Year: 2002

Pangea Software has re-released Cro-Mag Rally, its 3D kart racing game for Mac OS 8/9 and Mac OS X, as shareware. The game features nine single-player courses as well as several multi-player versus modes; two players can play on a single computer in split-screen mode or up to six players can play over a network. Cro-Mag Rally is available as US$20 shareware.

VersionTracker has kicked off an official T-shirt design contest for the site with a US$500 prize up for grabs. The contest runs through April 30 and the winner will be announced May 13.

UBS Warburg raised its rating on Apple overnight from “Hold” to “Strong Buy,” citing strong new products and Apple’s ability to lead innovation in the industry, according to In Play. UBS expects Apple will perform better than expected in the second-half of the year and raised its fiscal 2002 earning estimates to US$0.53 from $0.49 and fiscal 2003 estimates to $0.85 from $0.72. The company also raised its price target to $30.50 from $23; shares were up in pre-open trading on the news.

Apple’s Hot News page was updated with two new articles late yesterday. “NAB 2002” takes a look at Apple’s booth at the annual conference of the National Association of Broadcasters in Las Vegas and “iPods Around the World” notes that The iPodlounge has assembled a gallery of photos of iPods in front of scenic landmarks around the world.

Microsoft this afternoon reaffirmed its commitment to the Mac platform, according to c|net. “The agreement has ended, but our business is absolutely continuing,” Kevin Browne, head of Microsoft’s Macintosh Business Unit told reporters at a press event, referring to five-year agreement the company struck with Apple in 1997.