Tag Line Xpress

                       News, Updates, and Upgrades

    RON JANORKAR, ASP author of Tag Line Xpress, is extending a special

    holiday offer (as he did last year) to all users of Tag Line Xpress.

From November 22 - December 25, 1993, contribute ten dollars (or

    more!) to ANY legitimate charity and receive a *FREE* registration

    number for Tag Line Xpress! Last year's TLX Charity Drive totalled

    $753.75.

    What follows in the press release from Ron Janorkar:

Please mail the ORIGINAL receipt for the donation along with a SASE

    to the author. You receipt will be sent back along with a

    Registration number for Tag Line Xpress.

    Remember:

(1) Send the ORIGINAL receipt (or cancelled check for ten dollars or

    more from any legitimate charity organization (Salvation Army,

    Meals-On-Wheels, ASPCA, etc.). It will be returned to you along with

    the registration number.

    (2) Your name and the date MUST be on the receipt, and should be

    dated between 11/22/93 and 12/25/93.

  (3) Please include a self addressed stamped envelope. I will not

    send registration without one. I will honor this offer until January

    31, 1994, which should give ample time for the US Mail to reach me.

    The mailing address is:

First Prince C.C. Marketing

TLX Registration

22 Prince Street

New York, NY 10012

Support/Orders: (212) 334-1243  Fax: (212) 334-1245

    Please take advantage of this offer, and put some "Sharing" into

    "Shareware"!

Ron Janorkar

Author Tag Line Xpress (ASP member)

     ASYMETRIX CORPORATION announced the Asymetrix Multimedia Screen

     Saver, a package of entertaining and educational screen savers that

     incorporates multimedia effects such as full motion video,

     animation and sound. Twenty-five screen saver shows such as

     "B-Movies," "Northwest Coast," "Christmas," "Slapstick Comedies,"

     "National Parks," and "Orca Whales", plus others, entertain and

     inform customers while their computer screens are idle. This is the

     first in a series of popular entertainment screen savers for the

     Windows operating system to be delivered by Asymetrix. A selection

     of the Asymetrix Multimedia Screen Saver images may also be

     installed as wallpaper for MS Windows, further expanding the

     product's ability to personalize a user's PC. It requires 33MHZ 386

     or better, MS-DOS 3.1 or later and Windows 3.1; 1.44MB 3.5-inch

     disk drive and a hard drive; 4 to 8MB of memory; VGA or SVGA video

     recommended; MS-Mouse or compatible; sound card is required to play

     audion, and a CD-ROM drive is recommended. The product carries a

     SRP of $29. Call (800) 448-6543 for further information.

              Asymetrix has also announced it is shipping an upgraded

     version of MediaBlitz! multimedia utility for MS-Windows.

     "MediaBlitz! 3.0 makes multimedia accessibile to everyone, from

     programmers to Windows enthusiasts who would like to personalize

     their PCs with multimedia screen savers of their own creation."

     said Joe Rehfeld, director of product marketing at Asymetrix.

     MediaBlitz! 3.0 acts as personal multimedia studio, aloowing users

     to combine and synchronize sound, graphics, video and animation

     into a complete multimedia score. These scores can be used by

     themselves or within any application that supports OLE. MediaBlitz!

     3.0 requires no programming knowledge. MediaBlitz! consisits of

     multiple applications including ClipMaker, which lets users easily

     create multimedia clips; ScorMaker, which allows them to

     effortlessly arrange clips and files along a graphical time line

     into complete multimedia shows; and ScorePlayer, which plays the

     user-created scores with a simple mouse click. MediaBlitz! supports

     digiital video, CD audio, waveform audio, MIDI, animation and

     Windows bitmaps. MediaBlitz! 3.0 has a SRP of $95. Registered users

     of previous versions of MediaBlitz! may upgrade for $29. Customers

     who purchased MediaBlitz! 2.0 after Sept. 25 can upgrade for a

     shipping and handling charge. For more information call (800)

     448-6543.

