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By Beverly Rosenbaum |
Creative Technology Ltd. has announced three models in its new Graphics Blaster series of add-on multimedia graphics accelerator cards designed for Pentium-based systems. The top-of-the-line Graphics Blaster MA302 uses the Cirrus Logic GD5462 Laguna Media Accelerator and is the first consumer graphics accelerator to use RAMBUS memory, the type of high performance memory architecture currently used on workstations and other specialty devices. The RAMBUS memory provides 500 megabytes per second of bandwidth, more than 25% faster than VRAM, allowing simultaneous smooth playback of up to three video windows. The estimated street price is $199.
The Graphics Blaster MA202, a 2MB EDO DRAM board, and the Graphics Blaster MA201, an upgradeable 1MB EDO DRAM board, both use the GD5446 Alpine Graphics Accelerator and have estimated street prices of $149 and $99, respectively. EDO stands for Extended Data Output, the newest DRAM chip technology. EDO chips allow the CPU to access memory 10 to 15% faster than fast page mode chips. However, a computer system must be designed to make use of the extra efficiency EDO offers. Pentium-class computers using Intel's Triton chip set are designed to use EDO memory. (If you put an EDO memory module in a machine that doesn't recognize EDO, the system will work, but there will be no performance increase.)
Software support includes drivers for Windows 95, Windows NT, Windows 3.1, and OS/2 Warp, and all models are 100 percent Plug-and-Play compatible under Windows 95 and upcoming versions of Windows NT. The Blaster Control Panel is a fully integrated suite of utilities designed to enhance and control all aspects of the user's Windows desktop including graphics mode switching on the fly, resolution, color depth, screen size and position, and other critical features.
After releasing FileMaker Pro 3.0 for Windows 95, Windows NT and Macintosh systems in January 1996, Claris Corporation announced plans to add a new version of its 32-bit relational database that will run on Windows 3.1 16-bit operating systems. Targeted at providing easy relational database solutions for all Windows users, particularly those users who have not migrated to Windows 95, the new FileMaker Pro 3.0 will ship in June and will include all three Windows platform versions (3.1, 95 and NT) in a single box. Realizing the presence of a significant installed base of Windows 3.1 customers who are not ready to upgrade to Windows 95 or Windows NT, Claris feels it is maintaining platform flexibility by releasing a version of FileMaker Pro 3.0 for all Windows platforms. Compatible with all previous releases, the new version automatically converts DBF, WKS and other file formats directly into FileMaker Pro files. The Windows 3.1 version of FileMaker Pro 3.0 will allow users to run FileMaker Pro on Windows 3.1 and Windows for Workgroups systems and will import and export between FileMaker Pro 3.0 and databases within ClarisWorks, Claris' integrated software application.
FileMaker Pro 3.0 provides OLE 2.0 client and drag-and-drop support, and allows Windows users on a network to share FileMaker Pro files that include OLE objects with Macintosh users. If a Macintosh computer is serving as a host on the network, Windows client users may embed, link and edit OLE objects and the Macintosh host can view the same objects as graphics. Cross-platform network protocol (TCP/IP) is supported, as well as long-format file naming, right mouse button functions, and a status bar. There are more than 40 ready-to-run customizable templates for business (invoicing, lead tracking and contact management), home (invoicing, lead tracking and contact management), education (certificates and student records) and general purposes (mailing lists, fax cover sheets, time sheets, and expense reports).
A new Button tool on the Layout tool panel enables users to perform a number of database tasks including sorting, spell checking and FileMaker Pro scripts without any special programming. Users can employ word-processing features like paragraph formatting, text ruler, tabs, fonts and styles within any text field in their database record or layout for better looking reports, letters and faxes. Instead of requiring users to create a merge document such as a form letter in a word processing program, mail merges are now seamlessly integrated within FileMaker Pro 3.0. Database file capacity is now more than 2 gigabytes (previously 32 MB) and as many as 50 files can be open at the same time (the previous limit was 16). An on-line interactive tour of the application and context-sensitive help are also included. Upgrades are available for $99 directly from Claris at 1-800-331-6187, ext. 921.
