-
Aureal Trumpets Vortex 2 Chip
Shout Interactive Rolls Out SCREAM Technology
Business to Business Electronic Commerce Estimated to Reach $500b in Europe in 2000
AuraLine Releases Multimedia Creation Kit Release 1.5 
859.2 Story of the Issue
859.3 Systems
859.4 Human Interface
859.5 API
859.6 Displays
859.7 Applications
859.8 Chips
859.9 Markets
Cahners In-Stat Group Expects PC Server Growth to Double Over Mainstream PCs
Cahners In-Stat Group Expects IEEE 1394 Volume to Breakout in Year 2000
859.10 Financial
Gateway Reports Second Quarter Results
Pinnacle Systems Reports Revenue and Net Income for the Fourth Quarter of Fiscal 1998
Pixar Announces Second Quarter 1998 Financial Results
Avid Technology Announces Earnings for the Second Quarter 1998 --------------------------------------
***Aureal Trumpets Vortex 2 Chip
(August 6)Aureal Semiconductor Inc. has announced the availability of the
Vortex 2 PCI audio processor. The Vortex 2 (Part No. AU8830) is
a 3.3 Volt, 5 Volt Compatible chip that is available in a 128-
pin plastic quad flatpack design (PQFP). Features of the part
include:Hardware-based A3D and DirectSound3D engine (16 sources)
Hardware-based A3D 2.0 Wavetracing engine with wall
reflections and occlusions (64 sources)
320-voice DLS wavetable engine for DirectMusic and MIDI (64
hardware, up to 256 software voices depending on CPU)
Hardware DirectSound engine (96 sources)
Optimized for headphone, 2-speaker, or multi-speaker (up to
8) playback
Hardware-based 10-band stereo graphics equalizer (96 dB
Signal to Noise Ratio)
Legacy audio support in real-time DOS and DOS boxes
Hardware-based crosstalk cancellation
96 DMA channels
Windows 98/95 and NT 4.0 Drivers (WDM ready)
Full MIDI I/O and DirectX gameport acceleration
SP/DIF outputhttp://www.aureal.com
***Shout Interactive Rolls Out SCREAM Technology
Shout Interactive's has announced Shout Content Reality Engine
and Metaplanner (SCREAM) System, a set of Java classes which
allows Shout Interactive to develop and deliver content 3D.SCREAM is a time-based rather than frame based system which
enables it to perform consistently with all 3D environments and
game play elements across multiple platforms and chip speeds.
SCREAM supports VRML browsers and other capabilities including
Heads Up Displays, real-time maps, ToolTips, image filtering,
animated textures and mouse and keyboard controls. The program
also combines physics, artificial intelligence and user
interface components to build interactive 3D worlds, games and
tools.Shout Interactive has partnered with France Telecom, InfoSeek
Japan, Nvidia, Silicom Graphics, Sony Pictures Imageworks and
USWeb to provide 3D development services. Located in San
Francisco Shout Interactive specializes in the design and
development of cutting edge Virtual Reality and artificial
intelligence experiences. Some of its productions include a
partnership with The InterAct Group of IBM and the Nagano
Olympic Organizing Committee to develop the first 3D application
to be featured on the Official Olympic Website and one of the
first widely distributed game on the web, called 'The Borg
Simulator' which promoted the release of Star Trek: First
Contact.One of Shout Interactive's most recent promotional product is an
interactive VW Beetle. The user can position the car to inspect
it from any angle, change the color of the exterior, climb
inside to get a closer view of the interior, honk the horn or
play a game designed for the VW.A VRML browser is needed to view these games as well as Shout
Interactive's other features/games. You can also download Cosmo
Player 2.1 fromhttp://www.cosmosoftware.com
http://www.shoutinteractive.com
***Business to Business Electronic Commerce Estimated to Reach
$500b in Europe in 2000
(July 13)An estimate has been released that puts the business-to-business
EC reaching $500billion and online retail sales in the US
exceeding $10billion by the year 2000. The author of the report,
the META Group, also sees that inexpensive hardware combined
with the ubiquity of the Internet and related protocols will
change the structure and business practices of all organizations