        Asymetrix announced at COMDEX, Jurassic Park: The Screen Saver,

    a multimedia screen-saver package featuring authentic materials from

    the blockbuster movie, including specially integrated film images,

    sound effects, dialouge and graphics. The product is for MS Windows,

    and will is available on disk or CD-ROM.

    ARIS ENTERTAINMENT has begun to ship its first CD-ROM game title,

    Video Cube:Space. The fast-paced, multimedia video game is comprised

    of an interactive Rubik's cube-like puzzle incorporating 108

    Microsoft Video for Windows videos, CD-quality original music and

    sound effects. The payoff for solving each side of the puzzle is a

    dramatic video (from tem to sixty seconds), accompanied by

    CD-quality music. The dequences are from NASA and include rocket

    launches, moon walks, and more. It requires a Super VGA monitor,

    CD-ROM drive, and supports both 8-bit and 16-bit sound cards. The

    product comes in a cube shaped box, and has a SRP of $49.95.

    EMERALD SYSTEMS is the first to offer a new DDS-2 format 4mm Digital

    Audio Tape (DAT) drive which triples the transfer rate and doubles

    the capacity of its predecessors. This new drive can provide data

    transfer rates of more than 60 megabytes per minute and has a

    typical compressed capacity of 8 gigabytes. Listed at $3,295 for the

    external version and $3,095 for the internal version. With a

    half-height 3-1/2 inch format and small footprint, the external

    versions fits easily onto the desktop. For more infomration call:

    (800) 767-2587 or (619) 673-2161. FAX: (619) 673-2288.

        Emerald has begun shipping its first software product which

     fully supports NetWare 4.x by backing up Directory Services through

     NetWare's Storage Management Services (SMS). The product Xpress

     Librarian 3.0, is the latest version of the company's workstation-

     and Windows-based data storage management software. This is the

     first of four software products Emerald Systems will offer before

     year's end with full backup support of NetWare 4.x. The company

     soon will release XpressSERVE Enterprise, an NLM with full support

     of NetWare 4.x and SMS, as well as Version 4.0 of its basic backup

     and restore package, EmSAVE, which has a Windows interface and

     operates from a workstation. In addition to supporting NetWare 4.x,

     the new version of Xpress Librarian carries a new lower price of

     $595 list and now supports the Adaptec SCSI interface card through

     the ASPI layer, enabling the software's use with a wide variety of

     popular tape drives and autoloaders.

        They have also added Hewlett-Packard's new, fast, high capacity

     DAT autoloader to its line of automated netowrk backup and data

     storage management solutions. When this 48 gigabyte autoloader is

     used with the newest version of Emerald Systems' award-winning

     Windows-based software, Xpress Librarian, the result is total

     automation of the backup management process, inclduing archiving

     and tape cleaning, at a list price of under $6,600.

    ACCESS SOFTWARE has released their latest high resolution golf

    course, Pebble Beach. This is the seventh course that has been

    released which support Super VGA graphics. This, and the other

    courses, require Links, Links386 Pro or Microsoft Golf to operate.

    SRP is $39.95. Call (800) 800-4880 for more information.

    OWL SOFTWARE CORP. announced a Windows version of Ben's Printing

    Press, a full-featured desktop publishing software program for home

    or office personal computer users. The Windows version features 16

    TrueType fonts and supports BMP, EPS and PCX color printing as well

    as black-and-white PCX format. The program produces business cards,

    mailing labels, calendars, signs, tickets, certificates, greeting

    cards, stationary and more. SRP is $59.95.

    Online Computer Systems, Inc. announced that it will be distributing

    network versions of the CD-ROM-based medical library published by

    Macmillan New Media. The agreement adds 14 research and reference

    titles for physicians, hospitals, medical instutions and

    organizations to their extensive portfolio of CD-ROM software and

    hardware.

