 788-6353. -=*=- [] GREAT AMERICAN NOVEL-WRITING SOFTWARE [] The Book of the Month club, which has selected millions of books for American Readers since 1926, has now selected a new computer program, FictionMaster, designed to guide the many millions who are writing fiction for publication or in the hope of being published. The program was created by Sol Stein, playwright, poet, fiction writer and screenwriter. It consists of four parts: Creating Memorable Characters, Developing Page- Turning Plots, The Dialogue Doctor and Overcoming Obstacles to Publication. Intro price is $179. WritePro, (800) 755-1124. -=*=- [] HOW ANIMATORS USE THEIR COMPUTERS [] What's going on in the world of computer-generated movies and short animations? Check it out for yourself in QuickTime: The CD 1994, a two- disc set ($49.95) featuring the winners of the International QuickTime Film Festival held in Tokyo and San Francisco. "Over 900MB of the finest digital video you will find anywhere." Sumeria, (415) 904-0800. -=-------------- -=*=- -=*=- -=*=- --------------=- $$ What a Deal! $$ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ $$ DOS WORDPERFECT HITS THE BARGAIN BASEMENT $$ For years it dominated the word-processing market, but now with Windows software taking over Dodge, DOS WordPerfect rides off into the sunset. If you own a 286-class or older computer, you're riding in the same direction. (Of course, the day will last as long as you care to ride.) So if you are a DOS holdout or a Windows refusnik who always wanted to use DOS WordPerfect but could never before afford it, take a look at WordPerfect 5.1+. WordPerfect has farmed it out to direct mail suppliers, who are selling it at bargain-basement prices. DataCal has it for $49.95 -- which includes full documentation, support from WordPerfect, and Bitstream FaceLift for printing scalable fonts no matter what your printer. Call DataCal at (800) 842-2835. (Be sure to ask for your free WordPerfect keyboard template.) -=*=- $$ THE $69 LASERJET FAX MACHINE $$ Have an underworked LaserJet Series II printer? Consider turning it into a plain paper fax machine (receive only) for $69! Practical Peripheral's $69 FaxMe cartridge allows incoming faxes to print on plain paper instead of the thermal curly paper most fax machines use. You can still use your laser to print. Makes a great companion to a fax modem (which you'll need to send faxes). Practical Peripherals, (805) 497-4774. -=*=- $$ CD-ROM DRIVE < $50 $$ A CD-ROM drive for $49.90? Are we kidding? Nope. TigerDirect has the Philips single-speed CD-ROM drive (150K/second transfer rate, app. 375ms access time), with interface card, at that price. While it cannot run the new programs that require double-speed drives, it is compatible with the majority of CD-ROM software. TigerDirect, (800) 848-9530. -=*=- $$ LOTUS SAYS TO HECK WITH COMPETITIVE UPGRADES $$ Until December 31, 1994, Lotus is offering Ami Pro 3.1, its award- winning word processor, to ALL COMERS at $129. Windows, OS/2 and UNIX versions are available. -=*=- $$ SAVE BUCKS ON PICTURE PUBLISHER $$ Picture Publisher, an image editor that normally retails for $595, can be bought for $149.95 until December 31, 1994. CD-ROM version only. -=*=- $$ THE CRASHING WORLD OF THE HARD DRIVE (PRICE TAG) $$ What is going ON with hard drives these days? Per megabyte they're half the price they were two years ago (or even last year). It's not unusual to see the street price on a 500MB+ drive drop $60 a month! The price of a 730MB IDE drive we've been watching did just that. Don't ya love it? We've been tracking two Western Digital IDE hard drives, just because, and we'd like to share the lowest street prices with you as quoted by a few third-party vendors on October 14, 1994 (of course, the prices are probably lower by now). Western Digital Western Digital WD2540, IDE WD2700, IDE 540MB, 13ms 730MB, 10ms Lyco $259.95 $359.95 Drive Outlet Center $259 $349 Dirt Cheap Drives $274 $360 -=-------------- -=*=- -=*=- -=*=- --------------=- Telecom Press Releases ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ** NOTE: we are publishing these press releases nearly verbatim as a service to SysOps and other online interests. We