even ones that previously seemed far removed from the technology
sectors, like manufacturing and government.According to the report not all companies will be successful
though. The guide predicts that while the pioneers of electronic
commerce have made their mark and become successful, newcomers
face unpredictable and fleeting opportunities.Within the Business Guide, META Group details their forecasts
for emerging EC opportunities based on key trends that have
developed. These cover a range of EC areas including EC
development, which they believe will grow around customer self
service, supply chain/inventory management, procurement, and
online selling, the proliferation of the Internet and Web
technologies as a route to sophisticated electronic commerce and
the dynamic tension between creativity and business planning
diligence becoming the key to the EC revolution.Electronic Commerce: A Practical Business Guide is available now
for $1,750.http://www.metagroup.com
***AuraLine Releases Multimedia Creation Kit Release 1.5
(July 15)NEC Systems Laboratory has announced its multimedia creation
kit, Auraline 1.5, priced at $49.95. This product features
timeline-based authoring, JAVA features, and a 5,000+ media
library. The program includes three elements, an authoring tool,
a library of interactive multimedia content, and access to
specialized online services. These features enable web page
authors, novices and professionals alike, to design and add
professional quality special effects and interactivity into
their web pages and PowerPoint 97 presentations without the need
for JAVA scripting or plug-ins.Release 1.5 also provides control over the GIF animations. The
user can extract, edit and re-order individual GIF images, add
sound effects synchronized to individual frames, add interactive
special effects including rollover effects, text effects and
transitions, and save modified GIF animations as JAVA applets,
to playback in an HTML page.The program supports BMP, GIF, PSD, TIF, JPG, PCX, WAV, MID, CD-
Audio, AVI, and KODAK DC.Minimum systems requirements include a Pentium-based PC with
16MB RAM, Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0, SVGA monitor,
15MB of free disk space, and IE or Netscape 3.02 and above
browsers.***Dave & Busters Opens in Bristol England
(August 5)Dave & Buster's opened its second international location in
Bristol, England on July 30, 1998. The first D&B in the United
Kingdom opened in May 1997 in Birmingham, England. Bass, the
operator in England, plans to open a total of seven Dave &
Buster's in the United Kingdom by the year 2004 under the
licensing agreement. Potential future locations have already
been identified for London, Thurrock and Manchester.Dave & Buster's other international expansion plans include a
licensing agreement with the TaiMall Development Company to
license the "Dave & Buster's" name and concept in the Pacific
Rim. Under this agreement, TaiMall expects to open a minimum of
seven complexes in regions of Taiwan, Hong Kong and China with
the first complex opening in the Spring of 1999 in Taipei.Dave & Buster's also has a letter of intent to develop the "Dave
& Buster's" name and concept in Germany, Switzerland and Austria
with S.T.A. Salmann Trust and in Mexico with ECE S.A. de C.V.Founded in 1982, Dave & Buster's is one of the country's leading
restaurant and entertainment concepts. It currently operates 14
locations across the United States with three more store
openings (Rockland County, N.Y., Orange, Calif., and Columbus,
Ohio slated for 1998. By the year 2000, Dave & Buster's expects
to have 29 locations throughout the United States, four in the
U.K. and two in Taiwan.***Compaq Offers Line of Graphics Accelerators for Professional
Workstations
(July 20)Compaq announced PowerStorm graphics line for the Compaq
Professional Workstation. The new graphics line will be brought
to market in the third quarter of 1998 and will support multiple
operating systems, including both Windows NT and Compaq's
DIGITAL UNIX.A midrange graphics solution provides best in class performance