Caere Corporation has released OmniPage Pro Version 7.0, a native Windows 95 based application, which includes features like OCR Wizards, OLE "in-place editing," and unattended schedule OCR. It is available in a retail upgrade version for $129 and a non-upgrade version for $499. The $129 retail upgrade product is available to owners of any Caere OCR product (including all versions of OmniPage or WordScan) purchased by itself or received bundled with most flatbed and edge-fed scanners, including the Hewlett-Packard ScanJet series. Version 7.0 requires a minimum of 15 MB free hard disk space, 8 MB RAM for Windows 95 and 12 MB RAM for Windows NT, a 386-based or higher PC, pointing device, and 3.5-inch high-density floppy disk drive. OmniPage Pro for Windows 95 Version 7.0 includes support for over 100 flatbed and edge-fed, black and white, grayscale, and color scanners, including the HP ScanJet series. Current owners of many Hewlett Packard, Visioneer, Microtek, Canon, Plustek, Umax, Nikon, Agfa, Logitech, Relisys, and other scanners are eligible for the upgrade.
This release includes an enhanced AutoOCR Toolbar, the industry's first OCR Wizard, and Microsoft Office compatibility. An expanded AutoOCR Toolbar guides the user through the major steps of the OCR process including Loading/Scanning, Zoning, Recognizing, and Saving. Version 7.0 adds a Save As button to complete the OCR process and allows the user to easily save output text in a variety of word processing, spreadsheet, and other text-based formats. The Toolbar also includes a new "Load from Exchange" option to easily open faxes from the Exchange Inbox and a new "OCR and Check" option that automatically launches the "Check Recognition" feature to verify the output text immediately after recognition is complete. The Toolbar offers the flexibility to control sophisticated OCR settings easily while providing one-button automatic processing of image documents. OmniPage Pro also includes the Installation Wizard that assists the user in the installation of the software and scanning peripherals. Thumbnail representations of document images open in OmniPage Pro, increase the manageability of multipage OCR jobs.
The seamless integration with Microsoft Exchange enables users to convert received faxes in the Microsoft Exchange Inbox into editable text. OmniPage Pro replaces the Microsoft Exchange Fax Viewer and offers the basic rotate, zoom, print, and save capabilities of the Fax Viewer. Users can double-click on a fax file in the Microsoft Exchange Inbox or load Microsoft Exchange faxes directly in OmniPage Pro for automatic conversion to text. OmniPage Pro also adds an "OCR Aware" option to the File menu of most Win 95 text-based applications that allows OmniPage Pro to be accessed directly for easy access of OCR capabilities. Users can also drag document images into OmniPage Pro for processing. Property sheet support allows the user to "right click" on any image on the Desktop or in Explorer to convert that image to text with the click of a button because OmniPage Pro adds a "Convert To..." option to the image file's right click context sensitive menus.
Image Editor Integration allows double-clicking on a graphic in a scanned document to access image editors including Adobe PhotoShop, CorelDRAW or PhotoPaint, Micrografx Picture Publisher, and Microsoft Paint. OmniPage Pro will use OLE 2.0 integration with OLE-compliant image editors. Otherwise, OmniPage Pro will launch the appropriate application and update the image upon closing. HTML output capability facilitates the creation of Web pages and provides basic HTML formatting like bold, underline, and italic. The Schedule OCR option allows the user to schedule a time to automatically OCR documents. The user can identify document images on the hard drive or documents on the scanner and schedule a convenient time for processing. At the appropriate time, OmniPage Pro will load those identified images or scan documents and then automatically zone, OCR, and save output text to a selected destination. For more information, Caere can be reached at 1-800/535-7226 x110 or http://www.caere.com/.
In August this series concludes with software upgrades and product review notes.
Beverly Rosenbaum is a HAL-PC member and can be reached via e-mail through the User Journal section of HALNet.
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