are not responsible for inaccuracies or excessive braggadocio. ** -=*=- From S&H Computer Systems, Inc.: S&H ANNOUNCES NEW, 32-BIT MULTI-LINE BBS SOFTWARE Product is the first BBS able to run non-stop Offers seamless Internet Connectivity NASHVILLE, Sept. 22, 1994 -- S&H Computer Systems today announced TSX-BBS, a new, multi-line bulletin board system for IBM PCs, PS/2s and compatible computers. TSX-BBS is a DOS-compatible bulletin board system which interoperates with the Internet and other TCP/IP-compatible enterprise networks. Its non-stop features revolutionize the way BBS SysOps establish, maintain, enhance and expand their BBSs and the way users access the BBS. S&H has coined the phrase "The Non-stop BBS" to describe this feature of TSX-BBS. TSX-BBS is ideal for remote access connectivity needs ranging from those of a two-line entertainment BBS to those of an entire corporation. Through its native TCP/IP and Internet support, users on LANs and WANs can have full BBS access while remote BBS users on dial-up connections can have full access to the Internet and corporate LANs and WANs. TSX-BBS add- ins can be standard DOS applications, DBMSs and tools, as well as standard BBS "door" programs. The product supports access by numerous remote users, and local development and maintenance by one or more SysOps concurrently. It is available configured for one SysOp and two, four, eight, 16 or multiples of 32 users on one PC. In addition to supporting the SysOp and up to 256 remote users on one PC, the product has the flexibility to support hundreds of users spread across a TCP/IP LAN or WAN of TSX-BBS users. Until now, SysOps had to exit the BBS software in order to make any changes to the BBS. As this required discontinuing service to remote users, SysOps often scheduled such "down-time" for the early morning hours. TSX-BBS eliminates this inconvenience to SysOps and users. It allows SysOps to install enhancements, fixes and updates to the BBS while the system is serving remote users, allowing the BBS to function non-stop. It provides SysOps up to 10 DOS-compatible sessions. SysOps can be downloading and screening files, modifying menu structures, and enhancing the BBS itself while TSX-BBS is simultaneously supporting remote users. Until now, standard DOS programs, DBMSs, tools and so on could not be run under BBS software as add-ins. SysOps had to purchase and use programs and databases written expressly for the BBS software they were using. TSX- BBS eliminates this limitation. Now SysOps can enhance their "boards" with applications and databases from the thousands of DOS applications available on the market. TSX-BBS supports "door" programs too. Until now, BBS users have had to suspend their "chatting" and other interactive activities on the BBS in order to download or upload files. The TSX-Term communications product eliminates user idle time by transferring files in the background. Users remain online non-stop with TSX-Term, "chatting" or "browsing" while files are being transferred. TSX-BBS's advanced capabilities and high performance are due to its robust software platform, which features 32-bit architecture, patented multitasking technology, DOS-compatible APIs and TCP/IP networking. This platform has served mission-critical functions at thousands of sites for more than five years. TSX-BBS base configuration offers more built-in features than its competitors: QWK, RIP support, classified ads, voting, forums, mail, file librarian, call-back verification, dial-out, multilingual menus, drivers for intelligent multiplexers and SCSI disk controllers. BBS options include: Chat, the TPL programming language, FidoNet Mailer Interface, Usenet News Satellite Interface, and an Internet Connect Bundle. System options include: TSX-Term, TCP/IP peer-to-peer networking, Network Utilities, NFS Server, and Disk Shadowing (mirroring). Pricing and Availability TSX-BBS pricing starts at a 2 line + SysOp system with a base price of $300 including 90 days of support. A 32 line + SysOp system has a base price of $1,550 including one year of support. Support includes unlimited telephone consultation, fixes and enhancements for the cost of media, documentation