for Digital Content Creation (DCC) and CAD applications at an
affordable price.This solution is based on the Evans & Sutherland REALimage 2100
SD chip technology.Coupled with Compaq's new Alpha-based Extreme Performance (XP)
workstations, scheduled for release in 3Q98, the midrange
PowerStorm graphics solution is expected to achieve a CDRS-03
weighted average greater than 170.A second member of the PowerStorm graphics lineup is also
scheduled to debut later this year. This solution provides Both
graphics solutions are based on the same Evans & Sutherland core
technology. However the high end of the PowerStorm line will
also include a microprocessor dedicated to geometry and lighting
calculations. This technology, combined with the Highly Parallel
System Architecture of Compaq's Professional Workstation SP700
and XP line of products, will provide the fastest graphics
application performance platform available for Microsoft Windows
NT.http://www.compaq.com
***PHANToM Desktop Brings 3D Touch Technology to the
Professional Desktop
(July 20)SensAble Technologies brought its PHANToM technology to the
professional desktop. PHANToM Desktop provides a package for
mainstream 3D professional users to be able to improve their
ability to productively interact with 3D digital data.These include digital painting, product visualization and
simulation, molecular modeling, seismic data analysis and
digital clay modeling.PHANToM Desktop model includes:
-- Ergonomic engineering for sustained, comfortable usage,
-- Simple parallel port interface for ease of installation and
serviceability,
-- Compact footprint and aesthetic design that are at home on
the 3D professionals' desktop,
-- A breakthrough price/performance level - under $10,000.The PHANToM Desktop will be available in commercial quantities
for Windows NT and Silicon Graphics workstations in the fourth
quarter of 1998.http://www.SensAble.com
***SensAble Technologies Announces Version 2 of GHOST Software
(July 20)Delivering the benefits of 3D Touch came with the announcement
of GHOST Version 2. The software toolkit enables Independent
Software Vendors to quickly incorporate 3D Touch into CAD,
animation, visualization, and other 3D software applications.GHOST, the General Haptics Open Software Toolkit, reduces the
time and effort required for ISVs to "touch-enable" their
applications. Its core physics engine takes care of the complex
computations behind 3D Touch and allows ISV applications to deal
with simple, high-level objects and physical properties like
location, mass, friction and hardness. Developers can use
GHOST's libraries of 3D primitive objects, polygonal objects,
and touch effects to easily add a convincingly physical
dimension to their application.GHOST's object-oriented architecture incorporates three distinct
elements:--An API that manages the communication between 3D software
applications and end-users at the intuitive level of "virtual"
objects and their "physical" properties
--An SDK to speed and simplify 3D Touch application development,
including sample code, debugging aids, and libraries of 3D
objects and effects
--"physics of touch" engine that ISVs can build into their
applications to handle the complex computations behind 3D Touch.With this 2nd generation release, SensAble Technologies
continues to evolve GHOST into a robust, high-quality standard
for haptic rendering. Improvements include:--Support for SensAble's new PHANToM Desktop model
--Integrated mouse driver functionality
--The ability to handle polymesh objects over 6 times larger
than previous versions of GHOST
--Support for VRML 2.0 DLL-based implementation (NT only) to
simplify development, support and upgrades, Support of user-
defined force fields.GHOST Version 2 will be available in August for Windows NT 4.0
(Service Pack 3) and SGI Irix 6.2 or higher.http://www.sensable.com
***n-Vision Launches Datavisor LCD
(July 21)n-Vision launches its Datavisor LCD, head mounted display (HMD)
system. The Datavisor LCD combines miniature active-matrix
liquid crystal displays, proprietary optics modules, and
lightweight housings into a device that is comfortable to wear.
