Volume Number: 15 (1999)
Issue Number: 8
Column Tag: Newsbits

Newsbits

by Jessica Stubblefield, press_releases@mactech.com

3dfx Interactive® Inc. today announced that it has broadened its commitment to the Apple® Macintosh® market with the release of new Voodoo3 developer drivers. The new drivers will enable leading game developers to create Macintosh versions of their best-selling Windows® PC games and harness the power of Voodoo3-based graphics cards for the Mac.

3dfx also announced that Mactell Corporation (OTC BB: MTLL) and other leading Mac market board makers have licensed the award-winning Voodoo3 graphics accelerator chips for use in new Macintosh graphics boards. The boards are expected to be available later this year, and will deliver the fastest 3D graphics ever available for the Macintosh platform.

3dfx Voodoo3 boards are the hottest-selling video cards in retail stores throughout North America, according to market research firm PC Data. Currently available for Windows PCs, Voodoo3 products are also available in popular PC systems from Compaq, Dell, Gateway, Quantex, NEC Direct, Packard Bell, and others.

More than 500 software titles are available for 3dfx graphics accelerator products, with more than 200 titles written for the Glide API. The Glide API was developed by 3dfx Interactive to provide a simple and fast method for developers to write 3D game titles and software specifically to run on 3dfx accelerators.

About 3dfx Interactive

3dfx Interactive is leading the 3D multimedia revolution in personal computers and consumer products. With its patented and award-wining graphics accelerator chips, boards and software, 3dfx provides the technology to create high-impact visual experiences. The company is recognized worldwide for its ability to bring the world's finest games, educational content, interactive entertainment, and media-rich business applications to life. 3dfx products are available through leading PC makers including Dell and Gateway, and in retail stores worldwide. 3dfx Interactive has headquarters in San Jose, Calif., and engineering and manufacturing facilities in Richardson, Texas, and Juarez, Mexico. 3dfx Interactive (NASDAQ: TDFX) is available on the Web.
http://www.3dfx.com

AppMaker CD #12

Bowers Development announced that it is now shipping AppMaker CD #12. It is in the mail to all current subscribers, domestic and international.

• The generated code for modeless dialogs is more complete and automatic. Without any handwritten code, a dialog can display data from whichever window is frontmost or disable itself if no document window is active.
• Users can define global application data and preferences data which will be instantiated automatically at startup. AppMaker will automatically create, open, read and write a Preferences file.
• Generated applications call NavServices, if it is available, instead of Standard File. The generated code is "Carbon"-ready.
• This release adds support for the few Appearance controls not previously supported: the WindowHeader, WindowListViewHeader, Placard, and UserPane.
• Tools Plus is once again well supported. The Tools Plus Pro libraries + framework is a popular programming tool that simplifies programming and accelerates development. It supports all standard user interface elements and popular extras like floating pallettes, picture buttons, and a 3D look with or without the Appearance Manager. Applications created with Tools Plus Pro run on almost any Macintosh and Mac OS as far back as System 6.
• AppMaker #12 was tested with Metrowerks CW Pro 4 and with pre-release versions of Pro 5. The Bowers web page has a minor update for AppMaker to support the final release of Pro 5.

About AppMaker

AppMaker is a programming tool that makes it faster and easier to make a Macintosh application - not just the user interface, but also the functional code. With AppMaker you create the menus, windows, dialogs and their contents by clicking and dragging to arrange what you want on-screen. You also point and click to declare data structures and to connect UI items to data items. AppMaker creates resources to describe your design, and generates "human, professional quality code" in your choice of either procedural or object-oriented programming languages.
http://www.devdepot.com/