    MICROSOFT CORP. announced MS-DOS version 6.2. This version includes

    enhancements to DoubleSpace, new data-protection technology and

    faster CD-ROM access. For current users of MS-DOS 6, Step-Up

    software will be available for $9.95, or no cost from Microsoft via

    CompuServe and the Microsoft Download Library. To access the

    software files, CompuServe subscribers can type GO MSDOS62 at the

    CompuServe prompt. Non-subscribers can coonect to MSDL by dialing

    (206) 936-6735. For users of MS-DOS 5.0 or below, there are two

    version of the MS-DOS 6.2 upgrade. The first is a standard MS-DOS

    6.2 Upgrade with a SRP of $77.95. The second version called the

    MS-DOS 6.2 Upgrade for Dummies, Special Edition inlcludes a special

    edition of the book "DOS For Dummies" by Dan Gookin. This also has a

    SRP of $77.95.

    COMPUTER ASSOCIATES announced it would launch its newest product,

    CA-Simply Tax, with an UNLIMITED mega-copy giveaway. CA will offer

    its CA-Sipmly Tax, an easy-to-use full-featured tax preparation

    software package for Windows and DOS that lists for $69.99, free of

    charge to anyone calling 1-800-7-FREE-TAX or 1-800-737-3382. CA also

    began shipping CA-REALIZER 2.0, the first Windows-OS/2 visual

    programming environment that is as powerful as it is easy-to-use. It

    will carry an introductory price of $99 through March 31, 1994.

    AZTECH LABS, INC. introduced a new desktop TV/video interface card

    that allows users to capture, freeze, store, manipulate and export

    fully-scalable digital video images. The card, called Video Galaxy,

    is compatible with all major video standards including NTSC and will

    ship in December 1993 with a suggested retail price of less than

    $300. Video Galaxy, which fits into any 16-bit computer slot and can

    be output to any VGA monitor, allows segments of video or a TV

    program to be clipped from the following video sources: TV,

    videotape, camcorder or laser disc player. Video Galaxy, which

    supports all major image file formats, can be upgraded to read

    Teletext using an upgrade module. The card comes complete with a

    video capture driver which provides the option to select and capture

    single frames. It also has a bulit-in TV tuner. It provides real

    time control of hue, saturation, brightness and contrast level

    on-screen through software. It supports resolutions up to 1024 x 768

    and allows up to 16 million colors. The card also features on/off TV

    timer to allow the preset of the TV to turn on whenever a program is

    about to start. In addition, a digital clock and preset status can

    be displayed on the video screen. Switch-off time can also be set.

    It also has four audio sources providing complete control over the

    audio output for volume, bass, treble and balance through software.

        Aztech has also announced two other products. Basic 16, a 16-bit

    sound card with CD quality stereo audio. The card will be shipping

    in November with a SRP of $169. Basic 16 supports the five major

    sound standards -- Sound Blaster Pro II, MS Windows Sound System,

    Adlib, Covox Speech Thing and Disney Sound Source. In addition it

    gives you the freedom to select a variety of CD-ROM drives. It comes

    with headphones, Windows 3.1 drivers, and over a dozen software

    programs for business and multimedia. Also announced was the Aztech

    MPC-2 compliant, double speed CD-ROM drive, for PC, DOS and Windows

    systems. The 630-megabyte CD-ROM drive (300 KB/sec data transfer

    rate and less than 380  msec average access time), model # CDA

    268-01A features front volume headphone output, rear panel audio

    output and a 64KB internal buffer. Its digital audio output feature

    allows users to play back 74 minutes of full motion video from a

    single 12cm disk using video in CD format. The card will be shipping

    in January 1994 and has a SRP of $199.

    MASTERSOFT,INC. announced that it will include graphic converters in

    the next retail versions of its software. Converters for a doozen of

    the most popular graphic formats will ship in Word for Word -

    Professional version 6.0 and Word for Word - Windows Edition 6.0.