Though list pricing has not yet been determined, the product is
positioned below the $10,000 segment of the professional HMD
market.Combined with the dual ratchet head-fitting system and a weight
of just 40 ounces, the system will be comfortable to wear for
extended periods. Other features include see-through capability,
internal and external mounting options and integrated earphones.http://www.nvis.com
***TGS Announces 3Space for Microsoft FrontPage 98 Using
Chromeffects
(July 21)TGS unveiled 3Space for Microsoft FrontPage 98, a 3D art and
animation add-on. 3Space for FrontPage creates graphics and
animation using the new Microsoft Chromeffects interactive media
technology.Supporting Microsoft Chromeffects, users of 3Space for FrontPage
can integrate new XML-based effects into their Web pages.3Space will be available in early 1999, with pricing to be
announced at a later date.http://www.tgs.com
***National Semiconductor Unveils SVGA/UXGA-Compliant Chip Set
for High Resolution Flat Panel Monitors
(Aug. 4)National Semiconductor announced its LDI (LVDS Display
Interface) chip set for flat panel monitors.The DS90C387 and DS90CF388 LDI chips are based on National's
LVDS (low voltage differential signaling) technology, which uses
true differential transmission to reduce electromagnetic
interference, while maintaining a high throughput of 5.38
gigabits per second (Gbps). The chip set, which has SVGA (single
pixel) and UXGA (dual pixel) resolution digital link to the flat
panel monitor over 10 meters of cable.The LDI chip set is compatible with either single or dual pixel
function and can operate with National's existing notebook-
market-standard FPD-Link devices, enabling easy upgrades. The
chip set is designed to sit between the GUI display controller
on the desktop and the timing control ASIC on the LCD. The
devices are able to support a wide range of resolutions such as
SVGA (800 X 600), XGA (1024 X 768), SXGA (1280 X 1024), UXGA
(1600 X 1200), HDTV and beyond.The DS90C387 (programmable transmitter) and DS90CF388 (falling
edge receiver) utilize a 345mV swing to reduce noise levels,
which is a big concern for both host and display manufacturers.
In addition, the deskew feature in the receiver, allows for
cost-effective cabling choices which reduce system cost. The
chip set supports LCD timing controllers and can be used as a 3-
volt dual pixel configuration performing at 224 MHz. This
attribute supports high-bandwidth data transfer and ensures
screen reliability for ultimate performance.The LDI chip set will be sampling in late summer. The DS90C387
is $10.75 in quantities of 1,000, and the DS90CF388 is $11.25
each in quantities of 1,000. The devices are housed in a low-
profile 100-lead TQFP package.http://www.national.com
***Analysts Warn of Cable Industry Losses as American Consumers
Go Digital
(July 15)New research from analyst group Ovum, carries a stark warning to
the US cable industry. Analysts predict a sharp decline in the
number of cable subscribers across America as consumers adopt
new digital satellite and digital terrestrial services. The
cable industries will suffer major losses unless they are able
to respond early to this new competitive threat. The findings,
available from Ovum in a new report, Digital Television: How To
survive and Make Money, include strategic guidance, scenarios
and market forecasts.Ovum points out that at the heart of this confrontation is the
belief that, in order to remain competitive in the mass market,
communications corporations will need to offer a full range of
services, including video on demand, voice telephony, and high-
speed Internet access. Many of the main telcos and cable
corporations have run trials of these services. The results
indicate a very weak case that will not justify the high cost of
investment.Ovum's research shows that both digital satellite and digital
terrestrial will affect cable services and lead to a decline in
the number of subscribers. Cable TV penetration in the US is
currently at 65%. Entertainment and information will be the most
significant revenue streams, followed by marketing and
advertising. "The cable industry will be particularly at risk in
multi-occupant housing where the owners of the property also own
the internal cable infrastructure," explains Moroney. "Owners
will see digital terrestrial and satellite as a cheap way of
providing multi-channel programs.Digital Television: How To Survive and Make Money assesses the
opportunities for content exploitation over digital television
and the Internet. It provides an examination of the factors
determining how the market will develop, presents Ovum's vision
of the likely outcomes worldwide, and gives strategic guidance
for cable corporations, telcos, broadcasters and content
providers. The report is available from Ovum in August and costs
$3,150.http://www.ovum.com
***Cahners In-Stat Group Expects PC Server Growth to Double Over
Mainstream PCs
(Aug. 3)Cahners In-Stat Group expects the PC server market to outpace
growth of the overall PC market by growing at a compound annual
rate of more than 20% through 2002.The strong demand for Web servers, created by the continuing
growth of the Internet and corporate intranets, resulted in
Worldwide PC server shipments increasing almost 35% to 1.73
million units in 1997, up from 1.28 million units in 1996.According to Cahners In-Stat Group, last year, two-way SMP
servers based on Pentium II and Pentium Pro processors, and
four-way and higher SMP servers based on Pentium Pro processors
drove SMP server growth to 70%. "These SMP servers are
successfully competing with higher-priced RISC/Unix servers in
many applications," explained Bogen.Commanding the PC server market share in 1997 was Compaq with
almost 32% of worldwide shipments followed by IBM, and Hewlett-
Packard. Cahners In-Stat Group also expects Compaq to gain
server market share in 1998 due to its mid-year acquisition of
Digital and that Dell will continue to gain market share in
worldwide PC server shipments, thereby strengthening its fourth-
place position. PC Server Growth Remains Strong, Report No.