and shipping. All prices include media, documentation and domestic UPS ground shipping. TSX-BBS will be available in the 4th quarter of 1994. S&H Computer Systems S&H Computer Systems licensed its first multiuser, multitasking operating system in 1976 and now has licensed over 20,000 sites with an estimated 200,000 users in more than 25 countries. TSX-BBS's unique capabilities result from S&H's 20 years' experience in systems-level and application software development and publishing. -=*=- From Mustang Software, Inc.: QMODEMPRO FOR WINDOWS HONORED WITH 1994 DVORAK AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING TELECOMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY ATLANTA, Sept. 20, 1994 -- QmodemPro for Windows, the first communications application to incorporate fax, data and Remote Imaging Protocol (RIP) graphics features in the same program, was today named the recipient of the 1994 Dvorak Telecommunications Award for Outstanding Telecommunications Technology. Citing QmodemPro's easy-to-use interface and support for launching both fax and data calls from a single dialing directory, John C. Dvorak presented Mustang Software, Inc. (MSI), with the Outstanding Telecommunications Technology award for 1994. Accepting the award for MSI was Rick Heming, vice president of operations for MSI. Mustang Software introduced QmodemPro for Windows in January 1994 and it has rapidly become one of the top-selling Windows communications packages on the market. "The combination of data and fax in one simple program and the support for RIP graphics have been the keys to QmodemPro's popularity," said Jim Harrer, president/CEO of MSI. "We are extremely proud of the Dvorak award. It affirms that it is still possible to write a great program and get recognition even if you don't have the marketing clout of a Microsoft, Borland or Lotus Development." The Dvorak Telecommunications Awards, presented each year in conjunction with the Online Networking Exposition and Bulletin Board System Convention (ONE BBSCON), were founded by John C. Dvorak. Dvorak is one of the nation's leading columnists on personal computing issues and he currently writes columns for PC Magazine, PC Computing, PC Week and numerous other computer publications. QmodemPro for Windows version 1.10 is currently available from MSI at a suggested retail price of $99, as well as via nationwide retail outlets including CompUSA, Software, Etc., and Software City. Mustang Software, Inc., is the premier single-source supplier of bulletin board systems (BBS) and related communications software, with more than 30,000 registered users of its Wildcat! BBS software and 100,000 registered users of its QmodemPro for DOS and for Windows communications software. Formed in 1986, MSI is headquartered in Bakersfield, California. MSI can be reached at 6200 Lake Ming Road, Bakersfield, CA 93306, (805) 873-2500. -=*=- Genesis Sysop Services Genesis provides the following services for sysops everywhere: The Genesis Daily News The Monthly GrabMag CompuMag Weekly The Weekly Financial Report Weekly Movie Reviews Weekly Columns The Genesis Daily News offers outstanding news coverage involving the following categorties: Headline News, National News Business News, AMSE and NYSE Closing Issues Daily Masrket Brief News in Health and Science, Misc News National Weather Brief, News from Canada, World News Baseball, Football, Basketball College Sports, Sports Transactions, Golf & Tennis Miscellaneous Sports Plus 4 weekly categories: Weekly TV Ratings Weekly Video Review Weekly Music Review Weekend Box Office Results Provided 7 days a week and NEVER late! Our guarantee is simple: If our news is not available by the time we say it is, the cost for the news that month is FREE! Online Preview If you would like to see how fantastic our services look, you may log onto our Sysop Services System for an online review! Once online, just choose selection "F" from our examples menu. The number to call is: 916-965-9361 MasterCard and Visa always welcome! Or write us at: The Genesis Network P.O. Box 5234 Fair Oaks, CA 95628 Our Voice Number is 916-965-9518 -=------------=- T-H-E E-N-D F-O-R N-O-W -=-------------=-