    Version 6.0 of Word for Word will have a SRP of $149. Registered

    owners of previous versions will be given the opportunity to upgrade

    for $39.95.

    RAPID PATENT and EDS announce joint venture. Rapid Patent, the

    world's largest private provider of U.S. and international patent

    documentation and Electronic Data Systems (EDS), a global leader in

    computer information technology and services, began offering for

    sale a new on-line patent information service that will enable users

    to serach and obtain patent information. The new on-line service,

    called Patent Analyzer, is designed to serve large organizations,

    law firms, emerging companies and individual inventors who need

    authoritative, reliable patent information in the fastest possible

    time frame. Patent Analyzer is a database system which contains

    twenty-two years of full-text U.S. patent infomration for all

    technologies. It uses a unique search technique that differs from

    those currently available. It uses a concept search technique

    instead of the usual Boolean string commands. By scanning in a

    full-text draft patent application, full patent specification, or an

    engieering memorandum, the system absorbs the relevant content and

    returns a list or related patents. Although EDS and Rapid Patent

    have not set final users rates for direct access to the system

    search service, rates will be based on a flat fee and will range for

    $45 to $495 depeding on the type of search performed. The Patent

    Analyzer search service is available immediately to customers

    directly through Rapid Patent by calling 1-800-336-5010.

    International availability is planned for 1994.

    MICRO SOLUTIONS, INC. made three announcments this month. First, an

    explanation of backpack. Backpack is a line of drives from Micro

    Solutions that connect to your parallel port, and you printer is

    connected to the drive. You can daisy-chain several drives together.

    Drives are available in: CD-ROM, diskette (1.2,1.44, 2.8), hard and

    tape drives. They have added a new double speed CD-ROM backpack

    drive to its existing line of external parallel port drives. The new

    double speed CD-ROM drive provides high peformance. The performance

    increase is a result of the 300KB/s rate versus 150KB/s for standard

    speed. This is achieved by doubling the rotation speed of the CD.

    The average access time is 250 milliseconds. The multisession drive

    has received Photo CD compatibility certification from Eastman

    Kodak, which means this drive will allow you to view Photo CDs.

    Other supported media formats include: High Sierra, ISO 966,

    CD-ROM/XA and CD-Audio.The CD-ROM backpack drive is scheduled to

    ship in the four th quarter with a SRP of $499.

        They have also started shipping two new larger capacity backpack

    hard drives. The backpack hard drives are available in: 250MB - SRP

    $569. 340MB - SRP $675. Micro Solutions, Inc. has formed a strategic

    alliance with Quest Development Corporation to provide new Windows

    backup software from the backpack 250MB parallel port tape drive.

        In addition, Quest will provide new DOS software which will have

    the same look and feel as the Windows version. The Windows software

    will be released Nov. 15, 1993. Anyone who purchased a backpack tape

    drive within thirty days of the release will receive the new Windows

    software free of charge direct from Micro Solutions. Users who

    purchased a drive prior to October 15, 1993 may purchase the new

    backpack Windows software direct from Micro Solutions, Inc. for

    $39.95. The package will include both DOS and Windows software, a

    new users guide and a new software installation guide. Users with

    questions about the new Windows software may call Micro Solutions at

    1-800-890-7227, ext. 200.

    BOCA RESEARCH, INC. made several announcements this month. First,

    they lowered the suggested retail prices on it V.32bis 14,4000bps

    modems by more than 40% on the internal version and 35% on the

    external model, to $195 and $245 respectively. Simultaneously, the

    company is announcing two versions of its V.Fast Class 24,000bps

    modem. The SRP of the internal version of the V.Fast product is

    $395. The SRP for the external model is $495. To take advantage of

    the maximum throughput of 115.2Kbps, a 16C550 high speed buffered

    UART is required. This UART is integrated on the internal version.

    Boca is including a free 16C550 UART serial card with the external

    V.Fast modem.