PM9806WS, examines the market for worldwide PC server shipments
through the year 2002. The report provides a brief overview of
the history, technology and applications of servers and examines
the worldwide PC server market. The report also includes an
assessment of the primary competitors in the market.The report, PC Server Growth Remains Strong, No. PM9806WS, is
priced at $2495. Price includes analyst inquiry privileges on
topics covered in this report.http://www.instat.com
***Cahners In-Stat Group Expects IEEE 1394 Volume to Breakout in
Year 2000
(July 22)Cahners In-Stat Group expects that the first "boom" year for the
critical interface technology called IEEE 1394 will be in 2000,
with unit shipments of devices incorporating 1394 jumping to 150
million units. By 2002, Cahners In-Stat Group anticipates that
1394 shipments could reach 500 million across all market
segments.The emergence of IEEE 1394 in 1998 has slowed due to lack of
driver support, tumbling PC prices, and incrementalism in the PC
market. While PCs are now emerging with built-in IEEE 1394
support, there remains a dearth of peripherals with which to
connect. The key barrier to the high-volume emergence of the
1394 in the PC market is software driver support and it appears
it won't be available until at least early 1999.In sharp contrast to the PC market, the consumer electronics
market is incorporating the interface on nearly every digital
Audio/Visual consumer electronics device. In fact, the interface
will become a standard on every digital TV and the bus has
already become a standard feature on the digital camcorder
market that is doubling each year.Kirstein explained that in the consumer market, the two primary
barriers are content protection and the rate at which digital
consumer electronics will overtake traditional analog devices.According to Cahners In-Stat Group, as significant as market
volume is, the potential for IEEE 1394 lies in strategic
implications. The enormous bandwidth and peer-peer capability of
1394 represents an unprecedented opportunity for peripheral
manufacturers. With a common PC and digital consumer electronics
bus, PC industry manufacturers and consumer electronics
manufacturers will be competing in the same markets.IEEE 1394: Markets & Strategies, Report No. MM9809IF, examines
the market for IEEE 1394 through the year 2002. The report
provides a brief overview of the history and technology of IEEE
1394 and examines specific market segments and applications and
predicts how quickly and to what degree these markets will
incorporate IEEE 1394.The report, IEEE 1394: Markets & Strategies, No. MM9809IF,
written by Mark Kirstein, is priced at $3,495.
http://www.cahnersinstat.com***3Dlabs reports Second Quarter 1998 Results
(July 21)3Dlabs announced financial results for the second quarter ended
June 30, 1998. Total revenues for the quarter were $8.9 million
and, as previously forecast, the Company incurred operational
losses of $1.7 million or ($0.11) per share, excluding the
special charges identified below. Without these charges, gross-
profit for the quarter was $3.8 million and product gross-
margins were 42%, up sequentially from 33% in the first quarter.Also, to decrease expenses and overhead, the Company announced
that it has reduced its world-wide headcount by approximately
15%. These reductions were primarily in those areas of overlap
between 3Dlabs and Dynamic Pictures (DPI,) which the Company
recently acquired. The combined research and development staff
was unaffected.The Company is recording a write-down of inventory and
recognizing losses on firm purchase commitments of approximately
$13.4 million and is recording additional reserves relating to
its provisions for doubtful accounts of $2.5 million. The
Company has written off certain of its chip inventories to
reflect its new business model. When AR charges are reflected,
the Company's net losses for the quarter were $18.1 million or
($1.18) per share.http//www.3dlabs.com
***Gateway Reports Second Quarter Results
(July 23)Gateway reported second quarter ended June 30, 1998, compared to
the second quarter of 1997.Sales were $1.62 billion, a 16% increase from the $1.39 billion
of a year ago. Net income rose 8% to $60.7 million and diluted
earnings per share increased 6% to $.38 from the $.36 recorded