        They also announced a 10BASE-T Ethernet PCMCIA adapter. Known as

    the BEN1PA, this $229(SRP) adapter provides a low cost, highly

    reliable connection to IEEE 802.3 networks. The BEN1PA is designed

    for computers with PCMCIA Type II slot. The adapter has an operating

    distance of 100m (328') and includes a 10BASE-T twisted pair

    transceiver with RJ-45 connector. Speaking of PCMCIA, Boca announced

    a 14.4Kbps PCMCIA modem. At an aggressive SRP of $369, this fully

    featured modem will provide laptop and notebook users with the same

    high speed capabilities that they enjoy on their desktop systems.

    The M144PA is a 68 pin PCMCIA Type II, Release 2.01 card complying

    with the PCMICA standard credit card sized fax modems. Fax

    compatibilities include Class 1 and Class 2 support. The product

    ships with fax and data communcations software for Windows and DOS.

        Recently, Boca acquired the assets and operations of a  data

    communications peripheral company, The Complete PC.

    MICROLEAGUE INTERACTIVE SOFTWARE announced a newly-formed agreement

    with Starbyte Software of Germany to publish and market the German

    product line in North America. The agreement will yield such games

    as SPACE JOB, HANNIBAL, and RINGS OD MEDUSA GOLD. American

    distribution of these products will begin in early 1994. Call

    1-800-334-6572 for a free software catalog.

    COMPTON'S NEWMEDIA made multiple annnouncements at COMDEX this

    month. They have added a technical support facility on Compuserve.

    Any technical support question can now be forwarded to the CD-ROM

    Vendors Forum under GO COMPTONS for answers with 24 hours Monday

    through Friday. Also announced was Compton's Interactive Network.

    The Network is a service designed to provide access interactively to

    a TV listing, a movie guide, home shopping, and an information

    network that will include interactive news, weather, sports, and

    electronic reference works such as Compton's Interactive

    Encyclopedia. Jazz: A Multimedia History, has been announced for the

    Macintosh. The CD-ROM is filled with 30 minutes of video sequences.

    It has a SRP of $69.95, and contains photos, sound effects and jazz

    music from 1923 to 1991. The progam requires a Macintosh or Performa

    with 4MB RAM, color monitor, system 6.0.7 or later, and a CD-ROM

    drive. QuickTime 1.5 is included.

        Compton's has introduced USA Wars: World War II with BlitzQuiz.

    This CD-ROM is a 2,000 picture journey and game. The CD-ROM takes

    the user through a comprehensive view of the most pivotal war in

    modern history. Containing more than 2,000 historical photographs,

    this edutainment title provides an in-depth photographic view of the

    U.S. involvement in all theaters of operation from 1938 to 1945 with

    accompanying biographies, chronologies, and escriptions of battles.

    USA Wars: World War II with BlitzQuiz is available in DOS/Windows

    format for $39.95.

        Starting first quarter 1994, Compton's will bundle Lotus

    Development Corpoation's Ami Pro 3.0 for Windows with each copy of

    Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia. This will be the full-featured

    version of Ami Pro, added to the encyclopedia, at no extra cost to

    the user. While you can call up Ami Pro directly from the

    Interactive Encyclopedia, you can also activate it as an independent

    application from the hard disk.

        And, finally, the newest version of Compton's Interactive

    Encyclopedia will be the first electronic encyclopedia to feature

    full-screen, full motion picture quality video. The smooth-running

    images are compressed inn accordance with the MPEG standard and can

    be played back at 3 frames per second using the recently announced

    Sigma Designs' ReelMagic MPEG decompression video board. The price

    for Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia Version-MPEG Edition is

    priced at $395, the same as their Interactive Encyclopedia version

    2.0 for Windows. The MPEG version will also be bundled with Sigma

    Designs' ReelMagic CD-ROM Upgrade Kit which carries a SRP of $849.