in the second quarter of 1997.Sales of Gateway portable products in the quarter were 14% of
total sales, up 32% over the prior year. Gateway made its
largest portable sale when it sold more than 1,400 Solo 9100
multimedia computers to Galaxy Scientific Corporation.Following soft April sales, demand began to accelerate in June
as Your:)Ware was launched. The Your:)Ware consumer program
drove up new sales calls by 80% and increased units shipped by
48% during the month of June over the prior year.International sales in the quarter represented 15% of total
Company sales.The Company achieved the highest level of brand loyalty in the
personal computer industry with a 75% rating, driven by the
quality of our products and services. Gateway's products were
broadly recognized by industry analysts and publications,
winning 71 awards during the quarter.AUP's declined 12.5% to $2200 in the quarter compared to the
prior year's quarter. On a sequential basis, AUP's declined 2.4%
for the quarter primarily due to mix changes within the desktop
product line.Gross margins in the quarter were 20.6%. The margin improvement
over the first quarter level of 19.5% is primarily attributable
to product pricing decisions intended to help offset marketing
costs incurred during the quarter.http://www.gateway.com
***Pinnacle Systems Reports Revenue and Net Income for the
Fourth Quarter of Fiscal 1998
(July 21)Pinnacle Systems, Inc. announced financial results for the
fourth quarter of fiscal 1998, which ended June 30, 1998.Net sales were $31,569,000 compared to $29,332,000 in the third
quarter of fiscal 1998, and $12,430,000 in the fourth quarter of
fiscal 1997. Net sales for fiscal 1998, which also ended June
30, 1998, were $105,296,000 compared to net sales of $37,482,00
in fiscal 1997.Net income for the fourth quarter of fiscal 1998 was $4,346,000,
or $.39 per share on a diluted basis. This compares to net
income of $3,328,000, or $.31 per share on a diluted basis, in
the third quarter of fiscal 1998, and $326,000, or $.04 per
share, in the fourth quarter of fiscal 1997, excluding
acquisition related and in-process research and development
charges. In addition, the company generated $7.4 million in cash
from operations during the fourth quarter of fiscal 1998, and
ended with $91.3 million in cash and marketable securities.www.pinnaclesys.com
***Pixar Announces Second Quarter 1998 Financial Results
(July 23)Pixar Animation Studios announced financial results for the
second quarter of 1998 and for the six months ended June 27,
1998.Revenues for the second quarter of 1998 were $3.8 million
compared with $14.4 million in the second quarter of 1997. Net
income for the second quarter of 1998 was $2.1 million compared
with $8.9 million for the second quarter of 1997. Diluted
earnings per share for the second quarter of 1998 were $0.04
compared with $0.19 for the second quarter of 1997.
Revenues for the six months ended June 27, 1998 were $8.8
million compared with $22.2 million for the six months ended
June 30, 1997. Net income for the six months ended June 27,
1998 was $5.9 million compared with $14.1 million for the six
months ended June 30, 1997. Diluted earnings per share for the
six months ended June 27, 1998 were $0.12 compared with $0.30
for the six months ended June 30, 1997.http://www.pixar.com
***Avid Technology Announces Earnings for the Second Quarter
1998
(July 23)Avid Technology, Inc. reported its financial results for the
second quarter ended June 30, 1998. Net income rose to $9.2
million, or $0.37 per diluted share, compared to net income of
$6.5 million, or $0.27 per diluted share, in the same period in
1997. Second quarter revenues were $112.9 million compared to
$122.9 million in the second quarter of 1997. Although revenues
were down, gross profit margin increased to 60.5% compared to
51.4% in the same period last year. For the six-month period
ended June 30, 1998, revenues were $221.6 million versus $231.1
million in the same period in 1997. The Company recorded net
income of $16.9 million, or $0.69 per diluted share, for the
six-month period ended June 30, 1998, compared to $8.3 million,
or $0.36 per diluted share, for the same period in 1997.www.avid.com
--------------------------------------
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